Photo: "tree & sky" by Bonnequin, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

Your Toronto morning news roundup for Tuesday June 17th, 2008:

Everyone knows that feeding a cute and cuddly Mogwai after midnight results in the spawning of an ugly and ill-behaved Gremlin. Whether or not feeding breakfast to teens at high school will prevent them from going Gremlin is yet to be seen.

Not everyone knows, or perhaps cares, that parents smoking cigarettes in confined spaces like cars is bad for the health of their children (who are only guilty of breathing, but pay the price). Ontario has banned the practice of smoking in cars with kids present, and decided that a maximum $250 fine is a good start. One problem with the law? If a 19 year old is cruising and smoking with his 16 year old friend in the car, is that like... "statutory smoking" or something?

Another road-related law passed yesterday makes speed limiters on trucks mandatory in Ontario. Most large trucks, regardless of where they come from, will be required to be fitted with a device that caps their maximum speed at 105km/hr, which will reduce emissions and make the roads safer. More importantly, to many non-truck drivers, it'll make blowing by them in the fast lane at 140km/hr so much easier.

The grindhouse theatre experience is something that Toronto hasn't seen for quite some time now. But on June 21st, the Fox Theatre is hosting an all-night shock and awe film extravaganza that is sure to bring back the oldskool B-movie vibe.

Expect elements of violence, gore, the bizarre, kinkiness, and perhaps mild perversion in a diverse selection of films that span plots incorporating blaxploitation bikers, burlesque troops, shark attacks, and the walking dead.

Six rarer selections are on the fun-filled marathon screening bill: THE BLACK SIX (1974), NAUGHTY NEW ORLEANS (1954), DANISH PASTRIES (1972), THE BOOGEYMAN (1980), TINTORERA (1977), and DEAD ALIVE (1992).

blogTO has a couple of pairs of tickets to this very special marathon film night, and two lucky readers will be taking their dates to the show (and feeling like zombies on Sunday, no doubt).

Continue reading for event and contest details, and for a very NSFW and not-for-the-squeemish video clip.

Photo: "The Folk Dancers" by peter bowers, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

Your Toronto morning news roundup for Monday June 16th, 2008:

Christopher Hume is singing the praises of the Yorkville makeover plan, which should make the Bloor Street strip more pedestrian-friendly. Wider, granite-paved walkways, the removal of street parking, and lots of new trees will be welcome changes.

Urban explorers take note: if you're not really careful, sometimes things can go terribly wrong. A man who was exploring in the old, abandoned Hearn power station fell three stories, landed in a coal hopper, and after a complicated rescue, is very lucky to be alive. At least he didn't attempt to climb the 706ft tall chimney stack.

There's a deer hanging out in Roncesvalles, that evaded capture by police this weekend. Hopefully after escaping police, it scampered back to High Park, where it likely came from.

Snow storms are long gone, but over the last few weeks we've seen a barrage of wild spring storms. Torrential rain, thunderstorms, and even a rare tornado watch last week have had us wondering (as usual) whether or not these weather patterns are normal.

During the past relentless winter, city snow removal crews collected massive amounts of snow and debris from city streets and deposited it in a few locations, one being in a lot near Toronto Police 22 Division, not far from Kipling Station.

Back on April 1st, I posted a for-fun contest to see who could come closest (without going over) to guessing the date that the massive snow mountain would reach complete melt. On May 17th I provided an update and more photos. Most people guessed complete melt dates in May and early June, but the big brown mountain is still around.

Above is how it looks today, and below is a composite image that shows the melt progression from April 1st, to May 17th, to today. It looks like those guessing July or August may right after all.

A Toronto street artist (unknown) implores those equipped with umbrelllas to share some shelter from the rain.

Seen at Yonge & Eglinton, and photographed by ayngelina, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

Have a photo that captures an interesting slice of Toronto life? Drop it in our Flickr pool, or send us a tip.

Photo: "The grass called my name tonight" by gardinergirl, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

Your Toronto morning news roundup for Friday June 13th, 2008:

What should we be more afraid of today: taking a bullet to the stomach when answering a knock at the front door, getting cancer from a vinyl shower curtain, or being arrested for breaking copyright laws at Pacific Mall?

Drug and alcohol testing of TTC employees may be implemented by summer's end. A 'fitness for duty' policy is in the works, and aims to shift attitudes toward safety within the organization. Union leader Bob Kinnear is almost certainly planning his response, which I hope doesn't include threats of legal action or job action.

Should it be mandatory for teachers to report fights and bullying at schools to police, or should we let kids be kids and figure out their paths on their own by disciplining them in the traditional way (at school and home)?