Pride Week Sends Message- It's In To Be Out

Saint John Pride week is in full swing celebrating this year's theme: it's in to be out.

Troy Morehouse with Port City Rainbow Pride tells CHSJ News the week is about celebrating the acceptance gays, lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered have received. 

He says marriage equality in Canada has been here for quite a while now compared to a lot of other countries that are still fighting for it.

Morehouse says there will be a Queens & Lesbians Softball game today at Chown Field off of Crown Street starting at 1 o'clock. 

The official flag raising ceremony goes tomorrow morning in front of city hall. For more information go to ww.portcityrainbowpride.com

Council Thanks Business For Park Property

Common council with nothing but good things to say about a partnership with Emera New Brunswick that will see a 27 acre park in Milford.

The waterfront property overlooking the Reversing Rapids on the Saint John river was purchased by the city to accommodate a drill under the river, but has been rezoned and given to the city.

Mayor Ivan Court thanking Emera for their partnership saying it's a great gift and a great legacy for the company.

Councillor Bill Farren says it's an absolutely beautiful piece of land and Saint Johners will be able to enjoy it as well.

Millidgeville Fire Sends Boy and Two Firefighters To Hospital

Fire officials citing fire safety education as the reason no one died in a Millidgeville house fire in the early morning hours.

District Fire Chief Gerry Morris says crews arrived on scene at 66 Westminster Court at 2:30 in the morning to find heavy smoke and fire coming from the 1st floor of a single family home.

Morris says crews quickly began a search for the homeowners two sons, determining one was not home at the time and finding the other in his second floor bedroom. 

He says the bedroom door was shut which prevented heavy smoke and heat from entering the room. 

The boy was transported to hospital and fire crews believe he will be okay.

He says a security system alerted the fire department soon after the home's fire alarms went off.

Two firefighters were also transported to hospital after the fire, one of whom has since been released.

CUPE Claims Feds Can Act To Keep Blood Lab In City

The Prime Minister Harper or his health minister can intervene to overturn the decision by Canadian Blood Services to transfer the blood processing lab from Saint John to Dartmouth in 2013 because of health and safety concerns. 

So claims Mike Davidson of the Canadian Union of Public Employees who's less than impressed with the provincial government's desire to seek input from you on what should be done with blood services in the future saying we've already had enough consultation.

Saint John M-P Rodney Weston isn't sure the union is on solid ground with that argument but he maintains the province, because it contributes 25 million dollars a year to Canadian Blood Services, has a strong hand to play. He also is accusing the blood agency of being arrogant and insulting to New Brunswickers.

Weston has been told by the health minister, in response to a question he posed in Parliament, that the federal government will not interfere in the day to day operations of Canadian Blood Services.

Groups Host Clean Up For Passamaquoddy Bay Islands

Cooke Aquaculture is providing three boats for a clean-up tomorrow on the beaches of the Passamaquoddy Bay Islands.

Annie Morrison of the Nature Conservancy of Canada says they will be collecting marine trash from Simpson Island, Barnes Island and Mowatt Island which are all off of Deer Island. She tells CHSJ News that ranges from ropes and nets to shoes.
She says the purpose of the cleanup is to keep the beaches clean for the birds who call the islands home.
Morrison adds they hope to have up to 30 volunteers for the clean-up.

Holder Thinks The 2011 Tourism Season Is Strong

Despite a lack of American license plates in Greater Saint John, the Tourism minister thinks the summer vacation season is going well.
Trevor Holder says there have been some weather challenges.

He says the province's 2011 tourism campaign is getting positive feedback and he adds they have no control over the weather.

Holder adds the two smart cars promoting provincial tourism are being very well received and he says the future of world-wide travel is tied to the cruise ship industry.

Military Exercise Underway In Gagetown And Grand Bay-Westfield

Over 300 soldiers are taking part in a training exercise between Grand Bay-Westfield and Gagetown until Monday.

The exercise creates a challenging training experience to promote the mental agility of students by using a combination of urban environment and conventional war-fighting scenarios.
Soldiers will be carrying weapons with blank ammunition and some mild pyrotechnics will be used.

West Side Getting New Parkland

It's official...there will be soon be a new park in Miford.

The deal finalized at this week's Common Council meeting with Emera and the City completing the rezoning and transfer of 27 acres of waterfront property.

Susan Harris of Emera tells CHSJ News the land was purchased back when work began on the natural gas pipeline and at the time it was suggested the land could be used as a park but, they didn't know then how they might need it. Members of the community want to add walking trails and places for sitting.

The land is located along the St. John River toward Reversing Rapids.

Dogs Find Smokes And Drugs Outside Prison Walls

A canine unit finding a large haul of tobacco, hashish and more outside the walls of the Dorchester Penitentiary.

It found 16 bales of tobacco, 223 grams of hashish, a cell phone and a charger with an institutional value of more than $40, 000.
The seizure took place on Tuesday.

More Criticism Over Tory Plan To Delay Minimum Wage Hike

The labour critic for the Liberals Chris Collins is supporting the call by the co-chair of the province’s poverty reduction panel, Leo-Paul Pinet for a public debate on the Alward Government’s recent decision to delay a 50 cent increase in the minimum wage and the possible introduction of a two tiered minimum wage. Collins dismisses talk that 50 cents an hour is no big deal and the delay is only for six months.

He says this doesn't help the single mother working at Tim Horton's or the young couple making minimum wage trying to pay a mortgage and feed their children.
According to Collins, if you're working fulltime, an extra fifty cents an hour would mean an additional 80 dollars a month.

Province Gives Storytent Project Over $12,000

The Storytent project in Crescent Valley getting a $12,000 boost to help kids disover a love for reading.
Wellness, Culture and Sport Minister Trevor Holder making the announcement saying literacy is important because it will open doors for kids.


Literacy Co-Ordinator Cheryl Brown says they begin by collectiong a wide selection of books and pack them in their wagon with tents and ground sheets.   She says if it's raining they prepare for it and the kids often help them set up and then they get ready for reading.

Brown adds the program has been going on for 9 years in Crescent Valley and is offered in 8 different locations within the community.

No Construction Starts Despite Approvals For Proposed Marine Terminal

The proposal has now cleared both federal and provincial environmental approvals -- but -- Irving Oil says it doesn't have any plans to move forward with its Eider Rock marine terminal at this time.


The terminal - road - and - associated pipeline were originally part of the proposed second refinery that was shelved two years ago.

Provincial approval was given earlier this year while federal approval came last month.

Irving Oil says the projects have a long term value for the existing refinery -- but -- nothing is scheduled related to the approvals.

Feedback Sought On Election Of Regional Health Boards

If you have any thoughts on how we should handle the election of members of the Regional Health Authority boards -- there is an opportunity to have your say.


Public consultations by a Legislature committee will begin here in the city on the 19th of this month.

The committee is seeking input on regional health authority boundaries - electoral boundaries - and election rules for board members.

Those issues need to be addressed prior to election of board members beginning with the municipal elections next spring.
 
For more information click here.

French Statues Removed For Repairs

The huge wooden statues of Samuel de Champlain and Lady La Tour that were in Loyalist Plaza have been taken away to be repaired.

One of the statues weighed a thousand pounds and both were lifted by crane and then taken to Samuel de Champlain where artist Albert Deveau will take a look and carry out the repairs.

The city's Cultural Affairs officer Bernie Cormier tells CHSJ News some of the wood has rotted but he's confident they can be fixed up to live another day. He says being outside in all sorts of stormy weather conditions has taken its toll.
The plan is for them to be placed along harbour Passage by Fort La Tour once construction on the Harbour Bridge is completed.

New Acting Fire Chief In City

There is another change in the senior ranks of the Saint John Fire Department.

Acting Fire Chief Mark Gillen is leaving for a job with Defense Research and Development.

He's being replaced temporarily by acting Deputy Chief Kevin Clifford.

A head hunting firm is now conducting a nationwide search for a permanent fire chief and it's expected a new one will be appointed in the next two months or so.

Gas Prices Stabilize

It had been expected gas prices would go down after the weekly setting but such is not the case.

There has been no change at all.

Self serve regular is being sold this morning around town for 127.3 a litre. Diesel is at 130.1. Propane is listed at 112.8 and heating oil, also the same, at 113.7 a litre.

New Tim Hortons Will Be Built Near Causeway

The rumour mill is true for a change....... Tim Hortons will be opening up a new location on Bayside Drive near the Causeway.

One of our listeners is raising concerns over the potential traffic issues this could cause especially during the morning commute.

There have been traffic jams caused by the drive thru at Russell Street and Thorne Avenue along with the one on Waterloo Street.

The city tells CHSJ News the plans for the new location meet all the necessary requirements for planning. The driveway will be over 80 metres from the intersection of Bayside Drive and the Causeway so planners believe there will be enough room for cars to line up on the property without causing congestion.

Close Call Along Highway One

You don't see this too often..........One of our road warriors describes it as a close call as he reports a pickup truck was hauling a trailer last night eastbound along Highway 1 just before  the Fox Farm Road when it struck a bump.

The trailer somehow got away from the pickup and tumbled over an embankment. This happened around 8:30 and it was towed out about three hours later.

 No one was injured.

If You Live West, Keep Conserving Water

Westsiders are being asked to cool it on water usage until sometime next week.

A fire on the weekend damaged equipment that pumps water from the Musquash watershed to the Spruce Lake watershed.


Repairs are underway but, until the work is finished next week, the restrictions will be in place.

You are being asked to continue conserving water by not watering lawns and gardens,  taking shorter showers and not filling the bathtub.

For more info, click here

Chipman Hill Entrance To Parking Garage Reopens

The Chipman Hill entrance to the Brunswick Square parking garage will be open today as construction work in that area is wrapping up.

The Union Street entrance to the parking garage will be closed beginning on the 15th of the month.