Baby On A Bus Requires Medical Help

This had to be incredibly frightening for the parents and other people on the bus near the mall in East Saint John.

Emergency crews responding to a baby in distress on a Saint John Transit bus after 10 this morning.

The baby had a fever further complicated by a lot of clothing but after some of the clothing was removed the baby was fine.

Trace Adkins Will Headline Fredericton Festival

Trace Adkins coming to the rescue of the Maritime Countryfest in Fredericton this June.

The singer will fill in for Ronnie Dunn who has cancelled all of his tour dates this year.

Other performers include Deric Ruttan, Kelli Pickler, Chad Brownlee and Great Big Sea.

The event coming up June 13 and 14th at Officer's Square in Fredericton.

For ticket info and to see the rest of the talent line-up, click here

Woman Charged With Attempted Murder In Baby Taylor Case

A third charge being laid against a woman in connection with the discovery of a newborn baby's body in a snow bank near Salisbury in 2009.

The baby's mother, 30-year-old Christine Margaret Wood of Riverview, is now facing a charge of attempted murder. Last year, Wood was charged with indignity to a dead human body or human remains and concealing the body of a child.

Police allege Wood disposed of the dead baby boy trying to conceal the fact that she had given birth to him.

She will make her next court appearance in February.

Apprenticeship Programs Being Harmonized Across Atlantic Canada

The province announcing a new initiative to harmonize apprenticeship programs across the Atlantic region.
 
The Council of Atlantic Premiers, will invest $3.5 million dollars into the program. Along with $4.3 million from the Federal Government. 

Ten trades across the Atlantic provinces will be harmonized. This includes electricians, technicians, cooks, and bricklayers. The goal of the project is to create more jobs and keep people working at home.

For more details on the initiative visit, http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/news/news_release.2014.01.0040.html

Fredericton Police Nab Man On Canada-Wide Warrant

Police in Fredericton arrested a 34-year old man wanted on an outstanding Canada-Wide Warrant for aggravated assault yesterday.

He was also wanted on charges of uttering threats, criminal harassment, and family violence charges, and probation breaches all originating out of Calgary.

He also faces outstanding warrants in New Brunswick for  assault, threats, and break and enter.
 

RCMP May Not Even Be An Option For Saint John

Despite all the controversy over common council's vote to look into the cost of the RCMP policing Saint John, it might all be a moot point if the RCMP isn't willing to go ahead with it: so says  police association president Jamie Hachey, who tells CHSJ News he's been hearing that Saint John might not meet the criteria the RCMP have for considering a community.

He says he's heard it's RCMP policy not to intervene where there is a labour dispute, and also that they actively engaged in areas with populations of 5000 to 15,000 people and not above. Hachey says he'll be interested to hear the report from City Manager Pat Woods when it's complete. 

Hachey says he questions why the Mayor feels the report that was done on policing costs in Moncton is irrelevant and says it's worth doing some looking into.

Citizens Who Saved Suicidal Woman Honoured

A dramatic rescue on Reversing Falls Bridge has resulted in kudos for some quick-thinking citizens.

Student Jane Foster was driving across the bridge in July 2013 when she noticed an elderly woman talking to another woman who was standing outside the railing. She and her passenger, Curt Delaney, pulled over and tried to hold on to the woman while she struggled to jump over the side.

Once police arrived they continued to try and pull her back over and managed eventually to pull her to safety. Delaney tells CHSJ News it was a bizarre experience.
 
Foster, Delaney, Bill Clark, and Constable Peter Osbourne all were given an award from the Saint John Police Commission for their bravery in saving the woman's life.

Black's Harbour To Vote On Policing Tonight

Black's Harbour Village council has a big vote tonight on whether or not to keep RCMP policing in the community.

St. George has already voted to drop the Mounties.
 
Black's Harbour Deputy Mayor Natalie Harris tells CHSJ News they looked at what they are spending and whether or not they are happy with the service they are receiving.

She tells us they think they can get a better service if they went with a regional joint police force adding they think this is the best thing they can do for the amount of money they are willing to pay for policing.

Black's Harbour and St. George pay $500,000 combined for their RCMP contact.

If Black's Harbour votes to get rid of the RCMP,  the village then needs permission from the Department of Public Safety to proceed with a new municipal force.

Debate Over Municipal Police Vs. RCMP Continues At Police Commission

As Saint John examines the cost of its municipal police force versus the RCMP, all eyes are on what other communities in the Maritimes have been paying for their policing--and whether a move to the RCMP would make sense from either a fiscal or law-and- order perspective .

Newly-minted Police Commission Chair Jonathan Franklin tells CHSJ News he's already crunched the numbers, and Moncton is paying more for so-called "drive-through" RCMP service. Franklin acknowledges a report prepared by a member of the Police Commission might seem self-serving, but denies he would ever skew data in favour of the SJPD.

Mayor Mel Norton tells CHSJ News it's not enough to extrapolate the numbers from Moncton--instead, he says, we need a Saint John specific report. Further, Norton says the Moncton report was the farthest thing from his mind during the vote because to him to be appeared unrelated to the questions council was asking.

This controversy over the report comes after a member of a popular Facebook group in support of the SJPD posted a letter he wrote to the mayor and council. He charged the Mayor with withholding information, writing "I find it extremely interesting that the Mayor, who broke the deadlock, voted to pursue this request, as a member of the Police Commission, is well aware of this study, but chooses to go down the road of spending our tax dollars to prepare, receive and evaluate another quote, because he doesn't like the results of the original study."

The Mayor says he has made no effort to withhold the results of the Moncton report, and fails to understand why there's so much resistance to asking questions about the cost.

Open Letter To Man Who Befriended Autistic Child On Flight Goes Viral

Photo Courtesy of Shanell Mouland

An open letter written by a mother of an autistic three-year-old to the kind stranger that sat next to them on long flight, going viral. 

36-year old Shanell Mouland of Quispamsis says when a businessman sat next to her daughter on the plane she was nervous about how he would react, but was pleasantly surprised when the man put away his papers and started talking and playing with Kate. Mouland tells CHSJ News the man gave her entire family a peaceful flight.

With the post garnering attention from the Huffington Post and the New York Daily News, Mouland says she's proud her letter is reaching so many people.

Mouland tells us she and the man have been in contact since the flight from Orlando, and she describes him as modest, and not looking for any recognition. You can read Mouland's post, which has 62,000 likes on Facebook, on her blog Go Team Kate.

H1N1 Flu Death Reported In Fredericton Area

A woman in the Fredericton area has died from complications arising from H1N1, New Brunswick's first flu-related death this season.

According to media reports, the province's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eilish Cleary says the woman was middle-aged, with an underlying health condition and would have been considered in the at-risk category.

The woman's death was reported by the Horizon Health Network.

The Province Reacts To UNB Strike

The Province is keeping an eye on the faculty strike at UNB.

Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Jody Carr says the government recognizes the whole university community is impacted by this and they hope it is resolved quickly.

Carr also says they hope students are able to finish this term with little disruption.

Lacey Calls Wage Increases The Profs Want "Outrageous"

Professors at UNB are on strike and among their demands are wage hikes of 26 percent over 4 years.
 
Kevin Lacey of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says professors make on average $100,000 a year.

He says the reason this is so important to taxpayers is nearly 50 per cent of each university's budget is paid for by working families in the province adding these wage increases are outrageous when you consider the fiscal situation the province is in.

Vandals Destroy Zoo Sign

photo courtesy of Lynda Collrin

You can't miss it but now you will.  

The instantly recognizable 3d fibreglass sign at the Cherry Brook Zoo was destroyed on the weekend.
 
Lynda Collrin says it happened sometime during all that heavy rain on Saturday night into Sunday morning and they were a couple beer cans left behind.

She CHSJ News they can't repair the sign to its former state adding the money needs to go other places with animal care being at the top of the list.

Collrin calls it a wasteful and foolish thing for someone to do adding she doesn't understand what they get out of doing something like that.

There is an open police investigation and if you saw anything, you are asked to contact police with your information.

Provincial E-M-O Issues Ice Movement Advisory

Above-zero temperatures and heavy rains could cause ice-jam flooding, the Department of Public Safety's E-M-O warns.

Current weather conditions could cause ice covers to deteriorate and snow to melt. If you live or work along streams, tributaries or rivers, you're being reminded to be on the alert for ice movement and to stay away from the water's edge as you could be hit by moving ice.

Environment Canada forecasting rain in most areas of the province, issuing a rainfall warning to Saint John, Saint John County, coastal Charlotte County and more. We could be getting up to 25 millimeters overnight.

You can download an emergency preparedness guide from the Get Prepared website, information on preparing for an outage at NB Power's website and you can see a list of weather warnings at Environment Canada online.

Rothesay Council Learns Lessons From Ice Storm

With Rothesay council feeling like they were left in the dark during the Christmas ice storm, the town taking measures to make sure that doesn't happen again. 

Council passing several motions at a town meeting so they are better prepared for emergencies in the future, including appointing a Rothesay representative to the Kennebecasis Valley E-M-O to work alongside the Director, and establishing a warming centre at the Bill McGuire Centre on Renforth Drive. Mayor Bill Bishop tells CHSJ News they plan on getting quotes for generators.

Councillor Matt Alexander saying it was incredible how unprepared they felt. Bishop says the storm, which knocked out power to some homes in the Rothesay cluster for nearly a week, was unprecedented and council could have done a better job handling the situation. He says they will do a better job next time.

Police Arrest Teen With A Loaded Gun At Home

A 15 year old boy is being held in custody for having a loaded gun.  Sgt. Jay Henderson tells us officers conducted a search on Charlotte Street just before 7 last night. 

Officers located a loaded gun in the search.    The young person was arrested and is facing chargess of posession of a prohibited firearm with ammunitition, pointing a firearm and more.

City police reminding motorists to remove valuables from your car and make sure they are locked. 
The culprit used a rock to smash a side window from a vehicle parked in a driveway on Seely Street.   It's not known if anything was taken.

If you have information about a crime you want to share with police, you can find the number to contact them directly at 648-333 or anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Committee Exploring Building Emergency Exit For K-Park

With the only way in and out of Kennebecasis Park across a rail line, many residents are worried about being trapped in their neighbourhood if disaster hits. 

Rothesay Council sharing that concern, with the town reaching out to Saint John Council, inviting them to appoint a member to a committee focused on redesigning the entryway, which is located in the city. 

Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop tells CHSJ News if the town experienced a train derailment like the one near Plaster Rock just last week, the neighbourhood would be completely isolated with emergency vehicles unable to get in and residents unable to get out. He tells us they will be looking into building an emergency exit for K-Park.

In the committee mandate, it states up to ten trains cross the K-Park entryway daily, many of them carrying hazardous materials.

NB Government To Roll Out New Collections Strategy

This could be a little chilling for folks who have outstanding student or business loans.

 According to media reports, the New Brunswick government is testing out a new approach to collecting outstanding dollars owed to the provincial treasury for things like loans and general receivables.

The new Collection Services Unit being rolled out  will send out notices, and workout a consolidated approach to debt collecting including offsetting wages and other penalties. The government has to act quickly: under the current law, the province has 6 years to collect outstanding debts, bit as of 2016 they'll have only 2 years.

It's estimated 2.6 billion dollars are currently owed to the government.

Shale Gas Could Open Up New Industries, Says Mayor

With environmental groups, and concerned citizens expressing reservations over shale gas development Mayor Mel Norton tells CHSJ News he's hoping to allay some of those concerns.

Norton says in terms of research, most of the work has already been done, and he's hoping to move ahead with responsible shale gas development because it's the right thing to do for Saint John.

Norton says shale gas can lead to entirely new industries like the fertilizer plant---and also provide stable energy costs to existing businesses.

Union Says UNB Can't Compete When Trying To Attract New Faculty

90 per cent of the UNB teacher's union voting for a strike and one professor says that number indicates how unhappy they are.

Associate History Professor Deborah Lindsay tells CHSJ News there is a sentiment that they are considered a liability more than an investment.

Lindsay says that is demonstrated by the offer that the management team has put on the table.

She adds they have tried to tell management that they need to attract new faculty and currently they can't compete in terms of what they can offer them in terms of salary and start-up costs for labs.

A picket line is set up at the entrance to the Tucker Park campus and those walking the line are getting supportive honks from drivers going by.

UNB President Says The Sides Are Far Apart

It's a first.   The faculty at UNB campuses including Saint John and Fredericton are on strike with classes suspended.

President Eddy Campbell tells CHSJ News a cooling off period is needed for the bargaining teams who have been working very hard to try and resolve this.

He says like everyone on any side of this they are upset and disappointed and they need some down time to recharge their batteries.

Campbell says they are very far apart on the issues and he calls it a very bad place to be.

He says their best offer is 9.5 per cent over 4 years and the Union returned with an offer of 26 per cent over 4 years and Campbell says they do not have anywhere near that amount of money.

UNB SRC Prez Sees Mixed Reaction To Strike

The President's of the Student council at UNB Saint John says the reaction is mixed to the faculty strike.  

Ashley Macosky tells CHSJ News some view it as a break and others are upset at the unwelcome interruption to their education.
 
We asked him what might happen to the school year if the strike goes on indefinitely and he tells us there is a no clear answer to that right now.

He says there is enough room in the academic calendar to accommodate a two-week strike.  He says the semester would get pushed back to the end of April adding March break would remain in tact where people have already made travel plans.

Macosky hails from Calgary, Alberta and says while it's not breaking news out west, his mom is upset to hear of the strike.

Last January's Mecklenburg Fire Stands As Biggest of 2013

Saint John Fire Chief Kevin Clifford says it's the call people most remember from last year.  What turned out to be the biggest fire of 2013 happened on January 27th at 70-72 Mecklenburg Street---two abandoned buildings. 


Divisional Fire Chief Mark Wilson says it was a very difficult very strenuous fire to fight because of the extreme cold and Platoon Chief Peter Saab was watching his crews very diligently.

There were rumours at the time that squatters might have been living in the building where the fire started but fire officials saw it was locked up when crews arrived and they had to force their way inside.

23 people were displaced because of the fire due to water and smoke damage to nearby buildings.

16lbs Of Pot Seized In Traffic Stop

RCMP conducting a traffic stop on Highway 2 near Havelock got much more than they bargained for.

A search of the vehicle led to a seizure of approximately 16 pounds of marijuana.  Police arrested the driver of the vehicle, 36-year-old Jean-Phillip Dubreil, of Montreal, and he has been charged with trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

He has been remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in Moncton Provincial court today (Monday). The drugs are believed to have been destined for various locations in the Maritimes.

SJPD Dealing With Arrests, Break-Ins And Assaults

The SJPD has released a few highlights from their activities over the past week.

According to Sergeant Jay Henderson, a 24 year old man has been arrested for allegedly pepper-spraying several teenagers at  Market Square in mid-December. An 18 year old man was also arrested in connection with a masked home invasion on Newman Street last week. Both are set to appear in court today.

Police also warning homeowners in the Cabot Court area to lock their doors after 2 break-ins in that area in the past 3 days. In the most recent break in, two flat-screen televisions were stolen.

A 16 year old youth was also arrested on Riverview Drive over the weekend for assault causing bodily harm, and is being held in custody. The victim received non-life threatening injuries.

Big Developments For 2014 Could Include Partridge Island, Coast Guard Site

2013 saw the inception of a number of major, even unprecedented projects in Saint John including pension reform, a public-private partnership for the water utility, and a major funding commitment to improving roads.

That being said, Mayor Mel Norton tells CHSJ News those aren't the only irons the city has in the fire, with lots of less-touted projects aimed at increasing quality of life for Saint Johners.

Norton says the biggest and best things for Saint John are yet to come--like the new YMCA, the development of the old Coast Guard site, and continued movement on the big projects like the Energy East Pipeline which will create jobs.

Teachers Walking The Picket Line Starting Today

Teachers at UNB walked the picket line in the early morning hours hoping for better wages. comparable to those at universities elsewhere in Canada.

Teacher's Association President Miriam Jones tells CHSJ News they were surprised to hear the news they'll be locked out of the school as of tomorrow.


All classes have been cancelled for the duration of the strike. The strike headquarters has been set up in the Somerset Pub mini-mall. It's expected that both sides will take a cooling-off period before they resume further negotiations.

Roads Closed Due To Flooding

The following roads are still closed as a result of flooding:

Simpson Drive at Golden Grove Road                                                                 

Rothesay Avenue near Rothesay Road at the train bridge
Todd and Holland Streets between Simpson Drive and Rothesay Avenue
Brown Street
Motorists are urged to use caution and observe barricades and signage. 

Please do not drive through water-covered or closed roads. Doing so may cause damage to your vehicle or to adjacent properties. 

Town Works Department Getting Generator After Ice Storm

Quispamsis council allocating some money in their budget to buy a generator for the Public Works garage, after crews worked through the ice storm without heat or lights.

Councillor Pierre Rioux says now if there's another power outage, the job can be done under better conditions. Mayor Murray Driscoll says it's important the department have back-up power.

While the storm was, literally, a dark time for the town, Driscoll says he is proud of the way the town came together. 

He says it's still too early to tell what the financial impact of the storm will be for the town.

Two Pedestrians Hit By Cars, Dispute Involving A Gun, And More From the SJPD

Slippery, dark roads made things dangerous for people out walking over the weekend.

Yesterday evening a young man was hit by a car on University Avenue and suffered major injuries. Just a few hours later at 9:30pm on Golden Grove Road near the intersection with Harmony Drive, another man was hit and is expected to remain in hospital for some time. Speed and alcohol don't appear to have been a factor in either case, it no charges are expected.

Police also arrested a man for breaking into cars in the North End If your vehicle has been broken into around the Montgomery, Landsdowne, or Main Street area, you're being asked to call police because you might be able to claim your property. A young adult male was arrested for possession of stolen goods.

In Quispam, a 38 year old man was taken into custody after a domestic dispute that involved a gun. No one was hurt and he'll be appearing in court today (Monday)

As well, police are letting us know the underpass on Rothesay Avenue by the old train bridge is still flooded out and that area is closed to traffic.

UNB On Strike

As of midnight Jan. 13, the Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers (AUNBT) has announced it is exercising its legal right to strike. Picket lines have been set up this morning at the Tucker Park campus, and the teachers have been informed they've been locked out.

With the exception of some online courses and courses in Miramichi, all classes will be suspended for the duration of the strike.  In a statement, UNB restated its committed to achieving a new collective agreement that serves the interests of students and and that improves the current contract with faculty.

Key issues are wages and working conditions at other universities of a similar size.

UNB's VP of Finance Dan Murray said the wage increase the teachers are asking for amounts to an increase of more than $2700 and he said they don't think it's a viable thing for the university to do in this economy.

Murray also points to decreasing enrollment and caps on tuition increases as reasons that money is tight at the university these days.
  
Meanwhile Dr. Miriam Jones, AUNBT president says she wondered if they ever intended to settle, since they kept the negotiation team   talking until practically the last minute and then offered no movement.

For details on which classes are cancelled, click here

Saint John Fire Assisting After Train Derailment In Plaster Rock

The Saint John Fire Department offering some extra help after the train derailment in Plaster Rock. 

They were told early on that more command staff could be needed. A team of four from Saint John, headed to Plaster Rock early Thursday Morning, including Deputy Chief Joe Armstrong. 

He tells CHSJ NEWS, the Saint John team helped develop about fifteen incident action plans.

"We were glad too, that we could assist. We could go up there and we could help CN and more importantly help the community, so that the evacuees could get back into their homes safely," he says.

He tells us the situation was handled very well. Especially since, there were no injuries to anyone that lived in the area or any of the crews members.

How To Boost Your Immune System During Flu Season

With cold and flu season in full-swing, nutritionist Leslie Fancey has some tips for boosting your immunity and avoiding those nasty colds. 

She tells CHSJ News eating less sugar is a good start.

"Sugar is an immune system depressant, and so that's why a lot of times in January we see a lot of flu and cold symptoms because people have indulged in extra of sugars over the holidays of course, and Christmas time. That really has depleted their immune systems," she says.

She adds, adding garlic to your foods can be effective against viruses and bacteria.
Foods that are rich in Zinc are also great for boosting your immune system, including foods like pumpkin seeds, mushrooms and seafood. It's also helpful to get more vitamin C through foods such as grapefruit or lemons.

More Small Businesses Across The Province Plan On Reducing Staff Than Hiring

A New Brunswick Policy analyst saying more small businesses across Atlantic Canada plan on reducing full-time staff than hiring over the next three months. 

Richard Dunn speaks for New Brunswick's Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
 
"We're getting into budget season both for federal budget and provincial budget. We want to see governments come in with a fair bit of certainty, and put their long-term plans on paper, so business owners know where things are headed, and they can plan accordingly," he says. 

Dunn adds, there is a similar trend throughout the Atlantic region. While the national unemployment rate rose to 7.2 per cent, New Brunswick's rate is holding steady at 9.7-per cent. 

He says the silver lining is that we're at least closing the gap a tiny bit with the national average, but the concern still remains if more small business in the province plan on downsizing.

Saint John Fire Respond To Rescue Mission At Partridge Island

Saint John Fire responding to a rescue mission at Partridge Island overnight. A night of adventure for four young men, turning out be quite dangerous.

 Around 1 am this morning Saint John Fire went across the breakwater and found the four teens. They made their way across, and were unable to make it back after the water became rough.

Platoon Chief Eric Garland tells us CHSJ News, crews have responded to similar situations in the area before, but generally not as serious.

"We've been there for people who generally get a little ways out, but as I say these people were all the way across," he says. Probably what they were doing was possibly exploring. It's a very dangerous spot to be crossing at any time in the year, doesn't matter if it was a warm day in the summer. Due to the complications of tides, water and wind," he adds. 

 He tells us, conditions were treacherous and crews were concerned the teens risked getting hypothermia. One person had minor injuries. Crews were on scene until about 5 am this morning.

City Road Closures Due To Rain

The City of Saint John is letting us know about road closures, due to heavy rain. 

The following roads are closed: Rothesay Avenue from One Mile House Interchange and McAllister Drive, Rothesay Avenue near Rothesay Road at the train bridge,Paradise Row at the on ramp to Main Street, Simpson Drive at Golden Grove Road, Fairville Boulevard near the Comfort Inn.

City crews will continue to monitor the worst areas. They ask the public not to drive through water-covered or closed roads, as this could cause damage to your vehicle. 

Fredericton Police Force Requesting The Public's Assistance To Locate Missing Person

The Fredericton Police Force are requesting the public's help to locate a missing person.
They say to be on the lookout for an asian female, 16 years old, 5'5'', approx. 95lb, wearing glasses. 

She was last seen in the Smythe at Priestman area. She was wearing grey sweatpants, a pink hoodie, and no footwear. Police say she may be carrying a pet snake. If you have information call Fredericton Police at 460-2300 or 911.

Sea Dogs Launch #CrowdPricing

The Saint John Sea Dogs launching a crowd pricing initiative for a game against the Halifax Mooseheads.Wayne Long is president of the Saint John Sea Dogs.

 He tells CHSJ News, the initiative is meant to create excitement among fans and drop the price.

"The more people that buy the lower the price will go. For example, an upper bowl ticket could start at seventeen dollars and drop it's way right down to ten dollars, depending on the volume of people that buy," he says.

The promotion will be introduced at the January 21st game against the Halifax Mooseheads.

Alzheimer Society Launching "Don't Delay, Reach Out Today"

January is Alzheimer's Awareness Month and the Alzheimer Society is launching a new campaign called "Don't Delay, Reach Out Today." 
The idea behind the campaign is to encourage families to contact the society before they reach a point of crisis. 

Melanie McGillvary speaks for the Alzheimer Society of Saint John. She tells CHSJ News the organization is also launching a program across the province called the "Memory Cafe."

"It will be similar to Alzheimer's Cafe. The Memory Cafe has the same idea but it's a new program. It combines education, socialization and activity in a safe and inclusive space.

The society encourages families to reach out for information and support earlier on, rather than at a point of crisis.

Imperial Theatre Gets This Year's Donation From "Let's Celebrate"

The 10th Annual "Let's Celebrate" with Tracy Friars Family & Friends raising more than forty-five thousand dollars at this year's community fundraising Christmas concert. 

The donation of $45,907.86 will go to the Imperial Theatre. It will then be matched by PotashCorp, as part of a three-year matching funds agreement. 

Sarah Tippett is Manager of Marketing and Communications at the Imperial Theatre says,

 "A great big thank you to all of the organizers, to Tracy Friars and her family for both, putting on such a wonderful show that sells out every year and for choosing the threatre and the community involvement of the theatre in particular, as the recipients of the funds for the 2013 show." 

 She tells CHSJ News, the donation will support outreach events at the theatre, such as performances for schools. 

Saint John Police Advising Public To Stay Off Icy Roads

Saint John Police advising the public to stay off the roads, after multiple accidents on Highway 1 this morning. 

They tell us it's extremely slippery. A road warrior also telling us there was an accident on the Harbour Bridge.

A Rainfall Warning Is In Effect

 Expect lots of rain in the region today and overnight. A rainfall warning is in effect. Ian Hubbard, meteorologist at Environment Canada, tells us what to expect today.

"We're looking at a low pressure system pushing over the province later today and overnight, and we're expecting some precipitation to move across beginning later this morning. Most areas are going to see a bit of freezing rain to begin before the temperature warms up."

He says, the worst of it will be this morning with some freezing rain warnings in North-Eastern parts of the province.The heavy rain will be ending towards dawn, with lingering periods of rain tomorrow morning. The highest amount of rain is expected overnight with up to 25 mm.

Concern Over Possible Flu Vaccine Shortage In NB

With multiple deadly cases of H1N1 popping up around Canada, the number of New Brunswickers rolling up their sleeves to get a flu shot has doubled this year.

That's according to the Executive Director of the New Brunswick Pharmacists Association Paul Blanchard who tells CHSJ News the Department of Health usually orders about 260,000 doses of vaccinations, but there is some worry they could run into a shortage.

Blanchard says almost all pharmacies in the province have a pharmacist on staff that's certified to give injections.

Nova Scotia health officials now urging middle-aged residents to get a flu shot after two people in that age group who had underlying health conditions died of the H1N1 strain.

A Controlled Burn Will Take Place Near Derailment

A controlled burn is happening today to put out a fire at the site of a train derailment near Plaster Rock.

The Department of Public Safety's E.M.O. advising the fire may get bigger briefly due to the technique being used to put it out and sirens may also be heard while this happens.

A release on the provincial government's web page says the procedure must be carried out during the day.  The burn is needed so evacuees may return to their homes as soon as possible.

The evacuation zone, which covers a two kilometre radius around the derailment, remains closed and a no-fly alert over the site is in place.

The evacuees are allowed to check on their homes at specific times until it's considered safe for them to return permanently.

Anderson Will Leave Hospital Today

 Stephen Anderson is being released from the hospital today.

The Sea Dogs player was hurt in a game against the Titan last weekend.      He went to hospital on Sunday with upper-body injuries and there were some further complications.

Medical staff say the 19 year old from Morell, PEI can leave the hospital, but he will have to spend some time recuperating at home.

UNB Explains Financial Situation As Strike Deadline Approaches

With a strike deadline on the horizon, the University of New Brunswick outlining the facts of their financial situation.

UNB's Vice-President of Finance Dan Murray says declining student enrollment, low levels of provincial operating funding and caps on tuition increases putting a strain on their operating budget.

He says tuition would have to go up at least 10% every year for four years to pay for what the Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers is asking for. He says he doesn't think that's financially viable for the university in this economy.

Murray says their operating revenue is predicted to go up by 1.8% over the next two years, but if their overall expenses increase by more than that every year, the university won't have a balance between their revenues and expenses.
The association says the key issues are compensation and working conditions comparable to other universities of similar size. 90% of the members on the four campuses voted to strike. The strike deadline is Monday.

Saint John's Unemployment Rate Drops To 7%

Things are looking up on the local job front, with the city's unemployment rate dropping by one per cent from November to December. It now sits at 7%

That's according to the latest Stats Can survey, which is showing provincial employment has increased by 1.8% compared to twelve months ago. The unemployment rate for New Brunswick has not budged from November to December at 9.7%.

The national employment rate rising 0.3 percentage points to 7.2% as more people looked for work.

Wanted: A Negative and O Negative Blood Donations

The high volume of terrible weather recently is impacting some businesses negatively including the people who collect blood for hospital patients.
 
Michelle Thibodeau Coates of Canadian Blood Services tells CHSJ News they weathered the storm by relying on the national inventory. She says they really need to replenish the national inventory and the local supply and there is a special need for A negative and O negative.

You can give blood today until 3pm at 405 University Avenue and again tomorrow from 9am until 1pm.

To book an appointment, call 1-888-2-Donate, click here or just walk in to the offices at 405 University Avenue in Millidgeville

Car Window Smashed With Rock, Teen Out Of Control

The Saint John Police have responded to a few calls for assistance in the past 24 hours.

According to Sergeant Jay Henderson of the SJPD, someone used a large rock to smash out the window of a car in a parking lot of Charlotte Street in the early morning hours. All that was taken was loose change in the center console. 

Around 4pm yesterday police also responded to a call about a young man out of control on Alma Street who had assaulted his mother.

According to Henderson, the teen was out of control and members had their hands full. He's going to appear in youth court on charges of assault and probation violation--his mother was not injured.