The South Bayview Bulldog

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 

Passengers on the Sunwing flight to Panama got a double dose of fear and aggressive handling today after their flight turned back to Toronto because of an unruly man. The 25-year-old seems to have been overcome by anger because Sunwing was unable to supply certain duty-free goods he ordered. He screamed, ripped up material and threatened to bomb the plane. He said among a number of things that everyone on board was going to die and that he hated Canada. The plane immediately turned back to Toronto, even though it was about 45 minutes out. At Pearson Airport, the Peel Region Emergency Response Team came aboard  the plane, rifles pointed and screaming “Heads down, hands up.” It isn’t surprising that a few passenger couldn’t quite get it right. The man, identified as Ali Shahi, is charged and in custody. Passengers have had lunch at the airport courtesy Sunwing and will be heading to Panama today. Sunwing said: “We are pleased to advise that all customers are safe and generally in good spirits. Sunwing is providing customers with complimentary meals and other assistance while they await the official start of their vacation.”   Photos: Captures from two videos taken by Sunwing passengers. Top credit Phil Thompson, bottom with hands showing, Alain Alphonso   

The last of Toronto’s international newspaper and magazine shops has closed. The landmark Maison de la Presse Internationale at 99 Yorkville Ave closed up this week, victim of the media world’s migration to the Internet. The shop specialized in foreign newspapers and magazines and was a particular favorite of foreign visitors to downtown. Maison was undone by the same forces imperiling so much of the print media.   “Digital is the one reason we’re losing sales,” said Cathy Ola, the store’s manager. “ People are online — they subscribe to magazines online. My customers say, ‘I already downloaded it online.’ That’s the biggest competition.” Toronto Star