Morning Headlines: Johnny Doc: “Serious Miscalculation” Led to Ed Coryell’s Ouster

The Scoop: The longtime leader of the carpenters union is out, after two-year struggle with Pa. Convention Center.

Photo | Jeff Fusco

Photo | Jeff Fusco

Good morning Philadelphia. There’s a dense fog greeting commuters this morning. Here’s what else you need to know.

Ed Coryell Sr. has been pushed out as head of the carpenters union he led for decades, after a failed two-year struggle with the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Johnny Doc is saying “I told you so.”

Philly.com reports the changes were ordered by United Brotherhood of Carpenters general president Douglas McCarron in Washington, with Philadelphia members and assets being divvied up and placed under the direction of regional councils based in Pittsburgh, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The carpenters, of course, did not sign onto a labor agreement at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in 2014 — at least, not by the deadline set by convention center officials — and have spent much of the past two years protesting and challenging their resulting ouster from work there.

PhillyVoice.com said John Dougherty, who helped lead a coalition of labor unions that did sign the work agreement, suggested that decision led to Coryell’s downfall. “I think it was a serious miscalculation on Ed’s behalf that was detrimental to his members,” Dougherty said. “But the success of the agreement … made it more of a miscalculation.” But Dougherty also paid tribute: “We were partners in this industry for almost all of my career,” he said. “Ed Coryell has been, for many years, one of the more prominent – if not the most prominent – leader(s) in the labor community.”

Bill Cosby failed in his attempt to get criminal charges dismissed in Montgomery County.

Cosby’s lawyers argued that former D.A. Bruce Castor had promised Cosby would never be prosecuted on Andrea Constand’s claims he sexually assaulted her — and Castor agreed in testimony this week. But the agreement was never placed in writing, and the judge in the case decided Wednesday to proceed. The decision didn’t surprise one observer, Linda Dale Hoffa, a defense attorney who spoke to NBC News: “The judge today made a ruling that makes sense and is not surprising,” she said. “Defense lawyers know that a District Attorney’s promise to never prosecute has to be in writing to be enforceable.” Also Wednesday, the judge ruled that current Montco D.A. Kevin Steele can remain on the case.

It’s getting more expensive to own a car in Philadelphia and Bucks counties.

NewsWorks reports both counties are tacking on a new $5 fee for car registration, starting April 1. Philadelphia expects to raise $3.5 million, which will go to the Streets Department to make improvements to city streets. Officials say, however, that car registration remains affordable. “I know a lot of other states are more expensive than this when it comes to registration,” one said. “I’d say if people are upset that prices are going up, it could be a lot worse.”

Philly’s hottest campaign spot just might be Tattooed Mom, the South Street dive bar.

Both John Fetterman and Josh Shapiro — Democrats running for U.S. Senate and Pennsylvania attorney general, respectively — appeared there Wednesday to speak to progressive political group Philly for Change, KYW reports. Fetterman, already tattooed, looked like he fit in. Shapiro, in a blazer, looked slightly out of place. But Shapiro Fetterman said that candidates must go where the voters are. “You don’t want to do it in hotel ballrooms and have chicken medallions and asparagus tips,” he says. “You go after the voters other candidates don’t see or don’t care to see.”

The puppies are ready for their closeup: Animal Planet orders Penn Vet reality series.

Deadline reports the new series “ takes viewers behind the scenes at the University of Pennsylvania’s highly competitive veterinary school,” documenting fourth-year students as they complete their training and handle cases: The school gets 30,000 patient visits a year, and the patients range “from guinea pigs to zebras.” So get ready, Philadelphia: Your hairball-spitting kitten could soon be a star.

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