The South Bayview Bulldog

Main Square at Danforth Ave. and Main St./Google

Fellow officers are congratulating the cops who nabbed a man Monday for an early afternoon holdup at a bank believed to be the Scotiabank in the Main Square Plaza at Danforth Ave and Main St. The culprit was a big man wearing a hoodie. He demanded cash and then fled the bank with an unknown sum. Police are said to have tracked the man and made an arrest.

HOLD UP: (one in custody)
Main St & Danforth Ave
– officers tracked suspect
– 1 person in custody
– no injuries reported
Excellent work by all involved#GO963323
^ep2

— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) May 25, 2020

Overnight COVID-19 cases as counted by the Ontario Ministry of Health number 404. That’s a drop from the 460 cases reported Sunday but remains in a range that reveals a faltering effort to get rid of the infection. Ministry

Miss you!

These photos were taken at a recent parade of kids and parents from Northlea Elementary and Middle School which permitted classroom pals to at least see and wave at each other again. The decorated SUV and sign-bearing students shout a heartfelt sentiment on Ann Brown’s Leaside Chit Chat Facebook page.

Heartfelt decorations

The challenge of fighting COVID-19 with physical distancing in the midst of fine weather is becoming clear. Toronto officials are saying crowded socializing like that over the weekend at Trinity Bellwoods Park will not be permitted in the future. And in the US, thousands frolicked in close contact over the Memorial Day weekend.

Benjamin Netanyahu on trial

In Isreal, the longest-serving prime minister in the country’s history has gone on trial for corruption. The accusations seem to boil down to getting gifts like champagne and cigars for favors.

China picks COVID moment to crush Hong Kong

China’s rubber-stamp parliament of appointed party members is rushing to finish legislation that will help it crush the Hong Kong democracy movement. The former crown colony erupted in protest over the weekend. It’s a well-known political technique to pick a time when the world is distracted to carry out dirty work.

Loblaws in the old Maple Leaf Gardens building at Church and College Sts. has been closed for cleaning after two staff members tested positive on a presumptive test for COVID-19. Similar closures occurred earlier during the pandemic at Loblaws stores at 301 Moore and on St. Clair Ave West at Bathurst St. In a post on social media, Loblaws said that the two employees last worked at the store on May 13 and May 18 and were not experiencing symptoms at the time.

Dr.Who set

The BBC has published pictures of television sets suggesting that they can be used as your background for the next Zoom or other meeting app. The Bulldog could not resist trying a few. BBC

Dr.Who, 1983

East Enders public house 2005

Abfab, 2003

Strictly Come Dancing Special 2006

It’s been a while since the last prom but it’s hard to imagine how virtual hand-holding could replace a slow dance. A real COVID-19 sacrifice.

“Not coping”

“How long has it been, six years?”

“I don’t even know anymore”

This video of young people at Trinity Bellwoods Park Saturday was linked to Twitter. Youthful frustration at being a forced shut-in is apparent. Sunday’s aftermath as seen on Twitter continues to boil. Pictures of Mayor Tory apparently at the park in the middle of social-distancing scofflaws are a delight to the NDP. He is severely scolded for alleged hypocrisy. As is usually the case, this occasion inspires weird posts. One Twitter soul complains the crowd was “all white”. Some tweets say there are far fewer people around Sunday as police are ticketing.

The Ministry of Health Sunday issued the bad news number of 460 COVID-19 cases, another clear sign that Ontario/’s battle against the illness has gone into retreat. It was May 9 that the province recorded fewer than 300 new daily cases. Since then the number has continued to stagger upwards with Sunday’s number is the highest in days. The medical accounting published daily by the ministry shows that there were 11,383 tests performed Saturday. Ministry

Twitter is ablaze with anger Sunday morning as people assail the safe-distance orders of the City as well as a ban on gatherings of more than five people. Saturday saw Trinity Bellwoods Park jammed with merrymakers who seemed indifferent to COVID-19. This morning some are attacking Mayor Tory and others for closing parks. Failed mayoral candidate Jennifer Keesmaat declares that you can’t catch COVID-19 outdoors (really?) and demands “adapt streets for people. This law and order approach being bandied about is misplaced,” she shouts. Then we have many health workers and others denouncing those who packed the park Saturday. Dr. Brian Goldman says it was dangerous and selfish behavior. See comments here

“Unacceptable”

The City released a statement late Saturday night, calling the crowds “unacceptable” and said bylaw officers and police would have a visible presence at Trinity Bellwoods starting Sunday morning to ensure there were no repeats of the crowds seen Saturday. They added the physical distancing bylaw will be strictly enforced as well. “Public gatherings, like today’s in Trinity Bellwoods Park, threaten to undo the challenging work residents of this City have done over the last 10 weeks in their collective effort to bear COVID-19,” read the statement. The scene may be set for a showdown between police and park-goers Sunday but who knows.

I understand that the photos of people in Trinity Bellwoods were disappointing today. It was a beautiful day & we all want to enjoy our city together, but this could be selfish & dangerous behaviour that could set us back. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/cKVj0DdBhh

— Dr. Eileen de Villa (@epdevilla) May 23, 2020

The Ministry of Health reports an overnight total of 412 new cases of COVID-19 infection. This number is down from Friday’s count of 441 but continues the upward creep of the virus curve. CP24 posts a rolling five-day average of daily cases which recently stood as low as 326 but has now reached 416. Ministry.