Photo/NICK PERRY

Drum Major Bill Coke leads the Derry Flute Band during the 18th annual massed band tattoo parade hosted the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 614, Aug. 24 in Agincourt.

Photo/ANDREW PALAMARCHUK

Toronto Police Const. Gavin Jansz and members of the Yorkwoods community plant gardens at Grandravine Drive and Driftwood Avenue Aug. 28 as part of the City Beautification Program.

Photo/NICK PERRY

A group of Bhangra dancers perform during the Festival of South Asia on Gerrard Street Aug. 24. The two-day festival featured samples of food, dance and culture from South Asian countries.

Photo/JILL KITCHENER

Celine Marks, left, Anne Hurd and Kristine Gula perform The Wishing Tree, choreographed by Sashar Zarif, during Dusk Dances 2008 at Withrow Park, Aug. 14.

Mirror photo/DAN PEARCE

Doug Bergmann prepares to make a splash during the 2008 National Cannonball Championships held recently at Donald D. Summerville Pool. Bergmann went on to win the championship.

Photo/JONATHAN TAILLEFER

A parade float makes its way along Yonge Street recently during Incredible India - India's 61st anniversary Independence Festival.

Photo/GRAHAM PAINE

Thumbelina, the world's smallest horse made a guest appearance at Woodbine Racetrack on Aug. 17. The horse, that stands 17 .5 inches tall and weighs just 57 pounds.

Photo/NICK PERRY

Ontario RCMP assistant commissioner Michel Seguin inspects his officers for the last time during a change of command ceremony at CFB Downsview Aug. 18. Mike McDonnell will take over as commanding officer for Ontario.

Photo/JONATHAN TAILLEFER

Charles Hall, left, works on a face painting creation for Anwar James, 7, during York Eglinton International Street Festival events Aug. 16 at the corner of Oakwood and Eglinton avenues.

Photo/JOHN RIDDELL

Toronto Fire Services Chief William Stewart addresses the casket of district chief Bob Leek during services held at the Prayer Palace Aug. 15. Firefighters came from across the country to pay tribute to their fallen comrade.

BRIEFS

Suspects sought in robbery

A 38-year-old man suffered minor injuries after being swarmed and robbed early Friday near Markham Road and Dunelm Street, north of Eglinton Avenue.

Police said three teen males approached the victim and pushed him to the ground around 3:40 a.m. One suspect produced a knife and demanded the victim's knapsack. The victim complied, and the robbers fled.

Paramedics treated the victim at the scene.

One suspect is black, 15 to 18 years old, five-feet six-inches to five-feet eight-inches tall, 140 to 150 pounds.

The others are white, 15 to 18, five-feet six-inches to five-feet eight-inches tall, 140 to 150 pounds with short straight brown hair and thin builds.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477).

-Andrew Palamarchuk

Man sought after gun, drugs seized

Police are looking for a 19-year-old Toronto man after a search warrant was executed at a Regent Park residence.

During their search, which took place Monday, Aug. 25, 51 Division's street crime unit seized a loaded Browning 9-mm semi-automatic handgun, a quantity of crack cocaine, a drug scale and a quantity of cash.

Nixon Nirmalendran is wanted for storing and displaying a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized, possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition, possession of a firearm obtained by the commission of an offence, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of the proceeds of crime and failing to comply with recognizance.

Police say he is considered armed and dangerous.

Nirmalendran is described as brown, five-feet-seven-inches tall, 140 lbs. with short brown hair.

Anyone with information should call 416-808-5100 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or www.222tips.com

Bloor-Yorkville businesses open Labour Day

People looking to shop this Labour Day have to look no further than Bloor-Yorkville.

The trendy neighbourhood is open for buisness on Sept. 1. Local establishments welcoming customers include: the Candle Emporium; La Casa del Habano; Constrasta Belts and Designs; Designs by Naomi; Gabbana Boutique; The Guild Shop; Finn Boutique; Nanni Belts and Designs; Science City; and Swimsuit Essentials.

"Not everyone will be going away for the long weekend," said Briar de Lange, general manager of the Bloor-Yorkville BIA in a release. "For those who are in Toronto, Bloor-Yorkville proudly offers a variety of sophisticated shopping, dining and cultural opportunities suited for a unique Labour Day weekend."

Visit www.bloor-yorkville.com for details.

OPSEU support staff ready to strike

Support staff workers at Ontario's 24 colleges are in a legal strike position and could walk out as early as Tuesday, Sept. 2.

Union representatives set up a strike trailer in the Humber College North campus parking lot on Thursday afternoon. Union representatives were hosting information pickets at various locations throughout the province. Talks are ongoing over the weekend.

Director of Marketing and Communications for Humber Sylvia Kowal said the college is hoping to have the matter resolved before the strike deadline. However, she assured that classes will go on despite the strike.

"The college will remain open for both our day and evening classes," said Kowal. The workers in position to strike are members of OPSEU local 563 and are not faculty, but rather administrative staff at the college.

In the event of a work stoppage, Kowal said the college will continue to update students through its website www.humber.ca

Meeting on basement flooding slated

The floods of August 15, 2005 still haunt thousands of Toronto homeowners.

That day's storm was one of the costliest in the city's history and produced 3,600 complaints of flooded basements. Most of the damage was north of Hwy. 401, where six inches (150 millilitres) of rain fell in three hours.

The city is undergoing an environmental study to find what caused the flooding in different areas of the city and what could be done in each area to prevent floods during another major storm.

Residents of Study Area 31, between Victoria Park Avenue and Kennedy Road and from Steeles Avenue to Sheppard Avenues, are invited to learn about the study at an open house from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. next Wednesday, Sept. 3 at the Stephen Leacock Community Centre, 2520 Birchmount Road.

The city has already identified possible solutions for flooding in Area 30, which includes the Maryvale neighbourhood east of Victoria Park and west of Warden Avenue and Birchmount Road south of the 401.

Residents of that area are invited to study the details at Maryvale Branch Library, 85 Ellesmere Road, or Pleasant View Library at 575 Van Horne Avenue.

People can also learn more about the study by calling 416-397-7777 or going to www.toronto.ca/involved/projects

  

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