The South Bayview Bulldog

TORONTO Canada News Wire Franco Varone of Woodbridge can hardly believe how his life, and that of his family, is about to change after discovering he matched all seven numbers in the October 7, 2011 LOTTO MAX draw, winning the $50 million jackpot.Rod Phillips, OLG’s President and CEO presented Mr. Varone with the $50 million dollar cheque today in a news conference at the OLG Prize Centre. “We have been awaiting Mr. Varone’s arrival,” said Phillips.”Mr. Varone is the biggest winner on a single ticket in Ontario history.”The 73 year old retired mechanic found out about his incredible good fortune during a shopping trip with his wife shortly after the draw. “I was trembling in my car when I saw I matched all seven numbers, so I told my wife right away and she started to cry,” said Varone. Varone, who has four children and four grandchildren, waited to tell his family about the win until Thanksgiving Sunday when they were all gathered for dinner. His children thought something was wrong when he told them he had an important announcement. “He swore us to secrecy,” said his children. Varone decided to wait two weeks to claim the ticket because he wanted to think about the windfall and think about what he’s going to do with the money. “I didn’t want to rush in like others do, I wanted to be prepared before collecting the cheque.” As for his plans for the $50 million, Varone wants to take his time and weigh all his options.” I think there will be a trip involved with the whole family, but I will take my time in deciding how to spend the $50 million. But my 50th wedding anniversary is coming up next year, so it will make the occasion extra special.”

Ford motors has appointed Dianne Craig as president and chief executive of its Canadian company based in Oakville. Craig leaves a job at the Ford Motor Company in Detroit as general manager for marketing, sales and service for Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers in six southeastern states, from North Carolina to Florida. She replaces David Mondragon, who after three years in the job heads to the parent U.S. company to become general marketing manager.

The Liberal Government may well gain majority control of the Legislature if Progressive Conservative MPP Frank Klees (left) is successful in his bid to become Speaker. “We’re surprised and we’re disappointed,” PC leader Tim Hudak said in announcing his shadow cabinet, from which Klees was absent. Both Hudak and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath had said no member of their parties would run for Speaker, ensuring a Liberal MPP would get the post. The two opposition parties control 54 seats in the house and if Klees wins Mr. McGuinty’s 53 seats would equal the combined opposition

Reaction to the Government’s decision to review cycling deaths in Ontario ranges from the sensible to the silly. One person comments that he rides daily in downtown Toronto and loves it. You need only wear a helmet and obey the traffic rules to be perfectly safe, he declares. In the silly department is the complaint that we should prevent obesity by encouraging cycling. A laudable goal but eating another cookie doesn’t seem to rank with the imminent peril of cycling between a bus and truck. Vox populi aside, the causes of cycling deaths are pretty apparent. No doubt Coroner Dan Cass will nail them. There are the dreadful but relatively rare instances of drunk drivers ploughing into cyclists. Terrible. And then there are the easy habits so suitable to the small footprint of the bicycle. Easy and lethal. Among the most common of these is riding swiftly between slow moving traffic on the left and parked cars on the right. A door opens and the cyclist of thrown under the wheels of the vehicles to his left. Such accidents frequently exhibit carelessness on the part of both the cyclist and the motorist. We think cyclists are sensible people who will normally act in their own best interest. The many ways in which bicycles mix with both cars and pedestrians would be made safer if simple signage alerted riders to the local rules, i.e. no riding on the sidewalks, keep to the right, bicycles may not pass etc.

Nissan says it is determined to sell 1.5 million electric vehicles around the world by 2016. Japan’s second-largest automaker behind Toyota said it wants to be the world’s largest player in so-called “zero-emission vehicles” including a new fuel cell electric vehicle developed with Daimler. That’s the New Mobility Concept (above). The company, which is 43.8 percent owned by French partner Renault, has sold 15,000 Leaf electric cars, the only model it produces, but plans to add a further seven models across the group.

Sleuth of Baker Street will have a brief visit from author Ian Rankin for one hour on Wednesday, October 26. That’s at 907 Millwood Road from 4:30 to 5:30pm. Then he’ll be off to other appointments. All fans of this popular mystery writer are invited. Sleuth notes that the shop is normally not open Wednesdays, but, will be from 3.00 pm that day. Mr. Rankin will be autographing copies of his new Malcolm Fox novel, The Impossible Dead ($34.99 Orion hardcover, $24.99 Orion trade paperback). This is said to be a terrific sequel to the equally terrific The Complaints ($10.99). Here is Rankin talking to the BBC about how he became disciplined enough to write novels.