Latest news with #DebbieJohnston
CBC
31-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
P.E.I. government buys land for new Kings County hospital; cost and timeline unclear
The province announced Thursday the location of a new hospital in eastern P.E.I. — but it's still unclear how long the project will take or what it will cost. In a news release, the province said it had purchased a 34-hectare plot of land in Three Rivers, on the outskirts of Montague off of Route 4, the A.A. MacDonald Highway. The province paid $900,000 for the land. The new facility will replace the aging Kings County Memorial, a 30-bed community hospital that has served the region since it was built in 1971. A new community health centre will also be built on the site. "This is a major infrastructure project," said P.E.I. Premier Rob Lantz. "It will take time. We're probably on a matter of years here to get [it] completed." Plans to replace the aging KCMH were first included in the province's 2021 capital budget, which set aside $13.3 million over five years for the planning process. At the time, the province said construction on the new facility would start in 2025. Thursday, officials couldn't say when construction on the new hospital would begin or when it might be completed. But the province did say the next phase will involve site planning and months of consultations with community members, staff and other stakeholders. The cost won't be determined until the design is finalized. Three Rivers Mayor Debbie Johnston said the new hospital can't come soon enough. "It really is great news," she said. "It's a great day for... not only Three Rivers but all of the 25,000 people in Eastern Kings because this hospital will serve a lot of people and it's very much needed." The KCMH emergency department has faced frequent closures in recent years due to physician and nurse shortages. "It's a challenge for families when people have to leave Kings County," said Ray Brow with the Kings County Memorial Hospital Foundation. "The more we have here the better, and it will make Kings County a better place to live." Tara Roche with Community Hospitals East hopes a new building could also help with recruitment of health staff. Public consultations are expected to begin in September.
ABC News
01-07-2025
- ABC News
Disability carer 'misjudged' turn before causing crash that killed her client, court hears
A disability care worker "misjudged" a turn and accidentally accelerated, causing a crash which killed her client — a grandmother who was enjoying a family holiday, a court has heard. Mahnoor Malik, 21, previously pleaded guilty to charges of causing death by careless driving and aggravated driving without due care over the crash which killed Debbie Johnston near Victor Harbor in September last year. Vanessa McKibbin outlined the devastation of relatives in a victim impact statement she read aloud in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday, on behalf of Ms Johnston's wider family. "We feel ripped off that her life was cut short so quickly and suddenly — we didn't even get the chance to say goodbye," she said. Ms McKibbin said Ms Johnston had a stroke about a decade earlier and since then "required 24-hour care" and used a wheelchair for mobility. She said Ms Johnston was on her first holiday in 10 years when "her life ended so tragically". She said Ms Johnston's family members, particularly her daughter Krystal and husband Brian, would miss her "cheeky grin when she was playing a prank on someone". A prosecutor told the court Malik — who was teary throughout the hearing — was issued with an immediate loss of licence after the crash, and told police said was not speeding but had "missed the turn". "When she realised, she did not have time to brake or reduce the speed of the van," the prosecutor said. "She turned the van and lost control, and as she lost control, she tried to brake but, in error, accelerated instead." The court heard a passenger in the van was also injured. The prosecutor urged the court to impose a conviction but said the suspension of any prison term was not opposed due to Malik's young age, lack of prior criminal history, genuine remorse and excellent prospects of rehabilitation. James Marcus, for Malik, said his client was working for a disability care agency and had cared for Ms Johnston on many occasions before the crash. "She cared for Ms Johnston both literally and emotionally, and the fact she was responsible for her death weighs extremely heavily on her … [she] doesn't sleep at night," he said. Mr Marcus said the incident had a "significant impact" on Malik, who was suffering "survivor guilt". "This is a moment of misjudgement that has led to tragic and completely unintended consequences, tragic in the truest sense of the word," he said. He also said Malik, who is in Australia on a student visa from Pakistan, was reported to be "driving cautiously" in the unfamiliar van which had been modified to accommodate a wheelchair. Noting his clients young age, lack of priors and prospects of rehabilitation, Mr Marcus asked the court to consider suspending any prison term to be imposed. He also asked that Malik be spared a conviction to allow her to continue studying psychology because, he said, it could affect her future job prospects. Outside court, Mr Johnston read a brief statement, describing his wife as a "friend to many who is sadly missed". He said he hoped no other family would endure the same suffering. Magistrate John Clover will sentence Malik next month.
CTV News
06-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Potters Field monument to be unveiled in Ingersoll
A monument will be unveiled Saturday at a rural cemetery near Ingersoll revealing the names of hundreds of people buried in unmarked graves. Amidst the rows of headstones in the Ingersoll Rural Cemetery sits an empty space about the size of a football field. The lack of headstones belies the fact that hundreds are buried at the location -- their stories untold. Western University History and Indigenous Studies professor Cody Groat wanted to change that. 'I was able to hire some research students who over the past three years have been looking through burial registries, census records to find everyone's names who are listed here, but also to learn about their stories.' The Ingersoll Rural Cemetery was established in 1864 and from its earliest days there's been a plot of land in the very back corner where people were buried. 060625 - Monument unveiling Monument to unveil at Ingersoll Rural Cemetery Potter's Field. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London) They were often interred without headstones because of race, poverty or other social issues. Potter's Field is a common term for the location in a cemetery where unknown individuals are placed. Now a monument will be revealed at the edge of the Potter's Field in the Ingersoll Rural Cemetery. It will be unveiled during a ceremony at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The monument will list almost all the names of those resting at the location. A handful that couldn't be identified will still be acknowledged. Debbie Johnston is chair of the Ingersoll Rural Cemetery Board and worked closely with Groat and his team 'Being able to tell when they came where they came from, what they were doing when they were here. People from the (United) States who had been former slaves, people from China.' There are a few small stones scattered about the Potter's Field, almost all added after burial. One of those stones is about 15 centimetres high and 40 centimetres long. Groat said it was placed at that site by a proprietor of Ingersoll's first Chinese laundry, who wanted to pay tribute to the man who supported him 'A man named Wong Wing Quan, who was impacted by the Chinese head tax. And if you look at this stone in a certain light, you can see Mandarin Chinese vertically.' 060625 - Monument unveiling Monument will list those buried in Ingersoll Rural Cemetery Potter's Field. (Gerry Dewan) Groat says members of a Chicago family will attend the ceremony on Saturday, paying tribute to relatives who travelled to Ingersoll to escape slavery. Johnston told CTV News that for years people would pass over the Potter's Field, many not knowing people buried there. She only found out from her grandmother after they came to lay flowers at the grave of her grandfather. 'She explained it later. She said people who couldn't afford to buy a grave were buried here. So, it was known, but the extent and the size was not known.' Groat said, in an era where we continue to grapple with issues related to unhoused people, he hopes the monument will be a reminder that people shouldn't just be forgotten. 'Hopefully this monument isn't just a one day unveiling. It's a chance for people to come learn and also really humanize the individuals buried here and recognize that some of the patterns reflected in the potter's field still exist today. So, it's a lesson not just about the past, but about the future as well.' Zorra Township and the Town of Ingersoll shared the $20,000 cost of the monument.
Scottish Sun
23-04-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Glasgow woman, 34, scoops £30k jackpot at casino
The winner has revealed what she'll do with her winnings Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MYSTERY woman has scooped £30,000 from £60 at a Glasgow casino. The businesswoman, 34, struck gold after winning the jackpot at Grosvenor Casino in the Merchant City. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The Grosvenor Casino in Glasgow's Merchant City offers gaming and entertainment Credit: Google She took home the cash prize after playing a game of poker. Speaking about her win the delighted Glasgow local, said: 'I'm absolutely over the moon. "This has been an amazing experience and an incredible surprise. "I've always enjoyed my time playing at Grosvenor Casino Glasgow Merchant City, but this win has made it even more special.' The lucky winner plans to put her winnings in a savings account. Casino chief Debbie Johnston commented: 'We are overjoyed for our winner and her spectacular jackpot win. "The buzz in the casino was incredible when the Royal Flush was revealed. "It's a testament to the excitement and thrill that our casino offers and we look forward to celebrating many more memorable moments with our guests.' Grosvenor Casino Glasgow Merchant City is located on Glassford Street and offers players a premium gaming and live entertainment experience. Elsewhere, a gambler put his money where his mouth is - after scooping nearly £60,000 from a £1 wager. The high roller, 25, chanced his luck on a poker table at Grosvenor Casino Edinburgh Maybury. In unbelievable scenes, the Edinburgh local bagged a straight flush - a hand with five cards of the same suit in sequence. The jammy punter - after only 40 minutes - struggled to maintain his poker face as the lucrative hand was picked from the deck. The jackpot winner said: 'I can't believe my luck. I hadn't even been in the casino for an hour when I decided to place the £1 side bet – a bet that I never would have imagined would turn into over £59,000.'
Glasgow Times
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow woman wins £30,000 jackpot at Grosvenor casino
The 34-year-old businesswoman, who wants to remain anonymous, turned a £60 stake into thousands at Grosvenor Casino in Glassford Street. She was playing a popular poker game called TCP Stud when her luck took a dramatic turn. Read more: Glasgow ranked as second funniest city in UK TCP Stud is a variant of stud poker played in casinos, in which players receive a mixture of face-down and face-up cards over multiple betting rounds with the aim of forming the best possible poker hand. The mystery winner won TCP Stud playing blind, which, in poker, means making betting decisions without looking at the cards, creating an air of unpredictability. When the mystery Glasgow woman's winning hand was revealed to be a Royal Flush, the casino exploded in celebration. The winner even hugged a fellow player at the table, with tears of joy streaming down her face. She now intends to deposit her winnings into a savings account to be used in the future. The winner said: "I'm absolutely over the moon. "This has been an amazing experience and an incredible surprise. "I've always enjoyed my time playing at Grosvenor Casino Glasgow Merchant City, but this win has made it even more special." Read more: Glasgow company commit to 'carbon reduction goals' with new solar panels Debbie Johnston, general manager at Grosvenor Casino Glasgow Merchant City, said: "We are overjoyed for our winner and her spectacular jackpot win. "The buzz in the casino was incredible when the Royal Flush was revealed. "It's a testament to the excitement and thrill that our casino offers and we look forward to celebrating many more memorable moments with our guests."
