Yo, Philly in the News

• Turns out we've been a bad blog. Thanks to Phillyist Sarah, and the Inquirer, we've found some local news stories that we were supposed to be writing about but haven't. One is the story of Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan getting sued by Chops because, they say, he gave a bad review to their strip steak when he didn't even eat it. However, the receipt from the meal, which he cleverly kept, seems to claim otherwise. (A more recent post on the subject can be found here.) Regardless of the outcome, however, the legal disagreement could turn out badly for him, as he may be forced to reveal his identity. The other story we've missed out on is that of the shooting of an Air Force Senior in Willingboro which may have been motivated by anti-war sentiments (although how being anti-war and pro-peace can translate into being anti- a specific member of the Air Force, and then pro-violence, is kind of hard to understand). (Via Sarah)
• Police are saying that 18-year-old Charles T. "Chuckie" Meyers was driving in South Philly on Saturday when he shot and killed a bicycle-riding 14-year-old boy when the boy wouldn't get out of his way fast enough. But friends and relatives of Meyers can't believe he would do such a thing.
• A transportation bill was approved by the state House yesterday that should provide enough money to head off any further fare increases from SEPTA, as well as repair highways and bridges statewide. But Philly lawmakers are still pissed about SEPTA's plan to eliminate transfers on August 1st, and are calling for a hearing.
• An old man named Harold Lischner was arrested for protesting Bush and the Iraq war in 2003 at a Bush fundraiser in Delaware County. He was found not guilty of disorderly conduct, but decided to sue. Now Upper Darby is requesting that the jury in the case not be told that Lischner was protesting Bush, because Bush is so unpopular that the bias against him will certainly cause the jury to rule with the plaintiff. We find that hilarious.
• Yesterday the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rejected the last remaining appeal over who gets to build slots parlors in the city, but that doesn't mean the casino fight is all over; now Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia has to get through the city approval process. And something that also happened yesterday is that the City Planning Commission postponed a decision by at least thirty days on the Foxwoods project because, they said, they need more information.
• An "unidentified 23-year-old man from Maryland jumped from the 16th floor of the Windsor Suites at 17th Street and the Parkway" on Monday and fell to his death on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Police say he left a suicide note and two witnesses saw him jump.

Image Credit: Flickr user bradb47