The Video Wheel takes us on a morning-after journey starting in Indore, India where dancing cops are much more welcome than here in Canada. This guy is good although his act may not have much to do with traffic. Then, be prepared for a squirrel flying at you on a sugar-high. You’ll survive. In Las Vegas last night, CNN filmed an Elvis Wedding. The King performed the service. Hilarious. And finally, gorgeous drone images of Niagara Falls now slowed down to a trickle by this extreme weather.
Large crowds were at Nathan Phillips Square despite the cold weather and shortened events. Below, Tony Smyth sees reveller on way home taking balloons with him.
When everyone shouted Happy New Year he was supposed to let the balloons go …. but no ….. not today. pic.twitter.com/2fGH6mhSiu
— Tony Smyth (@LateNightCam) January 1, 2018
Upper left, it was a good day to do a good deed for Hamilton police as they captured these two adorable runaways Sunday. The Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT) normally deals with more threatening matters but this New Year’s they were happy to scoop up these rascals and turn them over to Animal Control until their owner is found. To the right. this is what New York cops are driving in Times Square Sunday night. Why not. Centre left, the estimable Cristina Tegnalia makes the best of a live hit from City Hall that no doubt made her feel like she had been hit by an iceberg, To the right, a glimpse of London lighting up and finally (bottom) the CNN highlight of the night (Waterford Crystal New Year’s Ball notwithstanding) as Gary Tuchman and friend invade an Elvis Wedding in Las Vegas. The King Lives! Happy 2018 all!
The Toronto Polar Bear Club has decided to cancel its annual dip into Lake Ontario at Sunnyside Beach on New Year’s Day due to extreme cold weather. The event was being held in support of the Boost Child & Youth Advocacy Centre, an organization that works to eliminate violence and abuse in the lives of children, youth and their families. It would have been the 13th annual dip, with hundreds of people expected to attend.
A vehicle was driven into the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel early Sunday, apparently the third time year that this has happened. The circumstances seem stranger than ever in this case. The Ford SUV is a rental car and has had the plates removed. Police also say the car was “wiped down” seemingly to remove fingerprints. It happened about 4:30 a.m. when the TTC notified commuters that the 510 Spadina streetcar would be forced to turn back northbound at Spadina and Queens Quay. The 509 Harbourfront streetcar is also turning back westbound at Spadina and Queens Quay.
Hundreds of friends and members of the public gathered Saturday night to mourn the two sisters found dead Christmas Day at an apartment occupied by their father in the Vancouver Island town of Oak Bay. Among those present were teachers of Chloe and Aubrey Berry, 6 and 4. Their father, Andrew Berry, 43, was found with apparently self-inflicted wounds. British Columbia’s child and youth representative says his office has begun to collect information about the matter. Bernard Richard said Friday it is too early to say whether he will launch a formal investigation, but he says his office has contacted the B.C. Coroners Service and the provincial ministry in charge of child welfare and has started gathering documents.
COURT DOCUMENT
The British Columbia Supreme Court document describing the settlement of custody between parents Sarah Cotton and Berry is being widely read Sunday. It ranges over four years of strained relations between the common-law couple. They met while they were both employed at BC Ferries. The account by Madame Justice Gray speaks of a father who seemed increasingly detached from efforts to manage the relationship in the interests of the children. 2017 BCSC 907 Cotton v. Berry – The Courts of British Columbia – Province of British Columbia
There are two winning tickets for Saturday night’s $5 million Lotto 649 jackpot, making each worth $2.5 million. One ticket was sold in Ontario and the other in Quebec. The draw’s guaranteed $1 million prize was claimed by a ticket purchased in Ontario. The jackpot for the next Lotto 649 draw on Jan. 3 will be approximately $5 million.
Vehicular traffic to the commercial development planned at 33 Laird Drive will enter and exit exclusively by way of Canvarco Rd. A post Saturday named some of the tenants who are confirmed at 33 Laird. It suggested there might be a four-way intersection at Laird and Millwood Rd. to permit access to the development. A staff report from February 2017 makes it clear that this is not the case. The report states that pedestrian traffic may enter by a walkway from Laird. It says that throughout the application process to build the project “there have been conversations between the applicant and Transportation Services regarding a conceptual redesign of the intersection of Laird Drive and Canvarco Road. Although the design is still being discussed, it is anticipated that Canvarco Road will have an additional westbound lane, with the final configuration including exclusive left-turn and right-turn lanes from Canvarco Road out to Laird Drive.” There is no mention of the precise nature of the traffic control at Canvarco but it is presumed to be a stop sign. The report was written before the changes to Laird and Millwood made during the Fall of 2017 but it clearly had them in mind. Some tenants named for development at 33 Laird
A newborn elephant calf at Planckendael Zoo in Belgium has struggled to his feet just 25 minutes after birth. The healthy baby elephant, born Christmas Day, has delighted zoo officials and elephant lovers world wide. Then the Video Wheel stops in the Bronx where generous friends and neighbors are bringing together supplies and clothing for the families driven out by the fire that killed 12 people. Below that, even hardy New Yorkers are saying maybe they’ll give Times Square a pass this year as temperatures are set to plunge to wind-chill values of minus 30. Finally, the Bata Shoe Museum has an exhibit which tells us that heeled shoes were first worn by men as an aid to stability in the saddle.
HAZARD:
St Clair Av + Yonge St
-Bldg on n/w corner
-Under construction
-Siding/wood falling off bldg
-Please use other sidewalk#GO3291864
^dh— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) December 30, 2017
Collision, S/B DVP just after the Bayview/Bloor St exit. 2 left lanes blocked 1 right lane opened. expect delays. #GO3292233 ^gl
— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) December 30, 2017
Frigid weather is causing trademark water main breaks and on Park Rd. south of Rosedale Valley Rd. an apparently related gas line break at Collier St. Work continues.
7-DAY A WEEK GO SERVICE TO BARRIE
GO Transit is debuting all-day train service that will run seven days a week on the Barrie-Toronto line in 2018. Saturday saw the first train depart from Barrie from Toronto on the new hourly weekend GO train service from Union Station. Metrolinx is also offering hourly GO train service in both directions between Union station and Aurora station during the midday and evening rush. This will begin on Tuesday. Increased service will also run in the mornings, afternoon and late evenings between Union and Bradford stations.
ROAD CLOSURES FOR SHORTENED CITY HALL EVENT
The City of Toronto will host a New Year’s Eve celebration at Nathan Philips Square but it will begin late at 11.30 p.m.and last only to the end of fireworks, which begin at midnight. All this because of the record cold. Here are road closures, for both vehicles and pedestrians, which will be in effect from 6 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
MAN CHARGED IN OSHAWA AFTER BODY FOUND AND “PACKAGE” DETONATED.
Securities forces are on full alert across Europe for New Year’s. There is much focus on making sure no misfit in a truck gets within range of crowded venues.
