Yo, Philly in the News

• Hey! Detmer's back!
• Somebody realized that the visitor experience at Valley Forge is kind of lame, so they're spending $6 million to improve it. They plan to do this by restoring the historical landscape, replacing the current parking lot with an orchard, refurbishing the old train station and using it as an orientation spot, and adding multimedia exhibits, including video and audio podcasts.
• There aren't too many more details available yet about that New Year's Day shooting, but the cops have now reported that they found nine guns at the house.
• Top Democrats have helped Republican Dennis O'Brien take the speaker of the House position, mostly because they couldn't get enough votes for a Democrat, and O'Brien was a more palatable Republican choice than current speaker John Perzel. "It marks the first time in modern Pennsylvania history - and perhaps in centuries - in which a member of the minority party will wield the state speaker's gavel." Crazy!
• Some local nerds got the coveted 2400 on their SATs, and the Inquirer is tooting their horns. Hey, one of them is from our alma mater! Go Washington Township!
• The watchdog group Committee of Seventy has put together an ethics agenda for Philly's 2008 Mayoral candidates, which includes three general ethical principles to follow, as well as 28 more detailed reform points. "The principles include hiring staff members based on performance, not connections; promoting transparency and public participation in government; and reducing conflicts of interest and the pay-to-play culture." Yeah, that sounds like a good start to us!
• We know parking spots are scarce in North Philly, but is it necessary to stab people in the neck over them?! That's what happened on Marshall Street near Jefferson on Tuesday evening. The victim is in stable condition.
• Starbucks is getting a headstart on that whole trans fat ban thing. Starting yesterday, all the Starbucks in Philly, as well as eight other cities, will no longer be selling treats with trans fats in them. So you can feel marginally better about getting that donut with your coffee now!

Image Credit: Flickr user gkaufman