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Thousands to Flood Philly for DNC Protests, Marches

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On the day that thousands of Democratic delegates from every state and territory of America get off planes and check into their hotels in Philadelphia this summer, thousands more will already be rallying in Center City as part of an anti-fracking and clean energy coalition.

The first sights and sounds of the Democratic National Convention will come from 5,000 activists marching on Market Street from City Hall to Independence Mall the afternoon of July 24.

That’s how many people a group called Food & Water Watch have told the city to expect for their “March for Clean Energy Revolution.”

The group is the first to receive approval by the city of Philadelphia to demonstrate during the DNC week, the mayor’s office said this week. Eight other requests have been submitted, with one given a preliminary denial and seven others still pending.

Some groups seeking permits are planning large-scale rallies or marches, either in Center City or South Philadelphia, where more than 4,000 delegates will gather July 25-28 at the Wells Fargo Center to nominate the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. More permit applications may come in the weeks ahead. Groups can submit applications up to five days before planned events.

The rallies and marches add another layer of security concerns to an event the Department of Homeland Security has put in the same class as Pope Francis’ visit last September. The designation of National Special Security Event came with $43 million in federal funds to help offset the local cost of law enforcement, but the city doesn’t believe the DNC will be on the same scale of the pope visit, which shut down most of Center City.

“It's a much, much smaller event than the Pope, akin to the Navy-Army football game in terms of the influx of people and dignitaries,” Mayor Jim Kenney’s spokeswoman Lauren Hitt said. “You'll feel the excitement in Center City, but the bulk of activity will be in the Wells Fargo (Center) area.”

Less formal rallies and marches are trying to gather steam on social media, and convention officials are also expecting “Black Lives Matter” protests during the week, including at the convention site in South Philadelphia.

The convention runs July 25-29. Besides the thousands of delegates, thousands more, including most of the biggest political figures in the Democratic Party, are also coming to the city for the week.

The permit applications give an early glimpse into what visitors and city residents alike can expect during the week.

The Food & Water Watch demonstration will begin around noon, July 24, at City Hall, and those gathered will then march down Market Street to Independence Mall, according to Sam Bernhardt, the group’s senior Pennsylvania organizer.

“We expect to have 5,000,” Bernhardt said of activists from around the country who are part of “a growing revolution for clean energy.” “Hey, we hope to have 10,000.”

So far, the lone group denied initial approval of a “permit for assemblage,” is locally-based Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, which also marched at the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia. Its lead organizer said the group plans to go ahead with its march and rally on the opening day of the convention July 25 -- whether or not it receives approval. The group applied for a permit to march the length of South Broad Street from City Hall to FDR Park.

“The last time we marched, in 2000 at the RNC, we had about 10,000,” said Cheri Honkala. “We had buses come in from all over the country.”

Other permit applications include: Equality Coalition for Bernie Sanders’ “March on the DNC 2016, Global Zero’s “Race to Zero,” Black Men for Bernie’s “We the People Restoration Rally,” and a public art installation by two Brooklyn, N.Y., artists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese called “The American Dream Project.”

Three other “March for Bernie” permits submitted did not include sponsoring organizations, according to the mayor’s office.

The National Park Service, which oversees security at Independence Mall, reportedly received at least one permit for a demonstration at the national park site at Sixth and Market streets the week of the DNC.

The city received $43 million to fund its security measures, including $9 million in police overtime.

The city was granted the money since the convention is designated a National Special Security Event by the Department of Homeland Security. Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia last September was given the same classification.

Like the pope's visit, the U.S. Secret Service will be the lead agency coordinating security during the event. The Secret Service did not return messages for comment.

“We're working with state and federal officials (including Secret Service) to make the event a successful one both for visitors and Philadelphians,” Hitt said. “These preparations have been underway for many months and we look forward to a great event.”



Photo Credit: AP

Philly Jesus: 'I'm Innocent' of Store Trespass

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Philly Jesus may preach a message of peace but he is putting up a fight against trespassing charges stemming from his arrest at a Center City Apple Store.

“We will fight this case to the very end,” said Michael Grant, aka Philly Jesus.

Grant, 29, spent 12 hours behind bars after his May 2 arrest inside the store at 1607 Walnut St. He claims he was lawfully in the store charging his phone. Investigators allege that he refused to leave despite being asked three times because a cross he had with him was blocking an aisle. Grant claims the employee that asked him to leave was offended by his appearance and garb.

Grant, in full Jesus garb, and Philadelphia-based criminal defense attorney Brian Zieger appeared in Philadelphia Municipal Court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing on defiant trespassing and disorderly conduct charges. In front of Judge Henry Lewandowski, Grant rejected participation in an accelerated misdemeanor program that would have settled the case since he maintains his innocence.

“I’m disgusted how the Apple Store treated me,” said Grant. “I’ve been going in there nearly every day for the past two years. I am an Apple customer, I have an Apple iPhone and this is how they treat me?”

Grant refused to remove the cross and he was then asked to leave the store, according to police. The store manager then contacted police.

“I was calm to police and replied, ‘No, I have a right to be here just like everyone else in here,’” said Grant who spends most days in the Center City area of Love Park and Dilworth Plaza giving blessings, the occasional fountain baptism, and taking photos with tourists.

Grant said he sang "Locked up" by Akon as he was arrested.

“My lawyer requested the video footage from the Apple Store to show that I’m innocent of all charges,” Grant told NBC10.

Grant, a recovering heroin addict who is popular among tourists and Center City regulars who donned the Philly Jesus persona about two years during his recovery, doesn’t fear losing his case.

“I never lose, I either win or learn,” said Grant. “I’m a winner… and I’m not surprised how I was treated. “Jesus did say haters gonna hate.” (Grant is paraphrasing John 15:18.)

Grant said part of the reason he is fighting the charges against him is because “Christians are being discriminated against very aggressively all over the country” including being refused jobs and college admission.

“I will fight all of the false reports going around and fight these charges of trespass and disorderly conduct,” said Grant. “I am innocent, bless up, I love you all, God bless you all!”

Grant is due back in court on June 17. He remains free on his own recognizance.

When reached for comment earlier this month, Apple referred to Philly Police for comment.



Photo Credit: Jen A. Miller

How to Background Your Tinder Dates

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Today, we wrap up our mini-series on using investigative reporting techniques to research your Tinder matches. Last week featured reader ideas. Now, it's time for the pro-tip version. What would investigative journalists do (#WWIJD)? Today, The Dig will introduce you to public records about love 2014 the Tinder Files.

First, a confession. One of the most important tools in an investigative journalist's kit are backgrounding services. These are paid, subscription-only websites that go around compiling public records and tying them together. Two of the most popular are Accurint, a product from LexisNexis, and TLOxp, from TransUnion. If you have a name, or part of a name; a company; a hometown; a former residence; or even a tiny detail like an age range, then these services will comb their vast stores of information to turn up phone numbers, property records, criminal histories.

Here's the catch: these services operate under federal privacy laws.[1] You have to be a registered business to use them. You undergo vetting by the service provider before gaining access. You sign contracts. Plus, such services cost a lot 2014 thousands of dollars for a yearly subscription, and/or charges for each search. So while they're useful for investigative journos, the average Tinderite is probably going to be shut out.

What to do? One hope may lie in academia. Many colleges, universities and journalism schools subscribe to LexisNexis and similar research tools. Some alumni groups provide access to school library services after graduation. These academic subscriptions probably don't have a full-service account. But they will let you search some online public records.

If that doesn't work, the web offers plenty pay-as-you-go backgrounding services, such as Spokeo, Intelius and InstantCheckmate. They all work pretty much the same. They offer nationwide public record searches with a simple interface. Type in a name and off you go. If you get a hit, be forewarned: the services will cajole, upsell and offer free peeks to convince you to buy the results.

I did a totally unscientific poll on three names: myself (slightly unusual name), a friend with a common name and no particular public profile, and Marc P. O'Leary, a serial rapist sentenced to 327 ½ years in prison whose crimes were chronicled in "An Unbelievable Story of Rape," (i.e., the person whose background you would most want to know if you were agreeing to a date.) I typed in the names and states of residence on all three services.[2]

The results varied dramatically 2014 different services pulled up different info. Spokeo, for instance, had trouble finding me without additional personal details. It found my buddy, and an old address for O'Leary 2014 but not the fact that he was a convict.

Intelius found all three names, with good addresses and histories. It discovered that O'Leary had a criminal record, but offered no details about the charges. But that was using the priciest, premium service for $49.95. Who's going to pay that for every right swipe?

InstantCheckmate, in my small sample, turned up the most information. It found all three names, along with address and relative information. It also was the only one of the three services that pulled up a complete criminal record showing that O'Leary had been convicted and sentenced for rape. The company seems to realize the risk of the information it's delivering. This warning pops up at the end of a successful search (note the gossip prohibition):

Fair warning. The Internet is filled with complaints from angry people who have used the services and felt cheated by their baroque pricing plans. And all three services turned up erroneous data in my sample. My friend was listed as a current resident at a place he hasn't lived since 2006. InstantCheckmate claimed I had a Drug Enforcement Agency license, and could prescribe narcotics. Sadly not true.

Perhaps most puzzling: Spokeo turned up this photo for O'Leary:

So while the professional backgrounding services and the consumer web services offer valuable information, I'm going to make a case for the stuff that's free: whether you're a reporter, lovelorn, inquisitive, or all three, get to know your local county courthouse. Every one holds troves of public records that cost nothing to access.[3] And, even today, they contain plenty of information that you cannot find online.

Here's my take. Tinder users, reporters and every curious person should understand how to make use of those documents stuffed in government buildings that you, the taxpayers of America, have paid to collect.

Your success in this digging depends on having at least a first name and last name, and hopefully another detail or two, like an age. It depends on your having patience. And it depends on your willingness to tolerate drudgery.

The painful truth about public records: There will be lines. There will be bureaucrats. There will be frustration. But in the end, a public records hunt carries its own special reward 2014 discovery, insight, information. Perhaps even love, at least for the purposes of this column.

The public records about love, and more often its lack, available at your county courthouse include:

Marriage: Marriage licenses are often found at the county recorder's office. They will list, at a minimum, the date of marriage and the marriage partner. If you want to know how the marriage turned out, proceed to search for2026

Divorce: Divorce records will be filed in the superior civil court records section. They can provide an enormous amount of information 2014 financial assets, children, property and, in some states, reasons for separation. Both marriage licenses and divorce lawsuits are generally open to anyone who wants to see them. Usually, there's a battered computer terminal from the 1980s which allows you to look up a name. Then you go to the clerk and ask to pull the file. Many counties offer online access, too, but without any of the sad details. If you've got a Tinder match, or, more realistically, are a little further along with a person of (romantic) interest, you might want to check out these most basic records.

Child Support: Maybe your love talks freely about his divorce. But is your potential match a deadbeat dad? If a former partner has ever had to file an enforcement order against him to collect on child support payments, you'll find that order in the civil courthouse.

Temporary Restraining Order: Now we're getting serious. Did your newly found love lose it one day? A temporary restraining order, or TRO, is issued by a judge typically to keep an offending party a certain distance away from the complaining party. They are common features of domestic violence cases. One important warning: Such orders are usually issued on an emergency basis, without the judge having heard from both sides. So know that you're getting only one side of the story in reading a restraining order that is not permanent.

For some practice, tool around here 2014 it's the public records access page for Pinellas County, Florida, home to the Tampa Bay Times (née St. Petersburg), my old newspaper. Florida is also a state with great public records laws. So don't expect such ease of access everywhere.

This week's contest: In honor of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), send your nomination for worst government acronym to t@propublica.org. The winner gets a professionally written Freedom of Information Act request.

Also: Questions, people, questions! They won't get answered if you don't send them in.

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for their newsletter.



Photo Credit: Bryan Mastgeorge for ProPublica
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Councilman Asks AG Lynch to Review Deadly PD Shooting

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A Wilmington councilman has asked the U.S. Attorney General to investigate the police-involved shooting death of a wheelchair-bound man after state authorities declined to file charges in the case.

Councilman Jea P. Street sent the letter to Loretta Lynch and Charles Oberly, Delaware's U.S. Attorney, on Tuesday asking them to review the state's probe into the death and further investigate. The state released the results of their investigation last week.

Jeremy McDole died after officers opened fire on him during a confrontation last September. The incident was caught on video by bystanders.

Police were called to the scene after a person called 911 to say McDole had fired three shots, and possibly shot himself, along the 1800 block of Tulip Street.

McDole, 28, who was paralyzed from the waist down, was shot three times after officers said he failed to comply with orders to show his hands, according to a state department of justice investigation. Police said they found a handgun in the man's shorts.

The state's investigation found the officers did not break the law, but did say one officer, Senior Corporal Joseph Dellose, exercised extremely poor judgment and should be fired for his role in the shooting.

Dellose was chastised by state investigators for surprising McDole and then only giving him two seconds to comply with his orders before opening fire with his shotgun, according to the state report. State investigators said they would've liked to file assault charges against the officer, but they felt the case wasn't strong enough.

McDole's family has filed a civil lawsuit against the police department.

The councilman included a copy of the state's report along with his letter asking federal authorities to investigate McDole's death.

NBC10 reached out to the U.S. Attorney's Office for comment, but has yet to hear back.

Rendell Taking Heat for 'Ugly Women' Quote

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Ed Rendell, Pennsylvania's best-known politician, has never shied away from the microphone. Or a journalist's tape recorder. Or the new-fangled Twitter soapbox.

His out-front approach has made him more likely than most to put the occasional foot-in-the-mouth (or bungle a tweet, as was the case here).

The former governor and Philadelphia mayor stepped in it again Wednesday when a quote by Rendell appeared in a Washington Post story about Donald Trump's appeal to voters. It goes like this:

"For every one he’ll lose 1½ , two Republican women. Trump’s comments like ‘You can’t be a 10 if you’re flat-chested,’ that’ll come back to haunt him. There are probably more ugly women in America than attractive women. People take that stuff personally.”

His opinion about the attractiveness of American women immediately garnered some backlash.

"I was totally taken off guard, because he’s more diplomatic and really has a very good vocabulary most of the time," said Gwendolyn Collins, president of the Pennsylvania Federation of Democratic Women. "He might not have taken his medicine, or someone slipped him a mickey. It’s not like him to say something like that."

And on Twitter:

 

 

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images for Pennsylvania Co
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Booze on the AC Boardwalk: Leaders Talk Open Container Laws

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Atlantic City’s boardwalk could soon become the first wooden way in New Jersey where drinking alcohol would be legal. NBC10’s Ted Greenberg has the latest on the vote on a proposed open container law.

City Officials to Discuss Possible Drink Container Tax

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You've heard about the proposed sugary drink tax but what about a tax on the drink containers? The new proposal hits city hall Thursday. NBC10's Keith Jones has the details.

Gunman Shoots, Kills Man in Philly

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A man died from his injuries after he was shot in the Ogontz section of Philadelphia Wednesday.

The 21-year-old man was on the 1600 block of Widener Place at 5:20 p.m. when a gunman opened fire. The man was struck once in the chest. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7:11 p.m.

No arrests have been made. Police have not yet released the victim’s identity.



Photo Credit: SkyForce10

NBC10 Responds Helps a Couple Get a New Mattress

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NBC10 Responds Reporter Harry Hairston helps a couple in Vineland get a new mattress.

Memorial for 3 Students Killed in Separate Crashes

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Loved ones gathered in Bridgeton, New Jersey Wednesday night to mourn three Bridgeton high school students, including two girls who died in a car accident after attending their prom.

A memorial service was held at 6:45 p.m. at the Bridgeton Assembly of God on Indian Avenue for Daisia Sulton, Mikayla Mosley and Luz de la Cruz-Antonio. Another memorial for the teens was held at the Bridgeton High School football stadium at 8 p.m.

Sulton, 17, and Mosley, 15, both of Bridgeton, were on their way home from a post-prom celebration in Ocean City with two other teens about 3:45 a.m. Saturday when Sulton lost control of the car on Route 49, crossed the median and struck a tree. Sulton and Mosley both died at the scene while the two other teens were critically injured and remain in the hospital. 

“I was just looking at her that night and who would have known that would be my last time,” said Na’Lon Rumph, Mosley’s cousin.

Cruz-Antonio, 18, another Bridgeton student, died in a separate car crash on Route 77 in Upper Pittsgrove Township in April.

“Something like this is devastating to the entire community and so we have to be there for each other,” said Bridgeton Mayor Albert Kelly.

As the entire community continues to mourn, family members of the victims are grateful for the support they’ve received.

“It means a lot to us to see everybody come out for each other and every family,” said Mosley’s aunt Shamyra Mosley. “It just means a lot.”


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DA: Officer Attacks Woman, Destroys Evidence

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A Reading, Pennsylvania Police officer is now facing charges after he allegedly attacked a woman during a traffic stop and then lied about the incident in his report. Officer Jesus Santiago-DeJesus is charged with official oppression and fabricating evidence.

Officer Santiago-DeJesus pulled over Marcelina Cintron-Garcia, 30, and her boyfriend, Joel Rodriguez, 24, in Readinpg back on April 5. The officer told the couple they had failed to use their turn signal, according to officials. Cintron-Garcia told NBC10 she then began to record the officer on her cellphone which triggered an angry reaction.

“He slapped my phone away,” she said.

After smashing her phone on the sidewalk, Officer Santiago-DeJesus then punched Cintron-Garcia and pushed her to the pavement, according to officials.

“It’s like he pushed me and threw me to the floor,” Cintron-Garcia said. “He was really, really hard with me.”

Cintron-Garcia suffered a gash to her head and had to be hospitalized. Despite this, she was still charged with aggravated and simple assault as well as traffic offenses while her boyfriend was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The couple then filed a complaint with Reading city police who turned the investigation over to the Berks County District Attorney’s Office.

Investigators say they viewed surveillance video as well as cellphone recordings and determined the couple was innocent. They also say the couple actually did use their turn signal and are unsure why Officer Santiago-DeJesus pulled them over in the first place.

After further investigation, authorities dropped the charges against the couple. They also determined Officer Santiago-DeJesus destroyed and falsified evidence and acted excessively during his interaction with Cintron-Garcia.

“We firmly believe the force was unnecessary and excessive,” said Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams.

During a press conference Wednesday, Adams announced Officer Santiago-DeJesus was placed on administrative leave and will face charges.

“You really get no satisfaction in filing charges against a fellow law enforcement officer,” Adams said. “But we will not permit the integrity of the criminal justice system to be compromised.”

Authorities told NBC10 Officer Santiago-DeJesus had similar issues in the past and smashed the cellphone of another person a few months ago. He is set to face a judge Thursday. Cintron-Garcia and Rodriguez meanwhile are happy the charges against them were dropped and glad that they recorded the incident.

“The officers, they got their right to record when they stop you,” Rodriguez said. “As citizens, we’ve got the same right to record.”



Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy of the Berks County District Attorney’s Office

School Mechanic Dies Months After Boiler Explosion

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Friends and family are mourning a Philadelphia School District mechanic who died months after he was injured during a boiler explosion at an elementary school in East Mount Airy.

Christopher Trakimas, an automatic plant mechanic for the school district, was working in the basement of the Franklin S. Edmonds Elementary School on 8000 Thouron Avenue back on January 13 when the boiler suddenly exploded.  Trakimas suffered second and third degree burns to the lower part of his body and was taken to Einstein Hospital for treatment.

Philadelphia School District Superintendent Dr. William Hite announced Trakimas died from his injuries Wednesday morning, over four months after the explosion.

“On behalf of the entire School District of Philadelphia community, I offer my sincere condolences to Mr. Trakimas’ family, colleagues, loved ones and the Franklin S. Edmonds school community,” Dr. Hite wrote in a released statement.

“I am profoundly sad to learn that Christopher Trakimas has lost his life after a four-month battle for recovery," said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. "Christopher was a dedicated employee and member of SEIU 32BJ who worked on behalf of the School District and its students for 25 years. He will be sorely missed by the entire school community and his fellow laborers."

Maintenance Director Bob Hunter described him as a “dedicated and proud employee, who was not only a hard worker, but a great husband, father and person.”

Officials never released the exact cause of the explosion though they did not believe it was suspicious.

Deadly New Jersey Fire

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A man has died in a fire in Jersey City, officials say.

The fire at West Side and Kearney avenues started shortly after 9 p.m. Wednesday and quickly jumped to a third-alarm fire, the Jersey City Fire Department says. 

Three buildings were damaged in the fire, including one housing the Palm Court Restaurant and Bar. 

A 62-year-old man inside one of the buildings was removed and taken to Jersey City Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries. 

It's not clear how the fire started. 



Photo Credit: NBC 4 NY

Trucker in Loincloth in Wal-Mart:PD

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A New Mexico truck driver is facing charges after authorities said he exposed himself to a woman inside a New Jersey Wal-Mart, wandered around the store in a loincloth, began masturbating and then urinated on the floor and himself when police went to take him into custody.

Authorities said they were called to the Teterboro Wal-Mart early on Tuesday after a woman there reported that the trucker exposed himself.

Officers looked at live surveillance cameras and found the man wandering around the store using only hanging cloths to cover his lower half.

Authorities said he periodically moved the cloths to expose himself and at one point began masturbating in front of customers.

Security guards and officers eventually tracked the man down, and authorities said the man began to quickly walk away but continued to masturbate.

Officers said they then tackled the man to the ground, and he urinated on himself and the floor.

It’s not clear why the trucker, who was charged with lewdness and released on $1,000 bail, was acting in such a way.

Authorities said that he had parked his truck there to rest and a partner who was with him was unaware of his actions.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Police Chase Ends in NJ Cemetery

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A driver who ran a red light in New Jersey sparked a police chase that ended in a cemetery, where he was brought down by a stun gun after an attempt to flee on foot, authorities said.

The driver, whose identity wasn't disclosed by police, ran a red light at about 11:15 a.m. Wednesday in New Brunswick and refused to stop for a Rutgers University police officer.

The officer broke off the pursuit, but the driver's 2002 Honda Accord was spotted by a Piscataway police officer who picked up the chase.

The driver turned in to Resurrection Cemetery and circled several headstones near a funeral service before his Honda became stuck in a muddy area, said Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey.

Four squad cars surrounded the Honda.

At one point during the chase, an officer was struck by the vehicle and fired a single shot at the driver, Carey said.

The officer was taken to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital where he was treated for an unspecified injury and released.

The driver attempted to flee but was stopped by a stun gun. He was taken to a local hospital to be treated for a minor injury, Carey said.

Criminal charges hadn't been filed.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Broken Beer Bottle, Cane Mark Shooting Scene

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A cane and a broken beer bottle marked the spot where a gunman opened fire on a man walking with his girlfriend overnight.

The gunman hopped out of a car and opened fire on the couple as they walked along W Master Street near 52nd Street in west Philadelphia around 1:30 a.m. Thursday.

A bullet struck the man with the cane in the thigh. He is expected to recover, said Philadelphia Police.

The girlfriend told investigators she didn’t know why the gunman opened fire nor did she recognize the shooter, said police.



Photo Credit: NBC10

10 at 7: What You Need to Know Today

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Here are the 10 things you need to know to start your day from your friends at NBC10.

TODAY'S TOP STORY

Egypt Flight from Paris to Cairo Vanishes: An Egyptair flight from Paris to Cairo with 66 people on board was "lost" over the Mediterranean Sea early Thursday, according to officials. Flight MS804 left Charles de Gaulle Airport at 11:09 p.m. Paris time (5:09 p.m. ET). The jet was about 10 miles into Egyptian airspace at an altitude of nearly 37,000 feet when it vanished at around 2:45 a.m. local time (8:45 p.m. ET) shortly before it was due to land, according to Egyptian officials. There were 56 passengers — including three children — along with seven crew and three "security" personnel on board the Airbus A320, Egyptair said. The airline initially had said  a total of 69 people were on board but later revised the figure. There was no official confirmation of what happened to the jet but The Associated Press quoted unnamed Egyptian authorities as saying the plane had crashed. However, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault later told reporters "nothing is confirmed" about what happened to the airliner.

YOUR FIRST ALERT FORECAST  

It's a cool start to Thursday but the sun is expected to arrive with warmer temperatures in the 70s. Friday is expected to be sunny and warm with temperatures in the mid-70s. But the rain will return for the weekend. Saturday and Sunday are expected to be rainy with temperatures in the 60s. The rain could continue into Monday. High Temp: 71 degrees. Get your full NBC10 First Alert forecast here.

WHAT YOU MISSED YESTERDAY

Pennsylvania to Extend Ignitition Locks Law to First Time Drunk Drivers: Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf will sign a measure that expands Pennsylvania's ignition lock law to first-time drunken drivers. The Senate passed the measure unanimously Wednesday. The House passed the bill Monday after several years of work to expand Pennsylvania's 2003 law that requires repeat drunk-driving offenders to use the devices for one year. Under the bill, a first-time convicted drunk driver with an illegal blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 or higher could drive with an ignition interlock for one year, in lieu of a suspended license. Senate officials say nearly every other state has a similar law. The provision wouldn't take effect for 15 months and wouldn't apply to people admitted to a diversion program designed for first-time nonviolent offenders.

AROUND THE WORLD

Thousands of Activists Seeking Permits to March at DNC: On the day that thousands of Democratic delegates from every state and territory of America get off planes and check into their hotels in Philadelphia this summer, thousands more will already be rallying in Center City as part of an anti-fracking and clean energy coalition. The first sights and sounds of the Democratic National Convention will come from 5,000 activists marching on Market Street from City Hall to Independence Mall the afternoon of July 24, a day before the convention kicks off. That’s how many people a group called Food & Water Watch has told the city to expect for their “March for Clean Energy Revolution.” The group is the first to receive approval by the city of Philadelphia to demonstrate during the DNC week, the mayor’s office said this week. Eight other requests have been submitted, with one given a preliminary denial and seven others still pending.

TODAY'S TALKER

Harrisburg's Efforts to Decriminalize Marijuana Hits Snag: An effort to decriminalize marijuana in Pennsylvania's capitol city has hit a road block. Harrisburg council members on Wednesday night discussed a proposal to reduce the penalties for marijuana possession. But Pennlive.com reports council members tabled the discussion so they could conduct more research after issues came up on how the changes would apply to juveniles. Marijuana possession currently is deemed a misdemeanor that stays on an offender's criminal history. The proposal would reduce the crime to the same level as a traffic ticket. A third marijuana possession arrest would be deemed a misdemeanor under the plan. Incremental fine increases — starting at $100 — were also proposed.

SPORTS SPOT

 

Phillies Beat Miami: The Phillies won 4 to 2 against the Miami Marlins. Get your full sports news at CSNPhilly.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

See more Top News Photos here.

THROUGH IGER'S EYES

@modaninja snapped this cool fashion photo.

Have an awesome Instagram photo you'd like to share? Tag it with #NBC10Buzz.

TODAY'S VIRAL VIDEO

This little girlfriend wants a boyfriend no matter what her dad says. Watch the full video here.

A LITTLE SWEETENER

Uber Puppies for Stress Relief at Work: The Pennsylvania SPCA and Uber teamed up to bring some adoptable puppies to workplaces for $30 playdates. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday. The fundraiser brings 15 minutes of puppy fun to your office in the hopes of finding forever homes for the pups who are available for adoption. Read more about the puppies here.


That's what you need to know. We've got more stories worthy of your time in the Breakfast Buzz section. Click here to check them out


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New Grocery Store Opens at Montco Shopping Center

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A new, expanded selection of fresh foods is opening in Wyncote, Montgomery County on Friday.

The Fresh Grocer is opening a new, 65,000-square-foot supermarket inside the Cedarbrook Plaza, located at Easton Road and Cheltenham Avenue. A ribbon cutting event will take place at 10 a.m. to celebrate the new grocery store.

The store replaces a previous Pathmark supermarket and should create more than 200 jobs, according to Sandy Brown, spokeswoman for Brown's Super Stores, which owns The Fresh Grocer of Wyncote.

Along with familiar brands, the store will feature Brown's Chef's Market prepared meals -- including favorites like Southern Fried Chicken and Sticky Ribs, all at affordable prices, said Brown. Additionally, the store has added space for a Beer Garden with an extensive collection of craft beer choices.

"All of these offerings will support our customer's efforts towards a healthy lifestyle and at a more affordable cost compared to other natural and organic retailers," says Jeff Brown, president and CEO of Brown's Super Stores. 



Photo Credit: The Fresh Grocer of Wyncote Facebook

Cold Puppies Up for Adoption

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Dozens of puppies found in a near-freezing van parked behind a New Jersey pet store are going up for adoption, a New Jersey mayor said.

The puppies were found in a van parked behind Just Pups in Paramus on April 4. The owner of the store and his brother have pleaded not guilty to dozens of animal cruelty charges.

On Wednesday, Paramus Mayor Richard LaBarbiera began a Facebook post about the puppies with, “Great news!”

“The 67 puppies involved in the Just Pups case have finally been turned over for adoption,” he wrote.

Those interested in adopting one of the puppies should visit the Tyco Animal Control or Paramus websites, LaBarbiera wrote. He said information on the adoptions will be posted in the coming days.

Tyco has been taking care of the puppies since they were rescued, according to NorthJersey.com. 

In his Facebook post, LaBarbiera said he’ll continue to push for a ban on puppy mills in New Jersey.

Pet store owner Vincent LoSacco, 50, and his brother Leonard LoSacco, 51, allegedly left the puppies in a near-freezing van on April 4 parked behind their store. Investigators said LoSacco drove the van to New Jersey from Missouri, where he had picked the pups up days before. 

The brothers have each been charged with 134 counts of animal cruelty.

Reached after those charges were filed, LoSacco said they were baseless and that an officer who issued him the summons has a personal vendetta against him. He later posted a video to Facebook saying he had been unfairly targeted.



Photo Credit: Paramus Police Department

Uber Wants You to Relieve Stress With Puppy Playdates

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PSPCA and Uber have teamed up to bring puppy playdates back to the area on Thursday.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Uber users can request 15 minutes of playtime at their office with adoptable puppies from the Pennsylvania SPCA for $30.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Pennsylvania SPCA to find shelter animals their fur-ever homes.



Photo Credit: NBC10
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