Sentencing On Drug Pleas Delayed

More drug charges have been laid against a Charlotte Street man who earlier pleaded guilty to a pair of charges of possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. 

Trevor Garland pleaded not guilty to additional charges of possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking along with possession of dilaudid and marijuana.

A presentence report was ordered back in November but is still incomplete. That prompted the judge to remand Garland to jail until February 16th. 

The prosecution is asking for a prison term of at least 2 years on the two guilty pleas. 

Garland was arrested as part of a police crackdown on street level dealing.

Regulated Gas Prices In Province Blasted

Gas regulation in the province is broken.......That declaration from independent gas retailer Chris Scholten of Scholtens who was pressing the provincial government to have a legislated minimum price for gas in light of what's been happening in Fredericton when Costco drastically reduced gas prices for its members.
 
Scholten warns more independent retailers will be driven out of business and that means less tax will be collected by the province. 

Provincial Finance Minister Blaine Higgs seemed open to the idea of a legislated minimum price for gas which they have in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island but was rejected by Energy Minister Craig Leonard and the Premier.

Tax Rate Is Expected To Be Approved Tonight

Common Council is still finalising its 2012 budget after a heated meeting over the weekend. 

It's expected the budget with 9 million dollars worth of cuts will be unveiled and then Saint John taxpayers will have a chance to have their say about the cuts before a vote is held. 

Councillor Bruce Court tells CHSJ News it's likely the tax rate will be approved tonight and he concedes there will be staff cuts. 

Council has come under criticism for conducting its budget deliberations largely behind closed doors.

Rescue In River Off K-Park

A father who was skating in front of Kennebecasis Park had to be rescued by his son yesterday afternoon. 

The man fell through the ice near the shore where it doesn't freeze that well. His son used a hockey stick to help get his dad out of the river who was then taken to hospital to be examined. 

They had managed to make it to shore by the time emergency crews arrived.

Losier Won't Lose Sleep Over Davidson's Comments

Grace Losier is unfazed by criticism by Bob Davidson who says the taxpayers of Saint John, Quispamsis and Rothesay subsidize the policing of Grand Bay-Westfield.

The town's mayor says in 1997 when the town was determining policing both the City police and Rothesay Regional Police were invited to participate.

She tells CHSJ News she doesn't lose any sleep over Davidson's comments adding
the deal is offered nationally and the town availed itself of it.

She says at the time maybe those other communities should have answered the call for expressions of interest for policing.

Losier says the RCMP are her town's policing of choice and they have been great for the community.

Court Says Blood Symposium Wasn't Grandstanding

Some people accused the Mayor of grandstanding for the upcoming election when he decided to push ahead with his symposium on blood, despite Canadian Blood Services saying that the decision to move the blood production lab from Millidgeville to Dartmouth is a definite thing.

Court tells CHSJ News that his decision to hold the symposium anyway wasn't a bid for votes, but a response to the problem of shoddy medical care. That's something that has effected him deeply: he lost his 18 year old son because of medical incompetence.

Court says that it's unrealistic to call Dartmouth when it needs blood--and lives will be at risk. CBS says that they're moving anyway, and will work with the province to keep the blood supply safe.

Multiple Car Crashes on Redhead Road

A bottle--that's how police and fire crews are describing the icy stretch of Red HeadRoad that was the site of three separate accidents this afternoon.

Police getting the call around 11:30am stating that a car had gone off the road and was flipped over in the ditch. Three people were injured, although no one seriously. One was transported to the hospital.

A fire truck responding to that accident was heading down the hill when it, too, slid off the road. The windshield of the truck was smashed and there was some light damage to the the fire apparatus, but the crew made it out fine.

A third vehicle crashed into the same ditch as the first vehicle shortly afterward.

If you're driving that way, you're advised that area of road is now blocked off to past the entrance to Canaport LNG. Sand trucks are on the scene and are working on making the area safer.

Chase Breaks Silence on Budget

It's time to stop the secrecy and give the public a chance to weigh in on the budget--that from Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase. After unprecedented delays and disagreements, the city being met with tremendous pressure from the province to get it together.

It's expected the 2012 city budget will be voted on February 6th but there will be a budget released tonight at Common Council, according to Chase, and Saint Johnners will have a week to weigh in on the cuts. He warns everyone is going to be cut with the possible exception of the Imperial Theatre.

Chase says that he's frustrated with the idea that the tough issues should be kept under wraps, getting up in protest and refusing to deliberate any further behind closed doors.

Saturday's council meeting was planned for closed session but was quietly declared open after Chase's refusal to participate. He called it illegal and stormed out.

Fire Service Will Remain Top Notch Despite Budget Cuts

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase says even with a budget cut hitting the fire department, we will still meet national fire safety standards.

The Fire Fighters Association says the loss of a truck and up to 24 staff will put Saint Johners at risk.

But Chase tells CHSJ News there is nothing to worry about because the same amount of trucks and fire fighters will still respond to a fire call and our service will still be superior to that of our neighbouring communities.

He says the funding reduction to the fire department will remain the same no matter what form the final budget takes.

Storm Conditions Cause Car Accidents

After a messy day of snow and freezing rain, police said they responded to a number of minor car crashes throughout the city.

Last night, a single car accident at 675 Golden Grove Road sent one person to the hospital.

The crash occurred shortly after 11pm when conditions on the roads were icy. The person's injuries weren't life threatening.

There were also some scrape-ups in the Rothesay area; however, no one was injured.

Man Facing A Charge After Knife Incident

A fun night out ending on a scary note for some at the 3 Mile last night.

A 22 year old man is accused of pulling out a knife after he started fighting with another man but no one was hurt.

Police getting the call shortly after 1am.
Workers at the bar detained the man until police arrived.

Acting Staff Sergeant Dan Ford tells CHSJ News the man faces one charge relating to the incident.

Liberals Wants Update On Invest NB

Opposition Finance Critic Donald Arseneault wants to know what Invest NB has done for the province since it was unveiled a year ago.


Arseneault tells CHSJ News the state of the province address would have been a great time to update New Brunswickers on what exactly Invest NB has accomplished.

He says Invest NB is taking credit for recently creating 500 jobs but those companies were already in New Brunswick and Invest NB is suppose to draw in outside investors.

Arseneault says there has not been any.

Car Crashes Into Display At Dealership Today

                                   Single Vehicle Crash on Rothesay Avenue Today

Border Guards Bust Trucker With Pills

Canada Border Services in Woodstock discovering an American truck driver with 69 pills they believe to be methamphetamine.

Armando Ramirez was coming over with a load of furniture earlier this month.

After a second search by Border Services Officers,the pills were found with the driver.  The pills were unmarked and the driver did not have a prescription.

Ramirez was arrested and handed over to the RCMP who charged him in Woodstock Provincial Court.  He's due back in to court in July.

Snow Changing To Freezing Rain and Rain

Our morphing storm continues to keep drivers and walkers on their toes.

We got about 3 centimetres of snow and Environment Canada's Tracey Talbot tells CHSJ at the airport right now it's a mix of ice pellets and freezing rain.

She says the precipitation is in the process of changing over to freezing rain and in the next couple of hours it will change to rain as the temperature continues to rise.

Talbot says the storm has progressed as the way they expected with less snow that predicted.

Transportation Minister Warns Drivers To Slow Down

The Transportation Minister advising motorists across the province to take extreme caution if they must travel today.

Claude Williams says while DOT crews will be out, it's important to remember that our crews also face the same driving challenges – very slippery roads and freezing rain.

He's asking motorists to reduce their speed in storm conditions.

Around Greater Saint John, a few collisions have been reported including a fender bender on King Street on the lunch hour.

We are told the road conditions are slippery in Pennfield and St. George.

To see our list of cancellations, click here

New Boat Named After Former Port Authority CEO

The Atlantic Pilotage Authority honouring the former CEO of the Saint John Port Authority.

A new pilot boat will be named after Captain Al Soppitt and he tells CHSJ News he had no idea it was coming but is completely honoured by the gesture.  

He says he never had a vessel named after him before

Soppitt was the CEO of the Saint John Port Authority for 15 years.

The Atlantic Pilotage Authority also celebrating its revamped office at Reed's Point on Water Street.

Snow Will Change To Ice Pellets Or Freezing Rain Late Today

Snow, ice pellets and rain are all part of the weather mix through tonight. Tracy Talbot of Environment Canada tells CHSJ News the snow will be with us for some time yet.

She says it will snow for a while before changing to freezing rain and ice pellets and she expects the rain should begin around the supper hour.

Environment Canada is calling for 5 to 10 centimeters of snow and ice pellets and the closer you are to the coast doesn't necessarily mean you'll get less.

Grand Manan Fishermen Say Their Livlihoods Are Under Threat

Fishermen on Grand Manan are worried their way of life may be disappearing.

The Grand Manan Fishermen's Association is voicing concern over lobster licenses being sold to fishermen in Nova Scotia. A company in Yarmouth has bought one.

 Liberal M-L-A Rick Doucet tells CHSJ News there had been in a freeze in place on Interprovincial license transfers but that's no longer in place.

 Both Doucet and the fishermen are calling for another freeze to be put in place on the interprovincial transfer of lobster licenses.

Doucette warns once the licenses are gone, they don't come back and the economy of Grand Manan is heavily dependent on the lobster fishery.

Another Budget Meeting Behind Closed Doors

Another Saturday........Another budget meeting behind closed doors at City Hall.

The city is under pressure to finalise its 2012 budget so now a vote in open session is expected Monday.

Mayor Ivan Court tells CHSJ News there has been disagreement on which budget should be unveiled and how to spend 143 million dollars.

 Two different versions have been put on the table, one of them having 9 million dollars in cuts but Court says there could even be a third emerging because of a lack of consensus on the first two.

Court expects tomorrow's meeting to be a long one.