TTC pulls entire fleet of articulated buses over safety concerns https://t.co/x3pNgCKGoL pic.twitter.com/TBtLuEQMuz
— Toronto Sun (@TheTorontoSun) April 28, 2017
The TTC has repaired the 100 or so articulated buses that developed an alarming “unexpected acceleration” problem. They are made by Nova, a subsidiary of Volvo. News reports suggest the surprise “full throttle” defect had occurred twice. It seems probable there might have been earlier signs of this. No one has been hurt.
A Wisconsin man was removed from a Delta Air Lines (DAL.N 1.36%) flight after using the bathroom against crew instructions shortly before takeoff. Kima Hamilton says he urgently needed to use the bathroom April 18 while on a Milwaukee-bound plane in Atlanta. He says takeoff was delayed and the flight wasn’t moving, so he decided to go. Cellphone video shows Delta agents asked Hamilton to de-board after he got back to his seat, but he refused. The crew emptied the aircraft and allowed everyone but Hamilton back on. Delta says it’s imperative passengers comply with crew instructions, especially at critical points of takeoff and landing. Hamilton says FBI agents met him at the gate but didn’t arrest him. He got a partial refund but says it wasn’t enough to cover another ticket — BNN
City News has dug up Instagram pictures of Marisa Lazo defying death on what appears to be a fairly routine basis. City News embellishes this with information about what seems be a cult-like association of young people who seek thrills the same way. They call it roof topping.
The Ontario budget for 2017 was presented in the Legislature Thursday — the same day of the week that provincial general elections are held. There seems to be a connection. The Wynne government will create a free prescription drug program for everyone 24 and under. That may blunt the appeal of the recently announced NDP pharmacare program. There will be “taxing power” for Toronto to extract cash from those who buy homes and condos and leave them empty, authorization of a tax on hotel and Airbnb, but no tax for road tolls. It’s just too hot an issue with 905 voters. Recent university grads get some grace on paying back their debt. Now they can wait until they hit $35,000 a year in salary. The Liberals also promise that this budget will remain balanced. That’s a good thing because the provincial debt is still heading toward $327 billion
OHIP+
The new drug plan is called OHIP+ and will permit eligible Ontarians to walk into any pharmacy show their OHIP card and pick up free medicine funded through the Ontario Drug Benefit Program. The plan will cover 4,400 types of drugs. There will be no deductible and no co-payment. The program will benefit around four million Ontarians and cost $465 million. That price tag is expected to be funded by the growing economy. According to the Liberals, the GDP is expected to grow 2.6 per cent. Duelling drug plans set stage for pharmacare election in Ontario
Steve Nastos was posting to Leaside Community Facebook Thursday about the delivery of his new lockable green bin. There is some skepticism about the bins since one was shown with a fractured top. There was also a suggestion that it wasn’t a raccoon which did this but a squirrel. The slow-moving distribution campaign of new bins is said to be underway in Midtown but this is the first evidence of it seen around here. Reader Elizabeth Pyper notes that she asked the men who delivered today what should be done with the old boxes and they told her to leave them at the curb and they will be collected
The human race never ceases to amaze even as friends try to explain why Marisa Lazo would climb to the top of a 20-storey crane in the middle of the night and slide down a cable to leave herself utterly stranded. One person who knew her growing up recalls “she just likes to climb things. Me and her used to climb everything when we were children. I used to be scared of it (but) she wasn’t.” A friend named Susan is reported by 680 News to have told KISS Radio that Lazo is a “totally sane thrill seeker.” But bungee jumping or the rim walk at the CN Tower isn’t good enough it seems. She should have known better. Samantha Burger, a current friend, told NewsTalk 1010 that Lazo is outdoorsy — a woman who loves boating, longboarding, hiking and getting up high. In Niagara, the pair liked to visit Decew Falls. The spot is a favourite for locals to cool off on a hot day. Decew Falls is also notorious for rescues as people slip climbing down into the gorge and get injured or stuck. Which raises the perception of this young woman by some as a person who should be punished for life for her misjudgment. Writers to the The Bulldog and elsewhere are on the verge of hatred when they say “garnish her wages for the rest of her pathetic life…stupid people should jump…or be pushed next time…wish the wind came up in her Darwin waiting room.” Another outburst: “They should have let her fall. Useless moron”
RELEASED ON BAIL
Lazo was released Thursday on $500 bail at a court appearance today. She must not enter construction sites or go on any rooftops. She is charged with six counts of mischief.
Work continues toward the summer opening of the renovated Broadview Hotel at the corner of Broadview and Queen East where it has stood since 1893. A virtual tour (that would be pictures of the place to you and me) are here. Very nice. The owners, Streetcar Developments, expect the hotel to re-open with a rooftop terrace that is said to have a stunning view of the Toronto skyline with a 360-degree glass pyramid skylight. The Broadview Hotel will have 58 guest rooms each outfitted with luxurious appointments, a vinyl record player and a bar. Joanna Lavoie of the Beach Mirror was there yesterday.
VIDEO: The @BroadviewHotel will soon be opening its doors. Our @JoannaLavoie stopped by today. #RiversideTO #RiverdaleTO #eastTO pic.twitter.com/bZLcmZOnXw
— Beach – East York Neighbourhood Voice (@BeachEastYork) April 26, 2017
Published May 14, 2014: The Broadview Hotel on Queen Street East at Broadview Ave has been bought for restoration by Streetcar Developments, a Toronto company dedicated to this type of work. The imposing 1893 Romanesque-style building has been notable in recent decades only for its rundown condition and as the home of Jilly’s Strip Club. In a news release Tuesday (May 13, 2014) Streetcar says it will not be turning the Riverdale landmark into condominiums but will rather be “focusing all our efforts on making the building safe and restoring it to reflect its place in Toronto’s history.” The company’s CEO, Les Mallins “We will first be focusing all our efforts on making the building safe and restoring it to reflect its place in Toronto’s history,” he added. Since at least 2004, rumours have circulated that the building will be bought and renovated to become a version of the Drake or the Gladstone, boutique hotel/bar/performance art venues on Queen St. W. So far, however, there are no signs of this actually happening. Still operating as a hotel, the lower floor is Jilly’s, “a rough and tumble strip club.” (Wikipedia). The operation was the scene of a barmaid stabbing in the early 1990s.
French’s all-Canadian ketchup is about to start rolling off the new assembly line at Select Foods at 120 Sunrise Ave just off Bermondsey Rd. A photo-op and announcement of the timing took place in recent days. Those present were Brooke Gillford, French’s Food, Mayor John Tory, Andrew Mitchell, president of Select Foods, MPP Andrew Potts and Burkhard Mausberg, CEO of the Greenbelt Fund The new production line follows last year’s handshake between French’s Food and long-time food packager Select to produce a ketchup that’s as close to 100 per cent Canadian as possible. The issue of tomatoes and where they come from is a sensitive one for many consumers. French’s got the idea for a made-in-Canada ketchup using Leamington tomatoes after Heinz decided to move out of the Essex County garden community. Select Foods is an established maker of condiments and gravies, many of which are sold under the Horne’s brand name. Its plant is close to the East York boundary.
Videos of interest start with the artificial womb, an ingenious device to give preemies that extra chance of life. Expect to hear more of this invention. To the right, there is fairly widespread concern among parents about the conduct of Netflix (again) this time over the melodramatic series “Thirteen Reasons Why” and how it may entrap young minds into the “I’ll get even with them” suicide. As any adult knows, there is no revenge for such kids, merely death. Below that, City News covers the closure this summer of Whittamore Farms north of Toronto. We listened closely but didn’t hear exactly why this is being done. Let us know if you hear it. And, the rescue of not one but 12 ducklings who fell between the rungs of a storm sewer cover when their mother inadvertently led them over this trap for little feet.
With regards to the incident that took place yesterday afternoon at our East York location in Toronto, we are grateful for the support (ctd)
— EDEN.empire (@myedenca) April 26, 2017
The fraud involved selling donated items meant for shelters and food banks for profit. https://t.co/PB2m8r133Q
— Toronto Star (@TorontoStar) April 26, 2017
The Star’s rmer executive director of a Salvation Army donation storage and distribution centre was found guilty of a massive fraud involving selling donated items meant for shelters and food banks for profit. These included toys donated through the Christmas Toy Mountain campaign. Court heard that David Rennie took cash in a variety of ways for high quality goods intended for needy kids. Ontario Court Justice Sandra Bacchus found that after Rennie was appointed executive director of the centre in January 2010 he developed a relationship with a wholesaler, Umaish “Tony” Ramrattan. Rennie began allowing Ramrattan to pick the best donations — toys and food that was far from its expiry date — and take it to another warehouse and sell it for a profit. Trucks laden with donations from Nestle and Sun laundry detergent were rerouted to this second warehouse operated by Ramrattan. The fraud was so brazen that staff began to complain among themselves and finally persuaded a warehouse manager to make a complaint. Ramratten was found not guilty. His defense was that he thought the arrangement with Rennie was authorized by the Army. Sentencing is still to be set.
Kevin O’Leary has dropped out of the Conservative leadership race because, he says, he does not think he can defeat Justin Trudeau at the next election. O’Leary will endorse Quebec MP and leadership candidate Maxime Bernier.
