Yo, Philly in the News

• Oh no! The Zoo's three African elephants are all of the sudden in limbo. The plan was to ship them to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, where they could frolic in the expanded elephant habitat there, but now it turns out the expansion won't be ready on schedule. Officials at the Philadelphia Zoo "are working with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to find another home for the animals."
• So, how about this mayoral race? Who would have figured a month ago that Milton Street would successfully defeat challenges to his place on the ballot (though admittedly for a position as Council at-large, and not as mayor) and would be preparing to go out campaigning, while Brady sat in a courtroom, desperately trying to keep his name on that same ballot (yes, he went to court yesterday, and Mayorpalooza was blogging it; there should be a decision next week, although regardless of what that decision is, there will be an appeal).
• It's starting to look like that casino question will definitely be on the May 15 primary ballot, but it's also looking like even if it gets there, and everyone says yes to a casino ban, the ban may ultimately be shot down by the courts, due to the fact that state law takes precedence over city codes.
• July 4th is closer than you might think, so it wasn't premature yesterday for the city to announce that Philly's own Hall & Oates will be headlining the concert on the Parkway on that date, during the Welcome America festivities.
• Rendell is looking to lease the PA Turnpike, and is starting a statewide campaign to get everybody else lined up behind him (he's coming to Philly on Thursday), but the proposals submitted by the 48 firms interested in the road are being kept under wraps. What are they going to do with our road??
• So what's the current status of US Airways after their latest problems this past weekend? The Daily News has got the info, yo.

Photo of a tunnel on the Pennsylvania Turnpike by Flickr user Duchamp