Friday showers, speed edition

With a full side of snark.

• Ex-lawmaker arraigned in ghost-employee case -- nepotism at its best
  
  
• Pa. court denies expansion of hate-crimes law
  
  
• SEPTA to offer 'fare credit' to ease onboard ticket buy -- good toward a return ticket the same day. Man, is this a company that loves its customers, or what?
  
  
• Task force charges 17 as 'straw buyers' of guns -- noooo, not in PA!
  
  
• Rendell presses House on gun bills: Amid rising crime fears, he prepares a bold pitch.
  
  
• AAJane: Stuart Rothenberg Says PA 7th & 8th Districts Safe
  
  
• A new way is sought for school funds (responding to shortfall report)
  
  
• A full field for city marathon: Sunday's event has attracted 16,000 participants - the most in its history. So much for any errands I was considering...
  
  
• Council eyes halt to gun-club eviction -- you know somebody in this story has connections...
  
  
• About Nutter's pick for Police Commissioner:
  
  
  
  1. Big-city veteran is Phila.'s new top cop
     
     
  2. 'AGGRESSIVE AND VERY FOCUSED': That's how Charles Ramsey, named by Mayor-elect Nutter as the next top cop, envisions the force he wants to shape
     
     
  3. Elmer Smith | Ramsey doesn't talk the tough talk, but he looks like the real thing & it's a new day
     
     
  4. A career officer who has his critics
     
     
  5. Editorial | The Next Police Commissioner: Tough job; fast start
     
     
  6. Albert adds some personal photo-reflections on a non-shining showing by the new Chief
  
  
• Street nod hits lame-duck wall -- Council decides not to rubber-stamp his nepotistic contracting selections
  
  
• Hearing weighs land-sale right: Will city rule in its own favor? Casino opponents vow a lawsuit
  
  
• Letters | Taking Exception: City share of parking: $53.7 million -- painful quote here, "A simple letter from Mayor Street authorizing the PPA to send our on-street net revenue - about $20 million a year - to city schools would allow us to begin doing so immediately." Oops.
  
  
• Opinion: CHARTERS REBEL OVER MORE OVERSIGHT: WE SAY: SHUT UP AND PUT UP
  
  
• A thought for the holidays:
  Annette John-Hall | Philabundance is falling behind -- good time for a food drive.