Kingston News July 12, 2018

Opioid Overdoses

There has been a spike in the number of opioid overdoses in the Kingston area.

KFL&A Public Health has issued an alert saying seven people have been admitted to hospital because of opioid overdoses in the past two and a half weeks and that is unusual.

The health unit is urging people who use opioids to do so safely and is encouraging them to use Kingston’s Overdose Prevention Site at the Street Health Centre on Barrack Street.  It is a supervised site for user that’s open from 4-10 p.m. seven days a week.

Shoplifting – Drug Bust

A shoplifting at the Metro in Napanee has led to drug trafficking charges.  The OPP says a woman was seen getting into a vehicle without paying for items on Tuesday afternoon.  It was stopped on the 401 in the area of Odessa.

Police found the stolen items along with a small quantities of fentanyl, heroin, crystal methamphetamine, and cocaine.  33 year old Alicia Bowman has been charged with theft and possession for the purpose of trafficking as well as driving under suspension.

31 year old Austin Ambrose has been charged with trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime.

Woman Charged – Possession

A Kingston woman faces charges after drugs were discovered in a vehicle during a traffic stop on the 401 eastbound near Palace Road.

Police seized 90 grams of cocaine, unmarked cigarettes, 150 pills, a digital scale, cell phones and other items during a search of the vehicle Tuesday evening.

37 year-old Sarah Hammond has been charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of unmarked cigarettes and driving while suspended.

Wrong Apartment

Kingston Police have charged a man found lying in a bed in the “wrong apartment”.  Someone reported a person in a residence in the east end on Tuesday afternoon.  Police say while searching the apartment with the property manager, officers found a man in an upstairs bedroom lying in bed with a baseball bat.  The 24-year-old Kingston man was charged with being unlawfully in a dwelling, and two counts of breach of probation.

Stabbing – Suspect

A man remains on the loose after a stabbing in Kingston.

It happened just before 9:00 on Friday night in the area of Bath Road just east of Portsmouth Avenue.  A man and his wife were walking on the south sidewalk when a confrontation with a man on a bicycle took place.  The victim was stabbed in the leg.  The suspect took off on a bicycle and was last seen in Lafleur Park.

Legislature Resumes – Hillier – Throne Speech

The P-C government of Premier Doug Ford will outline its priorities in a throne speech today.

House leader Todd Smith has already said the priorities include ending cap and trade…ending the York University strike and cancelling the White Pines wind farm project in Prince Edward County.

Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott won the job of speaker of the house on the first ballot yesterday.  Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP Randy Hillier had wanted the job.

Hydro One

Premier Ford has made good on his promise to get rid of Hydro One C-E-O Mayo Schmidt.  Schmidt’s immediate retirement was announced yesterday by the Premier.  A statement from Hydro One says Schmidt will not be entitled to severance but will receive a 400-thousand dollar lump sum payment in lieu of post-retirement benefits.  Ford also announced the resignation of the utility’s entire board of directors saying he will make good on his promise of reducing hydro rates by 12 per cent.