Kingston Communauté Nouvelles

The success of the 2016 North American Police Equestrian Championships held here in Kingston will directly benefit countless charities and agencies throughout the area. On Wednesday, Nov. 16, Kingston Police announced the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) as the charity of choice to receive all proceeds from the North American Police Equestrian Championships (NAPEC), which Kingston Police hosted at the former Kingston Penitentiary over four days in September of this year. The event was one of four Kingston Police has hosted this year to mark their 175th anniversary, and was an incredible success, thanks to the countless volunteers and organizers who helped make the event happen, said Kingston Police Chief Gilles Larochelle, calling NAPEC a “very, very special event.”

It's that time of year again - time to welcome Santa to the Limestone City. On Nov. 19, the man in red will arrive and as always he will be greeted by Kingston's spectacular nighttime parade. While the parade is always fun for everyone in the city, it also comes with some road closures. Here is a list, complete with times, to help you navigate the city during Santa's arrival. Kingston Police is happy to once again participate in and provide traffic control for the 2016 Nighttime Santa Parade.

A high school student used the light from dozens of small candles Friday morning to illuminate the need to better support those struggling with mental illness. Caleb Stringer, a student at Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School who was himself diagnosed with depression two years ago, organized a lunchtime candlelight vigil in the school chapel to bring awareness to the issue of mental illness and "to reach those living in darkness."

There is never an excuse for drinking and driving, but even more so now that Operation Red Nose is in full swing after launching their 2016 Kingston campaign on Wednesday, Nov. 16. One of the largest and most successful Operation Red Nose campaigns in Ontario, Operation Red Nose Kingston aims to keep impaired drivers off the road by offering free rides and a car pick-up service to those in the area.

Operation Red Nose is back in Kingston and the surrounding area for the 2016 holiday season to provide festive partygoers with a safe ride home. The volunteer designated driver service provides drivers who may have had too many festive beverages a ride home in their own car. The service is free, but donations are welcome. Their goal is to raise $20,000 for youth programming.

The kettle bells will be ringing for the start of the holiday season starting this Friday with the launch of the Salvation Army’s annual Kettle Campaign. The goal for the 2016 Kettle Campaign is to raise $290,000. “That’s about $6,000 more than we raised last year,” Sam MacLeod, Kingston’s new Kettle Campaign co-ordinator, said.