The Daily Numbers: 400 jobs being eliminated at the Crozer-Keystone Health System, the county’s largest employer. Not good.
5.9 percent unemployment rate in the Philadelphia region in November. That’s up from 5.6 percent in October.
40 percent of Pa. hospitals that report the economic crisis is affecting their bottom line. Yeah, talk to the people at Crozer.
2.8 percent cost-of-living pay hike for members of Congress that Rep. Joe Sestak is looking to block because of the country’s economic crisis.
1.72, average price of gas in the Philly region, after the first hike since Sept. 16. Does anyone else think the spikes show up a lot faster than the price cuts?
15 million dollars missing from a Main Line Foundation that some local investors fear could turn into our own local version of the Bernard Madoff financial scandal.
166,348 workers across the country who received layoff notices in December.
25 million dollars set by the feds for a cleanup project on the Delaware River to ease the damage from an oil spill from the Athos 1 tanker, including work on Darby Creek and Little Tinicum Island.
3,500 grams of heroin worth $1.3 million dollars seized by drugbusters who raided a house in Northeast Philadelphia.
18.4 million dollars in amusement taxes raised in Philly for the fiscal year, this while most other tax collections are sinking. The reason? How ‘bout those World “Bleeping” Champion Phillies!
65,000 volunteers expected to take part in the celebration of the Martin Luther King Day of Service in Philadelphia.
331,000 families in Pennsylvania who are getting aid from the state’s LIHEAP program that helps people pay their heating bills. That’s an all-time high.
8 to 10 percent reduction in flights expected this year at US Airlines, the biggest airline at Philly International.
51, age of woman in Pottstown who now faces charges tied to a teen’s plot for a shooting rampage at Pottstown High. Police say she helped get rid of the stolen guns he was going to use instead of going to authorities. She’s charged with evidence tampering.
3,000 more slot machines expected to go on line at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem expected to open Memorial Day weekend.
3 more intersections in Philadelphia that are being outfitted with red light surveillance cameras.
1,200,000,000,000, that stands for more than a trillion bucks, what the federal deficit is expected to look like in the 2009 budget year.
400 people in 42 states that have come down with Salmonella poisoning. The CDC is trying to determine what caused the outbreak.
23.7 percent hike in real estate activity in the region in November, according to a survey done by Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors. In Delco business was up 22.6 percent, going from 54.1 percent in October to 66.3 percent in November. The index is based on signed contracts for real estate transactions.
2 stores at the Tanger Outlets in Rehoboth Beach that are closing their doors. Pfaltzgraff and Geoffrey Beene are calling it quits.
28 points for Andre Miller in leading the Sixers to a big road win last night in Milwaukee.
5 wins and 1 loss for the Eagles over the past 6 weeks. They only need to reel off 3 more wins.
18 Phillies exhibition games at Bright House Field in Clearwater this spring. Tickets go on sale today.
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Call me a Phanatic: A look at the ups and downs of being a Philadelphia sports fan.We don’t understand Donovan McNabb? We don’t appreciate him? Spare me. We know exactly what’s up with Donovan. He’s the Eagles quarterback. That means he’s under the microscope, starting with his first throw at Lehigh.
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I Don’t Get It: A New Jersey mayor is stepping down because he’s tired of the racial threats directed at him and his family. Sad.
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Today’s Upper: Thumb’s up for U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, who wants to nix Congress’ automatic cost-of-living increases.
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Quote Box: “To address the issues created by the very difficult economic environment, we will need to reduce our expense structure.”
-- Crozer-Keystone Health System spokesperson Kathy Scullin, on layoffs announced yesterday by the county’s biggest employer.