Election Day: Brett Mandel Kicked Out of Polling Place [Updated]

City Controller candidate Brett Mandel has been slapped on the wrist. A complaint filed this morning in Election Court by City Controller Alan Butkovitz's campaign and a South Philly polling place judge of elections claimed that Mandel strolled around St. Maron's Church at 10th and Ellsworth streets at 7:45 a.m., where four divisions of the 2nd Ward vote. The judge of elections claimed Mandel handed him a campaign sticker and "advocated for his election." An common pleas judge ordered Mandel to stop that immediately, young man. Mr. Mandel, if you're gonna electioneer inside polling places, maybe don't try to sway the guy...

6 ABC’s Rob Jennings to Retire

The Daily News has the eulogy: 6abc weekend anchor Rob Jennings--who's been with the station 36 years--has announced his retirement. A native of Miami, Fl., Jennings began his career as an announcer and director before stepping in front of the camera (his official station bio says his voice could be heard in ads before he was seen in the area). Jennings spent 16 years as the face and producer of Action News Crimefighters. The segment profiled criminals, leading to the arrest of nearly 200 suspects. Said 6abc anchor Jim Gardner: " He's been an extraordinary example of consistency, a great communicator, and a...

Does the Best Cheesesteak in Philly Cost $3?

One Business Insider staffer spent the weekend in Philly, doing--what else?--sampling cheesesteaks. Business Insider lady, meet BBC lady. In a surprise twist, however, she either hated or didn't bother with the usual suspects, and crowned a random bodega in South Philly the winner. Our own Victor Fiorillo hopped in a cab to track down the mystery cheesesteak. Here's what he found. And here's what he had to say.

The Sixers Have a .8% Chance of Being Good Next Year

The NBA Draft lottery is tonight. Here's how it works. All 14 non-playoff teams (yes, there are more playoff teams than non-playoff teams; the NBA is a joke) have a shot at the #1, #2, or #3 overall picks. After that, everybody picks in reverse order according to how bad they were this season. Without further ado, the Sixers odds to win the Nerlens Noel/Victor Oladipo sweepstakes: 0.8%. Odds are slightly better for the next two picks. Short of that, they'll pick at #11.

Chris Christie: No Link Between Climate Change and Hurricane Sandy

Yesterday at a little Sandy-related event, a WNYC reporter asked Chris Christie whether New Jersey needed to do more to prepare for climate change (and superstorms that may stem from climate change). Christie refused to answer. Sort of. I don't agree with the premise of your question because I don't think there's been any proof thus far that Sandy was caused by climate change. But I would absolutely expect that that's exactly what WNYC would say, because you know liberal public radio always has an agenda. And the crowd went wild. The question comes on the heels of a massive WNYC/Bergen Record...

Pottstown Hotel Has Sneaky Plan to Profit from Oklahoma Tornado

A Comfort Inn & Suites in Pottstown has a plan to help out victims from the Oklahoma tornado: It'll donate $1 to the Red Cross in Oklahoma City for every Facebook "like" it gets, pledging a $1,000 dollar max donation. Seriously? Is now really the time for shameless opportunism? Every "like" the hotel gets is just an opportunity for self-promotion. It won't take much for that thousand bucks to repay itself once the Comfort Inn nets few customers through Facebook. Dear Comfort Inn & Suites, Pottstown, if you really care, here's an idea: Just donate $1,000. [PBJ]

Why Harrisburg Is More Corrupt Than Other State Capitals

Wonkblog directs our attention to a recent paper that finds a correlation between public state-level corruption and the state capital's proximity to the major population centers in the rest of the state. The farther one is from the action, the more likely it is that legislators are getting away with crime. Why? The media and hence, the public, just aren't paying as much attention. As the chart demonstrates PA (what's up, Vince Fumo?) fits the bill. It's true that in state capitals like Boston and Providence, to pick two notoriously malfeasant northeastern cities, the political class is far more focused on...

Inquirer Declines to Run Massive Ad Defending Catholic Church Sex Abusers

The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights is calling them the "Twin Philly Scandals." Scandal #1: The District Attorney's shameful persecution of four members of the Philadelphia archdiocese, unjustly convicted of child sex abuse. Scandal #2. The Philadelphia Inquirer's decision not to run a two-page ad in yesterday's edition, defending said convicted child sex abusers. The Catholic League, an aggressive and steadfast advocate for Catholic priests and laymen accused/suspected/convicted of sexually abusing minors, wrote to the Inquirer on May 14th, asking them to run a two-page ad in their May 20th edition. The paper declined. The ad accuses the "ambitious" District Attorney Seth Williams...

Johnny Doc Doesn’t Think Alan Butkovitz is Sexy

But unlike sexy erstwhile minor-league baseball star player Brett Mandel, Johnny Doc told his supporters in an email blast, Butkovitz deserves your vote. Says Chris Brennan, Dougherty admitted that his preferred Controller candidate was "not sexy," but was "honest as the day is long." What? Is it the middle part? The aviator rims? [Daily News]