Today will begin the closing arguments in the Philadelphia priest abuse case. If convicted, Monsignor William Lynn would become the first Catholic church member to be found guilty for allowing abuse to happen in the church—even though he never took part in that abuse. Many priests who were called to testify admitted to abusing children in the church and are still free, due to statutes of limitations and other legal issues. Lynn could face up to 21 years in prison.

Some Women testified before City Council yesterday over the issue of females lagging behind in leadership positions at Philadelphia’s top companies. Terry Gillen, speaking for Mayor Michael Nutter, said, they’ll begin working with City Council “to increase gender diversity.”

City Councilmen Mark Squilla and Jim Kenney are set to introduce property tax relief legislation to “longtime residents of gentrifying areas,” who could likely be affected by Mayor Nutter’s AVI property tax idea, should it come to fruition. Long time residents of places like Queen Village, Pennsport, Northern Liberties, Fishtown, say hello to your freshman Councilman Mark Squilla.

Pennsylvania Senate leaders want to end state and teacher pensions and replace them with 401k-type plans. Union leaders do not like this idea.

A disabled, retired Marine was convicted of manslaughter and possession of an instrument of crime for killing a man with a knife last October, after that man attacked him. He could face somewhere between 12 and 25 years in prison—and the case is being looked at as one which “underscores how uncertain the claim of self-defense can be, even in a state that revised its “Castle Doctrine” last year to give an individual the right to use deadly force in self-defense anywhere in which a person has a legal right to be.”

The state Legislature is close to finishing up its budget, which would restore some spending Gov. Tom Corbett has tried to pull. That spending will likely include “the partial restoration of some funding for K-12 education, higher education and some welfare spending, particularly for the mentally handicapped,” and raise Corbett’s bottom line about 2 percent.

A third woman came forward this month to say she was raped in Northeast Philadelphia in 2010. She is one of at least three who has been raped in Pennypack Park after accepting a ride from the man.