Philadelphia School District Left to Foot Ackerman Bill
After Donors Back Out, Taxpayers on the Hook for All of Ackerman Buyout. Yesterday the School Reform Commission cut Arlene Ackerman a $905,000 check to ensure she won’t come back to work. Originally, the Philadelphia School District was counting on $405,000 of private donations to help with the cost. But, it turns out that those donations won’t be coming in and the District—and the taxpayers—will be footing the bill for all $905,000. Any chance we’ll be getting a receipt? [Inquirer]
Left Over Rain From Tropical Storm Lee Floods the Area. I-76 Eastbound is closed between the Blue Route and Girard and a slew of other local streets are flooded due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee. Haverford Township, Upper Darby, parts of Chester County and other areas in the burbs also saw flooding yesterday into today as a result of the heavy rain. The Scoop’s glad he invested in all of those umbrella futures. [CBS 3]
Phils Walk Off in Ninth, Sweep Braves. The unlikeliest of heroes came through for the Fightin’s in the bottom frame of the ninth inning last night when Ross Gload delivered a walk-off single to complete the team’s sweep of NL East foe Atlanta. The Phils are now up 10-and-a-half games on the Braves with three weeks to play. [The 700 Level]
Utley (Likely) Has a Concussion and Won’t Make the Trip to Milwaukee. And now for the bad news. After getting clunked in the head by a fastball last night, Utley might have a mild concussion and will not travel with the team to take on the Brewers. Generally, this is where the Scoop would make a gratuitous “keeping your head in the game” comment, but Utley missing an inning—let alone two games—is no joking matter. [Crossing Broad]
New Archbishop Assumes Post in Philly Today. Charles Chaput will officially take his post this afternoon after a mass at Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul on the Ben Franklin Parkway. [CBS 3]
SEPTA Pushes for Further Protection of Drivers. After a SEPTA bus driver was shot and wounded Tuesday night, union officials are reiterating their call for legislative protection for bus drivers. Senate Bill 236 would add bus drivers to the list of the protected class of workers, thus increasing the severity of the crime. Forty-seven SEPTA operators have been attacked in some form or another in 2011. [Metro]
Philly’s Chief Innovation Officer Calls for Technological Moratorium. Less than a month into his tenure as the city’s first chief innovation officer, Adel Ebeid has called for a 30- to 45-day moratorium on adding new technology to Philly’s IT infrastructure due to the glaring problems and uphill battle that he and the IT department have in front of them. [Technically Philly]
