Dan Gross: City nixes Vento's offer

GENO'S STEAKS owner  

Joey Vento is outraged that the cash-strapped city has refused his offer to provide two horse trailers for the Police Department's new mounted unit.

According to Vento, he had an arrangement with Lt. Dan McCann, who runs the unit, to buy two trailers for more than $20,000. The city nixed the offer because Vento had asked that a small plaque be placed on the side of each trailer saying he had donated them.

"The plaque is the big issue," Vento said yesterday.

Vento has donated motorcycles to the Police Department that are unmarked, and cycles to the Aston, Pa., and Medford, N.J., police that do have his name on them.

"We did get a request from Mr. Vento that he would provide a couple horse trailers, and he wanted an advertisement attached noting his company name and logo, and we respectfully declined because we don't do that," Mayor Nutter's press secretary, Mark McDonald, said yesterday.

"We're encouraging contributions to the Philadelphia Police Foundation. I would certainly hope Mr. Vento would continue his public-spirited contribution through the foundation," he said.

The steak mogul believes the city is out to get him because he beat a case brought on by the Human Relations Commission that charged him with discrimination over the "This is America: When Ordering, Speak English" sticker outside his restaurant.

"All of a sudden my tables are illegal, my zoning is illegal. It all started in the last seven or eight months," says Vento.

"He's giving too much credit to the ability of government," McDonald said. "There is no conspiracy to give Mr. Vento a hard time. He's assuming some kind of rationality behind separate actions by individual agencies."

"Joey Vento has been the number one supporter of the Philadelphia Police Department and fallen officers and their families, and we thank him for that," police spokesman Lt. Ray Evers said last night. "Because of the issue of advertising, we can't accept the offer at this time."

"Maybe the State Police will take them," Vento told us last night. "They got horses." A State Police official could not be reached for comment.

Philly teacher on 'Jeopardy'

Good luck to Elizabeth Raab. The teacher at High School of the Future (4021 Parkside) takes part in the "Jeopardy" Teachers Tournament on the May 4 episode, which airs here at 7 p.m. on 6ABC. The winner of the 15-teacher tournament, May 2 to May 13, receives $100,000 and a guaranteed spot in the "Jeopardy" Tournament of Champions later this year. Second place is guaranteed $50,000 and third place, $25,000.

Boris Kodjoe hosts PIFA party

Actor Boris Kodjoe, who stars in "Undercovers" on USA, hosts the Last Night in Paris party Friday at the Kimmel Center, part of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts. The party will feature music by local songbird Leah Smith with the Urban Guerilla Orchestra and DJ Gary O. Dress is upscale - jeans are not permitted - and tickets are $30 at the Kimmel Center or at pifa.org.

Charitably minded

Local CBS Radio chief Marc Rayfield and David Dinenberg, of Grasso Holdings, co-chair the fifth annual Poker and Blackjack Tournament on May 4 to benefit the Jewish National Fund of Eastern Pennsylvania, at Del Frisco's (15th & Chestnut). The event begins at 5:30 with a cocktail hour, silent auction and dinner. The tournament and a live auction begin at 7. Tickets are $200 with advance reservation and $220 at the door. It's only $80 if you don't want to participate in the gaming, which features cash prizes.

For info or to register, call Marina Furman at 215-832-0690 or visit jnf.org/phillypoker.

Rendell, Rudman honored

 Former Gov. Ed Rendell will receive the Judge Edward R. Becker Citizenship Award, and Friday Morning Quarterback publisher and philanthropist Kal Rudman will receive the Golden Gavel of Excellence tomorrow morning at ceremonies hosted by the Fox Rothschild Center for Law and Society at Community College of Philadelphia. Through the Kal and Lucile Rudman Foundation, Rudman has given more than $100,000 to 250 police officers toward criminal-justice degrees at Community College of Philadelphia.

Visit PhillyGossip.com for Dan's latest updates or follow PhillyGossip on Twitter. Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or email grossd@phillynews.com. For recent columns, visit www.philly.com/DanGross.