Morning Brew: July 21st, 2008

20080721_mb.jpgPhoto: "rain runner" by wvs, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

Your Toronto morning news roundup for Monday July 21st, 2008:

Right after being touted as the safest big city in Canada, six homicides have been logged in Toronto this week, including three men found dead in a car in south Etobicoke yesterday. Police are saying it's likely gang-related, and that the victims were shot elsewhere before the bullet-riddled car was driven to its final abandoned location.

Toronto will be going ahead with a plan to install pay-per-use public washrooms on our city streets, despite recent failed attempts to run a similar arrangement in Seattle - where the public toilets ended up being used by drug dealers and prostitutes to conduct (non-peepeepoopoo) business. Toronto is hopeful that a $1 entry charge and 15-minute auto-security trigger will prevent ours from reaching the same fate.

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A basement hydro vault explosion has resulted in a 5-alarm response, a number of firefighters being injured, and several residents of a Danforth & Victoria Park high-rise being evacuated. The nasty plume of smoke resulted in difficulties evacuating residents in higher floors, leading to disturbing news media visuals of people stranded on balconies.

Honest Ed's, the iconic discount shop in the Annex, celebrated its 60th anniversary this weekend, in style. While the hotdogs, cupcakes, and fashion show would have likely been shunned by Yorkville-types, discount shoppers and fashionistas ate it up and enjoyed it for what it was.

The success of the volunteer-based Meals on Wheels program is being compromised by high gas prices because the stipend given to drivers isn't enough to make up for costs. And if that's not enough to raise public concern, perhaps that news that beer is also going to get more expensive will.

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I live right around the corner from that high rise. The explosion knocked out the power to the area momentarily, but I assumed the sound was thunder and the power outtage was storm related, even though it was only raining lightly.

I had no idea what had happened for several hours. Even the constant stream of sirens zipping down Dawes road didn't make me think something was up. (When you live next to Crescent Town you get used to hearing sirens)

Posted by: Ryan L. at July 21, 2008 8:52 AM

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_24911.aspx

The Police found another 500 stolen bikes yesterday as well, bringing the total to over 1000. While they haven't officially made the connection, it sounds like the recently found garages were also used by Igor Kenk.

If you've had a bike stolen within the last year, I'd say you should check out the open house the TPD are having today.

Posted by: Ryan L. at July 21, 2008 8:58 AM

I was reading that the dead men in the car had ties to some sort of street gang at isslington and lake shore.

I live a few major blocks east of there and have never seen any gang activity.

Posted by: apetimberlake [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 21, 2008 10:04 AM

Sorry 2 of the three dead in the car, one is believed to be an acquaintance.

Posted by: apetimberlake [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 21, 2008 10:05 AM

my Specialized Rockhopper A1 comp was stolen 5 years ago. I wonder what the odds are that Igor has it?

a kid can dream...

crime is down, and up, depending on whether or not it affects you. I can think of at least six people who would disagree with the recent stats.

Posted by: RBeezy [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 21, 2008 10:07 AM

I was walking by Igor's last week Thurs and there was a cop infront of his store advising that they were waiting on a warrant to go into the store.

On Friday i past and the police/bailif were entering the place, i couldn't stick around to see what they pulled out of that place.

Posted by: apetimberlake [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 21, 2008 10:09 AM

The main problem in Seattle was that they put the things in places that were already sketchy, based on the premise that people in those areas had the least access to washroom facilities and needed it most. An object lesson in the tragedy of the commons.

Posted by: Chester Pape at July 21, 2008 12:20 PM

Jerrold, you need to fix the link leading to the article on the three homicides in Etobicoke. It's incomplete.

I find it no big surprise that despite the drop by $15 a barrel of oil, that nothing has really changed. I also love the excuse that it will take approximately a week before it trickles down to the pumps, yet was almost immediate when the prices per barrel went up.

Something stinks about this, and it's not Lake Ontario.

Posted by: Christopher King at July 21, 2008 12:49 PM

any word on the Annex shooting from last week?

http://www.thestar.com/article/463494

Posted by: handfed at July 21, 2008 1:01 PM

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