DAILY GRINDER: Traffic Court Raid Spreads to Bars, Tow Trucks
The FBI raided Philadelphia traffic court judge Michael Sullivan’s office last week. Now, it’s said by Fox 29, the investigation is expanding to State Rep. William Keller (whose offices were raided by the FBI last summer) and watering holes—Cannonball Tavern in Northeast Philly and Fireside Tavern in South Philly—where Sullivan and traffic court administrator...
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Philly’s New Councilmanic District Map Appears to Screw Over Two Wards
While most of the district boundaries in the in the new map Council approved yesterday appear to go out of the way to shape around wards, two remain cracked by three wards, creating a political hot-mess. The 42nd is penetrated by the fifth, seventh and eighth councilmanic districts while the 18th Ward is cracked by the fifth, first and seventh, making...
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In Line with U.S. Conference of Mayors Statistics, Nutter Updates Curfew Plan
Mayor Michael Nutter has doubled-down on his curfew laws that seemed to work so well over the summer. Now, instead of those under 18 being held in after 9pm, your age cluster defines how long you get to hang out in Center City and University City. Those 16-18 years have to be in their home (or another neighborhood) by 10pm; 14 and 15 year-olds have to be in by...
Continue ReadingDiCicco-Kenney Redistricting Plan Passes—What’s that Mean For City Council Bipartisanship?
Anyone concerned about eventual two-party rule in Philadelphia should be afraid of this: City Council just passed the DiCicco-Kenney redistricting map by a vote of 15-2 (only members Brian O’Neill and Jack Kelly voted against). And—surprise!—the map screws over the single Republican sitting in a district seat. Here’s what happened: Aside from the usual...
Continue ReadingDAILY GRINDER: Making English the Official State Language Would Make Joey Vento’s Ghost Smile
The ghost of Joey Vento called. He’s doing good. Oh, he asked that if the state House could get around to it, could they make English the official language of Pennsylvania? (Because, why not? America, right?) If only, he said, there were two wingnut lawmakers out in Harrisburg who would write bills requiring all state documents—including all tourism docs—to...
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DAILY GRINDER: Economic Developments A-Plenty
Mayor Michael Nutter and his hip administration are promising some wacky economic development project announcements in the coming month. They include a new facility at CHOP, a new hotel “in or near” Center City, the relocation of a “major company” in Philly and the groundbreaking of their corporate headquarters. On top of that the city is promoting more...
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Republican Council Candidate David Oh’s Military Service Called into Question
In case you’ve been living under a rock (or just aren’t that into reading Republican City Council news), Council candidate and Republican frontrunner David Oh faced down some serious allegations about his allegations – and, if you’re to believe the news coming out of the Media Holdings building, as well as some national sources and Oh’s own words (that’s...
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Daily Grinder: You Say ‘Redistricting,’ I Say ‘Keeping Those With Power In Office’
Republican Mayoral Candidate Karen Brown is still taking this election thing seriously. In a strange Barney-the-friendly-Dinosaur-meets-friendless-politicos-gathering every Tuesday in front of the Municipality Building, Brown does this crazy voodoo shit where she holds what is believed to be called a “public discussion,” NewsWorks informs us. That’s...
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What We Learned About Public Corruption: It’s Up to Us to Fight It
Pat Blessington and John Roberts field questions regarding public integrity and city corruption. Philadelphians don’t need to be told twice that fighting government corruption is an uphill battle. In fact, we’ve heard it so many times many of us have become numb to the idea—accepting it as a way of life. Last night at the Free Library, a couple suits...
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