Casino New Brunswick Feeling Some Heat

The Acadian Society is lashing out at Casino New Brunswick.


A lack of french in the facility on both the slot machines and poker tables has the Society asking why it isn't complying with bilingual legislation.


Business Minister Victor Boudreau says the Province has spoken with officials at the facility and they are looking for a solution.


Casino manager Stephen Hancock says efforts are underway to meet all provincial languages and one of the concerns with french is if poker players speak different languages, it could give some an unfair advantage.

New Minister for Liberal Cabinet

     (Premier Shawn Graham Speaks With the Media)
                (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

No word on who it will be, but a new member of the Liberal Caucus is set to be unveiled in the next two weeks.

 The Minister for Public Engagement is being put in place to get voters engaged and find solutions to the many challenges facing the Province.



Premier Graham says this follows in the success of the parties many public engagement strategies.


Graham also has other portfolio's to fill including Tourism and Parks and says there will be more questions answered when the new minister is unveiled.

Holder reacts to news of Public Engagement Minister

(Saint John Portland MLA Trevor Holder)

The MLA for Saint John Portland finds it ironic the Liberals adding a Public Engagement Minister to their caucas since he thinks they have failed to to engage the public on most issues.


Trevor Holder tells CHSJ News public engagement is what MLA's should already be doing.
He calls it an excuse by the Liberals to give out an expense account and a government car.


Holder says the Liberals point to the Poverty Reduction Strategy as a success in engaging the public but, Holder says it's their only one.

Board of Trade gets new chair

(Mike Murphy, new Chair for the Saint John Board of Trade)

             (Staff File)

Municipal planning and the refurbishment of Harbour Bridge are two priorities that Mike Murphy, the new chair of the Saint John Board of Trade, hopes to tackle this year.

Murphy, who has been with the Board of Trade for 12 years, says he has more questions than answers going in, and is nervous about getting everything done.

Outgoing chair Kathy Craig says Murphy's biggest challenge will be getting the proper amount of input from Saint Johners for the municipal plan.
 
Her parting advice for Murphy is to take his time and keep moving the issues forward.

Contract for Harbour Bridge repairs is awarded

A 32.6 million dollar contract has been awarded to an Ontario company for repairs on the Harbour Bridge.
Bridge Authority General Manager Ken Anthony tells CHSJ News that the traffic will be impacted.
He says work will start this weekend and will not affect traffic until May 15th.
The work will continue until the end of October.
Concrete USL of Bolton, Ontario has been awarded the contract.

Candidates Lined Up To Run Provincially For Conservatives In The K-V

(Provincial Conservative Leader David Alward)
          (Photo by Brian McLain)

The Conservatives have their candidates in place in the K-V for the September 27th provincial election. Blaine Higgs, the Director of Business Development for Irving Oil will be nominated for the riding of Quispamsis tomorrow night. This will be a joint event with the riding of Rothesay where long serving M-L-A Margaret Ann Blaney, who was first elected in 1999, will be reaffirmed. Party leader David Alward tells CHSJ News the credibility of the Graham Government will be the big issue when the campaign officially starts. Alward accuses the Liberals of fiscal mismanagement. Health Minister Mary Schryer has held the Quispamsis riding for the Liberals since 2006 when she defeated Brenda Fowlie.

Manufacturers And Exporters In Province Will Have To Change The Way They Do Business

Manufacturers and exporters in the province are said to be cautiously optimistic as they prepare to meet in Fredericton later this month. Some may find that surprising in light of the rise in the value of the loonie in relation to the U.S. dollar and the failed NB Power deal with Hydro Quebec that would have seen a dramatic reduction in electricity rates. The Regional Vice-President for Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, David Plante tells CHSJ News change will be the name of the game because electricity rates will continue rising. Plante says coming up with an energy policy for the province should be a priority. Another worry, according to Plante, is growing protectionism in the U.S.

Close To A Record But No Cigar

Yesterday was warm and unusually muggy for Saint John but, contrary to what you might believe, we did not reach a record high. The temperature did get up to 24.4 celcius just after 3:00 in the afternoon but fell short with the record high for the date being 25.6 degrees.

Car Fire Under Investigation

A taxi driver called City Police around 2:30 this morning to give them a heads up about a car on fire at 176 Metcalf Street in the north end. No one was injured but the cause of the fire is considered suspicious. The Major Crime Unit has been called in to investigate.

Harbour Station To Get New Scoreboard

By the 24th or 25th of this month, Harbour Station will have a new look. A new four screen high definition scoreboard and screen for the marquee will be installed. General Manager Mike Cadell tells CHSJ News, this is amazing technology.
Cadell compares the new scoreboard to watching four high definition televisions for some of those plays you might not be able to see from your seat.

Changes Coming to Highway One

If your morning commute brings you in from outside Saint John, there is a change coming to Highway One you need to know about. First of all, work on the One Mile Interchange is ramping up at Exit 125 at Crown Street and also the Allison Road and Wright Street Intersection beginning tomorrow. Then later this week and the first of next, the Crown Street Off-Ramp, Exit 125, will be permanently closed depending on weather. Traffic will be directed to a new ramp to access Allison Road.

City Police Using New Technology To Determine Problem Areas For Crime

E-S-R-I, a leading Geographic Information Systems company, is using the Saint John Police Department as an example of how to use crime mapping technology effectively. Brian Malone, Director of Knowledge Management for City Police, says crime mapping is a tool that allows them to see crimes in relation with their locations so problem areas can be identified.
After conducting a case study based entirely on Saint John's use of the product, E-S-R-I determined car thefts in the city are down by 18% and break and enters are down by 27%.

McHappy Day Across The City To Raise Money

If you can find some time, try to drop by one of the eight McDonalds locations in Greater Saint John. It's the 17th annual McHappy Day with a loonie from each Big Mac, McMuffin or Happy Meal sold going to the Boys and Girls Club. Spokes-person Amanda Masters tells CHSJ News, last year, $15,000 dollars was raised.
Mayor Ivan Court and Debbie Cooper with the Boys and Girls Club will get the day started with breakfast at the McDonalds on Fairville Boulevard. Masters adds 28 million dollars has been raised across the country on McHappy Day in the past 16 years

Seadogs Win Game Three of Presidents Cup Final

(Seadogs Open Scoring in Game Three of Presidents Cup)
                     (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

The Saint John Seadogs offence finally came alive last night as they beat Moncton 6-4 in Game Three of the Presidents Cup Final.


Mike Hoffman had four points including the game winner into an empty net.

Dogs Head Coach Gerard Gallant says his team locked up the lanes to keep Moncton from setting up.


Gallant is referring to Moncton scoring three goals in just over five minutes to make it a 5-4 game with just under three minutes left to play.
Wildcats Head Coach and GM Danny Flynn says Saint John has plenty of fire power but is happy with how his team battled back to close the lead to one.


Moncton still leads the set 2-1 with Game Four on Friday in Moncton and Game Five Saturday at Harbour Station.


Tickets for Saturday's game go on sale tomorrow at ten at the Harbour Station Box Office.

New Parking Set-Up at Parlee Beach

Seeing that today feels like the first day of summer, a reminder to anyone heading to Parlee Beach in the coming months.


It will use a new automated parking system for this tourism season.


Visitors will take a ticket upon entry and pay for their parking at one of two pay stations before leaving.


Debit, credit card and cash will all be accepted.


Daily passes will cost $10 and season passes are $82.

Dates For Rate Hearing Set

The 22nd and 23rd of next month is when a hearing ordered by Energy Minister Jack Keir will get started.


The Energy and Utilities Board will go over the proposed rate increase of three per cent by NB Power.


A hearing isn't required for three per cent or under but Minister Keir has asked the EUB to review the rate hike.


NB Power must have all of it's documentation filed by noon on the 28th.


Saint John Energy has announced it's rate is going up by three per cent as of June.1st.


The hearing will be held at the Delta.

Update on Cemetery Investigation

City Police tell us they are still working on making an arrest as work to repair close to 500 headstones in St. Josephs Cemetery continues.


It was just over a week ago, that officers were called to the graveyard to find the headstones had been kicked or pulled off their base and damaged.


Sargeant Pat Bonner tells CHSJ News, they are still investigating leads.

Workers at the cemetery tell us the repair work is slow going and will take weeks to finish.

Another Phone Scam Making the Rounds

Another phone scam is making the rounds.


CO-OP Atlantic has issued the heads up after receiving calls about someone claiming to be from it's organization.


The caller says you have won $25,000 dollars and must come to a specific adress to claim the prize.


Co-OP tells us they are not running any contest with a cash prize and if you do receive this type of call, call police or RCMP right away.

Nine municipalities purchase software to help in Emergencies

(EMO Manager Murielle Provost)

Nine municipalities are now able to alert 14,000 households in an hour when an emergency strikes thanks to a new software program. The communities located between Saint John and Sussex Corner are sharing the cost of the $111,000 system. Manager of the Saint John Emergency Management Organization Murielle Provost says the program will make people more aware when an emergency is taking place.


The software was purchased from Bathurst-based company Sentinel Systems Ltd. which is the only company doing this type of work in Canada.

Tenders awarded for new Maintainence facility in St. Stephen

(Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet)

The Province has awarded about $4.7 million in contracts for a new Department of Transportation maintenance facility in St. Stephen.
Premier Shawn Graham made the announcement today during a tour of the construction site on Church Street in the St. Stephen Industrial Park.


Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet tells CHSJ News this announcement is an investment in the safety of Charlotte county and the region.

Doucet says the work will get started soon and he expects it will be finished by the fall.