Plates

'Bomb' was actually a seder plate * Willet Street near Lincoln Drive, in West Mount Airy A suspicious package that led to the evacuation of the Germantown Jewish Centre yesterday morning turned out to be a seder plate apparently placed at a side entrance by someone who wanted to donate it. Senior Rabbi Adam Zeff said the synagogue's maintenance director spotted the package leaning against the building outside a side entrance about...

WHILE redistricting remains the hot topic as City Council returns from its legislative break today, its 17 members are expected to tackle some other big issues this fall. Here are a few items on Council's plate as it kicks off the final session of its current term, otherwise known as the "lame-duck session. " *  Taxes/jobs: Two tax proposals are expected to be unveiled today in an effort to juice business development and job creation. Council members Bill Green and Maria Quinones-Sanchez are proposing to exempt all businesses from paying taxes on their first $100,000 in both gross-receipts and net-income taxes.

It hurts when he runs. It hurts when he fields his position at first base. Nonetheless, when Ryan Howard steps into the batter's box and uncoils his dangerous swing these days, opposing pitchers end up hurting just as much. Howard is on a late-season surge that has characterized his career. He had five home runs and 11 RBIs in nine games before Tuesday's rain-delayed matchup with the Braves, but he is likely to get a few days off before the playoffs because of his sore left foot.

DEAR ABBY: My in-laws have a small dog, "Fluffy," who has come to rule their lives. That's OK, because it doesn't really affect me. However, we frequently have them over for dinner, and they insist on taking home a large portion of whatever meat was served to give to their dog. I'm not talking about scraps from everyone's plates - the amount they take would be a serving for another meal. I have objected to this practice in the past, but each time they come for dinner they seem to have "forgotten" the lesson.

WILMINGTON - Delaware state troopers are using new technology that lets them instantly check license plates to determine whether motorists owe traffic fines and even back taxes. Troopers can now process up to 900 plates per minute. Previously, officers had to run the plates through the computer system one by one, The News Journal of Wilmington reported. It's just one of the latest surveillance systems law enforcement officials across the state have begun using. Methods range from red-light cameras to facial-recognition software.

NEW YORK - Jimmy Rollins left Saturday's 11-2 loss to the New York Mets after grounding into a double play in the top of the seventh inning and when asked if he was OK, said: "Unfortunately, no. " After the game, manager Charlie Manuel said Rollins had tightness in his right leg. Rollins said Saturday he was not concerned about the leg and showed it in Sunday's 8-5 win over the Mets. Rollins went 3 for 5 with one run and two RBIs. Rollins said the score on Saturday, which was 7-2 at the time, probably had something to do with his being pulled.

ELTON BRAND won't accept failure. Even if it has the propensity to lighten his already deep pockets. That's probably why the Sixers forward is trying his luck in the movie industry again, this time signing on as a co-producer for the upcoming film "Tupac," a biopic on the life and death of the West Coast hip-hop artist. This isn't Brand's first venture into the movie game. While in Los Angeles as a Clipper, Brand co-founded a small production company called Gibraltar Entertainment.

EIGHT YEARS AGO, Shane Victorino had never taken a meaningful swing from the left side of the plate. He was a lightly regarded 22-year-old outfielder when he decided to give switch-hitting a try, despite having spent his entire life batting righthanded. When viewed through that prism, Victorino's development as a switch-hitter is rather impressive. And when you consider his performance over the last 3 weeks, you realize he still might not have reached his ceiling. On June 7, Victorino went 0-for-4 in a 6-2 loss to the Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park.

Cliff Lee squared to bunt the first pitch he saw in his second at-bat Saturday, but suddenly pulled his bat back and chopped the ball to the left side. The fielder's choice advanced a runner to third, but Lee was worried he would not be compensated justly. So he went to state his case to Pete Mackanin, keeper of the game within the game the Phillies starting pitchers are waging this season. "I like what he convinced me of," said Mackanin, also the team's bench coach. "The shortstop was so close to second, the whole left side was open.