The South Bayview Bulldog

Carlaw Ave. north of Eastern Ave reopened at the dinner hour Monday after all-day repairs to fix a gas leak.

The six members of the Canoe4Covid team arrive on the shores of Lake Nipissing Friday afternoon. Photo Chris Dawson/BayToday.

Six young men from South Bayview are canoeing their way from Northern Ontario back to Toronto to raise money for Food Banks Canada. They call their charitable odyssey Canoe4Covid. The modern-day voyageurs are Jacob Heisey, Tim Mulligan, Georges Kirijian, Nolan Aziz, Cailan Robinson and Will Vyse. As best we can estimate, the men are somewhere south of North Bay as Day 52 (Monday) dawns. According to its website, Canoe4Covid has raised nearly $70,000 against a target of $60,000. Go, guys. Website

Donna Williamson and David Overall/Toronto Sun

Long-time friends Donna Williamson, of Thornhill, and David Overall, of Oakville, liked to joke about their “short-term investment strategy” buying Lotto Max tickets. Guess what? CTV Toronto Sun

Apple and Google are playing hardball with the maker of the enormously popular Fortnite game. Then, Amazon is being investigated by the Competition Bureau for doubtful practices. Did someone say “monopoly”? Below that, Scotland’s famous Ballet West school for aspiring ballerinas is embroiled in a shocking sex scandal involving the pupils. Finally, jazz goes on in the Toronto Beaches and that’s a good thing.

Shoppers Drug Mart and Petsmart will open in Leaside Village

Retail and commercial building at 25 Industrial St. looking east southeast (top) and west southwest (bottom) toward Laird

First Capital Reit, owners of Leaside Village at Laird Drive and Esandar Drive, has announced that Shoppers Drug Mart will indeed open in the centre next spring. A new PetSmart store will also open in a building now under construction to the north of Longo’s. Retail and office building on Industrial to house a Shoppers

A fire has engulfed a home on Glencoyne Crescent near the main intersection of Pharmacy and Steeles Aves. Friday night. Early reports to Toronto Police Operations called it a backyard fire.

Premier Ford was visibly angry Friday as he chastised “the bigwigs” at the Ontario Lottery Corporation for authorizing bonuses during the layoffs and hardship caused by the C-19 pandemic. Underlying the appearance of such largess is the monstrous Ontario debt. It stands at a groaning $348 billion. There may be tough days ahead. In a first-quarter financial report released Wednesday, the provincial government revealed the expected revenue from the OLG has declined to $600 million from an expected $809 million.

• Province will work with school boards who need ‘a tad more time’ for safe restart, says Lecce
• Gyms can increase capacity up to 50 people with physical distancing limits in place: Ford

This is a tremendously inspiring rescue story from California.

The Ministry of Health has counted 92 new cases of COVID-19 infection in the 24-hour period ending at midnight. Three public health units reported 54 (or 59%) of those cases. Toronto cases leaped to 30, Peel had 17 and Ottawa 7. Testing was again at near-record levels with more than 30,000 tests performed.

Tammy and Bella

On the job

Tammie Sutherland, a well-known reporter and host on Citytv has given birth to a baby girl, Bella. As befits this happy event, the staff and producers of Breakfast Television are in a distant orbit. Joyous fun.

Baseball at Howard Talbot Park / Instagram @marionalbaum

Batter up! at Howard Talbot Park / Instagram @marionalbaum

Life during a once in a century pandemic is a challenge. Having lived through months of lock-down, phased in openings and social distancing, small things can bring happiness. Seeing the baseball fields in the neighbourhood alive again with players and spectators enjoying a team activity warms the heart. Never knew we’d appreciate a game of little league quite so much.

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