The South Bayview Bulldog

401 CLOSURE: #OPP CLOSED all lanes EB #Hwy401 btwn Winston Churchill Blvd & Msga Rd after a fatal collision -deceased 45 y/o truck driver fm Richmond Hill, crash invl 3 transport trucks – end of queue type crash – CLOSURE expected for most of aftn. ( OPP twitter pic) pic.twitter.com/fIftaUlX06

— Graham Paine (@GPmedia_24) June 26, 2018

Signs opposing closures

Barriers would close off Broadway, Glenvale and Craig

Voting in North Leaside on the plan to ultimately, after a pilot trial, permanently close off all roads into the neighborhood at Bayview Ave. is in its last four days. Voting continues for those eligible at this site  The streets to be closed are Glenvale Ave., Broadway Ave. and Craig Crescent. In recent days, scattered signs opposing the so-called cul-de-sac scheme have popped up on streets like Glenvale, Tanager Ave. and Broadway. There is no available barometer of feeling except a poll taken a year ago that some 69 percent agreed with the idea. The current vote, which ends June 30,  will require half of those eligible to vote, and of those, 60 percent will be required to vote in favour of closure in order for the pilot to proceed. At the end of the pilot, another vote will take place to either scrap the plan or make the barriers permanent. Further hurdles may await at Community Council with caveats about traffic obstruction which such closures might cause elsewhere. The pilot, if approved, would last nine to 12 months.

John Candy/Family photo

Chris and Jennifer Candy speak by video at East York news conference

The son and daughter of the late John Candy, Chris and Jennifer Candy, made a video announcement at a news conference Tuesday to express their pleasure and pride that dad will be the first inductee into the East York Hall of Fame. The formal ceremony will take place in the fall at the East York Community Centre on Pape Avenue. Many notable friends of East York were present at Jawny Baker’s Restaurant on O’Connor Drive to speak and listen to the words of Candy’s children. Justin Van Dette. president of the EYHoF, spoke lovingly of East York and the many prominent people who have been raised there. Also present was Stephen LeDrew as MC, Toronto Danforth MP Julie Dabrusin and Ray White of the East York Foundation. In his remarks Van Dette thanked Mayor Tory and Mary Fragedakis (Ward 29) for their efforts in supporting the Hall of Fame. John Candy grew up on Woodville Ave. He was a larger-than-life comedian’ actor and sports fan, who at one time was a part owner of the Argonauts. He died in 1994 of heart failure at 43 years of age while working on a film in Mexico.

Mayor Tory has written to local MPs saying that Toronto is being overwhelmed by refugees flooding into Canada at illegal borner crossings in Quebec. As reported earlier, the refugees are apparently free to choose where they want to go and uniformly choose Toronto. Tory says the City is not able to deal with the “unprecedented pressure” on its shelter system and will not be able to so without immediate provincial and federal financial help. He asks for “appropriate support” from the provincial and federal governments to be able to welcome newcomers to Toronto. “I think we can all agree that having the City scramble to find emergency shelter for each new wave of arrivals is not sustainable, nor is it a desirable state of affairs. What’s needed is proper housing and proper supports, something the city cannot provide on its own,” Tory wrote. Refugees strain shelters as they arrive at rate of 10 a day

The University of Toronto has pulled an ad supposedly offering summer work for students in Spain after a firm called Progrmma AC asked one student applicant for a photo of her face and full body. Elsewhere, it was a bad day on the markets with New York down 328 points and Toronto finishing down 266. It’s about the mounting fear of tariffs and how they are likely to damage business and destroy prosperity. The City News business report also touches on this and other matters while at bottom left, a lighter moment as New Zealand Prime MInister Jacinda Adern and her husband present their new baby to the media.

Cypriot Community Centre/Fragedakis

EY Hall of Fame board l to r Justin Van Dette, Odysseas Papadimitrou, Ray White Vasim Kapadia, Joe Cooper, Kristine Hubbard/Peter Visima

Whipper Billy Watson

Pape and Gamble Ave/Kevin Slater

Casting an eye to the east has been rewarded with this charming photo tweeted by Mary Fragedakis of Cypriot kids dressed for dancing at the Cypriot Community Centre at 6 Thorncliffe Park Dr. over the weekend. To the right, Justin Van Dette, president of the East York Hall of Fame, says the organization will induct its first member Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Jawny Bakers Restaurant, 804 O’Connor Drive. Lower left, a prominent son of East York would be 103 this day. He’s Whipper Billy Watson (1915-1990) renowned professional wrestler and two-time world heavyweight wrestling champion. Finally, on the right, elegant street art seen at Pape and Gamble Aves. and tweeted by Kevin Slater@KevySlates. Thanks.

Yulia Melamed stopped for smiling

Freedom at midnight

Nala Cat deliverds cash to owner

Yulia Melamed (left) tells a tale of well-known Russian solemnity. She was stopped by a cop in Moscow because he thought she was smiling too much. Yikes. Centre, Saudi women are smiling big-time Monday as they celebrate freedom (to drive) at midnight. One small step for womenkind. And at the right, Nala Cat has a face to love for real. She and other pets have collected so many followers on Instagram that their owners can trade their celebrity for rich endorsements. Are you smiling yet?

Zsa Zsa is ugly winner/CP

Friendly too/NBC

With owner Megan Brainard/NBC

Nine year-old English bulldog Zsa Zsa has been named the winner of the 2018 World’s Ugliest Dog contest in San Francisco. Zsa Zsa won on Saturday and the she is a beauty. Ugly Shmugly, we say. Look at that tongue. The dog’s owner Megan Brainard of Anoka, Minnesota, will receive $1,500 for Zsa Zsa’s win.

Rev. Debra Schneider

Reverend Debra Schneider concluded 12 years as minister of Manor Road United Church Sunday celebrated in song and with tears and gifts by friends and parishioners. She had announced her intention to retire earlier this year. Under Schneider’s leadership, Manor Road has been revitalized and placed on a new economic footing with the sale of half its land at the corner of Manor Rd. and Forman Ave. to the City for use as a children’s playground. Rev. Scheider will continue to live in Toronto with her husband Michael. They have three grown children. Schneider was ordained in 1996 and served at two other churches before joining Manor Road in 2006.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has addressed thousands of supporters in Ankara after being declared the victor in Turkey’s presidential election, saying democracy was the winner and that Turkey was “an example for the rest of the world.” Sky News

The $7 million jackpot in Saturday night’s Lotto 649 draw was claimed by a ticket holder in Quebec, while the guaranteed $1 million prize went to a ticket holder in Ontario. The jackpot for the next Lotto 649 draw on June 27 will be approximately $5 million.