The Toronto Fire Department skipped breakfast to fight two 2-alarm fires this morning.  Kensington Market rowhouse residents escaped safely after jumping from a second storey window.  While over at Bloor and Parliament, a 4th floor fire in a Toronto Community Housing highrise was put out in good time.

News Release – August 21, 2015

Toronto reports this year’s first human case of West Nile Virus

Toronto Public Health (TPH) has received a lab confirmation indicating that an adult resident in Toronto has tested positive for West Nile Virus. This is the first human case testing positive for West Nile Virus in Toronto for 2015. TPH continues to investigate where the virus was acquired, as the resident had potential exposures in Toronto and outside of the city.

While the risk of being infected with West Nile Virus is low, Toronto Public Health reminds residents to take precautions, including the following:

• wear light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts, pants, socks and a hat when outdoors,
• use mosquito repellent approved by Health Canada and follow product instructions,
• take extra care during peak mosquito-biting time (dusk and dawn) by using mosquito repellent and wearing protective clothing,
• remove standing water from your property, where mosquitoes can breed, and
• make sure your home has tight-fitting screens on windows and doors.

West Nile Virus symptoms usually develop between two and 15 days after a person is bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, body ache, skin rash and swollen glands. If you or a family member has concerns about any symptoms, contact your healthcare provider.

In 2013, 18 positive mosquito pools and 12 human cases were reported to Toronto Public Health. In 2014, 10 positive mosquito pools and three human cases were reported to TPH. To date, TPH has not received any reports of positive mosquito pools for 2015.

More information about West Nile Virus is available at http://www.toronto.ca/health/westnile.  This news release is also available on the City’s website: http://bit.ly/1MCZ5y8

Planespotter at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport captures direct lightning strike on a Boeing 737 sitting on the tarmac.

Interesting commentary from CNN, explains some of the science. “Planes are hit by lightning strikes more commonly than travelers probably realize…“

From Panamania to Caribana and Beaches Jazz, our cops don’t just walk the beat, they feel it.

Thank you BBC Breakfast for sharing this video of a baby sloth and his fuzzy companion at the London Zoo. Happy Friday.

More information about Edward the Baby Sloth:

An overnight break-in at the newly renovated Baskin Robbins at the corner of Bayview and Millwood was a very impolite welcome to the brand new franchisee.  Reports say that the back door of Big Man’s Pizza was also compromised. Bulldog reader Claudia Vargas Thompson took her to Baskin Robbins and only to find out that a window had been smashed. “Raj, the new franchisee, told us he had had visitors last night (unwanted, of course). He looked truly concerned. Hopefully things get better for him soon. We wish him much success in this new location” Claudia wrote Baskin Robbins store re-opens 

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May will be making a (yet-to-be-named) show for Amazon Prime streaming service.  They will working with former Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman.  The show is expected to be available worldwide in 2016.  More: BBC

South Eglinton residents Sharon and Al, volunteers with South Eglinton Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association (SERRA) have created a wonderful conversation piece that will be debuted at the SERRA table, at Davisville Farmers Market’s Cause Day on Tues. Aug 4th, 3-7 p.m.  Serr-opoly is a fun way to initiate conversation about some very serious topics.  The board game covers everything from high rise development to heritage trees.  Are you willing to roll the dice against the OMB?  Be sure to visit Sharon, Al and the rest of the SERRA gang next week at the Davisville Farmers Market.

A strange odour in the Royal Bank at Bayview & Belsize, plus some staff members complaining of sore throats has prompted a call to the Toronto Fire Services to investigate.  Angela Lam of Stainton, Murray & Lam located on 2nd floor, above RBC has informed The Bulldog that at approximately 10:30am she was permitted to return to her office, while the bank remains evacuated.  Fire services are unsure what has caused the odour but it does not appear to be toxic.

The Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) announced yesterday that they made the decision to humanely euthanize Iringa. The wildlife sanctuary in San Andreas, California stated that she had a long history of degenerative joint and foot disease, which is the leading reasons for euthanizing elephants in captivity.  PAWS President Ed Stewart would like us to know that “PAWS sends its most heartfelt condolences to the Toronto Zoo staff, the people of Toronto, and to all those who loved Iringa. Along with them, PAWS will miss this very special and dear elephant”.  Iringa was born in Mozambique, Africa, in 1969 and lived at the Toronto Zoo from 1974 to 2013. Toronto’s Iringa, Toka and Thika arrived at PAWS in October 2013 following the zoo’s decision to end its elephant program. (Photo: PAWS Press Release)

CBC Story