Christmas Workshop set for Carrie’s Bamboo Bay School

elf-2 Carrie Tse’s school of creative arts has a nice holiday opportunity for little ones. The Littlest Elf Workshop proceeds through November 12 to December 17, 2015. Carrie Tse of Bamboo Bay creative school of arts is a well-known and trusted teacher. Her studio is upstairs right at the corner of Bayview and Millwood.

Dress code case at Biermarket regarding women servers

This type of case is not unknown and almost always results in the employer backing off. It remains true however that for whatever reason, and there may be a number, some women servers wear revealing dress. Workers are Jack Astors and other restaurants frequently wear dress that is revealing although not perhaps provocative. It really is a woman’s right to say yes or no

Retail hand Carrie Kirkman is president of struggling Sears

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Carrie Kirkman

Sears Canada has hired a veteran of the Canadian retail industry to be its president and chief merchant — a new position created to try to restore confidence in the struggling department store operator. Carrie Kirkman has most recently been interim president of shoe retailer Nine West Canada and was president of Jones Apparel Group from October 2010 until last April. Kirkman will work with Brandon G. Stranzl, who has been executive chairman of Sears Canada since the departure of Ronald Boire, who was chief executive and president of the troubled Canadian department store company for less than a year.

Police Town Hall tonight in Lea Rom to discuss traffic

Jon Burnside (Ward 26) will host Chief Mark Saunders and 53 Division officers for an Enforcement Town Hall in the William Lea Room at Leaside Arena tonight, November 3, 2015. It begins at 6.30 p.m. A release today notes that the meeting is important as a chance to voice concerns directly to the Chief of Police, Mark Saunders and the unit commander of 53 Division, Superintendent Gilbert. Mr. Burnside says a large community turnout will provide a strong message and help Chief Saunders and Superintendent Gilbert understand the concerns about traffic. Councillor Burnside: 416-392-0215 or councillor_burnside@toronto.ca.

Air quality? Ontario needs breathing room on Wall Street

Owning enormous debt makes people behave in strange ways. It seems Ontario’s nearly $300 billion public burden has prompted the Liberals to throw out previously sacred principles in favour of wangling a couple of dollars in road tolls. So it is that HOV (or high occupany) gospel is being re-written to make HOT lanes (toll roads) the new holy truth of highways. It doesn’t help the air quality, but it might give Ontario some breathing room on Wall Street. It is said we will know by the end of the year exactly where the Liberal government intends to establish HOT lanes and what the fees will be for using them. But they are coming and those who can afford cars, fuel and licenses will become the new darlings of correct conduct. Phooey to those ride-for-free car-pool sillies. The transportation minister says the government will not be removing regular lanes to create HOT lanes. He dismisses concerns that the HOV lanes created for the Pan Am Games caused a 73 per cent increase in accidents compared with the same July-August period in each of the previous four years. “HOV lanes don’t cause accidents,” said Mr. Del Duca, blaming the spike in collisions on “motorists who aren’t paying attention to the conditions of the road.” Thanks for your concern minister.

No LRT rider could daydream past Cowbell station

It appears Bayview Ave. is hardly worth mentioning as far as our Metrolinx station-naming brains are concerned. The LRT station at Eglinton Ave. E. and Bayview will see the name Leaside ace out Bayview, according to naming plans so far. Leaside is a historic name and will no doubt please many.

MT  PLEASANT

There could be little dispute with this name for the pretty little former bank building that will be the station at this important street. The Second Cup is now gone and those who have a special appreciation of the 1920s Bank of Commerce building are hoping it  doesn’t lose the graceful Palladian front door in renovations.

WHY NOT COWBELL?

Why does this important transportation junction need a boring name like Eglinton (current choice) or Yonge. Why not a local name rooted in the 19th Century? No dozy straphanger will daydream his way past Cowbell station. Just to the east of Yonge is the Salvation Army North Toronto Citadel which will be expropriated for an LRT exit. It sits on Cowbell Lane, a sweet name hearkening to the time farm kids could hear the cattle being herded home from grazing on the then non-existent Eglinton Ave.

LAIRD

Laird is certainly the safest bet for the station at this intersection  It remembers one of the executives of the Canadian Northern Railway Eastern Line that created Leaside. It will be a heck of a hike to the reaches of the homes on Aerodrome Crescent because there is no station at Brentcliffe.

SUNNYBROOK PARK

This station in the valley was to be called Leslie and some will no doubt prefer that. Other stations to the east are set to be named after important institutions like the Science Centre and the Aga Khan Museum. Then there will be Wynford, Bermondsey, Wexford (which is really Victoria Park) Pharmacy, Lebovic, Golden Mile, Birchmount,  Ionview and Kennedy  Some people have bitterly criticized the choice of  Wexford over Victoria Park. Still, Wexford places the station better on a very long street.

MISCHIEF: Thumb tack found imbedded in candy bar

Parents of a child in the East York neighborhood near Eastwood Rd. and Woodbine Ave. have found a thumb tack imbedded in a Kit Kat candy bar that was handed out at one of the homes visited by children. It was found Monday, November 2, 2015, at 5 p.m., as parents were checking a Halloween loot bag. No injuries were reported. The Toronto Police Service is asking parents to be vigilant and always thoroughly check all candy received from Halloween loot bags.
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Union tells teachers to do their jobs as deal is reached

Ontario has reached a tentative deal with public elementary teachers, ending a work-to-rule campaign that began last spring. Most critically for parents and children, the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario says it is advising its members to suspend their strike action. The settlement apparently means the government doesn’t have to follow through on its threat to dock the pay of teachers on administrative strikes. CP24

Little no-name plaza at Laird-Eglinton as good as vacant

laird-macs The little no-name plaza at the corner of Laird Drive and Eglinton Ave. E. is as good as vacant. Everyone is gone except Pizza Nova and they will depart Friday to open at the old Service Ontario storefront on the north side of Eglinton. The strip mall has been a neighborhood haunt and hang out for decades. Notice was given by Metrolinx for tenants to get out by October 15, 2015. Work will begin shortly on the main station for the LRT at this intersection. Over at Wiseys Pies and Bakehouse and the next door Starbucks things are even busier. The plaza held a Mac’s, Great Canadian Bagel, Second Cup, Mr. Sub and Pizza Nova.

CGS Open House this Thursday from 9.30 to 10.30 a.m.

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Looking for a Preschool or JK placement? Not sure about public school and considering private options? Did you know you have an excellent neighbourhood choice right under your nose? Find out why Children’s Garden School on Eglinton Ave. E. at Hanna Rd. may be a great fit for your child at their Open House this Thursday. RSVP tokscott@cgsschool.com. Visit cgsschool.com to learn more.

Ray Ratchford memorial at Original’s Sunday afternoon

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There will be an opportunity to remember and celebrate the life of Ray Ratchford on Sunday November 8 at Original’s Ale House in Toronto. It goes from 1 to 3 p.m. Originals is located at 1660 Bayview Ave. in Ray’s “hood”.  Ray Ratchford memorial  Bayview regular Ray Ratchford found dead at home.

“Congestion pricing” may be a solution posing as a miracle

The Toronto Star may be your best bet to understand the published labours of something called the Ecofioscal Commission relating to congestion and tolls. The commission’s conclusion is full of hope that the answer to congestion is tolls  The Ecofiscal thinkers have coined the expression “Congestion Pricing”. Okay. Tolls are certainly a solution to raising revenue. But our simplest brain process will tell us that congestion is always with us. There are ways to manage it but even Manhattan and the City of London have congestion despite high and multiple charges. Congestion Pricing may be a solution posing as a miracle. An alternate perspective is offered by some that Toronto’s congestion problem is mostly whining. Hey, just saying. On a minor note, Star writer Tess Kalinowski has fallen for the corruption of the word gridlock to describe congestion. It wouldn’t matter except there is something called gridlock and it needs a name. And you’re right  Nothing really happened in this post.