Morning Brew: March 19th, 2009

Photo: "Obligatory sunset" by Torontogal Photos, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

Are we headed for a labour dispute between the unions that represent civic workers and the City? It's starting to look like that may happen. The words picket, arbitration, etc. are making me cringe a little already. If city employees pull a TTCesque "city employees in the 416/647 should have it written into their contracts that they make more than 905ers" I think I'll scream.

Residents in the Bloor and Bathurst area take note: on Tuesday night there was a series of three swarmings that resulted in violence against the victims. At least six suspects, working together, mugged but also inflicted injury by stabbing, beating, and pepper spraying their victims. The Sun calls the description given by victims "vague" which means there is no description in the article.

What appears to have been a malfunctioning slot machine at an Innisfil casino is now resulting in legal action. A guy playing a penny machine jumped for joy when the screens lit up with a $42.9-million jackpot. But the OLG identified this as a glitch/error and ended up offering him and his friends a free buffet dinner instead. The courts may have to decide if this is fair or not.

Emergency crews are being praised for their handling of an early morning explosion and apartment building transformer fire in Scarborough. Residents were evacuated quickly and the fire contained.

In another case of what-the-eff-is-wrong-wth-people, sewing needles have been found in Scheiders pre-packaged deli meat products in Guelph. Police are saying that it appears to be an isolated case, and confined to just one store. I hope they search surveillance video and find the coward who did this so we can stick needles in his/her throat and ask how it feels.

And in much happier news... it's maple sugar time!