Leaf Shack will rise next year win or lose

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Doug Radford

The Radford family of Hanna Rd. has declared the Leaf Shack to have been a total success. Doug Redford, a Toronto paramedic, told The South Bayview Bulldog that the Game 7 turnout to the family’s backyard television theatre attracted at least 70 people, most of whom Mr. Radford says he had never met before. “Next year I’m going to have to extend the back of the tent a little further. It was pretty much standing room only for a lot of people,” said the creator of the Leaf Shack. As reported here the Leaf Shack concept goes back more than a decade and was recreated for this year’s winning season. But, says Radford, there will be another Leaf Shack next year win or lose. 

Belsize listing from winter shows strong market

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The Globe and Mail is reporting the sale of the semi-detached home at 260 Belsize Drive near Forman Ave. As many will know, this places the home on the attractive Glebe Manor Square boulevard park that stretches along certain sections of Belsize. The sale appears to be a winter listing which for reasons of a long close is only being reported now. The asking price was  $679,000 and it sold for $760,000. The home had sold previously in 1988 for  $262,000.  Sydnia Yu, Special to the Globe and Mail

Ford’s lawyer denies crack tale, cops “monitoring”

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A lawyer for Mayor Ford says the accusation that Mr. Ford is seen on video smoking crack cocaine is “false and defamtory”  Dennis S. Morris, whose practice is on John Street, made the declaration in response to the Toronto Star story today (Friday, May 17, 2013) in which two well known reporters. Robyn Doolittle and  Kevin Donovan, write that they have screened a cellphone video shown to them by men who are apparently traffickers in crack. A photograph showing someone who looks like the mayor is published with the Star story. The Star says that it was asked to pay a million dollars and other sums of money for the video. It says it paid nothing. On the tape the mayor is said to utter a number of vulgarities and to be clearly impaired. The mayor himself has called the video “ridiculous” and yet another attempt by the Toronto Star to discredit him. He did not comment on the  appearance of the story first in the gossip online publication Gawker. The Gawkter  story, written by John Cook, is very vitriolic and the writer is conducting a campaign to solicit a sum of $200,000 to buy the video. Mr. Cook observes that the owner of the video may wish to leave town for fear of retribution.  As he hustled through City Hall today Mr Ford was hectored by reporters: “Is the video a fake, Mr Ford?” “Why would someone make a fake video?” and similar questions. One of the Mayor’s allies on council,  Doug Holyday, said that he did not know what to say except that drug traffickers cannot be trusted. CP24 quotes police spokesman Tony Vella as saying that the department is “monitoring” the situation but PC Vella had no more to say about what that meant.  Many commentators are suggesting the video represents a fatal turn in the mayor’s career from which he may not be able to recover.  .  

Storefront in Millwood Rd. mall is finally for rent

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Residents of South Leaside will be interested in the “For Rent” sign at 899 Millwood Road in the little mall at the corner of Sutherland Drive. For what seems at least a year it has had its window papered over with the sign of the last occupant, Anna’s Day Spa, still up above. Now that sign is down and the space is for rent. It is the first change we can recall at the mall since ServiceOntario moved out in the Fall of 2010 to make room for the Sleuth of Baker Street. An apparent difference from a common structure in these small malls is that it appears the owner of the unit at 899 has separated out the living space upstairs so he is collecting two rents. Savvy small business people frequently buy both the store and the living space, as was done by Sleuth. It makes the retail process a lot more economical. Now we will wait to see who rents the store. The sign advertises Glendale Properties Inc, a management firm at 112 Sheppard Ave. West.

Minor earthquake felt — or not — in Toronto

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An earthquake centred northwest of Ottawa has been felt  across a wide area of Ontario and Quebec according to media reports. There are reports from around the GTA of a tremble. It appears equally true that the earthquake was not felt by many others. Earthquakes Canada has revised its original report, saying it registered a 5.1-magnitude temblor with an epicentre located about 21 kilometres northeast of Shawville, Que., about an hour’s drive outside the national capital. There has been no damage reported. 

Star says video shows mayor smoking crack

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Toronto Star’s story

The Toronto Star has published a story which says that two of its reporters have seen a cellphone video of Mayor Ford apparently smoking crack cocaine. The story describes in detail not only the circumstances of how the reporters came to know about the tape and view it, but also the quite disturbing things that are seen and heard on the video. The person identified as the mayor makes a number of vulgar remarks, all apparently while under the influence of the narcotic. The mayor’s staff is said to be refusing to comment. The story seems to say that the Star’s reporters have necessarily seen or talked to people who are drug traffickers. Whatever this video may portend for the mayor, it might seem that an early call to the police would be in order.  

Useful planning guide for home fireworks

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Moore and Bayview

The fireworks fun on the May long-weekend is also a time to make sure kids (and others) don’t get hurt. Merchants are pushing fireworks this year in a way not previously seen. The city has a useful guide available  online on what to look for and avoid.  It is short and simple. The City regulates fireworks sales and specifices that fireworkls may be sold at retail “only during one or more of the following time periods: (a) Victoria Day and the seven days immediately before Victoria Day; (b) Canada Day and the seven days immediately before Canada Day;”  Guide

Duffy “pushed out” of Conservative Caucus: CTV

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CTV News is reporting tonight that Sen. Mike Duffy has been  effectively pushed out of the Conservative Caucus in the Senate. Duffy said in a statement: “It is clear the public controversy surrounding me and the repayment of my Senate expenses has become a significant distraction to my caucus colleagues, and to the government. The network quotes its Ottawa correspondent Robert Fife as saying that Duffy was pushed out of the caucus because of the growing questions surrounding his conduct. CTV