Tuesday quick-takes

(Blame my pre-election obligations)

• Things mayoral-related
  
  
  
  • Brady kin already in public jobs -- kind of pre-mayoral nepotism.
    
    
  • Forum shows urban planning not priority in mayor's race (although Nutter considered the issue important)
    
    
  • Mayor's Race: What They're Promising -- Nutter on small businesses
    
    
  • Knox camp, urged to limit spending, rolls its eyes
    
    
  • City firefighters endorse Brady's bid
    
    
  • The Next Mayor website gives you the chance to rate the ads being aired by all five mayoral candidates. Watch and opine.
  
  
• Other news
  
  
  
  • Reports say a lack of regionalism hurts Pa.

    Recent studies say the state's fragmented governmental structure and near-total absence of regional planning holds back economic progress, crippling older communities and allowing unchecked development despite nearly $1 billion in new funding aimed at community revitalization and open-space preservation.

    Well, ok then!
    
    
  • Pa. wants to lead in managing diabetes, other chronic illnesses -- first trial of Rendell's goals
    
    
  • A tit-for-tat zap by Building Trades -- peeved by unanimous vote on casino referendum, unions endorse no Council candidates
    
    
  • Phila. gun task force issues warrants for 'straw' buys -- first fruits of new funding
    Also, 17 arrested as 'straw' gun buyers
    
    
  • Milton Street stays on ballot, judge says Could we stop covering him? More here.
    
    
  • Planned rate hike by PGW assailed at last of 4 hearings -- another 9%!
    
    
  • Casinos sue city over ballot referendum -- everybody's piling on now
    
    
  • Renewal stirs hope for neighborhood: Muhammad Park getting facelift
    
    
  • Governor offers SEPTA funding if long-term plan passes -- federal funds, that is, black gold...
    
    
  • Merger of health care giants could cost 1,000 jobs -- just the first of many benefits, I'm sure.
    
    
  • Bob Casey against stem cell research. Surprising few, annoying many.
  
  
• Opinionistas
  
  
  
  • Apparently onetime Republican mayoral contender Sam Katz has a blog (did I mention this before?). This week he offers advice for the candidates, tailored to his reads of their campaigns. Pesky lack of permalinks, sorry. In vaguely related news, PhilaWillDo blogger has a comedic go-round with Katz, who fails the sarcasm-detection test.
    
    
  • DN: CITY BUDGET IMPRISONED BY JAIL COSTS (The caps, they burn...)
    
    
  • Letters | Mr. Outsider, or Mr. Insider? (Knox image and substance)
    
    
  • Albert is among those annoyed with Bob Casey's stem cell stance.