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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Former Mayor Supports Cuts To Council Size

Former Mayor Shirley McAlary thinks the city could manage very well with just six councillors and a mayor.

The idea being raised by Councillor Chris Titus this week to cut up to four council seats in order to save money.

McAlary tells CHSJ News there are larger cities than Saint John that operate with only six councillors and they make out just fine.

She says the cuts would probably save the city money, but it's also a good idea because it would make council more efficient.

McAlary says it would take less time to make decisions if there were only six people who needed to have their say.

Liberal MLA Says Grand Manan Home Should Be Priority

Liberal MLA Rick Doucet says despite the good news that two nursing homes in Northern New Brunswick are being replaced and another is getting more beds, building a new facility in Grand Manan should have been a top priority -- especially in the wake of eight people being transferred out due to mold problems.

He wonders how the province's validation process works given the lack of progress and suggests the 11 homes slated for revamps during the Liberal's mandate should be immediately honoured.

He adds families now have to face numerous hardships like seeing their loved ones leave the island and enduring numerous ferry trips to visit them.

NB Power Says Underground Power Lines Not An Option

NB Power says building an underground transmission line would be too costly despite complaints from West Side residents that power poles along the Fundy Coast will devalue their property and ruin their view.

The poles are being put up to power a metal shredding business at the port and residents want them underground.

NB Power spokesperson Melissa Morton tells CHSJ News underground power is seven times more expensive to install and other problems could arise like limited access to the lines during the outage.

Morton says they are currently trying to address concerns, such as installing grey poles to blend into the skyline and to position them in such a way that will not affect the view.

More Tickets Handed Out To Lead-Foot Drivers Construction Zones

The RCMP's ticket book getting a good workout: 45 speeding tickets being handed out during a traffic blitz on Highway 1 in the Norton area.

The RCMP were on the lookout for NASCAR wannabe's in construction zones.

A similar operation was held last week in Charlotte County, where 61 people got tagged, including a driver who got zapped for 600 dollars.

The fines for speeding through a construction zone in the province are doubled and RCMP will be conducting similar checks throughout the summer.

Police Put Death Threat Scam To Rest

City police want to warn you about a killer scam.

Sergeant Glenn Hayward says there's an online scam circulating the area and you might receive and e-mail where the writer claims to be an assassin hired to kill you.

The scammer gives the option of sending money to prevent your own murder.



Police say if you receive an email that contains personal information about you, to contact the police.
 
For more information, follow this link.

New Brunswickers Being Encouraged To Join Cancer Study

The provincial government is encouraging all New Brunswickers to be part of the largest cancer study ever undertaken in Atlantic Canada.
Health Minister Madeleine Dubé says it will lead to a better understanding of the factors that contribute to cancer and help them with strategies to reduce the burden of cancer in the province.
 
The Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health is investigating how genetics, the environment, lifestyle, and behaviour contribute to the development of cancer.
You can take part in the study by calling 1-877-285-7284 or click here

Cormier Convicted

 A jury convicting 63-year-old Romeo Cormier of abducting a 55-year-old Moncton woman last year and keeping her prisoner for 26 days.

 Cormier pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, forcible confinement, sexual assault, assault with a weapon, robbery and uttering death threats.    But a jury convicted him of all six charges.
   
Cormier was arrested last March after a woman said she was abducted by him at knifepoint outside the Moncton mall where she worked.     She said she was held against her will in his one-room basement apartment for 26 days.    Cormier testified in his defence, saying the woman was an acquaintance who wanted to be with him and plotted with him to kill her husband.

His Sentence Doesn't Ease Mother's Pain

Kylee's mom, Raylene Wallace, taking the time to remember her daughter as a special, talented young woman who had dreams to graduate and go on to university. Wallace says the 2 and a half year sentence could never add up to the devastation her family's been through.

She says it's good to have this part behind them but, without Kylee it will never be over for them.

Wallace sobbing through her victim impact statement as she told the court about the night of the accident. She says she can't get the image out of her head of her daughter stuck under that car, and how scared she must have been.

Two And A Half Years In Federal Prison For Pike

20-year-old Nicholas Pike will spend two and a half years in a federal penitentiary for his involvement in a car accident on Hillcrest Road that claimed the life of 15-year-old Kylee Wallace last June.

Pike found guilty of dangerous driving causing death after the car he was driving rolled over a steep embankment. Wallace died when she was thrown from the back of the car and pinned underneath the vehicle.

Reports say Pike was driving a minimum of 80 kilometres an hour when the car left the road, despite a speed limit of 50. The judge says he was also ignoring the weather conditions, which were wet and foggy.

Saint Johner Makes Top 22 On Reality Dance Show

A Saint Johner has made it into the top 22 on the dance competition show--"So You Think You Can Dance Canada".

Matt Marr is 20 and graduated from K.V High and he has performed with Dancibility and Kidsing.
He's been living in Toronto and has also performed in some music videos.