Former Governor Ed Rendell is leading a so-called “civic-minded” effort to buy the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, after news reports surfaced last week saying two hedge funds with major stakes in the Philly Media Network want to sell. “They’re as big a believer as I am that the Philadelphia Media Network can turn a profit, but that’s not the main motivation,” Rendell said of the group looking to buy the papers. “These folks, except for me, don’t need to make any more money.” The rest of Rendell’s group includes insurance executive George Norcross, Cherry Hill, NJ-based banking magnate Lewis Katz, Morrestown, NJ-based tech “entrepreneur” Krishna Singh, commercial developer William Hankowsky. Another group that includes financier Raymond Perelman is looking at the papers, too.

Who knew? The Raven Lounge in Rittenhouse gives discounts to teachers.

And what better time than now? The school district, $61 million in the hole, has decided to cancel all weekend programs and shut buildings an hour early during the week, to save $2.8 million. Pour ‘em back, this isn’t going to be pretty.

Former state welfare office special assistant Robert Patterson responded to his critics in the Inquirer this weekend, who called into question his work at a journal which hates welfare. In it, he basically says all his research is just the aggregated research of others (so don’t blame him, for anything) and let’s out this gem, to prove he knows about Philadelphia: “The policies of President Obama and his Democratic predecessors dating back to the Great Society offer troubled cities like Philadelphia merely the perpetuation of dependency, despondency, and despair. More welfare and more food stamps leading to further addiction to government programs will only lead to more hollowing out of once-thriving working-class neighborhoods like Fishtown.” So there you have it: Proof Fishtown is the worst place, ever. The whole place has gone to hell.

Then Will Bunch smeared him.

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput acknowledged chief financial officer Anita Guzzardi stole $900,000 and spent that cash on gambling and lavish vacations. Chaput money quote: “As bitter as this loss is, insurance will cover most of it.”

And while he was at it, Chaput slammed the Obama Administration for its decision to require almost all employers to cover contraception in their healthcare policies. Two-hundred and sixty-six area churches were asked to read a letter from Chaput yesterday about Obamacare.

Governor Tom Corbett is giving his budget address Tuesday. Some faith-based state groups are mobilizing ahead of the speech to ask the governor to help those struggling in state. His spokeswoman said he has no intention to go back on his Grover Norquist-approved pledge to not raise anyone’s taxes.

A man was shot to death in his home at 39th and Market this weekend.