PERSON WITH A KNIFE:
Yonge St + Eglinton Av
-Man standing in front of bank
-Waving a pair of scissors at passersby
-No injuries#GO3017400
^dh

— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) November 17, 2017

Rain is expected to move over Southwestern Ontario tonight and will persist into Saturday. The rain may fall heavily at times. Total rainfall amounts of 25 to 40 mm are likely. The rain is expected to taper off Saturday evening. But the forecast for Sunday and the Santa Claud Parada looks like a cocktail of everythng from rain or snow to bursts of sunshine.

A massive 5-alarm fire is burning through a six-story building in Upper Manhattan. Some 170 firefighters are at the scene. There are no reports of injuries so far at this commercial-residental building. Next, Tesla boss Elon Musk has unveiled an electric transport truck. It is not clear at all when this vehicle might be seen on the roads. Below that, distinguished army dog Mali is honoured in the UK with the Dickin Medal, sometimes called the canine Victoria Cross. Mali is a Belgian Malinois. He was hurt by three grenades and hoisted up a building but still managed to locate militants in Afghanistan, arguably saving the lives of the men who came after. Finally, it’s the New york City Taxi Driver Pin up Poster. What can we say?

Canadian Press says the president Hydro One has announced his intention to raise rates if approved. Mayo Schmidt did this at the Empire Club where he was speaking Thursday.  Schmidt said the application to the Ontario Energy Board seeks to increase rates by 0.5 per cent this year and 4.8 per cent next year. “What we apply for is to keep the system stable and functioning,” Schmidt told CP.. “If in fact we don’t apply for capital that’s required to replace aged equipment and that equipment fails, the system fails, so Ontario — in whatever region that would be — would be without power.”

Parking on north block reduced

Merska Skating show

Lauren and Helena at Home Depot

Mt. Pleasant Village Banner for Christmas

Bernnitta Hawkins of The Red Door Shelter

As Bev Simmonds of Dolly Jewelers was saying: “What can we do.” The watch repair and accessories shop at 1699 Bayview Ave saw no street parking Friday, just like all the other businesses in the north block. A commercial for Special K was being filmed at Hapkido Academy. Orange cones and vehicles took both sides of the street. Then to the right, Meraki Skating will introduce its new synchronized skating program Sunday evening at Scarborough Centennial Arena. Many local girls participate. Lower left, we check in with those ambitious two, Helena Giamos of Branksome Hall and Lauren Essaye of Northlea Middle and Elementary School. They collected some 34,000 batteries to redeem in Teck Resources battery recycling program. For every battery deposited with the campaign,Teck donated the value of the zinc contained in it and sent it off to help zinc deficient children in Africa. Great work ladies. To the right, the Christmas banners are up in Mt. Pleasant BIA Village.  Finally, Friday is the last day on the job for the much-respected Bernnitta Hawkins, executive director of East Toronto/s Red Door Family Shelter. Much good luck and sincere thanks for your tireless work Ms. Hawkins.

Reporter Mark Carcasole has covered the story of the extortion attempt being made on Leaside residents Patrick Rocca and Andy Elder. Global News   Leaside extortionist demands US$250,000 from local men

Patrick Rocca and Andy Elder will not be paying extortion demand

Manhattan bartender Caitlin Cahill has received a no-strings attached $5,000 tip from the former vice president of PayPal Jack Selby. His reasons for doing this and the rather over-the-top name Tips for Jesus are murky but Cahill doesn’t mind. She says she’s going shopping. Then, Senator Al Franken, the one-time comedian has apologized for giving radio host LeeAnnn Tweeden a sloppy kiss during a USO appearance they made together in 2006. It’s today’s #MeToo expose. Next, a painting of Christ by Leonardo de Vinci has fetched $450 million at auction in New York. Salvator Muni (Saviour of the World) dates from the 14th Century. And finally, Ginella Massa with the story of a wife scammed out of $10,000 to “rescue” her husband. Once again the extortionist’s currency of choice was Bitcoin, the money made for all manner of dishonest activity. If someone wants Bitcoins from you, it’s a fraud.

Premier Wynne has issued a statement which says she will table legislation that will end the province’s college strike. Wynne met with both the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the College Employer Council (CEC) on Thursday after union members overwhelmingly voted against a contract offer. After that she said: “We have said repeatedly that students have been in the middle of this strike for too long and it is not fair. We need to get them back to the classroom.” Striking OPSEU college workers reject offer by 86 per cent

Striking Ontario community college workers voted 86 percent against accepting the employer’s offer in a forced vote instigated by the colleges after the strike had stretched on for a month. Today, both sides were back at the bargaining table at the request of the Premier. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) declared the vote a bully move. It appears the colleges were counting on enough teachers being fed up with the strike and a month without pay to win acceptance of the offer. The issue or issues are not always easy for onlookers to grasp. It appears the principal complaint is that the union has been asked to make “concessions” around the number of contract employees. There is also discussion of teacher input into the content of the curriculum. Foreign students from places like China are learning a hard lesson about first-world work stoppages. Many of them will not have seen a strike before, particularly a public service workers strike. Canadians on the other hand are well blistered by such hurtful stoppages. They have been called an exercise in the people going on strike against themselves.

Long-time sports employees at CTV Toronto are said to be reasonably upbeat with settlements in their pockets as the end of local sports reporting looms. All good things must end. Sources at the Bell Media station (once known as CFTO) say that the Toronto sports reports will pass into history like those at other CTV stations. Bell Media is loaded with alternative options for sports news and even an ordinary general reporter (bless them all) can figure out when a winning streak or run for the trophy should muscle its way into the news. Speaking of which, how many times have the Bell thinkers pondered consolidating CTV Toronto evening news at CP24? Just asking. More to come.

The north block of Bayview Ave. between Fleming Cres. and Parkhurst Blvd. will be short of parking Friday as a film crew works inside at Hapkido Academy to shoot a Special K commercial. Check the filming notice below for the dynamic truck parking movements.

Tesla Motors

East York Chronicle/Twitter

The estimable Jennifer Pagliaro of the Toronto Star City Hall bureau tweets that Toronto and East York Council voted 6 to 3 against a plan to build a 220-volt front-yard Tesla parking pad outside the home of an unnamed woman in this community. Parking pads are not popular in general at City Hall and owning a Tesla didn’t earn this homeowner any special treatment. Below that, from the left we see Mary Fragedakis, Arthur Potts, Justin Van Dette and Premier Kathleen Wynne at the East York Hall of Fame event Wednesday night to launch a campaign to create awareness of the East York flag. Residents are invited to buy a large flag for $60 or a small desk flag for $10 through the hall of fame. To the right, an exciting musical evening is at hand December 8 at Manor Road United Church as The Four Men celebrate the season with songs of love, hope and inspiration. Lower left a reminder of the Taste of India dinner and concert at St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church November 25 and the much-anticipated Holly Berry Fair this Saturday at Rosedale United Church.