401 Closed – Gananoque

The 401 Westbound was closed at Gananoque this morning following a collision involving a transport truck that spilled its load across the highway.

The OPP says nobody was injured.

The westbound lanes were closed at County Road 2 in Gananoque due to that crash.

 

Napanee – Fire

Damage is estimated at close to half a million dollars after fire destroyed two barns and a tractor trailer west of Napanee.

Greater Napanee Fire and Rescue was called to the scene on County Road 2 shortly after 5:20 a.m.

A wooden barn that contained hay was destroyed.  Flames spread to a second barn and the tractor trailer that had been parked nearby.

No people or animals were injured.  The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.

 

New Health Agency

There are only a few details available about the Ford government’s new plan for health care in Ontario.

Health Minister Christine Elliot announced yesterday the province is getting rid of local health integration networks and other provincial health networks.  They will be replaced with Ontario Health Teams operating under a new super agency called Ontario Health.  The changes are aimed at improving patient care and ending overcrowding in hospitals by coordinating services.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees represents 19 hundred hospital workers in Kingston.  It says it is concerned about privatization of jobs and the closure of hospitals in smaller communities.

 

Bail Hearing

The Kingston teenager facing two terrorism related charges will appear in a Kingston courtroom for his bail on two days in March.  The first day of the hearing will be held on March 12th.  The second day is scheduled for March 29th.  He now has two new lawyers after being arrested on January 24th.  He has been charged with knowingly facilitating a terrorist activity, and counselling a person to deliver, place, discharge or detonate an explosive or other lethal device in a public place.

 

Domestic Violence

A 57 year old Kingston man has been charged with two counts of criminal harassment and two counts of breaching a court order to not contact his ex.  Police say the man had been in a 27 year long relationship with a woman but the relationship had ended in 2017.

 

A 61 year old Kingston man was arrested on Monday after a woman was injured during a domestic dispute.  Police say the couple had been married for 30 years. He faces two charges of assault.

 

A 29 year old Kingston woman is facing a charge of assault after her man she has been living with for five years suffered injuries to his chest, neck and eye during a dispute at a north end residence on Monday.

 

Belle Park

The city is holding an open house today to get public input on plans for the future of Belle Park.

The former garbage dump operated as a golf course for years…but in 2017 city council agreed to develop plans for other uses for the 80 acre waterfront park.

A master plan has been developed with input from residents over the past two years.

The open house today is a chance for people to see what the vision is for the waterfront space.

It takes place from 3 to 7:30 p.m. in the multi-purpose room at the Rideau Height Community Centre and Library on MacCauley Street.

 

Indigenous Advisory Council

The Kingston Frontenac Public Library is inviting the public to a meeting tonight to establish an Indigenous Advisory Council.  The council will guide the library in developing Indigenous collections, programming, resources and spaces.

People who attend the session from 6:00 to 7:30 tonight at the Calvin Park Branch will be able to submit their candidacy for the Indigenous Advisory Council.

 

Pink Shirt

You may be seeing pink today.

It’s Pink Shirt Day…an initiative that has spread around the world after being started in 2007 in a small town in Nova Scotia.

Pink t-shirts, toques and socks have been sold in Kingston to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club.

The slogan on the front of the shirts this year is…Choose Kindness.