Yes, the majority of ER patients should be there

Plus, celebrating “girlhood” at the Grammys, the four-day work week and putting Scarborough on the map [Get This Offer]( [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Good morning. Get ready, Canadian soccer fans; today’s the day we find out how many games Toronto and Vancouver will host at the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2026. [Here’s what you need to know ahead of the announcement](. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Andrew Francis Wallace/Toronto Star file photo HEALTH CARE [Non-urgent cases aren’t clogging Ontario’s ERs. The problems with hospitals over capacity lay elsewhere]( According to the data, most patients at your local emergency departments do need to be there — and the few minor cases, like sore throats and prescription renewals, require very little of the hospital’s resources, Kenyon Wallace reports. Some physicians are actually quite frustrated by [the implication that Ontarians in need of care should first consider alternatives](. Shanna Madison/TNS MUSIC [Why “Girlhood” has already won big ahead of tonight’s 2024 Grammys broadcast]( “Girlhood” was perhaps the pop culture trend of 2023, but it isn’t all just pastels, bows and “Barbie”-core, writes Aisling Murphy. With underlying themes like “a sense of wistfulness, dreaminess (and) maybe melancholia,” University of Waterloo assistant professor Brianna Wiens says it’s as much a statement as an esthetic — and it really matters to many young women. [Here’s why Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish and others have already achieved victory](. Toronto Police Service CRIME [Canada needs far-reaching solutions to its car theft crisis. Here’s where to start]( The rate of vehicular theft has surged so fast in recent years that there’s a solid chance a car has been stolen somewhere in the GTA before you finish reading this story. As police, government officials and industry stakeholders gather in Ottawa for a summit on the national auto theft crisis, all options are in play. Peter Edwards and Jason Miller list [nine factors Canada must address to quell this scourge on our driveways](. Dreamstime WORK [Why your company should be the next to permanently embrace a four-day work week]( When a recent four-day work week pilot program ended, all 41 participating organizations opted to continue with a reduced schedule. Blasphemy, you say? Consider that each cited improved employee mental health, engagement, retention, recruitment and yes, even productivity. Jared Lindzon caught up with four-day work week acolyte Joe O’Connor to figure out [why other companies have been slow to embrace the change](. R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star Culture [Using social media, Scarborough’s unofficial tourism board hopes to put their fave spots on the map]( Jesse Asido started the Scarborough Spots Instagram account to highlight pandemic-stricken local restaurants and within a few years, he amassed nearly 100,000 followers. Starting with savvy social media strategies, youngsters like Asido are helping shine a spotlight on the east end’s cultural scene, Karon Liu reports. And if the popular pop-up events and merch lines are any indication, [their tactics are working](. UP CLOSE Richard Lautens/Toronto Star Kudakwashe Rutendo is no regular 21-year-old. Anointed one of TIFF’s 2023 Rising Stars, the Calgary actor is starting to turn heads within the industry, writes Emily Tamfo. [The future is bright for this young Canadian creator](. HEAR THIS Handout It’s not just a line; Cuban Canadian jazz pianist Hilario Durán really is honoured just to be nominated for a Grammy, he tells Nick Krewen. Whether or not his original composition, “I Remember Mingus,” gets the hardware, [the 71-year-old says he’s not even close to slowing down](. Thanks for reading. You can reach 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_208318), and Kevin will see you back here Monday. Get unlimited access to the Star Sale: Only $2 every four weeks. Cancel anytime. [Get This Offer]( 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]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](