This longish piece from the CBC National tells how Canadian public opinion of the government of China has sunk to new lows during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new disapproval centres on the alleged failure of politburo bigwigs to honestly report the nature of the coronavirus until it got so bad they had to tell the truth. The report says people of Chinese extraction of all citizenship continue to be held in high esteem. Another issue with the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) is that of so-called wet-markets where viruses are sometimes communicated from animals to humans.

The Ministry of Health says that Thursday’s promising total of new COVID-19 cases was misstated and is in fact 345, not 258. That figure seems to align with Friday’s reported total of 341. Both numbers are in keeping with the general average of cases seen in recent days. It’s a bitter pill for citizens restricted largely to their homes hoping for a meaningful downturn in the spread of the virus. Some solace may be found in the continuing high numbers of tests being performed. Friday’s figure is 18,354. Ministry

Frayed nerves

The social-distancing challenge to frayed nerves and in some cases common sense is seen in the Facebook post here. This person waited 40 minutes to get into a store and then has a shouting encounter with other customers about getting too close while passing in the aisle. Everyone can understand the need to stay calm but we humans do have our weaknesses. It’s the kind of unknown that authorities face as smaller places of business are given the green light to open next Tuesday, May 19. See below.

Shops and stores across Ontario can open this coming Tuesday but only if they observe the tricky business of social distancing for customers. This relaxation of COVID-19 measures applies only to stores that have a front entrance on the street. The decision is a calculated roll-of-the-dice based on how customers appear and behave. As seen at large grocery stores, there is a lot of personnel assigned to ensure that people keep a metre apart. Golf courses and marinas may reopen as of Saturday. The province will also allow all construction projects to resume as part of this phase. Schools and childcare centres remain closed but Premier Ford has promised an announcement next week. “Businesses should reopen only if they are ready, and the truth is that this is all dependent on the numbers,” he said Thursday. “As we get more and more people back to work, the risk of flare-ups is real so we need to be vigilant.”

The Ministry of Health reports 258 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday. It’s the lowest daily number reported since late March when testing was much less effective. The current figure was determined in a 24-hour period that saw 17,429 tests completed. Ministry

Aftermath of crash at Lawrence and Fern Meadow/Ryan Rocca Global News

A woman is dead after two pedestrians were struck by a vehicle in Toronto’s east end on Wednesday, officials say. Toronto police tweeted about the incident, which occurred at Lawrence Ave and Fern Meadow Rd east of Morningside Ave. around 10 a.m. Police said there were reports of two pedestrians who suffered serious injuries after being struck by a truck. The scene is on four-lane Lawrence Ave. where traffic controls are rare. The corner with Fern Meadow sits several hundred meters from stoplights at Bennett Rd. to the east and Manse Rd. to the west. Pam Seatle City News report details the tragic consequences of this incident

Dog’s hair a valued insulation at sparrow’s nest/Colin Mcconnell

Leslieville nature photographer Colin Mcconnell has posted pictures of birds picking up dog’s hair after a canine trim. He says the hair is used to line the nest. FB

The Ministry of Health reports 329 new cases of COVID-19 across Ontario on Wednesday, down from Tuesday’s 361. Recent days have seen daily reports average around 365, a number which seems to indicate a downward trend since March. Ministry website

Smaller sized used running shoes needed for Thorncliffe Running Shoe collection

A time-honoured and vital community act of kindness needs special help this year because schools are closed. It’s the Thorncliffe Running Shoe Drive. Every year this excellent project delivers hundreds of smaller sized shoes to kids in Thorncliffe Park so they can participate in the gym. Traditionally, the schools were the best place to send a message by word of mouth and collect donations. But this year the volunteer man-in-charge, Ryan Spitzer, is asking friends to make shoe drop-offs to the porch at 59 Hanna Road. See his FB post here. FB

Program started in 2014

The program was started in 2014 by Grade 9 Leaside student Mackenzie Bier after she learned that students at Thorncliffe Park Public School could not participate in gym class because their families could not afford the proper footwear. As seen in the 2018 picture below, Mackenzie was honoured for her selfless work.

Mackenzie was honoured in 2018 for her work

The Canadian National Exhibition has been cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 epidemic, the president of the CNE Association has announced. It is the first time the event has been cancelled since the Second World War. Speaking to the Toronto Star, John Kiru said the decision was difficult. “Summer won’t be the same without the sights and sounds of the CNE.” Mr.Kiru said the decision was made out of an abundance of caution to help prevent employees, volunteers, visitors, vendors and artists from contracting COVID-19.