Elliot Lake mall roof collapses

I co-reported this story with Sarah-Taïssir Bencharif, one of the former Radio Roomers who's back for the summer reporting internship. The story was covered by all the national media, so we went for a local angle, focusing on the Toronto rescue team as well as the building's history of safety concerns. I think we ended up crafting the most interesting narrative out of all the outlets that were on the story.

Jean-Marc Hayward used to joke about cars caving in through the wrecked roof of the Elliot Lake mall.

On Saturday afternoon — while he was grabbing a coffee at Hungry Jack’s restaurant in the food court — they did.

A section of the rooftop parking lot of the Algo Centre gave way around 2 p.m. after years of stability issues. One person was reported trapped and four were sent to hospital.

Read our report in the Toronto Star.

Kayak.com investigates after customers discover security breach

We had a caller and landed an exclusive on this story, which is a pretty interesting situation.

He was trying to clarify a line on his credit card bill, but ended up accessing scores of strangers’ personal information.

Kevin Hunt travels whenever he finds time off and a good deal. So when his credit statement listed Kayak.com, he went to the travel booking site to see which trip the charge was for.

The site allows people to find reservation details by searching their last name and the last four digits of their credit card. When Hunt keyed in his information, he found his hotel booking for an upcoming trip to Vermont.

But he also found bookings for people named Hunt in Oklahoma and Massachusetts, complete with their home addresses, phone numbers and emails, as well as credit card expiry dates.

Read my report in the Toronto Star.

Weather stories: some how-and-why

File photos like these can really boost your weather stories.
Toronto Star photo.

Interns write a lot of weather stories.

They're popular with both print and online readers because everybody's affected by it. It's hardly glamorous work, but it's important because it helps news organizations use local issues to maintain strong ties with their readers.

Last year, the Star ran a weather blog compiling the many, many stories we do on the topic. We even write a blog post every weekday morning on our blog, Toronto Now.

The challenge with these stories is to make them interesting and unique. It's easy to fall into a cookie-cutter pattern, which you can avoid by identifying stakeholders, finding quirky angles or digging up past records. Good journalists dig out context rather than just the first available facts.

My best weather story was about how this summer the dry weather matters more than the temperatures everyone focuses on. I explained what caused a record to be broken, how farmers are affected by ongoing trends and how to take caution in the looming heat.

I've also written about weather warnings, be they gusty, muggy or smoggy, and a number of record-breakers. My favourite was one that didn't actually get published. We looked at the affect of a city service strike that almost happened in February, and the unique challenges of a winter strike (yo-yo temperatures cracking more potholes) vs. a summer strike (hot, smelly garbage).

Dog dies in hot car at Vaughan Mills mall parking lot

As temperatures soared, a Chocolate Labrador mix died in the backseat of a parked car Sunday afternoon at Vaughan Mills shopping centre.

Two Sudbury residents in their early 20s face animal cruelty charges after a passerby spotted the dog in distress around 2:15 p.m. and notified mall security.

A security guard said his colleagues were called to the south end of the parking lot near Bass Pro Mills Dr. and notified emergency services. He said he’s never heard of a similar occurrence in his three years on the job.

See my report in the Toronto Star.

Knives flash in spate of violence across Toronto

Toronto Star photo

About a dozen police officers swooped down on Kensington Market Saturday afternoon after a spate of knife violence across the city.

Three men were arrested at gunpoint in the busy market after witnesses reported seeing the group running north from Bellevue Square Park around 2:30 p.m., with at least one brandishing a knife.

Bystanders watched the drama unfold as a police officer drove his cruiser to Augusta Ave. and Baldwin St., pulled his gun and ordered two men to the ground. A third man, who fled on foot, was arrested shortly afterwards. All face a mix of robbery, drug and weapons charges.

Ozzie Pavão, owner of Casa Acoreana café, saw the arrests from across the street.

See my report in the Toronto Star.

Cyclists take over DVP in Ride for Heart

A scene from the 2011 Ride for Heart.
Toronto Star photo.

Taking over both the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway is sure to annoy some drivers. But for thousands of Torontonians, Sunday’s inconvenience is hands-down worth saving lives.
 
Around 13,000 cyclists are taking over the two main arteries from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the annual Becel Heart and Stroke Ride for Heart.

For its 25th anniversary, the fundraiser has reached its maximum number of registrants.

“We’re essentially sold out,” said Teresa Roncon of the Heart and Stroke Foundation.


See my report in the Toronto Star.

Union Station flooding shuts subway

A TTC worker escorts a passenger from the flooded concourse.
Toronto Star photo.

I was on a Radio Room shift during the Union Station flooding!

It was just before Friday evening rush-hour when Toronto's largest transit hub was evacuated after a sewer burst, mixed with heavy rain and created a foot-deep pool of water.

Here's the story I was in charge of. I filed at least 15 updates in four hours as the story developed. We had reporters at the scene sending what they saw, videographers capturing the drama and beat reporters working their sources to get all angles to the story.

An updated explainer story ran in the print version, while this one was on the homepage for the rest of the day to let commuters know what was going on and how to get around the chaos.

One of the things I enjoy the most about my internship is working with other reporters. You get to break some really exciting stories and work as a team to get it quick, accurate and contextualized. You also learn a lot by working with some extremely talented people.

Cat found at Markham-Steeles with stomach tube

Photo courtesy of Toronto Animal Services

After finding a young tabby cat in a garbage bag with a surgically-inserted feeding tube, Toronto officials are seeking an owner and witnesses.

A city works crew noticed a cardboard box moving on the side of the road at 4220 Midland Ave., a shopping plaza near Steeles Ave., around noon Tuesday.

A worker called Toronto Animal Services, who found a black plastic garbage bag inside containing a 1- to 2-year-old female cat with medium-long red fur. They named the cat Wilma, after the red-haired Flintstones character.

See my report in the Toronto Star.

Penny cancellation worries fundraiser

Pennies are futile enough that the federal government eliminated them in its March budget. But one Toronto mother worries the death of the penny will halt her quest to gather a million of them.

Anita Adams started a penny drive last year for Netherton syndrome research. The genetic condition, a form of ichthyosis, makes skin red, patchy and frequently peeling.

“I know times are tough and asking people to donate to a cause, it’s tough,” she said. “But in everybody’s house is a drawer of pennies. It doesn’t hurt your pocket.”

See my report in the Toronto Star.