Afternoon break-in by forced door on Pears Ave.

Police say there was a break-in on Pears Avenue in 53 Division last Thursday (July 27, 2014) between 3 and 6 p.m. when entry was gained into the premises by forcing a door. A quantity of jewellery was stolen the resident reports 

Willis Blair Parkette named for former EY mayor

Willis Blair 

Toronto has honoured the late Willis Blair, the former of East York (1973-1976). Mr . Blair served the borough in various capacities for 18 years. The O’Connor Village Parkette on O’Connor Drive near Bermondsey Road was renamed Willis Blair Parkette. Janet Davis (Ward 31) joined Blair family members, former East York Mayors Michael Prue and Alan Redway, former Toronto Councilor Case Ootes (Ward 29) and members of the community to celebrate the renaming. Mr. Blair died April 5, 2014 at the age of 90. He also served as the chair of the Liquor Licence Board of Ontario.

Local floods as lightning, hail, rain cross Ontario

One of a number of places where cars were stalled by flooding is pictured by Global news on Twitter. The scene is at Highway 404 and Steeles Ave. E. There has been hail in Brampton as well as in Unionville. In Southwestern Ontario, there are reports of downed trees and heavy rain.  Twitter #onstorm  CBC gallery of storm

Red Bull daredevils in scary cliff diving contest

American Steve LoBue has won the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series event in Portugal. Amazing scenery and gut-wrenching dives. Simon Longden of ITN narrates this little story for your pleasure and enlightenment. We liked it.

Car hurtles backwards at London Costco lot killing girl, 6

An unexplained backward crash of a car into the doors of the London Costco store has taken the life of a six-year-old girl. Addison Hall (inset top) has been kept alive on life support and a decision was made to permit her to die and provide organ transplants. The car is said to have lurched backward an unstated distance and smashed through the doors. Allison and others were in the path of the vehicle. Her three-year-old sister Miah Bozek and mother Danah McKinnon-Bozek were also injured and remain in hospital. Ms. McKinnon-Bozek was eight months pregnant when the collision happened and underwent an emergency cesarean section. Both Miah and the newborn are in critical condition, while their mother is in fair condition. The car was said to have been driven by a woman in her 60s. 

Infants stricken with eye cancer touch our hearts

The heartbreaking story of an Alberta couple whose triplets have been diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer has touched the hearts of the citizens of Toronto. Richard and Leslie Low were hustled down to Ontario when doctors discovered the terrible disease progressively damaging the eyes of their infant sons. The babies are at the Hospital for Sick Children. Two of the boys have already had an eye removed.  CTV reports that just more than 36 hours after posting a plea for temporary Toronto housing on their blog the couple had 80,000 visits and some 500 emails from Toronto residents offering accommodation to the family. Others have offered money and various types of support. CTV

Teacake picture flavours Commonwealth Games

Some entertaining pictures are emerging from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. This shot of paraders dressed in costumes depicting Tunnock’s Teacakes is popular. It has caused a flood of requests to the famous Scottish bakery to buy the costumes. Unfortuntely, Tunnock’s merely has real teacakes. Gallery of Commonwealth Games pictures 

Caplansky a sponsor at Palestinian film event

Zane Capalansky and truck

The ever-enterprising delicatessen and food truck owner Zane Caplansky has sponsored an event at the Toronto Palestine Film Festival in August. Not all Jews and Palestinians hate each other he says. Caplansky calls the present situation heartbreaking and says he would like see the fighting stop. “Violence just begets violence,” he says. We can agree but many Jews say Hamas doesn’t care about the old truth. Caplansky says he is shocked and embarrassed that members of the local community have reacted negatively to his gesture of compassion and tolerance. Over the  past decade or so, Caplansky has turned a tiny walk-up sandwich joint into a thriving smoked meat and similar food business, complete with a food truck he calls Thundering Thelma. This vehicle last appeared around here a couple of weeks ago at the Leaside Lawn Bowling Club where young madcap friends of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation played the gentle game and chomped smoked meat. See that here

Bread Buddies arts and crafts outside COBs

This happy young lady was part of the Bread Buddies arts and crafts event sponsored by Bamboo Bay and COBs on Bayview Saturday. The event is ongoing and you can enter by linking here  Carrie Tse and Bamboo Bay

John Tory (Fest?) at Toronto Beer Festival

That well-known man of the people John Tory was figuring large in the kick-off today of the Toronto Beer Festival. Take a look at the aptly named Twitter hashtag  #BeerMe

Toronto Police release data to show policing is fair

The Toronto Police Service today issued a series of maps and written material intended to show that the use of so-called Community Safety Notes (CSN) is done reasonably and directed solely towards controlling crime. TPS has been criticized in some instances about how and why such notes occur. The police are accused of targeting black youth. The enclosures drawn on the map above show where the most shootings occur, say the cops. The red parts of the city are where the most Community Safety Notes are written. The correlation of circled areas and red coloured neighborhoods is given as cause for confidence in the judgement of the police. The relative crime free areas in the centre of the map include 53 Division, home of South Bayview and the wonderful places we all call home. Lucky us. Police release 

Bayview medley features adjustable dress form

This Bayview Ave medley re-visits (left) the once merely bent but now totally mangled street sign at Belsize Drive and Bayview. It is the victim of Hydro One’s new pole program. Centre, all we can say is “please don’t fall in.” Now that the old terrazzo turn to gravel pavement is gone the remaining holes look a little like shallow graves. Creepy. And finally to Pagnello, the enteral antique shop which Saturday was showing a mint condition “adjustable dress form” including the new-looking sticker reminding us that the patent for this marvelous device was acquired in 1909. And that’s your South Bayview medley