Friends and customers are welcoming the appointment of Chad McDowell as the new franchisee at the Bayview Ave. Valu mart at Davisville Ave. Chad was manager at the store under the previous franchisee Rob Tremblett who, with his wife Jess, has now moved to Woodstock. Previous post
Tesla Model S catches fire in a Toronto garage
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Bloomberg News says that Tesla Motors in California is investigating a fire involving a Model S in Toronto on Valentine’s Day. The fire happened in a Toronto garage after the car’s owner returned from a drive, and the vehicle wasn’t plugged in to recharge when it occurred. “After a few moments, the owner’s fire detector went off and the fire department was called,” the publication Business Insider says. Telsa is a pure electric car run powered by ion lithium batteries, a technology that has not been without trouble. There were three Model S fires reported in the U.S. last year, but always either in the context of an accident or while plugged in. Tesla has released a statement saying it has definitively determined that the fire did not originate in the battery, the charging system, the adapter or the electrical receptacle, as these components were untouched by the fire.
Doughty gets OT goal to grab victory from Finns
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Canada wins 2-1 in overtime as London’s Drew Doughty scores the critical goal. Here the 24-year old defenseman high fives teammates. It was a hard-fought game that drove fans mad with anxiety — nervous, heart attack, going insane — all were invoked by Canadian supporters. Here is CBC explanation of the complex Olympic ranking system.
Canada moved on to the quarter-finals of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, but it won’t be as the No. 1 seed. Drew Doughty scored two goals, including the overtime winner, as Team Canada earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Finland at Bolshoy Ice Dome Sunday, securing the third seed and a bye into the quarter-finals. Canada will play the qualification-round winner between Latvia and Switzerland. Finland goaltender Tuukka Rask was spectacular, turning aside 25 shots in the losing effort but Canadian counterpart Carey Price was equally up to the task, although much less busy. Price, getting the start in place of Roberto Luongo, made 14 saves. The Canadians needed a regulation win (and the accompanying three points) to clinch the top spot but finished atop Group B with eight points, while Finland was second with seven. With the overtime win Sweden officially clinched the top seed, and will face the winner of with the U.S. sliding into the second spot.
Juicy Heenan Blaikie tale rivets lawyers, scribes
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The breathtaking National Post account of what went wrong at the now fallen law practice of Heenan Blaikie is getting the most sincere form of review from lawyers and writers across the country. They can’t stop talking about it. Who knew that Heenan Blaikie retirement recruit Jean Chretien and Heenan partner Jacques Bouchard set out in 2010 to do business with African dictators. Mining, arms — it seems like a rich field. The story, written by Staff Writers Theresa Tedesco and Brian Hutchinson, quotes many sources as saying the venture was so distasteful to the Straight John attorneys in charge of the Toronto office that it led to a crisis of confidence among partners there. Ultimately, some of them quit. In the end, say the Post’s sources, it caused the collapse of the firm. “Wow,” was the one-word plaudit handed to his Post colleagues by Globe and Mail reporter Adam Radwanski in a tweet Saturday. The Twitter chitter chatter goes on and on about the Tedesco-Hutchinson spellbinder. National Post (may requjire subscriptjion)
Sinkhole repaired, Bayview re-opens at Finch
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Bayview Ave has just re-opened at Finch Ave. with traffic back to normal. The 11 Bayview bus has returned to its regular route. The Official TTC Twitter account sent the word at approximately noon Saturday, February 15, 2014. The street has been closed since last Sunday because of a water main break and sinkhole.
3 cars in Mt. Pleasant wreck as driver flees Merc
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This multi-car accident Saturday morning at Mt. Pleasant Rd. and Blythwood featured high speed and a fleeing driver. He deserted what was a rather nice Mercedes (left). The other cars were a red mini sitting high on the pile of junk and maybe a Mazda, as seen in these captures from CP24 on air. Apparently there were no reported injuries.
St. Anselm kids send love, friendship to Uganda
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Here are the faces of three of the young spirits at St. Anselm Catholic School on Bessborough Drive who grew a little today as they took part in a moving exchange by Skype of Valentine messages with 17 children in Uganda. Teacher Michele Whyte organized the assembly and communication in a program called C.H.A.T. to the Future. C.H.A.T. stands for “Care and Hope through Adoption and Technology”. a registered charity started by a teacher in New Brunswick. Ms. Whyte told CTV that St. Anselm’s wants its pupils to become “global learners” and to know about different ways of life. She has arranged other Skype visits by her class to far off places. Students at the school sold candy grams and raised $500 for the 17 orphans who reside at C.H.A.T. House, ages 5 to 17 years, in Uganda. The St. Anselm students sent messages to their Ugandan friends and, as reported by the school’s website, were deeply touched by the stories of their counterparts who live in Uganda. CTV Naomi Parness.
Lawrence and Bridle Path hit by sinkhole
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Jaye Robinson (Ward 25) mailed out the first warning yesterday about a pothole that had trapped a city truck this morning. The problem had closed Lawrence Avenue from Post Road to Leslie Street. Today the blockage continues with City staff estimating it will take a couple more days to fix both the water main and road. Stay clear of this area and the sinkhole that blocks Bayview Ave. south of Finch Ave.The word is that emergency services, including the Toronto Water and Enbridge are there. It will be necessary to re-direct the gas line. Once that’s done, city staff will work to remove the truck safely from the sinkhole. When the truck has been removed, city staff will inspect and repair the water main and the road. Staff estimates the work will take two-three days.
Humble Patrick Chan says “sorry” for silver
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Patrick Chan has won the silver medal in men’s figure skating for Canada. After a performance with moves close to brilliant but also hurt by the pressures of expectation, the young Canadian was seen to mouth a humble “sorry” to his Canadian watchers. The gold medal was won by Yuzuru Hanyu, a 19-year-old Japanese skater who performed well but fell in today’s long program. Twitter is alight with praise for Chan and appreciation of his humility and skill. Today, he was unable to capitalize on the Japanese skater’s error. Chan grew up near Yonge and York Mills. Chan spent much of his childhood skating at the Granite Club on Bayview Avenue
Esso at 1840 Bayview closed for maintenance
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| But open for love donuts |
The Esso Station at 1840 Bayview Avenue, at Broadway was closed until lunchtime today (February 14, 2014) for pump maintenance and upgrades. But it was okay because the “On the Run” convenience store and Tim Horton’s was still open for pedestrian traffic. You could pick up that special Valentine Donut for your loved one — or just for yourself. We don’t judge.
Why do we kiss? You have got to be kidding
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Happy Valentines Day. This entertaining video from the Public Broadcasting System in the U.S. explaining (maybe) why we kiss is more or less about love. You can decide for yourself just how much is “love” and how much of it is — well — you know. The question ultimately goes unanswered because so much of what we do is about “you know” and the best explanation for that is because it’s how we’re made. Enjoy the day and be nice.
Photoshopping medal winners to separatist taste
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It’s a compulsion that’s older than Canada but in the digital age unreconciled separatists use Photoshop to make their point. Canadian Olympic Committee photos of Chloe (left) and Justine Dufour-Lapointe have the mogul medalists dressed in Canadian colours. The girls say they are proud of the red and white. But the Fleur-de-Lis sham picture on the right is being distributed in parts of Quebec. As we said, older than old.