Here is the work in progress on Thursday, August 28, 2014, at Millwood Rd. and McRae Drive as signs saying no right turn on red go up.
No right turn on red in effect at Millwood-McRae
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Holt Renfrew closes stores in Ottawa, Quebec City
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| 1910 ad for new Toronto store |
Holt Renfrew says it will close its stores in Ottawa and Quebec City at the end of January 2015. The decision is taken in the face of what is expected to be intense new competition across the country from Nordstrom and in Toronto from Saks. The company says the Ottawa store has 72 employees, while the Quebec City store has 85. But is the profound turning of the corner in Canada’s retail history that grips the attention as much as the job losses. Founded in 1837 as a superior fur shop in Quebec City, Holt Renfrew (or Holt’s) has been Canada’s premier clothing store for women for more than a century. Holt Renfrew is focusing expansion plans on its key markets in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal. Holts says it will expand and renovate its Bloor St. store in Toronto, including the addition of a new facade. Stores in Vancouver and Calgary will also be updated.
OMB okay for “outrageous” towers on Broadway
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Residents north of Eglinton East are venting a lot of steam these days with the decision to permit a twin-towered development at 95-99 Broadway Ave on the corner of Redpath Ave. That location is between Yonge St. and Mt. Pleasant Rd. The development rises to some 34 storeys with the towers located on a so-called podium, as is architecturally in vogue these days. It is owned by Sentinel (Broadway) Holdings Inc. The final approval was given in recent days by the Ontario Municipal Board, a body that is deeply disliked by municipal councillors. Josh Matlow (Ward 22) calls the approval “outrageous”. He says the proposal for “two 38-storey (sic) towers on a relatively small site (runs) counter to the tenets of the provincial growth plan, which states that the greatest heights and densities should occur at the intersection of Yonge and Eglinton and then decrease the further away a development is located from that junction. This project will have a density twice that of the Minto development. While there is nothing more that can reasonably be done to fight this development, the experience has furthered my resolve to free Toronto from the OMB.” Urban Toronto
Operation Yellowbird recovers costly hot cars
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Early morning raids numbering perhaps as many as 30 were carried out by Toronto Police today. They have netted what cops call “extremely significant amounts of property”. Police swooped down in widespread locales around dawn –Toronto, York Region and Niagara Region — in what they named Operation Yellowbird. An expensive yellow porsche was stolen early in the investigation. Police recovered 23 vehicles worth as much as $2 million. It’s alleged those involved in the break-ins stole jewelry, electronics and luxury goods as well as high-value vehicles. Heavily armed tactical officers were involved in the early-morning raids. A news conference is scheduled for Thursday with more information.
Rob Ford uncouth, inept and maybe electable
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Two weeks after its August 8, 2014 poll showing John Tory in the lead for the office of mayor, Forum Research has another poll showing the gap between Tory and Mayor Ford is closing. In early August Tory had 35%, Ford 27% and Chow 25%. Today’s poll reveals Tory with 34%, Ford 31% and Chow with 23%. These results are taken here as evidence there is really nothing the public likes about Mr. Ford except his politics. If the mayor can make the public forget that he is an alcoholic and former drug user, a foul-mouthed man with not-very-nice instincts about women — then he has a chance. Why? Because the other candidates continue to gift Mr. Ford with issues that strike home with taxpayers. The Bulldog noted this week that City Council had decided to pay Councillor Maria Augimeri’s $5,000 legal bill for the libel she carelessly committed against a political opponent. The issue is Ford’s to win votes on. He will.
Breaking: “Hello Kitty” is a little girl, not a cat
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Sandals testing limits of logic on math scores
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Education Minister Liz Sandals is in danger of talking through her hat when she tries to explain how Ontario children have learned mathematics but somehow or other can’t apply it. That does not make sense, does it? CP24
Sunwing flight sent back to Pearson — again!
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Two women have been arrested after a Sunwing charter flight to Cuba was turned back to Toronto after what the airline calls a serious disruption aboard the flight. Peel police said two female parties caused a disturbance on-board that aircraft and also uttered some comments that were concerning to the pilot. There is a shedding of inhibition with the prospect of a vacation, and perhaps a drink or two.
Wards 22 and 26 members deal on BIA process
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There was a working compromise reached at City Council Wednesday (August 27, 2014) in the debate about a name for a proposed business improvement area (BIA) for South Bayview. John Parker (Ward 26) moved a motion to delete the name Bayview Leaside which had earlier been attached to the request to the Clerk for a formal vote of merchants and landlords on the street. The motion asked that the city proceed with the vote (or poll) to determine support but that the BIA remain nameless until it is created. The motion was seconded by Josh Matlow (Ward 22) whose ward shares the Bayview Ave business district on the west. Mr. Matlow has been a strong voice in favour of a name which is inclusive of those living on both sides of the street. As residents will know, Leaside sits to the east, Davisville Village to the west. A poll in the South Bayview Bulldog is running approximately 77 percent in favor of the name South Bayview.
Dolphin “asks” human for help to escape netting
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There is new video which shows a touching and informative initiative taken by a dolphin in the wild near Hawaii in getting a human to help the mammal free itself from netting that had become knotted on one of its fins. As the narration in this ITN report tell us, the dolphin sought out the diver and pushed up against him with the entangled fin. As you will see, the diver went to work to remove the netting.
Rescue video: Boaters plucked from brink of Falls
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Two boaters were about two miles from the brink of Niagara Falls when they were snatched from disaster by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter. Coast Guard officials say their Buffalo station received a call around 9:15 p.m. Monday (August 26, 2014) reporting a 19-foot motor boat with two men aboard was anchored in the Niagara River about 2,000 feet inside the 2.5-mile exclusion zone from the falls. A crew from the Coast Guard air station in Detroit was dispatched to the scene, along with a Coast Guard vessel from Buffalo and boat crews from state and local police. The river’s shallow depth prevented the vessels from reaching the anchored boat. A Coast Guard helicopter rescued the two boaters shortly before midnight.
We’re freaking out Burger King will wreck Tim’s
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Canadians are said to be freaking out that Burger King will somehow wreck Tim Hortons. The company has issued a news release this morning trying to reassure consumers. Yesterday the news caused an uproar in Washington where Democrats are incensed that Obama loyalist Warren Buffet threw in three billion dollars so Burger King could make the deal. Washington Post