A smattering of recent stories

A few that still stand out after several days have passed:

• Nutter's appointee as the Director of the Office of Research, Planning, and Policy is somebody well qualified to address the city's needs for zoning reform and community housing development, which bodes well for the new mayor's attention to those topics. Thanks to Jen for helping us see the significance of one in the deluge of recent picks.
  
  
• Philly's new police chief signals that things are going to change with him at the top. Some groans from mid-level commanders, but this sounds like wise stuff.
  
  
• Nutter can't do anything about Street's legacy or last-minute pay-grab, but apparently he's going to review his late appointments, which conveniently included his son, among other pals (and even himself).
  
  
• PA's freshman US Senator Bob Casey defends his record of quiet work and hefty earmarks for the state. Um, yay?