Briefly... CITY/REGION

Fortune-tellers can reopen

- but they already knew that

About 16 shops of psychics, including fortune-tellers, tarot- card readers and astrologers, which were shut down last week by the city Department of Licenses and Inspections, will be allowed to reopen.

L&I shut down the shops under an obscure 30-year-old state law banning fortune-telling "for gain or lucre." The city solicitor's office ordered the shops reopened.

Man acquitted in burning, beating of toddler in 2005

Common Pleas Judge Rayford Means yesterday acquitted Victor Roadcloud, 27, of burning and beating his girlfriend's son in June 2005.

Lewis Small, Roadcloud's attorney, said Roadcloud faced charges of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child in the injuries to Jamiel White, then 2, of Fernon Street near 21st, but the prosecution failed to link him to the crime. The boy suffered a lacerated liver and burns on his buttocks, groin and forehead.

4 law enforcers hailed

for nabbing alleged perv lawyer

Sheriff John Green joined NAACP President J. Whyatt Mondesire yesterday in recognizing the four sheriff's officers who apprehended Larry Charles, the lawyer who was discovered naked with an underage girl in the Criminal Justice Center in January.

Certificates of commendation were presented to Sgt. Michael Porter and deputy sheriffs Sandra Taylor, Dolores Ramos and Andrew Ortiz in the sheriff's offices.

Regular El service scheduled

for this, upcoming weekends

SEPTA will operate regular Market-Frankford Line train service this weekend, allowing continuous travel for riders commuting between 69th Street Terminal and the Frankford Transportation Center.

SEPTA also will offer Market- Frankford Line riders regular train service next weekend, Mother's Day weekend, and May 26 and 27, Memorial Day weekend. Otherwise, shuttle-bus service will continue as work continues on the El reconstruction project.

12-year-old Winslow boy dies of injuries in hit-run incident

Najeeb Green-Lewis, 12, of Winslow, who was struck by a hit-run driver Wednesday while riding his electric scooter on Watsontown-New Freedom Road in Winslow, died yesterday of his injuries in Cooper University Hospital.

About an hour after the accident, police arrested Michael Repko, 38, of Winslow, and charged him with drunken driving, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and related offenses. He was driving with a suspended license, police said.

Camden teen arraigned

on April 20 murder charges

Brandon Blake, 18, of Camden, was arraigned this week on murder charges in the fatal shooting April 20 of Markeith Cottrell, 18, in the Whitman Park section of Camden. Police said he motive for the killing was unclear.

40 drivers lose their jobs

as Trop ends its limo service

Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City has shut down its limousine service, laying off about 40 drivers.

The Casino Control Commission says the number of employees at the Tropicana dropped from 4,507 to 3,846 - or about 15 percent - between Jan. 2 and April 2. That does not include the limo-driver layoffs. *

- Staff and wire services