A search is underway for a man accused by Toronto Police of attempted murder who fled after cutting off an ankle bracelet monitor.

Marvin Hernandez-Viera, who was 22 at the time, of Toronto, was arrested on September 2019 and charged with attempt murder.

He was ordered by the court to wear an ankle monitor and stay with his surety, according to police.

The suspect fled on January 2022 around 1:30 p.m. Police allege Hernandez-Viera cut off the ankle bracelet monitor and fled the home of his surety.

He face new charges of obstruct justice and fail to comply with recognizance.

Police said the suspect is “known to be violent and dangerous.”

He is being urged by police to contact a lawyer and arrange his surrender.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1100, 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).

 

A woman minding her own business was brutally stabbed on a downtown bus, police say.
Toronto Police are hot on the trail of a man who is sought for allegedly stabbing a woman on a TTC bus early in the morning of January 8.

Police said the brutal attack took place around 9:45 a.m. on board a TTC bus heading east on Queen Street W., near the Tecumseth Street area.

“It is reported that a 32-year-old woman was sitting on a bus,” according to a police press release. “A man sat behind her. He produced a knife and stabbed her.”

Police said the suspect fled the area.

“This was an unprovoked attack,” police said. “The woman was treated for her injuries in hospital and later released.”

The suspect is described as 5’9″-6’0″, with a thin build, brown or light tanned complexion, short dark hair, thick dark eyebrows and is unshaven.

He was wearing a black winter jacket, red ‘Champion’ sweater, long white t-shirt, beige pants, and black sneakers with a white sole. He was carrying a black backpack.
He is believed to be armed, violent, and dangerous. If located, do not approach. Call 9-1-1 immediately.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1400, 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).

 

Two men are in jail facing a number of weapons-related offenses after shots were fired at a vehicle that led to a police search.

Officers were called to the area of Sterling Road and Dundas Street West at about 4:41 p.m. on January 6 for a report of a shooting.

It is reported that a vehicle was fired at by two men who were then seen running northbound on Sterling Road.

When officers arrived they found a number of spent shell casings.

The men were located by police and arrested. Three guns were recovered during the arrest, police said.

Toronto police Chief James Ramer congratulated the 11 Division officers  on the arrest writing that they were involved in a foot chase with the suspects following the shooting.

Mario Francis, 32, and David Williams, 19, both of Toronto, were arrested and charged with more than a dozen firearms and failing to comply with a court order offenses.

They appeared at Old City Hall court on January 7.

 

 

 

Many Mimico residents are perplexed about where to purchase their favourite beers now that an iconic Beer Store has been shut.

The store, at 2458 Lake Shore Blvd. W., near Mimico Avenue, is one of a number of beer stores being shut across Toronto, as new mostly residential developments spring up on the properties.

Folks in Mimico are told of an upcoming store in The Queensway and Islington Avenue area.

Social media is also reporting that another store in our area: the one at 3429 Bloor Street W., near Islington Ave., may also slated for closure.

Mimico residents say they are not pleased to travel in the winter by TTC  to a local Metro, an LCBO on First Street or a second on The Queensway, or to a Beer Store in Long Branch  to purchase their favourite brew or return empties.

They say there are many seniors in the area on which the travel will be a burden.

The Mimico Beer Store has been in the same location for about four decades, according to residents.

The Beer Store, which started nearly a century ago as a consortium of Ontario brewers, is still one of the only retailers in Ontario, along with the LCBO, that is allowed sell beer in six, or 12-packs and 24-packs.

The monopoly is owned by multi-national brewers Labatts, Molson-Coors and Sleeman, now owned by Sapporo

There are around 450 locations across the province, which cumulatively sell more than 80 per cent of the beer in Ontario.

Ironically, the now-shut Mimico beer store is being advertised for lease on social media.

This library shutdown comes as students wonder when they may return to classes again.

The Toronto Public Library (TPS) has shut 44 branches, including all the ones in South Etobicoke, as of January 10 due to COVID-19.

“Fifty-two of TPL’s largest and most-used library branches will remain open and staff from closed locations will be reassigned to these branches,” according to a notice from the TPL.

“These operational changes will enable TPL’s branches to continue to offer consistent and equitable library services across the city,” the library said.

The closures mean all south Etobicoke branches including:  Alderwood, Long Branch, New Toronto, Mimico Centennial Branch, Eatonville and Humber Bay will shut until further notice.

Open branches are operating at a 50 per cent capacity limit and masks are required for entry

Online services will remain available and can be accessed from anywhere including access to digital collections, online programs and Answerline.

Toronto residents 13 and over who live in Toronto and don’t have a library card can register for a Digital Access Card online and get instant access to thousands of e-books, audiobooks, streaming video, e-Learning resources and more.

The TPL has a network of 100 branches including 81 neighbourhood libraries, 17 district libraries and two research and reference libraries. The TPL was created  in 1884 and is 138 years old.

The owner of Lakeshore Village Pharmasave says Moderna brand  first and second vaccination shots, including booster shots, are now available at his New Toronto pharmacy.

Christopher Mikhail said no appointments are required for the Moderna shots at his Lakeshore Village Pharmacy, at 2835 Lake Shore Blvd., near Fourth Street.

The pharmacy is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can be reached by phone at 416-255-6999 or email pharmacy@lakeshorepharmasave.com

Residents have to show some identification like their health card.

 

Call for Artists

STARTING IN JANUARY 2022 community wellness series, the power of positivity on Zoom at 2 p.m. every Tuesday on January 4, 11, 18 and 25, for good vibes only and to reduce stress. To register contact jasmind@lampchc.org or call 416 252 6471 ext. 308.

STARTS JANUARY 6 TO FEBRUARY 24, BABY TIME LAMP Early On. Come join us for songs and rhymes while you get to connect with other parents. This program is great for babies up to 6 months. Every Tuesday 9:30 am -11:30 am. At Second Street school. To register, please contact kimt@lampchc.org  Proof of double vaccination is required.

BUSY BABIES THURSDAY Starts January 6 TO FEBRUARY 24 for four weeks. Join us for our Busy Babies Thursday program for children age 12 months and over. A fun filled adventure with crafts, stories and lots of songs. The program runs every Thursday from 9:30 am – 11:30 am. Pre-register using this link https://forms.gle/iU5wswXTeTKssmW59. For more information email: ishrats@lampchc.org

FREE EMERGENCY FOOD TAKEOUT MEALS offered Monday to Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. through LAMP’s adult drop-in program. Thursday harm reduction supports from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT CENTRE operating from St. Margaret’s Church on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meals, snacks, washrooms, showers, and laundry available for folks who are unhoused.

JANUARY 26 WEST TORONTO DIABETES EDUCATION PROGRAM (Virtual Workshop) An online introduction to diabetes program runs from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. It is important to understand the cause of diabetes, the symptoms and how to manage it. The program is subdivided into two parts: The Intro to Diabetes and Healthy Eating. To register call 416-252-1928 ext. 100.

 LAMP’s COMMUNITY CHIROPODIST is now taking new patients for foot care services for people who are prediabetic or diabetic. For more information on call 416-252-6471 ext. 264.

EVERY WEDNESDAY from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Stonegate Community Health Centre presents Everything Baby Discussion with Barbara and Larissa to discuss prenatal, post-natal and parenting topics on Facebook Live on the Stonegate CHC Family Program Facebook page at facebook.com

EVERY THURSDAY The Good Food Market from 12 to 4 p.m. at Stonegate CHC at 10 Neighbourhood Lane for affordable produce, outdoor market and bring your own bags. COVID-19 protocols are in place. For more information call 416-231-7070 ext 307.

FOR SALE NEW TORONTO COOKBOOK in support of St. Margaret’s New Toronto Church. Buy one for $25 or two for $20 each. Pick up at St. Margaret’s New Toronto, at 156 Sixth Street. To pre-order call Linda at 416-251-1682 or text 647-787-8946.

STARTING IN JANUARY 2022 craving change, a how-to workshop for changing your relationship with food. Understand why you eat the way you do; change your thinking and change your eating. Six 15-hour sessions over Zoom in six weeks. Contact Calla at Calla@lampchc.org or phone 416-252-9701 ext. 271.

THE SNYP TRUCK a mobile clinic of Toronto Animal Services will be at LAMP Community Health Centre, at 185 Fifth Street, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on January 18, February 8 and March 8 to spay or neuter your pets. Free or low cost pet services to LAMP clients, staff, community and family members. Contact 416-338-6281.

SUMMER YOUTH JOB CONNECTION for students aged 15 to 18 to obtain 20-hours of paid pre-employment training, free certification, training and work-related supports. Must be eligible to work in Ontario and be ready and willing to work during COVID-19, March Break and Summer 2022. Contact Sheroni at 416-405-5259 or email schristian@woodgreen.org

PHYSIOTHERAPY-BACK TO MOVEMENT (Virtual Program) Are you experiencing chronic low back pain? Join our online Back to Movement Physiotherapy program. The program is designed to help you reduce your lower back pain and keep you in shape!  Runs Wednesdays from 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.  until the end of March 2022. To register, call 416-252-6471 ext. 264.

PHYSIOTHERAPY-STRONG AND STEADY FALLS PREVENTION (Virtual Program) Winter weather means slippery sidewalks and falls. LAMP’s physiotherapy department is offering a free program to help prevent falls. Register for our upcoming Strong & Steady physiotherapy program online runs Tuesdays at 10:30 am through the end of March 2022. Improve your balance through simple exercises. To register, call 416-252-6471 ext. 264.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO help plan a community leadership program. The purpose is to build community capacity and involvement. Need your ideas! For more information contact jasmind@lampchc.org or call 416 252 6471 ext. 308

STARTING JANUARY 12 TO FEBRUARY 23 MINDFUL PARENTS AND BABIES YOGA for parents with babies up to six months old. There will be yoga stretches, baby rhymes and mindful strategies in every session. The program runs from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. To join seven week program fill out the sign-in form at  https://forms.gle/oNJR8cA3tqFu2BEo9

Sydney Reginald Cole was a valiant, fearless and true Etobicoke war hero.

Cole was born in 1923 and grew up in the Lake Promenade area in Long Branch, where decades later his exploits were celebrated by hundreds of residents on his return home from fighting overseas.

He died in 1991 at the age of 68.

Cole enlisted in the war effort and became a Flight Sergeant and Wireless Operator in the 192  Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War II.

The pilot of the PBY Canso, Flight

He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Medal for “great devotion to duty and exceptional courage.”

On June 24 1944, Cole was on duty during an attack from a German U-Boat in the North Atlantic in which he and his crew faced intense anti-aircraft fire and engine failure.

Records show the aircraft was being ‘pelted with intense anti-aircraft fire and was repeatedly hit on its starboard engine which had failed and was on fire,’ soon thereafter falling off. Lieutenant David “Bud” Hornell managed to drop two depth charges on the U-boat and was able to land his stricken aircraft in the choppy north Atlantic.

Cole was wounded by shrapnel and abandoned the aircraft and escaped in a dinghy, where he spent the next 21 hours in freezing waters, assisting others. He was ultimately able to save the Flight Navigator’s life, but the famed pilot, Hornell did not survive.

Hornell, who was from Mimico and attended Mimico High School, was captain of the aircraft and was blinded and weak from exposure and cold when rescued 21 hours later. He died shortly after being picked up.

Hornell was a recipient of a posthumous Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

“Flight Sergeant Cole coolly and courageously continued sending a sighting report until he was wounded by shrapnel and stunned momentarily,” according his memoir, War and Innocence, a Time Remembered, by H.J. Cole, which is available online.

“He collected a tin of water and rations at the time when the petrol tanks were in danger of exploding and even when in the dingy leaving the aircraft had to be restrained from going back to get a dinghy radio,” the book explains.

There were hundreds of area residents who showed up to meet him on his return home in July 1944. He was placed on a fire truck as people waved and shouted and driven home on Lake Promenade Avenue to meet his family.

A local park in 2017 was named ‘Syd Cole Park,’ in honour of the local war hero, near his home at 60 Eastwood park Park Gardens, at the corner of Long Branch Avenue.

The 162 Squadron lost 14 Canadian airmen and three aircraft in that fight with the enemy. Cole was later made a Canadian recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Flying Medal Award.

 

The families of two young Mississauga men who were shot dead in a double murder on Thirtieth Street are today planning their funerals.

Police said a young woman was also shot and is recovering from non-life threatening injuries.

Toronto Homicide Squad officers have identified the slain men as Minyali Wur, 24, and Chudier Reat, 20, both of Mississauga.

Detectives in a media release said they responded to a radio call for the shooting on January 3 at 8:45 p.m. at 150 Thirtieth Street, just south of Horner Avenue.

“Police arrived on scene and located two men suffering from gunshot wounds, and a woman nearby with injuries,” according to the release.
The two men succumbed to their injuries in hospital and were pronounced deceased, police said.

Investigators would like to speak with anyone who may have information concerning the investigation, or have dash camera or video surveillance of the area.
Witnesses said the shooting took place in a rental recording studio in the building.

A photo of Reat has been issued by police.

The investigation is ongoing.

The men were the third to die from gunplay in South Etobicoke during the first week of 2022.

Giovanni Raimondi, 39, was shot and killed on January 3 at a Lake Shore Blvd. W. residence near Palace Pier Court.

The shooting took place at 9:35 p.m. near Lake Shore and Palace Pier Court, according to a police release.

Raimondi was among seven men charged by the OPP in June 2020 in connection with tobacco related offences.

There have been no arrests.

 

 

It was a deadly night in Long Branch.

Two men are dead and one woman suffering from gunshot wounds after a brazen multiple shooting that took place at a popular office share company in Long Branch.

Police had the parking lot and area surrounding Office 146, at 146 Thirtieth Street, just north of Lake Shore Blvd. W., taped off as officers of the force’s Homicide Squad searched for clues.

The sounds of gunfire erupted on January 3 around 9 p.m. at the building, which houses dozens of small offices that are rented by small firms and business people.

The facility is busy at that time of the evening and witnesses said the incident could have been much worst.

Once officers arrived at the scene they located three victims suffering from gunshot wounds. There were two males and a female, police said. Their names and ages have not been released.

Police are trying to determine what happened prior to the fatal shooting or if the shooting happened inside a building or outside.

Shell casings were found in the area.

Roads nearby were closed as officers investigated. No description of a suspect or suspects has been released.

The large two-storey building is often used by gig workers, people with small businesses and entrepreneurs.  There were a number of studios, or underground radio stations, many which streams music, that at times broadcasted from the building.

There has been no reports of past trouble at that address.

Office manager Kam S. said on social media that Office 146 helps businesses, start-ups,  artists and others realize their dreams.

“Flexible contracts and many options allows for scaling of your operations while maintaining the ease of living a modern workplace needs,” she wrote.

Kam said the spaces “are designed to provide a sense of community while being able to maintain optimum productivity.”

Police said more information will be released as the investigation progress.