A feud over "electromagnetic waves" came before the killings in Vaughan

Plus, Michael Melling resigns from CTV, student absences surge across the GTA, and more [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on the Vaughan condo shooting, changes at CTV News, and student absences amid a triple threat of viruses. DON’T MISS Francesco Villi,/Facebook VAUGHAN SHOOTING [The Vaughan gunman killed three condo board members — among others — after a longtime feud over “electromagnetic waves”]( A mass shooting in a Vaughan condo that left six people dead, including the gunman, followed years of disputes between the shooter and the building’s board of directors. Disturbing social media posts, legal back-and-forth, and emails with city officials detailed the shooter’s unsubstantiated belief that board members were trying to kill him. The rampage Sunday night took place just a day before a court date in which the condo corporation sought to have Francesco Villi, 73, removed from the building as his alleged harassment continued. Police said three of his five victims were members of the board. [Here’s what else we know about the victims, the string of murders, and Villi’s history](. - More: Police said the victims, three men and two women, lived in the Bellaria Residences complex. The chief coroner’s office is not yet ready to release their identities, York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween said. - Context: Police were called to the building at 7:21 p.m. Sunday with reports of an active shooter. An officer gunned down Villi, who had taken to three separate units with a semi-automatic handgun, police said. - Go deeper: [Here’s what we know and don’t know about Francesco Villi](. Richard Lautens/Toronto Star BELL MEDIA [CTV’s Michael Melling is out of news operations following an independent review after Lisa LaFlamme’s firing]( After an independent review that found a need for greater civility and respect, a desire to improve working conditions, and a culture where people were afraid to speak up, CTV’s former vice-president of news is being reassigned. Michael Melling — who some blame for the firing of national CTV anchor Lisa LaFlamme — is moving to VP Shared Services, Joanna Chiu reports. [Here’s why current and former employees still question LaFlamme’s firing](. - Context: LaFlamme’s termination sparked outrage among viewers and initiated a nationwide conversation on sexism and ageism in workplaces. - Go deeper: Cuts, layoffs, and a shift away from expensive broadcast equipment characterized Melling’s time at CTV News, former employees told the Star, which created an atmosphere of low morale and apathy. Some others said the culture existed before Melling became VP of News. Melling has not responded to requests for comment from the Star. - Wait, what? A senior journalist at CTV told the Star that the move should not be seen as a demotion, as the Shared Services division is “way bigger than the news department.” Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star HEALTH [Student absences are surging across the GTA amid a triple whammy of viruses]( Respiratory virus season came early this year, and as the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19 spread, student absences are higher now than they have been during previous years, according to data obtained by the Star from several boards. Instead of being in class, children are staying home — or landing in overwhelmed and overflowing children’s hospitals, Isabel Teotonio reports. [Take a look at the heavy toll of the absences on students, parents, and teachers](. - By the numbers: At the Toronto District School Board, there were about 584,000 absences in total between Nov. 7 and 25. About 35 per cent were due to illness. Compare that to the same time in 2019, when there were 393,500 absences, and about 24 per cent were due to illness. - The aftermath: When many kids are absent, teachers are reluctant to introduce new material, one educator said. “Everybody is saying the same thing: ‘Well, I had a lesson plan, but half my class was away today. So we just did review again.’” WHAT ELSE Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of rape — again. [Here’s what we know about the case and his sentence](. [Angry about Doug Ford or inflation]( You’re not alone, according to the “rage index” poll. [Stephen Lecce rebuked the Halton school board]( over its handling of the teacher dress code controversy. House prices in Canada dropped even more in November. [The numbers mark “the end of a prosperous period” for real estate](. Will Toronto get snow on Christmas Day? [Here’s your holiday winter forecast](. As a Jan. 6 panel urges an insurrection charge against Donald Trump, [will Americans follow the evidence]( A pedestrian is dead after being struck by a GO Train in Scarborough. [Here’s what we know](. [A woman has been arrested after allegedly assaulting TTC subway riders]( Monday morning. [Here’s what to expect when Kensington Market’s Winter Solstice Festival returns]( later this month. James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” unites Indigenous populations — [in dislike for this movie, Drew Hayden Taylor writes](. POV R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star file photo [Help wanted: Toronto’s high cost of living means even city employees can’t afford to live here.]( CLOSE-UP Sergei Supinsky/AFP UKRAINE: Rescuers try to extinguish a fire at a critical power infrastructure after a drone attack in Kyiv on Monday amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Before I go, I’d like to note that Saturday’s First Up erroneously referred to Strep A as a virus. However, Strep A is a bacterial infection. A correction has been issued to the original story to correct the same fact. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_159105). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON M5E 1E6. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](