As a US Airways hub, can Philly tell them to cut the penny-pinching crap? ‘Cause you and I decided that we didn’t want to pay $5 for a crappy pair of headphones, US Airways is dropping their in-flight movies. (What? We can’t watch the fuzzy, edited version of The Spiderwick Chronicles? Oh darn.) This follows the discontinuation of free in-flight snacks, the addition of $2 in-flight beverages, the $15 bag checking fee and the $25......

Dear Airline Industry: What the hell, guys? First, American Airlines announces they're going to start charging us to check bags, unless we're flying first class, paying full fare, or frequent flyers. Yesterday, United Airlines followed suit. Their prices per piece are lower, sure, but you'll make up for it in your lack of legroom. (I now feel comfortable disclosing that this 2006 Return to Sender column was about United.) And today comes the news that......

Yesterday the state Gaming Control Board appointed a retired university president as trustee of the Mount Airy Casino Resort, due to the fact that its owner, Louis DeNaples, was charged last week with lying during his application for a state gaming license. In the wake of Super Tuesday, the Daily News and the Inquirer both take a look at how the candidates fared and what voter turnout was like in the area. The Daily......

Andy Reid's son Britt pleaded guilty yesterday to four charges. His lawyers are arguing that he's full of remorse and are angling for him to get probation, but he could end up being sentenced to six to 14 months in jail. We won't know for sure until later this year. The FBI is looking for a filthy dude in connection with the robbery yesterday of the Trumark Financial Credit Union at 1811 John F. Kennedy......

Mayor Nu... Mayor-elect Nutt... Mayorial candidate Michael Nutter has proposed altering the city's approach to lobbying in Washington. Specifically, he would like to establish a lobbying office on the city's behalf, staffed by lobbyists employed by the city, rather than hiring outside firms to lobby for Philly (which is the way things have been done in the past). Will it matter? Maybe not, but file it in the list of things Nutter would do different......

As part of an inspection for damage, some vaults have been opened - for the first time in a very long time - at Christ Church Burial Ground at Fifth and Arch Streets, "the resting place of more than 4,000 prominent Philadelphians, including Benjamin Franklin and four other signers of the Declaration of Independence." The vaults look quite a bit different than expected, and new sketches will have to be drawn. The PA budget......

In case you haven't heard yet, Michael Nutter captured the democratic nomination for mayor of Philadelphia. As the city has not had a Republican mayor in six decades, this makes him almost a shoo-in for mayor elect. Mumia Abu-Jamal is up for another appeal. If he wins, his life could be spared. If he loses, "he will be in imminent peril of lethal injection." The Kimmel has a new president and CEO—and she's from......

Oh no! The Zoo's three African elephants are all of the sudden in limbo. The plan was to ship them to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, where they could frolic in the expanded elephant habitat there, but now it turns out the expansion won't be ready on schedule. Officials at the Philadelphia Zoo "are working with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to find another home for the animals." So, how about this mayoral......

As we've known for some time, the Philadelphia Zoo will soon be shipping its elephants away. The last two weekends in March will be Elephun Days at the Zoo, and will be packed with farewell activities and photo opportunities. The Zoo has even issued elephant trading cards. Okay, we're going to stop talking about this now before we start to tear up... The Inquirer looks at why there won't by a female mayor of......

More shootings over the weekend that left 4 dead and 13 wounded have led anti-violence organization Men United for a Better Philadelphia to call for a cease-fire. They plan to go door-to-door in the most violent neighborhoods with their message, helping young men at risk for doing violence by connecting them with jobs, education, and social services. They also plan to teach anger management to prison inmates so they don't return to violent lives......

Another quick look at how the election turned out for the region: we've got 3 new Democratic members of the City Council, Philly voters overwhelmingly supported the 3 ballot questions (which means, in case you didn't understand them - and we wouldn't blame you - that Gulf War vets will get special payments; the city charter will be changed to promote disadvantaged businesses; and the children of firefighters and police who die on the......

Philly's bid to be the host for the 2016 Olympics got heavy coverage in the Daily News this weekend, but the most interesting article to us was this one, which reveals that Philadelphia was the only city not to send its mayor to the pitch meeting with the US Olympic Committee Board of Directors this past Friday. Apparently Street felt city Commerce Director Stephanie Naidoff was the best person to send. He did write......