Armed Robbery in the North End

A North End convenience store is the latest victim of an armed robbery. Just after midnight a man entered "At Your Convenience" store on Adelaide Street with a weapon demanding cash.
City Police tell us they expect there were three people involved in the incident, and the robber got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.
There were no injuries, and Major Crime is investigating.

Deal Still Being Ironed Out

[Health Minister Mary Schryer---File Photo]
After reaching a settlement in principle back on the 22nd of last month, the wording on a final contract between doctors and the province continues to be ironed out. Health Minister Mary Schryer tells CHSJ News, there isn't a lot of details she can speak about at this point:

The doctors launched legal action after the government threatened to impose a two-year wage freeze. That came after the medical society reached a tentative agreement with the province that was never implemented, but was ratified by the doctors.

Student Joins District 8 Education Council

[Elizabeth Murphy Being Sworn Into the DEC----Photo by Dave Briggs]

District 8's student representative is now a full member of the District Education Council. Elizabeth Murphy is the student council president at St. Malachy's and was sworn into the DEC earlier this week.

Murphy tells CHSJ News, the reason she wanted to join the council was to try and make a difference.
Murphy is the first student to sit on District 8's education council.

Rothesay Student Survey

Rothesay town council wants to have detailed information on the assets of youth in the community. School District 6, together with the Atlantic Health Science Corporation, is conducting a Developmental Asset Survey of students in grade 6 through 12. Spokesperson, Thelma Messer explains, the survey will give decision makers an idea of how successful teens will be:

The survey was last completed in 2002. The town has agreed to pay for data on youth specifically in Rothesay.

Green Party Okay With Ideas Being Borrowed

[Green Party Leader Elizabeth May-----file photo]
Green Party ideas being borrowed by other political parties is not an issue with it's leader.
Elizabeth May tells CHSJ News, it shows other parties are thinking about the environment.
May says it's great that Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is retaining a lot of the green iniatives put forth by former party leader Stephane Dion.

City Police To Discuss Graffiti

[Police Chief Bill Reid---File Photo]
The City's Police Chief will sit down with the Acting City manager about Graffiti in Saint John.

Chief Bill Reid and Pat Woods may use the Halifax Graffiti Managemant Plan as a model.
Chief Reid says he remember Sgt. Jim Fleming bringing this subject to senior management at least 6 years ago.
Chief Reid will report back to the Police Commission at their next meeting in November.

EMS Development Symposium

It shouldn't be hard to find help if you need it this weekend in Saint John. The 16th annual Emergency Medical Services Development Symposium is underway at the Regional. Spokes-person Jean Boles tells CHSJ News, there is plenty for all to take part in.

Boles adds this is a great opportunity to spend time with your colleagues as well to share information on how better to serve those in need. The symposium finishes up tomorrow.

KV Chamber of Commerce has a Request

The KV Chamber of Commerce wants the town of Rothesay to review its by-laws for signage. President, Phil Brodersen says the town should develop a policy to address the issue and report back to the Chamber of Commerce in about 3 weeks.


Brodersen says they also want the town to increase lighting along Scott Avenue and work on decreasing traffic. Council has agreed to meet with the Chamber of Commerce to continue talks regarding the concerns.

Green Partys Says It Is Readey for an Election

The Leader of the Green Party says they are ready for a federal election----anytime. The party feels it was burned by Prime Minister Stephen Harpers fixed election date last year, believing it was actually a law. May tells CHSJ News, they are now prepared to prove they can run this country.


May says unlike Harper and Finance Minster Jim Flaherty, her party would reduce the payments Canadians have to make on Employment Insurance by both employees and employers.

Soldiers Setting up Shop in Sussex

Local soldiers will conduct training in the Sussex area today and tomorrow. Soldiers from the 8th Canadian Hussars will participate in several exercises within the town and the Piccadilly Potash Project Site. Officials tell us there is no need for any home-owner to be alarmed with blank ammunition being used.


Military vehicles will be travelling slower than the posted limit so try to use caution when driving in and around these vehicles.

Provincial Departments Keeping Tabs On Flaring Incident

(Heightened flaring can be seen just over container crane last Saturday afternoon - file photo)

The provincial Environment Department is waiting for a report from Canaport L-N-G on last weekend's flaring incident at the natural gas terminal.
A spokesperson tells CHSJ News the report will be reviewed by department officials to make sure all 63-terms and conditions of the facility's air quality permit were - and - are being met.
Meantime -- the Public Safety Department tells us it's not aware of any structural issues and none of the pressure vessels - piping - nor fire suppression systems were damaged.
A spokesperson tells us if any damage had occurred - the department's Technical Inspection Services would have become involved.

Money for the Huntsman Marine Science Centre

A nice chunk of cash from Ottawa and the Province for the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews. The centre is building a 20,000 square-foot Discovery Centre to replace its existing aquarium. Both the Province and the Federal Goverment announced 2.5 million dollars today to develop the Discovery Centre on the lower campus property of the Huntsman Marine Science Centre.

Poverty Rally in Kings Square

(Fern Bennett with Make Poverty History)
            Photo By Jim Hennessy

A sobering statistic from an anti-poverty rally today.......every three seconds, someone in the world dies from poverty. The group Make Poverty History staged the demonstration in Kings Square and spokes-person Fern Bennett tells CHSJ News, some strides have been made to help those living in poverty in Saint John but more needs to be done.

 Bennett adds she is waiting with baited breath for the Provincial Government to hand down it's budget December.1st to see if any positive changes will be made to the current social set-up.

Saint John Area Nursing Home Workers Rally

It was a double-feature in Kings Square as nursing home workers rallied to bring attention to their plight as well. They have been with-out a contract for a year after reaching a tentative deal in March. That was dismissed by the Provincial Government who ordered public sector unions to implement a two year wage freeze to deal with the projected deficit. President of Cupe Local 1603 Tammy Nadeau tells CHSJ News, any chance of getting back to the bargaining table are slim.

As for any chance of strike action......Nadeau says their union has been off the job twice in forty years and they don't want to go down that road.

Graham Government Comments on Rally

A representative from the Graham Government was on hand for the rallies. Saint John East MLA Roly MacIntyre says the Graham Government has tried to maintain a good working relationship with the nursing home workers.


MacIntyre adds the nursing home workers pension fund was short and the Graham Government topped it off with $25 million dollars or it would have been bankrupt.

A Resolution in Walsh Case

Attorney General Mike Murphy has announced that civil action between Erin Michael Walsh, the Province and others has been resolved. Walsh was convicted of second-degree murder following the shooting death of Melvin "Chi Chi" Peters in 1975 and sentenced to life in prison with no parole for 10 years. The conviction was upheld on appeal in 1982.

The Province does acknowledge and agrees that a miscarriage of justice may have occurred respecting the 1975 conviction because of the timelines, processes and procedures of the day. Both the Province and City have agreed to pay compensation to Walsh and his wife. Details of the settlement are confidential.

New Homes for Quispamsis

(New Accessible and Seniors Apartments in Quispamsis)
                   Photo by Jim Hennessy

A project that started back in June is nearing completion along the Old Hampton Highway. The finishing touches are being put on 16 new accessible and seniors apartments in Quispamsis. Total cost is $1.8 million dollars and President of Ken-Val United Church Suites Clifty Long says this is filling a need for many in the Kennebecasis Valley.

Long expects the first tenants will move into their new homes on the first week of next month. Ottawa has put $480,000 dollars toward the project and the Province is on board for one million in rent supplements.

Another Hurdle for Residents at Ten Scott Avenue

Just days after residents on Scott Avenue were breathing a sigh of relief, a new problem is on the horizon. Rothesay Council on Tuesday pulled their application to purchase the four mixed income apartment buildings on the street off the table but CHSJ News has learned, one of the buildings is up for bids at a public auction on the 26th in Sussex. The assessed owner is listed as Kenneth and Helen Griffin and an apartment building and lot at 10 Scott Avenue is just one of several properties listed under their name.


Another interesting point is at the bottom of the listing, it says the Provincial Tax Commissioner was made aware of the properties sale on the 16th of last month. Griffin is quoted as saying he had no interest in selling the property to the town.

Rallies to be Held in King Square

There will be a few extra bodies in Kings Square today at noon. This is due to a pair of rallies including one for nursing home workers in Greater Saint John. They have been on the job for a year with-out a contract after signing a tentative deal back in March. That is when the Graham Government ordered public sector unions to implement a two year wage freeze to deal with the projected deficit. The union is asking if a deal can be reached with doctors....what about them.

Also, according to Face Book.....a take action against poverty group also plans to rally in the Square to bring attention to their cause. Things also get started at noon.

Marco Polo Update

Construction on the replica of the Marco Polo project is done for another season. With colder temperatures early in the evening and mornings, work crews are putting away their tools until the spring. Project spokes-person Barry Ogden tells CHSJ News, the vessel is over 90% complete.

The problem is.....they don't have a final resting place chosen for the replica just yet. Ogden says they would love to berth it anywhere between Water Street and Long Wharf but continue to consult with the Port Authority.