Morning Headlines: Region Hunkers Down for Snow

Airport baggage and fuel workers do their jobs as snow falls at Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday, March 5, 2015, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Oskar Garcia)

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

Philadelphia International Airport is steeling itself for a snowy weekend; the rest of the region is already in hunkering-down mode.

KYW reports that American Airlines, the biggest carrier at PHL, is waiving fees for travelers who want to reschedule flights scheduled between now and Sunday. United and Delta are also waiving fees, but only for flyers who want to reschedule trips planned between Friday and Sunday. (PHL’s Twitter feed is a good source of information for flyers.) NJ.com reports that City Hall has already dispatched vehicles to brine city streets; meanwhile SEPTA is getting ready to give its new high-velocity rail-mounted snow blowers a workout. “This new equipment, along with proactive planning, will better enable our employees to battle increasingly unpredictable winter weather,” a SEPTA official said.

CBS3 is forecasting that the storm will hit the Philly area around 7 p.m. Friday. Strong winds — up to 50 mph — will accompany the snow, possibly causing “whiteout” conditions. Coastal flooding is expected in Delaware and New Jersey. If you haven’t been the the grocery store yet, you might want to get there soon and stock up on bread and milk. (And if you need to get to the doctor, do it sooner than later.)

Bob Brady on Anthony Clark: “He’s an absolute disgrace.”

Brady, the chairman of Philadelphia’s Democratic Party, calls out Clark — the Philadelphia City Commissioner known for being absent from his job much of the time — in today’s Inquirer. “He’s an absolute disgrace,” Brady says of Clark, a fellow Dem. “What a piece of work.” Brady says Clark has broken promises to give up the commission chairman ship, and to start showing up for work on a consistent basis. So why did the Democratic Party endorse Clark in last year’s election, then? “He said, ‘I’m going to show up, I’m going to be a good boy,’” Brady said. Beyond going public with his frustration, though, there might not be much that can be done. A city official said that legal options against Clark, an elected official, are limited.

Report: Another anonymous tipster has warned of ISIS attacks on Philly Police.

Philly Mag reports: Law enforcement officials received an anonymous tip that a person who pledged allegiance to ISIS wanted to shoot police officers in Philadelphia and New York City, NBC4 New York reported Wednesday. The man who the tipster was referring to has since turned himself in, sources reportedly told NBC 4. Lieutenant John Stanford, a spokesman for the Philadelphia Police Department, confirmed that officials had received “anonymous information regarding a threat against the Philadelphia Police Department, which was also a threat directed towards the New York Police Department.” Less than two weeks ago, Officer Jesse Hartnett was shot three times in West Philadelphia by a man who said he was motivated by ISIS, police said. Edward Archer, 30, has been charged with attempted murder. Hartnett is in stable condition.

The Feds have indicted five people accused of stealing research from GlaxoSmithKline’s Upper Merion research facility.

The U.S. Attorney for Philadelphia announced the charges on Wednesday. According to the indictment two scientists at the facility, Yu Xue and Lucy Xi “engaged in a scheme” to steal the company’s research data, procedures, and manufacturing processes for biopharmaceutical products that treat cancer and other diseases. A corporation in China was formed to market and sell the information, with proceeds being held in the name of Xue’s sister to hide the proceeds of the crime. Five defendants face a total of 43 charges; you can read the full indictment here. The New York Times notes that the feds have had trouble making such cases: Last year they indicted a Temple University physicist on similar charges, only to drop the case when it became clear prosecutors had misunderstood the science involved.

A foodie utopia is under construction in Powelton Village.

Philly Mag’s Property blog reports: Cross Properties announced that Good Food Flats, a 44-unit, 175-bed complex at 4030 Baring Street (map), will be marketed to students participating in Drexel’s Hospitality and Sports Management (HSM) program, and featuring a pop-up restaurant/entrepreneur incubator space, a food lab with a commercial kitchen and even dedicated urban garden spaces on the roof and backyard where students can grow their own fruits and veggies. The project will be built offsite using modular construction, with the aim to be ready for residents in August.

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