Month: March 2018

Margaret Alice Hurst has died over the weekend with her family by her side. She and her husband George have been pillars of Leaside for 50 years from their home on McRae Dr. Friends and admirers may pay their respects on Thursday, March 29 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles–Newbigging Chapel at Bayview Ave.and St. Cuthbert’s Rd.  A Memorial Service will be held in Leaside United Church, 822 Millwood Road, Toronto on Saturday, March 31st at 2 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Alice’s name may be made to the Brain Sciences program at the Sunnybrook Foundation. Obituary

It was launched in February 2004 by a kid named Mark Zuckerberg and it was called Facebook. He invited anybody to make his/her own webpage really easily and plug in all sorts of information at their choice from their date of birth to pictures of the children. Who you loved, where you were going on vacation and how much you make a year. Now Facebook is used by 57 percent of Canadians every day and the Angus Reid Institute says as many as 73 percent say they will make at least some change to how they use the social media platform in the wake of a data mining scandal. That’s “data mining scandal” for anyone who hasn’t checked in since last week. What’s a data mining scandal?  It seems to be a lot like the contortions of businesses seeking your information since the day of the door-to-door survey.

WHO CHECKS THEIR CREDIT SCORE

A successful example of data gathering is the 21 Century phenomenon called the Credit Score. It is a bit of nonsense invented to get people to give over their personal information. Don’t ask where it’s sold. But back to Facebook. Angus Reid also says the survey found that one in 10 say they plan to abandon the platform, at least temporarily. Zuckerberg has apologized and outlined steps to protect user data in light of the scandal involving the Trump-connected data-mining firm. But such hopes seem vain. Protecting stuff out on a public highway called the Internet will be a challenge.

Josh Matlow (Ward 22) has received the Ontario Age-Friendly Community Recognition Award Monday, as he tweeted, “on behalf of the People of Toronto and their City Council” from the Minister of Seniors Affairs Dipika Damerla.

Ontario Justice Anne London-Weinsten has found Toronto policeman Vincenzo Bonazza not guilty of rape in an incident ten years ago because she could be sure about consent. “I have found at times the complainant would substitute what must have happened versus a recollected memory,” the judge told court on Monday. The complainant met Bonazza in 2008 when he was on duty in her neighborhood. He was invited to her apartment where she said he raped her. Bonnaza said it was consensual. The woman told Judge London-Weinstein that she did not report the incident at the time because she was afraid no one would believe her. She later became a member of the Toronto Police Service herself and decided to make a complaint.

Senior Wildcats BB team

Leaside Sr. Wildcat teams won gold in all three divisions of the senior women’s competitive tournament called the Golden Blades on Sunday. They are the Senior AA, Senior BB (at top) and Senior C team (below). At post time, the Senior AA ladies are being shy although a picture will be coming. As Wildcats president Jennifer Smith says it was a crazy day. The Golden Blades event is played at the Scotiabank Pond, a four-pad arena at Buckingham Arena in North York.

Senior Wilcats C team

A meeting for parents is set for 7 p.m. Monday at Hodgson Middle School to discuss the proposed change of boundaries between Eglinton Public School and Maurice Cody Public School. The plan is to direct as many as 40 students to Cody. Eglinton PS is crowded mainly it seems because of the high-rise development frenzy inspired by the transit hub being created at Yonge St. and Eglinton. Hodgson is at 282 Davisville Ave, east of Mt. Pleasant.

Police say a suspected impaired driver damaged 11 vehicles after crashing into a car dealership. One vehicle rolled over while another was left up in the air. Rogers Rd and Old Weston Rd area. The driver was transported by EMS. pic.twitter.com/6EHvVE2ivj

— Tony Smyth (@LateNightCam) March 26, 2018

Passengers huddle, many on cells, near tarmac at Dulles Airport

AC flight 7618 after emergency landing

Everyone is safe after an Air Canada Express flight from Toronto to Washington made an expedited landing at Dulles airport rather than its intended destination of Reagan International in the US capital.  The time between the two is not great but the captain was taking no chances over what is said to be either smoke, or a burning smell, in the cockpit. Sky Regional, which operates Air Canada Express, says 63 passengers and four crew members were unharmed after exiting the plane on the tarmac at Dulles. The aircraft is believed to be a Brazilian-made Embraer 175.

Elected notables on Danforth/ Catrina@catrinak

Peter Papas and Mayor Tory/Peter Papas

Doug Ford at work/Doug Ford

History recalled/Sergio Mourato @OMNITVSergio

Flags in wind/Catrina‏@catrinak

Campaigning for dinner/Bill Manolakos@bmanolakos

This 197th anniversary of Greek Independence was celebrated on the Danforth with bright sunshine Sunday. Notables from Premier Wynne to Mary Fragedakis took pride of place to march abreast with other elected officials. The parade’s eternal subtext is electioneering. Nothing wrong with that. Mayor Tory was snapped with Peter Papas and Doug Ford greeted kids and parents. Down below, floats told Greek history and flags flapped in the wind. That four-legged fellow in the blue and white shirt was working up an appetite for dinner after the parade.

Eight injured including firefighter in fall from roof/Toronto Star Twitter

Cats rescued/TFS photo by Twitter

Eight civilians were injured in a three-alarm fire at a home at 703 Dupont St. early Sunday. In addition, a firefighter was treated for injuries in a fall from the roof of the semi-detached home. The fire spread to three neighbouring homes and the occupants of all four houses got out safely. A cat and her kittens were brought out of one home by fire personnel.

Pierogi/Wikipedia

Hand made/Wikipedia

A Davisville Village woman Jillian Hrycuik is offering home-made mashed potato and cheese pierogi for sale on Facebook as Easter nears. The post has drawn a pretty good response with some members remarking that have had Ms. Hrycuik’s dumplings before and recommend them. For those from other cultures, pierogi may be made with potato, meat or fruit and are said to be a Ukrainian tradition at Easter. They are also closely associated with Polish cuisine. The history of the food is lost to the ages although stories persist that they came to Europe from China in the baggage of Marco Polo. Leaside Community 

Flowers from son and wife/Will Fripp

Maeve Pestonji with MP Rob Oliphant/Photo Rob Oliphant

Congratulations/Photo Ray White

Carol Burtin Fripp received the 25th Annual Agnes Macphail Award in a ceremony Saturday night at the East York Civic Centre. Photos tweeted of the evening begin at left with the excellent photo by Ms. Burtin Fripp’s son, Will, taken at home before the event. Flowers arrived from son Eric and his wife Satwant in London. The guest speaker was MP Rob Oliphant who is shown at right with Maeve Pestonji of St  Anselm Catholic School, winner of the student public-speaking contest held in conjunction with the award. Below is a nice group shot with many faces from the Leaside and East York family