One could say it's the day the magic died.
Reveen the Impossibilist spent his career thrilling audiences all over the world, presenting more than 6,000 live performances over his 50 year stint in show business.
The legendary illusionist and hypnotist passed away at home today from complications due to diabetes and dementia. He was born in Adelaide, South Australia but toured extensively on the East Coast for decades.
Reveen has often been referenced in popular culture, including the Maritime hit show Trailer Park Boys in which his physical resemblance to the character Ricky is frequently remarked upon.
He was 77.
Police are investigating after a suspicious fire at a home near St Stephen.
Fire crews getting that call shortly after 2am that the home on Loop Road in Upper Mills was on fire. No one was home at the time.
The cause of the fire is suspicious according to fire officials.
Anyone with information about this fire is being asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers. You can reach St. Stephen RCMP at 506-466-7030 or Crime Stoppers at www.crimenb.ca or 1-800-222-TIPS(8477).
Women taking a certain brand of birth control are being asked to check the lot number of their pills with the news the manufacturer is issuing an urgent recall.
It was discovered the birth control pill Alysena 28 may have only two weeks of drug-containing pills instead of 3: meaning, women taking it could get pregnant.The 28-day packs normally have 21 active pills plus seven placebos.
The lot number of the affected pills is LF01899A.
Alysena 28 is sold in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and elsewhere in Canada and some of the affected pills were sold in Saint John.
If you've been taking the pills, consult your local pharmacy to get your prescription replaced.
They're cleaning up the mess that the last government made. Finance minister Blaine Higgs saying that's what the province is doing with the highly-criticized budget in a post-budget speech.
Higgs tells CHSJ News that the income-tax rollback of 2008 was supposed to be offset by a bump in HST, but that didn't happen.
He says this has been the most difficult budget to date, and he tells us he acknowledges this tax increase hits every pocketbook, but that we need to get out of the hole that's been dug. The income-tax increase is a measure that's expected to generate $136 million in revenue for 2013-14.
A heads up for drivers on the east side.......Part of Rothesay Avenue between the intersection of Russell Street and the Staples Business Depot parking lot, will be closed to traffic for the next week to allow for construction of the One Mile Interchange.
The Reversing Falls bridge is back open to traffic both ways.
The Water Department has Waterloo Street closed between Cliff and Richmond until further notice.
The Transportation Department tells CHSJ News there will be just one ferry operating at Gondola Point from about 11 this morning until further notice to allow the larger 24 vehicle ferry to be brought back into service.
The cops using a non-traditional method to track down a stolen cell phone over the weekend.
The Saint John Police Force tell CHSJ News that they used Find My iPhone, a free app that allows remote-location tracking of lost Apple devices, to find a swiped cell stolen from a coat in O'Leary's Pub uptown.
Police tracked it to east side, and the thief was arrested and charged for possession of stolen property. The phone was returned to the owner.
If TransCanada's proposed pipeline project is given the green light, there could be spinoff projects for Irving Oil in the future.
Jeff Matthews, the company's business development manager tells CHSJ News that before that happens there is a long road ahead, but says it'll pay off if we can get there. He tells us their main focus right now is getting the pipeline to Saint John, and says that will open up opportunities for the company, the city, the province, and other third party companies.
The company has said the 14,000 kilometre pipeline would not only give them a wider base supply of crudes than they have right now, but it would also open up a new region of crude supply to Atlantic Canada.
It appears there is movement being made to get the Fundy Trail the necessary funding to complete it. Fundy Royal M-P Rob Moore is saying he hopes to be making an announcement soon.
The province is advertising the Bay Of Fundy on the giant screen in Times Square from now until June and Tourism Minister Trevor Holder tells CHSJ News finishing up the Fundy Trail is key to boosting the number of people from away who will visit New Brunswick.
Holder says completion of the Fundy Trail will be a game changer because it will tie the Bay of Fundy experience from the Roosevelt summer home on Campobello Island to the rocks of Hopewell Cape with Saint John smack dab in the middle.
Farmers in New Brunswick want to come up with distinct labelling to let shoppers in the province know what is produced locally.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees has also started a campaign to persuade people to spend at least 10 per cent of their disposal income with local businesses in your own backyard.
The Provincial President of CUPE Daniel Legere tells CHSJ News if enough people do this, it would make an enormous difference to local economies for the better.
Legere makes a distinction, however, between the big box stores and local businesses. He says if you spend $100 in a big box store, $15 of that stays in the community whereas if you spend the $100 at a local business, $45 will remain in your community. He believes there's a hunger among many consumers to buy local.
Common Council getting an update tonight on the resumption of major construction that will soon get underway again on the Harbour Bridge.
Beginning on April 15th, Harbour Bridge will be down to one lane each way until September or October and the off ramp to Chesley Drive will be closed.
The councillors are also being told there will be intermittent closures on Hilyard Street during construction and sections of Harbour Passage under the bridge are closed again to ensure the safety of walkers, roller bladers and bike riders.
City Staff would also like to see the two way bike lane along Main Street North and the Viaduct reinstalled.
One man injured after a full size pickup truck left route 790 near Campbell Road in Dipper Harbour around 6 last night.
The Musquash Fire Department found the pickup in a ditch and it sustained significant damage on the driver's side.
The driver was outside and was seen to by paramedics before being taken to the hospital for further examination and treatment.
(Photo courtesy of Andrew Sanojca)
A dramatic rescue last night in the south end after a fire broke out at 150 Britain Street between 10 and 10:30.
Platoon Chief Eric Garland says there was heavy smoke billowing from an upstairs apartment in the large two storey building.
One man was still inside the apartment after being overcome by smoke. He was unconscious when taken out of the apartment and rushed to the Regional Hospital where he's expected to recover at last word.
The fire was contained to the kitchen but 4 people who lived in the building have to find another place to live for the next while. It's not known when they'll be able to return and the cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Many victims of sexual assault live with what happened to them in silence and shame.
The executive director of the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre Lorraine Whalley tells CHSJ News that less than 10% of sexual assaults are reported to police.
This April is the third annual sexual assault awareness month in the province. The theme of this year's campaign is engaging youth in conversations of sexual violence. Whalley tells us they chose to zero-in on young people to try and clear up any misconceptions about what consent is amongst youth. She says the approach they're taking is that yes means yes, as opposed to no means no.
With our province's staggering rates of functional illiteracy, you'd think more people would be jumping on the free programs available to help people upgrade their reading skills, but Deanna Allen of Laubach Literacy tells CHSJ News their literacy programs are only reaching a handful of the people that need them.
Allen says adults who can't read well often avoid situations where they'll need to read, and often develop some creative strategies to cope with their sub-par literacy skills. But she says they'd like to see the number of people enrolled in their programs double or triple. She tells CHSJ News 60% of adults in New Brunswick are functionally illiterate, compared to 40% for Canada as a whole.
Brunswick Square security calling the city cops about a person wielding a knife in the uptown shopping centre this weekend.
The Saint John police force tell CHSJ News they showed up and charged the person with posession of an edged weapon. They were released and given paperwork to appear in court.
City fire crews called to a grass fire in Rockwood Park tonight.
The call came in for a location near Hawthorne Avenue Extension.
(photo courtesy of Nelson Hum)
The Port City and beyond mourning the loss of Tim Cameron.
Cameron, the longtime president & CEO of the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation, died this morning after an 18 month battle with cancer.
Acting Foundation CEO Victoria Clarke tells CHSJ News he was an incredibly humble leader deferring any accolades to their team and most often to the donors.
Visitation will be held at Brenan's Funeral Home on Paradise Row Sunday and Monday night between 7 and 9pm.
The funeral will be held on Tuesday at noon at Our Lady of Assumption Church on the West side.
Thousands of kids will be digging in dirt one day this summer, but they won't be playing. They'll be working to beat a world record.
Marigold Project founder Barry Ogden tells CHSJ News that the Fundy region has applied to the Guinness Book of World Records to try and beat the record for number of children planting flowers at the same time.
They'll try and beat the record, which is currently held in China, on June 6th at 9:30 in the morning. Ogden tells us that approximately 40 schools will be taking part.
Election day is on April 15th, but you can cast your vote in the Kent by-election early. The seat was vacated by former Premier Shawn Graham, who resigned after a conflict of interest scandal.
Advance polls are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and on Monday, April 8th. Anyone who is eligible to vote can do so in the advance polls. Voters should have received a Voter Information Card in the mail, if you didn't, check your poll location on the Elections NB website or ring the returning office at (506) 955-6022 or (888) 326-9523.
A former Deputy Mayor of Saint John has announced her intention to run for the empty seat in Ward 3.
Michelle Hooten tells CHSJ News she's well-prepared to tackle the complex issues that Ward 3 is facing, which range from the poor condition of the roads on the East Side to a lack of affordable housing over west.
The other candidates include Allen Leslie, Brian Boyd, Gerry Lowe, Graeme Stewart Robertson and Mark Leblanc. The by-election is being held in mid-May.
