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NYC Commuters in 'Purgatory' Thanks to Christie: Biden

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Former Vice President Joe Biden took a jab at Gov. Chris Christie over the region's mass transit woes Friday, chiding Christie's "infinite wisdom" in killing a rail tunnel project several years ago.

Biden, who speaks often of his love of commuting by rail, told an urban planning conference in New York that commuters in the region are still in "purgatory."

New York's Penn Station has been the site of two recent derailments and other delays due to disabled trains, hampering travel on the Northeast Corridor.

A Christie spokesman reiterated comments the governor made Thursday that the tunnel wouldn't have been near completion anyway and that it was a bad deal for New Jersey because New York wasn't contributing funding to it.

He also contended New Jersey taxpayers would have been required to cover as much as $5 billion in cost overruns.

"There is a lot of historical revisionism going on here," spokesman Brian Murray said.

The existing 110-year-old tunnel connecting New Jersey and New York operates at capacity during peak hours and is a source of regular delays due to overhead wire problems and other issues.

Christie is a supporter of the $20 billion-plus Gateway project, which would build a new tunnel, expand Penn Station and make other rail improvements.

On Friday, Biden called Gateway the most important infrastructure project in America. More than 200,000 rail commuters pass through Penn Station each weekday, and delays at the station can ripple along Amtrak's line between Boston and Washington, D.C.


Sleeping Woman Saved by Neighbor in New Jersey Fire

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Fourteen people have been displaced in a large fire that ripped through homes and businesses on a street in Paterson, New Jersey, authorities say.

It's not clear what sparked the blaze at River and Lyon streets Friday morning, but officials say there was already heavy smoke and flames when firefighters got to the scene. 

One building in particular, no. 68, sustained "very severe" damage to the entire third floor and the attic, Deputy Fire Chief Brian McDermott said on the scene. 

One woman living in one of the burning buildings was sleeping after working overnight when she was suddenly startled awake. 

"All I hear is people knocking the door down and they're telling me to get out," said Karina Matos. "I leave and I come out of the apartment, and the hallway is already on fire. Next thing you know, everything's on fire.

"I was like, 'Thank God.' I spoke to God because if it wasn't for them -- I was sleeping. It was a neighbor, I guess they broke into the building and knocked the door down," she said. 

No one was hurt in the fire, and the number of people displaced may go up slightly. Paterson police and Red Cross are assisting them. 

McDermott says the fire department and prosecutors are investigating the cause of the fire. 



Photo Credit: NBC 4 NY

Immigrants Celebrate Their Naturalization

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A naturalization ceremony, in which immigrants from 15 different countries became American citizens, was celebrated Wednesday, June 14, in Camden, NJ.

According to an announcement released by Camden's City Hall, the first Korean-American public official in the state, Susan Shin Angulo, delivered the keynote address.

“Becoming an American citizen and taking the oath was a day I will never forget, and it was an absolute dream come true for me,” said Shin-Angulo, who is also a naturalized citizen.

The Oath of Citizenship was taken by 24 women and men.


Philly School District, Teachers Union Tentative Contract

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The president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and School District of Philadelphia announced Friday that they have reached a tentative contract agreement.

“My top priority this school year has been to get a contract with the PFT that recognizes the hard work of teachers and school staff. I am excited to announce we have a tentative agreement that accomplishes that goal. Teachers and school staff are at the heart of our work to create great schools close to where children live. They have supported students through the District’s difficult financial times and they are crucial to the progress we are making in schools across the city,” said Dr. William R. Hite, Superintendent of The School District of Philadelphia in a statement.

PFT President Jerry Jordan said in a statement, "After more than four years of negotiations, I am pleased to announce that the PFT has reached a tentative contract agreement with the District. We are hopeful that putting this contract in place will mean improved stability for our members and our schoolchildren, and enable Philadelphia to more effectively recruit and retain educators."

The agreement would last through 2020, if ratified.

There was no immediate information about the terms of the contract pending a full vote from members of the teachers union.

"Now that this major hurdle has been cleared, we will convene a Special Membership Meeting where PFT members will vote on the contract," Jordan said.





Photo Credit: Google Street View

Atlantic City Awarded Grants In Boardwalk Construction

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Atlantic City has been awarded a $558,000 grant to complete the bike path and walkway to Gardner’s Basin.

This grant will be used to extend about 0.4 miles connecting Caspian Avenue to Gardner’s Basin, with money to install LED lighting, benches, landscaping, and other furnishings are also included in this construction.

"We thank the state for understanding how important this project is to the revitalization of our city," said Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian.

The grant comes from the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program. Out of the 133 project applications statewide, the boardwalk project was one of only 37 to receive funding.

Ongoing construction continues throughout the entire boardwalk and is expected to be completed in 2018.

"When completed, the Inlet Boardwalk Project will not only provide a great pedestrian and biking amenity"Guardian added, "but will also incorporate a seawall that will protect valuable waterfront properties and promote their development."

City capital funds are being used to leverage the Seawall/Boardwalk project along with grants from the Army Corps of Engineers, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

A second grant for Atlantic City was also announced yesterday. A $300,000 NJDOT Bikeway Improvement Grant was awarded to construct bike lanes on Atlantic Avenue and Ohio Avenue. Atlantic City was one of only three New Jersey towns to get a share of the total $1 million fund.

The plans for restoring Atlantic City's famous boardwalk attraction are part of its attempts to revitalize the city. Since both of the grants cover full funding for the projects, no city match will be required to complete them.



Why Determining Consent Is Difficult in Sexual Assault Cases

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Day five of deliberations in Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial, and the mood outside the courthouse turned sober as spectators wondered what could be taking the jury so long to reach a verdict.

“It’s like groundhog day. You wake up every day and it’s the same thing,” said Dennis McAndrews, former prosecutor and local Montgomery County attorney who has been attending the trial daily.

“The mood is very serious, bordering on testy.”

The biggest question centered on the definition of reasonable doubt. The jury asked the judge for a read-back of testimony provided last week by accuser Andrea Constand’s mother, sparking the outrage of Cosby’s defense team.

"What we’ve got now is jurors trying to overcome other jurors by having a recap of the entire testimony," defense lawyer Brian McMonagle said while demanding a mistrial.

The jury remained obstinate, asking for additional testimony about Cosby giving quaaludes to women in exchange for sex in the 1970s. They also asked for Constand’s testimony on phone records showing she stayed in contact with Cosby following their encounter.

These two questions seemed to indicate a third question: Why is consent so difficult to define?

“Sexual assault cases I always found to be particularly difficult," McAndrews said. “Not only because of the emotion involved but also because, for the jury to convict, you’re not only asking them to find him guilty of a crime, you’re asking the jury to decide that the individual has a kind of perversion.”

Sexual assault survivors who spoke outside the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania, maintained that the distinction between yes and no is much more clear.

“Consent is a freely given yes,” said Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment (PAVE) founder Angela Rose, adding that Cosby’s defense has been playing a game of “victim blaming and shaming.”

“Let us not forget regardless of the outcome today, this case is a huge step forward for survivors of sexual assault,” added PAVE activist Delaney Henderson.

Cosby’s defense team has based their arguments on the idea that Constand’s relationship with the comedian was romantic in nature and, therefore, their encounters were consensual.

But nearly 50 percent of rapes were perpetrated by an attacker known to the victim, including friends, relatives and partners, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Further, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network reports that approximately 60 percent of rapes are never reported to the police. Even in attacks that are reported, there is only a 16 percent chance an alleged attacker will go to prison.

Constand’s case represents a conundrum for victims of sexual assault: When to speak up if a crime, or perceived crime, has occurred.

“Ever since I was a little girl I was told it was my responsibility to determine when and how to have sex and to really fear the interaction because of the whole notion that boys will be boys,” said Elicia Gonzales, a Philadelphia-based activist.

“When you place so much responsibility on the person who is coming out as having been raped, then it diminishes that person’s chance and ability to come forward because they feel ashamed.”

Gonzales was date raped as a teen, but she didn’t think to label it that until she became an adult. In her youth, she wanted to kiss the popular boy at a party. He wanted more. Rather than resist, she went along with it to avoid “being rude” or hurting his feelings. It was a tacit agreement Gonzales regretted until a friend expressed how sorry she was after hearing the story.

“I can relate to feeling ashamed and embarrassed, like I did something wrong,” she said. “I didn’t want people asking ‘Why did you let him do that to you?'”

Part of the problem, she said, was the consistent “self-blaming and self-critique that is already experienced when someone is assaulted,” Gonzales said. “It makes it completely impossible to come forward when you’re bombarded with messages that.”



Photo Credit: Alicia Lozano / NBC10

NBC10 First Alert Weather: Rain Moving In

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With rain moving towards our region for the weekend, you may want to reconsider outdoor Father's Day plans. NBC10 Chief meteorologist Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz has your weekend forecast.

Altered Pride Flag Met With Controversy

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After a black and brown stripe were added to a rainbow flag in Philadelphia, some people are expressing concerns. NBC10's Randy Gyllenhaal has the story.


Cuban Americans Speak on Trump's Policy Changes

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After President Donald Trump addressed changes to an agreement with Cuba, many Cuban-Americans are expressing their own concerns and hopes.

NBC10 Responds: Court Phone Scheme

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If you've received a call saying a relative is in custody, or that you need to go to court, you may want to take caution. NBC10's Harry Hairston has more information on how you can protect yourself from fake calls.

45-Years Since Pa.'s Worst Natural Disaster

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A MERE TROPICAL DEPRESSION OVER PENNSYLVANIA

Agnes made landfall near Panama City, Florida as a “minimal hurricane” (Category 1). It weakened to a Tropical Storm by the time it hit near New York City on June 23rd, 1972. And then it weakened to a mere Tropical Depression as it curved westward into Pennsylvania, eventually dying there. Doesn’t sound very threatening, does it? But it ended up being the worst natural disaster in Pennsylvania history. And I have a story to tell about it-and how it led me to team up with the late, great Jim O’Brien.

AGNES IN THE “DARK AGES” OF TV (What? No weather channel?)

If Agnes had just hit the Florida Panhandle and died as it went inland, no one would remember the name. It was early in hurricane season, and June storms are rarely intense and/or extremely damaging. I certainly wasn’t concerned about it-home in Philadelphia waiting for my upcoming Penn State graduation ceremony. There was plenty of free time, since my job coming out of college was going to start in September. Hard to believe, but there was no Weather Channel or internet back then, so we had to watch the local stations.

But as the storm threat increased, my frustration did as well. I had just struggled through four years of calculus, dynamic meteorology, differential equations, and even atomic and nuclear physics in order to get a B.S. degree from the biggest (and best, of course) meteorology department in the country. PSU was known as “The Harvard of Meteorology”. A Tropical Storm was headed right toward us, and yet I had to sit on my couch and watch non-meteorologists talk about the storm on TV.

Come on, how many times does Pennsylvania get threatened by a Tropical Storm? And I had just taken a course in Tropical Meteorology. I couldn’t tweet about it, or comment on my Facebook page, since those things wouldn’t be invented for decades. There was no internet or even computers to look at all the weather maps and come to my own conclusion about what would happen with the storm. It was just wait….and wait….and wait.

THE AGNES CURVE AND LOOP

Today, we’re familiar with what Tropical Storms and Hurricanes can do if they make left turns as they hit the coast. Sandy was the classic example. Sandy made a sharp left turn in 2012, but even a gentle left turn was very rare around here. Agnes weakened to a Tropical Storm shortly after making landfall in Florida, but when it went back over the ocean off the North Carolina coast, it re-intensified into a Tropical Storm (see map below). It weakened again after hitting near New York City-back to a Tropical Depression. That meant no wind or storm surge threat, but rainfall was a far different story.


The tracking map above doesn’t show what happened after Agnes weakened over southern New York State, but the remnants did a little, very slow loop and ended up over Pennsylvania. The map below is more of a close-up, showing not only the surface track, but the track of the upper-air LOW, which is what caused Agnes to stall.


The slow movement added to the days of rain that came before the storm. And the ground was already saturated and rivers already high from the unusually wet June.

Most of the state got 6 inches or more of rain, but 8-12 inches fell in the Susquehanna River Valley from Wilkes-Barre to Harrisburg. The map above shows the maximum rainfall in Schuylkill County-an incredible 19 inches! Record flood levels occurred along the Schuylkill River all the way to Philadelphia. Even though we didn’t get as much rain, the flood spread downstream. The flooding was especially disastrous at Reading and Pottstown. The Pottstown flood level was almost NINE FEET above the previous record.



The flooding in Harrisburg was so bad that the Governor’s Mansion had to be evacuated. Governor Shapp and his wife even had to be rescued by boat. More than 100,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Pennsylvania. There were 128 deaths in total attributed to Agnes, 50 of them in Pennsylvania. Among those were reporter Sid Brenner of WCAU-TV, and three others in a helicopter sent out to show the extent of the flooding.

CANCEL THE GRADUATION

I was home watching the whole thing, still stewing in the fact that I couldn’t help in any way. And then Governor Shapp got on the radio asking that no one try to drive to Penn State for the graduation ceremony, because the roads were flooded. So, I missed my college graduation because of a hurricane. Kind of ironic, wasn’t it (“Hurricane” Schwartz missed his graduation because of a hurricane!).

In case you’re wondering: yes, we still get to have a diploma, even though it took a couple of weeks for them to mail it to me. And it has stayed on my office wall, no matter how many times I’ve moved over the years. And every time I notice it, I remember Agnes, and the horrible flooding. And I am so glad that younger generations are able to follow storms without the frustration of no information, or experts to watch as it approaches. Count your blessings, weather fanatics!



Photo Credit: National Weather Service
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Seven Crew Members Missing After Navy Destroyer Crash

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Seven American Sailors were missing Friday night after a crash of the USS Fitzgerald with a cargo ship. NBC10s Keith Jones Reports.

Tracking Rain for the Weekend

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After a steamy week, look for rain this weekend and storms on Monday. NBC10 first alert meteorologist Tammie Souza has your neighborhood forecast.

'Law and Order' Star Asks Congress to End Rape Kit Backlog

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Mariska Hargitay, who plays the tough, dogged lead on "Law & Order: SVU," testified on behalf of real-life rape survivors Friday in front of a task force on sexual violence in the Capitol.

Hargitay's Joyful Heart Foundation has led a national campaign to pass legislation ending backlogs in processing rape kits.

She teared up while concluding her remarks, thanking the members of Congress from both parties she was speaking to for their attention on behalf of survivors across the country.

"The numbers don't lie. Testing all kids solves crimes and saves lives," she said. "A survivor's legislative district should not determine the outcome of their case or their right to information."

Advocates say thousands of kits containing DNA evidence sit untested in labs across the country, and only eight states today have laws requiring testing on current or backlogged kits, meaning that testing can be left up to the discretion of individuals.

"Although we have seen progress, there is much more work to be done," Hargitay said.

She is also in Washington for the premiere of an HBO documentary she produced on the subject called "I Am Evidence."

Learn more about the Joyful Heart Foundation's efforts at endthebacklog.com.

"Law & Order: SVU" star


Photo Credit: NBC Washington

High-Tech Gift Ideas for Dad

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Some Father's Day gifts won't just make dad happy, but they can make your home safer, too. From car gadgets to home monitoring systems, these gifts ideas are sure to make his day.


Trump Organization Employee Proposed to Head HUD in NY, NJ

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Lynne Patton, a Trump Organization employee and Eric Trump's wedding planner, might be the next head of the Department of Housing and Urban Development for New York and New Jersey.

Patton does not have a background in public housing, but was recommended by Ben Carson, the head of the national Housing and Urban Development department.

The Trump administration appeared to be backing away from the appointment later on Friday, but by then news had already spread through the streets of New York. 

"I think it’s a joke. Is she going to bring more weddings to the housing?" said Omar Perez, a Manhattan resident.

Some feared the choice might hit home, literally.

Cora Bass resides at Chelsea Elliot Houses on New York City's West Side, where the apartments are in dire need of new windows, kitchens and bathrooms. She was aghast to learn Patton, who has no experience with public housing, might be in charge of the entire region.

"He got a lot of damn nerve to be doing that," Bass said about Trump's proposed pick.  

Anthony Landi, of Little Italy, had a little more faith.

"Well Dr. Ben Carson didn’t have housing experience either but he’s a smart guy and I trust him to hire smart people to do the job,” he said. "Honestly, I trust everything our president does."

Meanwhile, the federal housing department said Friday afternoon that the position has not been filled yet.

In a statement to News 4 New York, Adolfo Carrion, Jr., the former director of the federal housing agency, pointed out Patton's lack of experience, but wishes her good luck.

Rep. Grace Meng from Queens penned a letter to the Trump administration about how Patton shouldn’t get the job, writing, "This is not 'The Apprentice.'"



Photo Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

2 Die as Car Veers Off GSP, Plunges Into River

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Two people are dead after their vehicle ran off the Garden State Parkway and plunged into the Rahway River. 

State Police Lt. Ted Schafer says the vehicle was headed north when it ran off the toll road in Clark Township just before 10:30 a.m. Friday. The victims' names and ages have not been released.

According to traffic data from 511NJ, there were 2-mile backups behind the accident traveling northbound -- and an even-worse 3-mile backup southbound due to rubbernecking. 

Live images from the scene showed a significant number of police, fire and other emergency services in and near the brush to the right of the road.

State police said the two lanes would remain closed for some time due to the investigation.  



Photo Credit: NBC 4 New York

Big Rig Smashes Through Guardrail on NJ Turnpike

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A tractor-trailer smashed through a guardrail on the northbound side of the New Jersey Turnpike near Bordentown Friday afternoon. The damage could be seen for yards before the wreckage of the truck -- flipped onto its side, spreading across three lanes -- was apparent. People surrounding the tractor-trailer were astonished as they assessed the damage. 



Photo Credit: NBC 4 NY

Regatta Traffic Detours

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The Schuylkill Navy Regatta, sponsored by the oldest amateur governing body in the United States, takes over the Schuylkill River Saturday. With the races, come a major road closure and detours.

Photo Credit: NBC10

NJ Quadruplets Graduate From High School Despite Hardship

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A set of quadruplets are among the 250 seniors graduating from South Plainfield High School on Friday. The four siblings have been through a lot these past couple of years — so much that one of them wasn’t even sure she wanted to attend graduation. That is until she got a show of support from her classmates.

Stephanie, Joseph, Anthony and Patricia Lacasale have been in school together since kindergarten.

“I love it,” Patricia said. “You’re not lonely, they’re four of my best friends.”

Patricia had to lean on her sister and brothers for support even more these past two years. She fell and fractured her ankle two summers ago, and after multiple surgeries and complications, she’s now in a wheelchair and was homeschooled for her junior and senior year.

“They are my biggest supporters,” Patricia said. “They want me to walk again, they want me to try.”

After so many months away from school, Patricia initially didn’t want to go to her senior prom. That was until her siblings talked her into it. They were all in for a big surprise when Patricia was crowned prom queen.

“I thought this was some kind of joke — me out of all people? I just didn’t expect it,” Patricia said.

“We didn’t know the class would do something like that and we were all happily shocked,” Stephanie said.

It meant everything to Patricia to know that her classmates remembered her and cared about her after two painful years.

“It shows that they’re compassionate and considerate, and they don’t forget about her,” Patricia’s friend Kaitlin Boros said.

The siblings’ mother remembers when her four babies were born and when they were baptized. Now they’re graduating.

“It’s a celebration of four individuals who happen to be born on the same day,” Danielle Lacasale said.

Next year, three of the quadruplets are heading to Georgian Court University. Patricia will stay home to continue treatment and hopefully walk again. Danielle is grateful her last memories of high school are filled with joy.

"Good kids still exist, and we have 200 plus of them graduating tonight," Danielle said. 

The quadruplets have one brother, Christopher. He was born a year after them and will graduate next year. 

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