There is an upbeat guess in this article that the Vatican may be ready to permit priests to wed and ordain women. It contains nothing much to support this prospect but it is an interesting indicator of how the current debate over who should be Pope has raised hopes. Frank Viviano
Talking about her complaint until 2014
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Sarah Thompson has told a Toronto radio station that she thought Mayor Ford was on cocaine the night he allegedly molested her at a large party at the Acadian Court. This follows the mayor’s comment on his radio program on Newstalk 1010 that he feels Ms Thompson is “not playing with a full deck.” These careless slanders invoke again Christie Blatchford’s observation that Mr. Ford and Ms Thompson are Mr. Train Wreck and Ms Train Wreck. None of it reflects well on either party. Nor does it seem right for the media to let them keeping cranking out insults which shed no light on the truth. It seems certain, given the many informed witnesses who have already come forward that there will never be a factual determination of the key question. But it is more than clear that Ms Thompson’s agenda is to keep talking about the alleged offense from now until election day 2014. Frankly it seems doubtful that someone with her judgement could ever be elected mayor. Ms. Thompson’s rambling suppositions about the mayor’s condition — cocaine, diabetes, alcohol — are grotesque. It is equally apparent that by raking over the matter each morning in the media she can hurt the mayor’s chances at the next vote.
Break-ins on Inglewood Dr., Chatsworth Dr.
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Toronto Police Service reports: A resident of Inglewood Drive reports that between 1715 hours on March 9, 2013 and 0042 hours on March 10, 2013, entry was gained into the premises by forcing a door. Removed was a quantity of camera equipment, laptop computers, jewellery and tableware. Chatsworth Drive: A resident of Chatsworth Drive reports that on March 7, 2013 at approximately 1115 hours, unknown suspects gained entry into the premises by forcing a door. Removed was a quantity of cash, jewellery and household items.
Modella fashion show at 1579 Bayview Avenue
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Modella Ladieswear is planning an in-store fashion show tomorrow (Tuesday, March 12) at 7 pm at its store at 1579 Bayview Ave. Modella is offering a glass of wine, mineral water and snacks as models — who are the customers — show the new spring collection.
Rain Monday afternoon with a high of ten
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Rain is expected tomorrow afternoon in Toronto. Monday morning it will be cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers in the morning and early in the afternoon. Showers will transition to rain in the afternoon. Wind will be south at 20 km/h becoming light in the afternoon. High 10. Monday night there will be rain ending after midnight then partly cloudy. Wind becoming southwest 20 km/h in the evening with a low of plus 1.
226 Hillsdale sells for $172,000 over asking
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The brick home at 226 Hillsdale Ave. E. about a block west of Mt. Pleasant Rd. has sold in seven days for $921,000, $172,000 over the asking price of 749,000. It had previously sold for $551,000 in 2004. It is said to have about 1,600 square feet and sit on a lot that is 25 by 125 feet in size. The home has a walkout from the kitchen to the deck and garden with an interlocking brick patio. The driveway leading to the parking pad is subject to a right-of-way but is wide and can accommodate a car fairly easily, the agents information said..
Stratford Festival facing $3.4 million deficit
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| Usually a crowd-pleaser |
What happened at Stratford Festival last year to cause a $3.4 million deficit as the Canadian theatrical institution heads into 2013? The short answer is that not enough people came. It could be seen in the nearly half-empty Festival Theatre for performances of 42nd Street, usually a crowd pleaser. Was it the absence of Americans, just too cash strapped at home to make it across the border from the many Great Lakes states that traditionally send hundreds of thousands of patrons? Whatever, despite acclaim from theatre critics and audiences the Stratford Festival experienced a 5% drop in attendance. The fall in attendance has not been a secret but the official accounting for the Festival’s 60th season was presented to members Saturday at the theatre’s annual general meeting. The revenue shortfall occurred in spite of donor contributions to operations totalling $13.3 million – the highest in the Festival’s history – and the transfer of $2.3 million from the Endowment Foundation.
Mexico-Canada basebrawl more like hockey fight
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Power back on in Thorncliffe Park apartments
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Thorncliffe Park residents are tweeting to friends outside the area that they have their power back on — 9.53 pm.
At 9 pm. Hydro says power “any minute now”
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Frustrated and in some cases angry residents in Thorncliffe Park were still in the dark at 9 p.m. Saturday some 30 hours after the power outage that disrupted their neighborhood. They were complaining about rotting food, children with medical conditions and the lack of household medical equipment like C-PAP machines. Hydro crews replacing a $65,000 piece of switching equipment say their hearts go out to the residents and that they are working as fast as they can. CP24 said at 9 pm. that Hydro was promising restoration of power at any minute. Those able to access the Internet noted that Hydro’s outage map showed that the blackout in Thorncliffe was over. But it was not. 9.09 pm.
Thorncliffe power back by “dinner hour”: Hydro
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Toronto Hydro says it is aiming to have power restored to about 23 apartment buildings on Thorncliffe Park Drive by dinner hour. Residents of the units have struggled through more than 24 hours of darkness and cold as Hydro worked at replacing a unit valued at some $65,000 in an underground vault on Thorncliffe Park. Many tenants of the area have complained that they are of modest means and fear that everything from food spoilage to children’s illnesses will become an issue for them. Apartment dwellers have had to find their way around their darkened apartments, halls and stairways. Elevators are of course not working. By any measure, it is a miserable situation. The councillor, John Parker (Ward 26 Don Valley West) was present at the repair site. On CP24 he said that this is an example of aging infrastructure throughout the city and that people should expect further blackouts from time to time because of that. He pointed out the fairly long-standing tug-of-war between Ontario Hydro and the Ontario Energy Board for funds to repair known potential problems. An earlier outage in Davisville Village which occurred at more or less the same time as the Thorncliffe blackout has now had power restored.
Hard luck basement a South Bayview eyesore
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| Empty units at 1560 Bayview |
Who knows just how the owners of 1560 Bayview, at the corner of Belsize Drive, feel about the chronically vacant walk-down basement units? Those of us who live and work here however dream frequently of a solution that would somehow turn these units into an asset not an eyesore. In fairness, these lower units suffer from a discredited design concept that tried to maximize space by putting half the “street level” units below ground. It didn’t work and that lesson has been sadly taught all over the city, most notably Yorkville. At 1560 Bayview, the owners tried to make the units to the north, where Bayview Photo was once located, more accessible by building a ramp. It has to be said that this was not a success. The ramp, in two long lengths, is more like a barrier to the places of business below. Steps to the lower level are hidden away behind the ramp. There is a clue perhaps to a solution in the upper floors of the building, which are pretty well-leased. Many of the upper units, unlike the lower ones, are smaller and more versatile for service businesses. Does the downstairs space need to be subdivided? Should the emphasis be on service accommodation, rather than retail goods? Can the rents be modified? This is a large property company. It seems reasonable to say that some vacant space is not so serious to the owners of 1560 Baview as it might be to companies with a smaller portfolio. All of this said, we continue to believe that a useful purpose can be found for these empty units. But everyone has to care about the problem to make the solution occur.