RCMP Kingston – Opiate Trafficking – James Bay

The RCMP says it has uncovered a criminal network in Kingston that was involved in supplying prescription opiates to James Bay First Nations Communities.  It says the problems created by opioid use prompted the Tribal Council to declare a state of emergency last year.  Health Canada also asked the RCMP to investigate drug trafficking between Kingston and northern communities.

That investigation led to the arrest of three people in Kingston on Monday and Tuesday.

31 year old James Burtch, 40 year old Pearl Friday and 48 year old Michael Eric Loone have been charged with trafficking.

 

Car Loses Wheels

A 39 year old Kingston man faces charges after a car was severely damaged when it slammed into a pole on Leroy Grant Drive.  Kingston Police say a passenger side wheel was ripped off but the vehicle was driven away on three wheels around 1:15 yesterday morning.  It was found abandoned near Johnson Street and Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard after it lost a second wheel.  Witnesses told police the driver took off on a bicycle that was in the trunk.

A man was arrested on Portsmouth Avenue and charged with impaired driving and resisting arrest.

 

Domestic Violence

A 22 year old Kingston man faces charges, including two counts of assault, after scaling the outside of his ex’s apartment building.

The man wound up on the woman’s third floor balcony around 9:45 Tuesday morning and let in.

Police say he grabbed her, took her phone, punched a mirror and left.  He was arrested when he later returned to her apartment.

 

Uber Survives Kingston Bylaw

It is back to the drawing board for the Kingston Area Taxi Commission in its bid to regulate ride sharing services like Uber.  A bylaw that would have effectively spelled the end to the services by imposing hefty fees was supposed to start on September 15th.  The commission told a meeting last night a legal loophole has been found that bars them from imposing the bylaw.  It is now on hold indefinitely.

 

DocuPet Expansion

The pet licensing software company that started in Kingston is growing and has expanded into the United States.  DocuPet is supplying its pet licensing program in Syracuse, New York. It opened an office in Syracuse last week.  It will run shipping, customer service and marketing operations south of the border.

DocuPet has 25 employees in Kingston.  It provides pet licensing services for 22 municipalities in Canada…including the city of Kingston.

 

Glen Lawrence to Close

The Glen Lawrence Golf Club east of Kingston is closing.

Club members have been notified the club will operate until October 31st and that is when the golf season will end.

Management posted a message on the Glen Lawrence Facebook page saying…we will close our doors for one final time and bid a fond farewell to The Glen.

There is no information on what the future of the golf course will be.  There is speculation it has been bought by a local developer.

 

County Council – Pay Increases

Frontenac County Council has given itself a pay raise…but it is only about a quarter of what was recommended in a consultant’s report.

Council voted yesterday to hike the wardens pay to $28,900 a year…a six thousand dollar increase.

Councillors will be paid $11,900 a year…an increase of 29 hundred dollars.

The deputy warden will earn an additional $2,100.

 

Cannabis Farm in Flinton

Residents of a rural village in Addington Highlands north of Highway 7 have been surprised to find out there’s a cannabis growing operation with 8,000 plants in their back yards.

The greenhouse operation in the village of Flinton is licensed by Health Canada – but the village wasn’t even aware it was in operation until this week and is investigating because the farm hasn’t been rezoned for commercial use.