Briefly... CITY/REGION

President's House opens today

The President's House, home of the first two presidents of the United States and nine slaves, will open today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and press briefing on Independence Mall.

Renovated at a cost of $12 million, the historic site was home to Presidents George Washington, who owned the slaves, and John Adams. Creation of the President's House stirred deep emotions about the paradox of American slavery and fueled a community activism effort that shaped its design.

Meeting to discuss duck boats

The plan to allow duck boats on the lower Schuylkill River will be discussed at a community meeting at 7 tonight at the Free Library, at 19th and Vine streets. Citizens interested in commenting on the proposal, and companies that would like to bid on operating the tour boats, will attend. The meeting is sponsored by the Schuylkill River Park Alliance.

More tax $ than expected

New Jersey Treasury officials said that the state has received $9.82 billion in tax revenue so far for the fiscal year that began July 1. They had expected to receive about $9.46 billion.

Treasurer Andrew Eristoff said that income-tax revenues are coming in ahead of projections, but sales-tax revenues are lagging, at 1.4 percent below projections.

Sessions to cope with death

The West Chester Area School District is offering counseling for students of two schools who might be upset by the death of Katherine "Katie" Urban, 11, who was found shot to death Friday in her Westtown home.

Grief counseling is being offered to students and faculty at G.A. Stetson Middle School, where the girl was a sixth-grader, and at Starkweather Elementary School, which she attended.

Chester County District Attorney Joseph Carroll says that the death "appears to be a tragic accident," but the investigation is continuing.

4 charged in foreclosure scam

A Conshohocken man and three others were charged yesterday in an alleged foreclosure-rescue scam involving more than $30 billion in loans and more than 100 properties.

Federal prosecutors said that Anthony J. DeMarco III, 31, and Michael Richard Roberts, 29, of Swedesboro, N.J., targeted homeowners facing foreclosure, promising to help them remain in their homes. Instead, the indictment says, the conspirators stole the equity in the homes using phony documents, and some victims lost their properties as a result.

Two other defendants have agreed to surrender.

Abington funded for new K-9

The Abington Township Police Department's K-9 Unit will receive a check for $5,000 today from Bottom Dollar Food and Del Monte Pet Products to purchase a new police dog. The presentation will be made at the Bottom Dollar Food store, at 1955 Davisville Rd., Willow Grove.

- Staff and wire reports