Armed men stage terrifying “takeover” bank job

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Police in northwest Toronto are hunting two men last seen driving a stolen green Honda after a terrifying bank holdup that wounded two people. In the linked CBC video clip below police describe how two men, one armed with a handgun, the other with a rifle, tried to “take over” the TD Canada Trust branch at 2555 St. Clair Ave. West near Runnymede Rd. Sunday morning. The gunmen leaped counters and demanded that customers in the busy branch lie on the floor. When one customer, a middle-aged man, didn’t comply fast enough, one of the bandits fired at him. The shot missed but struck a woman employee of the bank in the leg. She is said to be in satisfactory condition. The bandits fled the bank pursued by the customer. The customer was shot outside as he struggled with the robbers. He was shot in the stomach and is said to be in serious condition. Reports say the stolen car has been located but the bandits remain at large. Police describe details of the holdup and details on the wanted men. 

Quake kills 157, injures 5,700 in China’s Sichuan

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Video from ITN on the left shows pregnant woman peering out from collapsed home where she was trapped. Video on right is from the BBC.   Toronto Star 

Boston, Toronto and the CCTV camera

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The Toronto Police Service has installed cameras in the Weston area with the intention of reducing crime and apprehending those who commit crimes. The community has been consulted in this move. CCTV cameras represent one of the best ways available to make our communities safer. The events in Boston this week show how important publicly installed cameras are in leading to arrests and restoring public confidence. To those who say that cameras do not reduce crime, we say don’t be too sure. We will guarantee anyone that an arrested criminal is a criminal who has been slowed down. The misguided idea held by some opponents of CCTV  that they are used to follow and spy on people is nonsense. No one even looks at these cameras until there has been a crime. The standard to apply to CCTV video is simple. Is there abuse?  Video is like all evidence. Our open and rule-of-law society should feel fully comfortable with cameras, just as the public does in the United Kingdom where CCTV are everywhere. 

Amazing pictures of suspect #2 taken from air

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Mayor Ford invites you to mark Cleanup Day 2013

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Mayor Ford will be trying to set an example today that his constituents all across town will actually want to follow. He will join his neighbors and supporters in observing Cleanup Day at Colonel Samuel Smith in Ward 6 (Etobicoke-Lakeshore). This Toronto-wide citizen participation cleanup was the Mayor’s idea and it seems to have caught on as hundreds of groups will participate in the third annual event. It’s really a month long program in which citizens and the city deal with litter, graffiti and vandalism. Locally, our street seems to have come out from under the snow looking better than usual. But a sweep of Bayview Avenue’s wide sidewalks would be good for the spirit and an excellent example to others. The picture distributed online of Mayor Ford as the poster boy for a spring cleanup is one of his better portrayals. 

In suburban Boston, thanks and jubilation

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Newsday

Toronto 10K will close Yonge St. Sunday morning

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Yonge Street will be closed this Sunday between Erskine Ave (north of Eglinton Ave.) to Richmond Street between 6 and 11 a.m. for the  Toronto Yonge Street 10K Marathon. There will be other closures further along the route which, as is set out below, heads west from Yonge at Richmond Street. 
  •  Yonge Street between Erskine Avenue and Richmond Street
  •  Richmond Street from Yonge Street to Peter Street
  •  Peter Street/Blue Jays Way between Richmond Street and Front Street
  •  Westbound Front Street between Blue Jays Way and Bathurst Street
  •  Bathurst Street from Front Street to Fort York Boulevard
  •  Fort York Boulevard from Bathurst Street to Fleet Street (closure from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
  •  Fleet Street’s westbound lanes from Strachan Avenue to Fort York Boulevard – closure from   6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

GO to run every 30 minutes all day on Lakeshore

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Toronto Star

LUC Awesome Sale this year is May 11 and 12.

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A favorite event is the Leaside United Church Awesome Sale that comes along twice a year. This spring the Awesome Sale will take place on Friday May 10 ( 3 to 7 p.m.) and Saturday May 11 (9 a.m. to noon). As usual there will be thousands of pre-sorted items including, jewellery, clothing,  small appliances, housewares and many other items. All funds will go to support the LUC and Outreach programs. The church is located at the corner of McRae Dr. and Millwood Rd. 

Tight fit for drywall crane on Rose Park Drive

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Leaside historical tableau opens Tuesday

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Many Leasiders are looking forward to what will no doubt be a cornerstone event in this month centennial celebration. The tableau display describes, explains and interprets the cultural landscape of Leaside through the decades of Leaside’s history. The exhibit opens Tuesday at the Leaside Library and runs through Sunday April  28, 2013. Here are the times:  Official Opening: Tuesday, April 23, 9.25am Regular. Open times: Tuesday April 23, to Sunday April 28, 2013. Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9.00am to 8.30pm; Friday, Saturday: 9.00am to 5.00pm; Sunday: 1.30pm to 5.00pm Leaside Public Library, 165 McRae Drive

Latest on that nocturnal chopper nuisance

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The annoying helicopter activity over Yonge-Eglinton and points east last night was apparently caused by a developer or real estate firm taking video for future use of some kind. This is the word from Josh Matlow (Ward 22) on his tweet parade today. Says Mr. Matlow “They were collecting footage for a potential development, gave no warning to the City or local residents. I don’t want this to be repeated.” Amen sir.