This is a nice summary on the Scarborough playground shooting by Adrian Ghobrial of City News at today’s court appearance for one accused, Sheldon Eriya. Ghobrial has further news on the named target, a certain “Clinton Mcdonald” (sic).
There is much hand-ringing in the media Thursday about how dreadful it is to commute in Toronto. A previously unheard-of body called Expert Market in London finds Toronto to have the worst commute in North America. It may be true (but probably not). Those who want to worry about this sort of thing have to wonder whether they would be happier moving faster in Baltimore, for example. One measurement used by Expert Market was the distance travelled. Hmm. Less distance, less time we’re guessing. In a sprawling place like Toronto it is well known that office tower executives sometimes commute from Brantford to Bay Street. The overall methodology of this “horrible Toronto” study may lurk somewhere at Expert Market but it hardly matters as political schemers will find what they want. Or they could just move to Nice (population 340,000) and declared by Expert Market to be the best city in the world for commuting. News you can use (over a drink).
The new banners lining South Bayview, installed by the Bayview Leaside BIA, are encouraging shoppers to “Get It On”. We can’t help think about what T. Rex once said, “Get it on, bang the gong, get it ooooon…” On another note, don’t forget the street’s Sidewalk Sensation event is coming up next month. Bayview Avenue, between Davisville and Soudan, will be host to live music and family entertainment from 10am-5pm on July 14th, 2018.
Toronto police execute more than 50 search warrants in overnight raids https://t.co/MBsF1ieA2Q pic.twitter.com/pRTEkvlUvP
— CBC Toronto (@CBCToronto) June 21, 2018
A news conference is set for Thursday morning to make public details of a combined police action aimed at organized crime across the GTA. As many as 50 warrants were executed and carried out by 800 officers in Toronto, Peel, York and Durham.
News conference on this at 10:30am – 50+ search warrants in Toronto, Durham, York, Peel, targeting an alleged criminal organization. More than 800 officers #ProjectPatton pic.twitter.com/kVdD63m5Wd
— Tony Smyth (@LateNightCam) June 21, 2018
Mystery writers Sky Curtis, Mary Lou Dickinson and Lisa de Nikolits will be at the Sleuth of Baker Street bookstore, 907 Millwood Rd. at Sutherland Dr., Thursday June 21 between 5:30 and 7 pm p.m. The three women novelists are based in Toronto and are published by Dundurn. Recent novels are, Sky Curtis (Flush), Lisa de Nikolits (No Fury Like That) and Mary Lou Dickinson (The White Ribbon Man).
Congratulations to everyone over at CGS on their final assembly and graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 14. The joyous event marked the end of another year of fun and hard work
Principal Marie Bates closed the ceremony with the wise words of author William Martin.
Do not ask your children
to strive for extraordinary lives.
Such striving may seem admirable,
but it is a way of foolishness.
Help them instead to find wonder
and the marvel of an ordinary life.
Show them the joy of tasting
tomatoes, apples, and pears.
Show then how to cry
when pets and people die.
Show them the infinite pleasure
in the touch of a hand.
And make the ordinary come alive for them.
The extraordinary will take care of itself ~ William Martin
Badali Family Lane was dedicated Wednesday at the little corner beside the Bayview Car Wash where the lane runs from Roehampton up to Glazebrook Ave. Councillor Josh Matlow spoke about the Badali history on Bayview Ave. and in Canada as many members listened and applauded. Hear his remarks below.
Urban Toronto reports on the imminent (July 1) start of Scotiabank’s 20-year naming period for the arena now called Air Canada Centre. A most notable element is the replacement and enlargement of the outdoor screen on the arena’s west atrium overlooking Bremner Blvd. and Maple Leaf Square. It is known as Jurassic Park during Raptors events. Urban Toronto
The use of Alexa and Siri as digital servants to pay bills and send money instantly on voice command is quite chilling. Stories from the US speak of Alexa announcing to a crowded room that your overdraft is exhausted. Most people can think of things that are even worse. But banks and financial companies have started to offer this service. Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Google‘s Assistant can check balances, pay bills and in the near future send money on voice command. But the potential to do such sensitive tasks through a smart speaker raises security concerns. Virtual assistants and smart speakers are still relatively new technologies and potentially susceptible to being exploited by cyber criminals. There’s also the possibility that the brain will begin to atrophy. AP
OTHER BUSINESS NEWS
It’s back to school for drivers and pedestrians who venture up to Eglinton Ave in hope of doing business in the Sunnybrook Plaza. Metrolinx has changed traffic patterns to permit construction on the LRT. A sign (above left) greets northbound drivers about access to the plaza. It seems to be merely informative and does not mean that northbound traffic is required to enter off Eglinton. But as the map shows, it is possible to turn right on Eglinton and also to enter the plaza from Bayview north of Eglinton. The pace of single-lane traffic pounding through the intersection headed north may not make that turn easy, but it is legal. Some pedestrians seemed confused. Fences block all crossings of Eglinton north and south on the east side of Bayview. The north-west pavement is circled with jersey barriers and is safe enough for a picnic table. Traffic in all directions is down to one lane although a left turn lane onto Eglinton remains for southbound cars on Bayview. It’s easy to get to Tim’s now. Good luck
HAZARD: Reports of a deer walking around the Westview Blvd & Yardley area in East York. Pls drive with care. #GO1119228 ^gl
— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) June 20, 2018
Police are reporting the presence of deer on Westview Blvd heading northbound. There was concern they might access O’Connor Drive. TPS is asking drivers to be cautious.
Police are appealing to “seven or eight witnesses” to the brief pushing incident Monday in the Bloor subway station that led directly to the death of a man who fell into the path of a train. He has been identified as Yosuke Hayahara, 73. He was waiting to board an eastbound Line 2 train. The accused, John Reszetnik, 57, of Toronto, appeared in prison clothing in court Tuesday and seemed to be detached from events. He spoke in a mumble raising speculation about his mental state. After the remand, Detective Rob North told reporters: “We are looking for seven or eight witnesses who we believe had some very close interaction or close ties to our accused or our deceased. They would have seen what happened, based on some utterances or witness statements that we have,” North said. “We are appealing to those seven or eight individuals to come forward. I understand it’s a very traumatic incident they may have witnessed, however we would like them to come forward so we can interview them and get a narrative about what transpired.”
