The Daily Numbers: 62 cents, tax hike on every pack of cigarettes that went into effect this week.
1.01 total federal tax now on smokes.
42 bucks, price of at one carton of cigarettes. That alone should be enough to get you to kick the habit.
7 percent dip in revenue for Harrah’s Chester Casino in March 2009 over the same month last year.
29 million dollars, how much Harrah’s took in last month. They’re not exactly going broke.
3 p.m., when Del. police say gunfire broke out on I-495, with one driver shooting a handgun at another. No injuries were reported.
3,000 people in New Jersey who are being advised to get tested after 5 cancer patients who visited the same doctor came down with hepatitis B.
669,000 people out of work in the country, the highest number in 26 years.
1,000 people who showed up at a job fair in Newark, Del., for 300 to 500 jobs being filled by Barclays financial group.
24 people being laid off by Sun Microsystems in Valley Forge.
1,000 dollar bonus checks being given to workers by the owner of Bollinger Insurance in New Jersey. Jack Windoff got a windfall when he sold 51 percent of the company. He’s sharing it with 454 of his employees. Nice.
19.3 percent decline in job cuts reported across the country in March.
3 hours, how long the Northeast Extension was shut down yesterday afternoon after two big rigs collided near the Lansdale interchange.
14, age of girl found nearly nude and semi-conscious in Fairmount Park. She’s hospitalized in stable condition.
32, age of mom charged with drugging her daughter so the mom’s boyfriend could get her pregnant. They could not have kids and planned to use the daughter instead.
3 Pa. unions who reached a deal with Gov. Ed. Rendell that will allow state workers to avoid threatened furloughs.
13 turnovers for Sixers in first half last night against the Bucks. They rallied in the second half for a 105-95 win.
18 points for Jamelle Cornley as the Penn State Nittany Lions captured the NIT title last night by beating Baylor.
10 home runs for Ryan Howard in the spring. He went yard in the Phils’ final spring tuneup yesterday against the Nats.
9 runs on 11 hits over 4 innings in another shaky outing for Jamie Moyer.
2 more days until the Phils open the season Sunday night against the Braves. They’ll play 2 exhibition games against the team they beat for the World Series, the Tampa Bay Rays, tonight and tomorrow afternoon.
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Call me a Phanatic: A look at the ups and downs of being a Philadelphia sports fan.This promises to be one of the great sports weekends in recent memory. Villanova plays in the Final Four, and the Phils kick off the defense of their World Series crown Sunday night against the Braves.
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I Don’t Get It: Police say a man bit and slashed his fiancee in Upper Darby. And what set him off? He didn’t like the way she made his sandwich. He nearly sliced off her finger. I don’t get it.
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Today’s Upper: Here’s another sign of the times. Upscale Philly restaurateur Stephen Starr announced his latest venture, this one on Franklin Square. It’s a seasonal stand that will feature burgers and hot dogs. Gotta love that.
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Quote Box: “We want them to do it in a responsible, safe manner.”
-- Radnor Police superintendent John Rutty, on the expected celebration on campus should the Wildcats repeat their miracle of 1985 and capture the national title.