Highway 2 Becomes Highway Of Heroes

It's been over a year in the making and on Sunday - the province will officially recognize members of the military and emergency services.

Premier Alward will formally dedicate Highway 2 - the Trans-Canada Highway - running through the province as the Highway of Heroes.

The President of the New Brunswick Police Association Dean Secord tells CHSJ news the dedication shows the province cares about it's people.

The ceremony takes place in Officer's Square in downtown Fredericton beginning at 2 tomorrow afternoon.

Memorial Cross families and other dignitaries will be attending and the ceremony will feature a parade of veterans on their motorcycles.

The City's Only Bridal Shop To Close

One woman's disappointment brings joy to others. 

Heavenly Gowns, a longtime bridal shop in East Saint John, is having a closing out sale.

Owner Sheri Israel tells CHSJ News there are many reasons why she is closing the doors on her Thorne Avenue shop.

She says it's a number of things they haven't been able to overcome such as a poor economy and poor business decisions adding now is the time to close so no brides are left without a dress.

She adds her suppliers are working with her to make sure brides that already ordered dresses get them.

Israel tells us the store will remain open through the end of September possibly into October.

Sexual Assault Suspect Drank 19 Beers, Did Cocaine

The plot thickens in a case of alleged sexual assault, assault causing bodily harm, and unlawful confinement at Buccaneer's Pub back in January....25-year-old Bradley Scott Wilson saying he never laid a hand on the 46-year-old bartender, and she initiated all the sexual contact in exchange for cash.

Wilson claims he only scuffled with the woman after she stole $100 from a jacket he left in the washroom...contradicting her testimony that he cornered her and intimidated her into performing sex acts. Another woman also at the bar last night claims he hassled her for a kiss after offering her drugs. Wilson's version is after the bartender stole the money, she offered him oral sex in exchange for keeping it.

The Chance Harbour man admitted to a drinking problem saying he had 19 beer and several lines of cocaine the night of the incident. He had previously been barred from the pub for fighting.

Welsford Bypass Contract Awarded

A 2.6-million dollar contract for grading and paving on the Welsford Bypass has been awarded to Northern Construction of Grand Falls.
Work is expected to begin within two weeks and will involve a 5-kilometre stretch of the new road as well as four ramps on the northern end of the bypass.
The 60-million dollar bypass project consists of 10-kilometres of four lane highway and is scheduled to be completed and open for traffic in the fall of next year.

New Date For Completion Of Peel Plaza Justice Complex

We have a new date for the opening of the new justice complex at Peel Plaza complete with 13 courtrooms.

CHSJ News has been told by the Justice Department the first cases will be heard starting in January with the move taking place in December. It was originally scheduled to be finished in June of this year.  

The estimated cost of the building is 40 million dollars.

It will have a three-storey atrium lobby complete with a replica façade of the 19th century jail that was torn down in the 1970s.

Liberal Leadership Hopeful On Saint John's Financial Woes

Former provincial cabinet minister Mike Murphy, who's running for the provincial Liberal leadership, says Saint John needs a fix.

Murphy tells CHSJ News that fix can come about with regionalisation if it's done right so the city can get its hands on much needed revenue.

Murphy agrees with the city's Finance Commissioner Greg Yeomans that depending on the property tax to raise enough money for municipal services just won't be enough.

Murphy also says the 20 million dollars the province pays for the RCMP should get a second look because he tells CHSJ News there are rural areas not getting what they're paying for.

Young Man Denies Cornering Bartender For Sex

The 25 year old Chance Harbour man accused of sexually assaulting a female bartender at Buccaneers Pub in January offering his side in court this afternoon.

Bradley Scott Wilson told the court he has been an alcoholic for years and had been drinking when he arrived at the pub January 11th of this year.

According to Wilson,  the struggle happened after the bartender took $100 from a jacket he left in the washroom.

The woman earlier testified Wilson cornered her for sex and no money was involved.  

Wilson testifies the bartender attempted to make a deal saying she would keep the $100 she found in exchange for performing a sex act on Wilson.   

He alleges the intimacy was consensual.

Testimony continues this afternoon. 

A Heads Up For Drivers On West Side

Traffic on Bridge road will be reduced to one lane in both directions from the Reversing Falls bridge and the Simms corner train tracks until 5 this afternoon for paving.

Couple Forced From Home By Fire

A fire at a mini-home on Lake Road in Penobsquis.
 
A man and woman who live there are getting some help from the Red Cross while waiting for word from insurance adjusters.
 
No one was injured in the fire which was mostly confined to a bedroom with smoke damage elsewhere.

Simonds High Grad Killed In Motorcycle Crash

A funeral service will be held 3:00 this Sunday afternoon at King's Valley Wesleyan Church along Hampton Road in Quispamsis for 23 year old Jason Train who died earlier this week in a motorcycle accident along Highway 7 about a kilometer away from the Ocean Westway exit.

Jason was a graduate of Simonds High and studied Mechanical Technology at the Community College. 

At the time of his death, Train, found next to his motorcycle on Wednesday afternoon, was working with his brother at Port City Pawn Shop. 

City Police have called in accident reconstructionists to try to determine how the crash happened. It's also unclear when the accident occurred.

Bartender Says She Went Into "Survival Mode"

A 46 year old bartender allegedly assaulted at Buccaneer's Pub in January says she was in "survival mode" during the January attack--in which a 25 year old Bradley Scott Wilson of Chance Harbour stands accused.

In emotional testiomony, the woman said she feared for her life after fracturing her leg trying to run from a man shadowing her as she tried to close the bar. She says he took her clothing then intimidated her into performing sex acts in a bathroom. The accused allegedly smashed her phone when she tried to call 911 and she was unable to reach the bar's panic button.

Afterward, she says she smoked a joint and drank beer with him because she was terrified of angering him and he wouldn't let her leave. Her testimony continues tomorrow.

International Track Event Begins In Saint John

Athletes run in an event at the The North American, Central American and Caribbean Masters Championships in Saint John.

The event began today and continues until Sunday at the Canada Games stadium.

The participants must be over 30 to take part.

Acadian Closure Will Not Impact CBS

The closure of Acadian Bus Lines this fall will have no impact on Canadian Blood Service getting their product to hospitals.

Spokesperson Paul Doucet tells CHSJ News they were sad to see a long term carrier go down.

He says they areone of the many carriers they use and the closure date of November 30th will give them time to adapt and shift their requirements to other service providers.

He says they just have to adjust within a range of options they have including air and land travel including their own fleet.

Community Living Hosts Info Sessions

The many services that Community Living offers to children and adults are being discussed today.
 
Amanda Dobbelstyn tells CHSJ News they are hosting public information sessions at the Saint John public library.

She says they will be going over the four programs offered in Saint John along with ones offered at the provincial level.

One of those is the Transition program that moves people with intellectual disabilities from high school onto life after that.

The sessions at Saint John Public Library continues between 2 and 4pm and again tonight from 7-9pm.

 






 

Buccaneer's Pub Sexual Assault Case Continues

25 year old Bradley Scott Wilson of Chance Harbour appearing in court again this afternoon for sexual assault, assault causing bodily harm, and unlawful confinement. Wilson is accused of attacking a bartender, who sustained a fractured knee and other injuries at Buccaneer's Pub back in January.

The bartender allegedly drank and smoked weed with Wilson before he became aggressive and tried to have sex with her. Another young woman who was at the bar that night testified Wilson shared cocaine with her and then hassled her for a kiss and her phone number.

But a taxi driver who picked up Wilson and the bartender in the wee hours of January 12 said the two sat in the backseat together and she seemed fine. The alleged victim gives her side of the story this afternoon.

Arsonist Sentenced For Charlotte Street Fire

A 20 year old Mecklenberg Street man has been sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty to starting the fire on Charlotte Street April 25th which destroyed a convenience store at the corner of Princess Street and an historic theatre that was boarded up for years.
 
Roger Chaisson and two teens he knew had been smoking pot and wandering around the uptown, before breaking into the building at 127 Charlotte Street beside Trinity Anglican Church but left when they saw police cars outside only to return a short time later.  

They began lighting pieces of paper and cardboard which set a wall on fire and spread.  

Chaisson told police they tried to put it out but to no avail and then ran from the building.  

Chaisson also pleaded guilty to damaging the lock on his jail cell door and violating a previous probation order. The court was told he has grade 9 education and has been drifting through life with no direction wanting only to take drugs. 

Another of the accused, 19 year old Samuel Nolan has been declared unfit to stand trial.

Mispec Clean Up Set For Saturday

It's a hot topic and now one company and some volunteers are going to do something about it.

A cleanup is planned for this Saturday at Mispec beach to be followed by a BBQ.

Redhead residents, local users of the beach and politicians have been talking about the decline of the beach in recent years.

Canaport LNG will supply gloves and garbage bags for the cleanup but are looking for volunteers.

The cleanup starts at 9:30am with the BBQ planned for 11:30am.
The event will happen rain or shine.

To sign up, call Kate Shannon at 638-1311.

Self Serve Regular Rises Signifcantly

A big five cent a litre jump in the price of self serve regular after the weekly setting. 

The maximum price for diesel also increasing by just over a cent. 

Propane is down to a listed price of 94.2 cents a litre and there has been a slight increase of under half a cent in the price of heating oil.

3 Saint Johners Face Fraud Charges

The RCMP say three people from Saint John have been charged with fraud against the federal government after a four-year investigation.
 
61-year-old Herman Thompson, 62-year-old Cecile Bernier and 52-year-old Richard Howe have all been charged with fraud over $5,000.

The Mounties tell CHSJ News the charges stem from an investigation that started in 2008 following an unspecified complaint from the Canada Pension Plan office.  

Howe and Thompson are due before a judge on September 19th while Bernier has a court date in October.

Young Man On Trial For Sexual Assault

A 25-year-old man charged with sexual assault, assault causing bodily harm, and unlawful confinement appearing in court in connection with an incident at Buccaneer's Pub that left a bartender with a broken leg other and injuries.

Bradley Scott Wilson was seen on a surveillance video struggling with the 46-year-old woman and at one point removing his pants.

The alleged assault happened back in January. The trial continues tomorrow.