Terror bombers begin to shut down trans-Atlantic travel

The inevitable result of deadly attacks on ordinary citizens by terrorists in Europe is being felt in the cancellations of overseas vacation travels. The Peel District School Board has cancelled all trips by its students to Europe out fear for the safety of the kids. Money has been refunded to students for trips they had signed up to take. Four high schools in the board were planning trips to Europe but board spokesperson Carla Pereira says that administrators decided this week to cancel three of the trips. In York Region and at the Toronto and District School board plans remain in place — for now. But in York Region further scheduled meetings may result in cancellations. The TDSB said: “As always, we will continue to monitor the situation and rely on travel advisories issued by the Government of Canada for any developments.” It is a moment of truth for European governments and the travel industry.  The unreported story of cancelled vacations in Canada and the United State will reveal the loss of millions of dollars of business at all levels.

LUC Awesome Sale advance furniture is TODAY

Leaside United Church’s Awesome Sale will hold a special advance (or pre-sale) of furniture on Saturday April 9, 2016. The sale is necessary because, as LUC’s Michele Petick explains, the church has a surplus of pieces and needs to clear them out for the regular awesome sale in May. Who knew? The sale will go from 10  a.m. to 2 p.m. that day. There are said to be great values on more than 100 items including sofas, chairs, tables, hutches, dressers, book cases, lamps and other things.

awesome

‘He’s the mayor of heaven now’ says Ford’s daughter

Among the many memorable scenes and sentiments expressed at the funeral of former mayor Ford at St. James Cathedral Wednesday has been his 10-year-old daughter Stephanie speaking with composure and eloquence: ‘He’s the mayor of heaven now’ she said.  CBC

St. Anselm’s steeple under repair at Millwood and Donegall

spire 550 Reshingling was underway Wednesday on the steeple of St. Anselm’s Catholic Church.

Crustaceans spot will crack shells soon at 1620 Bayview

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A third location of a crustaceans restaurant known as The Captain’s Boil will open at 1620 Bayview Ave. most recently home to Bite Me. The location has seen many restaurants come and go from this address since the long-running Italian kitchen Trastevere was a neighborhood favorite in the 1990s. Welcome Captain’s Boil and save a lobster for the Bulldog. Other feature dishes: Crawfish, Crab (Dungeness and King) Shrimp, Clams and Mussels. The firm has locations as well at 476 and 5313 Yonge Street.

TWEET: Parent Council of Leaside High met Tuesday

“I know what my role is,” says rock-steady Marie Henein

Jian Ghomeshi’s rock-steady defense counsel Marie Henein says women who think of  her as a traitor to her gender are victims of a “fundamental misconception.” The Cairo-born Canadian partner in the firm of Henein Hutchison LLP told Peter Mansbridege “I know what my role is in the justice system.”

Harrowing tale of failed bid to rescue teens in 2012 fire

An inquest in Whitby is examining response times and efforts made by firefighters to save three teenagers trapped upstairs in a frame house engulfed in flames. Court heard the 911 call in which the screams of the trapped teens left those present in tears and very unnerved. CBC

Police notice of Rob Ford procession and road closures

Toronto Police Serivce release — On Wednesday, March 30, 2016, the funeral service will be held for former Toronto Mayor and sitting City Councillor Rob Ford. A ceremonial procession will escort the late Councillor, his family, dignitaries, and public mourners to the public funeral at the Cathedral Church of St. James, at 65 Church St.

ROUTING

To facilitate the move from the designated public visitation site to the Cathedral Church of St. James, a procession will escort the funeral cortege, westbound across Nathan Phillips Square to the lane that runs from the west side of Toronto City Hall, southbound to Queen Street West, eastbound to Yonge Street, southbound to King Street, and eastbound on King Street East to the front of the church.

The funeral service will start at 12 p.m. and is expected to last 90 minutes. There may be as many as 650 people in the cathedral. The following are the main road closures:

CLOSURES

– King Street East (from Jarvis Street to Church Street)
– Adelaide Street East (Church Street to Jarvis Street)
– Church Street (Wellington Street East to Adelaide Street east)  Road closures will begin at 9 a.m., and are expected to last, intermittently, until approximately 3 p.m. TTC services will be diverted in the area.

Costco accused of demanding $1.3 million in drug rebates

Costco is being accused by generic drug maker Ranbaxy of insisting on an unlawful rebate of as much as $1.3  to get its medications stocked at the giant store chain’s pharmacies. The Ontario College of Pharmacists began its probe after a sales rep for generic drug maker Ranbaxy filed a complaint accusing Costco of squeezing out nearly $1.3 million in unlawful rebates. As described in a Toronto Star story, the heart of the complaint is a secretly recorded phone conversation of a Costco director explaining to a drug company sales rep how much the drug company would have to pay to “greatly reduce the likelihood of somebody eating your business.”  Metro News 

Tearing up the McDonald’s at Bayview and Eglinton

Thirty years later, it’s goodbye to the McDonald’s building that was part of the burger firm’s historic expansion of the 1980s. A giant backhoe is ripping up the parking lot Tuesday and will soon take down the former restaurant, second home to casual eaters and Leaside High kids. The site will become the “Leaside” LRT station at Bayview Ave. and quite possibly a good deal more. Metrolinx has consulted with developers about a large, maybe quite high building on this site and has purchased two of the four-plexes to the south on Bayview to make a sizeable  footprint for this new building.

Marco Muzzo sentenced to ten years for drivng deaths

Drunk driver Marco Muzzo was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for killing four people — three children and their grandfather — and for seriously injuring two others in a collision last fall. He has also been sentenced to a 12 year ban on driving after he is released from prison. Justice Michelle Fuerst passed sentence against the 29-year-old grandson of wealthy developer Marco Muzzo in a crowded courtroom.