• The Inquirer covers yesterday's early school closings due to heat, and points out that we'll see more of the same today. They also talk about the help and charity inspired by an article about a family struggling without air conditioning in the heat.
• A while back, state legislators increased pay for injured police officers and made it easier for them to resist returning to work. Now on any given day, roughly 250 Philadelphia police officers are out of service due to on-the-job injuries. That's more than 10 times as many as just a few years ago. City risk manager Barry Scott said although most officers do the right thing and go back to work when they're ready, the new rules make it easier to abuse the system.
• According to the Inquirer's sources, the Delaware River Port Authority has completed an internal investigation that has raised questions about the way Public Safety Director Vincent Borelli has run his department. The probe apparently focused on at least two areas: Borelli's use of law enforcement computer-record checks and the conduct of a DRPA police officer following a traffic stop on the Ben Franklin Bridge.
• The Philadelphia Zoo's own Petal, who, at age 52, was the oldest African elephant in a US zoo, died yesterday morning. The cause of death is still a bit of a mystery, as Petal seemed to be in good health, but we're assuming it probably had something to do with her age.
• Attorney General Tom Corbett and Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham will officially launch a gun violence program and video during a morning news conference today at the Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network. It's called Think Again, and it's an educational initiative offered free of charge to schools, churches and community groups. It focuses on educating individuals about straw purchasing and the devastating effects of gun violence in Philadelphia and throughout the state.
• "The Senate State Government Committee will hear testimony today from Rendell administration officials about furloughing government workers should the state budget fail to be approved on time again."
• An FBI report released yesterday revealed that violent and property crimes declined in 2007 from the previous year, both nationwide and in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, Philadelphia still has the highest rates of violent crime and homicide among the nation's 10 largest cities.

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