Belated Monday round-up

Doing a bit of catch-up on many fronts today, but blogging is not forgotten!!

• Politicians
  
  
  
  • New State Reps are getting oriented in Harrisburg, but the Chester County race is still undecided, leaving Republican Royer, ahead by 19 before the corrections and absentee ballots, "in purgatory." He's not alone, as some other Reps are hesitating to finalize their committee assignments until they know who'll be in charge.
    
    
  • More sordid details of Weldon's favors for pals.
    
    
  • Philadelphia politicians are skittish in the wake of a series of federal investigations, presuming that every piece of communication may have an extra audience. Good, let 'em look over their shoulders now and then; maybe they'll see the voters!
    
    
  • The Daily News looks at the swearing-in of new City Council members in Philadelphia and the challenges they will face again in May.
    
    
  • City Council members jostle for seats after welcoming newbies; other small political gossip at the same link.
    
    
  • An Inquirer editorial wonders whether state legislators learned anything from the pay-hike fiasco.
  
  
• Other news
  
  
  
  • Philadelphia is bringing on board some software to help identify the highest risks for violent offenses among parolees, targeting them for additional oversight.
    
    
  • Albert gives a thorough run-down of the homelessness forum from a week(ish) ago. Sounds like a great event.
    
    
  • Marc Stier gives us an overview of SEPTA's budget crisis and its origins, and advises interested folks that the PTC (Pennsylvania Transit Coalition) is back in action.
    
    
  • An Inquirer editorial argues that discussion of reinstating the draft is a distraction from real issues facing the military and its image/recruitment. Interesting data here on who fights our wars these days -- more representative than you might have thought.
    
    
  • A Daily News editorial applauds recent action to help regulate nuisance liquor marts (so-called stop'n'go stores). Congrats to all who worked hard on this one!
    
    
  • Dan at YPP argues the importance of local media, and worries that gutting of our daily papers' staff could result in critical local issues being overlooked.
    
    
  • And finally, in the wake of Thanksgiving, AAJane reminds us that little gestures make all the difference to a person's day and are worth appreciating.