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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Big Hand From The Feds For Key Industries


A local company that helps people with disabilities find employment is getting a major boost from the government.

Key Industries on Charlotte Street is getting more than $68,000 dollars from the Opportunities Fund.

It's predicted the project will help 13 Saint Johners find jobs. It'll be used to host of workshops for people with disabilities to develop life and employment skills, and also find work placements in the retail, maintenance, and hospitality sectors.

Since 2006, the Opportunities Fund has helped over 34,000 people with disabilities across Canada.

NBers Warned To Watch Out For New Type Of Investment

New Brunswickers are being warned to watch out for a new kind of investment in the binary options market.

Binary options are similar to bets on whether an asset will increase or decrease in value in a fixed, and often very short, period.

They're sometimes referred to as "all or nothing" options." People who buy these options--which are often hawked through ads, email, social media or over the phone--are not protected by New Brunswick securities laws. Buying them may put any money invested at significant risk.

If you've been approached by a company offering these types of investments, you're encouraged to contact the commission immediately. For more details, click here



Snow Samaritans Save The Day


Enough complaining about monster drifts and uncleared streets--what's the positive side of all this snow?

Kate Trecartin tells CHSJ News she parked overnight on Peters Street, then returned to find her car completely encased from bumper to bumper--with three feet of the white stuff separating her from her car door.

Fortunately, some good Samaritans came to the rescue. Two men in a truck worked for 40 minutes to do what Trecartin estimated would have been a three-hour job on her own. She says it was an excellent reminder of the community spirit many people have here in Saint John.

Many others have reported similar Random Acts of Shovelling--so if you've got a snowblower, take a hint and don't just plow on by your neighbours struggling to clear a path.

Snow Blitz Won't Stop Winter Runners

There might be 6-foot snowbanks barricading the streets and more ice pellets and rain on the way--but that won't deter 80 local runners from competing in the so-called Hypothermic Half Marathon this Sunday.

The snow-or-shine winter road race has been happening in Saint John for the past decade. According to Running Room Atlantic events coordinator John Acheson, the 21-kilometer route from Cape Spencer to Lily Lake is going to be well-salted and safety will be a top priority.



Acheson notes that the course is fairly hilly, but levels out about halfway through. Fortunately for the intrepid athletes, the forecast for Sunday doesn't include any precipitation and is fairly mild.

The runners get shuttled out to Cape Spencer then run back to Lily Lake. The Hypothermic Half Marathon begins at 8:30 on Sunday morning and there are still spots for runners to sign up--if they dare.

For more information click here

The 2014 Give Raising Money For Better Cancer Treatment

The 2014 Give to raise 900 thousand dollars for lab equipment that will be used to make cancer treatment better at the Regional Hospital is off to a good start with 250 thousand dollars pledged by Bruce Dowd and his family which has been matched by the John T. McMillan Junior Foundation. 

Jeff MacDonald, a member of the Foundation's Board, says John McMillan Junior died from an aggressive form of leukemia in 2005 at the age of 34.

 The head of Stem Cell Therapy at the Regional Hospital, Dr. Terrence Comeau tells CHSJ News cancer treatment is changing for the better and the new lab equipment will analyse the patient's D-N-A, which is unique, with the treatment individualised specifically for that person. Both diagnosis and treatment will be quicker.


Dr. Terrence Comeau says analysing D-N-A is how you hit cancer where it hurts and no two cancers are created equal.


The Regional Hospital Foundation also announcing the 2013 Give reached its goal of raising 850 thousand dollars to buy equipment that will be used during neurosurgeries.


Boo, Snow Ban! Yay, Free Parking!

An overnight snow parking ban has been declared for the South/Central Peninsula effective 11pm this evening through to 7am tomorrow morning.
 

For tonight’s ban only, free parking will be available in the Peel Plaza Parking Garage. Offer valid between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.

 Photo credit: Sean O’Shaughnessy.

You Could Be Breaking The Law Without Knowing It On Rothesay Ave.

If you use Rothesay Avenue and Bayside Drive regularly, you could be breaking the law without even knowing it.

The city is reminding drivers that access to that area has changed with no vehicle access to Bayside Drive from Russell Street.

Trying to cross the multiple lanes of traffic at the intersection is considered a hazardous operation of a vehicle and could result in fines for anyone caught doing it.

You can expect more signage to go up in the near future: right now the road markings don't match up with what the sign says, and they're looking to fix that as well.


Check out a map of the correct route to use here

Sidewalk Closed

Due to a large amount of snow on the roof of the Aquatic Centre, and the risk it presents pedestrians, the sidewalk along the east side of St. Patrick Street, from King Street to Union Street, has been temporarily closed. 

The sidewalk will remain closed until further notice. Pedestrians are asked to observe the closure and be vigilant of other areas that may be experiencing falling snow.

Major Power Outage

Saint John Energy is dealing with what's described as a major power outage in the city. It occurred around 4:30 and it believed to have something to do with a transformer and will likely be later this morning before the power is back on for those affected. 

Alarms were activated in the north end on Main Street North and in the uptown on Union Street and Charlotte Street. CHSJ News has also been told by a caller to our 648-3000 newsline, people along Golden Grove Road on the east side are affected as well.

Another Messy Morning Commute

The latest fall of snow in the Saint John area dumping 13 centimeters of snow at the airport. It had stopped by around 3 this morning but Steve Fougere of Environment Canada tells CHSJ News another disturbance is moving in tomorrow.

Fougere says there will be increasing cloudiness tomorrow morning then just a couple of centimeters of snow, ice pellets and then rain.

It's thought the Saint John area might be receiving anywhere from 20 to 30 millimeters of rain.

We also have a report of a power outage in the city which happened around 4:30. There's no word yet from Saint John Energy on what might have caused it but alarms were activated in the north end and uptown.

The Price Of Self Serve Regular On The Rise Again

If you have to fill up today, you'll have to pay more for self serve regular after the weekly setting. The maximum price for self serve regular has gone up by almost 2 and a half cents a litre. 

Diesel is a bit cheaper, going down by just under half a cent a litre. 

Heating oil is up by almost a cent with the maximum price at $1.34.3 a litre. 

The maximum price for propane has decreased by 1.3 cents to $1.51.5 a litre.