Philly Orchestra goes on strike, cancels gala

PHILADELPHIA >> The Philadelphia Orchestra has gone on strike, canceling an opening night performance that about 1,000 people had come to hear.

Philly.com reports that the 96 musicians and two librarians who belong to American Federation of Musicians Local 77 decided to strike about an hour before curtain time on Friday. Last-minute efforts to reach an agreement failed during back stage talks.

Orchestra president Allison B. Vulgamore appeared on stage about 20 minutes before the concert was to begin and told the audience there would be no performance because a labor agreement wasn’t in place for “one of the world’s greatest orchestras, if not the greatest.”

After the audience left the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, musicians came out carrying picket signs.

Commissioner: Cops fired 109 shots

PHILADELPHIA >> Philadelphia’s police commissioner says nine officers fired a total of 109 shots at a man who went on a stabbing rampage.

Commissioner Richard Ross says the police response might have been a case of “contagious gunfire,” adding the high number of shots fired concerns him and might lead to additional training.

Ross says Christopher Sowell was hit multiple times Wednesday night and was killed.