Airport Gets Award

Looks like the Saint John Airport is punching above its weight when it comes to customer satisfaction... the airport ranked highest in New Brunswick in the 2012 Agent’s Choice Awards.

Airport CEO Bernie Leblanc tells CHSJ News the airport has been doing a lot of work in the past few years to improve the traveller experience, inclulding free wi-fi, hook-ups, and greater accesibility.

The ranking of thirteenth best in the country marks an improvement from 20th in 2011.  Halifax is the only other airport in Atlantic Canada that scored better.

Torch Run Hits Rothesay & Saint John

The first Law Enforcement Torch Run in Greater Saint John is in the books.
 
Police officers and students took part in a run from Rothesay to Saint John all in support of Special Olympic athletes.
 
Corporal Mary Henderson of the Rothesay Regional Police Force tells CHSJ News one of the reasons she took part is she loves to run.

She tells us she also has a daughter with special needs who is too young to run now but will be taking part in the future.

Torch runs are simultaneously taking place in Saint John, Fredericton, Rothesay, Bathurst and Moncton. 

All proceeds raised will go to Special Olympics in New Brunswick. 

Sea Dogs Get A Day Off

The Sea Dogs and Mooseheads pre-season game set for tonight in Halifax has been cancelled.
 
A number of players have the flu leaving too few to dress for the game. The game will not be rescheduled.

Sunday's game is still a go with the Mooseheads and the Sea Dogs at Harbour Station at 4.  Tickets are $9.00 anywhere in the rink.
For more info, click here

25,000 Counterfeit DVDs Seized

The RCMP seizing more than 25,000 counterfeit DVDs, along with computers, hard drives and cash in McAdam.   

A 53-year-old man was arrested and later released with a court appearance at a future date on charges under the Copyright Act for illegally making and selling counterfeit goods.
Police say the DVD's they confiscated include counterfeit copies of movies, video games and television shows.

Strikers Rally Over Unfair Pay For Women

Solidarity is the rallying cry among picketers gathering today in support of striking workers at MBS Radio in Saint John....the 12-hour rally comes after yesterday's negotations in Halifax, which representatives say have left them feeling more hopeful.

Canadian Media Guild Reprensentative Glenn Gray tells CHSJ News the initial conciliation process wasn't sucessful, but they remain optimistic for the next negotiations within the near future.

Gray didn't say when the workers at the 3 Saint John stations will be going back to the table. The strikers also pointing out the 2 lowest-paid bargaining members also happen to be women.

Curbing Crime in Apartment Complexes

With crime an ongoing problem in the Scott Avenue area, there's been a little buzz on Facebook about starting up a Vertical Watch Program. Similar to a Neighborhood Watch program but tailored to apartments, it would rely on residents to monitor what's happening in their buildings. 

Constable Krystal Daley tells CHSJ News they're still trying to gauge the interest level but haven't heard from too many people yet.

Interested residents can contact Rothesay Regional Police at 847-6300.

Get Your Quick Chicken Fix In Rothesay

Rothesay residents now have a new option for dinner on the go...a St Hubert Express restaurant is now open in Rothesay. General Manager Reg Wynes tells CHSJ News they did their homework before opening and now they're receiving positive feedback.
 
The new restaurant is located at 94 Hampton Road in Rothesay. It seats 126 customers if you include the terrace, and bills itself as offering classic rotisserie chicken with faster service than a traditional St Hubert restaurant.

A New Football Season For The Seawolves

A new Atlantic Football League season gets underway this weekend with the U-N-B Saint John Seawolves taking on the defending champion Holland College Hurricanes at the Canada Games Stadium tomorrow night at 7. 

Seawolves President and General Manager Barry Ogden tells CHSJ News football in the Saint John area is on the rise at all levels and he sees it as an opportunity to keep young people from moving away.

The Seawolves made it to the semi finals last season where they lost by one point to the U-N-B Red Bombers.

Before the football game tomorrow night, the U-N-B Saint John women's soccer team will host Kings College at 2 followed at 4 by the men's contest.

Saint John Energy Has A New Boss

Saint John Energy has a new boss and his name is Raymond Robinson.

He hails from Saskatchewan and has previously the President and CEO of the Yukon Energy Corporation, the C.O.O. of Bangor Hydro and was the Executive Chair of the Grand Bahamas Power Company.

Robinson begins his 5 year term on October 9th.

Emergency Over Rupture Of Natural Gas Main Ends

The rupture of a two inch natural gas line forcing an evacuation along part of Crown Street and on King Street from Crown to Pitt Street earlier this morning. 

The gas line was broken while water repairs were being carried out shortly after 4 this morning. 

Besides the evacuation, power had to be shut off by Saint John Energy in that area around Crown and Union Streets. Traffic was disrupted as were any trains that might be making their way along the adjacent rail line. 

The situation began returning to normal shortly after 6:30 with people being allowed back into their homes and power being restored.

Crown Street at King Street East will be closed to traffic for most of the day.

BBQ And Torch Run From Rothesay To Uptown

Local police officers are standing behind our Special Olympic athletes...and they're showing their support at a torch run this morning beginning in Rothesay then heading uptown to the Boardwalk.

Staff Sergeant Tanya Leblanc tells CHSJ News they're proud to be raising awareness of the Special Olympics next year.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run will begin at the Rothesay Regional Police Force at 11:30am, go through Rothesay, then be picked up by uptown high school students on Water Street around 12:40. A BBQ with proceeds going to the Special Olympics will be held from 11:30 to 2pm on the Boardwalk.

Natural Gas Leak Forces Evacuation

There has been a major natural gas leak in the area of Crown and King Street East. 

It was reported shortly after 4 when a 2 inch gas main has been ruptured during water repairs. 

Nearby residents along Crown Street and part of King to Pitt Street are being evacuated. At least three City Transit buses are being brought in for the evacuation. 

Traffic in one of the busiest areas of the city has been blocked off and trains that would make their way along the adjacent rail line are also being stopped. 

Police, Fire, Saint John Energy and Enbridge Gas have all been called in.

McAlary Opposes Additional Cuts To Fire Service

With all this talk about having to cut the fire department's budget next year, Common Councillor at Large Shirley McAlary tells CHSJ News she can't go along with that.

She's baffled people at the north end ward meeting indicated they could live with a decrease in fire service to save the city money.

She is surprised to hear this from anyone in the old north end where we have had numerous fires and the residents are concerned about it.

She also points to the fire on Charlotte Street beside Trinity Anglican Church that was deliberately set back in April and spread from one building to another.

$40K To Investigate Local Homelessness

The Saint John Human Development Council is getting 40 thousand dollars in federal money to carry out research so we have a better idea of how many people in the city are homeless.

Randy Hatfield of the Human Development Council says he knows there are alot of young people who could be considered homeless but it has been difficult to determine how many there are.

He thinks Saint John's problem is those that are relatively homeless who couch surf between friends and family but don't have safe, secure housing.

Hatfield knows the Salvation Army hostel in the south end and Coverdale for homeless women on Waterloo Street are usually filled but he suspects that's only the tip of the iceberg.

Healthy Living Expo At Harbour Station

Find out everything you ever wanted to know about getting fit, but were afraid to ask at the Lifestyles Health & Wellness Expo... the 2 day event kicks off Friday at Harbour Station. There will be presentations, booths and demonstrations on everything from nutrition to fitness, mental health and weight loss.

CHSJ News asked organizer Mike McGraw whether New Brunswickers are a healthy bunch: he says he thinks people here are definitely interested in hearing what health providers have to offer.

Participants are encouraged to dress in workout gear to take part in a health challenge or you can change on site.

Tickets range from $6 for adults to a $10 family rate and are good for both days. For more information, click here

Call Center Subsidies Up For Debate

With the recent closure of the Marriott call center in Fredericton, some are questioning whether the province should consider offering subsidies for call centers to come here. CHSJ asked the provincial liberal leadership candidates what they think at a recent forum in Saint John.

Brian Gallant tells CHSJ News while he has siblings working in call centers, subsidies tend to be a political quick fix rather than a long-term solution.

Michael Murphy tells us the premier needs to step up and speak to the feds on New Brunswick's behalf.

Nick Duivenvoorden also said it's time New Brunswick's stopped being treated like a second class citizens to its wealthier neighbours.

Jarvis Will Represent Canada at Ball Hockey Event

A local man is one of three from the region heading off to the World Ball Hockey Championships next week in Europe.
 
John Jarvis of Grand Bay-Westfield will join Team Canada in the Masters division in Plzen , Czech Republic. 

He tells CHSJ News they have a good shot at winning a medal.

He says two of his teammates reached the gold medal final in 2009 losing to Slovakia.

Mike McHugh and Joe Savoie Sr. are also part of Team Canada joining Jarvis on the trip.

For more info,  click here

Expo Trying To Grant A Wish

You'll be helping more than your health at Saint John's first Health & Wellness Expo this weekend.

Proceeds from the event will be going towards the Children's Wish Foundation.

Gerry Beresford from Children's Wish tells CHSJ news the event is a great opportunity to raise money and awareness. He says often people go to their doctor when they're looking at getting a wish granted for a sick child, when in fact they can go straight to the charity.

Beresford hopes they raise enough money to grant one wish, which costs anywhere from $8-10,000. He says they're currently trying to grant 71 wishes in the province.

The Health & Wellness Expo runs on Friday and Saturday at Harbour Station.

Teen Dead After Dirt Bike Crash

A 14 year old boy is dead after a tragic accident on Route 121 in Apohaqui. Sergeant Rick Bernard tells CHSJ News the boy was driving an unlicensed dirt bike when it crashed into a truck going the opposite way around 8pm yesterday.

Truck driver and army vet Tony Cyr was one of the first on the scene. He tells CHSJ News he tried to provide whatever help he could, including CPR.

The boy was taken to the Sussex hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Sergeant Bernard tells CHSJ News a traffic re-constructionist is looking into the accident, and the name of the boy is not yet being released.

Saint Johnner Honoured By Human Rights Commission

Flabbergasted........That's the reaction of Ralph Thomas, the President of Prude, who has been awarded the 2012 New Brunswick Human Rights Award. 

He tells CHSJ News things have changed alot for black folks in Saint John over the years. Thomas says he can remember back in the 1950's when blacks were told they had to use the back entrances of hotels and be denied service in restaurants but today the discrimination against minorities is more subtle and more work has to be done.
 
Thomas earlier was honoured with the Queen Elizabeth Golden Jubilee Medal.

He is also a founding member of the New Brunswick Black History Society and has a mesaage for all young people whether they be black or white........Get an education.

People In North End Have Their Say On City Services

People in the north end want better bus service and roads if the Ward 2 meeting at Lorne Middle School is any indication. 

Only 7 per cent of those who took part in the community workshop are satisfied with transit and only 15 per cent are happy with the roads. 

There was a surprise for Ward 3 Councillor Donna Reardon, who lives uptown and that was 61 per cent satisfaction with garbage collection.
 
23 per cent of the people who voted at the meeting were satisfied with the fire service and 27 per cent with police. 
 
They apparently would be willing to pay more to have something done with vacant buildings. 

Councillor Shirley McAlary says as much money as possible will have to be earmarked for road repairs and paving next year.

Price Shock At The Pumps

If you fill up with self serve regular, get ready for price shock.......It has gone up by almost 5 cents a litre to $1.38.1 in the city. 

Diesel has gone down by almost a couple of cents a litre to stand at $1.35.5. 

Heating oil also costing a bit less with a maximum price of $1.18.8 a litre but propane has risen to a max of 95.6 cents.

MBS Strikers Called To Mediation

After nearly three months of strike action at MBS Radio in Saint John, the two sides have been called to a meeting by a federal mediator. The meeting will take place  September 13 in Halifax.

The last time the two sides met was on June 19, less than a week before employees at those 3 stations walked off the job. The bargaining committee is seeking a fair first agreement for the seven striking members.

No MMA In Saint John Until At Least 2013

Mixed martial arts fans aren't going to like this news...there's not much chance that a MMA event will be hosted in Saint John before next year.

David Nicholson of the LBR tells CHSJ News he has nothing at all against the sport, but they're putting the ice in the rink soon and it will be April 2013 before they can consider non-ice events again.

There had been an MMA event booked at the rink for later this month, but as the legal snafu about the sport has continued, the LBR has opted to re-book the date for a different event.

Provinces Wants To Reduce Property Tax Rates For Some

The province says it will reduce property tax rates for businesses and people owning rental properties and cottages. 
Local Government Minister Bruce Fitch says other proposed changes include protection against large spikes in assessments. Fitch says he expects apartment dwellers will benefit from a reduction in the provincial tax on rental properties. 

Willy Scholten of the New Brunswick Apartment Owners Association says it's to early to say if that will mean lower rents.

He says up until this point property taxes represent 50 per cent of their expenses so if the tax rates are being decreased that should have an impact on rents.

Fitch says a new cost-sharing model will ensure the cost of R-C-M-P services is also shared more fairly. The changes require new legislation, which is expected during the next session of the legislature.

All-Ages Venue Raises Big Bucks For SPCA

Spotlight is a brand-new all-ages venue in the South End...and the young people behind it have already organized a successful fundraiser for the SPCA. Spotlight's Dustin Melvin tells CHSJ News their 12 hour fundraiser which included live music and fire dancers managed to raise nearly $4000 for the beleaguered organization and brought out the community in the process.

Spotlight intends to host art installations, live music, a recording studio, and a wide range of other events for kids of all ages.

To visit their Facebook group, click here

VIDEO: Hospital Home Lottery Opens Its Doors

The doors are open to your new dream home.

The Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation announcing the launch of their fifth annual Hospital Home Lottery.

The new 3,000 square feet home is located in Rothesay and worth over $775,000. Tim Cameron, CEO of the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation, tells CHSJ news they hope to raise more than a million dollars to support programing and equipment. He says a lot of the money is saved for when doctors need a specific piece of equipment, but the funds have also supported stem cell transportation programs, lab equipment to speed up investigations of infections, and for heart lung machines.

Patrick Oland, Chair of Hospital Foundation Saint John Regional, tells CHSJ news they believe this years house and prizes are better than ever. He says every year they want to learn more of what people want to win.

Tim Cameron suggests getting tickets early since they sold out within six weeks last year.

To find information on prizes and tickets for the Hospital Home Lottery, click here.

Some Think Refurbishing North End Center Is Irresponsible

The North End Community center might be in Susan Fullerton's Ward...but that doesn't mean she supports the city committing to Phase 1 of a 3 million dollar refurbishment project.

 Fullerton tells CHSJ News it's a worthwhile project, but seeing as the city hasn't even started on the next budget it's foolhardy to go ahead and commit the money.

Fullerton says there are worthwhile projects all over the city including the center, but she ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility and she's sticking to that.

City Police Officer Launches Court Appeal

An appeal has been filed in the New Brunswick Court of Appeal to overturn the guilty verdict in the trial of City Police officer Chris Messer.

Constable Messer was found guilty of engaging in threatening conduct and common assault after his house on Westfield Road was broken into.

Mr. Justice Hugh McLellen found Messer guilty based on his own testimony because his accusers lacked credibility.

Even without the appeal, Police Chief Bill Reid says a long legal process still remains even after the verdict to determine whether Messer will remain with the Saint John Police Department. He has been released from jail pending the outcome of his appeal.

Messer's lawyer, Brian Munro says several grounds are being cited to the Court of Appeal for overturning the verdicts.

Homeless Women's Shelter Gets Federal Money

The homeless shelter for women on Waterloo Street, Coverdale Centre is receiving 35 thousand dollars in funding from the federal government.

Coverdale Director Crystal Scott says there has been an increase in the number of homeless women seeking help.

More than 80 women came to the shelter last year and she also notices they appear to be getting younger.

Scott warns there's alot of addiction on the streets and it's a tough slog transitioning women who are homeless to independent living and they need alot of continual support along the way.

Coverdale will try to help women even if they're not ready to give up their addictions but they can only stay at the shelter for up to 90 days.

Scott does say there have been success stories with women who have been on the streets getting back on their feet again and reconnecting with their children who had been taken into care.

West Side Walmart Not Opening Today

Contrary to some media reports, the new Walmart location at Lancaster Mall is not opening today.

CHSJ News has confirmed with the management of Lancaster Mall that while workers have been in and out of the doors, the new location is still being prepared for its grand opening.

A spokesperson from Walmart could open confirm the store will open sometime this fall: no specific date has been set.

Regionalisation A Hot Topic At Forum

Liberal leadership candidates Nick Duivenvoorden, Brian Gallant and Michael Murphy gathering at the Delta last night to engage with voters and get across their platforms on hot button issues like healthcare and jobs.  Another major issue is the prospect of greater regionalisation. The candidates tell CHSJ news what they've been hearing from voters--and what they don't want to see.

Nick Duivenvoorden tells CHSJ News the province should take a laissez-faire approach, like a priest officiating a marriage: help the municipalities make the decisions, then bow out.

But Mike Murphy sees regionalisation as "massively undemocratic" because the representatives wouldn't be elected but would have a budget taxed by the province.

Brian Gallant says people he's talked to are concerned about losing their regional identities and how representation would work on the ground.
Gallant is a lawyer and president of the Kent South Liberal Association, Murphy was formerly MLA for Moncton North and a cabinet minister under Shawn Graham, and Duivenvoorden was formerly mayor of Belldune. The election is next month.

West Siders Voice Concerns About Roads, Water & Fire

By popular vote, roads, fire, and water are all areas that need improvement according to Saint Johner's on the west side.

The first ward meeting on the west side had people who discuss and vote on where to focus the 2013 city budget.

Don Leamen and Michael Costello both said the issues that were brought to light were no surprise to them.

Todd MacDonald leads the study group Performance Concepts, hired by the city to conduct the survey. He tells CHSJ news the results were clear.......People want to make sure they're getting good value for every dollar spent.

Ward 1 Councillors Greg Norton and Bill Farren both agreed seeing fire protection as a budget concern was a surprise but now the difficult part is focusing and finding what specific changes need to be made.

Farren says he saw a couple differences from what people wanted from when he ran for council. He said when campaigning door to door, people were concerned about safe drinking water and better recreation, whereas at the meeting, roads and the fire department were more prominent.

Norton says the survey provides an unbiased approach to the future budget.

The next ward meeting is tonight at Lorne Middle School starting at 6:00.

Messer Is Suspended Without Pay

Chris Messer is in jail and suspended without pay.

The Saint John police officer was convicted last week of engaging in threatening conduct and common assault after a break-in at his home.

Police Chief Bill Reid says police officers and civllians have the right to assist in their own investigation.

But, he adds to go and act on your own outside of that network is inappropriate and the judge has obviously commented on that.

Reid says the incident is very unfortunate and something they take very seriously. 

Fire Fighters Honour Their Own

City fire fighters parading last night to honour their own killed in the line of duty - and - those emergency personnel who fell victim to the terrorist attacks in the U-S eleven years ago yesterday.
Local fire fighters were joined by others from around the province and Nova Scotia for last night's parade and memorial service at the fire fighters monument in King's Square.

Boil Water Order Lifted

The boil order that has been in effect for Hillcrest Trailer Park since last week has been lifted.

Residents can stop boiling their water effective immediately. 

Person May Have Gone Over Side Of Bridge

You may have noticed emergency crews and traffic slow in the Harbour Bridge area this afternoon.

Police and rescue where called to the are after reports of someone going over he side of the Harbour Bridge.

The report has not yet been confirmed.

Ladder Truck Could Have Helped In Sussex Fire

After reviewing the handling of the September 4th fire that gutted a sizeable chunk of downtown Sussex, Mayor Mark Thorne says criticism of the fire department don't hold water with him. According to Thorne, a ladder truck would have made a difference in the fire...but the truck they've ordered isn't set to arrive until 2013.

None of the fire departments from surrounding areas have a ladder truck either, so Thorne stresses it isn't as if the fire department neglected to call in all the available resources.

There had been criticisms levelled at the SFD on social media for not calling in firefighters from Millstream--but Mayor Thorne says they had enough water and manpower to do everything that could have been done.

New Heart Technology For Regional Hospital

Potash Corp in Sussex giving 75 thousand dollars to buy three new machines for the Heart Centre at the Regional Hospital. 

The Clinical Department Head for the Heart Centre, Dr. Marc Pelletier says the surgical procedures are becoming more complex and this new technology is a game changer because it helps patients get off the heart-lung machine easier and helps their heart function better and stronger after the surgery. 

The new machines are considered crucial to open heart surgeries.
 
The Regional Hospital Foundation has announced The Give has reached 86 per cent of its 750 thousand dollar goal with 100 thousand dollars still to be raised.   

12th Floor Smoke Forces Guests & Staff Out

A dramatic interruption to lunch, business meetings and possibly sleep as smoke on the 12th floor forces the noonhour evacaution of the Hilton hotel.


District Fire Chief Peter Saab says the source of the smoke was a chair on fire which was quickly exstinguished and the ventilation process began.

Saab says the full fire response is standard until they know what they are dealing with.

He says other calls coming in would be handled by the District Chief on duty and the apparatus that is left would be divided up depending on what is coming in at the time.

Officials began letting staff and guests back into the hotel before 1pm.  The scene has been turned over to fire investigators and City police while elevator technicians and more assist the hotel in returning things back to normal.

Board Of Trade Announces Winner of "Chair's Award"

The Saint John Board of Trade announcing their choice for the 2012 “Chair’s Award”.

Non-profit organization Credit Counselling Services of Atlantic Canada is the winner for changing lives, giving back and being a great employer according to Board of Trade Chair Larry Hachey.

The community service supports and educates people in solving debt problems.

The award will be presented at the 28th annual Outstanding Business Achievement Awards dinner on October 3rd at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre.

Rothesay Putting Foot Down On Sewage Problem

A letter is being written to Quispamsis from Rothesay council to fix their lift station immediately.

Rothesay Council says whenever it rains the Quispam lift station pours raw sewage into brooks at the back of people's properties at Oakville Acres -- an area where a lot of children play.

Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop tells CHSJ news Quispamsis does have money in their budget to redesign the lift station, but they plan on implementing it 5-10 years from now. Bishop says the health hazard is to great and it needs to be fixed now.

Bishop adds along with the letter they'll be sending photos so there's no doubt what the problem is.

Mayor Wants Any Regionalisation To Build Stronger Cities

The city is encouraged by the promise of greater regionalisation but there are still alot of unknowns and that's why Mayor Mel Norton would like to see more clarity from the province on its plans.

Mayor Mel Norton acknowledges the financial woes of the city will be a fact of life for sometime and regionalisation won't solve that. He also doesn't see regionalisation doing anything about the divergent tax rates between what's charged in the city as opposed to the outlying communities.

He does believe there will be opportunities to save money with planning and recreation sooner rather than later and then down the road have a look at policing and fire.

The Mayor would like to see the city given greater taxing authority because he says the ability of people in the city to keep paying more is not limitless.

Chair On Fire Evacuates Hilton

Firefighters have discovered a chair on fire on the 12th floor of the Hilton.

The hotel has been evacuated.

The hotel will have to be ventilated.

Housing Starts Remain Soft

The latest numbers from Canada Mortgage and Housing show new home construction remains soft in the greater Saint John area -- the survey reports a 35-percent drop in the number of new units started to the end of August compared to the same eight month period a year ago.
The federal agency says the biggest drop is in the number of multiple residential units started this year while single family units are almost on par with last year.
By contrast -- both Fredericton and Moncton are showing increases in the number of new units started this year compared to last year.

Car Hits Moose Near Lepreau

One person taken to hospital after a car ran into a moose on Route 790 at the Lepreau exit and that caused some delays. 

Traffic heading northbound towards the highway was being detoured through the village while southbound traffic was allowed to go through but it proceeded slower than normal.

After 8:00, there was a three vehicle collision westbound along Highway 1 at the Fox Farm overpass which ground traffic to a halt.

(Photo Courtesy Of Andrew Sanojca)

Rothesay Residents Standing Up Against Residential Development

Over fifty residents flooding Rothesay council opposing a proposed residential development.

Not a single one of them was in favour of 12 duplexes proposed to be built at 20 Gibbon Road.

Resident Frank Ervin tells CHSJ news he understands why people would want a high density area, but they like their peaceful neighbourhood. He says it's a low density area filled with single family residents and they don't want to see it's character changed by squeezing in more homes. He says many of the trees in the area are over a hundred years old and thirty feet high.

Many people were also concerned about flooding, construction noise, losing privacy, and fire danger with the proposed housing being so close to each other. One woman mentioned there's no need for new houses since there are so many on the market and not selling.
Mayor Bill Bishop understands most of the people were opposed to overcrowding the small piece of land. Rothesay council is following the recommendation from the planning advisory committee and are asking the developer to go back and look at the project, make changes, and then council will go back to it.

Development Plan

Major Change For North End Community Center

There's going to be more than just ball hockey at the North End Community Center....the center on Victoria Street has been approved for Phase 1 of a $3 million revitalization project. Scott Crawford of One Change tells CHSJ News the community's needs have grown since the center was built in the 1970s.

Among the problems are that the building is too cold in the winter and too hot in summer, lacking natural light, and generally run down.

Crawford says he anticipates the money will also go toward new programs like prenatal counseling for parents and mental fitness for young people.

MMA Battle Continues At City Hall

Full contact combat could be coming to the LBR...or could it? 

Common Council discussing once again whether mixed martial arts should have a home in the Port City. Councillor Raw Strowbridge questioned why every other city in the Maritimes seems to be hosting MMA when it's supposedly illegal, saying we're behind the times. He suggested perhaps other cities are regulating the sport through the boxing or wrestling leagues.

Strowbridge asked legal counsel Francois Beaulieau to explain what the legal issue is but says he isn't satisfied with the answers.

A demonstration to bring MMA to Saint John was recently held in front of City Hall.