Remember those makeshift stables in Strawberry Mansion that animal cruelty investigators raided yesterday? Well, the owners of about 40 of the horses living there removed their animals yesterday, as ordered. About 20 more horses were allowed to stay in three garages on Fletcher Street near 27th that had been made into stables while owners of those properties made repairs. The other structures will be bulldozed today. Yesterday, City Council gave final approval to a lease......

Governor Rendell said that he would back the indicted Senator Fumo's reelection bid if Fumo just asked him. Ed says: "We would be lost in Harrisburg without him because of his skill. He has done great things, and we are lucky to have him." The Inquirer is getting excited about the Philadelphia Flower Show, which will have a preview opening for selected guests tomorrow, and then open to the general public on Sunday. Catherine......

"A Philadelphia parents' group sharply criticized the city school district and the USDA yesterday for not acting earlier to recall possibly tainted beef served to children in school cafeterias." The latest poll in Pennsylvania shows Hillary Clinton's lead against Obama shrinking, and also suggests that regardless of which candidate wins the Democratic primary, he or she will have a close, tough fight against John McCain. Meanwhile, the Montgomery County Democratic Committee is meeting tonight to......

Sons of Ben and other Philly area soccer fans rejoice: the Inquirer says sources are telling them that "Major League Soccer is moving swiftly toward an agreement that will grant a long-sought expansion team to the Philadelphia region." Saint Joe's will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5PM today to officially open its new Hawks' Landing parking and retail facility at 54th and City Avenue. Hawks' Landing is a $19 million project that features a five-story,......

The Inquirer takes a look at a local and national trend of gay CEOs coming out. Mayor Nutter has tapped a Philadelphia native, and city planner who specializes in urban revitalization, to be the city's next commerce director and deputy mayor for economic development. Key Pennsylvania lawmakers have yet to say whether they support the construction of a riverfront stadium that would be necessary to bring a Major League Soccer team to the Philadelphia area,......

PATCO and SEPTA are thinking about working together to extend PATCO's service along Columbus Boulevard and perhaps to City Hall. The project would involve "reopening the long-closed Franklin Square station beneath Sixth and Race Streets to serve as the hub of the expanded service." This new service, however, would cost at least $1 billion, would thus require financial help, and would take eight to ten years to complete. Another wrinkle in the federal investigation into......

With a preliminary hearing for the case scheduled for tomorrow, the Inquirer takes another look at the 41-year long murder of Police Officer William Barclay. Pennsylvania officials will decide soon whether to spend $45 million to build a stadium in Chester as the final step toward securing a Major League Soccer team for the Philadelphia area. Right now, Philly is second behind St. Louis for the remaining expansion slot, its chances contingent on a stadium......

14,029 people participated in yesterday's Philadelphia Distance Run. The Inquirer article about the event focuses not on the winner, but on the amateurs and the regular folks involved. The still theoretical Philadelphia Major League Soccer franchise already has a fan club: the Sons of Ben, or SoBs. As part of a piece of 2002 legislation, the state of New Jersey took over many of the powers of Camden's local government and school board. Yesterday,......

Londonist are starting to think their city is getting just a little bit too expensive, when even Christian Slater can't afford to go out there. And there's no escaping, as local singer Lily Allen discovered when she was barred entry to the US. The British mapping agency caused further bad karma, by blocking a 3-D representation of London in Google Earth. But the smiles returned to Londonist's faces as they interviewed Baroness von Reichardt,......

Famous rocker and local dude Bon Jovi doesn't like that the name of the Mijovi energy drink is so similar to his own, so he's got his lawyer sending them letters telling them to stop using it, and suggesting something like "My Jovi" instead. Which... actually makes it look more like "Bon Jovi" to us. (Via Jill) More news about toxic gas leaks! The Oxford Valley Mall in Langhorne was closed early yesterday morning when......

On Wednesday, the art and architecture committee of the city's Art Commission voted on whether or not a bronze statue of Stallone as Rocky (donated by the actor during the release of Rocky III) would be moved to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and ended up returning a split decision. The application has been withdrawn, but will be brought before the committee again in a new form - and possibly with a......

Phillyist is, of course, just as patriotic as all of our other Ist brethren out there. And while we might not go crazy flouting it the way we suspect our friends at Londonist will over the next few weeks, we'll still be rooting hard for the good ol' U-S-of-A. Specifically, we'll be rooting for two players on the U.S. roster who hail from Philadelphia: Bobby Convey and Chris Albright. Convey, who plays on the......