Photo: "Wintercity" by C Moy, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

The Fallsview Casino might brand itself as the place to be but it sure wouldn't have been for an Italian pop star set to perform this weekend if the cops hadn't arrested Toronto real estate agent Pietro Castelluzzo on charges he attempted to hire a hit man to knock him off. Infidelity! Hit Men! Gambling! Italians! Sounds like a screenplay for the next Guy Ritchie film. Or maybe the next scandal in the Toronto municipal elections.

A new cricket field if coming to North Etobicoke. Construction will start this Spring on the Thackeray Park cricket pitch, only the second in the city. Local community members and organizations have helped with financing efforts for the project that will be situated on 3.7 acres of land donated by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. The city is contributing $600,000 for the first phase and it's expected it could be open for play by the end of the summer.

Suburban pot farming is just one of the interesting notes on the resume of Ward 27 city council aspirant Ken Chan. The ex George Smitherman aid also happens to be a Brunei-born gay ex-cop with an MBA who's been living in London for the past two years. He's one of 10 registered candidates in Toronto Centre Rosedale, the riding that's shaping up as one of the more colourful races this election season.

The Sun reports that, technically speaking, Adam Giambrone hasn't yet withdrawn from the Toronto Mayoral race. Apparently a sex scandal and a teary press conference isn't enough to end his efforts. He still needs to submit an official notice to Toronto Elections.

The Bosh-less Raptors lost for the second time in two outings, this time in an overtime thriller to the Cavs.

And Sexapalooza comes to TO this weekend. Think of it as a more mainstream version of the Erotic Arts and Craft Fair, one complete with an Alley of Fantasy with a giant vagina and fake orgasm contests. Hurry on over to the International Centre today or tomorrow if you want to take part.