It’s Up To Your Knees Out There
Rendell Loves His Krimpets. The outgoing gov proposed a new batch of state aid to the ailing Tasty Baking Co., which one former investment banker told the Inky was like “pouring money down a rat hole.” Oh, and anything Rendell does will probably be undone when Corbett takes over January 18th. [Inquirer]
Strange Bedfellows, Indeed. Heard in the Hall spots Anthony Williams and Bill Green dining together, and speculates that they’re conspiring to challenge Mayor Nutter. The Scoop is dubious. [Heard in City Hall]
Surprise! You Paid for Carl Greene’s Luggage. Specifically, 20 (!) $796-a-piece (!!) leather-trimmed Tumi carry-on duffel bags—total cost, $15,920—he bought at Nordstrom in 2009. But Greene wasn’t greedy about the whole thing: He only kept one, and gave the others to his PHA executive buddies. [Daily News]
State Pays $1 million to Man Wrongly Convicted of Murder. To end a federal lawsuit, Larry Peterson, who spent 18 years behind bars for a Burlington County murder that DNA evidence suggests someone else committed, will get a seven-figure check. Yeah, that’s a lot of money; still, doesn’t quite seem enough to us. Not for 18 years of your life. [Inquirer]
Is Arlene Ackerman Just Trying to Piss Everyone Off? Sure seems that way. After leaks about her handling of a no-bid contract and the District’s pending black hole of a budget deficit, Ackerman sent out a memo threatening potential leakers with suspension or termination. (It leaked, apparently.) This is just the latest in her by-now-familiar patter: Last year, Ackerman tried to block potentially embarrassing information from getting out about District salaries and her own bonus. [Inquirer]
What to Do When Your Star’s a Dog Killer: The Eagles are bankrolling a Humane Society anti-dog-fighting campaign, modeled after ones in Atlanta and Chicago. No word on exactly how much money the team is spending, but the Scoop suspects that, whatever it is, Michael Vick will earn much more in the first quarter of the first game of the 2011 season. Just saying. [Newsworks]
Because You’re Snowed In And Have Nothing Better to Do. Here’s a thousand words or so on why Comcast’s promises to the FCC of creating local journalism partnerships between its soon-to-be NBC affiliates and independent journalism operations are not all they’re cracked up to be (note: this is not a Scoop editorial, rather, just an thought-provoking read):
“There is no way to sugar-coat it: This merger is a disaster. Allowing Comcast to takeover NBC is an endorsement of a troubling new kind of media merger and paves the way for higher prices, fewer choices and more consolidation. The last minute promises Comcast is dolling out do little to address the damage that will be done.” [FreePress]
Breaking: It’s Snowing. [Look Outside]
