Toronto Fire Service fought and extinguished a two-alarm fire in a dwelling at the rear of the Giffen-Mack Funeral home at 2570 Danforth Ave. near Main St. Thursday. The midmorning fire call required fire fighters to chop their way into the fire scene and find the source of fire behind a wall, it was reported. Damage was estimated at $200,000 but the business was saved.
Can COP21 leaders fight both climate change and terrorism?
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Paris will be the scene beginning Monday of COP21. It is a greatly anticipated gathering of world leaders who want to do something about climate change, as it is understood by scientists. COP we are told stands for Conference of the Parties, that is, those who care. The 21 is the Century of course. In all of this, however, some Europeans leaders may wish that the COP in question was a different sort of policeman. Maybe one designed to deal first with terrorism. Francoise Hollande said that mankind has as much duty to fight climate change as it does terrorism. So saying he gave one the same ranking as the other. The buoyancy of COP21 is attributable in part to the presence of Justin Trudeau, who has given some the belief that climate change is more important to him than anything. Today Quebec Premier Coullaird made a stem-winder of a speech against terrorism The CBC seems to think he has other things on his mind than the environment.
Kids and parents crowd Cody School for Winter Fair
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Emily is one of many kids having a word with Santa today.
Maurice Cody School Winter Fair is seeing hundreds of parents and Cody pupils filling the school basement today (Saturday, November 28, 2015) where there are many imaginative activities ranging from a money machine to a “kids cans” game of chance to the Home Depot “Build-It” Room where kids are hammering away with their moms and dads at small construction projects. The Cody basement is a labyrinth but it is spacious and welcoming with many signs and children’s art. Cody school was built in 1928. The place is a hive of parent and teacher volunteers including Principal Andrew Howard, who was handing out stuff to kids. Altogether, this year’s Winter Fair seems like an enormous accomplishment and a great credit to the organizers.
Maurice Cody Winter Fair underway Saturday morning
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Maurice Cody School Winter Fair is open this morning (10 a.m.) at the corner of Belsize Ave. and Cleveland St. It runs until 3 p.m and parent organizers promise wonderful attractions for parents and kids. They ask you to enter by the Cleveland Daycare Centre. Coat Check is up the stairs and Passport Pickup is at the bottom of the stairs. Please see map of the fair for all the things to see. Maurice Cody Winter Fair 2015 Map below. Parents site
Hodgson, Rosedale among 50 City ice rinks now open
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The newly-rebuilt Hodgson Public School outdoor rink at 276 Davisville Ave. is now open. Some 50 rinks across the City opened yesterday. Another is Rosedale Park Rink on Scholfield Ave., the scene of many great events including Mayfair. Outdoor rinks
Uptown Yonge BIA lights Yule tree in St. Clement’s Parkette
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You’re seeing triple in this tiled picture of the 2015 Upper Yonge BIA Christmas Tree which was lighted to an exuberant countdown Friday night. It’s a beauty. Much good luck this season to our friends to the west.
Black and Blue Friday as U.S. crowds duke it out for stuff
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There are many reasons why most people view the U.S Big Box Invention called Black Friday with skepticism. Sure, there are bargains but there are always bargains. And local retailers don’t like it because they can’t compete in the price slashing. There wasn’t much Black Friday excitement on Bayview Ave. or Mt. Pleasant Rd. today. That frenzy was reserved pretty much for the huge malls — Toronto Eaton Centre, Yorkdale and the rest. Then there was the fisticuffs (or maybe brawling is the word) in some U.S. malls. Canadian Tire had sales on everything from Christmas trees to pots and pans. Did you go crazy? Write to tell us what you got and for how much.
Grade 2 CGS class uses brains, teamwork to make math fun
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Students apply a number of disciplines to learning math
Math anxiety is on the rise for boys and girls and is often a source of frustration for children and parents. But math can be fun, as these children in the Grade 2 math class at CGS on Eglinton Ave. E. in Leaside are learning. The challenge was the figure out how many towers they could build with 20 blocks. Kids worked in groups and successfully uncovered numerical relationships using their brains, detective glasses and team work. (We love the detective glasses angle). The students recorded and graphed their answers in order to present to their classmates.
MAKING TIME FOR PRESENTATION
Making time for presentation is a critical part of the process at CGS as it gives students a chance to explain their work (deepening their understanding) and a chance to share their ideas. Hearing what others have done offers students a variety of strategies from which to choose. Most importantly, it makes learning math socially and academically engaging. Want to learn more about CGS programming? cgsschool.com
Gripping exchanges between the Crown and PC Forcillo
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There has been a gripping exchange of questions and answers as Crown Attorney Milan Rupic cross examines PC James Forcillo at his trial for the shooting death of Sammy Yatim. The media are reporting this compelling extract:
“In your mind, officers are entitled to bark orders and make demands and expect people to follow, and you were amazed when someone didn’t follow,” said the Crown.
“Police officers are entitled to choose what they think will work best in a particular situation,” Forcillo contended.
“Your job is not to win but to resolve the situation with the least amount of force necessary,” Rupic later went on.
“My job is to get the situation resolved,” Forcillo said firmly. “But one way or the other, Mr. Rupic, I’m going home that night.”
Rupic also said that Forcillo intended to kill Yatim when he fired nine times.
“Are you suggesting that firing nine bullets at somebody is not likely to kill him?” Rupic asked.
“I fired the bullets at him because I thought he was a threat to my life,” Forcillo said.
“I’m asking if you knew you were likely to kill Sammy Yatim,” Rupic asked.
“I am not considering whether these bullets are going to kill him. I’m considering whether or not they’re going to stop him.” The trial continues Monday
Guelph man spends $1.5 million to sponsor Syrian families
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Jim Estill
There has been an extraordinary act of kindness on the part of a wealthy Guelph businessman who will spend at least $1.5 million of his own money to sponsor 50 Syrian families and re-settle them in the Guelph area. He is Jim Estill, owner of Danby, a manufacture of kitchen appliances. Estill is required under the private refugee sponsorship program to commit to meet all of a newcomer’s needs for the first few months of their time in Canada. Amazing generosity. CBC
Development pressure at Eglinton West and Avenue Road
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The life-altering Eglinton Crosstown LRT is changing life in Forest Hill just as it is in Leaside. Terranata Developments wants to build a 15-storey condominium on a site right beside the new LRT station at the corner of Eglinton Ave. W. and Avenue Rd. The station will sit on the space now occupied by Mac’s and the Subway sandwich store. The highrise would take out the time-honoured and much-loved Yitz’s Deli plus two other properties which are now vacant. Together they make up the working name of the project — 346, 350, 352 and 356 Eglinton West. Two of those numbers — 352 and 356 — represent the former Oink Oink. Only Yitz’s is still occupied and doing business. A community meeting Tuesday, November 24, 2015, saw a litany of complaints about the height, location and increase in density that would flow from a 112-unit building. Funny how the world did not see this coming when the TTC said it must have a transit line across Eglinton. Councillor Chrstin Carmichael Greb (Ward 16) has been fielding a lot of complaints. Her office is saying the concept is way too high. Zoning permits as many as seven storeys but, as we have seen on the east of Yonge, that is no restriction in the minds of developers. Pressure is intense to go higher especially at major intersections. Yitz’s is in place for the forseeable future, according to management. But sooner or later — it might be five years — Yitz will have to move or call it a day.
Community Canned Food Drive is Saturday, November 28
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Organizers at St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church are reminding everyone who wants to help with the Community Canned Food Drive that they can be assigned a route to help pick up donations. Just go to the Church side entrance (opposite Humphries Funeral Home) or to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church at the corner of St. Clair Ave E and Clifton Rd, near Mount Pleasant. Be there by 9.30 a.m. tomorrow. It is a good way for students can earn volunteer hours.
DONATIONS OUTSIDE BY 9.30 A.M.
And you can donate by leaving your canned goods for pickup on the front porch by 9.30 tomorrow. The food drive is an ecumenical effort of local churches: Leaside Presbyterian, Leaside United, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Rosedale Presbyterian, Rosedale United, St. Anselm’s, St. Augustine’s, St. Cuthbert’s and Northlea United.
