Snarl

On the eve of an important court hearing here Thursday, new labor problems arose at The Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News that threatened their smooth emergence from a 20-month bankruptcy. The prospective new owners of the media company said the union that represents the 306 employees who bundle the papers for delivery had rejected a new contract, despite having previously voted to ratify a "substantially similar" offer. The situation brought warnings of dire consequences from the new owners, including shutdown of the papers.

A multi-vehicle crash blocked the westbound lanes of the Vine Street Expressway for three hours today, snarling the morning rush hour on both sides of the Delaware River. Despite the apparent seriousness of the crash, all those involved in the pileup walked away from the wreckage. The crash occurred about 6:30 a.m. near Broad Street and involved two cars, a pickup truck and a tractor-trailer. One car burst into flames a short time later, forcing officials to also briefly close the eastbound lanes.

CHICAGO - The touch of homesickness hit on the fourth day of the extended Stanley Cup Finals weekend in the Windy City. At first, it made no sense to this aging, well-traveled sportswriter. Something was missing. Then it hit. It's the people here. So kind. So accommodating. No what-are-you-lookin'-at stares. These good folks don't even jaywalk, for crying out loud. I'm a Philly guy, born and raised in a neighborhood rowhouse. And I really don't know how else to say this, but I needed a dose of that Philly addy-tood, our noted edginess, to set me straight, make me feel at home.

A tanker truck carrying 49,000 pounds of liquid sugar destined for a Twizzlers factory overturned on a Pennsylvania Turnpike ramp in King of Prussia today, snarling traffic through the area at the start of the morning rush hour. The 4:22 a.m. crash closed the westbound entrance and exit ramps at the Turnpike's Valley Forge Interchange, forcing motorists to find alternate routes. About 7:30 a.m., one lane opened on the entry ramp, but the exit ramp remained closed. A crane was brought in to right the vehicle.

VANCOUVER - With winter stymied in the great Northwest, suffocating snowstorms back East have made the journey from Philadelphia to Vancouver a little more trying for Olympic ice dancers Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, who train in Delaware County. Their flight scheduled to depart yesterday morning was canceled, Belbin said via Twitter, further jeopardizing their participation in tomorrow's Opening Ceremonies. "Still hoping Philly can get us out in the aft though. C'moooon PHL! I really need you this time," she wrote.

Drivers on the Admiral Wilson Boulevard were reminded again yesterday that they have the worst of both worlds. Since September, they have had to put up with lane restrictions and traffic jams because of work to reduce the boulevard's tendency to flood. And as yesterday's storm proved, the road still turns into a river whenever it rains. Two lanes were closed in each direction during parts of the morning and evening rush hours due to standing water, causing delays of up to a half-hour for motorists.

A visit by President Obama to Center City this afternoon to attend a fund-raiser for U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter promises to add a tangle of street closures, protesters, and gawkers to the usual mayhem of rush hour. Air Force One is expected to touch down at the Philadelphia International Airport about 3:45 p.m., before Obama, Specter, and their entourages motorcade to the Convention Center for the event. As many as 1,000 people are expected to attend an invitation-only reception and dinner, which the campaign hopes will raise $2.5 million for Specter and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Montgomery County's plans for a $25 million, 512-bed jail expansion are on lockdown over a sewer authority's demands for millions in permit fees. Even though authorities say the new wing for the Montgomery County Correctional Facility would not increase the number of inmates, the Lower Providence Township Sewer Authority is billing the county $4.6 million to sign off on construction. The county, which cannot build without the authority's permission, has balked at the demand on the ground that toilets wouldn't be flushed more with the expansion.

Philadelphia drivers aren't in any danger of being deposed from their king-of-the-road status in Center City, but they'd better be more careful about where they steer and stop from now on. Under a crackdown that started yesterday by police and parking officers, motorists who double-park, block intersections, or stop illegally in loading zones will find themselves ticketed or even towed more quickly. The initiative announced Friday by Mayor Nutter's administration and the Philadelphia Parking Authority is aimed at keeping traffic moving, cutting congestion and pollution, and making streets safer.

As if traffic on Route 422 weren't already a plague on drivers, Wednesday's announcement of a Valley Forge Convention Center slot-machine license would seem to portend even worse things for the oft-clogged highway. Fears such as: Casino tourists wondering where to turn. Gambler-filled buses. Even-longer stop-and-start rush hours. There is, however, little peril of Atlantic City-level traffic in the Pennsylvania suburbs, local officials said yesterday about the possible arrival of gaming in Montgomery County.