Briefly... CITY/REGION

Trial in E.R. theft case

A man has been ordered to stand trial on charges of lifting the wristwatch off a man dying in the emergency room of Aria Health's Frankford campus.

Prosecutors say Richard Alten, 45, stole a watch from Joaquin Rivera, 63, as the older man sat unresponsive in the E.R. in November. Officials say Rivera died of a heart attack. Two other defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to probation. Luis Carrasquillo, a friend of Rivera's, testified that he saw the robbers take the watch even though they knew he was watching.

Cops: Getaway by cab

Tyrone Carter, 38, used an unsuspecting cabbie as his getaway driver after robbing the PNC Bank on Market Street near 16th in Center City about 11:30 a.m. yesterday, police said.

Cops said Carter, of Jefferson Street near 62nd, presented a demand note to a teller and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash before he was spotted in the back of a taxi by two police officers on Richmond Street near Allegheny Avenue.

Police said Carter was in possession of the exact amount of currency that had been taken from the bank.

City efficiency program

City Controller Alan Butkovitz says he will begin a program called Savings & Accountability to Valuate Efficiencies (SAVE) in the 2011 fiscal year. He said controller auditors will begin reviewing performance measures to determine whether city departments are achieving set goals. The initial focus will be on the Fire and Water Departments, Department of Records, Licenses and Inspections and the Recreation Department, Butkovitz said.

Soccer team & Alex join up

The Philadelphia Independence women's professional soccer team announced it has partnered with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer to help raise funds to combat the disease in the memory of Alexandra Scott, the Wynnewood girl who started selling lemonade outside her home to raise money for research into cancer, which killed her at the age of 8. From wearing the ALSF logo on player's sleeves to making appearances at the foundation's fundraising events, the ALSF-Independence partnership will focus on raising awareness in the community for childhood cancer, which affects more than 12,000 children in the United States each year.

Helping women vets

The Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service Center is hosting two focus groups for women veterans in May and June to address the multiple issues female veterans face in finding employment with a livable wage. This will be an open forum at the center's headquarters at 213 N. 4th St. with discussions on training opportunities in the green economy and any topics relevant to women who have served in the military. Both sessions will start at 10 a.m., the first on May 5 and the second on June 24. Call Lincoln Strehle at 215-923-2600, ext. 16, to reserve a place.

- Staff and wire reports