Philadelphia Pa Government Officials

Former City Councilman Leland Beloff, convicted of conspiring with a reputed mob boss to extort $1 million from a waterfront developer, was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison and fined $150,000. "He committed the worst kind of breach of public trust. He sold his office and attempted to make City Council a branch of the local Mafia," Chief U.S. Judge John Fullam said.

Protesters rejoiced Tuesday, as did Los Angeles police commissioners. But not so the LAPD brass. They were caught in an escalating political contretemps with Philadelphia officials over whether that city's mayoral entourage was treated shabbily by beat cops during its visit to the Democratic National Convention last week.

A grand jury declared Tuesday that Mayor W. Wilson Goode and his top aides displayed incompetence and "morally reprehensible behavior" in the 1985 MOVE bombing that killed 11 people and destroyed 61 homes, but it said they did nothing to warrant criminal indictments. The panel described as "this city's greatest tragedy" the failed eviction effort that ended in a fiery siege with the police bombing of a barricaded west Philadelphia row house occupied by members of the radical group MOVE. Dist.

John F. Street was inaugurated as Philadelphia's 122nd mayor, promising to look beyond the city's revitalized downtown to revive schools and attack blight and crime in outlying neighborhoods. The inauguration marked the end of Edward G. Rendell's eight-year administration, which saw the nation's fifth-largest city recover from the brink of bankruptcy..

A man described by prosecutors as a mob boss who has committed and ordered gangland murders pleaded not guilty Friday to conspiring with a city councilman to extort $1 million from a riverfront developer. A trial was tentatively set for Feb. 23 for Nicodemo Scarfo, 57, who remained in custody on charges of extortion and conspiracy after the hearing before U.S. Magistrate Richard Powers III. Calling Scarfo a danger to the community, prosecutor Ronald Cole asked the magistrate to deny bail.

John F. Street was inaugurated as Philadelphia's 122nd mayor, promising to look beyond the city's revitalized downtown to revive schools and attack blight and crime in outlying neighborhoods. The inauguration marked the end of Edward G. Rendell's eight-year administration, which saw the nation's fifth-largest city recover from the brink of bankruptcy..

City officials, police officers and citizens on Wednesday proffered praise--some robust, some faint--for departing Police Commissioner Willie L. Williams, who made Philadelphia's police force more responsive to the community but who could not wholly eliminate brutality from its ranks. "It's good for L.A. and bad for Philly," said Capt. Marshall Smith, commander of Philadelphia's crime-ridden 22nd District.

Angel L. Ortiz, 45, is a man struggling with two visions--one of a society worth saving, the other of a society beyond redemption. "You try to dramatize, educate and get folks angry enough to do something," he says heavily, his voice laced with discouragement. "There's no passion, no anger--it really gets to you. If at any time in our history we should be out there screaming and organizing, it's now. And we're not doing it." Ortiz has tried.

Protesters rejoiced Tuesday, as did Los Angeles police commissioners. But not so the LAPD brass. They were caught in an escalating political contretemps with Philadelphia officials over whether that city's mayoral entourage was treated shabbily by beat cops during its visit to the Democratic National Convention last week.

If Richard Riordan's first year and a half in office go as well as the mayor of Philadelphia's just have, Los Angeles just might get another multiterm leader in City Hall. That is probably why Riordan--during a recent visit to Washington--took a side trip to Philadelphia to spend the afternoon with its mayor, Ed Rendell.

If Richard Riordan's first year and a half in office go as well as the mayor of Philadelphia's just have, Los Angeles just might get another multiterm leader in City Hall. That is probably why Riordan--during a recent visit to Washington--took a side trip to Philadelphia to spend the afternoon with its mayor, Ed Rendell.

City officials, police officers and citizens on Wednesday proffered praise--some robust, some faint--for departing Police Commissioner Willie L. Williams, who made Philadelphia's police force more responsive to the community but who could not wholly eliminate brutality from its ranks. "It's good for L.A. and bad for Philly," said Capt. Marshall Smith, commander of Philadelphia's crime-ridden 22nd District.

This city of handsome Colonial architecture and cutthroat political rivalries is facing its worst budget crisis in recent history unless it can stage a Rocky-style comeback in the credit markets. Pennsylvania's governor, state legislators, local politicians and banks must unite to help raise $206 million, or the nation's fifth-largest city will run out of cash by Dec. 1. The result could be unpaid salaries for police officers and firefighters and draconian cuts in municipal services.

Deputy Police Commissioner Willie L. Williams, who will become the first black to hold the department's top job, pledged Friday to carry on reforms begun by outgoing Commissioner Kevin Tucker. Williams, 44, will take over next week when Tucker's resignation becomes effective. "We will have honor and integrity as the cornerstone of our every working hour," he said at a news conference where Mayor W. Wilson Goode announced his appointment.

A grand jury declared Tuesday that Mayor W. Wilson Goode and his top aides displayed incompetence and "morally reprehensible behavior" in the 1985 MOVE bombing that killed 11 people and destroyed 61 homes, but it said they did nothing to warrant criminal indictments. The panel described as "this city's greatest tragedy" the failed eviction effort that ended in a fiery siege with the police bombing of a barricaded west Philadelphia row house occupied by members of the radical group MOVE. Dist.

Former City Councilman Leland Beloff, convicted of conspiring with a reputed mob boss to extort $1 million from a waterfront developer, was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison and fined $150,000. "He committed the worst kind of breach of public trust. He sold his office and attempted to make City Council a branch of the local Mafia," Chief U.S. Judge John Fullam said.

Deputy Police Commissioner Willie L. Williams, who will become the first black to hold the department's top job, pledged Friday to carry on reforms begun by outgoing Commissioner Kevin Tucker. Williams, 44, will take over next week when Tucker's resignation becomes effective. "We will have honor and integrity as the cornerstone of our every working hour," he said at a news conference where Mayor W. Wilson Goode announced his appointment.

This city of handsome Colonial architecture and cutthroat political rivalries is facing its worst budget crisis in recent history unless it can stage a Rocky-style comeback in the credit markets. Pennsylvania's governor, state legislators, local politicians and banks must unite to help raise $206 million, or the nation's fifth-largest city will run out of cash by Dec. 1. The result could be unpaid salaries for police officers and firefighters and draconian cuts in municipal services.

Angel L. Ortiz, 45, is a man struggling with two visions--one of a society worth saving, the other of a society beyond redemption. "You try to dramatize, educate and get folks angry enough to do something," he says heavily, his voice laced with discouragement. "There's no passion, no anger--it really gets to you. If at any time in our history we should be out there screaming and organizing, it's now. And we're not doing it." Ortiz has tried.

A man described by prosecutors as a mob boss who has committed and ordered gangland murders pleaded not guilty Friday to conspiring with a city councilman to extort $1 million from a riverfront developer. A trial was tentatively set for Feb. 23 for Nicodemo Scarfo, 57, who remained in custody on charges of extortion and conspiracy after the hearing before U.S. Magistrate Richard Powers III. Calling Scarfo a danger to the community, prosecutor Ronald Cole asked the magistrate to deny bail.