Photo: "please stand back from the yellow line" by turnip[turnip], member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

It starts on Monday but anticipation is already in the air for a pilot project by the TTC, that will involve splitting the dreaded 501 Queen streetcar route into two routes that overlap in the core. Will it be awesome, or double trouble?

You can only live there if you're of Italian heritage, but taxes from all of us contribute to their coffers. The Friuli Terrace in Vaughan has been around for 20 years, but only now that we're seeing a chronic shortage of spaces at publicly funded seniors homes has its exclusive resident acceptance policy been called into question.

A proposal to allow dogs to be walked on public swimming beaches during the winter months is up for a city council vote soon. This would be a no-brainer if dog owners were responsible and cleaned up after their pets. Hopefully, if this passes the vote, we don't see related water contamination problems in the summer (when swimming is back).

Anyone who has been driving on the GTA's highways recently (unless they've had their faces buried in their cell phones) has likely seen the info board reminders about the October 26th implementation date for the new hand-held device ban on our roads. Police tell CityNews that they are ready to enforce it.

Brace yourselves: Ontario's fiscal numbers are going to be announced next week. Anyone want to wager on how much more than the predicted $18.5 billion the deficit it will actually be? I'm going to toss out a number: $23 billion.

Brace yourselves: there's been talk of snow in the forecast for the GTA. Yes, SNOW.

And a Mississauga man is facing a slew of charges for allegedly defrauding some 100 young hockey players. Imagine paying a local scout to set you up for an opportunity to play and be seen over in Europe, only to arrive in France and learn that there's no such tournament?