Phillies Clinch Playoff Berth

Phils Clinch a Playoff Berth. Obviously, Phillies fans have higher hopes than the NL Wild Card spot this season, but the team is at least guaranteed to make the playoffs via that route if the wheels fall off over the next three weeks. Doc tossed a complete game shutout as the Phils beat the Astros 1-0 and avoided a sweep. [The 700 Level]

Ackerman’s PR Team Still Getting Paid. Three of the former superintendent’s cronies are still on the District payroll even though they’ve left their posts. The three women will continue to receive paychecks on their six-figure salaries for the next three months. [FOX 29]

Penn Park Opens Tonight. The 24-acre parking-lot-turned-public-park will be officially unveiled this evening. The space includes tennis courts, sports fields, a “picnic grove,” and phenomenal views of the Center City skyline. [CBS 3]

Men Plead Not Guilty in Beating Death of Phillies Fan. David Sale—a 22-year-old from Lansdale—was beaten to death in a parking lot outside Citizens Bank Park following an altercation with a group of men inside McFadden’s. Three men have been charged with crimes relating to his death, and all three plead not guilty in court yesterday. Just when the Scoop starts to get fired up defending Phillies fans, he’s brought back down to Earth. [CBS 3]

Zoning Meeting Was a Seven-Hour Marathon. Last night, the city’s Zoning Code Commission met for seven hours to discuss Philly’s rezoning issues. Seven hours is a long time to talk about any one topic, let alone zoning codes. The Scoop would have been playing so much Angry Birds at that meeting. [Daily News]

Stolen Oil Tanker Found in Southwest Philly. Yesterday, a Philadelphia police officer located the oil tanker carrying 3,000 gallons of gasoline that had been stolen in Maryland on Monday night. [6 ABC]