Ed Koch, Mayor Who Became A Symbol Of New York City, Dies At 88

New York City Mayor Edward I. Koch during a meeting with US president Jimmy Carter in 1978 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NEW YORK — Former Mayor Ed Koch, the combative, acid-tongued politician who rescued the city from near-financial ruin during a three-term City Hall run in which he embodied New York chutzpah for the rest of the world, died Friday.  He was 88.

Mr. Koch died at 2 a.m. at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia hospital, spokesman George Arzt said.  The funeral will be Monday at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan.

Mr. Koch was admitted to the hospital on Monday with shortness of breath, and was moved to intensive care on Thursday for closer monitoring of the fluid in his lungs and legs.  He had been released two days earlier after being treated for water in his lungs and legs.  He had initially been admitted on Jan. 19.

After leaving City Hall in January 1990, Mr. Koch battled assorted health problems and heart disease.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/us/ed-koch-mayor-who-became-a-symbol-of-new-york-city-dies-at-88-672972/#ixzz2Jfp1cqxz

Clinton Leaves Secretary Of State Position, Sailing On Fair Wind

Official portrait of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

She has traveled nearly a million miles, it seems, from Whitewater, Travelgate and the Task Force on National Health Care Reform — a tumultuous and very public journey from polarizing first lady to “workhorse” senator, to the U.S.’s top diplomat, where she really did almost hit the million mark and now basks in 69 percent approval ratings.

She could have, as she said once, stayed home and baked cookies, or divorced her husband for his infidelities or withdrawn from public life after her failed presidential campaign, but Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has, through ambition, calculation, fortitude and formidable intellect, just kept on going.

And it’s not over yet.

While today is her last day as secretary of state, the Hillary for President forces are already massing.  Super PAC “Ready for Hillary,” registered with the Federal Election Commission last week, although Mrs. Clinton has said she was “not inclined” to run in 2016.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/us/clinton-leaves-state-sailing-on-fair-wind-672908/#ixzz2JfmvtcvS

Allegheny County Port Authority Board Fires CEO

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Allegheny County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Port Authority’s board of directors voted today to fire CEO Steve Bland after efforts broke down to reach a settlement under which he would resign.

The dismissal was engineered by Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.  He has not commented on the matter but sources who asked not to be identified have said friction developed between the two over Mr. Fitzgerald’s desire to have greater control of day-to-day operations at the agency.

The vote to dismiss Mr. Bland was 5-3, with four members recently appointed by Mr. Fitzgerald all voting yes, along with board member Jeff Letwin, who was appointed by the prior county executive, Dan Onorato.  The others voting to fire were Joe Brimmeier, Connie Parker, John Tague, Tom Donatelli.

Voting no were Mavis Rainey, Amanda Green Hawkins and Eddie Edwards Jr., all of whom are board veterans.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/transportation/port-authority-board-fires-bland-672980/#ixzz2JfkDbXwW

Comcast Plans To Hike Rates, Start Charging For Adapters

Comcast Building new (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the spring of 2010, Comcast Cable required Lancaster and Elizabethtown subscribers of the “expanded basic package” (channels 25-78) to get digital TV adapters, and the first two adapters were free.

The cable provider, however, never said the adapters were free forever and, effective March 1, Comcast will charge Lancaster-area subscribers $1.99 per digital television adapter or digital transport adapter.

The price remains unchanged for “limited basic” (channels; 2-7, 9-13, 20-24 and 96) customers, who can get up to three adapters at no additional cost. The DTA price is unchanged.

The company previously charged subscribers $1.99 a month for each adapter beyond two.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/809857_Comcast-plans-to-hike-rates–start-charging-for-adapters.html#ixzz2Jf6eUFDP

Reading Mayor Outlines Progress Made During 1st Year In Office

A 1947 topographic map of the Reading, Pennsylvania area. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mayor Vaughn D. Spencer not only used his annual “State of the City” speech Thursday to outline the progress he made his first year in office in 2012, but also to criticize City Council for what he called its obstructionism.

Spencer said he had a bold vision, and promised to hit the ground running on the first day to implement it.

“Then, something went wrong,” he said.

Spencer did not say what went wrong, but said the early disputes were resolved.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=448697

Altoona-Area Leaders To Visit Berks County, Talk Crime, Revitalization

A contingent of Altoona-area leaders plans to visit Berks County to elaborate on a privately led revitalization and law enforcement effort in Blair County that has won praise from Gov. Tom Corbett.

A visit in the opposite direction – Berks officials going to Blair – was one of five strategy points that emerged from last month’s crime summit.

Officials in both areas said that visit was still likely to happen.  But Randy Feathers, named by Corbett’s office as a facilitator in getting the two communities together, said the Blair-to-Berks visit would happen first.  It is scheduled for Feb. 21.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=448703