The Olive Oil Emporium is celebrating its one year anniversary at 1707 Bayview. To mark the event the store will be running various special promotions and offers. The owner, Andreas, says their success is thanks to Leaside and surrounding neighbourhoods. Congratulations Olive Oil Emporium!
Possible temporary skating rink in Rowlands Park
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There is a suggestion from Josh Matlow (Ward 22) to create a natural ice rink in June Rowlands Park at Davisville Ave. and Mount Pleasant Rd. this winter. It would serve as a place for the children of Hodgson Senior Public School to skate while repairs are made to the school rink. Mr. Matlow will attend a meeting on Monday, October 21 from 7:30 to 9 pm at Hodgson School to discuss the City’s temporary repairs of Hodgson Rink for the 2013-14 season.
Luckier than they know to be Canadian citizens
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Dr. Tarek Loubani and John Greyson have arrived back in Canada. From Toronto airport they have spoken briefly but did not take questions. They are happy to be back and decent people can only welcome them home with relief that they made it. However few Canadians need this case history to know that imprisonment in Egypt must be dreadful. It should be remembered that Dr. Loubani and Mr. Greyson were not “pyramid tourists” when they were arrested by Egyptian police. Any experienced traveller is surely stunned that these two grown men would knowingly embark on a day of trying to witness the chaotic and dangerous events rocking Cairo. At a minimum, what they did was rash and foolish. It is an entirely reasonable concern that although their intent may have been innocent, they were in fact motivated by their political viewpoints. In the end that conduct required an enormous public and private effort to get them home. They are luckier perhaps than they know to be Canadian. CBC
Disappointment Malala did not win peace prize
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There is disappointment in all parts of the world that Malala Yousafzai did not win the Nobel Peace Prize. The award went instead to a technical body, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, charged with dismantling the biological weapons in Syria. A worthy undertaking, but as critics are pointing out, the OPCW hasn’t done that yet. As to Malala, many thougthful admirers of this girl-woman hope that the great expectations that attend her future are tempered with time enough for her to grow. Mature as she is, Malala probably needs an opportunity to permit her years to catch up with her high aspirations. It is charming that she says she wishes to become Prime Minister of Pakistan, but few real politicians announce that goal in this teenage way. She is a courageous and moving figure. We can only hope that her dream of the liberation of women and girls in her homeland can come to full fruition. Guardian Was she snubbed?
Ontario Honey Crisps now at $2.99 a pound
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The Ontario apple season is in high gear and another lot of the desirable Honey Crisp apples is in the bin at Loblaws at Moore Ave. and Bayview Ave. The thing to notice is the price. These apples are marked at $2.99 which, with inflation, is about as low as they have been seen since maybe two seasons ago. Now these Honey Crisps are not as choice externally as the first lot which appeared about ten days ago. You will have to watch for the odd bruise and they are somewhat inconsistent in size — some smaller, some big. No good for art class. But also too good for art class. They have the same wonderful sweet juiciness and texture as the best of the Ontario strain. This apple is worth the price..Subway closed this weekend to replace signals
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| Frost, Lamport open subway in 1954 |
There will be no subway service between the St. George and Bloor-Yonge stations this Thanksgiving weekend simply because it has been nearly 60 years since Premier Leslie Frost (left) and Mayor Allen Lamport threw the switch on this now ancient-looking signal to open the Yonge subway in 1954. It was a great event but those old signals are ready for the scrapyard. The shutdown will apply all three days — Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The Toronto Transit Commission says replacement shuttle buses will be running throughout most of the route, which could lead to traffic delays for drivers. The buses will not be going to Union Station because of the construction on Front Street. Service will be back up and running at 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
Night mugging reported near Erskine-Broadway
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Toronto Police Service report: A 32 year old female reports that on October 9, 2013 at approximately 2254 hours she was in the area of Erskine Avenue and Broadway Avenue when she was approached from behind by a male suspect. The suspect pushed the victim violently so that she fell to the ground and struck her head. The suspect made a demand for money and the victim surrendered her purse. The suspect went through the purse and then fled the scene in an unknown direction. The victim sustained minor injuries and was transported to a hospital by Toronto EMS. Police are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the following described person in connection with this offence. Description of Suspect: Male.
Watch out for man who’s a “furnace inspector”
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The Toronto Police Service is warning of a man who has knocked on the door of a home and announced that he was there to inspect the furnace. This happened Wednesday in the Sheppard and Keele area. He asked several questions the householder found unusual and he asked to come into her home. She did not allow him in and the man walked away He is described as white, 5’6″-5’8″, with a medium build and short black hair. He was wearing a dark-blue jacket with white writing on the sleeve, which was described as similar to a service uniform jacket.
Bright new science teacher gets a hitch at NSS
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The bright young teacher Jason Trinh, over at Northern Secondary School, is an example to his profession. The way he had to get his current job is not. That’s because Jason (inset top) has had to wiggle past an oddly framed regulation to catch a full-time job at the venerable Mount Pleasant Rd. hall of learning. Regulation 274 was designed to prevent nepotism by principals and others in a position to hire. The story has been followed by the estimable Louise Brown, veteran education writer at the Toronto Star. No. 274 requires new hires to come from among the five candidates with the most seniority. It isn’t clear to most people how this straitjacket is supposed to maintain or enhance teaching standards. It might prevent nepotism but it can’t be the best way to do that. In fact, it might not prevent nepotism. In any case, the exemplary Trinh — named New Teacher of the Year in 2012 — just happened to be at Northern on a temporary assignment when that school’s well-liked principal Ron Felsen (inset centre) needed a quick fix for an unexpected vacancy in the science department. Regulation 274 permits principals to hire at their discretion if they have less than ten days to find a replacement. Felsen grabbed Trinh for the three sciences courses that needed a teacher. Back at the Legislature, MPP Lisa MacLeod (inset lower) has tried to get the regulation changed to merely prohibit favoritism and nepotism. The NDP and Liberals defeated the motion and the Education Minister, Liz Sanders, has asked two experts to study the regulation and report back. Louise Brown (subscription may be required)12 sent to hospital as car crosses centre line
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Twelve people, including three children, have been injured in a head-on collision in King Township Thursday evening. Police say that a vehicle travelling east on King Road, west of Bathurst Street, crossed the centre line and collided with a westbound pickup truck at around 6:30 p.m. CP24
Peter Leon wins voting for Toronto Ward 3
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| Peter Leon |
Former Etobicoke Hydro Chair Peter Leon has been appointed by City Council to serve as the member for Etobicoke Ward 3 until the next election in November 2014. Mr Leon will not run in the election by the terms of his appointment. He emerged from among the 30 persons who had put forward their names after an endorsement from Doug Holiday, the former member from that ward and now MPP for the area. It was an exciting contest as Council ran three votes for this position, with Mr. Leon, 71, tied with former MPP Chris Stockwell on the first vote. Mr. Stockwell had been the favorite heading into balloting with the support of the Etobicoke York Community Council. It nominated him for the position last week. But Holyday wrote a letter urging his former colleagues to ignore the local body and choose Leon. “I would like to point out that ever since this process began, my calls from my former constituents strongly support the appointment of Peter Leon as opposed to that of any former office holder. Obviously, I agree with them. Hopefully, you will give every consideration to what appears to me to be the wishes of Ward 3 residents,” Holyday wrote. Leon needed 23 votes to win. On the third round of voting, he got 26 to Stockwell’s 16. Councillors make just under $105,000. Leon is a self-described fiscal conservative. The vote split among Bayview area councillors is as follows: For Peter Leon: Karen Stintz (Ward 16) Josh Matlow (ward 22) Jay Robinson (Ward 25) and Kristyn Tam-Wong (Ward 27). John Parker (Ward 26) voted for Mr. Stockwell.
For Peter Leon: Councillor Paul Ainslie Councillor Maria Augimeri Councillor Ana Bailão Councillor Michelle Berardinetti Councillor Shelley Carroll Councillor Raymond Cho Councillor Josh Colle Councillor Janet Davis Councillor Mike Del Grande Councilllor Sarah Doucette Councillor John Filion Councillor Paula Fletcher Councillor Mary Fragedakis Councillor Mike Layton Councillor Chin Lee Councillor Josh Matlow Councillor Pam McConnell Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon Councillor Joe Mihevc Councillor Peter Milczyn Councillor Cesar Palacio Councillor James Pasternak Councillor Jaye Robinson Councillor Karen Stintz Councillor Adam Vaughan Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam.
For Chris Stockwell: Mayor Rob Ford Councillor Gary Crawford Councillor Vincent Crisanti Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker Councillor Frank Di Giorgio Councillor Doug Ford Councillor Mark Grimes Deputy Mayor Norman Kelly Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong Councillor Ron Moeser Councillor John Parker Councillor Anthony Perruzza Councillor David Shiner Councillor Michael Thompson
List of candidates: Dennis Ewaniuk, Valrie Cushing,, Chaitanya Kalevar, Vincent Conforzi, Brian Dillon, Aziza Mohammed, Mario Giansante, Nickolaos Fragos, Stephen Thiele, Chris Stockwell, Princess Boucher Daniel Trayes, Tony Vella, Marek Zarkowski, Bruce Sinclair, Robert Scott, Nancy Green, Peter Leon, John Nunziata, Naidu Pandurangan, Lake Pong, Jack Huynh, Roland Ollivier,William Star, Gary Walsh, Rosemarie Mulhall, Paul Agapito, Peter Surjanac, Danish Ahmed , Ross Vaughan.
What are they building in Thorncliffe Park?
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You may feel stumped at trying to guess the purpose of this large structure next to the Target store at Thorncliffe Park Ave. and Overlea Blvd. It is a seldom seen roof-top garage to hold dozens of vehicles at the new Thorncliffe Park Kindergarten. The new school is officially known as the Fraser Mustard Learning Academy, as we reported a few weeks ago. Upper right is the daunting in and out ramp. Below is a side shot as seen from the Target parking lot. For such a large structure it has joy in the walls. Numbers in the side of the long wall indicate the courses ( or layers) of bricks under the number. It will be source of learning to kids for as long as it stands. The Mustard Centre is already open, home to some 700 kindergarten children from all over. Previous post