Linked Header

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Coverdale shelter collects items for women

The next time you are in a drugstore, grab an few extra toiletries or a pair of socks.
The Coverdale Emergency Shelter for Women are in the middle of their annual necessities drive for the Holidays.
Executive Director Nancy Porter tells CHSJ News that the shelter helps women 18 and older get back on their feet from a variety of situations.
You can also help out by picking up a hairdryer, hair straightener or pajamas, slippers and underwear. The items can be dropped off to our office at 58 King Street in Uptown Saint John until 5pm on December 18th.

Halifax Announces Country Show For the Summer


















              

                   (file photo)
Halifax is wasting no time in locking up concert goers for 2010.
Country Rockfest is coming to the Halifax Common August 6th and 7th. The show opens on Friday with George Canyon and Johnny Reid. On Saturday it will be Lonestar, Billy Currington, Keving Costner and his band Modern West followed by the headliner......Alan Jackson.
Tickets go on sale Tuesday at some Atlantic Superstores or you can call 1-902-451-1221.

Operation Red Nose Not Liked By All

Operation Red Nose is being criticized by some local cab drivers. It is the program where volunteer drivers play chauffeur to someone who is attending a Christmas Party in which they drive them home from the festivities at no charge. The cab driver we spoke with, who asked we don't use his name, tells CHSJ News, the set-up is taking money out of his pocket.


The driver says the principle of the program is fine but it is hurting their bottom line. He adds there is some talk among drivers that they take their vehicles off the road on New Years Eve.

One Lane Shut Down Along Highway One

If you know someone who travels along Route One to get home, pass this along. The stretch near Strescon is going to be reduced to one lane starting today as crews put a new overhead sign in place.

The new sign will help direct traffic to the new Ashburn Lake Road exit at a cost of $296,000 dollars. Speed will also be reduced in the work area which is expected to take a week.



New Lights on the West Side

Saint John Energy is working feverishly on Fairville Boulevard this week. Crews are installing new LED street lights as part of a green energy pilot project. These new lights are replacing the current 250 watt high pressure sodium lighting. The new LED lamps use only 112 watts of energy and provide a whiter light with better colour.

The benefit of the new lights is they provide the same output for half the energy. Officials with Saint John Energy and the City are looking into other area's to install the new lights.



Busy Shift for Hampton RCMP

Hampton RCMP are on the look-out for a pair of vehicles that drove the flashing red lights of a school bus yesterday morning. In one case, the driver drove through the lights, picked up someone and then went through the lights a second time while students were getting on a bus. It happened on the Kennebecasis River Road and involved a red van. The second was a Subaru Legacy that drove through the lights on Dutch Point Road.


There was also a hit and run just before six last night on Highway One in Bloomfield. A white SUV was passing a Yaris when it began to fishtail and hit the Yaris. It crashed into a ditch causing over $1,500 damage.

More H1N1 Clinics

You have several choices today if your still searching for a spot to get your H1N1 vaccination. There are four clinics in Greater Saint John including the Deer Island Lords Cove Church of Christ until eight tonight. Also, you can roll up your sleeve at the Kings Valley Wesleyan Church until nine tonight. Over on the Peninsula, there is a clinic between three this afternoon til nine tonight at MacDonald Consolidated School and there is also a clinic at St. Marks United Church until seven tonight.


Mass immunizations clinics will continue until the 16th at which by that time, they hope to have given the shot to everyone looking for it. Even after the clinics finish up, shots will still be available to those who want it.

Tannery Court Gets Glowing Recommendation

A glowing recommendation is being given to Tannery Court Co-operative Housing complexes. There are currently ones in Fredericton and Moncton with construction underway for a set up in the South End and another in the Hub City. The scientific evaluation of the quality of life of residents shows moving into the complex does improve the quality of life among people of this segment of society. The two-part study interviewed almost half of the residents at both housing sites.

It shows the single adults with life challenges whose incomes are below the poverty line, have experienced a significant positive change in their quality of life. Plans are also being explored for an additional Tannery Court set up in Fredericton. Several resident in the South End are opposed to the set-up saying it consolidates poverty within an already poor area.

New Gas Prices are Posted

At the time of the year when we all can use some extra jingle in our pockets......good news on the gas front today. The Energy and Utilities Board has released it's weekly price schedule which shows the maximum retail at 97.5 which is down two cents from seven days ago. Most stations in the metro are selling for 97.8.

The maximum total price for diesel is up a penny from last week at 105.8 a litre. Furnace Oil is going 88.4 which is up percentage points and propane comes in at $106.5 which is up a penny and a half from last week.

Speaking Out Against NB Power Hydro Quebec Proposal

Labour groups and political parties gathered in Moncton yesterday for a summit to discuss the possible sale of NB Power to Hydro Quebec. Tom Mann is one of the spokespeople for the groups which is based on the original Face Book group opposed to the proposed sale. He tells CHSJ News, with no mandate or public discussion....this proposal should never have seen the light of day.

Mann adds the savings and benefits of the proposal are both inbalanced for rate payers across the Province.



Work Near Musquash Power Dam

The pen stock at the Mucquash Power Dam is being dismantled. It is owned by the Province and operated by the Department of Natural Resources. Spokes-person Matt Jones tells CHSJ News, the stock was going to have to be replaced if and when the dam gets back up and running.

Jones adds one is a possible sale to NB Power but given the uncertainty of the public utility, that may have to be put on the back-burner.

Christmas Cards on Their Way to the Troops
















(Saint John MP Rodney Weston at Card Unveiling)
                (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

A little piece of home is on it's way to the troops in Afghanistan. Two Christmas cards created by local artist Norm Jackson and set up in the Valley and uptown over the past few months have left Saint John and arrived in Bellville. Saint John MP Rodney Weston tells CHSJ News officials with the Department of Defence will do everything in their power to make sure the cards arrive to troops in time for the holiday.


Greater Saint John was invited to sign one of the cards and let the troops know someone back home is thinking of them.

Natural Gas Leak

A natural gas leak is the cause of fire crews hanging around Brunswick Square for a few hours last night.
The fire department tells CHSJ News, it appears there was a malfunction with one of the burners at Cora's Restaurant, but the valve was shut off, and the problem was contained.
The fire department shut off the gas to the restaurant, and technicians came in to fix the malfunction.
Fire and police also were called to Golden Grove Road where a car flipped over but there were no injuries and Saint John Energy had to fix a power line that came down after a tree branch broke offand came down on it in the intersection of Loch Lomand Road and Greenwood Street.
NB Power is reporting five power outages early this morning in Rothesay affecting more than 950 customers.