Archive for April, 2009
Posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009
The first-ever “Change for the Environment” got underway in Belleville and Quinte West yesterday (thur).
It’s a campaign to have residents donate their spare change to help clean up the environment. Officials have predicted 80-thousand dollars could be raised during the four-day blitz, Thursday to Sunday. Donation bins are located at 13-places in Belleville and seven in Trenton and Frankford. Quinte Conservation and the Lung Association of Quinte will share the funds.
Posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009
Hasting County emergency officials have been co-ordinating efforts with agencies across Canada and around the world to combat the spread of swine flu.
Director of Emergency Services, Doug Socha, says he’s been teleconferencing with the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Mexico, and United States Homeland Security about the swine flu. And, Socha says, the local dispatch centre uses a new “screening process” on calls to help protect paramedics and first responders. If the caller has been out of the country or shows signs of the flu, paramedics will wear masks and other protective clothing when answering the call. None of these precautions has been needed in Hastings County so far.
Posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009
Hastings County is making a bid for some of the federal government’s stimulus funding for road work this summer.
The applicaton total to the the federal and provincial governments is one-point-two million dollars. Administrator Jim Pine says most of it is for former Highway Two and the Bayshore Road in Tyendinaga Territory.. The county is also applying for a 50-thousand accessibility grant to make buildings more accessible for the disabled.
Posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009
Quinte’s Education Week committee has announced the winner of the 2009 Educator of the Year. The honour goes to David Reed, a music teacher at Centennial Secondary in Belleville. Reed has been at Centennial for 10 years and is behind the “Arts Offstage Program” and the “Canadian Vocal Music Project”. He also coaches the Chargers football team. Reed will receive the Sir Mackenzie Bowell Award at a reception Tuesday at the Bay of Quinte Country Club.
Posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009
Belleville and Quinte West are teaming up for the third year to help businesses find some good employees. Belleville’s Manager of Economic Development, Karen Poste, says most companies find the people they need during the one-day event. Poste says businesses usually report they’ve interviewed about five candidates for any specific job. The Belleville - Quinte West Job Fair is being held next week, Thursday, May 7-th, at the Quinte Sports Centre.
Posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009
The vast majority of the 146 hourly employees at Midtown Meats have already filed their papers with Employment Insurance. E.I. staff came to Picton on Tuesday and around 100 employees showed up. MIdtown meats burned down after an accidental fire on the weekend. A union spokesman says Employment Insurance is co operating to get benefits out quickly by putting all of the claims into one file. Meanwhile, Midtown Meats’ owners say they’ll have any pay and vacation pay owed out to workers as soon as possible. It’s believed the industry will be rebuilt.
Posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009
Centre Hastings Council set it’s 2009 budget. The municipal budget totals 2.7 million dollars, one and a half percent more then last year. That will mean ratepayers would pay 2 dollars a month more if they paid 15 hundred dollars in local taxes last year. Council lowered it’s mill rate, as overall assessment in Centre Hastings went up an average of 9 percent. Large capital projects include the replacement of the McCumber bridge, and the purchase of a new fire pumper.
Posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009
A set of brass knuckles was seized at a disturbance on Belleville’s west-hill overnight. Officers responded, at 10:15, and a 17 year old was arrested after causing damage to the home. When arrested, a set of brass knuckles was removed from his pants pocket. He’s been charged with Mischief to Property and possession of a prohibited weapon. He’s beeing held for a bail hearing today.
Posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009
A 44-year old Quinte West man is being held for a bail hearing today after a knife was used in a domestic assault overnight. Quinte West OPP responded to a County Road-2 home, at 10:30, and arrested the man and seized the weapon. The woman wasn’t seriously injured. The suspect is charged with three counts of assault and assault with a weapon.
Posted on Thursday, April 30th, 2009
Elementary teachers are getting a 10-percent raise in their newly ratified four year deal. The tentative contract, which includes raises of 2-percent in each of the first two years and three percent over the final two years, was ratified by the 610 teachers yesterday after being agreed to earlier in the week by the Hastings Prince Edward School Board. The deal also includes enhanced vision, dental and hearing care benefits. The deal is retroactive to September 1st of last year.
Posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
Another step toward getting the Bell Boulevard extension project in Belleville’s north end underway.
City council has awarded the contract for administration of the project to Greer Galloway group. The company’s bid at 588-thousand was the lowest of four. The Bell Boulevard easterly extension involves road construction, and the new bridge over the Moira River. The bridge, which will cross the Moira River to Adam Street at Canifton Road, involves a number of environmental conditions.
Posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
A consultant’s review of two departments in the City of Quinte West has led to a re structuring, and 4 people have lost jobs. The department’s under review were Public Works, and the Community Leisure Department.
Parks maintenance will be moved under Public Works. Meantime, many of the recreational programs offered by the Community Leisure department will become the responsibility of the YMCA, leading to a reduction in workload in that department. It’s expected the city will save 280 thousand dollars in salary costs, effective in 2011.
The 4 people losing their jobs were from the Community Leisure Department, including Director, Karen Sharpe.
Posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
The Hastings Prince Edward School Board is getting nearly 5-million dollars in “green” cash from the province to make local schools more energy efficient. Spokesperson Kerry Donnell says the 4.7-million will be used over the next two years. The Board is considering a number of different options on how the money will be used. Meanwhile, four local schools are involved in a green pilot project. Custodians at Moira Secondary, VP Carswell, Harmony and Queen Victoria are using green-cleaning supplies in the Ministry of Education initiative.
Posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
The sentencing of a Cramahe Township Councillor on an assault conviction has been delayed because of additional charges against him. 40-year old Timothy Gilligan Jr was just being released on bail yesterday following his arrest Sunday night on a new charges of uttering threats and failing to comply with an undertaking. He was to be sentenced yesterday on the assault conviction. In June last year Gilligan poked a man in the mouth with a baseball bat after the victim threatened his father. Sentencing will now take place in late May.
Posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
A hearing into the proposed expropriation of land in east-end Belleville is over….but, a decision is still weeks away. Only two witnesses were called by the inquiry officer at the necessity hearing…city employees Karen Poste and Rod Bovay. Four lawyers were on hand representing four of the five landowners effected by the expropriation. A decision from the Ministry of the Solicitor General is expected in the next four weeks. The city needs the 600-acres of property to expand its landbank for potential new industries.
Posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
A 20-year old Belleville man will be living this one down for years. City Police responded to a break and enter in progress in the north-end, at 1:30 this morning, and the complainant said someone was attempting to get in her back door. She fled and when police arrived they found the extremely intoxicated man passed out naked on a bed. He was arrested and charged with trespassing by night and breach of undertaking. He has a bail hearing today.
Posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
The Hastings Prince Edward School Board have voted to ratify….now it’s up the teachers. Board members voted to ratify the new four-year contract with its 610 elementary teachers at last night’s meeting. Details of the contract won’t be released until the local Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario has ratification vote tomorrow. the deal is retroactive to Sepetember 1st
Posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
A new science lab is coming to Quinte Secondary School for September. The Hastings Prince Edward School Board approved spending $1.7 million on the project at last night’s meeting. Work is expected to begin next month. The tender was awarded to K. Knudsen Construction Ltd…the lowest of five tenders received.
Posted on Monday, April 27th, 2009
The fate of Belleville’s arenas will be changing over the next eight years, if federal funding supports a new 35-million dollar complex at the Quinte Sports Centre over the next year.
Director of Recreation Mark Fluhrer recommended to city council last night a proposed four-to-five thousand seat arena on highway 4-0-1 be put forward to the years 2011 and 2017. Fluhrer says he is working closely with Belleville Bulls owner Gord Simmonds regarding this proposed new N-H-L size ice pad. He is also recommending that the Dick Ellis arena be sold and the Memorial arena be used for public skating during the season and possibly a market in the off season.
Posted on Monday, April 27th, 2009
Belleville is on-track for a 35-million dollar multiplex recreation community centre with its application for senior government funding.
If approved the federal and provincial governments will pick up two-thirds of the cost, with the city carryng 11-point-six million dollars, less than the 15-it has in budget. Belleville would have two new NHL size ice pads, a pool, multi-use gymnasium, fitness centre, seniors centre, and artificial surface sports field. Mayor Neil Ellis says it will make Belleville the “hub” of the Quinte area. If approved the complex will be located at the Quinte Sports Centre campus.
House Party at 6 A.M!
