New Medical Program Hopes to Attract More Rural Doctors

The effort to boost the number of rural doctors in the province is getting a shot in the arm with the introduction of a new medical program.

The 3-year integrated family medicine program looks to increase the amount rural docs by offering training in family medicine, emergency, and acute care with an 8 to 16 week training period in a rural part of the province.

Medical Education Director for Saint John Dr. Todd Lambert tells CHSJ News exposing med students to rural settings make them more likely to return and practice in those areas.

The Federal Government funding the program to the tune of 2.8 million dollars over 4 years for a total of 6 residency positions.

City Police Seek Help In Solving Death From Last Summer

City police are looking for help from the public that may solve the death of man last summer.
53-year-old Mark Stephen Fryer was found unconscious at Haymarket Square near the Courtney Bay Inn in the early morning hours of August 15th.    The Major Crime Unit is seeking any information the public may have on Fryer's death.


If you have any info, call Major Crime at 648-3211 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Ganong Says Tax Increases And Cuts Are Necessary In The Provincial Budget

The chair of the New Brunswick Business Council says the Finance Minister will have increase taxes and implement more severe cuts than we have heard of so far to start getting the province's financial house in order. David Ganong says Blaine Higgs has some tough decisions to make in the short term and tells us he would not want his job.

He adds in the medium to longer term we needs to find more people to pay taxes not the same people paying more taxes.
Ganong says he can't see the Finance Minister solving his problems without tax increases.

Dragon's Den Auditions Coming Up Next Month

Auditions for the TV show "Dragon's Den" will be held March 3rd in the city. That word from Christine Comeau at Enterprise Saint John. She tells CHSJ News they expect 35 people or so to show up and they should remember it's TV.

Comeau adds the more concise presentation the better and she says producers are looking for great business ideas and someone who is going to be great on camera.

You have to keep your presentation to 5 minutes. Two producers from the show will be doing the judging in the Business Resource Centre at King and Germain.

Federal Money Will Improve St. Martin's Community Centre

The gymnasium at the St. Martin's Christian Education Community Centre getting some government cash.

The feds giving 26 thousand dollars while the province is cutting a 50-thousand cheque for renovations including new lighting and electrical system.

Centre Spokesperson Bruce Huttges tells CHSJ News it will turn things around.
He says it will change the whole facility, he says in the past it wasn't useable because it was cold and now they will be able to put it to use.

Work has already begun and Huttges says it will be completed by the end of March.

New Brunswick Can't Rely Soley on Government To Save Economy

A business audience in Saint John learning from one of its leaders on what is necessary to move the province forward.New Brunswick Business Council chair David Ganong sharing with the Board of Trade members the ideas that came from last fall's Future NB Summit.
In response to a CHSJ News question, Ganong tells us he got involved because he cares about this province. 

Ganong says major problems facing New Brunswick include the deficit and the economy but you cannot rely soley on the government to solve these issues.

Innovatia CEO Roxanne Fairweather tells CHSJ News she agrees there are challenges facing the province but she is still hopeful about the future.

The organizers of the Future NB Summit want to see a non-governmental organization operating a provincial business plan--a strategy that is working well in Oregon.

No Layoffs Coming To City Transit

There will be no layoffs even though City Transit is cutting back on various routes beginning in March to save money.

Transit Union President Tom McGraw tells CHSJ News four cuts were on deck but the union made the numbers work, primarily because two senior drivers decided to take early retirement.

However, McGraw warns the union will be facing cuts again at the end of the year as council has mandated only a 1 percent increase to city transit's budget.

Don't Look For Federal Money Coming To SJ Airport Anytime Soon

The Saint John Airport is not getting any federal money despite both the Fredericton and Moncton airports getting dollars from Ottawa for infrastructure improvements.

Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Keith Ashfield tells CHSJ News this isn't a slight to the Saint John Airport but the growing success of the port and the cruise industry made it a priority for funding.

Ashfield not giving out any timelines on possible future funding.

However, the Saint John Airport Authority did meet with common council Monday night in closed session.

2011 Heritage Award Winners Announced

Heritage is good business both for the property owners and the city. So Says Mayor Ivan Court as the city hands out its 2011 Heritage Awards.

Court says the property owners invested 25 dollars for every dollar in grant money handed out by the city. The 200 thousand dollars in grant money from the city generated more than 5 million dollars in heritage development as well as making the downtown a more attractive place for people to live.

The winners are John Irving of Commercial Properties for the Ordnance Building by the Barrack Green Armoury.......Coastal Realty owner Peter Asimakos for rehabilitating the building at 87 Canterbury........Barb Kliffer for the work she did to preserve a home at 80 Sydney Street........Bridget McGale for preserving the facade at 73 Duke Street........Brad Richard and Mike Verner for the Bourbon Quarter and Magnolia Cafe commercial signs.......Jonathon Northrup and Micheal Cummings are being recognised for restoring the facade at 176 King Street East .......The Saint John Theatre Company for rehabilitating its building on Princess Street and the New Brunswick Museum for raising heritage awareness.

Alward Ruling Out Having Nuclear Waste Dump In Province

Having New Brunswick become the home of a nuclear waste dump is not something he is pursuing. That word coming directly from Premier David Alward.
A federal document suggests Saskatchewan and New Brunswick appear to be the most receptive sites for such a facility.

Alward tells CHSJ News the previous government some work on the file but it's not something he's interested in.

He says public safety would be the number one issue and it's of greater importance than economic gain.

According to the federal document, there are some municipalities anxious to have the nuclear waste dump in their communities.

New Growth Strategy Coming For City

Common Council is being urged to set targets for future residential growth of 50 per cent in the urban core and 40 per cent in suburban areas. Craig Benning of Hemson Consulting says rural growth should be limited because of dollars and cents.......Providing city services to the more remote areas where fewer people live doesn't make good financial sense.




Benning does warn the financial benefits from this change won't start to be realised until after 2017 and will gradually increase to 2031.


Saint John's population by 2017 is projected to be 66 thousand. For the past couple of decades only 15 per cent of residential development has been taking place in the urban core.

New Contract Agreement For Saint John Longshoremen

International Longshoremen's Association Local 273 and the Port of Saint John Employers Association have agreed to a new 4 year contract agreement which will last until the end of 2014.

The agreement is said to provide cost savings for employers and a wage increase of 6.1 % for employees over the term of the agreement as well as an 8 % increase toward pension and welfare contributions.

KV Fire Department Makes Changes To Volunteer Division

The KV fire department is restructuring is volunteer firefighting divison to fit the needs of people who don't want to run into burning buildings.


Fire chief Bill Ireland tells CHSJ News they now have a two tier fitness tests with the first one being a qualifying physical.

He says to advance to the actual running into the burning building role, it's a much more complex process with a much higher level of fitness required.

To learn more, you can attend an information session hosted by the KV Fire department on Wednesday night at 7pm. The session will be held at Fire station 1 at 7 Campbell Drive in Rothesay.   To pre-register call 848-6610 or click here

Port Gets Millions For Expansion

The Port of Saint John getting a huge funding boost from the federal government and the province.

The Feds investing 4.5 million dollars into expanding the berthing capacity of the port.  The total project costs 14 million dollars and the remainder will be split evenly between the province and the port.

Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Keith Ashfield says it's a sound investment as cruise ships are getting bigger and are carrying more passengers.

The funding is part of two other infrastructure announcements by the federal government: 5.2 million for the Fredericton Airport and 4 million for the Moncton Airport.

Saint John Port Authority Eager To Get Expansion Started

Meanwhile, the Chair of the Saint John Port Authority Stephen Campbell is excited to get to work on the berthing expansion.

He tells CHSJ News construction will begin soon and it should not interfere too badly with this year's cruise season as the cruise lines have been made aware of the project.

He says the expansion should be completed in time for the 2012 cruise season.

Moosehead Management Is Willing To Talk

Moosehead's Joel Levesque says the dispute relates specifically to post-retirement benefits.


He tells CHSJ news they have a program in place that provides 100 per cent coverage to their retired employees they have been providing for many years which is rare in any company.

Levesque adds it's a benefit whose cost has spiraled out of control and they want to continue to offer it so they have asked to share the cost and that is where the talks broke down.
He says the company is willing to talk and adds this work stoppage will not impact the availability of Moosehead products for consumers here or anywhere else.

Holder Says We Should Not Focus On What Other Cities Are Doing

If Saint John wants to host a CFL game then it should go for it but not just because Moncton is doing it. So says Saint John Portland M-L-A Trevor Holder who's also a member of the provincial cabinet.

He says we shouldn't be looking over our shoulder at what Fredericton, Moncton, Halifax or even Boston are doing but, focusing on what we can do here in Saint John.

Holder would like Saint John to go after its own unique events and is urging everyone to get behind the effort to land the 2012 Memorial Cup Tournament.

Moosehead Workers Locked Out

172 production workers for Moosehead Breweries are locked out after failed contract negotiations.
Union President Jeff Stoddard tells CHSJ News the main issue was cuts to their prescription drug plan for retirees.


He says it's very unfortunate because the one thing that people can be united on is the fact that they get sick and there is a source to help them out and they would like to have it.


Stoddard says it's an unfortunate situation that not only affects 172 families but the rest of the Moosehead family as well.   He says the workers will be picketing 24 hours a day but are open to discussion if the company wants to talk.

Saint John MLA Says The Port City Is A Proven Event Host

The MLA for Saint John-Portland does not see the need for us to duplicate what others are doing such as Moncton hosting a CFL exhibition game.
Trevor Holder tells CHSJ News there is no reason why Saint Johners can get together and lobby for all kinds of different events.

He says right now we are in an aggressive bid for the Memorial Cup but he believes we have the fans and facilities to support them.
The Minister of Wellness, Culture and Sports also supports the idea of putting artificial turf at the three Millidgeville playing fields and he pledges to work with the community on it.

Province Told To Butt Out When It Comes To Energy Rates

Former Public Utilities Board Chairman David Nicholson says some major changes need to happen for the province to get a proper energy plan in place.

Nicholson tells CHSJ News need government needs to give teeth back to the utility boards when it comes to rulings on rate hikes.

He says the Lord government cost NB Power hundreds of millions of dollars years ago by capping rates and ignoring what the Public Utilities Board had to say.

The Premier's Energy Commission has wrapped up its public consultations as the province develops a long term energy plan.

Nicholson warns the direction of energy in the province needs to be shaped outside of politics. He says most other provinces only speak to policy and do not get involved in the day to day running of utilities.

Proponent Of Shale Gas Exploration In Province Warns Of Misinformation

As the Premier's Energy Commission gets down to drafting a long term policy, there's alot of talk about the potential of shale gas.

David Plante, who speaks for manufacturers and exporters in the province, tells CHSJ News the environmental concerns are not being downplayed but there is, in his view, alot of misinformation being circulated.

Plante claims, for the most part, water is used to fracture the rock. One of the major concerns is what effect this will have on the existing supplies of water.

Plante see shale gas as being, in his words, "a real game changer" for the provincial economy.

Tardiness Of Common Council Disrupts TV Coverage

Last week, there was no TV coverage of Common Council because the public meeting was one hour late in getting started.

The Regional Manager for Rogers TV, Scott Jackson tells CHSJ News city staff have been told if the meeting is more than 15 minutes late in getting started, TV coverage will be pulled.

Jackson says a number of viewers have called to complain but there has been no response from the politicians themselves. 

He says the long delays, which have become more frequent, are a disservice to viewers.

The Council meetings, at one time, were shown on a tape delayed basis but, ironically, it was Council, itself, who pressed for live coverage to return.

Confidence Expressed About Reducing Saint John Poverty Rate Despite Tight Government Budgets

The goal at Vibrant Communities is to reduce the poverty rate in the city to the national average of 15 per cent by 2015.

Dr. Regena Farnsworth, who chairs Vibrant Communities, tells CHSJ News alot of progress has been made since 2004 when the poverty rate was 28 per cent.

One disturbing trend is an increase in the teen pregnancy rate. In addition to that, more than 10 thousand Saint Johnners over the age of 25 have not completed high school. Existing programmes for housing are described as underfunded and oversubscribed with waiting lists.

 According to a report prepared by Vibrant Communities, reducing poverty cannot be achieved without significant changes to current systems.

Car Flips On Highway 1

A car flipping over into a ditch on Highway 1 going westbound in Musquash.
One adult and 3 children involved in the accident yesterday but no one seriously hurt. 

No word yet on a cause.

Fire Crews Busy Around the Province

A few people are homeless after 2 seperate house fires.

A St. Stephen couple are homeless after a fire in their apartment inside a two-storey home. Fire crews able to keep the fire contained, saving the other part of the home.  There were no injuries and no word yet on a cause.

Also, a woman in Narsh Creek losing her home after a housefire at 56 Lapointe Road on Friday.  She was not hurt and no word yet on a cause.

Blood Lab Needed For New Cancer Treatments

While the Saint John Regional Hospital is raising funds for equipment used in cutting edge cancer treatment, one doctor is worried about the affect Canadian Blood Services' impending move will have on that treatment.

Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program Dr. Terrence Comeau tells CHSJ News losing the blood production lab complicates things in the many departments, including oncology.

He says having a blood production lab is critical if Saint John wants to become the epicentre of advanced treatment.

The blood production lab is moving to Dartmouth later this year.

Students Say No to Bus Pass

Students at UNBSJ saying no to a proposal for an unlimited bus pass with City Transit during the school year.

The idea being voted down by a 2 to 1 margin.

Assisant General Manager of Saint John Transit Brian Thorne tells CHSJ News many students balked at the 200-dollar price tag and already have their own vehicles.

Thorne says Saint John Transit is leaving the door open if the idea wants to be raised again down the road.

House Destroyed in Lower Norton

The Hampton Fire Department on the scene of a two-story house fire in lower Norton on Ketchum Road.

Captain Mike Raeburn tells CHSJ News the call came in around 9am.  Only one person home at the time of the fire. 

There are no injuries but the house is destroyed.

Hockey Group Gets Big Donation

The organization Hockey For Everyone getting a 25-thousand dollar boost in the arm from Irving Oil.

The cheque being presented to the group last night at the Sea Dog's home game.

Irving Oil Spokesperson Lesley Dickson tells CHSJ News the group pays for ice time and equipment for kids who would otherwise miss out on the chance to play hockey.

About 100 youths are in the program.

Irving Oil has also pledged to donate 25 dollars to Hockey For Everyone for every Facebook fan that chooses to "like" the Hockey For Everyone announcement on the company's Facebook page, up to a maximum donation of 10-thousand dollars.  Click here for more details.

No One Seriously Hurt In Sussex Collision

Freezing rain wreaking havoc in the Sussex area for a short time this morning.
RCMP responding to a collision eastbound on Highway 1 in which in an SUV flipped over in the median sparking a chain reaction involving three other cars.

Sgt. Bruce Reid telling CHSJ News the road conditions were extremely slippery in the area when the accident occurred just before 10 this morning.
Two of the vehicles suffering serious damage but luckily no one was seriously hurt. Three people were taken to hospital to be checked out.

Some motorists stuck on the highway for at least 40 minutes waiting for the accident scene to clear.

NB Museum Launching Virtual Exhibit Project

Sometime next year, you will be able to look at the 11 best geology stories in the Province without leaving home.
The New Brunswick Museum launching it's Magnificent Rocks project which will make their exhibits accessible online.

Dr. Randall Miller tells CHSJ News says everything you use and everything you do is connected to something extracted from the earth.
He says around Saint John we are most familiar with limestone and marble at Fort Howe and at the quarry at the Millidgeville superstore.


Miller says in the 1800's this city had many lime quarries and it was one of the city's biggest industries.
The stories include the Fundy Trail Cliffs, the Grand Falls gorge and the oldest Maritime coal mines near Minto.   The virtual exhibition will be ready next year. To learn more,
click here

Provincial Social Development Minister Vows Poverty Will Be Reduced

New Brunswick has a hard road ahead............That warning from Provincial Social Development Minister Sue Stultz who says we need a more realistic view of what government can afford.
 
Stultz tells CHSJ News one size fits all doesn't work with lifting people out of poverty and you have to talk to the people who live with that reality day after day. She cautions government can't solve this problem by itself.

Stultz also says she will be back in the city soon with more to say about the Crescent Valley revitalisation project.
 
The Alward government has signed on to the poverty reduction strategy that came about under then Premier Shawn Graham, much of which came together during a conference held in Saint John.

Energy Commission Co-Chair Impressed With What People Had To Say

Now that the public consultation is over, the Premier's energy commission will now have to come up with the nuts and bolts of a new long term energy plan for the province.

Commission co-chair Bill Thompson tells CHSJ News they heard three major themes time and time again........price, impact on the environment and the need for proper regulations to ensure the public interest is protected.

Thompson says the commission will be seeking outside expertise to avoid the law of unintended consequences.

Peter Vihvelin is with the wind energy company Wind Dynamics and he says going green is a smart direction for the province to pursue.

Gordon Dalzell of the Clean Air Coalition agrees protecting the environment is top of mind for most people and it will be a delicate balancing job for the province. He suggests buying cheap, clean energy from other jurisdictions could be a way to bring down power costs and shut down heavy polluters.

Icy Conditons On Route 1 Near Sussex

The RCMP in Sussex are letting drivers know highway 1 and other roadways in the area are extremely icy with the current freezing rain.
Highway one eastbound near Sussex has now been reopened after being blocked by a four vehicle collision. A couple of our road warriors telling us they were stuck there for about 40 minutes with 5 ambulances passing by along with three fire trucks. People are being asked by the RCMP in that area to either stay off the roads until the weather clears or drive with extreme caution because the roads are covered with ice.

Fish Farmers Respond To Environmental Concerns

The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association does not believe proposed legislation from Ottawa will make it easier for aquaculture companies to use pesticides.

Executive Director Pamela Parker is disputing the contention from environmental groups who are saying the pesticides that will be used are toxic to krill and lobster.

Parker says these regulations will just formalize and strengthen processes that were already in place.

Saint Johnners Hear We Can't Afford Poverty Anymore

A big turnout last night at the U-N-B Grand Hall on Charlotte Street across from the city market to hear about what's being done to reduce the poverty rate and what needs to be done.

Senator Art Eggleton, a former Mayor of Toronto and federal cabinet minister, says the federal government has to become part of the solution and come up with a national anti-poverty strategy which would include a plan to provide affordable housing.

Provincial Social Development Minister Sue Stultz tells CHSJ News the Alward government is committed to the poverty reduction strategy that was cobbled together at a conference in Saint John under the previous Liberal government.

Eggleton maintains a national housing strategy would be cheaper in the long run than having people living on the streets. He claims poverty costs the Canadian economy 30 billion dollars a year and we can't afford that anymore.

Fire On East Side And Schoolbus Accident Outside Sussex

A motorcycle that was on the porch of a home at 965 Grandview Avenue caught fire last night and spread to the outside of the two storey, two family home. District Chief Joe Armstrong says fire crews were able to make quick work of it. There were no injuries and the cause is not suspicious.


Meantime, The RCMP are investigating why a schoolbus left the road at Sussex Corner yesterday afternoon coming to a stop in a snowbank. There were 35 students on board at the time but no one was hurt. The schoolbus will be inspected for any mechanical problems.

Irving Oil Urges Energy Commission To Consider Changes Carefully

Irving Oil making a presentation to the New Brunswick Energy Commission as they hold their final public input session on creating a 10 year energy plan for the province.

While not mentioning any specifics, Irving Oil spokesperson Kevin Scott says any future changes to policy or regulations should be considered carefully.

He says while Irving Oil may seem like a large company by local or provincial standards but, he says they are a small company next to the companies they compete against.

Scott offers one example being Valero Energy in Texas which has 14 refineries compared to Irving Oil's 1.   They say action that would increase their operating costs or slow down their ability to respond to market conditions will make them less competitive.

You Can Now Text Votes For The Bay

You can now text your love for the Bay of Fundy.


The campaign to promote the Bay of Fundy in the New 7 Wonders of Nature contest is now including text voting.

The bay is the only Canadian finalist in the global campaign with the winners will be announced November 11th.  To vote: text the word Fundy to 77077.

Municipal Operations Crews Are Ready For Rain And Tackling The Potholes

As if the City's Municipal Operations department haven't been busy enough this winter, a mild spell is revealing horrendous potholes.
Kevin Rice says they are preparing for tomorrow's rain and the anticipated snow melt that will come as it combines with very mild temperatures.

Rice tells CHSJ News their crews are out weekly identifying potholes and adding them to the list. He says they prioritize typically by size and the type of damage they could do to a vehicle and tackle those ones first.


Rice adds the potholes that citizens call them about, they are often already aware of.  He adds crews did put pylons up yesterday alerting drivers to a particular nasty pothole on Chesley Drive.

CFIB Opposes Increases For Minimum Wage

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business is speaking out against the decision by the Alward government to proceed with two 50 cent increases in the minimum wage this year to raise it to 10 dollars an hour as of September 1st. The C-F-I-B's provincial affairs director, Andrea Bourgeois tells CHSJ News the move ignores reality.

She says the reality is this province has a very sluggish economy and employers have soft hiring plans with many jobs lost last year and she thinks increasing the minimum wage will only hurt the people it's trying to help.

Bourgeois also points out most small businesses are operating on very small profit margins and raising the minimum wage also means higher costs for E-I, C-P-P and workers compensation premiums.

Saint John Cabinet Minister Proposing Rockwood Park Be Protected

Saint John Portland MLA Trevor Holder, who's also the Provincial Tourism Minister, will be making a pitch to Common Council about designating Rockwood Park as a provincial heritage site.

Holder tells CHSJ News with council recently nixing residential development by the park, he says it's time to act now to prevent further development.

He says the park does have significant historical value, such as Charles Gorman winning a world speedskating championship at Lily Lake in 1926.

Holder says he wants to give councillors as many options as possible and will be presenting his data to them in the near future.

Gas Prices Remain Stable Despite Unrest In Middle East

Another mixed bag when it comes to gas prices after the weekly setting.

Self serve regular going up by a cent a litre in the city to $1.10.4 with diesel dropping a bit to $1.22.4.

Heating oil is virtually unchanged being listed at 108.1.

Groups Want Ottawa To Halt Legislation On Pesticides

20 groups calling on the Federal Government not to proceed with legislation that will help aquaculture companies use pesticides.


Fundy Baykeeper Matthew Abbott tells CHSJ News environmental and fishing groups from BC and New Brunswick have written to Prime Minister.


Abbott says these regulations would make it easier for aquaculture companies to use pesticides in the marine environment. He says this causes them great concern because the chemicals are toxic to crustaceans including lobster.   Abbott adds Ottawa should be forcing the aquaculture industry to be more responsible and operate in ways that don't harm our oceans.

Homeless Should Win "Coldest Canadian Contest"

The Fredericton Anti-Poverty Organization is using an online contest by an airline to raise awareness of the challenges the homeless face during the winter.

Air New Zealand is looking for submissions from the "Coldest Canadian" with the winner getting a free trip to New Zealand.

Coordinator of the Fredericton Anti-Poverty Organization Dan Weston tells CHSJ News he wants a video to be submitted on behalf of the homeless because they face the challenge of being cold on a daily basis.

He says being warm in a cold country should be a right and not a privilege.

For more information on the contest, click here.

Provincial Metal Working Association To Discuss Shale Gas Potential

A member of the Metal Working Association of New Brunswick says shale gas exploration in this Province has the potential to be a game changer.
Spokesperson Dave Plante says the discovery of shale gas south of the border has had a huge impact on the natural gas sector in the United States.

He says it could have the same kind of impact on New Brunswick.
The University of Arkansas estimates the production of 1 billion cubit feet of gas can result in 9500 jobs and 200 million dollars in royalties.

He says this province is in the early days of exploration but on average the resources here are twice the thickness of those in western Canada.  The Province's Metal Working Association will meet on the topic tomorrow in Moncton.

Port Authority Rejects Suggestion It's Holding Up Harbour Cleanup

It's not a good way to do business.........That's the reaction of the President and C-E-O of the Saint John Port Authority, Jim Quinn to criticism that was voiced publicly the other night at Common Council.

The port authority was taken to task for what was described as a reluctance to resolve the property needs in order for harbour cleanup to be completed by the end of 2012. The city needs 625 square metres of port property on Broad Street at the foot of Water for a lift station.

Quinn concedes he was taken by surprise when its the port authority that's waiting for the city to respond to a request for clarification about the land on Broad Street needed for a lift station as part of the project.

 He tells CHSJ News a slanging match in public is not a good way to conduct business.

City Police Will Be Ticketing and Towing Vehicles Abandoned In Snow

The traffic division of the City police force will be ticketing and towing cars found snow covered and left on city streets more than 24 hours.

Under the Provincial Motor Vehicle Act, any vehicle left on the street for more than 24 hours is considered to be abandoned, and may be towed.


A ticket for $172 will be issued, and the owner will be responsible for all towing fees.
The City also reminding citizens to remove snow and ice from their front, rear and side windows before they drive.

Grenville Lane Garage Fire

City fire crews responding to the call of a possible structure fire on Grenville Lane off the Westfield road. The call came in just after 2 this afternoon.


District Chief Joe Armstrong tells CHSJ News on arrival crews found a single garage about 30 feet from a home fully involved.
Since the area does not have water service, they had to seta up a tanker shuttle for water supply.
He says there are three snowmobiles inside and crews were able to knock the fire down but there is major damage to the garage.

Armstrong says the garage is a loss but, their crews did a good job protecting two small homes on the laneway.
Fire investigators are at the scene and it will be a few hours before a cause can be determined.

Saint John Area Businesses Recognized For Helping Reservists

The Canadian Forces Liaison Council recognizing the support given by provincial businesses including many in Greater Saint John to reserve personnel.


Lieutenant Governor Graydon Nicholas presiding over the event in Fredericton yesterday at Government House.

Elizabeth Rybak, chair of the Provincial Council, credits reservists in the dual role they play in balancing personal and military commitments.
Some of the companies receiving the recognition include Coastal Blending and Packaging, Ambulance New Brunswick in Blacks Harbour and Xerox of Saint John.

KV Library Expansion Moves On To Next Phase

Rothesay Council getting an update on the renovation and expansion at the KV Library.

Spokesperson Heather Crawford tells CHSJ News the pre-design phase is done and the next step is to complete the schematic designs.

The project will add over 14-thousand square feet.

The final cost of the project yet to be determined but Crawford says early estimates put it at around 6 million dollars, which will be cost-shared by Rothesay and Quispamsis.

Quispamsis Council will be getting the same update at tonight's council meeting.

J-D Irving Says It's Willing To Deal With City On Harbour Cleanup

J-D Irving sending an e-mail to City Hall objecting to the wording that was used in a report on harbour cleanup.

The report stated there was a reluctance on the part of some to resolve property needs for the project to be done by the end of 2012. Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase says J-D-I believes it was unfairly singled out and he finds it disturbing.

The head of Municipal Operations Paul Groody is taking a conciliatory approach, apologising if anyone took offense at the wording.

 Common Councillor Peter McGuire is quick to defend the report saying there is no need to apologise because harbour cleanup is for the citizens and not the corporations.

East Side Councillor Pushing Artificial Turf Field At Exhibition Park

East side Common Councillor Joe Mott wants to know what it will take to build a field house at Exhibition Park complete with an artificial turf field.

City Manager Pat Woods says you'll need is a well laid out plan that makes economic sense and that will be alot easier to do because of all the work done thus far by the Exhibition Association.

The city says it's willing to contribute three million dollars but only if the federal and provincial governments each chip in the same amount.

According to Woods, the federal and provincial governments will have to be persuaded investing in this project will meet their interests.

Common Council Divided Over Parking Exemption

Wintertime parking restrictions along all of Douglas Avenue have divided Common Council right down the middle with Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase arguing for the entire Avenue to be exempt claiming some people simply have no where to park because when many of the homes were built, cars were not a consideration.

Mayor Ivan Court says that part of Douglas Avenue where parking is allowed towards Main Street is downright dangerous these days and Councillor Donnie Snook agreed saying there is no more hazardous street in the city with cars parked every which way.

The vote came out a tie meaning only half of Douglas Avenue towards Main Street will be exempt from the parking restrictions.

Common Council Gets Warning About Harbour Cleanup

The clock is ticking on harbour cleanup........That warning from the city's head of Municipal Operations Paul Groody who says the acquisition of land has to be done faster if the target date to finish the project is to be reached by the end of 2012.

Mayor Ivan Court has a message for the Port Authority and that is to get on board because this will clean up your harbour.

Common Council has been told there is difficulty over acquiring 625 metres for a lift station on port property on Broad Street at the foot of Water Street. Groody says that lift station is considered to be essential to the project.

Rothesay Council Pressing Forward With Flood Relief In Town

Rothesay Council is moving ahead with expropriation for land needed for a retention pond.

The pond is part of flood relief efforts for the people in Oakville Acres.

The land is located behind a car wash on Rothesay Road and Mayor Bill Bishop tells CHSJ News all of the land acquisition for the project is nearly complete.

Bishop says the owner of the land was asking too high a price so they had no choice but to go the expropriation route. He would like to see construction begin by the fall or winter. The town is also in discussions for another piece of land and Bishop says negotiations are going well.

East Side Stabbings Being Investigated

Three men in their twenties got into an altercation at an east side plaza where the Studio 10 theaters are located and two of them were stabbed.

Police tell CHSJ News Major Crime is still trying to sort out what happened and who to charge.