Good morning. We considered having UPMC spokesman Paul Wood write the Breakfast Sausage intro -- he's just too good of a quote -- but you'll have to wait.

1. Mayor Luke is challenging UPMC's non-profit status, both in court and with the county. "Doesn't even pass the smell test," he said, perhaps referring to the hospital giant's $400 million in profits last year. Zing!

To which the irascible Mr. Wood replies: Ravenstahl's challenge is "based on the mistaken impression that a nonprofit organization must conduct its affairs in a way that pleases certain labor unions, certain favored businesses, or particular political constituencies." Zing zing!

2. Mayor Luke's successor will probably challenge UPMC's non-profit status, too.

3. State House Democrats fail in an attempt to salvage Pennsylvania's existing wine-and-spirits system, losing a vote on an amendment to expand hours at state stores and allows the direct shipment of wine. The House is set to debate long into the night today on the privatization plan.

4. In one of the day's more surprising photo ops, representatives from multinational energy companies sat down with area environmental activists to announce the launch of the Center for Sustainable Shale Development, which will set voluntary industry environmental standards.

5. Another combination you wouldn't expect: A Republican state senator has proposed legislation offering in-state college tuition to undocumented teenagers living in Pennsylvania. Called the DREAM Act, the proposal does not offer a path to citizenship, as a similar federal plan does. State Sen. Lloyd Smucker, R-Lancaster, said his legislation is more about economics than immigration reform.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is taking on UPMC, filing challenges on the health care giant's non-profit status in both court and the county Office of Property Assessment.

Flanked by city controller Michael Lamb (running for mayor), city council president Darlene Harris (running for mayor) and Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner (uncle running for mayor), he had plenty to say about the region's largest employer.

"They're not a charity," the mayor said at a press conference today. "They haven't been operating as a charity and it's time that this community step up in that regard. The reality of the situation is the taxpayers ... are currently subsidizing UPMC's non-profit status."

Zinger time:

"Is UPMC acting as a purely public charity?" Mr. Ravenstahl asked. "In my opinion, it doesn't even pass the smell test."

Bold. Not having to run for re-election will do that for you.

More after the jump.

J.J. Abbott, spokesman for Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner, is leaving to work on the mayoral campaign of her uncle, former Pa. Auditor General Jack Wagner.

From his farewell-for-now e-mail:

As many of you know, Jack gave me my first opportunity in Pittsburgh politics. I hold tremendous respect and admiration for Jack's lifetime of service and am excited to have the professional opportunity to work on this important campaign on behalf of Jack (although as a contingency of accepting the job, I've sworn to never reveal my favorite Wagner).

Mr. Abbott says he'll return to the controller's office after the race.

Welcome to the first day of spring! Seriously. The high temp today is set for 35 degrees and the weather's supposed to stay like this through mid-April. Which is bogus.

1. Rich Lord calls the Pittsburgh Police Bureau "storm-tossed" in his story today about a court case on police discipline gone awry, which concerns specifically a detective who could have been fired at least twice (once after allegedly choking his son) before he choked a Squirrel Hill man after a fender-bender. Speaking of, another cop caught on video going after a South Side bar patron denies he's a "rogue cop."

2. As our pal Melissa Daniels at PA Independent writes, Pa "is a pretty sweet place to be an elected official" -- the second-highest state lawmaker salaries, the biggest number of full-time legislators and no limits on fundraising. Add to that the highest salaried governor in the country --at $183,255 -- though Gov. Corbett freezed his salary when he entered office so he takes home about $8 grand less.

3. Heather Heidelbaugh, Allegheny County Council's GOP member at large and all-around nettle in the side of executive Rich Fitzgerald, says those undated resignation letters he makes county appointees sign "violate the law" and are an attempt to seize power by the exec.

4. Around and around it goes -- now Washington County, like its neighbors to the north, is getting forced into countywide property reassessments.

5. Congrats to Robert Morris, which shocked the world when it beat college basketball defending champs Kentucky last night, sealing it with two free throws with 8 seconds left after the Wildcats came back to tie.