Wednesday news bits

• The SEPTA saga is still ongoing, with a judge blocking the transfer elimination for a few days, although most indications are that nobody is in a position to overrule the SEPTA board on this one. More here, and the DN opinion page weighs in here, including an apt comparison to the School District's last-minute budget scrambles.
  
  
• The Inquirer does a profile piece on how Bob Brady is settling into his new committee chairmanship in DC, which may for the first time give him a little rainmaking capability on the national scene.

  "They couldn't have found a better guy for this - he's tailor-made," said Larry Ceisler, a Philadelphia-based political consultant. "He'll never have to read a Brookings report or sit through a hearing with boring testimony, and he'll never have to be on C-Span.
  
  "He can trade favors and office space for things that can do good for Philadelphia and Pennsylvania," Ceisler added. "This is really the language that he deals in, and it is currency that he understands."

  Perhaps this is a niche in which Brady can really serve his constituents better than ever before.
  
  
• Pa. gaming chief plans to resign after one term. The DN goes with the slightly saltier headline Pa. gaming chairman, targeted by casino foes, to quit board
  
  
• The PW offers a look at noncriminal gun owners in the Philadelphia area (from a recent book), showing a range of types of characters.
  
  
• Phil Goldsmith | URBAN AGENDA'S THORNIEST PROBLEMS -- another declamation of the difficulties of urban homelessness.
  
  
• Teacher-merit plan set for charter schools -- perhaps equally notable is that the District's public school teachers rejected such a plan, even though it could have increased their pay.
  
  
• Groups hope to cash in on a virtual version of Philly -- why visit the city when you can see it in Second Life? um, a bunch of reasons...
  
  
• Minister tries again for City Council seat -- Jesse Brown gets over the signature hurdle for his "independent Democrat" run against Donna Reed Miller.
  
  
• Camden, A.C. get clearance to start needle exchanges
  
  
• AAJane: Update on Homeless Veterans Legislation -- Patrick Murphy's plan may be making progress.