Working on the Budget at City Hall

(Mayor Ivan Court with Police Chief Reid and Fire Chief
               Simonds at the January.1st Levee)

With preliminary numbers to be rolled out Monday night, City Hall is getting closer to finalizing the tax rate for this year. Mayor Ivan Court tells CHSJ News, they remain focused on trying to hold the rate at $1.72. Court adds even if they were to freeze all budgets, they would still need an additional four million dollars to run the city this year than last.

Once the preliminary numbers are revealed Monday, Court hopes to have a final budget vote two weeks later.

Moosehead Has Another Hit On It's Hands

Moosehead Breweries has closed out the year on another high note. After Moosehead Light Lime took the Maritimes by storm over the summer, the brewery has another hit in it's Camouflage Cans. The campaign made Alpines 12-pack the number one selling beer package around the Province for the month of September and also netted a Grand Bay Westfield man a huge prize.


19-year old Curtis Dykeman won a 2009 Yamaha Grizzly all terrain vehicle by filling out a ballot from one of the 163,000 beer that was sold during the campaign.

Snow is Falling and More Is on the Way

You have been hearing about it and here is the latest we can tell you about some winter weather headed our way over the next 48 hours. Environment Canada has just posted the a snowfall and wind warnings for the following areas leading into Saturday night:

snowfall warning for:



_new_ acadian peninsula


_new_ bathurst and chaleur region


_new_ campbellton and eastern half of restigouche county


_new_ fredericton and southern york county


_new_ fundy national park


_new_ grand lake and queens county


_new_ kent county


_new_ kouchibouguac national park


_new_ miramichi and area


_new_ moncton and southeast new brunswick


_new_ mount carleton - renous highway


_new_ oromocto and sunbury county


_new_ st. stephen and northern charlotte county


_new_ stanley - doaktown - blackville area


_new_ sussex/kennebecasis valley and kings county


_new_ woodstock and carleton county


grand manan and coastal charlotte county


saint john and county.




total snowfall amounts of 15 to 25 centimetres are expected by


sunday morning.



wind warning for:


_new_ acadian peninsula


_new_ bathurst and chaleur region


_new_ campbellton and eastern half of restigouche county


_new_ western half of restigouche county


_new_ edmundston and madawaska county


_new_ fredericton and southern york county


_new_ fundy national park


_new_ grand falls and victoria county


_new_ grand lake and queens county


_new_ grand manan and coastal charlotte county


_new_ kent county


_new_ kouchibouguac national park


_new_ miramichi and area


_new_ moncton and southeast new brunswick


_new_ mount carleton - renous highway


_new_ oromocto and sunbury county


_new_ saint john and county


_new_ st. stephen and northern charlotte county


_new_ stanley - doaktown - blackville area


_new_ sussex/kennebecasis valley and kings county


_new_ woodstock and carleton county.


winds gusting to 90 to 120 km/h expected saturday night.
 
The snow began falling in Saint John just before three this afternoon (New Years Day). Anyone travelling over the next two days is reminded to slow down and give yourself plenty of time to get where your going.

Fire in Rothesay New Years Eve

The New Year got started the wrong way for a family in Rothesay. Their home suffered extensive damage after fire ripped through it on New Years Eve. The Kennebecasis Department was called to 46 Second Street off the Fox Farm Road just after six o'clock last night.


The good news is no one was hurt but Divisional Chief Bill Ireland tells us the fire is being ruled an accident and there is nothing suspicious about how it started. The owners of the home say they have plenty of family in the area they can stay with.

Impaired Driving Down

For New Years Eve, Police Forces in Greater Saint John are reporting a fairly routine night. Rothesay Regional tell us with several check-points in place, they didn’t use the breathalyzer once. In Saint John, although the record isn’t as spotless, they report only three driver’s being charged with impaired driving.

Officer's say the number of New Years impaired drivers have been on the decline for the past few years.

Man Killed on the West Side

The first day of 2010 has started off with tragedy for one Saint John family. A 19-year old man was killed early this morning in a single vehicle accident along the Sand Cove Road West. City Police tell us they were called to the scene near Driftwood Lane just after four to find the vehicle and three people inside had left the road.

The jaws of life had to be used to get all three out of the vehicle. The woman driving has submitted a blood test but no word yet on whether alcohol was a factor in this crash. Major Crime has taken over the case and have not yet released the name of the 19-year old man killed.

More Information Released on Crash near Petitcodiac

The RCMP are releasing more details around the crash on highway 1 near Petitcodiac yesterday that claimed two lives.

31 year old Gregory Banguay of Saint John, and 29 year old Michael McAloon from Fredericton were killed when their vehicle rear ended a transport truck that was gearing down.
The roads were extremely slippery and icy at the time, and the RCMP want to remind motorists to slow down, and take your time while travelling.

Smoking Law Starts Friday

The provincial ban on smoking in a vehicle when a child is present goes into effect at midnight.

The Smoke Free Places Act prohibits smoking a vehicle when someone under the age of 16 is present.
Offenders could face fines between $140 and $570 dollars, and this act is one of many initiatives put in place to try and decrease, and recoup costs associated with tobacco use.
2009 saw a ban on tobacco displays and point of sale tobacco advertising, as well as a lawsuit from the province against tobacco companies.

Rothesay Regional Police Ready For Tonight

It's business as usual for Rothesay Regional Police this evening.
Patrols will be no different than any other weekend, with road blocks and random spot checks.
The police tell us, New Years Eve generally isn't too bad in the valley---but patrols will be watching for impaired drivers coming back from the city.

A Few Reminders

A couple of reminders from the city. All city owned parking lots will be free for overnight parking this evening, and on-street parking in the South Central Peninsula will be changing sides.
Anyone who would normally put their garbage out tomorrow should do so, because garbage collection is running on it's regular schedule.
And, Mayor Court and Common Council are holding it's levee tomorrow at the HMCS Brunswicker---things get started at 11 o'clock.


Out in the Valley, Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll is hosting a levee at the town hall at noon, and Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishops event gets underway at 11 at the town hall.

Pilot Road Projects

[Transportation Minister Denis Landry----File Photo]
A couple of new projects from the provincial government is aiming to reduce the amount of snow building up on highways.

Transportation Minister Denis Landry announced the four pilot projects, that will include using salt brine before a storm to reduce the amount of accumulation.
Highways in the Miramichi, Moncton and Sussex will be used to test the effectiveness of using salt brine.
Landry says previous attempts to weaken the build up of ice and snow using de-icing materials were not effective, because it would blow off the roads. He says salt brine will stick to the roads better, and hopefully make highways safer during the winter.

KV Fire Chief Larry Greer Reflects on 2009

[KV Fire Chief Larry Greer---File Photo]
A new pumper and ladder truck definitely the highlights of 2009 for the Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department. Chief Larry Greer tells CHSJ News, training for both has been a success and he is now focusing on hiring a few more bodies.
Greer adds volunteer fire-fighters are a valuable asset to the department but it is becoming tougher to recruit them with everyone carrying heavier workloads. Chief Greer will retire this year but nodate has been confirmed.

Mayor Bill Bishop Looks Back on 2009

[Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop---File Photo]

With the finishing touches still to be ironed out for it's municipal plan, the Town of Rothesay likes what it accomplished over the past 12 months. Engineering work is being carried out on an eight million dollar infrastructure grant will be finished by next year with work still to come on the recreation file and an eye on more seniors housing and condos. Mayor Bill Bishop tells CHSJ News, there is still plenty of property to build homes.
Bishop adds they hope to finish up renovation work for the wharf in Renforth in the spring.

Canadian Blood Services Looking For Donations

Before the end of 2009, you can do a good deed by donating blood this morning.

Canadian Blood Services has special holiday hours from 8am until Noon today at
405 University Avenue.
Spokesperson Amanda Cullen tells CHSJ News this time of year it can be tough to keep donations.
Canadian Blood Services will be closed tomorrow.
To book an appointment for blood donation, call 1-888-2-DONATE.

Gas Prices Increase Again

Gas prices are creeping up again.


The Energy and Utility Board is reporting the maximum price for regular self serve is now 101.3, and Diesel can be sold for 107.8.
Furnace oil has maxed out at 90.4 cents, and propane can be sold for a 112

Car Goes Off Road on West Side

Slippery roads are the cause of a single vehicle accident on the west side this morning.

Around 2:30, a car went off the road on Bay Street, with three people being sent to the hospital with minor injuries.
City police are urging motorists to be cautious of ice while driving during the cold snap.

Crash Kills Two Near Petitcodiac

Two men are dead after a two vehicle collision near Petticodiac this afternoon. It was just before one this afternoon when a transport truck which was gearing down was rear-ended by a small vehicle. The driver of the rig and of the smaller vehicle were both in their thirties and pronounced dead at the scene.

RCMP is still trying to piece together what happened but alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash. The section of Highway one was very slippery at the time and no names are being released at this time.

Saint John Art To Be Part of Winter Olympics

(file photo)

Chalk up another dream for local artist Norm Jackson -- he's presented his latest painting dedicated to the winter Olympics to the Vancouver Olympic organizing committee.
Jackson flew out to Vancouver earlier this week and met with committee reps yesterday.
He tells CHSJ News he also presented a letter from Mayor Ivan Court -- the painting featuring the Olympic Inukshuk symbol along with northern lights will eventually hang in an Olympics museum to be established in Vancouver.

North End Vandalism

A bizarre case of vandalism in the north end has forced a man from his apartment. A building at 13 Main Street was vandalised which included a water pipe being broken. This caused flooding and the power being shut off. The Red Cross has arranged for the man to have accomodation until the damage is fixed. City police are investigating.

Swine Flu Death in the K-V

A 27 year old Quispamsis man has died from the swine flu virus after spending nearly a month in intensive care. Doctors had tried treating him with the anti-flu drug Tamiflu but Dr. Paul Van Buynder, the province's Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer, says he had a number of underlying medical conditions and its unlikely he had received an H-1-N-1 flu shot.