A Busy Night For The Fire Department

The fire department getting a call early last night about a boat taking on water at 1023 Kennebecasis Drive. 

The water rescue boat was deployed and the Coast Guard also got involved. 

The boat was found near the Kennebecasis Island ferry after having a mechanical breakdown with three young men on board who were alright, if a bit shaken up. 

Platoon Chief Joe Armstrong says they got an unusual call a little while later to where construction is taking place at Crown and King Street East. A half ton truck was found up on the construction barriers but it was empty and no one was around. A tow truck was called to remove the truck.

Also last night, a man suffered a broken leg in an A-T-V accident at 3115 Golden Grove Road.

Body Found In Nashwaak River

The body of a 35-year-old man has been recovered from the Nashwaak River.

Fredericton police say they responded to a 911 call about two people in distress in the river around 11:30 yesterday morning. Police and firefighters were able to guide one young man to shore safely, but a search was soon launched for the second when his body was found about five hours later.

Police say foul play is not suspected. An autopsy will be performed later this week.

Horror Floating To Saint John

Doesn't sound much like a pleasure cruise, but SAW at Sea is making a stop in Saint John, and they are truly bringing the terror...

This time next week actors from the horror film franchise SAW will be at Steamer's Lobster Company to meet fans and answer questions.

Organizer John Raybin tells CHSJ news there will also be a creepy cameo appearance -- Jigsaw's puppet. Raybin says it's only the fourth time the puppet's been out in public, and he'll be there ready to take photos.

Actors like Costas Mandylor who plays "Hoffman" and Mark Rolston as FBI Agent Erickson along with 3 other SAW actors will be there.

The meet and great also won't cost you your life, it's free.

Happy NB Day!

Happy New Brunswick Day!

Celebrations will be taking place all over the province. In Saint John Rockwood Park is celebrating in style -- there's free canoe and kayak rentals, free wagon rides, music, crafts and a hike with a park naturalist all starting around 10am.

The official NB Day celebrations will be in the first rural community this year in Saint-André.  The celebration will begin at 10 a.m. at the recreational centre, 455, Route 255, Saint-André, with music, activities and kiosks followed by the official ceremony at 11 a.m. Along with Saint-André, the municipalities of Grand Falls, Saint-Léonard and Drummond will also co-host.

New Brunswick Day has been celebrated since 1976, and an official host community has been chosen for celebrations since 1990.

Man Arrested Twice In Same Bar

A 29-year-old man has been arrested for a second time after drinking at a pub he was arrested at last month.

Saint John City Police say the man was previously arrested for assault and wasn't allowed back at the 3Mile Steakhouse & Pub until after his court date. Now he's been arrested for breaking his probation by drinking at the bar on Golden Grove Road and charged for posessing hash.

Rare Fish Could Be At More Risk

A research centre has found that water levels could be affecting an endangered species in our waters.

This spring Eastern Charlotte Waterways studied spawning streams of the Lake Utopia Rainbow Smelt pairs. They found the dwarf sized fish's water is of high quality, but water fluctuating water levels could be affecting their population.

Project manager Emma Hebb tells CHSJ news the water fluctuations go up and down by half a meter, which is concerning, since the eggs are laid when the water is up, but when the levels go down the eggs are exposed to the air.

Hebbs adds they're looking at maintaining the rare fish population. The small smelt fish only exist in Lake Utopia and inhabits the waters with a longer smelt breed without becoming one species.

They'll do the study again next year to see if it's gotten worse or better.

For more information on the breed, click here.

ATV Crash Takes Another Life

A twenty two year old St. Thomas man is dead after an all-terrain vehicle crash.

RCMP are investigating the accident that occurred in Florenceville-Bristol around 7:30 last night.

Police received a 911 call that an ATV traveling on Route 107 had left the roadway and struck a garage.

The victim was pronounced dead upon arrival at Upper River Valley hospital. His name hasn't been released.

Woman Stuck On Elevator

It's the kind of story that makes you want to take the stairs.

One woman is free after being stuck in an elevator for about 20 minutes yesterday afternoon.

Around 1:30pm the employee of Rocmaura Nursing Home was freed with the help of Saint John Fire crews and maintenance staff.

Fire crews stayed on scene for 55 minutes to make sure she was OK -- especially because it was a hot day and warm in the elevator.

New Exhibit & Celebrations At Fundy Aquarium

As your planning how to enjoy your long weekend you can catch the end and start of exhibits at the Fundy Aquarium in St Andrews.

Event coordinator Janie Jones tells CHSJ news they have plenty of events planned for tomorrow including a cash BBQ from 11:30-1, mini Olympics from 1:30-3:00, and a puppet show 3:15. They'll also be a craft table where kids can make their own New Brunswick flag.

Today is the last day to check out shark week featuring a wide variety of rare sharks to make room for tomorrow's beginning of "Water Week". It'll focus on celebrating fisherman and display fishing techniques.

For more information, click here.

Warning For Shellfish Cooking

If you're planning on cooking some shellfish for a long-weekend meal, you might need to take a second look at where you're buying it from and how you're cooking it.

The province's deputy chief medical officer of health warning New Brunswickers' when you buy your shellfish, make sure it's from an approved vendor, since some areas are closed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans due to levels of bacteria and toxins.

Dr. Denis Allard tells CHSJ news you also need to cook your seafood properly and the sooner you eat it, the better, if you don't cook right away it will start to spoil and bacteria will multiply.

Allard adds consequences range from vomiting to even loosing memory or becoming paralysed.

Click here for more information on shellfish food safety.

Tourism Minister Confident This Season Will Be A Good One

The weather's been good but we'll have to wait awhile before seeing how good tourism has been this summer in the province.

Provincial Tourism Minister Trevor Holder says he won't have the numbers until the summer is over but from what he's been told by operators and seen for himself, he's confident the numbers will be up.

Holder says he's amazed that wherever he goes in the world to promote the province, everyone, it seems, wants to see the Bay of Fundy and that has to be pushed more because you can't over promise when selling New Brunswick to potential visitors.

Holder says the sculpturing taking place down at the Coast Guard site will boost tourism because there is a growing number of people who want to experience the culture of the place they're visiting.

New Labels To Help Food Allergies

There's one bright side if you have food allergies...  new rules take effect today that are aimed at protecting you.

Food companies in Canada must now clearly state on the label certain ingredients that could trigger life-threatening allergic reactions -- things such as wheat, peanuts, milk, eggs, and soy.

Cookie & Spice Recall From CFIA

A couple of warnings from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.


One warning is not to consume, sell or serve the Spice Kingdom brand dried Egyptian Basil because it may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Spice Kingdom brand BASIL - EGYPTIAN, 30M, Whole, Fancy, bearing Lot No. 4685/E, was sold in bulk 25 kg (55 lbs) bags to cash & carry outlets, restaurants, bakeries and food service establishments in Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba.  So far there's been no reported illnesses. The importer, Shah Trading Co. Ltd., Scarborough, ON is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.


In another case CFIA is warning people with allergies to milk not to consume the Crispy Just Baked, Crispy, and Sunrize Oven Fresh brands of Cookies described below. The affected products contain milk which is not declared on certain labels.


All codes of the following Cookies which do not clearly declare milk on the labels are listed below:
Brand Product Size UPC
Crispy Just Baked Punjabi Cookies 380 g 6 27265 00153 7

Crispy Just Baked Punjabi Cookies 800 g 6 27265 00152 0

Crispy Just Baked Punjabi Cookies 1.135 kg 6 27265 00151 3
Crispy Just Baked Almond Cookies 400 g 6 27265 00120 9

Crispy Just Baked Coconut Cookies 400 g 6 27265 00121 6

Crispy Just Baked Pistachio Cookies 400 g 6 27265 00601 3

Crispy Just Baked Salted Khari

Biscuits 200 g 6 27265 00247 3

Crispy Butterfly Cookies

Baqar Khani 340 g 6 27265 00132 2

Crispy Just Baked Cashew Cookies 400 g 6 27265 00602 0

Crispy Just Baked Cashew Cookies 800 g 6 27265 00262 6

Crispy Just Baked Cashew Cookies 1.135 kg 6 27265 00272 5

Crispy Just Baked Zeera/Cumin Cookies 400 g 6 27265 00116 2

Crispy Just Baked Zeera/Cumin Cookies 800 g 6 27265 00216 9

Crispy Just Baked Zeera/Cumin Cookies 1.135 kg 6 27265 00274 9

Sunrize Oven Fresh Zeera Cookies 400 g 6 27265 00865 9

Four People In Hospital After Car Accidents

Four people are in the hospital after two unrelated car accidents.

Yesterday around 5:30pm fire crews responded to a two vehicle accident by Parkway Mall. Two people were sent to hospital resulting from their injuries.

In another incident a man and a woman were sent to hospital with serious injuries after a single car went off Gondola road and flipped over. They're in their early twenties. Rothesay Police say alcohol and speed may have been a factor.

Prices Go Up At Tim's

Your Tim's fix has just gotten more expensive.....Timmie's says the price of a muffin is now five cents higher, and sandwiches have gone up by about 10 cents. The new prices will affect most locations.
 
The price of coffee is staying the same. 

The price jump comes after Maple Leaf Foods warned drought conditions will drive up  food prices. Tim's has more that 3,700 restaurants throughout North America.

Beware of Scammers

The Rothesay Regional Police Force warning people about two different scams making the rounds...the first involves purchases made off auction sites like Ebay and Kijiji. 

Detective Sergeant Craig MacDougall explains one involves fake email confirming money has been sent for items being sold online. The emails use PayPal's logo to make it seem official. The sellers then send off the items--but the money isn't actually there when they log in. 

MacDougall also warns of a second scam that's been going on for a while in which the caller claims to be from Microsoft and needs access to your computer to fix a virus. He says it's most likely both of the scams originate from overseas.

New Rules, Tips For Crossing The Border

It's the long weekend--and many of us are heading south for shopping and fun across the border. Dwayne Ingraham of Canadian Border Services tells CHSJ News to make your trip as hassle-free as possible, you might consider using the Third Bridge border crossing out of St Stephen instead of the downtown crossing most people use.

Of course, you should always bring proper identification like your passport of Nexus Card. Igraham also reminds travelers the personal exemption limits were bumped up in June to $200 for absences of 24 hours or more, and $800 for absences of 48 hours or more.

VIDEO: Saint John Sculpture Fest Kicks Off

"Rock stars" from all over the world gathering at the Coast Guard site....it's Sculpture Saint John, where 6 international artists are chipping and sawing away at giant chunks of local granite. The six-week event will produce sculptures to be displayed throughout the province. 

Meaghan Barton is a local intern with one of the sculptures. She tells CHSJ News it's a momentous event for the local arts scene and an honour for her to work so closely with international pros.

The sculptors will be working at the old Coast Guard site throughout the week until September 15th--the worksite is open to the public and tours will be available.

Provincial Pharmacists Won't Be Vaccinating For Whooping Cough

Surprise........That's the reaction of pharmacists after hearing Provincial Health Minister Madelaine Dube turned down their offer to vaccinate people for whooping cough which has hit New Brunswick hard. 

50 per cent of the whooping cough cases in the country are in New Brunswick and that has been a spike this summer.

The Executive-Director of the New Brunswick Pharmacists Association, Paul Blanchard tells CHSJ News the idea isn't so far fetched because American pharmacists are already doing it with immunisation rates increasing as a result.
 
Blanchard argues it would be alot more convenient for people to be vaccinated at a pharmacy which is open all day well into the evening.

A Major Traffic Disruption On East Side

A big discovery along Rothesay Avenue for local history buffs.......Construction workers coming across old street car lines.

For the next two weeks the eastbound lanes on Rothesay Avenue from the Marco Polo Bridge to Reserve Street will be closed to allow for their removal. 

Traffic will be detoured to Thorne Avenue to Russell Street. A reminder, Thorne Avenue, itself, is also reduced to one lane in both directions.

The city is calling this a significant traffic disruption and you're being advised to avoid the area if at all possible.

Vandalism On West Side

If you park your car outside out west, you may want to check whether your windows are still intact. 

City police making six arrests as a group of young people travelled around that part of town smashing out the windows of parked vehicles. 

3 complaints have been lodged thus far but police expect there will be more. Police say the damage took place from Greendale to Milford and the lower west side.

Meantime, there were no injuries after a flatbed tractor trailer left Manawagonish Road, knocking down a pole and coming close to a nearby home. No one was injured but the road was closed until everything could be cleaned up.

A 22 year old man was taken to hospital after an on the job injury. He was working on the renovations taking place at the Boys and Girls Club when a portion of a wall came down and injured his neck. WorkSafe NB is investigating. 

Rothesay Regional Police reporting two people were taken to hospital after a car left Gondola Point Road early this morning. They believe the car swerved to avoid hitting an animal.

Missing Man's Car Discovered Off Highway 7

A 52-year old Saint John man was killed in a crash on Highway 7 in the Petersville Hill area.  The collision was discovered on August 2, 2012, but it is believed to have occurred on July 31.  The victim had been reported missing.

The victim’s vehicle left the road, crashed through a moose fence, and rolled over. It came to rest upside down in a wooded area and was not visible from the main highway.  

 The name is not being released at this time, pending notification of his family.

Some Kids Trading Sex For Drugs and Alcohol

A disturbing trend coming out of a recent study from the Canadian Institute of Health Research: small-town kids from grades 7-12 trading sex for alcohol, marijuana and other drugs.

Dr Elizabeth Saewick says such trades are just as common in rural areas as they are in big cities--and it's not just a problem for homeless and disaffected youth.

Saewick tells CHSJ News the practice was reportedly equally often among boys and girls, and most of the kids said they live at home with their parents.

2% of the 2,360 students surveyed had traded sex for drugs. Saewick says to protect kids from exploitation, you need to talk to them about what healthy relationships look like.

Doucet and Dube Butt Heads Over Air Ambulance Service

Grand Manan Islanders breathing a bit easier now that their tie with mainland medical services is back--Health Minister Madeline Dube says she realized the importance of the island's air ambulance service when she visited the island and witnessed firsthand its unpredictable weather patterns.

But Charlotte-the-Isles MLA Rick Doucet tells CHSJ News Dube shouldn't be taking any credit because according to him delays in the service resulted in the death of one islander. He questions whether Dube "thinks she's some sort of hero" and slams the fact that the suspension of service happened in the first place.

Doucet says the air ambulance system wasn't broken before and nothing should have been changed.

You Can See Sculptors Do Their Thing

Sculpture Saint John getting a financial boost from the province to the tune of 40 thousand dollars just prior to the start of work on large pieces of granite down on the coast guard site at the waterfront which you'll be able to see created. 

Six sculptors have come to Saint John from different parts of the world to create works of art with the help of local interns over the next six weeks beginning tomorrow.

Diana Alexander tells CHSJ News the works of art are already destined for permanent locations in the region in Rothesay, Quispamsis, Grand Bay-Westfield, St. George, U-N-B Saint John as well as the city.
 
Alexander says 150 artists from 47 different countries applied to take part in this symposium. Those who were chosen come from such far flung locations as Japan, Germany and Bulgaria.
     

New Brunswickers Not Buying As Much Booze These Days

We now have a better idea why NB Liquor is looking to to open up more agency outlets around the province with the goal being to increase sales. 

NB Liquor is reporting its sales for the first quarter of 2012 and 2013 were off by 4.7 million dollars or 4.5 per cent.

Total sales amounted to 99.2 million dollars with lower earnings of 1.1 million. 

The drop is being attributed to fewer people coming in to buy. 

The sale of beer and hard liquor were both down....Beer by 7.4 per cent or 4.4 million dollars and liquor by 1.9 per cent or 400 thousand dollars. 

Wine sales continue to increase, rising by 200 thousand dollars or 1.4 per cent.

Investigation Into Alleged Anti-Gay Slurs Completed

The Maritime Football League has been investigating allegations of homophobic slurs on the field during a semi-final game. The alleged incident involved members of the Saint John Wanderers. According to MFL Commissioner Eric Sabean, the investigation has been completed pending any new information.

He says they investigated the alleged slurs by speaking to the officials on the field and attempting to track down the alleged targets of the slurs.

 Sabean tells CHSJ News,  "We spoke to our officials, who were in the best position to hear any comments that would have been directed at the stick crew or anybody close the sidelines. They have stated that they heard nothing. If they had, the player(s) in question would have been penalized and an infraction as severe as that would have likely resulted in an ejection from the game and review by the league's disciplinary committee"

During the same game, now ex-team president Anthony Capson threw a punch at a Wanderers player and has been charged with assault.
.

Gas Prices Change For The Better

Self serve regular in the city has gone down in price from $1.24.7 a litre to $1.22.5 after the weekly setting.

Diesel has also dropped by just over a cent. 

The maximum price for propane is also up by half a cent a litre to 94.9 cents. 

Heating oil is a bit cheaper by over a cent to $1.12.2 a litre.

NDP Calling On Government To Fix Water

NDP Provincial Leader Dominic Cardy is calling on the provincial government to fix and regulate water contamination in a Moncton residential area.

Cardy tells CHSJ news a private lab in Fredericton conducted a test on a home in Stoney Creek that showed levels of diesel and barium had gone up significantly. He says you could smell the benzene in the water and it affects several dozen people in the area.

According to Cardy residents don't even touch the water. He says the chemicals come from years of oil drilling, and is asking the government to step up their game in oil and gas regulations.

Several Highway Bang-Ups, One Fatal

A 52-year-old Fredericton man has died, after his vehicle went off the road into a steep ditch in Nashwaak Village. It happened on Route 8 on July 31st shortly after after 4:30pm

So far, police believe that the man’s Jeep first rear-ended another vehicle,injuring a 53-year-old woman. The man continued driving and left the road about a kilometre away. The man died at the scene.The name of the victim is not being released. RCMP is asking that anyone who may have witnessed the 2007 Jeep Sahara driving on Route 8, to contact 1-888-506-RCMP (7267), or Crime Stoppers.

Meanwhile, The Musquash Fire Dept responding to a crash on Highway 1 in Musquash this morning near the Ducks Unlimited Marsh around 7:30 am that a car had rolled over into the median. The one woman in the car was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Alleged Robbery on Harbour Passage

A 42 year old man has been taken to hospital for observation after an alleged robbery in the wee hours this morning.

Constable Jay Henderson of the Saint John Police Force tells CHSJ News the man was walking on the Harbour Passage when he was robbed an an undisclosed amount of money seized.

Massive Open Pit Mine Proposed Near Stanley

A proposal for a massive open pit mine outside of Fredericton has some up in arms. Forest Ecologist Larry Wuest tells CHSJ news the tungsten and molybdenum  mine near Stanley would have a devastating effect on the land.

He asks the public to imagine standing on King's College Road in Fredericton and looking out across the river as far as the giant flag on the other side. That is the area, Wuest says, that the proposed mine would fill up with debris, and would stretch even further out fro the bridges on either wide.

Wuest further says the tungsten and molybdenum there are of poor quality, and there's a higher than normal arsenic and lead content in the area. He calls the idea is both ecologically and economically short-sighted, because the claim the mine would create hundreds of construction jobs isn't yet substantiated.

Police Affadavit In Oland Murder Case Released

A little bit of information has been released from the Richard Oland murder investigation with the police affadvit which talks about the delays in analysing the evidence partly because two of the forensic people who do the analysing had health issues to deal with, the reluctance of witnesses to come forward because of all the attention and concern over the spreading of rumours and false information by social media.
 
According to the affadavit, 378 pieces of evidence were seized, 243 of which require analysis. 60 interviews were conducted and police Constable Stephen Davidson argues even release of the cause of death and how Oland was murdered would jeopardise the investigation. 

Media lawyer David Coles says the delays in processing the evidence he finds troubling especially considering the Oland case is a high profile murder investigation.
 
More hearings are scheduled later this month on what information from the search warrants themselves can be released. Judge Leslie Jackson has already decided what he thinks can be released but that could change depending on the arguments presented.

Travel Podcast Highlights Saint John

Saint John is getting international attention from an American travel journalist.

Well-known writer and CBS travel editor Peter Greenberg hosts the three minute video that shows what it's like to be a local. In the podcast Greenburg explores Market Square, the New Brunswick Museum, where to eat and more. Called "Travel Tuesday", the weekly podcast spotlights different cities around the world.

Lawyers Need More Time In Oland Case

Lawyers Gary Miller and Bill Teed have told the court they need more time to go through the stack of search warrants in the Richard Oland murder investigation.

There was more police testimony in a closed hearing. Miller and Teed will be back before Judge Leslie Jackson, who will decide what information can be released, on August 13th. They will make their case at that time whether any further material should be kept sealed.

There's another hearing scheduled August 16th and 17th to allow the media lawyer David Coles (picture) the opportunity to argue whether more information should be released.

Cyclist Dies After Hit & Run

A cyclist has died after a hit and run collision in Moncton last night.

The 58-year-old Dieppe man died in hospital as a result of his injuries. RCMP responded to Lewisville Road near the intersection of Dowd Street just before 11 o'clock after receiving reports of a hit and run.

Shortly after a 23-year-old Dieppe man was arrested in connection to the incident and was later released.

The name of the victim has not been released.

Robbery In Hampton

The RCMP in Hampton are investigating a robbery that occurred on July 29th at the Red Brick Bar on Railway Crescent.
 
Police say at around 11:30 that night, someone came into the bar demanding money and then taking off with an undisclosed amount.
 
The suspect's face was concealed but the robber was wearing white painters coveralls, under a green, waist-length jacket.
 
Police are asking anyone with information or who may have been in the downtown area around that time and seen a person matching the description, to contact the RCMP at 506-832-5566. 

Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at www.crimenb.ca, or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

More Information Could Be Released On Oland

The prosecution has withdrawn an application to prevent the release of search warrants in the investigation of the killing of businessman Richard Oland.

Instead, provincial court Judge Leslie Jackson has been asked to decide what, if any, of the information can be released.

Lawyers will be back in court Wednesday arguing what information can be released and what should still be kept under wraps.

Oland was found dead in his office on Canterbury Street last year.

The Crown had previously argued that releasing the documents could jeopardize the ongoing police investigation but a lawyer for media organizations has said the prosecution didn't produce any evidence to support its request to keep the documentation sealed.

Canada Wide Warrant For Missing Man

RCMP need your help in finding a man missing with an outstanding parole warrant.

21-year-old Brandon Anderson failed to return to a half-way house in the city, and now a Canada wide parole warrant for his arrest has been issued. There's belief he's heading to Halifax.
 

Anderson was on parole for manslaughter and investigators believe he poses a risk to the public. He is described as white, 6’ tall, 210 lbs., with green eyes and brown hair.

Anderson is considered dangerous and police advise you shouldn't approach him. Anyone with information is asked to contact Saint John City Police (648-3333) and Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-TIPS [8477]).

Locations & Jobs With New Air Service

More travel locations and jobs is what you can expect from the Saint John Airport this fall.

Quebec aviation company PASCAN will open up daily flights, five days a week from Saint John to Bonaventure, Quebec City, and Wabush in Newfoundland and Labrador. Saint John Airport President Bernie Leblanc tells us it's a targeted service that will benefit the province for business and leisure travel.

LeBlanc says the timing was great. He says it's booming in Labradors so they thought it's a great opportunity to launch it. He adds they'll have to make sure people will use the aircraft so the service keeps growing.

PASCAN President Serge Charron says the British C-FPSJ planes link small communities. They hold about 19 passengers and the company owns 13 of them. Charron estimates the service will create 6-7 direct and indirect jobs in Saint John.

Saint John Airport is the first in the province to work with PASCAN.

How Much Money Should Be Spent Consulting The Public

What is the price of public consultation and how far do you need to go? The new Common Council is grappling with that dilemma as it looks to save taxpayer dollars.
 

Ward 4 Common Councillor David Merrithew says if the city didn't hold public meetings as part of  budget consultations, it could save 50 thousand dollars. Merrithew is proposing the consultations be limited to online. 

Ward 2 Councillor Susan Fullerton says she did plenty of consulting while on the campaign trail and if you don't know what Saint Johnners want, you need a medical evaluation.
 

Besides that, Fullerton questions "why ask people how the city should spend money it doesn't have"? It sounds a bit ridiculous to her.

Ward 3 Councillor Donna Reardon argues the public still needs a voice at the table but if it can be accomplished online then that would be great.

Work Set To Resume On Welsford Bypass

There may be no construction activity at the moment - but - the provincial Transportation Department says that's about to change.
A department spokesperson tells CHSJ News a 3-million dollar contract for grading and paving of the Welsford Bypass will be awarded soon.
The contract involves grading and paving of 5-kms of new highway and four ramps in the Welsford area - and - we are told that work will start in about 3-weeks.
The 60-million dollar project is now scheduled for completion in the fall of next year - about a year later than originally planned.

Two Councillors Not Happy At Committee Proposal

Not everyone on Common Council is over the moon about what's being proposed for a committee form of local government. 

Councillor Donnie Snook points out Vision 2015 envisioned more direct participation by Saint Johnners.

Fellow Councillor Bill Farren thought one or two people on each committee would be members of the public. Farren wonders whether these committees will be viewed as just a rubber stamp and not pass what he calls the smell test.

Farren objects to the Mayors, whomever he or she is, appointing the chairs of each of these committees fearing that could lead to favourtism.
 
Common Council will be hearing directly from its counterparts in Fredericton about how it works there and why Bathurst decided it wasn't for them. The councillors may even attend council meetings in Fredericton and Sussex to see first hand how the committee system works.

Common Council hears Pros And Cons About Changing The Way City Is Run

Common Council hearing about the benefits, for the most part, of switching to a committee form of local government where the back and forth would take place before various committees, depending on the issue, with less debate before the full Common Council. 

Common Clerk Elizabeth Gormley says there could be separate committees for growth and development, the environment, transportation and water with a co-ordinating committee dealing with the city budget.
 
Gormley says each committee would meet once a month and the full Council would still meet every two weeks. 

She maintains this form of city governance would lead to better decisionmaking, greater public participation and transparency although there are pitfalls which could include buck passing. 

Common Council wants to hear directly from Fredericton Council on how the system works in that city but also from Bathurst where it was tried and then discarded before deciding.   

Common Council Undecided About Mixed Martial Arts

Common Council isn't ready just yet to allow mixed martial arts bouts to be staged in the city at the L-B-R. It wants to first hear from City Solicitor John Nugent on the legal ramifications, if any. 

Councillor Ray Strowbridge wants the city to move ahead, saying it will allow Saint John to compete on this level with Moncton and Halifax. He also argues mixed martial arts is one of the hottest sports around these days and staging bouts in the city would boost the local economy.
 
Council also wants to hear from the city's Leisure Services Committee before it decides whether or not to spend 3 and a half million dollars to turn the ice surface at the L-B-R into Olympic size which would benefit figure skaters in the area.

Belleisle Ferry No Go Tomorrow

You need to change your travel plans if you hope to take the Belleisle Ferry tomorrow.

Starting at 8:30am it won't be running until late in the afternoon for scheduled maintenance and repair work.

Man Fined More Than $17,000

A fifty-eight year old man has been fined more than $17,000 after pleady guilty to charges related to contraband cigarettes.
Harold Ronald Davidson from Lincoln was arrested in May after an eight-month long RCMP investigation where police seized 24,000 illegal cigarettes and a quantity of cash.
Davidson pleaded in Burton Provincial court.

New Virtual College In Saint John

Classroom learning this September is getting virtual.

The Atlantica Centre For The Arts announcing their new "virtual" college. Unlike online courses, the program offers real-time, virtual classrooms complete with live lectures, classmates, study rooms and even a Foosball table.

Atlantica President Mike McGraw tells CHSJ news the virtual classroom is the first of it's kind in the world, a combination of traditional and online learning.

Mobile app development will be the first course taught, which McGraw says is the worlds fastest growing sector of the economy.

The course will be a year long and cost under $15,000. The first four instructors are from Saint John, but McGraw says students and teachers from around the world have access to be a part of it.

For more information on the program, click here.

Teenager In Critical Condition After Accident

One teenager is in critical condition and three people were sent to hospital in Fredericton after a car crash.

The people from Brampton Ontario included a man and women in their forties and a 14-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy.

RCMP say the accident happened on the Trans Canada Highway near the Deerwood weight scales this past weekend. RCMP believe the vehicle left the road and rolled.

Mounties believe alcohol was not a factor. No charges are expected to be laid.

Is City Ready To Embrace Mixed Martial Arts?

The city is being asked to regulate and stage mixed martial arts until the province creates a governing body and the Attorney-General isn't objecting.

That word delivered to Common Council along with the estimate that a large mixed martial arts card at the L-B-R generate as much as 300 thousand dollars in spending. 

The overall rate of critical injuries is said to be low with mixed martial arts and there are fewer knockouts than in boxing. 

The city would rename the Saint John Boxing Commission, the Mixed Martial Arts Commission to oversee the matches that are staged locally. The city would still like to see provincial regulation and will be hearing back from its Solicitor John Nugent.