Briefly... CITY/REGION

Three caregivers at the Quadrangle nursing home in Haverford Township were found not guilty yesterday of abusing an elderly patient. The workers' behavior was "wholly inappropriate," said Delaware County Judge Kevin F. Kelly, but he cleared Tyrina Griffin, 22, and Ayesha Muhammad, 19, both of Philadelphia; and Samirah Traynham, 22, of Yeadon. They initially were charged with aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, harassment and neglect after the family of Lois McCallister placed a hidden camera in her room when they suspected abuse.

The SEPTA board yesterday approved renaming the Route C bus to reflect the different patterns its buses operate. The Route C name will be replaced by Route 4 and Route 16 with the release of new seasonal schedules on Feb. 19.

Route C buses now operate on two route patterns. One takes customers between Broad and Geary streets in South Philadelphia and 11th Street and Nedro Avenue in North Philadelphia. The other runs a route between City Hall and the Cheltenham and Ogontz Loop.

City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, chairwoman of Council's Education Committee and the Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless, will host her 14th annual holiday party for the homeless at the Convention Center at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

The fete is expected to attract 3,500 residents from the family shelter system, most of whom are children under 14.

More than 50 volunteers from the West Philadelphia community will serve a holiday meal.

Democratic power broker and Cooper University Hospital board chairman George Norcross is donating $5 million to the hospital. Norcross and his wife, Sandra, made the pledge public yesterday and presented the first payment of $1 million.

It's the first donation in the hospital's $50 million capital drive. The hospital is planning two major developments next year: construction of a cancer institute for $80 million to $100 million, and the opening of a new medical school being run with Rowan University.

- Staff and wire reports