Seniors are being warned by police to pay attention to their driving skills.

An 80-year-old woman is fighting for her life after trying to park her vehicle but instead accelerated into a concrete pole, police say.

Toronto Police said the senior was operating a 1997 Honda Civic in a parking lot at 600 The East Mall, near Rathburn Road, when the crash occurred.

“The woman sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to hospital,” officers said.

An 85-year-old male passenger was also injured and taken to hospital.

This investigation is ongoing by members of Traffic Services. Police are asking local residents, businesses and drivers, who may have security or dash camera footage of the area or incident, to contact investigators.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1900, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes or Google Play.

Some tourists from South Etobicoke or elsewhere heading to Niagara Falls for a vacation or to sightsee at this time of the year are getting lost due to missing road signs.

Police say someone has destroyed or removed dozens of street signs from all over Niagara Region.

Niagara Regional Police said they are investigating more than 50 signs that were damaged, or removed, during a three day period, from July 9 to 12.

“A series of road signs that have been damaged or removed in the City of Niagara Falls,” police said in a news release. “The suspect, or suspects, are removing the signs and throwing them.”

The City of Niagara has replaced the signs.

Police do not have a motive as to why the expensive signs are being vandalized.

Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying those responsible. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service at 905-688-4111, ext. 1002200.

 

 

 

By JAY LLAVE

The Long Branch community has lost one of its unspoken heroes.

Patti Wright tragically lost her life to cancer on June 25. She helped everyone she met whether it was personal, professional, or philanthropic in nature. I was lucky enough to be affected by her energy.

Patti was the beloved wife of Jim Sanders, mother of Heather and her husband, Marc Arseneault, and Colin and his wife Katie Sanders. She died one month before her 65^th birthday.

Patti had retired from a long career as a lawyer and entrepreneur. She was a talented musician and passionate Rotarian devoted to supporting youth and education, among other causes.

A long-time volunteer, she was very active and will be sorely missed by members of the Lakeshore Charitable Foundation, which was founded by the late accountant Philip Barker.

Since 2016, Patti has arranged up to 100 volunteers yearly to answer between 160 and 720 handwritten letters to Santa Claus from an elementary school in Mindanao, Philippines.

The letters to Santa were part of a school initiative. This involved preparing four letter templates, a suitable location, supplies, and managing several organizations.

Patti recruited the Etobicoke Collegiate Interact Club and Richview Collegiate Interact Club, the Rotary Club of Toronto West, the Rotary Club of Etobicoke and the Rotary Club of Willowdale to help the Foundation with this letters.

She also organized and fundraised for “Days for Girls Kits” to be distributed to girls at the school. “The Days for Girls (DfG) Pad” is a washable, reusable, menstrual health product that’s built to last and donated to girls in poor countries.

We met in 2014 during our Rotary President’s class trip to Illinois. She continued to have a passion for Youth Services and led that committee for the district of 55 clubs.

In the short time that I knew her, she has taught me patience, compassion, drive, and responsibility without saying a word. I am grateful to have met her and will try to continue her lessons in this gift called “life”.

Patti lived a vibrant and remarkable life filled with family, friends, travel, gardening, experimental cooking, good wine, and as much sunshine as she could find. Her loss has left a vacuum felt by all who were touched by her vivacious and philanthropic spirit.

In lieu of flowers, donations to The Dorothy Ley Hospice (dlhospice.org) or to The Rotary Club of  West Charity Trust (canadahelps.org) in Patti’s name would be gratefully accepted. Private funeral service with public webcast on July 21 at 2p.m. Webcast and online condolences at newediukfuneralhome.com

Jay Llave is President of the Lakeshore Charitable Community and Lakeshore Accounting, at 3421 Lake Shore Blvd. W.

 

 

Cuddly pup Riggins, aka BigRigg, will have a happier life now thanks to some pet-loving cops.

Officers in the downtown area recently responded to a heart-breaking call in which a suspect “intentionally caused harm” to this cute little dog.

Officers from a busy 52 Division promptly arrested and charged a suspect for injuring the cuddly canine.

They not only saved the animal, but the touched officers dug deep and managed to raise $750 to cover part of the owner’s veterinary costs.

Riggins and its owners from now on will have a tender spot for cops.

The officers are part of a group with a hashtag #CopsWhoCare.

 

 

 

 

 

Thousands of police officers from across Canada attended BMO Field to pay tribute to Toronto Police Det. Const. Jeffrey Northrup, a 31-year veteran with the service and a father of three who died in the line of duty earlier in July.

Northrup, who was killed last week in the line of duty, was remembered at his funeral Monday as a ‘kind, gentle giant who loved his family deeply’ and was quick to lend a hand to colleagues.

The officer’s casket was draped in the Canadian flag and wheeled into the sports stadium in sombre silence just before 1:30 p.m.

His partner Detective Constable Lisa Forbes carried the slain officer’s hat as the pallbearers entered the stadium. Forbes was injured in the July 2nd incident that claimed Northrup’s life. His cap and a medal sat on pillows atop of the casket as the service began.

Northrup’s wife, Margaret, told the crowd that her husband loved life and life loved him back. She praised his kind heart and amazing work effort. Her voice strained with emotion as she talked of their children Brennen, 21, Samantha, 19, and Mitchell, 17.

“Jeff had two families. I never doubted his love and dedication to myself or our children,” she told an estimated 4,700 people, including cops from Calgary, Edmonton, Quebec and Vancouver. “Everything he did was for us. We worked as a couple in a team to raise our children to love, respect and have empathy to everyone who crossed their paths in life.”

She said Jeff’s second family with his police family. “As a court officer to police constable, he was always proud to wear and serve the uniform and badge.”

“Brennen, Samantha, Mitchell, your daddy loves you all so much,” she vowed. “He was proud of your dreams, goals and accomplishments. He would want you to continue loving and experiencing life to the fullest.”

The couple were married for 28 years.

The two-hour funeral service followed a procession along Lake Shore Boulevard West and into the Exhibition Place grounds. Officers lined Princes’ Boulevard as the procession approached BMO Field, accompanied by a marching band and mounted unit officers.

Premier Doug Ford, Mayor John Tory and Toronto Police Services Board chair Jim Hart were among the officials in attendance.

Northrup was killed July 2 when he was struck by a vehicle while responding to a report of a robbery in progress at an underground parking lot at Toronto City Hall. Investigators have since described the incident as an “intentional and deliberate act” and have charged a 31-year-old with first-degree murder in Northrup’s death.

Interim Toronto Police Chief James Ramer described the incident as an “intentional, deliberate attack.” “As a police officer, there is no greater burden and no greater honour than to bear witness to the bravery of a fallen officer lost in service to our city,” Ramer told the crowd.

Northrup started his career in Court Services in 1989 and had spent more than 31 years with the Toronto Police Service at the time of his death, including the last 13 as an officer with 52 Division in busy downtown Toronto.

He was also an active member of the Brampton community, having volunteered as a Scout leader, as a coach with various lacrosse teams and with the Special Olympics.

Prior to Northrup’s funeral on Monday a procession was held from the Kane-Jarrett Funeral Home in Thornhill, Ont., to the stadium.

Northrup is the first Toronto police officer to be killed in the line of duty since the murder of Sgt. Ryan Russell in January 2011.

He will be buried at a private ceremony attended by close friends and family.

 

 

Expect some traffic slowdowns in the downtown area as the funeral service for Constable Jeff Northrup takes place at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 12 at BMO Field, at 170 Princes’ Boulevard.

The general public may choose to observe the procession as it travels from the funeral home to Exhibition Place. W.

Police are asking that members of the public tp practice social distancing, wear masks and complete a COVID-19 screening form. Please do not attend if you fail the screening.

Members of the public are encouraged to view the proceedings via the Toronto Police Service live internet stream on the TPS YouTube channel or on local television stations.

Road closures will begin at 9 a.m. around the Exhibition grounds for this solemn service.
The procession will begin about 10:30 a.m. but is subject to change. At Lakeshore Boulevard and Ontario Drive, police officers will march eastbound along Lakeshore, turning left onto Canada Boulevard and proceeding onto Princes’ Boulevard.

Officers will position using both sides of Princes’ Boulevard to honour the funeral cortege as they pass through. Chief James Ramer will salute the cortege before it continues to Gate 5 of BMO Field for the ceremony.

Gate 5 will also be the entrance for any VIPs. The Mounted Unit and pipers will be staged at this entrance, as well as the family awaiting the arrival of Constable Northrup.
CP24 will provide multiple-camera coverage; including exterior, interior and drone shots.

A Toronto Police Service photographer will be inside the BMO Field taking photos on behalf of the Service. Other TPS photographers will also be outside taking photos on behalf of the Service.

Real-time social media posts will be responded to and created on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ for the Toronto Police Service, the Ontario Police Memorial Foundation, Run to Remember and Canadian Police & Peace Officers Memorial accounts.

A live broadcast of the ceremony will be shown on a screen in Lot 2 for police members that are unable to be inside BMO Field due to COVID-19 capacity protocols.

The Service is expected to conclude by 2:30 p.m., but this may change.

At the conclusion, 52 Division will leave the stadium through Gate 5 and form an Honour Guard. The cortege will then be piped out of the stadium through the Honour Guard. The Chief will conduct a final salute and the cortege will head west through the Exhibition grounds.

There is limited parking on site. The roads surrounding BMO Field and Exhibition Place will be closed by 9 a.m. and anyone arriving after the closure time will not be able to gain access to the site in a vehicle.

 

 

And you try collecting a legitimate EI benefit cheque.

A Markham woman is back in court on August 4 after being charged by the RCMP for her alleged involvement in defrauding the Canadian government of more than $1 million in Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.

Officers of the RCMP GTA Transnational Serious and Organized Crime Section have charged the suspect with two counts of fraud over $5,000.

Police allege the suspect, who has been identified as Xueting Xu, 37, operated a company suspected of submitting fictitious Records of Employment (ROE) and medical notes, leading to EI benefits being claimed unlawfully.

Police said the company, C2S2 Consulting Inc., located at Finch Avenue East, and operated by the suspect.

“It is alleged the (suspect) submitted fraudulent documentation to Service Canada for EI benefits on behalf of hundreds of clients,” the Mounties said in statement.

“These criminal charges send a strong message to the Canadian public that the RCMP is committed to protecting the integrity of Canada’s Federal Government programs and that frauds against the government will be investigated and prosecuted,” said Staff Sergeant Ken Derakhshan.

The suspect is scheduled to appear at the Scarborough Court on August 4.

Police said if you have any information about a fraud or wish to report other criminality, you can contact your local police, the Ontario RCMP at 1-800-387-0020, or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), at any time.

 

The situation could have been worst.

It was short and tense standoff for police on an Oakville GO Transit train last Saturday.

Halton police were called on July 10 after a person with a knife was reported on a GO Transit train in Oakville, officers said.

The male then ran onto a stationary Oakville Transit Bus at the GO Station. The bus was evacuated and officers were able to de-escalate the situation and take the male into custody without injury.

There was a brief standoff which led to the suspect’s arrest.

Police said the man had attempted to steal a person’s bicycle earlier then ran into the train and barricaded himself.

A 34-year-old man is being charged and held pending a bail hearing for the following offences:

• Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
• Possession of a Prohibited Weapon
• Theft Over $5000
• Obstruction of a Police Officer
• Possession of Break & Enter Tools
• Possession of Property Obtained By Crime Under $5000
• Possession of a Weapon Contrary to Court Order
• Fail to Comply With Probation (2 Counts)
• Possession of Fentanyl

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Halton Regional Police Service’s non-emergency number (905) 825-4747.

No trees will be cut down for now.

A Long Branch property owner has for now stopped the city from chopping down 13 healthy and much-needed trees as they upgrade bicycle lanes between Birmingham Street and Dwight Avenue.

Christina Sobolak is the owner of a historic Bell Telephone Building, at 80 Birmingham Street, which is now converted into the Birmingham Business Centre.

Sobolak was stunned to see in a city plan that one of five huge Linden trees that are planted around her iconic building will be cut down. The tree is estimated at about 60-years-old.

The City of Toronto is upgrading the existing bicycle lanes on Birmingham Street between Kipling Avenue and Dwight Avenue to protected bicycle lanes, called cycle tracks.

“I cannot believe this. I haven’t been able to sleep at night,” she said. “I love this tree’”

The city in a letter said due to the nature of the project about 13 trees will be removed.

City officials in a construction notice said one ‘street tree’ will be removed on Birmingham Street, nine street trees on Dwight Ave. and three from Murrie Street on the boulevard.

Sobolak said the trees slated to be ‘massacred’ are healthy and good for the environment.

“There is no need to cut this tree if you are making my lawn longer towards the east and my driveway narrower,” she wrote to city officials. “That tree is part of a matching set of Linden trees that encircles my beautiful building, “the beauty queen” of Birmingham St.”

The city said concrete curb, painted buffer and bollards would be added to separate cycle tracks from the motor vehicle lanes. The existing westbound bicycle lane between Islington Avenue and Dwight Avenue would be relocated against the north curb, between the parking lane and sidewalk.

The road resurfacing between Islington Avenue and Dwight Avenue will include sidewalk upgrades that reduce crossing distances and encouraging slower turning speeds. Five parking spots will be lost.

However, Councillor Mark Grimes said later the tree removals will be stopped and other options are being looked at.

Suresh Pillai, a field ambassador for the project, said “we have reviewed the situation … we wish to inform you that the tree will not be removed at this location.”

The heritage designated Bell building was completed in 1926 and by 1929 some 52 staff worked there and handled a daily average of 13,000 calls to Humber Bay, the Towns of Mimico, New Toronto and Long Branch. The building served the community until 1981.

 

 

The Gaulds’ are a prominent family in Mimico with one member having a school named after him and the other a true hero and Canadian World War 1 flying ace.

Lieutenant George William Gladstone Gauld, lived on Lake Shore Blvd. W., for many years and was a legendary aviator in WW1, who was credited with five aerial victories.

Gauld prowess with aircraft occurred while flying a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a for 74^th ‘Tiger’ Squadron in 1918.  He, and fellow aces Ira Jones and Harold Shoemaker, in July 1918, ‘flamed’ a Rumpler reconnaissance plane.

And on August 2, he and Frederick Gordon, cooperated to capture an LVG German recon plane. On 26 October, Gauld drove down a German-made Fokker D.VII out of control. On 1 November 1918, he captured a Fokker D.VII and drove another one down out of control.

The Germans had produced more than 3,300 of the formidable Fokkers fighters by late 1918.

After the war, according to The Mimico Story by Harvey Currell, Gauld studied law at Osgoode Hall and in addition to his practice, went on to serve as Mimico’s town solicitor for 40 years.

Gauld was married to Irene Davidson, daughter of Douglas Davidson the local Justice of the Peace.  Her brother Bryce Davidson was shot down over Germany on July 1918 and killed.

The aviator son of Janet and George Gauld, was a practicising barrister by 1930.

The flying Gauld was well-placed and belonged to the Connought and Lakeshore Lodges. He was also a member of the Ontario Club, the Royal Canadian Yacht Club and the Rotary Club.

During the war, about some 207 pilots had died in combat and 79 pilots died from non-combat related causes while flying the British bi-plane fighter aircraft, called the S.E.5 and S.E.5a, during World War I.

Fellow Ace James Ira Thomas Jones scored 37 victories flying the British-made S.E.5a. He volunteered to fight the Bolsheviks and was posted to the Archangel front but saw no further air combat. He retired from the Royal Air Force in 1936.

Ace Harold Goodman Shoemaker, of New Jersey, answered a call for volunteers in 1917 and was sent to Toronto for training with the Royal Flying Corps. To gain combat experience, he was attached to the Royal Air Force, joining 74 Squadron in July 1918. After scoring five victories as an S.E.5a pilot, he was reassigned in 1918. Shoemaker and another U.S. pilot went down over German lines when their Sopwith Camels collided. Reported missing on 5 October 1918, the International Red Cross later reported that Shoemaker died in a prisoner of war camp in Germany. He was buried in the cemetery at Bony.

A school was also named after the family. The George R. Gauld Junior School, at 200 Melrose St., was opened in 1923 and has been named after the Superintendent of Education for almost 100 years.