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(12/11/98 10:00am)
The Associated Press Philadelphia City Council President John Street resigned from his position yesterday amid speculation of a possible mayoral bid. In a letter read to the council, Street said he was stepping down as of December 31. "Although I will always love this council and treasure the friendships I have made during my 19 years of service, it is time to leave," the letter said. Street, a Democrat, confirmed rumors that he is contemplating a run for the city's top job next year, but stopped short of announcing his candidacy. "I'm thinking about it," he said. "I've, of course, raised a lot of money and have collected some, I think, very impressive consultants that are working with me to make a final decision about what my plans will be." Street said he would decide sometime next year whether to run, and added that he has discussed the idea once or twice with Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, who is barred by the city charter from seeking a third term. "I wouldn't do anything politically without having some discussion with him," Street said. "He's my guy." The feeling, apparently, was mutual. "I think John Street will go down in history as one of the best City Council presidents this city has ever had," Rendell said after Street's announcement. Council will pick Street's replacement soon with an informal selection process to be followed by an election to ratify the choice next year, Street said. Two Council members -- Anna Verna (D) and Marian Tasco (D) -- are known to be interested in succeeding Street. Although he wouldn't publicly endorse either candidate, Street said he was willing to discuss it with council members. "I'll talk to people interested in hearing my views," Street said. "It's not anything to be taken lightly." If Street decides to run for mayor, he will be vying for the nomination with at least three other Democrats -- State Rep. Dwight Evans, former Housing Authority director John White and former City Councilperson Happy Fernandez. Another Democrat, Marty Weinberg, a top aide to the late Mayor Frank Rizzo, is expected to declare his candidacy next month. Republican Sam Katz became the first to announce for the GOP nomination on Tuesday. When asked what his plans would be if he decided not to run for mayor, Street smiled. "There's always the Olympics. I could be a cross-country runner," he joked.
(07/30/98 9:00am)
The Associated Press Congressional hearings on date rape drugs Rohypnol and GHB will begin today, but local colleges are already warning students about the dangers. ''It is important for other members of the community to know the drug is available and being used in State College and that its ingestion can result in death,'' Police Lt. Diane Conrad said in a statement. The House subcommittee on crime will have hearings today to examine whether Rohypnol and GHB should be added to the list of federally controlled substances, said Terry Tarham, a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration's office of public affairs. Both drugs have been called date-rape drugs following reports of the drugs being slipped into drinks to facilitate rape. Eleven states have passed laws imposing stiff penalties for possessing or distributing the drug; Pennsylvania is not one of them. GHB, short for gamma hydroxybutyric acid, is legal in Europe but was outlawed by the Federal Drug Administration in 1990 after several GHB-related illnesses were reported, according to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information. The drug can cause vomiting, dizziness, tremors and seizures and often involves hospitalization. The two 20-year-old Penn State students ingested GHB intentionally to get high, police said. And on Memorial Day, a 16-year-old Boalsburg girl was also admitted to a hospital after ingesting the drug. Penn State students are warned about the potential danger of date-rape drugs at orientation programs, said Peggy Spear, director of university health services. ''We try to share accurate information with the students about the substances,'' Spear said. She said she did not know what impact Sunday's hospitalizations would have on the program. Recent media attention has prompted Widener University to include information about GHB in their orientation for resident assistants, said spokesperson Linda Freeman. But at Temple University, reports on the dangers of GHB come as no surprise, officials said. ''GHB has been around a lot longer than these headlines,'' said Lori Vargo, assistant coordinator of Temple's drug and alcohol education program. She said that Temple has no current plans to specifically address GHB, and if they did it would be in the form of ''a few sentences added'' to existing literature on the more widely known Rohypnol. At the University of Pittsburgh, GHB and Rohypnol are mentioned but not given special emphasis in the drug and alcohol awareness programs, said spokesperson Ron Cichowicz. ''We tell them if you're at a party, get your own drinks,'' Cichowicz said.
(07/23/98 9:00am)
The Associated Press Camille Luckenbaugh has some advice for college graduates who have been wasting their summer lounging on their parents' couch: get a job. Starting salaries for recent college graduates are on the rise, according to a July survey of 150 colleges by the Allentown, Pa.-based National Association of Colleges and Employers. ''The economy is strong, unemployment is low,'' said Luckenbaugh, NACE's employment information manager. ''It's definitely easier to find a job now then it was 10 years ago.'' ''Judging from my friends' success? it doesn't seem that difficult,'' Meehan said. ''I'm not too worried about finding a job.'' Pat Rose, Penn's director of career services, said Meehan's feelings are typical. ''Students are a little more relaxed, a little less nervous, because there's so much opportunity now,'' Rose said. Engineers -- especially petroleum engineers -- are making the most money, according to the survey. Their average starting salary is $50,156, up 15.5 percent from 10 months ago. Computer science majors, perhaps buoyed by recent fears over the Y2K bug that is threatening to wreak computer havoc when the calendar strikes 2000, average $41,561 a year, up 11.7 percent from September 1997, the survey reported. Liberal arts and psychology graduates, traditionally among the lowest paid, have made significant increases as well, according to the survey. Students graduating with English degrees can expect an average starting salary of $27,608, up 15.9 percent from last year. Psychology students, while still not making the big bucks of their engineering counterparts, are up 8.9 percent since September, bring the average starting salary to $25,499. Tom Novak, a career coordinator at Temple University, said there has been about a 10 percent increase this year in on-campus recruiting, especially in information technology, computer science and marketing. Some employers are actively wooing students with signing bonuses. Bob Perkoski, director of placement and career services at the University of Pittsburgh, said that some employers set up a cafe and served latte in order to get students' attention. The story is the same at Widener University in Delaware County. Career Advising Director Mary Pennington said they have seen a 29 percent increase in the number of companies conducting interviews on campus. Pennington has had to change the way she councils students because the job market is so good. ''We find ourselves giving more advice on how to handle multiple offers,'' Pennington said. This means that students can demand higher starting salaries then in previous years, she said. ''The salaries, especially in the technical areas, have been up over last year,'' Pennington said. But students shouldn't let the abundance of jobs lull them into a false sense of security. Novak is still giving his students the same advice he always gives: ''Start early.''
