The Philadelphia Inquirer

For all the drama and inconvenience it caused, the SEPTA strike may have been just a curtain-raiser to a bigger act of labor strife, featuring Philadelphia and the 22,000 unionized city workers now laboring under expired contracts. Full Story »

One year after Mayor Nutter announced the closure of fire companies, pools and libraries to fight a financial crisis of "incredible proportions," his administration announced today that the city will face a $31 million deficit unless further reductions are made next year. Full Story »

In Ray Morales' life, 2003 was "The Year of the Rat," an attorney said in federal court today. Full Story »

Service on New Jersey Transit's Atlantic City rail line has been suspended as authorities investigate the death of a trespasser who was struck by a train about 4:30 p.m. tonight just east of the Lindenwold station. Full Story »

Thousands of free SEPTA passes - and lots of free parking - will be given out tomorrow and Wednesday morning, courtesy of Stovetop, the stuffing-mix maker. Full Story »

Commuters who have an unpunched TransPass valid for last week are entitled to an exchange or credit - even if the pass was partially used, according to SEPTA. Full Story »

State Sen. Diane Allen (R., Burlington) has been diagnosed with an "aggressive cancer" and could have surgery as early as this week, her office disclosed today. Full Story »

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - A senior Iranian prosecutor accused three Americans detained on the border with Iraq of espionage on Monday, the first signal that Tehran intends to put them on trial. Full Story »

The large field of Democrats seeking to be elected Pennsylvania governor continues to take shape. Full Story »

Four men were slain by gunfire over the weekend, according to police, who have released the names of three victims. Full Story »

Jury selection resumes this morning in the Philadelphia trial of John "Jordan" Lewis, the 23-year-old North Philadelphia man charged with murder in the Oct. 31, 2007 shooting that killed police Officer Chuck Cassidy. Full Story »

Malick Snell, a former Philadelphia police officer convicted of using his badge and his gun to rob drug dealers, is scheduled to be sentenced today in U.S. District Court. Full Story »

WIP without Angelo Cataldi in the morning?Possible.With less than two months remaining in his contract - and three months before WIP's signature Wing Bowl - there's nervous buzz around the sports-talk station that a new deal is not at hand between CBS Radio and its 20-year veteran. Full Story »

Philadelphia police Sunday are investigating reports of two unrelated rapes, one from last night and one from early this morning. Full Story »

The region's rooftops, car hoods and open fields were coated with white this morning, and for the first time this season, the official temperature at Philadelphia International Airport fell to the freezing point, 32, at 5 a.m. Full Story »

aul Nussbaum SEPTA's union leadership will be voting at noon Saturday on a deal that could end the five-day strike that has been a regional transit nightmare. Full Story »

Heller: You have to admire the massive brakes of SEPTA union boss Willie Brown. He refused to negotiate with Michael Nutter, dubbing him "Little Caesar." Little Caesar? The 1931 gangster movie starring Edward G. Robinson? Or the purveyor of 3 Meat Treat Pizza and Crazy Bread. Full Story »

Police are investigating whether the shooting of a 17-year-old Philadelphia student on a school bus early yesterday was in retaliation for an incident of bullying. Full Story »

They started lining up at 8:30 a.m. for free H1N1 vaccinations at a Westampton clinic that wasn't supposed to open until 2 p.m. Full Story »

While some peer institutions are announcing layoffs to cope with large endowment losses, the University of Pennsylvania has fared better - and today's report to the Board of Trustees reflected that optimism. Full Story »

The transit workers union tonight offered to end its four-day-old strike and return to work immediately if SEPTA accepted binding arbitration on the divisive issues of wages and pensions. SEPTA did not have an immediate response to the proposal. Meanwhile, commuters' patience was tested another day. Full Story »

Susan Finkelstein got more than she bargained for. Full Story »

The lawyers and a Philadelphia judge today completed a third day of jury selection, getting the eighth of 12 jurors to hear the murder trial of a North Philadelphia man charged in the Oct. 31, 2007, shooting of police Officer Chuck Cassidy. Full Story »

On Sept. 21, a New Jersey's Pick 6 jackpot touted at $7.25 million was won by a single ticket purchased at a 7-Eleven on Kings Highway in Cherry Hill. Full Story »

During a daylong seminar today at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, former Vice president Al Gore finished an hour-long talk by issuing a challenge to the 500 attendees and students in the room "for each of you to become a part of the solution." Full Story »