QEDC will promote Quinte region at trade fair

The Quinte region will make a major bid later this spring to attract industry to the area.

Quinte Economic Development Commission spokesman Chris King says the commission will be at a Toronto trade fair for large packaging, food processing, and logistics industries the first week in May.    He says this area has food plants available, and other industrial lands, that they want to promote.   King says many companies are continuing to make enquiries about possible re-location in the Quinte area.

Signs of future development in Belleville

A number of issues before Belleville’s Planning Committee when it meets next week, including   requests for rezoning that reflect future development.

There’s an application for rezoning two vacant lots adjacent to the site of the new regional courthouse at Coleman and Bridge Streets. The province is building the facility on land it bought from developer Brian Magee.  The owner of a site at the corner of Station Street and Albion wants zoning to allow a medical clinic as a possible use.   And up North Front Street, Quinte Retirement Residence is asking for a zoning amendment to allow a site on Donald Street to be used initially for parking, then later for an eight-storey special care residence, housing 225-people.

Tyendinaga township man charged after violent domestic incident

A bail hearing is scheduled today for a Tyendinaga Township man, arrested after a violent domestic incident in Madoc.

Central Hastings O-P-P say a woman was assaulted and beaten with household items at an apartment on Saturday night, resulting in cuts, facial injuries and bruising, and police believe she may have also been bitten.

Officers had to subdue a suspect with pepper spray.

The 25-year-old man was charged with assault, resisting arrest, assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm and choking.

The female victim was given medical attention, but it isn’t known if she had to go to hospital.

QHC financial recovery plan still on track despite LHIN ruling

The acting Chairperson of the Quinte Health Care board says the financial recovery plan will continue..

Ray Goulet says the only information Q-H-C has received about the Southeast LHIN’s rejection of the 9.4-million-dollar cost cutting initiative, which also includes a budget deficit of four-million dollars, is a media release issued by the LHIN last friday.

He says Quinte Health Care has not been instructed to stop implementing the plan, and Q-H-C President Bruce Laughton says he can’t imagine either the LHIN or the Health Ministry doing that.

KPR Board elementary school teachers postpone strike vote

Kawartha Pine Ridge Elementary School teachers won’t be taking a strike vote this week afterall.

They were scheduled to vote on Thursday, but the board has agreed to resume contract talks with the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario local, starting on Wednesday.

Talks broke down last month over what ET-FO called a refusal by the board to clarify “vague” language in a provincial contract framework.

There is an April 24th deadline to reach a local contract settlement.

Man charged for living in public restroom

A young Belleville man faces criminal charges after being caught living in a public restroom.

City police say the 19-year-old was discovered in Victoria Park around seven last night (SAT) following a noise complaint .

Police say they learned the man had been living in the park’s restroom for about three weeks.

Police say there was evidence of a “campfire” in the washroom.

The man was charged with break and enter, mischief and arson and given a May court date.

For a behind-the-scenes look at this story, visit the reporter’s blog at http://jenniferlester.ca.

Troublemaker held for bail

A man is being held for bail following two troublesome incidents in Belleville.

City police were called to a Murney Street location for the second time around 3:15 this morning (SUN)… to find a 25-year-old man holding a crow bar.

Investigating officers found the earlier disturbance had been allegedly caused by the same man, who had previously thrown a rock threw a car window and picked up a wooden two-by-four in the alleged incident.

The suspect was also found to be in violation of prior conditions of release, including staying away from alcohol and from a certain person.

Police charged the man. No one was injured.

The LHIN says no to the Q-H-C budget deficit plan

The Local Health Integration Network has rejected the latest Quinte Health Care plan to handle its budget deficit.

Quinte Health Care’s latest plan includes a deficit of four million dollars. QHC recently dropped a number of proposed cuts at Trenton and  Picton hospitals.  LHIN  chair Georgina Thompson says an independent reviewer indicated Q-H-C could deliver high quality health care within existing funding. Thompson says her board is not satisfied the latest plan will meet the province’s requirements. She will be discussing the plan with the minister of health.

Slippery road contributes to cause of accident near Stirling

Slippery road conditions have derailed a motorist southwest of Stirling.

The O-P-P say River Valley Road was icy, a result of yesterday’s rain and last night’s freezing temperature, when a vehicle rolled at 5-30 this morning near Frankford-Stirling Road.

One person suffered minior injuries.

No other serious accidents have been reported in the Quinte region so far this morning.

Emotional Plea from Family of Missing Man

Another emotional plea from the family of a missing Belleville man.  The children of 66 year old Calvin Vanness… who went missing a year ago today… asked the public for more information during a press conference at Belleville Police Headquarters today.   Vanness was supposed to be going to his brother’s in Arden the day he disappeared… and his car was found at the Highway 38 carpool a few days later.   Inspector Mike Graham of the B-P-S says Vanness didn’t usually go up 38 to get to Arden… so investigators haven’t ruled out foul play.  Police are offering 10 thousand dollars for information that may lead to Vanness’ whereabouts.