The South Bayview Bulldog

A thread at Leaside Community is growing longer as a motorist complains about a ticket issued at 9.14 p.m. Saturday night on Bayview Ave. nearly a quarter of an hour after enforcement is stated to end. Substantive comments include concerns that this is about a mix up over Daylight Saving Time (seems like a long shot) to simple zealotry by the Parking Enforcement Officer (PEO). The City totally denies a quota but it doesn’t matter. PEOs are paid and trained to ticket as hard as they can without regard to matters of judgement, or real parking control for that matter. This is a City Council state-of-mind that breeds deep resentment and seems little understood in the frenzied search for money. PEOs are tax collectors. One alarming post says a man was ticketed even though he had paid by app (and could show the receipt) because the PEO’s “system wasn’t working.”  Many members responded that this cannot be a cause for a ticket. But parking ticket horror stories are written fresh daily in Toronto. 

Atom BB Wildcats took silver Sunday at March Madness Tourney/Bulldog

Family games night March 19

Kate Wheeler post

LUC mission to El Hogar home in Honduras/LUC

Dr. James Corell Fallis/Fallis family

Blockbuster in 2011

Upper left in this March Madness weekend summary of local news are the gallant Atom BB Leaside Wildcats after their Silver win against the Orillia Hawks. The Hawks and their parents drove home with gold. Hats off to all teams. Scores and results are seen here. Upper right, the friendly Davisville Public School Dragon wants to remind parents of Family Games Night March 19. Then some pups posted by Lawrence Park friend Kate Wheeler. She is Network Managing Editor of Global News. Centre left are the selfless workers from Leaside United Church as they leave for a supportive visit to the church’s principal work at El Hogar (The Home) in Honduras. Centre right is the late Dr. James Corell Fallis, father of award-winning Moore Park humorist Terry Falls. Mr. Fallis has written a touching recollection of his dad in Leaside Life. At bottom, the world has been reminded that there is but one functioning Blockbuster store remaining out of some 9,000. It’s in Bend, Oregon. Thought you might like to reflect on the Bayview Ave. video cassette emporium as seen in 2011 when people still owned VCRs.

Voting for the dear leader

Fatu Sillah

Barbie Virtue

It’s election day in the people’s paradise of North Korea, an occasion of dark despair and amusing delusion all at once. The pleasant woman at the left is revelling in her freedom to vote for the single candidate on her ballot. He (or she) will be one of great leader Kim’s pals. Then at centre, Fatu Sillah speaks with brutal candor about FGM. The horrifying practice continues in as many as 30 countries in Africa and Asia, even though it is technically illegal in some. Finally, what  woman would not ponder a life like that of Tessa Virtue, Canadian skating legend and now a Mattel Barbie. Believe it .

An Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Ethiopia’s capital on Sunday morning, killing all 157 people thought to be on board, the airline and state broadcaster said, as anxious families rushed to airports in Addis Ababa and the destination, Nairobi. Ethiopian Airlines CEO and Kenya’s transport minister say 18 Canadians are among the victims of Sunday morning’s deadly plane crash after takeoff from Addis Ababa.

CAPTAIN “HAVING DIFFICULTIES”

The airline said the captain of the flight had radioed that he was “having difficulties” without indicating what that could mean. He requested permission to return to Addis Ababa and that was given. DW News said the aircraft was delivered new to the airline about four months ago.

Almost through

The overnight rain is moving east as shown by the Canada Radar capture at 9 a.m. Sunday will have sloppy conditions for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade (and everything else) with a high of 4 or 5º C.

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There was no winning ticket for the $9.7 million jackpot in Saturday night’s Lotto 649 draw. However, the guaranteed $1 million prize went to a ticket holder in Ontario. The jackpot for the next Lotto 649 draw on Mar. 13 will be approximately $13 million.

St. Patrick’s Day 2019 will see talk in both Ireland and Ulster of a possible union to avoid the devastating impact on trade between the two countries threatened by Brexit. The United Kingdom seems set to leave the EU at the end of March. Such action is permitted under the Good Friday Agreement, which brought an end to the tumultuous decades colloquially known as “The Troubles.” CBC

Air Transat Flight 942 on runway at Newark Liberty Airport/Newark News 12

Smoke reported on board an Air Transat flight forced an emergency landing at Newark airport Saturday where the 189 passengers were evacuated by emergency slides. Air Transat Flight 942 was on its way from Montreal to Fort Lauderdale when it reported a possible fire in the cargo hold and was diverted to Newark about 8:30 a.m. There’s no confirmation about fire or smoke on the Boeing 737 but Canadian Press says the airline will send another plane for the passengers. Some passengers have given vivid accounts of the unexpected instruction to assume bowed-head crash positions as the plan diverted. They say the landing and evacuation seemed to be normal but many were forced to leave valuables on board.

Rain and sleet rolling toward Toronto at 3 p.m.

As a large weather disturbance rolls toward Toronto this evening, the conservation authority has warned that there is potential for flooding and hazardous conditions because of the rainfall. Environment Canada says that 15 to 25 millimetres of rain will begin falling late this evening or after midnight and continue until late Sunday morning or early Sunday afternoon. The rain will also be accompanied by milder conditions with a high of 6º C forecast for Sunday. To see the approach of the storm live go to the Canada Radar site and zoom to Toronto.

No winning ticket was sold for the $16.7 million jackpot in Friday night’s Lotto Max draw. That means the jackpot for the next draw on Mar. 15 will grow to approximately $25 million

A post at Leaside Community tells of an astonishingly brazen robbery attempt at a home on Cameron Cres. The perpetrators broke in at the rear door leaving it open as they went to get a “large white van” to loot the home. Before they got back, the family’s daughter, 12, arrived home and found the back door open. She locked it and then watched in amazement as the van backed into the driveway. A man dressed in black and described as “large” with a shaved head tried to enter at the rear. He was unable to do so and left. All quite frightening.

Karen Fraser

Ron Smith and Karen Fraser

Cleansing at 53 Mallory Cres.

The co-owner of 53 Mallory Cres., Karen Fraser, has been given the 2019 Agnes Macphail Award for outstanding contribution to the community. Ms. Fraser and husband Ron Smith endured the unthinkable ordeal of learning that serial killer Bruce McArthur had used their home on Mallory Cres. in Leaside to hide parts of bodies. Fraser has responded by honouring the dead and moving to cleanse the site of its worst memories. A very nice feature in the East York Chronicle appeared Friday. It notes Fraser’s inspiringly indomitable attitude of resilience and positivity cited in several of the letters in support of nominating her to receive the 26^th annual award. She will receive it on March 24 at the annual ceremony commemorating the late social crusader’s birthday.  The event takes place in the True Davidson Council Chambers at East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell Ave. at Mortimer, starting at 2 p.m.