Our webmaster wrote about this inicident on his blog, but notes that there is no media coverage and this lasted for quite a while. Here is what Doug has to say as of 9:21 pm October 1st:

SEPTA decided to close Market East Station at 7 PM tonight for "police activity". This stranded myself and several thousand commuters both in the city, and in trains on their way to the city. Market East was completely evacuated. At the time I spoke to a SEPTA employee at Suburban Station around 8 PM, he stated that they were waiting on the "all clear" from the police before they could re-open the station.

Despite what the employee told me in the customer service office, he was almost immediately contradicted by a female employee there who stated that it was a "bomb scare" to another passenger....A crowd of commuters gather at the closed station. SEPTA really dropped the ball here. They had NO signage or personal on hand. There were a few police officers inside of the station that were completely unhelpful in answering queries from stranded passengers. No announcements were made over the PA at Market East nor Suburban Station. Basically, we were left in the dark as to why the station was closed....I eventually got home with the help of a subway, light rail, and a 1.5 mile walk across town.

Just to underscore my comments above, I'm no security expert--there may have been a very good reason for closing down Market East. SEPTA themselves may have not even had a say in the matter, they might have just been told to close the station by police. What SEPTA could control is how they reacted to this crisis. They could have made announcements. They could have made signs. They could have put notices on the train status boards. And they could have drawn up some emergency action plan in advance, that provided alternate subway/rail/bus paths for passengers to take to their destination.

Did I mention I'm paying $116/month for this? You're doing a heck of a job, SEPTA.

Oh! Did we mention that Septa and Amtrak and PennDot will be at a transit summit in Ardmore this evening?

Here are the details:

Thursday, October 2, 2008
WHAT: Congressman Gerlach’s Main Line Transit Summit
WHEN: 7 P.M. to 9 P.M.

WHERE: Lower Merion Township Building

75 East Lancaster Avenue
Ardmore PA

TENTATIVE AGENDA:
7 P.M. Sign-in period and chance to get materials from AMTRAK, SEPTA and PennDOT

7:15 P.M. Welcome and opening remarks

7:25 P.M. Presentation by SEPTA

7:40 P.M. Presentation by AMTRAK

7:55 P.M. Presentation by PennDOT

8:10 P.M. Question-and-Answer Session

8:55 P.M. Closing remarks

A woman named Hannah Upp is missing. Many on the Main Line are receiving a message we are about to post because this young woman, now a teacher in NYC, went to Bryn Mawr College and lived in our area as a student:

Last week Hannah Upp, a New York City public school teacher and a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, disappeared from her apartment in Harlem. The last time anyone saw her was around 2pm on the afternoon of Friday, August 29th. She had been planning to go away for the weekend so her roommates did not expect her until Saturday, or Sunday at the latest. When they had not seen or heard from Hannah on Sunday afternoon they began calling her phone but it went straight to voicemail each time. By Monday evening they were frantic and went into her room, where they found her keys, her phone, and her purse containing her ATM card, her Metro Card, and her only ID. They called the police. The police searched the apartment and when she did not show up for work on Tuesday, her first day of teaching for this school year, and it became clear that she had not gone in on Friday either, a Missing Persons report was filed.

Hannah is one of my dearest friends. I lived and studied with her for four years, and spent a summer in Europe with her. She is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met or had the pleasure of knowing well. Loving her has been a great joy.

Hannah's army of friends has just about wallpapered New York City in Missing posters and her story has received more media attention than we ever dreamed possible. There is nothing else anybody can do now but pray, and when there is nothing left to do but to pray, you have to pray like hell. Which is what I am asking all of you to do now.

You are just everybody in my gmail contact list. I don't know anything about your spiritual background. I don't care, either. Here is what I believe:

I believe that there is a divine presence, and that this presence is good. I believe that the divine creator that created human kind, or put into motion the series of events and conditions that allowed for the evolution of human kind, endowed every human being with a divinity all their own, for a divine creator cannot create anything but divine creations. I believe, therefore, that a sincere human expression of will, coming from a place of genuine love, understanding and wisdom, is in fact an expression of divine will, and that this is true prayer.

Please pray for Hannah. Pray for her safety and her happiness. You can pray in any way you like. You can make the sign of the cross and ask Jesus for help. Or meditate. Or chant. Or just think good thoughts about a good soul.

I also believe in the transformative power of pain and suffering. I believe that the pain Hannah is going through now, wherever she is, and the pain of her friends, missing her, can be used for good. It can remind us to tell our family and friends that we love them, to renew connections with loved ones, to appreciate the comfort and safety in our lives. Or, as in my case, it can strengthen a resolve to create a world where things like this do not happen to women.

Please do not let any pain or suffering be in vain. Tell your loved ones that you love them. And then tell them again.

Please forward this email to any or every one you know and ask them to pray for Hannah. Even if you, or they, don't know Hannah from a hole in the wall there is nothing wrong with one soul asking for another soul to be okay.

Also, if you, or anyone you know, have any media connections (TV, radio, newspaper, internet blogs, anything at all) please let them know about Hannah's story. We need all the press we can get. You never know when or how it will reach the one person that saw something that will help us find her.

Love,
Amanda (amanda.j.conroy@gmail.com)

Here is a news report (an excerpt):

ABC News: Teacher's Disappearance Baffles Friends, Family
Friends, Family Take Search to the Web
By ASHLEY PHILLIPS
Sept. 5, 2008

The disappearance of a young New York City school teacher just days before classes began has launched a massive search by her army of friends.

Hannah Upp, 23, was last seen a week ago.

Upp's distraught mother, Barbara Bellus, is keeping a vigil in her daughter's apartment.....Upp's two roommates, a man and a woman, became worried about her Sunday night when they hadn't heard from her, roommate Samantha Gallardo, 25, told ABCNews.com.

According to Gallardo, Upp's other roommate, fellow teacher Manny Ramirez, searched her room and saw that her purse, wallet, cell phone, ATM card and subway card were all there.

"My roommate woke me up and we went down to the police station. They didn't seem too concerned about it at first, but at 4 a.m. that night there were already detectives in our apartment," Gallardo said. "There's been police in our apartment since." ...When they found out she was missing, Upp's network of friends from around the city and from her alma mater, Bryn Mawr in Pennsylvania, sprang into action. Several flew in from out of town and plastered the city with flyers

Hey there old friends at Philly Future! How the heck are you? Listen we have something coming up during Friday, September 5th, 2008's First Friday Main Line!Check out our YouTube Public Service Announcement!

In a nutshell, come out to support our Veteran’s and Active Duty Troops on September 5th, 2008 during a very special “First Friday ” event at the Ardmore V.F.W Post 843 in Ardmore, PA from 5-9 P.M. during First Friday Main Line.

We are proud to introduce the Main Line to American Troop Support Team (ATST) !

ATST has been working for over four years to send letters and boxes of donated goods to help our soldiers. This group was formed to provide tangible support to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces-- particularly those currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Contributed donations and products will be used to package and ship goods to our troops. Packages have and will include, but are not limited to, snack foods, personal hygiene items, reading materials and other items which are consistent with American, as well as Military law. The names of soldiers are submitted and selected in a non-discriminatory manner.

In addition, the VFW is opening their doors to new social membership**. A contribution of $20.00 will give you a year-long membership to this 75 year old post. Half of the proceeds will go to restoring and keeping the V.F.W. post active for our local soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as our veterans of previous wars. The other half of the proceeds collected will be donated to the “American Troop Support Team” (ATST).

We hope to see you and that you can help us in this worthy cause! Support those who protect our freedoms!

(**Please note to become a social member of the VFW you must show LEGAL proof of age)

...And as a postscript, we will note that First Friday Main Line has many other fabulous events planned for Friday September 5th, as First Friday jazzes it up with a Main Line Blues Stroll,Miles of Art, and also hosts a special book signing at Past*Present*Future in Ardmore for the up and coming novelist who published "Creamy Nougat" a few months ago - Mr. Erec Smith

Click here to check out First Friday Main Line events

Click here to check out what Save Ardmore Coalition is talking about these days

LOVE POTION NUMBER NINE
"I took my troubles down to Madame Rue
You know that gypsy with the gold-capped tooth
She's got a pad down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine
Sellin' little bottles of Love Potion Number Nine

I told her that I was a flop with chics
I've been this way since 1956
She looked at my palm and she made a magic sign
She said "What you need is Love Potion Number Nine"

....I didn't know if it was day or night
I started kissin' everything in sight
But when I kissed a cop down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine
He broke my little bottle of Love Potion Number Nine"

Well, Wall Street is undoubtedly popping champagne over this news. The irony is inescapable, of course:

Sacred Monkeys: Eliot Spitzer, Governor of New York, Linked to Prostitution Ring as Client 9 ...Resignation Cannot be Far Away

What was that sound? That was the sound of the thud of Eliot Spitzer’s career falling off the Empire State Building.

And for the political bomb shell of the day..the Governor of New York, Democrat Eliot Spitzer, has been linked to a prostitution ring, this is going to leave a political mark. Eliot Spitzer has been identified as “Client 9” in “Hooker-gate”. Not just any “hookergate, but a $5500 per hour hookergate

Oh Ken Davis hates blogs does he? We're like sooooooooooo shocked. We all woke up this morning to the news that Ken Davis was stepping down as Chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Party. (and honestly, we were shocked not to read it first on CRN)

Can we say, it has been a bad week for Ken? First, Ed Lipkin resigns as the Ardmore Developer, and now this news?

So anyway, Writemarsh and Tony Phyrillas broke the news that we saw first, and well, we are so amused. And we almost couldn't contain ourselves when Mr. Davis announced in his letter that he still hates blog and bloggers. We are shocked! Shocked we tell you! But then again, can it be said what do we know that small group of mean spirited individuals that also thought eminent domain was a bad, bad thing?

LOL, We are sure he was thinking of us along with whomever else he hates in the blogosphere, right? Look, Former Commissioner Ken Davis did do some great things for Lower Merion no doubt, but unfortunately, can it be said part of his legacy is this and eminent domain? In a way, that's sad...

Here is an excerpt of the burning letter courtesy of Writemarh Blog Posting

Dear Republican Leader,
When speaking of those who serve the public in elective or appointive office, President Theodore Roosevelt had this to say, almost one hundred years ago:

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly..."

...After serving as your Chairman for the last four years, I have decided to leave the "arena", and will not seek another term.....I will also not miss, especially, the anonymous, ignorant cowards who hide from behind the internet to spew their hate and venom, without having to reveal their identities or to speak for attribution, on the record; and the so-called "bloggers" self-important "know nothings" to a fault, thinking that anybody really cares what they have to say. These people, as Theodore Roosevelt noted, "know neither victory or defeat" themselves, yet never hesitate to criticize those of us who do.

For us, this is breaking news. The citizens of Ardmore and Lower Merion have been at this seemingly forever....that being said:

The Save Ardmore Coaltion is shocked at the following press release just discovered on the Lower Merion Township Website! What is even more interesting? We are wondering as a group who sends representatives to the Ardmore Ad Hoc Meetings, why it is we weren't notified (a)prior to the press release going up on the township website www.lowermerion.org (b) at the same time the press release was posted and sent out.

What is going on in Ardmore? What does this mean for our town? What developer will we get now? First ArcWheeler pulls out of that Daylesford/Paoli project a couple few weeks back, now EBL&S pulls out of Ardmore? We will note the press release cites downturn in credit markets, which is a no brainer, as our economy is in the toilet...but is there something more to this story?

Sign us waiting and watching very closely. And very curious. Also note this developer has bailed during the negotiate the contract phase.

Lower Merion Township: EBL & S Withdraws from Negotiations for Ardmore Transit Center and Business District Revitalization
Next Steps to be Discussed at March 5th Committee Meeting
Posted Date: 3/4/2008 8:38 AM

The EBL & S development team, which had been chosen in January by the Board of Commissioners to enter into negotiations with the Township for the Ardmore Transit Center and Business District Revitalization Project, has withdrawn from the negotiation process. The recent downturn in the credit markets was cited by EBL&S as the reason to discontinue talks with the Township.

Honestly, what is up with the Historic Landmark that is the Philadelphia Inquirer Building?

Read what Inga Saffron has to say on February 25th

Patriot Equities may not have fully sewn up the deal to buy the Inquirer Building, as Publisher Brian Tierney says in today's Daily News, but I'd wager a year's subscription to the Inquirer (what can I say, I'm partisan) that the building's two newsrooms aren't going to be packing up and leaving anytime soon. Philadelphia Media Holdings, which bought the Inquirer and Daily News in 2006, put the landmark white tower on the block last August. While no official price was disclosed, developers said the original number was upwards of $60 million.

It's not clear how much Patriot, a Wayne company that was assembled by alumni from Mike O'Neill's Preferred Real Estate, is offering now, but many suspect the sale price will be much less. The big question now is what will Patriot do for PMH. We know that Patriot specializes in lease-back deals. For all Tierney's broad hints about being courted by New Jersey Gov. Corzine for a a high-profile spot on the Camden waterfront, one suspects the talks are nothing more than a strategic flirtation. Why else would architects from H2L2 be prowling the newsroom here all last week, with clipboards and blueprints in hand? They're getting ready to renovate.

Now see this thing from the Daily News:

Deal or no deal? Tierney disputes report of newspaper building's sale
By STEPHANIE FARR
Philadelphia Daily News
farrs@phillynews.com 215-854-4225

A Delaware County real-estate investment and development firm has emerged as the leading suitor for the venerable Daily News and Inquirer building, at Broad and Callowhill streets.

Two officers of Patriot Equities LP, of Wayne, said yesterday that a deal had been reached, under which both newspapers would remain in the building and share it with other tenants.

But Philadelphia Media Holdings chief executive Brian Tierney cautioned that negotiations were just beginning.

"We're negotiating, but until a deal's a deal, it's not a deal," Tierney said. "We're not negotiating with anyone else, and we're not soliciting any other offers, but there's no definitive agreement."

Patriot Equities, which specializes in underutilized corporate real estate, was among 300 developers nationwide that had expressed interest after the building was put on the market last year, Tierney said.

And we'll throw this out there: what's up with what we saw on the Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia website?

One of our members decided to self publish a book of photographs she took of old houses that she likes...no, she's not Albert, he is a master photographer....but if you are an old house junkie, check it out:
these old houses By carla joy zambelli Book Preview

A SAC friend sent us this link to a blog from the other side of Montgomery County. Now, this is a blog that is much more conservative in nature, but good for this blogger for putting questions out there (whether or not they are your cup of tea as representative of your individual political perspectives), as it is part of the process of ordinary citizens trying to make an educated decision for themselves based upon their personal beliefs. These questions are courtesy of Writemarsh - and again whether or not you agree with the positions of this blog is not the point of posting, the point is here is another case of citizens getting involved in their community and putting it out there. Candidates should always try to answer questions posed by citizens. And they should do so honestly and forthrightly, leaving fluff and spin at the door. Tick, tock candidates, this blogger says he is giving you a week to answer. We will follow this to see what happens...the residency question in particular is interesting, but should a candidate be declared undeserving if they aren't a "lifer"?

We will also note an eminent domain question, and to that we would add "what would you do to close the eminent domain loophole in the updated legislation Ed Rendell signed within the recent past?"

And...."Should Ardmore remain legally blighted when eminent domain has been defeated, is not being used, and the area in question is not blighted?"

And we would also ask "Do you support PA HB 904 and why, or if you do NOT support it, why?"

We would also ask "How do you feel about the First Amendment of The Constitution?"

We would also ask "Where are you specifically on affordable and moderate housing in inner ring suburbs struggling to survive?".

We would also ask "What can you specifically do to improve our transist system and antiquated infrastructure?"

We would also ask "What you do specifically to help small and independent business owners?"

We would also ask "What specific solutions do you have to the issues that plague us with regard to affordable healthcare?"

And we have more questions than that, but we will wait a while...this is this blogger's parade....

Candidate Questionnaire

I've been pretty hard on one of our local senatorial candidates, but I think it's time to level the playing field.

Listen up Philadelphia, this post is for you. One of our members received this notice from the Society Hill Civic Association. And Philadelphia? How do you like having our former eminent domain loving commish Joe Manko as a Zoning Board addition? This oughta be interesting, huh? So, can it be said this project is even MORE reason to support PA H.B. 904 ?

Greetings,

I’d like to encourage you to attend the Wednesday, February 20, 2008 meeting of the Society Hill Civic Association at which the Board will decide whether to support or object to a 185-foot tall building (about 17 stories) at the NewMarket property. It is important that you attend and voice your opinion.

PA H.B. 904 would allow a temporary development moratorium in YOUR Community. Call YOUR elected representatives in PA today! We feel that this is an election issue for Pennsylvanians and Pennsylvania communities that should not be buried. This thing has been languishing in Appropriations since early December, 2007!

As previously mentioned on several occasions, including here, there is a piece of legislation languishing in Harrisburg that is as crucially important as the eminent domain legislation was. If this legislation is NOT an election issue, it should be. This is legislation that would be beneficial to any community in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that feels it needs to hit a pause button on development.

Contrary to what certain lobbying factions in Pennsylvania like the Pennsylvania Builders Association want citizens to believe, PA HB 904 is bi-partisan legislation that allows communities under the gun to take a breath, and take a second look at development issues that plague them. It also allows developers to take a second look and can it be said it could perhaps give them the time they need to go back into the community and get a better project together that all can live with?

We are ready to retch over an AP story we just read - as you know out of curiousity we follow real estate and mortgage stories out there so we stay current.

Even more disturbing? This AP article is about people who abandon their pets when they abandon their homes one step ahead of the foreclosure man. This article is profoundly disturbing, and people who do this should get their asses thrown in jail. Our pets depend on us, they are part of our families. They aren't furry accessories to be discarded...

Foreclosures Lead to Abandoned Animals
By EVELYN NIEVES – 4 days ago

The house was ravaged — its floors ripped, walls busted and lights smashed by owners who trashed their home before a bank foreclosed on it. Hidden in the wreckage was an abandoned member of the family: a starving pit bull.

The dog found by workers was too far gone to save — another example of how pets are becoming the newest victims of the nation's mortgage crisis as homeowners leave animals behind when they can no longer afford their property.

Pets "are getting dumped all over," said Traci Jennings, president of the Humane Society of Stanislaus County in northern California. "Farmers are finding dogs dumped on their grazing grounds, while house cats are showing up in wild cat colonies."

....The abandoned pets are overwhelming animal shelters and drawing fury from bloggers, especially as photos of emaciated animals circulate on the Internet.

The first people to enter an abandoned house, such as property inspectors and real estate brokers, have discovered dogs tied to trees in backyards, cats in garages, and turtles, rabbits and lizards in children's bedrooms.

No one keeps track of the numbers of abandoned pets, but anecdotal evidence suggests that forsaken animals are becoming a problem wherever foreclosures are climbing...

and

Hidden victims of mortgage crisis: Pets/Owners abandoning their dogs and cats after foreclosure

related video

Please support animal rescue and no kill shelters. We suggest Main Line Animal Rescue. Support them, support your SPCA, support breed specific rescue...

Another story all shoud read is A mortgage crisis that didn't have to be
By Gail MarksJarvis Chicago Tribune:

"It's not a pretty picture, and it didn't have to come to this.
The worst housing slump since World War II is showing no sign of abating. Manufacturing activity is hinting at recession. Employment is weakening. The stock market has fallen dramatically. The mistakes banks and brokers made with mortgage-related bonds have left a lingering credit crunch, or a reluctance by lenders to make affordable loans to consumers and businesses.

Investors have gone into the new year with a dreary attitude, and Wall Street analysts are warning investors to be careful.

"Batten down the hatches," Lehman Bros. Holdings Inc. economist Michelle Meyer said in a recent report.

Meyer estimates that the housing mess, which set off the economy's problems, is only half over, and that home prices will be down at least 15 percent when they hit bottom in 2009.....As early as 1999 to 2000, consumer advocates were tracking what Keest calls a "foreclosure crisis," in which one in four homeowners were unable to handle payments.

"The industry wouldn't listen," she said."

Hey there, PhillyFuture community - Happy 2008! We have recently discovered a new blog out there in the blogosphere called Original Observations - it is in the fledgling stages, but what we see so far is pretty interesting. This one post in particular had us at "hello":

Tuesday, January 1, 2008:On Free Speech

Free speech does not really exist in America.

Or at least, it might, but woe to one who offends the political or social sensibility of another group.

The degree by which people are trying to coerce and limit what one can say and believe is becoming tantamount to infringing on free speech. It is becoming a de facto limitation on the First Amendment right.

The traditional teaching we give kids in school is the First Amendment was written in the Bill of Rights by the Founding Fathers to protect the press, religious groups, the public in their desire to say what they held dear without fear of persecution, and so forth.

Supreme Court findings since set limits only so far as a person may not jump up in a crowded theater and shout "Fire!" when there is none, causing fear and panic. Nor may one willfully slander or knowingly make untrue or malicious statements.

But what we are finding today is that because of the ideological diversity in this country, groups and individuals are developing sensibilities so exclusive, that they judge other groups utterly offensive and intolerable.

I speak of so-called political correctness.

The term describes people with either an overt, or inadvertent social sensibility and essentially, an agenda to attempt to legislate morality. It is a sensibility that in recent decades – if not merely recent years – has developed outside the traditional Judeo-Christian heritage, or at least beyond traditional long-held American values.

Without getting into specific case examples here, let me just make reference to the fact that people cannot say certain things they may believe without fear of repercussions.

Even if their intent is unmalicious, and they mean no harm, they may be forced to keep silent.

Thank goodness for PhillyBurbs and The Philadelphia Inquirer's Mari A. Schaefer in particular - they have not forgotten Jamie Cockayne anymore than we have. The wheels of justice need a little grease down in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and we wish that state side some U.S. Congressmen, The Attorney General, AND our U.S. Senators would pay more attention. We would have thought Bucks Congressman Patrick Murphy would have been all over this, and well, where's he been? Where has the U.S. Attorney General (whichever one it happens to be at the time) been? Where has Arlen Specter been other than apparently Pakistan? There are more than enough irregularities in this case that it should be more than blogs following it - not that we aren't glad to do out part to show support for the extended Cockayne family, some of whom hail from the Main Line - it is just time for the U.S. Government to really look into this U.S. Territory from top to bottom. Unless of course, we should all just stop going there? Do the U.S. Virgin Islands want a real boycott?

We all read recently that the Natalee Holloway case has been sort of "Cold Case" closed, and even if we still do feel Jamie Cockayne deserves equal time in coverage, we feel badly that we might never know in our lifetimes what happened to that teenaged girl.

But back to Jamie. We DO know what happened to Jamie. He was brutally murdered. Since then, it's been kinda haphazard, hasn't it? Here are the suspects in his murder in case you have never seen them:

Anselmo Boston
Kamal "Six Pack" Thomas

We think that 2008 should bring more justice then 2007 did for Jamie. Here are excerpts from the aforementioned articles:

Anguished by loss, angry over rulings
By Mari A. Schaefer
Inquirer Staff Writer

Members of a New Hope family whose son was stabbed to death in the U.S. Virgin Islands six months ago say they remain unhappy with how the case is being handled, despite the arrests of two suspects.

The death of 21-year-old Jamie Cockayne, knifed after he left a bar on the resort island of St. John, got national attention in the weeks before the August arrests.

But with the men - charged with first-degree murder - released after posting bail, the Cockaynes are angry, complaining that the police and prosecution initially failed to appear at a bail hearing for one defendant.

"One hand does not know what the other is doing, that is for sure," said Jean Gilligan Cockayne, mother of the slain man.

The island residents charged with murder are Kamal "Six Pack" Thomas and Anselmo Ricardo Boston.

"This case has been given the attention it deserves," Virgin Islands Attorney General Vincent Frazer said in a recent interview.

It was at Boston's bail hearing that the prosecutor and detective on the case did not appear.

"It is hard to have any confidence in the local government there when it bungles everything every step of the way," said Sean Summers, attorney for the Cockayne family.

Especially upsetting to the family was the relatively low bail. The Virgin Islands Daily News reported that Boston was able to post $100,000, with family property as collateral, and that Thomas had posted 10 percent of $75,000.

In Pennsylvania, there is no bail for first-degree-murder defendants.

The Cockaynes' criticism is only the latest controversy involving the professionalism of the Virgin Islands police and the decision-making of the local Superior Court judge, Leon A. Kendall, who set Thomas' bail......Controversial for bail decisions in other cases, Kendall said that a detective had called the case against Thomas "circumstantial," and that the detective had not interviewed alibi witnesses who placed Thomas elsewhere at the time of the slaying. The opinion noted that Cockayne's body had been found one hour after he left the bar - which is near a St. John police station....Frazer said his staff's failure to appear at the hearing had resulted from "a mix-up in communication with the prosecutor and the court." The case is "on track to where it should be at this time," he said.

Kendall, meanwhile, faces a hearing on earlier complaints that he released defendants accused of violent crimes on little or no bail.

The judge has also filed a libel suit against two reporters from the Virgin Islands Daily News over articles about his bail decisions....Gilligan Cockayne has given out her phone number on blogs and in newspapers in an attempt to find witnesses, and has traveled to the Virgin Islands to meet with the governor and attorney general....The Virgin Islands Police Department has been criticized before.

This year, the Virgin Islands Daily News won a top Associated Press Managing Editors award for its accounts of corruption and incompetence in the police Major Crimes Unit.

In 1995, the paper won a Pulitzer Prize for a series that described wide failings in police, local prosecutors and the judiciary.

And from PhillyBurbs:

No. 4: Deaths shook region

By RILEY YATES
The Intelligencer

They were two young men just striking out on their own.

Away from home and pursuing a new step in their lives, they were killed in violence that shook their families, their friends and their communities.

Kyle Quinn, 19, of Warminster, was beaten to death Sept. 7 at Kutztown University, where he had just started classes.

Jamie Cockayne, 21, of New Hope, bled to death June 19 after being stabbed after a bar fight in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Two random, senseless murders that stunned the area and left people searching for answers.

In neither case has a motive been fully established, though both have resulted in multiple arrests.

In Cockayne’s case, the 2005 New Hope-Solebury High School graduate was in the Virgin Islands awaiting paperwork that would allow him to take a job as a boating instructor.

Ok so the news is out (or should we more aptly say "official"?): Connie Williams is to retire at the end of her term in 2008 from the Pennsylvania State Senate in 17th district.

We have been hearing this was a possibility since we first heard who was interested in running against her in 2008: Penn Wynne Commissioner Lance Rogers - an Independent, who would run as a Republican....well, now the other rumors we heard are apparently true: not only is Connie retiring, but State Representative Daylin Leach (D-149th District, PA) will be running for Connie's seat...so is Connie going to just retire, or will she seek some other sort of office, perhaps appointed?

Connie Williams on the whole has been good to her district, has been a champion of women's rights, the rights of senior citizens, fought for better healthcare and many other things. At SAC we butted heads with her over eminent domain, but she had her opinion and a job to do and we had ours.

Connie also ran fairly positive political campaigns, something we always like...but the person who runs the cleanest campaign of all, is Daylin Leach. Daylin has taken pledges to campaign positively and stuck with it.

Now for the tough part: Daylin Leach and Lance Rogers are both special to SAC members. So gentlemen, if it is to be the two of you, shake hands and respect the fact that we may comment from the sidelines as we choose, but we will not allow co-opting. We hope that everyone's political party and political strategists and campaign teams understand that as well...just thought we'd get that out of the way now, so we don't have to repeat ourselves later: NO ENDORSEMENTS. We still don't do endorsements, okay? So drop on by Ardmore and say "hello", just don't put our members in awkward situations, okay? You are both good guys so we don't see this as a problem :) :-) :smile:

We also hope that BOTH political parties will run clean campaigns and not trot out tired old garbage to turn off the electorate....so here are the news stories and let the games begin (and since this state senate territory crosses over into Delaware County - i.e. Haverford/Radnor Townships it oughtta be real interesting, since we all know those elections can get real interesting) :

Montco's Sen. Williams: I won't run again
By WILLIAM BENDER
Philadelphia Daily News
benderw@phillynews.com 215-854-5255

State Sen. Connie Williams, D-Montgomery, announced yesterday that she will not seek re-election next year, and state Rep. Daylin Leach wants to replace her.

"I will be running for the Senate next year," Leach, D-Montgomery, said yesterday, as he unveiled an all-star cast of Democrats to lead his 2008 campaign in the 17th District.

Gov. Rendell, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Williams herself will co-chair Leach's campaign. U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak will chair the Delaware County effort and Commissioner Joe Hoeffel will run the show in Montgomery County.

Democrats hope for a smooth transition from Williams to Leach in the Senate, where Republicans hold an eight-seat majority. At least one Republican candidate, Lower Merion Commissioner Lance Rogers, plans to run for Williams' seat.

State Sen. Connie Williams decides not to run again
12/27/2007, 10:31 a.m. EST
The Associated Press

Montco's Sen. Williams Will Not Seek Relection
by KYW’s Tony Romeo

...Williams, whose seat was held by a Republican prior to her election, admits that her district is a competitive one. It is likely to be a battleground in the fall.

Democratic House member Daylin Leach and Republican Lower Merion Township Commissioner Lance Rogers are two likely candidates to replace her.

So, here, we are going to stir the pot just a teensy bit more: we always thought that Lower Merion Township Commissioner Scott Zelov would run for this seat, so would he be considering a run for Daylin's State House Seat? Will 2008 be hopscotch for all sorts of political players? And just think, soon it will be time for someone to run against Jim Gerlach again, won't it? Will Lois get ressurected from the dead again? So many questions, so many political campaigns to watch...who will be bringing the popcorn because we think local and state politics are going to be much more interesting then presidential politics this time around...but hey, you know what they say: when it comes to politics, it's all local....