Get Ready For Double And Triple Cruise Ship Days

The Port City is a busy spot with two cruise ships in town and another double-day on Friday.

While September has been busy, October is even busier with six days featuring at least two cruise ships in port and two triple-ship days on the 5th and 25th.

Police Seek Help Finding Uptown Robbers

 City police looking for a man and a woman for robbing a man walking on Charlotte Street Sunday morning and for trying to rob a cabbie nearby.

Just before 4am Sunday,  a man was robbed while walking on Charlotte Street between Princess and Duke Street.
About forty minutes later, the pair attempted to rob a taxi driver near St James and Wentworth Streets.

The Major Crime Unit believes the robbery and attempted robbery were committed by the same man and woman.

The man is about 35 years old, 5 foot 10, 200 pounds with shaggy shoulder length blonde hair and a pot belly wearing beige shorts and a dark jacket.
The woman is about 5 foot 4, shoulder length dirty blonde or light brown hair pulled back, pale complexion with moles or acne and wearing dark clothing.

If you have any info contact police at  648-3333 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS).

The Deer Dilemma Is The Focus Of A Valley Meeting

Those dastardly deer eating cedar hedges in Hampton and tulip tops in Rothesay are the subject of a public meeting in Quispamsis.
The regional deer committee which includes representation of those towns along with the Departments of Natural Resources and Health.
DNR Deer Biologist Rod Cumberland tells CHSJ news others towns with deer problems have allowed specialized hunts using crossbows.

He says in Maine they have hired sharpshooters but that also comes with pros and cons.
Cumberland says the meeting will include an update on lyme disease from the Department of Health.
The meeting runs 7-9 pm tomorrow night at K.V. High.

New Report On What Poverty Costs The Province

Poverty costs New Brunswickers 2 billion dollars a year according to new report released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Co-author Christine Saulnier tells CHSJ News poverty costs the provincial government half a billion dollars yearly but a comprehensive plan to alleviate poverty would be half that. She says that 500 million dollar figure does not include what's paid out in income assistance.

Saulnier claims poverty costs the province 196 million dollars a year in health care costs alone. She also includes the cost of lost potential in the calculations.

International Sculpture Symposium Heading To Saint John

An international sculpture symposium is heading to the waterfront next year.

6 artists from around the world will be chosen to sculpt a piece of art from a 10-ton piece of granite over the course of six weeks.

Diana Alexander is the Chair of Sculpture Saint John.  She tells CHSJ News the public event will bring awareness and appreciation of a dying art to the city.

Once the sculptures are completed, five of them will be transported to Grand Bay-Westfield, Quispamsis, Rothesay, St. George, and UNB Saint John while one will remain on the waterfront.

The event will take place from August 2nd to September 15th in 2012 at the Coast Guard site.

For more information, click here.

New Municipal Plan Getting Closer To Completion

The process to formally adopt the city's new Municipal Plan is getting closer to becoming reality.

Council receiving the fourth and final public engagement report during last night's council meeting.

PlanSJ's Jacqueline Hamilton says the next step is a public presentation set for October 11th.

That will then commence a 30 day public review period and public hearings in November and December.

The final adoption of the plan is expected to take place in early 2012.

Deputy Mayor Says Unions Will Need To Dig Deeper To Help Solve Pension Problems

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase says further talks are needed between the city and union representatives over solving the pension woes.

Chase says he can understand everyone's frustration as reforms were made in good faith but the reality is the province did not accept the initial reform package.  He says everyone will need to "dig deeper."







The Saint John Police Association says its members will not take any more cuts.

Council Prepares For Doomsday Scenario With Pension Reforms

Councillor Chris Titus says a worst-case scenario needs to be prepared sooner rather than later for the city's budget in case the province falls through on approving pension reforms.

Titus making the motion during last night's council meeting and he says a budget should be formed that factors in as much as 10 million dollars in cuts to major city services like police, fire, and recreation.

He says its not a scare tactic but council needs to be ready

The motion was passed and council stated it would not raise property taxes, which would shoot up as much as 16 cents, to pay for the pension shortfall.

Seniors Wanted For Volunteer Roles

On the heels of National Seniors Day, the province is holding a workshop and recruitment fair tomorrow for seniors interested in volunteering.

The free workshops will assess skills and interest while several community groups will be on hand for the recruitment portion of the event.

Participants will be able to learn about services and programs in the community and how certain groups may be a good fit for their skills and interests.

The event gets underway at 10am and goes until 4pm at the Trade and Convention Centre.

Seniors or communities wanting to know more about the events or to register should contact the Public Legal Education and Information Service of New Brunswick at 506-453-5369 or e-mail Emily Bell, project co-ordinator, emily.bell@gnb.ca.

City Airport Breaks Longstanding Temperature Records

Yesterday, we hit a record high with 25.8 degrees shattering the previous mark of 23.9 that was recorded way back in 1958.

That scorcher of a Sunday was also record-breaking. Environment Canada meterologist Claude Cote says the temperature at the airport reached 25.3 breaking the previous mark of 24.4 set back in 1961.

Cote tells us this hot summer-like stretch is not unusual for early fall.

Illegal Smokes Confiscated In City

The RCMP Customs and Excise Unit seizing more than 11 thousand contraband cigarettes and a quantity of cash in Saint John.

A 41-year-old woman was arrested at the residence and a 43-year-old man was arrested later.

Both were released and are scheduled to appear in Provincial Court on October 18th to face charges.

House In Valley Saved In Morning Fire

A fire earlier this morning in the Valley could have been alot worse.

It broke out in a garage that was attached to a home on Greenwood Drive around 8:00. 

The fire was contained to the garage which was destroyed. The cause has not been determined. The home sustained some smoke damage but otherwise is intact. 

There were no injuries but the people who live there will have to find alternate accomodation until the cleanup is done.

Jail In Lockdown After Late Night Skirmish

A late night skirmish at the regional jail on the Old Black River road resulting in a lockdown for all inmates.
About 10:30 last night some inmates causing some destruction to a common area.
Superintendent Art Crockett says Saint John police are investigating the incident and charges of likely.

His says a number of inmates created a disturbance in a common area and until the staff could intercede the room was damaged.

Crockett adds the facility will remain in lockdown until they can ensure fire suppression and other safety precautions are back in place in all areas and the area of the damage is cleaned up.

Two People After Jewellry Theft In Sussex

Two people are under lock and key after some jewellry was stolen from the Trader's Post in Sussex. The two managed to get away after they were chased from the store.

The RCMP discovered the suspect's vehicle on Highway 1 after it went out of control trying to avoid a police spike belt on the Hall Road in Hampton.

A 36-year-old Havelock man and a 16-year-old teen from Petitcodiac were arrested.

Mayor Argues City Police Deserve Federal Compensation

Why should City Police do federal work and not get paid for it? 

That question being raised by Mayor Ivan Court with the city facing a dire budget crunch next year.

He estimates 20 per cent of the work done by City Police is for the feds at a cost, Court tells CHSJ News, of something like 5 million dollars a year. 

He calls it yet another example of downloading onto the shoulders of financially strapped municipalities.

Council Receiving Two Key Reports Tonight

While Mother Nature begins to change the seasons, city hall is also beginning the transformation process.

Common Council will be getting information tonight on the Committee system of government, which would see five standing committees deal with core city issues.

Council plans on switching to that style of governance in the near future.

The final PlanSJ public engagement report will also be submitted in order to get the formal adoption process underway.

There will also be discussion about whether to allow future development take place around the airport that may not necessarily be related to its day to day activities even though its pretty far outside the urban centre of the city.

Common Council gets underway tonight at 5:30pm in council chambers.

Province Blasted By Police Union

Some scathing words of criticism for the province from the Saint John Police union over the rejection of the city's original plan for changes to its pension plan to ease the financial burden on taxpayers. 

Police Association President Jamie Hachey tells CHSJ News the provincial government has been less than forthcoming about the reasons for the rejection and won't even divulge who its actuary is which is unusual.

Hachey says the police union's actuary claims it is solid and, noramlly, the two actuaries would meet to work their differences out.

Hachey is also concerned about the city not making it clear if it's willing to increase its contribution to the pension plan.

In our CHSJ News poll question over the weekend, we asked if you would be willing to see the tax rate increased to fix the city's pension plan and 92 per cent of you said no.

Two Weekend Robberies In City

City Police investigating two robberies over the weekend. Both occurred early Sunday morning. 

Police telling CHSJ News a man was robbed of his wallet by a man and woman on Charlotte Street and then a short time later there was an attempted robbery of a cab driver on Mecklenberg Street. 

Police suspect the same pair may be responsible for both. 

There were no injuries.

Three People Sent To Hospital After Crashes Outside City

Two single vehicle collisions being reported on Highway One outside the city by the Musquash Fire Department. 

Two children were sent to hospital after the car they were in rolled over near the end of the four lane highway in Lepreau on Saturday. 

Early this morning, there was a single vehicle crash near the Prince of Wales exit. One person was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

Board Of Trade Has A Role In Tackling Emerging Markets

The Saint John Board of Trade says when it comes to getting into the global market, they can help their members make it happen.

Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney says businesses in the province should look towards emerging markets given the recent economic downturn in the U.S.

BOT chairman John Warrington tells CHSJ News he agrees with that assessment -- he believes the BOT can educate members on how to begin tackling those markets
 

Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney says China is one emerging market that we should look at.