First degree murder charge in Arnprior killing

A 22-year-old Arnprior man has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of Brodie Armstrong — a man he went to school with.

Jesse Gervais was cuffed at the Greyhound bus terminal in Sault Ste. Marie late Friday.

Police there were “working on some logistics” Saturday morning to return the man to Renfrew OPP.

The arrest comes two days after Armstrong, a musician, was killed in Arnprior.

He was seen staggering out of a car then collapsed along Russell St., shortly after 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Residents tried to help before paramedics arrived and took Armstrong to hospital with life-threatening injuries, where he was later pronounced dead.

Witnesses told the Sun they heard arguing from the car before it plowed through a fence, crashing into a house.

A man was reported fleeing the scene on foot.

As they probed the killing, Renfrew OPP alerted Sault Ste. Marie cops the suspect was a passenger on the bus.

He was arrested without incident shortly before midnight.

Sault Ste. Marie police Staff Sgt. Jane Martynuck said there was “nothing to indicate” the accused was armed.

Gervais will appear in court in Pembroke.

He is the third murder suspect arrested at the bus station in Sault Ste. Marie since 2002.

The suspect and the victim are Facebook friends and both listed attending Arnprior District High School, where the suspect graduated in 2008.

Armstrong was a 2009 grad.

News of the arrest comes the same day funeral details were released.

Visitation takes place Monday from 7-9 p.m. and Tuesday 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the Boyce Funeral Home in Arnprior.

Armstrong’s funeral will be held Wednesday at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on Daniel St. N. at 11 a.m.

Cremation will follow.

Donations to the church or high school’s music program would be appreciated by his family.

For details, visit boycefuneralhome.ca

— with files from QMI Agency

kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca
Twitter: @ottawasunkroche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/06/14/still-no-arrest-in-arnprior-killing

Freebies up for grabs at Vanier market

Cheapskates and antiquing power couples, roll up your sleeves for the Really Really Free Market on Saturday.

“Everything really is free,” said Lisa Higgs from Used Ottawa.

“You don’t have to give to get.”

The sixth edition of the biannual event is taking place in Vanier starting at 8:30 a.m.

Anyone can drop off reusable items or just take anything.

You don’t have to contribute to the market to take an item.

“They get a lot of children at this market, and their eyes just light up when you tell them, you know, ‘you can have anything here for free,’” said Higgs.

In Ottawa, “freecycling” on the group scale began in 2004 when Eric Snyder started Full Circles.

Now, “they have over 10,000 members,” said Higgs.

The group lists items wanted or up for grabs; money doesn’t change hands.

Recent items posted include a drafting table for artists, crutches, bird bath, bicycles, and soccer gear for children.

Household items, clothing, toys, gardening tools, and barbecues are common.

Saving money and the environment, the concept of freecycling is growing.

“I’ve been told they’ve been getting over 1,000 people at most markets,” Higgs said.

“They expect about 1,500 or 2,000 this time.”

The event is being held at Village International Mennonite Church/ St. Margaret’s Anglican

Church at 206 Montreal Rd. in Vanier.

For details, visit Ottawa.FullCircles.org

kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca
Twitter: @ottawasunkroche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/06/13/freebies-up-for-grabs-at-vanier-market

Carleton University students win award for Rideau Canal app

A team from Carleton University has been awarded a national public history prize for creating the Rideau Timescapes App.

“I think it really demolishes the stereotype that academics are only interested in what goes on in the ‘ivory tower,’ so I’m really excited about that,” said co-director of the centre for public history James Opp.

Timescapes is the result of a one-year collaboration.

History students took care of researching while information technology students built the app, letting users interact with the visual heritage of 26 lock stations along the Rideau Canal.

From Kingston to Ottawa, students tagged more than 700 photos with actual GPS coordinates.

“That took a lot of fieldwork,” said Opp.

Zoomable images can be overlaid with contemporary scenes in real time using the phone camera, letting users position the historical image within the landscape and adjust the amount of transparency.

“The platform that we built could actually be applied anywhere in the world,” said Opp.

He received the prize at the annual meeting of the Canadian Historical Association in Victoria, B.C. Tuesday.

Opp was recognized along with Anthony Whitehead, director of the school of information technology, and Will Knight, project manager and PhD candidate in the history department.

“This was entirely built by Carleton students,” said Opp.

The free, bilingual app can be used with Apple products and is partially funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage.

For details, visit rideau.timescapes.ca

kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca
Twitter: @ottawasunkroche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/06/06/carleton-university-students-win-award-for-rideau-canal-app

Ottawa man still looking to collect money from city after hitting massive pothole

Three months after hitting the biggest pothole he’s ever seen, Dan Anstey still hasn’t resolved his damage claim with the city.

“It looks like we have to wait another two to three months. It seems that the pothole claim guy was on vacation,” an angry Anstey told the Sun.

“No worries though, since they are ‘reviewing the system to see how we can speed up the process.’ I guess this is the first time since 1855 the city has faced such an influx of calls that they feel they need to review the process.”

Anstey was driving along Vanier Pkwy. near Montreal Rd. on March 1 when he struck a doozy.

He got out of his car, joining motorist Alyona Popovich as they surveyed the damage to their vehicles.

Anstey paid about $300 out of pocket while Popovich forked over nearly $900.

They filed a joint claim with the city.

On average, 180,000 potholes are repaired by city crews, costing taxpayers nearly $5 million annually.

Six month turnaround time for a claim isn’t the norm, according to city clerk and solicitor Rick O’Connor.

“After a claim has been opened, the retrieval of records, review and response period for a pothole claim is generally about four to six weeks,” O’Connor wrote in an e-mail via the city’s media relations department.

Once a claim is underway, “a thorough investigation of a relatively straightforward claim will generally require at least two weeks for the investigator to assemble the relevant evidence from the city staff involved in the matter. An investigation of a more complicated claim can take several weeks to conclude,” said O’Connor.

The department is committed to opening and acknowledging claims within 10 business days from submission, he said, noting this past winter 448 claims were submitted, which is above average.

“During the very busy pothole season, there is often an additional period of time required for this step as a result of the high volume of claims,” O’Connor said.

After beginning a claim, maintenance records have to be retrieved.

The claim is then “reviewed in the context of the minimum maintenance standards contained in the Regulations to the Municipal Act,” he said.

Six investigators and a specialist work in the claims unit.

“None of these employees is solely dedicated to addressing pothole-related claims. There are also three clerks who input claims,” said O’Connor.

POTHOLE PARTICULARS

2007 had the highest number of pothole claims in recent years: 533.
Winter 2012/13: 448 claims were submitted, higher than normal.
The claims arrive in clusters during thaws, typically dozens over a few days.
Pothole claims represent about 20-25% of all claims filed with the city. (Roughly 2,000 claims are sent in each year from people looking for compensation for an injury or damage).
Source: City of Ottawa
kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @ottawasunkroche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/06/04/ottawa-man-still-looking-to-collect-money-from-city-after-hitting-massive-pothole

Wireless code welcomed by Ottawans

The new federal wireless code is something to text home about — just not when you’re visiting New York City.

Scott Giles still remembers when he used his phone in the Big Apple four years ago.

“I bought a package through Telus and they basically told me I had a certain amount of data usage and (I) wasn’t really sure,” said Giles.

“Didn’t really explain to me what data usage (was) and what I could and couldn’t use. And I guess with texting, it went over by quite a bit.”

An additional $230, he said, and “they didn’t cut me a break.”

With four months left on his three-year contract, Giles is considering his options.

“They’re offering me another three-year term, right, and I’m kind of saying I’d like to do it by monthly,” said Giles.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission released details on its code Monday.

Highlights include no cancellation fees after two years, and caps on data and roaming charges.

“I think it’s a good step in the right direction because cellphones are the most common and flexible form of communication for people,” said Chris Home-Cutler, an iPhone user whose three-year term with Rogers ends this year.

“I mean, no one uses their home phone anymore.”

With upgrades and new models being released “I’ve been stuck with a phone that I don’t really like and no real way to get out of it,” he said.

“So a change that would actually stop companies from being able to offer such a long, aggressive plan would definitely be beneficial.”

Home-Cutler said he’s determined to remain contract-free.

Chris Mandigo, of Kanata, keeps getting sucked into committing.

“The only reason I keep going three years is because I get a better deal on the phone, but I’d rather not be,” said Mandigo.

The Blackberry user is about halfway through a three-year contract with Telus.

Kelly Wattie would like to see her bill chopped in half.

“It’s with Bell and it’s like anywhere between $600 and $800 a month,” said Wattie, from Stittsville.

“Three people have a smartphone and I have a — I don’t know what I have,” she said laughing.

With the changes, “it sounds like it’s going to be cheaper for me,” she said.

The code kicks in Dec. 2. and applies to all new contracts.

For details, visit crtc.gc.ca/wirelesscode.

kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca
Twitter: @ottawasunkroche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/06/03/wireless-code-welcomed-by-ottawans

Gamblers say parking major reason casino should go to Rideau Carleton

There’s plenty of parking at the Rideau Carleton Raceway.

That’s the main reason why Ottawans polled there Monday said they’d support a casino in that location.

Earlier in the day, Mayor Jim Watson announced he’s ruling out a downtown casino and throwing his support behind Rideau Carleton as the site, should a new casino come here.

“That’s a wiser decision than spending millions of dollars to build a new one,” said east-end resident Robert White.

“Why don’t you just turn around and upgrade this? Because there’s a lot more parking here. Downtown — I wouldn’t even go downtown. It’s a madhouse down there to try and park.”

Sam Daoud from Riverside South concurs.

“Definitely, in an open place like (RCC) parking would be much easier than downtown. That’s a no-brainer,” said Daoud.

Since he lives in the neighbourhood, “I would come here more than I would go downtown,” said Daoud.

A downtown location would be too close to Casino Lac-Leamy, he continued.

“I’d hate to see that money go to Quebec. I’d rather keep it in Ontario.”

Connie Lafleur said she’s not crazy about having a casino in the centre of the city.

“I don’t think it would work at all,” she said.

“I like it better here.”

Her daughter, Diane, said otherwise.

“I just find it too small and not enough exits,” she said, noting she prefers Lac-Leamy.

“These do not pay off. They don’t pay out enough.”

Nonetheless, “I think it is the ideal spot,” said Connie Lafleur.

kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca
@ottawasunkroche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/06/03/gamblers-say-parking-major-reason-casino-should-go-to-rideau-carleton

East-enders get traffic chaos for a month

East-end commuters will be gambling as they decide on a route for their commute this summer, say cops.

“We’re not recommending anything,” said Ottawa police Sgt. Mark Gatien.

“From what the experts are telling us, it could take anywhere from two weeks to a month to sort things out and get people set in their ways.”

Lane reductions began Monday on Hwy. 174 as part of LRT construction and is expected to last until the end of August.

Westbound traffic is down one lane, west of the 174 Blair Rd. on-ramp to the Hwy. 417 split.

Gatien said he was in the city’s traffic control centre on Loretta Ave. watching it live.

On Monday, “obviously, everybody took the 174 and it got a bit backed up,” he said.

“I think the worst it got was backed up to Montreal Rd.”

On average, drivers were delayed for 30 minutes.

Tuesday was better — kind of.

“Everybody was on the ball and took alternate routes,” said Gatien.

“You watch the cameras, and all of a sudden the 174 is running pretty smooth at peak hours but then you look at another camera, and Innes and Blair was just a zoo.”

Gatien said he doesn’t know what to tell people in terms of recommending alternate routes.

“I think it’s going to flip-flop back and forth for awhile,” said Gatien.

Police have also been eyeing aggressive motorists.

“There’s all kinds of people that are driving down the on-ramp from Blair Rd., they’re scootin’ down, where they’re supposed to get off to go to Montreal, and at the last second they’re squeezing in,” said Gatien.

That’s an offence, he warned, titled “driving off roadway.”

“Once you pass a certain point on a highway, it now becomes an exit lane,” said Gatien.

It’s also unfair to the drivers already lined up.

“They’re doing what they’re supposed to do and then you get all these people … cuttin’ people off, and pissin’ people off, more than anything else,” he said.

kelly.roche@sunmedia.ca

@ottawasunkroche

WEDNESDAY’S DRIVE IN:

The Sun did the morning drive to our office on Hunt Club (near Prince of Wales) from Orleans, purposely avoiding the 174/417:

8:02 Left Place d’Orleans Park & Ride. Taking St. Joseph. Raining, very light traffic.

8:10 Turned from Orleans Blvd. onto Innes. Busy.

8:15 Stop-and-go near Blackburn Hamlet.

8:21 Passing Blair. Heavy rain.

8:23 Traffic clearing after Cyrville/417 on-ramps.

8:27 St. Laurent is packed.

8:32 Walkley looks good.

8:34 Cutting through St. Laurent. Conroy next. Rain died down.

8:38 Reached Hunt Club.

8:42 At Bank. Going 25-30 km.

8:58 Passing Riverside.

9:02 Arrive at Antares Dr.

-Kelly Roche

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/05/29/east-enders-get-traffic-chaos-for-a-month