The South Bayview Bulldog

Toronto Staff has brought forward proposals for separate sets of rules for Uber vehicles and conventional taxis (like Beck) which will voted on by Council on April 14, 2016. Among the proposed rules are yearly inspections for Uber vehicles, criminal background checks for Uber drivers and the creation of a “vehicle-for-hire” license for Uber drivers. Uber would not be permitted to carry lights similar to a taxi or pick up passengers who hail them on the street. The City would also ease the burden on taxis by allowing taxi drivers to get their vehicles inspected at garages that meet the city’s requirements, instead of at city-run garages.

NO ENGLISH REQUIRED

One contentious recommendation is that drivers need not know English. Interesting. How does that work? Anyway, City Councillors think it is recipe for chaos and some hear the Uber Alles marching song of a rideshare Gestapo, in a manner of speaking.

The Women’s Network of St. Anselm’s Catholic Church Parish will hold its Spring Fling Craft Sale Sunday, May 1, 2016 with some 20 vendors in attendance. There will also be a bake sale and other items made by members of the parish. It runs from 9:30 to 1:30 at the church hall at McNaughton and Millwood Roads.

The Longest Yard at 535 Mt Pleasant will close at the end of April  A sister version of the Mt. Pleasant pub will continue to operate at 3313 Bloor Street West. The owners offered no particular reason for the closure but it is no secret that the struggle for dining and drinking business across South Bayview has sharpened in recent years. Places like Against the Grain and the Local on Laird Drive did not exist four years ago. These places a hugely busy. Regulars note that the Longest Yard has been on Mt. Pleasant for more than 30 years. Recollection of it in the early years of the Century as a crowded place are in keeping with the good times that rolled on before the economic collapse of 2008.  The pub will close on Sunday, May 1 2016 but will first hold a trademark lobster boil Monday, April 25 and a farewell party Saturday April 30..

The Premier has responded to questions about criticism by the police union that she suggested the TPS is afflicted with systemic racism. Mr. Wynne said her remarks with Black Lives Matter have been misunderstood. She was talking about systemic racism in a larger context. She cited examples of “groups that are not achieving at the same rate as other groups” and the over representation of some groups in the jail population. The concern that these matters are related to systemic racism may strain the definition of the word for many although racism is something of an etymological wildfire with additional meanings springing up all the time.

CBC

Hilde Lysiak

The South Bayview Bulldog is taking a moment to salute The Orange Street News in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. That’s where nine-year-old Hilde Kate Lysiak is editor, publisher, cleaner and quite possibly night watchman too. The enterprising girl got wind recently of a heavy police presence on Ninth Street so she legged it over there and soon had the story. There had been a homicide of all things. Hilde dashed home and posted a bulletin to the Orange Street News. Then she went to work with sister Isabel (the photo and video editor) and talked to police and neighbours to publish a five-star takeout on the crime. Apparently some fuddy duddies in Selinsgrove are upset. They think Hilde should be playing with dolls. Her Facebook page and YouTube channel were clogged with negative comments questioning her parents’ judgment in letting her do such work. Says Hilde: “It kind of gets me angry because just because I’m nine doesn’t mean I can’t do a great story,” she said. “It doesn’t mean I can’t be a reporter.” Hilde’s dad is Matthew Lysiak, a former reporter for the New York Daily News.

Dr. Kellie Leitch

Kellie Leitch, the MP for Simcoe-Grey, will run for the leadership of the Conservative Party, according to The Canadian Press. Leitch, 45, is an orthopedic surgeon with a distinguished academic background.  Leitch has been assembling a team for weeks to support her bid and has already been holding fundraisers and speaking to party faithful to raise her own profile. Leitch won the Collingwood area riding in 2015 with more than 46 percent of the vote despite a losing tide against her party nationally.

Wednesday’s absurd snow is the last straw, more or less. It will be warmer Thursday with rain. With the exception of Saturday, the days are looking progressively warmer. Weather Network 

That’s what Consumer Reports is saying about saving energy and using your dishwasher to maximum effect. We’re not sure frankly but it’s worth a look at this report by Mary Calvi of CBS News.

Who knew? Well Tampa Rays manager Kevin Cash did. He complained that the Jay’s winning run was not valid because Jose Bautista violated the new rule which says that runners may not slide “inside the bag” on a double play. Cash won the argument —  and the game — when replay umpires in New York agreed that Bautistsa did indeed slide inside the bag hindering the second base man’s efforts to throw to first. In video below the play-by-play announcer gets the call all wrong.  Canadian Press.

Christine Manning of Manning Canning at 105 Vanderhoof Ave. will host a “knife skills class” on Wednesday May 11, 2016 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. This hands-on class teaches  an understanding of the knives you need in your home “arsenal” and how to use them like a chef. Christine is the maker wonderful and savoury condiments and sauces right in Leaside. The teacher is Chef Cheryl Torrance. She will guide the evening class in how to properly cut an onion and julienne vegetables. Then Chef Cheryl will incorporate the food you have prepped into appetizers you can sample and enjoy. Class size is 10-12 participants with a minimum of 7 to have the class run and the price is $65 per person.

As it was

The Art Shoppe is now fully history and its former site a vacant lot awaiting construction of the multi-levelled condominiums which will replace it. The site sits at 2131 Yonge St between Hillsdale and Soudan Aves. The name will live on as the Art Shoppe Condos, a 304-foot building at its tallest (28 storeys) staggered down to 12 storeys to the south. The City’s saw-off with developers Freed and Capital was permission to go higher to the north beside the Quantum giants south of Eglinton. But to the south the 12 storey limit is intended to set a precedent for the inevitable development of structures pushing a century old which stretch down to Davisille Ave.