Teachers – Tuesday Strikes

All Catholic schools in Ontario are closed today.  The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association is staging a one-day strike to protest a lack of progress in contract talks with the Ontario government.  The strike involves both elementary schools and high schools.

Public high school teachers who are members of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation are also on strike today at nine school boards in Ontario…including the Hastings and Prince Edward District Board.  Its high schools are closed today.

Elementary teachers at public schools are also staging one day walkouts this week.  So far, the rotating strikes by the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario have not targeted the Limestone District School Board.

 

Queen’s – Investigation Ended – No Charges

Kingston Police have wrapped up their investigation into a racist and homophobic note discovered in Chown Hall at Queen’s in October and say no charges will be laid.  Police say they were not able to find the person responsible for the note,

Queen’s Principal Patrick Deane issued a statement yesterday saying he knows the news will be received across campus with disappointment and sadness, perhaps also with anger and fear.  He went on to say…I understand and sympathize with those feelings.

 

Warming Centre

Kingston has opened a new warming centre for the homeless in the basement of the building housing the GoodLife Fitness Centre at Wellington and Barrack Streets.

The centre opened earlier this month and has already served 90 people.

The city has budget $150,000 to keep the shelter open from 8pm to 8am from January to April.

The Kingston Warming and Counseling Centre is also being funded by KFL&A Public Health and is being operated by staff from Home Base Housing, Kingston Community Health Centres and Providence Care.

 

Kingston Break-ins

A Kingston man is facing multiple charges after three homes were broken into in one night.

Kingston Police say the incidents took place early Friday morning and involved a person stealing items from downtown homes.  Police say the man was also involved in a theft from a store on a different date.  The 24-year-old man is now facing a total of 13 charges.

 

Scam Calls

Kingston Police continue to warn the public about phone calls from scammers that appear to come from police agencies.  Call display shows the calls are coming from the RCMP, OPP, Kingston Police, or department of justice.  The person on the other end will threaten you with jail time if you fail to pay them.

Officials are reminding you police do not contact people demanding payments and would never request payment by bitcoin or gift cards.

 

Coyote – Non-Rescue

A coyote that appeared to be injured and was the subject of an aborted ice rescue in Kingston apparently left the ice on its own.  Kingston Fire and Rescue was called to the area of the LaSalle Causeway around 10:20 yesterday morning.  People had seen three coyotes crossing the ice on the Cataraqui River – one of them appeared to be injured and lay down on the ice.  Firefighters responded to calls from people who believed it was a dog.  But, firefighters who used an inflatable raft to get close to the animal determined it was a coyote and called off the rescue due to safety concerns.  The animal was gone from the ice early yesterday afternoon.

 

Survey – 1000 Islands

A survey conducted by the 1000 Islands International Tourism Council has found 73 per cent of tourism businesses in the Thousand Islands were satisfied or pleased with business during 2019.  The annual survey says that’s down from 91 per cent in 2018.

High water levels were the top concern for businesses last year.  67 per cent of those responding to the survey said water levels had a negative impact on their tourism season.