The Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, PA) articles from January 2007

The Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, PA) archives from January 2007

Up close and personal with Allen Iverson.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Phil Jasner DENVER _ The bad news is, the 76ers _ at least for the immediate future _ are basically irrelevant. Right there with the Memphis Grizzlies. Or is that the good news? The bad news is, there are no significant...

For Eagles' Runyan, playoffs are old hat.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Rich Hofmann PHILADELPHIA _ From his locker, all the way at the end of the Eagles' massive dressing room at Lincoln Financial Field, Jon Runyan could survey the whole swirl after another division championship had been won. He...

Philadelphia Daily News Phil Jasner column: Up close and personal with A.I.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Phil Jasner Jan. 2--DENVER -- The bad news is, the 76ers -- at least for the immediate future -- are basically irrelevant. Right there with the Memphis Grizzlies. Or is that the good news? The bad news is, there are no...

Even if it's a modest one, Flyers ring in 2007 on a roll.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Ed Moran Jan. 2--It's unlikely that the Flyers have suddenly solved all their problems, but they have certainly picked a nice way to start the new year. With wins in their final two games of 2006, one media outlet yesterday...

Old teammates, new rivals: Henderson, Ellington fitting in at Duke, North Carolina.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Mike Kern Jan. 2--AT EPISCOPAL ACADEMY, they formed arguably the best high-school duo in Philadelphia hoops history, Gerald Henderson and Wayne Ellington, a pair of 6-4 guards who could have taken their big-time talents anywhere....

Philadelphia Daily News Dan Gross column: 'Paulie' has eye on Philly.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Dan Gross Jan. 2--BURT YOUNGso enjoyed his time in Philadelphia shooting "Rocky Balboa" that the actor is "seriously considering" moving here. "I'm a New York guy but to me, Philadelphia is a beautiful place," Young told us by...

Philadelphia Daily News Jenice Armstrong column: Don't let life pass by.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Jenice Armstrong Jan. 2--THE HOLIDAYS were great, but if you're anything like me, you're still recuperating from all the festivities. At the same time, after all the merriment of the past few weeks, there's the urge to refocus...

Philadelphia Daily News Ellen Gray column: Cox, down and 'Dirt'-y, gets cold revenge.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Ellen Gray Jan. 2--DIRT. 10 tonight, FX. YOU COULD SEE where Courteney Cox -- or any of the former "Friends" -- might have a bone or two to pick with the supermarket tabloids, whose minions dogged their every step for more than...

Baby critically hurt in crash of stolen car.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Christine Olley Jan. 2--A toddler was in critical condition at Temple University Hospital last night after an unidentified man crashed the stolen car that the child, his mother and his sister were riding in yesterday. Police said...

Police kill man, 20, in shootout.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Regina Medina Jan. 2--Homicide detectives are investigating the first shooting of the year involving police, which resulted in the death of a 20-year-old man. Bryan Jones, of Haddington Street near 56th, was killed early...

2006 ended as it began - with bloodshed.
January 2, 2007... Byline: David Gambacorta Jan. 2--AN INAUSPICIOUS START TO 2006 -- 12 homicides in the first 10 days -- all but guaranteed that murder would be the main topic of concern around town as the year unfolded. It was. By year's end, the...

Arrest near wildlife refuge yields suspect in cop shooting: Gunman fires at police when they respond to 911 call.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Regina Medina Jan. 2--A brief 911 call had come from inside the Norwood, Delaware County, home yesterday morning, but when two police officers came to check it out, the 21-year-old woman who answered the door was adamant. ...

EDITORIAL: Reviewing Death's Yearbook: LOTS OF ACTION IN 2006 TO STEM VIOLENT CRIME; LOTS OF INACTION, TOO.
January 2, 2007... Jan. 2--IN PHILADELPHIA'S fight to reduce violence and murder, 2006 was a year of frustration and failure. The sobering year-end homicide figures -- 404 as of Friday -- show a spike in deaths that has defied explanation, as well as new...

A quest to save youth at risk.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Simone Weichselbaum Jan. 2--SHE MANEUVERED the navy-blue minivan through the narrow streets of West Kensington and pointed to the horrors of her childhood. There was the grungy rooftop on Somerset Street where gunmen had sprayed...

Andy and Marty on the playcalling: It's working.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Les Bowen Jan. 2--FROM DAY 1, Marty Mornhinweg has been less than comfortable discussing this playcalling business. He said he was surprised coach Andy Reid talked to reporters about it, after it first came up, in the wake of the...

3rd time a charm for Tiki?: Eagles have handled Barber twice, but have to do it again.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Steve King Jan. 2--Last Saturday's game could have been Tiki Barber's last one as an NFL player. But the 31-year-old running back, who has said he will retire at the end of the season, rushed for a franchise-record 234 yards and...

Slippery conditions send Paterno into press box.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Bernard Fernandez Jan. 2--TAMPA, Fla. -- Mud can be slippery, which is one reason why Penn State coach Joe Paterno, recovering from surgery to repair a broken left tibia and torn ligaments, reluctantly decided against coaching from...

Lee gets even as Nits down Vols.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Bernard Fernandez Jan. 2--TAMPA, Fla. -- He's probably never been on double-secret probation, but Penn State linebacker Sean Lee has at least one thing in common with those rowdy Delta frat boys from "Animal House." He can't...

Philadelphia Daily News Bernard Fernandez column: Tyson's self-fulfilling prophecy.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Bernard Fernandez Jan. 2--IN A WAY, the announcement of Mike Tyson's arrest last week in Scottsdale, Ariz. -- for driving under the influence and one count of narcotic drug possession, a felony -- moves him one step closer to the...

Daughter mourns Germantown woman, found in bag on Del. road.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Christine Olley Jan. 2--The last time Kandyce King talked with her mother, Aprille, Kandyce thanked her for the Christmas presents she had sent to Kandyce's home in Colorado. "We got the gifts before Christmas and opened them...

Philadelphia Daily News Rich Hofmann column: RUNYAN: PLAYOFFS OLD HAT.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Rich Hofmann Jan. 2--FROM HIS LOCKER, all the way at the end of the Eagles' massive dressing room at Lincoln Financial Field, Jon Runyan could survey the whole swirl after another division championship had been won. He looked...

Philadelphia Daily News John Smallwood column: Season turned around on Reid's call.
January 2, 2007... Byline: John Smallwood Jan. 2--THE DECISION WASN'T as spontaneous as it originally seemed. Sure it made big headlines, but the perception that Andy Reid had an epiphany and suddenly decided to surrender playcalling duties to...

Rain stalls Mummers.
January 2, 2007... Byline: David Gambacorta Jan. 2--RAIN CLOUDS gathered overhead as a band of merry, multicolored Mummers psyched themselves up for a long-awaited march. As music blared out of the back of a small, painted school bus, their cries filled the...

Hold on, Eagles bring back Detmer for playoffs.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Les Bowen Jan. 3--With the NFL regular season ending this past weekend, Koy Detmer was thinking his pro football career was over. And then, it wasn't. Detmer, released by the Eagles at the end of training camp, came back...

Philadelphia Daily News Plugged In column: High-tech battles rage on.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Jonathan Takiff Jan. 3--THE GIZMO: Product Wars 2007. Calls for a New Year's "peace" have been extended in two high-tech-format battles. But the prospect for settling a Third World conflict still looks bleak. DIRECTV VERSUS...

Philadelphia Daily News John Baer column: Dems ambush Perzel, & O'Brien inserts the shiv.
January 3, 2007... Byline: John Baer Jan. 3--HARRISBURG -- Opportunity knocked and Denny O'Brien answered. Suddenly, swiftly, without warning, the veteran Northeast Philly lawmaker is positioned to impact reforms in Harrisburg, kids with disabilities...

Pragmatic O'Brien can be a real 'tiger'.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Dave Davies Jan. 3--There are a couple of things about newly elected state House Speaker Dennis O'Brien that you can't help notice -- the broad grin he always seems to wear, and his penchant for talking your ear off. "He...

'Billye' A. Topsail, 'everybody's mother'.
January 3, 2007... Byline: John F. Morrison Jan. 3--WILLIE ATKINS Topsail was a second mother to her son's friends. They knew they were always welcome in her home, where, if they were lucky, she would serve up her famous chicken and dumplings. "They always...

Watchdog group lays out ethics agenda.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Catherine Lucey Jan. 3--For months, ethics reform has been a hot topic on the lips of the 2007 mayoral candidates. But with the election year beginning, the watchdog group Committee of Seventy wants more than just rhetoric. ...

EDITORIAL: Saddam's Exit - And Ours: THE TRUE MEASURE OF JUSTICE IS GETTING U.S. OUT OF IRAQ.
January 3, 2007... Jan. 3--ON THE DAY that Saddam Hussein walked his last steps and breathed his last breaths, three American soldiers died in Iraq. Then the floor fell from the gallows, and the former despot's neck snapped. Since then, at least three more...

Forsberg injured; Flyers shrug it off.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Ed Moran Jan. 3--UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- There is no end to this Flyers season of gloom. Even on a night when the goalie was hot and the star was making the kind of passes that have been his trademark, the foot that keeps kicking...

HINDSIGHT FOR SORE EYES: Iverson bitter about the end of his career with Sixers.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Phil Jasner Jan. 3--DENVER -- Maybe, somebody suggested, this didn't have to happen. Maybe Allen Iverson, even after a tumultuous decade, didn't have to leave the 76ers? "Maybe if I didn't go in there and complain about the...

Philadelphia Daily News Sam Donnellon column: Manning knows pressure is on him.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Sam Donnellon Jan. 3--EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- He spoke about smarts. Playing with them, playing within yourself, not forcing things, managing the game rather than trying to dictate it. Eli Manning repeated these cliches in a...

Nothing out-of-bounds in CL rematch: N-G tops Roman in first meeting since ruckus.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Ted Silary Jan. 3--THE FILL-IN COACH, John Mosco, was in the office, explaining how he'd been collared by a TV crew at game's end, then a procession of media members, and had not yet been able to make the all-important phone call....

Howard should expect raise of about $1 million.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Marcus Hayes Jan. 3--Ryan Howard is shopping for a new agent. As far as the Phillies are concerned, he can take his time. "We're not doing something on Ryan Howard. He's not our priority," assistant general manager Ruben Amaro...

Forward thinking: Paterno on board with players' great 2007 expectations.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Bernard Fernandez Jan. 3--TAMPA, Fla. -- Penn State coach Joe Paterno is not one to abide trash-talking by his players, particularly if it denigrates an opponent. But he has no objection to his guys publicly setting lofty goals for...

Green defies labeling: Promising La Salle star showing versatility.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Bob Cooney Jan. 3--IF YOU'RE A PLAYER in the wonderful world of sports, no matter what sport you play, you are labeled. In baseball, we have long relievers, short relievers, middle relievers. Football gives us pass-catching...

Moments of truth: Sumpter about to put repaired knee to 'real test'.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Dana Pennett O'Neil Jan. 3--IN NOVEMBER he walked through the student-section bleachers at the Pavilion, a basketball Lazarus returned to the court. Curtis Sumpter was back. In December, with 31 points and 10 rebounds in one...

Temple half good in loss to Duke.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Mike Kern Jan. 3--DURHAM, N.C. -- Fran Dunphy and Mike Krzyzewski have a relationship that goes back more than three decades. So when Temple was conducting its search to find John Chaney's successor last April, and Coach K was told...

Niittymaki waiting for MRI results.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Ed Moran Jan. 3--UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Antero Niittymaki's sore hip felt fine yesterday, but the goaltender's ability to rejoin the Flyers on this road trip is still an unknown. According to Flyers trainer Jim McCrossin,...

O'Hara's Gardler is Catholic League's winningest hoops coach.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Ted Silary Jan. 3--Bud Gardler can downplay as well as he X's and O's. "I've probably been around longer than anyone else, right?" he said. "Some people really get into this stuff. I don't. It's not modesty. I'm sure there are...

Kin injured in stolen car: Man charged in crash.
January 3, 2007... Byline: David Gambacorta Jan. 3--Gabriel DaVilla was hit with a host of charges yesterday after allegedly crashing a stolen car in Kensington and maiming his Juniata Park family in the process. Police say DaVilla's young children are...

Woman survives hit-run collision.
January 3, 2007... Byline: David Gambacorta Jan. 3--Allison Chidsey hoped the new year would start off with a bang. Instead, it began with a screech, a crash and a thud. About an hour after 2007 was officially ushered in, Chidsey, 24, and a handful of...

Karl wants Iverson to just look ahead.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Phil Jasner Jan. 3--DENVER -- George Karl says Allen Iverson is "just a player that should be celebrated, even in Philadelphia" despite "whatever, 2 weeks, a month, 6 weeks of bad." "I think it's easier to forget the past, the...

The agony of the rock groupie.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Steve and Mia Q: I am a 23-year-old, self-professed rock 'n' roll groupie, and I tend to get along with most of my male rocker friends' wives and girlfriends. However, my 31-year-old rocker friend is in a relationship with a woman...

Weldon, in reversal, to repay $23G.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Bob Warner Jan. 4--Outgoing U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon has agreed to repay more than $23,000 in travel expenses for a 2003 trip he took with several family members, according to a brief statement issued yesterday by ranking leaders of...

EDITORIAL: Real government back in business.
January 4, 2007... Jan. 4--For years now, Republicans running for office have asserted that government doesn't work for the people. Then, when elected, they've proven it. "Government" has come to mean "energy management" that would embarrass the most...

Being a 'Jackass' can kill you.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Wendy Ruderman & Christine Olley Jan. 4--So you aspire to be a Jackass? Get in line. "Jackass," originally a cable-TV show and later a movie, features several dudes testing their testosterone while performing risky stunts,...

Early on, Quakers had Tar Heels in upsetting situation.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Mike Kern Jan. 4--CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Once upon an era, it was a tradition unlike many others. At some point in the first half, North Carolina coach Dean Smith would send in five guys from the bench as one. They became known...

Who will be top cop in '08?
January 4, 2007... Byline: Dave Davies Jan. 4--IT'S CLEAR from polls, blogs and body counts that violent crime will be a key issue in the mayor's race this year, and if past elections are a guide, picking a new police commissioner could be a focal point. ...

They're all pro-ethics: Only 2 mayoral hopefuls buy into watchdog's plan.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Catherine Lucey Jan. 4--All the 2007 Democratic mayoral hopefuls declared themselves pro-ethics yesterday. But they split over whether they would commit to a detailed ethics agenda released Tuesday by the watchdog group...

Foodie heaven in '07: Experts reveal the newest taste trends.
January 4, 2007... Byline: April Lisante Jan. 4--CALL IT THE year of the foodie. This year is expected to prove that now, more than ever before, food-savvy Americans are dining out, savoring wines and spirits, cooking at home -- and generally considering...

Birds expecting a Giant adjustment.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Les Bowen Jan. 4--THIS WEEK, the Eagles face something new -- an opponent that has actually played them since Jeff Gracia took over at quarterback and since the offense became more balanced and consistent. The question is, how...

Adapting to life without Iverson: Sixers find one-on-one play unsuccessful.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Phil Jasner Jan. 4--SALT LAKE CITY -- Maurice Cheeks must be wired with a remarkable electrical system. Through more than 2 weeks of chaos, the 76ers coach never blew a fuse. He surely could have. There are some who feel he...

HEADFIRST OUT THE WINDOW: 'Jackass' imitator critical.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Wendy Ruderman & Christine Olley Jan. 4--"JACKASS Number Two," the wildly raunchy movie featuring stupid-human tricks, opens with a don't-try-this-at-home disclaimer. Tragically, 11-year-old Wallison Costa didn't heed the...

Activists rally for Johnson.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Dan Geringer Jan. 4--A mayoral candidate and dozens of community activists rallied yesterday to support Philadelphia Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson, who was publicly criticized in the wake of last year's 406 homicides, many...

Preparing for King Day of Service: On Jan. 15, 55,000+ volunteers will work on 600 projects.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Dana Difilippo Jan. 4--In 11 days, Martin Luther King High School in Germantown will be bombarded with blankets, biohazard bags and batteries. Those are just some of the items volunteers there will stuff into 2,000 red...

Only 3 days into new year and already 2 homicides.
January 4, 2007... Byline: David Gambacorta Jan. 4--After a two-day hiatus, murder returned to the city yesterday as the first two homicides of the year were recorded. Police said a 21-year-old man, whom they did not identify, was found shot multiple times...

Cops want an insider.
January 4, 2007... Byline: David Gambacorta & Simone Weichselbaum Jan. 4--FROM THE city's top cop to the head of the police union and all the way down to the rank and file, the message is the same: The next police commissioner should be one of their own. ...

Change of House speaker raises issue of appointees: 2 selections to gaming board are in question.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Chris Brennan Jan. 4--State Rep. Dennis O'Brien's surprise elevation to speaker of the House this week calls into question the appointment of at least one member of the state Gaming Control Board. Former Speaker John Perzel in...

Radio woes hurt area's readiness ranking.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Mark Mcdonald Jan. 4--The Philadelphia region got middling grades yesterday in a Department of Homeland Security report on local emergency agencies' ability to communicate during a disaster. For the Street administration, which...

Philadelphia Daily News Ronnie Polaneczky column: Following up on some friends we met in '06.(Column)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Ronnie Polaneczky Jan. 4--IT SEEMS unfathomable that Allan Robinson succumbed to the leukemia that he'd battled into remission last year. He was doing so well in June, when I wrote about him in this column. How is it possible...

Philadelphia Daily News Stu Bykofsky column: 'True love of a pet': The return of Puddles.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Stu Bykofsky Jan. 4--"HELLO, STU, this is Eileen McCaskill. We found Puddles in a park. We found her!" The voice mail left by Eileen McCaskill was a mixture of jubilation and relief. The 14-month-old Yorkshire terrier who had...

Castor dubs husband suspect: Search warrant paints detailed picture of bludgeoning scene.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Regina Medina Jan. 4--Ellen Robb appeared to be in a festive mood when an unknown killer bludgeoned her to death three days before Christmas. The 49-year-old mother had wrapped two gifts while in the kitchen of her Upper Merion...

Joseph E. McGettigan Jr., lover of life.
January 4, 2007... Byline: John F. Morrison Jan. 4--JOSEPH Edward McGettigan Jr. could be deadly serious when it came to his profession or other important matters in his life, but he could also be an outrageous clown. "He'd pull his pants up to his chest...

There will be no surprises for Tiki.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Steve King Jan. 4--There's a saying that the more you're around someone, the more you tend to mirror him. That could not be truer for the Eagles and Giants. When the teams meet for the third time this season in Sunday's NFC...

Don't take any cheap shots at our turf.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Steve King Jan. 4--Even though the Eagles are playing the Giants , the rivalry between the Birds and Cowboys -- even ex-Cowboys -- never seems too far away. During the Eagles' 24-17 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, former...

Buckhalter: eager to make playoff outing.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Les Bowen Jan. 4--From the press box, reporters focused their binoculars on the medical table behind the Eagles' bench. The ebb and flow of Sunday's meaningless game against the Atlanta Falcons was largely forgotten. Correll...

Forsberg searching for fitting end to foot problem.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Ed Moran Jan. 4--NEW YORK -- It is not exactly back to the drawing board for Peter Forsberg, but the search for stability in his skate resumes today. After suffering what is being called a slight right groin pull, Forsberg...

Wildcats pay for slow start in loss to WVU.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Dana Pennett O'Neil Jan. 4--MORGANTOWN, W.V. -- Long after the pep band stopped playing, after the fans had emptied the stands, Jay Wright kept his team on the court for a public teaching session. With his players surrounding him,...

An execution on Hawk Hill.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Bob Cooney Jan. 4--It used to be the norm on Hawk Hill, an Atlantic 10 opponent would come in and before all the seats were filled at cozy Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse the outcome would already be decided. This year's Saint Joseph's...

CL will begin playing by PIAA rules.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Ted Silary Jan. 4--And the wheels keep turning... In early preparation for the Catholic League's debut as a playing member of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association in the 2008-09 school year, league officials...

'Jackass' imitator critical after leaping headfirst out window.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Wendy Ruderman and Christine Olley PHILADELPHIA _ "Jackass Number Two," the wildly raunchy movie featuring stupid-human tricks, opens with a don't-try-this-at-home disclaimer. Tragically, 11-year-old Wallison Costa didn't heed...

Henderson, Ellington fitting in at Duke and North Carolina.
January 5, 2007... Byline: Mike Kern PHILADELPHIA _ At Episcopal Academy, they formed arguably the best high-school duo in Philadelphia basketball history, Gerald Henderson and Wayne Ellington, a pair of 6-4 guards who could have taken their big-time talents...

Where's the hate, Giants?
January 5, 2007... Byline: Sam Donnellon EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. _ Where's the shock, Jeremy Shockey? Where are the parting shots, Tiki Barber? Any Eagles defender you care to dis, Antonio Pierce? Michael Strahan? Michael Strahan? Michael . . . ?...

Patinkin dashes madly between series & song.
January 5, 2007... Byline: Jonathan Takiff Jan. 5--Mandy Patinkin has become a master at multitasking, performing his own version of an Olympic triathalon, he declared. "In this business, you need the nonstop energy of a 2-year-old," said the...

Big leap in arson deaths: Fatalities rose 250% last year.
January 5, 2007... Byline: Christine Olley Jan. 5--THE ARSON fire spread quickly through Jasmine Robinson's East Mount Airy home last January. She and her daughter were trapped on the second floor as accelerantfueled flames ravaged their home. ...

Off to bloody start: New year sees its fifth homicide.
January 5, 2007... Byline: Dana Difilippo Jan. 5--Philadelphia's murderers got things off to a blood-spurting start this year with five slayings in less than two days. The first homicide was a 2006 leftover. The owner of a West Philadelphia check-cashing...

City plugs into Web site to tell its story to tourists.
January 5, 2007... Byline: Mark Mcdonald Jan. 5--Pssssst! The secret's out. Philadelphia is one cool place to live, work and play. At least that's the message the Street administration is spending $5 million in the next two years to convey. But...

Smith showing he's more than a slot on payroll.
January 5, 2007... Byline: Phil Jasner Jan. 5--MINNEAPOLIS -- There is Joe Smith, the NBA's No. 1 overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in 1995. There is Joe Smith, who has played for six teams over an 11-season career. There is Joe Smith, doing little...

Wings to open season on the road.
January 5, 2007... Byline: Ed Barkowitz Jan. 5--You would think a trip across the continent would not be an optimal way for the Wings to open the season, especially considering they have continued their youth movement. But... "I don't mind that," said...

Easy does it as Simmons leads Lincoln over Kensington.
January 5, 2007... Byline: Ted Silary Jan. 5--When it comes to basketball, Brian Simmons wants to follow the stress-free route. In another area of his life, difficult has been the buzzword. Simmons, a 6-foot, 180-pound wing guard, yesterday collected...

'Miss Potter' radiates a refreshing warmth.
January 5, 2007... Byline: Gary Thompson Jan. 5--I don't know what Renee Zellweger did to prepare for her role as author-illustrator Beatrix Potter, but it may have involved eating a barrel of pickles. In "Miss Potter," Zellweger wears that puckered...

A chat with the Mornhinwegs, of South Philly.
January 5, 2007... Byline: Dana Pennett O'Neil Jan. 5--"YO MART, how you doing?" As comforting as a front porch light left on in the evening, it is his neighbors' greeting that lets Marty Mornhinweg know he is home. He doesn't get there much these days...