The South Bayview Bulldog

The Toronto Observer, publication of the Centennial College journalism program will cease printing a paper edition and revert solely to online distribution. The Observer was established in 1977 long before the journalism program moved to the Carlaw Ave campus of Centennial College at Carlaw and Mortimer Ave. The publication is seen here.

The East York Agnes Macphail Recognition Committee is now accepting nominations for the 26th Annual Agnes Macphail Award. Agnes Campbell Macphail was the first woman elected to the House of Commons (1921) and the first seated in the Ontario Legislature (1943). During her years in office, Agnes Macphail focussed on issues of equality rights and social justice. Nominees must be a resident of the former Borough of East York and an outstanding volunteer leader in community life in areas including, but not limited to: women’s rights, fairness to seniors, criminal justice and penal reform, international peace and disarmament and to adequate housing, health care and education. Nomination forms are available in public buildings in East York. The deadline for nominations is midnight, Thursday, February 7, 2019 to Councillor Paula Fletcher, councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca , 416 392 4060.

Mysterious surprise/Facebook

Right hand drive BMWs/Facebook

A dealer in Bulgaria has posted Facebook details and photos of what are said to be 11 E34 5 Series BMWs, thought to date from 1994. They are said to show zero km. The Facebook account (in Bulgarian) is now filling up with questions from hapless English-speaking BMW lovers who want to buy the vehicles. It appears they will be auctioned although when and where is still vague. The British publication Motoring Research says the cars consist of “ten saloons and one solitary touring estate (and)  the collection is made up of a mixture of 520i and 525i models. Black and Calypso Red appear to have been the colours of choice.” It says the vehicles are equipped with 148hp 2.0-litre straight-six engines for the 520i models and a more powerful 189hp 2.5-litre straight-six motors for the 525i cars. It remains unclear just how the cars were left to gather dust. Some reports say a leasing business failed but somehow the cars were not sold off.

No winning ticket was sold for the $5 million jackpot in Saturday night’s Lotto 649 draw. The guaranteed $1 million prize was claimed by a ticket holder in British Columbia. The jackpot for the next Lotto 649 draw on Jan. 9 will be approximately $7 million.

Five girl die in “escape room” in Poland

Five teen girls, all 15, are dead after a fire started during an “escape room” birthday party event in Koszalin, Poland. The fire prevented a worker from opening the room. Escape rooms are described as “interactive games” in which kids search for clues to get themselves out of their locked-in dilemma. There are many in Toronto. It seems the rooms typically have no inside mechanism for emergency exit. The phenomenon will seem to come out of nowhere for some parents, particularly the morbid variant of the game which is obsessed with fear rather than skill. A recently-released movie in theatres now challenges the heroine to “try doing one thing that scares you.” Sure.

Shooting on Dane Avenue near Dufferin St & Lawrence Av in North York. Multiple shots fired on residential street, victim showed up at Humber River Hospital. Injuries are non-life threatening. #Toronto pic.twitter.com/6mflLDiw7g

— Jeremy Cohn (@JeremyCohnTV) January 5, 2019

Glass door on Laird smashed

Business as usual

Broken cash drawer

Thieves broke the glass side door on Laird Drive to enter the Starbucks at 878 Eglinton East overnight causing the store to open late Saturday. The cash drawer was forced open and an unknown amount of money taken. It would not be much. Who pays for coffee with cash anymore?

Mr .Justice Sean Dunphy

Mount Pleasant Funeral Centre

Ontario Superior Court Judge Sean Dunphy has found that the corporation known as the Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries is a trust and charity under the auspices of the Public Guardian and Trustee of Ontario. His decision seems to mean that the decades-long transformation of the large burial ground into a privately-run commercial system both of cemeteries and funeral homes must now be undone. As per the governing statutes, Dunphy said, the land held by the trust is to be used “exclusively” for the burial of the dead. Therefore the visitation centres and funeral home business that MPGC has funded exceed the terms of the trust. Judge Dunphy declared that the Act of 1849 governing the succession of trustees is still valid. As none of the current “directors” have been appointed in compliance with this act, there are currently no validly appointed trustees. Judge Dunphy has ordered that the seven most senior directors of MPGC shall be appointed by the court as trustees, and that notice of their appointment will be placed in the Ontario Gazette. The public may then call a public meeting in accordance with the provisions of the 1849 Act and elect one or more “inhabitant householders of the City of Toronto” in replacement of one or more of the seven trustees. The decision raises questions about the future of the visitation centre built on cemetery property on Moore Avenue during the McGuinty-Wynne years and which gave rise to the neighbours’ movement which ultimately led to Judge Dunphy’s decision. Five premiers mere spectators to mutation of Mount Pleasant Cemetery

Changing #careers is exciting but also frightening – there is no right answer but @MeridianCU's @dilysdcruz has points for us to think about Sunday at Noon on @1059TheRegion: https://t.co/nCbBmOZl4A #BestOfWSS pic.twitter.com/vhsh4tOQHp

— What She Said! (@WhatSheSaidTalk) January 5, 2019

Christine Bentley and Kate Wheeler talk to Dilys D’Cruz of Meridian Credit Union about changing careers when you’re nudged out. They’re heard Sunday at noon on 105.9 The Region.

No winning ticket was sold for the $10 million jackpot in Friday night’s Lotto Max draw. The jackpot for the next Lotto Max draw on January 11 will be approximately $18 million

A break-in overnight closed the Starbucks at Eglinton East and Laird Drive for several hours Saturday. The store re-opened about 10.30 a.m. after police finished their investigation.