AltWeeklies Wire
Pushing the Limitnew

Advocates say the biggest opposition to abolishing statute of limitation on child sex abuse in Pa. is the Catholic Church.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
02-08-2012 |
Crime & Justice
Anti-Abortion Group Takes Its Terror Tactics To the Webnew

Last week, Operation Rescue debuted AbortionDocs.org, "the largest collection of documents on America's abortion cartel." Is it legal?
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
01-25-2012 |
Civil Liberties
The Story Behind Zoe Strauss' "Mattress Flip"new

They called him "Boo." This week, when the Philadelphia Museum of Art drapes "Mattress Flip" across the pillars atop its famous steps to announce the opening of "Zoe Strauss: Ten Years," it will also serve as a memorial for Lawrence Edward Rose, Jr.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
01-11-2012 |
Features
Penn State Tragedy Inspires New Lawnew

The introduction of the Pennsylvania Attorney General Mandated Reporter Law in early December has explosive implications: Supporters allege that the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office is sitting on thousands of leads on child sex abusers, collecting the data on their possible whereabouts but not trying to find them.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
12-29-2011 |
Crime & Justice
Backward Expert-Witness Law Creates Advantage for Jerry Sanduskynew
Though the grand jury report outlining allegations that former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky routinely raped young boys entrusted in his care is damning, when it comes to the trial, Sandusky and his lawyer Joe Amendola have a few home-court advantages here in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
12-15-2011 |
Crime & Justice
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Yanks Offensive Rape Adsnew

By now, you’ve probably seen the controversial Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board ads. You know, the ones that feature photos of what appear to be a young girl’s legs splayed on a tiled bathroom floor with underwear around her ankles. The ads send the message that women are not only at fault for getting themselves raped—a societal bias reflected in and re-enforced by too many court decisions—it’s your fault if your friend gets raped, too.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
12-08-2011 |
The War on Women
Two Distinct Stories Emerge From Night of Occupy Philly's Evictionnew

In turns out in Philly, the revolution will not be Instagram-ed. The eviction came and went without a meme-worthy Sgt. Pepper-Spray moment. Instead, we have hours and hours of messy footage and a handful of allegations of police brutality.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
12-07-2011 |
#OCCUPY
Unhappy Members of Occupy Philly Form Splinter Groupnew
As of tomorrow, there will be two groups occupying Philadelphia—just not together. The new group, calling themselves Reasonable Solutions/OWS Philadelphia, launches today. Occupy Philly calls RS's new daytime occupation of Paine Plaza a "back-door deal made by a few power-hungry people … not affiliated with our movement."
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
12-03-2011 |
#OCCUPY
Inside the Overnight Raid and Arrests of Occupy Phillynew

As the police presence steadily grew, more Occupiers—many familiar faces—began showing up in droves. “Wake up, Occupy Philly!” one chanted as he walked through the tent area.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Randy LoBasso |
11-30-2011 |
#OCCUPY
Tags: Occupy Philly, #OCCUPY
Is Occupy Philly a Man's World? Sounds like it.new

It's sad to think that people optimistic enough to believe that marches and sit-ins can dismantle greed in the hearts and minds of bankers and politicians they'll never meet think it's impossible to help the women working every day alongside them to protect themselves.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
11-18-2011 |
#OCCUPY
The Strange Odyssey of the Ron Paul Tent at Occupy Phillynew

Ron Paul supporters and Occupiers make for strange bedfellows. In Philly, the rift hit a tipping point when an unknown intruder broke into the tent, stole campaign literature, and left a "steaming pile of shit" on the floor.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
11-09-2011 |
#OCCUPY
Pa. Abortion Bill 732 is Bad Medicinenew

Journalist Steve Lopez once wrote that Philadelphia is a city without pretense in a state without shame—and that was long before Harrisburg legislators stooped low enough to exploit murdered babies to push a bill into law that would result in what critics call a “back-door ban” on abortion in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
10-26-2011 |
Policy Issues
Occupy Philly Says the Anti-Big-Bank Revolution is Comingnew

Neither pepper spray nor mass arrests have put a halt to Occupy Wall Street—if anything, it’s galvanized and intensified the 2-week-old movement. But if you think New Yorkers are pissed off, just wait until Philadelphia, the original cradle of the revolution, shows the world how it fights the power.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Michael Alan Goldberg |
10-03-2011 |
Business & Labor
Tokin' Femalesnew
While pop culture has been connecting women and weed for a few years now—there’s Showtime’s Weeds, of course, and a smattering of articles in women’s glossies with titles like “Stiletto Stoners” and “Marijuana Moms”—the organized campaign to change drug laws has also been bringing women and weed together: Welcome to the first meeting of NORML's new program for recruiting women in Philly.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
09-28-2011 |
Civil Liberties
Mob Attacks Terrorize Philadelphia Neighborhood, Retaliation Threatenednew

About an hour after police disperse kids after a fight some say was racially motivated in a Philadelphia park, a mob of 50 - 75 teens crossed paths with 37-year-old Mark Lavelle. He says one kid swung a gun in his face, as others kicked in his door and beat him with pipe in front of his wife and kids. The next day, another mob--possibly the parents-threatened him. That night, more assaults that end with a cop shooting a man.
Philadelphia Weekly |
Tara Murtha |
09-14-2011 |
Crime & Justice