Briefly... CITY/REGION

City, Justice Dept. settle suit

on Spanish speakers' vote rights

The city and the federal government have settled a lawsuit that the Justice Department filed last fall accusing the city of failing to protect the voting rights of Spanish-speaking citizens.

The city has agreed to appoint a Spanish language coordinator for elections, and to ensure there are sufficient translators and bi-lingual materials at polling places where they are needed.

Zoo's three African elephants set for Pittsburgh migration

The Philadelphia Zoo's three African elephants - Petal, Kallie and Bette - will move in the fall to the Pittsburgh Zoo's International Conservation Center in Somerset County, local zoo officials announced yesterday.

The Philadelphia Zoo's lone Asian elephant, Dulary, will leave next week for the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Zoo officials hope their two younger elephants, Kallie, 24, and Bette, 23, may eventually be bred.

Animal-rights organization

to goose eateries over foie gras

Farm Sanctuary, an animal- protection organization, will protest at local restaurants tomorrow to educate the public about foie gras, a cruelly produced appetizer that has been banned in more than a dozen countries, as well as California and Chicago.

Among the restaurants to be picketed will be the Four Seasons Hotel at 1 Logan Square at 6:45 p.m.

Foie gras is produced by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers become diseased, then slaughtering them for their livers. More than 25 restaurants in Philadelphia have taken foie gras off their menus and legislation has been introduced to ban the product in the city.

Coast Guard, gov't. agencies investigate Marcus Hook spill

The Coast Guard and local, state and federal agencies responded to a chemical discharge yesterday near a storm drain at a facility in Marcus Hook.

About 1,100 gallons of hypochlorite solution was released from a truck at Chemical Equipment Labs Inc. into Marcus Hook Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River.

The Marcus Hook Fire Company called in the Coast Guard, along with environmental agencies to investigate the release.

Ex-cop to plead not guilty

to underage-sex charges

A former Sharon Hill police officer waived his preliminary hearing yesterday and will plead not guilty to charges that he engaged in a physical relationship with a 15-year-old girl.

Kevin Heidelberger, 23, of Newtown, will apply for the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program for first-time offenders, his attorney said. He was charged with indecent assault and corruption of minors. *

- Staff and wire reports