Kingston News February 25, 2020

Tyendinaga – Protest Update

The OPP arrest 10 people at the protest in Tyendinaga that had stopped rail traffic on the CN and VIA Rail tracks.

Officers arrived on the scene around 8am yesterday and offered protesters the choice of leaving on their own or being taken into custody.  Police haven’t said what charges the protesters are facing, but say they’ve all been released with unspecified conditions.

The OPP also visited a camp near the tracks at Highway 49 but didn’t make any arrests.

Around eight last night firefighters were called to the train tracks near that camp where a pile of tires had been set on fire.

The fire was extinguished.

A rail blockade has also been set up in Hamilton in response to the OPP raid in Tyendinaga.  The protest is blocking GO train commuter traffic.

Road Rage – Two Incidents

Kingston Police have charged two men in separate road rage incidents.

The first one happened on February 14th on Division Street near Elliot Avenue.  Police say a driver stopped his vehicle in front of another vehicle…got out and punched a man in the face twice through an open window, twisted the man’s wrist causing injury and tore a chain of the man’s neck.  A 44-year-old man turned himself in at police headquarters on Sunday and has been charged with assault.

A 70-year-old man is facing a charge of assault and careless driving after an incident around 4:30 p.m. on February 17th.  Police say vehicles were stopped in traffic on Division Street near John Counter Boulevard when a man walked back to the victim’s vehicle and punched him twice in the face through an open window causing injuries.  Police say video of the incident had shown an SUV being driven erratically and almost hitting a Kingston Transit bus before the victim was assaulted.  He was arrested on Saturday at a home in Kingston’s north end.

CMHA Closing

The Canadian Mental Health Association’s Kingston branch is closing at the end of March.

The Association has been operating in Kingston for more than 40 years and says the decision has been made because of changes in Ontario’s health care system.

The agency says it would need to have further funding to expand and offer clinical services to provide treatment.

The Kingston branch only provides preventative programs.

It says it is now helping clients find alternative programs and several agencies have already stepped up to assume programming.

A news release says any money it has left from fund raising will be given to other agencies to make sure the money stays in the community.

Space Heaters – Safety

Kingston Fire and Rescue says if you are using a space heater…feel the heat and avoid the flame.

The fire department says remember to put space heaters out of high traffic areas and at least three feet from anything that can burn. It also says you should never place items on top of your space heater and make sure it is plugged directly into a wall outlet and not an extension cord or power strip.

Shrove Tuesday

It is Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day and there are a variety of flapjack dinners taking place at churches in Kingston today and on at the 560 Legion on Montreal Street.

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent starts on Ash Wednesday. The name Pancake Day comes from the old English custom of using up all the fattening ingredients in the house, so people were ready to fast during Lent.