👉 $100 Pub Gift Card Draw Winner!

Community Champions

✊ Leading with Heart: Sgt. Lynsay Dickson Nominated for Role Model Award
🎨 Art with a Heart: Portraits of Resilience at the Tett Centre
🎓 Nursing the Future: Sydney Porter Receives Local Love Bursary

Kingston & Area Local News

⛽ Fueling Frustration: Gas Prices on the Rise in Kingston
🏥 Hospital Alert: KGH Reaches Record Capacity (630 Patients!)
🧸 Have Your Say: City Launches Child Care & Early Years Survey
🌲 Growing Green: Major Expansion Proposed for Charleston Lake

New Events In and Around Kingston

🍀 Get Your Green On: A Weekend of Celtic Celebration!

ICYMI: These Events Are Still Happening

East Coast Experience with Irish Millie | The Spire | March 13
The Celtic Kitchen Party | The Spire | March 14
Turpin’s Trail | RCHA Club | March 14
Seussical the Musical | Kingscourt Free Methodist | March 14
Séan McCann | The Spire | March 15
The Mahones (Homecoming Show) | The Broom Factory | March 17
Suite Surrender | Domino Theatre | March 5 - 21
Maple Madness | Little Cat | March Weekends + March Break (March 16-20)
Maple Celebrations | PEC | March Weekends
Ramadan in the Limestone City | Partners in Mission | Now until March 19
Kingstonlicious | Various Locations | Now until March 28

Please Share Your Feedback

It’s time for the big reveal! We’ve drawn the name for our $100 local pub gift card.

And the winner is... Susan Garnett!

Congratulations! We’ll be reaching out via email to coordinate getting the prize to you. Post a selfie from the pub where you are enjoying the splurge and tag us!

A huge thank you to everyone who entered our draw—stay tuned for more community giveaways in the coming months!

Recent strikes and conflict in the Middle East have sent oil prices climbing everywhere, and our local stations are feeling the squeeze.

Experts say we might see prices wiggle around for a bit as the global situation settles down. In the meantime, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on local price trackers (Les uses the Gas Buddy app) to find the cheapest spot in the city before you fill up. It’s definitely one of those weeks where carpooling or biking might start looking like a pretty great idea!

Read the Full Story Here: The Whig Standard | Check Local Prices: GasBuddy Kingston

Our local hospital is feeling the squeeze! Kingston General Hospital (KGH) has been incredibly busy lately, hitting a record-breaking 630 admitted inpatients in just one day last week—well above the 570 beds they officially have room for. To make sure everyone gets the care they need, staff are having to use "unconventional spaces" that have been converted to accommodate patient care.

Hospital leaders say it's not just one thing causing the rush, but a mix of an aging population, seasonal viruses, regional referrals, and more complex health needs. If you’ve got a minor health issue, the hospital is asking us to think about visiting a walk-in clinic or calling your family doctor first. This helps keep the Emergency Room clear for those who really need it most. A big shout-out to the hospital staff who are working extra hard to take care of everyone!

Read the Full Story Here: The Whig Standard

Do you have little ones in child care, or are you planning to in the future? The City of Kingston and the County of Frontenac want to hear from you! They’ve just launched their annual Child Care & Early Years Survey to learn more about what’s working and what could be better for local families.

Whether your kids go to a child care centre, a home-based program, or even an EarlyON playgroup, your feedback helps the city figure out how to make these programs more affordable, inclusive, and fun. It only takes a few minutes to share your experience, and your answers will help shape the future of early learning in our community. Make sure to get your thoughts in before the deadline on April 2!

Take the Survey Here: Get Involved Kingston | More Info: City of Kingston Childcare Services

Ontario is looking to grow Charleston Lake Provincial Park by more than 2,200 acres! This huge expansion—about a one-third increase in size—is designed to protect local wetlands and wildlife like the Gray Ratsnake while giving us even more space for hiking, biking, and winter trails.

It’s part of the park’s new "Adventure Class" status, making it a major hub for outdoor fun in our region. This move follows the park contributing over $13 million to the local tourism economy last year alone! If you love getting outside or just want to see our local nature thrive, make sure to share your thoughts—public comments are open on the Environmental Registry until April 20.

Read the Full Story Here: Kingstonist | Learn About Charleston Lake Provincial Park

It’s not every day you see a 20-year veteran of the force getting a massive shout-out from the community, but Sergeant Lynsay Dickson isn’t your average officer! She’s just been nominated for the provincial Community Role Model Award because she’s known for going way beyond the badge to help out our neighbors in Gananoque.

A local resident actually put her name forward for the award, and it's easy to see why. You can usually find Lynsay at almost every community event, whether she's helping out with school breakfast clubs, Special Olympics events, "Coffee with a Cop" hangouts, or just walking around town meeting people. She’s all about building real relationships and making sure everyone feels heard and supported. We’re so proud to have champions like her looking out for our region!

Read the Full Story Here: Brockville Recorder & Times | Visit the Gananoque Police Service

Local artists Shari Doseger, Ben Spadzinski, and Kyla Todd are using their creative talents to shine a light on one of the toughest challenges in our city. Their new exhibit at the Tett Centre, called A Sheltered Life: Portraits of Resilience, features powerful artworks that tell the stories of people who have faced homelessness head-on.

This isn't just an art show, though—it’s a fundraiser for Lionhearts Inc. to support their transitional housing projects. By capturing the faces and resilience of those who often go unseen, these artists are helping to "sting the stigma" and build a more empathetic Kingston. It’s a beautiful way to see our community come together to support our neighbors in need of a helping hand.

Read the Full Story Here: The Whig Standard

Sydney Porter is proof that caring for your community really does run in the family! She’s a nurse (RPN) at the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital and was just named the latest winner of the "Local Love Bursary." This $2,500 boost is going to help her hit the books at Loyalist College so she can become a Registered Nurse and keep providing that top-notch care we all appreciate.

What makes this even cooler is that Sydney is following right in her mom’s footsteps—France Porter actually just retired after 38 years of nursing at the very same hospital! Sydney even got the chance to work alongside her mom before she retired, which is basically the ultimate "take your daughter to work" success story. This generous support comes thanks to the team at The County Guys, who are always looking for ways to give back to the County. We love seeing our local healthcare heroes growing their skills to keep us all healthy and happy!

Read the Full Story Here: Countylive | Support the PECMH Foundation

St. Patrick’s Day isn't until Tuesday, but the party is starting right now! Kingston is about to be hit by a "Celtic Wave" of world-class music, storytelling, and dance. Whether you're looking for a high-energy kitchen party or a soulful East Coast experience, there's a stage waiting for you this weekend.

Here is a lineup of local performances you won't want to miss:

East Coast Experience with Irish Millie | The Spire | March 13

The Celtic Kitchen Party | The Spire | March 14

Turpin’s Trail | RCHA Club | March 14

Seussical the Musical | Kingscourt Free Methodist | March 14

Séan McCann | The Spire | March 15

The Mahones (Homecoming Show) | The Broom Factory | March 17

Suite Surrender | Domino Theatre | March 5 - 21

Maple Madness | Little Cat | March Weekends + March Break (March 16-20)

Maple Celebrations | PEC | March Weekends

Ramadan in the Limestone City | Partners in Mission | Now until March 19

Kingstonlicious | Various Locations | Now until March 28

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All feedback and suggestions are appreciated! Email Les at [email protected]

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