The South Bayview Bulldog

York Regional Police have released video of a man stealing a wallet from a purse that had been hung on the back of a chair in a restaurant patio. It is one of the most common distraction crimes. This occurred September 25 near Highway 7 East and Woodbine Avenue. The technique is very similar to that seen in a video posted to Leaside Community Facebook from an incident at Yonge and Eglinton. In that case, the victim was alerted by her tablemate and dashed off after the thief. He threw the wallet away and she was able to recover her valuables.

The TTC and Metrolinx continue to have an uneasy relationship, especially when it comes to the provincial transit authority’s quirky fare system Presto. Then, Global News says Prime Minister Trudeau may have to appoint unelected ministers to the new cabinet since not a single Liberal got elected in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Below that, former TTC chief executive Andy Byford now runs New York’s transit system where one rider is a dangerous customer. Finally, City News reports on Elton John’s admiration of The Beaches.

Postmedia Network Canada Corp. has earned its first quarterly profit in nearly two years. The firm says it generated $7.9 million as journalism tax credits, lower expenses and higher digital advertising sales offset declining revenue at its newspaper operations. Postmedia publishes the National Post, Toronto Sun and numerous daily newspapers across Canada. The quarter ended on August 11. Last year Postmedia lost $22.9 million in the same quarter. The last profit was earned late in 2017.

Amazing escape from death

OPP say five people in as many as four cars escaped serious injury on the QEW near Oakville Thursday when a tractor-trailer hurtled across several lanes and pinned a car against the median wall. The ensuing fire destroyed the car but the driver was able to crawl out a window to safety.

680 News reporter Carl Hantske was on the scene of a high-speed folly in Thornhill where the driver was so badly burned that rescuers could not tell if the body belonged to a man or woman.

44th Trinity Book Sale

Poking around the Trinity Book Sale

The Annual Trinity College book sale is underway until next Monday. Time to poke around and see what’s there.

Bessborough Drive

The orange cones were out early Thursday on Bessborough Drive to reserve parking for the CBC film shoot of the mystery program Coroner (Season 2). Fortunately, it looks like the garbage truck came by before the production vehicles arrived. The shoot will take place today and vehicles are expected to be gone by late Thursday.

The TTC will cease the sale of tokens and tickets in stations as it pushes riders onto the Presto system. It begins on November 30. Tickets and tokens will still be available at most drugstores and other retail locations. It’s believed the TTC will eventually end the use of tokens and tickets.

Presto Schmesto

City News says the Presto electronic fare card system has been a tough sell since a recent audit found more than $3 million in fare revenue was lost because of faulty card readers on streetcars and in subway stations. That doesn’t include fares lost to those who simply sneak on and off streetcars without paying. Now, where are the car keys?

Pat McNamara, general manager

Rumble Pontiac

A television commercial from 1981 selling used cars at Rumble Pontiac Buick has surfaced on the Retrontario site. Rumble was located on the corner of Bayview Ave. and Broadway Ave. It gloried in the musical catchphrase Ramble Into Rumble, which is included in the spot. Yet another hoot from local history. Take a look

Teens who spend more time watching television, talking on mobile phones and using social media, a new study says, are more likely to drink sugared or caffeinated drinks than others. That’s the finding of a new study conducted by researchers at Hamilton’s McMaster University. They looked at US data from 32,418 students in Grades 8 and 10 and found those who spent an additional hour per day on TV were at 32 percent higher risk of exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for sugar. CBC