We’ve often seen our relationship with SEPTA as a “loveless marriage,” too: The City and our beloved transportation system are promising a more cooperative relationship leading to “a vibrant, clean, safe and efficient transit system.” And they got a bridge they can sell ya, too. Police fear a serial robber who has hit 20 businesses is getting bolder, which may lead the armed bandit to become violent. The description is as vague as usual, but......

The Inquirer takes a hard look at the soccer stadium that's being proposed for Chester and whether it will really help the city as much as some people say. "The fate of the city's public golf courses is in the hands of City Council today in a hearing to examine a proposed contract to run them and, hopefully, improve them." Well, it's good to know City Council is taking care of the really important things.........

How did last night's debut of American Idol treat Philadelphia? The Inquirer has the analysis - and a horrifying picture. Two West Philadelphia High students were slashed during an argument on Monday, so a heavy police presence blanketed the area yesterday as students were dismissed for the day. A suspect on the city's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, described as a "one-man army," and who had eluded authorities for over two years while running a......

The latest in the case of Ebony Nicole Dorsey, the 14-year-old girl allegedly killed by her mother's boyfriend: the Daily News has an exclusive interview with the girl's mother, Danielle Cattie, who calls her boyfriend a monster. Meanwhile, the Inquirer quotes Cattie's brother defending his sister; he says she's "a great mom who deeply loves her children," and "She's a good person who made some bad decisions. She's paid a horrible price." It may seem......

Yesterday morning, we caught the Today Show interview with Maureen Faulkner, the widow of slain Philadelphia Police officer Daniel Faulkner. She was being interviewed along with Philadelphia conservative radio talk show host Michael Smerconish about Murdered By Mumia, the book they wrote together chronicling her struggle after the death of her husband. Most people probably have never heard of Officer Faulkner, but most likely they have heard of the man convicted of his 1981......

The Daily News has more on what's happening in the city in the aftermath of the death of Philadelphia Police Officer Chuck Cassidy. The reward for information has been increased, the manhunt has been stepped up, and later today "detectives expect to have a video of the murder that was enhanced at FBI headquarters in Quantico, Va." In a lengthy hearing yesterday, more sordid information came out about Andy Reid's sons Garrett and Britt......

CBS3 broke a story this morning about a heroin bust in Northeast Philly. Over one million dollars in heroin was seized by Philadelphia Police "near 'G' Street and Hunting Park Avenue." The drugs purportedly originated in New York and Colombia (CBS3 put themselves in the crosshairs of our very own Proofreading Philly by misspelling the name of the coffee-and-drugs capital of the world). The cheeky criminals hid the stash, totaling over eight pounds, in the......

Police have charged Duane Jackson, 45, with attempted murder and attempted rape in the case of a woman who was stabbed and sexually assaulted in her home near Center City in July. Authorities suspect Jackson may be responsible for other attacks in the city and are looking into that now, so more charges are probably on the way. An appeals court panel has upheld the 81/2-to-17-year prison sentence given to a computer consultant for......

Plan Philly has an article about that roundtable discussion amongst bloggers, reporters, and academics about the future of Philadelphia. Our own Jill Ivey was there to offer her insights. Go Phillyist! An 18-year-old former Philadelphian has admitted guilt in two armed bank robberies in April in South Jersey, as well as an attempted carjacking and a home invasion following the second robbery. The Tut exhibit at the Franklin Institute is on track "to break......

Yesterday Unity Day was celebrated in the rain on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and thousands of people of all shapes, sizes, and colors attended, enjoying music, food, games, and activities. A report to be released today by City Controller Alan Butkovitz shows that two decades of expensive attempts to build a new computerized water billing system have achieved little, and the system will almost certainly not be done by the time Mayor Street leaves office,......

Is N.Y.P.D. Pizza on South 11th Street across from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital going to be the next pizzeria to face the wrath of the New York City Police Department? Perhaps, given the fact that a similarly named chain of pizzerias based in Orlando has incurred the wrath of New York’s Finest and is getting sued for having a logo that is a doppelganger for the NYPD logo and selling faux-NYPD gear - all......

Implosions are awesome. Just ask the thousands of people who crowded into South Philly's streets, and eventually, onto Interstate 76 to watch the implosion of Veterans Stadium at 7:00 AM on March 21, 2004. Some kept their Saturday night parties raging until morning. Others got an early start to their Sundays. Both groups had their drinks to keep them going: beer in paper bags or Wawa coffee in paper cups. Phillyist was part of the......

Our new author Lou is jumping right into the fray with a quick news post on the Penn shooting (gosh, we sure are Penn-centric!) that anonymous tipsters have been dumping links about into our contribute section - thanks for the heads-up, folks! We might give Lou more of a proper intro later, but for now we'll let his writing speak for him. Phillyist has heard a good deal about muggings, shootings, and other assorted acts......

Governor Rendell will be officially sworn in to his second term today at 11:45AM. The Inquirer has a run-down of his plans for this term and what challenges he's likely to face. Meanwhile, the AP points out that Bon Jovi, Frankie Avalon, and The Trammps will all be playing the inaugural concert, tickets to which are $100 each. Despite the promise of more revenue soon, the PA gaming board is in danger of running out......

In an interview with Jim Salisbury of The Philadelphia Inquirer, closing pitcher Billy Wagner laid into his team and said that as constituted, the Phils have no shot of making the playoffs. "We ain't got a chance to get there right now," Wagner said. Kenny Lofton and other unnamed players called a team meeting the following day. It seems some Phils believe they do know how to win, and thus they took issue with what......