Briefly... CITY/REGION

Man, 31, shot dead;

128th homicide of year

The city's homicide tally climbed to 128 last night after a 31-year-old man was shot dead at 30th and Cumberland streets about 7:15, police said.

The man, whose name was withheld, was pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital. Another man was wounded in the shooting and listed in stable condition there. Police said they had no suspects. Anyone with information on the incident can contact the Homicide Division

at 215-686-3334.

Vallas not in running

for New Orleans post

Louisiana school officials say the job of superintendent of the New Orleans Recovery School District has not been promised to Philadelphia schools chief Paul Vallas, as was rumored.

Louisiana Schools Superintendent Paul Pastorek told the Times-Picayune that Vallas will be asked to perform up to $40,000 worth of consulting work, but is "really not" a candidate for the superintendent's job.

Vallas will leave the Philadelphia job at the end of the school year.

Fumo prosecutors

rebut papers' gag challenge

Federal prosecutors filed court papers yesterday saying that the Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer don't have standing to challenge the issuance of a secrecy order the feds want in the case of state Sen. Vince Fumo and three associates.

Prosecutors said that no defendants in the case have objected to the government's motion for the secrecy order and that the newspapers have not shown that anybody is willing to share materials with reporters that the feds want kept private.

The feds have asked U.S. District Senior Judge William H. Yohn Jr. for a broad gag order to prevent public disclosure of evidence obtained by the feds in the case and ensure a fair trial.

Elderly Kensington woman

missing since April 13

An 80-year-old Kensington woman has been missing for more than a week, and her church, Ascension of Our Lord Roman Catholic Church, Westmoreland and F streets, held a special Mass last night to pray for her return.

Asuncion Quilao, a Filipino native, has been missing since April 13, when she left her home and did not return. She weighs about 85 pounds, has a full head of gray hair, and was wearing a green sweater, jeans, a black coat and brown shoes.

Anyone with information about her should call the police missing-persons unit at 215-685- 3257. *

- Staff and wire reports