For the first time since 2016, the Gardiner Expressway will be closed for a full weekend starting Friday, October 26 at 11pm until Monday, October 29 at 5am for maintenance and improvements. Crews will work all day and all night on things like sealing cracks, inspecting culverts and bridges, grinding and paving (a lot of grinding and paving), filling potholes, repairing guard rails and overhead signs — City of Toronto Instagram

Heather de Veber, Ruppen Seonis, Roula Panagiotopoulos and Ted Hanlan

Residents of Greektown north of the Danforth have formed a new residents’ association to provide a voice for homeowners and tenants separate from the powerful BIA which influences much of the decision-making on the Danforth. The Danforth Residents’ Association is the inspiration of Roula Panagiotopoulos, Heather de Veber, Ten Hanlan and Ruppen Seoni. Ms. Panagiotopoulos realized the need for an association as she struggled with zoning violations on Carlaw Ave. where she lives. “One person does not have a voice,” she says. The new association will represent those living in a snugly-defined area of common interest much like the next-door Playter Estates Residents’ Association. The association’s founders have a liberal view of their mission. Mr. Seoni spoke of the need to be representative not just of homeowners but tenants too. “We don’t want to just oppose everything, he said. The association website offers this mission statement.

If you are here you are concerned about your neighbourhood as much as we are. As the City is expanding, a group of us have decided to start a much-needed association to ensure that our neighbourhood community grows in a manner that is respectful to the owners and residents of this great community. Our hope is to provide, at least at the beginning, information about what is happening in the neighbourhood in terms of current and future development. This will also act as a community where you can reach out and find a resident that has experience in matters relating to this community.

A poll of 609 voters in Ward 12 (St. Paul’s) by Mainstreet Research suggests that Councillors Joe Mihevc and Josh Matlow are in a statistical tie in their bid for re-election in that ward. Mr. Matlow showed a slight lead of 1.8 percent but it is noted by the pollster that this was before Mayor Tory endorsed Mr. Mihevc.  Mainstreet boss Quito Maggi says that in Beaches-East York Tory’s endorsement of Brad Bradford gave the candidate a notable boost, though he still trails former MP Matthew Kellway by a substantial margin. Kellway, according to the poll, sits at 43.7 per cent support while Bradford has about 32 percent support. The poll, Maggi said, was conducted between October 10 and 11. “The Matlow campaign will carefully look at these results in Beaches-East York as they show the potential impact of a Tory endorsement. We didn’t list Bradford as an option in our last Beaches-East York poll and he could not have been this high if you look at the “another candidate” totals in our previous poll,” Maggi added. “Tory’s endorsement has certainly given Bradford a big boost, and could give Mihevc the win if there is a similar impact in Toronto-St. Paul’s.”

Tyrone Streete@TyroneStreete2

Watermain breaks in July and September have been followed with an apparent collapse of Eglinton Ave. east of Mt. Pleasant on Tuesday. Clearly, the flooding is related to old infrastructure and the hammering it is taking from LRT construction. Previous watermain breaks have been blamed on the mere vibration caused by drilling and other such work.

Swimming with the sharks

About to back flip away from staff

How are you my dear?

Police have identified David Weaver, 37, of Nelson, BC, as the man who stripped and swam in the shark tank at Ripley’s Aquarium on Bremner Blvd. Friday morning. He titillated the crowds, taunted staff who tried to get him out of the place and then strolled among visitors and chatted with women. Cops are calling it mischief and indecent exposure. Weaver is described as 35-40 years old, 5’10” and 220 lbs. He has a shaved head, a dark goatee and a tattoo on his lower leg. He was wearing a dark hoodie, dark jeans, a green t-shirt, and gray and white shoes. Videos on YouTube.

Sober, a thoughtfully named dog who deserves to be at home, has been reunited with its family by Toronto Animal Services. Sober was hit by a car Sunday and fled to a hiding place under an Eglinton Ave. bus near Warden Ave. His photograph as he squeezed up against the axle and tire of the bus was seen nationally. “It’s a happy ending, Toronto!” Toronto Animal Services wrote in a tweet accompanied by a picture of the dog and its owner Monday afternoon. “This dog was injured and found under a TTC bus on Saturday. We located the owner from a lost report, and are happy to announce that the dog was picked up from our East Shelter this morning.” TAS said they looked through reports of lost dogs to match up details with Sober.

A growing thread at Leaside Community reveals the frustration felt by Internet and cable television customers over the thieves market that governs the rates for such service. It is a well-known embarrassment (disgrace) as recorded locally that the best way to pay reasonable prices for such service is to spend hours on the phone playing off one provider against another with threats to go elsewhere.

Northlea student Emmy Duff

Give in her memory

Teens 17 and over are encouraged to give

MaryJane McIntyre

This updated post is from a previous clinic. Please try to attend and give blood on this occasion. The semi-annual Leaside Blood Donor Clinic will be held Tuesday at Northlea Elementary and Middle School on Rumsey Rd.  Those present to organize the clinic and many of those donating will be remembering the courageous Northlea student whose battle against leukemia inspired this clinic. She was Emmy Duff (left) a cheerful young woman whose 16 year battle has left a legacy of generosity and public awareness of the need for blood. Emmy died in 2012. This Fall, the tireless people who run the clinic will be hoping to see their friends as well as strangers who are able to give. Teens are especially encouraged to give an hour to this outstanding public service. Healthy kids 17 and over may participate. The clinic runs from 2 to 7 p.m. See poster at Bulletin Board.

Fuselage ripped open (Twitter / Vishnu Som @VishnuNDTV)

Wing damage (Twitter / Vishnu Som @VishnuNDTV)

Brick wall (Twitter / Vishnu Som @VishnuNDTV)

An Air India 737-800 taking off from Tamil Nadu Airport in the country’s southern tip smashed through a brick wall at the end of the runway and knocked down a landing tower. Incredibly, the plane continued its take off and the captain casually told ground control that everything was fine. He intended to fly on to his destination, Dubai. In due course however the airline ordered him to turn around and land at Mumbai where pictures revealed the damage. Happy landings, as they say in that part of the world.

Carl Hantske of 680 News slogs around in the mud to report on an extended closure of Bayview south of Gerrard.

Iced Cappe did not satisfy this man

Till goes off counter into staff area

New Westminster Police in BC have identified the man who terrorized a Tim Hortons location when he determined that he had been served the wrong drink. The drink, called an Iced Cappe, is made of cream, coffee and ice. The perpetrator pours the unsatisfactory drink all over the counter and then storms around the store before pushing the cash till off the counter and into the staff area. More than a month after the incident police say the man is Alan Sam Deguillaume, 28, a Burnaby resident. He is described as a Caucasian male with a medium build. He is about 168 centimetres (five-feet, six-inches) tall with short brown hair.

Gia Tran

Janis Clark and grandson

Osra Lindo

Here are three simple women all of whom will knock your socks off. The first is Gia Tran, a joyously alive collector of empty cans and bottles. Her donations to the BC Cancer Foundation now total some $15,000. God bless you Gia. At centre, you may well fall off your chair with laughter when you hear Janis Clark read the story of the Winky Wonky Donkey to her grandson. Her hearty laughter has sent the children’s book into extra printings. Then, Madam Osra Naomi Lindo, an upbeat 79-year-old graduate of York University. You go Osra