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Warm up your Tivos, because some exciting television program is coming your way this Saturday! And by exciting, we mean boring and pointless. It's a televised debate between the Philadelphia mayoral candidates! The city has ordered Judge Rayford A. Means to fix the two rooming houses he owns in Southwest Philadelphia, which are apparently infested with rodents, have faulty plumbing, sagging floors and broken ceilings, and are also overcrowded. In response to a grand jury......

Due to the fact that owners and players were not able to resolve a long-standing labor dispute, the 2008 National Lacrosse League season was canceled yesterday. A spokeswoman for the Philadelphia Wings said its 5,000 season-ticket holders would receive full refunds and could expect a communication today. A Scranton woman has been cited for disorderly conduct for shouting profanities at her overflowing toilet. Apparently she was yelling near an open window, and her neighbor (an......

LAist began the month with a new food series exploring the popular and unknown late night eats around town. If a Top Chef winner opened up a late night spot in Los Angeles, denizens would flock it, yet the LA Times and other media might be wary. Turning to sports, the Dodger season was quite memorable in the way that it imploded and the LA County Sheriff's Department made some games of their own......

We all remember the rather infamous incident earlier this year when an 18-year-old driver shot a 14-year-old on his bike supposedly because the boy didn't get out of his way fast enough. The accused attorney says his client did indeed kill the boy, but it wasn't a premeditated act; he saw the boy reach under his long T-shirt, thought he was in danger, and fired. Four young men from Mantua were arrested yesterday for......

With unseasonable weather descending upon much of North America, schools getting ready to reconvene, and sports seasons getting exciting, it's a busy time of year for us here in the Ist-A-Verse. Luckily, even with all the things we have to do, we still managed to get together to let you know what we've all been up to. After cooling down from a hot weekend of many badass Sunset Junction Street Fair photo dispatches, LAist asked......

SEPTA had planned to cancel transfers today, but the judge in the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court case needed more time to decide whether to prevent the cancellation plans, and so issued a temporary injunction that will maintain the status quo until Monday. All of which means, transfers are not cancelled yet. A 16-year-old has been arrested in the case of the teen who was killed for his dirt bike. The suspect will be charged......

The Daily News tells the painfully tragic story of a boy in the Juniata section who was shot and killed Saturday night for a dirt bike that he'd just received for his 16th birthday. The Inquirer reports on yesterday's celebration of Haitian Unity Day on the 700 block of Arch Street, and goes on to talk about the general struggles of Philadelphia's Haitian community. Philly's own Naked Chocolate Café was just ranked by USA......

Philadelphia's parade of presidential candidates continues; today the NEA will hear from Senator Barack Obama, Senator Joe Biden, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. The Inquirer has more details on the strange drama surrounding that recently discovered manuscript of The Good Earth. Early yesterday morning, a West Philly biker was bringing up the rear of a group of bikers who were weaving in and out of traffic as they headed north on 95 when he......

It's drawing close to the day when all Phillyists must decide what to do with a day off in the sweltering heat - the Fourth of July. Do we hang around the city, deal with the onslaught of tourists dressed up in their red, white and blue best to sit on the parkway and listen to Hall and Oates? Do we sit around drinking beer and grilling burgers and dogs? Do we venture into the......

Looking for some outdoor fun this weekend? If AccuWeather is to be believed, it won't be raining, so you'll be able to join the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia for their Freedom Valley Ride. There will be five routes to choose from, all incorporating stretches of the Schuylkill River Trail, which proceeds from previous Rides helped build. Those routes range from an eight-mile "easy" ride to a 68-mile journey that will take you all the......

We were seated in the third row. And we were afraid, very afraid. Because the closer you are to the stage, the higher the chance the comedian is going to shit on you. With jokes on your outfit, your choice of companion, your very being. Luckily for us, we were sitting behind one of opener Paul Mecurio's relatives, so he generally shied away from our side of the theatre. The other side, not so lucky.......

Holy smokes! Giant fish on the MTA, Paris Hilton in jail, then out, then in again, Al Gore, goatses, blumpkins, Matt Damon, and baby art critics! It's been a busy week across the Ist-A-Verse, and here's a smattering of what's been going on. In Gothamist's neck of the woods, they found out that many things are possible: A man caught a 40+ pound fish off the Rockaways and took it home on the subway. Graffiti......

LAist is experimenting with blogging dates from J-Date, but finds the best men are found offline. Some date vicariously online and that is one reason why porn is big -- really freaking big -- so they ask if they should cover XXX since the heart of it lays in the city's San Fernando Valley. A writer grapples with her food porn photography obsession, another gets censored on Flickr, one gets scooped by the LA......

Proofreading Philly tries to capture typos, wordos, and all other kinds of grammatical mistakes that we see around the city. But we need your help! Email photos to us from your computer or your phone, and show the city that you care about good grammar. Reader Nick from Pro Cycling Tour (the company that organizes the Philly bike race) writes: Love your site, now I always keep an eye out for the things that make......

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend. The Flying Scotsman - Apparently the long, slow process of Philadelphia Film Festival movies getting "real" releases has begun, as here's The Flying Scotsman, a Film Festival film that tells the true story of Graeme Obree, an untrained amateur who broke the world one-hour record on a bike in 1993 using a bike he built himself out of scrap metal and washing machine parts. Sounds like......

Bands I Caught: Barking Spiders, Bear is Driving, Normal Love, Venue: The Avant Gentleman’s Lodge The Avant Gentleman’s Lodge is located just around the corner from the 40th St. El stop, which makes me love it. As does the tiny factory feel, the hand-painted wooden bench sitting in the lot beside the old ivory car I’d knock an old lady over to drive, the twinkling Christmas lights, the giant paper maiche phoenix dangling from the......

On Tuesday, cops and local FBI agents tracked down and eventually caught one of three suspects in a series of (heavily) armed robberies of fast food restaurants and convenience stores in Philadelphia, Yeadon, and Upper Darby - but not until after the guy ran from them across a series of rooftops in West Philly, occasionally jumping across gaps of 10 feet or more, just like in a movie! The cops followed a trail of......

When I was eleven years old, my parents and I started spending a week every summer in Topsail, North Carolina, with my best friend, “Zoe” and her family. Our parents had an extra special knack for taking us places where nothing was going on and there was no one under the age of 60 within a seventy mile radius. This, however, did not stop us from wondering whether or not we’d meet guys in our......

My favorite person in Center City used to be Mr. Maryland, a.k.a. the flower delivery man who spent his workday walking through Rittenhouse, singing the praises of Baltimore and Silver Spring, while cursing off Philly (which I did not condone) and people who got in his way (which I did condone, because many of them were my rude customers). For a week last October, Mr. Maryland wandered about silently and my world was shattered. When......

Austinist gets arty with an interactive guide to SXSW, loved some local art galleries and a new art exhibit and lamented the possible loss of "Friday Night Lights" production to New Mexico. Bostonist was happy they finally found an Anna Nicole Smith connection to their fair city and that an Apple Store was opening up. They were less happy that new rules have been established limiting underage shows and that their Governor is spending......

Maybe Whiskey Dix has lost its charm (and maybe its license...again); maybe you just feel it’s time to get out during daylight hours. Maybe mom used to shield your eyes on the street and now you’re curious about the "freak shows" she wanted you to avoid. In any case, check out the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention. The three-day affair isn’t just for inked up bouncers and other assorted burly dudes, either. Attendance often includes families......

The shapeless dough of the internet, formed into tasty pellets and baked to perfection, just for you. Want to write the next great rock book on that totally amazing album by that one guy? Shoot your idea at music blog 33 1/3 and see if it sticks. (Via Editor Jill) Those end of year sum-up lists aren't all done yet, folks! Just check out Idolator's 2006 Jackin' Pop Critics Poll! They surveyed critics and writers......

Oh no! Chanukah ends tonight, and Christmas is only a few days away! What's a last-minute-gifter to do? Never fear, Phillyist is here, with a couple of ideas, just for you! (Please note, that rhyme was completely and one hundred percent accidental.) For the Man in Uniform Silly String. Unlike the rest of this post, we're suggesting this gift in earnest. We always knew Silly String was fun, but if it can save a......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: PW Writers: An evening with Writers from the Philadelphia Weekly at The Kelly Writers House (3805 Locust Walk), with Cassidy Hartman, Dan McQuade, Liz Spikol, & Steve Volk. Free at 6PM. Cereality Open Mic & Music: Open mic from 5-6 PM at Cereal Bar Cereality (3631 Walnut Street) followed by music from Naughty Naught Nurses, Girl Bike and Mother Mime. Free. The Pact: Reelblack is sponsoring the Philadelphia......

The election was two days ago, but it's still all over the -ist-a-verse. And we don't mind one bit. Austinist: Who doesn't love that loss? Parisist: Even Parisians are excited about the outcome of Tuesday's elections! Bostonist: Seriously, it's what people are talking about. SFist: Look! It's not about the election! (But we dig it.) Chicagoist: Good thing that Santorum's been ousted. Otherwise, you know somebody would be trying to ban this. Seattlest: Ummmm... Houstonist:......

The swaying of the concrete and steel ramp at the Linc that we told you about yesterday is nothing to worry about, according to Philly officials, engineers, and inspectors. The structure has been declared safe, and fans' claims that it was swaying four to five feet have been pooh-poohed as exaggeration and misperception. Which would be comforting, we suppose...if it weren't for the fact that the Pier 34 collapse is back in the news... If......

As fall settles in and another calendar page gets turned, thoughts turn from bbq's and vacations to holidays and the realization that '06 is coming to an end. With all that going on, with change in the air, we wonder what is it the -ists ponder? Phillyist is concerned that the war on Trans fats could affect its beloved cheese steak sandwiches, something for which we should all be concerned. They also seem to......

A unique event is taking place this Saturday afternoon. It's the Quest for the Holy Grail Benefit Bike Race! It's only five bucks to enter, and you'll be benefiting a cyclist who was injured by an uninsured motorist attempting to flee the scene of an accident. So it's for a good cause, and it'll really be something to see. Because not only is it a race (with 10 check points), it's also a scavenger......

The Farm Aid concert might not be rocking Camden until Sept. 30, but events leading up to the big schebang start this Saturday morning with the Urban Farm and Garden Bike Tour. So hop on that mountain bike you bought with good intentions (to save gas? For exercise?) and petal over to the Weavers Way Co-Op (Washington Lane between Arleigh St. and Chew Ave. in Mount Airy) for a lesson in Philadelphia’s urban farms.......