Wages Frozen

The Ontario government has passed legislation to limit all public sector wage increases to 1% for the next three years.

The legislation passed last night will affect more than a million workers at school boards, universities, colleges, hospitals, long term care homes and other organizations.

Shortly after the legislation passed the four major unions representing high school, elementary, Catholic and French teachers in the province issued a joint statement saying they are preparing to challenge the legislation in court because it shatters any prospect of good faith bargaining.

 

Business Awards

The President and CEO of the United Way KFLA has been honoured during the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce Business Achievement Awards gala.

Bhavana Varma was named winner of the Legacy Award for her work with the United Way.

Alicia Gordon of Gordon’s Downsizing & Estate Services was selected as business person of the year.

The Kingston Pen Tours won the Tourism-Hospitality Award.  Enbridge won the social impact award.

Spearhead Brewing won as new business of the year.

Christina and Nick Prevett of STAVE OFF Physiotherapy won as Young Entrepreneur of the year.

Two businesses were selected in the small business category…Urban Hippie and Kinarm.

Kingston Laser and Cosmetic Clinic won for medium business of the year.

Environmentall Contracting won as large business of the year.

 

Green Award

St. Lawrence College is getting recognition for its work to reduce its impact on the environment.

Green Economy Canada has awarded the college its first ever Green Economy Builder Award.

The college was nominated by Sustainable Kingston for the work it has done to integrate sustainability into its operations, academics and research as well as the community.

 

Sex Offender

A sex offender living in Kingston has been arrested by police for breaching the conditions of a 10-year supervision order.  The Parole Board says 29-year-old Lucas Petrini will face charges and it believes he is too high a risk to be living in the community.

Petrini had been released from prison in November of last year after serving a ten-year sentence for abducting and sexually assaulting a boy in Brampton.  He has already breached conditions of his supervision order several times. A Parole Board report released yesterday says he is back in custody after using crystal meth and having possession of an I-pod that could access the Internet.

 

Missing Man Found

Kingston Police says the man they had reported missing has been found safe in Calgary.

Police had asked for help from the public in finding 32-year-old Cliff Harris after he hadn’t been seen since October 31st.

Police confirmed yesterday that Harris has been found safe in Calgary.

 

Woman Charged – Officer Punched

Kingston Police say a woman has been charged after a police officer was punched in the face twice.

Police had responded to a call in the area of Bath Road and Portsmouth Avenue around 12:30 Thursday morning about a woman walking in the middle of a road while yelling and screaming.

Police found the woman on Portsmouth Avenue.  She refused to get off the road and began swearing at police.

A police officer was punched in the face and bitten they attempted to get the woman off the road.  A 21-year-old woman has been charged with assaulting a peace officer.

 

Spike Belt – 401 Arrest

Lennox and Addington County OPP used a spike belt on the eastbound 401 to stop a stolen vehicle early Thursday morning.  The vehicle was travelling eastbound on the 401 and police were able to stop the vehicle just east of the Odessa exit with the use of the deflation device.

A 19-year-old man from Montreal has been charged with possession of property obtained by crime.

 

United Way – Weekend Events

Two events this weekend will help the United Way KFLA campaign.

The Public Service Battle of the Bands is taking place tomorrow night at Blu Martini.

Kingston’s largest garage sale takes place in the Thompson Drill Hall at CFB Kingston from 8am to 3pm on Sunday.

The campaign wraps up on November 28th and has raised almost 2 million…722 thousand dollars…77% of its $3,551,000 goal.