Hospital Unions

 

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions says Kingston hospitals will be hard hit if the new Ontario government follows through on its plans to cut funding by four percent.  A report on what’s called hallway medicine has been released by CUPE and the Council of Hospital Unions.

The two organizations say hospitals in Kingston could lose up to 460 jobs and up to 90 beds could be cut.

 

Keeping Secrets at City Hall

 

Kingston City Hall is trying to find out who released details of a closed door meeting.  It’s illegal for councillors and staff to release information from closed sessions…unless the results are reported in an open meeting.  The Whig reports the leak was discovered when Frontenac Heritage Foundation President, Shirley Bailey, requested a copy of the report from an August 7th closed door meeting of council.  The meeting was held to discuss Homestead Landholdings proposals for three apartment buildings in downtown Kingston.  Some kind of deal has been cut with Homestead and Bailey wants the official report on the meeting.  Two of the Homestead buildings are the subject of an ongoing Local Planning Appeals hearing.

 

Domestic Violence

 

Domestic violence in the news again…An 86 year old Kingston man has been charged after a fight in the Highway 38 car pool parking area during the noon hour on Wednesday.  Police say it started after a man visited his parents and found out his father had repeatedly assaulted his mother over 50 years.  The two got into a fight.  The 86 year old has been charged with one count of assault against his son and one count of domestic assault.  Police say they found the elderly man in one ambulance and his wife was in another following the incident in the car pool parking lot.

 

A 56 year old Kingston man has been charged with assault and uttering death threats after breaking into a north end residence Wednesday night.  Police say a woman intervened when she saw the man breaking in through the front door and hitting a woman inside the residence.

 

A 28 year old man from Picton is also facing charges after a fight with a woman Wednesday morning.

The OPP has charged with man with 2 counts of spousal assault and one count of cruelty to animals.

 

Hospital – Naked

 

A woman is facing charges after running through Kingston General Hospital exposing herself.  Kingston Police say the 19-year-old went to Kingston General on Wednesday morning, disrobed and put on a lab coat.  When she was confronted by security she began running through the hospital exposing herself.  She eventually ran out of the hospital but was caught by security staff near King and Barrie Streets.  The A 19-year-old woman has been charged with theft, and indecent exhibition in a public place.

 

Stolen U-Haul – Charges

 

Three people, including a man from Kingston are facing drug and weapons charges after the OPP stopped a stolen U-Haul Truck near Mallorytown.  The U-Haul was stopped yesterday after it wasn’t returned.

23 year old Alexander Ubdegrove of Kingston, 19 year old Brittany McIlvenna of Brockville and 47 year old Jason Gordon of Leeds and Thousand Islands Township have all been charged with possession of property obtained by crime, possession of methamphetamine and cocaine and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Ubdegrove is also charged with breach of probation and Gordon faces an additional charge of failing to comply with an undertaking.

 

Ian Arthur – Enviro Critic

 

Kingston and the Islands MPP Ian Arthur has been appointed as the official opposition’s Environment Critic.

Arthur is a newcomer to politics.  He won the riding for the New Democrats in the provincial election.

Arthur was name Environment Critic yesterday by NDP leader Andrea Horwath.

 

Indigo Opening

 

The official opening of the new Indigo store at the Cataraqui Centre takes place tomorrow.

The new store replaces the Chapters Store on Princess Street.

The new store occupies over 18 thousand square feet in the former Target Store location at the mall.

 

Blues Fest

 

The Limestone City Blues Festival continues today and tomorrow in downtown Kingston.

Concerts take place in Confederation Park in the afternoon and tonight the main stage is at Princess and Barrie Streets.  Tomorrow night it’s in Springer Market Square.  Blues bands are also being featured in downtown clubs.

It’s the 22nd anniversary of the blues festival this year.

https://www.downtownkingston.ca/events/2018/limestone-city-blues-festival

 

 

Bass Angling – Record

 

A record day on the water in the Thousand Islands is proving the St. Lawrence River is the top fishery in North American for smallmouth bass.  The final Bassmaster Elite tournament of the season opened yesterday in Waddington, New York…across the river from Morrisburg.  Day one leader Matt Lee of Guntersville, Alabama caught his limit of smallies…his five bass weighed in at 27-pounds, 12-ounces…an average of over five pounds per fish and the heaviest single-day smallmouth limit in Bassmasters history.

The largest fish of the day was a monster 6 pound 12 ounce smallmouth bass caught by Brett Hite of Phoenix, Arizona.

The first place prize in the tournament is $100,000.