Yo, Philly in the News

• Prosecutors in the trial of former State Sen. Vincent Fumo abandoned plans to call a key witness yesterday after learning that he had sent thousands of e-mails to Fumo and others. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Zauzmer said the witness, Leonard P. Luchko, who had been a top computer technician for Fumo, also posted comments via the Web site philly.com on Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News stories about the trial. The development caused a temporary halt in the trial, which is set to resume this afternoon with testimony from a computer technician from Fumo's Harrisburg office.
• Gov. Corzine, facing budget problems in a grim economy, will highlight some of the things going right in New Jersey today in his third state-of-the-state speech. He cited education, where he has spent considerable energy, as one area where he feels accomplishments should be noted. New Jersey faces fallout from the economic crisis, including job losses and widening budget deficits. Corzine has said that the economy is his "No. 1, 2 and 3" priority.
• Citing frustration with the legislature's reluctance to pass tough laws against "straw" handgun purchases, a coalition of religious leaders stood outside a gun store yesterday and announced a plan to pressure retailers directly. Called "Heeding God's Call," a group of about a dozen area religious institutions is urging Pennsylvania gun retailers to sign a 10-point "code of conduct" to curb the supply of weapons to criminals. "We...cannot stand by while towns and cities suffer senseless violence," said Bishop Allen Bartlett, assisting bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania.
• According to a report delivered to the borough last week, Haddonfield should build a modern library on Haddon Avenue. But the town may not be ready to part with its 1919 facility, commissioners say. Building a larger, handicap-accessible and energy-efficient library would cost about $8.3 million, estimated Library Development Solutions of Princeton Junction, N.J., which the borough commissioned to study the issue. Many residents love the building and don't want to see it go. On Friday, borough commissioners issued a request to architects for cost estimates to retrofit and expande the old place. A library-expansion proposal failed about six years ago because it was too large and expensive.
• Christina Rubin, a 22-year-old college graduate living in Jenkintown, didn't like it when her father yelled at her. So when her boyfriend said he'd like to kill him, Rubin agreed, police said. They murder was quick - a single gunshot to the back of Marc Rubin's head. Rubin and her boyfriend, Jeffrey W. Leinheiser, 20, of the 100 block of Cedar Street in Jenkintown, were charged with first-degree murder and other offenses Sunday and ordered held without bail. "It is certainly fair to say that everything they touched is botched," Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Ferman said yesterday.

Image Credit: Flickr user PhillyPenn