Other misc. Monday news

• Another anti-violence police effort is starting tomorrow, involving a unit specifically targeted to high-crime neighborhoods and night patrols. A fine idea, although when "flexible" means constantly changing beats, I worry about the mistakes that come from interacting with unfamiliar (and presumed dangerous) areas.
  
  
• More reaction to last week's repeated river contamination (summarized here): the Daily News talks to local regulatory agencies about the incidents and what they mean for regional water conditions. Take home: the rivers are in pretty healthy shape.
  
  
• Also a continuation of debate over proposed state regulation of mercury emissions: a spokesman for the energy industry speaks up in support of the Senate's move to block Rendell's stricter standards. In contrast, a letter to the editor agrees with Rendell in putting safety first.
  
  
• The Inquirer editorial page is not impressed with the lobbying reform measure recently passed by the state House, calling it watered down, but still considers it a step in the right direction (and better than being the only state with no lobbyist oversight at all).
  
  
• A poster at PhillyFuture notes an article describing the elimination of the middle class in many major cities (including Philadelphia), where more neighborhoods are becoming either very wealthy or quite impoverished.
  
  
• Apparently the Inquirer has admitted to knowing that there's a local blogosphere shaping up. And it's quite a healthy and active one too. Most of those noted here are community activism sites or political blogs, but there are cultural blogs, restaurant reviewers, and many others as well.
  (via PhillyFuture)
  
  
• Marc Stier posts from out of town about zoning and land use issues, including a hearing that is probably already underway as I post this...