Just another turbulent Tuesday. Well, that may be a slight exaggeration, but why should manic Mondays have all the fun? Today: Doug Ford's hate-on for the media continues; the Chicago trade mission may cost taxpayers a dime or two, but then again, maybe not; the plastic bag ban isn't in the bag just yet; the reality of the Sam the Record Man sign being back in the air is, well, up in the air; and a fire destroys a Canadian Tire garden centre.

By Jess Davidson • Illustration by Brett Lamb

Toronto’s media will do anything will do anything to make sure the Ford brothers don’t stop the gravy train, at least according to Doug Ford. The city councillor (Ward 2, Etobicoke North), who has as of late been spewing a lot of venom in the direction of Toronto-based reporters, appeared on AM 640 radio yesterday to make that proclamation, and also to say that that “every politician in the country is probably gonna write me a letter thanking me” for calling the media a “bunch of pricks” yesterday. Because yes, name-calling and rhetoric are truly the kinds of things that really inspire elected officials to band together.

Mayor Rob Ford might be right when he says that the Chicago trade mission didn’t cost taxpayers a dime, but then again, maybe it will. Confused? You’re not alone. Some of the attendees of the trip still aren’t sure who is footing the bill.

According to reports from the Torstar News Service, the proposed plastic bag ban has hit a hurdle as the City’s legal chief will advise council this week not to finalize the ban immediately. Rather than vote on a bylaw that will push the ban through, a legal recommendation is expected to be made stating that council should first allow for consultation with industry groups and the public, as has been done in other North American cities before voting on their own bans. A process of study and debate before making major bans? How novel! What an idea!

Although Ryerson University has a contract with the City to honour the store, the fate of Sam the Record Man’s flashy, iconic spinning-record sign is up in the air. According to the director of communications at Ryerson University, the sign is not part of the official design for the university building, and the university and the City are still discussing the future of the sign. Officials in the City Planning department, for their part, say that they want to see the sign hung, and that Ryerson has a legal obligation to ensure that this is done. Good luck with this one, Ryerson, something tells us you may not have the now very nostalgic public on your side for this one.

A blaze broke out at a Canadian Tire at Eglinton Avenue and Laird Drive yesterday, destroying the store’s garden centre. Luckily, no one was hurt and all customers and staff got out of the building safely. In other good news, there will now be fewer chrysanthemums in gardens around the Leaside Centre this season, the flower that just serves to remind us that summer is over, and cold, dark, dull-flowered fall has arrived.