Results tagged “citycouncilman”

The Attorney General's Office has accused Former State Rep. Frank LaGrotta of giving his relatives fake jobs in order to pay them thousands in taxpayer dollars. A cheval-de-frise (an iron-tipped log that's placed in a riverbed along with many others in order to gore the hulls of enemy warships) was recently found at the bottom of the Delaware River at the Sunoco Logistics pier in South Philadelphia. It's a relic from the mid-1770s, and...

As it gets closer to Halloween for LAist, a contributer recollects her tale of staring down the serial killer, Richard Ramirez, otherwise known as the Night Stalker. Must think happy thoughts -- okay, free organic chocolate chip cookies for Los Angeles -- now that's a happy thought. Other happy Los Angeles thoughts include an interview with Jack Kehler of The Big Lebowski (he was the Dude's landlord), a beautiful and magical photographic moment in Venice and the press making the speaker of the California State Assembly, Fabian Nunez, run away when being asked hard questions about sketchy luxurious and worldly expenses.

While SFist cringed at the fatal dose of crime littering the Bay Area, it found solace in Hillary Clinton's San Francisco campaign headquarters opening, which featured loads of exposed mammary glands. In other news, SF Taxi Commission ruled that Satan's cab must keep its (in)famous medallion number, 666; and in an un-fashion-forward frenzy, San Francisco Fashion Week (chortle) bars bloggers from covering and getting smashed at their shows and parties, respectively. Also, they found a picture displaying the woes of cruising in a tacky limo on the streets of San Francisco.

- Accidents on Roosevelt Boulevard have been a long-time problem - and it seems that previously installed red light cameras may have exacerbated, rather than aided, the problem. Currently, there is discussion to add radar enforcement to the speed deterrents. City Councilman Brian O'Neil has said, "The mayor should just shut down the middle six lanes until there is a solid plan in place -- or forget the middle lanes are there and green them over." Phillyist used to live in the Northeast - and whereas we think the entire neighborhood would be lost without Route 1 to rely on, greening over those middle lanes might not be a bad plan.
- As one of our tipsters has pointed out there on the sidebar , 60 Minutes' Philadelphia-bred Ed Bradley has passed away, having succumbed to leukemia.
- Bad news for Philly schools - the School District is planning some deep cuts in order to help assuage their $73-million + deficit. Thankfully for the students, the proposed cuts seem to fall on the administrative, rather than the educational, ends. (Children, after all, are our future - if Ms. Houston is to be believed.)
- There's a movement to impeach the prez, and right here in our own town; specifically, at Independence Hall on the 11th. More info here. (via, which gets props for creative headlining)
- Not exactly news, but as I know several people who were curious to hear what noted columnist and Santorum detractor Dan Savage might have to say about the outgoing Senator's defeat: here it is. (via) Image via Stock.xchng

Last week, the city of Philadelphia announced that it had a budget surplus of -- everyone put your pinkies to your lips -- $200 million dollars. When the news was announced, City Councilman Jim Kenney said the money should be put aside for a "rainy day fund" and not spent right away, which Mayor Street agreed with.

In our times of the Vice President's (now former) Chief of Staff, Scooter Libby, being indicted for obstruction of justice and perjury, (now former) House Majority Leader Tom DeLay being indicted for conspiracy and money laundering, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist being investigated by the FEC, and Philadelphia City Councilman Rick Mariano being indicted for several counts of corruption, it hardly seems possible that there are any decent and ethical politicians left in this country. But take heart! Philadelphia's ethical standards are now amongst the highest in the country.

City Councilman Rick Mariano, a local politician who has had federal indictment rumors swirling about him recently, climbed onto a ledge and City Hall tonight and threatened to commit suicide. He was talked down from the ledge by Mayor John Street and Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson.

Pat Croce has given up his quest to open a casino in Philadelphia, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Croce wanted to build his casino at the location of the old Adam's Mark Hotel, but pressure from City Councilman Mike Nutter, and local residents, helped him decide that he didn't want to build a casino that would receive such fierce opposition.