Body Recovered – Queen’s Student

The body of a 23 year old Queen’s University student has been recovered from the water of Lake Ontario in Kingston.

The man jumped off the Wolfe Island Ferry on Friday afternoon.

The OPP had originally said a backpack that was recovered contained the identification of an 18 year old but now says that information was incorrect.

Queen’s University Principal Daniel Woolf issued a statement yesterday afternoon saying “It is with great sadness that I share the news of the death of a Queen’s student over the past weekend. On behalf of the university, I offer my sincere condolences to his family and friends.

The name of the student hasn’t been released.

His body was recovered by OPP divers around 10:20 yesterday morning.

Arrest – Pursuit

A 27 year old Kingston man is facing charges after a brief police chase on Montreal Street north of the 401.

Kingston Police say officers tried to pull over a vehicle that failed to stop at the corner of Macadoos Lane and Montreal Street around 10 last night.

It took off and police chased it for a few minutes and then called off the chase.

The driver apparently had second thoughts and pulled over.

He was arrested on charges of flight from police and breach of probation.

Police say the man is also under numerous conditions from various other charges.

Jobs – Kingston Transit

Kingston Transit is hiring 14 new bus operators for expanded service on Express route 501/502.

It will run every ten minutes during peak times instead of every 15 minutes.

Transit manager Jeremy Da Costa says their drivers love the flexible shifts, meeting people, job stability, support from co-workers and the view from the driver’s seat,

Applications for the 14 new jobs are being accepted until February 26th.

Kingston Transit set a record with 4.65 million rides in 2015…an increase of 11% over 2014.

Gerretsen – Appointments

Kingston and the Islands MP Mark Gerretsen has been appointed to serve on the National Defence Committee and the Environment and Sustainable Development Committee.

Gerretsen says both committees are important for the Kingston area.

A major platform of Gerretsen’s election campaign was his commitment to protecting the environment.

He says National Defence is also a key priority because of CFB Kingston and the Royal Military College of Canada.

Military – Peacekeeping

One of Canada’s leading peacekeeping experts has penned a report saying Canada’s military isn’t prepared to resume its role as the world’s peacekeeper.

The Trudeau government has promised to get Canada back into the peacekeeping business.

The study for the Rideau Institute and the Centre for Policy Alternatives was written by Walter Dorn, a professor at the Canadian Forces Staff College.  He says the military provides less than a quarter of the peacekeeping instruction it did ten years ago and peacekeeping has been relegated to the back burner.

Pre-Budget – City

Kingston’s mayor says the Ontario government needs a program to fund infrastructure for municipalities with more than 100,000 residents.

Mayor Bryan Paterson says there is no program accepting applications for funding from municipalities like Kingston.

Paterson says – despite that – Kingston has asked the province to provide funding for expanded transit and a third crossing in its 2016 budget.

Gas – Class Action

A class action lawsuit is underway over gas price fixing in Eastern Ontario between May 1st of 2007 and November 30th, 2007.

If you bought gas during that period in Kingston, Belleville or Brockville you can make a claim in this class action.  Details are available through the website…gasclassaction.com

You’ll need proof of purchase documentation and the total value of gas purchases and have to complete the claim by May 27th.

https://www.gasclassaction.com/