Hackers have apparently demanded ransom from Bell Canada for unspecified information after the theft of 1.9 million email addresses and approximately 1,700 names and phone numbers. Bell Canada told Reuters that a demand was made but it did not pay. Further to this, the CBC now says that it has been in contact with hackers by “encrypted chat” and has been told that a demand for $50,000  was made. The CBC story says the hackers claimed to be roaming Bell servers pretty much at will. Even after the breach was revealed, the hacker claimed to still have access to Bell servers, and to have stolen additional data that could still be leaked — in particular, “all passwords for Bell customers.” They were unable to offer any proof ofthis however.

Josh Matlow (Ward 22) and Jon Burnside (Ward 26) collaborated at City Hall Thursday to declare the beginning of the annual food drive which is headed up by Leaside sisters Sarah and Claire Jordan. As well, the sisters and mom Linda Dubono were interviewed on the CBC. Have a listen and remember to give, okay?

A happy turnout of 400 kids (just look at the faces) participated in the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Games event at Eglinton Park Thursday. The Toronto Raptors mascot, the Raptor, helped welcomed everyone to the third annual such games. Senior Vice President of Talent at Canadian Tire Corporation, Jane Nakamachi and Regional Manager of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, Lori Gagnon were there to welcome the participants.

Monday is the beginning of Bike to Work Month with the annual ride downtown starting at either Don Mills and Lawrence at 6.15 a.m. or Laird and Eglinton at 6.45 a.m.  Riders will head across Eglinton with Police accompaniment, then down Yonge, picking up people all along the way, and head down to City Hall There’s a free pancake breakfast to be had with hundreds of other riders. http://www.bikemonth.ca/biketoworkday

The Ontario Ministry of Health has posted a notice online asking for reaction to a regulatory change that would permit a new online option for health card renewals. This seems like such a straightforward convenience the idea of a survey seems a bit odd.  Those renewing cards  have to visit a Service Ontario office with the exception of children younger than 15-and-a-half and most seniors over 80, who can renew their cards by mail.

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Residents of Moore Park and a large chunk of Davisville Village have had power restored after a blackout that lasted from 1 to about 6 p.m.  It was caused by the failure of equipment at a substation near Eglinton Ave West and Duplex Ave.  During the blackout Toronto Hydro had estimated the outage would last until 9 p.m. The lights went out at a moment or two after 1 p.m. Then they came back on for five or six seconds before going out for good. The Hydro guess of an eight-hour blackout during merely wet weather in May took a long time to form. It wasn’t until after 4 p.m. that Hydro made that guess but in the end, it was able to shorten the inconvenience. The outage enveloped all of Moore Park east of Mt. Pleasant down to the shore of pre-historic Lake Iroquois. It leaped over Mt. Pleasant Cemetery to cover Merton, Balliol and Davisville as far west as Mt. Pleasant, according to the power company’s outage map. Bennington Heights was spared. The blackout was hit and miss up the west side of Bayview. Many places were still receiving power. The optometrist Vizio and The Bagel House had power while the LCBO, Bonnie Byford Real Estate and McSorley’s did not. It was quirky business.

Dom and Sal Badali with their late mom Lena

The Badali family is featured in the current Neighbours of Leaside and Bennington Heights magazine. The Badalis celebrated the 75th anniversary of their fruit store on Bayview Ave. in 2013.  Among the stories told in this Bulldog flashback is that of the Mass among the Melons, which occurred before St. Anselm’s Parish had a church in which to pray.

Reader Mari Flynn writes to share word that a weekend pop-up sale will take place at Must Boutique for Barcelona Collective, a Canadian shoe company.  Must Boutique is at 1575 Bayview Ave.

The Toronto Star’s Mary Orsmby and Kenyon Wallace write today that a full counting of the deaths of homeless people by Toronto has revealed that as many as 27 have expired in various  circumstances in the first three months of the year. The suggestion seems to be that the community has failed the homeless, and this may be true, but there is very little information in the Star story as to how these deaths occurred. One reference is to a man who died of a self-administered drug overdose in hospital. He was not counted as homeless. Such detail may point up the essential dilemma of the homeless.

PEOPLE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO

People simply don’t know how to prevent them from doing things which threaten theirs lives. No amount of money or concern can override an individual’s personal decision-making. Such an interpretation may be unfair but until the City can explain precisely how people die, the sense of helplessness is entirely understandable. In a previous age, homeless people were swept off the streets and placed in jail to keep them warm during cold spells. That solution wasn’t especially nice but it makes the point that no such arbitrary action is permitted constitutionally regardless of how pleasant the housing may be. Toronto Star

Closer look at the working fire on Cherry street. Roof has collapsed so you can see right through the structure pic.twitter.com/TaZGHlpzqJ

— Tammie Sutherland (@citytammie) May 25, 2017

That's why downtown smells like a bonfire. Crews battling massive fire at Polson Pier. https://t.co/mXyepmZ9WF #fire #polsonpier

— Tyler (@Tylersdaytoday) May 25, 2017

An enormous fire destroyed the Green For Life recycling plant on Cherry Street Thursday morning. Latest video from the scene as shot by Tammie Sutherland of City News seems to show the demolished operation as a soggy mess. The burned out plant is sending heavy smoke across the bay and has left downtown smelling of burning rubbish. The fire appears to have threatened a next door mattress storage. As many as 40 vehicles are on the scene as is the TFS fire boat. No one has been injured so far.

LakeShore near Jameson Ave. (Joe Fiorino/CBC by Twitter)

A boy has died while cycling with his granddad on Lake Shore Blvd. near Jameson Ave. Wednesday evening. Police say the boy, 5, somehow fell causing him to drop out of the bike lane and into vehicular traffic. He was hit by a car and died later in the Hospital for Sick Children.