Thorncliffe Park a good place to Live, Work, Shop

Local naturalist and observer Rudy Limeback has been poking around the dignified entry to Thorncliffe Park at Overlea Blvd and Millwood Rd.  He took some pictures and discovered a forgotten motto for the neighborhood. Check out what he found at his site, rudy.ca 

Leaside High School’s Kevin Shier honoured

Kevin Shier 

A Leaside resident and LHS grad has been honoured for his humanitarian work.  Kevin Shier, 20,  now plays for the Ontario Junior A Lakeshore Patriots team. Shier has been given the league’s standing award for good works for the rescue of a motorist from a crashed vehicle. It happened as Shier and his dad were on their way to Union College in Schenectady, New York where Kevin has been given a full scholarship with the school. The two men came across a burning truck that hit a bridge. They leaped out of their car and with a few others tried to release the man behind the wheel. Someone was able to cut the seat belt and Kevin and another rescuer got the man out of the truck. A few moments later, it exploded. Kevin will be well remembered by school mates as Leaside High where he captained the school’s hockey squad. Kevin Shier has participated in other commendable public service, including assisting seniors with their chores and serving meals to the homeless. Sounds like a very well deserved recognition for this son of Leaside. 

Nimue found and returned home safely

Nimue McVannell, 12, has been found and returned home safely, police say. 

Housing CEO Jones plunged into more scandal

The news reports are long on adjectives like “scathing” and “shocking” as the City Ombudsman, Fiona Crean, pretty much disassembles the administration of Toronto Public Housing boss Gene Jones. Too bad. He came here with what was said to be a good record from Detroit and was seen to be the man for the job. Now what for him and Toronto Housing.  Metro News

Stabbing victims remembered for laughter, love

Calgary stabbing victims Kaiti Perras, Jordan Segura and Joshua Hunter laid to rest. Star-Phoneix

Humpback whale losing ‘threatened’ status

The government is downgrading the protection of humpback whales off the coast of B.C. from “threatened” to “species of special concern.” It says the whales have increased in number since 2005 so the threatened status is no longer suitable. But conservationists say this is part of a plan to introduce oil tankers into these waters which might hit the whales or limit their capacity to care for their young because of noise. CBC

NBA right to levy penalty on foul-mouthed GM

The NBA is absolutely right to fine Raptors General Manager Masai Ujiri for his vulgar outburst on Saturday. How can the club or the league hold itself out as an example to kids if there is no penalty for such sloppy conduct. Masai will be fined $25,000 for degrading the Brooklyn team prior to Game 1 of a playoff series against the Nets. 

Air Canada will fire “dropped bags” employees

Air Canada says two baggage handlers appearing in a video that shows luggage being dropped from roughly six metres have been suspended and will lose their jobs. Angela Mah with the airline says the employees have been told “their employment will be terminated pending the outcome of our investigation.” The airline has apologized for what it calls the “totally unacceptable mishandling of our passengers’ baggage captured on video.” The video, taken by a passenger aboard a plane, shows baggage being dropped from a boarding gate to a luggage bin on the ground.  Previous with video

Discretion please Toronto: No selfies with a train

Most people would say that Jarad Frank really should have known better. The comments on YouTube are merciless. Frank stood within inches of a speeding train in Peru to take a selfie and got kicked in the face by someone sitting on the engine. Out of  that however has come a story from the CBC that Frank is now being offered some sort of licensing deal for his popular YouTube video that might make him anywhere from $2 to $16 per 1,000 views. Since the video has logged more than two millions views already, this could represent a very nice consolation for the bruised Mr.Frank. The gentleman is from Regina and has told CBC that he will be working with a California-based company called Jukin Media. Quite amazing all around. Please don’t stand next to any trains on the strength of this information. The endorsement is no good is you’re dead. 

Bamboo Bay free drop-in crafts for children

Free crafts 
Tomorrow, April 22, is Earth Day and Carrie Tse of Bamboo Bay will have a free drop-in craft event for kids between 3 and 5 p.m. Bamboo Bay is easy to find — it’s in the bright offices over Write Impressions at Bayview Ave.and Millwood Rd. (enter off Millwood).  It should be fun. The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. Over the last 40 years, EDN has executed successful environmental campaigns on issues ranging from climate change and drinking water to voter registration and saving the whale. EDN is a recognized leader in creating civically – oriented innovative programs with partners outside of the environmental movement to tackle new challenges. Bamboo Bay 

Leaside Synergy audition set for Tuesday, April 22

The Leaside Synchronized Skating Club (Leaside Synergy) will hold a last senior audition Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at Leaside Arena. Interest has been very high and many candidates want to come from out of town. So  this additional audition has been planned. It will run from 8 until 10 p.m. at the arena.with an information session beginning at 7 p.m. Cathy Dalton and Lyne Forget will be there.

Boy runs away from home in wheelwell of jetliner

Runaway boy taken to hospital

A 16-year-old boy has “run away from home” in a most dangerous and spectacular way. After having a fight with his parents, the San Jose, California boy somehow got over fencing at the local airport and climbed into the wheelwell of a Boeing 767. He apparently had no idea where the flight was going. When it landed nearly six hours later in Maui, Hawaii, the boy tumbled out onto the runaway and began to wander around aimlessly. The FBI call it a miracle the boy has survived the minus 60 degree temperatures and thin air at 38,000 feet. “He was unconscious for pretty much the entire flight,” said an official. “I imagine he must have blacked out at about 10,000 feet.” Security video indicated the teen was able to breach San Jose’s Mineta International Airport security and climb undetected into the wheel well of Hawaiian Airlines Flight 45.  As this story spread, some medical authorities said it must be a hoax. The boy could not have survived the cold and lack of oxygen. But others say the exploit seems to be genuine.