Coroners Inquest Scheduled For Next Month

A coroner's inquest will be held next month at the Sydney Street Courthouse into the death of Robert Sean Beaulieu.
He died while working in East Saint John back on February 5th of last year.
Beaulieu was injured at a construction site on Grandview Avenue near the Community College.


The inquest starts on October 18th with three days set aside. The purpose of the inquest is not to assign blame.

Continuing Conversation About the Future Of The Cherry Brook Zoo

For the Cherry Brook Zoo to thrive, it needs year to year sustainable funding.


That word from the zoo's biggest supporter on Common Council, Gary Sullivan.
He tells CHSJ News Trevor Holder, who's running for the Conservatives in Saint John Portland, and Liberal candidate Danny Joyce both support having the zoo become part of the Regional Facilities Commission which falls under provincial legislation.
Being included in the Regional Facilities Commission guarantees funding from all four municipalities in greater Saint John.

Thinking About The Cost Of Election Promises

The Atlantic director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says people in the province should be giving serious thought to the cost of all the election promises that are being made.
Kevin Lacey says the number of promises, most of them from the Liberals and Conservatives, are overwhelming voters.
Lacey says it's time for the parties to show how they plan to pay for it all because they're being made at a time when the province is facing an 8.4 (b) billion dollar debt.

License Renewal Process Underway

Irving Paper is in the process of renewing it's air quality operating license.
The current paper-work expires in March of next year with the 180-day public participation process now underway.

The process includes a number of information requirements along with minimum time frames, including a four month window for anyone to make a comment about the business in writing by Jan.21st.
The mill uses the Thermal Mechanical Pulping process to produce roughly 900 tonnes of pulp and 1,200 tonnes of paper every day.

Dope Find At Prison

A large quantity of dope has been seized that was on it's way through the walls of the Atlantic Institution in Renous.
It was Saturday afternoon last weekend that Correctional Service Canada and RCMP seized Dilaudid, crack cocaine, hash and marijuana with an estimated institutional value of $13,000.


No word on charges at this point.

Armoured Car Workers Are On Strike

(G4S Workers Walk The Picket Line On King Street)
              (Photo By Jim Hennessy)

G4S Secur-Cor Cash Solutions is on strike so picket signs are up at banks around the Province and the Island.

The armoured car company services several banks including the Royal, CIBC and TD branches.


Teamster Union spokes-person Phillip Comeau tells CHSJ News, the latest offer from the company is not a fair deal.

Comeau says the company also wants every employee to be subject to a polygraph test which is not acceptable.

The union is looking for a three year contract, better wages and there is a 13% wage increase that is still out-standing from the now expired contract.

Management for the company is filling in for the workers and the other armoured car companies in the city and Province say they will honor the picket line.

Gas Prices Drop Slightly

You will be paying a bit less for gas after the weekly setting. Self serve regular is now at 96.5 a litre in the city with diesel at $103.3. Propane did go up with the maximum price listed at 104 a litre. Heating oil remains the same at 90.4 cents.

Liberal Leader Appears Undaunted Just Days Before Vote In Spite Of Poll Results

(Liberal Leader Shawn Graham With Other Party Candidates In Quispamsis)
                        (Photo by Gary MacDonald)

Liberal leader Shawn Graham remains optimistic heading into the final days of the provincial election campaign. Graham tells CHSJ News his party's momentum has been building throughout the campaign.

The Liberals have been trailing the Conservatives in the polls but appear to be closing the gap as Graham fights to avoid becoming New Brunswick's first ever one term Premier.

He was campaigning in the area again yesterday as he calls Saint John a battleground which shouldn't be taken for granted.

Among other things, he reiterated his government's pledge to fund its 7-million dollar share of setting up a permanent home for the "Y", a promise made in front of the former Zeller's building next to the Lansdowne Plaza.

Fundy Royal M-P Not Happy With Gun Vote

(Fundy Royal M-P And Federal Cabinet Minister Rob Moore)
                              (File Photo)

The Opposition has successfully shot down a motion not to proceed with a  private member's bill from a Conservative backbencher that would scrap the long gun registry.

Fundy Royal MP and Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism Rob Moore tells CHSJ News, he is disappointed by the outcome.

Moore says the registry continues to waste money, hasn't been effective and wrongfully targets law-abiding citizens instead of using the cash to go after real criminals.

The final vote was 153 to 151 and Moore warns the Conservatives aren't going to let this issue go and plan to press on to have the long gun registry abolished at some point in the future. 

Mayor Shies Away From Funding Commitment For Paramount Theatre

           (Mayor Ivan Court)
                (File Photo)

As the push to revitalize the former Paramount Theater continues, some are asking will the City be there to help out?

Mayor Ivan Court tells CHSJ News, he likes the fact that ideas are being shopped around.

Court points out, though, the city doesn't construct buildings and City Hall isn't a position to put forward funding toward the revitalization of the theatre although it can help out in other ways such as with building permits.

Uptown Saint John has signed an option on the building to give it more time to develop a business plan.






            

Warmer Fall Forecast But Winter Won't Be As Mild

If you feel an extra chill in the air today, there is good reason for that. The first day of fall is upon us, arriving at nine minutes after midnight.

Meteorologist Linda Libby with Environment Canada tells CHSJ News, we get the first day of the new season started on the right foot with plenty of sunshine.

Libby says a look ahead at the next 30 days shows normal temperatures and the seasonal forecast for the fall is calling for above normal temperatures.

As far as winter is concerned, She cautions it's a little too far out for accurate predictions but it looks like we won't be enjoying the mild temperatures we had last year.

Moose Hunting Season Begins

The crackle of rifle fire is sure to be heard in certain areas of the Province over the next few days with today is the opening of moose hunting season as hunters look to bag a swamp donkey.

Dwayne Sabine with the Department of Natural Resources tells CHSJ News, it's going to be a busy few days with just over 36 hundred hunters eligible to be in the woods.

The season runs until Saturday and Sabine says last fall, 2409 moose were shot and killed. It's expected something like 25 hundred moose will be shot over the next three days.

Repsol Honoured On Anniversary Of L-N-G Facility At Canaport

(Canaport L-N-G On Bay Of Fundy)
                (File Photo)

The company that operates the Canaport LNG Facility in Red Head has won an award. Repsol has been chosen company of the year in this country by the Canadian-Spain Chamber of Commerce. The award coincides with the first anniversary of the day the LNG Facility went on-line.

YM-YWCA Responds To Political Parties

So, what about officials at the YM-YWCA?

How do they feel about being in the middle of all this political posturing.

CEO Pat Davis, in an e-mail to our news-room says, the "Y" is pleased to have the support of the community and all the politcal parties but at this time, they continue to explore options and have not secured a location for their permanent home.

The e-mail goes on to read that officials at the "Y" look forward to working with the community and all levels of government to select the best possible site for the new "Y".

Graham Promises New Francophone & Elementary Schools For Ken Valley

Graham Makes Committment To New Home For The YM-YWCA

(Saint John Portland Liberal Candidate Dan Joyce at the Podium)
                   (Photo By Gary MacDonald)

Seven million dollars is being committed by the Graham Government to build a new YM-YWCA in the former Zellers Building in the North End if the party is re-elected.

Leader Shawn Graham presented the committment during a news conference this morning with the total cost coming in at $22 million dollars. The "Y" says it will put forward nine million towards the project.
Graham says the Province has already invested in the projects for the "Y"s in both Moncton and Fredericton and Saint John is a good fit.
 
He adds the cash committment is already built into the party's platform.

Saint John Portland Conservative Candidate Not happy

Calling it a desperate move, the Conservative Candidate in Saint John Portland isn't holding back in his reaction to the Liberal announcement concerning the YM-YWCA today.

Trevor Holder says the Liberals are playing politics with recreation and tells CHSJ News, this was the "Y'"s announcement to make.
Holder says officials from the YMCA tell him they are not even in a position to confirm the old Zeller’s site as it's new location.

Liberals Make Another Commitment

Quispamsis is on the receving end of the latest promise from the Graham Liberals.


If re-elected, the party says it is committed to building a new middle school in the town right next to the current middle school.


It would house 500 students and adresses the over-crowding issue in the building which is using six mobile class-rooms.
Construction of the new school would be a public-private partnership but no word on how much it would cost.

Speaking Out On Gun Registry

A close vote is expected today on the long gun registry which, by all accounts, will likely be retained because several N-D-P members have changed their minds about abolishing it.


Mayor Ivan Court is also President of the Canadian Association of Police Boards and says politics has gotten in the way of good judgement and this is a public safety issue.


Court says the annual cost of 4.1 million dollars doesn't seem as much when you consider each request from police works out to a dollar or so a piece.

Uptown Saint John Committed to Paramount Theater

(Uptown SJ President Matt Alexander)
                (File Photo)

Uptown Saint John has signed an option on the Paramount Theatre.

This gives it time to come up with a business plan to save the building from demolition.

Uptown Saint John President Matt Alexander tells CHSJ News the city could help out financially.


Alexander says the building is structurally sound and was well built when constructed back in 1948 but the electrical will have to be redone.