Yo, Philly in the News

• A Philadelphia police officer shot in 1966 while trying to stop a burglary finally died on Sunday from complications of his injuries, and his death has therefore been ruled a murder. Police are now considering whether to charge the shooter (already sentenced to 10 to 20 years for attempted murder) with the crime.
• Pacifico Ford in Philadelphia and Springfield Ford in Delco have made an agreement with the government to reimburse African African customers who allegedly were charged higher interest rates than white buyers. Neither of the Ford dealerships are admitting any wrongdoing, but, hey, they're also paying up, so...
• A former Philadelphia sheriff's deputy is being held for trial because on April 30 she allegedly went to the house of a man she thought had burglarized her home (though he denies it) and shot him in the groin.
• Philadelphia concert promoter Reginald Greene, already in jail since 1999 for spearheading the "largest counterfeit-check-cashing scam in U.S. history," was indicted yesterday on nine wire fraud and money laundering counts for his part in an ambitious scheme to steal millions in wire transfers.
• Despite angry testimony and loud complaints from onlookers, the plans for the Foxwoods riverfront casino in South Philly were approved unanimously by the City Planning Commission yesterday, which means the project will now go before the City Council when it reconvenes in September.
• Pennsylvania's own Representative Patrick Murphy, a Bucks County Democrat, yesterday gave his endorsement to Senator Barack Obama's presidential bid.

Photo of Rep. Patrick Murphy by Flickr user Forward Together PAC