The police officer facing second-degree murder charges over the shooting death of teenager Sammy Yatim will turn himself in later today. The Special Investigations Unit says Const. James Forcillo will voluntarily enter custody in secret because of death threats issued on Twitter. The SIU announced the charges yesterday, a move met with relief by Yatim's family.
Rob Ford will have a chance to publicly refute the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail's crack video stories at a series of Ontario Press Council hearings in September. The council said it would hold the hearings after it received 41 complaints about the coverage, which included allegations Doug Ford dealt hash in the 80s. The OPC will not rule whether the stories are true, only whether they were reported responsibly.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Sun says Ford staffer David Price was "furious" about allegations he dealt pot with Doug Ford, quoting an email he sent in the hours after the story was published that called the story "bullshit, gossip, and innuendo."
Rob Ford wants the federal government to reconsider withdrawing from the governing body that decides who gets the World Expo. Council voted 30-4 last December to investigate whether the city could snag the touring exhibition in 2025 but with Canada planning to turn in its membership over costs, the plans could all be moot.
Council appears to split over how best to replace former Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday. Rob Ford has called a special council meeting for August 26 to deal with the matter and he remaining councillors must decide whether to hold a byelection (Ford's preferance) or appoint somebody to the post for the remainder of the term. In the past, byelections have typically been the preferred option.
Norm Kelly is now officially Ford's new right hand man. With the publication of Holyday's election made official by the Ontario Gazette, Kelly was formally selected by the mayor yesterday. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role," the mayor's twitter account said.
Finally, TTC drivers will not be dressing up "like the Habs." TTC CEO Andy Byford says new uniforms will be rolled out next year and pictures of a few test items have been leaked online, including a red and blue striped golf shirt and a red and black ball cap. "If you're in Manchester, you don't wear the colours of Liverpool," union leader Bob Kinnear told the National Post, clearly overlooking the fact teams from both cities wear red. The new uniform will be unveiled next year.
IN BRIEF:
- Intersection of King and Spadina reopens to traffic [CTV News]
- Missing Plaque Project unveils Toronto's untold history [Toronto Star]
- 1 dead, 1 in custody following fatal west-end crash [CBC]
- 2 taken to hospital after accident at TTC yard [CBC]
Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Image: Ronnie Yip/blogTO Flickr pool.