Photo: "IMG_6369" by wyliepoon, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

Newly introduced law that makes it illegal for adults to smoke in vehicles with minors present is already under fire. A 20-year old was pulled over and while being ticketed for the offense, the 15-year old minor got out of the car and lit up a smoke of her own (something that by our current laws isn't illegal). Ummm... yeah. Anyone else see this as a contradictory and ironic oversight?

Barriers that keep TTC subway riders off of the tracks are not as easy to bring into place as one might think. Technical challenges include the need for precise train stopping (which requires upgrades to signals) and the whole shebang would end up costing hundreds of millions of dollars and take several years to implement. After the shocking incident at Dufferin Station on Friday, a story with victims, a hero, and attempted murder charges, these barriers are sure to be a hot topic.

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Potholes are seemingly worse than ever this year. That freakish warm snap last week, followed by a return of cold, has done a serious number on our roads, and city crews are scrambling to keep up with repairs that are surely further draining our already stretched-thin budget.

It doesn't happen often, but over the long weekend an attempted dognapping was thwarted. Leaving your pooch tied to a utility pole or street sign while you pop into a store to grab something quick usually seems safe enough, but there is an off chance that he/she could be scooped like an unlocked bike.

Toronto Raptor Chris Bosh loves Twitter, and crowd-sourcing restaurant recommendations while traveling on road trips. blogTO also likes Twitter, and just added Bosh to our list of friends.

And this morning I'll be reminded that it's my duty as a Canadian citizen to appear for jury selection and possibly serve on a jury in a Superior Court case. I'm hoping that if selected, the trial to which I'm assigned is quick to be completed. The idea of not collecting a salary for any appreciable amount of time, during already tough times, is worrying. Wish me luck!