Teens who want a future as a carpenter or a electrician can get their career on track early with a new career training program. The Teen Apprentice Program is recruiting 30 grade 10 students from five high schools in southern New Brunswick to learn a skilled trade.
Mark Sherman of program founding member, Irving Oil, tells CHSJ News that the average age of the building trades journey-person in the province is 50 years old, meaning many jobs will need to be filled in the future. He estimates that between 5000-8000 jobs will need to be filled just to replace a retiring workforce.
20 businesses will taken on the students, and by the time they graduate from high school, they will have completed the skilled trade apprenticeship block 1 training hours in their trade of choice.
A memorial service is being held in the city for those who have been hurt or have died at work as part of National Day of Mourning.
Ron Oldfield of the New Brunswick Federation of Labour tells CHSJ News that when it comes to safety in workplaces, the attitude seems to be shifting for the better. He says employers are taking the stance now that safety is more important than speed; it's a job well done as long if it's done safely and everyone goes home happy at the end of the day.
The ceremony starts at noon today at Lily Lake, where there is a monument dedicated to injured workers followed by a small lunch provided by WorkSafeNB.
Health problems are bad enough without feeling out of the loop about your treatment, and Fredericton activist Monica McNally is petitioning the board of Horizon Health for an independent patient advocate to make sure people get the answers they're seeking.
McNally tells CHSJ News under the current system, patient advocates are hospital employees and as a result aren't exactly impartial. She'd like to see a totally independent advocate, like an ombudsman, to answer questions and make sure patients are treated with respect.
She says her son, Laurie, was misdiagnosed and treated disrespectfully by some hospital staff as he recovered from a life-altering bowel surgery. She says the province can't afford to make errors with people's treatment.
Lace up your bowling shoes and slip on your leather jacket.
Rock 'n Bowl for Kids is the theme of Big Brothers Big Sisters major annual fundraiser, Bowl for Kids Sake, and executive director Laurie Collins tells CHSJ News that the money supports their agency, which in turn, supports local kids in need of mentoring.
Their goal is to raise $120,000, and to recruit 100 teams to celebrate 100 years of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Canada. For more information, including how to sign up for the event on May 8th, click here.
As the baby boomer generation gets older, the rates of Alzheimer's will get higher. Jamie Matthews of the Alzheimer's Society of New Brunswick tells CHSJ News it's projected that in the next quarter century, the number of people suffering from the disease will more than double.
He tells that even though it's a disease that's all around us, we still have some misconceptions. One of which is that we often think dementia is isolated to nursing homes, but in fact, 50% of those diagnosed still live in the community. The other is that people with dementia can't make new memories, which Matthews says is untrue.
Matthews tells us there are over 13,000 people currently living with the disease in the province, and in the next year alone it's predicted we'll have 2500 new cases. If you want to help out, you can sign up for Walk for Memories, an Alzheimer's fundraising and awareness walk. For event details and to register, click here.
On Route 177, two ATVs collided with each other in the early morning hours today. One of the drivers was hurt in the crash and taken to hospital, the other wasn't hurt and left the scene. Saint John Police tell us they think alcohol was involved.
In the Quispamsis trailer park, an ATV driver was taken to hospital after driving into a steel cable. Rothesay Regional Police say that because it was dark, the man didn't see that the cable had been strung across a route near Carpenter's Pit and it got him in the throat.
For the next 6 to 8 weeks nature-lovers will have a chance to see more wild birds than usual in their natural habitats.
It's the season where ducks come out in droves to feed and mate before they start to settle down and build their nests. Andrew Holland of the Nature Conservancy of Canada tells CHSJ News it's a great activity for families. He says it's a beautiful and spectacular sight.
Holland says most local ponds, streams and rivers will have more wildlife activity at this time of year.
A St. Stephen Court has ordered Kelly Cove Salmon to pay 500 thousand dollars after the company pleaded guilty to using an illegal pesticide in 2009 and 2010 to get rid of sea lice at salmon farms.
Kelly Cove Salmon is owned by Cooke Aquaculture. The charges were laid after hundreds of lobsters died in the Bay of Fundy.
400 thousand dollars of that half million will go to the Environmental Studies programme at U-N-B as well as scholarships.
The C-E-O of Cooke Aquaculture, Glenn Cooke says the company questions the allegations but wanted to avoid a lengthy and very public court case.
He goes on to state the company has limited the stocking of those salmon farms that had higher sea lice levels until the industry has access to a full array of pest treatment and management tools which will negatively affect the local economy
An East Saint John mother and daycare operator is one of the 8 candidates hoping to fill that empty seat in Ward 3.
Barbara Ellemberg says she's giving municipal politics a try because she feels like its the right time.
She tells CHSJ News she was upset when Marlborough Drive became Retail Drive.
She says the traffic increased and her neighbours felt they had nowhere to turn so they appealed to the planning advisory committee who ruled in their favour but told them not to get their hopes up.
That decision was overturned by the council of the day.
Ward 3 voters go to the polls on May 13th.
Provincial NDP Leader Dominic Cardy is throwing his support behind the striking Maritime Broadcasting workers.
At a well-attended rally in King Square in support of the strikers, Cardy told CHSJ News we don't need more jobs paying poverty wages. Rather, part of being a New Brunswicker is pitching in and making life better for everyone--and the way he sees it, MBS owner Robert Pace is failing to do that.
Cardy was conspicuously the only politician to show up at the event, to the displeasure of some of the union representatives.
Uptown Saint John rolling out what it's calling a new improved grant programme to allow businesses to make the facades on their storefront look more attractive.
Uptown General Manager Peter Asimakos tells CHSJ News there are grants for those businesses that are not in the designated heritage area.
There's money for design help, construction, signage, patios and even interior storefront window displays.
Uptown Saint John has a committee which reviews the designs before deciding whether to approve the grants.
It is a sad fact of our healthcare system that many elderly people--especially those with dementia--end up in hospital beds when their needs would be much better provided for in nursing homes.
Horizon Health Board Member Linda Forestall tells CHSJ News in NB there are 415 patients currently in that situation, which results in back logs in the hospitals. In addition to contributing to overcrowding, the hospital environment can hasten the progression of dementia and decrease the quality of life for the patient.
Those 415 represent almost 28% of all hospital beds. Forestall says better home care, getting families involved wherever possible, and developing a comprehensive plan for more nursing home development are all essential.
George Jones, the hard-living country singer who recorded dozens of hits about good times including "He Stopped Loving Her Today'' has died at the age of 81.
Publicist Kirt Webster says Jones died today at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville after being hospitalized with fever and irregular blood pressure.
Known for his clenched, precise baritone, Jones had No. 1 songs in five separate decades, 1950s to 1990s, and was idolized not just by fellow country singers, but by Frank Sinatra, Pete Townshend, Elvis Costello, James Taylor and countless others.
In a career that lasted more than 50 years, ``Possum'' recorded more than 150 albums and became the champion and symbol of traditional country music, a well-lined link to his hero, Hank Williams.
If you are a senior or know one, you may want to consider dropping by the Senior Wellness Fair today at the Simonds Lions auditorium.
The free event is focused on seniors and includes over 30 health and wellness exhibitors along with door prizes and live music.
Delbert will be performing from 2:15pm to 3:15pm
Seniors are encouraged to bring along any old or outdated medications for disposal.
The event begins at 12:30 and runs until 3:30 at the Simonds Lions Auditorium on Loch Lomond Road.
3 more arrests made in the RCMP investigation of drug trafficking near St. Stephen High.
An 18-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman, both from Oak Bay are looking at charges of trafficking in marijuana.
A 15 year old youth was also arrested for possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.
The Horizon Health Network has announced it must find $12.5 million in efficiencies in its budget by the end of this fiscal year.
The sheer size of that sum means nearly 80 healthcare workers will be seeing layoff notices on their desks in the near future. Horizon Health Network CEO John McGarry tells CHSJ News the cuts will be happening on all levels from administration on down.
On the one hand, McGarry tells CHSJ News the cuts will not mean decreased quality of care; however, he also says the cuts will mean people have to travel to get certain types of care and wait longer for others. He says while Horizon will attempt to be as compassionate, the fact is the majority of the corporation's resources are spent on people, and thus jobs are what will need to be cut.
He blames the so-called "out of control growth" of the system in previous decades for the current cuts, adding Horizon's situation is hardly unique--on the contrary, it's a pattern that's playing out worldwide.
McGarry says the cuts will be put into place within the near future.
If you want to see Island View school on the west side get an outdoor classroom getting the mouse clickin and the fingers tappin.
Tomorrow is the deadline to vote for the school in the Majesta Trees of Knowledge contest.
Principal Mark Blucher tells CHSJ News the school is in the first place in the voting.
He says they were nervous last week when they slipped to second spot and thankful for the community response that brought them back up to first place.
You can vote for Island View school until 11:59pm eastern time tomorrow and the school finds out if they won on May 17th.
To vote, click here
Hundreds of students along with police and firefighters, business leaders and regular citizens celebrating Pay It Forward day in the Port City at the Marco Polo Cruise terminal.
The international kindness initiative grabbing hold in Saint John with little acts of positivity like buying a coffee for a complete stranger.
Police Chief Bill Reid tells CHSJ News he thinks the movement will have a good impact on issues like bullying adding it certainly can't hurt when people have a positive outlook over a negative one.
Rothesay High Palmer Dennison tells CHSJ News she pays it forward herself and thinks it's great people are getting together to celebrate the day.
She tells us she noticed a woman had forgotten her purse in a store and she ran out and gave it to her.
Grand Bay-Westfield Mayor Grace Losier and Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll along with MLA Carl Killen and Saint John Deputy Mayor Shelley Rhinehart for an event with singers and dancers and Pay It Forward founder Charley Johnson.
The qplex is hosting an outdoor fitness party at 6 tonight in the overflow parking lot for Pay It Forward day.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is crying foul as the first of the proposed 131 layoffs at Horizion Health come to light.
CUPE provincial co-ordinator Ralph McBride tells CHSJ News the union was led to believe the first 19 cuts would be in administration but claims they're actually top paying unionised jobs that are being chopped.
He suspects senior management are trying to protect their own.
McBride charges Horizon Health is top heavy in administration and he predicts the job cuts will adversely affect frontline medical care.
Another court appearance for a 51 year old man from Ontario who was arrested the other night on the Marr Road by Rothesay Regional Police after his girlfriend was threatened with a machete.
Arnold James Cote was sent back to jail after asking Judge Henrik Tonning for an adjournment and his bail hearing will now be held May 10th.
The charges include making death threats, possessing a dangerous weapon and mischief by damaging his girlfriend's car.
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