Briefly... CITY/REGION

Penn, Drexel 'good neighbors'

Declaring that the state of the U.S. economy makes the economic relationship between institutions of higher education and their local communities "more important than ever," a national survey, "Saviors of Our Cities," named the University of Pennsylvania the No. 1 "best neighbor" university in the U.S., tied with the University of Southern California. Drexel University was named to the top 10.

Amtrak ridership drops

Amtrak said yesterday that while its ridership dropped by 1.5 million passengers during the past year - from 28.7 million to 27.2 million, it was still the second-highest year in the railroad's history. Amtrak's president and chief executive, Joseph Boardman, blamed the decline on the weakened economy, although travel was up on some short-distance routes and on the railroad's 15 long-distance trains. Among the short-distance routes, the Harrisburg-Philadelphia-New York Keystone Service ridership was up 2.7 percent.

Counties want Pa. to pay up

Some counties, social-services providers and school districts that borrowed money to replace state subsidies held up by the 101-day budget impasse said yesterday that they want the state to repay the interest.

They said that repayment is a matter of basic fairness, and they plan to bring the issue up this week with Gov. Rendell's administration.

Tom Gentzel, executive director of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, said that his organization will make the request after districts receive their overdue money.

Slain man identified in A.C.

The bullet-riddled body of a former Philadelphia resident was found dead on Maryland Avenue in Atlantic City early yesterday, police said. Kevin Ross, 23, who police said recently moved to the Shore resort, had been shot a total of six times in the head, shoulder and buttocks.

Also, the body of another man was found early Saturday on the beach in Atlantic City near Indiana Avenue. Police have not identified him but said he was a 54-year-old Pleasantville resident. They gave no cause of death.

Victims turn on robber

Cops say that a New Jersey gunman picked the wrong teens to rob yesterday at the Brookside Shopping Center, outside Newark, Del. One teen grabbed the man's gun and the other beat him with a baseball bat.

New Castle County Police say that Michael Wells, 30, of Penns Grove, N.J., wound up with a broken arm and is under arrest. The weapon turned out to be a BB gun.

- Staff and wire reports

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