Tuesday quickies

My day has been chopped to bits, so not much time for this...

• Politicians
  
  
  
  • While the State House hung onto its leaders, the State Senate had to pick new ones after the old ones were voted out of office. The new leaders pledge many good things.
    
    
  • State House speaker Perzel announces plans to run for Governor in 2010 says Republicans intend to forge ahead on state issues, challenging Rendell to keep up.
    
    
  • Meanwhile, both Rendell and Perzel are suggesting leasing state turnpikes to raise funds for highway and transit needs.
    
    
  • Saidel still hasn't announced for mayor, but he has released a white paper on improving campaign accountability, which also includes some other good-government measures.
    
    
  • Knox and Evans expected to announce in the next two weeks. (Another guy, State Sen. Williams, mentioned here as bowing out before making it onto my radar.) Meantime, Knox offers his vision of a great city (especially its development plans), in the Daily News.
  
  
• Other news
  
  
  
  • Unsurprisingly, Jefferson not thrilled with Street's gambit to designate their Eakins painting of historical value to the city. But that's *our* golden egg!
    
    
  • Philadelphia area (and especially its unions) hostile to Wal-Mart and having some success in keeping the giant out of local communities.
    
    
  • Ray Murphy's back in action at YPP, asking some hard questions about our city.
    
    
  • Heap of Irish dancers to descend on Philly in '09 for their world competition.
    
    
  • Homeless forum tonight, sponsored by Young Involved Philadelphia.