Philadelphia – Page 11 – Christopher Wink

Shooting at my Philadelphia subway stop

Sadly, yesterday a man was shot by two SEPTA officers at the Allegeny Ave. stop on the Broad Street Line, my stop.This comes after reports of increases of SEPTA and city officers riding the subways, often derided as dangerous. I’ve never had a problem myself, but reports of teenage violence, particularly directed at younger riders, have been on the rise.The man was apparently smoking in the stop when the officers approached him. He tried to run and at least four shots were fired.I have video from CBS 3, but I haven’t been able to upload it on YouTube.(Photos by Greg Bezanis, a staff photographer of The Temple News)

Philly super delegate endorses Obama

Carol Ann Campbell, one of Philadelphia’s super delegates and a city Democratic committee cog, has endorsed Barack Obama after a conversation with the candidate’s wife, the Associated Press is reporting.

Previously, the former City Councilwoman had said she wouldn’t endorse either candidate before it came time to cast her vote (assuming it will be necessary) in order that she not burn bridges. Her mind was changed by a 90 minute conversation with Michelle Obama, Barack’s wife who is just about charming everyone in sight.

Indeed, it was generally considered that Campbell was a Clinton supporter before the conversation, according to the LA Times. As previously posted, the tide is surely turning on the Democratic side of things.

Progress Plaza video

The Temple News is trying to add more video content to our coverage. Check this video by Chief Copy Editor Chris Stover and his partner in crime LeAnne Matlach, Assistant News Editor, on Progress Plaza, the country’s first black owned shopping mall. It abuts Temple University’s Main Campus and is going through a regeneration.

Rappin' Mix Master Mayor

The previous post was on Michael Nutter appearing on ABC’s ‘World News Tonight‘ with Charlie Gibson on Wednesday. In it, Gibson mentioned video of Nutter rapping on his inauguration night. Check that video out below and be amazed. He doesn’t even embarrass himself. Seriously.

Michael Nutter on 'World News Tonight'

On Wednesday, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter was on ABC’s ‘World News Tonight’ with Charlie Gibson, as I posted earlier. See a portion of it below.

New Opera makes East Coast debut in Philly

After debuting his first full-length Opera in Detroit, David DiChiera, the father of Michigan Opera scene, has brought “Cyrano” to the Opera Company of Philadelphia until tomorrow.

It is a modern form of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” Edmond Rostand’s famed 19th-century play of unrequited love.

DiChiera, 72, is old enough to begin his Opera-writing career, but he has been trained and involved in the art all his life.

(Photo: David DiChiera, in Philadelphia before Wednesday’s performance of “Cyrano,” the 72-year-old’s first full-length opera. By Jim Graham For The Washington Post, from an article referenced in this post)

Look, another list that criticizes Philadelphia

Well, if there’s anything that media has figured out in this age of failure, it is that lists sell. Particularly lists stacking and ordering cities, something everyone takes pride in, even as people continue to leave them. So it is no surprise that Forbes magazine recently came out with a list ordering cities by a ‘misery’ code.To come to their conclusions Forbes made all sorts of quasi-scientific sounding scales and used all sorts of measures. Yeah.Philadelphia is in the top five, top place went to Detroit.To see the list, complete with the numbers Forbes came up with, check after the jump. Continue reading Look, another list that criticizes Philadelphia

The diary of a mad, black, super delegate

Americans. Who the hell knows what a super delegate is? Even if you do, you don’t really. Primary season can be about as labyrinthine as.. well, as every other element to the broken, patchwork voting system that elects leaders in the most powerful country in the world.

Thing is, they could end up being awfully important, if Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama continue to run tightly through to this summer’s Democratic Convention – which almost all are concluding they will. See, if the primary season doesn’t choose a presumptive candidate, then the Party’s 796 super delegates decide for them, as was displayed in an interesting report by the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Larry Eichel. No surprise, Philadelphia’s representatives in this game are voices of the city’s Democratic machine, notably Carol Ann Campbell, the city party’s secretary, former councilwoman, and resident caricature.

Campbell has said she isn’t saying who she supports yet, as the Inquirer’s Heard in the Halls blog reported. Another noted machine rep who is a super delegate is Ron Donatucci, a Temple University alumus and trustee, the city’s register of wills and has also served as the city commitee’s secretary. The city’s other superdelegates are senior elected officials, like U.S. Reps. Chaka Fattah, Bob Brady and Allyson Schwartz, Sen. Casey and Gov. Rendell. (Photo courtesy of City Paper, from an article that is referenced in this post)

My son was riding this Chinese bus

Good find on Philadelphia Weekly’s Will Do blog.

Chris Matthews, a Philly kid and MSNBC talking head, tried to talk about the Chinatown bus, and how his son took it to get home and vote. ‘Cept he kept calling it the Chinese bus, not that getting it right and calling it the Chinatown bus woulda helped most of the country know what the hell he was talking about.

So, yeah, though Matthews totally goes to bat for Philly on the reg, it’s fairly amusing.

Arrest that jaywalker

New Philadelphia Police Commissioner Chuck Ramsey unveiled his comprehensive crime fighting report early this month. Lots was made of initiatives to pump in new cops and lessen homicide totals with direct action, but a smaller plan is in the works.

An old suggestion by city cop Edward McLaughlin for Philadelphia to conform with most of Pennsylvania in a small and sensible way caught the attention of Ramsey and was included in his plan, as reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer today.Throughout most of the state, such quality of life offenses like littering, jaywalking and acting as a public nuisance require an officer just to write a citation, permitted the transgressor has proof of address. Since 1974, Philadelphia officers have had to arrest the person, and spend an hour or more bringing the individual to be booked and processed.

Don’t be too hopeful though. The change could take at least six months and could require a massive overhaul in processing, as there is the expectation for a huge upsurge in citations. We’ll see if Ramsey can fight Philly, where good ideas come to die.