Kingston News January 10, 2017

Weather Warnings – School Transportation

Environment Canada is calling for a snowy and very windy day and that led to a snow day for students.

Tri-Board Transportation announced early this morning that it cancelled all school transportation for the Limestone District School Board, Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board and the Hastings Prince Edward Board due to the impending weather.

Environment Canada has issued a weather advisory and a wind warning for the region.

5 to 10 cm of snow is forecast for today with a high of zero.  The snow is expected to change to rain this evening with the chance of freezing rain.  Environment Canada says it expects the wind to gusting at up to 70km/h this afternoon and up to 90 km/h tonight.

Rogers K-Rock Centre – Contract

Kingston city council is being asked to extend the contract of SMG Canada to operate the Rogers K-Rock Centre for another five years.

The company still has a year to go before its current agreement expires.

City staff is recommending changes in the deal to bring it in line with other arena management agreements.

Council is expected to discuss the issue when it meets tonight.

Fatal ATV Crash

A 61-year-old woman has died in Kingston General Hospital after an incident involving an all-terrain vehicle.  Prince Edward OPP says Kathryn Richards was found lying unconscious on Black Road in Sophiasburgh around 5:45 p.m. on Saturday.  Her undamaged all-terrain vehicle was idling nearby.  Richards died at KGH Sunday night.  Police say the woman didn’t have a helmet on when she was found and say alcohol was not a factor.

Police Assaulted

A 33-year-old Kingston man is facing charges after police say two officers who went to a city home to check on a resident ended up being assaulted.  Kingston Police say the officers were sent to check on a man’s well-being at around 8:30 a.m. Sunday at a home on Rideau Street after being contacted by someone concerned about Facebook posts made by the man.

A news release says officers entered the residence and observed evidence of drug use including used needles and various drug paraphernalia.

It says the man struggled with the officers when they tried to persuade him to go to hospital for assessment.  He has been charged with assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

Trudeau – Kingston

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is coming to Kingston for a town hall meeting on Thursday afternoon.  Trudeau will be at Kingston city hall from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday.  People who want to make a presentation have to register and you can do that through the website of Kingston and the Islands MP Mark Gerretsen.

HDH – New Hearing Aid

Hotel Dieu Hospital has launched a new program for people with hearing loss who can’t be treated with regular hearing aids.  The hospital is now performing a procedure for an implant called a bone-anchored hearing aid.  The implant connects directly to the nerves of the inner ear.  The first procedure in Kingston has allowed 28 year old Adam Pennock to hear again after he lost most of the hearing in one ear due to cancer.

In the past – patients who needed the implant had to travel to Toronto or Ottawa for the procedure.

Queen’s – Research Funding

Three Queen’s University research facilities have received a total of $44.25 million in support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

The Canadian Cancer Trials Group has received a five-year, $8.68 million grant to support its Operations and Statistics Centre at Queen’s.

SNOLAB has received a three-year, $28.57 million grant in support of the lab’s continued operation.

CMC Microsystems has received a three-year, $7 million grant.