Groundhog Says Early Spring (Excuse Our Skepticism)

Plus Ed Rendell's first DN sports column, train woes abound, money trouble for the Mets, Jihad Jane's guilty plea and more of what Philly is talking about this morning

Jihad Jane Pleads Guilty. Our homegrown terrorist pled guilty in Philadelphia federal court yesterday on “conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, including providing a U.S. passport, and that she lied to FBI agents about it.” Did you know she’s only four-foot-ten? [Inquirer]

Ed Rendell Goes Pam Ewing. The ex-guv’s first Daily News sports column hit newsstands today. In it, he details his own Super Bowl-related sports dream. The Scoop won’t reveal who comes out of the shower. [Daily News]

Groundhog Day Results. So Phil did not cast a shadow this morning, which means an early spring for us. (Maybe that groundhog could just feel our desperation.) Whether you believe in Phil’s predictive powers or not, one thing is undeniable: Those dudes in top hats in Punxsutawney pretty much live for this day. [6 ABC]

Fire on SEPTA Broad Street Line. The BSL was screwed for four hours yesterday because of a bag that caught fire at the Girard Street station. The ATF is on it. [6 ABC] Other train trouble this morning: Amtrak halted service from Philly to NYC for a bit. [Newsworks]

Local Students Make It Back From Egypt. A group of University of Delaware students who were studying abroad in Egypt pulled out early to return to the U.S. Their homecoming was made difficult by lack of internet connection. Newsworks got their story.

The New York Mets’ Madoff Trouble. The Scoop’s daily dose of schadenfreude: Seems the NY baseball team’s in more trouble because of Bernie Madoff than was originally revealed. [WSJ]