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Before I get into all the news that was fit to print, let me begin on a personal note. Our own Simone Weichselbaum -- the always crazy/feisty/sugar-addicted female half of Philly Confidential -- will be leaving the blog and the Daily News for 10 months to pick up a master's degree at Penn.
For the small segment of folks who always rant against Simone -- and if I remember correctly, some of you once even demanded that she be fired -- well, this your moment. Soak it up, suckers. The people who appreciate her endless devotion to shining a light on the less glamorous -- and extremely corrupt -- aspects of our city will probably realize this a big loss for both the paper and the blog.
I'm not exactly sure how we'll address Simone's absence here at PC. For starters, I should probably try to blog more than once a season (he said, as the summer of '07 takes its final breaths). I've half thought about holding a write-in contest to find a temporary replacement partner, although one wonders if I actually have the authority to do that. (Editor's note: Dave has no such authority.)
Either way, it's going to be interesting, and as we move ahead, I'd like to know what you guys would like to see more of on your favorite crime blog. (Police statistics, I can provide. Photos of naked cheerleaders on rollercoasters, not so much.) Anyhow, here's what you might have missed this week, if you were preoccupied, like I was, with the Jeremiah Trotter fiasco.
Top cop gone. No, Joe Fox wasn't the police commissioner, but the gruff chief inspector certainly left his mark on this town. Ironically, both he and Simone check out today.
Famous sons say, D'oh! Somehow, I sense Britt Reid and Larry Richette will find each other one day on a VH1 reality show. Andy's already troubled son is in legal trouble again. Larry, the son of Judge Lisa Richette, allegedly beat up his mom, and then not-so-allegedly flashed his ding-a-ling to Channel 10. Insert dry heaves here.
Because selling heroin wasn't enough. Kensington heroin dealer and his girlfriend locked her kids in a vile, disgusting makeshift basement cell for hours, while they lived in relative glory.
41 years later, a tragedy. Rookie patrol cop shot and paralyzed in '66 finally succumbs earlier this week. The 71-year-old gunman could face murder charges.
Comments (9)
Simone...............best of luck at Penn.
10 months, huh?
Well that is about the normal length of time between updated PC postings anyway........hahahahahahahahahahahahah.
Slackers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
David............I volunteer to fill in for her while she's gone as a guest columnist.
You and I can be like Hannity and Colmes. LOL
And I will promise Simone that I will infuriate her haters during her time away, having them more than riled up upon her return.
Posted by Mike Bucceroni | August 24, 2007 5:38 PM
Posted on August 24, 2007 17:38
Simone.....Gonna miss your intensity. The crime in my home town disturbs me deeply. I'm here in Iraqi with the 10th Moutain Division, and even with all of the violence that occurs here, I cannot fathom what is happening back there in Philly. We need guys like you to maintain the focus on this "disease". Best of luck to you...see you in ten months!
Posted by Lawrence Austin | August 25, 2007 10:48 AM
Posted on August 25, 2007 10:48
Simone, best of luck at Penn. My bro-in-law got one of those 10 month degrees there. He loves that giant piece of paper. I, as well, am working on my masters, but I think the Temple variety is actually on a smaller (dimension-wise) sheet of paper. For the amount of money we spend on education, that sucker should be on gold leaf, with a platinum backing.
If you the DN are going to hold a write in contest for a chance to write on this blog, please keep us informed. I'd love to write in for the chance to blog with the best. While I'm not a reporter, much comes my way, and much happens in the largest school in the district.
Anyway, Britt? We all know Britt's just a roller coaster with "future deadbeat" written all over him. I guess I'm really just wondering why Andy hasn't had a quintuple bypass yet, with all that stress.
To you other question about what we'd like to see more of. You guys do this already, but crime-politics connections. I really believe that the leaders of this city are failing us completely. From da' Mayor(spike lee reference), to our council persons, and our congressional reps. The more I read about them, and follow their careers; The more I want to move to Canada. They're the ones that create policy that effects us directly, and they're the ones that allocates federal, state, and local monies. The middle class is shrinking rapidly in the city, and without their consideration, you're going to find an entire town is completely federally subsidized. You might as well start building a moat around center city.
Posted by Gtown_teach | August 25, 2007 10:54 AM
Posted on August 25, 2007 10:54
You should run a contest on the best caption for the Larry Richette photo. The look on Ms. Braxton's face is priceless...
Good luck Simone, try to take a class on how to not take an ultra liberal stance on everything, might make you an even better reporter. A little balance is a good thing, no?
Posted by John Q | August 28, 2007 10:54 AM
Posted on August 28, 2007 10:54
please take a remedial English grammar class at Penn.
Posted by Anonymous | August 28, 2007 7:13 PM
Posted on August 28, 2007 19:13
The Richette write-in contest is actually a great idea, John Q. My early picks: "Say hallo to my little friend!" or, quite possibly, "Where's the beef?"
Posted by david | August 28, 2007 9:37 PM
Posted on August 28, 2007 21:37
I am writing from the back of a police car on my nifty blackberry in the middle of north philly for a class group ride along. The two cops I am with are teaching grammar while we cruise looking for thugs.
Thank you everyone for reading my thoughts over the years. I am now like the rest of you, stuck answering to Dave's comments.
Hold down the fort partner!
Posted by simone | August 28, 2007 11:10 PM
Posted on August 28, 2007 23:10
I am writing from the back of a police car on my nifty blackberry in the middle of north philly for a class group ride along. The two cops I am with are teaching grammar while we cruise looking for thugs.
Thank you everyone for reading my thoughts over the years. I am now like the rest of you, stuck answering to Dave's comments.
Hold down the fort partner!
Posted by simone | August 28, 2007 11:11 PM
Posted on August 28, 2007 23:11
Richette: "wanna see my tan line"?
Braxton: "why didn't I take pre-med in college"?
Never knew Simone had a grammer problem, what's up with that? Bur she has joined the blogger world by posting twice, that enter button is tricky, ain't it?
Posted by John Q | August 29, 2007 11:30 AM
Posted on August 29, 2007 11:30