Donald Trump is facing apparent universal disapproval at home for his embrace of Vladimir Putin’s version of events related to Russian hacking and alleged efforts to maniupulate the US election in 2016. Trump offered a breathtakingly benign view of Putin and the Kremlin. Russia is viewed almost universally as an emeny of democratic freedom. Newt Gingrach called Trump’s performance “the most serious mistake of his presidency.” Such reproofs seem likely to have a impact on the electorate.
A news release has announced that chef Mark McEwan will close his restaurant North 44 on Yonge St. at the end of the month. The restaurant helped McEwan establish his international reputation. It opened in 1990 at 2537 Yonge (and Sherwood). Mr. McEwan may well have found that his enormous energy is sufficiently challenged by his grocery store chain and many other restaurant locations. They are ByMark, Fabbrica and One Restaurant.
The release said North 44 has “enjoyed its longevity due to the unwavering support of its valued customers, the local community and its talented team.” McEwan also posted to Instagram: “I will look back on North 44 fondly,” says McEwan. “North 44 has seen some incredible talent over the years and I have made many life-long friends. I owe North 44’s success to our hard-working team, our loyal customers and to the Toronto community. I learned a lot from North 44, but want to continue to look forward. Our team have built restaurants, an extensive catering and events division, several gourmet grocery stores and we don’t have any plans to slow down. We’re opening three new properties and that’s just the plan for 2018.”
At shortly after 9 p.m., the Environment Canada weather watch said “conditions remain favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain. Scattered thunderstorms will affect the region this evening. The severe weather threat will diminish later this evening.” The beauty of the sky as snapped by Jeremy Cohn@JeremyGlobalTV about the same time is very special.
GO Transit says a lightning strike has caused signal issues west of Union Station on the Lakeshore East and West lines. No trains are running westbound from Union Station. There are 3 trains full of passengers stuck just west of Union and GO transit can’t send any more trains until it is safe to do so — City News
Pregnant and short of breathe on this Not-moving-for-one-hour hot crowed NO GO train…….
— Yishka W (@YishkaW) July 16, 2018
Have been stuck on the Go Train, standing, for 1.5 hours when my back started driving me nuts. A woman seated next to me could tell & stood to give me her seat while the three other dudes in the quad of seats looked the other way. Yet another reason why I love women.
— maureenhalushak (@MaureenHalushak) July 16, 2018
At 3:24 p.m. EDT, Environment Canada meteorologists were tracking a severe thunderstorm north of Toronto. Communities in the path included Vaughan, Richmond Hill, North York, Maple, Concord and Thornhill. Across most of Midtown however skies began to brighten as the afternoon headed into the supper hour.
The Leaside Service Ontario office has closed abruptly amid a nightmare of demolition that has left the Dawsco Plaza on Brentcliffe Rd. half-open and half-closed. Citizens seeking critical legal requirements like birth certificates and driver’s licenses were wandering the parking lot like lost waifs Monday morning There appear to be notices posted on the front door of the offices where Service Ontario was located but it is impossible to approach and read them because of hoardings. The Tim Hortons has been moved to the south end of the strip mall at Vanderhoof where a few places are still open. Parking is deeply confused. The Service Ontario franchisee which ran locations for decades on Millwood Rd., Eglinton at Laird and then on Brentcliffe seems to have vanished. Hapless customers who consulted each other under the hot sun seemed to think the closest Service Ontario is at Victoria Park Ave. and O’Connor Drive. The Brentcliffe office was operating normally in June with no hint of a coming closure. Underserved is the word that comes to mind checking the map. There’s another SO at 839 Yonge St. between Aylmer Ave. and Davenport Rd.
A Maserati car erupted in flames (left) in the parking lot of the Cineplex at Queensway and Islington Ave. Sunday night apparently while its owner was at the movies. Police say this matter is deemed suspicious. At centre is a picture of Kris Mateus, 33, of Toronto, wanted for criminal harassment, failing to comply with probation, break-and-enter and mischief under $5000. This stems from an incident in which a woman, 30, was followed and had her Scarborough home broken into by a man At right, the scene after a driver hit an apartment building on Rankin Crescent in the Junction early Monday. The two young men inside are recovering.
The CBC reports that a father and son are accused of letting 13 horses die and starving 15 others in Whitchurch-Stouffville after an investigation by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at the property about 50 kilometres northeast of Toronto. CBC
FIVE HURT ON 401
Five people — two adults and three children — were taken to hospital from a crash on Highway 401 near Leslie St. early Monday. Paramedics said they transported two adults and three children to hospital. One of the children, believed to be under two years of age, suffered a serious injury. The other two children and the two adults were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
BOY, 12, IN EMERGENCY RUN FROM BARRIE
A 12-year-old boy has been brought to hospital in Toronto after being pulled from the waters of Lake Simcoe in Barrie. Emergency crews were called to Splash On Water Park on Lake Simcoe, at around 5:15 p.m.
Shoeless Joe’s at 856 Eglinton East and UrBun Eats, the burger restaurant at 874 Eglinton (beside Starbucks) are both closed, apparent victims of the construction war zone that is the Crosslinx LRT project. Shoeless Joe’s bears a bailiff’s sign on the door regarding unpaid rent. Patio chairs and umbrellas still sit outside on the sidewalk as uncollected mail piles up inside the front door. The locks appear to have been changed about a week ago. Urban Eats, started with high hopes about a year ago by retail veteran Domenic Buttiglieiri, is also permanently closed. There is social media comment and speculation about the quality of the service at Shoeless Joe’s, a franchise operation, but there seems little doubt that the businesses have suffered badly from the impact of construction.
BUSINESS FROM SOUTH OF EGLINTON DECLINES
Merchants on the north side of Eglinton well beyond South Bayview know very well the reluctance of many people living south of the street to fight their way through the chaos. Chantelle Vaillencourt is among those commenting (32 posts by Sunday night) She says “Eglinton & Laird is a tough area to run a business in order to pay the rent. Same now for Eglinton and Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton and Bayview.” Facebook
Canadian Press reports that former NHL goalie Ray Emery has drowned in Lake Ontario near Hamilton in what appears to be a swimming accident. Emery went swimming off of a boat with friends early Sunday but failed to resurface. Inspector Marty Schulenberg is quoted as calling the death a “case of misadventure.” Emery playd for 11 seasons and was chosen 99th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. During the 2006–07 season, he led the Senators to the Stanley Cup finals. He was 35. During his career Emery, a native of Hamilton, played for Ottawa, Atlant Moscow Oblast, Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks and Adler Mannheim
Former City Councillor and vice chair of the TTC Gordon Chong has died at the age of 74 from a long-standing heart condition. Mr. Chong was married to Toronto public servant Shirley Hoy. He was a Progressive Conservative but widely admired across political boundaries. His passing has inspired a touching tweet from Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam seen below. A native of Toronto’s old Chinatown around Elizabeth and Dundas Sts., Chong was the son of a Chinese father and a white mother. It is recorded that her family disowned her for the cross-race marriage. Mr. Chong went on to become a dental surgeon and later took an interest in politics. He was considered to be a forward-thinking civic advocate. Wikipedia and Toronto Sun where Chong was an occasional columnist.
Gordon Chong, one of Canada's finest has passed away. He was kind to me and out of respect for his stature in our community, I called him "uncle." We talked about transit, housing, amalgamation, and our deep love for family. Uncle will be missed. #RIP
— Kristyn Wong-Tam 🇨🇦 (@kristynwongtam) July 14, 2018
Two boys, 15, climbed a crane on one of the many condos being built at Redpath and Eglinton Aves. Saturday night. They were seen about 10 p.m. and police and fire personnel put an end to their stunt and lowered to them to the ground shortly Police arrived on scene and came into contact with the boys on the fifth floor of the structure. Video shot by nearby resident Ann Booth shows the activity.
