Three assailants mugged a Drexel University student at the 33 St subway-surface station on Tuesday evening. Jonathan Mullen, 24, was attacked on the mezzanine level of the 33 St station shortly before 9:00pm, stealing his wallet, keys, and cell phone. Two of the suspects were apprehended on the 3900 block of Pine St in West Philadelphia by two detectives from the Philadelphia Police Department. Drexel Public Safety officials report that SEPTA plans to increase security in the area (haven't we heard that line before), since SEPTA Police is responsible for the station area proper, while Drexel officers (who are not sworn police officers as they are at Penn or Temple) patrol the street level area on the Drexel campus. In addition, Philadelphia Police are also increasing their presence in the Drexel University area on weekend evenings. (Some information from The Triangle, the student newspaper of Drexel University)

Those geniuses of the Philadelphia City Council are at it again. Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell (D-3) is calling for public hearings to determine whether or not SEPTA should reimbuse businesses along Market St during west end El reconstruction. I would think the City of Philadelphia would have to chip in some of the costs if SEPTA decides to reimburse Market Street businesses due to the various street closings in West Philadelphia for the next 5 years, unless the City tries to (for lack of a better term) extort the funding from SEPTA by threatening to withhold payment of subsidies (a tactic they tried during the 1998 and 2001 SEPTA/TWU disputes).