The South Bayview Bulldog

A Nova Scotia woman says she will sue her nephew over a $1.2 million lottery win after the government draw called Chase the Ace was split between them — $600,000 plus each. That’s because the woman, Barbara Reddick, put her nephew’s name on the ticket with her own. Why? Because he’s her nephew. Hmm. Might be a tough one to win. CBC

BEAR DOPED AND CAUGHT IN PORT PERRY

A bear that climbed a tree in Port Perry on Lake Scugog has been tranquilized and captured after it fell to the ground Friday.  Ministry of Natural Resources personnel caught the bear in a net. As many as four police officers helped carry the drowsy bear to a trailer.

Sidewalk Sensation on Bayview Ave.

Kate Leuschen Millar/Vanessa Garrison

Isabella Goudros, Chloe Coutts and twin sister Sophie/Helen Panayiotou

East York Days July 18

Neighbours’ Night Out

Upper left, the merchants of the Bayview Leaside BIA have an entertaining Saturday organized for July 14. The weather will be mostly sunny with a chance of a thunderstorm, all of which is easily managed. Please come out to your favorite business street and say hello. Upper right, East York Girl Guide leader Kate Leuschen Millar writes about how the Guides rose to meet two area challenges this year. Read her column at Toronto.com  Centre left are the shining faces of Isabella Goudros, Chloe Coutts and twin sister Sophie. They are members of the Leaside High School Track Team which was named the Overall Girls and Overall Combined Champions at the TDSSAA City Track and Field Championships late in May. Read Janis Fertuck’s account of the team’s work. To the right, Saturday afternoon and  evening sees the 13th Annual Neighbours Night Out in Thorncliffe Park. Great summer fun. Bottom left, a reminder of the East York Days concert coming up Wednesday, July 18. Visit the South Bayview Bulletin Board for more summer events.

The new Ontario government has nailed its populist laundry list to the wall of the Legislature with Thursday’s Speech from the Throne. City News chronicles the Ford Nation promises. In the US, a promotion by the Build-A-Bear toy chain has caused bedlam as supplies ran out in a promotion where the goods could be purchased in dollars for the age of your child in years. Below that, a frightening accident in which an 800-pound boulder rolled off the back of a truck killing a mother and daughter. Finally, the CBC tries to capture the mystique of Toronto native Drake, concluding by some calculations that he is more popular than the Beatles. How do you measure that?

Robert Prichard has announced his resignation as Chairman of the Board of Metrolinx, effective immediately. Prichard had been with Metrolinx for nine years – first as president and CEO, then as board chair for seven years. In a statement released by the provincial transportation agency, Prichard says with the election of a new government in Ontario, now is the right time for a change in leadership.

The recreation activities along Bremner Blvd — CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium and Rogers Centre — appear to have been the target of a threat which police have so far refused to make public. In addressing increased police presence in the heavily-barriered area, police have said there is a threat but refused to discuss what it is. This  has caused annoyance among some who feel the public has a right to know the nature of such things. The likely reason for police caution is the fear of inspiring additional misfits to perhaps actually execute a threat. The use of a truck to hit crowds of people comes to mind.

The three large firms contracted to build the Eglinton Crosstown LRT are suing the provincial transit authority,  Metrolinx, for breach of contract over the original deadline for completion of the project. The companies, Aecon, EllisDon and SNC-Lavalin (Crosslinx), say circumstances have made it difficult, or impossible, for them to finish the LRT by the previously agreed deadline of 2021. Metrolinx has 30 days to respond to the notice of motion filed at the Ontario Superior Court. The contractors are saying that work by “utility companies” took longer than scheduled and that there were delays in the issuance of “permits, licenses and approvals.” In a statement provided to CP24 on Thursday, Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said that the transit agency has been “working closely” with the Crosslinx consortium over the last several months “on their alleged reasons for a claim” but have not yet arrived at a solution. “As with any contract, claims are considered and reviewed thoroughly and we continue to work with Crosslinx to reach an outcome that fairly addresses the challenges that they have encountered on Eglinton,” she said. The Eglinton Crosstown had been scheduled for completion by 2020 which was later pushed back to September 2021.

Is he a big mouth? Yep. But hey, he’s also a pushy big mouth. That’s the part that tells you Donald Trump really does not like those Europeans. Then to Mississauga where Croatian fans live. They look forward to the thrill of a ding-dong battle with France for the World Cup. Then, it’s 1997 all over including sex tuition at the TDSB. Is this the meaning of doing what comes naturally? Finally, a City News visit to a $80,000 tree cleanup in Leslieville from May.

A news conference will be held Thursday at 8 a.m. in the media gallery at police headquarters to announce a new Gun Violence Reduction Plan. Chief Mark and Mayor Tory to make public details of the program. It will be live-streamed The news conference will be available on the TOC and will be live-streamed at this address.

Hydro One’s CEO is retiring as part of an agreement between the Ontario government and the utility company that will also see the replacement of the entire board. The deal, whatever else it may include, means Mayo Schmidt will receive a retirement sum of about $400,000 instead of the $10 million firing bonus he might have received if he had been dismissed. Wednesday night there is much speculation about possible unknowns attached to the deal. CTV says many want to know “what the government had to give up” to persuade Schmidt to retire.

The Bank of Canada is apparently staying calm about the widely-feared impact of Donald Trump trader tariffs both known and unknown. BOC jumped its rate a quarter point to 1.5 percent, a signal to all lenders that they too can charge more for borrowed money. It was the bank’s fourth increase over the last 12 months and the first time the rate has been this high since December 2008. It said it expects the negative blow of the trade policies recently put in place to be largely offset by the positives for Canada from higher oil prices, which are above US$73 per barrel, and the stronger US economy. Maybe someday there will be pipelines to move the oil.

• Canada to lead new training mission in Iraq
• Ted Arnott elected Speaker of the Legislature
• CN Rail to spend $315M to upgrade Ontario operations

Video has been released showing both the rescued Thai soccer boys in hospital, as well as shots taken during the rescue. The boys were sedated and effectively asleep as they were brought out. Rescuers feared there might be panic. In the event, it was a huge success and the boys are all said to be doing well in hospital.

The Honda Indy is a wonderful driving exhibition but no place for the family Accord, says Carl Hanske.