Page Templates not accurately displaying

Question

In my local.xml I have two columns left declared in my theme yet 3-Columns is the layout thats displayed. Template path hints points to the 3 column template in my selected theme. Where else can I check other than Local? I'm assuming admin if local is the last to parse.

<layout version="0.1.0">
<default translate="label" module="page">   
    <reference name="head">

        <!-- Adding Javascript -->
        <action method="addItem">
            <type>skin_js</type>
            <name>js/jquery.min.js</name>
        </action>

        <action method="addItem">
            <type>skin_js</type>
            <name>js/bootstrap.min.js</name>
        </action>

        <action method="addItem">
            <type>skin_js</type>
            <name>js/jquery.scripts.js</name>
        </action>

        <action method="addItem">
            <type>skin_js</type>
                <name>js/html5shiv.js</name>
            <params/><if>lt IE 9</if>
        </action>

        <action method="addItem">
            <type>skin_js</type>
                <name>js/respond.min.js</name>
            <params/><if>lt IE 9</if>
        </action>


        <!-- Removing the style.css from Base-->
        <action method="removeItem">
            <type>skin_css</type><name>css/styles.css</name>
        </action>
        <action method="removeItem">
            <type>skin_css</type><name>css/print.css</name>
        </action>
        <!-- Adding Bootstrap Css -->
        <action method="addCss">
            <stylesheet>css/bootstrap.min.css</stylesheet>
        </action>



        <!-- Adding our custom style.css -->
        <action method="addCss">
            <stylesheet>css/styles.css</stylesheet>
        </action>

        <block type="core/text" name="fontawesome_cdn">
            <action method="setText">
                <text><![CDATA[
                    <link rel="stylesheet" href="//maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.2.0/css/font-awesome.min.css" />
                ]]></text>
            </action>
        </block>

    </reference>
    <!-- end HEAD -->


<reference name="header">
    <block type="cms/block" name="headerSocial" as="headerSocial">
        <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>headerSocial</block_id>
        </action>
    </block>
    <block type="cms/block" name="topNav" as="topNav">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>topNav</block_id></action>
    </block>
    <block type="cms/block" name="primaryNav" as="primaryNav">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>primaryNav</block_id></action>
    </block>
</reference>

<block type="cms/block" name="homeFeatured" as="homeFeatured">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>homeFeatured</block_id></action>
    </block>

<block type="cms/block" name="homeBanner" as="homeBanner">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>homeBanner</block_id></action>
</block>

<reference name="footer">
        <block type="cms/block" name="footerCustomerService" as="footerCustomerService">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>footerCustomerService</block_id>
            </action>
        </block>
        <block type="cms/block" name="footerProducts" as="footerProducts">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>footerProducts</block_id>
            </action>
        </block> 
        <block type="cms/block" name="legalFooter" as="legalFooter">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>legalFooter</block_id>
            </action>
        </block>  
        <block type="cms/block" name="socialLinks" as="socialLinks">
            <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>socialLinks</block_id>
            </action>
        </block> 
</reference>

<block type="cms/block" name="welcomeMessage" as="welcomeMessage">
    <action method="setBlockId"><block_id>welcomeMessage</block_id>
    </action>
</block>

<reference name="top.links">
    <remove name="top.links" />
</reference>

<remove name="left.permanent.callout" /> 



</default>

<catalog_product_view>
        <reference name="root">
        <action method="setTemplate"><template>page/2columns-left.phtml</template></action>
        </reference> 
        <remove name="product_tag_list" />
</catalog_product_view>

<catalog_category_layered>
    <reference name="root">
        <action method="setTemplate"><template>page/2columns-left.phtml</template></action>
    </reference>
</catalog_category_layered>




</layout>

Answer 1

If you're category is set to "Is Anchor" => "No", local.xml should have something similar to the following:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<layout>
    <catalog_category_default>
        <reference name="root">
            <action method="setTemplate"><file>page/2columns-left.phtml</file></action>
        </reference>
    <catalog_category_default>
</layout>

For Anchor categories, the layout handle is different, this will be the only difference:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<layout>
    <catalog_category_layered>
        <reference name="root">
            <action method="setTemplate"><file>page/2columns-left.phtml</file></action>
        </reference>
    <catalog_category_layered>
</layout>