A vehicle was struck by two GO trains Wednesday evening east of the Oakville GO station in southeast Oakville. As a result, train service on the Lakeshore West line between Clarkson and Oakville stations has been suspended. Buses are shuttling passengers between the affected stations. Brampton Guardian
https://twitter.com/ceconde/status/943659793092366336
Snow is forecast to begin falling late Thursday afternoon with general snowfall amounts of 5 to 10 cm by the time the snow begins to taper off Friday morning. Some areas could see locally higher amounts, possibly in the 10 to 15 cm range, under a heavier band of snow Thursday night. Motorists should be prepared for reductions to visibility and poor winter travelling conditions Thursday evening into Friday. The Friday morning rush hour commute could be particularly slow and messy — Environment Canada.
The prime minister has apologized for his visits and those of his wife to the luxurious private island retreat of the Aga Khan. Criticism from the ethics commissioner seems like a slap on the wrist. Trudeau claimed the billionaire religious leader was a friend (which would have made it all okay) but the ethics cop said no. Then, a City News take out on the bread price-fixing affair. Where the meat? Below that, the massive US tax bill is trumpeted as a victory for President Trump but can he make people believe that? And finally, a last look at 100 years of Maple Leaf hockey.
The calendar doesn’t lie. Thursday is December 21 and the start of winter. It is also the day the earth takes its furthest tilt from the sun and turns around. Yeah. By January 31 we will have added more than 40 mnutes of daylight to each day. CBC
Upper left, a drama playing at Davisville Station is tweeted at length Wednesday by @jennie1ofmany. She is in a lineup with a Presto card which han’t worked for months and is bouncing around from wicket to wicket for a solution. We do wish you well with the oddly-named Presto Jenny. Upper right a photo of the raccoon seen in the Leslieville Shoppers Drug Mart over the weekend. No word in the Beach Mirror as to just how the management dealt with this cheeky specimen of the protected species frequently called trash pandas (and worse). Centre left, work is proceeding on renovations to the new Creeds Coffee Bar and Dry Cleaners at 1595 Bayview Ave. It is set to open Monday, January 15. Centre right we see City staff York personnel with Mary Fragedakis (Ward 29) and the tireless Justin Van Dette as they plan (plot?) the next event of the East York Hall of Fame. Then we go that back to Bayview Ave where the decorative lights beckon you into the newly-opened Refuel Juicery. Lower left we see Duck confit, sweet potato hash, poached eggs and maple hollandaise at Avenue Bistro, 1568 Is it lunch yet? Finally, the familiar logo of Sarah and Claire’s Food Drive reminds us that the selfless work of these girls, their family and many volunteers as hit the 100,000 pound of food target. Well done everyone.
A Burlington man who has brought joy to families for some 30 years with an elaborate Christmas light display at his home has died in a fall from the roof. It is said that Doug Musson, 83, fell while trying to fix a leak that was affecting the display. A statement on the family website celebrating the lights said Mr. Musson was “up on a ladder trying to find out why water was dripping on the pathway which might drip on visitors to the display when the ladder fell.” The statement said Musson died in hospital on Monday. “Our family is devastated. I debated even turning on the lights but decided he would want them on and he worked hard on making all of the displays,” said the statement from one of his children. A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family and as of Wednesday morning had raised $9,835, already past its goal of $5,000 goal. Burlington residents pay tribute online to Doug Musson
James Giles (left) is being treated like the hero he is this week as the Carnegie Hero Fund, based in Pittsburgh, added Giles and handful of other brave people to the very few who will hold the Carnegie Medal. Giles twice ran into his neighbor’s home to save two young children. He is seen above with Carol Leclerc, mayor Terrace BC, which earlier this year recognized his bravery. Then, major cell phone providers in Canada are waging a price war, offering consumers deals on data plans. Rogers, Bell and Telus are offering plans that include 10 GB of data for $60 per month for customers who already have their own device. Right, saving the bees is a national mission as Canada will limit but not ban the use of two neonicotinoids (also known as neonics) that are said to be killing off bees and important insects at an alarming rate. And lastly, on video, the Maple Leafs have celebrated 100 years of Go Leafs Go by thumping Carolina 8 to 1.
Police are warning GTA merchants about fake $100 bills circulating this Christmas season. They have been found in Peel Region and all bear the number FKW4346846. George Weston Ltd., owners of Loblaw Companies Ltd., is saying that it was part of a price-fixing scheme on packaged bread unknown to management. It says that it learned of the practice in 2015 and told the federal Competition Bureau as soon as it discovered the decade long practice in 2015. The people who were part of the arrangement are no longer with the firm. And a person is dead following a crash on Highway 409 in Etobicoke on Tuesday evening. OPP say the eastbound lanes of Highway 409 were closed between Martin Grove Road and Kipling Avenue due to a “vehicle fire.” The two-vehicle collision happened around 5 p.m.
A four-way intersection has been created on Overlea Blvd at the entry to the still-unfinished parking lot for the new Costco store. Drivers going east on Overlea will be able to turn left into Costco or right into the East York Town Centre. Work continues at all hours on the Costco to meet a planned opening of the store late in February.
There is a lively and extensive discussion of street parking underway on Leaside Community Facebook page Tuesday. It is inspired by Peter Baugh of Leaside who has started a petition to abolish the long-standing three-hour parking limitation on City streets. Mr. Baugh says he and his neighbours have been ticketed nine nights running because someone is making serial complaints about street parking. By midmorning there are more than 20 posts. One is from Justin Van Dette who supports the bylaw and says during the winter, street parking and snow tend to narrow streets to one lane. Another says she favours cars on the street because it slows traffic. While another point of view is that the bylaw addresses commuters who park on residential streets to take transit. Mr. Baugh has made a supplemental post about what he called the “arbitrary nature of enforcement of an unjustifiable and pointless rule. Virtually any objective that people *think* this rule serves could be achieved more directly and fairly with other more sensible measures,” he says.
Here’s a TTC efficiency which will deny some riders access to the service but still make money for the transit agency. Get rid of cash fares so all the fare collectors can be removed from the payroll. Yes, some poor people who can’t afford a Presto card and a few rich who occasionally jump on the train for cash will be unable to ride. The latest bit of digital progress from City News. In Brooklyn, New York, a terrible tragedy when an unattended menorah causes a fire that kills four. Below that, an astonishing funicular railway that keeps you standing upright by rolling the floor like a midway ride. Yikes. Finally, Kyle Lowry takes kids shopping. Could be good.
Upper left, Andy Elder and Peter Ramirez are smiling because of all those pieces of paper taped to the walls behind them are orders. It is the season for special requests and the principals of Grilltime at 62 Laird Drive are busy. To the right, Constable Wai Lau proudly shows off his 25th anniversary watch from the Toronto Police Service where he has faithfully served for a quarter century. Wai is the 53 Division School Crossing Guard Coordinator, overseeing 75 crossing guards and ensuring that children get from home to school safely. Well done sir. Centre left, a rarely seen view over the Brentcliffe Portal of the Eglinton LRT where crews are said to be making progress on “wall form work.” Lower right, the expanded parking lot at Summerhill Market is now open. There are a total of 43 spaces. Finally, on the left, Butter Studio has a lot of interesting accessories and notions for Christmas including these smudge sticks.
