Year In Review: Local News

Philly.com's end-of-year roundup of the top local news stories of 2012.

How much wind and rain?
3.7M in region without power
Sounds of love, steel at Sandy benefit

More Top Stories

Gino DiPietro was shot several times in the back on Iseminger Street near Johnston. One mob source speculated that an attack on DiPietro could be ´tying up loose ends´ with the 1995 murder of Ralph Mazzuca. (Joseph Kaczmarek/For the Daily News)

South Philly slaying a mob hit? 'Mob soldier' questioned

It had become the defense team's mantra: The Philly Mafia doesn't whack people anymore.

Philadelphia mob boss Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino (left) and reputed boss Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi in summer 1998. (G.W. Miller III/Staff file photo)

Defense rests, juror tossed from Ligambi mob trial

Lawyers for reputed mob boss Joseph Ligambi and six associates rested their case hours after the trial judge dismissed a juror who said his view of the case might have been tainted by reports of a possible mob-related hit.

Samantha Pawlucy, with her parents, Kristine and Richard, says she has heard rumors of threats to her safety over her claims about a teacher´s behavior. (Steven M. Falk / Staff Photographer)

Philly student mocked over Romney T-shirt fears for safety

A Philly teen says students threatened her after a teacher mocked her for wearing a Pro-Mitt Romney shirt.

Raghunandan Yandamuri is escorted to a Montgomery County district court for a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, in Bridgeport, Pa. Investigators said Yandamuri killed 10-month-old Saanvi Venna and her grandmother Satyavathi Venna in a botched ransom kidnapping. He is being held without bail on murder, kidnapping and other charges. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Baby Saanvi's admitted killer says debts led to homicides

IT WAS a hastily hatched plot, worming around his brain for just a few short hours before Raghunandan "Raghu" Yandamuri grabbed a kitchen knife and knocked on a neighbor's door.

Triton High School in Runnemede, N.J. on Oct. 5, 2012. APRIL SAUL / Staff Photographer

Runnemede high school deals with sex-scandal fallout

Since summer, parents at Triton Regional High had heard rumors about a brewing sex scandal.

A still image from a video posted to YouTube shows the melee that erupted at the Society Hill Sheraton on Sunday among the attendees of two weddings. Three people were arrested and one man died of a heart attack.

Wedding brawler disputes cop account

Matthew Sofka, arrested in a post-wedding brawl at a Society Hill hotel, says he didn't assault police.

Lt. Jonathan Josey, who was caught hitting a woman in a released cell phone video in October, will be charged with assault.

Police Lt. Josey who hit woman after Puerto Rican parade will face assault charge

Police Lt. Jonathan Josey, a decorated 19-year veteran of the department, was fired after a cellphone video of the punch went viral and drew international attention.

Locals Who Died This Year