Driver, 63, critically injured

Bridge damaged by heavy load

Sitting too high on tractor trailer

A man, 63, has been critically injured when his windshield was struck by a chunk or chunks of concrete flying from a bridge over the QEW near Niagara Falls as the heavy load of a trailer truck hit the overpass. The freakish accident occurred because a huge excavating machine was loaded too high on the tractor-trailer. Hurtling chunks of concrete struck the windshield of the victim’s KIA sedan and sent glass and concrete into his face. The man is in a local hospital. The accident occurred on Tuesday evening on Toronto-bound QEW near Highway 420.

Turkey hates motorcycles. pic.twitter.com/iGcXffLWGf

— jamie (@gnuman1979) September 24, 2019

So the unidentified motorcyclist was brash enough to pull up to a light in Whitby where a turkey was claiming ownership. Where it came from is a mystery. But the territorial back and forth soon began. Everyone survived although the turkey’s chances between now and Thanksgiving are another matter. Viralhog posted an account on YouTube. The motorist behind writes: “On my way out from volunteering at the Durham Humane Society, at the intersection of Wentworth and Thickson, I saw a turkey standing in the middle of the road. Unsure of what to do I moved my car slightly to the left and waited to see if he’d move before the light changed. A motorcycle then passed me and passed the turkey and then the turkey charged at him. The turkey circled his motorcycle about 3 times before going in for the attack.” As may be seen above, the video was posted by Jamie@gnuman1979 and recorded from the front seat of a car waiting behind. Make sure you boost the audio to hear the giggles caused by this unusual scene.

The Toronto District School Board has released Ontario government test results which show that on average City kids are well behind children in the rest of the province when it comes to proficiency in mathematics. It says more work is needed to improve math skills particularly for those in Grade 9. The 2019 results measured by the ministry’s Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) shows that only 22 percent of TDSB students enrolled in applied mathematics courses performed at or above the provincial standard, which is 22 percentage points lower than the Ontario average of 44 percent and six percentage points lower than the TDSB’s average in 2018. In academic math courses, 77 per cent of TDSB students performed at or above provincial standards, seven percentage points lower than the Ontario average and two percentage points lower than the TDSB average in 2018.

Pupils tested in Grades 9, 6 and 3

The EQAO assessments, which are administered each year, test students in Grade 9 on mathematics and students in grades 3 and 6 on reading, writing, and mathematics. TDSB Director John Malloy said while progress is still needed in math, this year’s results show “strong scores” in reading and writing for Grade 3 and Grade 6 students. According to the results, 76 percent of Grade 3 TDSB students performed at or above the provincial standard this year, two percentage points higher than the provincial average. In writing, 73 percent of Grade 3 TDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standard, which is four percentage points higher than the Ontario average. The EQAO results also show that 61 percent of Grade 3 TDSB students performed at or above the provincial standard in math, three percentage points higher than the provincial average. Grade 6 TDSB students were on par with the Ontario average of 81 percent for reading and slightly higher than the provincial average for writing at 83 percent. The results show that 53 percent of Grade 6 TDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standard in math, five percentage points higher than the Ontario average.

Meeting Desmond Tutu

Archie charms world

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s four-month-old son Archie made his first appearance on their South Africa royal tour Wednesday. Archie joined his parents in the public appearance as they met with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize winner for his opposition to apartheid, at his legacy foundation in Cape Town on day three of their 10-day trip.

Residents of Cameron Crescent between Donegall Dr. and Father Caulfield Park at MacNaughton Rd. were awakened by police activity overnight. There was a brief search for an apparent burglar who may have eluded police.

A pilot project that will see a slight bump in speed limits on some of Ontario’s highways will go into effect later this week, the province’s transportation minister said Tuesday. Caroline Mulroney said the new rules, meant to bring Ontario in line with some other provinces, will take effect on three stretches of highway beginning on Thursday. They include a 90-kilometre stretch of Highway 402 between London and Sarnia, 32 kilometres of the Queen Elizabeth Way between St. Catharines and Hamilton, and the 102 kilometres of Highway 417 between Ottawa and the Quebec border.

Many residents of Moore Park have received mail from an organization called Nextdoor.ca which offers them a chance to join a neigbourhood information exchange. The sealed envelopes are addressed to Moore Park Neighbour with the precise street address and postal code. The letter inside assigns the address a six-letter code (RDDTMM for example) which identifies the address to the Nextdoor organization. One resident has observed that “the infrastructure appears all about tracking people right to their dwelling. There are data sets out there you can purchase that pinpoint users by IP address but not necessarily home address, this connects those two solidly. The minute you login with the code, they have your user-specific IP address, your machine, android/apple phone and/or other pertinent information. The more specific the information, the easier it is to market to you and track your preferences.” Nextdoor Says It Will Make Tens of Millions In Revenue This Year

Gender equity is a tricky bit of quicksilver at the National Ballet where the class of 2020 is made up of far more boys than girls. And unlike almost anywhere else, that’s a good thing. Then, the charming Miss Meng and her humungous Huawei electronics empire were in court Monday. Below that, Steve Paikin and guest Erin Kelly assay the damage done to Liberal fortunes by the blackface scandal. Lastly, the Spanish are getting ready to disinter that old reprobate General Francisco Franco and put him in a less auspicious grave. Now, if only the Chinese would plant Mao Tse Tung under the grass.

On bus in Don Mills

Long blond goatee

Seen with handgun

Police have released security pictures of a man with a rather unique appearance who was also seen carrying a handgun on a TTC bus as it ran along Graydon Hall Drive in Don Mills Friday about 5.50 p.m. He is described as approximately 35, medium build, blond hair pulled into a hair tie on top and cut short in the back, and a long blond goatee. His arms were heavily tattooed with a flower tattoo on his left hand. He is considered armed and dangerous. If located, do not approach. Call 9-1-1 immediately.

Crews dealt with two separate industrial fires in the northwest corner of the City Monday afternoon and evening.

Embracing Toronto/Graeme Moffat @graemedmoffat

Inspiring/Sue Campbell @radiobeast66

Office view/City Street Media @CityStreetMedia

Twitter was alight Monday evening with dozens of pictures and videos of an enchanting double-rainbow that stretched across the Toronto sky late in the day. See them all.

Large crowd present for Don Valley West debate Monday evening/Bulldog

Residents crowded the William Lea Room at Leaside Memorial Gardens Arena Monday night to hear and meet candidates in Don Valley West for the October 21 general election. Four of the five candidates were present. They are Liberal MP Rob Oliphant, Conservative Yvonne Robertson, New Democrat Laurel MacDowell and Ian Prittie of the People’s Party. The debate was moderated by a former president of the Leaside Property Owners Association Brian Athey. He followed the “tried and true” procedure of written questions addressed to all candidates. The Green Party candidate Amanda Kistindey was not present and from her campaign material appears to be a resident of a farm somewhere is not stated.

Candidates draw for speaking order. Seen from left are Laurel MacDowell, Ian Prittie, Rob Oliphant, and Yvonne Roberson/Bulldog

Campaign photo from the Oliphant campaign

Laurel McDowell/DNP

Conservative candidate Yvonne Robertson with husband Jason and their three children/Yvonne Robertson

Ian Prittie, People’s Party of Canada