The South Bayview Bulldog

The 70s rock phenomenon Meat Leaf (Michael Lee Aday) has collapsed on stage in Edmonton during what fans said was a pretty difficult performance for him. Meat Loaf is 68. He had previously cancelled two concerts.  The video shows the moment at Edmonton’s Jubilee Auditorium when the singer bent over and knocked down his microphone stand as he fell to the floor. Audience members said he had been singing his classic “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).” “He sounded terrible from the start,” wrote another. A fan said:  “It was like he pushed through each song.” He is in hospital in stable condition

Raccoon-strain rabies has spread rapidly in southwestern Ontario and is now seen in the  western reaches of the GTA.  The outbreak which began late last year near Hamilton has seen 128 cases reported so far, says the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. As a result, the ministry will release as many as a million anti-rabies vaccine packets, or bait, through the Hamilton area. The plan will be complemented by so-called hand-baiting within 50 kilometres of confirmed cases. Another sweep in August and September will aim to vaccinate juvenile animals. The baiting will be done both by hand and by helicopter, and will stretch from parts of western Toronto, Mississauga and Kitchener-Waterloo.

Here in Toronto we have learned to just accept the stream of impositions the streetcar places on daily life. Other cities avoid them altogether but, well, we’ve been through that before. Now its a cancellation of tram service across the whole St.Clair West line, and later partial disruptions, which will take us altogether to the end of the year.  This is necessary because the new streetcars, which may or may not be delivered by then, don’t fit the big concrete right-of-way. The cars were ordered during the construction of the enormous concrete slab that runs the length of St. Clair  West. The TTC has never said what if any thought was given to making the cars fit. But they don’t. There is lots of happy talk about how this disruption will not be nearly as awful as the actual construction. It’s hard to see how it could be worse. In the meantime, buses have already taken over and will run the whole St. Clair line.

A plan to merge three ravine lots on Hudson Drive in Moore Park will be heard by the Toronto and East York Committee of Adjustment (COA) Friday, June 15, 2016. The hearing is set to begin at 2 p.m. The application technician is Bruna Nigro (416) 338-5917 bnigro@toronto.ca.  Earlier story

We are a nation of creatures deeply absorbed in our cell phones even as we walk, drive, do business and try to perform tasks while ignoring just what it is we think we are doing. Texting while doing anything else is a calamity for sustained rational human behaviour. It is the devil’s work. Texting while driving or walking is profoundly more dangerous and commonplace than drunkenness. But we don’t care. We do it anyway and frequently — very frequently — it kills us. This arresting Ontario government ad may help, but as a society and people, we are in deep trouble from narcotic texting.

Chris Selley of the National Post summons up late 20th Century Yonge and Clair. You know, the Uptown, Hollywood, ‘RB and all the rest. The headline suggests we’re going to read about the intersection “reborn”. We get only a sprinkling of hopes for the rejuvenation of this important junction (streetcars, buses and subway). There’s no mention of how, even in the 80s, it was more like downtown than most shoppers in South Bayview (where?) preferred. A reminder perhaps that you can’t go home again. But a fun piece with enjoyable photos. Here.

Visa has taken out newspaper ads seen Thursday accusing Walmart of using consumers as pawns in its battle over merchant fees. Walmart said earlier this week that it will phase out the use of Visa at its 400 stores in Canada because the fees are just too high. Walmart said it pays more than $100 million in fees annually for customers using credit cards like Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Visa contends it has among the lowest rates of any merchant card in Canada however it has many so-called rewards cards that rival costly American Express. Costco finally ditched Amex for MasterCard because of fees. It is a longstanding argument between card companies and retailers. Merchants say it is the consumer who pays for “premium” cards giving gifts.  Credit card charges in Canada are said to be among the highest in the world. Retailers across Canada are watching the skirmish with interest but most were unwilling to comment or indicate if they too are considering taking up their own arms against the dominant credit card provider. But the CBC quotes Alimentation Couche-Tard (Mac’s and others) as expressing sympathy with Walmart. Visa says Walmart is a bully “dragging millions of Canadian consumers into the middle of a business disagreement that can and should be resolved between our companies.”

They’ve got a nice day ahead if the forecast holds for the Shop, Wine and Dine evening on Mt. Pleasant. It begins at 5 and runs til 9 p.m.  The BIA is advertising sidewalk sales, music and great food. Kidnasium has an offer to look after kids for those three hours for $35. The newly-minted MarBar at Manor Road (formerly Celestin) is open as is the former Longest Yard now refurbished as The Belsize Public House. Take a look.

The task force assigned to slash the cost of policing in Toronto has recommended sweeping changes. One such upheaval only hinted at is the suggested closure of 53 Division at Eglinton Ave. E. and Duplex Avenue. Other divisional offices would also be merged (see list below). There will be media lockup Thursday where officials will provide a technical briefing on the task force report. The briefing will include a review of the report, a presentation by Task Force members and one-on-one interviews with Chief Mark Saunders and Chair Andy Pringle. Content from the technical briefing will be under embargo until 3 p.m. The information as published here was obtained by CBC News through leaks. It includes:

• No promotions or new hires for three years.
• Getting officers to move away from mobile work stations and towards utilizing smartphones.
• Disbanding the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS) by the end of this summer.
• Ending transit patrols, leaving the work to TTC special constables.
• Using crime data to determine where officers are needed most.
• Divisional boundaries will be reworked. 54 Division is set to amalgamate with 55 Division in 2017. The officer’s notes also indicate that 12, 13, 33, 53, and 41 Division stations could be targeted for closure in 2018.
• No longer attending bylaw calls made to 3-1-1.
• Overhauling the paid-duty officer program.
• Handing over to the city school crossing guard, life guard and parking enforcement programs.
• The authorized strength of the police force will drop from 5,100 to 4,750 by 2017, a reduction mainly driven by attrition.

It’s not going to be safe without them