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Newsstand: June 18, 2012
If we can all agree that the weekend should be three days, ending with two Sundays, we can all just ignore Monday, right? You try it and let us know. In the meantime, some news: the man killed during Saturday's Radiohead concert set-up has been identified; a West End pet-store fire leaves four cats dead; the Ford brothers will have their final weigh-in today; a school survey tests the nerves of some parents in the East End; the debate about holiday shopping continues; and shuttle buses for Spadina all summer long.
Saturday’s sold-out Radiohead concert was cancelled after the roof of the outdoor stage collapsed during the 4 p.m. sound check, killing one person and injuring three others. Radiohead has released a statement to say that they are “shattered” by the loss of the man killed in the accident, the band’s drum technician, Scott Johnson.
An early-morning fire in a West End pet store has left four cats dead. Six cats and one dog were in the Kennel Café near Roncesvalles Avenue and Dundas Street West at the time, but fire crews were able to revive the dog and the other cats. No confirmation yet on the cause.
Today’s weigh-in will be the last for the Ford brothers. The mayor, who promised to lose 50 pounds when the “Cut the Waist Challenge” kicked off, has struggled to meet his goal. His brother, Councilor Doug Ford (Ward 2, Etobicoke North), seems to be doing better and has predicted that he will be down “40-some-odd pounds.” Brother Doug made some significant changes to his diet, including kicking a serious chocolate-milk habit. As for Mayor Rob Ford, he, um, may not have tried as hard.
Parents of students who attend Guildwood Junior Public School in Scarborough are upset about a 124-question survey their kids are being asked to fill out. Students were asked to strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree, or stay neutral about statements such as “I’m worried about my future” and “I like who I am, and I am special to others.” The survey was issued to 126 schools in all this year as part of the Model Schools for Inner Cities program. According to the school board, it is meant to identify children living in poverty, “who had needs in terms of nutrition, social well-being, emotional well-being.” But also, why make kids wait until graduation to think about whether or not they are special?
When it comes to the battle for holiday shopping in Toronto, it seems that store owners may not find middle ground. Retailers seem to be divided about the bylaw outlining which businesses can open on a public holiday. Currently, only five business districts have permission to operate on holidays in Toronto, as they are designated as tourist zones: Queens Quay West, the Toronto Eaton Centre and Hudson’s Bay Company, downtown Yonge Street, Bloor-Yorkville, and the Distillery District. Some retailers say their business will suffer without the opportunity, while others would prefer to have holiday. Maybe they should get the public to weigh in: they may have a strong opinion about this.
Attention passengers who use the Spadina streetcar line (please imagine the TTC announcer’s voice in your head, as that will make this seem much more authentic): Starting today, the TTC and the City will be carrying out track work along Spadina, which means that shuttle buses will run for the rest of the summer. This should be fun.
