Tuesday news -- from other arenas

• Strawbridges has been a corporate chameleon for some time, but now its stores are officially closing, marking the end of an era for many. [This piece is a historical tour de force.]
  
  
• The sale of Philadelphia papers is on the verge of being closed, and it could still be announced today. More here, including sighs of relief that both papers will be kept open for the time being...
  
  
• The planned reorganization of Philadelphia's housing agencies may be closer to reality with news that Mayor Street and Councilwoman Blackwell have reached agreement on some differences, especially on provisions for any displaced employees.
  
  
• The latest PPA kerfluffle concerns the news that a primary architect of the new GPS-in-cabs plan will be leaving for a new job with the GPS company he helped select. Since he's a consultant, not a government employee, the move isn't illegal, but of course it raises (sadly familiar) eyebrows, especially in a city tired of being told it's not ethical enough to run its own agencies. The Daily News opinion page wonders whether the consultant loophole should be closed.
  
  
• An Inquirer editorial takes Councilwoman Blackwell to task for her slowness in approving a new site for the juvenile detention facility due to be displaced by the relocation of the Barnes museum. Good point that these plans need to get moving.
  
  
• Dan at YPP looks at a New Jersey case that could go to the Supreme Court, testing the limits of how badly a company can rip off its customers before it's considered illegal.
  
  
• South Philly was the scene of an anti-casino demonstration on Saturday, ably documented by Ed Goppelt at Hallwatch.
  (via dragonballyee's Philly)