MICHAEL NUTTER BETRAYS PHILADELPHIA

Mr. Bogglehead:

The Man Who Closed A City

By Richard Carreño

[WC News Service]

Let's set aside the security excesses.

 

There were of course, many during Pope Francis' pop-in in Philadelphia last weekend. Too many.

 

Let's even move beyond, for the moment, the gross municipal incompetence in planning Francis' visit here, though Mayor Nutter and his crew had more than six months to strategize the event. Details regarding the occasion were always confused, opaque, and contradictory. And usually wrong.

 

Somehow Nutter got it in his head that more than 1-million, even 1.5-million attendees would arrive. The overly-optimistic figure was pulled out of thin air. It became fixed and operative. And, eventually, it helped lead to the various cock-ups that ensued.

 

But it was Nutter's favourite number, and one he insisted upon. A record number that would result in the biggest event in Philadelphia's history. On his watch. In the closing months of his mayoralty.

Bring on the Clowns

 

J'acusse!

What? Philly trade union Local DC 33 is fired up over Mayor Michael Nutter for being anti-union. Nutter's budget speech to the City Council last week was drowned out by unionists rightfully outraged by Nutter's anti-union, anti-labour positions. He was colourfully labeled 'Bozo' the clown. (Or, maybe they just didn't want to hear his whiny monotone drone of a voice? Good thing Nutter never has to yell 'Charge!' -- unless it's on his City Hall credit card that is).

Rittenhouse Squared

Mayor Michael A. Nutter was on hand, looking pissed off as usual.
Photos: Writers Clearinghouse News Service

Center City Square
Expands Green Oasis
An empty lot on the northwest corner of Rittenhouse Square, once touted as the possible mixed-use hotel site by an Irish development community, has instead become green space, thanks to the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society.

The Society, which debuted the bushy, grassy green oasis to the community today, called it a 'pop-up park.' More like a garden, I'd say. Whatever you call it, the space is no longer the eye-sore that the festering vacancy lot has been for decades. Interestingly enough, there was seemingly no opposition to the garden/park by neighbor groups, which normally fight everything. (Ie. Rittenhouse Square Neighborhood Association: 'No. Now, what's the question?'

This is the second consecutive summer that the greenthumbers came through with a green open space in Center City. Last year the pop-up was at the corner of Market and 20th streets. Like the Rittenhouse Square location, the Market Street site has also been long vacant. Is the Horticulture Society suggesting something?
-- Richard Carreño