There will be free skating on New Year’s (Wednesday, January 1, 2014) at the new rink in the Leaside Arena. This family event will get underway at 1 pm.and run until 4 p.m. We’re told there will be free hot chocolate for the first 400 skaters (and maybe helpers too) who arrive. The organizers ask that you bring your own skates and note that helmets are not mandatory
8 Tanager Ave. changes hands for first time in 65 years
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When they finished building 8 Tanager Ave. in north Leaside in 1948, Trace Manes had just been acclaimed mayor and you could still bet on the ponies in Thorncliffe Park. The Premier had yet to be born. The house sold for $7,000. This fall the same well-cared for two-storey brick house changed hands for the first time in 65 years. It did so for a tidy increase on that original value, fetching $1,235,000. That’s an increase of about 176 times and a bonus of $156,000 over the asking rice of $1,079,000. As those around the area will know, No. 8 Tanager sits between Broadway Ave. and Glenvale Blvd. in a lovely part of the neighborhood. It has 1,200 sq. ft.of floor space on a lot that is 35 by 133-ft. There is a single-car attached garage and private drive. Taxes aren’t usually a source of amusement but some may get a chuckle that the $6,174 levy for this year is barely $800 short of the original selling price. Toronto Star
Canada fights back to 5-3 win against Slovakia
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Canada’s junior men’s hockey team has battled back from a 3-1 challenge to win 5-3 against a strong Team Slovakia. The come-back means Canada gets a ticket to face a strong United States team tomorrow on the trail the tournament championship in Sweden. Centre Nic Petan scored the winner on a power play. He then excelled by firing the winning shot into an empty Slovak net. Slovakia jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second period on two goals from David Griger and another from Martin Reway. Canada matched those with goals from Curtis Lazar, Anthony Mantha, Jonathan Drouin and Petan. “I wanted to show I could play great hockey over here and that’s what I’m doing now” – Forward Anthony Mantha Zachary Fucale made his first start of the tournament for the Canadians, stopping 19 of 22 shots. Coach Brent Sutter indicated Fucale will be in net for the team’s next game against the United States. If Canada beats the United States on Tuesday in the final game of the preliminary round in regulation, it will win its pool. Curtis Lazar and Mantha also scored for Canada before a crowd of 2,558. Charles Hudon suffered what appeared to be a shoulder injury early in the third period, but returned to the bench after missing a few shifts, and Sutter said later the forward was fine. Galen G. Weston business newsmaker of 2013
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| Galen G. Weston |
The Canadian Press has named Galen G. Weston, 41, as its Business Newsmaker of the Year for 2013. Mr. Weston is the executive chairman of Loblaws. He was the choice of news executives by a margin of 22 percent among all the nominees. Second place was taken by BCE chief George Cope. Galen Weston won the annual selection process for his role in one of the biggest takeovers in the country’s retail history (Shoppers Drug Mart) and his strong stance on the need for change in Bangladesh after the Dhaka factory collapse in April. Canadians see the value system in place at Loblaws stores every day, where the company’s many locations are staffed with the larger interests of the community in mind. In recent recent years Loblaws has been instrumental in the renovation of Maple Leaf Gardens.
Many personal possessions lost in Elvina fire
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Jury Onyszczak has been interviewed by the Toronto Sun (with video) on his losses when his home on Elvina Gdns caught fire. Fire officials feel the blaze may have been caused when power returned to the small apartment building. Sun Previous post
Break-in during blackout in on Hudson Dr.
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TPS report — A resident of Hudson Drive reports that between 1630 hours on December 23, 2013 and 0800 hours on December 24, 2013, entry was gained into the premises by forcing a door. Removed was a quantity of jewellery and watches. This occurrence coincides with the power outage that hit South Bayview on the morning of Sunday, December 22, 2013 and lasted two days.
Christopher Peloso found dead, police say
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Christopher Peloso has been found dead. Mr. Peloso was the husband of George Smitherman. Police said this morning they have found the body but had no other comment. An announcement was made on Twitter by Mr. Smitherman. He said “We will celebrate his life and we will find comfort somehow in knowing that he has found peace from the depression that has wreaked havoc on his mind.” The Toronto Star story said that Peloso’s relatives in his hometown, Sudbury, had no comment Sunday evening. When he went missing in September, his mother, Mary Ann, said, “The first thing I thought was he needed a break, he needed to get away for a bit . . . But as things went on longer and longer, we got concerned something had happened.” She also described Peloso as a “perfectionist,” “very patient” and “very loving. He has been a wonderful father with the kids.” His father Reno said Peloso and Smitherman’s marriage was a happy one, “with its high and low points, just like a typical marriage.” Star The pictures shown of Mr. Peloso were provided by Mr. Smitherman and transmitted by Twitter. They show Mr. Peloso’s daughter by a previous marriage and two children adopted by he and Mr, Smitherman. Schumacher in brain surgery after ski fall
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As midnight approaches in Toronto, it appears the head injury suffered by Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher while skiing in France may be more serious than first believed. Schumacher, 44, who retired from Formula 1 for the second time at the end of the 2012 season, was taken by helicopter to hospital in Moutiers before being moved to Grenoble. First reports called the injuries not too serious and said that Schumacher was conscious. He has now been taken to a larger hospital for emergency surgery. He was said to be in a coma. Schumacher was skiing with his 14-year-old son and others in an off-piste area between two marked runs above Meribel when he fell on Sunday morning. BBC
End in sight for 3,000 awaiting power
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Toronto Hydro says around 3,000 customers remain without power after last weekend’s ice storm. These are cases of isolated line breaks, the so-called one-off among homes without power. The cost of repairs and clean up after the storm is becoming clearer. Mayor Rob Ford said the cost to Toronto Hydro is approximately $1 million per day, with the final projected tally between $8-10 million. “These are rough numbers,” Ford said. The mayor is calling for a special city council meeting on Friday, Jan. 10 to ask the province for financial compensation.
“Chump-fund my easy-money trip to Scotland”
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They call it crowd-funding, a 21st-century phenomenon by which people gather money on the Internet for reasons good, goofy and just God-awful. Here’s one of the latter. As published tonight (Sunday, December 29, 12013) in the National Post Holly and Jon Granken of London, ON, want the world to finance their move to Scotland. Don’t ask why. They’re raising money this way just because they can. Of course the reaction to this shameless panhandling has been quite sharp. And no one is being forced to give money. Only a chump would do it. But what an interesting example of how crass begging has risen up and into “the cloud” from the dirty sidewalk outside subway stations. National Post
Smitherman mate Chris Peloso found dead
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“Wow moment” as meteor lights up Iowa sky
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There was fun up high as a meteor flashed through the skies over Iowa and adjoining states Thursday night.