Date Set For Pleas In Blue Moon Arson Case

The man charged with burning the Blue Moon Motel being given another court date.

Defence asking for more time in St. Stephen Provincial Court this morning so Gordon Lankisch from St. Andrews, and another man from Saint John who is also charged may review disclosure in the case.

The Blue Moon Motel on Mowatt Drive in St. Andrews was significantly damaged by fire in 2010.

Judge David Walker setting the matter over until February 25th, when both men will enter a plea and elect to be tried by judge and jury, or judge alone.

Two Year Anniversary For Missing Maine Toddler

It's now been 2 years since a toddler in Maine was reprted missing from her crib.

Justin DiPietro made the call December 17, 2011 that his daughter, 20-month-old Ayla Reynolds had disappeared from his home in Waterville.

Police have said a good amount of Ayla's blood was found in DiPietro's basement.

Ayla's mother, Trista Reynolds also released to the public that police had told her the baby's blood was also found in Justin's truck, throughout the house, and on his shoes.

Community members offered a $30,000 reward for evidence or her return.

No charges have been laid and police do not believe Ayla will be found alive.

Snooks Gets An Additional 3 Months In Jail

Former Saint John Common Councillor Donnie Snook gets an extra three months in jail on three sex charges stemming from when he was living in Newfoundland.

The jail time is in addition to the 18 year sentence he received in Saint John for crimes against children.

Snook appearing in a City courtroom today looking thin, with a goatee and a shaved head.

There were four charges originally but one was withdrawn because the victim was 14 at the time.

Snook's lawyer Dennis Boyle says his client's participation in this was minimal adding it was his first sexual experience as an adult.

The Crown wanted Snook to get a year for each of the new charges to which he pleaded guilty. 

Pensioners Could Get Cost Of Living Increase

It might not entirely quell their fears about the Shared Risk Plan--but retirees who had been receiving pensions under the Public Service Superannuation Act could receive a cost-of-living increase in 2014 equal to 100 per cent of the inflation rate under the new plan.

The cost-of-living increase will depend, however, on how well the plan is funded, but in a release Finance Minister Blaine Higgs claims the new plan is designed in such a way that the likelihood of providing annual cost-of-living increases is very high. Effective Jan. 1, 2014, retirees' pensions will increase by 0.96 per cent  based on the average change in inflation.

Higgs says if a shared risk model had been adopted 20 years ago, the cost-of-living increases  retirees received would have been the same as what they were under the former plan.

City-Wide Crackdown Leads To 29 Arrests

A special operation known as Operation Sweet Tooth has been bitter news for the local criminal element.

Sergeant Jay Henderson of the Saint John Police Department explains they reassigned officers from their regular detachments and formed a special unit to undertake Operation Sweet Tooth.

In total, 29 people from all over the city were arrested and charged with over 103 criminal charges including weapons offences, drug dealing, and assaults. 

Over $102,000 in drugs and cash were also seized.

Police Confirm Identity Of Body Discovered

Saint John City Police cordoned off an area by the train bridge on Chesley Drive late yesterday afternoon as you turn left off Hilyard Street towards the former Acadian Lines bus station.  Yellow police tape could be seen.

Searchers who were out looking for 17 year old Gavin Adams came across a body late yesterday afternoon.
 
Police have now confirmed the body is that of the teen who was reported missing late Sunday afternoon. 

Adams was last seen Saturday night in the area of Chesley Drive. Police don't suspect foul play but are awaiting the medical report on cause of death.