Yo, Philly in the News

• Around 2AM yesterday, Joseph Kelly Sr. was driving along the Vine Street Expressway when he saw a homeless man in a wheelchair marooned on the median. He pulled over and crossed three lanes on foot to try to help the man across the street. As one car slowed down to let them pass, another struck that vehicle and then ran into Kelly and the other man, killing them both.
• A 17-year-old male knocked on the door of the security booth inside the lobby of the Queen Lane Apartments late Sunday. When the cop inside opened it, the young man fired one shot with an assault rifle, striking the officer in the left hip underneath his bullet-proof vest. Luckily the officer was able to immediately slam shut the door of the bullet-proof booth before the gunman fired twice more. The youth then ran off and Zahir Boddy-Johnson was arrested an hour later for the crime, and will be charged as an adult with attempted murder, aggravated assault, robbery, firearms violations and related offenses. The officer is in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.
• Senator Arlen Specter spoke at the Chester County Prison yesterday, pointing out that the cost of keeping deportable aliens in Pennsylvania prisons is very high, and a plan needs to be developed to send them back to their home countries.
• As old, run-down Philadelphia Housing Authority projects are razed and rebuilt, crime drops as a result.
• The School Reform Commission is expected to issue a statement today confirming Arlene Ackerman as the next chief executive officer of the Philadelphia School District. Ackerman has run the public schools in San Francisco (2000-06) and Washington, D.C. (1998-2000). She can look forward to such challenges as "implementing reforms at 70 underperforming schools by fall and negotiating new contracts for teachers and other school employees."
• A source close to the campaign says attorney Lawrence M. Farnese Jr., who has been trying to decide whether to run for the state House or the Senate, has finally decided to shoot for the bigger prize: the Senate seat now held by Vince Fumo. Farnese will join electricians union leader John Dougherty and anti-casino activist Anne Dicker in challenging Fumo for the Democratic nomination.
• 44-year-old Denise Winchester was driving along Roosevelt Boulevard when Covance Smith pulled up next to her in a Mercedes and complained that she was driving too slowly. They had a heated argument, and moments later Smith threw an empty juice bottle at Winchester, hitting her in the face. Luckily she was able to flag down a few traffic cops, who caught up with Smith and took him into custody.

Image Credit: Flickr user sfllaw