If you're an Eagles fan and believe in the "Curse of Billy Penn," your stress levels must've been through the roof as the Comcast Technology Center soared higher and higher into the sky alongside the Birds' impressive 10-1 winning streak.

Well, you no longer have to worry about a jinx getting in the way of the team's Super Bowl aspirations. And you can thank a few Philly ironworkers for that.

On Monday, crews topped off Philadelphia's newest and tallest skyscraper by welding lateral beams into place on the Comcast Technology Center's lantern (the fancy name for this building's architectural spire).

Attached to that steel — 1,121 feet above the street — is an American flag, an evergreen tree, and a minature statue of William Penn.

John Demming, vice president of corporate communications for Comcast Corporation, confirmed on Thursday the statue's installation saying ironworkers rushed the beam into place to avoid the curse from impeding the Eagles' playoff chances.

As Philly lore states, the city's professional sports teams were cursed in 1987 when One Liberty Place was constructed. It was the first building to soar over the statue of William Penn on top of City Hall. At 945-feet tall, One Liberty is nearly 400-feet taller than Billy Penn's hat.

Prior to 1987, developers adhered to a gentemen's agreement that the statue remain the tallest point in the city.

Twenty years passed with no championship wins for any of the city's professional sports teams. Then, in 2007, Comcast Center became the city's tallest building. Hoping to break the curse, ironworkers welded a minature Billy Penn statue to the highest beam.

The following October, the Philadelphia Phillies became World Series champions.

With this latest Billy Penn installation, there are now three Billy Penn statues crowning Philly skyscrapers: the original 37-foot tall bronze on City Hall and the two minatures on both Comcast towers.

The topping off officially makes the Comcast Technology Center the tallest building between New York and Chicago. The $1.5 billion, 60-story tower designed by famed architect Lord Norman Foster will become the new home to NBC10 and Telemundo62 when it is completed in 2018. The tower will also host Comcast developers and, on the building's upper 12 floors, a new Four Seasons hotel.

People from all over the region shook as an earthquake struck the area late Thursday afternoon, and many took to social media to let the rest of the world know that they survived.

The 4.1 magnitude earthquake registered at 4:47 p.m. Thursday near Dover, USGS reported. Residents from Philadelphia and parts of New York to Washington D.C. had something to say about the rattles and shakes they felt.

Winterfest at the Blue Cross RiverRink on the Delaware River is a Philadelphia fan-favorite, and the holiday tree lighting is a tradition of its own. 

Friday, Dec. 1, members of the NBC10 morning team will join Peco to light the bluetooth controlled 40 foot Christmas tree up with over 40,000 LED light bulbs. The tree takes less than 20 amps of total power consumption.

On top of the tree sits a star that is 3 feet in diameter.

In it's fifth season at Winterfest, the Philadelphia's largest out door ice rink is 200 feet long and takes approximately 18 thousand gallons of water to fill it up with ice. The rink is available for skating seven days a week. 

For more information on the Delaware River Waterfront, Winterfest, or the Holiday Tree Lighting click here.

NBC10 First Alert Weather chief meteorologist Tammie Souza has your forecast.

Here are the top news stories you need to know to start your day from your friends at NBC10.

TODAY'S TOP STORY 

Teen Met Her Killer Online, Police Say: A 15-year-old Delaware girl was stabbed more than 50 times after travelling to Philadelphia to visit a man she had only met on social media, Philadelphia police said on Thursday. And then the killer set Sabriya Mclean's body on fire to try to cover up the crime, police said. Thursday's press conference was the first time police had revealed information about the victim. Previously, they had charged Cole Swaringer-Herring, 23, with murder, arson, abuse of corpse and related charges. Sabriya was found stabbed to death and burned under a pile of leaves at Swaringer-Herring's apartment complex, near the 200 block of South 49th Street close to the Cedar Park section of West Philadelphia. Mclean had been reported missing by her family on Monday.

• MORE ON THE INVESTIGATION
  

WHAT YOU MISSED YESTERDAY

4.1 Magnitude Earthquake Recorded Near Dover: A rare 4.1-magnitude earthquake rumbled the Philadelphia region Thursday afternoon shaking buildings and rattling nerves as far as 75 miles away from the epicenter. The United States Geological Survey says the tremor struck at 4:48 p.m. in the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge along the Delaware Bay. That's about 6 miles northeast of Dover, Delaware and the Dover Air Force Base. The quake was shallow with a depth of 5 miles. It was first recorded with a magnitude of 5.1, but was revised to 4.1 around 5:10 p.m. Reports of shaking flooded in from residents all over the region including Philadelphia, Atlantic City, New Jersey, Wilmington, Delaware, and as far west as Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. People said the shaking lasted for as little as 10 seconds and as long as 30 seconds. There are no reports of injuries or damage at this point. Thursday's quake is the strongest to hit the region since 1994 when a 4.6-magnitude tremor was recorded in Pennsylvania.

• MORE ON THE EARTHQUAKE
  

YOUR FIRST ALERT FORECAST  

There is a chance of showers Friday morning but the afternoon is expected to be dry. The wind chill is expected to be chilly Friday. Saturday and Sunday are expected to be sunny with temperatures in the 50s. Monday is also expected to be partly sunny with temperatures in the 50s. Rain could move in Tuesday afternoon and stick around through Wednesday. Get your full NBC10 First Alert forecast here.

Yes, There's a Billy Penn Statue on Philly's New Skyscraper: If you're an Eagles fan and believe in the "Curse of Billy Penn," your stress levels must've been through the roof as the Comcast Technology Center soared higher and higher into the sky alongside the Birds' impressive 10-1 winning streak. Well, you no longer have to worry about a jinx getting in the way of the team's Super Bowl aspirations. And you can thank a few Philly ironworkers for that. On Monday, crews topped off Philadelphia's newest and tallest skyscraper by welding lateral beams into place on the Comcast Technology Center's lantern (the fancy name for this building's architectural spire). Attached to that steel — 1,121 feet above the street — is an American flag, an evergreen tree, and a minature statue of William Penn. John Demming, vice president of corporate communications for Comcast Corporation, confirmed on Thursday the statue's installation saying ironworkers rushed the beam into place to avoid the curse from impeding the Eagles' playoff chances. As Philly lore states, the city's professional sports teams were cursed in 1987 when One Liberty Place was constructed. It was the first building to soar over the statue of William Penn on top of City Hall. At 945-feet tall, One Liberty is nearly 400-feet taller than Billy Penn's hat.

• MORE ON THE CURSE
  

AROUND THE WORLD

Aspiring NYC Model Found Dead with Slashed Throat in Jamaica: An aspiring actress and model from Queens who was visiting the island of Jamaica was found dead with a slit throat on a rural road a few miles from the country's biggest resort town, according to the woman’s family. Desiree Gibbon's mother and aunt told News 4 that the 26-year-old’s body was found on the side of a road in Anchovy, a small town near Montego Bay, on Saturday morning. The Daily News, which first reported Gibbon’s death, said when her body was found in the bushes off the road, it was caked with blood. Gibbon's family told News 4 that police said her throat had been slit and it appeared she had fought with her attacker. Family said they found out about Gibbon’s death after authorities showed her photo to a family member, who owns the Montego Bay hotel where she was staying. Family members said she was planning on scouting talent in the area for a friend in New York, but she was killed before she got that chance. It’s not clear why she was killed and no arrests have been made in the case.

• MORE ON THE KILLING
  

That's what you need to know to Catch Up Quickly, but we've got more stories worthy of your time. Click here to check them out. 

Four people had minor injuries after a minibus slammed into a group home in New Jersey on Thursday evening, according to authorities. 

The bus careened through the side of the group home on West Northfield Road in Livingston at about 5:30 p.m., according to police. 

The driver told authorities her brakes failed before the crash, and that she had driven along the side of the road for as long as she could before turning toward the lawn and scraping into the garage to the building.

Chopper 4 footage from the scene shows the transport van behind the home, crashed into the woods. The home, meanwhile, appears to have heavy damage, with the side of the garage all but obliterated.

Authorities said the bus -- which was carrying residents of the group home -- narrowly missed four people inside the home. And if the trajectory of the bus was just five feet to the left, police said the bus could have toppled into a ditch.

Three passengers and the vehicle's driver were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The group home's residents were moved to a hotel until the structural integrity of the building could be assessed. 

It's not clear if charges will be filed in the mishap.

A school bus and an SUV collided Friday morning in Philadelphia leaving the bus perpendicular to the roadway and people injured.

At least one 15-year-old student, a bus aide and a driver were on board the First Student yellow bus when it crashed along East Wyoming Avenue near Ramona Avenue, along Tacony Creek Park, in the Juniata neighborhood around 6:45 a.m.

The student was shaken up, police on the scene told NBC10. At least one person could be seen being taken off the bus on a stretcher. 

None of the injuries are considered life-threatening, police said.

The wreck left the other vehicle, with front-end damage and a cracked windshield. The other driver wasn't hurt, police said.

Expect traffic trouble in the area.

Stick with NBC10 for developments.

The Republican tax reform bill has gained support, but will it be enough? NBC10's Pamela Osborne has more information on who supports it and who is not.

A vast majority of U.S. homes have significant levels of allergens, and homes in the Northeast are among the worst in the nation for certain types of allergens, according to the nation’s largest indoor allergen study to date.

The study looked at eight common allergens — cat, dog, cockroach, mouse, rat, mold, and two types of dust mite allergens — and their prevalence in 7,000 bedrooms across the country.

The findings, published Nov. 30 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, show bedrooms in the Northeast, as well as the South, are among the worst in the nation for different types of dust mite allergens. The Northeast is also the worst for cat allergens and among the worst for dog allergens, the study found. 

Exposure to allergens was more likely in rural areas and in mobile homes, older homes and rental homes, according to the study. While people in urbanized areas were less exposed to allergens, they were more likely to have immune systems that overreacted to the allergens, a factor called “sensitization.”

Exposure levels also varied greatly by age, sex, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. For example, males and non-Hispanic blacks were less likely to be exposed to multiple allergens, but those groups also had higher rates of sensitization, according to the study.

Overall, more than 90 percent of U.S. homes studied had three or more detectable allergens, and 73 percent of homes had at least one allergen at elevated levels. Not surprisingly, the study found the presence of pets and pests had a major influence on high levels of allergens.

Here are some things you can do to reduce your exposure to indoor allergens and irritants:

• Vacuum carpets and upholstered furniture every week.

• Wash sheets and blankets in hot water every week.

• Encase mattresses, pillows, and box springs in allergen-impermeable covers.

• Lower indoor humidity levels below 50 percent.

• Remove pets from homes or at least limit their access to bedrooms.

• Seal entry points and eliminate nesting places for pests, and remove their food and water sources.

Thursday’s 4.1 magnitude earthquake near Dover was the strongest to strike Delaware in at least 146 years.

On Oct. 9, 1871 it is estimated that a quake of the same magnitude caused extensive damage in Wilmington and surrounding communities. In fact a 3.8-magnitude quake in 1973 was the largest officially recorded earthquake in Delaware prior to Friday and there have only been 58 earthquakes located in Delaware since 1871.

This quake was shallow with a depth of about 5 miles beneath the surface allowing for the shock waves to be felt farther away than they would be with a deeper quake. Reports of tremors stretched across 350 miles from Washington, D.C. to New York City.

Dover’s quake was also the strongest to strike the Continental United States Friday. Hours later, a 4.2 quake was felt in Alaska.

Here are some other facts about earthquakes:

• Delaware is considered a medium seismic risk state by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
• The higher you are in a home or building the more likely you are to feel the earthquake and the more intense the tremor will feel.
• The strength of an earthquake is measured in magnitude. Today’s quake was a 4.1. If it had been a 6.1 it would have been 100 times stronger and if it had been a 5.1 it would have been 10 times stronger.
• Of the estimated 3,000,000 earthquakes around the globe each year only 2 percent are greater than a magnitude 3.0 and only 10 to 20 reach the major status of 7.0 or greater.
• Magnitude of an earthquake measures the energy released and intensity measures the strength of shaking and effect on people. An earthquake of 4.0 to 4.9 would be considered a 4 or 5 on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale and have the following effects:
  - (4) Felt indoors by many, outdoors by few during the day. At night, some awakened. Dishes, windows, doors disturbed; walls make cracking sound. Sensation like heavy truck striking building. Standing motor cars rocked noticeably.
  - (5) Felt by nearly everyone; many awakened. Some dishes, windows broken. Unstable objects overturned. Pendulum clocks may stop.

A new Vanderbilt University study may have found an answer to a question that’s caused heated debates amongst pet owners of all stripes.

Authorities in the Lehigh Valley have charged a man who they say lured women from across the United States to meet him in person and then he held them against their will, forced them to do drugs, and raped them.

Seth Mull, 30, of Hellertown, Pennsylvania, was arrested on Oct. 29, after a woman he abducted called police to the man's hotel room at the Holiday Inn Express in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, police said.

The woman told detectives she connected with Mull on an online dating site. When she went to meet him, he attacked her and forced her do cocaine and smoke crystal meth, police said.

"She reported that Mull choked her to the point of passing out and raped her," Northampton County district attorney John Morganelli said. "Mull also threatened her family and threatened to use her in human trafficking."

The woman suffered bruises and a burn to her back during the assault, police said.

This woman was far from his only victim, Morganelli said. Since Mull's arrest, at least six women have come forward alleging the man carried out similar acts on them.

Morganelli described Mull as a "series predator" who attacked women in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; New Jersey; and Hawaii. Authorities believe there may be additional victims.

Authorities are also investigating whether Mull ever carried out his threats of forcing the women into sex trafficking. Morganelli said police found human trafficking and online dating websites in the internet browsing history on Mull's computer.

Mull faces nine charges including forcible rape, strangulation, unlawful restraint and possession of controlled substances. He is being held in the Northampton County Jail on $500,000 bail. His court appointed attorney was not available for comment.

New Jersey authorities have arrested 79 people who they say preyed on children or possessed child pornography after a nine-month, multi-agency sting.

Ten of those arrested are what Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino's office called "hands-on" offenders. They included George Castillo, 36, of Inglewood, California, who authorities said asked undercover police detectives to send a 4-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl to Los Angeles for sex.

He was arrested at the Los Angeles airport when he showed up to meet the girls, Porrino's office said.

Castillo faces federal charges of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and production of child pornography, as well as state charges that include child trafficking.

Authorities also arrested Joseph Donohew, 26, of Brownsburg, Indiana, who tried to offer an undercover detective money to have sex with a 9-year-old girl. He had bought the girl a nightgown from a Disney movie, authorities said. He was charged in Indiana with attempted child molestation. 

The 79 people charged ranged in age from 14 to 75 years old; in addition to the out-of-state arrests, police made arrests in every county in New Jersey.

Those charged with possessing child porn included a Trenton police officer, a swimming coach and a piano teacher.

One person charged with child porn possession was an IT professional from Morris County, who authorities said may have had more than one million files of child pornography. Authorities don't know the full amount yet because they are still investigating all of his computer equipment.

"The men we arrested lurked in the shadows of the internet and social media, looking for opportunities to sexually assault young children or to view such unspeakable assaults by sharing child pornography," Porrino said in a press release.

"Operation Safety Net" was led by the New Jersey Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. To see all the names of those arrested, click here.

The task force had new tools for the investigation, including a dog named Mega who is trained to sniff out hidden electronics. Child porn can be hidden in files on small devices that resemble Lego bricks or cufflinks, authorities said.

They also used a new mobile cyber forensics laboratory that can check devices for child porn on the site of an investigation, leading to faster arrests, according to the press release. 

"We’re even better equipped to uncover the evidence that will keep these offenders behind bars, where they cannot threaten or further exploit vulnerable victims," Porrino said.

In July, Governor Christie signed a new law, which takes effect in February, that further enhances penalties for possession and distribution of child pornography.

City and SEPTA police had to break up a melee between 100 charter high school students at the 8th Street Market-Frankford El station in Center City Philadelphia on Friday morning.

The fight started on the westbound platform just before noon among students from the Charter High School for Architecture and Design, SEPTA and police said.

As SEPTA officers worked to break up the fight, the students began attacking them, officials said.

Police called for backup and some 50 officers flooded the station at 8th and Market streets.

Three students were arrested and the others were ushered out of the station, police said.

No one was injured.

Less than two weeks after an NBC10 investigation into opioid addicted babies, Governor Tom Wolf's Administration has come up with new guidelines for how doctors prescribe opioids. NBC10's Mitch Blacher has the story.

A South Jersey woman found a wedding ring at a shopping center last weekend. Then came the hard part-- finding the couple that lost it. NBC10's Cydney Long has the story.

Police in Atlantic County are trying to track down the burglar who made off with thousands of dollars worth of phones today. NBC10's Ted Greenberg tells us about the warning authorities have for you.

NBC10 has uncovered a new twist in the recent search for two New Jersey boys who disappeared more than 40 years ago. NBC10's Ted Greenberg has the new details.

Less than two weeks after an NBC10 investigation into opioid addicted babies, Gov. Tom Wolf's Administration has come up with new guidelines for how doctors prescribe opioids. NBC10's Mitch Blacher has the story.

Each year, the Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and runs through Nov. 30, but this year was off to a rare early start in April with the formation of Tropical Storm Arlene.

Historically, there have only been a handful of pre and post season storms, but Arlene formed in what was expected to be a typical tropical year — which may have been a subtle hint to the highly destructive and busy season to follow.

Another hint to the wild season ahead may have been how the second tropical storm, Bret, formed and traveled. Tropical Storm Bret tracked through unusually low latitudes and struck the tiny Caribbean island of Trinidad.

The season would go on to become the 5th busiest on record for the Atlantic with 17 named storms.

This year’s storms are listed below, but don’t expect to see all of these names on future lists. Deadly and highly destructive storms like Harvey, Irma, Maria, Nate, and Ophelia will be retired and replaced with a new name beginning with the same letter of the alphabet.

2017 ATLANTIC TROPICAL CYCLONE NAMES

Tropical Storm Arlene

Tropical Storm Bret

Tropical Storm Cindy

Tropical Storm Don

Tropical Storm Emily

Hurricane Franklin

Hurricane Gert

Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Irma

Hurricane Jose

Hurricane Katia

Hurricane Lee

Hurricane Nate

Hurricane Ophelia

Tropical Storm Philippe

Tropical Storm Rina

UNUSED NAMES IN 2017

Stan

Tammy

Vince

Whitney

During an average Atlantic hurricane season, there would be 12 named storms: six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. But the 2017 season was definitely not average. It had 17 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and six major hurricanes including two Category 5 storms.

For the first time on record there were 10 consecutive named storms that all became hurricanes beginning with Franklin and ending with Ophelia. At one point, there were three hurricanes simultaneously tracking in the Atlantic basin at the same time: Katia, Irma, and Jose.

The death toll was high with 438 lives lost, but that number could still climb because many people are unaccounted for on the islands rendered uninhabitable. This was also the costliest Atlantic hurricane season in U.S. history with over $368 billion in damages.

Harvey was a rainmaker and the costliest hurricane in U.S. history. Harvey also set a new record for the most rainfall from a tropical cyclone in the U.S. after dumping more than 50-inches of rain along the Gulf Coast near Houston.

Finally, Harvey was the first major hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. since 2005 and the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in Texas since 1961.

Hurricane Irma was a monster that formed off the African coast. It was the first Category 5 to strike the northern Leeward Islands and is the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean apart from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. It was also the strongest land-falling hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin.

Hurricane Maria followed a similar track to Irma and became the first Category 5 hurricane on record to strike Dominica and the strongest hurricane in over 100 years to strike Puerto Rico.

Hurricane Ophelia was a surprise both with its rapid intensification to a major hurricane and as the easternmost hurricane on record for the Atlantic basin. It caused widespread destruction to parts of Europe including Ireland and the United Kingdom.

The season finally ended with excitement in Greece, of all places. Tropical Storm Rina was never a threat to the U.S. and it weakened in the north Atlantic. But it’s remnants re-developed into a very rare tropical cyclone that tracked into the Mediterranean where it was renamed Numa before striking Greece.