Nutter: Gun Violence Is Like Terrorism

Mayor Michael Nutter at ThinkFest.

Good morning, Philadelphia. Here’s what you need to know today:

Mayor Nutter says gun violence in cities like Philadelphia isn’t any different from terrorist violence like the attacks on Paris.

AP reports: “Domestic terrorism is international terrorism,” Mayor Nutter told U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch Monday during a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. “There is really no level of distinction between the violence that goes on, on the streets of America on a daily basis and the episodic acts of international terrorism that also take place — primarily in cities.” He called for federal and local officials to treat local gun violence with the same seriousness as international terrorism.

Nutter added: “Citizens around the world feel unsafe because of international terrorists … those same feelings exist for many in (American) communities. … These criminals are terrorizing our citizens and that same level of fear of violence, the death of citizens, the destruction of property, are the same. In many cities across the United States of America on a weekend, you very well could have six, eight, 10 people shot.”

The backers of a South Philly casino passed an initial City Council hurdle, despite accusations of discriminatory hiring practices.

Council’s Rules Committee gave approval to zoning for $450 million casino and hotel project in South Philadelphia, the Daily News reports. Opponents said the developer, Cordish Cos. of Baltimore, has a history of racially discriminatory hiring. “Would you reward a company that has over a decade of Jim Crow practices in Louisville, Ky.?” asked one opponent. But company officials said they’d never lost a discrimination lawsuit. “Someone making an allegation doesn’t make it true,” said Joe Weinberg, Cordish CEO of gaming. The full City Council votes on the zoning issues on Dec. 3.

Two dead infants found in a North Philly abandoned lot had actually been preserved as medical specimens.

“The infants, a baby boy and girl, likely came from a hospital or academic facility of some kind, Health Department spokesman Jeff Moran said,” NBC10 reports. “The babies’ bodies had been preserved — presumably in formaldehyde — but it’s unclear who preserved them, Moran said.” Police are still looking for a black truck that was reportedly in the neighborhood over the weekend, seen dumping trash near where the babies were found.

Gov. Tom Wolf says Syrian refugees will be welcome in Pennsylvania, and says they’ll be subject to security screenings.

A number of Republican governors on Monday proclaimed that their states would not work with feds to resettle refugees from Syria — not after the Paris attacks. The Wolf Administration, however, said the governor wants “Pennsylvania to continue to build on its rich history of accepting immigrants and refugees from around the world but he is also committed to protecting Pennsylvanians and will work with the federal government to ensure it is taking every precaution necessary in screening those families coming into the country.”

Urban Outfitters stock has plummeted after the company purchased the Vetri Family of restaurants.

BizPhilly reports: Urban CEO Richard Hayne said Monday that his company also has a good partnership with Vetri at shopping centers in Austin, Texas and Devon, Pa., saying that “with casual dining growing rapidly and pizza being one of the most popular foods in the country, we believe there’s tremendous opportunity to expand the Pizzeria Vetri concept.” The Street called it the “most interesting and surprising” acquisition Urban Outfitters has ever made and said “an underlying reason for the purchase seems to be the increasing threat of e-commerce.” Retailers, in other words, have to give consumers more reasons to leave their houses.

Other headlines in today’s news:

Police: Off-duty Philly Housing Authority officer shot, killed robbery suspect … Police officer shoots, wounds suspect in Philadelphia … Kane’s staffers could face sanctions if she engages in legal decisions … Liquor privatization revived amid ongoing budget negotiations

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