OPP – Condolences

The commander of the Frontenac OPP detachment OPP has issued a plea for people to practice safe driving & boating habits following three fatal accidents.

Staff Sergeant Sharron Brown says five people have died doing what people do in the summer – enjoying time outdoors.

Her statement yesterday includes a message of condolence for the families of the victims.

A motorcycle collision on Perth Road on May 30th claimed the life of a 30 year old man.  Two teens died in a car crash on Rutledge Road on June 17th and two men in their 20’s drowned in Bob’s Lake on July 4th.

Staff Sergeant Brown says…If we take away anything from these tragic incidents – it should be a renewed commitment to practicing safe driving and boating habits.

Anti-Abortion Protest

The Show the Truth anti-abortion campaign didn’t sit very well with a lot of people in Kingston.

Kingston Police say they got more than 60 complaints about the protesters holding graphic posters with pictures of aborted fetuses.

But – they say the Crown Attorney’s office confirmed the pictures are not legally considered to be obscene.

Show the Truth had about 50 people at three intersections on Princess Street in Downtown Kingston early yesterday afternoon.

Some people made their own pro-choice signs and held a counter demonstration and police charged a man with mischief for tossing white paint on the anti-abortion signs.

Electricity Costs

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce says electricity costs are one of the most pressing challenges for Ontario’s economy.  The Greater Kingston Chamber agrees.

A Chamber of Commerce report calls on the province to curb rising prices.  It says industrial electricity prices have risen 16 per cent since 2013 and are slated to climb 13 per cent higher over the next five years.

Teachers – Back to School

Some teachers in Kingston have headed back to the classroom for training this week.

Teachers will the Limestone District School board are learning how to set up a paperless classroom with programs including Google Apps for Education.

Others are learning about integrating arts with numeracy, literacy and science studies.

The sessions are taking place at the Queen’s University Faculty of Education this week.

 Retail – Downtown

There’s more trouble in the retail world and it could hit Kingston again.

American Apparel is in financial trouble and is planning to close some of its stores.  There’s no word yet on what is in the future for their store on Princess Street.

But – there’s good news from the GAP.  It says it will keep its downtown Kingston store open.

It’s also in financial trouble and is closing 175 stores in the U-S and Canada.