Books and firemen haven’t shared this much of the limelight since “Fahrenheit 451“.

With Nutter’s proposed “cost cutting decisions” like closing down 11 Philly libraries and consolidating city fire departments making headlines ever since I returned to the Cradle of Liberty, I’m at least glad to hear that there’s a stay of execution on the libraries – for now.

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As I’m sure you’re aware, KB Toys is going out of business.

Kind of hits a soft spot with yours truly, who used to constantly go to the store at The Gallery when I was a kid.

Went in there yesterday. What’s left of the store is 50% off.

There is, however, a whole shelf of Indiana Jones and Star Wars toys.

Check it out and get a piece of history, while you can.

Another piece of my childhood – like Woolworth and Roy Rogers – down the drain. ;-(

– AP

Rejoice, fellow Philadelphians, I say rejoice!

Rejoice not because the Arena Football League is pretty much dead.

I implore you to rejoice because this means the Philadelphia Soul will be AFL Champions.

Forever.

Now I know you’re a little sad, but don’t be. Yeah, Saturday and Sundays in mid-July are going to be way different in the Proctor household. No more recapping the crushing blocks of Clifton Smith, those game winning drives by Tony Graziani, or those 50-yard touchdown receptions by Larry Brackins.

If it weren’t for the AFL, this picture may never have been taken. (That’s Soul owner Jon Bon Jovi with Colorado Crush..haha…owner John Elway)

Wait – who am I kidding? I love football and all and have been wishing for a legit summer league ever since the XFL was piledriven off of NBC. However, I honestly only tuned into the Arena league if reruns of “Law & Order” or an infomercial I’d already seen 15 times weren’t on.

Still, the Soul are (is?) Champions forever.

We should have a parade every year – if Nutter can afford it.

Suck on that, Grand Rapids Rampage fans.

– AP

Well, that’s what the idiot Mayor thinks.

Luckily, everyone isn’t on board:

Click HERE to help out.

(Thanks to Is This Life? for the link….)

In one of the most exciting primary elections in recent history, Senator Clinton (NY) takes the PA primary with a 10 point lead over Senator Obama (IL).

While Obama overwhelmingly won the support of Philadelphians (65% to Clinton’s 35%), Clinton proved that she is the clear choice for Pennsylvanians state-wide. Being a huge supporter of Senator Clinton, I listened intently to her victory speech last night. She said one thing that really stuck in my mind (not verbatim), “…I’ve seen parent’s with their daughters saying – See? You can be anything you want to be.”

On an even more local level, Larry Farnese won the 1st District Senate Seat – proudly representing South Philadelphia. While I voted for Anne Dicker, I was very satisfied that union boss John Dougherty did not clinch the victory. Dougherty also “killed” more trees then Farnese and Dicker – and if anyone knows, I am all about greening South Philadelphia.

Mayor Michael Nutter is encouraging all Philadelphia residents to join him in a city-wide cleanup. Tomorrow, Saturday April 5th, between 9am and 2pm, thousands of people will be out and about showing their dedication to beautifying the city. Post cleanup, Mayor Nutter will be hosting a BBQ at Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia. Volunteers ride SEPTA for FREE to the BBQ and back home. Check out this link for details on how to help: http://www.phillycleanup.com/pages/Home.asp?Section=Home

On January 7, 2008, Philadelphia’s newly elected Mayor, Michael Nutter, hosted an open house at City Hall starting at 4pm, EST. Let me tell you folks – I haven’t seen lines that long since the infamous Tea Cup ride during my trip to Disney World more then a decade ago. I waited 3.5 hours in line to congratulate and shake Mayor Nutter’s hand. It was well worth the wait.
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Back in June I wrote a post about how the City Council had proposed an ordinance that would end the very sweet deal the Boy Scouts of American have had with the city since 1928. They rent a very nice building from the city at 22nd and Winter (a prime spot near the Franklin Institute) for a $1 a year. However, since BSA ban gays from membership (a right that the Supreme Court upheld in 2000) the city didn’t feel like it was appropriate to continue to subsidize their use of the building.

So the city has upped the rent to $200,000 a year and the Boy Scouts are saying that they will have to relocate (it does get a little tricky in that the city owns the land but the BSA constructed the building. I guess they didn’t anticipate a world in which their discriminatory practices would become problematic). They are still trying to work out the final details and there may yet be an 11th hour stay, but barring some vast policy change, it looks like the Boys Scouts are out.

City hikes Boy Scouts’ rent by $199,999 over gay ban [Inky]

Philadelphia Will Do and Philebrity have already made just about every joke I can think of about this afternoon’s flashing of NBC10’s Monique Braxton by Philadelphia Judge Lisa Richette’s son Larry. The only thing I’d like to add is that I really hope that Judge Richette gets the help she needs and doesn’t live the rest of her life cowed and abused by her son.

If you were planning on heading over to Reading Terminal Market next weekend to check out the Dutch Festival, you are going to have to change your plans. The Amish merchants at the Market have decided to cancel the festival this year in protest to the ousting of Rick’s Steaks (if you haven’t been following the news, Rick’s didn’t get a lease renewal this year, and while it looked for a while like they’d be able to stay, word from the Market board is that they are out and Tony Luke’s is in).

I’m saddened by this, as I’ve always look forward to the Dutch Festival. I especially liked it when they’d block off parts of the street and offer horse-drawn wagon rides around the Market. I guess there’s always next year.

Rick’s Steaks owner sues over ouster from market [Inquirer]