Edwards Arrested In The South End

Saint John Police have arrested 31 year old Sirvon Edwards.

Edwards, from Markham, Ontario, was wanted in connection with a recent shooting on that area. He had been described as armed and dangerous.

Edwards was arrested by the SJPD at an apartment on Mecklenberg Street this afternoon at 4pm.

Educational Assistants Still Looking For A Deal

School support staff still looking for a deal hosting a small protest uptown at Germain and King late this afternoon.

The CUPE members are represented by local 2745.

Regional rep Michael Osborne tells CHSJ News they have been without a collective agreement since February of 2013.

He says they are trying to raise awareness about what they do and the value they provide to the educational system.

Osboure says most of their members are educational assistants who work with special needs children and some work in the libraries and in the District offices.

They group began their protest outside MLA Carl Killen's office but he was not around.

They plan to hold future protests at the offices of other Conservative MLA's.

Crowd Funding Site Set Up For Woman Robbed While Working

A woman cab driver who was robbed with a knife while working this morning may soon have help getting back on her feet.

An account has been set up on the popular crowd-funding site GoFundMe to raise money for her. Organizer Erica Wilson-Meunier explains the cabbie even lost the damage deposit she had saved to give to her new landlord.

The site also says she may be unable to work for a while as a result of the experience. To check out the fundraising site, click here.

Hospital Auxiliary Doles Out Funding At Regional

There will soon be some new additions around the Regional Hospital thanks to the efforts of the Saint John Regional Hospital Auxiliary.

The Auxiliary has approved over $80,000 of funding for a number of projects including new recliner chairs for the Labour and Delivery unit - and - customizable wheel chairs for the Neurology and Rehab units - president Katie Rogers says the Auxiliary has donated over 5-million dollars to patient and family comfort programs since the hospital opened in 1982.

The Auxiliary raises its funds through sales at the gift shop - the uniform shop - and - hair salon as well as patient referrals to Phillips Life Line alert systems.

Shale Gas Development In Quispamsis Not An Option For Mayor

With thousands of homes relying on well water in the town of Quispamsis, Mayor Murray Driscoll says they can't take a risk when it comes to shale gas development.

Driscoll says it's not a grey area to him, it's a black and white issue and development cannot happen within the town because with six-thousand wells in the community they can't take a chance on the possibility of contaminating the water supply. 

But he tells CHSJ News his anti-shale gas stance only extends to the borders of the town, saying there's ample room to move forward with shale gas on Crown lands where contamination wouldn't take the same toll as it would in a populated community with a lot of wells. He says they are not against economic development and he is speaking only for his community.

Mayor of Rothesay Bill Bishop, on the other hand, has come out in favour of shale gas development.

Police Respond To Over 300 Calls This Weekend

City Police kept busy this weekend with more than 300 calls for service.

Three people being arrested after the discovery of a large amount of cocaine, pot and synthetic drugs in a vehicle during a traffic stop on Coburg Street.

According to Sergeant Jay Henderson, the vehicle was seized and the 18-year-old driver is facing charges including possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a prohibited weapon. Henderson says the other two people in the vehicle, a 20-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman, also being charged and will be appearing in court.

And more evidence of a spike in copper thefts in Saint John. City Police responding to two men fighting in the middle of the Westfield Road and Henderson says as it turns out, one of the men was allegedly trying to steal copper wire from the other man's shed. A 24-year-old man was arrested at the scene and is facing charges of theft and assault with a weapon.

As well on the weekend, a 44-year-old man being arrested for intentionally hitting another man with his vehicle at the intersection of King Street East and Pitt Street.

Passenger Rail Service Saved In Province

Some good news for those who didn't want to see passenger rail service disappear entirely from New Brunswick altogether. 

It has been saved thanks, in part, to Via Rail giving over $10 million to Canadian National Railway to maintain over 70 kilometres of track between Bathurst and Miramichi. 

The passenger rail service goes between Halifax and Montreal through the northern part of the province. 

Transport Minister Lisa Raitt would like to see something done to increase ridership.

Cab Driver Robbed In South End

City Police investigating the reported robbery at knifepoint of a cab driver on Orange Street.

It was reported shortly after 8:30 this morning. There were no injuries.

Big Drug Bust In Region

City Police reporting the seizure of 16 pounds of marijuana along with 54 thousand dollars in cash after three raids on St. James Street, Ross Street and Canterbury Street. 

Three men have been arrested as part of a three month drug investigation by City Police, the RCMP, Kennebecasis Regional Police and the Canadian Border Services Agency. 

Police say the marijuana was brought into Saint John from outside the province as part of an organised crime drug distribution network. 

The three are facing charges of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and having the proceeds of crime but more charges are possible.

Oland Preliminary Hearing Underway

A preliminary hearing is underway on the second degree murder charge laid against 46 year old Dennis Oland for the killing of his father Richard in July of 2011 to determine if there's enough evidence to warrant a trial. 

It will be weeks before any decision is made and since there will be interruptions in the hearing, it's not expected to wind up until mid July.

Oland appeared very relaxed as he sat in the front row of the courtroom and before the proceedings began was sharing a laugh with family lawyer Bill Teed. 

Derek Oland was sitting in the second row. When Oland was arrested back in the fall, the family released a statement asserting belief in his innocence.

A ban has been imposed on the broadcasting of any evidence.

Liberal Leader Says Education Is The Key To Economic Growth

As a jobs summit begins today in Fredericton, the message in Saint John over the weekend from Provincial Liberal leader Brian Gallant was the same. His big priority is to improve education, skills training and literacy to transform New Brunswick into the smart province. 

The Liberals chose two more candidates for the provincial election in September with one being former Common Councillor Peter McGuire in Saint John Lancaster who tells CHSJ News he has knocked on 600 doors in the riding already.
 
Also selected over the weekend was the Principal at Rothesay High, Stephanie Tomilson to run in the riding of Rothesay which the Conservatives have held for years.

The Liberals have chosen three high school principals to run in Saint John.....Gary Keating in Saint John Fundy, Mike Butler in Saint John Portland and Tomilson.

Hearing To Start In Oland Murder Case

The murder of Richard Oland is back in the spotlight today with the start of a preliminary hearing on a charge of second degree murder laid against his son, Dennis. 

Oland was killed in July of 2011 from repeated blows to his body at his Canterbury Street office. The hearing, which is expected to last six weeks, is being held to determine if there's enough evidence to warrant a trial. 

It's expected the presiding judge will impose a ban on the broadcasting of any of the evidence from the hearing itself.

Getting Your G.E.D. Can Change Your Life

Knowledge is power and one Saint John woman knows that first hand.

Kyrie Neves came home after 17 years away and needed her GED. She got it through the Saint John Learning Exchange is now managing one of their social enterprise businesses, Voila Cleaning Services.
 
Neves tells CHSJ News she would recommend that others pursue their Grade 12 equivalency. She says really don't know how much getting your grade 12 will do for you adding it really boosted her self-esteem.

A larger social enterprise will be operating on Prince Edward street when the Saint John Learning Exchange join with the Saint John Community Fund.

Provincial funding to expand the fund's existing building was announced earlier this year.

For more info on Voila, click here.

Alward Firm On Shale Gas Development

The premier isn't phased by a report by 14 scientists advocating a go-slow approach to shale gas development.

He tells CHSJ News that's exactly what his government is supporting--and it's a positive sign that some of the scientists that compiled that report are also members of the Energy Institute.

Alward says in the early 1990s, our average income was higher than that of Saskatchewan; nowadays, Saskatchewan's average income is 25% higher, and that's due to development of natural resources.

Warning From City Police

A 31 year old man from Ontario, suspected of being involved with a recent shooting in Markham, outside Toronto, is or has been in the Saint John area. That warning from City Police who say he has a history of violence, considered armed and dangerous. 

He's identified as Sirvon Edwards, who's black with several tattoos and is wanted for attempted murder. They include an Egyptian eye on his neck, the number "187" on his left forearm, the words "Loved by few" on his right wrist and "Hated by many" on his left wrist along with a cross with the words "Remember me" on the underside of his right forearm.

Police say he should not be approached. if you see him, give them a call at 648-3333 or 9-1-1.