Thursday round-up

• Polling news
  
  
  
  • A Keystone poll puts Casey up by 7 points over Santorum at the moment, with about 6 weeks to election day. Some speculation here about what has and hasn't been achieved by the onset of heavy recent advertising in the race.
    
    
  • John Baer cautions Democrats against getting too confident in light of such poll results. Is there anybody who thinks Santorum is done campaigning? Or that 6 weeks isn't nearly forever?
    
    
  • Tom Ferrick notes that much of the support for either candidate is quite soft, meaning that votes could be shifted either way in the weeks ahead.
    
    
  • Proving that there's more than one race in PA this year, another poll shows Patrick Murphy within 5 points of incumbent Michael Fitzpatrick in the 6th Congressional District race.
  
  
• New City Council nominees
  
  
  
  • The CityPaper has the recent nominations as their cover story, including a substantial profile of Carol Campbell and shorter introductions to Greenlee and Savage. Note the "election not included" subheader...
    
    
    
    The Campbell piece is really brutal. The shorter piece speculates a bit on who might challenge these folks in the spring primaries.
  
  
• Gubernatorial wife-watching (no, really)
  
  
  
  • Swann's wife would prefer to avoid the limelight, but is rising the the occasion.
    
    
  • Rendell's wife is off the campaign trail entirely, mainly because of her day job as a judge.
  
  
• Immigration news
  
  
  
  • Civil rights groups are threatening to sue Riverside, NJ, if it doesn't repeal its new immigration ban at its first council meeting next week, largely on the basis that immigration is a federal issue, not one for every town and region to regulate separately.
    
    
  • Federal agents arrested 115 illegal immigrants in PA and DE this past week, most of whom had standing deportation orders.
  
  
• Violence
  
  
  
  • The Daily News has a whole feature article on the full-day Harrisburg rally planned for next Tuesday to ask for handgun control. Apparently 25 buses will be going! (See this site for more info and/or to join in.)
    
    
  • They also give a list of the many related bills that may be discussed in the special legislative session that day.
  
  
• Other bits
  
  
  
  • Mayor Street is forming a task force too look at city schools, and particularly whether it's time for them to return to local control.
    
    
  • A poster at YPP gives an overview of Gov. Rendell's rocky relationship with LIHEAP (a program that provides heating assistance for the poor).
    
    
  • City Councilmen Kenny and DiCicco will introduce a bill to revamp city planning and the zoning system in Philadelphia. Some of their changes include requiring particular expertise on the Zoning Board and Planning Commission (including, e.g., architects and community groups) and allowing more time for reviewing proposals. More here, including suggestions that the Zoning Code also be overhauled.
    
    
  • The CityPaper political note was unimpressed with a recent Casino Town Hall Meeting, which appeared to be opponents preaching to the choir. Also at this link, a little on Sharif Street's preparations for a Council run.
    
    
  • AAJane is unimpressed by the double-standard of a state Senate incumbent about how and where fundraising should be done.
    
    
  • Hot on the heels of the new police funding, Rendell now brings state funds for school laptops for more than 100 local schools.
    
    
  • Ronnie Polaneczky hopes that the mayoral candidates will think/talk about single motherhood, and about the paucity of life options for poor young women.
    
    
  • A Daily News opinion piece calls on City Council to reform the parks system in Philadelphia by passing the Brown-Clarke bill.
    
    
  • The City Paper is starting its survey for the People's Choice Awards for everything from Best Cheesesteak to Best Educational Program -- have your say while you can.