The South Bayview Bulldog

A Special Weather Statement from Environment Canada Friday afternoon says that damaging winds with frequent gusts of 90 to 110 km/h are expected to develop Sunday morning after the passage of a sharp cold front. It says that areas near the Great Lakes are more likely to experience winds at the higher end of this range. A few gusts may reach 120 km/h near the east end of Lake Erie and over Prince Edward County on Lake Ontario. The very strong winds will persist through Sunday night and gradually diminish on Monday. Damage to buildings, such as to roof shingles and windows, may occur. Power outages are also possible. Flurries and blowing snow will develop Sunday afternoon. Local snowfall amounts in the 2 to 5 cm range are possible by Monday morning. Any fresh snow that falls will be whipped up by the very strong winds creating whiteout conditions in blowing snow at times, says the statement.

The annual benefit evening known as the Chief’s Gala has raised a record $674,420.38 for Victim Services Toronto.  Chief Saunders made the presentation at a ceremony Friday morning at police headquarters. The event last year saw 1,300 guests gather on November 1 at the Beanfield Centre (known since its opening in 1929 as the Automotive Building).

• Media Advisory, NHLPA Goals & Dreams Announce Hockey Equipment Donation To Toronto Police Service Youth Hockey Program, Friday, February 22, 2019, 1:45 P.M., Mastercard Centre, 400 Kipling Avenue

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At Kreitmaker, 31, Industrial St., Thursday evening

The Road Salt Diaries of hard-pressed South Bayview residents contains an entry Friday that there are (or were) bags of salt at Kreitmaker Ltd. at 31 Industrial Street. The post says they are expecting more soon. So also, we believe, is Home Depot on Wicksteed.

Toronto begins a pothole blitz this weekend following a number of freeze-thaw cycles of recent days. It will be warm through Saturday and a lovely 9 degrees Sunday. Sparrows, Jays, Cardinals and other winter birds were heard in many parts of tree-covered Midtown at dawn Friday. Like the potholes, it is a sign of Spring. According to a news release, the blitz will be the first of several that will be staged between now and April. The City has filled about 13,000 potholes so far in 2019 but that number is expected to rise significantly in the coming days and weeks. Shauna Hunt (below) found a place where the pothole gremlins are storing wheel covers

The Auditor General has found that there is substantial fare evasion in the use of TTC subways, streetcars and buses. The matter is serious but the finding seems hardly surprising. Boarding a streetcar in 2019 is done largely on an honour basis. Masses of riders enter at all-door stops with no attempt or method of keeping track. A poll in 2016 indicated that as many as 21 percent of riders will evade paying if they can. Streetcar fare collection laughable shambles costing millions

PARKING TICKET REVENUE SLIDES

And parking ticket revenue continued to slide for the second year in a row in 2018. Parking officers issued about 100,000 fewer parking tickets in 2018 to total a decline of 222,000 since 2016. The Police Services board attributes this to a staff shortage. It says the Parking Enforcement Unit was “understaffed for the entire year” in 2018. There is no mention of the Green P app, an easy way for drivers to avoid tickets by topping up their time remotely. Many predicted that the arrival of the app would enable drivers to better avoid tickets received because time had run out.

Sneaker busts opens as heavy but nimble hoopster makes quick stop

Nike shares fell Thursday as athletes, coaches and the world at large began to ponder the “explosion” of a Nike sneaker worn by Zion Williamson during play Tuesday.

Kathy MIlsom

Kevin Marshman

Greg Spearns

Toronto Community Housing (TCH) CEO Kathy Milsom has been removed from her post over a contract with management consulting company Orchango. “Having carefully considered all of the available evidence, the board has concluded that … Milsom’s conduct throughout this process did not meet the high standard that we set for ourselves,” the TCH board said in a statement released Thursday. The statement however avoids specifics, saying only that the conduct in question related to a so-called Request for Proposal which “did not comply with the procedures and protocols expected of a public procurement process and failing to fully cooperate with the investigation that has led to this independent report.” The statement said TCH vice-president Sheila Penny will continue as acting CEO until April 3, when current board chair Kevin Marshman will take over as CEO. Milsom served as TCH CEO for barely 18 months before her suspension in December. She was hired to replace Greg Sprearn who is said to have abruptly resigned the post in 2017.

Wendy Shon Seung-wan

Coca Cola Coliseum

Red Velvet

The K-pop singing group known as Red Velvet filled the Coca Cola Coliseum this week and fans heard member Wendy Shon Seung-wan, a former resident of Brockville and Richmond Hill, offer a heartfelt and teary thank you to fans. Red Velvet is a highly internationalized group, as are many Korean bands and singing groups. Ms Shon Seung-wan has an interesting history in Canada and there were posts to social media Thursday that a street should be named after her. She is 25 this very day, having been born in the Republic of Korea on February 21, 1994.

A member at Leaside Community says she has the plate number of a car that snapped off the side-view mirror of a parked car on Hanna Rd. Wednesday. She says the driver came back to the scene but then left without leaving a note. Yours To  Discover.