Aspiring Etobicoke actor and high school student Scott MacKenzie is busy these days.

The teenager will celebrate the opening of his second movie ‘You Gotta Believe,’ in Canada and the U.S. on August 30 in Dallas, Texas. He will be gathering with friends and relatives to mark the event at the Cineplex Cinemas Queensway.

The flick about the trials and tribulations of a young baseball team was filmed last June and July at Etobicoke’s Centennial Park and in locations across Ontario.

“I had an absolute blast filming this movie last summer,” said the Grade 11 student at Etobicoke Collegiate Institute. “It is a great story about community and determination. I can’t wait for people to see it.”

His love for acting started at the age of six when he first took to the stage in a local Christmas pageant. This is MacKenzie’s first major motion picture. In it he plays left fielder, Mark Grace.

MacKenzie was previously featured in ‘Christmas in Wolf Creek,’ his first made-for-television movie.

‘You Gotta Believe’ is a true story of hope and glory. In the movie, the team dedicated their season to a teammate’s ailing father. The underdog youth baseball players overcome and makes it all the way to the 2002 Little League World Series, culminating in a record-breaking showdown.

It is a “triumph of the underdogs” father-son sports movie based on the true story of a last-place youth baseball team from Fort Worth, Texas, that went on to compete in the Little League World Series in 2002.

The movie is based on the inspiring story of one team’s transformational journey from district underdog to taking its place in the Little League record books, according to its promotion.

The film stars Greg Kinnear as coach Jon Kelly, Luke Wilson as co-coach Bobby Ratcliff, Patrick Renna, Director Ty Roberts, co-screenwriter Lane Garrison, all from Texas.

It also stars Canadian actresses Molly Parker and Sarah Gadon.

The movie shows a deep love of sports and of the people who play and coach, not to achieve any particular record but to show all who participate the best they can be and the best they can bring out in each other.

In between film duties, the Etobicoke native MacKenzie will be busy attending school.

It has been more than three days since accused Alderwood double killer Joseph Ayala disappeared from sight.

Toronto Police are scouring the area and have not been able to get a lead of his whereabouts and are searching parks and around area creeks and ravines.

A new image of the suspect has been released by police of with hair and beard cut short. He is known to frequent cowboy, hat, boots and other gear.

He has been seen walking on Brown’s Line and panhandling outside No Frills, on Lake Shore Blvd. W. by some.

Ayala, 33, of Toronto, is wanted on two counts of second-degree murder after an 82-year-old woman and a 60-year-old woman were found deceased by responding officers during a wellness check on August 23 at the residence n the Sheldon Avenue and Silvercrest Avenue area.

The suspect is a relative of the women. It is believed that the senior woman was a grandmother and other a daughter.

He is described as around 5-foot-11 with a shaved head. He is known to wear a cowboy hat, black cowboy boots, and a jacket with tassels on the sleeves.

Neighbours said the mourning has settled in and residents are looking to show their respects at the funeral services.

Residents have locked up their sheds and garages and are leaving their outside lights on to deter strangers.

Anyone with information is asked to come forward.

Police officers from our local 22 Division are raising funds to help future student leaders.

A fundraising gala is being held on September 14 at the Markland Wood Golf Club, at 245 Markland Drive, by the 22 Division Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) Scholarship/Bursary Fundraising Gala.

They plan to raise $10,000 through ticket sales and a silent auction during the event.

In attendance will be members of the Toronto Police Services, politicians from all levels of government, corporate members from our 22 Division borders and members of the general public.

The funds next year will be used to provide financial support to a number of graduating high school students, from 22 Division for their next level of education.

Recipients will be awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need, academic merit and community involvement.

They are hoping through the event to support identified students by at least lessening some of the financial stress that will accompany their post-secondary education.

As a volunteer organization their financial resources to host this event are extremely limited so they have been reaching out to various members and entities of our community for support and thus far the response has been incredible, the group said.

For more you can call 416-627-8366 or visit www.22DivisionCPLC.ca

It is turtle hatching time again.

Nature lovers may see in area parks square wire turtle cages installed on the ground in certain places by a group called the Turtle Protectors to keep baby turtles safe.

The group posted a photo of the turtle cages on social media to alert park users. This one is placed near a path leading to Marine Parade Drive.

“We are keeping an eye on it,” group members warned, adding the endangered turtles can be eaten or killed by predators as they try to make their way from their nests to water or swamp.

An array of community volunteers gently remove the babies from the cages and take them to nearby ponds or swamps in a Born Free moment.

“As we approach turtle hatching time, the hatchlings in most of the protected nests are in danger when they emerge through the holes in the four sides of the frames because of the proximity to bike paths and roadway.”

The post stated that most of the holes (in the cage) have now been covered but hatchlings sometimes become trapped under the frames.

“It is vital that any evidence of emerging hatchlings needs to be reported immediately to the Turtle Protectors’ hotline – 647 491 4057,” the group states.

”We do inspect them (cages) a number of times daily, but we can all play a part in their survival by keeping a watchful eye whenever we are in the park.”

There are eight species of turtles in Ontario, of those four are endangered species and four are of special concern.

Many Alderwood residents are in mourning for two beloved women as a police manhunt heats up to find accused killer Joseph Ayala hiding out in the community.

Toronto Police were up in the air and on the streets over Brown’s Line and Evans Avenue area on August 23 in search of Ayala who is accused of killing an 82-year-old grandmother and another 60-year-old woman.

Police were called just after 1 p.m. to the Sheldon and Silvercrest Avenues area to conduct a wellness check.

Homicide officers said the bodies of two females were found lifeless inside the home. The suspect is a relative of the females.

A police helicopter was in the air searching the ground, along with officers in cruisers, for any signs of the suspect.

“We are looking to locate the suspect and bring him in into custody,” said an officer.

The area around the Aldercrest Avenues home was sealed off with police tape as forensic officers and other crime-scene experts searched for clues.

An officer stood outside the home which is now a crime scene.

Some area residents said they are concerned as they have had issues with the suspect. They said he suffered from mental challenges, and sometimes he did not take his medication.

Neighbours and onlookers took to the streets to see what was taking place. Some identified the victims as the suspect’s mother and grandmother and that they shared the same home.

Police have not identified the victims but neighbours told the Star one woman was the suspect’s mother and the other was his grandmother, and that all three lived in the home together.

“My parents are worried,” a female Alderwood resident said. “We have to lock the door and be careful in case this guy is still around.”

Ayala, 33, is well known in the area and is described as a white male, 5-foot-11, with a shaved head.

Police said he is known to wear a cowboy boots, hat, a cowboy style jacket with tassels on the sleeve and black cowboy boots.

He was often seen by many in his cowboy gear walking on Brown’s Line. Many have seen him panhandling outside No Frills on Lake Shore Blvd. W.

No funeral details have been released at this time.

If you see him call 22 Division at 416-808-2200.

By the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association

Long Branch residents love their iconic trees.

Big Red is a towering 200-year-old Northern Red Oak and the first ever designated heritage tree in Long Branch.

It stands 33-meters tall at the corner of Park Blvd., and Long Branch Avenue, and sure has many stories to tell.

Big Red is one of the few remaining old red oaks in the area having survived a fire in 1958 which burned down the Long Branch Hotel.

Long Branch, originally named “Long Branch Park” after New Jersey’s famous seaside resort, was a popular getaway for Toronto city dwellers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Families purchased villa lots to build summer cottages, and visitors enjoyed recreational activities from boating and tennis to dancing and dining in outdoor pavilions.

This oak has witnessed the arrival of the Toronto and Mimico Electric Railway, the rise and decline of the resort community in Long Branch and the shift into Long Branch becoming an all-year round thriving neighbourhood.

Today, Big Red continues to watch over the neighbourhood, and towers over the Legion’s 101 Long Branch Cenotaph.

Here’s a blast from the past.

This deserted ‘black lawn jockey’ is a sign of a racist past and was photographed on a street in Alderwood.

At one time in the 1950s and 1960s there were many of them decorating suburban and rural yards in Canada and the U.S. They still do in some areas.

It is a symbol that brings back hard feelings for many Black residents and memories of slavery.

Most people today would never think of displaying one.

Experts said the statues were guideposts on the route of the Underground Railroad in the days preceding and during the U.S. Civil War.

Neither underground nor a railroad, the name refers to the series of safe houses from the Deep South to freedom in the northern states and Canada.

Green ribbons were allegedly tied to the arms of the statues to indicate safety, while red ribbons warned of danger and told the escaping slaves’ guide to keep going.

The jockey’s appearance signaled the availability of a place to sleep, a hot meal, or a change of horses. Escaping slaves would watch for telltale markings and patterns on the jockeys’ clothing that provided the roadmaps to safety and survival on the flight to freedom.

Also known as “The Faithful Groomsman,” some historians said it was commissioned by George Washington to honour a young black youth, Jocko Graves, who allegedly froze to death while holding a lantern to guide the American Continental Army safely back to winter barracks at night.

They are also reminders of a shameful period in U.S. history that led not only to the tragedy of civil war, but to the racial hatred and tensions that plague America to this day.

A manhunt for an urban cowboy is underway in the community.

Toronto Police were up in the air and on the streets over Brown’s Line and Evans Avenue area on August 23 in search of a man who is accused of killing two female relatives.
Police were called just after 1 p.m. to the Sheldon and Silvercrest Avenues area to conduct a wellness check.
Homicide officers said the bodies of two females were found lifeless inside the home.

A police helicopter took to the air searching the ground, along with officers in cruisers, in search of the suspect.
“We are looking to locate the suspect and bring him in into custody,” said an officer.
The area was sealed off with police tape as forensic officers and other crime-scene experts searched for clues.
Some area residents said they are concerned as they have had issues with the suspect, who some claim suffered from challenges.

Neighbours and onlookers took to the streets to see what was taking place. Some said the victims included the suspect’s mother and sister.
“My parents are worried,” a female Alderwood resident said. “We have to lock the door and be careful in case this guy is still around.”

Police held a press conference to provide an update to the nervous community.
Joseph Ayala, 33, is sought by police and is on the run.
He is a ‘relative’ of the victims and is described as a white male, 5-foot-11, with a shaved head.

Police said he is known to wear a cowboy boots, hat, a cowboy style jacket with tassels on the sleeve and black cowboy boots.
If you see him call 22 Division at 416-808-2200 or 911.

Sign up for one of 12 native trees for free.

The Long Branch Neighbourhood Association (LBNA) is urging area residents to register online now to receive a free tree.

Tree pickup is on September 14 at Colonel Sam Smith Park between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

There are 12 native tree and shrub species to choose from. Pre-registration is required by visiting https://www.lbna.ca/tree/ to place your order.

Some of the trees available includes: sugar maple, white pine, red oak, eastern white cedar, paper white birch, shrubs and others.

The face of Mimico is about to change and look more like Humber Bay Shores.

A proposal to build a 34-storey condo tower at 2405-2417 Lake Shore Blvd. W., has been given another green light for development that will change the area and open it up for more density.

Ward 3 Councillor Amber Morley said in an update that a settlement has been reached on the file with the Ontario Land Tribunal.

She said full disclosure of an appeal board is still pending and more details will be released after a settlement hearing between parties.

A post on social media said the decision now goes before a settlement hearing, which is not contested because City council has voted to adopt the recommendation.

She said a 42-storey tower has been reduced to a 34-storey in height near the Amos Waites Park.

The tower ‘will be set further back on the subject site and has appropriate separation distance from the mid-rise building,” according to the update.

“The tower design does not result in negative shadow impacts on the neighbourhoods to the west,” it noted.

It said building heights will not provide shadows since there is transition to the park, lake and adjacent neighbourhoods.

The agreement stated the popular park will not be touched and there will be a nine-storey mid-rise building along Lake Shore Blvd. W., with a six-story street wall with improved massing.

A social post said two new public streets are planned for connectivity to the lake and Superior Avenue. The streets are in accordance to the Mimico by the Lake Secondary Plan.

Initially proposed were a 10-storey mid-rise building, an eight-storey base building including a mezzanine floor about 32,792 square metres in size, including 345.5 square metres of retail space on the ground floor.

Also planned were 471 residential apartment units (including 22 rental replacement units) in various unit sizes.

A number of low-rise apartments and some stores will be demolished and some rental replacement units are planned for those impacted.

Morley thanked the Mimico community for their support during the hearings as her office advocated for the local needs.

Residents are already complaining on social media about the high density and years of construction activity.

Michael Cherney said a 34 story building will create shadows for all the surrounding neighborhood home and buildings, Amos Waites Park and more.

“How you can allow 34 stories in an area approved in the Mimico By the Lake plan as 15 stories is absurd and of course will negatively impact your current residents,” he wrote.