Panicked viewers call 911 over Alert Ready warnings

by  • 

The Alert Ready warning folks were at it again Wednesday morning, interrupting television with examples of what we can expect if there is ever a catastrophe so great it requires this body to give us direction. Hey, it could happen. But it was also more or less pre-ordained that sooner or later people would be panicked by the funny buzzing and urgent voice. Now Toronto Police Operations (TPS Ops) has tweeted a plea for panicked TV watchers to NOT call 911. It’s only a test. Below is what the test looked like on CP24 in June. More at:  Martians? No, just your friendly Alert Ready System
ready sepia

Ontario managers get increases despite salary freeze: Star

by  • 

Some 8,400 managers in the Ontario civil service will get hefty wage increases despite the reputed salary freeze in effect. The reason, according to the government, is that managers are falling behind their unionized employees who get raises regardless of the freeze. On average, the increases come to $6,905 each for 8,400 civil service managers. The reason there is a wage freeze is because Ontario is groaning under a debt that has won it the prize for the non-sovereign jurisdiction with the largest per capita debt in the world.  You know, cancelling electric plants and such. Rob Ferguson, Toronto Star 

Bayview handyman Peter (“Pie”) Vryssaotis dead at age 59

by  • 

pi

Peter (Pie) Vryssaotis Jr.

Peter (Pie) Vryssaotis Jr. passed away at the age of 59 on Saturday, December 12, 2015.  Mr. Vyrssaotis was well known to friends, residents and merchants along South Bayview Ave. where he was employed for many years as a handyman at a number of businesses including the Bagel House at 1548 Bayview.  Pie was the sole caregiver to his 93-year-old father with whom he lived.  A sister to Mr. Vryssaotis is arriving from Greece to attend to the family’s affairs.  Visitation will be held on Friday, December 18, 2015 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Trull Funeral Home Danforth Chapel.  Funeral Mass is scheduled for Saturday, December 19, 2015 at 10 am at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 30 Thorncliffe Park Dr.. More here.

Starbucks wine at three stores but not South Bayview

by  • 

Starbucks has applied for permission to serve wine in the evening at locations at 3079 Bloor West in The Kingsway, 446 Spadina in Forest Hill  and 1740 Avenue Rd. near Lawrence Ave. It is part of the plan to bring the so-called Evenings concept to Canada. This is a program of wine and snack food like nuts and olives to be served after 4 p.m.  “Just as each customer is unique, so are our stores and we consider a broad range of products and experiences for each neighbourhood,” said Starbucks spokesperson Madeleine Lowenborg-Frick in an email to CBC News. Starbucks has many locations nearby including Bayview Ave., Eglinton Ave E and Laird Dr., Mt Pleasant and Soudan, Laird and Kenrae Rd. and in both the Smart Centre and Leaside Village (Longo’s).

“See something, text something” new anti-terror watchword

by  • 

The insidious nature of people who are able to commit hurtful acts against the public has prompted U.S. law enforcement to ask the public to text suspicious things they see on social media — Facebook or Twitter mostly.

Agnes Macphail Award nominations are open for 2016

by  • 

macphail

Agnes Macphail

Geoff Kettel has sent mail to his many contacts reminding them that nominations for the Agnes Macphail Award are open for 2016. Agnes Macphail was Canada’s first woman Member of Parliament (elected in 1921) and later served in the Ontario Legislature for the riding of York East, which included Leaside. For a number years, Ms. Macphail lived at the corner of Millwood Road and Donegall Drive. The award in her name is given annually to a resident of the former Borough of East York  who best embodies similar volunteer spirit in the field of social justice. The former Borough of  East York includes East York, Leaside, Thorncliffe Park, Governor’s Bridge, and Bennington Heights. The deadline for nominations is midnight on Thursday January 28, 2016. The award will be presented on Agnes Macphail’s birthday, Thursday March 24, 2016. The Awards Ceremony and celebration will be held at the East York Civic Centre starting at 7 p.m.

Cops warn Nigerian car ring may still have use of stolen data

by  • 

Toronto Police are warning that data stolen by a corrupted Service Ontario employee may still be available to potential thieves even though police have broken up the gang with the arrests announced last week. Police also say that car thefts appear to have dropped significantly with the sweep of raids that ended Project CBG. The 53 Division Facebook page asks however that homeowners in South Bayview and elsewhere “continue being vigilant in protecting your vehicles and your property. The information which was shared about vehicle registration by the suspects prior to being taken into custody is out there. Although there is no new information going out to identify new luxury vehicle location, the existing information might be used by others who are in possession of the files.” The police ask owners to protect keys both while in use and at home. If possible, place the car in a garage. Also report suspicious behaviour in the community and if you have further information about vehicle theft contact police.

Police arrest Rohinie Besisar in stabbing investigation

by  • 

Police have arrested Rohinie Bisesar, the woman wanted for a stabbing in the City’s underground PATH shopping lanes last Friday. Previous post 

Kringlewood party raises 400 lbs. of food for Daily Bread

by  • 

Amy Westin, organizer of the Inglewood as Kringlewood street party, says it looks like the event brought in 400 lbs of food for donation to the Daily Bread Food Bank. The target was 300 lbs. It’s a credit to the generous gang which crowded Inglewood Drive in Moore Park Sunday evening.  Previous post 

FREE ZONE: No beer at grocery stores in South Bayview

by  • 

leap forward

Just to give you a smile, the epic leap to beer sales in Ontario grocery stores has leaped right over South Bayview. The CP24 store list is here but will be of slight interest to most people. In fact, the status quo seems fine here in both Don Valley West (Her Premiership’s riding) and the adjoining neighborhoods in all directions. It seems Leaside, Davisville Village, Moore Park, Lawrence Park and other nice places will carry on somehow. There’s always the Beer Store.

HISTORICAL NOTES

Ms. Wynne is said to have made history by buying a six pack at an event in the Loblaws on Leslie Street near the Lakeshore Tuesday morning. No such thing has happened since the end of prohibition in Ontario (1925). Maybe not even then.  It may add context that it was once a concern that Ontarians might buy groceries in a grocery store — at least with a credit card. In the early days of such things (when Visa  was called Chargex) the Ontario Government refused to permit grocery stores (Dominion, Loblaws, A&P) to accept credit cards for grocery purchases. It was suggested that feckless card holders would over-buy on things like tomatoes and baloney.

TPS Ops tweets 3-vehicle accident at Millwood and Airdrie

by  • 

About 10.15 Tuesday morning Toronto Police Operations (TPS Ops) tweeted news of a three-vehicle accident, apparently not too serious, at the corner of Millwood Rd. and Aidrie Rd.

New Zealand will vote on which of these flags to salute

by  • 

pro flags

New Zealand will vote on whether to change its flag in March after a run-off competition produced an official contender. It has a blue and black background with a white fern and the traditional four red stars representing the Southern Cross. Opinion seems to be widely divided in the island nation with as many as 49 percent of the electorate coming out to vote on which contender would be the final choice against the current New Zealand flag. The issue for a sizeable number of New Zealanders is the inclusion of the United Kingdom’s Union Jack in the dominant upper left hand corner. It has been the flag since colonial beginnings and throughout New Zealand’s self-governing lifetime. Turnout was around 1.5 million. Many people are unhappy about the cost of the project, some NZ$26 million (about $24 million Canadian). The election will no doubt be watched by the many New Zealand expatriates living in Toronto.