In the name of toast and all that is brunchy, the week bestowest uponest us the most awesome of days: Saturday. Some news to go along with that leisurely sip of OJ: pumpkin parade marches on, a G20 sentencing, Northlander train service comes to a end, city staffers say they're bullied, councillor wants mayor to apologize at council, and meet the worst guy ever.

By Sarah-Joyce Battersby • Illustration by Brett Lamb

Next to eating Sour Patch Kids until your tongue hurts and looks weird, the pumpkin parade is one of the most treasured Halloween traditions. So when it seemed like the parade was under siege by budget cuts, the Star did what the Star does best: they got action. Usually everyone brings their jack-o-lanters to a nearby park, lights ‘em up, lines ‘em up, and marvels at the beauty. Then everyone goes home and City staff pick up the carcasses. But not this year. This year parades with all the proper permits will get a pumpkin disposal bin. Parks staff will make sure the pumpkins are in the bin, then the bins will be hauled away. Basically it sounds the same as before, but a little different.

George Horton has the dubious distinction of being the only person convicted of assaulting a police officer during the G20 summit. Horton was sentenced Friday to 10 months in prison for the assault, which involved kicking the door of a police cruiser parked on Queen Street while an officer was inside the car. Horton’s sentencing involved a raucous group of supporters.

Due to budget pressure, the provincial government no longer cho-cho-chooses to run the Northlander train service. Friday was the last day to catch the train, which used to run between Toronto and Cochrane. The rail service will be replaced by buses.

Senior City bureaucrats tell the Star they’re feeling bullied under the Ford administration. Since Mayor Ford took office, more than a dozen senior managers have left City Hall for various reasons (some more suddenly than others). The ones that remain are apparently keeping their heads down for fear of crossing the mayor’s office. Luckily the mayor doesn’t read the Star, so he won’t catch wind of this.

The mayor did catch wind of an ombudsman report that questioned the level of involvement the mayor’s office had in making board appointments. Though RoFo and DoFo are denying allegations of wrong-doing, Councillor Joe Mihevc (Ward 21, St.Paul’s) wants the mayor to apologize at city council next week. He would also like that coffee that Doug Ford promised he’d get “next time.”

And if you’re still feeling bad for missing your friend’s euchre night, or that weird thing you said to your roommate’s new boyfriend, be comforted in the knowledge that you’re not as bad as this guy. Vaughan police say a thief has been breaking into parked cars while the owners attend funerals at a nearby cemetery. That guy is the worst.