Watermain break on the West side

A broken watermain on the Dever Road mean some residents will not have water between Greenhead Road and Manchester Avenue.  The residents should have their water back tomorrow.

Saint John Water also tells CHSJ news that some customers in the Randolph and Milford area may experience low water pressure.
The 24 inch cast iron pipe is from 1899.

Harbour Bridge GM wants repairs to start in May

(Saint John Harbour Bridge)

(file photo)

There may not have been any money in the federal budget for repairs to the Harbour Bridge but a potential source of funding has been lined up.
The General Manager of the Harbour Bridge Authority Ken Anthony tells CHSJ News they might be able to borrow the needed funding from a pension fund.
Anthony says they're waiting for approval to move ahead from the federal government.

Provincial Anti-Poverty Group disappointed in Federal Budget

The losers in the budget are those people who lost their jobs and other victims of the recession. That criticism coming from Acadie-Bathurst M-P Yvon Godin. He also warns every wage earner and employer will be saddled with 19 billion dollars in new taxes next year when the freeze on Employment Insurance premiums comes to an end.
Jean Claude Basque of the Common Front for Social Justice tells CHSJ News there wasn't much of anything to help those people struggling in poverty.
Basque does applaud the fact a billion dollars will be spent on social housing.

Response To Costco Job Fair Is Overwhelming

(Job Seekers Lined Up Outside Costco At Eastpoint Shopping)

(Photo by Brian McLain)

Hundreds of people have shown up at the Costco job fair in East Point shopping centre.
The job seekers spilled out in the parking lot which was pretty much filled with vehicles with more coming and going. Those who showed up at noon today were told to come back tomorrow at 9am. Donald Parks tells CHSJ News thinks the company will be good for the city.
Parks says it will be great for the local economy and he wants to get a job in the warehouse.
Another applicant Josh Tobias thinks Costco might drive smaller businesses out because they pay more than minimum wage. The retailer plans to hire almost 100 people for the new store opening May 27th. The wages being offered will range from 11 to 22 dollars an hour depending on the job. Job interviews will continue on Sunday as well as tomorrow. 

Costco Job Fair Starts This Morning

(Costco At Eastpoint Shopping)

(Photo by Jim Hennessy)

A lot of eager job-seekers in the Port City will be freshening up their resumes and putting on their dress clothes this weekend.
Today is day one of a 3-day job fair for the new Costco store in East Saint John opening on May 27th.
Regional Vice-President Gary Swindells tells CHSJ News they offer very competitive wages ranging from $11 to $22 dollars an hour. Swindells adds they plan to hire almost 100 people.
The fair is underway and continues tomorrow and Sunday.

Saint John Board Of Trade On Federal Budget

(Saint John Board of Trade President Imelda Gilman)

(File Photo)

The federal budget is getting a cautious thumbs up from the Saint John Board of Trade. Its President Imelda Gilman says it should help with job growth but she's anxious there was no specific mention of any money for the Harbour Bridge.
On the other hand, she says there will be money for ferries and that's good news for Saint John to Digby service. Gilman calls it a safe, stay the course budget.
 Pat Darrah of the Saint John Construction Association is happy infrastructure money will continue flowing for the next year which spells good news for social housing and the local anti-poverty initiative. He is concerned about any increase in E-I premiums that might be implemented next year, calling it a tax on employment which stifles job growth.

Saint John M-P Rodney Weston On Federal Budget

(Saint John M-P Rodney Weston)

(File Photo)

The federal government has promised to slash the deficit with its latest budget which forecasts a shortfall of 53.8 billion dollars this year.
There's also a freeze on the E-I premium rate paid by workers and employers which continues until the end of 2010.

Saint John MP Rodney Weston tells CHSJ News he did not expect any funding in the budget for repairs to the Harbour Bridge. Weston adds funding for Marine Atlantic is good news because the Princess of Acadia ferry is a vital transportation link for the region. There will be no break for MP's between now and May and this session of Parliament will run until June.

Some city residents will be without water

Repair work will continue overnight on a broken water main in East Saint John located along Loch Lomond Road near the intersection of Hickey Road.


Saint John Water tells CHSJ News that some people will be without water because of the work.

Snow and wind create poor driving conditions

The trek home is difficult today.


Road warriors letting us know that several cars went off the road near Spruce Lake - and - now City Police have called to let us know there are white outs in the area of Spruce Lake and driving conditions on Highway 1 over west are poor.


Conditions are slippery, so reduce your speed and take your time on the way home tonight.

BMO Survey finds fewer Canadians contributed to their RRSPs

(logo courtesy of  BMO)

The 2009 RRSP deadline has passed and a new survey finds a lot of Canadians cheaped out on contributing this year.
Bank of Montreal Financial Group found that 68 per cent of us did not have money for lump sum contributions to their RRSP's.
BMO's Jason Schella tells CHSJ News the economy is one factor in that result.
Schella adds if you set up an automated savings account then you don't need to worry about making a large payment by the RRSP deadline.

Foster Resigns from Saint John Animal Rescue League

 

Janet Foster is stepping down after six years as Executive Director of the Saint John Animal Rescue League.

Foster tells CHSJ news she has done everything she set out to do now that things at the shelter have turned around.
She says they bought the old Peacock's garden centre site for a new shelter and they have money in the bank so things look really solid.
Foster says she stayed two years past her retirement and planned to stick around until the new shelter was built but, says she would be 70 years old by then so, right now feels the right time to go.

Work continues on broken water main on Loch Lomond Road

Crews are making repairs to a broken water main in East Saint John located along Loch Lomond Road near the intersection of Hickey Road.

The break resulted in low water pressure for users east of the Reversing Falls Bridge.
Saint John Water crews isolated the water main yesterday just after 5pm and crews worked through the night and that repair work will continue today.

If you experience discoloured water, just run your tap until the water runs clear.

Dispute Between Blue Cross And Shoppers Drug Mart

The consumer advocate for insurance concedes there's not much he can do about finding a resolution in the dispute between Blue Cross and Shopper's Drug Mart. Ron Godin says he nevertheless is monitoring the situation.
Most Shoppers Drug Mart stores in Atlantic Canada will no longer accept Blue Cross cards because of fee changes. This means you have to pay up front and then send in the receipts to be reimbursed later.

Funeral Service Today For Saint John Man Who Died In B-C At The Olympics

A large turnout is expected at noonhour for the funeral of a 20 year old Saint John man who died in B-C while attending the Olympics. The funeral service is taking place at Our Lady of Assumption Church. Silas Rogers, who graduated from Saint John High in 2007, was found unconscious in an apartment on the campus of the University of B-C after he was released by the RCMP in Whistler. Rogers, a student at the university, had been in custody for being drunk in public and reportedly fell several times while in lockup. Vancouver Police have been brought in to conduct an external investigation of his death but say it could take months to complete.

One Youth Arrested After High Speed Chase

One youth is behind bars after a high speed chase with city police. The pursuit began on Bayside Drive and proceeded eastward. Police tell CHSJ News they called off the pursuit at one point because of worry someone night get hurt. It was resumed later, however, and the car was eventually stopped at Baxter's Corner with no injuries being reported. Several charges are expected to be laid including possession of a stolen car and dangerous driving.

Gas Prices After Weekly Setting

A mixed bag when it comes to gas prices after the weekly setting. The maximum that can be charged for self serve regular has risen to $104.4 a litre. It's being sold in Saint John for $101.8 a litre. The max for diesel went down slightly to $106.9 and is being sold in the city for $105.2 a litre. Furnace oil remains the same at 90.4 cents a litre and propane has gone down to $111.9.

Quispamsis pleased with Bell-Aliant's involvement in the Q-Plex

(file photo)

It's all smiles from Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll on the newest Q-Plex sponser.
Driscoll tells CHSJ News, the town is proud to have Bell Aliant involved in the facility.



Driscoll says it's fitting Bell Aliant get involved with the Q-Plex, because there are over 300 people who live in the area who work for the company.
Driscoll says this advancement in telecommunications is another example of the innovative ideas going into the Q-Plex.

Bell Aliant will handle all telecommunication needs for Q-Plex

(file photo)

Another sponser for the Q-Plex is pushing it's capital campaign to it's 1 million dollar goal.
Bell Aliant is becoming the official telecommunications supplier for the facility, and Vice President of Customer Solutions Kelly Duplisis tells CHSJ News, it's going to be the most tech smart municipal facility in Atlantic Canada.


Duplisis says there will not be a better equipped facility, maybe in the country.
Bell Aliant is the fifth major partner to get involved in the Q-Plex, and has helped it reach it's goal of raising 1 million dollars. With more relationships in the works, the q-plex capital campaign is upping it's goal to 1.5 million dollars.

New Fire Chief and Deputy Chief Appointed in the K-V

There's a new Fire Chief appointed in the K-V.......The fire department's Board of Commissioners has selected Bill Ireland as the new chief replacing Larry Greer, who's retiring. Ireland has for the past year served as Divisional Chief of Fire Prevention and Training for the K-V Fire Department. He has over 15 years of experience and is pursuing a Bachelors of Fire and Safety Studies through the University of Victoria. The incoming Deputy Fire Chief is Dan McCoy who has been the Fire Chief in Grand Bay-Westfield since 1998 and was responsible for the Emergency Measures Organisation in the town. McCoy is replacing Deputy Chief Brian Jensen who's also retiring.

Hazardous Materials Unit Called To Highway One

A 45 gallon drum containing sodium hydrochloride, which is used as a industrial bleach, was discovered in a ditch yesterday afternoon along Highway One eastbound. District Fire Chief B-J MacDonald says the Hazardous Materials Unit was brought in to safely get rid of it. It was taken to an industrial site and disposed of.
Meantime, Fire officials believe the cause of yesterday morning's fatal fire which killed a 53 year old man at 120 Prince Street was accidental. The investigation continues to determine how he died.