Tyendinaga – Rail Line Blockade

VIA Rail has announced it is cancelling passenger train service today and tomorrow due to the ongoing blockade of the train tracks on Wyman Road in Tyendinaga Township.

OPP officers reportedly told protester yesterday to end the blockade or face being arrested…but the protest is continued this morning.

The demonstrators are supporting opponents of the Coastal GasLink pipeline project that crosses the Wet’suwet’en First Nation traditional territory in B-C.

VIA Rail says it will take 36 hours to resume service once the blockade is over because tracks will have to be inspected.

The protest has shut down all passenger and freight traffic between Toronto and Montreal.

 

Kidnapping – Six Charged

Kingston Police say the victim of a kidnapping was able to escape when they tipped off a store clerk at the Cataraqui Centre last week and the clerk called police.

Six people from Kingston have been charged with kidnapping the young person and forcing him to take part in a convenience store robbery at Nelson Street and First Avenue on February 5th.

24-year-old Dylan Lasher, 20-year-old Ethan Turcotte, 18-year-old Summer Turcotte, 18-year-old Lucas Jackson, 35-year-old Deryk Lapointe and 40-year-old Shawna Albertson are facing charges including forcible confinement and assault.

Lasher, Jackson, Ethan and Summer Turcotte face additional charges of kidnapping, extortion, and robbery.

 

Teachers Strikes – Wednesday Update

Members of the Elementary Teachers Federal of Ontario are back to holding one day rotating strikes after a province wide walkout yesterday.

Elementary schools in the Limestone District Board are closed today due to the rotating strikes.

 

Health Coalition – PSW Report

The Ontario Health Coalition says there is a critical shortage of Personal Support Workers in long term care facilities across Ontario.

The coalition released a new report in Kingston yesterday outlining the issue.

The report recommends one worker for every six residents of a long-term care home. The report says the current ratio is one for every 12 residents.

 

Philpott – Queen’s

Former federal health minister Jane Philpott says she can’t wait to start her new job as dean of the faculty of health sciences and director of the Queen’s University medical school.

The former family doctor made headlines when she resigned from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet over the S-N-C-Lavalin affair.  She failed to be elected as an independent MP last fall.

Philpott will start her job at Queen’s on July 1st.

 

Nursing Degrees – St. Lawrence

St. Lawrence College President and CEO Glenn Vollebregt calls it terrific news.  The Ontario government has announced it will allow colleges to independently grant nursing degrees for the first time.  The province says the change will mean colleges no longer need to partner with a university to offer the programs.

St. Lawrence College offers nursing programs at its campuses in Kingston, Brockville, and Cornwall.

A news release from the college says it has recently upgraded learning facilities to include modern, state-of-the-art technical training equipment and clinical simulation labs.

 

Planning – Williamsville

Planning staff with the city of Kingston will be holding a workshop tonight for people interested in development on Princess Street from Bath Road to Division Street.

Current construction of high-rise buildings along Kingston’s main street is being done under guidelines approved almost eight years ago in The Williamsville Main Street Study.

The session tonight starts at 6:30 at St. Lukes Anglican Church.  There is a presentation scheduled for 6:30 to start the workshop.