CTV news anchor Christine Bentley after 35 years of service

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Christine Bentley

Here is a memo sent out today announcing to staff the retirement of CTV News anchor Christine Bentley. This is a significant day in the history of our newsroom. After 35 years with CTV News, Christine Bentley has decided to step down from the anchor desk, and take on new projects outside of CTV. Christine will make the announcement on air in a few minutes from now, and this Friday’s 6:00pm newscast will be her last. Christine wanted you all to know about her decision before she makes it public. In 1977, Christine joined CFTO as an ambitious young reporter, fresh out of Barrie. She worked her way up to the Queen’s Park beat, eventually joining Ken Shaw at 11:30 PM on what was then known as Nightbeat News. Years later she and Ken re-teamed at suppertime, on Toronto’s #1 newscast. Today, Christine is a household name from Oshawa to Hamilton, and she is one of the most recognizable personalities in our city. She marks this career milestone knowing that she has helped keep CTV Toronto as strong as ever; both in quality and in the ratings.

Artisan Olive Oil has taken 1705 Bayview Ave.

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The premises at 1705 Bayview (formerly Groms) has been leased by a company called Artisan Olive Oil and it promises an opportunity for oil and vinegar tastings. Sounds like fun. Things are moving right along and it appears that the shop might be open within a few days. No. 1705 is next door to the Academy of Culinary Arts. We’ll let you know. 

Bulk Barn open in Leaside but who owns it?

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Bulk Barn in the Leaside Village has opened for business today. Bulk Barn sits facing the Longo’s across a driveway and is easy to find in its bright yellow dressing. Bulk Barn is frequently the source of speculation that it is owned by Loblaws. This appears to be not true but there may be an association. Shoppers will notice the No Name brand appearing at Bulk Barn. No Name is owned by Loblaws, so how does it get into Bulk Barn? Here is background from an informed source: “Bulk Barn is a privately held company controlled by the Ofield family of Richmond Hill (and Sarasota Florida). As a private company they don’t have to disclose or report much information. It seems they have a business relationship with Loblaws which may have included them licensing the No Name trademark from Loblaws but there does not appear to be an ownership relationship. If Loblaws owned more than 10% of Bulk Barn they would have to disclose this in various public company filings. It’s theoretically possible that one of the Westons personally could be one of Bulk Barn’s private shareholders but that seems unlikely. It’s also possible that in some cases Loblaws owns some of the Bulk Barn franchises but again, there’s no way to authoritatively know that.”

($3) Dollarama profit leaps 32% in Q2

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Dollarama is just flying as it announces another upward curve in profit. This time the  net profit of $49.8-million in its second quarter, leaping an astonishing 32% from the comparable period last year.  Dollarama plant to open stores and raise prices is clearly paying off. The profit was 66 cents per diluted share in the 13 weeks ended July 29, up from $37.6 million or 50 cents per share in the comparable period last year. Dollarama’s revenue was up 13.8%, rising to $441 million from $387.5 million for the corresponding period last year. Dollarama originally sold products for a dollar each but now offers items of up to $3 — a move that has helped boost its revenue and margins.

Nordstrom to tap 4 cities in English Canada

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Nordstrom, the high service department store  from Seattle, will open stores in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver — all of them at Cadillac Fairview malls in those cities. In Toronto, it looks like Sherway Shopping in Etobicoke will get the Nordstrom outlet. Toronto Star 

Hoardings go up at slow-moving Dollarama

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The much-awaited Dollarama store at 1531-1533 Bayview Ave is disappearing behind some very well constructed hoardings. Here you see them on Tuesday. Looks like the kind of permanent wall that might be built anywhere. But they will be temporary. They are not, as one wag said, a special Dollarama type of patio. Guess this means there is a lot of work to be done at the front of the store, and this Dollarama will have a very spiffy new front for sure. Still, as workers today confirmed, the work seems painfully slow. Inside, the musty old interior seems to have changed very little since the update we brought you August 14, 2012. In fact, said our source, there seems little urgency to get the place finished for Christmas. Of course, it may be open, but then again don’t count on it. Odd. What was that deal that took place involving the landlord, Shoppers Drug Mart and Dollarama?

MPPs votes 82-15 to freeze teachers wages

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The Ontario Government this afternoon voted to pass the legislation freezing teachers wages for at least two years. Teachers and others in the Legislature gallery shouted “Shame” while some Progressive Conservative members replied “Isn’t there school today?” The opposition PCs voted with the Liberal minority to provide an ample majority for passage. Public school teacher unions leaders said they’ll ask their members to stop any voluntary duties in school, such as extracurricular clubs, to send a message they’re not happy with the law. High school teachers are scheduled to demonstrate tomorrow.  The Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty has acted with uncharacteristic firmness in cutting costs as the reality of Ontario’s $220 billion debt has set in. It is said that each one of Ontario’s’citizens would have to pay $16,900 to balance the province’s accounts. 

Leaside beats Newmarket to advance in GTBL

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Travis Skelton

Centre fielder Travis Skelton drove in three runs with a pair of hits as the visiting Leaside Leafs topped the Newmarket Hawks 6-2 to sweep a Greater Toronto Baseball League quarter-final playoff series Monday night at McKnight Field. Skelton hit a two-run double in the seventh inning off losing pitcher Adam Kallio to expand a 3-1 Leafs lead. The victory enabled Leaside to claim the series in two games and advance to the league’s four-team, double-knockout tournament starting Friday night in Thornhill at Bishop’s Cross Park. Mark West had two doubles and Liam O’Brien had a double and single among the six hits Newmarket recorded off winning pitcher Andrew Morales.

Crown seeks two years in dungeon case

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The Crown is seeking a two-year jail term for a man who built a dungeon in an abandoned Pickering farm house with the intention of abducting and detaining a woman. The convicted man is Robert Edwin White who earlier pleaded guilty to building a so-called confinement room in an abandoned farmhouse to kidnap a woman who had given assistance to his estranged wife. Sentence will be handed down October 4, 2012.  Durham

Gold necklace theft on Thorncliffe Park Drive

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Toronto Police Service report: A 31 year old female reports that on September 9, 2012 at approximately 1600 hours she was in the area of Thorncliffe Park Drive and Overlea Boulevard when she was approached from behind by a male suspect. The suspect removed a gold necklace from the victim’s person and fled the scene northbound on Thorncliffe Park Drive. No injuries were sustained by the victim. Police are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the following described person in connection with this offence. Description of Suspect: Male, black, 22 to 26 years, 5’9”, medium build

Moms To Be and More theft reported

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The owner of Moms To Be And More has reported that over the period stretching from February to September , 2012, cash has been removed from the store. It’s not clear from this brief police report that the disappearance is the result of occasional pilfering or the removal of a sum of money that was seldom checked.  The sum was not given and may not in fact be known. 

Amsterdam Brewery moves to Esandar Drive

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Amsterdam Brewery has announced that it will move to Leaside Industrial Park east of Laird Drive.  The address will be 45 Esandar Road down the way and around the corner a little bit from the newly-opened Leaside Village. The premises is now a large multi-tenant warehouse building (inset) which seems quite suitable for the Amsterdam business. The transfer date is November 1, 2012. The new shop will feature a “sampling facility” with more than ten beers on tap as well as a retail store with a 400 square foot glass wall so shoppers can look into the brewery. There will also be a 2000 squre foot event space for dinners, brewing seminars (of course) and other weekly events.