Noah Ritter is apparently a worldwide sensation

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An adorable and astonishingly chatty little guy named Noah Ritter is a worldwide sensation on YouTube and in the press. He is the toast of millions for his interview at the Wayne County Fair in Pennsylvania where reporter Sofia Ojeda merely asked Noah what he thought of a ride he had just been on. “It was great. Apparently I’ve never been on live television before,” he told Sofia. Why apparently? Noah has heard this word many times before maybe even from Sofia herself. It’s that handy caution journalists use to hedge their bets about the accuracy of what they’re reporting. Like, “apparently police think so and so.” In other words, be warned that maybe we know this for a fact, or maybe not. Anyway, Noah has gone from success to success. 

Taste of Danforth road closings this weekend

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Police have announced road closings for the Taste of the Danforth event this weekend. The days are Friday, August 8, 2014 to Sunday, August 10, 2014. Road closures will run from Friday, August 8, 2014 at 11 a.m. to Monday, August, 11, 2014 at 1 a.m. Danforth Avenue will be closed from Broadview Avenue to Jones Avenue. All intersections 30 metres north and south from Broadview Avenue to Jones Avenue, will be closed. Motorists are advised to consider the road closures when planning for their travels. The event will proceed regardless of weather conditions. The long-time and very successful attraction causes other Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) to dream about having similar success with their promotions. Taste of the Danforth has certain assets which only a few other BIAs possess. That would be the main subway line and enormous parking. 

Memo to the Second Cup: It’s the Coffee

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Second Cup should have it all. They’ve got pretty good locations, a neat name and they’re Canadian. Why is the Second Cup the second choice of so many coffee drinkers? Today Second Cup Ltd. suspended its quarterly dividend to refocus on growing the business. Second-quarter sales and earnings have been going backwards. Sales fell 3.9 percent to $45.8 million, and comparable cafe sales declined 5 percent in the three months ended June 28.  Yes there’s competition but coffee drinkers might well agree that Second Cup has let Tim Horton’s eat its lunch. The secret is better coffee and better sweets. Starbucks has good coffee but its muffins aren’t anything to write home about. Horton’s has been smart to offer a lot more food than the others while talking up its coffee. It seems to have worked. Another perspective is had by noting that Second Cup is a largely franchised business and frankly that can make it hard to sustain a high standard across the whole chain.

Brown pill, clear capsule bring grief to VELD party

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As they promised, Toronto police have updated their search and public appeal for the unknown drugs or substances that caused so much grief at the VELD concert over the weekend. Two people are dead and 13 others were hospitalized after ingesting what cops say was one or more of two items — a small brown pill and a small clear capsule containing a white substance. They had earlier urged anyone who may have bought the drug to turn it over to authorities so experts can analyze the substance. Det. Sgt. Peter Trimble says several people have since turned over the drugs. George Mammoliti (Ward 7) has said the city should consider banning Electronic Dance Music (EDM) events on public property. CP24 

Teen boy 16 in BMW strikes boy 17 on bicycle

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Police have reported the tragic case of two young men, one driving a car and the other on his bike. Now the 17-year-old cyclist is dead. It happened  Friday, August 1, 2014, at about 5 p.m. at Sheppard Avenue East and Neilson Road. The 17-year-old was riding a bicycle westbound on Sheppard and the other boy, 16, driving a BMW 323i westbound on Sheppard Avenue East. Thus it appears that the car and bike were traveling in the same direction and presumably were required to share the road in some fashion. It is among the most difficult and generally unpredictable situations in which motorists and cyclists can find themselves. The cyclist was struck by the BMW. The cyclist suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital, where he later died.

West leg of north-south subway shut by flood

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The western half of the Yonge-University-Spadina subway is closed between Spadina and Lawrence West stations tuesday (August 5, 2014) because of flooding at the St. Cl.air West station. Two to three feet of water has flooded St. Clair West station. It’s not yet known how long the cleanup will take. Best information is that a pump at the station which normally clears rainwater has failed.

China accuses couple of “collecting intelligence”

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Can it be as simple has having a view of the so-called Friendship Bridge from China into North Korea? Kevin Garratt and his wife Julia Dawn Garratt have a popular coffee shop in the border City of Dandong that overlooks this sole link to the Kim Jung-un worker’s paradise. So, is Peter’s Coffee House the reason why the Garratt’s are being accused of “collecting intelligence” about China?  Their son, Simeone Garrett, 27, has told the BBC that his parents have not been contactable since Monday night. The couple previously taught in southern China for several years and then moved to Dandong. The Xinhua report did not say whether they had been detained. Photos: Kevin and Julia dawn Garrett with children Peter and Hannah. Friendship Bridge, which very few North Koreans get to cross.  

2 dead, 15 ill from “party drugs” at VELD concert

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The case of widespread substance overdoses at the weekend VELD electronic music concert at Downsview Park is now back in the hands of Toronto Police, at least for the purpose of figuring how two young people obtained the “party drugs” that took their lives. The homicide squad has been called in for that job and at a news conference Monday night they said the dead music fans were a 20-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man. Altogether, 15 people were hospitalized after ingesting substances.  Investigators say they believe the drugs were purchased at the festival and would like any concert goers in possession of substances to come forward. Police say they are not sure what particular drug led to the fatalities. The Special Investigations Unit has also become involved in the investigation. According CP24, the SIU interest was triggered because the male victim died after being restrained by police. A police officer was on duty at the music festival when he observed two people carrying the man. The officer requested an ambulance and while paramedics tended to the patient, he became violent and had to be handcuffed, the SIU said in a release. The man’s handcuffs were then removed while he was being treated in the ambulance, but he was pronounced dead while on the way to the hospital. 

4 sheltering under tree in park hit by lightning

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Four people were taken to hospital Monday afternoon during the thunder and lightning storms that are rumbling across the City. The call came in from 360 Morningside Ave.about 3.20 p.m. Global News says the victims are conscious in hospital. A witness seen on CP24 said three adults and a child had been picnicking in Morningside Park and had huddled near or under a tree to escape the rain. Lighting struck the tree with some of the voltage impacting those under underneath it. Basic safety advice in lightning storms is to stay away from trees but not everyone knows this important information. There was apparently a second bolt which is believed to have struck an EMS vehicle but no one was hurt. Photo courtesy of  Global News via Twitter. 
HAIL IN BARRIE
North of Toronto in places like Barrie there were nasty hail stones falling on peoples heads. Twitter pictures are graphic 

Ford confirmed Thorncliffe, went to Scarborough

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Mayor Ford was notable by his absence at yesterday’s Thorncliffe Park Tenants Association BBQ. As reported by Meagan Ogilvie of the Toronto Star  organizers were given an e-mail assurance the mayor would attend. Jeff Silverstein, the mayor communications director, said Mayor’s Ford’s absence was caused by a “mix-up in communications.”  He is said to have attended a Scarborough Ribfest. 

High-summer magic as Ontario peaches arrive

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Even the most casual of food shoppers will have noticed that the magic high summer moment when Ontario peaches hit the market has arrived. The splendid sweet and juicy bounty is on sale pretty much everywhere. So great for any kind of eating. Cut ’em up in wedges and gobble them down with your morning coffee. Or whatever. It gives a whole new meaning to buying produce locally. Of course the peach tradition runs deep in Ontario. This week sees the beginning of the annual peach festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Next weekend (August 9-10) NOTL’s Queen Street will be closed off through the heritage district so visitors can stroll the many farm stands. There will be peaches of course but also  pies, jams, jellies, ice cream, drinks and more. Five bands will perform: The Toronto All Star Band, David Hoy, St. Catharines Pipe Band, Fort George Fife and Drum Corps and Ceol Cara. Saturday’s events run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Queen Street from Victoria to King streets. The evening celebration kicks off at 6 p.m. with live salsa music, wineries, breweries and tasty delights from the Signature Kitchens of Niagara-on-the-Lake. That event runs until 10 p.m. On Sunday, the fun continues at St. Vincent de Paul Church on Picton Street. Running from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. there will be face painting, crafts, balloon animals, live entertainment, barbecued fare. And peaches. In the evening, the Shades of Summer celebration returns with a large dinner party on Queen Street. There will be tables and chairs set up in advance with live music, gourmet picnic boxes available for purchase and more. Tables of eight are $240. For more information, contact the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber at 905-468-1950 —  with The Spectator