Briefly... CITY/REGION
Murder victim ID'd Police have identified a man slain in West Philadelphia Tuesday night as Ernest Howard, 18, of Master Street near 52nd. He was found on 57th Street near Master at 7:15 p.m. with a gunshot wound to his chest, police said. He was declared dead just before 9 p.m. at the Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania. Cops had no suspects or motive.
Murder victim ID'd
Police have identified a man slain in West Philadelphia Tuesday night as Ernest Howard, 18, of Master Street near 52nd. He was found on 57th Street near Master at 7:15 p.m. with a gunshot wound to his chest, police said. He was declared dead just before 9 p.m. at the Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania. Cops had no suspects or motive.
Kal Rudman honored
Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers, Sister Francesca Onley, president of Holy Family University, and William Gault, president of Fire Fighters Local 22, were to present philanthropist Kal Rudman with the 2009 "Public Safety Champion Award" at 10 a.m. today in the Fire Administration Building auditorium, 240 Spring Garden St.
Rudman is being honored for his continued commitment to providing scholarships to members of the Fire Department pursuing degrees in Fire Science and Public Safety Administration at Holy Family.
Dance for a good cause
In support of the Children's Miracle Network, the Army is hosting Thrilladelphia at the Army Experience Center Saturday in the Franklin Mills Mall.
Participants will challenge the national record for the most people simultaneously doing the Thriller Dance. Attendees are encouraged to make donations to the Children's Miracle Network. Proceeds will go to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Inmate gets date to die
Gov. Rendell yesterday signed an execution warrant for Antoine Ligons, who robbed and shot to death pizza deliveryman Clarence Johnson, 31, on April 6, 1998, on Robinson Street near Vine, in West Philadelphia.
A Common Pleas jury in 1999 convicted Ligons, of West Philly, of first-degree murder, robbery and possession of an instrument of crime, and sentenced him to death. Ligons, now 30 and held at the State Correctional Institution-Greene, is set to die by lethal injection Dec. 17.
Grand jury: Doc took porn pix
A New Jersey pediatrician who allegedly gave expired vaccines to children is now accused of taking pornographic photos of a young female patient without her knowledge.
Jose Romillo, of Toms River, was charged with nine counts of child endangerment, along with single counts of insurance fraud, aggravated assault and weapons possession in an indictment handed up Tuesday by an Ocean County grand jury.
Priest was to fire killer?
One day before he was stabbed to death in the kitchen of his church rectory, a priest in North Jersey had discussed firing the janitor later charged in the killing, according to court documents.
The Rev. Ed Hinds told the principal of St. Patrick Church School Oct. 21 that he might have to "let go" Jose Feliciano, citing problems with a criminal background investigation, according to a search-warrant application filed in district court in Wind Gap, Pa.
Feliciano, 64, had worked at the church in upscale Chatham, N.J., for 17 years.
Unhappy buyer torches van
Police say a man unhappy with his new van took a car salesman on a wild ride and later torched the vehicle in front of the dealership near Wilkes-Barre.
Authorities say John Walton Jr., 58, went to Coccia Ford on Tuesday complaining that his van had transmission problems. When a salesman said he didn't hear anything, Walton became upset and accelerated to speeds over 100 miles per hour.
When the van skidded, the salesman jumped out and called police. Authorities say Walton then torched the van at the dealership.
- Staff and wire report