The INVISTA Centre will keep it’s name for another two year term after Kingston City Council approved the extension of the naming rights agreement with INVISTA Canada until 2025.

Site Manager with INVISTA Kingston Dennis McAllister says,“INVISTA considers the City of Kingston a preferred partner, and we’re honoured to be able to extend our naming rights partnership with the City. The two years we lost due to the pandemic was a challenging time for us all, but we’re moving forward, and we take great pride in being able to support the Kingston community.”

The City of Kingston has announced that Sadiqa de Meijer has been appointed as Kingston’s new Poet Laureate. The honorary four-year term position celebrates the contribution of poetry and literary arts to life in Kingston. Mayor Bryan Paterson welcomed the new poet laureate at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

She has received a Governor General’s Literary Award and and recently received a 2022 Mayor’s arts award.

De Meijer says, “Over the past twenty years, I have watched Kingston/Katarokwi unfold into new forms… I’m looking forward to translating this shifting place into poetry, to creating collaborative projects with local residents, and to bringing poems to the city’s landscape.

Her first official event as Poet Laureate will be at the Mayor’s Levee on January 10, where she will read a new, original poem created for the occasion. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

With the United Nations Biodiversity Conference or COP15 beginning in Montreal today and the UN’s COP27 having recently wrapped up, Just Recovery Kingston and Kingston Youth Climate Action are sponsoring a City and Climate Town Hall online tonight at 7, with three panelists discussing opportunities and obstacles for climate justice at the local level.

The panelists will discuss: How Kingston can meet the 50% by 2030 target required by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and what can be done in response to the climate crisis at the municipal level. The panelists include:-Mary Jane Philp of 350 Kingston Ian Borsuk of Environment Hamilton and Burnaby city councillor Alison Gu.

To register visit the Just Recovery Kingston Website, and join me at 5 on The Scoop for an exclusive interview with Mary Jane Philp of 350 Kingston.

A new museum telling the story of local Holocaust survivors has opened. L’dor Vador: From Generation to Generation, the Holocaust Museum and Educated Centre is located within Kingston synagogue Beth Israel Congregation. The museum is comprised of a permanent exhibit of Family Trees that illustrate the stories of ten children who survived the Nazi genocide of Jews during World War 2, and how they built their lives in Kingston. The trees were created by students of the former Queen Elizabeth Collegiate and Vocational Institute.

Teacher Pam Simon who spearheaded the project says, “The goal of creating this museum space is to not only educate students, but also to educate History and English teachers on how to teach the Holocaust.”

The exhibit also includes a surviving Torah Scroll from the destruction of European Jewry.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Education workers in Ontario have voted to accept the four year deal offered by the provincial government. The ratification vote brings lengthy, and at times contentious, negotiations between the two sides to a close after strike action saw schools across Ontario close in early November.

CUPE 1480 Local President Erin Provost says  “They had concessions for a lot of things and we didn’t end up losing anything. We kept everything basically as status quo and we ended up with a dollar an hour raise. It isn’t nearly enough, but it’s more than we’ve seen in over a decade.”

76% of 55,000 education workers participated in the ratification vote between November 24 and December 4, with 73% of those voting in favour of the agreement.

Provost said that the recent court decision to overturn the public sector wage-suppressing Bill 124 didn’t really have any bearing on members’ willingness to go back to the table,  however the Ford government’s intent to appeal that decision demonstrates the contempt the government has for its’ school children, as the money that will be spent on an expectedly lengthy and rigorous legal challenge could have gone towards supports for students.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with YGK NEWS.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities was this past Saturday and just ahead of that, The City of Kingston  presented its 2022 Accessibility Awards.One of the award recipients was Associate professor of mechanical and materials engineering at Queen’s University, Dr. Claire Davies who teaches the interdisciplinary Building Better Together program for 3rd year biomedical students and 2nd year occupational therapy students. Davies and her students design assistive technology to increase independence for persons with disabilities. She says she tries to put her engineering students into an accessibility mindset.

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Other recipients include: Owner of Signable Vi5ion, Leah Riddell, Bailey Daniels for her work with Motion Kingston and Polson Park Public School. Catch my full conversation with Dr. Davies and Leah Riddel this afternoon at 5 on Citizen K.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

The United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington has announced a new Youth Peer Support Program for youth in the region. The program will work with youth aged 16- 24 on a referral basis. Youth seeking support will then be matched with trained peers  with lived experience over the age of 18.

This past summer, Resolve Counseling hired a Youth Program Facilitator with the financial support from United Way. Director of Community Services at Resolve, Tara Everitt says,

“The Facilitator is working with youth and agencies to really develop a model that works for our community, we want young people to know they are not alone. We want to help support them to build hope. It is youth supporting youth.”

The community-driven initiative was identified through a special youth mental health committee spearheaded by Kingston Health Sciences Centre and United Way KFL&A.

The committee discussed multiple challenges youth often face when they are in crisis, or discharged from hospital. Youth indicated that having a peer walk with them through this experience would be a tremendous help during the transition.

According to a release from United Way, following the initial development of the program and pilot period over the next year, the program hopes to expand further to include more youth and agencies in the community.

As of January 6, 2023, Pascan Aviation will be pausing air service at YGK Airport  Aron Winterstein, YGK Airport Manager says, Forward bookings on Pascan are not where they need to be, this is not an issue with safety or support from our partners and residents.. Currently, travellers cannot book directly on the Air Canada website, use Aeroplan points for bookings or speak with an Air Canada booking agent. and we are pausing service until those levels of customer service can be met.” 

Travellers can book travel from YGK/Kingston to YUL/Montreal through January 6 by visiting the Pascan Aviation website. Travellers currently holding tickets on Pascan Aviation will be honoured through January 6th.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

The Kingston Community Climate Action Fund have announced three projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the community. the City of Kingston’s Community Climate Action Fund is seeking to raise $112,308 to support the projects. The projects include the Frontenac Club Day Care Integration Programme to build retrofits to create 20 new licensed daycare spaces in Kingston and a new wheelchair-accessible preschool and infant rooms. The retrofits will improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Ongwanada is looking to purchase an electric wheelchair transport bike that can be used to help residents maintain their mental and physical health and Sustainable Kingston is looking to purchase an electric vehicle that will replace gas-powered vehicle use. 

Donations to the fund are accepted at all Kingston Community Credit Union branches, the KCCU will match donations made through the bank up to $5,000. 

This afternoon, more than 11,000 students and staff from 40 schools in Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington will take part in the 21st annual Jingle Bell Run. 

Students will be donating a non-perishable food in exchange for a jingle bell, and then participating in a one kilometre festive fit break where they will walk, run or skip around their school or community “with bells on”. This is a partnership between KFL&A Public Health, local school boards, and local food banks to help gather food donations for families in need. The run will start at 2:30 at both Bayridge Public School and Southview Public School.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

The Kingston Humane Society has launched Home For The Holidays today, as adoptable cat numbers soar to over 90. As part of the campaign, all adult cats can be adopted for $50, while all senior, VIP or special needs cats can be adopted for $25. Executive Director Gord Hunter says, “Our goal is to get at least half of these cats into loving homes before January,” “We’ve had another year of operating well over capacity and one of the consequences of being over capacity is that many of our cats have longer stays.”Many of them have been through hell before they end up at our door and we want the remainder of their lives to be the absolute best.”

According to a release from the KHS,During the holiday season, animal shelters can find themselves bursting at the seams. Foster volunteers are frequently not able to care for animals over the holidays and the public is more concerned about strays due to weather conditions. This combination can bring even more animals into an already overcrowded shelter. The regular adoption process still applies and more information can be found on the KHS website.

Your parking ticket can help children in need. Today, tomorrow and Monday from 8:30 until 4:30 this afternoon, you can donate a toy instead of paying for a parking ticket. According to a release from the city, The value of the toy should be equal to, or greater than, the value of the ticket. Receipts must be provided when making the donation. Only new and unopened toys will be accepted. Recommended items include games, cars, dolls and stuffed toys that are suitable for children up to the age of 12. Anything requiring batteries or promoting violence will not be accepted. Toys can be dropped off either at City Hall Payment Centre or at 1211 John Counter Boulevard.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police have arrested and charged a 14 year old with making death threats. Police received a call on Friday in regards to an allegation of a potential threat made towards Kingston Secondary School by an unknown individual on social media. Later Friday afternoon, police arrested a youth in Kingston’s north end, they were released on conditions and with a court date. 

The Agnes Etherington Art Gallery won 5 Ontario Galleries Awards.

Agnes Director and Curator Emelie Chhangur says, “The awards are an important moment to reflect on the social and civic impact that public galleries have on our communities and to celebrate the extraordinary work we undertake—work that often goes unnoticed because it is so seamless, I am mega proud of Agnes this year, whose activities, hard work and innovative practices have rightfully been acknowledged by our peers across the province.”

Agnes was recognized with two exhibition awards, one curatorial award and two design awards. The 2022 Ontario Galleries Award winners were announced at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto on Monday.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

A “Stop Bill 23” protest took place outside Kingston City Hall on Sunday morning. Environmental groups including: 350 Kingston, River First YGK, Seniors for Climate Action Now and Kingston Youth Climate Action were at the rally.

This comes as local environmental groups and Cataraqui Conservation are expressing concern over the proposed bill.  Queen’s University environmental sciences master’s student and member of Kingston Youth Climate Action Mary Anne Schoenhardt says, “It reduces the authority that Conservation Authorities have in the development process and their ability to enter into partnerships with municipalities, it will prevent how they are able to assign or give permits for development…they won’t be able to consider species at risk as well as consider pollution.”

The bill, also referred to as the More Homes Built Faster Act, aims to build 1.5 million homes over the next decade. CFRC reached out to Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark, who proposed Bill 23, but did not receive comment. My conversation with Mary Anne Shoenhardt as well as with Cataraqui Conservation General Manager Katrina Furlanetto on the environmental concerns regarding Bill 23 coming up this afternoon at 5 on Citizen K.

The Canadian Frailty Network and MP Mark Gerretsen announced a federal investment of $950,000 at an “Aging Well Together” event at Kingston City Hall. The free, online program will help seniors to assess and adjust their lifestyle to mitigate the effects of frailty, connecting to local resources.

Dr. John Muscedere, CFN Scientific Director and a professor at Queen’s, says the program should enhance the level of personalization people receive in their health advice, and point them in the right direction to get it.

The centres will promote five main categories of healthy aging including: activity, vaccination, optimization of medication, reduction of social isolation, and diet.

Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington is the first region with a health aging centre, but the program will expand to cities throughout the country.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with YGK News.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

The City of Kingston has announced the Waabaan Crossing Bridge will officially open on Tuesday December 13th officially marking the transition to the bridge’s community-selected name. The Waaban Crossing is the largest infrastructure project taken on by the City to date, with the City of Kingston and the Governments of Canada and Ontario each contributing $60 million toward the project. 

According to a release from the city, “The new crossing will support ongoing growth and development in the Kingston community, enhance access for emergency services and advance the City’s active transportation network.”

Mayor Bryan Paterson says, “As we move forward with the new name Waaban Crossing, the bridge offers each of us a chance to reflect on the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples in Kingston, encouraging us to continue to work together to build a thriving community.” 

The official ribbon cutting will take place between 2 and 2:30, while the bridge will open officially to the public early in the evening.

Tourism Kingston has been named Tourism Employer of the Year at Canadian Tourism Awards.

Executive Director of Tourism Kingston Megan Knott says, “The Canadian Tourism Awards recognize the best of the best across Canada – this award is a testament to the amazing team we have at Tourism Kingston. It’s an honour to work alongside them each day and to build a workplace culture that supports their success and wellbeing.”

The Tourism Employer of the Year Award recognizes a business leader and organization that have made a commitment to foster equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging and that embrace innovative ideas to move the company forward while supporting and encouraging workplace and personal life balance.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

The City of Kingston has announced the 2022 Accessibility Award Recipients. The Community Organization award will go to Polson Park Public School for it’;s continued upgrades to their playground. Nominator Stacy Watson says.” By reducing the physical barriers and rethinking the playground, the school created spaces where all children can play together and engage in a variety of activities. 3 Community Members will also be receiving awards. Bailey Daniels who works with Motion Kingston will be recognized for helping others gain independence and confidence by providing clients and their families with mobility and accessibility equipment. Associate professor of mechanical and materials engineering at Queen’s University, Claire Davies for designing assistive technology to increase independence for persons with disabilities, and owner of SignAble Vi5ion Leah Riddell, who educates individuals, businesses and corporations on how to create work environments centred around inclusive communication. She is also a past member of the City’s Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee, where she used her training and lived experience to advance accessibility for persons with disabilities in Kingston.

There will be a free ceremony next Friday December 2nd from 1 to 3 at Memorial Hall in City Hall featuring keynote speaker Desirée Walsh known for her standup comedy using her sense of humour to shine a perspective on her experience as a person with cerebral palsy.

Kingston Economic Development Corporation and St. Lawrence College announced they have launched the first upskilling hair stylist training of its kind in the region. The free training is available for local industry stylists and apprentices who are seeking to advance their skills on all hair textures. The training will focus on diversity and inclusion in the hair styling industry.

According to a release from Economic Developmnent, 

“As the international community grows within the Kingston region, individuals are finding that stylists don’t feel confident enough to work with all hair types. These training sessions will position Kingston as a city with dozens of stylists who are able to cater to any one person who sits in their chair.

 All training sessions will be available free of charge to interested stylists and apprentices seeking to advance their skills working with multiple textures of hair. The next round of training sessions is currently slated to begin on January 22, 2023.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

A Homelessness Forum hosted by Lawson Health Research institute showcasing findings from across Canada was held at the INVISTA Centre yesterday. 

Assistant Scientific Director at Lawson Dr. Cheryl Forchuk says, “We have been to every province and territory in Canada to collect data. We have interviewed more than 400 people experiencing homelessness in each community and have had focus groups with 190 service providers, Our ultimate goal is to gather the most accurate numbers of people experiencing homelessness across the country so we can collectively work together towards solutions such as an increase of services that are targeted to address specific concerns and vulnerable populations in each unique community.”

My conversation with Dr. Forchuk is coming up this afternoon at 5 on The Scoop

Groups and individuals will gather on River Street this Saturday to remember Indigenous Grandmother Laurel Claus-Johnson who died at the end of September. Speakers will cover her various contributions to Kingston and celebrate love of trees, including her efforts to save over 1800 mature Tannery trees threatened with clearcutting. The event will begin at 2pm on Saturday on River Street, in front of the Grandmother White Oak.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

A new facility in Kingston is looking to bring healing and growth through community and psychedelics, Neuma which opened its doors in September is hosting two events this week. Today, Neuma is holding a dedicated sampler class for frontline workers, hoping that healthcare staff who especially in the last few years have been overwhelmed and stressed, can access tools that can help bring relief.

Neuma Co-founder Cory Firth says “Psychedelics have the potential of not being this constant pill we pop,”“It has a tool to be able to teach people how to take some sovereignty back into their health and wellness practices and allows them to build skills for themselves to help sort of manage and improve on their symptoms of mental health.” 

 Neuma has paired up with the Kingston Economic Development Corporation for a Psychedelic Culture Connection event happening at Mitchell Hall on Queen’s campus tomorrow, with the intent of growing this learning series in the next year.

At this time Neuma is only using what is legally available to them primarily through psychedelic sampler classes that combine mindfulness, music, and breathwork with the intentional use of cannabis.

Firth says especially since its legalization cannabis has come to be seen as a recreational drug, but through more deliberate use it can be a transformational and medicinal tool. Through 3 hour classes, participants are introduced to a psychedelic experience in a safe space and in a group setting.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with YGK News.

Queen’s University music collective QWave is encouraging everyone to make music. QWave recently hosted a Sound Play event at Union Gallery. QWave founder Adam Ben David says “ it was an opportunity for people to come and create their own music using sounds that already exist, you can come in here with no instruments and create something totally different than what someone else might do two minutes afterword,” says Ben David.

He says the club’s mission statement is anyone can make music and that they try to break down barriers.

Catch my full conversation with Adam Ben David this afternoon at 5 on CITIZEN K.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Effective December 21st, 2023, after 38 years of service, Kingston Police Chief Antje McNeely announced her upcoming retirement from Kingston Police.

In an announcement McNeely said, “Throughout my tenure as Chief, I have been committed to the promotion of equity, diversity and inclusion as well as member wellness within our organization.”

Chair of the Kingston Police Services Board Jarrod Stearns says, “She has loyally served the people of Kingston and has been a champion of diversity and equality, both internally and externally. She has been a strong advocate for disadvantaged persons and underrepresented groups. Chief McNeely will be remembered for reaching out and collaborating with external agencies and initiatives, like Kingston Speaks Inclusion, to address inequities and the root causes of crime.”

McNeely was Deputy Chief for 7 years, and served as Chief of Police for 5 years.

Utilities Kingston says that R.W. Tomlinson Limited is expected to start restoration works on the water and sewer project on Front Road and King Street West today, with scheduled completion by December. The project will restart in the spring of 2023. The plans will include feedback received from community members at an information that took place in September. A second information session will be held following resumption of the project to provide community members with an update and timelines. According to a release from Utilities Kingston, this project will redirect sewage from the Portsmouth Pumping Station and interconnect a trunk water main. It is expected to save energy, reduce sewer overflows, create capacity to support downtown development, and improve operations and system performance.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

55 thousand education workers across the province could once again be on strike as of Monday, just shy of two weeks after their initial strike action ended. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) gave five day strike notice yesterday morning, saying bargaining talks with the province had broken down just a week after employees returned to work in schools. The Conservative government has increased their offer when it comes to wages, by roughly a dollar per hour , however President of CUPE-OBSCU Laura Walton said it’s not enough, and maintained that improving supports for students is an important part of negotiations that has been largely ignored.

She said, the Ford government came back with an offer that still was “without a single cent for students” and has left the union no choice. At this time, the Limestone District school board has yet to release an official board statement and it’s unclear if schools would again flip to remote learning in the wake of a strike. If a deal is not reached, education workers could hit the picket lines as of Monday November 21st and schools across Ontario could likely be forced to close their doors again.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with YGK NEWS.

Pianist, composer and vocalist Michael Kaeshammer’s coast-to-coast tour is set to make a stop at The Grand Theatre in Kingston next Friday November 25th.  Kaeshammer’s music draws from several different genres including: jazz, boogie-woogie, classical, rock and more.

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He is currently on a tour across Canada to promote his upcoming album Turn It Up, which is set to be released in March.

He says, “There’s a whole bunch of new songs from this Turn It Up record that we’re previewing on tour and trying out in front of an audience.” 

His Kingston show at The Grand Theatre on November 25th will be his final Ontario stop before heading west.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca Please Stay tuned Cyndy is in next with your Indie Wake Up Call, don’t miss her interview with Paul Langlois of The Tragically Hip.

Next Thursday November 24th and Saturday November 26th are the final drop-off days this year at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at the Kingston Area Recycling Centre. The City asks that prior to heading to the Household Hazardous Waste facility to check your residence for hazardous waste items like pesticides, batteries, pool chemicals, removers or strippers, paint thinners, bleach motor oil antifreeze, propane cylinders and compact fluorescent light bulbs. Proof of residency is also required. After the facility closes for the season, batteries can still be dropped off at City Hall, the INVISTA Centre, or at the main office at The Recycling Centre, and compact fluorescent bulbs can also still be dropped off at The Recycling Centre. The City says to never put hazardous waste in the garbage or down the drain.

This Saturday afternoon, Right Livelihood Award recipient, and founder of the research organization ETC Group, Pat Mooney will be at Kingston City Hall to talk about the group’s report A Long Food Movement: Transforming Food Systems by 2045. Director of the National farmers union Local 316, and event organizer Kathy Rothermel says we have reached a turning point.

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Mooney has been writing, and speaking about food issues since the 70’s. The event runs this Saturday from 2 to 4 in Memorial Hall at City Hall. Please join me this afternoon at 5 for my conversation with Kathy Rothermel for more information on the event.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Health Sciences Centre has received 10 pediatric transfer patients from Southeastern Ontario over the past month. This is due to a recent surge of young patients experiencing respiratory illnesses as a result of COVID-19. This month Ontario Health directed hospitals to prepare to receive pediatric transfers due to large volumes at CHEO in Ottawa and SickKids in Toronto. At the same time, the KHSC is reporting increased demand for pediatric care in Kingston and the surrounding region.

Executive Vice-President of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer Jason Hann  says, “We have been seeing record volumes at the Children’s Outpatient Clinic at our Hotel Dieu Hospital site, about 85 percent of which is related to respiratory illness, “Throughout September we saw an average of about 250 children per week at the clinic, and last two weeks we have seen more than 320.”

He adds the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit is running at 125 percent capacity.

The Honourable Murray Sinclair will be officially  installed as 15th Chancellor of Queen’s University at a virtual ceremony this morning at 11 at The Isabel Digital Concert Hall. The former Canadian senator and chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is also set to receive Honorary degrees.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

The Wolfe Island Ferry experiences service disruptions over the weekend. The Ferry was shut down between 9pm Friday night and 7am Saturday morning due to a crew shortage. It was also temporarily out of service Saturday morning due to wind conditions between 9:15 and shortly after 10 before resuming regular service.

A coalition of local community partners known as SUPPORT NOT STIGMA  is receiving over 1.3 million dollars in federal funding to support a new initiative that aims to provide a region-wide anti-stigma and education strategy in an effort to allow the broader community to understand the roots of substance abuse disorder. 

Project Engagement Manager Candice Christmas says “We’re really hoping that if we can teach people about the roots of addiction we can build more compassionate citizens,”

Support Not Stigma will also partner with Youth Diversion to launch a research program to better understand why women under 30 who use substances tend to not engage with shelter, health and social services.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with YGK NEWS.

A new interactive installation is up along the waterfront pathway. Water Snake was created by  two Kingston-based companies including  architecture and design firm RAW Design Inc.,, and a tech company using 3D printing technology Nidus3D, while The ground mural was created by local artist, Jenny Moring.  

Manager, Arts & Sector Development with the city of Kingston Danika Lochhead says, “This installation is unique to Kingston and aims to connect with the waterfront and provide residents and visitors the chance to discover and explore the area in a special way.”

Starting in the spring, the Fire Lane site and Water Snake will evolve through various activations to enhance how the installation appears and is used. 

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Starting Monday November 14th, Kingston Health Sciences Centre will introduce several changes to its COVID-19 practices. As of Monday, all outpatients and visitors will be expected to self-screen for symptoms of infectious illness consistent with signage posted at hospital entrances (e.g., fever, cough, chills, sore throat) . Active screening and the online pre-appointment screening tool will be discontinued.  KHSC will re-open additional public entrances at the Murray Building (HDH site) and at GIDRU Level 1 off George St. and KHSC will communicate COVID-19 information exclusively through their website. All critical infection control measures such as mandatory masking, vigilant hand hygiene, physical distancing and limited family presence remain in place at KHSC. 

Public Services and Procurement Canada reports the next project on the LaSalle Causeway is the Bascule Bridge Rehabilitation Project. They say while construction was originally scheduled to take place during the off season of November 2022 to April 2023, it will be postponed as no responsive bids for the construction contract were received by the October 13th deadline. The PSPC expects to re tender the contract in early 2023 to begin construction during next year’s off season of November 2023 to April 2024.The work includes strengthening and replacing various components of the bridge. Until then, routine inspections and maintenance may be scheduled, however there will be no major interruptions to traffic.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston City Council will meet tonight at 7. Council will review the 2023 to 2025 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan put forth by the Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee. The plan contains strategies for the removal and prevention of barriers in the areas of customer service, employment, transit, information and communication. This is the third multi-year accessibility plan put forth by the city.

Also coming up at tonight’s meeting, chief administrative officer Lanie Hurdle will present a report on the city’s strategic plan from 2019-2022. According to the council agenda, the summary report will provide an update on motions and petitions debated and passed between December 2018 and October 2022. It will also help inform the incoming city council of strategic initiatives that are not yet complete which provides context for the 2023 budget. Council will also review progress on the Mayor’s Taskforce on Housing and the Better Homes Kingston program.

The Queen’s community will gather in Grant Hall tomorrow November 11th to mark Remembrance Day. The service will start at 10:50 a.m., with doors opening at 10:30 a.m.The event is open to faculty, staff and students as well as the broader Kingston community.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) has declared a COVID-19 outbreak on the Connell 9 unit at its Kingston General Hospital site. Currently six patients are associated with the outbreak. Only designated essential care providers who have been approved by the care team and who actively participate in a loved one’s care are permitted on the unit at this time. COVID-19 outbreaks are also ongoing on the Connell 3, Davies 5, Kidd 6 and Connell 10 units. KFL&A Public Health has been notified, and KHSC is notifying patients, visitors and staff affected by the outbreaks. KHSC is also completing the necessary contact tracing and testing for individuals on the units.

Applications for The Better Homes Kingston program has surpassed targets within the first six months. As a result, the City has paused application intake, interested residents can join a waitlist while the city explores new opportunities to finance the program in 2023. Manager of the City’s Climate Leadership Division Julie Salter-Keane says, This program was intended to run for four years, yet within the first six months of launching, we surpassed our four-year target!” Kingston City Council will review a staff report on Better Homes Kingston at their meeting tomorrow night. According to a release from the city, many Better Homes projects are underway, with five already complete. Better Homes Kingston is a local improvement charge financing program providing participating homeowners the opportunity to receive up to 40 thousand dollars in zero-interest loans to complete retrofits that reduce greenhouse emissions. To date, 449 applications have been received.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

The Kingston General Hospital Auxiliary has launched its 2022 Teddy Bear Campaign. The 19th annual campaign aims to raise $25,000 through the sponsorship of 250 teddy bears at $100 per bear. The money raised goes toward purchasing patient care equipment for the pediatric program at Kingston Health Sciences Centre.Representatives from Royal Canadian Legion Branch 560, their Ladies Auxiliary and the Young at Heart Club kicked off the 2022 campaign yesterday with a combined donation of $4,000. Last year, the campaign raised $27,000, bringing its overall contribution since 2004 to over $460,000. The Teddy bear campaign runs until Dec. 23 For more information on how to donate, visit: kingstonhsc.ca

Kingston Economic Development Corporation has launched intake of the 2023 Queen’s Apprenticeship: Kingston. The program connects new Queen’s graduates from the arts, humanities and social sciences with a Kingston employer. 

Business Development Manager with Kingston Economic Development Corporation Rob Tamblyn says, “It certainly is a daunting prospect when you’re graduating and you’re just kind of pushed out…not only is the program giving students the ability to tap into some jobs that aren’t necessarily available to the wider public, but there’s also a mentorship component that goes along with it…Anyone who gets one of the jobs is matched up with a mentor who takes them under their wing for the first 12 months of their career.”

The program was created in Kingston by philanthropist Alan Rottenberg in 2018 and is funded through the Canadian Career Apprenticeship Foundation. 

Tamblyn says, “Employers receive up to $2,500 per month for 4 months…on a 12 month commitment.”

The deadline for employers to submit job postings is February 10th, 2023, and the deadline for students to submit applications is February 26th. Catch my full conversation with Rob Tamblyn tomorrow afternoon at 5 on The Scoop.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

 Kingston Health Sciences Centre has declared a COVID-19 outbreak on the Connell 10 unit at its Kingston General Hospital site.  Three patients are associated with the outbreak, and the unit is closed to all but essential visitors (those with a loved one who is critically ill or nearing end of life). KFL&A Public Health has been notified, and KHSC is in the process of notifying patients, visitors and staff affected by the outbreak. KHSC is also completing the necessary contact tracing and testing for individuals on the unit. The Connell 3 and Davies 5 units at the KGH also remain on outbreak status.

Fall battery Collection is running this week. You can put your single-use household batteries out for collection in a clear, sealed plastic bag alongside your curbside waste on your collection day starting today and running through Saturday November 12th. Car, tool and other types of large batteries will not be collected.  The battery collection is in partnership with E360 Solutions.  

Coming up this Saturday, The Kingston Symphony Orchestra will perform favourites from video games such as: Mario, Zelda and Final Fantasy at The Isabel Bader Centre For The Performing Arts.

Kingston Symphony General Manager Andrea Haughton says, “We’ve done concerts featuring music from various movies and films, but this is definitely something new for us.”

Kingston Symphony Communications Coordinator Lucas Murphy says you’re going to get something from every era in gaming history and adds,  “Some of these composers, their work stacks up with the best of the classical composers. They’re severely underrated.”

You can catch my full conversation with both Andrea Haughton and Lucas Murphy of the Kingston Symphony tomorrow at 5 on Citizen K.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police arrested and charged a 34 year old from Kingston in connection with the arson at Rochleau Court on Princess Street on August 4th. The accused is charged with arson causing property damage. 

The former home of Queen’s University’’s Film and Media Department is slated to be torn down this month. The buildings have been vacant since September of 2014 when the department relocated to the Isabel Bader Centre for the performing arts. A City of Kingston report to Heritage Kingston submitted earlier this year noted The 154 and 160 Stuart Street property was assessed as part of a Cultural heritage study in 2015 and was found to have “limited cultural value” and was not recommended for redesign given the building’s condition. The trees surrounding the property will be protected during demolition and the site will be retained for future re-development.

A film by Laudato Si’ Movement telling the story of environmental leaders journeying to Rome for an exclusive discussion regarding Laudato Si with Pope Francis, will be screened at St. John the Apostle, tomorrow afternoon at 1:30. The environmental leaders include an Indigenous leader from the Amazon, a Senegalese climate refugee, a youth activist from India and a married pair of scientists from Hawaii. Laudato Si is the patron saint of all those who work in or study ecology. There will be a group discussion following the film. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Health Sciences Centre has declared COVID-19 outbreaks on the Connell 3 and Davies 5 units at its Kingston General Hospital site. Four patients are associated with the outbreak on Connell 3 and five patients have now tested positive on Davies 5. Both units are currently closed to all but essential visitors. KFL&A Public Health has been notified, and KHSC is in the process of notifying patients, visitors and staff affected by the outbreak. KHSC is also completing the necessary contact tracing and testing for individuals on the unit.

Kingston Police and By-Law reported for the second week in a row, individuals at large gatherings drinking on rooftops, climbing trees while intoxicated and jumping from rooftops into crowds of partygoers. Projectiles were also thrown throughout the crowd and, in one case struck an individual, which required them to be transported to Kingston General Hospital by Frontenac Paramedics.

Kingston Police Chief Antje McNeely said, “Officers continued to observe aggressive, volatile and unsafe behaviour that has unfortunately become far too commonplace these past weeks,” “We still saw many dangerous gatherings with high-risk behaviour displayed throughout the weekend.” There were a total of 72 noise complaints, and 8 people were arrested for public intoxication over the weekend.

On Saturday November 19th, founder of the research group ETC Group Pat Mooney will be in Kingston to speak about the group’s publication: “A Long Food Movement: Transforming Food Systems by 2045.” According to a release the report lays out two futures for the planet: one with agribusiness as usual and the other where food systems are reclaimed by social movements. 

The presentation is free to attend, it will be held at Memorial Hall in Kingston City Hall Saturday November 19th from 2 to 4pm. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Protestors outside Kingston City Hall chanted “Woman, Life, Freedom,” and “Say Her Name: Mahsa Amini,” as they formed a human chain in support of the people of Iran on Saturday afternoon. One of the protestors who asked to be identified as JF says the chain symbolizes the unity of Iranian people.

She says, it’s no longer just a movement, it’s a revolution. People are fighting with their lives for really peaceful protests, they get shot by real gun shots to death…People of Iran are trying to say we don’t want this regime, they have to be gone, these people are not representing our beautiful country…People with different ethnicities and different religions raise their voice for the first time because they were really suppressed.”

The protests were sparked in September, after the death of 22 year old Mahsa Jina Amini while in morality police custody. Full coverage of the human chain coming up this afternoon at 5 on Citizen K

The Bank Of Canada recently raised interest rates another half a percent to 3.75%. in an effort to cool inflation. Professor of Economics at Queen’s University Mr. Gregor Smith says it appears to be working.

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He adds, “Overall GDP growth rate is coming down and the Bank of Canada is forecasting GDP rate of only about 1% for 2023… even if that’s not a recession, it’s certainly going to be slower than the growth of the last couple years.”

Catch my full conversation with Mr. Smith tomorrow afternoon at 5 on the Scoop.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

The 2022 World Broomball Championships will be going on at The INVISTA Centre tomorrow through Saturday, bringing in close to 600 players from 36 teams from as far as France, Italy and Japan. The event was originally scheduled to take place in Kingston in 2020 but was postponed due to COVID-19.

Megan Knott, Executive Director of Tourism Kingston says, “We are pleased to welcome players and coaches from around the world. I invite them all to explore all there is to see and do in Kingston. And I hope local residents will get out to the INVISTA Centre next week to watch the players in action.”

Games run from 8am-4pm, no tickets required.

Kingston Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health are reminding residents to get your flu shot to protect yourself and vulnerable people. They recommend all residents get immunized early. KFL&A received lab confirmation of the first case of Influenza A for the 2022/2023 season last week.

KFL&A Public Health says in a release “The vaccine will maximize protection against the influenza virus, which is known to cause severe illness and result in hospitalization or even death among previously healthy children, older adults, or pregnant individuals.’

It takes about two weeks after vaccination to develop protection against influenza.

Provincial eligibility for the flu shot opens to the general public tomorrow, November 1st. It’s available at your family doctor or primary care provider, your pharmacist and the public health unit is offering flu shot clinics for infants between six months and 2 years old.  

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

On Wednesday November 9th at 7pm, you can join Mayor Bryan Paterson for the sixth annual Mayor’s Arts Awards ceremony and reception in Memorial Hall at City Hall. The ceremony will honour 5 recipients of the 2022 program celebrating their contributions to the arts in Kingston. The City, through the Arts & Culture Services department, administers the Mayor’s Arts Awards program and works with the Kingston Arts Council to document and promote the work of award recipients. The nomination of award recipients is facilitated through the City of Kingston Arts Advisory Committee that establishes a Nominations Working Group each year for this purpose.  Admission to the event is free and it will be live-streamed on Youtube. The award winners will also be recognized at council meeting on November 10th.

Utilities Kingston wants customers to know that Neptune Technology Group will visit homes and businesses in Kingston in order to replace end-of-life water meters. Affected homeowners will receive a pamphlet in their mailbox. When you receive the pamphlet, it means that meter installers are in the area, and you have two weeks to schedule an installation appointment with Neptune.  Tenants are encouraged to either follow the instructions to book an appointment, or to notify their landlords that they have received a notice. Landlords are ultimately responsible to ensure these mandatory water meter replacements are completed in their buildings. Neptune will go door-to-door when attempts to make an appointment are unsuccessful. Customers are encouraged to always ask people going door-to-door for identification. Neptune will replace 3,532 water meters in 2022. Their technicians will always be in uniform and carry photo identification. In addition, all Neptune technicians will be issued with Utilities Kingston contractor ID.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

30.5% of all eligible voters in the city of Kingston cast a ballot in the Municipal election. That’s down from 41.3% who voted in the 2018 election. 14,876 people voted online this election, up from 12,943 in the 2018 election.

One person is seriously injured following the first of an expected two weekends of street parties in Kingston.  A male in his 20s was struck by a pickup truck that was towing a catering trailer on Brock Street west of Alfred. He was rushed to Kingston General Hospital with serious injuries. Another partygoer was injured from falling off of a roof, though the injuries sustained were not considered serious. With many climbing roofs and trees, Police reminded partiers to “prioritize their wellbeing by keeping both feet on the ground”.

With the University District Safety Initiative in effect, police were out to patrols the large crowds assembling in the streets as drones also scanned the streets to monitor parties. Kingston Police declared the first nuisance party on Earl Street between Albert and Collingwood just before noon on Saturday. A second nuisance party was declared on Aberdeen by 2 PM with police saying there were “projectiles being thrown at police.”

The festivities were tamer this year than in some years past, but it’s not expected to be the end of busy weekends for Kingston first responders as Queen’s actual homecoming game takes place this weekend. The USDI was enacted on October 14 and remains in place until November 1.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with YGK News.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police has obtained Transport Canada authorization to restrict the airspace around Queen’s University during the official Homecoming weekend as well as anticipated unsanctioned activities occurring on other dates. No drones are allowed within a half a mile radius of the intersection of Abderdeen and Earl Street. This restriction comes into effect on Friday starting at 8 am and runs until  SUnday October 30th to 8pm. Police say, In past years drones have endangered pedestrians, have interfered with traffic and the operations of emergency responders Anyone who violates this rule can be fined up to 1 thousand dollars . The restrictions were also put in effect this past weekend.

Police lifted the nuisance party declarations on Brock between Division and Barrie Street. Police  laid a total of 5 fines each with a 2 thousand dollar penalty over the weekend.

Rolled aluminum producer Novelis is once again working with the United Way of KFL&A for their annual Novelis Neighbour week This year their employees will install new flooring and paint three rooms at the new Kingston Youth Shelter location at 365 Nelson Street.

President and CEO of United Way of KFL&A Bhavana Varma says, “These renovations will help the youth shelter better serve youth in their new location. We are so grateful for the ongoing support of local Novelis volunteers and the amazing work they do each year through this initiative.”

Novelis employees will be installing laminate over an old wood floor, and will be replacing taps and fixtures to improve the functionality of the  bathrooms. The new space will house as many as 24 youth, ages six to 24. The project began yesterday and will run all week with volunteers on-site from 9am through till 4pm. 

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. Please join the CFRC team tomorrow at 5 on The Scoop, for more information on the municipal election and lots more. 

It’s Voting Day! Kingston Transit and Kingston Access Bus will be offering free transit to electors today during voting place hours. You must show your Voter Information Notice when you board the bus. Free transportation on Kingston Access Bus will be for registered users of that service only and when reserving their transportation, the elector will have to identify which voting place they are going to. Both in-person and online voting is open until 8 p.m. however you need to register for online voting by 5 this afternoon. For all the information on voting including registration and to find your voting location, go to cityofkingston.ca/vote

Voter turnout in Kingston since the 2000s has consistently hovered around a percentage in the high 30s to low 40s, which is fairly typical across the province and Acting Deputy City Clerk Derek Ochej says municipal elections consistently see lower turnout than their provincial and federal counterparts.

For this election, the city increased the number of online voting days from 10 to 20.

Ochej says “I think the biggest thing for us this year will be seeing if the increased opportunities will have an impact on voter turnout.”

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with YGK News.

The H’art Centre is showcasing the work of neurodiverse artists across Canada in the new exhibit Connecting Canadians: Freshwater. 

 H’art Centre Marketing and Communications Manager Tracy Ryan says the project began through a partnership with The Marine Museum of The Great Lakes to commemorate the 50th anniversary of The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, a commitment between Canada and The United States to restore and protect The Great Lakes.

We then reached out to a network of inclusive arts groups across the country, asked them to reflect on their own relationship with freshwater and to create art that reflected that theme,”

The exhibit will be the first to be displayed at THE MIX, the H’art Centre’s new four thousand sq. ft. gallery and outreach space.

The full exhibit, Connecting Canadians: Freshwater is on display starting Friday October 28th and running every Friday until December 2nd from 10am-2pm at The MIX.

Catch my full conversation with Tracy Ryan tomorrow afternoon at 5 on CITIZEN K.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna if you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and experts at Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s new Breast Imaging Kingston facility are encouraging eligible individuals to book an appointment for a mammogram. This is part of a campaign aimed at improving breast screening rates in the region, which have declined through the COVID-19 pandemic as an additional 11,500 people in southeastern Ontario were added to the backlog directly as a result of COVID-19. Breast screenings through mammograms take about 10 minutes to complete and can detect cancers before symptoms have developed, and the cancer is less likely to have spread to other areas of the body.

KHSC Radiologist, Dr. Doris Jabs says, Proactive screening is the best method to catch cancer early…and people have much higher survival rates.”

Screening is offered seven days per week at Breast Imaging Kingston, 820 John Marks Avenue.

H’art Centre is hosting a national visual art exhibit celebrating how Canada’s freshwater connects the country. Connecting Canadians: Freshwater showcases neurodiverse artists’ work including sculptures and canvases. It’s also the first public exhibit to be held in The Mix, the H’art Centre’s New outreach and gallery space. The exhibit launches with a private, invite-only opening tomorrow, then a large-scale installation will be unveiled on Sunday afternoon from 2 to 4 at 55 Ontario Street. The full exhibit will be open to the public at The Mix starting next Friday October 28th and every Friday until December 2nd from 10am to 2pm. The installation is designed to share connections with the Great Lakes and encourage viewers to make their own connections. The exhibit marks the culmination of a 2022 partnership with the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

The City of Kingston has once again received an AA + credit rating with a stable outlook from S&P Global Ratings. The S&P Global Ratings report highlights the City’s well-diversified economy, noting its large, stabilizing public sector and ongoing private investment that is helping to foster growth. The report also acknowledges the City’s gradually declining debt and strong liquidity.

Chief Financial Officer and City Treasurer with The CIty of Kingston Desiree Kennedy says, “A strong credit rating is an important validation of the City’s fiscal policies and practices,” “It provides both investors and residents with a level of confidence in the way the City manages its finances.”

The AA+ rating is the second-highest bond rating assigned by the agency. 

The Kingston East Community Centre has welcomed two naming rights sponsors who in turn are supporting expanded programming for community members. The C.S. Physiotherapy and Wellness Centre Gymnasium is featured inside the facility and the Mike Lee Desjardins Insurance Community Garden will be located on the north side of the facility and is expected to be in place for the spring in 2023.

Owners of C.S. Physiotherapy and Wellness Centre Scott McAllister and Caitlin Cerre,  say “Many of our clients are looking for accessible recreation activities, particularly in the winter, so we will be referring them to the indoor track and other amenities located at the Kingston East Community Centre.”

While Mike Lee of Desjardins Insurance says “I look forward to watching the progress of the City’s newest community garden and seeing the first harvest next year.”

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Half of the city’s sitting councillors have decided not to run in this month’s municipal election. Many of those choosing not to run pointed to similar difficulties leading to them stepping away from their role, namely the overall time commitment and frustration caused by other levels of government. 

Mary Rita Holland of Kingscourt-Rideau who recently ran in the provincial election as the MPP candidate for the NDP says, “Being a municipal representative, it’s very rewarding but some of the structural challenges that I have been dedicated to for the last while in trying to help people who are vulnerable and marginalized… it’s challenging in the role as a municipal councillor when you don’t have some of the levers at your disposal that would make those changes.”

Simon Chapelle of Loyalist-Cataraqui and Chair of the Ontario Parole Board, said the time commitment of a city council position is just too much to be balanced with another full time job, and he felt somewhere the quality of work in one area could suffer if he stretched himself too thin. Bridget Doherty of Portsmouth cited health concerns within her family have become her priority for the time being.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with YGK News.

Queens University is offering a new program designed to address knowledge gaps in the neurotech sector. The NeuroTech Micro-Credential program is the first of it;s kind in Canada to offer those working in or starting a career in neurotech the opportunity to upscale their skills and improve their understanding of neuroscience and ethics. Queen’s will partner with Western University through its Western Institute for Neuroscience, York, and Nipissing Universities to deliver an in-person capstone project course designed to foster hands-on skills using a variety of neurotechnologies.

Director of the NeuroTech Micro-Credential Program and Assistant Professor in the Centre for Neuroscience Studies at Queen’s University Susan Boehnke says,  “Learners will graduate from our program with a better understanding of the neuroscientific bases of these technologies and their impact on society.”

According to a release from Queen’s, “The neurotech industry requires an interdisciplinary mix of specialised skill sets, such as hardware and software development for sensing and modulating brain signals. Potential beneficial applications include therapies for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and major depression, as well as optimization of advertising known as neuromarketing.The technology is enabling breakthroughs in fundamental neuroscience such as how information is processed in the brain.”

Applications are now open, online courses start in January, 2023.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

The Coalition of Kingston Communities is hosting Mayor’s Meeting 2022 tonight at 7 over Zoom. It’s an opportunity for the community to hear from the candidates and ask questions. For more information and to register go to the Coalition of Kingston communities website.

The Queen’s community is remembering Calvin Huang-Fu, a PhD student in the Department of History, who died October 7th. 

A statement from Queen’s says, “Calvin was passionate about his studies and found his niche as he was a huge Francophile. He had completed a summer exchange in France and fell in love with the countryside, hoping to return later to continue his studies. He was very kind and quiet but would light up when talking about topics of interest. Calvin also loved cycling, including working on bikes, and was planning a ride from Kingston to Ottawa.”

A memorial was held on Saturday, October 15 at Elgin Mills Cemetery in Richmond Hill.

There is a GoFundMe campaign looking to raise $2,500 to help Kingstonian street luger travel to Argentina to compete in the World Skate Games. After a championship race, Nick Kamink and his teammate Kolby Parks were chosen to represent Canada in San Juan between November 8th and 12th.

Kamink says, “When you’re on your board going down a hill and you’re coming up on 110-120 km./hr, you get a bit of a sense of tunnel vision, the world around you is irrelevant…you’re just focused on getting down that hill.”

My full conversation with Nick Kamink coming up tomorrow at 5 on Citizen K

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna

A rally was held on Friday evening in solidarity with unhoused residents living in the encampment next to the Integrated Care Hub. The rally was organized by ICH encampment residents with the help of Mutual Aid Kingston-Katarokwi, citing fear that a large scale eviction could happen at virtually any moment. Residents of the encampment and ICH staff were among the speakers at Friday’s demonstration, with members of the community gathering to put forward their support.

Mutual Aid’s Sayyida Jaffer said when it comes to the city’s homeless, and particularly those struggling with mental health and addiction, people need to really try to differentiate between being uncomfortable and being unsafe, “I ask all of us who have come here in solidarity to work on on having those difficult conversations with your friends, neighbours, coworkers, about public space and how we can share it and support people in getting over their fear and misconceptions about people who are on the street for whatever reason… And to challenge ourselves to understand the difference between being uncomfortable and actually being unsafe.”

Mutual Aid and encampment residents have asked for support by signing and sharing a petition that has over 800 signatures, as well as by donating supplies and funds through Mutual Aid. This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with YGK News.

Local Digital Automotive Marketplace startup Venddee plans to expand to even bigger cities with a planned launch in Ottawa for early November. Then to Toronto and even further.

Co-founder and Consulting Partner Zermaan Khan says, “We’re really looking at taking this platform national and beyond…The platform is designed to be functional in just about any marketplace…There’s nothing like it in the marketplace right now and we’re excited to be the first ones to be able to deliver this kind of community marketplace…to bridge gaps between sellers and buyers… and really put them in the driver’s seat.”

Venddee recently provided LCVI’s auto tech,. Class with a car to work on. Media Lead Blake McGinness says, “We’re going to plan city-wide outreach any way we can between here and Ottawa, which is why we reached out to the LDSB to get a blanket policy for all schools in the school board.”

Vendde launched here in Kingston in early August. My full conversation with both Blake McGinness and Zermaan Khan coming up tomorrow afternoon at 5 on Citizen K.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips please email me: news@cfrc.ca

With homecoming approaching, the university district safety initiative goes into effect today and will run until November 1st. Bylaw Enforcement and Kingston Police are reminding post-secondary school community members living in or visiting Kingston to stay safe, respect your neighbours, avoid attending and hosting large gatherings as the high-risk behaviours often associated with large gatherings and nuisance activities put Kingston’s emergency services under pressure; every preventable call to Kingston Fire & Rescue and Kingston Police could mean a delayed response for other emergencies in the city and puts additional pressure on local health care services. Monetary Penalties can be issued for nuisance party infractions. Students fined under the UDSI may also face non-academic sanctions through their college or university. Kingston Police are aware of an unsanctioned event that has been planned for the weekend of October 22nd and will work alongside other law enforcement partners to maintain a highly visible presence in the University District 

A community support centre providing access to resources for families with children up to the age of 6 or expectant parents is opening tomorrow at 263 Weller Avenue. This project is part of the provincial child welfare redesign, and is a collaborative response between United Way of KFL&A, City of Kingston, and Family and Children’s Services.  ‘A Great Start for Families: Kahwà:tsire Ronwatiyenawá:se Centre’, includes Mohawk language meaning ‘we all work together to support each other’ or ‘we are giving support to someone’. “Ruth Noordegraaf, Director of Social Services & Housing at the City of Kingston says, This Centre’s approach creates a ‘one stop shop’ for services, particularly when a family is in crisis, “Ultimately the Centre will reduce barriers for services that can help prevent further crisis or escalation of need.”

Ecole Maple Elementary School’s Advisory Council is hosting a Trustee Candidate discussion Monday night at 6,  at 529 St. Martha’s Street in Kingston. This is an opportunity for candidates from King’s Town, Pittsburgh & Frontenac Islands and Countryside, Kingscourt-Rideau & Williamsville to share their views and platform.  

 The evening will feature pre-selected questions from the community with an opportunity to submit questions from the floor. The successful candidates will hold their seat until 2026 and will shape the policies and procedures that direct the Board of Education.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police are looking for help in identifying a suspect who approached children and made inappropriate comments and requests in a park on Maccauley Street in Kingston’s north end. Police describe the individual as male, indigenous, between the age of 20 and 35 with short dark hair, and discoloured teeth. He was wearing a camo jacket, blue jeans and dark shoes. An image can be found on Kingston Police’s facebook page. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

Local Digital Automotive Marketplace startup Vendde is partnering with Loyalist Collegiate and Vocational Institute to support the relaunch of the school’s auto tech program. Vendde has donated a vehicle for auto tech students to gain hands-on experience. According to a release from Vendde, the company plans to partner with more schools to offer opportunities in automotive and in digital marketing. Vendde is known as the people first marketplace, allowing anybody to facilitate vehicle purchases and sales with the support of the agency and their licensed dealers.

Next Tuesday October 18th, the award winning documentary film telling the story of the first woman in Afghanistan to run a marathon will be shown at The Screening Room.The Secret Marathon Film Co-Director Kate McKenzie, says,

“Seeing the influx of new Afghan refugees to Canada, we felt now was the time to share with the world a different perspective about Afghanistan through our film. Oftentimes, the only things we hear about Afghanistan are stories of war, poverty and terrorism yet it is a beautiful country with resilient and hospitable people.” 

The film inspired the Secret 3K a run/walk event. Kingston is one of the marquee locations of the event that will take place on International Women’s Day March 8th, 2023.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

 This week marks a century of Fire Prevention Week. Kingston Fire & Rescue have a series of local events. Today, firefighters and prevention staff will run fire drills at avrious schools, Tomorrow Sparky The Fire Dog will be on Transit Buses and will  be visiting Cataraqui Town Centre on Friday morning.

Delbert Blakney, Fire Inspector with KFR says “During a fire you only have a minute or two to escape. When the smoke alarm sounds or fire is discovered you must escape quickly.” 

According to a release KFR is challenging Kingstonians to plan a record-breaking escape!  There will also be various Open Houses, with opportunities to meet firefighters and learn about opportunities to become a volunteer firefighter.

The participants of the second edition of the Music Video Initiative have been announced. The project is a partnership between THe Kingston Film Office, a division of Tourism Kingston and the Kingston Canadian Film Festival. Local production companies are paired  with local performers to create music videos. The pairings include: Happy Kid Productions working with Luella, Jamstone Productions working with KaKaow, Outpost12 + Visual Menace working with Kasador, QR the Band working with Michael George and Abby Stewart and YourTV working with Hayley.

Music Commissioner with Tourism Kingston Moira Demorest says, “The goal of the project is to facilitate hands-on development opportunities for producers and musicians to strengthen our local industries. It also supports two priority areas identified in the City’s Creative Industry Strategy: film and music.”

Each team receives $2,000 from the Kingston Film Office and the Kingston Canadian Film Festival, with the videos set to premiere at the 2023 Kingston Canadian Film Festival. Workshops are also provided to offer additional support.

The City of Kingston in partnership with United Way will host Wheels on the Runway, at YGK Airport next Saturday October 22nd from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is an open house that will give community members the chance to see the airport’s newly upgraded amenities and to Learn more about the United Way. Volunteers will be on hand to guide visitors. Donations to the United Way will be accepted at the entrance. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

CFRC 101.9 FM celebrated a century of broadcasting on Friday, as a plaque was unveiled marking 100 years to the day that CFRC took to the airwaves. Former station manager Steve Cutway presented two achievement awards to long-standing volunteers Wayne Vermette and Jim Birch who have broadcasted for over 40 consecutive years on the station. Alex Freedman Executive Director at the Community Radio Fund Canada was at the plaque unveiling ceremony. The Community Radio Fund of Canada funds projects at campus and community radio stations says it’s a very unique place this station plays in the community.

“It is a part of the community, it is run by people from the community…These are the voices from the community… Campus radio is the first place that you hear those early Canadian artists…Shelagh Rodgers started on this radio station.This is the place where those original voices get a microphone in front of them.”

My full conversations with Alex Freedman, along with both Jim Birch and Wayne Vermette coming up this afternoon at 5 on Citizen K. 

The biggest fundraising event of the year is on the horizon for local food charity Martha’s Table. The Empty Bowls fundraiser is a ticketed event where attendees receive a handcrafted bowl made by the Kingston Potters’ Guild and it’s a chance to gather for a soup lunch, with all proceeds going to Martha’s Table.

Executive Director Ronda Candy says donations in general are lower than typical years, as it’s no secret people all throughout Kingston and the entire country are feeling the pinch from inflation.

She says Martha’s Table has certainly not been free from feeling that impact and needs the support with a constant, seemingly ever-growing list of people in need.

She adds “We’re cooking for more than 450 people seven days a week.”

Candy says they’re prepared to help the city’s unhoused and most vulnerable people, but it’s frustrating for the city as a whole to be continually unprepared for a recurring issue. 

She says,“We need to be more proactive… we know it’s coming, it’s year after year and people need a place to go so it’s no surprise when we get there and people are cold. It’s very frustrating.”

This year the event will return in-person on November 6, being hosted for the first time at Quality Inn and Conference Centre by Division and the 401 Tickets are $65, for lunch and a handcrafted bowl are included at the event which will also have a silent auction and local live music.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with YGK News.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Queens University Principal Patrick Deane released a statement on the protests in Iran. Deane wrote in a letter to the Queen’s community, “Like so many of you, I have watched with horror the events unfolding in Iran. The latest attacks by Iranian police on students protesting at Tehran’s Sharif University have brought this matter even closer to home. For several weeks, the world has watched as brave citizens have taken to the streets after the senseless death of a young woman at the hands of an oppressive regime. They have used their voices to challenge and criticize sexism, inequity, violence, and abuse.

The role of universities is to encourage critical thought and to create safe spaces for people to debate freely and without encumbrance. The spectacle of that space threatened, even terminated by brute force and intimidation demands a strong and unequivocal response from Queen’s and other universities worldwide. While our primary concern must be the Iranian people, and particularly our colleagues at Sharif University, what is at stake in Iran has serious ramifications for us all. We must condemn in the strongest terms any government that threatens to extinguish what is at the core of any university, free thought. And we must stand up for equity, justice, and an end to intolerance.”

That was taken from a letter addressed to the Queen’s community written by principal Patrick Deane. There are resources available for those affected by the deaths and protests including: The International Student Advisor at the Queen’s University International Centre, and the Student Wellness Services team.

The Kingston A-Strings part of the Kingston Youth Orchestra will now be collaborating with Sistema Kingston running a program at Molly Brant School The A-Strings,  is a feeder ensemble for the string section of the Kingston Youth Orchestra.  

Danielle Lennon, Conductor of the Kingston A-Strings says, “This new partnership will allow our community to grow and to continue to nurture young musicians beyond the elementary school years. Our aim is to see A-Strings and Sistema Kingston students thrive as musicians and to set their sights on joining the Kingston Youth Strings, the Kingston Youth Orchestra and beyond.” 

Sistema Kingston is a Queens Faculty of Education outreach program offering a free intensive after-school program through group-centered music learning for elementary students. 

Sistema Kingston Director Karma Tomm says, We are excited to collaborate with the Kingston Youth Orchestra programs to create a pathway for Sistema Kingston students to pursue their interests in string ensemble and orchestra as they grow on their musical journey.”

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Kingston Police have laid an additional 19 charges in the ongoing Project Shamrock investigation. 38 year old Michael Mark HAAIMA, of Kingston, is now charged with 95 offenses. Initially 10 victims were identified and through continued investigation and public awareness, additional victims have been identified. He was arrested on April 6th. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact police. 

Effective today, through to the end of January 2023, University Avenue between Union Street and Earl Street will be closed to through-traffic. The closure is for safety reasons as construction vehicles remove debris from the demolition of the west wing of the John Deutsch University Centre. All vehicles are being rerouted around the closure, the east sidewalk by the JDUC is also closed. Pedestrians can use the west sidewalk and the bike lane remains open.

Queen’s University has set its highest ever fundraising goal to raise $475 thousand dollars for the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington.  This is the largest workplace campaign goal making up over 10% of United Way’s overall target to raise 3 million 808 thousand dollars. 

Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane says “Queen’s is an important partner in this work and I am pleased to support the United Way not only with my donation, but also with my time as a member of the Campaign Cabinet. I encourage everyone in the Queen’s community to contribute to United Way in any way they can. 

Last year the Queen’s community raised over 465 thousand dollars, the funds helped the United Way assist 74,000 people in the community. 

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Health Sciences Centre has declared a COVID-19 outbreak on the Connell 10 unit at its Kingston General Hospital site. There are currently three COVID positive patients on the unit. Visitor restrictions are in place and only essential visitors are permitted on the unit at this time. KFL&A Public Health has been notified, and KHSC is notifying patients, visitors and staff affected by the outbreak. KHSC is also completing the necessary contact tracing and testing.

In just 20 days, Kingston will elect  its next mayor, district councillors, and School Board trustees. Online voting opens tomorrow at 10am and will be available until 8pm on Election Day- October 24th. Voters must be registered for online voting by 5pm on election day. Your Voter Information Notice will contain your unique Voter Identification Number and instructions on how to obtain a PIN number to access online voting. Kingston Transit and Kingston Access Bus will be offering free transit to electors on both Advance Voting Days and Voting Day during voting place hours. You must show your Voter Information Notice when you board the bus.

St.Lawrence College has received an equipment donation valued at over 150 thousand dollars for students in skilled trades programs. Automated logistics systems developer Witron made the donation. The equipment will support experiential learning in programs including Mechanical Technician, Industrial Electrician, and General Machinist on SLC’s Kingston campus. 

The Dean of Applied Science, Technology and Trades at SLC Daniel Liao, says. “We are grateful for the donation of this equipment/that helps us provide up-to-date materials and supplies to create the best learning environment for our students.” 

Witron hired 12 SLC graduates last year.  SLC also plans to launch a new Mechatronics program in fall 2023.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

A sacred fire at City Park was one of many across Kingston marking National Truth and Reconciliation Day on Friday.

Aboriginal Outreach Rural Service Worker with Kingston Interval House Lorie Young shared that she is a residential school survivor. She said,

“It was a great wrong, a great injustice, it’s genocide, oppression, and it’s a violent act. Many people participated in that great wrong, as we walk forward through this path of enlightenment we want to create awareness and bring people together so it doesn’t happen again.”

I will have more coverage of the sacred fire here on CFRC tomorrow afternoon at 5 on Citizen K.

One of the largest festivals in India was celebrated in Kingston for the first time yesterday. Durga Puja is a festival honouring the Hindu Goddess Durga. President of the newly formed Kingston Durga Puja committee Vid Banerjee says  traditionally, the Bengali community would have to go to either Ottawa or the GTA for Durga Puja festivities.

“Kingston has hosted Bengalis as Queen’s students and as community members for over 70 years. To say that this Puja has taken a long time in coming to Kingston would be truly spot on.”

The full day event was held at Zorba’s Banquet Centre. Banerjee says,

“The overwhelming support that we got this time tells us we need to continue with the tradition”

Starting today, youth aged 13-18, have an opportunity to explore solutions to the Climate Crisis while creating a work of art such as a drawing or sculpture. Alternatively they can write a 500 to 2000 word story imagining the future.

Spokesperson and author, Jerri Jerreat says “This rapid growth of climate anxiety and climate depression needs a different trajectory, they need some healing, not to ignore the bad news, but they need to turn toward the solutions and maybe bring everybody up with them…We can work towards it if we can visualize a better future.”

Six 100 dollar bills will be distributed amongst the top three stories and the top three pieces of art. There are also additional prizes such as gift certificates to Art Noise and Minotaur. This festival is open to all youth residing in the area covered by the Limestone and the Algonquin & Lakeshore School Boards. The deadline for submissions is November 7th. More information can be found at youthimaginethefuture.com

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Today is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Locally, Kingston City Council has declared it a civic holiday, to encourage the community to observe the occasion.There will be no garbage, recycling or green bin collection today, Friday’s collection will be pushed to tomorrow. All administrative offices are closed today. However, Kingston Transit and the Access Bus will be running as normal. All Kingston Frontenac Public Library branches are open, arenas and community centres are also open, the Tett Centre building will be open, however the office will be closed, and Utilities Kingston will remain open today.

Tomorrow, October 1st is the start of Islamic History Month with both in person and virtual events planned. City Hall will be lit up in green Saturday night starting at 6:30 to commemorate the month. The theme for the month is Multicultural Flavours of Muslim Cuisine: Culinary contributions of Muslim to health, wellness, social peace and societal harmony.

The Alzhiemer’s Society of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington are kicking off their annual fall fundraising campaign with a Coffee Day at McDonalds today. All McDonald’s locations throughout Kingston and Napanee will be donating 50 cents of every coffee sold to the local Alzheimer Society. Alzheimer’s staff and volunteers will be at most locations accepting donations. According to a release from the Alzheimer’s Society, The Anything For Alzheimer’s campaign encourages businesses, individuals and organizations to raise funds and to help promote awareness of Alzheimers and Dementia. Anyone who wishes to host a fundraiser can choose to organize an Alzheimer Coffee Break with coffee donated by North Roast Coffee, or create an event in memory of someone, or host a Social event such as a silent auction, a yard sale, a concert, a run, a paint night, or abake sale.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Economic Development Corporation/’s has won a Gold Rank from the International Economic Development Council’s 2022 Excellence in Economic Development Awards Program for the Kingston-Syracuse Pathway. The Cross border partnership facilitates research and development, provides access to resources for international entrepreneurs and startups to expand into Canada and The U.S. According to a release from Economic Development, The overall vision of the Kingston-Syracuse Pathway is to enhance connectivity and position the region as a leading global innovation ecosystem. The Corporation received the award on Tuesday at the IEDC’s annual conference in Oklahoma City. 

With a month to go until the municipal election on October 24th. This Saturday there will be a meet and greet with the mayoral candidates as well as council candidates from Kingscourt/Rideau, Williamsville and King’s Town. The meet and greet provides an opportunity to share municipal ideas and concerns, practice voting in the voter simulation booth and a free barbeque. The event runs from noon to 3 this Saturday at 263 Weller Avenue.

A 30 year partnership between Home Hardware and Tree Canada resulted in the planting of 125 trees at Lamoine Point yesterday completing a heritage section of the park. 

Atkinson Home Hardware Design Manager Sonia Atkinson says, some of our staff was involved in the tree planting, Mike who heads up Tree Canada and some lovely volunteers. 

Home Hardware community tree plants occur annually across Canada on the Wednesday of National Forest Week. Yesterday was also National Tree Day.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna if you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police are looking for help in identifying a suspect in connection with the bear spray incident from this past weekend at The Fall Fair. Around 10 on Saturday evening, a group of youth were fighting in front of the large Ferris wheel, when one of the individuals began spraying at the other youth, while other attendees were inadvertently struck by the spray. Witnesses describe the suspect as male, wearing a black or grey tracksuit with a hoodie covering his face. Anyone with information is asked to call Kingston Police. 

Queen’s University will be cancelling all afternoon classes next Friday September 30th as The University encourages students, staff and faculty to attend National Day for Truth and Reconciliation events. Principal and Vice Chancellor Patrick Deane says, “This is an important day for our country and our institution to reflect on its past and to take steps to realize a very different future. There is still much to learn and much to be done but we are committed to doing the work to advance reconciliation at Queen’s.”

There will be a sacred fire on Agnes Benidickson Field from 1–3pm. There will also be a display of orange shirts hung from lamp poles on university avenue. 

To Mark 100 years since CFRC went on the air, there will be a plaque unveiling ceremony on Friday October 7th at 1pm right outside the station at Carruthers Hall on Queen’s campus. Queen’s University Principal and Vice Chancellor Patrick Deane, Mayor Bryan Paterson, MP Mark Gerretsen, MPP Ted Hsu, and former CFRC Station Manager Steve Cutway will speak at the event. 

CFRC will also honor two volunteers, Jim Birch, host of Canadian Shield and Wayne Vermette, host of The Blues Project for their over 40 consecutive years of broadcasting.

Vermette says he has met his two goals:

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There will also be an open house at CFRC from 1 until 4 on October 7th, where Queen’s University Archives will showcase selected CFRC memorabilia and photographs. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston City Council is scheduled to meet tonight. On the agenda, Providence Village Inc. are seeking council approval in principle for their vision to repurpose the current Providence Manor site on Sydenham Street as a community hub with a focus on affordable and market housing and complementary community uses. They are also seeking council to approve a transfer of up to $50 thousand dollars from theAffordable Housing Capital Subsidy budget, to put toward development of this project. Providence Manor will move to a new site at 1200 Princess Street. 

With all the coverage of Queen Elizabeth The Second’s funeral and her recent passing, Kingston Police are warning Cybercriminals and scammers can take advantage of high-profile news stories to catch your attention and manipulate your emotions. In a release Kingston police say In the coming weeks, it is expected that cybercriminals and scammers will be referencing the Queen’s death in phishing attacks and social media disinformation campaigns. Police warn to always think before you click. Cyberattacks are designed to catch you off guard and trigger you to click impulsively, be suspicious of emails, texts, and social media posts that contain shocking information about this event. These may lead to disinformation, which is false information designed to mislead you. If you work for a company or business and receive a suspicious email, follow your organization’s procedure to report the email.

Following a 2 year hiatus due to COVID, Utilities Kingston is bringing back the Preventative Plumbing Program. Homeowners can receive up to 3 thousand dollars to install sump pumps, backwater sanitary valves and other eligible measures, including disconnecting illegal plumbing connections. Utilities Kingston staff are offering free in-home visits to provide advice on reducing the risk of basement flooding in addition to the public education campaign Flood Facts, more information can be found on The Utilities Kingston website.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Internationally renowned muralist and graphic artist Peru Dyer Jalea will begin constructing his mural Kingston: A Moment in the City today. The public art installation is a partnership between The City of Kingston and HighPoint Developments.The mural will be installed at a new residential building at 168 Division Street, which is at the intersection of Division and Princess Street. The City of Kingston supported the artist selection and commissioning process, while Highpoint Developments is funding the project and will own and maintain the mural once installed.

Jalea says he was surprised that his mural was chosen, he explains “My approach is always abstract which is not always what the community wants because it takes a certain kind of sensitivity to grasp the energy of the design.”

He says the design is rooted in his almost 30 years of doing graffiti art, the design is a text abstraction of the word “Kingston.” 

He says he hopes it sparks a little joy, love and pride for the natural heritage that make up Kingston. The mural is scheduled for completion by Friday. Catch the full conversation with Peru Dyer on Citizen K tomorrow afternoon at 5.

Kingston’s Dawn House transitional shelter for women received a $12,785 donation on Thursday, with the funds being raised through the first annual Brothers in Arms Charity Ride well surpassing Brothers In Arms goal to raise 8 thousand dollars. Dawn House is preparing to open a building on Ridley Drive with 12 additional transitional housing units set to open in November.

Executive Director Maggie McLaren says they don’t have the capital funding to develop the west wing of the building into apartments at this time and that it will act as a specialized transitional space during the winter. She adds many of the women who come through Dawn House rely on supports like ODSP and senior’s pensions, which provide barely enough to rent an apartment. With added space, Dawn House will be able to provide more diverse service, and better be able to assist women in whatever different ways they need. The Brothers in Arms Veteran Motorcycle Club say the ride will definitely happen again next year and expect it to take place in late August.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with YGK News.

Some changes to our news and current affairs programming schedule…Catch Today in YGK this afternoon at 5, The Scoop will now air Wednesday afternoons at 5, Citizen K will continue to air Tuesdays at 5.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Economic Development recently hosted a diplomatic delegation from 12 European and Asian countries. According to a release from Economic Development, the visit was part of the Corporation’s initiatives to promote investment attraction and collaboration, and to support bilateral trade and foreign direct investment in Kingston and the surrounding region.

During their two day visit, the delegates met with stakeholders from Kingston’s municipal, academic and industrial sectors. They visited Queen’s Cardiopulmonary Unit, and learned about the carbon to metal coating institute. They also had the chance to learn about the company Li-Cycle as well as Octane which specializes in personalized medicine and cell and gene therapy. 

CEO of Kingston Economic Development Corporation Donna Gillespie says, “It was a great privilege to host such esteemed guests representing twelve countries. Kingston is ready and open for business and we look forward to working with businesses looking to expand into Kingston,” 

The visit comes after Kingston’s recent recognition by Site Selection Magazine as one of Canada’s Top 20 Cities to Invest in. 

Kingston Police safely found 15 year old Patrick Stephens in Quinte West yesterday. He was previously last seen on Thursday September 8th on Portsmouth Avenue near Elmwood Street. In a media release Kingston Police thank all those who assisted in providing and sharing information in regards to the youth’s possible whereabouts.

Vivian Hughes, originally from Calgary, Alberta, is one of ten new Queen’s University Students who are recipients of Canada’s top STEM scholarships, the Schulich Leader Scholarships. Hughes says it feels incredible and unreal to receive this scholarship.

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She says the project she is most proud of is creating a math and science peer tutoring club at her high school. Schulich Leader Scholarships are worth between $80,000-$100,000 for students pursuing science, technology, engineering, or mathematics at one of the program’s 20 Canadian partner universities.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Starting this morning, Kingstonians have a new intercity transit service. German company Flix Bus is adding a Kingston stop on its Toronto to Ottawa line. The stop will be at the curbside drop off zone at 275 Wellington Street between Barrack Street and Tragically Hip way. Trips to Toronto from Kingston start at $21.19, while trips to Ottawa start at $19.99 with the line making 2 trips per day in both directions.  

North America President and COO, Pierre Gourdain says he hopes Flix Bus will become a household brand and that people will think differently about how they travel.

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Flix Bus is the only bus platform in the world that offers its passengers the ability to offset CO2 emissions. Customers can purchase “CO2 Compensation” tickets during booking, with one to three per cent of the original ticket price being added to their ticket. Toronto-bound buses will depart from Kingston at 11:25 am, with a route to Scarborough leaving at 6:25 pm. Ottawa-bound buses will leave Kingston at 12:20 pm and 6:05pm. Tickets can be purchased through the Flix Bus app.

Queen’s University students are seeing new ads in their social media feeds as the university has launched the three part campaign “Building Community Together.” The campaign first welcomes students, encouraging them to start the new school year safely and respectfully. The ad directs students to a webpage with information and resources related to off-campus gatherings, and wellness services. The second group of ads promotes awareness of the Campus Observation Room, an on-campus, confidential overnight alcohol detox service for Queen’s students, as well as safe drinking tips from peers. The third ad promotes a ‘community of consent’, and points students to information on seeking help and supporting survivors faced with sexual violence. The campaign will appear throughout September and October on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, and in online targeted ads.

Princess Street Promenade will be on for a second time this Saturday. According to a release from The Downtown Kingston BIA, July’s Princess Street Promenade was such a success they are doing it again. The Promenade is a one day festival promoting active living and community involvement. Princess Street will be closed to traffic from Barrie Street to Ontario Street from 10am to 5pm on Saturday. Side streets between Ontario and Barrie, with the exception of Bagot, will also be closed for the festival.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Queens University will be making adjustments to future Move-In Days after receiving complaints from several parents about their experience. One parent, who asked to remain anonymous told YGK News, the experience was “appalling” and that a plan to situate over 4,500 students on one day is doomed to fail…it was a chaotic, disastrous experience.”

Executive Director of Housing & Ancillary Services at Queens University, Leah Wales says, “We acknowledge that this year’s return to a one-day move-in did not go as planned, including a high volume of traffic in areas, impacting community members and a number of parents and families. We apologize to all who were impacted by traffic delays, as this was not the experience we hoped to provide. Queen’s is conducting a thorough debrief with all our partners including the police and traffic control specialists that we worked with this year and we will make the necessary adjustments to our plans for future Move-In days.”

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton of YGK News. 

100 new trees were planted in yards across Kingscourt on Saturday. Residents, Little Forests Kingston, Leaf Kingston, The Rotary Club and Kingston Secondary School students planted a hundred trees all in one day.

Co-founder of Little Forests Kingston, Joyce Hostyn says “Little Forests are an approach to rapidly regenerate our urban canopy, restore biodiversity and build neighbourhood climate resiliency. In neighbourhoods like Kingscourt, where tree volumes are lower, this work is vital to help support climate resiliency and foster healthier neighbourhoods.” 

This fall, Little Forests Kingston is also working with Addictions and Mental Health (AMHS) and the Belle Island Caretakers to plant another 830 trees. Trees for the planting were supplied through the City’s Neighbourhood Tree Planting Program.

Tomorrow is Doors Open, an opportunity for equity-deserving Queens students to learn about the supports and resources available on campus. Offices including: Yellow House Student Centre for Equity and Inclusion, Queen’s University International Centre Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre Faith & Spiritual Life, Queen’s Student Accessibility Services and more offer services to Indigenous, students of colour, 2SLGBTQ+, students with a disability and students from minority religious or faith groups. Students can meet the staff and find out the available supports. There will be a booth set up at University & Union in front of Douglas Library to learn more. The event runs tomorrow from 9am until 4pm.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

A 55 year old man is facing various charges after a stabbing incident on a Kingston Transit bus and after shots were fired at police. Early Thursday afternoon a 40 year old woman was stabbed in the abdomen on a bus. The victim is currently in stable condition. Later that afternoon, police found the identified suspect in their apartment on Princess and Portsmouth, the accused fired a shot from a high power rifle at the officers, one officer was struck by Shrapnel, taken to hospital and subsequently released. The OPP were called in early Friday morning and remained on scene with Kingston Police, the accused surrendered at 5 on Friday afternoon. Barry Scott Wood faces 2 counts of aggravated assault, with an additional 7 firearm related charges.

Seasonal water level adjustments have begun on managed lakes in Cataraqui Region. With recent rainfall causing higher water flow through some water control structures such as dams, Cataraqui Conservation staff are working to create more capacity for fall rains, and to stabilize water levels prior to winter freeze-up to promote a stable ice surface. Cataraqui Conservation reminds residents to stay back from the water’s edge above and below dams and hydroelectric stations as creek banks and lake shorelines may be slippery, increasing the chance of falling in.

Queens University has a new bee farm to produce honey for the whole campus community. Queen’s Hospitality Services along with the university’s food service provider Aramark have partnered with local beekeeper Don Foster to set up the two year pilot project near Richardson Stadium. Queen’s Bee Honey will be used across Hospitality Services’ food operations including dining halls and catering services. There will also be honey for sale on select retail outlets across campus and through the online campus market. The four hives with an estimated 240 thousand bees are projected to produce close to 500 pounds of honey during the fall harvesting season. The bee farm is not accessible to the public.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

The City of Kingston and Province of Ontario have unveiled plans for the Kingston & Region Community Training Farm project. The Farm will be housed on the Collins Bay Institution property, and will be managed by Loving Spoonful in partnership with St. Lawrence College.  Mayor Bryan Paterson says, “This project will create employment opportunities and positive employment outcomes in a sector that experienced significant labour market shortages pre-pandemic, while strengthening the resilience of the local food ecosystem and positioning the community for economic growth.”

I’ll have more coverage of the Kingston & Region Community Training Farm project this afternoon on The Scoop at 4:30.

​​United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington revealed their 2022 goal on Friday  to raise $3,808,000. United Way KFL&A 2022 Campaign Chair Jane LaPointe made the announcement which includes two donation matching programs. The first program is The Leadership Challenge Grant where first time leaders’ donations will be 100 % matched, while for existing leaders any increase of 10 per cent or more in their current donation will also be matched. There’s the Women United Leadership Challenge Grant which LaPointe says is to encourage women to join Women United, while also matching donations from new donors dollar for dollar.

LaPointe says donations to the United Way of KFL&A have a broad reach…They “impact programs that are helping students, youth…seniors, individuals that are unhoused…individuals that need assistance with mental health and addictions…It’s our friends, family and neighbours that are helped.”

There are 61 partner agencies and 106 different programs with the United Way of KFL&A.

Murney the police horse who patrols the community with rider Constable Amy Carter, needs additional financial support. Since the start of 2021, the Kingston community has donated more than $43,000 to help pay for Murney’s lodging and care for 2021 and 2022. However, another $32,000 is needed to cover expenses until the end of this year. The Downtown Kingston BIA has generously agreed to match every dollar raised up to a maximum of $8,000 between now and the end of 2022. A release from the city says, Moving forward, Kingston Police are looking at options to include ongoing expenses for the mounted unit into future operating budgets and/or other long-term funding opportunities. The annual cost of housing and caring for Murney is approximately $37,500

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston City Council rejected Jay Patry Enterprises’s condo development proposal at Tuesday Night’s meeting. Eight councilors supported The Planning Committee’s recommendation to reject the application. Patry’s proposal included a Minister’s Zoning Order to allow for development on the former Davis Tannery Lands.  Councilor Jim Neill said that David Suzuki and Elizabeth May among other experts have spoken against the project.

Mayor Bryan paterson had asked council to support the project. He says “I am confident that this is a plan that has been signed off by every reviewing agency…Trees can be replanted, people can’t…This is a project that I believe needs to be supported. We can’t say housing is a priority and then say no to a project like this,” says Paterson.

President of Jay Patry Enterprises Jay Patry says in a release, “The decision is extremely disappointing particularly where we are in a housing crisis, and had worked hard to cooperate with staff and the community…We will have no choice but to appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal. This decision of Council will directly increase the cost of these residential units, and has a direct impact on housing affordability in Kingston.”

Patry’s proposal included 4 buildings, and 1 thousand 670 residential units.

Kingston Police are warning of a fentanyl toy car gummy which was seized during an arrest over the weekend. On Sunday, Police observed a hand to hand drug transaction in the Division and Pine Street area. A  60 year old individual was arrested, searched and found to be in possession of fentanyl as well as a consumable gummy in the shape of a toy car. Police warn the toy car gummy could have serious health effects even death, if the smallest amount is consumed. Police say to only purchase and consume marijuana products from licensed in-person or government operated online stores.

Métis artist Tracey-Mae Chambers will be creating an art installation at St. Lawrence College’s Kingston and Cornwall campuses The exhibit entitled, #hopeandhealingcanada, is intended to raise awareness for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation coming up on September 30th. Chambers will be at The Kingston campus for the installation this afternoon, and at the Cornwall campus tomorrow. The project is funded by the Government of Canada.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston has been ranked as one of the top twenty places to invest in Canada by Site Selector magazine. From April 2021 to the end of March 2022, there have been local investments including Frulact’s expansion, Coca Cola’s new facility and the announcement of Li-Cycle’s Centre of Excellence. 

Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Li-Cycle Tom Johnston says,“Kingston has played a critical role in Li-Cycle’s success to-date, as it’s where we developed our technologies and opened our first commercial facility.”

CEO of the Kingston Economic Development Corporation Donna Gillespie says, “Kingston Economic Development recently hosted an international delegation to promote Kingston as a location for foreign direct investment and we were thrilled to be able to share this news and latest ranking.” 

The Cloud 9 Electronic Music Festival is debuting this Saturday at Number 9 Gardens featuring DJs from all over Canada.  The festival is a youth-led project with four co-founders between 21 and 25. It is open to anyone over the age of 19, while being geared towards youth and fans of electronic music.

Festival Director Reily Morrison says the festival acts as an extension of Number 9’s mission to promote environmental awareness through art. 

She adds as a whole, Kingston’s electronic music scene is lacking and fans often need to go to Toronto or Montreal for any kind of show opportunities.

Number 9 Gardens Executive Director Andrew Davies says “We really think it could be a special annual event that is geared towards getting people back to the land.

The music will be live starting at 11 AM Saturday, running until 1 AM on Sunday. This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton of YGK News.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Jeff Williams. If you have any news tips, email: news@cfrc.ca

In the news…

Kingston City Council is scheduled to meet tonight. A main item on the agenda is to decide whether to accept Patry’s request for a Ministerial Zoning Order to allow for Patry’s condo development property on the former Davis Tannery lands. The MZO would mean amendments to the city’s official plan and zoning-by-laws allowing for residential development on the land of 2 River Street and 50 Orchard Street. At the City’s Planning Committee meeting in August, 4 of 6 councillors voted against Patry’s proposal and the MZO. Several environmental groups have also written letters opposing Patry’s proposal.

 Over 4,500 new Queen’s University students moved in on Saturday to the 17 residence buildings.  This school year it was all done in one day. Over the past two years residence occupancy was restricted to 90% and the move in period was stretched out over four days.

Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs at Queen’s Ann Tierney said it’s one of the best days of the year.She adds “Students make connections in different places. The key is that everybody feels that sense of belonging.”

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton of YGK News…  Join me this afternoon at 5 for Citizen K, to learn more about how the Queen’s University International Centre supports students who are new to Canada, and we’ll also hear student perspectives on Queen’s COVID policy.

CUPE 229 representing food and hospitality workers at the Donald Gordon Conference Centre approved a deal that will bring their wages to parity with other Queens employees. Over the three year term of the new deal members will see up to a 40% wage increase.

CUPE 229 President Sherri Ferris said in a release “The adjustments won’t happen overnight. But over the next three years, the new contract will bring these CUPE members closer to a living wage. In the end, we’re pleased that Aramark agreed that this was a fair and reasonable goal.”

A  release from CUPE pointed out that dishwashers at the Donald Gordon Centre earned $15.42 an hour while their peers at other Queen’s locations earned $21.36 an hour for the same job. Dishwashers at the Donald Gordon Centre will now see their wages increase to $22 an hour in 2024, with all 35 staff contracted at the Centre to see similarly scaled raises.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton of YGK News. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Tomorrow, September 3rd is student move-in-day. 4,600 students are set to move into the 17 Queen’s University residence buildings. Each residence is running at full capacity this year. In order to keep routes clear for students to move-in, streets around residences will be closed starting this evening including Queen’s Crescent, Bader Lane, Lower Albert Street, Collingwood Street (south of Union) and St. Lawrence Avenue. University and Albert streets will be closed to all traffic at Union, and Albert will be closed at King. Stuart St and Bader Lane will also be closed to all traffic.

For move in day tomorrow several streets will become one-way streets. Bader Lane from University to Albert will be west-bound only, University Avenue from Union to Stuart Street traffic will be southbound, Albert Street from Union to King, traffic will be one-way southbound Stuart Street from University to Albert will be westbound and Collingwood Street from Queen’s Crescent to King, traffic will only run southbound. 

A reminder that on Labour Day Monday, there will be no garbage, green bin or recycling collection, buses will follow a Sunday Schedule, Utilities Kingston and Kingston Hydro are closed, arenas, libraries and the Tett Centre will be closed.Portsmouth Olympic Harbour and Confederation Basin marinas are open and Culligan Water Park will also be open on Monday

The City of Kingston’s Artillery Park Aquatic Centre will be closed starting Labour Day Monday until Sunday, September 18th for annual maintenance. Staff will be cleaning the facility, and doing other repairs. The pools, gym, fitness centre, and meeting rooms will be closed. However, the front desk area will remain accessible Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m, fall registration for swimming lessons opens next Thursday September 8th.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

MP Mark Gerretsen was at the Kingston Airport on Tuesday to announce through the Federal Government’s Regional Air Transportation Initiative, that the city of Kingston will receive 1.3 million dollars to support increased safety measures and strategic planning to enable the airport to adapt to a Post-Covid environment. The investment will also allow the airport to bring back more than 18 thousand passengers between Kingston and Toronto. The Regional Air Transportation Initiative also made contributions to 3 other airports including: Cornwall Regional, Huronia Regional and the Arnprior Airport.

The Community Foundation for Kingston and Area are accepting proposals for the Fall 2022 Community Grants Program. All registered charities are eligible to apply for up to 16 thousand dollars in funding to support operations, overhead costs and ongoing programs. The deadline to apply is October 17th. For more information visit cfka.org

The Intercultural Arts Festival is returning this year after a 2 year hiatus, the free event runs Sunday from 11:30 to 6:30 at Confederation basin. The festival includes music, art , dance and cuisine from all over the world.

Muhammad Ahsan, Manager of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion says, “This festival is a highlight for locals and tourists alike. It is an opportunity to celebrate Kingston’s inclusive culture and is a great opportunity for everyone to come together and appreciate the incredible talent and people in our city.”

Ontario Street from Brock to Clarence will be closed to traffic on Sunday for the event. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police have released photos as they look to identify three suspects in connection to a stabbing incident that happened August 7th just before 1:30 in the morning in the area of Princess and Division. The photos can be viewed on Kingston Police’s Facebook and Twitter pages. The victim was released from hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Anyone with information is asked to contact Kingston Police.

South Frontenac Fire and Rescue personnel now have 109 new specialized helmets. The helmets increase protection for firefighters with integrated and retractable eye protection. This purchase is thanks to a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada grant worth over $51 thousand dollars. Deputy Fire Chief Alex Bennett says  “Having the very best equipment means everything because in an emergency, every second counts. An added benefit is the potential for long-term cost savings, since their exceptional durability and performance means they don’t need to be replaced as often.”

South Frontenac Fire and Rescue personnel modelled the new helmets at Firehouse Subs Kingston yesterday.

September marks the 50th anniversary of The 72 Summit Series, the iconic hockey match between Canada and the Soviet Union. On September 28th, With the series tied at 3 games apiece and with one tie, schools and businesses closed as 16 million Canadians watched, that’s the largest TV audience in Canadian broadcast history. The new documentary Icebreaker-the 72 Summit Series directed and produced by Robbie Hart will be featured at The Screening Room next Friday September 9th featuring interviews from Wayne Gretzky, Margaret Trudeau, Ron McLean and more. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

With the return to school just a week away, the medical officers from the Kingston, Frontec, Lennox and Addington Public Health and  Hastings Prince Edward Public Health have issued a joint statement saying, While there continues to be a risk of COVID-19 as with other infectious illnesses, families and educators must all work together to keep the risk as low as possible. The statement lists the following public health measures: Screen for illness each school day and keep your child home if they’re sick. Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations, keep up to date with regular vaccines preventing polio, measels, hepatitis B and more, and keep vaccination records up to date.

The statement adds “School communities will continue to support healthy and safe classrooms, reduce the spread of illness through enhanced cleaning, absence monitoring, hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and ventilation best practices.” Both health units “will support these efforts and continue to work with school communities to improve  the health and well-being of students and staff through provision of health promotion resources, curriculum supports, home-school communications resources, and in-person clinical services in schools.”

Isabel Bader passed away on Sunday. Isabel with her late husband Alfred are known for their donations to Queen’s University including  the Isabel Bader Performing arts Centre, the Bader Collection containing over 500 works of art with 4 Rembrandts, and a castle in England. Isabel Bader created bursaries to help students pursue their studies in music, drama,and more. Principal Patrick Deane says, “To have known Isabel in all her warmth, gentleness, wit, and acuity,  I will number among the great privileges of my life. She was a gentle soul who delighted in seeing students thrive and discover their own potential through the arts. I will remember her as indomitably humane.” 

Isabel Bader died Sunday in Milwaukee, she was 95. 

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston youth shelter announced they have a new home. The new facility will be located at 365 Nelson Street. It will be able to house up to 24 people overnight, while it’s current 234 Brock Street location can only offer 6 beds, the temporary shelter out of Queen’s MacBrown Hall has 16 sleeping pods in the gymnasium. 

Youth Shelter Executive Director Anne Brown says, “The programming opportunities will be a lot greater than in the space that we’re in now.” There will be private space for a prevention diversion worker and family mediation worker on staff. 

The space at Mac Brown hall will no longer be used by the shelter, but its Brock Street location will remain open to youth for services like showers, laundry and speaking to councillors. This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton of YGK News.

Queen’s University will soon open a brand new student residence building. On Saturday September 3rd, over 320 undergraduates and 10 residence dons will move into the new building at 146 Albert Street. The residence has achieved Gold Certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, integrating two of the original five houses from the site. The residence includes some unique new elements including nap pods, a prayer space, bicycle storage, service animal washing station, and an Indigenous gathering space in the courtyard. There are also shared study rooms on each floor, laundry facilities, kitchenettes, and wheelchair accessible entrances. There will be an open house to tour the building tomorrow from noon until 3. An official name for the residence has yet to be selected. 

The 4th annual Multiple Myeloma March to raise awareness, funding for research and access to treatments is happening on Sunday September 11th at Victoria Park in Kingston. Myeloma is the second most common form of blood cancer and is incurable. 

Hematologist with Kingston Health Sciences Centre, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at Queen’s University, Dr. Troy Climans says, “People only used to live a couple of years with this disease, now patients are able to live with this 10 years or more based on a number of new treatments that have come within the last 10 to 15 years.”

My full conversation with Dr. Climans coming up at 4:30 on The Scoop. The march begins at 10:30 a.m. Sunday September 11th at Victoria Park. 

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

While an investigation is ongoing after a 36 year old was arrested for driving through a homeless encampment next to the Integrated Care Hub, police released a statement stating that the driver unintentionally struck a tent at a low speed, and assured the public this was not a targeted attack on the ICH or occupants of its grounds.

The release states the driver attempted to flee from a crowd which assembled around the vehicle after it initially struck a tent where two people were isolating for COVID. “The driver of the motor vehicle then drove directly to Kingston Police headquarters where they were arrested on charges related to this incident.”

Three were transported to hospital with varying injuries, none of which are life threatening.The ICH said in a release, “This is yet another reminder of how much work there is to yet to do to ensure  every individual has the opportunity to have a home where they can live in dignity.”

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton at YGK News. 

The City of Kingston is set to enact the University District Safety Initiative. The initiative takes effect starting at 11:59 on Sunday night and will run through to the end of the day on Saturday September 10th. The initiative is a partnership between the City of Kingston, Kingston Police and Queen’s University. Anyone charged with committing an offence under the Nuisance Party or Noise Bylaw could face fines or a court appearance. Queen’s Students issued a Court Summons will have their names posted on a public court docket, they will be assessed by the university’s student code of conduct The University will look at each case individually to determine which consequences are most appropriate  More information is available on the city of Kingston’s website.

 St. Lawrence College has announced proof of vaccination will not be required for those coming to campus, and all campuses will be mask optional. This comes on the heels of Queens University announcing that masking or proof of vaccination would not be mandatory. President and CEO, Glenn Vollebregt says, “If public health and provincial requirements change, we will adjust our plans. We strongly encourage folks to be vaccinated at the recommended frequency..anyone wishing to wear a mask is welcome to do so.”  Certain program placements that involve care settings will continue to have vaccine and masking requirements.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email news@cfrc.ca

Queen’s University has announced a booster shot will not be required, and masking will not be mandatory to attend classes or to live in Queen’s residence for the upcoming Fall 2022 semester. The statement comes a day after Western University announced students would be required to have one booster shot and wearing a mask would be mandatory in classrooms.

However, the statement notes “Students, faculty, and staff in the Faculty of Health Sciences accessing hospital or other external facilities are required to adhere to the guidelines, policies, and procedures of the institution which they are attending,

The university adds, requirements may be reinstated “with short notice” and students may suddenly find their in-person university activities “restricted or discontinued.”

Fall term classes begin on September 6th. This story courtesy of YGK News.

Mayor Bryan Paterson, a member of the 29 Ontario Big City Mayor Caucus tells CFRC news the group has once again requested an emergency meeting with the province to address the affordable housing crisis. Paterson had announced at a special council meeting in June that housing was the number one issue in all 29 cities and had requested an emergency meeting with premier Doug Ford. Paterson says, as of last week the group has not yet had a response so they have once again pushed for a meeting. Paterson adds it is not just a housing issue.

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My full conversation with Mayor Bryan Paterson coming up on The Scoop Monday afternoon at 4:30.

The World’s Largest Needlepoint, which was used as the backdrop for his holiness Pope John Paul the second’s visit to Toronto, by former U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Ottawa and has been recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records, will be on display tomorrow and Saturday here in Kingston. Vahid Saadati’s “The Welcome Mat” depicts the word “Welcome” in over 100 different languages. It will be at local quilting, fabric and sewing machine store Stitch By Stitch..

Saadati says, “I couldn’t think of a better place to display the piece, the name of the store resonated with me, this is exactly how we have built this work: stitch by stitch. This work is important because it involves so many people of diverse ages, cultures, and religions in our multicultural society, which shows the fabric of Canada.”

The Welcome Mat was assembled by Saadati and 650 volunteers of all ages over a 2 year period. This will be the first time the mat has been displayed since the onset of Covid, it will be on display Friday from 1 to 6:30 and Saturday from 9:30 to 4:30 at the Stitch by Stitch store at 550 Days Road.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

The City of Kingston has received 7.4 million dollars from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to put towards 47 new housing units for the homeless or those at risk of homelessness. The projects through the National Housing Strategy’s Rapid Housing Initiative  include Tipi Moza’s Indigenous Housing Centre serving 19 adults which is already open, Ongwanada at 3 Cassidy Street which will have seven units for youth transitioning from children’s services into adult developmental services, the Kingston Frontenac Housing Corporation’s Curtis Crescent apartments will house nine youth, one unit of which will be barrier free and finally, The East Wing of Dawn House at 805 Ridley Street will house 12 women and their children. Mayor Bryan Paterson says all three levels of government are needed to solve the affordable housing crisis. 

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The projects are set for completion by the end of October with occupancy starting by the end of the year. Rent in the units can not exceed the shelter allowance portion from Ontario Works of $390 or the Ontario Disability Support Program of $497 or 30% of the client’s gross income.

This Sunday at Breakwater Park, divers are set to participate in the Underwater Pitch In. Co-organizer and diver Jason Guindon says most of the clean up will happen off the Gord Downie Pier because it’s the most heavily used swimming area in Kingston, and as such accumulates the most trash. According to Guindon the main focus will be cleaning up plastics, but they will also be cleaning up recyclables such as glass bottles, cans, as well as tires, bikes, shopping carts and more. Guindon says, “It’s really important to keep the lakes as clean as we can, as most of the drinking water for the city of Kingston comes from the lake.”

No registration is required, licensed divers can show up and help with the cleanup, people can also assist on the shoreline. The Underwater Pitch in will run from 9 until 4 this Sunday.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, please email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police in partnership with London Police, and with the assistance of the OPP, Toronto and Durham Police have made an arrest in connection with the October 2021 murders of Nico Soubliere and Carl Anne Delphin. From video footage during the investigation, Kingston police identified the suspect as Gregory Anthony Beasely. Police arrested Beasely in Toronto on August 17th. He has been charged with two counts of first degree murder, with additional firearm related charges.

Kingston Fire & Rescue are reminding residents to make sure smoking materials are fully extinguished in a non combustible container, after a fire at Uxbridge Crescent home caused major damage over the weekend. The exact cause of the fire is undetermined, Kingston Fire & Rescue suspect smoking materials were present. All residents escaped and were not hurt, damage is estimated at over 300 thousand dollars.

Kingston Economic Development has received a 280 thousand dollar grant from the Digital Main Street initiative for a two year Digital Service Squad program to support small business owners in digitally transforming their business. The Service Squad also assists the businesses in applying for the $2,500 Digital Transformation Grant. Applications for the grant are open until the end of October. The Squad offers digital marketing support at no cost to the business. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

The Canada Foundation For Innovation has awarded two Queens University affiliated research facilities over $120 million. SNOLAB based near Sudbury, an Internationally renowned research facility studying dark matter and the neutrino particle will receive 100 million to continue supporting astro particle research, while the Canadian Cancer Trial Groups based at Queen’s will receive 20 million dollars to support research network testing innovations in cancer treatments. Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry with the Government of Canada Francois-Phillipe Champagne made the announcement at SNOLAB on Friday saying, “”We’re making sure that Canada is equipped to support the next generation of researchers who will tackle the world’s most pressing issues and who will advance our society for all to thrive.”

A tentative deal has been reached for Donald Gordon Conference Centre employees. Negotiators for CUPE 229, which represents workers at the centre, and the contracting company Aramark reached the deal following a full day of bargaining on August 17 with a conciliator. CUPE 229 President Sheri Ferris said while details can’t be expanded upon, she and the rest of the bargaining team feel very comfortable recommending this deal to members.

She says ,“Under the agreed terms, we can’t make details of the agreement public until after our members have had the chance to review and vote on it, and that won’t happen until the end of the month…However, I can say that this is a deal that the bargaining committee will be pleased to recommend for ratification by members.”

Donald Gordon Centre General Manager Jinty Cresswell added that Aramark is happy to have come to a resolution with employees. CUPE 229 will review the tentative agreement on August 30th and vote on whether to accept or reject the deal.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, at YGK NEWS.

A solution to overflow in emergency units at our local hospitals is in the works. Dr. Erna Snelgrove-Clarke tells CFRC News…

“We’re looking at developing the Perry Winkle Health home where interpersonal collaboration will occur, and family physicians and nurse practitioners will work together to support persons in our community who don’t have primary care health providers…what’s happening in our emergencies with the overload is many people don’t have care providers…set up a health home to get care they’re not getting from an immediate physician…decrease that intake.”

My full conversation with Dr. Snelgrove-Clarke, including perspectives on the province’s plan to address the health sector crisis, is coming up on The Scoop this afternoon at 4:30.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s Volunteer Services have donated over 70 thousand dollars to the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation.The funding will go towards purchasing patient care equipment for Hotel Dieu to benefit pediatric, ear, nose, throat and gastroenterology patients. The equipment includes a wireless capsule technology helping gastrointestinal specialists measure stomach acid in a patient’s esophagus, a flexible laryngoscope to help with visualizing a patient’s ear, nose and throat, syringe pumps to deliver medications, a patient lift  and procedure lights for ambulatory clinics. According to a release from the KHSC, many of the members of volunteer services are retired healthcare workers who to date have donated more than 3 million dollars to help purchase patient care equipment at Hotel Dieu Hospital.

A Queens Health Sciences Student has been named a Champion of Mental Health For Youth. Ervis Musa has received a Sharon Johnston Youth Award from the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health. During the pandemic Musa started three projects: NetworkYou which provided peer mentorship to incoming Queens’ students, he also started a program offering real estate and living advice to youth, along with Easy A Tutoring. As a knowledge mobilization fellow with Frayme, he co-created a report assessing newcomer youth challenges and considerations in mental health and sports. Musa is set to present his research findings at the International  Association for Youth Mental Health Conference in Copenhagen this fall. The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health will hold a gala on October 5th to celebrate Musa and other Mental Health Champion award recipients.

On Sunday August 28th at Tindall Field on Queen’s University campus, it’s a Neur Run to support the Centre for Neuroscience students.

Graduate Student Representative for Fundraising and Industry Committee with the Centre for Neuroscience at Queen’s University Dominique Hancock says, “It’s hard to get funding as a student and the pandemic, inflation, has had a really big impact on student income…We’re hoping to have it go towards an emergency fund.. To help students out with personal expenses and for student initiatives.”

The event includes a one kilometer walk or a five kilometer run, games, a raffle, music and info. booths to learn more about neuroscience. The event runs from 9am-1pm, more information is available at neuroscience.queensu.ca

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Culligan Water Park is temporarily closed after a glass bottle was shattered on the deck and into the pool over the weekend. According to a release from the city, pool draining began on Monday, and will still take several days to finalize, a water company will then be hired to complete the process. Aquatics staff hope to re-open Culligan Water park on Saturday August 20th. The Memorial Splash pad remains open. 

On September 11th, communities across Canada will join the walk of hope in support of Ovarian Cancer Canada. A team of Queen’s University students researching ovarian cancer are organizing this year’s Kingston walk. PhD student in Biochemistry and Cell Biology Jacob Kment says, “This is a walk that stands for hope of a future without ovarian cancer.” 

Participants can sign up to walk in-person or virtually. The $20 registration fee goes directly to Ovarian Cancer Canada, other items such as t-shirts are also available for purchase that  will add to the donation. Donations made by the end of the day on Monday August 22nd will be doubled.

The funding supports research, advocacy efforts, support and care for women with ovarian cancer. The event will also be an opportunity to learn more about Ovarian cancer and the Queens  Ovarian Cancer Club’s research. Kment says the disease is highly specific.

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The in-person event will be at Lake ontario Park on Septmebr 11th, registration is at 9, with the walk beginning at 10. 

A new sailing event coming to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris is happening in Kingston. The Sail Canada 2022 Open Kiteboarding Senior Championships start today and run through Sunday. 14 kiteboarders from Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and the US will battle for the title at the competition’s second edition. The Kiteboarding Championships are the final Sail Canada Championships this summer. 

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police have released video footage as they continue investigating the suspect in the arson case from Thursday August 4th at Modern Primitive on Princess Street.

In a press release Kingston Police say, “The suspect can be seen exiting Rochleau Court… The suspect then crosses to the north side of Princess before continuing westbound.. The suspect is wearing a yellow top, light colored pants and carrying a bag over their left shoulder.”

The video can be viewed on the Kingston Police Facebook Page. Anyone with information is asked to contact Kingston Police.

Non-profit organizations and registered charities can now apply to receive funding for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, assist with climate change adaptation or technological innovation. Applications for the Kingston Climate Change Action Fund are now open. Organizations can book a one-on-one meeting with Climate Leadership Division Manager with The City of Kingston Julie Salter- Keane for today or tomorrow through the City’s website to learn more about the application process. 

Salter-Keane says, “Together, we have the ability to realize our vision of becoming a carbon neutral city no later than 2040.”

Successful applicants will have their project featured on the city of Kingston’s website, and donors will be able to review and fund projects of their choosing.

The Kingston Economic Development Corporation is hosting a showcase today, highlighting 10 new businesses launched by local students through the Summer Company program. The provincially funded program includes a weekly bootcamp focusing on business plans, cash flow and more. It also provides mentoring, training and $3,000 to start a business venture. 

Business Development Manager with Kingston Economic Development Corporation Rob Tamlyn says “This program allows enterprising, young entrepreneurs to work on their business idea throughout the summer while learning the fundamentals of owning and operating a successful business. The students have demonstrated creativity and enthusiasm, and we are happy to have been a part of this experience for them!”

The Showcase is at Fractal Coworking from 5 to 7pm.

 That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

All students entering Grade 9 can sign up for their free Kingston Transit bus pass for the upcoming school year. Grade 10 through 12 students with a valid pass will have their passes automatically renewed. This comes after council voted to make the Kingston Transit pass program for high school students ongoing and permanent. Grade 12 students who are planning to return for a victory lap will not have their passes automatically renewed and will need to renew their pass. To either sign up for or renew a pass,  complete the online form at KingstonTransit.ca/StudentPass and then bring the form along with a birth certificate and timetable of classes to either City Hall or the Cataraqui Centre. 

The City of Kingston’s financial services team is hosting a visioning session to shape the future of what participatory budgeting could look like for the community. The session will include presentations from the Director of Financial Planning and Reporting with the City of Kitchener Ryan Hagey, along with  Melinda Jolley, Citizen Engagement Coordinator with the City of Victoria. The exercise is part of the City’s public engagement series for the 2023 budgets. To be part of the visioning exercise, go to The Get Involved Kingston website to register and learn more. The virtual visioning session will take place September 7th from noon to 1.

This Saturday, St. Michael The Archangel, Ukrainian Catholic Church is hosting a fundraiser with all proceeds supporting local families who have immigrated from Ukraine within the last three months. The fundraiser will provide families with grocery cards through KEYS Employment and Newcomer Services.

Kingston-based artist, poet and member of the Ukranian Catholic CHurch Judith Popiel says, “There’s many women with young children here who have arrived in the last 3 months…The government gives each family $3,000, and that’s all the money they will receive. Some organizations are giving housing for 6 months…Most of them don’t speak English so they’re learning English…Imagine someone saying to you ‘Pack a suitcase and off you go because that’s what you have to do’.”

Popiel’s Sunflower paintings are available for $20 each, while a dozen frozen perogies are $10.

The fundraiser runs Saturday August 20th from 10am-2pm. 

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police have confirmed that arson is the suspected cause of last week’s major fire which set the whole back of the 100 block on Princess Street ablaze causing 300 thousand dollars in damages to Modern Primitive and the apartments above. The investigation is ongoing. 

The OPP are warning of a bank fraud phone scam in the region. According to the OPP, victims of the scam are receiving phone calls from someone claiming to be with a bank telling them their credit card has been compromised. The fraudster then requests pin numbers and passwords, and advises the victim to leave their debit and credit card in an envelope outside the front door to be picked up and destroyed. The OPP say do not provide banking passwords or information to anyone who calls. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from a bank, say you will call them back, then call the number on the back of your card or go to the bank to verify the call. If you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud, report it to the OPP or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

24 local projects are set to receive funding from the Community Investment Fund. The City of Kingston with United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington chip in a combined total of over 450 thousand dollars. Among the recipients are non-profit organizations including: Tipi Moza, Elizabeth Fry Society, Independent Living Centre, Sexual Assault Centre, Loving Spoonful, Dawn House, Kingston Home Base Housing and more. 29 agencies had applied.

President and CEO of United Way KFL&A Bhavana Varma says they were all great applications, they could have all been funded if we had more money…He added…“What we used were different lenses. One was the equity, diversity, inclusion and indigenization… Another lens was also to look at people who are marginalized, low income or people who would otherwise struggle. So really using that lens, rather than universal programs, just honing in on where the greatest need was.”

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton of YGK News

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Premier Doug Ford’s throne speech as well as the budget proposed a 5% increase for the Ontario Disability Support Program payments. Kingston and The Islands MPP Ted Hsu says “The small size of the increase when compared to cumulative inflation is wholly inadequate and unconscionable. Ford should have spent more time during the election campaign talking to voters…He would have heard from real people on ODSP about how they have been crushed by the dramatic rise in the cost of living.”

He adds, “I urge Premier Ford to reconsider his numbers and, to be fair, set the reference point for that inflation adjustment well back in the past.”

Hsu was named Liberal critic for Energy, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry as well as critic for Citizenship and Multiculturalism.

He says, “My background as a scientist, financial executive, and environmental leader give me a unique perspective on these areas…The energy and resource sectors need support but economic needs must be balanced with careful appreciation of the needs of local communities and the environment.”

He added, “Although the Ontario Liberal caucus may be small, we are strong and nimble. Through our critic roles, we will be here to hold the Ford government to account to deliver for the people of Ontario.”

It’s Prisoners Justice Day, a day to remember those who died unnatural deaths inside Canadian prisoners. Prisoners show solidarity by fasting and refusing to work. The day started in Canada in 1976 and is now celebrated internationally. CFRC Prison Radio will continue the annual tradition of the 6 hour Prisoners Justice Day broadcast beginning at 4pm, featuring interviews, the names of those who died behind bars, listener messages, song requests and dedications.  

Almost Home is celebrating 30 years of providing housing and care to families with a hospitalized child at The Kingston General or Hotel Dieu with the largest children’s celebration in Kingston. Almost Home has eleven rooms where families can stay for a rate of $10 a night but no family is turned away due to an inability to pay. The free family fun day is this Saturday at Confederation Park running from 10-5 and includes a performance by Juno winning band Splash N’ boots.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

The Wolfe Island Ferry service ran off schedule yesterday, after avoiding a service shut down. The Ministry of Transportation originally reported that ferry service would be shut down for the Sunday morning 8 o’clock run, and would not restore regular operations until the evening, due to an unexpected crew shortage. However later in the morning MTO reported that they found a qualified crew member, effectively avoiding the shutdown, with the service running off schedule for yesterday morning. 

Kingston Police have charged an Uber Eats driver after he allegedly sexually assaulted a passenger on July 3rd. The driver in a SUV offered the victim a ride and identified himself as a ride-share. The driver then sexually assaulted the victim, when the vehicle slowed at a stop sign, she fled the vehicle, while the driver tried to grab her but she got away. Police arrested 50 year old Hasan Al Madani on July 28th, after locating the vehicle and confirming the suspect’s identity using GPS data. Madani was charged with sexual assault and 2 counts of harrassment. According to Uber the suspect was only authorized to do deliveries and was not a driver.

An Uber spokesperson told YGK news, “We take these reports seriously; while the reported incidents are not connected to a trip or delivery, we deactivated him as soon as we became aware of the incidents.” The spokesperson added the suspect was not using the Uber app when the incident occured. 

The investigation is ongoing and police want to hear from individuals who may have had interactions with Madani and the vehicle.

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton of YGK News. 

4 of the 6 councilors on the City of Kingston planning committee voted against Patry’s Davis Tannery project, they also voted against a Minister’s Zoning Order which would have meant amendments to the City’s official plan and zoning by-laws to allow development on this land. The proposal still needs to go through council originally this was set for Tuesday August 9th, but now it will wait until the September 6th meeting.

More on the Davis Tannery proposal this afternoon at 4:30 on The Scoop here on CFRC.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

A resounding 96% vote from Hospitality and Food Services staff at Queen’s University’s Donald Gordon Hotel and Conference Centre was recently triggered by pay gaps between Donald Gordon employees and those doing the same jobs on main campus. According to CUPE 229, there is close to a $6 an hour pay gap for those at Donald Gordon as compared to other workers on campus.

CUPE 229 President Sheri Ferris says, “We hope for the same respect as main campus workers, we are hoping to bridge that gap and make it a fair system.”

Negotiations between CUPE and the employer, Aramark will resume on August 17th.  Ferris says, “We are certainly preparing ourselves in case there’s a strike…`Early September we would be in a strike position if talks break down.”

Communications Manager, Corporate Communications at Aramark, Chris Collom wrote in an email, “ The company intends to keep working with the Union toward a settlement that works for everyone. In the event of a work stoppage, we have contingency plans to ensure that services are not interrupted.”

The City of Kingston Planning Committee will review Patry’s Davis Tannery development proposal at their meeting this evening. NoClearCuts Kingston is set to hold a rally at Confederation Park before the meeting and have said they will present a petition opposing the project. If the Planning Committee approves the Davis Tannery proposal it will go before Kingston City Council next week.

The 2022 Sail Canada 49er Youth Championships begin today. The championships host a total of 17 Canadian teams and one team from Bermuda. The Canadian teams include Matthew Young who participated in Team Canada’s 2022 World Sailing Championships. Races run today through Sunday.  

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police have released new video footage of a suspect as they continue their investigation into the murders of Nico Soubliere and Carl Anne Delphin from October of last year. According to police with the assistance from the public, they have received footage of the previously identified suspect in the case. Detective Constable Joel Fisher says the male being named as a suspect can be seen trying to hide his identity by overdressing and is believed to go by the street name Sophia. He adds it is believed the parties knew each other and the Sydendam Street Parking lot, the location of the murders, was intended to be the site of a drug transaction. The video can be viewed on the Kingston Police’s Youtube Channel. Anyone with information is asked to contact police. 

Three camps aimed at fostering diversity within health science and engineering are debuting on campus this week. One of the camps is The Queens’ Health Sciences Outreach and Summer Program is offered to local high school students who self-identify as LGBTQ, a first generation Canadian or a person with a disability. Through the week, mentors will provide students an introduction to careers and post-secondary options within the health sciences. Another program is A Taste Of Engineering part of the Queen’s Summer Engineering Academy bringing girls in Grades 7 and 8 from across Ontario to Queen’s for a three day overnight program running today through Friday. The Black Youth in STEM program is also running on campus this week.

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship is set to dock at the Crawford Wharf with tours and a chance to talk with Royal Navy Officers being offered from 1 to 4 this afternoon, and additional tours will run tomorrow and Friday. The HMCS Oriole’s Kingston stop is one of many across the Great Lakes and St.Lawrence Seaway, as part of the Great Lakes Deployment offering opportunities to learn about life and careers in the Royal Navy. The Oriole is the Navy’s oldest ship celebrating 101 years of operation. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Health Sciences’ Urgent Care Centre closed 3 hours early yesterday. Just after 5pm the hospital announced they had reached capacity for the number of patients they could safely care for given the staffing situation. The UCC’s regular hours are 8am to 8pm. KHSC recommends visiting the website rightplacerightcare.com for alternate care options.

Sustainable Construction material provider Lafarge Canada is co-funding a low carbon concrete design research project at Queen’s University. Lafarge is also providing their ECOPact concrete. Much of the research will be done in Queen’s Civil Engineering labs and a lab will be constructed at the Kingston Fire and Rescue Training Centre.

Team lead and Civil Engineering Professor at Queen’s Dr. Neil Hoult says, “It’s going to be both actively used by Kingston’s Fire Services as a classroom and as a living lab so that Queen’s and St. Lawrence College students can come and learn about low-carbon buildings. We’re aiming for a net-zero building philosophy.” 

Researchers from Queen’s University in partnership with Mcmaster University  have discovered a gut bacterial ‘super-producer’ of histamine that  causes pain flare-ups for some patients with irritable bowel syndrome. The team identified a strain of microbiota known as Klebsiella aerogenes in up to a quarter of patients with IBS.

Queens’ Professor of Medicine, Dr. Steven Vanner says, “We can use this bacteria to identify which patients may be susceptible to this pain signaling pathway and also deliver strategies that may be able to target this bacteria.”

My full conversation with Dr. Vanner coming up this afternoon at 5 on Citizen K.

That’s all for your daily news brief. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

With the encampment protocol reinstated and over 100 unhoused people currently camping, Home Base Housing Executive Director Tom Greening tells CFRC news, if everybody camping wants to use an emergency shelter there are certainly not enough spaces available.

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Greening says “There’s no way by the fall or winter that the city or anybody for that matter will be able to build new affordable housing..

He adds that he hopes for some additional overnight shelter beds prior to the cold weather arriving.

Princess Street from Division to Ontario will be closed to traffic tomorrow from 10 to 5 as Downtown Kingston BIA’s Princess Street Promenade makes a full return. Local retailers, restaurants, and community groups will have lots of activities happening. Side streets between Ontario and Division will also be closed, however Barrie and Bagot will remain open. According to the BIA, this will be the first full-scale promenade since 2019.

In Sports, Former Queen’s Gaels Men’s Hockey Team Captain Patrick Sanvido is returning as the team’s new assistant coach. In four seasons with Queen’s, Sanvido recorded nine goals and 17 assists helping the team capture the Queen’s Cup in 2019. 

Sanvido said. “I needed to come back as in my eyes we have unfinished business.”

The Gaels open their regular 2022-2023 season on Friday October 14th when they take on the Universite de Quebec Patriotes. 

A reminder that on Civic Holiday Monday, there will be no garbage, recycling or green bin collection. Kingston Transit will operate on a Sunday schedule. Kingston Access Services will also operate on limited service. All library branches, arenas, Rideau Heights Community Centre and Kingston East Community Centre will be closed on Monday.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Queen’s University Chancellor and the former chair of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission The Honourable Murray Sinclair issued a statement in response to the historic apology from Pope Francis, saying the Holy Father’s statement leaves a deep hole in the acknowledgement of the full role of the church in the Residential School system. He went on to say the church was a lead co-author of the darkest chapters in the history of this land.”

Former Interim Executive Director of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Designated Fellow at the School of Policy Studies at Queen’s University Bob Watts/ tells CFRC News there’s a need for action.

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He adds the doctrine of discovery had no place then and it has no place now. Watts helped negotiate the Indian Residential School settlement agreement 

My full conversation with Bob Watts will air this coming Civic Monday at 4::30 On The Scoop.

Chancellor Sinclair also said in his statement, “While an apology has been made, that same doctrine is in place. The Pope and the Church remain silent on the most problematic tenets of its belief system.”

The 24th annual Rose of Hope Golf Tournament raised 285 thousand dollars in support of Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s Breast Imaging Kingston building. Over the next 5 years, the Rose of Hope committee, along with the women of the Cataraqui Golf and Country Club pledge to raise a million dollars for a future MRI at the KHSC Breast Imaging facility.

Sherri McCullough, Chair of Rose of Hope committee says, “There are as many as 1,100 patients requiring an MRI of the breast… A new MRI at the Breast Imaging Kingston would free up thousands of appointments.”

Over the past 23 years, the women of the Cataraqui Golf and Country Club have raised close to 2.5 million dollars which has gone toward improving care and diagnosis for women with breast cancer in the Kingston area.

A new digital automotive marketplace startup is launching in Kingston, Vendde, “the people first” marketplace” is set to open next week at its Clarence Street location and release its platform next month. According to a release, the platform will allow anybody to become a Venddor, facilitating vehicle purchases and sales with the support of the Vendde agency and their licensed dealers.

Vendde Founder and CEO Trevor Cotton says, “We train regular people how to run their own automotive sales business in a fully governed and compliant digital market environment,”

The platform allows customers to speak directly with their chosen vendor, save orders, choose their delivery date and more. Purchases come with a full money back guarantee. Vendde also says in the release, for carbon-offsetting, they will plant 100 trees for every car sold. The ribbon cutting ceremony is next Thursday at noon.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Family and Children’s Services of Frontenac, Lennox and Addington have formed a partnership with Addiction and Mental Health Services of KFL&A. This comes after receiving an Ontario Trillium Foundation Resilient Communities grant of over 86 thousand dollars. Through the partnership, a dedicated mental health and addiction worker will collaborate with Family and Children’s Services Staff in supporting individuals and families.

Community Relations and Communications Manager for Family & Children’s Services of FL&A Amanda Liebeck says both organizations have the individual’s best interest in mind, but we do two separate things. 

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Liebeck says this program is only available to families already receiving service from Family & Children’s Services.

The YMCA of Eastern Ontario’s Send A Kid To Camp Fundraiser has surpassed its goal by more than 30%

YMCA of Eastern Ontario CEO Rob Adams says, “Increased donations to Y summer camps means that we don’t have to limit the subsidy we can provide to families who are most in need which opens access. And this year, perhaps more than any other time, we’re seeing just how important social interactions are for our kids.”

Over 133 thousand dollars was donated to the program, the target was 100 thousand. ‘Send a Kid To Camp’ is part of the annual Strong Communities Campaign which also has programs for teens, adults, families and seniors. 

Ahead of the municipal election in October, The City of Kingston is hiring designated election officials for advanced voting days. The city is recruiting for: Site Supervisors, Deputy Returning Officers, Machine Operators and Greeters. The deadline to apply is August 12th. More information about the positions and how to apply is available on the City of Kingston’s website. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

This Thursday the City of Kingston will release a comprehensive report on the Davis Tannery Development. Patry Inc’s proposal is to build 1700 condo units in the Rideau and River street area. The Planning Committee will meet to vote on the proposal next Thursday August 4th, then the proposed development will be put before council on August 9th. Perspectives on the proposal coming up this afternoon at 5 on Citizen K here on CFRC.

Director of the Isabel Bader Centre, Tricia Baldwin will step down in September as she has accepted a new position as executive director of Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre in Whitehorse. During her time with the Isabel, she created the Isabel Overton Bader Canadian Violin Competition, the Bader and Overton Canadian Cello Competition, the Isabel Human Rights Arts Festival, and she  collaborated with curator Dylan Robinson to start the Ka’tarohkwi Festival of Indigenous Arts. Baldwin joined the centre in 2014. Arrangements are in place for an interim director, and more information on the process of finding a new leader will be released in the coming weeks.

With just over a month until students return to school, United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox And Addington’s Annual Backpack Program is back. Through community donations, the program distributes backpacks and school supplies to ensure that families and children have the supplies they need. 

President and CEO of United Way KFL&A Bhavana Varma says, “We know through conversations with agencies and the schools that the needs are greater than any previous year.”

According to a release from United Way, The most needed school supplies include backpacks, lunch bags, pens, pencils, math sets, markers, crayons, and pencil cases. Items can be dropped off at United Way’s office at 417 Bagot Street during office hours. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips or stories please email: news@cfrc.ca

Over 30 thousand Hydro One Customers in the area lost power on Saturday morning after a fire broke out at the Lennox power plant. Customers in Napanee, Amherst Island, Marysville, Odessa, and much of Prince Edward County were affected by the outage. Firefighters arrived on the scene and no one was hurt. Power was restored by 7 on Saturday evening.

5 Local sport organizations are receiving emergency relief funding. The Ontario Sport Network has distributed $7 million in funding to over 2 hundred organizations in the province. Locally, The Kingston Frontenacs Hockey Club, Kingston Pickleball Club, Loyalist Township Minor Hockey Association, the Gananoque Islanders and Third Shot Drop will receive funding.

Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport says the grant ensures local sport organizations can continue offering opportunities for youth and adults to participate in physical activity.”

The City of Kingston is inviting local businesses to keep doors and windows closed when running Air Conditioning. Businesses who take the pledge will receive recognition and a special decal showing their commitment to climate action. This is part of an awareness campaign as directed by City Council, highlighting the benefits of keeping doors and windows closed when the A/C is on. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me news@cfrc.ca

MP Mark Gerretsen was at Innovation Park yesterday to announce a 2.5 million dollar investment from the Government of Canada to support GreenCentre Canada The funding for Green Centre will go toward a program supporting clean-tech entrepreneurs in areas including energy and fuels, resource recovery, water treatment and consumer products from renewable sources. Green Centre Scientists will produce the successful entrepreneur’s project at no cost to the applicant. The funding is through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

Starting September 12th, you will be able to link to International AirTransat flights in Montreal directly from Kingston. Pascan Aviation announced an interline agreement with the City of Kingston offering regularly scheduled flights from YGK airport to Montreal. Passengers can then connect to hundreds of flights through a new connectair service with AirTransat flying to destinations around the world. Flight service from Kingston to Montreal will be offered twice daily.

An Internationally award-winning workspace design and manufacturing company known for producing office Pods, has announced a major expansion.

SnapCab CEO Glenn Bostock says “We’ve run out of space, we can quadruple our output if we expand and add another shift at night.”

According to Bostock, the facility on Railway Street will expand by 18,000 sq. ft. to a total of 54,000 sq. ft., stretching all the way to Patrick Street. They would also double their employee base from 40 to close to 80.

Bostock estimates the expansion will begin in the fall of 2023, and will cost $3 million. SnapCab recently launched a Video Conferencing Pod at the NeoCon 2022 Trade Show in Chicago and was an honoree at the NeoCon Interior Design HiP 2022 Awards.

The  Sail Canada 2022 49er and 49er FX Senior Championships are going on in Kingston. In 49erFX, the competition has seven teams, including Kingston’s own Ali Ten Hove with Toronto’s Mariah Millen. The races began yesterday and will run through Sunday.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Queen’s University has launched Canada’s first Advanced Leadership for Social Impact Fellowship program. According to a release from Queen’s, the one year course will provide tools, knowledge and networks to take on the world’s greatest challenges including housing affordability and climate change. 

Co-director of the program Jean-Baptiste Litrico, says the ALSI Fellowship “doesn’t look at social problems in isolation or from one perspective. The program is grounded in the belief that real issues are systemic and require a multidimensional leadership approach to inspire tangible solutions.”

The hybrid-learning program will begin in October.

The Kingston Frontenac Public Library is looking for community input on its facilities plan. The 20 year plan was developed with the consulting firm, Monteith Brown Planning.

Director of Service Design and Delivery with the KFPL, Kimberly Sutherland-Mills says they are looking for feedback on planned major renovations or expansions at The Isabel Turner and Pittsburgh Branch.

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Sutherland-Mills says Monteith Brown’s recommendations for expansion at these branches came from population growth in the east and west end of Kingston. The open house at The Pittsburgh branch is scheduled for Saturday July 30th, the Isabel Turner open house is set for August 3rd.

The City of Kingston will be recognizing Emancipation Day on August 1st, the city will also be offering programming to celebrate Black History and cultures in the coming weeks.  Community organizer and local business owner Dr. Aba Mortley says, “It is a culmination of education and celebration in a thoughtful series of activities that reflect, renew, acknowledge and celebrate the many layers that Emancipation may bring for people of colour.”

This is the first year that the city will recognize the day, after City Council asked it be recognized this year and beyond to remember Canada’s history of slavery with black people and the treatment of Indigenous peoples. The origin of Emancipation Day dates back to August 1st, 1834 when Britain’s Parliament abolished slavery across the empire.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health are warning that heat and high humidity can be hazardous to your health with the potential to cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, stroke and even death. With the humidex reaching the upper 30’s, it’s harder for sweat to evaporate which is necessary to cool the body. KFL& A Public Health says the health risks are highest for those who work or exercise in the heat, those without access to air-conditioning, young children, older adults and those with chronic illnesses. KFL&A Public Health recommends checking on someone who may be at high risk, to drink plenty of water, avoid direct sun exposure, take a break from the heat, close the curtains and never leave people or pets inside a parked car or direct sunlight. 

Close to 19 thousand Utilities Kingston customers briefly lost power late Monday evening. According to Utilities Kingston the 4 minute power outage was caused by loss of supply from Hydro One. The outage affected residents in the Kingston Hydro service area including central Kingston, CFB Kingston and Barriefield Village.

A new mobile space offering health and social service support for vulnerable individuals launched yesterday at the Street Health Centre. The Portable Outreach Care Hub or PORCH will provide drop-in services including Hepatitis C Testing, Sexual Health Care, Addiction Treatment, Harm Reduction and Immunization.  The PORCH RV receives funding from the Kingston Community Health Centres through the Ministry of Health and is administered by United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington.

Meghan O’Leary, Director of Clinical Services at the KCHC says, “The RV will enable partner organizations to connect with harder to reach populations, while working collaboratively to provide wraparound care for individuals, meeting them where they are, including in more rural areas.”

The RV includes a counseling room, group space and a clinical care room. The RV will appear at festivals and events around Kingston this summer.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Effective Thursday July 21st, Kingston Transit will be temporarily reducing service on select routes. Routes 4, 11, 12 and 15 will go from half hour service to hourly. Sunday service will be unchanged.

City of Kingston Communications said in an email, Routes 11, 12 and 15 historically, have lower ridership, particularly in the summer, and Express Service is nearby for routes 4, 11 and 12.

In a release from the City of Kingston, Director of Kingston Transit Jeremy DaCosta says, we need to consolidate some schedules to ensure consistent service across our entire transit network. The release adds staffing shortages are contributing to the short-term service reductions. 

City of Kingston Communications said in an email. “Kingston Transit is working to restore service for impacted routes as soon as possible. New hires are being trained and we continue to interview more applicants. As new operators are added, service will be restored to affected routes.”

Starting tomorrow July 20th, Kingston Health Sciences Centre will be capping the number of patients at Hotel Dieu’s Urgent Care Centre. Each day, the Urgent Care Center team will determine how many patients they can safely care for depending on the conditions, and staff available. 

KHSC Chief of Staff Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick says, “We ask everyone to help us preserve care for those who need it most…only come to the UCC if your health concern is urgent.” 

According to a release from the KHSC, the change will enable the centre to concentrate resources at the Emergency Department at Kingston General Hospital. 

Medical Director of KHSC’s Emergency Medicine Program, Dr. Tim Chaplin says, “We currently have a number of physician and nursing vacancies…It’s difficult to simply hire because there aren’t enough people to fill all the hospital vacancies in Ontario and it takes time to recruit and train specialists such as emergency and urgent care doctors and nurses.” 

The Centre can provide care for up to 120 patients a day.The release added, the UCC may close earlier than 8 in the evening some days of the week. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

With inflation at a record high since the 80s, Assistant Professor, Continuing Adjunct Policy Studies at Queen’s University, Eugene Lang says we can expect to continue to see incremental interest rate increases as the Bank of Canada tries to cool an overheated economy.

Lang says,  “We’re starting from interest rates at a very low and stimulative rate… the bank is moving them up to what they regard as a neutral rate/ where they will neither stimulate or contract the economy…They forecast that next year 2023, they think they can get inflation to 4% and by 2024, they hope to get it down to 2%,” 

The Bank of Canada recently raised interest rates a full percentage point, the highest increase since 1998. Interest rates in Canada are currently 2.5%

Catch my full conversation with Professor Eugene Lang, this afternoon on The Scoop at 4:30

A mobile classroom educating about Ukrainian genocide is stopping in Kingston today. The Holodomor Mobile Classroom will stop at Kingston East Community Centre from 11 until 5. Holodomor was a man-made famine imposed by the Soviet Regime that killed millions of Ukrainians from 1932 to 1933. It’s a multimedia, interactive classroom on wheels, the Holodomor National Awareness Tour is a Canada-Ukraine Foundation project. 

Following a 2 year hiatus, Kingston Writers Fest is returning to a fully in-person delivery with the theme Beneath The Surface. The festival will have events focusing on mental health and addiction, environmental, political and social activism, as well as cultural, gender and sexual identity. 

Artistic Director Aara Macauley says the theme recognizes the desire to have deeper conversations about the issues  and causes that have dominated our thoughts, and the headlines since COVID-19’s appearance.”

Veteran CBC broadcaster Carol Off will host the Big Idea, a conversation into the weaponization of words. Award-winning authors, Joshua Whitehead and Heather O’Neill are also part of the festival.

The 14th annual event runs September 28th to October 2nd at the Holiday Inn Kingston Waterfront.

CFRC Arts Coordinator Christena Lawrie will share more details this afternoon on the Scoop.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

The first lab confirmed case of monkeypox has been identified in the region. Case management continues for the individual and contact tracing is complete. Medical Officer of Health with Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health, Dr. Olgaza says “There is no increased risk of monkeypox to KFL&A residents deriving from this case…monkeypox does not spread easily between people. We recommend that individuals are aware of symptoms and seek immediate medical attention if symptoms present.”

According to a release from KFL&A Public Health, in Ontario the most commonly reported risk factors are engaging in sexual or intimate contact with more than one partner. 

Vaccination will no longer be mandatory for City of Kingston employees as of August 1st after Kingston City Council voted to suspend the vaccination mandate. City of Kingston Commissioner Neil Carbone says “We have been in touch with public health in the weeks and months leading up to the recommendation…it is in line with public health guidelines.” Councillor Hutchison says there are concerns coming from reliable sources of the contagious effect of Omicron B5. CAO Lanie Hurdle says medical officer of health Dr. Oglaza could attend future meetings. The vote passed 10-2, councillors Neill and Stroud were opposed.

Council also approved the proposed implementation of community safety zones including two pilot projects for the Westwoods and Strathcona park areas as well as a request for a noise by-law exemption from Queens’ University and the Alma Mater Society to accommodate Orientation events in September. 

It’s a chance to discover what healthcare was like in Kingston from the mid 1800’s up to World War 2. The “Sick City” walking tour is back.. Museum of Health Care programming and communications coordinator Claire Notman says, “It was a scary time…there was no hospital in Kingston until 1845.” 

The tour will cover what it was like being a patient in the early days of the Kingston General. The tour will also extend to Queen’s University. Notman said for a period of time, women were banned from entering medical school. “Sick City”  will also cover Canada’s only remaining Victorian-era amphitheatre, and national historic site, the Anne Baillie building, which houses the Museum of Health Care.

Tours start today and run Fridays to Sundays through July and August. 

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister of Science and Innovation Francois Philippe Champagne were at Queens’ University yesterday to announce a major deal with Umicore that will bring the first electric battery facility of its kind in North America to Loyalist Township.

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Umicore is investing $1.5 billion for the plant. Trudeau says construction of the new facility will create a thousand new jobs, and hundreds of long-term positions once the facility is running. Umicore CEO Mathias Miedrich says it will be a 100% clean energy plant transforming minerals into active battery materials. 

He says there are three reasons for choosing Loyalist Township to construct the facility, the availability of clean energy, resources, and critical talent. The battery facility will supply materials for a million electric vehicles a year. Construction is set to begin in 2023 and is slated for completion in 2025.

A COVID-19 Outbreak has been declared at Providence Care Hospital on Parkside 2 Pods A and B, after four patients tested positive for the virus. Both pods are under quarantine and all patients have been placed on contact and aerosol precautions. Parkside 2 is closed to admissions, and only essential visitors and designated care providers are allowed. Providence Care is working closely with Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health. An investigation is underway to determine how the patients contracted the virus. 

After pushback from the community. Artfest will end it’s media partnership with the Epoch TImes newspaper. A petition was launched during Artfest weekend asking organizer Lori MacDonald to end the partnership. 

MacDonald wrote in an email “In 2012, Artfest accepted a sponsorship exchange to promote Chinese ballet, dance and orchestral performances backed by the Epoch Times. At that time, the editorial content of the Epoch Times did not conflict with our values. Regretfully, Artfest was unaware of the change in content. We recognize that our association with the Epoch Times no longer reflects our mission or vision. “

This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton at YGK News.

That’s all for your daily news brief I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Cyndy and Ruby are in for your Indie Wake Up Call, right now it’s the community arts and events calendar. 

A brand new community park and plans for a trail system are coming to Cataraqui West. The City of Kingston is hosting an interactive virtual meeting this evening to showcase potential designs and invites residents to share feedback. Neal Unsworth, Manager of Parks and Shoreline says, “This is the largest brand-new park in Kingston in more than two decades.”

The new park is 14 acres and is expected to include fields, courts, playground equipment, a splash pad with connections to future nature trails. The meeting is tonight at 6 over zoom, a link to register is on the Get Involved Kingston Website. Residents can also drop in to INVISTA Centre tomorrow afternoon between 4 and 6 to view project plans and provide feedback.

Murney the police horse will return to the streets of Kingston within the next four weeks. Executive Director of The Downtown Kingston BIA, Marijo Cuerrier says, “In the police world they consider one mounted police officer the equivalent of ten officers…horses tend to help people feel more comfortable with police officers.”

The BIA, along with Kingston Police and The City Of Kingston are fundraising to ensure Murney can continue to be present in the community. They are looking to raise 32 thousand dollars by the end of 2022.. During the winter, Murney was on hiatus recovering from a medical incident. Murney is currently in training with the newly mounted officer Constable Amy Carter.

The annual Paved Paradise public art installation is now up, inviting residents to see Springer Market Square from a new perspective. This year’s exhibit is titled Liminal Square showcasing the work of local artists Bree Rappaport and Lee Stewart. The installation uses colour and mixed media, overlaid and collaged on archival photos. Liminal Square was chosen out of 16 submissions by a Jury of local artists and curators.

That’s all for your daily news brief I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

A COVID-19 Outbreak at a pod at Providence Care Hospital is over. The outbreak was declared on June 30th after four patients tested positive for the virus at Lakeview 2 Pod A. All quarantine precautions and measures that were put in place have been lifted. Providence Care will continue to actively screen all staff for COVID symptoms, require staff to practice physical distancing and wear appropriate protective equipment. All visitors must pass a screening and wear a mask. 

A Kingston resident is facing 76 charges following a joint investigation between Kingston Police and the OPP. Project Shamrock began in January after Kingston Police were alerted of an individual luring victims through social media . The Provincial Human Trafficking Intelligence-led Joint Forces Strategy, made up of the Kingston, Ottawa and Peterborough Police Services and the OPP Digital Forensics conducted an investigation, identifying victims. According to police, the victims received help through a victim services agency and are now safe. 38 year old Michael Mark Haaima is being held in custody.

City Council will meet tonight to review a request from Queens University and The Alma Mater Society for exemptions to the city’s noise bylaw for Orientation Events coming up in September. Also on the agenda, Council will review the proposed implementation of community safety zones. The first phase commences for the 2022-2023 School year including two pilot projects to reduce the speed limit to 40 kilometers an hour in the Westwoods and Strathcona Park area with limits further reduced to 30 kilometers an hour near schools. Phase 2 will look at expansion to all schools in Kingston for the fall of 2023.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, please email me: news@cfrc.ca 

Tomorrow is Amazon Prime Day. While it’s a big day for deals, Kingston Police are warning it’s prime time for scams. Cybercriminals may include the amazon logo in phishing emails, or may send emails with links to fake Amazon pages asking for credentials. Police recommend if you receive any emails from Amazon to not click on links in the email, but to go directly to Amazon’s website and log in. They also recommend enabling Multi-Factor Authentication on your account.

The Queens’ Indigenous Identity Final Report has been released. First Peoples Group in Ottawa were contracted to do the report in light of community concerns around Indigenous identity of Queens faculty and staff sparked by a document titled “Investigation into false claims to Indigenous identity at Queen’s University” The report presents seven recommendations for hiring policies and procedures based on Grandfather teachings including: Love, Truth, Humility, Respect, Courage, Wisdom and Honesty. 

Chancellor Murray Sinclair says, this is one step of many to rectify the impacts caused by past processes and systems. Queen’s University along with all universities and colleges across Turtle Island must now take significant steps to demonstrate their commitment to reconciliation. 

In response to the report, Queen’s will establish an Indigenous Oversight Council. Principal Patrick Deane says the council will advise the university on matters of Indigenous representation and citizenship.

The full report is available on the Queens University website. I will share my conversation with Associate Vice-Principal of Indigenous Initiatives & Reconciliation Janice Hill this afternoon at 4:30 on the Scoop.

Flying Sail Boats are coming to Kingston. Sailing with the boat out of the water at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour is known as Foiling. Kingston Yacht Club and the Canadian Foiling Centre are hosting the second annual FOILKingston and FORK. Over 30 competitors will foil out of Portsmouth Olympic Harbour and Lake Ontario Park this Thursday through Sunday as part of the three day regatta.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police are investigating a sexual assault that occurred in the Division and Colborne Street area early on Sunday morning. A 24 year old woman was approached by a male suspect in an SUV who said he was an UBER driver and offered her a ride. According to the release, the white crossover SUV appeared to be equipped in a similar way to other UBER vehicles with a cell phone attached to the dashboard. While inside the vehicle, the woman was sexually assaulted by the driver. She yelled, the driver stopped and she fled the scene. The suspect is described as Hispanic, in his late 50’s to early 60’s with a medium build. Anyone with information is asked to contact Kingston police.

A new 5 year strategy has been released from the Council of the Great Lakes Region. The strategy: Forging a Future Without Waste aims to clean up and stop  plastic waste and litter getting into the lakes, and to effectively create a circular economy of reusing and recycling for plastics. According to the Council every year, 12.8 million tons of recyclable plastic packaging materials end up in the landfill, that’s 2.1 billion both worth of reusable plastics. In June, The City of Kingston in partnership with Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup installed new technology known as a ‘Seabin’ to divert and remove plastic pollution at Confederation Basin and Portsmouth Olympic Harbour.

Summer Orientation to Academics and Resources started at Queens yesterday. SOAR is an orientation program offering students the opportunity to connect with their professors, make friends, and discover the support services available on campus.  

Student Life Director Meg Ferriman says, “A big focus of our undergraduate summer programming is to ease any anxieties they may have and make sure they have all the information they need to be successful in their first year.”

Some of the services include: financial aid, accessibility, hospitality, faith and spiritual life, the human rights and equity office.

Ferriman says, “We’re planning for the fact that those coming for their first year have had a really strange past couple of years so we’re trying to make sure they feel really well supported this year in particular.”

Students entering Queens within the faculty of arts and science had their summer orientation day yesterday, students going to Bader College in England will have their orientation today and tomorrow, while students going into Health Sciences, the Smith School of Business, Engineering and Applied Science will have theirs next week. 

In Sports, Kingston Frontenac captain Shane Wright is off to Seattle as he was drafted 4th overall in the NHL Draft by the Kraken. 

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca . 

Service interruptions are still occurring for Kingston Transit users. For instance, for a few hours this past Saturday, one of the routes was reduced from a 30 minute frequency to hourly. According to Director of Transit Services Jeremy DaCosta, one of the biggest variables in service disruption is COVID-19.

He says, “The impacts of COVID are still real…staff on a daily basis may screen out of the workplace because they may have COVID or symptoms related.”

Another key factor is the layoff of part-time staff and reduced service during the pandemic.

He says, “Coming out of COVID  as ridership is returning…we have a deficit of bus drivers…Every day we continue to hire staff…we have at least 7 more in active training and more that are planning to start training soon, so the situation is definitely improving.”

A gift will fund a music program for marginalized youth for the next three years. Sistema Kingston housed at Queen’s University has received a 533 thousand dollar donation from Bader Philanthropies.

Sistema Kingston Director Karma Tomm says, “Through group-centered learning and regular performance opportunities, we foster creativity and personal responsibility, and, of course, our goal is to spark joy.” 

She says the donation is the most generous gift Sistema has ever received. The donation will allow Sistema to expand the program to the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board, and provide more placement and learning opportunities to Queen’s students. The after school program runs from October to May and culminates in a final performance at The Isabel Bader Performing Arts Centre.

In-person summer camps have started up at Queen’s Campus after a 2 year hiatus. There are some brand new Q camps being offered this year. The Queens Summer Engineering Academy is launching a Girls Program, and a Black Youth in STEM program, free of charge. According to a release from Queens, these programs are aimed at reducing barriers for underrepresented groups.  Queens Athletic and Recreation is also offering new Gaels Rugby camps this year. Additionally, there are drama, math and art camps. Annually, Q camps bring 3 thousand youth to campus and employ over a hundred post-secondary students.

Coming up at 10 this morning, a special edition of the Scoop hosted by station manager Dinah Jansen. It’s a Roundtable Discussion on the Constitutional impacts of Roe v Wade in the United States and comparative implications for abortion rights in Canada. Panelists include: Professor Nick Bala from the Faculty of Law, Dr. Paul Gardner of the Department of History and Dr. Ashley Waddington of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Queen’s University.

And that’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

A major fire caused the destruction of an entire shop on Creekford Road. A massive blaze erupted at Pat Rogers Towing Yard closing Creekford between Bayridge Drive and Gardiners Road for several hours on Monday afternoon. According to Kingston Fire & Rescue the fire started in a service garage. No one was hurt. Damages are estimated at one million dollars.

Kingston Health Sciences Centre declared a COVID-19 outbreak on the Connell 10 Unit at the Kingston General Hospital on Monday night after four patients tested positive . The unit is closed to visitors, and increased COVID safety measures have been implemented. KHSC is notifying all patients, visitors and staff who are affected, and is completing contact tracing and testing for everyone on the unit. 

The Neighbourhood Tree Planting Program is back, offering Kingston residents discounted trees to help grow Kingston’s tree canopy.

Public Works Operations Manager Troy Stubinski says, “Trees provide shade, store greenhouse gasses, help remove pollutants from groundwater, prevent soil erosion and beautify our community,”

He adds, “Purchasing a tree is an excellent way to improve your property.”

Property owners can purchase up to two trees. Ten different species of trees are available. Coniferous trees are $10 and deciduous trees are $17. More information is available on the city’s website.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Coming up, a fun filled morning with Jeff & Vinny hosting your Indie Wake Up Call, and in a moment, the Community Events Calendar.

Representatives from the City of Kingston and the Kingston Frontenac Housing Corporation, along with MP Mark Gerretsen will gather at 1316 Princess Street at 10 this morning to break ground on a large mixed housing project. The project will include 92 units, with 52 of them being non-market units.

According to a release from the City of Kingston, the project is being developed with one of the City’s largest investments to date in an affordable housing project. The new 92 unit building is expected to be completed by 2024.  Kingston Co-Operative Homes is also preparing to construct a 38-unit affordable housing project adjacent to this site.

The Royal Military Colleges of Canada Alumni Association has released a statement in response to the Arbour Report. The Association says the board of directors “recognize that systemic and cultural failings enabled abuse to occur and persist.”

Among the recommendations made in Madame Justice Louise Arbour’s report released at the end of May include a thorough review of whether undergraduate programs at RMC should continue or whether officer candidates should be required to attend civilian university undergraduate programs.

The RMCAA says, While we acknowledge the concerns identified in the Arbour Report we continue to believe strongly in the value of the military colleges. Unlike civilian universities these colleges require demonstrated capability in academics, leadership, physical fitness and bilingualism to graduate.”

The Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces have until the end of the year to decide which recommendations from the Arbour Report to implement. This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton at YGK News.

Queen’s Gaels Women’s Rugby team will face two United States National Teams in the first annual Garnet and Gold Classic at The University Of Ottawa. Women’s Rugby Head Coach Dan Valley says the match came about as coming out of the pandemic, there were challenges for Rugby Canada to put together their own national team.

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Valley adds “ If there were a Canada U20 squad, you don’t have to look too far up and down our roster to find players that would be in the conversation for being a part of those programs.”

There are two matches, on Sunday July 17th, The Gaels will take on the U20 National Team, and on Tuesday the 19th, the Gaels face the U23 National Team.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police are investigating a sexual assault that happened early on Canada Day near Brock and University. Just before three in the morning, a 20 year old woman was attacked. She screamed and the suspect fled. Two bystanders then came to help. The suspect is described as about 30 years old, tanned with dark hair and about six feet tall. At the time of the incident, he was wearing grey cargo pants, black boots and a light coloured t-shirt. Kingston Police are looking to speak with the bystanders and anyone else who may have information. 

Despite long wait times for surgical procedures with Kingston Health Sciences Centre and reports of staff shortages and strain in the health care system province-wide, a Medical Director of Perioperative Services, Dr. Romy Nitsch is optimistic that things are getting better in the surgical unit.

Nitsch says “Our staffing was challenged in the surgical program prior to the pandemic,…As we noticed it coming we invested significant time and finances into training, orientation and retention. So our staffing situation…is actually looking very good right now.”

According to Nitsch, thousands of patients are currently sitting on the waitlist. However, she says, “We’re going to be increasing rooms at our ambulatory surgical centre…we’ve opened new surgical units to help us handle overflow..It’s really looking at any and all possibilities.”

The full conversation with Dr. Nitsch is coming up this afternoon at 4:30 on the Scoop.

The Marine Museum of The Great Lakes is offering free art classes to all, thanks to a 12 thousand dollar grant from the Kingston and Area Community Foundation.

Programs and Communications Manager Michelle Clarabut says the classes enhance appreciation for the great lakes, and it’s a chance to learn about local history. She says, participants’ work will be incorporated into a final art installation depicting connections they make with the great lakes. The first class began on Saturday July 2nd.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Health Sciences Centre is reducing hours at the Urgent Care Centre for tomorrow, Canada Day right through Sunday. The centre will only be open from 8 am until 5pm for urgent, non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses that need to be addressed within a 24 hour period.

KHSC President Dr. David Pichora says, “It was a difficult decision…in order to consolidate physicians and staff in the Emergency Department…we must ensure we have the resources to meet the needs of the sickest people in our region, such as those who have suffered a stroke, heart-attack or traumatic injuries.”

The UCC will resume regular hours on Monday. The KHSC recommends visiting rightplacerightcare.ca to find the best care option.

City Council voted in favour of a motion at last night’s meeting to have no sanctioned encampment on private property, to relocate 358 thousand dollars of potential encampment funding to instead support other forms of housing. In the meeting, Councillor Wayne Hill says, “Where is the federal government, where is the provincial government? We spent nearly 18 million dollars in the past two years trying to solve this issue…Along with other municipalities we have to force the next level of government to do what needs to be done, but having people live in encampments is not a solution.” Mayor Bryan Paterson says as a member of the 29 Ontario Big City Mayor Caucus, this was the number 1 issue in all 29 cities, and they have asked for an emergency meeting with the premier.

More details on the council meeting coming up Monday at 4:30 on The Scoop.

Canada’s first commercially available electric boat, The Voltari 260 will launch here in Kingston tomorrow morning. Voltari Electric has partnered with The City of Kingston to install the first EV-boat charging station in the country at Confederation Basin. The launch will happen at 11:30 on Canada Day. 

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Cyndy Gibson. If you have any news tips email our Broadcast Journalist Karim Mosna: news@cfrc.ca

City Council will hold a special meeting tonight to explore various options for the encampment pilot project. Council will also discuss a recommendation to enter an agreement with Dawn House to arrange for temporary use of the west wing of 805 Ridley Drive to create housing for an additional 17 women and children.

The Kingston General Hospital Site Auxiliary has donated over 345 thousand dollars toward the Kingston Health Sciences Centre redevelopment, The funding will support patient care programs, equipment and staff education. The KHSC said in a tweet “Your commitment to the best health care for patients and families is always inspiring.”

With the upcoming Canada Day long weekend, The Wolf Island Ferry is warning of longer than usual wait times with the highest volume of traffic expected on Thursday and Friday.  Passengers are asked to consider alternatives including taking public transit and walking on the ferry.

A reminder that buses will run on a Sunday schedule on Friday July 1st. Garbage and Recycling will be pushed to Saturday.  Utilities Kingston and Kingston Hydro will close Thursday at noon and will not reopen until Monday. Libraries, Arenas and The Tett Centre will also be closed on Friday. Free community events on Canada Day are running at the Kingston East Community Centre, Rideau Heights Community Centre, and Woodbine Park. There will be a free fireworks show at 10pm, according to The City the best place to catch the show is at Confederation Basin.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

In the news…

Kingston Police are looking for help in locating 13 year old Dylan Mullis-Ramsay. Police say Ramsay was last seen on Saturday near Russell Street. He is also often near Rideau Heights and St. Lawrence College. He is described as 5 foot 5, with short blonde hair and blue eyes and wearing a sling on his right arm as he has a broken collar bone. Anyone with information is asked to contact Kingston Police.

School Buses will soon add a new colour to their indicator flashing lights. The ‘Eight Lamp Amber-Red Warning System for School Buses’ is part of the Ontario Government’s Safer School Buses Bill that was passed last year. While school buses currently have eight overhead red lights, all buses built in 2005 or later, four of those lights will now need to be amber. Amber will signify that a bus is slowing to come to a stop, while the other four red lights will still be used when the bus has stopped and to signal that no cars can pass. According to Tri-Board Transportation, the new amber-red indicator light systems will be active once the new school year begins in September.

This story courtesy of Kingstonist news.

Outdoor Aqua Park is now Culligan Water Park. The new name comes after Kingston City Council approved a five year naming rights agreement with Culligan who will sponsor the park. 

Lacricia Turner, Director of Recreation & Leisure Services with the City of Kingston says, “The financial support from Culligan allows us to open seven days a week in the summer months and offer programming such as swimming lessons and aquafit.”

The park  which is located on the grounds of the Kingston memorial centre includes a 25-metre lane pool, leisure pool, lazy river and 10-metre water slide. Culligan Water Park is open now until September 5th.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca Now Christna has your Community Arts and Events Calendar.

With Canada’s inflation rate reaching a record high 7.7%, Partners In Mission Food Bank has seen demand at 19% higher so far this year than in all of 2021, which was also a record breaking year.

Food Bank Executive Director Dan Irwin says, “When those who were managing on their own, get hit with higher gas bills, higher grocery bills, it’s really starting to impact them..This isn’t just a bump, we’re up a lot over our record year last year.”

Irwin says so far the food bank is still managing to meet the unprecedented demands. The Partners In Mission Food Bank is accepting both monetary and food donations. Anyone who needs help can contact the Food Bank.

Kingston Youth Shelter has received a $14,000 donation with proceeds coming from the Kingston and Area Real Estate Association’s Bowl-a-Thon which returned after a 2 year hiatus.

Youth Shelter Executive Director Anne Brown says the funds “help fill the gaps..we receive regular funding from United Way and the City of Kingston but it doesn’t cover all the expenses.”

Expenses include providing food and clothing to the youth, as well as staffing costs.

Brown says “Our youth counsellors work with each individual’s specific needs that caused them to be homeless…whether it be assistance with a medical issue, addictions issue, continue school or rebuild relationships with family.”

Presently, the shelter has 16 sleeping pods set up at MacGIllivray-Brown Hall part of Queens’ campus. The Shelter is about halfway to it’s goal of raising 1.5 million dollars to move to a larger property to accommodate 21 permanent sleeping pods with 3 flexible spaces. 

An immersive summer camp combining science with creativity is back at Elbow Lake this year. Counsellor for Eco Adventure Camp, Hilary Fotheringham says, “We’re hoping to blend together science experiential learning with arts & crafts, so kids have the opportunity to learn and explore the creative side of things.”

Each week covers a different theme related to nature and biology, combined with outdoor activities such as canoeing and hiking. The camp has been running since 2011.

Camp Director Mel Kehoe says, with the last two years running virtual, it hasn’t been super popular, but “I think all the families we have registered right now are very excited for the camp to be in-person.”

The first week of camp begins July 11th.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police have issued a safety notice, following the release of high risk offender Christopher Watts who will be living in the Kingston area. Police believe Watts may pose a risk to the community, particularly to females under 18. He is under a residency condition with strict conditions for public safety. He is under a long term supervision order until April, 2027. He is being monitored by the Kingston Police High-Risk Offenders Unit and Correctional Services.

Kingston City Council authorized a budget amendment for Housing and Homelessness services valued at over 600 thousand dollars. The City also extended existing contracts with HomeBase Housing for Emergency Shelter Services for a 1 year term.

Executive Director of HomeBase Housing Tom Greening says “a 1 year renewal is disappointing….the city extended contracts for all kinds of services for 2 year terms, except for emergency shelter services.”

He adds it offers employees very little job security. Council also authorized the City to continue to fund the 218 Concession Street Warming Centre as an overnight drop-in until April of 2023 and executed an agreement with Dawn House to provide emergency shelter options for women.

A Team of Educational Assistants from Truedell Public School in Bayridge have received a 1 thousand dollar grant from Awesome Kingston to fund their Sensory Equipment Project. The pitch focused on supporting students who have difficulty paying attention or feeling at ease in stimulating environments. EA Merola Tahamtan says, “ sensory equipment helps students focus on one sense to regulate other overstimulated senses.” Fidget toys help students listen by keeping busy hands calm…a spinning chair helps some of our students who may be feeling anxious feel calmer and manage big emotions.” 

Awesome Kingston awards a 1 thousand dollar grant every month to a local project. This story courtesy of Kingstonist News.

Host of CBC Podcasts: Pop Chat and Party Lines as well as culture writer for BuzzFeed news, Elamin Abdelmahmoud returned to Kingston Tuesday evening to talk about his new book “Son of Elsewhere: A Memoir In Pieces,”  The book is a collection of essays reflecting on immigrating to Canada from Sudan, and settling in Kingston when he was 12, and finding his identity. 

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He adds in addition to the exploration of identity, readers will find many pop culture references in the book. “Son Of Elsewhere is available now for purchase. Abdelmahmoud is a Queens University alumni and worked as news director here at CFRC. My full conversation with Elamin Abdelmahmoud will air next Tuesday at 5 on Citizen K here on CFRC.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips email me: news@cfrc.ca

Tipi Moza opened its new transitional housing project at 113 Lower Union Street yesterday.At full occupancy the project will house 19 indigenous community members. 

Executive Director of Tipi Moza, Winnie Peters says, “That’s pretty big when you consider the amount of people who are homeless, that’s going to give them a safe place to call home, food security and a chance to get back on the right path.”

Peters says a lot of people who struggle with homelessness have mental illness and addictions. According to Peters there are support workers on staff who will work with the clients daily, and the organization is trying to deliver more culturally appropriate programming such as learning languages, beading and crafting.

Kingston and the Islands MPP Ted Hsu says, “The supportive, culturally appropriate housing will help pass on culture and not pass on the trauma from previous generations to a future generation.”

With declining demand for PCR COVID-19 testing, The Beechgrove COVID-19 Assessment Centre is reducing their hours for the summer. As of July 1st, the centre will be open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm, and will be closed on weekends and statutory holidays. According to a release from the Kingston Health Sciences Centres the change in hours allows the assessment centre to maintain current testing while conserving its resources over the summer. PCR testing on weekends will continue to be available at some local pharmacies. 

This Saturday at the Calvin Park Branch of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library, youth who have recently immigrated to Canada will share their stories. The event: Let’s Chat: Conversations with Newcomer youth will offer opportunities for the community to have one-on-one discussions with the youth from Immigrant Services Kingston and Area.

Acting Manager of Programming and Outreach with the KFPL, Kristen LeMay says, “It’s important to listen to these types of stories so we can create empathy within our community.” 

The event runs from 2-4 this Saturday afternoon.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

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Mayor Bryan Paterson has filed his nomination papers as he seeks a third term. Paterson says, “In the midst of tough times, I believe we can rise to meet our challenges together…That’s why I’ve decided to run for re-election this fall.

In his announcement, he laid out priorities for the coming council term including: Expanding housing options, Creating New Partnerships to Meet Community Challenges and to help ease pressures related to the cost of living. The municipal election is on October 24th.

Kingston City Council will meet tonight at 7 to review a Housing and Homelessness budget amendment. The recommendation also asks council to authorize the city to extend existing contracts with Home Base Housing for EMergency Shelter Services to fund the 2-18 Concession Street Warming Centre as an overnight drop in until April, 2023 and to execute an agreement with Dawn House to provide emergency housing options for women.

It’s National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day to celebrate Indigenous cultures in Canada. 

Aaron St. Pierre,  from the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at Queens University says “It’s meant to highlight the cultures of the Indigenous Peoples, the achievements, it’s really meant to be a celebration.

It’s also the grand opening of indigenous housing organization Tipi Moza’s new transitional housing project at 113 Lower Union Street. Guided tours will take place after 2pm, while the free celebration will continue at City Park until 6:30, with activities including: corn husking, singing, dancing, drumming, language activities and a scavenger hunt.

As construction of the recently named Waaban Crossing nears completion, the City of Kingston is asking the community to share their vision for the bridge’s branding.

Director of Heritage Services Jennifer Campbell says, “These branding guidelines are being developed to communicate the greater meaning of the bridge and to celebrate the history, culture and contributions of Indigenous communities in the region.” 

According to the city, Waaban Crossing and it’s branding will be integrated into signage, future artistic installations, and the development of community and education-based programming. The bridge, originally known as Third Crossing, will be officially renamed Waaban Crossing once the bridge opens at the end of this year.

2 sailors from Kingston are in Germany for Kiel Week, including Tokyo 2020 Olympian Ali Ten Hove. The sailing event begins tomorrow and runs through Sunday featuring 4 thousand athletes from all over the world.

Ten Hove says, “Kiel Week was our first international regatta as a team back in 2018! It will be the perfect warm-up event before we compete at the European Championships, which starts July 5th.”

Arie Moffatt also from Kingston will be representing Canada at the event. In total, 28 Canadians from the Sail Canada National Team and Development Squad are participating.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Queens University is welcoming back the classes  of 2020 and 2021 along with this year’s graduates as in-person convocation ceremonies return. The Ceremonies start today and run through Friday June 24th at The Leon’s Centre. It’s estimated that a total of 8 thousand graduates will cross the stage to receive their degrees over the course of this week. Ceremonies run at 10am and 3pm each day, and will also be live streamed via the university’s website. City Hall will be lit up in Queens official colours tonight and  then again on Wednesday through Friday evening to honour the graduates. These are the first in-person convocation ceremonies since 2019. 

Kingston Community Health Sciences Centre is decommissioning its pandemic alternate facility by next Thursday June 30th. According to the KHSC the decision comes as COVID-19 related hospitalizations trend downward and provincial funding for large scale pandemic management activities is ending. The Ministry of Health requested the 70-bed facility at 340 Union Street be created to provide care for non-COVID medically stable patients. Medical equipment will be sent back to KHSC’s two hospital sites to support equipment needs and replace older equipment. The facility was leased from Queens University and Providence Care, the space will revert back to Providence Care.

An interdisciplinary group of Queens PHD students have completed a project to help an Ottawa based organization that supports those living with disabilities. ABLE2 supports over five thousand people with disabilities to integrate and become a valued member of the community.. The group of Queens students worked with ABLE2 to find solutions to recruit and retain volunteers for their matching program, where volunteers are paired with those who live with disability to go out into the community socially for coffee, to sporting events and more.

Leader of the Queens team and PHD student in the cultural affairs program, Jaqueline Giesbrecht says, “The main thing we were hearing from volunteers… they felt a little bit isolated…the largest suggestion was for ongoing training and networking opportunities to keep building the community.”

Giesbrecht says while she plans to continue in academia, this project really sparked her interest in working with an organization. Join me tomorrow afternoon at 5 on Citizen K for my full interview with Jaqueline Giesbrecht.

The Beat Beethoven Race returns after receiving a Resilient Communities grant valued at over 15 thousand dollars. For close to 30 years, participants would attempt to complete a walk or run before the Kingston Symphony completes a 50 minute performance of Beethoven’s music. This year it’s a virtual event running until the event of June, participants can choose their own racetrack, and they will receive a link to download Beethoven’s 3rd symphony. 

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m  Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police are reaching out to the public for assistance in the double homicide investigation from October of last year. 21 year old Ottawa based rapper Lito and 29 year old Nico Soubliere from Ottawa were murdered near Syndenham Road and Highway 401.

Police say in a release, “Investigators have reason to believe people may be in possession of evidence of the homicides that they may be unaware of.” They ask to review residential, commercial, and vehicle-mounted video footage collected on or around October 16th of 2021. Anyone who believes they may have information related to the homicides, is asked to contact Kingston Police or Crime Stoppers.

Kingston Police are warning of yet another scam, this time on Facebook. According to police in this scam cybercriminals hack users’ Facebook accounts then send messages with links to their friends. The links direct to a fake Facebook login page, where any credentials entered go to the scammers, allowing cybercriminals to continue to scam more Facebook users. Police add cybercriminals can use ad tracking tools to make money from every click on the phony links. They suggest to watch out for links that are suspiciously long, and to check with the friend who sent the link using another means of communication if they didn’t send it, let them know their account has been hacked and to change their password immediately.

United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington has a record breaking number of volunteers this year for today’s Day of Caring.  Over 400 volunteers from 34 workplaces are helping out today on projects for 39 local agencies.

Chair of the Day of Caring Michele Finney says, this is double the 200 volunteers that sign up each year. She says, people were at home during COVID…They knew what was going on, people losing their jobs, their housing, not being able to afford food…it may have come to light more during COVID and people want to do their part.”

She adds,“Workplaces have not been together in the last two years… so it’s an opportunity for some camaraderie.”

Teams help out through repair work, gardening and cleaning projects. Some of the agencies that will benefit from Day of Caring include: HomeBase Housing, Kingston Youth Shelter, Dress For Success and The Integrated Care Hub. Another way to support Day of Caring is through a donation to a United Way program.

Just in time for summer, the ribbon has been cut at the new splash pad at The Kingston East Community Centre. Members of the Pittsburgh Community Benefit Fund donated $300,000 to support the fully accessible splash pad project. It’s open every day from 9 am until 8pm.

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police are warning of smishing scams. Police say scammers are capitalizing on the home delivery market which has grown during the pandemic. Cybercriminals impersonate home delivery companies such as Purolator, Canada Post or DHL and send fake failed delivery text messages with links to a phony website to reschedule a delivery. The website then requests personal and financial information in order to reschedule. This information goes right to the scammers.

Police advise to never tap on a link sent in an email or text that you weren’t expecting and to verify the legitimacy of the message by going to the official website of the company to find and follow their contact information.

This is a challenging time of year for those with seasonal allergies, particularly with sensitivity to trees.

Chair of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Queen’s University, Dr. Anne Ellis says right now oak and maple pollen are currently circulating, and the dominant driver is grass pollen.

For managing allergies, Dr. Ellis suggests newer non-sedating antihistamines such as Allegra, and Blexten. She also says nasal corticosteroids are very effective for hay fever symptoms.

She adds an allergist can prescribe customized immunotherapy, to train your immune system to no longer have ongoing seasonal allergies. Allergy season typically wraps up by Mid-July.

The alternating lane restrictions of the LaSalle Causeway will continue until next Friday, June 24th due to a delay in project completion. According to Public Service and Procurement Canada, the delay is caused by strikes at facilities supplying concrete and asphalt as part of province wide strike action in the construction industry.

A mural project will soon change the look of downtown Ganonque. The Gananoque BIA has received funding through an investment from the Federal Government to transform public spaces in response to the COVID pandemic.  Gananoque Secondary School teacher and artist Mallory Bishop Brown will work with her grade 7 and 8 students to create two murals that will be displayed at the Welcome Centre, while Kingston artist Shane Goudreau will work with GSS Grade 9 and 10 students to develop murals that will be placed in the walkway connecting King to Garden Street. Both will involve students in the creative process from concept to completion. The Gananoque BIA will share photos and videos throughout the process on their social media accounts. 

This story courtesy of Kingstonist news.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Cyndy Gibson if you have any news tips email our broadcast journalist Karim Mosna, news@cfrc.ca

The City of Kingston has released its annual housing and social strategies report for 2021.The 56 page document includes descriptions of initiatives in areas of Child Care, Social Assistance, Homelessness Services, Community, Social and Affordable Housing. The report highlighted the opening of a new food distribution warehouse, transitional housing projects, the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour sleeping cabins, and a tiny home project for veterans. The report also included  results of the community safety & well being plan, and the homelessness review, along with facts and figures on wait lists for assistance programs, details on social services that are available and information on who is accessing these services.The report is available at cityofkingston.ca

Seasonal water restrictions go into effect today. Residents and businesses with odd number addresses may water on odd numbered days while those with even number addresses water on even numbered days. Peak times are between 10am and 5pm. Heather Roberts, Director of Water and Wastewater Services for Utilities Kingston says,

“Reducing the use of treated water during times when the demand is highest helps ensure reliable supply for adequate water reserves and pressure and fire protection.”

A release from the city also says, reducing outdoor water use reduces the pollutants that end up in the lake.

Kingston Pride is returning to a fully in-person format. Communications Officer at the Kingston Pride Board, Mark Richardson says, “It’s an opportunity for us to be a community , to embrace our own identity, to show Kingston and the world, we’re here, we’re queer, please let us be.”

Pride week began on June 9th and will run until Sunday June 19th. Upcoming events include a free screening of “Rocketman,” a concert from Joyful Joyful as part of Skeleton Park Arts Fest and The Pride Parade. The Parade will run Saturday from 11am to noon, it will begin on Clergy Street, head down Princess Street to Confederation basin for the Community Fair. My full conversation with Mark Richardson will air this afternoon at 5 here on CFRC.

Kingston Community Health Centres’ Consumption and Treatment Services won a “Transformative Change” award at the Alliance For Healthier Communities 2022 conference. CTS was recognized for their “tireless and compassionate work” in supporting those who use drugs in the Kingston community.

KCHC CEO Mike Bell says, “The CTS is really deserving of this recognition, and I’m thrilled for our team because they are literally saving lives…This team is among the most selfless and committed group I’ve ever seen.”

According to the KCHC the award is presented to three recipients each year to recognize and celebrate those who are creating transformative change to achieve the best possible health for Ontarians. This story courtesy of Kingstonist news.

That’s all for your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston Police are looking for help in locating a 35 year old Toronto man. Police say Shane Morrow had traveled to Kingston and was last seen on Friday near the Kingston Shopping Centre. His current whereabouts  are unknown and police say his family is concerned for his well being. Morrow is described as 5 ft.9 with a slim build, dark brown shaved hair  with several tattoos including a skull on one arm. He was last seen wearing red shorts and a blue t-shirt. Anyone with information is asked to call Kingston police. 

Queens University has unveiled a new name for its UK Campus, The Bader International Study Centre will be renamed Bader College. According to a release from Queens, the name change provides an opportunity to restate their vision for the campus as a venue for educating students from different countries and worldviews, showcasing research strengths and nurturing connections to the UK and local communities. The campus is located at a 15th century Castle on a 500 acre property in East Sussex. Principal and Vice Chancellor Patrick Deane says, “This new name will signal to the international community the importance of the castle to our university and its pivotal role in Queen’s new global engagement strategy. A new brand identity for Bader College will be released in the coming weeks.

A Canadian Football Hall of Famer and Former Grey Cup champion is returning to Queens. Leroy Blugh will be the new defensive line coach for the Queen’s Gaels for the upcoming 2022 season. Blugh has spent the last 9 years in the CFL, as an athlete then as a defensive line coach for the Ottawa Redblacks from 2014 to 2019, he led the team to a Grey Cup victory in 2016.

On his return to University Football Blugh says,“I want to help these guys to experience what I experienced as a player, and hopefully they’ll have a great student-athlete career at Queen’s.”

He has also previously served as the Queen’s Gaels Assistant Coach,The Gaels officially open their 2022 campaign on August 27th as they take on the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. This story courtesy of Kingstonist News.

This Saturday is YGK Giveaway day, a day to put reusable items that you longer want, out to the curb and mark them free.

Supervisor of Solid Waste with The City of Kingston, Adam Mueller says, “When you pick up free second-hand items, you not only save them from landfill – you also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacturing new goods and help your neighbours save money.”

The City of Kingston considers the following items appropriate for Giveaway day: Books, CDs, DVDs, kitchen items, furniture and small appliances. However, The Consumer Product Safety Bureau of Health Canada advises items such as baby walkers, cribs, car seats, strollers, playpens, mattresses, blinds and toys should not be given away. 

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me news@cfrc.ca

In the news…

While the mask mandate has been lifted in Ontario, masks will still be required at The Kingston General and at Hotel Dieu. In a statement, The Kingston Community Health Sciences Centres says  “Masking is a critical safety measure in our high-risk environment where we care for some of the most vulnerable and frail patients in Southeastern Ontario.” The KHSC adds moving forward, they will be guided by our internal infection control experts about the safe and appropriate time to revise safety practices.

Utilities Kingston has repaired the sewer break on Days Road and are thanking west end residents for reducing their water and sewage use from Thursday to Saturday. They report the Kingston West sewer system  is now operating under normal conditions. Residents can return to regular usage, however Utilities Kingston says they encourage conserving water in any circumstance. Utilities Kingston adds they expect to return to the site to make infrastructure improvements in the future. 

The City of Kingston is looking for feedback as it completes its Waste Strategies engagement. Kingston residents can take a survey to rank three waste management strategies with the goal of  reaching 65% waste diversion by 2025.

Solid Waste Supervisor with the City of Kingston Adam Mueller says, “By giving your input on the three strategies for waste collection you will help reduce and divert waste from the landfill, which will have a positive and lasting impact on our environment for generations.”

The three  strategies are: A Bi-weekly collection of clear bag waste , Bi-Weekly waste collection with increased bag tag fees and Weekly collection of clear bags. The survey will be available on the Get Involved Kingston website until June 26th. Presently, the city has a 60% waste diversion rate. 

Students in the Executive Master of Business Administration program with The Smith School of Business are giving back to local youth. Nearly 80 students worked in teams to build 28 bicycles that were donated to the YMCA. Families submitted stories and information about their children, and why they would benefit from receiving a bike. 

Director of the EMBA program Gloria Saccon says “It had a lot more meaning once our students learned the bikes would be in the hands of local children.”

That’s all for your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

In the news..

A 13 year old was arrested yesterday after a lockdown at Frontenac Secondary School and subsequent hold and secure measures were put in place at other west end schools. Police were called just after 11 yesterday morning, witnesses observed the accused carrying what appeared to be a handgun. Information revealed the accused was not a registered student at Frontenac and was with three other youths, the group had split up, so as a precautionary measure Bayridge Public and Secondary, along with Holy Cross Secondary were put under hold and secure. Police investigated and arrested the accused who did not have a firearm, another member of the group was carrying a  Glock Style BB Gun. The lockdown and hold and secure was then lifted.  The accused is charged with possession of an imitation weapon dangerous to the public peace and carrying a concealed weapon. 

Utilities Kingston is asking residents in the west end to conserve water and reduce their sewer use, after a sewer force main break on Days Road. The sewer break is contained and there is no immediate risk of basement flooding or other direct public safety risk. However Utilities Kingston warns the situation could change quickly. Some recommendations include: delaying on taking a shower,  using the dishwasher or washing cars until the issue is resolved. They also recommend moving items of high value out of the basement in case of flooding.

New technology has been installed that will divert and remove plastic pollution from marinas in the great lakes. The City of Kingston in partnership with Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup installed new technology known as a ‘Seabin’ at Confederation Basin and Portsmouth Olympic Harbour on Wednesday. Seabin works like a floating garbage can collecting floating debris, macro and micro plastics and microfibres. The device will be emptied and inspected regularly, the contents it picks up will be assessed by Queens students. Several other communities on The Great Lakes have also launched this new technology. 

The Food Sharing Project is wrapping up a prepared food pilot project next week. The pilot was initiated to offer Kingston area schools healthier foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, wraps and sandwiches to their students instead of pre-packaged foods that were being served throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Executive Director of The Food Sharing Project, Andy Mills says, a preliminary survey garnered a very positive response.

Meals are prepared through a partnership with the Voices, Opportunities & Choices Employment Club (VOCEC), an agency of Providence Hospital which employs those living with mental illness.

Mills says now they will be looking at the costs and analyzing the logistics of continuing the program in the fall and possibly expanding service.  The pilot began in April after receiving a 10 thousand dollar grant from the Kingston and Area Community Foundation. 

That’s your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Kingston is one of four cities to be shortlisted to host the inaugural Sail Grand Prix event in Canada.  Sail Grand Prix says in a release, The event would generate significant economic impact, enliven the sailing community, and produce international media coverage. John Curtis who is leading the bid for Kingston says “With SailGP, we’ll get to welcome 40 million sailing fans to Kingston via free livestreams. That is on a level of awareness for our community not seen since the final Tragically Hip concert,” The bid is for the 2023-2024 season. According to Curtis, SailGP advises host cities that they prefer to run events for three to four years in their chosen locations. The selection process will close in late October. The other cities on the shortlist are: Halifax, Montreal and Victoria. This story courtesy of Kingstonist news.

Costs of residence at Queens University are set to rise from 2023-2025. Loft Double rooms will have the biggest increase of 26%…Loft Double Rooms are single rooms converted into shared spaces. A statement from Queens says the increase reflects the cost of the full meal plan and shared room. A loft double currently costs just under 9 thousand dollars, by 2025, it will be valued at 12 thousand.  The fees will increase in two 13.6% increments-the first in 2023 and the other in 2024. Other residence rooms will also see price hikes of between 2.5 and 3.75% This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton of YGK News.

Three First Nation Flags, a Metis flag and a Franco-Ontarian flag will be permanently installed at Confederation Park. This comes after city council approved the updates to its flag display policy. The First Nations flags represent the traditional territories of the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee and Huron-Wendat. Mayor Bryan Patterson says the “updated policy will better reflect the cultural diversity of Kingston’s residents as well as acknowledge the land and traditional territory on which the city is situated.”  The new flags will be installed in 2023.

For the second year in a row, Queen Street has been voted the 10th worst road in Ontario. This according to the CAA’s Worst Roads Campaign. For Eastern Ontario the association ranked Queen Street at #3 with roads in Prince Edward County taking the two top spots. This story courtesy of Kingstonist news.

That’s your daily news brief. I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

Council voted to authorize agreements with the Alma Mater Society of Queens’ University and Student Association of St. Lawrence College to provide a Universal Transit pass for a three year period from September 2022 to the end of August 2025. Kingston Transit Manager Jeremy DaCosta says, “Starting in September, We intend fully to return to the specialized Queens routes particularly the #17 late night shuffle, route 18 to the train station and route 20 connecting Williamsville to the portal.”

Just before last night’s city council meeting, Kingston Frontenac Public Library workers gathered outside city hall to protest the “Staffless Library Pilot Project,” which was discussed before council in relation to the library’s budget. The project affecting the Pittsburg Branch, would use a suite of technology including door key-pad entry, self-service and checkout machines. The branch is currently open 38 hours a week.

Chief Librarian with the Kingston Frontenac Public Library Laura Carter says with this project we can allow access and use of library resources up to 60 hours a week, while staff would still be reachable from another location. Carter says no staff would lose their jobs or hours as a result of this project. Steve Garrison of the Kingston and District Labour Council says, “We believe library patrons deserve to be served by the expertise of staff when they need it.” Garrison also cited safety and liability concerns. The Hamilton Public Library has three branches using this technology and the Toronto Library has two. 

Venture For Canada teams in partnership with the Smith School of Business are wrapping up a round the clock social impact challenge to find a solution for labour shortages in the hospitality and retail industries in Kingston. The problem statement was presented by the city while the Smith School is providing access to campus facilities for the project. After teams complete the challenge, they will present their pitches before a panel of members from The Downtown Kingston BIA and Kingston Accommodation Partners. The social impact challenge is part of Venture For Canada’s entrepreneurial program for recent grads. The challenge began yesterday and will conclude later this morning.

That’s your daily news brief, I’m Jeff Williams . If you have a hot news tip email our broadcast journalist Karim Mosna at news@cfrc.ca

The Islamic Society of Kingston held a virtual vigil for the Afzaal family last night. Many other communities across Canada held marches and vigils to remember the one year anniversary of the tragic event when a truck jumped a curb in London Ontario, killing 4 members of the family who were out for a Sunday walk.  Kingston Islamic Society member Mona Rahman spoke to CFRC news about the vigil…

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Rahman added City Hall was lit up purple and green last night. Purple was Yumna Afzaal’s favourite colour and green has been adopted to stand against Islamophobia

Over 3 million dollars from the federal government has been allocated to assist local businesses with digitization. 

MP Mark Gerretsen made the announcement yesterday at the Kingston Economic Development Corporation. Gerretsen says”These businesses in downtown Kingston who have only ever served off the street can now establish commerce solutions to sell products throughout the world.”

There are two streams within the program, the first stream of funding will help medium and small businesses improve their e-commerce, social media advertising and the creation of customer databases. The second stream involves digital assessments, a chance to apply for zero interest loans and work placements for youth.

The Kingston Syracuse Pathway Cross Border Conference on Health Innovation is happening today at The Holiday Inn. The conference covers health care, and life sciences with a focus on how systems can adapt after the COVID-19 pandemic. Representatives from Queens, The SUNY Centre in Syracuse, along with both Mayor Bryan Patterson and Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh will speak at the event. The conference will close with a pitch competition where five life sciences companies will compete for a $5000 prize, as facilitated by Queen’s Innovation Centre. 

Quick note on the roads, The intersection of Portsmouth and Mohawk closed until 1 today for sewer construction, also Portsmouth at Glengarry  will be closed 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on June 7 to complete construction of a sewer. 

That’s your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, email me: news@cfrc.ca

In the news…

The Kingston Economic Development Corporation is set to make a significant announcement at 10 this morning regarding the Canada Digital Adoption Program to support local businesses in Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington County and Gananoque. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the launch of the program in March to help medium and small businesses grow their online presence and adapt to the digital economy. The event will be live streamed on the Corporation’s Facebook page.

The City of Kingston is looking for input on its Multi-Year Accessibility Plan. Andrew Ashby, Chair of the Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee says “One in four Ontarians has a disability. Some people are born with different abilities, and others develop them as they age or through other causes.”

The Draft 2023-2025 accessibility plan aims to eliminate barriers and is required under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. The Plan covers City facilities, services and public spaces. To read the plan and to provide feedback, go to the GetInvolved Kingston website. 

The Commuter Challenge kicked off yesterday and runs through Saturday. Both Queens University and the City of Kingston are participating in the challenge. Canadian workplaces and cities compete to reduce their carbon footprint…Teammates take sustainable modes of transportation such as: cycling, walking and public transit, and log their usage through the week. Queens last participated in 2019 and avoided over 5,000 kilograms of CO2 emissions.

The Kingston Film Office, has once again partnered with the Kingston Canadian Film Festival to fund the second edition of its Music Video Initiative, The project pairs local production companies with local performers, Each team receives 2 thousand dollars in funding to create a music video. The videos will premiere at the 2023 Kingston Canadian Film Fest. The deadline to apply for both artists and production companies is July 31st.

That’s all for your daily news brief I’m Karim Mosna, if you have any news tips email me news@cfrc.ca

Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives have scored a 2nd majority government, while NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca will step down. Liberal Ted Hsu will take one of the eight Liberal seats in Ontario. Hsu was elected for Kingston and the Islands with 37.7% of the final vote, NDP candidate Mary Rita Holland had just over 31% while Conservative Gary Bennett had 24.6%. The PC ‘s won 83 out of the 124 seats in Ontario’s legislature. 

UBER is now licensed and regulated by the Kingston Area Taxi Commission. This comes after Kingston City Council voted to regulate ride-sharing companies in Kingston and Loyalist Township in March. Now all UBER drivers operating in the Kingston area will be covered under the issued license. Licensing and enforcement are administered by the KATC with oversight by the city.

A new exhibition at The Tett Centre celebrates education in Nigeria. The Muno Tauro exhibit is a collaboration between organizations working to enhance access to education and training for teachers in Nigeria and 14 other African countries. The exhibit includes the “My Story of Water” project where children explored the importance of water to sustaining life. Hand-painted jerry cans are on display, along with photographs of children engaging in reading, crocheting and more. Queens University partners with one of the organizations founded by alumni Hakeem Subair. CEO of Children’s Northeast trust Dr. Mariam Masha says, this work has transformed whole communities, Muno Tauro means “coming together,” the exhibit runs until June 29th.

That’s your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, please email me news@cfrc.ca. 

It’s election day in Ontario. If you are eligible to vote, bring your voter information card and a piece of valid ID to the polling station indicated on the card. If you have recently moved and are not on the voters list, then you can present any piece of ID showing your name and current residential address to register and vote. You can find out information on your voting location and more on the elections ontario website. The polls are open from 9am to 9pm.

Kingston Police and The OPP are warning against increased reports of the “emergency/grandparent scam” in the Kingston area where scammers claim to be a grandchild or a loved one and make a frantic call asking for help. Kingston Police note often the caller requests bail money and has the victim place it in a shoe box, the scammer would then hire a courier company to deliver it to someone involved in the scam. Police say cash is never requested for bail, and to never send money by courier to someone you don’t know or trust.

Kingston Health Sciences Centre is now allowing up to 3 approved family visitors per patient, with 2 by the bedside. Unvaccinated visitors are permitted, but would need to complete a negative rapid antigen test and pass screening upon arrival. All visitors must remain masked at all times. According to the KHSC the policy update is due to a continued downward trend of COVID-19 cases in the KFL&A area.

Just over a year has passed since the remains of 215 indigenous children buried at a former residential school in British Columbia were recovered. Since this tragedy, monthly gatherings have formed at the waterfront in Kingston. Individuals sat in front of a sacred fire for a “letting go” ceremony. Indigenous Community Development Coordinator with The Kingston Community Health Centres Grandmother Kathy Brant says, “We don’t hang on to how they passed, we need to hang on to the positiveness that they brought by being recovered, ‘letting go’ of the tragedy and embracing what they gave us.”

Brant says people are now listening. “The indigenous people who survived those schools have been talking about it since they came home..People knew they were there, no one listened until now.” The monthly gatherings are expected to continue.

Quick note on the roads: Albert Street from Brock to Birch will be closed until 3 today for sewer construction. 

That’s your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, please email me news@cfrc.ca. 

Kingston Health Sciences declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the KGH. Three patients on the Connell 10 Unit tested positive for COVID. In a media release, the hospital says  the unit is allowing essential visitors only which is defined as those with a loved one who is critically ill or nearing end of life.

KFL& A Public Health has been notified. KHSC is completing contract tracing and testing for all on the unit, and notifying all patients, staff and visitors affected by the outbreak.

Kingston has been ranked the top small city in Canada for a startup ecosystem in Startupblink’s Global Startup Ecosystem Index.

StartupBlink noted that Kingston is an inspiring city that punches over its weight for a small city with a population between 100,000 – 300,000 and highlighted startups including: Li-Cycle, Elentra and Kings Distributed Systems.

Mayor Bryan Patterson says, This kind of ecosystem doesn’t happen by accident – it requires partnership, collaboration, and strategic initiatives to build an atmosphere that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship.

Nationally, Kingston ranked 4th in Healthtech, and 6th for Energy and The Environment.

It’s Cycling Week in Kingston with events going on around the city right through Saturday. Cycle Kingston board member Hal Cain says, “Using a bicycle is one of the best ways to not only be physically fit, but it’s great for keeping greenhouse gasses down and it’s a show of prosperity and interest in making our world, and Kingston better.” 

Friday June 3rd is the 5th annual World Bicycle Day. Cycle Kingston will celebrate in front of city hall with speeches, and live music. Other events include “Ride With The Mayor” on Thursday morning and free “roll in breakfasts” at various locations around the city.

Quick note on the roads: Clergy Street from Princess to Brock  will be closed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today..where a crane will be operating.

That’s your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, please email me news@cfrc.ca. 

In the news…

Kingston Health Sciences Centre has achieved the highest possible honour through Accreditation Canada. KHSC’s exemplary standards recognition comes from meeting all of Accreditation Canada’s Required Organizational Practices. 

The announcement highlighted KHSC’s innovation supporting transformative patient care, a clear commitment to integrated quality and safety plans, broad involvement of patient experience advisors, solid relationships supporting local and regional collaboration, and a remarkable response to the COVID-19 pandemic. KHSC also scored 99.3% compliance rate on 3000 plus best practice global standards. This story courtesy of Kingstonist News.

Kingston Police continue to search for a missing 14 year old girl. Kara Russell was last seen on Thursday May 26th. Police say she may be staying with a friend, and she is known to frequent the Catarqui Centre. She is described as 5 ft. 3, with blue eyes, and long curly blue hair. She was last seen wearing red and white pajama pants and a black long sleeve crop top with red and white stripes. Anyone with information is asked to contact Kingston Police.

Tourism Kingston is highlighting all the sectors involved during tourism awareness week. The sectors being celebrated include: hospitality, film, visitor information services, travel trades, sport and wellness.

Executive Director Megan Knott says,“Every day we’re creating a micro campaign to make sure we’re clarifying, communicating and celebrating the sectors, as opposed to just making a general statement that tourism is important.”

The week kicked off yesterday with an adventure race as  front-line workers made stops around downtown Kingston.In the city of Kingston, tourism has a $533 million economic impact per year, makes up nearly 10% of Kingston’s workforce, supplying 15 thousand jobs. Tourism awareness week runs until Saturday June 4th.

A note on the roads, Greer Street from Montreal to Shaw is closed until 3 this afternoon as Utilities Kingston installs a new gas service. 

That’s your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, please email me news@cfrc.ca. Join me for long-form interviews this afternoon at 5 on Citizen K. Now to Christena for your Arts & Community Events Calendar.

Queen’s University has announced they are suspending the mandatory masking requirement effective this Wednesday June 1st. A statement was posted to Queens’ website saying the decision is based on the current state of the pandemic in which COVID-19 cases and hospital capacity in our region are stable, and masks are no longer required in most public settings. However, there are some exceptions, the university asks students to inquire with their departments on PPE requirements. Later in the summer, Queens will review the masking policy in preparation for the fall semester. This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton of YGK News. 

The Level One Fire Ban has been lifted for all of South Frontenac Township. Residents can return to having campfires and cooking fires. Fire Chief Darcy Knott says he is pleased to report there was no unauthorized burning, or reports of fireworks over the past two weeks. The ban was lifted due to changing weather conditions and remaining vegetation presenting reduced risks as compared to a few weeks ago.

The City of Kingston is reaching out to employers and residents to refresh their community-wide strategy to recruit and retain workers. Kingston’s Workforce Development and In-Migration Strategy was first implemented in 2017. City of Kingston Workforce Development Analyst, Dajana Turkovic says while some of the issues are the same, the pandemic brought new challenges for employers and job seekers including: mental health, child care and remote work. 

Turkovic says she hopes to hear from the community to gain context on the issues they are facing, to see which themes emerge and to work together to find strategies.

There is an online information session for the initiative on June 2nd, along with an interactive forum on the Get Involved Kingston website where both employers and job seekers can share ideas and participate in discussions. The full interview with Dajana Turkovic will air as part of Citizen K, tomorrow at 5 here on CFRC.

That’s your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, please email me news@cfrc.ca

Now to Christena for your Arts & Community Events Calendar

St. Lawrence College will drop their mask mandate on June 1st. Masks will only be required in St.Lawrence Campus Health Centres or in areas that PPE is necessary in a particular learning or working environment. Queens University’s mask mandate is scheduled to end by the end of May, unless a review determines otherwise. This story courtesy of Owen Fullerton, YGK News

Queens University researchers are leading a research initiative to more accurately diagnose Lyme Disease. The MyLyme project is running its third annual survey for Canadians affected by tick-borne illnesses. One of the researchers, Madelaine Gravelle, a Masters of Psychology student, says this year there is an increased focus on understanding how Lyme Disease shows up differently in different regions of Canada, and how that information can better inform health policy, empower practitioners and patients to make more accurate and specific diagnoses.

There is a three hour power outage planned for this Sunday morning starting at 8 for Utilities Kingston customers in the CFB Kingston and Barriefield Village areas. Workers will be installing new overhead electrical distribution lines and equipment on behalf of Kingston Hydro. The outage is to ensure utility crews can work safely to complete the project.

That’s your daily news brief, I’m Karim Mosna. If you have any news tips, please email me news@cfrc.ca.

As of right now, we have 21 active cases of COVID-19 in the KFLA region. Remember to stay safe by practicing proper hand hygiene, staying apart from those not in your household, wearing your masks, and limiting your travel outside of our region.

In recent news, the Kingston Kiwanis Music festival has moved to a virtual platform. Those looking for admission into the festival uploaded performances to YouTube to be judged by 7 adjudicators.

In an article reported in the Kingstonist, “Every performer was emailed written comments about their performances,” said Cherrilyn Yalin, a member of the Planning Committee. “Unfortunately, because of COVID-19 restrictions, band, orchestra, and choir entries were not possible, although family ensembles were permitted. Last year registrations totaled 445, and this year we saw 292.”

If you’d like to view the the Highlights Concert, it will air on March 24th on YourTV at 9pm. And will also be available for online viewing after Saturday March 27 via the Isabel Digital Concert Hall.

KFLA Public Health is reporting 3 new COVID-19 cases in Kingston today, but the good news there are also 13 recovered cases. Which brings our total active cases to remain at 14.

The Royal Canadian College of Organists (RCCO) Kingston Centre is offering scholarships for pianists of all ages seeking to develop their skills on the pipe organ.

Scholarships provide 10 hours of free organ lessons with a qualified instructor. The application deadline is March 31. Auditions for qualified applicants will be held in April.

The Kingston Centre receives financial support for these scholarships from the National RCCO office, local individuals and churches, and raises funds by sponsoring centre events. Each student has the opportunity to perform in the student concert in late-winter and is invited to attend all local RCCO events. Information and application materials are available at:

www.rcco-kingston.ca, by emailing scholarships@rcco-kingston.ca or by calling Aurora at 613-453-6323.

That’s your daily news brief.  Have a news update you would like to share?  Reach out to news@cfrc.ca.  I’m Jessica Somersall. Have a great rest of your day folks, and enjoy this morning’s Indie Wake Up Call coming up next right here on CFRC 101. 9 FM.

We’re at 26 COVID 19 cases in Kingston, with 1 hospitalized and 1 in the intensive care unit. As Kingston’s vaccination strategy begins to unfold, with 2 arenas for mass immunization secured, please continue to stay safe, and stay as local as possible. Do your part for the community.

Downtown kingston is back. Businesses, shoppers, and diners can expect more elbow room as the city plans to relaunch the outdoor Love Kingston Marketplace initiative during the second summer of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative will be launched in April or May, promoting businesses that took a hit during the pandemic’s peak. Businesses will operate outdoors, and improve physical distancing downtown for pedestrian movement, seating, and dining.

There was one new case of COVID-19 on Tuesday bringing our active case count to a total of 26 people. Yesterday, the vaccine strategy for KFLA was unveiled in a press release. The Invista centre’s MNP rink and Napanee’s Strathcona Paper Centre will both be used for mass vaccination once the region receives sufficient supply. Immunization for the general public is anticipated for Phase 3. The facilities announced yesterday can accommodate up to 3000 immunizations per day. 

Starting in March the province is opening a vaccine appointment booking system which will allow people to book appointments online or over the telephone. This is not currently available and more updates will come online as we get closer.

This past long weekend, Kingston Fire and Police had to make several ice rescues from people falling through the ice. They have issued a reminder that ice can be very variable and dangerous on Lake Ontario. Conditions can change rapidly. Stay safe out there.

As of this morning we have 20 active cases of COVID-19 in the KFLA region. Remember that despite being in the green zone, still wear your masks, practice proper hand hygiene, limit your travel outside of the region, and do what you can to protect yourself and your community!

At tonight’s City Council Meeting, council will vote on the revised shopping proposal for the Love Kingston Marketplace. Mayor Bryan Paterson said “It’s kind of like a new and improved version where I think we learned from last year about what worked well and adjusted things that maybe didn’t work as well,” as reported in Global News. The Love Kingston marketplace happened this past summer and aimed to block off streets and sidewalks in the downtown area to make more room for shopping, dining, programming, art space, and more during the summer months to provide businesses with a way of engaging with folks during the pandemic.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

So tonight Black Luck Collective is hosting an event today to cultivate a safe place for the Black Kingston Community. This event is just so the Black identifying folks know that they are not isolated here and to uncover our dependable and visible community. The meeting is this evening at 5:30, if you have more questions check out the Black Luck Collective’s Facebook page.

Also, Queens University African Caribbean Student Association (ACSA) is hosting a virtual dance party called Topic like it hot. Where you can hear dancehall music, soca, hip-hop, and Afrobeats being played all through the evening. This event will be taking place on Zoom to still implement social distancing protocols. The event will be taking place tomorrow Saturday 6’ 2021, 7 pm- 10 pm. Check out their Facebook page to signup!

 Alright, that’s all for now.  I’m Jessica Somersall, Have a fantastic Friday and an even better weekend, but first, you gotta listen to, Frankly Speaking, Coming up next on CFR 101. 9 FM!

There are currently 14 reported cases in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington region with two new COVID-19 cases reported on Wednesday. One being a health care worker in her fifties and the other is in her early thirties and her case is thought to be related to an outbreak. One woman is hospitalized in the intensive care unit on a ventilator. Please continue to keep up with safety measures and if you develop symptoms be sure to get a test!

Approximately seventy percent of people living in retirement homes under long term care or are high-risk have received the first dose of COVID-19. This is around 1200 people! About 800 others in the region have also been vaccinated. Because of the delays, Kingston will not manage to vaccinate all long-term care residents however this is still a great advancement!

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

We’ve gone down to 12 COVID 19 cases in Kingston, with 1 hospitalized and 1 in the intensive care unit. Stay safe, and do your part for the community.

On February 1, the delivery of the first 150-foot long concrete girders marked a milestone for Kingston’s historic Third Crossing project — a project that aims to connect Kingston over the Cataraqui River. Placement of the girders will begin near the west shore and continue east towards the steel main span throughout 2021.

Kingston is asking skaters to obey COVID 19 rules while on outdoor rinks. Users are now limited to a maximum capacity of 5 or 10 people on the ice at a time, depending on the rink you frequent. Other restrictions include wearing a mask while skating, and a ban of hockey sticks and pucks. 

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health is reporting no new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. There was one positive case reported on Sunday and no new cases on Saturday. The Kingston region has nine total active cases. One of those individuals is in hospital in the intensive care unit and on a ventilator.

According to local public health’s COVID-19 dashboard on its website, only seven new cases have been reported in the region since Jan. 24: six in Kingston and one in South Frontenac Township.

Of those seven cases, 57 percent were via close contact, 29 percent were travel-related and 14 percent were linked to outbreaks. The region’s weekly case average has dropped to 3.3 per 100,000 cases in the past seven days. For more information check out the article created by the Whig-Standard. 

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

Queen’s University has announced that Homecoming 2021 will take place over two weekends in October instead of one. “The decision to host two alumni Homecoming weekends is driven by the desire to be responsive to alumni and to accommodate the projected number of attendees in event venues on campus and accommodations within the city of Kingston and beyond,” said a statement on their Homecoming website. “Our plans for in-person Homecoming weekend will be subject to public health guidelines and may need to be modified or cancelled.”

Homecoming will take place from October 15 -17, 2021 for classes whose graduation year ends in ‘0’ or ‘5’. It will take place from October 29-31, 2021 for classes whose graduation year ends in ‘1’ or ‘6’. A virtual event for all alumni takes place on Sunday, October 17, 2021.

It’s not the first time the institution has split its traditionally spirited alumni celebrations in half. The 2013 Homecoming was also held over two weekends, after being cancelled for four years following community complaints about riotous parties. Hope to see what’s in store for the university in October.

That’s your daily news brief.  Have a news update you would like to share?  Reach out to news@cfrc.ca.  I’m Jessica Somersall. Have a great rest of your day folks, and enjoy this morning’s Indie Wake Up Call coming up next right here on CFRC 101. 9 FM.

This past weekend we had one new case of COVID-19 and we have a total of 11 active cases in the region. 

After three nights last week City council has approved the 2021 budget  for Kingston which includes an extra 1 million dollars added to the budget for local businesses, recreation and social service not-for-profits and arts based not for profits . An important announcement in light of the recent news from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce that announced Kingston’s local economy as one of the hardest hit in the province. The report found that 58% of organizations had to let staff go this past year in the Kingston area compared to 47% province wide. 

It was announced recently that our rental Vacancy rate in the region has risen to 3.2%. A healthy vacancy rate is around 3% and just two years ago we were below 1%. This is progress and Mayor Paterson says he is very pleased and that this confirms we are heading in the right direction. I do wonder how COVID has influenced these rates. Perhaps more studies to come. 

In national news, the vaccine roll-out is going slower than planned. We will see a 25% declined in the anticipated supply intended this week of the Moderna vaccine. 

A reminder that the Reelout Queer Film Festival is going on now until February 6th. It is the 22nd year of the festival and is entirely virtual. There are 68 films to choose from and you can get your tickets at reelout.eventive.org

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

Tonight, the AMS of Queen’s University is holding assembly at 6pm over Zoom for members to attend. Decisions will be made regarding those who applied for AMS executive, undergraduate trustee, and clubs who were being nominated for referenda. We will keep folks updated as news is released but if you are an AMS member and would like to attend, you can visit myams.org for more information.

It was announced yesterday that the Kingston Resident with the B117 COVID variant in Kingston acquired the variant after a visit to the Muskoka-Simcoe area. They believe that this trip was the way that this person was infected. Don’t forget we are still in a lockdown and that non-essential travel is limited. Please stay within our KFLA region, and do your part to keep our community safe by wearing your masks, practicing proper hand hygiene, staying 6 feet apart with those outside of your household, and only leaving the house for essential reasons.

This evening, the Agnes Etherington Art Centre is hosting Art Hive, a virtual art event with an art therapist. This program is free and is starting at 4pm today so be sure to check it out! You can learn something new and create a new piece of art, which can perhaps spark a new hobby you can take up during this lockdown!

Starting September 2021, tuition fees for international PhD students at Queen’s University will be assessed at the same rate as those paid by domestic students.

“With this new tuition policy, we are setting up international PhD students for success and making Queen’s a more attractive choice for graduate education for the most promising emerging scholars from around the world,” said Fahim Quadir, Vice Provost and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). “This decision is a part of a broader set of efforts underway to enhance the overall graduate student experience at Queen’s.”

The Queen’s University Gazette reports that this new policy is one of the first outcomes of the report released by the Working Group on Graduate Student Success in fall 2019.

Following that final report, the School of Graduate Studies established another working group to assess graduate student funding.  That group then developed a new proposal to assess domestic and international PhD student tuition fees at the same rate, which was then approved by the senior leadership of the university and the Board of Trustees.

“After reviewing the state of funding for international PhD students at Queen’s, we concluded that it needed to be revitalized if we want to remain competitive in recruiting high-quality students,” said James Reynolds, Chair of the Working Group on Graduate Student Funding and Associate Dean of SGS. “This new policy brings Queen’s in line with many of our peer institutions across Canada, including other research-intensive universities in Ontario.” 

Along with this tuition change, SGS is working to implement other recommendations from the 2019 report, including a new policy on graduate supervision for which feedback from graduate students, faculty, and other stakeholders will be sought in the coming weeks.

SGPS will be holding a town hall for current international PhD students to discuss the new tuition policy. The town hall will be held Wednesday Feb. 3 at 10:00 am EST. 

In the KFLA region, there are 16 active COVID cases. There are 646 resolved cases and we are sad to report one death. Thus, generating 663 cases altogether. Wait times are over an hour and the centre is open from 9 am to 4 pm for anyone considering getting tested. 

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

KFL A is reporting 0  new covid-19 cases today, our resolved number of cases is 2, leaving our told number of active cases to be 19. Currently, we have 1 person in the ICU and unfortunately, 1 death, are condolences go out to the family. 

Today,  Tuesday, Jan 19th, 2021 there will be a city council meeting, the council will vote on a measure designed to provide some temporary property tax relief for small business owners. If approved as recommended, the property tax pre-authorized payment program will be extended to allow for the deferral of up to two installments to November and December 2021. Additionally, a by-law will be presented to Council to provide for the levying and collecting of 2021 interim property taxes, including the following provisions:

• the 2021 interim tax bill be no greater than 50% of the 2020 taxes levied;
• the rates are as specified in Schedule A to the by-law attached hereto; 
• the due date for interim taxes be March 31, 2021;
• various payment options are provided;
• late payment charges are added to taxes that are in default;
• the property tax pre-authorized payment program be extended to allow for the deferral of up to two installments;
• the implementation of an application based COVID-19 Hardship Deferral Program -2021 Interim Property Tax Billing for small business property owners.

The interim tax levy by-law is required to provide funds to assist in financing daily operating requirements until the final tax rates are set and the final tax bills are issued later in 2021.

That’s your daily news brief.  Have a news update you would like to share?  Reach out to news@cfrc.ca.  I’m Jessica Somersall. Have a great rest of your day folks, and enjoy this morning’s Indie Wake Up Call coming up next right here on CFRC 101. 9 FM.

A COVID-19 update; yesterday in the KFLA public health region we had 3 new cases bringing our active case count to 47 cases. Yesterday in Kingston, long-term care workers received their first dose of the vaccine at KGH. This is exciting news in the face of new provincial measures coming our way on Thursday. 

The announcement came yesterday that Ontario is declaring our second provincial state of emergency to address COVID-19 and is initiating a stay-at-home order. All of this begins this evening at midnight and in effect starting tomorrow. These new orders requires everyone to to remain at home with the exceptions of going to the grocery store or other food retailer, pharmacy, and accessing health care services. 

The goal of these new measures are to limit our mobility around town to reduce our daily contacts and potential exposures to the virus.  It is important to remain with those only who reside in our households. A few clarifications: 

If you can work from home you are now asked to do so. Outdoor public gatherings are now limited to five people, this means your household. Masks are required in any and all public spaces and outside if you are unable to maintain 2m distance.

All stores that are not restaurants or food retailers like take-out and pharmacies must close by 8pm (this means things like hardware or liquor stores). These enhanced measures are anticipated to stay in affect until February 11th.   

City of Kingston is offering emergency childcare to essential workers during this time. If this is something relevant to you, you can find more information at the City of Kingston website. 

KFL A is reporting 4  new covid-19 cases today, our resolved number of cases is 5 , leaving our told number of active cases to be 51. Currently we have 1 person in the ICU and unfortunately 1 death, are condolences go out to the family . Kingston is in stage Grey which means lockdown with Maximum measures, as trends continue to worsen after measures from Control level are implemented. Please continue to stay home, wear your mask, and keep social distancing from one another. 

On another note, Loving Hands Kingston is organizing and accepting donations, Following the large fire at a housing complex in Verona where more than 30 people lost their homes on January 7th, donations are being accepted via LovinghandsKingston.ca and food, clothing and toiletry items can be dropped off at Loving Hands primary location: 113 Greenless Drive, Kingston ON. Loving Hands Kingston is  a local organization that works in collaboration with nonprofit agencies and local Kingston shelters. Loving hands Kingston assists the homeless population by serving meals and providing basic household essentials such as clothing, housewares and more to assist with getting reestablished. There is a  bridge between people leaving shelters and gaining their own residence which sometimes is difficult and loving hands Kingston is doing  their best to make the transition as comfortable and smooth as possible.

For more information please be sure to check out the Loving Hands Kingston website: LovinghandsKingston.ca 

That’s your daily news brief.  Have a news update you would like to share?  Reach out to news@cfrc.ca.  I’m Jessica Somersall. Have a great rest of your day folks, and enjoy this morning’s Indie Wake Up Call coming up next right here on CFRC 101. 9 FM.

The City of Kingston created the hub project, self described as a public engagement initiative intended to connect neighbourhoods by art. It will run from January to September of this year. It will feature art and poetry installations at the intersection of Princess and Division. One of which is a billboard with a brief poem written by Kingston’s poet laureate Jason Heroux.

COVID-19 update; yesterday in the KFLA public health region we had 12 new cases and 53 active cases. Dr. Moore advises anyone who has traveled over the winter break or is arriving in the Kingston area to please monitor very closely and get tested if you have any symptoms. 

Starting this evening, Jan 6th, Stages Night Club will be open as a warming centre to offer respite during our cold winter evenings. The shelter will be open Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evenings from 8-11pm. Masks and sanitizer will be provided for guests when you arrive. The shelter will offer washroom access, hot drinks, snacks, hygiene supplies and warm winter clothing. This is important initiative is through a partnership between Kinston Street Mission and Lion Hearts with support form Stages Night Club and the United Way. Kingston Street Mission and Lionhearts are taking donations to support the cost of the program. Check out their webpages to donate. 

The federal government has recently announced a $100 000 contribution to our local habitat for humanity. This will support one of six houses being built to provide affordable home ownership in our community. 

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

We have 45 active cases of COVID-19 in the KFLA region. We are still in lockdown until January 23rd so don’t forget to do your part by keeping our community as well as yourselves safe. Wear your masks, wash and sanitize your hands, stay 6 feet apart, and limit your interactions to only those in your household as much as possible. 

As winter continues and the snow will as well, the city is asking residents to make garbage collection a little easier for our collectors so that they are not faced with challenging stops as they make thousands of them each week. The city recommends you to Keep a path from the road to your collectibles clear of snow and ice and to choose a safe and visible ground-level location on the right side at the end of your driveway or walkway (as you face the street), or on the boulevard closest to the curb. Do not place your garbage bins on snow banks as that makes it difficult for collectors to retrieve the bins.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

Within both boards, some in-person options will be available for students with special needs who are part of specialized classrooms like school to community.

Frontenac Ontario Provincial Police are asking for information from the public about a possible drowning incident on Christmas Eve. On the 24th around 9:30pm, police & Fire rescue received a call from a witness who claimed they heard calls for help and that personal belongings had been found on the ice of Anglin Bay near the LaSalle Causeway. If you were on the ice or know of anyone that was on the ice Christmas Eve, investigators are encouraging any potential leads to be reported to the Frontenac OPP. 

On New Year’s Eve, a Kingston store called “SBT Comics and Games” was broken into and over  $20,000 worth of inventory was stolen. Not long after hearing about the break-in, people began to line up outside the store to offer support. Although they couldn’t enter the store and shop because of the lockdown, Fardella, the owner of the store claims that these supporters waited to give him a six-foot-distanced high five, making him believe in people again after the break-in.

It’s uplifting stories like these that really give us hope in our fellow community. 

If you have a news update you’d like to share, be sure to contact news@cfrc.ca.

As you may have heard, a historic building on Princess Street collapsed last week on Christmas Day, that was in fact The Carnovsky Bakery building. The developers have however vowed to rebuild the building as reported in an article in the Kingston Whig. The building collapsed due to a weakened foundation at about 4:30am on Christmas morning, also due to the amount of rain that Kingston received around Christmas. The plan is to rebuild the building quite accurately to what it used to be like to maintain its heritage in what ways they can.

In regards to COVID-19 in the community, the dashboard on the public health unit has not been updated to the holidays, but will be updated regularly starting today. However, it will not be updated between January 1st to the 3rd. If you are experiencing symptoms and require a test, you can book an appointment with the Beechgrove Complex, open daily from 9am to 4pm. Don’t forget to wash your hands, wear your masks, and physically distance yourself from those not in your household.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

Queen’s University students are asked not to return to Kingston until after the lockdown is over on January 23rd unless absolutely necessary. International students and those set to move into on-campus housing are “strongly encouraged” to postpone travel if they can.

A historic limestone building at the corner of Princess and Victoria streets collapsed in the early hours of Christmas morning. The building used to be a bakery, dating back to the 1840s, and in 2016 was given protection under Kingston’s Heritage Act. The Carnovsky Bakery building was to be restored for commercial use, and incorporated into the development of a new condo under construction on Princess Street between Victoria & Nelson. The City of Kingston says the cause of the collapse is currently under investigation.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

We have a total number of 72 active cases of COVID-19 in the KFLA region as of this morning. Let’s continue to do our part and keep our community safe. Don’t forget that starting at 12:01am tomorrow, the entire province of Ontario is going into a lockdown. This means everything will be closed except for grocery stores, pharmacies, essential workplaces, and places for medical appointments. 

Don’t forget if your garbage collection is usually taken today, it will be collected on Sunday, December 27th instead. There will also not be any Kingston transit service today, but will resume tomorrow with Sunday service on Boxing Day. 

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

Modern Fuel Exhibition from 12-5 today. In the Main Gallery: “A Vast Metabolism” by Noah Scheinman. In the State of Flux Gallery: “100WOMEN100YEARS ACHIVE” by Liz Rae Dalton and Kathy Piercy. In the Window Space: “Reflections”, Modern Fuel’s annual juried exhibition featuring Natasha Jabre, Taylor Kennedy, Michèle LaRose, Mathew Nagendran and Paula Whyle. You can find more information about this event on their website at: modernfuel.org/exhibitions. 

In the KFLA area, there are 72 active COVID cases, 433 cases resolved and a total of 505 cases. Wait times are over an hour and the centre is open from 9 am to 4 pm for anyone considering getting tested.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

COVID-19 update; yesterday in the KFLA public health region we had 6 new cases and 12 recoveries. That leaves us at 80 active cases. Of course we are heading into a lockdown starting on boxing day and lasting until Jan 23rd.

Yesterday, the City of Kingston released an update on services that will remain open during the lockdown. You can find complete information about what’s open and closed on their webpage. City ofkingston.ca/resident/covid19. I will share that outdoor amenities are remaining open as long as physical distancing is able to be maintained. This included skating rinks and playgrounds, parks and trails.

As businesses and organizations begin to adapt to lockdown criteria, the Kingston Frontenac Public Library has immediately returned to curbside-pick up at all sixteen of their branches. The library staff will alert you when your order is ready. This means happy reading for all of us, a really important service during this winter season lock down and the library does your quarantine your books in advance which is really nice. You can find out more information on their webpage kfpl.ca. On the subject of reading, Earlier this week, CBC released a list of the best Canadian books of 2020. Check it out if you need inspiration!

KFL A is reporting 6 new covid-19 cases today, our resolved number is 21, leaving our told number of active cases to be 86. Kingston is in stage Orange which means we are supposed to take restrictive immediate measures, with a weekly incidence rate of 25 to 39.9 cases per 100,000. 

The additional measures include limited hours of operations for certain settings, limits on the hours for sale at food and drink establishments, limits on the number of individuals permitted in certain settings and required screening of patrons to establishments. With the change to orange-restrict level in KFL&A, it is even more important that we consider how to make the holiday season and celebrations safe, everyone must take steps to protect themselves and loved ones from getting and spreading COVID-19.

For more information on safe celebrations or to learn more about COVID-19, how you can protect yourself and what to do if you suspect you may be at risk, visit www.Kflaph.ca/Coronavirus.

That’s your daily news brief.  Have a news update you would like to share?  Reach out to news@cfrc.ca.  I’m Jessica Somersall. Have a great rest of your day folks, and enjoy this morning’s Indie Wake Up Call coming up next right here on CFRC 101. 9 FM.

The sharp rise in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks has brought the active coronavirus case count to 101 individuals that have tested positive. As a result, The Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington region has officially moved into the orange zone under Ontario’s COVID-19 framework as of today. This means that last call for liquor is now 9PM, and only four people will be allowed to be seated together at a restaurant or a bar. Kingston is planning to stay in the orange zone for the next 28 days.

There was a major covid outbreak in the medium security prison Joyceville Institution last Thursday. There were 80 inmates that tested positive. Correctional Service Canada says all employees and inmates have been given medical masks and face shields. Dr.Kieran Moore suggests that the number of active cases in the area are expected to drop as Queen’s University students head home for the holidays.

Police say the two teenage boys that went missing on December 14th have been located.

With the holidays just around the corner, let’s make sure we celebrate safely to limit the spread of COVID-19. If you can host a virtual event and celebrate with just immediate family, that unfortunately, might be the best idea this holiday season.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

There are currently 104 active cases of COVID-19 in the KFL and A region. A large increase from last week. As the cases continue to rise, please keep up with the health and safety measures put forth by the government. If you have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, get tested at locations throughout the region or if you are a Queen’s student, Mitchell Hall is still running tests.

With the rising cases in Kingston and the Queen’s community, Queens will be implementing additional public health and safety measures. In the Athletics and Recreation Centre there will be reduced capacity in all spaces including the pool and masks must be worn during activities. Study spaces such as Mackintosh-Corry hall are reduced to only ten people. Additionally food services such as the common ground will also be reduced to ten per room and a limit of four people per table. Dining halls are advising students to take out their meals rather than eat in the hall.

If you’re looking for a fun socially distanced activity, Springer Market Square rink is open! There will be around 20 skaters on the rink at one time so that leaves plenty of room to distance. What a great way to have some outdoor fun during this unique holiday season!

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

The monthly Elm Coffeehouse is on tonight from 7-9. With a feature performance by The Ropes! If you’d like to check out this virtual event go signup on their website at skeletonparkarts.ca

In the KFLA area, there are 115 active COVID cases, 323 cases resolved and a total of 438 cases. Wait times are over an hour and the centre is open from 9 am to 4 pm for anyone considering getting tested.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

A COVID-19 update; we had 15 new cases yesterday bringing our active case count to 99 cases In the Kingston Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Health Region. 

Yesterday, in Ottawa, the first COVID-19 vaccine was distributed to some long-term care workers. They are expecting by Friday a total of 1500 workers at 10 care homes across Ottawa will be vaccinated. Other provinces are starting vaccine roll outs as well. It’s nice that vaccines are finally starting to get distributed.  That being said, Kingston public health is saying multiple COVID-19 cases are linked to house parities in Kingston. If you attended a house party, make sure to get tested and stay within your households. Keep our community safe. 

Our local United Way has community donation drive underway. They are looking for: 

Non perishable food, clothing, new hats, mittens, socks, new and gently used winter boots and hygiene products. These will be distributed to members in our community who need a helping hand. If you have any of these items around or want to contribute, you can drop them off  from today through to the 18 between 11am to 2 pm. 

If you still have some holiday shopping to do, remember that local businesses need your support this year. You can purchase downtown dollars which is like a gift card to lots of different downtown shops. If you purchase before December 24th there are some discounts available.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

KFLA Public Health is reporting 7  new COVID-19 cases in Kingston today, our recovered cases are 11, which brings our total number of active cases to remain at  89.

Kingston band The Gertrudes release their new single on December 11, 2020, and are simultaneously making a big difference in their local community, by donating proceeds to street health. Greg Tilson, co-composer for The Gertrudes said in a media release that the new single is “…is an attempt to express and reflect on some of the anxiety and a profound sense of isolation so many people are experiencing at this time…”All proceeds from “Emergency To Emergency” will be donated to Street Health Centre. Wendy Vuyk, Director,  Community Health, KCHC stated “the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted some gaps in our social safety net and infrastructure, and  as we move into the colder weather, our most vulnerable populations remain at risk.”  To learn more check out the band website: thegertrudes.bandcamp.com

That’s your daily news brief.  Have a news update you would like to share?  Reach out to news@cfrc.ca.  I’m Jessica Somersall. Have a great rest of your day folks, and enjoy this morning’s Indie Wake Up Call coming up next right here on CFRC 101. 9 FM.

There are currently 75 active cases of COVID-19 in the KFL&A region. A large increase from last week. As the cases rise please continue to keep up with the health and safety measures put forth by the government. If you have symptoms, get tested at locations throughout the region or if you are a Queen’s student, Mitchell Hall is still running tests.

Two COVID-19 cases have been traced back to several house parties held last weekend that occurred on Dec 4th and 5th. All those in attendance at these parties are required to self-isolate and get tested if symptoms occur. So far this month there have been ten reported cases in the Queen’s community. Continue to be careful and avoid gatherings.

The annual Geminid Meteor shower will be at its peak on Sunday. It is said to be the best meteor shower of 2020. Though it is visible throughout the evening, it’ll be at its peak at 2AM. Another astronomical event soon will be the rare Great Conjunction on Dec 21. Jupiter and Saturn will pass closer to each other than they have in hundreds of years. It will not be visible for another sixty years. It will be at its peak just after sunset.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

We now have 67 active cases of COVID-19 in the KFL&A region. This is the highest case number we have reached. Several cases are linked to the Third day worship centre, as well as some parties that took place in the University District on Dec 4 and Dec 5. If you experience symptoms, please visit the Beechgrove complex to get tested, or students can go to Mitchell Hall on Queen’s university campus to get tested. Isolate immediately, and stay safe out there folks.

Despite the rise in COVID numbers, the City of Kingston has opened the skating rink at Springer Market Square as of yesterday. Only 25 skaters will be allowed on the ice at a time, on a first-come first-serve basis. The rink is open 7 days a week, weather permitting, from 7am to 10pm. Please ensure you physically distance if you choose to participate in this fun winter activity, and wear a mask as recommended. 

As released in a statement from the Canadian Forces Base, there will be the destruction of unexploded ordinance on December 10th, 2020 at CFB Kingston around 1:00 p.m. The public should be advised that they may hear several loud noises during this time.

A COVID-19 update; we have 53 active cases in the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington health region and had 5 new cases yesterday on Tuesday.  With this surge in cases, our medical officer of Health, Dr. Moore is urging residents to keep following  public health recommendations in order to keep our community healthy.  

There are changes proposed to conservation authorities across Ontario. The City of Kingston joined other cities in opposing these changes to the Conservation Authority Act which is actually included in Bill 229 a COVID-19 recovery bill. The Bill passed yesterday at Queen’s park.

This bill has the potential to change the ability of conservation authorities to directly provide input on development projects that impact environmentally sensitive lands such as our wetlands and forests, removes the ability of conservation authorities to appeal municipal planning decisions that have potential impacts and allows the minister of the environment to overrule conservation authority decisions.

In a quote from Former Mayor of Toronto David Crombie who recently resigned as chair of the Greenbelt Council over this bill has said that Bill 229 “ will cut the heart out of watershed planning.”

KFL&A Public Health is reporting one new COVID-19 case today. Our resolved number is one, leaving our told number of active cases are 25 people.

In similar news, KFL&A Public Health has addressed how one COVID-19 case infected up to 20 people this week. The Kingston Frontenac Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Public Health Unit has released a video detailing how a single case of COVID-19 was transmitted to up to 20 local individuals over the past week. The case of COVID-19 was originally contracted when an individual had to travel to Toronto for work, Dr. Moore said, noting that he has changed a few details in the transmission description to protect the identities of those involved. Kingston Health Sciences Centre confirmed on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020, that two employees at Kingston General Hospital had tested positive for COVID-19.Dr. Moore noted that this is just one example of several investigations underway by Public Health this week. The key lessons he said, are to be careful when travelling outside the region, to minimize the number of contacts and to go for testing if symptoms arise. Dr. Moore noted that anyone accepting visitors into their home from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) should feel free to screen them for COVID-19 symptoms. The latest information on signs and symptoms of COVID-19 can be found at COVID-19.ontario.ca.

That’s your daily news brief.  Have a news update you would like to share?  Reach out to news@cfrc.ca.  I’m Jessica Somersall. Have a great rest of your day folks, and enjoy this morning’s Indie Wake Up Call coming up next right here on CFRC 101. 9 FM.

For a daily COVID-19 update, as of Monday we are in the yellow-protect level of the province’s COVID-19 response framework. Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox-Addington presently have 9 active cases and reporting 2 new cases on Tuesday. Flu vaccines are available in the region. The KFL&A Public Health Authority is recommending to connect with your health care provider if your local pharmacy has a wait-list at this time.

Announced yesterday, charities and non-profit organizations can apply for a grant of up to 25,000 dollars through the community investment fund funded by the City of Kingston and the United Way. The fund supports innovative and collaborative responses to social needs in our community. The application period runs until Jan 22nd 2021. To find out more information check out United Way KFLAs webpage. 

We are also going to see new light installations downtown Kingston to bring some winter cheer this season. This is a partnership between Tourism Kingston and City of Kingston as part of the Love Kingston initiative to support local businesses during the pandemic. The light installations will be completed by next week and run until March of 2021. So you have lots of time to go downtown, support local businesses and take a photo with the lights. 

A new TVO documentary series, Striking Balance is calling attention to development pressures threatening the Kingston area’s Frontenac Arch and highlighting measures by the biosphere reserve to protect the ecological importance of this forest ecosystem. To find out more, the episode is being aired on Saturday, November 28th at 8pm or watch online at tvo.org. 

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

We have 24 active cases of COVID-19 in the KFLA region. A lot of these cases are in restaurant workers who are employed at fast food restaurants such as Mcdonalds, A&W, Tim Hortons locations and gas stations as well. If you are a restaurant owner or employee, please get tested to ensure the safety of your employees, co-workers, and patrons. You can get tested at the Beechgrove Complex if you are symptomatic or at 2 Shoppers Drug mart locations if you are asymptomatic. Queen’s university students can get tested at Mitchell Hall on campus. As of today, the KFLA region and the Leeds-Grenville-Lanark regions are moving to the “Yellow” protect level from the previous Green level. This means that more provisions will be put in place to ensure the safety of our residents. You can find more information about what the Yellow status means by visiting cfrc.ca/news .

At the beginning of the pandemic, food banks in Kingston saw a spike in the demand for food hampers and with winter coming up, and a second wave in Ontario, food banks are expecting another increase in the next few months. Consider donating some non-perishables to a local food bank near you today. Some great options include the South Frontenac Community Services Foodbank, the Partners in Mission Food bank in Kingston.

If you have a news update to share, reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

The cases in the KFL&A region are rising. Health officials are now reporting 28 new cases over the last few weeks. As the cases rise please be extra careful and continue to follow health and safety measures. If you develop any symptoms please get tested. Recent cases of COVID-19 in Kingston have been linked to fast food restaurants. KFLA public health has claimed that 15 cases have been associated with workers at 10 different restaurants. Health officials have now asked that restaurant staff be tested. Although, luckily, the customers have not been positive, if you are a restaurant staff member please get tested to protect your coworkers.

Tomorrow from 2-3 and 5:30-6:30 Santa is coming to town! A family living in Kingston will be taking advantage of their Santa suit and cheering up children from a distance. Their address is 5316 Road 38. Drive by and say hi! Please be careful as you drive by and refrain from stopping as it is a busy road.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

In a news publication released by the City of Kingston, the city is continuing its efforts to make it easier to get around Kingston through active modes of transportation, a new multi-use pathway is being developed along the south side of Cataraqui Woods Drive between Sydenham Road and Centennial Drive. As the City finalizes the design for this project, it is inviting area residents, pedestrians and cyclists to suggest locations for rest areas along the pathway and get a better understanding of the project. Those interested in providing input on the rest areas are encouraged to visit the Get Involved page for the project. You can visit getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca to offer your input. 

The City’s Department of Building Services is preparing to take over the process for administering sewage system inspections. While this service has been provided by KFL&A Public Health since 1998, responsibility for the process will shift to the City, effective Jan. 1, 2021.

Required under part 8 of the Ontario Building Code, residents will be able to submit permit applications and request inspections directly through DASH, the City’s online Development and Services Hub.

Staff can also help applicants with any questions by phone, email or in person, at 1211 John Counter Blvd.

Residents who are planning to apply or schedule inspections before Jan. 1, 2021, can still do so through KFL&A Public Health.

Queen’s Student Wellness Services is running a flu vaccine clinic for Queen’s University students this week, until November 20th. Students can book an appointment by calling 613-533-2506. The clinics will be held in Mitchell Hall rooms 126 and 130. Students are required to bring their student ID, provincial health card (such as OHIP), or University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) information. Students should also wear a short-sleeve shirt and a mask, and be prepared for a short wait to monitor after effects of the vaccine.

Public health experts advise that the flu vaccine is the most effective way to protect the health of individuals and communities during the annual flu season, which usually peaks in the winter. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the flu vaccine may also help to reduce strain on medical resources, as the flu can lead to an increase in hospital admissions.

KFLA Public Health is reporting 4  new COVID-19 cases in Kingston today, our recovered cases are 3, which brings our total number of active cases to be  36. Kingston is in status Green, which means prevent and standard measures. Wear your face mask, wash your hands, and keep a 6-foot distance.

Get ready to get active: Artillery Park set to reopen for recreational use Nov.17

Starting on Tuesday, Nov. 17, the Artillery Park Aquatic Centre, 382 Bagot St., will reopen for recreational use under the province’s re-opening framework and through guidance from KFLA Public Health in two stages:

• Fitness Centre and gymnasium – will be available for drop-in use starting Tuesday, Nov. 17.
• Pools – will be available for drop-in use starting Monday, Nov. 23.

“We know how eager people are to get back into their routines and we look forward to once again providing this great venue for the community to stay active, especially coming into the colder weather months,” notes Jaclyn Grimmon, Manager, Recreation Programs. “We ask those coming to use the facility to arrive dressed ready for your activity, wear a mask, and be prepared to follow several other COVID-19 measures in place,” says Jaclyn Grimmon, Manager, Recreation Programs. 

Starting on Tuesday, Nov. 17, the facility will be open:

• Monday to Friday – 6 a.m.to 8 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday -8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Memberships will be re-instated at Artillery Park upon re-opening, and fitness centre, fitness classes and various drop-in gymnasium programs will also resume under reduced capacity, and with new pre-registered drop-in options. Details about recreation programming, registration for drop-in activities and facility schedules are being updated as they become available at www.cityofkingston.ca/PLAY.

That’s your daily news brief.  Have a news update you would like to share?  Reach out to news@cfrc.ca.  I’m Jessica Somersall. Have a great rest of your day folks, and enjoy this morning’s Indie Wake Up Call coming up next right here on CFRC 101. 9 FM.

This is week 3 of CFRC’s funding drive! We have amazing prize packs to be won this week if you donate $50 or more through our GoFundMe. This week, you have the chance to win a prize pack with a Brian’s Record Option Gift Certificate, a Party Pack gift certificate from Pita Pit with 10 assorted pitas and drinks, which is perfect to feed your 10 person bubble! We also have a Tommy’s Kingston Assorted Gift Pack, a Tom Savage Music-autographed CD’s from local legend’s catalogue, and CFRC Tote with toque, mug, pen, pin, calendar and tshirt while supplies last. Be sure to visit www.cfrc.ca/donatenow to donate through our GoFundMe in which if you donate $50 or more, you will be entered to win. You can also donate directly through Queen’s University and be issued a tax receipt.

Tomorrow at 12:15pm the Agnes Etherington Art Centre will be hosting a virtual event; Deep Looking, Featuring Rembrandt and Company. Through a contemplation practice this facilitated experience will allow for relaxation and new insights to arise. Led by Shannon Brown, Program Coordinator. Visit agnes.queensu.ca/participate to register today. A zoom link will follow upon registration for the event.

There are now 13 active cases of COVID-19 in the KFLA region. Yesterday, two tests came back positive; a woman in her 40s in which transmission is still under investigation, and a male between the ages of 10 and 19, due to close contact. Please stay safe, wear your masks, sanitize your hands, and limit your social interactions with those outside your household. Besides getting tested for COVID-19, even if you’re asymptomatic, consider getting your flu shot this year. You can book an appointment to do so at the Kingston Flu Vaccine Clinic for this Friday, November 13, at the Memorial Centre.

There is a planned power outage in the Williamsville area, tomorrow at 5am to 7am for those who are customers on Princess Street from Chatham to Victoria. This power outage is necessary to allow workers to install new underground electrical distribution equipment on behalf of your electricity distributor, Kingston Hydro Corporation.

Today is remembrance day, so let us honour and remember all those who sacrifices their lives for us and this country. The City of Kingston will be hosting a Remembrance Day Civic Ceremony at 10:45 today, that you can tune into by visiting youtube.com/thecityofkingston.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

KFLA Public Health is reporting 6 new COVID-19 cases in Kingston today, our recovered cases are 1, which brings our total number of active cases to be  11.

In Kingston’s right now, Kingston Symphony commemorates Remembrance Day in a new digital performance. Kingston Symphony is performing, digitally, to showcase a brand new piece called Tracing Colville by awarding winning Canadian composer and Kingston resident, Dean Burry. Tracing Colville was recorded remotely and individually by over 40 musicians in the Kingston Symphony and four musicians in the Sinfonia Rotterdam while in isolation in their homes, in honour of Remembrance Day and to commemorate  the 75th anniversary of the end of WW2 

A Fun Fact: about the Kingston symphony association is that they were established in 1953. The association strives to produce and promote professional quality programs of instrumental and choral music for the education and enjoyment of audiences in the Greater Kingston area. 

That’s your daily news brief.  Have a news update you would like to share?  Reach out to news@cfrc.ca.  I’m Jessica Somersall. Have a great rest of your day folks, and enjoy this morning’s Indie Wake Up Call coming up next right here on CFRC 101. 9 FM.

We still have under 10 cases of COVID-19 in the KFL&A region. One case was resolved over the weekend, however, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School is reporting 3 cases of COVID-19 which has made them shut down the school for today, Monday as well as Tuesday. The Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board is not sharing more information to maintain privacy but information has been shared to impacted families and staff through a software called “Schoolmessenger” as reported in the Kingston Whig-Standard. 

To all Queen’s students listening, it’s the CommonGround Coffeehouse’s 2oth anniversary and in honour of this special day, they have a special deal where you can get some cake for 20%! Treat yourself during this tough week 9 coming up, and start the week off sweet!

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

There are currently 5 active cases of COVID-19 in the KFL&A region. Although the cases are lessening here, please continue to keep up with the health and safety measures put forth by the government. If you have symptoms, get tested at locations throughout the region (Beechgrove Complex) or if you are a Queen’s student, Mitchell Hall is still running tests.

The Shortwave Theatre Festival, a series of original radio plays created by local artists, is still going on on CFRC 101.9FM. Check out the website www.shortwavetheatre.com or our website www.cfrc.ca for showtimes and details. Tonight, at 8pm and 8:30 we have two different Thousand Islands Playhouse’s podcasts, and then at 9pm we have a play called “Talk to Me” with a talkback at 10pm.

Last night, around 6PM a fire started in a three-story apartment building. The fire was contained within the hour, however, unfortunately, two were found deceased in the building. The situation is still under investigation.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

In good news, city council voted unanimously to donate $39,000 to Lionhearts, a local Kingston charity, who will use the funds to move their meal program to Stages Nightclub for the next six months, as reported in The Kingstonist. CAO, Lanie Hurdle said that since the beginning of the pandemic, Lionhearts has been providing free meals everyday to those in need. Not only will Lionhearts be providing their service out of Stages nightclub, but will also house Kingston Street mission’s nightly drop-in program which offers a warm place out of the cold, refreshments, a social venue, free access to clothing and toiletries, and more. It runs nightly from 8-11:30pm every night from October to April, usually out of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, but now from Stages Nightclub.

This evening, at 7:30pm, Grand OnStage is pleased to present contemporary dance artist and choreographer, Christine Friday. Christine is an Anishinaabe kwe from the Temagami First Nation and is a proficient and resilient Indigenous storyteller. The 30-minute free event will feature a performance of Maggie and Me, as well as a talk afterwards, which has just recently been recorded by Christine on her home territory and produced exclusively for the Grand Onstage virtual program. Visit www.kingstongrand.ca/tickets to register for the event today.

KFLA Public Health is reporting 1 new COVID-19 case in Kingston today, with 4 recovered cases, which brings our total number of active cases to remain at 6.

On November 7th, Rebecca MacDonald from the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning is hosting a Custom Embroidery Ornament Workshop. In this workshop you get to choose between two different wreath patterns for your custom embroidery ornament and you get to  learn all the skills needed to complete it. You get to make theme yourselves. 

In this class, you will learn all the stitches needed to create this piece and the confidence to finish the piece at home. This event is $62.55, which includes all the supplies needed to make you custom ornament. These supplies include:

• 3″ hoop
• needle
• fabric
• thread
• printed pattern with instructions

No experience necessary, suitable for ages 13+. Class runs Saturday November 7th from 9 am – 11.45 am at the Tett Centre (in the activity room) you can register for the event on the Tett Centre’s website. Class size is limited to 8 people to accommodate physical distancing measures. Masks must always be worn within the building.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

As of today in the KFL&A region there are 8 reported cases of COVID-19. There is one new case in the Queen’s community. The student who tested positive resides off campus and is following strict quarantine measures. Remember to continue with preventative measures and get tested if you display any symptoms. If you are a Queen’s student and develop symptoms or have been in contact with a positive case, please contact student health services and get a test at Mitchell Hall.

With Halloween tomorrow refrain from trick or treating if feeling unwell, try to remain within your own community, disinfect packages before eating candy, wear masks and avoid getting too close to doors. Ensure that you celebrate the holiday with as little people outside your bubble as possible, remember to remain two metres away and provide hand sanitizer.

As we are well into fall, the city will begin to collect leaves next week. Leaves must be in brown bags or bins and will not be collected from anything plastic. So get out your rakes!

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

A Kingston transit rider has tested positive for COVID-19. KFLA Public health reported that the person travelled on Kingston Transit Bus Route 1 from

• Tuesday, Oct. 20: northbound trip from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., and southbound trip from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 21: northbound trip from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and southbound trip from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 22: northbound trip f4rom 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and southbound trip from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 23: northbound trip from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., and southbound trip from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m

If you believe that you might have come in contact with this person based on their travel history, please isolate yourself, and if symptoms do appear, please go get tested by making an appointment at the Beechgrove Complex or going to the asymptomatic testing locations.

The City is asking for resident input as it developed a community safety and well-being plan. This input will help city staff and council identify priority areas to be addressed, understand what is currently working well, and what needs to be improved and what might be missing, regarding the safety and well being of residents. Go to getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca to offer your input by 4pm on November 30th.

The CFRC Shortwave theatre festival kicks off this Sunday November 1st and runs until November 7. This is in collaboration with the Cellar Door Project and will feature 5 original radio plays written, directed, mixed and starring local Kingston artists.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news!@cfrc.ca today!

There is one new case of COVID-19 in the region, bringing our active case count to 7. It was confirmed that a man in his 20s has tested positive for the virus, and it is travel related. Remember to stay safe folks, limit non-essential travel, and wear your masks!

There is a planned power outage for tomorrow morning in the Williamsville and Kingscourt areas. Customers in the following areas will experience 2 power outages that will last 15 minutes at 5am and another at 7am.

● Connaught Street ● First Avenue between MacDonnell and Nelson ● Concession Street between MacDonnell and Fergus ● Victoria Street between Concession and Princess ● Nelson Street between Concession and Princess

For those in the area of Princess Street between Victoria and Chatham, you can expect a 2 hour power outage at 5am that will last until 7am. This power outage is necessary to allow workers to install new underground electrical distribution equipment on behalf of your electricity distributor, Kingston Hydro Corporation.

The 15th annual CFRC Funding Drive will be underway starting this Sunday, November 1st! You can donate through our go fund me page and through Queen’s university if you would like a tax receipt issued to you. Donors who donate $50 dollars or more through Go Fund Me will qualify for our Weekly Raffle Draws that includes a CFRC tote bag filled with CFRC swag and super swell gifts from local sponsors!

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

KFLA Public Health is reporting 3 new COVID-19 cases in Kingston today. We have 3 resolved cases from the weekend, which brings our total number of active cases to remain at 6.

There is a new event coming up on Queen’s campus hosted by The Union Gallery called Beyond words: BIPOC Art Series.  Beyond Words was created by BIPOC for BIPOC, which means Black, indigenous people of colour. The series aims to foster a safe and creative space centred in art healing for Queen’s University students and members of the Katarokwi/Kingston community who are Black, Indigenous and people of colour. This program will allow participants to explore and engage in discussions around the impact that racism has on them as individuals and members of the Queen’s and Kingston community. The event takes place on November 7th at 1 pm; register online now to secure your spot.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

As of today in the KFL&A region there are 6 active cases of COVID-19, with 2 young men having tested positive over the past 24 hours. Please remember to continue with preventative measures and get tested if you display any symptoms.

On Wednesday evening, a two vehicle collision in Kingston’s West End left eight injured and took the life of sixteen year old Scott Legg, an eleventh grade student at Frontenac Secondary School. Legg was pursuing his dreams of obtaining a rugby scholarship. He is remembered by his parents, two brothers and the Kingston Rugby community. The Limestone District School Board will be providing aid to those involved and bereavement support for the community. CFRC extends it’s deepest condolences to the family and those affected.

An out of use retirement residence in the west-end will be bought by the city of Kingston to be used for affordable housing. Previously, the city rented the space for a self-isolation centre for the city’s homeless population at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

In the KFLA region, there are now 7 active COVID cases, 167 cases resolved and a total of 174 cases. Two males in their 20’s have tested positive for the virus. The assessment centre at the Beechgrove Complex is open from 9 am to 4 pm for anyone who needs testing.

From 10am-12pm today, the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research presents the third symposium of the 2020 Virtual Symposium Series: Chronic Pain – Comprehensive Person-centred Pain management: Common Themes and the way forward. This symposium will be held on Youtube Live so head over there and listen to some interesting dialogue from a panel of experts. 

Today from 12-5pm, Modern Fuel is hosting a few new exhibits. The first in the Main Gallery: “A Vast Metabolism” by Noah Scheinman. In the State of Flux Gallery: “100 WOMEN 100 YEARS ARCHIVE” by Liz Rae Dalton and Kathy Piercy. And in the Window Space: “Reflections”, Modern Fuel’s annual juried exhibition featuring Natasha Jabre, Taylor Kennedy, Michèle LaRose, Mathew Nagendran and Paula Whyle. Modern fuel is located in Suite 305, 370 King Street W. right here in Kingston. Why not stop by look at some art? If you’d like more information about this event you can visit their website by clicking here!

Have a news update to share? Be sure to reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

In good news, there are no new cases of COVID-19 in the KFLA region, and there are 4 resolved cases bringing our number of active cases down to 5! Keep up the great work to all those in the region; keep wearing your masks, washing your hands, and staying 2m apart. 

Queen’s students – the AMS Fall referendum is currently taking place so be sure to check your Queen’s email to vote on club, organization and services fees that rely on your support. You can also visit queenams.simplyvoting.com to place your votes. The voting period ends on Thursday, October 22nd, 2020.

The Integrated Care Hub is still set to open for November 1st at a new location at 661 Montreal Street. The Hub originally opened in July 2020 to provide resources and various levels of support for the homeless population in Kingston, and will now be moving to this new location, to provide our most vulnerable in Kingston with 24 hour access to a safe space. It is a low-barrier hub that will accept people as they are, and it is great to see such amazing Kingston organizations working together to create this space for those who need it.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

As of today, in the KFL&A region, there is only one new case of COVID-19. A man in his 20s tested positive in Napanee, and it is travel related. 4 cases of COVID-19 have been resolved, bringing the number of active cases to only 9. Remember to continue to stay safe, wear your mask, and socially distance.

This weekend will be a different type of Homecoming weekend. The events will be virtual but equally enjoyable, and hosted by CBC Radio’s Shelagh Rogers along with Rico Garcia, Queen’s university Alumni association president. Put on your Tricolor gear and celebrate from a distance!

The Tragically Hip’s Gord Sinclair will be playing an exclusive virtual set for Queen’s alumni for Homecoming. As an Alumni himself, will be playing some Tragically Hip classics as well as songs out of his solo album, Taxi Dancers. Sinclair’s songs will be especially poignant being that it is the third anniversary of his bandmate Gord Downie’s passing.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

There are currently only 12 active cases of COVID-19 in the KFLA region. Two women in their 60s were diagnosed with COVID-19, and 6 cases have been resolved since. One of the women is from the South Frontenac region and the other is from the Kingston region. One caught it from a close contact and it is unknown how the other women contracted the virus. 

Kingston police have now put $10,000 fines into effect for parties or gatherings that exceed COVID-19 limitations. This was put into place after a house party on William Street had over 40 people attend, despite COVID-19 restrictions of 10 people indoors, and 25 outdoors. Those in attendance may be fined $880 for attending an event that exceeds this number.

The YMCA is only limited to those who are residents of the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox, Addington, Lanark and the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville area, as the province has slowly been transiting to a modified version of phase 2 regarding the pandemic. Anyone who comes to the YMCA locations in Brockville or Kingston to purchase a day pass or any other service will have to prove their residence of the city with government-issued ID. Members who scan in are automatically flagged if they are from out-of-area and will unfortunately be turned away as the YMCA is taking these measures to keep the community safe.

Have a news update to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

 Today we have a high of 15 and a low of 14, a little bit cloudy this morning with a chance of light rain, so I’d carry an umbrella today.

KFLA Public Health is reporting 2 new COVID-19 cases in Kingston today, bringing our total cases to 166, our resolved cases to 6, and our active number of cases at the moment at 13

Queens University’s The Grad Club is open for business again, following strict Covid-19 protocols. The Grad Club is only opening up their patio and first floor at this time,  but hopefully, they will soon be opening up their second floor later in the season.

During the AMS Assembly meeting last week guest speaker and chair, Makenzy Metcalfe of 

UCRU (Undergraduates of Canadian Research-Intensive Universities), revealed that the intensive will has a handful of new initiatives coming up for Ucru. UCRU strives to be equitable including indigenization and has an indigenous focus lens when treating all undergrad students. Right now UCRU is getting ready for their lobbying week in November where they will meet with 70 members of parliament to talk about their difference advocacy goals for students in each upcoming year. They will be advocating for an increasing number of indigenous students, student financial aid specifically allocated to indigenous students as well as support for the reconciliation commission. They are also asking for a 6 month grace period on paying back financial loans. So look out for that!

The majority of Queen’s students know about Common Ground Coffee shop, a place to grab a coffee, snack, study or relieve the stress from midterms. This week CoGro has released its fall menu, and with this release, it is promoting a special offer. Every day this week a different item on their menu is 10% off, today its seasonal beverages and tomorrow is the last day so they’re offering 10% off all new fall items. Located on the 2nd floor of the ARC, their hours of operation are 9-3 Monday to Thursday and 9-1 on Fridays. So make sure you get there in time to try out this new menu. 

Tonight from 6-7 pm the AMS Assembly is meeting to discuss the politics of Queen’s University. On the agenda, there are points from Homecoming to sexual violence, and as usual COVID regulations. If you’d like to look into the agenda further or if you wish to attend the Assembly, check out myams.org. 

Tonight starting at 9 pm is the Grad Club’s virtual trivia night. Tonight’s theme is revolving around Musical theatre and plants or things that grow. So if you’re rusty in those areas make sure to study up. For more information about the Grad Club’s virtual trivia night, visit their Facebook page.

In the KFLA area, there are 21 active COVID cases, 135 cases resolved and a total of 156 cases. Wait times are over an hour and the centre is open from 9 am to 4 pm for anyone considering getting tested.

KFLA Public Health is reporting 4 new COVID-19 cases in Kingston today, but the good news there is also 4 recovered cases. Which brings our total active cases to remain at 27.

This week is mental Illness Awareness Week which runs Oct. 4-10 on Queen’s campus, Queen’s University with partner Bell Let’s Talk, is hosting a free online webinar called “Student Mental Health in the Age of COVID-19.” The seminar will highlight tips and best practices for taking care of mental health, and learn how to spot signs of mental illness. The event is a  free online webinar on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 11:30 amEST. 

Also, QBAS (Queens Black Academic Society)  is happy to announce a partnership with Google Canada to bring self-identifying Black Students a mentorship program FOR ALL YEARS in its pilot year. The program seeks to facilitate mentorship between Googlers and Black university students by focusing on areas of personal development and career enablement. Whether you’ve considered working at google before or are looking to find out how your non STEM degree could be applied to this environment,  you are encouraged to apply! Find out more information on the QBAS Instagram page Applications close October 9th, apply today!

As of today in the KFL&A region, there are 19 reported cases of COVID-19 with a majority being people under 25. There have been 5 cases of COVID-19 connected to a house party on Johnson street September 18th, 2020. The party was indoors and reportedly attended by upward of 30 people. Health officials are currently tracking the participants. As of September 19th, the government’s social distancing measures have been limited to ten people indoors and twenty five outdoors. If any Queen’s students feel ill or develop flu like symptoms, Queen’s students can get tested for COVID-19 on campus at Mitchell Hall from Monday to Friday from 5-8pm by booking an appointment with student wellness services.

The Kingston organization, Martha’s Table, will be continuing to provide thanksgiving dinners despite the pandemic. The food will be takeout only but will be served to upward of two hundred people. Other organizations are following suit and all donations help.

Have a news update to share? Contact news@cfrc.ca today!

The majority of Queen’s students know or have heard of the very popular Instagram account “@stolenbysmith’. Created back in July of this year, this account has been a web-based platform for anonymous submissions to inform the public of allegations of malfeasance throughout the school. 

Yesterday, The Queen’s Journal released a story of legal action facing ‘stolenbysmith’ by a past member of the Smith School of Business administration. According to the article, the information arose during a University Council on Anti-Racism and Equity (UCARE) meeting back on the 21st of September. It was said that the allegations written on the account have motivated the legal action. In a statement to The Journal, the Smith School of Business confirmed that it is not involved in any legal action against the account; they are also taking steps to support the affected students. 

There is one new active case of COVID-19 in the region. A 40-year-old female was diagnosed and it is thought to be travel related. This is an addition to an elementary school student who was added to the KFLA’s COVID-19 dashboard yesterday. The child’s class has been sent home under precautionary measures until they can be tested. Now bringing the region’s active cases to 18 with a total of 135 cases and 117 resolved. Wait times are over an hour and the centre is open from 9 am to 4 pm for anyone considering getting tested.

Have a news update you would like to share?

Reach out to news@cfrc.ca today!

There is a new active case of COVID-19 in the region, bringing the total number of active cases to 17. Another female under the age of 20 tested positive yesterday, and it was confirmed that one of the cases that was confirmed positive over the weekend was an employee of the Tim Hortons located at 24335 Princess Street. The shop was sanitized overnight and the employee as well as those working with them are all self-isolating for 14 days as reported by Global News. The female who tested positive is a student at JJ O’Niell Catholic School in Napanee. 

Theatre Kingston launches their season with “The Meeting” by Jeff stetson, starting today that will run until October 18th, at the Tett Centre for Creativity and learning. This play is a fictional conversation between Malcom X andMartin Luther king Jr. Limited seating is available and health and safety protocols are in place to ensure the safety of staff, performers, and visitors. Visit theatrekingston.com for more information.

Have a news update you would like to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca.

There are 3 new COVID-19 cases as of this morning, bringing the total number of cases in the region to 15. These 3 new cases are all within Queen’s University residence, as reported by The Kingstonist. All students are isolating and have taken the precautions as instructed to do so. The Provost of Queen’s University, Mark Green, sent an email to all students informing them of the 13 active cases within the Queen’s Community, as well as informing students of the right protocols to take to reduce community transmission. If you are a queen’s student and have symptoms, please call student wellness services to book an appointment at the assessment centre located right on campus at Mitchell Hall.

The city has launched a series of weekly polls to have residents participate in so that there is a better understanding of what the city’s budget goes towards. A poll will be posted each week on the city’s Get Involved website and will conclude on October 12. Feedback surveys and open houses will follow throughout October and into November to gain even more feedback from residents about the city so that city council can review them and make decisions on future city budgets.

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A Queen’s University student in residence has tested positive for COVID-19. This student lives in Brant Residence, and this was announced by KFL&A Public Health yesterday, Thursday, September 24 2020. The University is working with the Public Health department to investigate and contact anyone that the student has come in contact with. Anyone that the student has come in contact with will be directly reached out to, and will be required to self-isolate, as well as be tested for COVID-19 immediately. This case was confirmed with Queen’s residence staff, and if any students do develop symptoms, they are asked to report themselves, as well as get tested and self-isolate.

Fall Art After Dark from 7-10pm. Various art galleries and art-loving business in Downtown Kingston will have their doors open to you to. Maintain physical distancing, wear a mask, and enjoy all the beautiful art we have here in the city.

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Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) wrote that the COVID-19 assessment centre will be moving from it’s current location fo the Leon’s Centre to the Beechgrove complex in Kingston. This centre is located south of the King St. W/Portsmouth Ave. intersection. The centre will also be conducting drive-through swabbing on Saturday and Sunday, the 26th and 27th with a 4 person maximum in each vehicle. Test centre hours will remain at 9am-4pm everyday, and people are asked to wear a mask, and maintain physical distancing.

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Yesterday, Queen’s University announced that most courses will be delivered remotely for the 2021 winter term. Only a small amount of on-campus activities will be held for those who are in specialized classes such as labs or clinical settings to ensure that students can meet the requirements for their program, even amidst this pandemic. Winter term course enrolment will be suspended as of today until November 8. It will re-open on November 9th to allow students to make any changes to their winter term classes.

Today at 10am, Queen’s University Career Services will be hosting their annual career fair from 10am-3pm over zoom, and the link we be available on Queen’s University student s onQ page. Connect with employer recruiters, learn about QUIP internship opportunities, receive resume and Cover letter help. This is a great event for Queen’s students, no matter their year or faculty to meet new people virtually and make amazing connections.

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With the weather changing and the leaves falling, the city announced that starting next week, September 28, brush collection rolls out. Have your brush piled loosely at the curb by 8am on Monday of your collection week. You can check your collection week by clicking here.

A second case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in the Queen’s community. It was noted that the individual did follow necessary protocol and is currently in self-isolation. Once again, like the previous Queen’s case, contract tracing is being done and those who are being traced will be contacted directly by public health. This brings Kingston total active cases to 6. Queen’s students can get tested for COVID-19 on campus at Mitchell Hall from Monday to Friday from 5-8pm by booking an appointment with student wellness services. 

For any Queen’s students listening, there is a great workshop being offered by student academic success services for writing your first university essay, taking place tomorrow at 1pm and 6pm over Zoom. Visit this link to sign up for this great online workshop to help you in your first writing assignment of your undergraduate career!

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A Tim Horton’s employee at the 2821 Princess Street has tested positive for COVID-19, and was among one of the five positive cases in the Kingston area. It is unknown whether or not the employee had caught the virus from somewhere else in the community or on the job. The store owner said the he and all his staff were immediately sent to be tested for the virus, and their results came back negative. The location closed down on Wednesday and the owner said he will bring in a sanitation service to clean the entire facility before reopening when it is safe to do so. 

In more exciting news, The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts unveiled a new fall festival that is a hybrid of virtual performances and in-person performances. The festival has a lineup of various artists from classical, baroque, and local musicians. Only 50 in-person single tickets are available for each performance, and you can also purchase tickets for a live-stream of the concert. The festival starts this Monday so be sure to click here to buy your tickets today!

Have a news update you’d like to share? Contact news@cfrc.ca!

A Queen’s University student has tested positive for the virus, being one of the 5 active cases in the Kingston area. Mark Erdman, who is the Manager of Community Relations at Queen’s University said that contract tracing is being done by the KFLA Public Health and that any close contacts will be contacted directly by Public Health. 

This was announced just one day after Kingston City Council unanimously voted to increase fines to deter people from large social gatherings as there have been many especially in the university district. Fines have gone up from $500 to $2000 for first-time offenders. Repeat offenders could face up to $100,000 in fines for breaking the nuisance party and emergency order by-laws. 

If anyone feels ill or suspects that they have symptoms, please stay home, self-isolate and contact public health. You can also download the Queen’s SeQure app and use the COVID-19 self assessment to keep yourself and others safe. You can also get tested at the Leon’s Centre downtown located at 1 The Tragically Hip way from 9am – 5pm everyday. However, this location will be moving to the Beechgrove centre at the end of the month.

If you have a news update you would like to share, reach out to news@cfrc.ca!

There are 2 new active cases of COVID-19 in the Kingston region. 2 females in the 20’s tested positive for the virus and it is unknown whether it is travel related, or through close contact. This brings Kingston active cases numbers to 5. Don’t forget to stay safe folks, wash and sanitize your hands, keep 2m apart, wear a mask when you can’t social distance, and avoid large gatherings. It is up to each and every one of us to keep our local community safe and well protected.

The INVISTA centre located at 1350 Gardiners Road is reopen with new COVID-19 measures in place. Four ice pads are available for use, as well as the fitness centre. Capacity limits, health screenings, increased sanitation and cleaning have all been introduced to ensure the safety of the community and staff. The fitness centre is open Monday through Friday from 6am to 10pm, Saturdays from 7am to 8pm, and Sundays from 8am-8pm.

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Operated by Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), the facility will support Queen’s students offering testing to those who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms, have travelled outside of Canada in the past 14 days, or require tests for contact tracing purposes, as advised by KFL&A Public Health and Queen’s Student Wellness Services.

“We believe the launch of this campus Assessment Centre is an important part of the overall plan to combat COVID-19 in our community,” says Mark Green, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic). “Its opening reenforces our commitment to be a proactive and responsible community partner at all times.”

The Assessment Centre is located adjacent to Student Wellness Services in Mitchell Hall. It will operate from Monday to Friday, 5 pm to 8 pm, and by appointment only. Students can also access the Primary Assessment Centre at the Leon’s Centre in downtown Kingston.

“Providing on-campus testing to students is vital to the quick identification of cases, quick treatment, and immediate isolation to prevent spread of the virus,” says Dr. David Pichora, KHSC President and CEO. “It will also help Public Health to characterize the prevalence, spread, and contagiousness of COVID-19 in our region—the faster students are tested, the safer the entire community will be. And the satellite will ease volumes in the Primary Assessment Centre.”

All students who test positive for COVID-19 will be notified by KFL&A Public Health, which will also coordinate testing of contacts with KHSC.

Queen’s University students can book an appointment at the on-campus COVID-19 Assessment Centre by calling Student Wellness Services at 613.533.2506.

The testing facility is the latest step in the university’s overall return-to-campus strategy, which seeks the safe, responsible, and gradual return to normal operations, as Public Health guidelines permit. As part of this effort, the university is continuing with remote delivery of classes this fall for most students, limiting the capacity of our residences to under 50 per cent, making face masks mandatory, and ensuring physical distancing. Queen’s has begun a phased reopening of the Athletics and Recreation Centre with new health and safety protocols in place, and has added a COVID-19 assessment tool to its on-campus mobile safety app, SeQure.

Queen’s is also strongly encouraging students from areas with active outbreaks or community transmission to get tested before travelling to Kingston and asking all students to limit contact with others for 14 days after arrival. Everyone is also encouraged to follow hand hygiene, mask wearing, physical distancing, and other public health guidance to limit COVID-19 spread.

For more information on the university’s COVID-19 planning and resources, visit the COVID-19 Information website.

The Kingston Health Sciences Centre opened up a satellite COVID-19 assessment centre on queen’s university campus at Mitchell Hall, located at 69 Union street for Queen’s University students to get tested for COVID-19. They are open Mondays through Friday from 5-8pm. Staff asks that you wear a mask and socially distance at the centre. You can call student wellness services to book an appointment to get tested. For those who are not Queen’s students, there is also the assessment centre located at the Leon’s Centre on 1 The Tragically Hip Way. Due to a large volume of people returning since the academic year has started, and students of all ages are returning to school, wait times are over an hour so expect that if you decide to get tested.

Late night Thursdays are back at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre. The gallery is open from 10am to 9pm on Thursdays. There are two new solo exhibitions featured at the gallery, Shannon Bool’s Modernism and its Discontents, as well as Chantal Rousseau’s Tap Dancing Seagull and other stories. Admission is free and donations are welcome. The Agnes is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 4:30pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5pm.

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Hunters are asked to stay away from nature reserves with regards to cormorant hunting as of this week until December 31st 2020. Due to the use of pesticides and herbicides, there has been a prominent decline in the cormorant population. Land Conservancy Director, Christine Cannon asks that people should respect thatSnake and Salmon islands are set aside for nature and not a place for hunting.

The Kingston Writers Fest is coming up next week, from September 23-27 and there is still time to sign up for free virtual events. To sign up and learn more about the festival and all their events over the 5 day event, click here!

City Council is looking for resident input on their strategic priorities that were set for 2019-2022. Due to COVID-19, the city has had to take a second look at their priorities. Offer your input by tomorrow, September 15 at 4pm by going to this link to comment on the council’s plan, which will be further discussed at a meeting on September 24th. 

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There are three new active case of COVID-19 in the region. A male and female in their 30s both tested positive; these cases are unrelated. A 19-year old female was diagnosed and it is travel related, and medical officers do say that no cases should stem from hers. With students now starting school, and a surge of young adults migrating back to Kingston as many post-secondary students begin their semester, Kingston Health Sciences Centre has reported that more people are getting tested for COVID-19 to ensure their safety. The KFL&A Public Health Unit also reminds community members that wait times may be over an hour as the return to school has increased the requests for testing. The COVID Assessment Centre, located at the Leon’s Centre on 1 Tragically Hip Way, is open from 9am to 4pm daily.

Updated from KFL&A PHU: 1 previously active case has resolved, bringing Kingston’s current numbers to 115 total cases, 112 resolved, and 3 active. For more information on current status of cases from KFL&A visit https://www.kflaph.ca/en/healthy-living/status-of-cases-in-kfla.aspx

The Kingston Frontenac Public Library Rideau Heights Branch located at 85 Maccauley Street is open as of today. The hours are 10am to 6pm on Mondays and 9am to 5pm on Fridays. Curbside pickup will no longer be available.  Learn more about the branch, its collections, and updates about its programming here.

If you’re looking for a way to enjoy the sunny weather this evening, consider visiting Dunham Park for some live music from 6:30-8pm. Melady Melodies performs acoustic guitar music from the 60s all the way to the present day so check it out at Dunham Park, just off of Dunham Street for a socially distanced fun time.

Have a news update you would like to share? Reach out to news@cfrc.ca!

In today’s news brief, Alexandra Fernandes updates our community about new construction now under way to complete the overpass at John Counter Boulevard.  Road closures on John Counter Blvd. are expected in the area between Sir John A. Macdonald to Princess Street for up to 7 weeks.  For more information about the project, visit City of Kingston.

Queen’s University and Kingston community members are also reminded by the City of Kingston that the beach area at Breakwater Park and Gord Downie Pier are now closed for the remainder of the season.  For more information on this closure, and access to other City parks, please review the public notice issued by City of Kingston.

Queen’s students are also reminded about ARC and Stauffer Library access.   The ARC will be taking reservations here for 50 minute periods that can be made 3 days in advance.  Note, the ARC is taking bookings from students only at this time, but will accept bookings for Queen’s faculty and staff after September 14th.

150 seats are available at Stauffer Library for students from Monday-Friday based on a booking system as well.  Students can book either an 8am-1pm slot, or 2-7pm slot at the library, and have 32 hours of library time for the month of September.  Bookings can be made through the Library’s Online Registration System.

Have a news update you would like to share?  Reach out to news@cfrc.ca!