Morning Headlines: Mayor Kenney Asks for Patience on Snow Removal

Plus: Should Chris Christie be in Cape May with a mop?

Good morning, Philadelphia. Remember: Schools are closed today, and you should probably check SEPTA’s website if you’re planning on using transit today. Otherwise, here is what you need to know:

Mayor Kenney would really like your patience while snow plowing continues.

“I want to ask people for patience during the cleanup,” he said Monday. “I want to remind them this is the fourth greatest snowfall in city history. We’re getting to your streets. We have to get to the big ones first to get everything rolling. That affects the most number of people.” Clarena Tolson, deputy managing director for infrastructure and transportation, said 1,800 miles of city streets have been plowed as of Monday. But patience is hard to come by in parts of the city. “I don’t know why they don’t clean. I hope they clean it up later, you know?” a pizza delivery guy told NewsWorks. Officials hope the plowing is complete by end of day Wednesday. Meanwhile, be careful: NBC10 reports icy roads are still causing trouble for drivers.

Chris Christie on flooding: “You want me to go down to Cape May with a mop?”

A voter in New Hampshire on Monday asked why New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was campaigning instead of managing cleanup in his home state. CBS3 reports his response: “There’s been one county that’s flooded, in the state. One county that was Cape May County. It’s the one county that flooded. So I don’t know where, from all over the state, since we have 21 counties where that’s happened,” Christie said. “Second, I don’t know exactly what you expect me to do. You want me to go down to Cape May with a mop?”

NBC10 reports on the response from North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello: “Unlike the governor who is in New Hampshire, I am in New Jersey and have been through this entire weather event. I have been with our paid and volunteer rescue personnel throughout the weekend and have witnessed their rescues and heroic efforts throughout the weekend. His comments are disrespectful to the property owners and residents who went through a traumatic weather event.”

Al Schmidt: When good governance requires bad choices.

Al Schmidt is a Republican who has promised for years to reform city government. Anthony Clark is a Democrat who has a reputation for rarely showing up to work. So why did Schmidt vote for Clark to chair the Philadelphia City Commission? Reform, of course. “For me, the advantages outweighed all the other considerations, because it was about continuing to do good things and making sure good things weren’t undone,” Schmidt, the commission’s lone Republican, tells the Inquirer. He says he feared that Lisa Deely, a Democrat who is the commission’s only other member, wouldn’t give him the autonomy to pursue reform efforts in the office. “I’m determined to make the right decision for what’s best for the department and the voters.”

Officials: 250 gallons of oil spilled into the Schuylkill over the weekend.

PhillyVoice.com reports it was part of a broader 4,200-gallon leak from a CenturyLink facility near Chestnut Street. Drinking water, we’re told, is safe. “All downstream notifications have been made and @PhillyH2O intake valves are closed. There are no health concerns,” the OEM tweeted. “The responsible party has an environmental contractor on site and [the Coast Guard] is monitoring clean up as Schuylkill is navigable waterway.” The Schuylkill Banks trail may be partially closed for the cleanup, however.

The Sixers play the Suns tonight. They’re favored to win. Really.

“Ladies and gentlemen, sit down … You will not believe this … Your 76ers are FAVORED by 3 points Tuesday night vs the Suns,” Daily News scoreboard editor Bob Vetrone Jr. tweeted on Monday night. He added: “Sixers favored Tuesday night for second time this season … They were -2 vs Lakers on Dec. 2.” That of course doesn’t mean the Sixers are good: The Suns are just that bad this season.

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