There’s an apparent awakening among seasoned Toronto scribblers — Mike Crawley of the CBC and Chris Selley of the National Post are two — that the Ford transit dream isn’t all that bad. They almost giggle at the thought of driverless relief-line trains speeding through NDP Green downtown. Could be good, including the thrust to Markham and the loop at Ontario Place. But the whole thing comes from a government led by Doug Ford and in Ottawa (and other places) that’s not good. The PCs may yet regret. if they don’t already. electing Mr. Ford as their leader over the less contentious Christine Elliott. The Toronto Star Thursday reflects, as it usually does, the inner sanctum thinking of the Liberal government. One of its headlines is “Doug Ford’s transit plan has good elements. But Ford himself is cause for skepticism.”

A 45-year-old man using a mobility device or scooter has been rescued after he fell three floors down an elevator shaft at a Toronto Community Housing building downtown. Toronto Fire crews were called to the building on Simcoe St near Dundas St just after 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. “They arrived to find a patient at the bottom of an elevator shaft and a scooter that had fallen down with him,” Capt. Adrian Ratushniak said. Fire officials said the man fell about 50 feet from the third floor and was rescued from the bottom of the shaft in the basement. He was taken to hospital with leg injuries. It is unclear how the man fell down the shaft. Police and officials with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority are investigating — CityNews

Whiskey is microchpped and shy

Whiskey is found

Whiskey is  found. A post to Leaside Chit Chat asks for help finding Whiskey. It says he was “lost in the Laird and Eglinton area (Wednesday) while in the care of the dog walker. Whiskey is 11 months old, he is brown with a white chest. He is shy. He has no collar on but he is microchipped. If you know anyone that lives in Leaside, Davisville or further south in the Thorncliffe or Danforth area please share this post with them and ask them to keep their eyes peeled for poor Whiskey. If anyone sees him please ask them to email me at janetstone03@gmail.com. Or call (647) 202-0282.”

Jammies at school breakfast

Ride in woods

Planting Day

Northlea E&MS has published a “social days” calendar for their students including a jammies breakfast, ride in the woods and planting day. The list of events is long. Take a look.

London Police say that Julian Assange, wanted by the US on official secrets violations, has been removed from the Ecuador embassy at the invitation of the ambassador. Assange has been there since 2012. Assange is generally said to be the founder of the world-wide Wikileaks phenomenon. Wikipedia 

Mystery so far surrounds the fatal stabbing of Rae Cara Carrington, 51, of Toronto by a man who escaped from the scene in the City’s PATH system Wednesday. It occurred at a food counter apparently without any disturbance to suggest that this type of violence was imminent. Reports call the killing “targeted” but the police have not commented on this. Ms. Carrington was an employee at the salad bar where the stabbing happened. The suspect is described as white, 20-30 years, 5’8″ to 5’9″, medium build, with dark hair and facial hair. He was wearing a light-coloured ball cap, a black hooded sweater with a white T-shirt underneath, dark pants and dark shoes. A release Thursday says Ms. Carrington was fatally wounded when a suspect attacked her in the Commerce Court section of the underground shopping complex, located near King and Bay streets.

Restaurant called Fast Fresh Foods completely taped off and surrounded by police after a fatal stabbing in PATH system food court last night. @globalnewsto https://t.co/Sxbt9qumef

— Kamil Karamali (@KamilKaramali) April 11, 2019

The Liberals are using their omnibus budget bill to legislate a “right to housing” and the requirements on future government to not drop the concept, Canadian Press reports Thursday. The bill sets into law rules around the Liberals’ 10-year national housing strategy, valued at more than $40 billion, and creates two new oversight bodies meant to make sure the spending reduces homelessness. A national housing council is to advise the government on the effects of the strategy and a new housing advocate is to report annually on systemic issues preventing Canadians from finding affordable and safe places to live.

Day of Pink at John Paul II Secondary School in Scarborough

This great picture was taken at John Paul II Secondary School at 685 Military Trail in Scarborough Wednesday. You’ll find TPS Chief Mark Saunders in a baseball cap as he and other service members joined students and staff on April 10 to mark International Day of Pink.

Looking ahead on driverless train

Ontario Line

Much wonder greets the Ontario government’s re-imagined downtown relief line in the outline described Wednesday by the Premier and others. The line will be moved, renamed and re-conceived. The Ontario Line will no longer be a subway but rather an elusive form of transport called a “free-standing transit artery.” The province says that driverless trains, lighter, smaller and more frequent vehicles and elevated track portions could all be part of the new line. Thus the concept is still being imagined. While it appears that the technology for building the route has not yet been decided, the government says that it will “invite the market” to offer cheaper technologies. The Ontario Line will migrate from the City-planned route of Pape and Osgoode stations to a line that connects Ontario Place with the Ontario Science Centre near Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue. It would also stop at East Harbour GO, Pape, Queen and Osgoode stations. The line would cost $10.9 billion and would have an estimated completion date of 2027. Stay tuned. Ontario Line on Twitter

Tisha

The heartwarming post appearing just about noon Wednesday tells of Tisha’s safe return to her owners. “Seven days later. Over 2,000 Facebook shares and 100,000 people reached. Someone how managed to convince someone to call Toronto animal service and our little one was just picked up. Thank you so so much to everyone. Tisha you went viral.”  Tisha taken from Leaside yard, advertised on Kijiji by thief

Left to right: Lynda Millar from Leaside United Church, Bill Pashby former Chair of the TNO Board, Ahmed Hussein Executive Director of TNO and Vanessa Rose TNO, Community Development.

Ryan Fry to join Team Epping

Councillor has flagged this one

Detour from Hell at Southvale and Rutherglen

At Davenport Nursery Bayview and Davisville

Leaside Wildcats Bantam BB are Ontario Women’s Hockey Association champs for 2019

Upper left, Lynda Millar (left) from Leaside United Church presents a cheque for $1,200 to Bill Pashby former Chair of the TNO Board, Ahmed Hussein Executive Director of TNO and Vanessa Rose, TNO Community Development. The money represents proceeds from the LUC Variety Show held March 29 and will go to support the TNO youth camp program. It is yet another example of how Leaside embraces its Thorncliffe Park neighbours. Upper right, the renowned Leaside curling team skipped by John Epping will add Olympic gold medalist Ryan Fry for the 2019-2020 season. Ryan will play third. Read more. Centre right, Councillor Robinson is on the job to get this yawning pothole repaired at Mt. Pleasant Rd. and Davisville Ave. Across the middle, that’s Southvale Dr. late Tuesday afternoon at Rutherglen Rd. A detour from Hell was caused by a crew digging at the condo construction site. Traffic was funneled into narrow Rutherglen, Randolph and Millwood (three stops). The trip took about 10 minutes. Ugh. At bottom left, petunias have appeared at Davenport Nurseries at Bayview and Davisville Ave. And say hello to the Leaside Wildcats Bantam BB ladies, Ontario champions in the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association. Great work you red, white and black Cats.