With many in the valley living only a stone's throw from the train tracks, Quispamsis council turning its attention to how to improve rail safety in the community.
This coming after concerned citizen Bernard Beukeveld delivered a presentation to the town on railway speed and safety on secondary rails, like the one running from Moncton to the Port City. A route that Beukeveld says has seen better days. He tells CHSJ News if you go east of Penobsquis you will find railway beds with railway ties so rotten you can stick a screwdriver in them.
Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll writing a letter to the Minister of Transport Canada making several requests relating to rail safety including providing the town with an update on the condition of the railway lines that run through the town's boundaries and to set procedures to ensure proper maintenance of railways right-of-way lines are being addressed.
Beukeveld says he is pleased to see the town taking precautionary measures.
New Brunswick's mining policy is considered to be the second best in the country and the seventh best in the world, according to the latest Survey of Mining Companies prepared by the Fraser Institute.
Forty-eight companies hold mineral claims in New Brunswick and many of them are actively exploring.
Saint John M-P Rodney Weston says the development of shale gas holds great potential and the responsible thing to do is determined whether it can be commercially viable in the province. If it is, Weston says the port will benefit by exporting it worldwide. He agrees with Mayor Mel Norton about there being more reasons for Saint Johnners to be hopeful about the economic future of the city than pessimistic.
You may see ashes on the foreheads of some people today.
Lent begins today, it's the 40 day period leading up to Easter, where Catholics and people in other Christian faiths are encouraged to fast.
Bishop Robert Harris tells CHSJ News Lent is about repentance and people are invited to conversion.
He says that means turning their attention more fully to God and allowing God to have more of an impact on their lives and to transform them.
The Bishop says some of the ways you can do that is by adding more prayer to your daily, abstaining from meat on certain days like today and by doing special works of charity.
The Cathedral on Waterloo Street offering three services for Lent today..730am, 12:10pm and 5pm this afternoon.
Throughout the season of Lent, Catholics can attend an extra daily mass at the Cathedral at 730am which is over before 8 so people can get to work.
If you have already done the shopping and gone to a movie, here's another worthwhile March Break activities you can take part in....donating blood!
It takes 50 units of blood to save the life of a person after a vehicle collision and between 2 and 8 units of blood are needed for someone with internal bleeding.
Canadian Blood Services is looking for donors so you can give blood and help someone in need.
You can donate today from 11am to 3pm, tomorrow from 4-8 and on Friday 11am -3pm.
They do appreciate you booking in advance...call 1-888-2-Donate to book an appointment to give blood.
You can also book in online by clicking here
Quispamsis council forming a committee to explore how to make the inner workings of their budgetary process more accessible to the public.
Mayor Murray Driscoll chairs the new committee and he tells CHSJ News when council released its most recent budget, some media outlets suggested council was not being as transparent as possible. Driscoll says after review, they believe it's now time for them to move on to a more open process.
The committee will bring back recommendations to the town for guidelines as to how they can move forward and get input from the community before the budget actually goes to final council. The committee has already met once, although no decisions have been made at this point in time.
This year's budget being approved in early January.
