Photo: CN [Seein'] Birds, by neilta, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

With David Miller's announcement that he will not seek re-election in the next municipal election, many are wondering if he's set to become a lame-duck mayor. Miller, for his part, vows to push forward his agenda in his remaining 14 months in office, but now it'll obviously be even more difficult to rally together the support of the 44-member city council on proposals that risk controversy.

The verdict on the sentence of D. B. -- convicted of killing Stefanie Rengel -- will be handed down later today. The Crown is asking for an adult sentence, despite the fact that D.B. was legally considered a youth when the crime was committed (but only by 4 days). The difference between an adult and youth sentence, among other things, is that as an adult D. B. would face 10 years in prison without chance of parole, while as a youth he would spend 6 years in jail and 4 in the community.

Parminder Singh Saini, a convicted terrorist in India, is now looking to practice law in the GTA. Although some believe that the 25 years that have passed since his crime have earned him the right to a second chance, others remain unswayed by his accomplishments over that period. Beyond his terrorism conviction -- which Saini attributes to youthful naivete -- he's also fighting a deportation order from Canada, and is considered a national threat. I'm no legal expert, but I can't imagine that the Law Society of Upper Canada will give him the green light.

As Toronto Maple Leaf training camp comes to a close, there's a good old fashioned goalie controversy heating up. After Vesa Toskala allowed 7 goals in a loss to the Buffalo Sabres last night, rookie netminder Jonas Gustavsson -- aka "The Monster" -- is starting to look very good. But, let's be realistic. Sure he's yet to let a goal in, but he's only played three periods, which really isn't much to go on. Only in Leafland do expectations run this out of control so early in the season (or pre-season!). Besides, to me, the most exciting thing to come out of camp is Viktor Stalberg, who appears to have made the big club.

Three paintings by Quebec artist Pierre Gauvreau have been stolen from a Yorkville art gallery. The estimated value of the three works is $60,000. The thieves used a rock to smash the window of Gallery Gevik, which is on Hazelton Avenue. It's certainly a shame, but I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often (the window break and run technique, that is...).