Yo, Philly in the News

• The parents of Danieal Kelly have filed a lawsuit against their criminal co-defendants, blaming them for the girl's demise.
• Leonard P. Luchko, a top computer technician for State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo pleaded guilty yesterday and told a federal judge that he followed Fumo's orders to erase e-mails being sought by federal agents investigating the powerful Philadelphia Democrat. Apparently he failed to erase incriminating e-mails from his own devices, however.
• Police responded to reports of a break-in at a South Philadelphia rowhouse yesterday and found a teenager inside who began stabbing himself in the chest before lunging at the officers. They subsequently shot and wounded him.
• John McCain was campaigning in Pennsylvania yesterday and will continue to do so today. Former Gov. Tom Ridge is along for the ride, sparking speculation that he might be McCain's pick for VP (although McCain himself seemed to suggest that wasn't so). Meanwhile, Obama is on vacation in Hawaii, so Rendell had to be the one to call a press conference and criticize McCain.
• At a ceremony yesterday launching a new school year for School District of Philadelphia principals, Superintendent Arlene Ackerman pointed out that: "All is still not well with all of our children. We have to do more."
• "A 3-year-old girl was seriously injured Saturday when her father crashed his car while drag-racing with a teenager in Lower Bucks County."
• A steady decline in the numbers of volunteer firefighters in the state has convinced lawmakers to support legislation to provide greater financial assistance and other incentives to volunteers.
• At 9PM Saturday night in North Philadelphia, narcotics cops were chasing a drug suspect onto Master Street near 24th and encountered a large group of people at a party. A melee erupted and now police officials are investigating claims that officers used excessive force on the crowd.

Image Credit: Flickr user socalvan