Month: January 2021

Tyjjuan Kidd-Bailey, 20, of Brampton

25 Duncanwoods Sunday evening

The savage killing of young men by other young men is a 21st Century phenomenon all too common to Toronto. It happened again Sunday evening at 25 Duncanwoods Drive north of Finch Ave. Police have now identified the victim as Tyjjuan Kidd-Bailey, 20, of Brampton but there isn’t much else known apparently. A man was seen fleeing. Police ask anyone with video to call them at (416) 808-7400.

Much of the new reality in Washington after Joe Biden is president will be related to killing off every pipeline project around. Word has leaked that the planned Keystone line intended to carry Alberta crude to US ports will be stopped by the new president. The diverse and deeply held opinion on this subject is seen in the long string of comments to this story as posted by City News.

Circle K giant rebuffed in France

BNN says the bosses at Quebec corner store giant Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. “stumbled into the quagmire of French politics” with their attempt to take over a French counterpart Carrefour SA. Now, says BNN, a Monday meeting in Quebec will require the firm to explain what it was doing to shareholders. Couche Tard is most famous in Ontario for changing the time-honored name of Mac’s to Circle K. Yahoo pardner depanneur.

Betty White, 99, staying up as late as she likes

The indefatigable Betty White has turned 99. She’s told fans that she enjoys staying up as late as she likes.

Still a City within a City more than a century later

The Leaside Heritage Preservation Society (LHPS) is asking area friends (that’s you) to help it create a logo for this new local endeavor. LHPS announced its arrival in December and now chair Ann Brown is seeking ideas. “Would you like to be part of history and part of contributing to our new logo or better yet creating our new logo?” she asks. Ideas, input and submissions should be sent to LHPS by 11.59 p.m. January 25. That’s just a week away so don’t delay if you have something to contribute. Please submit ideas/design to Leasideheritage@gmail.com The winner will receive a one year LHPS membership

Former music producer Phil Spector has died in a US prison from a coronavirus infection. Then, Canada’s ambassador to Washington assesses just what a Biden administration will mean for this country. Below that, Premier Ford and Mayor Tory were at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre Sunday morning to check out the soon-to-open vaccination centre. And lastly, a summary of the tragic circumstances leading to the death of Toronto influencer Nikki Donnelly.

Rev. Miriam Spies

Stand Failthfully

Under Eglinton Ave. East

Davisville Aquatic and Community Centre

Brown, black and white charmer/Colin Mcconnell

A friendly picture of Rev. Miriam Spies leads off photos gleaned digitally for this weekend gallery of local interest. Rev. Miriam is an ordained minister and PhD student guest preaching at Leaside United Church for a while. Her current work in disability studies looks at how congregations can best support disabled leadership. At the upper right is a new floor application marking the 75th anniversary of Leaside High School. Seas Gu Dileas is Gaelic for Stand Faithfully. Below that, Metrolinx has posted a fascinating peek down the newly-finished rails of the Eglinton LRT somewhere near Sutherland Drive. At the lower left is an aerial view of the location of the City’s soon-to-be-built Aquatic Community Centre. It will sit beside the new Davisville Public School, set to open in September. At the lower right is a sweet multi-coloured dog in the hood snapped recently by Leslieville photographer Colin Mcconnell. Such a brown, black and white charmer.

A Toronto woman, Nikki Donnelly, 21, has died from exposure in BC while on a hike. The woman was able to make a heartbreaking call to her boyfriend telling him she was lost before the signal failed.

Mantas wins Ward 22 with less than 27 percent of vote

The byelection in Scarborough’s Ward 22 to replace Jim Karygiannis has seen his aide Nick Mantas win the contest with less than 27 percent of the vote. This rather sad result appears to be a function of voter apathy and a horde of 30 candidates, typical of elections where there is no incumbent. Manna Wong was a close second with slightly more than 25 percent of the vote. Mr. Karygiannis was removed from office for violating spending rules during the last general election. See the full results here.

New York City bus hangs off overpass as riders scream

Woman who escaped home is seen with police

A man is in custody Saturday after a nearly 10-hour stand-off at home on Lakeshore Rd. in Oakville. a woman escaped the home safely Friday afternoon. It began at the residence near 4th Line around 1:20 p.m. Friday. Police made contact and successfully waited out the person inside. City News

Unspecified “production issues” are cited for what Procurement Minister Anita Anand says is a temporary problem delivering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to Canada. Anand said Friday the US drug-maker is temporarily reducing deliveries because of issues with its European production lines. She said that while the company says it will still be able to deliver four million doses by the end of March, that is no longer guaranteed.

Johnson & Johnson is on track to roll out its single-shot coronavirus vaccine in March, and expects to have clear data on how effective it is by the end of this month or early February, the US healthcare company’s chief scientific officer said. Dr. Paul Stoffels said J&J expects to meet its stated target of delivering 1 billion doses of its vaccine by the end of this year.

Lots of parking on first day of stay-at-home order

Deserted sidewalks

Bayview Ave and other streets in South Bayview were quiet at mid-morning Thursday, the first day of Ontario’s stay-at-home order. Early Thursday, the government rushed into circulation its instructions on how to abide by the order. They seem fairly reasonable. Order in Council PDF here.

You must not leave home, except:

· To go to work or volunteer. The work role must be considered “essential.” Per the terms of the order, employers get to decide if a job is essential or not.
· To go to school. (Elementary schools, secondary schools and post-secondary institutions are largely closed for in-person learning in southern Ontario).
· “Attending, obtaining or providing child care. (Child care facilities are closed, except those that provide care to children not old enough to be enrolled in school.)
· “Receiving or providing training or educational services.”
To buy things:

· Purchasing “food, beverage and personal care items.”
· Obtaining healthcare items and medication
· Buying goods or services that are “necessary for the safe operation, maintenance or sanitation of households, businesses, means of transportation or other places.”
· Buying or attending an appointment at any business allowed to be open, including for curbside pickup.
· Attending a financial institution.
· Receiving any government service including healthcare or mental health assistance.
Helping others:

· Delivering goods or providing care to anyone in a congregate care setting, or receiving goods or support.
· Accompanying someone else outside who requires assistance to travel.
· Transporting a child to their parent or guardian’s home.
· Transporting a member of one’s household “to any place the member of the household is permitted to go under this Order.”
To protect oneself:

· From domestic violence
· Assisting someone living in unsafe conditions
· Seeking help in an emergency situation
· Attending a court or other location for the administration of justice
To exercise:

· As defined as “walking or moving around outdoors” using “an assistive mobility device,” or an outdoor amenity permitted to be open during Stage 1 of Ontario’s reopening rules. There is no word on what an individual would have to show a peace officer to prove they are exercising. Playgrounds and play structures were closed during Ontario’s Stage 1. So far, most outdoor amenities are permitted to be open, save for ski hills. But the question of permitted outdoor amenities has sparked confusion.
Indigenous rights:

· All activities protected under Aboriginal treaty as defined by the Constitution Act of 1982.
Moving and travelling:

· Travelling is permitted to another location if the person intends to stay there less than 24 hours and is doing so for one of the other purposes set out in the order.
· Otherwise, travelling to another residence is only allowed if an individual intends to stay there for at least 14 days.
· Travelling between homes of parents, guardians or caregivers in order to safeguard someone under their care.
· “Making arrangements to buy or sell a residence or to begin or end a residential lease.”
· Moving
· Going to the airport, train or bus station, “for the purpose of travelling to a destination that is outside of the Province. (The latest orders suggest a voluntary self-isolation period of 14 days when returning to Ontario, even from another province.)
Gathering:

· If one lives alone, with the members of one additional household.
· For a wedding, funeral or religious service. (With no more than 10 people indoors or outdoors.)
Caring for animals:

· Buying food or veterinary services for an animal
· Walking an animal
· Preventing or avoiding an imminent risk to an animal’s health or safety, including preventing animal abuse.

Provincial officials say they did their best to guide hospitals to administer early COVID-19 vaccines only to those who actually provide care to patients, but concede the hospitals may have given doses to people who really shouldn’t have gotten them. Three GTA hospitals offered vaccines this month to back office administrative staff, volunteers, clinical researchers and information technology staff. In southwestern Ontario, a hospital network administered doses of vaccine to its executive team, some of whom are able to work from home. The hospital network defended the decision saying the doses would be wasted on the day they were administered if they were not used — CP24