Briefly... CITY/REGION

Bush to visit city school

President Bush will visit Philadelphia Thursday morning to mark the seventh anniversary of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which he signed into law.

Bush will tour Gen. Philip Kearny School, 6th Street and Fairmount Avenue, where he will deliver a speech on how the law has changed the education landscape.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said that Bush also will "talk about why he's confident that we can meet the goals of this law and why we must hold firm on higher standards and accountability."

No more Mr. Nice-City

Impatient drivers, beware. After a two-month grace period, the Philadelphia Parking Authority is about to start sending $100 tickets to motorists who run red lights at three more city intersections - 58th and Walnut streets, Broad Street and Hunting Park Avenue, and 9th Street and Roosevelt Boulevard.

Expensive red-light camera installations, already in place at 10 other Philadelphia sites, will record the license-plate numbers of vehicles passing through the intersections illegally.

Delco GI dies in Iraq

Army Pfc. Christopher W. Lotter, of Chester Heights, Delaware County, died in Iraq on New Year's Eve after being shot by enemy forces in Tikrit.

Lotter, 20, was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.

Attic squatter says he's sorry

Stanley Carter, 21, who squatted in the attic of a family's home near Wilkes-Barre over Christmas and helped himself to their belongings, is "sorry and upset" it happened, his lawyer said yesterday.

Police say Carter stole food, clothing, cash and Christmas presents while living in Stacy Ferrance's attic. Carter waived his right to a preliminary hearing yesterday. His attorney, Basil Russin, said Carter, of Trumann, Ark., was "very peaceful up there and kept to himself."

Bowler rolls invite to inaugural

In March, Roxanne Hart, of Altoona, was out bowling when Barack Obama and Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey stopped in for a campaign visit, and she was asked to bowl with them. She thumped the candidate, who, famously, bowled a paltry 37. He did a little better in the election.

Hart didn't do too badly, either. She and her husband, Donald, have been asked to attend Barack Obama's swearing-in on Jan. 20, as guests of Casey.

Corzine slashes at deficit

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine yesterday unveiled his ideas for cuts to help bridge the state's $2.1 billion budget gap. Some $812 million in spending is being pared from the fiscal budget.

The cuts affect everything from school-breakfast programs and nursery-inspection programs to mosquito control and equipment for state police.

Specifically, Corzine proposed cutting $15 million in aid to cities and towns and $75 million in K-12 public-school money. *

- Staff and wire reports