Court And Chase Lock Horns Over Peel Plaza - Again

More sparks flying between Mayor Ivan Court and Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase over the controversial Peel Plaza project.
The latest verbal duel came as council dealt with the new capital budget -- a budget without any specific dollars set aside for the police station and parking garage development -- a development Chase says the city can't afford.
That prompted Court to suggest Chase is nothing more than a "bad news bear" - he later apologized.
Chase accepted the apology and reminded the Mayor he believed the Bad News Bears won the championship with Court quipping "with a good coach."

Peel Plaza Report Going To Council Soon

Common council should be receiving a final report on the cost of a public - private partnership for Peel Plaza soon.
City Manager Pat Woods says the numbers from the request for proposals are due in the next day or so.
Woods says the city's finance department will then review the costing on the public-private partnership followed by a meeting of the steering committee on Thursday -- and -- finally a recommendation to council hopefully by next week.
Council will then make a decision whether to proceed in partnership with the developer or proceed with financing the project on its own.
The development will see a new police station and parking garage constructed in addition to a new provincial justice complex.

Council Approves 45-Million Dollar Capital Budget

Common council has nixed 600-thousand dollars earmarked for Saint John Transit to buy a new bus.
Instead -- councilors have redirected the money to help bolster the money allocated for road repairs and upgrades which is a top priority for Councilor Bruce Court -- he's been pushing for more money for roads especially those out east.
Just over 11-million dollars has been allocated for road repairs and upgrades.
Council approved this year's 45-million dollar capital budget after making the change -- the final vote was 8-2 with Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase and Councilor Patty Higgins voting against while Councilor Chris Titus was absent.

Council Giving Proposed Capital Budget A Look

Common council is being asked to set aside money in this year's capital budget to begin preliminary design work for an expansion of the Trade and Convention Center -- the request is part of this year's proposed 45-million dollar capital budget.
City manager Pat Woods says 550-thousand dollars will help move the proposed makeover and expansion to the design stage which should be completed by the end of September.
Woods says by the time tenders are called and awarded -- it will be close to year end so any money spent on the actual work will be included in next year's capital budget.

Visitors allowed again at Loch Lomond Villa

Visitor restrictions have been lifted at the Loch Lomond Villa that were put in place because of the Norwalk virus.
CEO Cindy Donovan tells CHSJ news visiting is now permitted but, if visitors are not feeling then they are discouraged from visiting.
All visitors are encouraged to use hand sanitizers when entering the complex.

Attempted Pin Pad Theft in Quispamsis

Rothesay Regional Police have arrested three Montreal men after they attempted to steal a pin pad from a business.

The business called police as the result of a province-wide alert.


Officers responded at 4 this morning and the men were in a late model rental car on Highway 119 in Quispamsis.
All three were before a judge in Hampton today charged with attempting to commit the idictable offense of theft.


The men will remain in custody until bail hearing on Thursday morning in Sussex.
Police tell us similar complaints are being investigated in other areas and more charges are expected.

A New Face at Saint John Destination Marketing

The former General Manager of Waterfront Development has found a new home at City Hall. Ross Jefferson is the new executive director of Saint John Destination Marketing. How-ever, there is some confusion over the new position. It was just last year in January, that Gail Bremner accepted the job as Executive Director of Saint John Destination Marketing Orginization.


We have a call into the City Hall Communications department looking for clarification.

Lottery Winner Claims His Prize

For the second time in three weeks, a lotto winner is from Saint John. Steve Hannerhan made the trek to Moncton today to pick up his cheque for one million dollars after winning the Atlantic 49 draw on Saturday. Currently working as a health-care professional, Hannerhan says he bought the winning ticket at the Superstore on Rothesay Avenue.


Hannerhan says he and his wife Karen still don't have any major plans for their new found cash and doesn't plan to retire. Atlantic Lotto still hasn't revealed the identity of a man on the West-Side that had a multi-million dollar winning ticket last month.

Big Plans for Highway One

                      (Premier Shawn Graham)
                              (File Photo)

Dexter Construction has been chosen by the province to be in charge of twinning the rest of Highway One from Saint John to St. Stephen, all 55 kilometers which will also include more than 100 kilometers of wildlife fencing. The final agreements on the privatised deal still have to be negotiated. Premier Shawn Graham also announcing upgrades will be done in the Saint John area itself.
Construction begins this summer with completion set for the end of July in 2013. Dexter will also be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the highway from St. Stephen to River Glade until 2040.

Rothesay MLA Taking Heat over Assessments

(Rothesay Conservative MLA Margaret Ann Blaney)
                      (File Photo)

Home-owners in Rothesay continue to vent their frustration over this years property assessments. MLA Margaret Ann Blaney tells CHSJ News, she has been swamped with calls since letters starting arriving at homes last week and the problem should have been dealt with by the Graham Government last year.
Blaney adds one of the home-owners in her riding, who live in a very modest home, had their assessment increase by 118% from last year.

Quispamsis Mayor Talks About Property Assessments

(Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll)
               (File Photo)

The provincial government is blaming municipalities in large part for the big increases in property bills that homeowners are angry about. Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll points out the tax rate in his town has been going down.


Driscoll also says the real estate market in Quispamsis has been hot with rising prices and that is a factor in higher property assessments.

Robbery and Fire

It was a busy weekend for Sussex RCMP. It was just before two this morning when officers were called to a business on Park Street for a break and enter. A thief or thieves got into the building through the roof and managed to get a safe full of cash out of the business. Officers are going over the surveillance tapes for clues.




Also, the search is on for someone who likes to play with matches. Officers were called to Hatfields Point Saturday night to find a fishing shack on Bellisle Bay on fire. An ATV was spotted driving away from the shack with it's lights off but fire crews were able to save the ice fishing home. Close to $150 dollars in damage was done.

Cigarettes Stolen in St. Martins

A store in St. Martins is shy plenty of smokes today.


Hampton RCMP tell us someone broke into the Huttges General Store after midnight and got away with close to $2000 dollars worth of cigarettes.

Attempted Holdup Under Investigation

Two youths are behind bars after what City Police describe as an attempted robbery last night on Paddock Street. Police believe a weapon was used but the intended victim wasn't injured.

Costco Job Fair Ends

(Job Fair At Costco)

(File Photo)

One thousand people were interviewed at Costco's three day job fair which ended yesterday afternoon. Costco's Director of Human Resources for Atlantic Canada, Tracy Knocker estimates close to 2 thousand people showed up but not everyone was able to be interviewed one on one. Now the hard part starts........Who to choose? Costco is hoping to have its hiring complete in the next 2 to 3 weeks. The lucky ones will be starting work in early May. The store's official opening is scheduled for May 27th.
There are about 100 jobs to be filled.

On The Vine Setting Up Shop In The K-V

The former Brookside Market is getting a second lease on life. In what might be the worst kept secret in the Kennebecasis Valley, On the Vine is setting up shop along the Old Hampton Road in Rothesay. Owner Sean Fillmore tells CHSJ News  they have been eyeing this location since the property became available.

This is the second attempt for On the Vine in Rothesay after a short stint near the entrance to K-Park with a store a few years ago. Fillmore says he will hire over 30 employees for now and hope to have the store open by the end of this month with renovations on-going. This new location is owned by Fillmore and his wife Mandy.  

International Women's Day Being Marked

Over 100 years since the first International Women's Day and thye Canadian Union of Public Employees thinks women in this province are still fighting for equality. Maureen Michaud of CUPE tells CHSJ News the federal government is stifling the progress of women. She cites the failure of Ottawa to establish national childcare. CUPE also takes issue with the Provincial Pay Equity Act which comes into force on April 1st but covers public sector workers only. Michaud adds CUPE believes a number of challenges face women this year including the continuing promotion of privatization which the union charges is an attack on women and other equality-seeking groups.

Tuition Rebate Program Reminder

Recent university or college graduates looking for some extra cash this tax season are being reminded to apply for the provincial tuition rebate program.

Eligible applicants could receive up to $20 thousand dollars in rebates over 20 years, with the maximum rebate being $4 thousand dollars a year.
The amount received equals the amount of provincial tax payable on your tax return.
To qualify for the program you must have paid tuition at a post secondary education institution after January 1st, 2005, live in New Brunswick, file an income tax return, and be a graduate.

Last Chance to Attend Costco Job Fair

[Costco at Eastpoint Shopping----Photo by Jim Hennessy]

Just a heads up for anyone thinking they may have missed the job fair at Costco.
Today is your last chance to hand in your resume, or fill out an application at the store in East Saint John.
Regional Operations Vice President Gary Swindells says the store plans to hire nearly 100 people.
The fair runs today until 3 o'clock, and is pegged to open it's doors on May 27th.

More Government Money Needed to Continue Improving Water System

Since the year 2000, the city has spent more than 60 million dollars on improving the water system in Saint John. The head of Municipal Operations, Paul Groody says there's still alot more to be done.
Groody concedes for the job of bringing Saint John's water system up to be brought up to where everyone wants it to be, the federal and provincial governments will have to help out with fuunding.

Saint John Animal Rescue League Future

The Saint John Animal Rescue League will be building a new home for their animals at the old Peacock's garden centre.

The local shelter owns 17 acres at the site and has already torn down the greenhouses.
Outgoing Executive Director Janet Foster tells CHSJ News that it's perfect location.
No word yet on when shovels will go in the group since, the Rescue League needs to mount a capital campaign to raise the expected $3 million dollars required for the new location.

Childhood Obesity Rates Rising

There's a connection between the demise of the family sitting down together to eat and a tripling over the last 25 years of childhood obesity. So claims registered Dietitian Nadine Day, who's with Loblaw. She tells CHSJ News there's a way parents can get their children more enthused about the traditional family dinner.

Day says another aspect of that is to get children to help selecting food items in the supermarket.

Surveillance Video Released Of Missing Woman In Moncton

The R-C-M-P in Moncton say they have received more than 200 tips from the public about the disappearance of Donna O'Rielly.
The 54-year-old woman was last seen leaving her job at the Highfield Square shopping centre a week ago last night.
The Mounties released surveillance video of her leaving the mall. She never did make it to her car in the mall parking lot.
Police say O'Rielly, who is originally from Newfoundland and Labrador, did not suffer from any medical condition and they have not ruled out an abduction.

Anger Over Increase In Property Assessments

Outrage is being expressed by many homeowners after they got their property tax bills in the mail this week. The provincial government's attempt to get municipalities to keep tax rates stable for property owners has apparently failed miserably.
In November, the province encouraged municipalities to stop introducing property tax increases that were significantly higher than inflation. It created the Property Tax Assessment Mechanism to address rapidly rising tax bills.
Finance Minister Greg Byrne finds it disappointing only five of the 83 municipalities in the province where a reduction was recommended did so.
Eighteen communities weren't encouraged to take action because there was little change in the market value of properties.

Watermain break on the West side

A broken watermain on the Dever Road mean some residents will not have water between Greenhead Road and Manchester Avenue.  The residents should have their water back tomorrow.

Saint John Water also tells CHSJ news that some customers in the Randolph and Milford area may experience low water pressure.
The 24 inch cast iron pipe is from 1899.

Harbour Bridge GM wants repairs to start in May

(Saint John Harbour Bridge)

(file photo)

There may not have been any money in the federal budget for repairs to the Harbour Bridge but a potential source of funding has been lined up.
The General Manager of the Harbour Bridge Authority Ken Anthony tells CHSJ News they might be able to borrow the needed funding from a pension fund.
Anthony says they're waiting for approval to move ahead from the federal government.

Provincial Anti-Poverty Group disappointed in Federal Budget

The losers in the budget are those people who lost their jobs and other victims of the recession. That criticism coming from Acadie-Bathurst M-P Yvon Godin. He also warns every wage earner and employer will be saddled with 19 billion dollars in new taxes next year when the freeze on Employment Insurance premiums comes to an end.
Jean Claude Basque of the Common Front for Social Justice tells CHSJ News there wasn't much of anything to help those people struggling in poverty.
Basque does applaud the fact a billion dollars will be spent on social housing.

Response To Costco Job Fair Is Overwhelming

(Job Seekers Lined Up Outside Costco At Eastpoint Shopping)

(Photo by Brian McLain)

Hundreds of people have shown up at the Costco job fair in East Point shopping centre.
The job seekers spilled out in the parking lot which was pretty much filled with vehicles with more coming and going. Those who showed up at noon today were told to come back tomorrow at 9am. Donald Parks tells CHSJ News thinks the company will be good for the city.
Parks says it will be great for the local economy and he wants to get a job in the warehouse.
Another applicant Josh Tobias thinks Costco might drive smaller businesses out because they pay more than minimum wage. The retailer plans to hire almost 100 people for the new store opening May 27th. The wages being offered will range from 11 to 22 dollars an hour depending on the job. Job interviews will continue on Sunday as well as tomorrow. 

Costco Job Fair Starts This Morning

(Costco At Eastpoint Shopping)

(Photo by Jim Hennessy)

A lot of eager job-seekers in the Port City will be freshening up their resumes and putting on their dress clothes this weekend.
Today is day one of a 3-day job fair for the new Costco store in East Saint John opening on May 27th.
Regional Vice-President Gary Swindells tells CHSJ News they offer very competitive wages ranging from $11 to $22 dollars an hour. Swindells adds they plan to hire almost 100 people.
The fair is underway and continues tomorrow and Sunday.

Saint John Board Of Trade On Federal Budget

(Saint John Board of Trade President Imelda Gilman)

(File Photo)

The federal budget is getting a cautious thumbs up from the Saint John Board of Trade. Its President Imelda Gilman says it should help with job growth but she's anxious there was no specific mention of any money for the Harbour Bridge.
On the other hand, she says there will be money for ferries and that's good news for Saint John to Digby service. Gilman calls it a safe, stay the course budget.
 Pat Darrah of the Saint John Construction Association is happy infrastructure money will continue flowing for the next year which spells good news for social housing and the local anti-poverty initiative. He is concerned about any increase in E-I premiums that might be implemented next year, calling it a tax on employment which stifles job growth.

Saint John M-P Rodney Weston On Federal Budget

(Saint John M-P Rodney Weston)

(File Photo)

The federal government has promised to slash the deficit with its latest budget which forecasts a shortfall of 53.8 billion dollars this year.
There's also a freeze on the E-I premium rate paid by workers and employers which continues until the end of 2010.

Saint John MP Rodney Weston tells CHSJ News he did not expect any funding in the budget for repairs to the Harbour Bridge. Weston adds funding for Marine Atlantic is good news because the Princess of Acadia ferry is a vital transportation link for the region. There will be no break for MP's between now and May and this session of Parliament will run until June.

Some city residents will be without water

Repair work will continue overnight on a broken water main in East Saint John located along Loch Lomond Road near the intersection of Hickey Road.


Saint John Water tells CHSJ News that some people will be without water because of the work.

Snow and wind create poor driving conditions

The trek home is difficult today.


Road warriors letting us know that several cars went off the road near Spruce Lake - and - now City Police have called to let us know there are white outs in the area of Spruce Lake and driving conditions on Highway 1 over west are poor.


Conditions are slippery, so reduce your speed and take your time on the way home tonight.

BMO Survey finds fewer Canadians contributed to their RRSPs

(logo courtesy of  BMO)

The 2009 RRSP deadline has passed and a new survey finds a lot of Canadians cheaped out on contributing this year.
Bank of Montreal Financial Group found that 68 per cent of us did not have money for lump sum contributions to their RRSP's.
BMO's Jason Schella tells CHSJ News the economy is one factor in that result.
Schella adds if you set up an automated savings account then you don't need to worry about making a large payment by the RRSP deadline.

Foster Resigns from Saint John Animal Rescue League

 

Janet Foster is stepping down after six years as Executive Director of the Saint John Animal Rescue League.

Foster tells CHSJ news she has done everything she set out to do now that things at the shelter have turned around.
She says they bought the old Peacock's garden centre site for a new shelter and they have money in the bank so things look really solid.
Foster says she stayed two years past her retirement and planned to stick around until the new shelter was built but, says she would be 70 years old by then so, right now feels the right time to go.

Work continues on broken water main on Loch Lomond Road

Crews are making repairs to a broken water main in East Saint John located along Loch Lomond Road near the intersection of Hickey Road.

The break resulted in low water pressure for users east of the Reversing Falls Bridge.
Saint John Water crews isolated the water main yesterday just after 5pm and crews worked through the night and that repair work will continue today.

If you experience discoloured water, just run your tap until the water runs clear.

Dispute Between Blue Cross And Shoppers Drug Mart

The consumer advocate for insurance concedes there's not much he can do about finding a resolution in the dispute between Blue Cross and Shopper's Drug Mart. Ron Godin says he nevertheless is monitoring the situation.
Most Shoppers Drug Mart stores in Atlantic Canada will no longer accept Blue Cross cards because of fee changes. This means you have to pay up front and then send in the receipts to be reimbursed later.

Funeral Service Today For Saint John Man Who Died In B-C At The Olympics

A large turnout is expected at noonhour for the funeral of a 20 year old Saint John man who died in B-C while attending the Olympics. The funeral service is taking place at Our Lady of Assumption Church. Silas Rogers, who graduated from Saint John High in 2007, was found unconscious in an apartment on the campus of the University of B-C after he was released by the RCMP in Whistler. Rogers, a student at the university, had been in custody for being drunk in public and reportedly fell several times while in lockup. Vancouver Police have been brought in to conduct an external investigation of his death but say it could take months to complete.

One Youth Arrested After High Speed Chase

One youth is behind bars after a high speed chase with city police. The pursuit began on Bayside Drive and proceeded eastward. Police tell CHSJ News they called off the pursuit at one point because of worry someone night get hurt. It was resumed later, however, and the car was eventually stopped at Baxter's Corner with no injuries being reported. Several charges are expected to be laid including possession of a stolen car and dangerous driving.

Gas Prices After Weekly Setting

A mixed bag when it comes to gas prices after the weekly setting. The maximum that can be charged for self serve regular has risen to $104.4 a litre. It's being sold in Saint John for $101.8 a litre. The max for diesel went down slightly to $106.9 and is being sold in the city for $105.2 a litre. Furnace oil remains the same at 90.4 cents a litre and propane has gone down to $111.9.

Quispamsis pleased with Bell-Aliant's involvement in the Q-Plex

(file photo)

It's all smiles from Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll on the newest Q-Plex sponser.
Driscoll tells CHSJ News, the town is proud to have Bell Aliant involved in the facility.



Driscoll says it's fitting Bell Aliant get involved with the Q-Plex, because there are over 300 people who live in the area who work for the company.
Driscoll says this advancement in telecommunications is another example of the innovative ideas going into the Q-Plex.

Bell Aliant will handle all telecommunication needs for Q-Plex

(file photo)

Another sponser for the Q-Plex is pushing it's capital campaign to it's 1 million dollar goal.
Bell Aliant is becoming the official telecommunications supplier for the facility, and Vice President of Customer Solutions Kelly Duplisis tells CHSJ News, it's going to be the most tech smart municipal facility in Atlantic Canada.


Duplisis says there will not be a better equipped facility, maybe in the country.
Bell Aliant is the fifth major partner to get involved in the Q-Plex, and has helped it reach it's goal of raising 1 million dollars. With more relationships in the works, the q-plex capital campaign is upping it's goal to 1.5 million dollars.

New Fire Chief and Deputy Chief Appointed in the K-V

There's a new Fire Chief appointed in the K-V.......The fire department's Board of Commissioners has selected Bill Ireland as the new chief replacing Larry Greer, who's retiring. Ireland has for the past year served as Divisional Chief of Fire Prevention and Training for the K-V Fire Department. He has over 15 years of experience and is pursuing a Bachelors of Fire and Safety Studies through the University of Victoria. The incoming Deputy Fire Chief is Dan McCoy who has been the Fire Chief in Grand Bay-Westfield since 1998 and was responsible for the Emergency Measures Organisation in the town. McCoy is replacing Deputy Chief Brian Jensen who's also retiring.

Hazardous Materials Unit Called To Highway One

A 45 gallon drum containing sodium hydrochloride, which is used as a industrial bleach, was discovered in a ditch yesterday afternoon along Highway One eastbound. District Fire Chief B-J MacDonald says the Hazardous Materials Unit was brought in to safely get rid of it. It was taken to an industrial site and disposed of.
Meantime, Fire officials believe the cause of yesterday morning's fatal fire which killed a 53 year old man at 120 Prince Street was accidental. The investigation continues to determine how he died.

$44.000 Scoreboard For Q-Plex

The town of Quispamsis is accepting the bid from Secor Athletic for the electronic scoreboard system for the Q-Plex. For just over $44 thousand dollars the company will install an O-E-S scoreboard system.
The town is also unveiling another sponsor this morning at 10 o'clock in the town hall.

Speed Limit On Meenans Cove Road To Be Examined

A concern from a District 6 bus driver may be resulting in a reduced speed limit for Meenans Cove Road.
Quispamsis Director of Engineering Gary Losier says staff is going to have to look into the traffic numbers and will also be asking Rothesay Regional Police for any data on the road.
Losier says once all the information is gathered, the town will try and reduce the speed limit from 60 km and hour, to 50 hm/hr. He says the plan is to have the lower limit in place by May. The bus driver also requested improving school bus stop signage in the area but Losier says that would be a band aid for the problem, and changing the limit it the fix.

Former Olympian to visit Saint John next month

(logo courtesy of P.R.O. Kids)

A 3-time Canadian Olympic medallist in rowing will use her motivational speaking skills to inspire the crowd at the 2010 PRO Kids Dinner next month.
Silken Laumann has become a child and youth advocate and has faced some tough times in recent years.
PRO Kids program manager Tammy Desaulniers tells CHSJ News Silken Laumann advocates for groups similar to PRO Kids in British Columbia.

The PRO Kids Out of the Park FUN-raising dinner is coming up April 8th at the Delta Hotel.
For tickets, call 642-7529 or email prokids@saintjohn.ca
To learn more about Silken Laumann, go to http://www.silkenlaumann.com/

Radio Renovations Week 7

Blue Barrel Spotted in the Ditch

A blue barrel full of chemicals has been removed from a ditch along Highway One by the Saint John Fire Department's Haz-Mat unit. It was discovered just before three this afternoon by someone driving by the Waste Water Treatment Facility and it does contain a mixture of chemicals.


No word at this point where it may have come from and it doesn't appear the barrel was leaking any of the chemicals.

Drugs and Weapons Found in Home

A 45-year old man could be facing charges after RCMP in Oromocto conducting a raid on a home on Mahsos Street.


Officers came away with marijuana plants, cannabis resin, hash and guns were taken from the home as well.

Refinery License is Renewed by the Province

The provincial government has issued a new Class 1 five year air quality approval to the Irving Oil refinery. The company's current air quality operating approval expires at the end of the month. The renewal follows a public consultation exercise, which included a 120-day public review period between March 20 and Aug. 31 of last year.


A six week maintenance project at the refinery is underway with the gasoline treating and heavy oil conversion units getting most of the attention.

City Councillor Tells Enterprise Saint John to Back Off

Councillor Bill Farren is suggesting Enterprise Saint John may be inadvertantly preventing a major retail deal on the West Side. Farren has eluded to a retail development he has been working on for the west side and says Enterprise Saint John has been calling the Toronto developr to get a heads up. Farren says he's not looking to be a star and take all the credit for a new business, he just wants the city to prosper.


Farren says he's been working on the deal all along and doesn't want the developer to be scared off by Enterprise Saint John.

North Old Garage Will Live Again

If you've been wondering what the future holds for the former Ultramar Gas Station on Somerset Street, so have we and here is what we can tell you. The former operator Danny Joyce tells CHSJ News, Ultramar still owns the building and are currently conducting site tests to make sure there is no contamination. They plan to dig up the gas tanks in the spring and the company then gives Joyce the first option to buy the property.


Joyce tells us his son Brad is going to school to become a mechanic and will re-open the business as a garage only but no word on when that will be.

BlueBerry Hill Gets Funding from City Hall

The city is giving the Nature Trust of New Brunswick a 5 thousand dollar shot in the arm to take over Blueberry Hill. The friends of Blueberry Hill asked council for the cash and whatever in-kind work that could be done in regards to development. Mayor Ivan Court says on top of the donation, the city should lobby the Fundy Solid Waste Commission to make this project it's funding priority.


The Nature Trust protects valued Green portions of land in the province and this is the second piece of land in Greater Saint John it is taking ownership of.

Thieves Working Hard in Oromocto

RCMP in Oromocto are investigating a string of debit and credit card fraud in the area only two days into Fraud Prevention month. Over the past few days, a number of people have been advised by their financial institution that various amounts of money were taken from their accounts as someone gained access to the card's information.


RCMP remind people to always keep an eye on the activities in their bank account to check for possible fraud and to never give out credit or debit card information over the phone.

Man Dies In Early Morning Fire

A 50 year old man is dead after a fire early this morning shortly after 3:00 in a 4 unit apartment building at 120 Prince Street. City Police say the major crime unit is investigating. The fire itself was quickly extinguished. There's no word yet on how it got started.

Convenience Store Owners Say They're Getting Squeezed Over Sale Of Gasoline

An association representing convenience stores in Atlantic Canada has asked the Energy and Utilities Board to review the profit margin on the sale of gasoline in the province.
Atlantic Convenience Stores Association president Mike Hammoud says many store owners who sell gas are ``getting squeezed.'' Hammoud says costs including wages are rising while wholesale and retail margins on gasoline haven't increased since the province began price regulations in July 2006.
The board reviewed the margins in 2008 but didn't approve an increase.
The association is asking the E-U-B conduct a review of maximum margins, maximum delivery costs and the maximum full-service charge to ensure they are justified under the Petroleum Products Pricing Act.
The Canadian Independent Petroleum Marketing Association is also supporting the request for a review of an increase in the gasoline margin.

Common Council Debates Whether There's Too Much Debate Over State of Rural Roads

After spending over a half an hour debating on whether or not the city should permit the use of chip seal on new rural roadways, Councillor Donnie Snook suggested Common Council not spend so much time discussing it. Snook spoke up after there were comments about the terrible conditions of every road in the city. Snook says that's untrue statement, there are a lot of roads in good condition and council should spend less time debating over issues like "what manholes to purchase" and more on the positive things they are doing.
The report from city staff suggested city works use chip seal on new rural roads as a cost saving measure, and not to use it on roads already paved with asphalt. Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase says there was a proposal for a committee system of municipal government to take over issues like this but the majority of council voted against that so whether they like it or not the debate will continue.

Change Coming In The Way The City Budget Is Put Together

(Common Council)

(File Photo)

The next city budget is going to be service based.
Common Council received a presentation on how service based budgeting works and Stephanie Roach with the Corporate Planning department says using the method will make it clearer to residents where their money is going.
The budget for each department will be broken down into how much each service provided costs.
Deputy City Manager Andrew Beckett says using this method will allow the city to spend less time focusing on cost and more on providing effective services.
City Manager Pat Woods claims this method will make every department more efficient.

March is Fraud Prevention Month

March is Fraud Prevention Month and the New Brunswick Securities Commission wants to remind the public that 40 per cent of investors have been approached about a possible fraud.
Marissa Rignanesi tells CHSJ News investors need to be aware of the red flags associated with scams common in the province.
Rignanesi adds you can find the list of NBSC red flags on their website at
www.investinknowingmore.ca

Youth Pastor Resigns Post

Forest Hills Baptist Church has begun the healing process after it's Youth Pastor resigned from his job and his pastors license. Two weeks ago, the church discovered the youth pastor was involved with what it is calling in-appropriate activity on certain websites. Reverend Roger Graham tells CHSJ News, there was no criminal activity.


Reverend Graham points out the former youth pastor became involved with this web-based activity when he was a teenager and wishes him all the best in his recovery process.

Construction Update on Q-Plex

Crews working on the Q-Plex in Quispamsis are thankful for the milder than normal February. Instead of battling snow and sub-zero temperatures, workers have been making steady progress on the facility with the spring like temperatures. Manager Brad Steel tells CHSJ News, on a scale of one to ten, he would rank this facility ten.


Steel adds there is still no ""official"" date as to when they hope to open the doors this fall but should have a clearer picture of a solid date by the end of this month.

Saint John Airport on New Security Fee

Reaction today from Ottawa's announcement last week that airline security fees have increased to just under nine dollars each way depending on where your going. That is on top of the current security charges that can reach as high as $17 dollars each way. President of the Saint John Airport Bernie Leblanc tells CHSJ News, from the airport's perspective, it could be done differently through government funding or collect it from individual travellers.


The new fees still require parliamentary approval with MP's returning to Ottawa on Wednesday.

Gearing Up for the Acadian Games

With 200 volunteers signed up, preperations continue for Saint John to play host to the Acadian Games this summer. 1200 athletes will compete for bragging rights between July.1st and 4th. The Canada Games Stadium, which is under-going renovations, plays a huge part in the games success and President Michele Cote tells CHSJ News, he is thrilled with the progress being made.


Cote says they hope to have over 1000 volunteers to help out with games.

Third Annual World 3 on 3 Street Hockey Tourney set for April

(logo courtesy of Mindcare)

It's hoped as many as 120 teams will be taking part in this year's 3 on 3 street hockey tournament for Mind Care. That would be twice as many as last year.
Tournament Chair John McAloney tells CHSJ News the number of teams taking part has grown over the the last three years because for a lot of players it's a throwback to their carefree youth.

A youth division is being added this year. The tournament will be held in a new location at the cruise ship terminal along Water Street. The action gets underway April 30th.

For more information go to http://www.sjstreethockey.com/

A New Look For East Point Shopping

East Point Shopping Center is getting a new look. Mr. Big and Tall will co-brand with Tip Top Tailors with their new store set to open March.17th. Tip Top Tailors has been a staple in McAllister Place Mall but an employee told our news-room back in January one of the reasons for the move is increasing rent.


Still with East Point, contstruction continues on the TD Bank which is scheduled to open this spring and Costco is ready to start ringing in customers on May.27th.

Chance to Win a Brand New Truck

How does a brand new truck sound? You could win a 2010 Ford Ranger from Country 94 and Downey Ford. Promotions Director Bobbi Lee Betteridge tells CHSJ News that you do have to be a member of our listener club to win:




To sign up for the Country 94 listener's club, go to our website-country94.ca. The draw is coming up on April 24th live at Downey Ford.

Ambitious Plans Unveiled By Saint John Water

Saint John Water has several ambitious projects in the works which include reducing the amount of water lost through leaks. Brent McGovern of Saint John Water says just one leak can cause a huge amount of water to be wasted. As an example he points to a one kilometer stretch of pipe near Lakewood Heights where 22 milion litres of water is being lost each day. According to McGovern, district metering will allow the city to get a better handle on where the leaks are occurring and take remedial action. Saint John Water also plans to install larger pipes to facilitate residential development in Millidgeville.

March Roars in Like a Lion

         (Saint John Transit Bus Stuck on King Street)
                      (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

For anyone who thought winter was over, welcome in this first day of March. High winds, snow and freezing rain are all upon us to open the new work week. Roads in and around the metro area are building up with heavy slush making it tough to stop or pull away.


No major accidents reported but area police forces remind drivers to take their time for the ride into the office. It's been awhile since most have had to drive in these conditions so slow down and take your time. We have two power outages in Rothesay affecting more than 700 customers.

Traffic Interruptions For Monday

There will be traffic interruptions starting today on Rothesay Road (Route 100) near the entrance to Brookville Manufacturing. It's because of off road rock excavation.
The City tells us there will be traffic interruptions because of that work.

New Med Ed Building at U-N-B-S-J Nearing Completion

(Vice-President of U-N-B Saint John Dr. Robert McKinnon)

(File Photo)

Most of the attention in the past week has been paid to construction of the Commons Building on the campus of U-N-B Saint John but that's not all the building that's taking place. University Vice-President Dr. Robert McKinnon tells CHSJ News there will be the new medical building that you'll see finished in March or April.
The New Brunswick Community College is also constructing an allied health building on campus, adjacent to the Dal Med Ed building, which is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2011. The University launched a 25 million dollar fundraising campaign for the new Commons Building last week and already has more than 20 million of that raised.

Service Based Budgeting Presentation

Common council is going to be getting a look at what a service based budget would look like.

The style of budgeting shows the relationship between funding levels and expected results on a service basis.
Council will get a presentation at tomorrow nights meeting on how the accountability tool works, and will even get a sample of the sports and recreation service file, done in a service based way.
The public portion of the meeting gets underway at 5:15 tomorrow evening in the council chambers.

Province Invests in St. Stephen Jobs

The province is providing a $500, 000 loan guarantee and investing $100, 000 to help maintain up to 70 jobs at a St. Stephen company.

SWP Industries Inc. is a value-added manufacturing company in the Bordertown.
The company produces a line of value-added wood products, fencing products from northern white cedar, as well as manufactured vinyl and aluminum fencing.
They serve more than 400 dealers in the US and Canada.

Still No Location for Uptown Liquor Store

Still no word on where NB Liquor plans to put a new store in uptown Saint John.

Spokesperson Nora Lacey tells CHSJ News, the uptown core presents several challenges including parking and the ability for trucks to make deliveries.
She says the corporation is still looking at the area, but there is no update as of yet.

More Cash on the Way for the City Market

More money is on the way for the City Market and Common Council has been told the improvement will be quite significant. The City's Commissioner of Buildings, Bill Edwards says this will be over and above what's already been spent.
City Building Inspector Amy Poffenroth is talking about upgrades to the City Market Tower.

More Positive Spinoffs for Citys Green Project

The Energy Manager for the city says the green thermal utility project will help reduce energy costs.
Samire Yammine tells CHSJ News, since the project uses energy that was previously wasted, this will help make the city more efficient in terms of producing energy.
Yammine says this will also prove to be cost effective for building owners who no longer require hot water heaters and coolers.
He also says when city hall begins getting their heating and cooling needs through the project, and entire floor of city hall will become vacant.

Incident at Atlantic Institution

RCMP and Correctional Services Canada are investigating after an assault at the Atlantic Institution in Renous.

It happened just after 9pm and the inmate was immediately taken to hospital for treatment of his injuries.
The unit where it occurred was shut down while the rest of the jail was starting regular evening lockdown procedures.
There is no suspect in the assault and the injured inmate remained overnight in hospital and is now back at the institution.

Kingston Man arrested after incident on the Kennebecasis River

A 39-year-old Kingston man is in custody after an incident on the Kennebecasis River near the Gondola Point Ferry landing this afternoon.

Hampton RCMP tell CHSJ News the man was near open water between the two ferries and he was intoxicated and one person said they saw him with a rifle.
Police say he will have a remand hearing in the morning and face an impaired driving charge along with other criminal code offenses.
RCMP also say the man is well known to police.

Praise for the City's Winter Management Plan

(file photo)

Residents are providing city staff with some positive feedback about it's winter management plan.
Deputy Commissioner of Municipal Operations Kevin Rice says after the first snow storm, there were calls with questions and concerns- -- but after the last snow fall the calls were praising the work the city is doing.
Rice says other municipalities are taking notice of the citys winter management plan, and has even fielded questions from Halifax media on how it works.
Rice says there are very few municipalities in North America that allow on street winter parking.
Just last week the city altered it's overnight parking ban, allowing 6 streets to be exempted from the rules.

Traffic Lights are out at Rothesay Avenue and Thorne Avenue

Here's a heads up for motorists heading to or driving in East Saint John.
 The traffic lights at Rothesay Avenue and Thorne Avenue will not be working until tonight or tomorrow morning.   The strong wind gusts damaged the lights.

Detours have been set up and motorists are advised to use alternate routes.
The City also advises motorists that other traffic lights in other parts of the city may be
affected by the high winds as well.

McKenna speaks at Saint John fundraiser next month

(file photo)

One of the province's most recognizable former politicians will be in Saint John next month.
Former Premier Frank McKenna is the guest speaker at a fundraiser for earthquake ravaged Haiti.
McKenna will speak about the ongoing disaster relief in the country and tell the
crowd how Saint John can help make a difference in the long-term efforts to rebuild.

The Saint John for Haiti fundraiser is coming up on St. Patrick's Day at the Delta hotel.

Canadian Tire issues recall of Mastercraft battery chargers.

(courtesy of Canadian Press)

Canadian Tire is recalling Mastercraft battery chargers because of problems with overheating. The well-known retailer did not indicate how many units are involved in the recall, but says they were sold at Canadian Tires stores from 2000 until 2009.


The battery concerned is the three-hour Mastercraft charger model No.54-2973, which was sold with Mastercraft 18-volt cordless drill kits and combo kits.
Customers should contact Techtronic Industries, toll-free at 1-800-597-9624, for information on having a replacement charger shipped to them at no cost.

Mayor Says Green Thermal Utility Project Will Result in Many Savings

[Mayor Ivan Court---Photo by Dave Briggs]

Mayor Ivan Court says the green thermal utility project is another example of Saint John leading the pact.
Court says the project will allow the city to heat and cool uptown buildings, without relying on the fluctuating fossil fuels.
Court says since underground piping is being installed heading to Peel Plaza, it will be easier to install the necessary equipment for this project, because construction is already underway. He says it will also allow other buildings to install the equipment.
The Green Thermal Utility is a multi-phase project, and could take up to 10 years to fully develop. The goal of the project is to reduce C02 emissions by over 60 thousand tonnes.

Federal Government Invests $9.8 million towards Energy Project

[Saint John M-P Rodney Weston----Photo by Dave Briggs]

A major energy project for the city is getting a $9.8 million dollar shot in the arm from the federal government.
Saint John M-P Rodney Weston announced the funding towards the city's Green Thermal project, which is the first of it's kind in North America.
The project looks to use renewable thermal energy from the Bay of Fundy to cool and heat buildings in the central peninsula.
Weston says this will help bring future developments to the area.
The total estimated price tag of the project is $29.8 million dollars.

NB Power Sale Delayed For Two Months

The Provincial government has announced it's delaying the $3.2-billion sale of NB Power assets to Hydro-Quebec for nearly two months.Energy Minister Jack Keir says legislation to sell the utility will be filed around the end of March and then a committee of members will have more than 30 days to examine the final deal. There will be televised hearings be held at which members can call expert witnesses.Keir claims the government is trying to be as open and transparent as possible before proceeding with the sale.
Government house leader Greg Byrne says the debate will help explain the deal but won't change the terms of the contract being signed with Hydro-Quebec. He says the government now hopes to approve the legislation by May 21st.

Only Two Parents Attend Town Hall Meeting On Education

The latest School District 8 Education Council town hall meeting was not well attended with only two parents coming out to voice their concerns.Vice Chair Bob McDevitt says he was disappointed by the turnout but one issue did emerge.
A parent brought in a report card from Samuel De Champlain which broke down each of the students grades into sub-categories for each subject. She said it made the report card much more comprehensive because she knew where her daughter was struggling within a particular subject.
McDevitt says DEC will be looking for a presentation on how District 1 does its report cards. How the school district constructs it's report card is provincially regulated so he was unaware of the different style but it will be examined more closely.

High Winds Causing Problems in Travel

The high winds are causing problems this morning in and around Saint John. NB Power reports an outage in Rothesay affecting 60 customers. The traffic lights at Thorne and Rothesay Avenues near Haymarket Square were earlier blown over and couldn't be moved until the power was shut off by Saint John Energy. A tree has come down on Hillcrest Road. The morning departure of the Princess of Acadia from Saint John to Digby was cancelled because of the winds. Another caller has given us a heads up about debris blowing off the roof of the Courtenay Bay Hotel which could cause problems for both drivers and pedestrians. A snowfall warning has been issued for the Fredericton area and Environment Canada is calling for up to 50 millimeters of rain for the Saint John region over the next two days.