Thursday news round-up

Blogger is a bit cloggy today, so just quick summaries of several interesting news stories:

• As Ardmore continues embattled over the use of city emininent domain to redevelop its city center, towns in New Jersey have just won the right to use the same power to limit sprawl.

  A state appeals court ruling that Mount Laurel can use eminent domain to acquire land for the use of open space could give towns across New Jersey a weapon in their battle against development.

  Few folks love sprawl, but I'm sure this will lead to much worrying about expanding government powers.
  
  
• Fairmont Park commission has a new acting director, who appears likely to be confirmed as the permanent guy for the post by the full park commission this fall. he'll face some immediate challenges, not least City Council legislation aimed at disbanding the Fairmont Park Commission and rolling it into the recreation department (see previous story here).
  
  
• Philadelphia Mayor John Street just officially signed the city's new Housing Trust Fund into existence -- see announcement of its creation and transformational potential in the previous story here.
  
  
• An article discusses Philadelphia's recently formed special "region" of low-performing schools (see previous story in first item here), which will be the focus of much effort and experimental intervention this fall.
  
  
• In a move that appears to have caught many by surprise, SEPTA is set to allow plugging of alcoholic beverages by its advertisers. Officials claim financial incentives, but opponents point out that glamorous liquor ads are tied to increased experimentation by youth.
  
  
• As part of the national GOP leadership, Senator Rick Santorum has been in a possession to support the campaigns of many of his colleagues. Now, as his own re-election looks to be an increasingly fierce competition, he is garnering the support of many of those same colleagues, contributing to his 2006 warchest. The article also takes a look at Santorum's largest sources of past financing, and draws parallels with his top issues or areas of influence.