Project Enterprise: Chop shop scam sold wrecked cars as safe, police say

Det. Const. Jason Hodkin shows one of the cars allegedly fused together from stolen and wrecked vehicles and re-sold to unsuspecting drivers. Hodkin is holding a photo of the wrecked car's back half that led them to this vehicle. Investigators involved in a chop shop investigation dubbed Project Enterprise laid more than 500 charges this week.

500 charges in alleged Toronto and Niagara car scam ring laid by joint investigation dubbed “Project Enterprise.”




http://www.thestar.com/article/1132466

GTA women charged with cocaine smuggling behind bars in Dominican Republic

Three GTA women were arrested in the Dominican Republic Monday for allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine to Toronto.



http://www.thestar.com/article/1132189

When winter is more like spring, fauna and flora may suffer

Plants in a downtown flower box are already poking their leaves to the sky, one of many signs of an unusually balmy winter.

Here’s how our absurdly warm winter may affect everything from geese to greenery.



http://www.thestar.com/article/1132161

Rick Vaive not drunk during trip, former Leaf teammate tells trial

Former Toronto Maple Leafs player Bill Derlago leaves Newmarket court, where the impaired driving trial of former teammate Rick Vaive continued Thursday. Derlago testified that Vaive was not drunk when he left drove home from a two-day golf tournament in Gravenhurst in July 2009.

The impaired driving trial of former Toronto Maple Leafs captain Rick Vaive continued in a Newmarket court Thursday, with a well-known former NHL star taking the stand in defense of his former teammate.



http://www.thestar.com/article/1132502

Project Enterprise: Chop shop scam sold wrecked cars as safe, police say

Det. Const. Jason Hodkin shows one of the cars allegedly fused together from stolen and wrecked vehicles and re-sold to unsuspecting drivers. Hodkin is holding a photo of the wrecked car's back half that led them to this vehicle. Investigators involved in a chop shop investigation dubbed Project Enterprise laid more than 500 charges this week.

500 charges in alleged Toronto and Niagara car scam ring laid by joint investigation dubbed “Project Enterprise.”




http://www.thestar.com/article/1132466

Maximize Your Remodeling Dollars and Go For Hot Trends

As the economy recovers, we’re seeing movement in the housing market and remodeling. Homeowners and remodeling contractors understand that once popular features aren’t so popular these days. Smart remodeling contractors in 2012 are tuning in to what buyers want in today’s times; helping homeowners make their homes more modern and relevant.

Many home features that were once desirable are way out of date now. Once hot features and home finishes aren’t so fashionable anymore; make homes look out-of-date. Today’s homeowners are working with contractors to make their homes more relevant for times and living nowadays.

Should you be a homeowner who plans to stay in your home, remodeling to remove outmoded features and update their homes for the future, is a smart method. If you’re a homeowner wanting to sell your home down line, you should remodel with modern homebuyers in mind. Nowadays, homebuyers are more practical than they once were. Buyers today want homes that are cool, but savvy. Homebuyers today tend to want to stay longer and that means better quality and practical features that stand the test of time.

For homeowners that are staying, single story space fits well with aging knees and climbing stairs. For the homeowner looking to sell, single-story appeals to all, particularly people looking for a home to retire in. Two story additions are on the way out. Expanding space on main floors is in. When remodeling with plans to expand space, have your contractor figure out yard space that can be legally used to expand out rather than up.

Flowing open spaces are in. Open spaces permit creative use of space that is better geared to any family. Formal and separate rooms are out. Think of knocking down walls to create an appealing open space. Should you be hoping to sell, buyers like open floor plans a lot more than boxed off rooms. These fresh open spaces allow easy furniture placement and ease of access that formal separate rooms just don’t permit.

Considerable bathroom storage is in. Jacuzzi tubs are out; and simplicity rules. Walk in closets and huge storage is the new remodel. Lose small rooms and open them up or change to a great closet and dressing area. If you’re remodeling a master suite, showy showers are out and dual sink counters are in. Practical remodels adds great ROI should you plan to sell. Spending your remodeling dollars on these features rather than elaborate bathing fixtures is appealing to today’s conversation of water awareness.

It’s easy to getlost on the Web looking for info about discount kitchen cabinets mississauga, but we make it our top priority to help you.

Portrait of Mayor Rob Ford selling for $5,555.55 (U.S.) on eBay

This portrait of Rob Ford by local artist Stephanie Kervin is for sale on eBay.

A Toronto artist’s painting is listed on eBay at a price cheekily tagged to Ford’s opposition to the bag tax.



http://www.thestar.com/article/1131462

Portrait of Mayor Rob Ford selling for $5,555.55 (U.S.) on eBay

This portrait of Rob Ford by local artist Stephanie Kervin is for sale on eBay.

A Toronto artist’s painting is listed on eBay at a price cheekily tagged to Ford’s opposition to the bag tax.



http://www.thestar.com/article/1131462

Student council vote at Western nullified by ‘Justin Bieber’ hackers

The University of Western Ontario has scrapped two days of voting for its student president, a position worth $39,000, because of allegations of vote rigging.



http://www.thestar.com/article/1132162

Home Remodeling Fun – Knocking Down Walls

The biggest bang for your remodeling buck is knocking down a wall to create an open space. For relatively little outlay, you can turn small and dark rooms into sunny open spaces. You’re able to combined kitchens with dining areas. You’re able to create a great room where there once was a dinky den, or turn two bedrooms into a master suite. What’s surprising is how dramatic the difference can be.

If you gather your materials needed beforehand and follow steps as recommended, you or your contractor can get this done over the weekend. Even more surprising is how little money it takes. As compared to the value added to your home, knocking down walls is relatively inexpensive and takes little labor and time.

You should be getting a building permit with this type of job; the building inspector will advise you if it is load bearing. If you have hired a local contractor, they’ll handle all of this and know exactly how to check joist direction. The key to knocking out walls is to determine if the wall you want to knock down is load bearing. A load-bearing wall is structural and cannot be knocked down without risking structural integrity. If the wall is load bearing, you’ll need to put in a temporary support beam, so you can position and attach the permanent support beam.

If electrical boxes and switches need to be removed, you’ll need an electrical permit. Know what’s in the wall. The place to start is by turning off electrical so you are cutting through electrical or heating components when tearing out drywall. Experts know where to remove drywall to check what’s behind it.

Call in a plumber and possibly a heating expert if the wall you are knocking down has pipes or heating vents. Call in an electrical contractor to reroute outlets, cable, and wiring that might be on the wall you are removing. If the wall is plain with no other components, two people are needed to handle the support beam. If you are skilled in basic carpentry, you can do this job, but handling the support beam requires a helper.

Once the wiring has been rerouted and the support beam installed, all that remains is the finish work. Do the trim work, touch-up base boards, repaint; finish with replacing the flooring where the wall was. A weekend of work has given you a great new living space.

You don’t have to spend hours on the Web looking for information about home kitchen remodeling in Mississauga.