Friday Agricultural Factoid: Just Peachy

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the Commonwealth ranks 5th in the nation for peach production, growing more than 26,000 tons of peaches each year.

Mike Nutter's Visit to Chicago

A clip on Michael Nutter's visit to Chicago can be found here.

Is the Phantatic a Vegan?

Citizens Bank Park - home of the Phillies - was recently voted the "Most Vegetarian-Friendly Ballpark in North America" by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Philadelphia-based ARAMARK provides concessions at the ballpark, including a veggie dog, flame-grilled gardenburger and Philly mock-steak sandwich. The stadium also offers vegetarian subs and wraps, and tomato pie.

Starbucks, meet Saxbys

A Philadelphia-based coffee chain has plans to go national. Its first store will open shortly in Wayne (PA), with 60 Philadelphia-area locations planned for the first part of 2008 and other locations coming online across the country as well. Saxby's Coffee is headquartered at the Curtis Center along Independence Mall in the Old City section of Philadelphia.

Friday Agricultural Factoid

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the average vegetable travels almost 1,500 miles from farm to grocery store. That's nearly 30 times the distance of foods purchased from local farms. Here's a great idea; visit a farmers' market. Fresher food that's easier on the planet.

Pet Adoptions Up in Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), set a record in July when 1,017 animals brought to the shelter found good homes. The adoption rate is a 50 percent increase over the previous record. Adoptions were accelerated by PAWS' annual feline-adoption program, in which the fee is lowered from $24 to $1. This reduced adoption fee remains in effect until the end of August.

Friday Agricultural Factoid: A Few Days Late

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, August is Produce Month. Pennsylvania is home to 3,500 farm families who manage more than 48,000 acres of vegetable crops and produce more than 240,000 tons of vegetables.

PhillyCarShare + Bicycles = Velib'

The City of Paris (France, not Texas) has created a "bicycle transit system" called Velib'. Parisians and visitors will be able to pick up and drop off bicycles throughout Paris at 750 locations — offering a total of 10,648 bikes. By the end of 2007, there will be a Velib’ station approximately every 900 feet for a total of 1,451 locations and 20,600 bikes. I want "BikeFreedom" to come to Philadelphia!

Annapolis Promotes Scooters and Bikes

In an attempt to get citizens into alternative transportation modes, the City of Annapolis will launch a program this fall to increase the use of electric scooters and bikes. As part of the "Annapolis Pass" program - a partnership with local scooter and bicycle retailers - those who buy scooters and bikes will get discounts at local businesses.

Cherry Street is Dead, Long Live Cherry Street (Su Xing House)

While the demise of Cherry Street Vegetarian was difficult for me, I have found a worthy if not better replacement; Su Xing House at 1508 Sansom Street. It's delicious and very affordable. If you're looking for great Chinese vegetarian, this is the place. It's a B.Y.O.B. and yes, they deliver.

The Pawnshop Roses

There's a hot Philadelphia band called the Pawnshop Roses; their new album is "Let it Roll"...it's available on iTunes...check it out.

Friday Agricultural Factoid: Random Definition Edition

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, "Agritourism” was officially added to the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary last year. The Commonwealth is is home to more than 100 agritourism destinations.

Seattle Expands its Recycling Program

By 2009, all Seattle single-family homes will be required to take part in a fee-based recycling program mandating separate food waste disposal. The program will be remain optional for businesses and apartment residents. Public officials are determined to divert 72 percent of the City's garbage from the dump by 2025.

Pennsylvania Employment is Strong

Pennsylvania added 900 new jobs last month (net), which pushed the Commonwealth's employment to a record 5,799,400 jobs. The Commonwealth's "seasonally adjusted civilian labor force" - the number of people working or looking for work - also rose last month by 38,000 to 6,296,000. Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell a tenth of a percentage point from May to 4.1 percent last month. According to Governor Rendell, service-producing industries continued to account for all of the job growth, adding a total of 2,500 jobs last month. Professional and business services and government, the only sectors showing significant growth, added 1,500 and 1,600 jobs respectively last month. The total number of jobs in the state have increased in 11 of the past 12 months, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry reported. Pennsylvania has added 49,900 jobs since June 2006.

Friday Agricultural Factoid

Sweet corn is a $44.2 million industry in the Commonwealth. We rank 7th nationally in sweet corn production. In 2006, 17,400 acres were planted and harvested in Pennsylvania, totaling 99 million pounds.

The Philadelphia Navy Yard

I took a tour of the Philadelphia Navy Yard this week. It's an amazing part of the City with a fascinating history. Also, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation and the City of Philadelphia are doing an incredible job of redeveloping the site. There are currently around 6,500 people working down there, with a vision to cultivate the growth of what will essentially be a whole other neighborhood with upwards of 30,000 jobs. Further, I had one of the best lunches of my life at the Frog at the Yard. I highly recommend going down there to take a tour and to grab some lunch!

PhillyCarShare Announces Transit Reimbursement Policy

PhillyCarShare - Philadelphia's preeminent car sharing organization - today announced a program that will reimburse drivers for the cost of using mass transit. PhillyCarShare members who use SEPTA subway, trolley and regional rail service will be reimbursed as a credit to their PhillyCarShare accounts, up to $7 round-trip for regional rail and $2.60 round-trip on rapid transit and subway-surface. Receipts or tickets are required for all but subway trips. With more than 30 eligible stations in the program representing every rail line in the SEPTA system, notable stations include 69th Street, Frankford, Fern Rock, 30th Street, City Hall, Eighth and Market, and neighborhood stations along the R6, R7, and R8 regional rail lines in Northwest Philadelphia. See PhillyCarShare's website for details.

I Care What Celebrities Think!

Ok, well not really. But I have always been a fan of Democratic Presidential Candidate Bill Richardson. Notwithstanding the current President, I like candidates with experience as chief executives, whether as governor, county executive, or mayor. Anyway, from CNN, here's a list of celebrities that have given to Mr. Richardson:

James L. Brooks, producer/writer: $1000
Michael Douglas, actor: $3100
Val Kilmer, actor: $2300
Paul Newman, actor: $2300
Edward James Olmos, actor: $2300
Wendie Malick, “Just Shoot Me” actress: $500
Steven Spielberg, director: $2300
Kate Capshaw, actress, wife of Steven Spielberg: $2300
Jodie Foster, actress: $1000
Christie Brinkley, self-described as “Model/Mom/Environmental activist”: $500
Bette Midler, actress/singer: $4600
Sherry Lansing, former film executive: $2300
William Friedkin, director: $2300

A Primate City?

Found this definition on Wikipedia: "A primate city is a major city that works as the financial, political, and population center of a country and is not rivaled in any of these aspects by any other city in that country. Normally, a primate city must be at least twice as populous as the second largest city in the country. The presence of a primate city in a country usually indicates an imbalance in development — usually a progressive core, and a lagging periphery, on which the primate city depends for labor and other resources."

Friday Agriculture Factoid: All is Fair in Love and Pennsylvania

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, leads the nation in the number of county and community fairs with 116 across. Check out this pdf link for more information.

Plastics Bags Begone!

A new state law in California requires most grocery stores and other large retailers to provide recycling bins for plastic bags. Some California cities, such as San Francisco, are preparing to ban plastic bags altogether. Cities are also encouraging consumers to use reusable bags or biodegradable bags. According to the Plastic Bag Alliance, 9 percent of waste in landfills is plastic, and half of that is plastic bags and film.

Friday Agricultural Factoid: Many Days Late

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, July is national ice cream month. The Commonwealth ranks 6th in the overall production of regular hard ice cream at nearly 35 million gallons annually.

What's Your Favorite City?

Vote for your favorite city here.

Why Don’t We Do This In Philadelphia?

The City of Bellevue, Washington’s water provider will offer free water-saving showerheads to thousands of customers as part of a new regional energy and water efficiency campaign. Efficient showerheads help customers save money on water, gas, electric and sewer utility bills.

Philly is on the Verge

According to the blog Phillyinc, the Philadelphia region did well in the "Cities on the Verge" section of a report put out by FastCompany Magazine under the category of "Urban Innovator." FastCompany said the Philadelphia region won for its high share of folks working "knowledge-based jobs" in industry and academia. The magazine compared 300 cities using data compiled by economist Richard Florida and others; Philadelphia ended up No. 4 on the list.

Friday Agricultural Factoid: Pennsylvania is Amusing

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), our state has more amusement rides than any other. Over 7,000 rides are checked by nearly 1,400 certified PDA inspectors.

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

Philadelphia has a number of environmental and sustainability organizations that are sure to achieve new levels of engagement with City Government in partnership with Mayor Nutter, destined to be the greenest Philadelphia Mayor in history. The Bicycle Coalition's mission is "[p]romoting the bicycle as an environmentally friendly, healthy, and economical form of transportation and recreation through advocacy and education."

The Philadelphia Runner Track Club

Some of the best times of my life have involved competitive long-distance running and as I deal with middle-age, I frequently think about how I can make a comeback and restore athletic glory to the House of Friedman. I am thinking about joining up with a running club, and have found at least one. According to their website, "the Philadelphia Runner Track Club began in the fall of 2000 as an athlete-organized and operated competitive running team. Initially known as SureKill Track Club, namesake of the most challenging hill on Philadelphia’s once venerable Belmont Plateau cross-country course, the club was founded by LaSalle University graduates Brian Gallagher, Pete Dougherty, and Tom Sabol. Their goal was to establish a club to promote and foster the development of post collegiate runners in their pursuit of ever-faster times, national championships and Olympic dreams – and they have done just that."

San Fran Watter Bottle Ban

According to the Associated Press, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order banning City departments from buying bottled water, even for water coolers. The bottle ban goes into effect July 1 and will extend to water coolers by December 1. The move is intended to staunch global warming and save taxpayers' money. In a press release announcing the move, the Mayor expressed concern over the environmental impact of making, transporting and disposing of the bottles. Over a billion of the plastic vessels end up in California's landfills every year. When the ban goes into effect, City and County (San Francisco is both a City and County, just like Philadelphia) offices will dispense municipal tap water.

I Saw a Fox Last Night

At about 11:00 PM last night, the motion-activated light in my back yard went on. I looked out the window and saw a little red fox. Right here in East Falls. Very cool.

Friday Agricultural Factoid

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside. Further, the Commonwealth ranks sixth nationally in strawberry production at $12.8 million.

Energy Independence for Pennsylvania

Governor Edward G. Rendell tonight praised the House of Representatives for overwhelmingly approving two major components of his Energy Independence Strategy. The chamber voted to approve two measures tonight. House Bill 1202, which provides for cleaner fuels and makes Pennsylvania less reliant on foreign oil, passed on a vote of 138-60, while House Bill 1200 was approved by a margin of 129-69. HB 1200 paves the way new economic development opportunities in the rapidly growing clean and renewable energy technology development industry. House Bill 1200 expands the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority to encourage new investments in the state’s growing renewable energy development and deployment fields. The authority will target grants, loans and tax credits to alternative energy manufacturers and energy-efficient companies to promote research in the field and attract new jobs to the state. PEDA is an independent financing authority established to help finance clean energy projects in Pennsylvania. Governor Rendell brought the board back to life in March 2005 after years of inactivity to help create new economic opportunities for Pennsylvania. Since that time, PEDA has awarded $21 million in grants and loans for 57 clean energy projects that are leveraging another $240 million in private investment. The projects will create 975 permanent and construction jobs. House Bill 1202 mandates new standards for clean burning fuels like ethanol and biodiesel, and by increasing demand for these products, will help create new opportunities for the state’s farmers. The bill requires that gasoline be blended with 10 percent ethanol and that diesel fuel eventually include 20 percent biodiesel once in-state production reaches certain levels. The Governor’s Energy Independence Strategy is designed to save consumers $10 billion in energy costs over the next decade, increase Pennsylvania’s alternative and renewable energy production capacity, reduce the state’s dependence on foreign fuels, and create more jobs. For more information on the Energy Independence Strategy, visit http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/.

Wall Street West

According to an article in the New York Times, Pennsylvania is looking to offer itself as an alternative to NYC as a backup facility site for New York City’s financial industry. Pennsylvania officials are promoting a nine-county region 100 miles west of Manhattan as the place to put backup facilities for Wall Street. Governor Rendell announced plans to build a $24 million fiber-optic network to carry data from Manhattan to Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA).

Better City Services: More Thoughts

Rationalization of City Department/Agency Service Districts

There is little to no coterminity between the service districts of various departments/agencies in the City. This means that there is little opportunity for inter-departmental cooperation and the efficiency and effectiveness it promotes. Presently, you cannot call a meeting of all “District One” departmental representatives to a meeting to focus on a particular problem in a specific area of the City. The system isn’t set up that way. However, imagine if the City were separated into 10 or so fairly large agglomerations of similarly situated and/or proximate neighborhoods with coterminous departmental service districts and a deputy managing director overseeing operations. It would produce an accountability system and focus currently lacking with respect to service delivery to neighborhoods.

Friday Agricultural Factoid: One Day Late

According to the Commonwealth's Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania has over 700 golf courses, generating $1.1 billion in economic benefit. The industry supports local agriculture businesses like greenhouses, nurseries and sod farms.

Creating an Office of Neighborhoods for Philadelphia

While everybody says that Philadelphia is a “City of Neighborhoods”, it is surprising how little attention and support they are given from the Mayor’s office and the City of Philadelphia’s government generally. Philadelphia neighborhoods aren’t quaint abstractions, but real places that have “organic jurisdictional form”; that is, they don’t have the legal standing of a separate municipality, but they have issues and concerns that distinguish them from other neighborhoods. Despite the reality of neighborhood differentiation, the structure of City government does very little to recognize this form or to support neighborhood-based and focused community organizations.

While economies of scale are important to achieve, the ineffectiveness of service agglomeration for a city government trying to serve a socio-economically diverse constituency City presents its own set of problems; one size does not fit all.

Mike Nutter's Acceptance Speech

It was a great night and a great speech; watch it here.

Nutter Wins!

Photo of the Philadelphia flag is from Phillyskyline; Mike Nutter has won the Democratic Primary and will likely be the next Mayor of Philadelphia.

Nutter Endorsements

They're not just coming from the major dailys anymore, many local blogs have endorsed Nutter. Here are just a few:

Phawker
Booman Tribune (a nationally known blog that is Philly-based)
Laepplehertzog
Truth, Justice, and Peace

And of course, even before America's Hometown was a blog, we've been endorsing Michael Nutter for Mayor since 2003.

Chris Bowers on the Mayor's Race and Politics in Philadelphia

Commentary from Philadelphia's own Chris Bowers on the Mayor's race over at MyDD can be found here.

A Union Endorsement for Nutter

From the Philadelphia Inquirer: "Nutter also received the endorsement of Local 835 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, which represents 1,975 skilled tradesmen at area universities and cultural institutions."

Michael Nutter' Latest Television Ad

Michael Nutter's latest ad is here. It presents the deluge of endorsements he's recently received.

The Fallser Endorses Mike Nutter for Mayor

The Fallser - East Falls' community newspaper - has endorsed Michael Nutter for Mayor. Said the Fallser:

More than any other candidate, Mr. Nutter’s plans have both depth and substance. He is the brightest, most knowledgeable about Philadelphia and adjacent suburbs, and best able to articulate his plans for the city.

Mr. Nutter pledges to use the City’s economic development resources to create opportunities for all Philadelphians, including small business owners and middle class residents, now being squeezed out by Philadelphia’s shrinking job base. “I understand how to create neighborhood jobs,” he says, “I’ve been doing it as a District Council member for 15 years.”

P.S. East Falls is a fairly large neighborhood with more than 10,000 people.

Hot Places, Cool Spaces

Check out this link for some very neat, environmentally conscious developments in the Fishtown/Northern Liberties sections of town.

Michael Nutter's Latest Ad

Michael Nutter's latest television ad is here.

When Republicans Attack

Has anybody heard about the Republican review of Governor Rendell's appointments to the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Kathleen McGinty and Mike DiBerardinis? If not, there's a post over at Young Philadelphia Politics that does a great job of explaining what's going on and why we need to speak up. The post on YPP is here; I'd also urge you to send an email to State lawmakers here.

Michael Nutter Continues to Surge

News from the Nutter Campaign:

He's raised $3.4 million so far, likely more than any of the non-self funded candidates. He's raised $325,000 in the last four days!!

Also, the latest NBC10 Survey USA poll confirms Nutter's position as "co-frontrunner" with Tom Knox. The SurveyUSA poll has Knox with 29 percent and Nutter surging into second with 27 percent, 13 points better than the last poll for NBC10. Fattah stays at 18, Brady falls to 11 and Evans to 9.

Matt McClure (Candidate for 4th Councilmanic District) Releases Fairmount Park Plan

On the 135th Anniversary of Arbor Day, Matt McClure, candidate for the Fourth Council District, released his plan for making immediate improvements to Fairmount Park by providing secure and adequate financial resources and clearly accountable leadership to make system-wide improvements.

Once elected, McClure has committed to immediately fighting for complete implementation of the Fairmount Park Commission’s Five Year Funding Plan. The majority of Fairmount Park’s 9,200 acres lies within the Fourth Councilmanic District.

“Its time to end the secretive backroom deals that select our Park Commissioners and City Councilmembers,” stated McClure. “Instead, I want to work hand-in-hand with an independent commission and parks advocates to keep our parks well-maintained, safe, and attractive. Fairmount Park is one of our region’s strongest assets, and with some innovative approaches to income retention and entrepreneurial opportunities, I believe that not only will we have the largest urban park system in the world, I believe we can also have the best.”

Matt's full plan for Fairmount Park can be found here.

Michael Nutter's Fundraising Surges

From the Nutter Campaign:

NUTTER'S MOMENTUM CONTINUES WITH A SURGE OF ONLINE DONATIONS

Over 313 Donors Give Average Contribution of $191 in last three days

Philadelphia, April 30, 2007

Michael Nutter, Democratic candidate for Mayor, today announced that his campaign raised more than $60,000 from more than 313 online donors in the last three days - Friday, April 27 through Sunday, April 29. Nutter said that he believed that this level of online support was unprecedented in the Philadelphia mayoral race and had likely far exceeded online donations made to any of his opponents over a comparable period of time. "These donations show that grassroots support for my candidacy continues to build, and we hope to ride this momentum straight through to May 15,"said Nutter. "Every time someone makes a donation, it shows a level of solid support - and from the start of this campaign the support that we have received has been phenomenal." Nutter said that more than 4,050 people have made a donation to his campaign for Mayor since he began his campaign last year. Nutter said that the online donations came after his campaign sent an email to his supporters reporting on a poll by Pennsylvanians for Effective Government (PEG) that showed Nutter in a virtual dead heat with the previous front runner, Tom Knox. Both the PEG poll and the Philadelphia Inquirer's endorsement of Nutter on Sunday, April 29, boosted donations to Nutter's campaign over the weekend. In 2006, Nutter raised more money and had more donors than any of the other four Mayoral candidates.

Michael Nutter's Latest TV Ad

Can be found here.

27th Ward Endorses Michael Nutter

Over in the 27th Ward - mostly University City - the Ward Committee overwhelmingly endorsed Michael Nutter for Mayor. The story - by Philadelphia's own Chris Bowers - can be found here.

Inquirer Endorses Nutter

In Sunday's edition, the Philadelphia Inquirer will endorse Michael Nutter for the May 15 Democratic primary election.

The Inquirer calls Nutter "the most promising package of achievement, persistence, smarts and vision." Further, the paper believes that it "is easy to imagine on the national stage as the fresh voice of a resurgent Philadelphia, changing the narrative from one about bloodshed, corruption and dysfunction to one about new ideas, new energy, new partnerships."

We're Number Five!!

The 25th anniversary edition of "Places Rated Almanac" is putting out its latest ranking of America's most livable cities, and Philadelphia ended up #5. Our sister City in the west of the state - Pittsburgh - was #1.

The ranking of 379 metropolitan areas across the nation is based on nine categories: housing (cost of living); transportation; jobs; education; climate; crime; health care; recreation; and ambience (museums, arts, restaurants and historical districts).

The rest of the top 10 are San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Rochester, N.Y., Washington, D.C., San Jose-Sunnyvale, Calif., Boston and Madison, Wis.

Bill would create regional authority for PHL

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

"A state representative from Delaware County, joined by other lawmakers, introduced a bill in Harrisburg today to create a regional authority to operate Philadelphia International, Lehigh Valley and other airports in the area."

"Rep. Bryan Lentz said in a news release that establishing a Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Airport Authority could help reduce congestion at Philadelphia, one of the nation's most delay-prone airports, by coordinating planning and operations at all the region's air fields. The authority would be required to have cooperative agreements with state authorities in Delaware and New Jersey, and to coordinate planning and investment with SEPTA and Amtrak, he said."

Another Media Endorsement for Mike Nutter

The University of Pennsylvania's student newspaper - with a daily circulation of 14,000 - has endorsed Mike Nutter for Mayor of Philadelphia.

"The [Daily Pennsylvanian] Opinion Board strongly endorses Michael Nutter for the next mayor of Philadelphia. While all five Democratic candidates have their advantages and disadvantages, Nutter has the vision, know-how and experience to take the city in the right direction."

"Philadelphia needs real, practical solutions from someone who knows how to get things done. Michael Nutter is that man."

Read the full endorsement here.

Vote for Philly

CNN and Travel and Leisure are rating the nation's top cities in a variety of categories. Last time (2004), Philadelphia didn't fare well. While it is one of the top places for sightseeing, we also were ranked to have the least "good-looking" residents and second to last quality of life. You can see the results here.

The survey is coming out again soon so if you want to vote, click this link and improve our standing!

The First Major Media Endorsement Goes to Michael Nutter

Nutter will be endorsed by Philly Mag in the May issue - hitting newsstands Thursday.

Said Philadelphia Magazine:

"We interviewed all five Democratic candidates, and the nearly unanimous view of the staff was that only Michael Nutter has the vision and sense of urgency to tackle the city’s problems, from ethics to tax cuts to taking on the murder epidemic. In the end, we felt that Nutter has the best potential to be an inspiring leader and to speak to all Philadelphians.”

"Well, there is one candidate in this race who has, over the years, shown a willingness to take on the entrenched interests and do the people’s business. His name is Michael Nutter, and he’s been on the right side of virtually every public issue the city has faced over the past decade and a half. The Police Advisory Commission, domestic partner benefits legislation, ethics in government, wage tax reduction, the smoking ban — none of it would have happened without former councilman Nutter’s Job-like persistence."

Mid-Atlantic Highlands Action Program

The Mid-Atlantic Highlands Action Program is a multi-state partnership run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is the first-ever attempt to coordinate environmental conservation and economic revival in the mid-Appalachian range. The governors of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Virginia recently announced they had signed the charter establishing the partnership, which is mandated by an 2001 act of Congress.

Governor Ed Rendell said the program - similar to the state's Pennsylvania Wilds eco-tourism project in northern-tier counties - will seek to balance the region's portfolio of recreational amenities with various economic interests. "Our challenge," said Rendell, "is to seek common ground and develop policies that will manage the many demands on this land, while preserving the natural beauty and heritage of the Appalachian Mountains."

The states, under EPA's aegis and funded by an initial $2.5 million federal grant, will survey the region's ecologically significant highlands areas and identify pilot projects to facilitate ongoing community conservation efforts and local economic development.

Friday Agricultural Factoid

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the Commonwealth has preserved over 350,000 acres of farmland. That's a lot of land. It's equal to 70 million parked cars, more than 233,000 football fields and is four times the size of Philadelphia.

PHL is GREEN

Philadelphia International Airport is the largest purchaser of wind power among all airports in the U.S. They've committed to purchase 7% of their annual electricity use - about 13,000 megawatt hours - from wind power each year.

Friday Agricultural Factoid

I know, it's been a while. I've been on a hiatus.

Anyway, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, more than 2 million acres of crops will be planted this spring in the Commonwealth. Farmers will plant wheat, corn, oats, barley, sorghum and soybeans across our state’s 7.7 million acres of farmland.

PennDems Endorse Michael Nutter for Mayor

PennDems Endorse Michael Nutter for Mayor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: MUKUL SHARMA

communications@penndems.org

Phone: 816.686.0729

UNIVERSITY CITY, PHILADELPHIA – February 13, 2007 – The University of Pennsylvania Democrats are proud to announce their endorsement of Michael A. Nutter for Philadelphia Mayor. Nutter -- a lifetime Philadelphia resident and Penn graduate with an accomplished career of public service, business, and financial administration -- impressed the student organization's members with his reform agenda.

Councilman Nutter supports the gradual elimination of the Business Privilege Tax and adding more uniformed officers to the Philadelphia Police Department. Moreover, his Neighborhood Benefits Strategy would require housing and community development projects financed with federal funds to employ low-income neighborhood residents.

Furthermore, Nutter has long been a voice for reforming Philadelphia politics. He is one of the only candidates for mayor who has pledged to adhere to campaign finance limits enacted three years ago.

Nutter served as a City Councilman for nearly 15 years before resigning to run for Mayor. His tenure was marked by several leadership triumphs, including steering the effort to pass a citywide smoking ban and spearheading the creation of an Ethics Reform Board and Ethics Code to provide routine training for City Officers and officials.

The Penn Democrats -- one of the largest student organizations at the University of Pennsylvania and the 2006 Pennsylvania College Democrats Chapter of the Year -- look forward to assisting Michael Nutter as he seeks to become Mayor of Philadelphia.

Members of the Penn Democrats will knock on doors, write letters, and call voters on Nutter's behalf. These efforts will mirror those taken by the Penn Democrats in 2006, when members knocked on over 15,000 doors for Iraq War Veteran and Congressional Candidate Patrick Murphy in an election he won by fewer than 2,000 votes.

The University of Pennsylvanian Democrats are an organization of progressive college students dedicated to registering voters, educating fellow students, and electing Democrats. For information, please visit www.penndems.org.

Friday Agricultural Factoid - Two Days Late

According to the Department of Agriculture, there are more than 50 confectionaries in the Commonwealth, including Hershey's, the world's largest chocolate company.

High Tech Crime Fighting Technique for Philadelphia

From the Harvard Government Innovators Network, "Philadelphia will take advantage of new statistics software to predict which recent probationers are most likely to reoffend. Developed using research about thousands of previous crimes, the city's new Strategic Anti-Violence Unit (SAV-U) uses computer models to forecast which individuals may commit crimes again. Armed with this information, SAV-U can target resources, such as drug treatment, education, and counseling, more efficiently."

Nutter on Ethics (from the campaign)

I strongly support the proposals of the Committee of Seventy’s ETHICS AGENDA. I am proud to be the only candidate running for Mayor who has achieved any concrete ethics reform in Philadelphia. My public policy record on ethics reform is unmatched by any other candidate or potential candidate for Mayor. Every Mayoral candidate should post on this site their track record on ethics reform based on their experience in the public and/or private sectors. I plan to release additional proposals for continued ethics reform later this month. In the meantime, please read my track record on ethics reform as a policy and legislative issue in Philadelphia.

Independent Ethics Board
In September 2004, I introduced legislation providing for the first time in City history a Charter created Ethics Board. To insure the integrity of this Board, I pushed for a strong, independent entity with adjudicatory and enforcement powers, and guaranteed funding and staff to carry out its mission. The Ethics Board was overwhelmingly approved by the voters in May 2006. Five members were sworn in as the City’s first independent Board of Ethics on November 27, 2006.

Revised City Ethics Code
I made changes to the City's Ethics Code which now mandates regular ethics training and education for all City officers and employees, the issuance of advisory opinions, the adjudication of ethics violations, and the imposition of civil fines. These measures were adopted by City Council in December 2005.

No-Bid (Professional Services) Contract Reform and Contribution Limits
I wrote legislation, approved in June 2005, which provides for an open and transparent process for no-bid contracts, limits campaign contributions to $5000 for individuals and $20,000 for businesses, and requires mandatory disclosure of campaign contributions before the award of a no-bid contract and during the contract period. These reforms were Charter amendments and required voter approval before taking effect. In November 2005, 87% of the voters said “yes” to the ballot question calling for these reforms. This was the largest winning margin ever recorded for a ballot question in Philadelphia. The new no-bid contract procedures took effect on February 1, 2006.

Limits on Political Contributions by Contractors
Another important reform I proposed, approved in December 2005, prohibits persons and businesses from receiving City financial assistance if they have made campaign contributions in excess of the prescribed limits − $5000 for individuals and $20,000 for businesses. In addition, individuals or businesses awarded City financial assistance must agree not to make any campaign contributions which exceed the local limits for five years after receipt of the financial assistance. This ordinance took effect on July 1, 2006.

Campaign Finance Reports on City's Website
This new measure, approved December 2005, requires candidates for City offices to file their campaign reports with the City's Records Department. In addition to a hard copy, the reports are to be electronically filed, and the Records Department, working with the Ethics Board, is directed to post the campaign reports on the City's website no later than five business days after receipt of the information. The Records Department has implemented this new law and campaign reports are now available on-line.

There is much common ground between these achievements and the Committee of Seventy’s Ethics Agenda. I look forward to working with Seventy and to continuing the hard but important work of achieving real change in government ethics in the City of Philadelphia.

I Love the Farm Show

The Pennsylvania Farm Show is the largest indoor agricultural exposition in the nation. The Farm Show Complex contains 25 acres under one roof, spread throughout 11 buildings (including three indoor arenas). I went last year; it's a blast.

Fox Executive MBA program Ranked Top 20 in the US

The Executive MBA ("EMBA") Program at Temple University’s Fox School of Business has been ranked among the top 20 programs in the U.S. by the Financial Times. This is the sixth consecutive year that the Fox program has been ranked among the world's best by the London-based news organization.

Gambling and Addiction

"Eighty percent of people who gamble will have no problems. Fifteen percent will have some problems. Five percent will become addicted. This applies across the board to legal and illegal gambling and even state lotteries," said Eddie Looney, executive director of New Jersey's Council on Compulsive Gambling, which has broad experience with the 12 casinos in Atlantic City.

Holiday Factoid

Lots of toys are made in the Commonwealth. The Slinky is made in Hollidaysburg (Blair County); the Crayola Crayon is produced in Easton (Northampton County); and Boyd’s Bears are made in Gettysburg (Adams County).

Philadelphia Schools are Wired

Three Local Colleges Named 'Most High Tech' in Nation
by KYW’s Suzanne Monaghan

PC Magazine is announcing its 2007 "Top Wired Colleges". And a local university tops the list and two others are among the top 20.

Villanova University tops the list as the most high tech school in the country:

"Villanova's been pretty proactive about making sure students have the most updated equipment and then they have very strong tech support."

Erik Rhey of PC Magazine says Philadelphia makes a strong showing compared to other cities with Swarthmore College coming in at number four and Temple University placing 15th out of 240 colleges:

"I know they're in the middle of a big wireless project to get the whole city wireless on a certain timetable. And I think Philadelphia has a very strong initiative in that arena so I think it just sort of fits that the academic institutions sort of follow that."

Schools are judged on things like whether students can check coursework or take tests online, the availability of computer labs, and the strength and security of the school network.

Zoning Reform Bill

From PennFuture: Councilmen Kenney and DiCicco have introduced a Zoning Bill to establish a 29- member Zoning Commission to work with national experts to modernize our Zoning Code. As many of you know, our current Zoning Code was developed during the Eisenhower Administration and is over 600 pages long. More importantly, the code is out of touch with the current needs of the community. We need 2/3 of Council to give an affirmative vote on Thursday, December 14th. Please take a minute to contact your City Council members to urge them to support Bill No. 060699 and Resolution NO. 060716. You can send an email directly at www.nextgreatcity.org through our Take Action! page.

Agricultural Factoid

According to the Commonwealth's Department of Agriculture, 45 of Pennsylvania's approximately 200 milk processors sell eggnog, that fattening holiday drink. Dairy is Pennsylvania's #1 agricultural industry, contributing $4.2 billion in annual income. Moo.

The New York Times Loves Philadelphia

Another positive article in the New York Times about Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania Gets Greener

According to the Philadelphia Business Journal, the Commonwealth’s Department of Community and Economic Development (“DCED”) has granted $2.0 million to Philadelphia University's Engineering and Design Institute and the Pittsburgh-based Green Building Alliance to establish the Pennsylvania Green Growth Partnership.

Horizons Wins Award

Horizons has won the “Restaurant of the Year Award” from VegNews Magazine. The husband/wife team of Rich Landau (executive chef) and Kate Jacoby (pastry chef) moved Horizons from the suburbs into Philadelphia in 2006 and became our City’s first upscale vegan restaurant. The two-story restaurant (downstairs lounge; upstairs dining) serves “nouveau vegan cuisine along with organic spirits”. Craig LeBan - Philadelphia’s premier food critic – gave Horizons an “excellent” rating. Horizons is located at 611 South 7th Street. I've been there; it's delicious.

Friday Agricultural Factoid

This season, 380,000 acres of corn were harvested, producing more than 6.8 million tons of "silage". Corn silage, which is fed to livestock, contributes nearly $185 million to the Commonwealth’s economy.

Friday Agricultural Factoid

Chrysanthemums contribute more than $2.2 million to the Commonwealth's economy. There are more than 60 “mum” producers throughout the Pennsylvania. Overall, we rank seventh nationally in wholesale floriculture crops.

Philly Architectural Salvage Update

From my friends at Architectural Salvage News:

American Soil has opened an architectural salvage store in Philadelphia called Provenance at 1610 Fairmount Ave., (215) 236-6677. On American Soil's website, click on "architectural salvage." Presently, they're selling treasures from Philadelphia's landmark Divine Lorraine Hotel.

Philadelphia International Airport is in the Potatoes

According to the Daily News, Philadelphia International Aiport was awarded more than $38 million in grants for various projects during the fiscal year that ended on September 30. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, it set a record for the amount of money the agency has ever given an airport during one fiscal year.

Mike Nutter Letter to Paul Vallas

Mr. Paul Vallas
Chief Executive Officer
School District of Philadelphia
440 North Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Dear Mr. Vallas:

I am writing to state my opposition to the numerous proposed budget cuts that have been detailed in the recent news accounts regarding the Philadelphia School District.

Some of these proposed cuts – art and music, athletics and sports, teen parenting centers, truancy officers, librarians, nurses and counselors - would have a devastating impact on our schools and many of your own education reform efforts.

It is unclear to me and many member of the public, especially parents and students, how the District’s finances have deteriorated over the past two years without more information being shared with the public, and more importantly, without a long term plan to fix the structural financial challenges that our District continues to face.

In response to this current funding crisis, I am asking that the District develop a comprehensive plan involving the wealth of partners who depend upon stable and improving public education system for the progress of this city and region. The Philadelphia School District must reach out in a cooperative manner to the City of Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the foundation community, the many area colleges and universities, the education advocacy community and of course citizens, parents and students to develop a plan of action that will fully inform all of the stakeholders about the direction of public education and the quality of our educational services. The School District’s current schedule will not allow sufficient review and opportunity for public input.

I am proposing that you and the School Reform Commission take the following steps:

* Provide a full, detailed disclosure of how the current budget crisis developed and a complete accounting of the past two years’ actions taken to prevent any negative educational impact on students because of funding deficiencies.

* Request a review of the Philadelphia School District finances by the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority which would serve as an independent financial oversight entity.

* Provide a public explanation of the overall impact of the educational and service impacts of any budget-cut plan that is submitted to the School Reform Commission, including the impact on planning as required by the No Child Left Behind laws.

* Provide a school-by-school analysis of any proposed educational and service impacts of any budget-cut plan that is submitted to the School Reform Commission.

* Engage in a week of public hearings in City Council Chambers in order for the public, parents and students to fully understand what the District’s proposed cuts are and how those cuts will impact the educational experience of our students prior to any budget action by the Philadelphia School District and the School Reform Commission. The District can utilize the procedure outlined in the Home Rule School District Charter section 12-209(b) for public meetings of the School Reform Commission, the City Council and the Mayor.

I am strongly encouraging that you take time to extend the public input schedule, because the currently announced schedule provides virtually no real time for input by anyone.

I believe that these steps would result in a more comprehensive and thoughtful budget and would also help to restore public confidence in the School District. Thank you for your consideration, and I would appreciate your timely response.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Nutter
Candidate for Mayor of Philadelphia

Friday Agricultural Factoid: Three Days Late

Pumpkins contribute more than $16 million to the Commonwealth's economy. In 2005, 7,500 acres of pumpkins were planted and harvested. Pumpkins rank our state second nationally in annual production at 136 million pounds.

Temple Law School Excels

According to the Philadelphia Business Journal - for the first time - Temple University's School of Law graduates led the rankings in first-time pass rates for the July 2006 Pennsylvania Bar exam. Temple Law grads had a score of 91.16 percent, 7 percentage points above the statewide average. Temple Law was better than all other ranked law schools, including Pitt (90.34 percent), Penn (89.47), Dickinson (89.17), Duquesne (88.32) and Villanova (85.47).

Center City Development News

According to the Philadelphia Business Journal, the Girard Estate has entered into a $90 million agreement with Trinity Capital Advisors of Conshohocken to develop the block bordered by Chestnut and Market Streets and 11th and 12th Streets. Trinity envisions a project that will likely contain hotel, retail, residential, entertainment and office uses that could total more than 3 million square feet.

The Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence

From their website: The Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence ("RBA") seeks to discover those special places, to celebrate and publicize their achievement. Excellence exists in every city. It can be found in downtowns, neighborhoods, and parks. The Rudy Bruner Award is a search for examples of this often overlooked excellence, and a celebration of their contribution to the richness and diversity of the urban experience. Often these places transcend the boundaries between architecture, urban design, and planning. They are born through processes of transformation -- the renewal of something old, or the creation of something new that resonates in the history of community life.

Friday Agricultural Factoid: Late Double Shot

Pennsylvania ranks fourth nationally in apple production. Apples contribute more than $50 million to our state’s economy. In 2005, 21,800 acres of apples were harvested for 405 million pounds in PA. Also, the Commonwealth ranks fifth nationally in wine grape production. In 2005, we produced 16,300 tons of wine grapes. The state is home to more than 100 wineries.

For the "Conservative" Urbanist In You

Announcing Citiesonahill.org, a project of the Manhattan Institute’s Center for Civic Innovation. This exciting new website shines the spotlight on both the missteps of American urban policy, as well as potential solutions to urban problems. Citiesonahill.org operates with the assumption that the American metropolis can be transformed through better governance, crime reduction, and market-friendly economic policies.

The reader is invited to enjoy an engaging and interactive experience featuring original editorial content, timely analysis of breaking news, and moderated reader comments. Urban analysts based throughout the United States provide guest insight into the unique issues being confronted in their cities.

Citiesonahill.org is edited by urban policy expert Fred Siegel. Mr. Siegel was a major intellectual force in the revitalization of declining American cities in the 1990s. As a senior campaign advisor to Mayor Rudy Giuliani, he was one of the first to conceptualize the reform policies carried out in New York. He is the author of The Prince of the City: Giuliani, New York and the Genius of American Life (Encounter Books 2005), and frequently writes for publications including The New Republic, The Atlantic, The Public Interest, Commentary, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Dissent, The Weekly Standard, and The Washington Post. He was also one of the original editors of the Manhattan Institute's City Journal.

Harry Siegel, formerly of the New York Sun, is managing editor of the site. Harry was previously editor-in-chief of NewPartisan.com and editor-in-chief of the New York Press. He is widely published in national journals and newspapers.

Nutter and the City Year Serve-A-Thon

Nutter for Mayor 2007 is pleased to announce an exciting volunteer opportunity in the near future. City Year will be hosting their annual Serve-A-Thon on October 28, 2006 from 8:30am-3:00pm, and we want to bring our Nutter Team along and show our support for this excellent program.

This year's Serve-A-Thon will be at the Bellfield Recreation Center at 2100 West Chew Ave in Philadelphia, and will include the repairing and cleaning of this facility. A full day of activity is planned, with a new playground to be installed and murals to be painted. This a great chance for us to show our support for Michael and for our great City. If you want to sign up, or just learn more, contact Jesse Cohen at Jesse.Cohen@att.net.

Secret Meeting with Neil Oxman

Philadelphia-based political consultant Neil Oxman worked on six of the last seven Philadelphia mayoral campaigns and has helped elect candidates across the city and nation.

In this strictly “off the record” talk, he will tell how a reform effort can make real and lasting political change. You say you want a revolution? Come out and learn how you can change the world — or at least make positive change in Philadelphia.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006 — 7:30 pm
Friends Select School / 17th & Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Cost — Free

Mike Nutter and Regionalism

From yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer:

While Philadelphia's bars and restaurants were trying to figure out the new smoking ban, Michael Nutter, the law's prime mover, was out trolling for votes, or rather contributions, at the Mendenhall Inn in Chester County last week. There, Nutter received an enthusiastic endorsement of his mayoral ambitions. He was praised as "a reform-minded public official, a person of the highest caliber who deserves to be elected mayor," in the words of Rob Powelson, president of the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry and the man who invited Nutter out to the suburbs. "When the city is doing well, the region is doing well," Powelson said.

Nutter was the keynote speaker at the second annual awards luncheon of the Chester County Chamber Foundation. "Philadelphia's future is inextricably tied to Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties," he said. "I want to change the nature of those relationships," seemingly a reference to Mayor Street, who has been little seen in Philly's suburbs.

Nutter noted that Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley was able to bring together 272 mayors from six counties and form the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. "There's no reason why we can't have something similar," Nutter said. Powelson gave Nutter credit for working with suburban representatives on the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority on the facility's long-awaited expansion.

SoundAboutPhilly

This is a new project from the Pew Foundation & Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation that offers a series of downloadable audio tours about Philadelphia. The website is: www.soundaboutphilly.com.

Friday Agricultural Factoid: Double Shot

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture:

Potatoes contribute $24 million to the Commonwealth’s economy. In 2005, 11,000 acres of potatoes were harvested. Average yield was 25,000 pounds per acre, totaling 137,500 tons.

Pears contribute $1.3 million to the economy. In 2005, 800 acres of pears were harvested. Pear production ranks us 6th nationally in annual production at 2,100 tons.

Mike Nutter on SEPTA

Michael Nutter Submits Testimony to Pennsylvania Transportation Funding and Reform Commission

Philadelphia – September 15, 2006 - Mayoral candidate Michael A. Nutter submitted testimony today to the Pennsylvania Transportation Funding and Reform Commission in response to the Commission’s request for public comments on its August 2006 report entitled “Investing in Our Future: Addressing Pennsylvania’s Transportation Funding Crisis.”

“Citizens of the Southeastern Pennsylvania region rely heavily on transportation provided by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (“SEPTA”) and that reliance would increase still further if the system was improved,” Nutter commented. “One of the many critiques I heard from my constituents when I served the 4th Councilmanic District was that SEPTA does not serve them well and fails to communicate with them. That recurring problem causes an unnecessary tension between SEPTA and the neighborhoods.”

Nutter provided recommendations to assist in resolving that problem. He called upon the Commonwealth to reconfigure the composition of the SEPTA board to provide Philadelphians with greater representation. Nutter also called upon Philadelphia to solve the problem. He stated, “Philadelphia must do its part. Philadelphia needs a Deputy Mayor for Transportation, who would be the liaison between SEPTA and the citizens of Philadelphia.”

Nutter agreed with the Commission’s assessment that SEPTA remains under-funded and commented, “In order for the funding crisis to be resolved, there has to be a joint partnership between the Commonwealth and the five counties to increase funding.”

Governor Rendell created the Commission in 2005 to examine the funding crisis plaguing Pennsylvania’s highway, bridge and transit systems. The Commission is seeking input before it fashions a final report in November.

Participate in the September 16th “Statewide Action Day” - Help Build Momentum for Democrats Across Pennsylvania!

Governor Rendell is sponsoring a “Statewide Action Day” to build momentum, enthusiasm for November elections tomorrow. Thousands of people from across the Commonwealth will walk door to door to speak directly with their neighbors about the Governor’s record and the importance of getting out to vote on November 7th. This is an opportunity to build momentum on a grassroots level as Election Day quickly approaches. Please visit www.rendellforgovernor.com/actionday for a complete list of locations and for more information about how to get involved. The Governor will be in Bucks County, Bob Casey will be in Delaware County, and lots of local elected officials will be knocking on doors, too. In Philadelphia, things will be getting started at Rendell Campaign HQ at 123 South Broad Street, Suite 1220. Michael Nutter – candidate for Mayor – will be there.

Councilman Kenney Proposes Charter Change

Councilman Kenney is proposing to change the City Charter to eliminate the provision that requires elected officials or City employees to resign their position to run for another public office. Kenney notes that Philadelphia is the only county in the Commonwealth to have place this kind of restriction on its public officials and employees. Kenney says it takes good people, such as former councilman Michael Nutter, who resigned this Summer to run for mayor, prematurely out of public service. Said Kenney, "I think Mike Nutter is a perfect example of a person who worked diligently in here, had good ideas, got a lot of things accomplished, and then wants to take the next step up and has to resign and leave the body."

I Like Mike

Here's a little blurb from this morning's Philadelphia Inquirer. Nutter's actions evidence that he's not a grandstander, just another one of the reasons I like him so much and hope that he's our next Mayor.

"Some people crash parties. Politicians crash news conferences - especially those likely to draw international coverage, and when there's a mayoral race around the corner. At least that's what happened at the opening of the city's School of the Future on Thursday. U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.) and State Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Phila.) - both mayoral hopefuls - joined State Rep. Vincent Hughes (D., Phila.), State Rep. James Roebuck Jr. (D., Phila.) and Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell on stage at the West Philadelphia school. All were invited, but the Philadelphia School District and Microsoft Corp. - which helped design the school - had not planned for them to be on stage. Extra chairs had to be found. At least one politician didn't crash: Michael Nutter, the former councilman and declared mayoral candidate, whose district the school is in and who helped the district secure the site. He watched and listened from the crowd. 'I knew we weren't supposed to be on stage,' Nutter said. 'It wasn't about us.'"

Friday Agricultural Factoid

Grapes contribute $19 million to Commonwealth's economy, with Erie County producing the most. In 2005, 12,000 acres of grapes were harvested in Pennsylvania. Grape production ranks us 5th nationally in annual production at 90,000 tons.

Tell Mayor Street to Sign the Smoking Ban

From an email from PennEnvironment:

BACKGROUND After more than five years of debate, Philadelphia City Council finally passed the smoke-free workplace legislation this summer. On March 27th, the Philadelphia City Council's Public Health Committee passed Councilwoman Marian Tasco's legislation that would make Philadelphia smoke-free by prohibiting smoking in all workplaces in order to protect the health of our citizens and workers. This legislation passed on June 15, 2006 by a vote of 9-6, with council members Clarke, DiCicco, Goode, Kenney, Miller, Nutter Ramos, Reynolds Brown and Tasco voting in favor of this important public health proposal. Unfortunately, Philadelphia Mayor John Street is now hinting he may refuse to sign this legislation--after publicly stating that passing citywide, smoke-free legislation in the city is one of his top priorities. Councilman Nutter first proposed smoke-free legislation in 2000. At that time, far fewer municipalities had enacted smoke-free laws and the bill met strong opposition. In an attempt to work with members of the hospitality industry, the legislation became muddled with exemptions and eventually was put on the backburner before ever getting a vote in city council. Since then, a lot has changed.

In recent years a groundswell of support for smoke-free laws has developed in states and localities across the country. Nearly one-third of the U.S. population--or more than 90 million people--is now covered by strong smoke-free laws. Cities such as New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Minneapolis have all passed comprehensive smoking bans, as well as our neighboring states of New Jersey and Delaware. As the numbers come back from places that have gone smoke-free, numerous careful scientific and economic analyses have shown that smoke-free laws do not hurt restaurant and bar patronage, employment, sales, or profits. In fact, in most cities the workplace smoking ban is credited with increased sales and creating new jobs as local residents who avoid smoky locales once again began going out to local bars and restaurants. For this reason, it isn't surprising that the Chamber of Commerce even supports this proposal. It is widely recognized that exposure to secondhand smoke causes disease, disability and death. Secondhand smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals and at least 69 carcinogens, including formaldehyde, cyanide, and arsenic. In addition to heart disease, secondhand smoke is proven to cause lung cancer and many serious respiratory illnesses. Here in Philadelphia, a broad alliance of public health groups, businesses, environmental groups and concerned citizens has come together in support of a smoke-free Philadelphia. For more information, check out the website, www.breathefreephiladlephia.org. Yet until June 15, 2006, Philadelphia's City Council had refused to take action on this important public health proposal.

Now, Mayor Street is threatening to bring us back to square one and start all over by refusing to sign the smoke-free workplace legislation. So take a minute to ask Mayor Street to sign the smoke-free workplace legislation. Then, forward this to your friends and family in Philadelphia and ask them to do the same. To email the mayor, click on the link below or paste it into your web browser: http://www.pennenvironment.org/PE.asp?id=1771&id4=ES

Meet Mike Nutter - September 20th

If you have not had the opportunity to meet Michael yet, here is your chance. Young Professionals for Nutter are having their next meet and greet on September 20, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. at Abbraccio located at 820 S. 47th Street.

Pennsylvania is Green

Governor Rendell announced this week that the state government will double the amount of electricity purchased from renewable sources. The enhanced purchase makes Pennsylvania the largest state purchaser of green electricity and ranks Pennsylvania number 12 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Top 25 Green Power Partners list.

Friday Agricultural Factoid: There's a Fungus Among Us

I’m proud to report that, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, our state ranks first nationally in mushroom production, producing more than 495 million pounds annually. The mushroom industry contributes an excess of $391 million to the Commonwealth’s economy every year.