A frequently asked question among friends of South Bayview is: What does this street really need? One very outside-the-box idea is a modern electronic bingo hall. We know, it’s Dollarama redux. Hey, the place seems busy. And we’re not recommending it but you may have noticed that Toronto’s government management committee has endorsed the use of electronic devices at local bingo halls to turn around a declining business and lure more and younger players. We’re just saying you have to keep an open mind because we guarantee you that Southeby’s International is not going to open bidding on any Renoirs here very soon, silly them. Paul Moloney
Slaight family gives $50 million to cancer research
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This morning has seen an extraordinarily generous act of philanthropy by the Allan Slaight family of Toronto. Mr Slaight’s wife, Emmanuelle Gattuso, was present at a news conference held by the Princess Margaret Hospital to announce a gift of $50 million dollars. The money will go to bulk up the $50 Billion Challenge issued by the hospital recently. Ms Gattuso is a patient at the Princess Margaret Hospital. She is seen in the inset pictures taken from CP24.
Friday night robbery at T-D branch on Avenue Rd.
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A lone bandit robbed the T-D Canada Trust at Avenue Road and Davenport Rd. around 7.30 p.m. last Friday night, a classic time for bank robberies. The masked individual was armed and demanded cash. he got away with a small sum and no one was hurt.
Warming up the car should be done with care
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Toronto Police are reminding people that their car is a easy target if it is left “warming up” in the driveway with the doors unlocked. The appeal of warming the car can be irresistible and if it is, the police suggest you lock the car with an extra key so it’s still there when you come back out.
Power back on for most Toronto homes
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This afternoon brought blessed relief for families in the southeastern Toronto neighborhood of Leslieville where everyone had been wearing winter clothes indoors. Power was off for some 12 hours in frigid temperatures. Late today, Toronto Hydro said that it had restored power to all but a few customers. They were working furiously into the night to get those homes back on line. Across the city, last night’s howling winds blew away garbage cans and paper boxes, knocked down electrical wires and brought down a few big trees. One of them blocked traffic on Rosedale Valley Rd all day (inset upper). On Blythwood Road (inset lower) Toronto urban forestry crews were summoned to get rid of a lofty Spruce tree. They stripped its boughs and then cut down the trunk. Toronto Hydro tweeted that its crews “continue with power restoration efforts to last 100 customers who remain without power.”
Barbara Walters falls, hospitalized
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Barbara Walters has taken a fall during a visit to the British embassy in Washington. The 83-year-old television celebrity has been hospitalized after cutting her forehead in a fall. She is in the U.S. capital to attend tomorrow’s inauguration. Sources said her hospital stay is precautionary. She underwent tests and observation but is expected to be released shortly.
Lincoln Electric 102 years humming on Wicksteed
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With the arrival of the Canadian Motorsport Expo next month, focus has again centred on one of that show’s most important exhibitors, Lincoln Electric. This leader in industrial electrical work and welding is a century resident of Leaside’s industrial east side, still at 179 Wicksteed Ave since it opened in 1911. Lincoln is being called the welding repair shop that is chosen almost exclusively by car builders and racers. Inside Track Motorsport News notes that Lincoln Electric introduced the world’s first variable voltage, single operator, portable welding machine. And over the years the company has progressed through the many changes in welding to the most advanced laser-welding technology. The motor sports show begins February 8, 2013 at the International Centre.
Merton St real estate broker has accounts frozen
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The Ontario’s real estate regulator has frozen the bank accounts of the specialized boutique brokerage firm Graydon Hill Realty Ltd. at 123 Merton St. between Yonge and Mt Pleasant. It’s reported that the regulator found what it called irregularities. The Real Estate Council of Ontario has been quoted as saying that its chief executive officer Tom Wright had issued the freeze order to protect consumers following an inspection which uncovered the irregularities in the accounts. No other details were released. The firm does business in the wealthy Forest Hill and Moore Park areas of central Toronto. It employs about 30 people.
South Bayview dodges power blackouts
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South Bayview seems to have escaped power outages following overnight wind that blacked out many parts of the city. Around town, Rosedale Valley Road is closed as noon approaches as a result of fallen trees. Elsewhere, there is a large blockage of traffic on Spadina near the Lakeshore where northbound lanes are closed for repairs and southbound lanes are limited. CTV
Keep score of Leafs game secret pleads spaceman
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Nice summary of the return of hockey excitement to Canada from the CBC. High points include the return of the Vancouver Canucks “Green Men” and the picture inset which was tweeted from space by Astronaut Chris Hadfield He shared a photograph of our town calling it “home of my favourite team, the Maple Leafs,” he wrote “as seen from the International Space Station.” He also had a request for NHL fans: “I won’t get to see the Leafs-Habs game on the Space Station until it’s sent up to me tomorrow,” he wrote. “Can you keep the score a secret?” CBC
Sporadic delivery of flu shots to local drugstores
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Some pharmacies across South Bayview are out of flu vaccine, but the shortage is expected to be brief. Because demand for the shot is so high, based on the flood of late-comers responding to this year’s epidemic, delivery of the flu shot has become slightly sporadic in Toronto. There is plenty of the vaccine in stock but in some cases, it can’t be shipped fast enough to keep up with local demand. This sign at the Pharma Plus on Moore Ave near Bayview Ave. is up today. The drugstore expects to have more of the flu shot allocation very soon but this week’s supply didn’t arrive.
Outraged reader wants $20 bills sent to him
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Sean Blaney, a New Brunswick botanist, has a view of the Norwegian maple tree as a kind of interloper. It’s a strain of Maple that came here in the 18th Century and “really shouldn’t be in Canada.” Right Sean. You can see that if you start where Sean is at, it really is a scandal that the Norwegian Maple leaf appears to have found its way onto the new polymer Canadian $20 bill. The image here shows the Norwegian leaf on the left and the Canadian Sugar Maple leaf on the right. The Sugar Maple is the one on our national flag. How upset any of us should be about this is debatable. A lot of our relatives sneaked into pre-Canada in the 18th century. A comment in response to this story is enlightening: “This is outrageous,” say the reader. “I will soon be putting up a post office box address where you can send me all of these insulting $20 bills that you might have in your possession so that I can perhaps take a truckload of them to Ottawa to represent our collective anger to Parliament. I may even demand to speak to the Prime Minister or the Governor General about this.”