Other Wednesday bits

• Above Average Jane notes that Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick appears to be shifting his positions to distance himself from Bush, but she's not convinced. Lots of data on his past votes and statements.
  
  
• Friedman notes a recent Rendell announcement of substantial new funds for green space as part of the Growing Greener II program.
  
  
• An Inquirer editorial congratulates the Barnes for their choice of new leader, and wishes him luck.
  
  
• Two letters of interest: one suggests less obtrusive security solutions for Independence Mall, and the other suggests that periodic re-registration of guns would make it difficult for straw buyers to resell and claim to have lost the weapon in question.
  
  
• A Philadelphia Weekly story looks at an impressive new grocery store that exemplifies the ethnic diversification of West Philadelphia as well as the impact that urban grocery stores can have on their neighborhoods.
  
  
• Another PW piece looks at current labor negotiations between the Newspaper Guild and the new owners of the Inquirer and Daily News -- the unions seem as unhappy as in past discussions.
  
  
• A happy ending to a needless conflict: the owner of a Philadelphia elementary school has agreed to sell the property to a popular city charter school, which needs the additional space, rather than convert the property into condominiums, as they had proposed. Ruffled feathers in many quarters settling back into place...
  
  
• Finally, Marc Stier starts another series, this time looking at how progressives should address crime problems. He makes the good point there that long-term solutions aimed at root causes must be joined by some shorter-term interventions to stop current violence. Specific suggestions will be in the next installment.