Election – Kingston

 

The Ontario election campaign officially begins today after the final session of the 41st Parliament was dissolved yesterday.

Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford has a major announcement scheduled in Toronto this morning.  Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner are also starting off their campaigns in Toronto.

 

Liberal MPP Sophie Kiwala is facing four opponents in her bid for re-election in the riding of Kingston and the Islands.  Former Kingston Mayor Gary Bennet is running for the Progressive Conservatives.  Chef Ian Arthur is the NDP candidate.  Kingston’s Green Party candidate, Robert Kiley, was recently elected as the Deputy Leader of the party and broadcast technician Andre Imbeault is running for the Trillium Party.

 

Weapons Charges

 

A fight involving a pellet pistol outside the Cataraqui Centre on Gardiners Road on Monday has resulted in weapons charges for a 17 year old.

Kingston Police say a person was attacked and during a struggle was shot twice with a pellet gun.  The victim’s friends intervened and the 17 year old faces charges of assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and carrying a concealed weapon.

 

Impaired Cyclist – Assault

 

A 23 year old Kingston man has been charged with assaulting police during an arrest for public intoxication.  The man had been riding a bicycle in downtown Kingston on Monday night.  Police were called when he fell off the bicycle and say the man lashed out at officers – hitting one in the forehead with a punch and tried to spit on and bite the officers.

On top of the assault charge the man has been charged with breach of probation.

 

Kingston Pen Tours – Start Wednesday

 

One of Kingston’s top tourist attractions kicks off its 2018 season today.

Tours of Kingston Penitentiary start today and officials say tickets will be available at the door.

There are special accessible tours on specific days this season to help accommodate people with vision, hearing, and mobility impairments.

50% of the net profits of the tours goes to the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington for its youth homelessness initiatives. Last year that amounted to $800,000.

 

Parks Canada – Gordon Island – Prescribed Burn

 

Parks Canada will be deliberating starting a fire on Gordon Islands in the St. Lawrence River east of Gananoque today.  It says people may see flames and smoke coming from the island…but it is what is called a prescribed burn aimed at helping regenerate red oak trees as well as other plants found on the island.  Gordon Islands is home to Thousand Islands National Park.

Nurse – RPN of the Year

 

A Kingston woman has been named the registered practical nurse of the year by the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions.  Susan Cooper has been an R-P-N for the past 10 years and was a personal support worker for 10 years before that.  Cooper says the nursing profession runs through her blood since her mother is a retired nurse, and her sister and daughter are nurses as well.  The Nurse of the Year award is handed out each year to coincide with nursing week.

 

KP Social Media

 

Kingston Police and its use of social media is the subject of a video produced by a 3rd year Film and Media student at Queen’s University.

Cam Barry says he began following the social media accounts of the city’s police force when he came to Kingston and thought it would be ideal for his mini-documentary.

It profiles the active use of Twitter and Instagram by several officers and Barry says it shows how they go above and beyond the call of duty.

The video is called The Thin Blue (On)Line and Barry received an A for his project.

 

https://vimeo.com/265304806