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Newsstand: April 8, 2015
Apparently Marilyn Manson was punched in the face at a Denny’s restaurant in Lethbridge, Alberta over the weekend. Lethbridge, this is why you are not allowed to have nice things. In the news: John Tory's “big data” idea to improve Toronto traffic, a hen delivery service for Torontonians who want to raise poultry, a fallen crane in the west end, and freezing rain warnings across the GTA.
Mayor John Tory wants the City’s traffic monitoring methods to take a flying leap into the 21st century by using new commuter tracking software and technology to help alleviate traffic congestion. Mayor Tory visited the digital lab at Ryerson University on Tuesday to announce that the City will launch a “big data” team (let’s hope that goes on their business cards) to investigate new ways that data from GPS, Bluetooth, and other technologies can be used to track commuter movements for the benefit of traffic planning. Sure, Big Brother will be watching you, but it’s okay because he really just wants to help you get home from work faster.
If you want to raise urban chickens in your own backyard, your hopes and wishes are one step closer to becoming a reality. Sort of. Rent The Chicken is a program run by the Stoddart Family Farm in Kawartha Lakes that will offer hens or incubating eggs to city dwellers who want to get into the poultry racket. After a few months, the farm will then let owners adopt their fowl or will buy them back for $1. Sound like a dream? Well, it remains an illegal dream, since backyard chickens are still banned under municipal bylaws. Harry Stoddart, who runs the program, is prepared to ignore the bylaw because he says that he has yet to hear of any cases where enforcement officers have removed poultry from Toronto residents without a complaint from a neighbour prompting an investigation. He plans to go ahead with his first round of egg and hen deliveries in May. A representative for the City says that they are currently investigating the business.
A crane fell over near the intersection of College Street and Havelock Street shortly after 6 p.m. on Tuesday night, grazing an adjacent home as it tumbled off the bed of a truck. Thankfully, no one was injured. It is still too early to know how much damage was caused by the accident.
Finally, you might be done with the cold weather, but it is not done with you. Parts of the Greater Toronto Area are under a freezing rain warning this morning, with Environment Canada issuing a special weather statement for Toronto specifically. Use caution when driving, and remember that warm weather will get here…eventually.