Police Raid Home Near Centreville

Woodstock Police and RCMP raided a house near Centreville yesterday seizing some marijuana.

An 18-year-old man is under arrest and remains in custody.
He is facing charges for drug trafficking and has a court date today.

Charges are also expected against two other men who were arrested and released.

Three Deer Collisions In The K-V

The over population of deer has proven to be a thorn in the side of municipal officials in the Kennebecasis Valley. The RCMP in Hampton say they had three collisions last night which all involved deer. The first one occurred along Highway 1 near the Dolan Road Irving. The second one happened on the highway at Hammond River and the last near the Hampton off ramp. No serious injuries were reported.

Volunteers Wanted For Canada Day

The Canada Day celebration in Saint John has become larger in the last few years. This has prompted the need for more volunteers to help out. Heather Pederson, who chairs the Canada Day Committee, tells CHSJ News they need 100 volunteers, some of whom would include people who want to carry the flags of each individual province in the parade. Peterson says what would be ideal is to have volunteers from the various provinces who now live in the Saint John area. One of the attractions this year will be Canada Village at Loyalist Plaza which will feature all of the provinces.
Those people who want to volunteer can call Market Square at 658-3600.

Funeral Service Tomorrow For Local Serviceman

Mourners are being asked to wear red to the funeral of a 35-year old local serviceman tomorrow.
Corporal Patrick Painter of Quispamsis died earlier this month after an explosion and fire ripped through his home near Kingston.
Painter was stationed at the military base in the Ontario city and was due to be deployed to Afghanistan in September.
The funeral service is set for tomorrow morning at 10:30 at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Rothesay.

(Photo courtesy of Fundy Funeral Home Online Obituaries)

New Truck and Engines Donated To NBCC

(Two Of the Donated Engines From GM)
        (Photo By Jim Hennessy)

The Automotive Service Technician Program at NBCC Saint John has some gear to study with.


General Motors has donated a 2009 Silverado Truck and 20 engines for students to use as training aids. Bill Best is the Interim President and CEO of the Campus and tells CHSJ News, this is a substantial donation.


Best adds the donation ensures students and apprentices are training with the latest vehicle technology and service methods in the industry.

GM Pleased To Make Donation

   (GM Spokesperson Eric Leblanc)
        (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

Eric Leblanc is the District Fixed Operations Manager for GM in Atlantic Canada and tells CHSJ News, the company is pleased to provide this donation knowing that there may be some future technicians that come and work for a local dealership.
Along with the donation to NBCC Saint John, 750 engines were donated to campuses from coast to coast.

City Owned Building Set Ablaze

(District Fire Chief Gerry Morris)
              (File Photo)

A fire early this morning in Shamrock Park at the city owned equipment building was likely deliberately set. District Chief Gerry Morris says it took fire crews something like two hours to get a handle on the blaze. Morris says the fire began on the outside of the building and spread to the interior of the building causing heavy damage. Firefighters dhad to smash through the roof of the one storey building to get at the flames. The blaze was first spotted by a police officer who was on patrol in the area.




   

Gas Prices Remain Virtually Unchanged

Self serve regular is up a bit and diesel is down slightly after the weekly setting. Self serve going up by a cent to 97.7 a litre if you're buying gas in the city. Diesel fell to just under a dollar at 99.9. Propane remains unchanged at 102.9.

Toll Free Number Set Up To Report Animal Abuse

The Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty in the Province now has a tollfree number.
Executive Director Mike Murphy tells CHSJ News this number will give everyone the opportunity to prevent animals from being hurt or neglected.
The SPCA's board chair, Joy Bacon says the number will also give them a valuable resource to act on complaints from the public.


The number is 1-877-722-1522.

Rothesay Preparing To Relax Restrictions On Signs

(Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop)
          (File Photo)

Rothesay Town Council may make changes to its bylaw concerning signage. Mayor Bill Bishop recognizes Rothesay's laws regarding signs are generally stricter than laws in Quispamsis.
The change would allow business owners one sign each in a location of their choice and would change the dimensions for free standing signs. Bishop points out Rothesay is, for the most part, residential but the town is looking into providing more areas for community event signs..

Minister Keir Is Curious

(Energy Minister Jack Keir)
         (File Photo)

With word a counter-offer from the Province on the future of the Harbour Bridge could take months to review, the eyebrows of the Energy Minister have been raised.
this following a report that Southwest MP Greg Thompson has accused fellow Minister Keith Ashfield of holding back millions of infrastructure dollars to make sure the Graham Liberals can't ride the wave of good news announcements into the fall vote.
Keir tells CHSJ News, he would hope that is not the case.


Keir adds he has known MP Thompson for a long time and if he believes politics are being played with the Harbour Bridge, he believes him.

Victoria Clarke Is In For the Liberals

The Liberal Party has it's candidate in the riding of Rothesay and it's Victoria Clarke.

The mother of two who works for the Regional Hospital Foundation beat school teacher Jacques Theriault on the first ballot 78 to 53.

Clarke tells CHSJ News, she is thrilled with the victory but knows there is still a lot of work ahead.


Clarke adds she is proud to have the support of former women Liberal MLA's such as Jane Barry and Lorrraine Jarrette, who was the last Liberal to hold the riding of Rothesay.

Sub Standard Housing Up For Discussion

The topic of sub-standard housing was discussed between several community members at the Boys and Girls Club yesterday.

It was hosted by the Greater Saint John Homlessness Steering Committee and spokes-person Kit Hickey tells CHSJ News, many on hand have no idea some of the conditions people are living in.
Hickey adds there were no conclusions made during the forum and still a lot of work to be done.

Teen Girl Missing From St. Stephen Found Safe

A 16-year old girl missing from the St. Stephen area has been found safe sound.

Heather Dawn Daye of McAdam was reported missing on Sunday after she was dropped off at her grandmother's residence in Honeydale and never returned from a walk.

RCMP tell us Daye was located outside the province after a routine vehicle stop.

Saint John Man Back In Court On Murder Charge

A thirty day psychiatric evaluation has determined a 30 year old east Saint John man is fit to stand trial for first degree murder in the death of 28 year old Melanie Getson of Douglas Avenue. Judge Anne Jeffries told the court Jason Getson's stay at the Restigouche mental health facility determined he is not suffering from a mental disorder that would prevent him from criminal responsibility. Getson, of Martha Avenue, was charged after his estranged wife was stabbed to death in the parking lot of a tanning salon on Rothesay Avenue May 10th. They were living apart at the time. Getson returns to court July 8th at which time a date for a preliminary hearing is expected to be set to determine if there is enough evidence to warrant a trial. In the meantime, Getson will stay behind bars.

DOT Responds To Mackay Highway Concerns

In an e-mail, the Department of Transportation is responded to Mayor Court's concerns. Officials says exsisting traffic volumes warrant the expansion of the Mackay Highway which is not just a link from Saint John to the outlying area's. It is a key trade corridor between New England and Atlantic Canada and to help make way for further industrial and business growth.

The e-mail also points out the information on the expansion of the highway has been public knowledge for 16 months now and this is the first time they are hearing this concern which is a suprise to the department.
To date, DOT has not received any letter or e-mail from city officials voicing any concern about the project.

Premier Graham on Mackay Highway Expansion

The Premier was on the MacKay highway a few weeks back where he witnessed a traffic accident that tied up traffic for over two hours.


Shawn Graham says it's one of the most travelled highways in the province.
He says the traffic counts show it is warranted to be upgraded to the first six-lane highway in the province.
Graham says the government's upgrade will allow goods to flow safely in and out of Saint John.

Mayor Court Concerns about MacKay Highway Expansion

(file photo)

City Hall is growing concerned about an expansion of the MacKay Highway to six lanes. The project is to aleviate traffic congestion during the morning rush and afternoon drive home. Mayor Ivan Court tells CHSJ News, the only thing this project will do is move the bottle-neck from Rothesay to Saint John:

Mayor Court adds if they only convenience of adding the extra lane is to get people in and out of the city faster, then there is no benefit but create more urban spawl.

Missing Girl in St. Stephen

RCMP need your help in locating a 16-year old girl who was reported missing on Sunday.

Heather Dawn Daye of McAdam was last seen on Friday around noon when she was dropped off at her grandmother’s residence in Honeydale, near St. Stephen.
She told her grandmother she was going for a walk and has not been seen since.

Her family thinks she could be with a 26-year-old man she knows who drives a 2001, two-door black Chevrolet Cavalier with the New Brunswick license plate GJC 577 and that they may be heading towards British Columbia.

Her family is encouraging Heather to contact them directly or through the police.

Heather Dawn Daye is described as 5'5" tall, 110-115lbs, with dark brown hair past her shoulders and blue eyes. She also has a nose piercing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the RCMP at 1-888-506-7267.

Marigolds On Main Street

Twelve Hundred school children are up to their elbows in dirt this morning planting Marigolds on Main Street.

Event Co-Chair Jackie Henneberry says she likes to see the smiles on the kids' faces.

Henneberry says it's an education program for the kids, as they plant their own marigolds in school and learn how to water and plant flowers.