Business was brisk at Alex Farm Cheese on Bayview Wednesday
Stores seemed busy along Bayview Ave. Wednesday, the day before Christmas Eve. Many businesses have posted holiday hours which will see them close early Thursday. Restaurants like Vero Trattoria and LIT coffee and stores like Write Impressions will close at 3 p.m. Thursday. But there is still time to shop tomorrow. McSorley’s Wonderful Saloon is staging brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.on Boxing Day.
The City of Toronto is reminding residents to keep a safe distance from raccoons after the discovery of ten cases of rabies in raccoons in Hamilton. These are the first cases of raccoon rabies since 2005 and they may signal a broader infection across the province. So far, Toronto has been free of reported cases but the raccoon population is very large and there could well be rabid raccoons as yet unknown. Residents are asked to avoid feeding or touching raccoons, ensure that pets have up-to-date vaccinations and keep pets on a leash. The City is also asking owners to make sure pets are attended when outside. This will seem like a difficult challenge for cat and dog owners. It also notes that the raccoon population in Ontario is experiencing elevated incidents of Distemper, a virus that can symptomatically mimic rabies. Distemper is not transmissible to humans. Toronto Animal Services will pick up sick or injured wildlife. If residents see animals that are in distress, they should contact 311.
Published Wednesday, December 23, 2015 by Yonge and Roxborough News. Fact is, there may be snow this winter.
At least three separate businesses are launching apps this season that will let homeowners summon snowplow operators to clear their driveway. Similar to Uber, the apps will connect smartphone users with the nearest available operator and handle payments automatically, with the respective startup taking a cut off the top, the Globe and Mail’s Peter Nowak reports. SnowMowr will launch on Jan. 6 in six Ontario cities: Ottawa, London, Windsor, Kitchener-Waterloo, Sudbury and Hamilton. The three co-founders have worked in sales and telecommunications and have been working on the app for a year, with the past six months spent signing up operators. Clearing a driveway will cost $35 to $75, depending on its size, with SnowMowr taking an unspecified percentage of the transaction. SnowMowr will be competing against at least two other startups: Ottawa-based easyplow and Toronto-based Eden App. Link to the story
These fun guys prefer to dance in the snow rather than clear it
The CBC is quoting the OPP as saying that the QEW may open by 3 p.m. Wednesday (December 23 2015).
Well, if the good folks at Wiseys Pies and Bakehouse can get over being told their savory pies and muffins are like the poutine of New Zealand (oh dear) it’s fine. Actually, the spread by Star writer Michele Henry is a great acknowledgement of just how far this business has come since it was discovered by The South Bayview Bulldog during a walk along Eglinton East near Laird Drive. That story appeared on May 7, 2014. We didn’t even know the names Gary and Karen Wise, much less Anthony Spinley and Jen Orenstein. But it was clear something good was coming. Part of that first story was a wonderful scratchy old recording of a paean to New Zealand pie culture accompanied with video of pie making. See it below. Michele Henry, Toronto Star
Flaming wreck was filmed by husband as wife drove west. Fire is in east lanes
Traffic cameras show backup westbound, road closed eastbound
Two people are dead in a flaming wreck on the QEW at Trafalgar Road in Oakville. Traffic into Toronto from the west is badly snarled because of the accident and OPP say it will keep the eastbound lanes of the QEW closed possibly until morning. The four-vehicle crash took place at Trafalgar Road. Above are captures taken from video tweeted by Sean Shapcott @SeanShap as he and wife passed the accident at speed. CBC 11.50 pm. Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Two drivers accidentally collided at Millwood Rd. and LeMay Rd. Tuesday night. It may have been an angled T-bone from one of the vehicles turning left off LeMay into Millwood. This is in front of 608 Millwood. No one on the sidewalk was a bit of good luck and there were no reported injuries in the cars.
Construction “boulevard” in centre of Eglinton Ave. E. Photo: Bob Arsenault
The traffic accident at Eglinton Ave. and Banff Rd. tonight reminds us that the wild and crazy conditions existing at Eglinton and Bayview Ave have extended west. Metrolinx has constructed a huge “boulevard” down the centre of Eglinton between Bayview and Banff. This prevents all left turns onto Cleveland, Hoyle and Mann. So there is a lot of action centred on Banff and Eglinton where the accident occurred about 7 p.m. Tonight’s little smash-up required the detour of several TTC bus routes down Banff, east on Soudan and then north on Cleveland to avoid the obstruction.
Elderly residents of a care home in Wiltshire England have been entertained by Cupid the reindeer that climbs stairs to make sure everyone is visited. One lady said it made her Christmas. Entire year, more like.
A Toronto woman, Bridgette McGregor, has given harrowing testimony at the trial of PC James Forcillo into the shooting death of Sammy Yatim. Ms McGregor said she was drawn to look at Yatim when she saw her sister staring at the teen. That’s when McGregor saw he had exposed himself and that he had a knife. As she tried to move, Yatim told her she “wasn’t ging anywhere.” The woman held up here purse in defense and felt the knife thud against it. Canadian Press
