Firefighting foam fills hangar as system goes haywire

Toronto airport hangar fills with foam from malfunctioning fire system.

Recalling 1950 harness racing at Thorncliffe Raceway

Standardbred Canada has written an interesting little history of the revivial of harness racing at Thorncliffe Raceway beginning in 1950.

Chilly weekend but getting warmer for coming week

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Sandra Bullock, looking good at 51 draws crowd at TIFF

The entertaining and thoughtful Bullock fielded questions. Her film Our Brand is Crisis is at TIFF. Sun  Bullock and Clooney reunite

$10 million asking for secret place at foot of St. Clair E

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The agent, Leanne Weld, describes this home as a rare and extraordinary offering. It sits at 514 St.Clair Ave. E where the street ends at the Moore Park ravine. Locals remember its construction in the 1980s with the demolition of two homes. It sits on nearly acre in the heart of the city. It also has potential to sever a lot. The asking is $10,000,000.

Blue Jays paste Yankees 11-5 in New York series opener

Blue Jays are the potent 2015 league-leaders we can’t enough of as they paste the New York Yankees 11 to 5 in New York. Jays lead the American League East by 2.5 games.

Elementary talks “called off” as parents remain in the dark

Many people expected a bad end to the elementary school labour talks and that seems to be what they’re getting. Meetings have broken off and both sides are proclaiming a kind of wonderment that this has happened. The education minister, Liz Sandals, says the government and the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association have tabled a “comprehensive” proposal to the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) that she says is in line with the tentative agreements reached with other teacher unions in the province. The head of the teachers union, Sam Hammond seems staggered: “We’re shocked at this development,” he said. Hammond accused the Liberal government of “walking away” from talks and refusing to continue bargaining. He hinted at even tougher action in schools where labour strife has already cost 800,000 public elementary school kids field trips and parents chances to meet with teachers.

LITTLE CONCERN STATED FOR PUPILS

And so, the mothers and fathers who elected the government watch, without information, as the school system they own is held hostage by the union. Such circumstances would not be permitted except through the fear of electoral vengeance of a province-wide union of teachers ready to vote against the Liberals at the next election. There is no apparent capacity in the cabinet to face down the teachers with back-to-work legislation and little interest expressed among teachers for their professional duty.

Police warn South Bayview owners of Lexus, Toyota SUVs

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Police at 53 Division are warning owners of Lexus and Toyota SUVs to get their cars locked and, if at all possible, into garages. Detectives are not sure whether the gang of thieves stealing these vehicles in the area, including South Bayview, have access to electronic devices which can compromise an SUV’s security system. But there has been a spike in the theft of these vehicles and the dirty work is being done smoothly. There is no sign of damage at any of the scenes. It began in January. Investigators are asking members of the public to be vigilant when securing their SUVs, even in their driveways. Using a locked garage is recommended and any spare keys for SUVs should be kept in a safe location.

SIX DISAPPEARED ONE NIGHT IN 2009

They also ask people to report what they see. Suspicious cars patrolling the neighborhood or anyone lingering near a car. All of this is too similar to the night six years ago of the big Toyota sweep: Toyota thefts recall 2009 heist of six Highlanders  It is still unsolved. There is a very sophisticated organization at work. They have inside knowledge of the vehicles and how to get them out of the country. These cars are popular abroad and unlike U.S. trademarks such as GM and Ford the Japanese cars blend right into the local scene.

Pusateri’s aiming to re-open in time for Christmas rush

There is discussion among staff and managers at Pusateri’s flagship store on Avenue Road that the quality grocer is shooting to re-open in December in time for Christmas shopping. Pusateri’s was struck by fire Sunday, August 15, 2015. Investigation focused on something in the coffee bar and the fire has been declared accidental. It was unknown until damage had been fully assessed just how long it would take to open the doors again. Now as work continues inside it appears the principals feel it is a reasonable goal to open before Christmas.

117 Hudson Dr. on Moore Park ravine asking $2,895,000

117 The agent doesn’t say when 117 Hudson Drive was built but it appears by its appearance and location to be among the post-war homes constructed on the remaining land of the Simpson estate. The lot is 70 by 263 feet, nice but a width which these days makes the neighbors edgy about intensification — two homes for one. But it is beautifully set and maintained with three bedrooms, four baths, lovely principal rooms and a pretty good-looking back yard notwithstanding that some of the property goes down towards Mud Creek. The asking is $2,895,000

U of T threat: How well do editors vet online comment

It may well be, as some are saying, that people who threaten death online are less likely to actually do it because they ventilate. Possibly. But that hopeful reading of online threats is no substitute for the type of defensive moves being taken at the University of Toronto this morning. In recent days a comment somewhere on BlogTO threatened to shoot women in the university’s women’s studies department. Many publications, especially online, have a fairly rigid requirement for those wishing to comment. As well, most publications have someone take a look at what was actually said before it is permitted online. BlogTO requires only that the reader give a name and the comment is published immediately. That may be too easy. The South Bayview Bulldog reads every comment before it is published and like most publications, reserves the right to discard any comment for any reason. The most remarkable trove of obscene threatening and abusive comment by far is found on Youtube. There, for reasons not entirely clear, it seems anyone can publish anything and have it remain there indefinitely.

Morning Glory youth cycling program at Sunnybrook Park

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This fine group of young people was at Sunnybrook Park on Wednesday as part of the Morning Glory Cycling Cycling Club youth cycling program. MGCC has a program for children 3 to 14 years to learn riding skills and fun grass-track racing. Grass-track racing is a popular European sport for kids learning to cycle competitively and is a fun and safe way to introduce kids to bike racing. The program is run weekly in season.  Thanks to Dr. Tim Marshall of the Bayview Chiropractic Clinic for this.