Inquirer staff writer Kristen Graham writes from Citizens Bank Park:

Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.

Inquirer staff writer Kristen Graham reports from Citizens Bank Park: 

Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.

Inquirer staff writer Kristen A. Graham reports:

Audrey Hughes couldn't sleep. She was so keyed up over tonight's Phillies game that the 15-year old from Brigantine rose 45 minutes before her alarm went off.
"I've been up since 5:30," said Hughes, who was one of the first fans in the first base gate when it opened at 6:05. "I usually get up at 6:15. I couldn't stop thinking about the Phillies."
Hughes has a good feeling, she said - the first song she heard when she turned on the radio was the Black Eyed Peas' "I've Got a Feeling," with its chorus of "Tonight's gonna be a good night/Tonight's gonna be a good, good night."
Audrey's mom, Dawn Hughes, had no doubts.
"We've got this," Dawn Hughes said. "The home crowd gets them motivated."
Fans Anne and Fred Buffone usually watch at home. Well, Anne watches no matter what, and Fred watches until the going gets rough.
"When they start losing, I can't stand to watch," Fred Buffone said. "Last game, I went to bed and waited for her to tell me what happened."
The couple, who came to the ballpark via tickets Fred received for his 70th birthday, smelled a win in the air.
"I'm nervous for those guys," said Anne Buffone. "I can imagine what they're going through."
And the contingency plan in case the Phils are losing?
"I told him to go into the men's room," Anne Buffone said, laughing. "I'll watch."
Tonight is Zack Campbell's first playoff game, and he's really psyched, the 10-year-old said.
"We're going to win," said Zack, who lives in Roxborough. "Our batters are great."
His mom, Trish Campbell, concurred.
"Howard's hot, Jimmy Rollins had a beautiful hit on Monday," Trish Campbell said. "We'll win."
 

Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.

Inquirer staff writer Jeff Gammage reports:

Across the city, there was the scent of impending victory – and with it a second straight trip to the World Series.

At 5 p.m., three hours before game time, sidewalk vendor Craig Brooks was selling red shirts emblazoned, “2009 National League Champion Phillies.”

Was he being a little overconfident, or worried he’d get stuck with worthless stock?

“It’s a done deal,” said the North Philadelphia man, who operates his booth six days a week, selling shirts and DVDs. “You’ve got to have confidence in your team. They’re the champions. Champions don’t lose.”

He said champion-shirt sales had been steady, his customers also certain of a Phillies win.

“Two guys came up, saw the Eastern Division Champion hats. Two ladies came up, ‘Oh you’ve got the shirts early.’”

On the southbound Broad Street subway, rush-hour commuters mixed with hordes of red-and-blue clad fans headed to the game, fans who periodically let loose with cries of, “Phillies!”

It was standing room only in the subway cars, the pressure released when fans poured out onto the concourse at Pattison station.

“Let’s go Phillies! Repeat!” one man shouted. “Let’s go Patriots! Oops, my bad.”

Television news helicopters hovered outside Citizens Bank Park, the noise of their blades competing with the street-level scalpers calls of, “Any extra tickets?”

The poles of satellite trucks stood fully extended, reporters waiting to go live from outside the stadium on the evening news. Inside the stadium, T-shirt and hot-dog vendors readied their wares for the crush that would accompany the opening of the stadium gates at 6 p.m.

Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.

SEPTA is adding extra Regional Rail train service for Phillies fans after tonight's Game 5 of the National League Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park.

Starting 90 minutes after the last out, 11 extra Regional Rail trains will begin running on all lines, with the exception of the R6 Cynwyd Line and the R1 Airport Line, which will run on their regular schedules.

All trains will make their normal stops, with the exception of the R2 Wilmington/Newark Line, which will make its final stop in Marcus Hook.

Prior to the game, SEPTA is running extra service on the Broad Street Line and the Market-Frankford Line to help fans get to the stadium.

Ten Sports Express trains will supplement regular service on the Broad Street Line, starting at 6:18 p.m. Sports Express trains depart at the Fern Rock Transportation Center, and stop at Olney, Erie, Girard, Spring Garden, Race-Vine, City Hall and Walnut-Locust, before reaching the Pattison Avenue Station. Four extra trains will be added to regular service on the Market-Frankford Line, which connects to the Broad Street Line at City Hall. 

Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.

Memorial for Meridian Plaza Fire Fighters who died in the high rise fire in 1991.

 Inquirer staff report:

A ceremony will be held today to dedicate a new memorial  honoring the three firefighters killed battling the Meridian skyscraper fire in 1991.

The granite memorial with three bronze plaques and fire fighter helmets is located in the courtyard of the condominium that was erected on the site after One Meridian Plaza was torn down.

The 12-alarm fire in the 38-story tower across from City Hall in February 1991 claimed the lives of Fire Capt. David P. Holcombe, Firefighter Phyllis McAllister and Firefighter James A. Chappell.

The ceremony is set for 11 a.m. and the Police Department advises that street closures in the area will disrupt traffic between 10:30 a.m. and noon.

Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.

A body was found inside this trash truck, guarded by Philadelphia police behind the George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science at 17th and Norris Streets in North Philadelphia this morning. (Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer)

Inquirer staff report:

Police are investigating the discovery of a body in the compactor of a garbage trash truck in North Philadelphia this morning.

The victim is believed to be a homeless man who had been sleeping in a Dumpster, police said.

Officials are awaiting an autopsy to determine the cause of death and policer were interviewing the operators of the   Waste Management truck. The truck is the type used to empty Dumpsters.

The man's body was removed from the truck at 17th and Norris Streets.

A police spokesman said this type of incident is unusual but not unprecedented nationally.

 Inquirer staff writer Sam Wood reports:

All evening classes at Temple University’s Center City campus have been cancelled tonight due to a water problem at the university’s Market Street building, school officials said.

Only the Center City campus is affected, said Ray Betzner, a spokesman for the university.

All other campuses are holding classes as scheduled.
 

Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.