Excuse me, how soon can I plant these pansies?
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Loblaws at 321 Moore Ave. is ready but the bedding plant excitement is still a few weeks away — even for hardy horticulturalists. All across South Bayview this morning it looks more like January 11 than April 11. As an “April Surprise” this is a big one. Read the outlook from The Weather Channel.
Porter wants to fly jets from island airport
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As posted, the president of Porter Airlines, Don Deluce, announced today that he has ordered up to 30 Bombardier CSeries. Mr. Deluce said he wants to fly the jets out of Billy Bishop (Island) Airport on routes across Canada and to the U.S. by 2016. He stressed that he is proceeding “respectfully” in the face of what will be seen as daunting business, jurisdictional and political concerns related to such a dream. For starters, he has to get the city to agree to lengthen the runway at the island airport, and get permission to fly jets from the island, something that is now forbidden. That task will seem a big one, given the anxiety felt on the issue by city council. And that does not deal with the federal government and the the established airlines which are not looking for competition. An anchor on the Business News Network said Porter was painting itself into a corner with government.
Wicksteed deal sees cash for Bayview BIA plan
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Community groups have reached agreement with SmartCentres on the company’s planned development for lands north of Wicksteed Ave. The settlement was hammered out earlier this week in advance of North York Community Council’s decision to approve the shopping-commercial development. The large odd-shaped shopping and commercial project dubbed the Salamander by some had been opposed by the Leaside Property Owners’ Association and Leaside Unite. The understanding to cease opposition was based on SmartCentres recognition of the community concern about traffic, landscaping, lighting and the support of local retail businesses with shops on main streets in the area. A sum of $110,000 will be given to the community groups as administrators to assist with such things as a traffic study of the area. The projected Business Improvement Area for South Bayview will be given $25,000 of this amount to assist in pushing that goal to fruition. Another $25,000 will be dedicated to identifying heritage sites in the Leaside area.
“Old garden friend” goes up and out the back
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Alert! Blood clinic today at Northlea school
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Sorry to be a little late on this. The annual Northlea Community Blood Donor Clinic kicks off at 2 p.m. today at the school. We are reminded that the need for blood never really ends. See if you can make it over to the North Gym at Northlea Elementary and Middle School, 305 Rumsey Road between 2 p.m.and 8 p.m. today. We re sure you will get a nice welcome. The Bulldog says thanks.
Will Porter jets pollute the South Bayview sky?
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Porter Airlines is said to have done a deal with Bombardier for a number of CSeries jetliners. The Globe and Mail is saying that the deal will be announced later today. The issue for South Bayview will be the impact of more flights from Billy Bishop (Island) Airport over our neighborhoods. Most homeowners will remember when they did not have to listen to the Montreal, Ottawa and other eastbound Porter flights groaning and moaning over our rooftops. But now we do. Some say that Porter will have to find other airports to launch jet flights. There is to be a news conference today. CBC
Battle set on city hall bike station and showers
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Mayor Ford has pledged to do whatever he can to defeat the proposed bicycle parking station and shower stalls planned for the parking garage under city hall. “I’m going to try to kill it at council,” says Mr. Ford. The $1.2 million bike station was approved by the government management committee Monday and will go to council for approval next month. The plan includes four showers.
Star says 21 on council will vote “no” on casino
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Star writers Daniel Dale and David Rider say that 21 councillors have now declared they will definitely vote against a large downtown/waterfront casino. A majority of 23 votes is required on council to approve the project. The casino journey has seen the growth of a vigorous and widespread taxpayer opposition to the concept. Two other councillors are leaning to the No side — one of them, Ana Bailao, strongly. Even if two of those 23 councillors change their minds, the No side is still probably safe, barring some major unexpected development. The story says, “Some 15 other councillors are publicly undecided, including two, Glenn De Baeremaeker and Anthony Perruzza, who almost always vote with the left. The casino would still go down to defeat if the undecideds broke 13-2 in its favour, which is highly unlikely.”
Recall issued for Old Navy cotton pajamas
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The Federal Government has issued a recall for Old Navy footed and non-footed one-piece sleepers with the style number starting with 476746. The Healthy Canadians notice says: “They are made of 100% cotton. The hazard identified by Health Canada’s sampling and evaluation program has determined that these products do not meet the flammability requirements for children’s sleepwear under Canadian law. Loose-fitting children’s sleepwear can contact ignition sources such as stove elements, candles, and matches more readily than tight-fitting sleepwear, and once ignited will burn rapidly, potentially resulting in severe burns to large areas of the child’s body. For this reason, cotton is not permitted in loose-fitting sleepwear. Neither Health Canada nor Old Navy has received reports of incidents or injuries related to the use of the affected sleepwear.” The recall notes that some 15,550 of the recalled products were sold in Canada between June 2012 to February 2013. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled products and return them to where they were purchased. Boring on the Eglinton tunnel to begin in May
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Boring of the tunnel which will carry the Crosstown LRT along Eglinton Ave. will begin in May, the transportation minister said today. Glen Murray spoke at a ceremony on Eglinton West near Black Creek Drive where the excavation will begin. The LRT will stretch 19 km along Eglinton Ave with 11 km of that being underground. The two boring machines now on site at the west end will advance a distance of 14 metres a day as they move east. The project is estimated to be finished in 2020.
Astonishing 16-year-old speaks 23 languages
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| Timothy Doner |
Timothy Doner isn’t the captain of the basketball team. He’s not the student council president and he’s not starring in his school’s play. But the 17-year-old teenager easily stands apart from the rest of his peers at school, if not the rest of the youth in the U.S. Doner will practice languages at restaurants and meet-ups throughout New York, speaking Arabic in Astoria, Queens to Mandarin in New York City’s Chinatown. He’ll even order his kabob from street vendors using arabic. New Tang Dynasty TV.