St. Mary’s Repairs

Providence Care is asking the province to spend $5 million to fix up the south wing of the old St. Mary’s of the Lake Hospital.

It says the repairs are needed to make sure there’s no interruption in patient care before its new hospital next to Lake Ontario Park opens in about 20 months.

The request has been approved by the Local Health Integration Network and forwarded to the province.

Downtown Demolition

Kingston City Council has given the green light to the Springer Group to demolish stucco covered buildings on Princess Street in downtown Kingston.

The buildings from 101 to 109 Princess Street will be torn down to make way for a $6 million dollar banking centre.

Scotiabank says it will close its two other downtown locations when the new building is finished.

The developer had wanted to save the limestone and use it for construction of the new banking centre at Princess and Wellington Streets – but it was destroyed when the stucco was applied to the original limestone buildings.

Provincial Correctional Officer Charged

A correctional officer at the Quinte Detention Centre in Napanee has been charged with providing contraband to inmates.

Provincial Police charged 45 year old Rosemarie Cordeiro with breach of trust by a public officer following an investigation by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

She’s been released on a promise to appear in court in Napanee on September 21st.

Prison – Drugs/Contraband

Correctional officers at Joyceville Institution have seized a large amount of contraband from inmates and visitors.

More than two ounces of marijuana, an ounce or heroin, an ounce of crystal meth and close to an ounce of tobacco were intercepted on Friday…along with $1,200 cash.

Police have been notified and those involved in bringing the stuff into the medium security prison will face charges.

KEDCO

City council has requested an update from the Kingston Economic Development Corporation for its September 15th meeting.  Councillors want an explanation of the economic development organizations review process and how it will make the transition to a new CEO after Jeff Garrah resigned.

Domestic Assault – Arrest

A 37 year old man from Napanee has been arrested after a woman was assaulted last week in Kingston.

Police were called to the Montreal and Ordinance Street area last Thursday night after a report a woman was placed in a headlock and dragged down the street by a man holding her by the hair.  The man had taken off but was arrested late Monday night by police in Smiths Falls.

He’s been charged with assault and breach of probation.

Airport Expansion

An environmental assessment on the expansion of the terminal and runway construction at Kingston’s airport will cost $129,000.

City council approved the contract with MMM Group.  It was the highest bidder but the two other bids didn’t cover all of the work required by the city.

OMB Hearing – Cost

The losing bid to halt construction of a 71 unit apartment building on Victoria Street cost Kingston taxpayers $54,000.  Mayor Bryan Paterson requested the cost from city staff after the Ontario Municipal Board ruled in favour of developer Jay Patry.  The ruling means Patry will be allowed to go ahead with the development.

First for New Fine

A Kingston man has received a nasty surprise.

The 23 year old man was nabbed for using his mobile phone yesterday – the first person in Kingston to get hit with the new $490 fine that just went into effect.  He gets the added bonus of 3 demerit points.

Police say there was at least one other Kingston driver who got the gift for distracted driving yesterday.