Verna vote vs. sign a tribute to Cohen

Not one to break the sacred tradition of Councilmanic prerogative - in which other Council members defer to their colleagues on any issue in that members' own district - Council President Anna C. Verna last week nevertheless voted against her fellow South Philadelphian and close ally, Frank DiCicco, on a controversial sign bill.

The bill would allow up to 10,000 square feet of wall-wrap advertising on a building at Seventh and Willow Streets, in DiCicco's district.

Why such heresy?

In a classic farewell gesture, Verna said her vote was a salute to the late Councilman David Cohen, with whom she served for 26 years before his death in 2005.

The proliferation of billboards was among the many causes Cohen was almost rabid about.

"That was one of his biggest gripes in life," said Verna, who also noted that there was substantial public opposition. "So I figured, this would be a vote for David Cohen."

- Inquirer Staff

The peripatetic John Timoney has a new job. He's going to Bahrain to train the Gulf kingdom's forces in how not to torture people.

At least that's what Heard in the Hall infers from the announcement about his hiring. We could not reach Timoney for comment.

Bahrain's Interior Ministry said it hired the former Philadelphia police commissioner in response to an independent report that detailed abuses against pro-reform demonstrators.

After leaving Philadelphia, Timoney served as Miami police chief from 2003-10.

Timoney's job in Bahrain could be a cakewalk after his most recent assignment - advising Camden County on merging city and county police forces into a single, regional unit. He has also taken on such dangerous diversions as teaching "The Politics of Policing" at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

- Miriam Hill