The South Bayview Bulldog

Toronto Sun

CTV

Barry Matthew/Hamilton

Police departments across southern Ontario are asking business owners to consider whether they really need an ATM in their stores. This as the province has experienced an orgy of crash and yank ATM thefts that’s running at 58 since January of 2017. The pattern of overnight attacks by thieves in a stolen vehicle, usually a pickup truck, is familiar to cops. They have occurred at businesses in Brant, Waterloo, Hamilton, Owen Sound and Niagara, OPP. “These guys are driving these trucks right into these businesses, right through the windows — plate glass windows and doors — and it’s not hard to break glass with a truck,” said OPP Sergeant Dave Rektor. “Everybody has these machines with lots of money in them and they’re easy targets for thieves,” he said. Damage to a single building ranges from $20,000 to $250,000 and in some cases has left it structurally unsound. The loss of the ATM averages about $10,000, plus repair costs and loss of revenue while the store is closed, police said, while the average profit from an ATM is approximately 20 cents for every $20 dispensed.

NZ PM Jacinda Arern and Clarke Gayforde

Queen and PM

Maori cloak is a Korowai

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was a distinguished presence at the Commonwealth meeting in London this week. Ms. Ardern, who was present with her partner Clarke Gayforde, is expecting. She wore an elegant Maori cloak called a Korowai. Her toast at Buckingham Palace is worth a listen. Could we transplant this woman to the Canadian Commons please? Then, also distinguished, Ottawa inventor Midia Shikh Hassan, honoured by the Queen for her work in the making of prosthetics. Below that, drop in at the Met in New York and catch a phrase or two of Verdi’s melodic Luisa Miller. The stars are luminous. Finally, soprano Greta Bradman talks of her love and admiration of her granddad, a cricket star who was also a composer. Distinguished. You bet.

The former Stanley Cleaners building on the northeast corner of Millwood and Randolph Rds. is being demolished. City records say an environmental assessment is being done prior to construction of a new mixed use building. They say the design for the proposed building will be based on the ongoing assessment.

Bear in marijuana leaf headgear

He pumps accordian on Line 1

Moderator of City News debate

From the CBC comes news that Indigenous artist Jason Carter created an image of a bear (left) wearing a headdress made of marijuana leaves. This was used to illustrate a cover story in NOW that asks the burning question “Can Legalization Set Indigenous Communities Free?” South Bayview demands to know. Centre we see a young man who is wandering TTC subway cars playing a catchy tune called Despacito on his groanbox. It was recently recorded by Justin Bieber with naughty lyrics by Luis Fonsi.  The TTC is not amused. Then at right, it’s Cynthia Mulligan again. She will moderate a provincial leaders debate on City News in which the audience will ask the questions.

Stacked townhomes

Site at Eglinton and Danforth

Local institution

Mattamy Homes proposes to build “stacked townhomes” at Eglinton Ave. and Danforth Rd., site of local hangouts of various local affection. They are All Star Bowl, Caddy Adult Entertainment and the Eglinton Inn. Urban Toronto.

Fairfax Financial Holdings has signed an agreement to buy the Canadian Toys “R” Us business for some $300 million, the Financial Post says. The bid is seen as an opening for others to enter competing proposals by Monday. Fairfax would receive a break fee of about 4 per cent if another bidder is chosen, a source told the Post. Rogers Communications Inc. has signed up far more wireless subscribers in the first three months of the year than expected. Rogers said on Thursday after markets closed that it added 95,000 new mobile customers on contract, beating the average estimate of 58,000 that analysts had predicted. and CP Rail has begun shutting down train operations ahead of a possible strike set to start Saturday by two unionized workforces. CP says it continues to bargain with both the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which have given strike notices for this Saturday.

With six weeks left before the General Election on June 7, the Forum Research Poll has thrown up results indicating the PC Party under Doug Ford might receive as much as 46 percent of the popular vote if the election were held today, The April 18 survey suggested that 27 percent of voters would vote NDP and 21 percent Liberal. It’s an open question just how many people have seen the Liberal ad campaign called The Real Doug Ford, which has been airing for a few days. But Forum says that “the bump” in support created by the Liberal budget has faded. Two days before the poll was conducted, the Ontario NDP released its party platform, calling for universal pharmacare and dental care, higher corporate taxes and the re-purchase of Hydro One to make it public. Four percent of respondents said they would vote Green while two per cent expressed support for another party.

Davisville Bike Event

Soup, sandwiches and song

This is clean up weekend in Toronto and that applies to South Bayview where the BIA will hold its Earth Day Clean Up called Sweep the Streets. It begins at 9 a.m. Saturday where volunteers will gather at Millwood and Bayview with brooms in hand for coffee and treats. Other clean ups are taking place as well. The City’s page is here. Also in this summary, a reminder of the Rotary Recycling event in the parking lot of the East York Town Centre and the used bike collection taking place at Davisville Public School. Full South Bayview Bulletin Board 

• City-wide spring cleanup aims for 200,000 volunteers, 30 tonnes of trash

Oakvlle asembly line impacts national economy

Canadian, Mexican and U.S. ministers seeking to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have made good progress on the key question of autos, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said Thursday as pressure for a deal intensified. Reuters

• Complaint filed against BC naturopath who treated boy with rabid dog salivaN
• No damage or injuries reported after minor earthquake at Amherstburg
• Canada Banning Plastic Drink Straws? Trudeau Wants G7 Leaders To Discuss Issue At Summit

The future does not seem friendly at the prospect of small screen FB muscling in on the television world of Major League Baseball. Then, David Copperfield has had to explain how he gets a whole gang of people mysteriously off stage and into the lobby. Below that, dramatic video of a brave cop who gets chased away by an explosion but who comes back to save people. Finally, City News anchor Kevin Frankish visits Flemingdon Park. Nice.