Newsstand: March 23, 2010

By Carly Maga

Illustration by Roxanne Ignatius/Torontoist.

Torontonians love our landmarks, especially the big tall, pointy guy. The CN Tower is commonly viewed as the physical representation of our city, seen just as often on postcards, mugs, and in the background of tourists’ photos, as in real life. But would we still love it if it was the VG Tower? As Torontoist reported first, startup online car retailer Vehicle Gateway Corporation is submitting a seventy-eight-million-dollar bid to the current owners of Canada’s National Tower to rename the icon and to change its new LED system to all-green hues. In tough economic times, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has said he’s considering selling real estate to prop up budgets. But after the outcry from the rechristening of the SkyDome as the Rogers Centre in 2006, Vehicle Gateway’s hopes that the two-letter change “will excite Canadians” may be reaching a little too high. Then again, maybe not. How many locals who have actually gone up the tower do you know?
The CRTC has delivered a precedent-setting decision in the small-screen battle, approving a fee-for-carriage for television networks. The basics of the ruling are in favour of local networks like Global and CTV, but the CBC is crying foul, Rogers calls it “a new low point for the Commission,” and Bell feels sorry for the consumers who will pay for jacked-up cable fees. Which is fine, we guess, since no one really watches TV anymore, anyway.
Giorgio Mammoliti’s “Rock Your Vote” concert is missing a key ingredient—you know, the whole “rock” part. Two bands set to play the March 31 event at Tattoo Rock Parlour cancelled their appearances shortly after hearing the concert wasn’t a benefit for Sheridan students like they were originally told. Both The Darcys and Make Your Exit said they pulled out because of Mammoliti’s opposition to same-sex marriage, saying “we can’t be out there playing rock shows for anybody we don’t agree with.” Reps for Mammoliti, however, say the event is more about social awareness, not the campaign. Of course, the bands were probably just confused by his photo and name in a bright-red font taking up half the poster.
And it’s only a matter of days until the one-man show that is Rob Ford (Ward 2, Etobicoke North) joins Mammoliti in the mayoral race, with an official announcement expected on his Radio 640 show Thursday morning. Ford’s entrance alone will rattle the race, but with his two older brothers at his side? Three Fords could be like a Mack truck on the road to a “spotless” Toronto. Who knows? Maybe they’ll be the Lollipop Guild to our Emerald City.
After all the whining and moaning about sleeping toll collectors and coffee-loving drivers, maybe TTC employees don’t have it so easy. At least not the ticket collector at Wilson subway station who was robbed by two men armed with guns and sledge hammers. It was the booth’s second robbery within the last month. The increase in the number of police patrolling TTC stations is better late than never.
Panagiotis Merris allegedly decided it was cause enough to knock the police officer to the ground after receving a parking ticket. But after a day of reflection, and lots of media coverage, the forty-four-year-old Toronto man turned himself in. He now faces charges of assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.

CORRECTION: MARCH 23, 2010 This post originally located the TTC subway station robbery at Downsview Station; in fact, it took place at Wilson Station.