Nicky Scardino is seen with counsel Monica Rodrigues of Belleville and Peter Zaduk of Toronto
A Trenton area woman, Nicky Scardino, 47, has been found not guilty of manslaughter by a jury in the death of her long-time boyfriend, Sammy Andrews, 49. The trial heard the two had a long on-and-off relationship which Scardino ended during an incident in March 2018. Her decision infuriated Andrews. He jumped in front of Scardino’s Mazda 3 which was moving at under 10 km/h. Scardino testified she tried to steer around Andrews and then felt a bump. She slammed on the brakes immediately and discovered Andrews dead under her car. Toronto Sun.
The Ministry of Health reported 3,363 new cases of C-19 province-wide on Saturday for the 24-hour period ended at midnight. The surge of cases is everywhere of course but it remains true now, as it did months ago, that the vast number of cases in Toronto are occurring in nine or ten neighbourhoods in the northeast and northwest. The Toronto Interactive Map counts recorded cases by address within the last three weeks. On this day, Downsview-Roding-CFB tops the list with 284. Another high-rise area among places showing the highest number of recent cases is Woburn, with 259. On Saturday, the City’s dozens of neighbourhoods collectively counted 700 new cases. It’s a different number from the three-week figure but it reveals the growth of the same sickness across the community.
A sign on the boarded-up former home of Four Seasons Auto Repair will surely need some follow-up. It suggests that a moving supplies store operated by Access Storage will open on this site. The collection of old brick and tin buildings dates from well back in the history of Leaside. The rusting Quonset huts are 1940s-era wartime structures. Records indicate there is no building permit yet issued. Or, has Access Storage posted a sign that doesn’t tell us the location of a new store?
Four teens drove into rock cut common in Eastern Ontario/CTV
The unusual charge of criminal negligence laid against an Ottawa area bartender will be heard this Spring some three-and-a-half years after two underage drinkers, 18, died in a highway accident. The bar lady, Anne Senack, 63, of Calabogie, is accused of serving four underage Renfrew Timberwolves players before their car rammed a rock cut on a county road killing two of them in October of 2017. The legal drinking age in Ontario is 19. Trial dates have been set aside in April (2021) and May. It’s not clear if the charge of criminal negligence in similar cases has ever been laid, but it is highly unusual. Ms. Senack has considerable support in her community and a Gofundme effort has raised nearly $81,000. Supporters say her defense will probably cost $150,000 in total, all of it out of pocket. They raise $53,000 to defend server in death of drunk teens
The City of Toronto will collaborate with the CN Tower and CHUM1045 to host tonight’s New Year’s Eve display online. Based on the recommendations of Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, Toronto, like other municipalities across Canada, is celebrating New Year’s Eve virtually. All in-person New Year’s Eve events, including celebrations in Nathan Phillips Square, have been cancelled.
The CN Tower light show will be live-streamed on the City’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/thecityoftoronto and simulcast on Jamar’s House Party live on CHUM1045 on December 31 starting at 11:58 p.m. Microprocessor-controlled, each of the CN Tower’s more than 1,300 LED lights can produce 16.7 million colours and an infinite variety of lighting effects. Synched to music, the show will ring in a brighter year ahead.
Another tall tower half way around the globe has already welcomed 2021 with a dazzling light show and fireworks display. Emaar Properties collaborated with Zoom to host its New Year’s Eve celebrations live from Downtown Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. Up to 50,000 people from around the world were invited to tune-in to the global Zoom video call, while thousands watched in person.
Mayor Tory and Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson will also be a part of TVO’s New Year’s Eve event, From Ontario with Love: A Celebration of Hope. The 90-minute event, featuring incredible performances, storytelling and fireworks, will start at 10:30 p.m. on TVO, the TVO YouTube Channel, and thestar.com and will include Toronto sites such as the Princes’ Gates at Exhibition Place. Headlining the special are Avril Lavigne, Barenaked Ladies, Loud Luxury and The Halluci Nation.
Random posts restore The Bulldog’s faith in the sanity of humanity in a time when public opinion polls suggest that as much as 40 percent of Canada’s population is going completely nuts during the C-19 pestilence. Who could blame them? But posts by Diane Castor (left) at Leaside Community and the owner of Kingmajesty and Princess (right) on Instagram reveal a sound grip on the times.
New Zealanders have had the pleasure of welcoming 2021 with all of the hopes that this New Year carries. These scenes are from Aukland. Below is a good show put on for 2021 in Taipei, the capital of democratic Taiwan. And Sydney.
There are 14.57 million people in the Trillium Province and the government has pledged to have administered C-19 vaccinations to 8.5 million of them by the end of June. Fingers crossed.
Even as new daily cases continue to climb
The government reports 2,923 new cases of C-19 infection Wednesday discovered during the 24-hour period ended at midnight. It’s a record number and exceeds the previous record set Tuesday by some 313. The increase comes amid a slackening in testing possibly caused by the holidays. Today’s number was determined on the basis of 39,200 tests whereas before Christmas testing was in the 60,000-a-day range.
Earthquakes have rattled Croatia for two days running. This video offers some graphic actuality scenes of the nerve-wracking quakes.
Is North Korea short of food?
Observers say that the North Korean tyrant Kim jung-un is under enormous pressure because of the useless economy of his personal fiefdom. Some say the recent goverment ode to homegrown potatoes suggests North Korea is short of food.
Leg lengthening surgery is tricky
Who knew that there are apparently respectable medical practices in the UK and elsewhere that perform surgery to lengthen the legs? But it can be perilous.
Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Eileen de Villa says the quarantine and public safety rules intended to fight the Covid pandemic have proven to be a test of democracy as well as Canada’s health care system. She spoke philosophically about the need to communicate with those who find such restrictions a violation of their rights.
Here are Monday morning reports on the efficacy and handy nature of the AstraZeneca vaccine created in collaboration with Oxford University. It looks good. Then, the CBC interviews an epidemiologist who suggests there’s nothing about the C-19 variant that should scare us more than the original.
Fire service personnel cut their way into abandoned building/Ian duke
Quite a mess at hoses hauled across Dundas
A five-alarm fire Sunday night at Dundas St. and Sterling Rd. in an abandoned industrial machine works has been extinguished by the Toronto Fire Service. The building, which is owned by Metrolinx, was set for demolition. The blaze was very well covered by amateur photographers and one of them, John Semley (john@johnsemley3000) provided this account of what appears to have been the best show in town.
RIP to the abandoned industrial machine works at sterling and dundas that had been turned into a skate park, colloquially known as “teentown.” had the pleasure of holing up in their hallowed halls this summer. Toronto loses another one.
John and friend hanging out at old factory last summer/john@johnsemley3000
