Rob Ford pleaded with a judge to let a convicted drug dealer who burst into his Etobicoke home go free, the Toronto Sun reports. Scott MacIntyre, the ex-boyfriend of the mayor's sister, Kathy, was appearing at a sentencing hearing in June last year when Ford made the plea. MacIntyre was convicted of uttering death threats, possession, and attempting to break a court order after entering the mayor's home in January 2012.

Meanwhile, Rob Ford is still using a taxpayer-funded staffer to assist his football program. J. C. Hasko, who joined the mayor's staff following the departure of previous football aide Chris Fickel, is the team rep for the Rexdale Raiders, a team Ford founded. Hasko has been helping the Raiders find $1,950, including a $500 fine forfeited games, reports the Star.

Cllr. Kristyn Wong-Tam has convinced three developers in her ward to donate $1 million to the city's struggling Bixi bike share program, which could pay for 20 more stations. Wong-Tam says if other wards followed suit the program could be expanded to Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough and other parts of the city. Canderel, DiamondCorp and Lanterra agreed to donate in lieu of building some parking spaces at new developments.

Yesterday's late summer blast of hot weather is due to end late tonight with rain and the chance of severe thunderstorms. A cold front is expected to clear the humid air mass currently lingering over the province. Temperatures are predicted to hit 33 degrees today.

"Captain" John Letnik isn't ready to let the city board his floating debt ship, the MS Jadran, just yet. Despite owing more than a $1 million dollars in taxes, charges, and fines, the owner of Captain John's floating restaurant says he's unwilling to walk the plank (to the shore.) "I am not leaving the boat. I am not leaving the ship," he told the Globe and Mail. The city started the process of seizing the property, which also serves as Letnik's home.

The husband of former deputy premier of Ontario and mayoral candidate George Smitherman is missing, and Toronto police say they're concerned for his safety. Christopher Peloso was last seen near the family home near Davenport Road and Bathurst Street area at 4 PM Monday afternoon. Smitherman confirmed Peloso was missing in a statement yesterday, saying he hopes the father of his children "will be home safely soon."

A 53-year-old man was treated in hospital after he was hit on the head by falling glass at University and Adelaide yesterday afternoon. The pane of glass fell from the 23rd floor of the residential building above the Shangri-La Hotel. A similar incident, which didn't result in any injuries, prompted the closure of Adelaide and Simcoe in January.

Finally, an American TIFF blogger says it was a mistake to report cellphone use at a movie screening by dialling 911. Alex Billington, a movie critic for FirstShowing.net, walked out of a screening of The Sacrament at the Ryerson Theatre after people in the audience began using their phones. "I overreacted. . . Mea culpa. Full respect for responders, no intention to waste time," he told the Star.

IN BRIEF:

• Toronto cop facing child pornography charges [CP24]
• Leafs fan charged with indecent exposure was wearing his name [Toronto Star]
• Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Canadian Tire sign partnership deal [CBC]
• Maple Leafs sign Nazem Kadri to 2-year deal [CBC]
• Josh Hamilton leads Angels past Blue Jays with 4 RBIs [CTV News]

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Image: That Boy/blogTO Flickr pool.