Gawker is continuing to scoop the Toronto Star. The site published a current photograph of the house where Rob Ford was infamously shown with his arms around subsequent murder victim Anthony Smith and Muhammad Khattak, who was injured in the same attack, late last night. The Star is promising more details today.
The house is pretty nondescript. There's a black and white cat, a fan, a school chair, and what looks like a rusty blade in the bushes next to the famous garage door. The Globe and Mail says the bungalow is 300 metres from the Dixon Road high-rise where a Ford staffer alleged the crack video was being held. "A steady stream of traffic" flows from the house, the paper says. Does this add much to the story?
Proving the Rob Ford crack video story isn't dead just yet, several media organizations are asking the RCMP to make public an evidence file related to the shooting of Smith and Khattak in the hopes a seized cellphone may contain the alleged video. Ford was pictured with Smith in the original Gawker story. Do you think the tape will come out if it exists?
Toronto's east waterfront could become home to an $11 billion condo-shopping district if plans from one of the country's biggest developers get approval. Tridel wants to build the giant new community south of Queens Quay between Sherbourne Common and the inlet west of the Victory Soya Mills silos. It would feature 7 mixed-use residential buildings, including the proposed Aqualina development, and two office buildings. The Star has an interactive map.
The TTC will remain a free ride on New Year's Eve thanks to a deal with Corby Distilleries, the makers of Wiser's whisky and Lamb's Rum. The Commission absorbed the cost of making bus, streetcar, and subway rides free the last few years. Brad Ross confirmed the three-year arrangement, which will see the company cover the operating cost, in a Tweet yesterday afternoon.
Vice is comparing the Rob Ford saga to cult TV show The Wire. In their alternate reality, Rob and Doug Ford play fictional drug barons Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell respectively while fired chief of staff Mark Towhey is cast as D'Angelo Barksdale. Oh, and the press is the cops, apparently. No word on who's good cop Jimmy McNulty.
Baby Tenzin? According to a new Grid infographic on childbirth in Toronto Tenzin is the only name to top the popularity charts for both boys and girls. It's most popular in Parkdale/Liberty Village, apparently.
Finally, Rob Ford, well, someone doing a terrible impression of Rob Ford, was back on Jimmy Kimmel last night. The late-night talk show jumped on our mayor for suggesting all press, positive or negative, is good for tourism. Oh dear...
IN BRIEF:
- Doug Ford asks police to investigate threats [Toronto Sun]
- Ireland Park still out of reach after three years [Toronto Star]
- Eglinton Crosstown crews launch giant tunneling machine [Toronto Star]
- Honda Indy starts constructing its Toronto race track [Toronto Sun]
- R.A. Dickey throws gem as Blue Jays blank Giants [CBC]
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Image: Guo Gareth/blogTO Flickr pool.