Travel – Winter Weather

 

The Winter Solstice arrives at 11:28 this morning and Environment Canada says it is going to bring some nasty weather.

Environment Canada says snow will start this evening…continue overnight and into tomorrow afternoon.  Up to 10cm is expected and on top of that there is a chance of freezing drizzle in the forecast for Friday afternoon.

 

Veterans Pensions

 

The Trudeau government is promising to provide injured veterans with lifelong disability pensions.  Veterans Affairs Minister Seamus O’Regan says the changes are retroactive, even for veterans who have already received a lump-sum payment.  The Harper government abolished lifelong pensions in 2006.  The new plan won’t come into effect until April of 2019.

 

City Budget Approved

 

Kingston City Council has rubber stamped a 2.5% increase in property taxes for 2018.  Council approved the city’s $378 million dollars operating budget and $58 million capital budget at its meeting this week.  Council also approved the Utilities Kingston operating budget of $95 million.

The city says the 2.5% increase in property taxes translates into an increase of $85 a year for a home with an assessed value of $300,000.

 

Frontenac County Council

 

North Frontenac Mayor Ron Higgins has been elected as the Warden of Frontenac County for 2018…replacing current Warden Ron Vandewal…Mayor of South Frontenac.

The newly elected Warden addressed the issue of contract negotiations with two CUPE locals that held a rally outside the meeting yesterday.  The union claims the County is demanding concessions including a reduction in sick leave.

Higgins says council expects an agreement to meet three tests: respect for employees…fair in the marketplace…and respecting the taxpayers.

Frontenac Islands Mayor Denis Doyle was elected Deputy Warden of Frontenac County.  Doyle says his municipality is eligible for $560,000 in funding for infrastructure damaged during spring flooding.

 

Tugboat – Picton Bay

 

Picton Terminals has announced its new tugboat will be breaking ice in Picton Bay this winter.

The Sherry Lynn S. will be breaking ice down the centre of the Bay from the Glenora Ferry to Picton Terminals and up to the Lehigh Cement Company all winter.

You can expect to see an increase in shipping in Picton in the future. A news release says Picton Terminals is being developed and expanded to provide better import and export services to the local economy.

 

Stun-Gun-Attack

 

Kingston Police say they arrested a suspect in a stun-gun attack after finding him hiding in a bedroom closet of a home on Division Street.

Investigators say an arrest warrant for the man was issued after a person was attacked with a stun gun in a parking lot on Cowdy Street on October 24th.

The 19-year-old was arrested on Tuesday and faces numerous charges including assault with a weapon.

He’s also facing a handful of charges after a vehicle backed out of a driveway on Division Street on Monday…hit a police cruiser and took off.

 

IB KCVI Socks

 

Chalk it up to the power of socks.

Students in the International Baccalaureate program at KCVI sold 90 packs of funky socks through the We Help Two’s Socks for the Season Initiative.

They raised enough money to outfit an amputee with an above the knee prosthetic leg and received 90 pairs of warm socks from the initiative.  The students will give the socks to the Kingston Youth Shelter today.

 

College Strike – Settlement

 

An arbitrator has settled the labour dispute between Ontario college faculty and the colleges.

Professors, counsellors and librarians will get a wage increase of 7.75 per cent over four years…the same as what was offered before the strike.  But the issue that led to a five week strike wasn’t about money.  It was about academic freedom and both sides say they are happy with the wording of new language that covers the issue.