Ontario, Israel and the wildly funny Masked Singer Contest

Premier Ford appears on Citytv and discusses the decision to begin re-opening business outside the GTA

Israel now vaccinating healthy 16-year-olds

The astonishing success of Israel in vaccinating almost all of its population against C-19 is examined here. Healthy kids of 16 are getting the jab. The implications are real for the population in general and for Prime Minister Netanyahu who is trying to salvage his political career.

Singer Joss Stone on her life as a sausage

Time to smile as the outlandish costumes on celebrities in The Masked Singer Contest dance across your screen. Any why not?

Toronto begins to dig out from 20 to 25 cm February dump

Toronto is digging out of a heavy snowfall Tuesday morning as traffic cameras seem to show roads are fairly passable but no doubt slippery. Go carefully all. Traffic cameras



Approaching snow seen about 6 p.m. Monday on NA radar

The approaching snow is seen in shades of blue at about 6 p.m. Monday on the AccuWeather North American radar. It is forecast to drop 15 to 25 cm of snow overnight and into Tuesday daytime. Here’s a City News summary. It contains such useful advice as “Get up early and get ready to shovel your snow.” Umm, thanks.

Explosives scare in Liberty Village ends with no explanation

Toronto Police say they have investigated an “irregular” discovery in Liberty Village on Monday and the matter is now concluded. The bomb squad was called to deal with what seemed to be the discovery of explosives. Police say they were conducting an unrelated investigation in the Wellington Street and Strachan Avenue area when they came across something “of great concern”. TTC buses were also called in to provide shelter to residents however police said no evacuations had been ordered. Around 1:40 p.m., police said the “situation has been resolved” and residents who were not inside the building already were allowed to return home. There is no word on any injuries or arrests. No further details were provided regarding the nature of the initial investigation or why the bomb squad had to be called — City News

Must-see Olaf on Leaside Rotary Family Day scavanger hunt

The Leaside Rotary Club Scavenger Hunt is underway Monday. It’s a pleasant way for the family to find safe fun on Family Day. The website tells of a showpiece 7-foot tall Olaf from Frozen. He’s at 775 Eglinton Avenue at Sutherland. We haven’t got a picture of him but would love to get one and other photos of people enjoying the hunt.

Barefoot Harry and Meg announce that second child on way

Harry and Meghan have announced that they are expecting their second child. An artsy black-and-white photo taken in their California backyard was used to tell the news. The couple is shown barefoot. ITV

Canada recruits other countries to shame China

Canada says it has recruited some 57 countries to shame the Chinese Communist government in the PRC for its arbitrary seizure of Micheal Kovrig and Micheal Spavor  It is a laudable condemnation but many countries don’t want their name made public fearing retaliation by the great Asian giant.

Comedian challenges human rights ruling at SCC

The Supreme Court of Canada is set to hear a case against Mike Ward, a stand-up comedian from Quebec, after a human rights tribunal ruled that his joke relating to the survival of a boy with a rare genetic disorder who was supposed to die, but didn’t, is an act of discrimination.

Warning tells of two snowfalls with 20-25 cm on Mon, Tues

Significant snowfall is predicted in a special warning from Environment Canada for Monday and Tuesday. It’s unclear from the warning just where or when the heaviest fall may occur but it seems possible Toronto residents might wake up Tuesday with from 10 to 20 cm on the ground. Statement below:

Snowfall with total amounts of 15 to 25 cm is expected. Two rounds of precipitation are expected Monday into Tuesday morning across portions of southern Ontario. The first one is expected to begin overnight or early Monday morning with 5 cm of snow expected by afternoon. Potentially higher amounts of up to 10 cm may occur near Lake Erie. The precipitation may diminish during the afternoon, but another round of even heavier snow is expected to move in Monday evening and persist until Tuesday morning. An additional 10 to 20 cm is likely.

How do you catch dreaded B117 and what does it do to you?

There’s a lot of fear in the air about C-19 variants, the most dreaded of which is the so-called B117. Research in the UK is useful although far from definitive. It appears B117 is slightly more likely to kill people over 65 but not a lot. Numbers quoted recently bump the death rate for this group from one percent per 100,000 patients to perhaps 1.3 percent. So how do you catch B117? It seems as if doing the same sensible things you’d do to avoid the original version works pretty well against B117. The variant doesn’t hide under your bed or chase you down the street. Keep your distance and wear a mask.

It helps to be healthy

There’s emerging evidence that it’s important to build an immunity system by taking Vitamin D every day. The Sunshine Vitamin isn’t a vaccine sadly but there is tentative evidence that if you use it consistently your immunity to catching all kinds of things, including C-19, improves. There is also limited evidence that strong immunity will help you avoid the worst symptoms of C-19 if you do catch it.

Wonky C-19 numbers in Toronto?

Sunday’s new cases count in Ontario is 981 for the 24-hour period ending at midnight. That’s an encouraging number although questions have been raised about the accuracy of numbers from the Toronto Board of Health. But it is vague. As reported by the Ministry of Health there were 122 new cases in Toronto compared to 433 cases Saturday. And there continues to be deep concern among doctors about re-opening for normal business as the province remains largely unvaccinated.

$2.5 million a good day’s pay for 649 players east and west

Saturday’s $5 million Lotto 649 jackpot will be split between two ticket holders – one in the Prairies and the other in Ontario, the lottery says. Each winner will collect $2.5 million. The draw’s guaranteed $1 million prize also went to a lottery player in the Prairies. The jackpot for the next Lotto 649 draw on Feb. 17 will be approximately $5 million.

No parking tickets will be issued Family Day Monday: TPS

Toronto Police Parking Enforcement will not be enforcing routine on-street parking bylaws during the Family Day holiday on Monday. This will apply for pay-and-display/metered area and rush-hour route restrictions as well as posted signs indicating Monday to Friday regulations. All other areas and parking offenses will continue to be enforced in accordance with parking enforcement lockdown measures.

Northlea kids brighten Year of the Ox for Yee Hong seniors

Grade 1 and 2 kids at Northlea Elementary and Middle School were busy this week preparing colourful greetings for residents of the Yee Hong Centre to mark the Chinese New Year. It’s the Year of the Ox. Pictures at the upper left and right were tweeted by the centre. At centre right is the shining face of Jordan Lloyd, a hard-skating member of the Leaside Wildcats who just scored a $1,000 scholarship from the Black Girl Hockey Club. Take a look at the tribute given to this fine young role model. At lower left, we see that wild and crazy senior police officer Dave Rydzik, Superintendent of 43 Division.  Watch the hilarious ice-water video of Dave polar plunging for the Special Olympics. What a guy. Lastly in this gallery, some very pretty lights installed the Leslieville BIA.

Woman flips car on Balliol after sideswiping parked vehicle

Police say the woman who rolled her car on quiet Balliol St at Forman Ave Friday night is apparently not seriously injured. Officers at the scene said she appeared to be impaired. Her car was eastbound on Balliol and got a little too close to the bumper of a parked car on the north side. The collision was enough to flip the small sedan.