Temple University students and members of the community took to Twitter to express their safety concerns following a series of random attacks on students.

@allie_palermo's tweet offers a glimpse into the mixed emotions: "Tried to stick up for Temple for too long.."

Three teens were charged as adults today for allegedly beating multiple Temple University students. The most serious assault involved the group of teens beating a 19-year-old with a brick in the face.

The Philadelphia District Attorney's office charged Najee Bilaal, 16, Zaria Estes and Kanesha Gainey, both 15, with aggravated assault, conspiracy, possession of an instrument of crime, terroristic threats, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

In addition to the concerns shared over the alleged assaults, a photo of a Temple University police officer allegedly sleeping surfaced on social media. Below is a sampling of the posts shared on Twitter.

They miss clothes dryers, cheeseburgers, American television, iced coffee, honey mustard sauce, and Chipotle -- some of the staples for an American college student. But those conveniences have been given up happily by three Villanova University students in return for what they describe as an appreciation for life's simple joys, a new global perspective and a deepened faith.

The modernity of Pope Francis and the old-world culture of Italy are to thank for it all, they say.

"Being here has made me disconnected from the things that don't matter...and has made me realize what's really important to be connected to," says Villanova student Vincent Ventura, 20, of Wayne, N.J.

Tens of thousands of American college students go to Italy for study abroad programs every semester, but Villanova students Ventura, Emily Antenucci, 20, of Monroe, Conn., and Anna Bauer , 21, of Bexley, Ohio, are among the chosen few who get to experience a unique layer of Italian culture: Peeking into the world of the Vatican itself as journalism and social media interns.

And with Pope Francis at the helm, they say they are inspired in ways they didn't expect.

"I wouldn't say I was super Catholic, but just being here I have grown a new appreciation for what it means to be Catholic," said Antenucci, who is interning with the Catholic News Service.

"Especially with Pope Francis. He's so relatable; he's so open to the people," said Antenucci. "He touches people, and he laughs at himself when he makes mistakes. It makes him look more human. Learning about what makes him special is really what made me more into it, learning to develop my faith."

While Antenucci works on the traditional journalism side of the Vatican, Ventura and Bauer work on the social media and communications side. The modern use of technology seems to go hand-in-hand with this modern Pope who has been attracting a young generation of followers, the college students said.

"We're bringing faith into the conversation via social media and that's incredible," Ventura said.

How are they doing this in the church of Pope Francis? Well for one, there's The Pope App. Yes, it's called The Pope App and it's available in the Google Play store.

The Vatican and Pope Francis are also accessible through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

"It's really bringing topics of faith into a new era," said Ventura. "Utilizing technology to spread the Gospel, which is really the mission of the Vatican, is much like how the disciples used the Roman roads to spread the word."

All of this really shouldn't be a surprise, as Francis is the first pope to take "selfies" with his faithful.

"He really revitalized a generation of Catholics," said Ventura. "He brings new energy to the church. He's really focused it toward the young people."

Working with social media in this way keeps the Catholic community connected worldwide in a way that has never been experienced, Bauer said. After posting Vatican news to the news.va Facebook page, Bauer said that people from all over the world react and join the conversation within minutes, allowing her to experience the global community on her laptop.

Watching papal audiences every week, the interns get to see people from all over the world come and share their faith.

"Every papal audience is really a celebration and it's a celebration of people from all walks of life coming together for this one cause," said Ventura.

Pope Francis' influence hasn't been the only spiritual experience for these local college students. Besides the heavenly food in Italy, the Italian culture of appreciating the simple things in life has been influential for each of them, they said.

"Getting a meal isn't just about sustenance," said Ventura. "It's about sharing in someone's company and enjoying the food too. There isn't this rush to eat quickly. I really feel like they have an appreciation for life here."

"We stop and get a coffee every day at 10 a.m. in my office," said Antenucci. "In America you go get coffee and sit back down at your desk. But here we actually take a half hour, relax, and we talk about work, which ends up being more productive."

"It's as if you're just taking a deep breath. You learn to sit back for a second and then you move on," said Anna.

All three say that they want to take the experiences they've had the privilege to enjoy in Rome and incorporate them into their lives at home.

But first: Maybe a cheeseburger, a skinny vanilla latte, and a week-long binge of watching television.
 

Poor economic conditions -- including high unemployment rates -- combined with unhealthy behaviors have pushed two local counties to the bottom of annual health rankings, according to a new report.

The latest County Health Rankings from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute released Wednesday show Philadelphia, Pa. and Cumberland County, N.J. are home to their state’s least healthy people.

• WATCH: How Healthy is Mercer County?

Philadelphia has an unemployment rate of 10.8 percent, while a staggering 14.1 percent of Cumberland residents are unemployed.  Plus, 27 percent of Philadelphia children and 26 percent of kids in Cumberland County are living in poverty, the report shows.

With fewer funds, it can be difficult for residents to find the income to put towards healthier choices, like nutritious foods or early childhood education, said Michelle Larkin, a RWJF assistant vice president.

“If you are spending half your income on housing, think of the things you are not spending money on,” Larkin added.

• WATCH: Kid's Healthy Snacks on the Cheap?

Along with the economic state of each county, the behavior of the population also contributed to their low rankings.

“Health behaviors -- tobacco use, obesity rates -- these are challenges the communities are struggling with,” Larkin said. “But they are changeable.”

More than 20 percent of adults living in Philadelphia and Cumberland counties are smokers and more than 30 percent are obese, or have a body mass index of 30 or more, the ranking showed.

Of the three counties making up Delaware, Kent was ranked last and New Castle first, even though there were not dramatic differences among their populations.

• WATCH: Rehoboth May Pipe Treated Waste Water Into Ocean

“The rankings are meant to be a conversation starter,” Larkin said. “In Delaware in particular, it would be important to look at the local data so they can understand the nuances of how the [three counties] can work together and think about using the resources to help all people who live in Delaware.”

Union County in central Pennsylvania was ranked the healthiest county in the Keystone State, with Chester following behind.  Hunterdon in central Jersey was the Garden State’s healthiest county.

Residents can choose from a large number of doctors in both Chester and Hunterdon counties, which also boast strong social and economic factors, like a low percentage of children living in poverty and unemployment rates below state levels.

Visit CountyHealthRankings.org to see the full list of rankings for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

Contact Alison Burdo at 610.668.5635, alison.burdo@nbcuni.com or follow @NewsBurd on Twitter.

English as Pennsylvania's official language? 

It could happen.

Pa. Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) introduced a bill, House Bill 2132, this week to establish English as Pennsylvania's official language.

Metcalfe, a conservative Republican, says the bill would not restrict anyone from speaking or learning in another language, but would require that all official government business in Pennsylvania be conducted in English. 

The proposed legistlation is designed to not only motivate immigrants to learn English, thus providing a more unified country, but also to save taxpayers millions, according to Metcalfe. 

The state representative says that the passing of this bill would save taxpayers money because they would no longer be forced to pay for translating or printing in other languages.

There are exceptions to House Bill 2132 which include the use of foreign language in regards to "public safety, health or justice."

If passed, Pennsylania will become the 32nd state in the nation to pass such a law.

To read the bill in its entirety, click here.

It’s been nearly 15 years since medical practitioners across the country declared a near complete elimination of the measles disease.

A big part of that milestone announcement was due to the nationwide implementation of a two-dose vaccine strategy, which required children age one and above to receive the MMR vaccine to prevent measles, mumps and rubella virus infections.

But a recent resurgence in infections has health officials concerned about parents refusing to get their children vaccinated against the disease.

According to the New York State Department of Health, two of 20 people infected in a recent measles outbreak in New York City were children who had not been vaccinated by their parent's choice.

Dr. Jarret Patton, a pediatrician from the Lehigh Valley Hospital Children's Clinic in Allentown, Pa., said parents who refuse to vaccinate their children often make their decision based on fear and misinformation.

“There’s always been a background of people that refuse that particular vaccination. Some of the reasons stem back to bad research that linked the vaccine to children developing Autism. That position has since been debunked and the research was proven to be fictitious, but the memories of the stories live on. So, there are some people who think vaccines do more harm than good,” Patton said.

To combat parents’ fears, Patton says he often talks with them and provides facts about the vaccine and about the disease in an effort to help them make a more informed decision.

Measles is a highly contagious disease with symptoms including blotchy rash, fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat aches, tiny white spots inside the mouth and red, watery eyes beginning within seven to 14 days of infection.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. sees roughly 60 cases of the measles each year -- most of which are reported by persons who contracted the disease while traveling out of the country.

But in recent years, there has been an increase in the number of measles cases being reported in the U.S. One of the largest measles outbreaks in the 21st century occurred in 2011 when a total of 222 people reported measles infections to the CDC. In 2013, a total of 159 cases of measles were reported.

It has not been confirmed whether the increase in measles cases is directly linked to an increase in parents refusing to vaccinate their children, but Pennsylvania Department of Health spokesman Aimee Tysarczyk emphasized the importance of parents setting their fears aside and making sure their children receive the vaccine.

“The department still recommends vaccination for measles as the best form of prevention,” she said. “Due to some people choosing not to get their children the MMR vaccine, some children are at higher risk for getting measles and can spread the disease to others in their communities.”

In Pennsylvania and Delaware, parents seem to be complying with the call for vaccinations.

According to data from the 2012 National Immunization Survey, the most recent data available, 87 percent of parents in Pa. and 93 percent of parents in Philadelphia with 19- to 35-month-old children confirmed that their children had received at least one dose of the MMR vaccine.

In Del., 94 percent of parents have had their children vaccinated.

New Jersey Department of Health officials said the state typically sees one or two measles cases per year. Last year, however, the state saw 15 measles cases, 12 of which were all within one family who had contracted the disease during international travel.

All 12 of the family members were unvaccinated.

Patton said he’s hopeful that the outbreak in New York City will not impact the region, but didn’t rule out the possibility of the outbreak spreading.

Health officials at Lehigh Valley Hospital's Children's Clinic on 17th Street in Allentown are currently investigating a possible measles infection of a child. That child visited the clinic on March 12, was too young to be vaccinated and may have been around someone who was not vaccinated against the disease, health system officials said.

Doctors are running additional tests to determine if it is a case of measles.

“The scary thing about an outbreak is that in the Lehigh Valley, we’re just a short ride out of New York City and it would only take one child coming to visit their grandmother in Allentown to harbor and spring an outbreak,” he said.

“We hope that it stays completely limited to the New York area,” Patton said.

Police are on the hunt for a man who they say robbed several sex shops in the Gayborhood section of the city.

On February 27, around 2:30 p.m., the suspect entered the Spruce Street Video Store on the 200 block of South 12th Street.

Police say the man asked the clerk about the price of the items, left the store and then returned 10 minutes later armed with a handgun and with his face partially covered. The clerk ran to the back of the store and the gunman grabbed the cash register and slammed it on the ground, forcing it open, according to investigators. He then allegedly stole an undetermined amount of money before fleeing in an unknown direction.

On March 10, around 4:30 p.m., the gunman entered the Scorpio Boutique & Book Store on the 200 block of South Juniper Street. Police say the suspect pointed his gun towards an employee who handed him an undisclosed amount of money from the register. The suspect then fled south on Juniper Street, according to investigators.

On March 21, around 8:23 p.m., the gunman returned to Scorpio with his face once again partially covered. Police say he pointed his gun towards the clerk and stole money from the cash register as well as the clerk’s laptop from the counter. He then once again fled south on Juniper Street, according to officials.

Finally, on Monday, shortly before 1 p.m., the gunman entered Danny’s Adult Store on the 100 block of south 13th Street with his face once again partially covered and demanded money from the clerk. Police say the clerk opened the register and placed an unknown amount of cash into a brown paper bag. The suspect then fled the store south on 13th Street.

Credit: Philadelphia Police

The suspect is described as a man between the ages of 30 and 35, standing 6-feet and weighing between 180 and 200 pounds. He was last seen wearing a light tan jacket or a black winter jacket with hooded sweatshirts underneath, dark-colored jeans and dark-colored boots, possibly two-tone.

If you have any information on his whereabouts, please call Philadelphia Police.
 

Police are investigating the death of a man whose body was found in Willingboro, New Jersey on Wednesday.

Police say the body was discovered in Fairmount Park around 1:45 p.m.

The man has not been identified. Investigators say the Burlington County Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy on him to determine the cause and manner of death.

Willingboro Police and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office are both investigating his death.

Stay with NBC10.com for more details on this developing story. 

Also on NBC10.com:

• Body of Missing Woman Found in Schuylkill River
• Woman Found Dead Inside Home

The Temple University Police Department increased its security patrols off-campus after a roving group of girls attacked several students -- hitting one in the head with a brick -- in a series of violent incidents last week. But students, and even one local lawmaker, are saying the additional patrols are not enough.

“I do not feel safe a mere three blocks outside the [Temple University Police Department] patrol area,” Jeff Dugan, a Temple senior who started a Change.org petition to expand the school police force’s patrol area, wrote in an email.

At 130 officers, the school has one of the largest police forces in Pennsylvania regularly patrolling approximately .25 square miles. The department also has 63 security staff members and 250 private security guards, according to its website.

Yet, none of the staff monitoring campus safety Friday were aware of the three attacks that occurred over a 20 minute span just off-campus -- where about 10,000 of the university's students live. 

All three incidents took place within two blocks of the school's boundaries, but just outside of the Temple Police Department's (TUPD) primary patrol area -- which ends at 16th Street to the west, 9th Street to the east, Susquehanna Avenue to the north and Jefferson Street to the south.

• READ: Third Temple Student Attacked by Group of Girls Off-Campus

"I was unaware that the patrol area for TUPD was so condensed, particularly because there are many students living west, past 16th Street and north past Diamond Street," Dugan wrote.

Dugan's petition has gathered more than 1,600 signatures since it launched on Tuesday.

“With many students living [immediately off-campus] we collectively would feel more safe knowing that the Temple University Police are allowed to patrol these areas,” the petition reads.

Currently, if an incident occurs beyond the designated patrol area, but within the area bounded by Dauphin, Master, 17th and 8th streets, TUPD officers will respond even though they are not actively patrolling that expanded zone.

“If we’re asked to go beyond the borders, we’re going to respond,” said James Creedon, Temple University senior vice president.

But he hesitated to say the university would expand its patrol area.

“Let’s say we go to 18th…something happens on 20th, do we move out to 20th?” Creedon asked. “Do we go to 22nd? What is that boundary as we go further and further?"

• READ: Temple Student Attacked With Brick

Dugan, who says he appreciates the TUPD and the Philadelphia Police Department’s current efforts, also calls for a stronger partnership between the university and the two forces.

“If expanding TUPD’s patrol area is not the answer, we expect Temple, TUPD and PPD to collaboratively develop an appropriate solution,” he wrote.

The departments worked together to apprehend the suspects involved in the three incidents, charging 16-year-old Najee Bilaal, 15-year-old Zaria Estes and 15-year-old Kanesha Gainey as adults for their role in the assault.

But Daylin Leach, a Temple alum and Pennsylvania State Senator, says more coordination is needed.

“I would want to know if there is some group of kids attacking other kids, even if it is two blocks off campus,” he said. “I’d want to know if there was a string of robberies that happened at the subway station north of campus."

Leach, who is a member of the State Senate Education Committee, acknowledges that campus safety has improved greatly since he graduated in 1983.

But he adds any college receiving state funding, like Temple, has a responsiblity to provide a safe environment.

“Any crime that involves violence or the threat of violence, I think everyone should know about it,” said Daylin. “If there is an incident off-campus that could easily spill over to on-campus, don’t wait to let people know.”

He suggests the school reevaluated the "TU Alert" system and begin checking in with police about criminal activity near the campus daily to determine if students should be notified of any off-campus crimes and

School officials were informed of the Friday assaults hours after they occurred and the “TU Alert” system is reserved for imminent dangers or threats, like an active shooter on campus.

“All things that the system were set to prevent, all happened at one time. That’s what we have to put under the microscope now,” Temple’s Creedon said. “And I think people are going to see a lot more alerts and a lot more aggressive alerting process.”

Leach supports that possibility, saying, “Let’s err on the side of giving people knowledge that may be relevant to their lives.”

In the wake of the weekend attacks and the resulting backlash from a lack of information, Temple officials are consulting with other city-based universities, including University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers University, Howard University, University of Chicago, New York University and Fordham University, on best practices for handling off-campus crimes.

For now, Creedon says the school will continue to increase its police presence off campus, as well as its undercover police presence.

Hiring additional officers and adding more blue light cameras on and off-campus are also possibilities.

Contact Alison Burdo at 610.668.5635, alison.burdo@nbcuni.com or follow @NewsBurd on Twitter. Contact Vince Lattanzio at 610.668.5532, vince.lattanzio@nbcuni.com or follow @VinceLattanzio on Twitter.

Police say a fight broke out among students at a Philadelphia High School less than a week after a worker at the same school was knocked unconscious.

Police say six students were involved in a brawl on Wednesday in the cafeteria of John Bartram High School on the 2400 block of S 67th Street.  Investigators say a stolen cell phone sparked the fight.

“It was a free for all inside the cafeteria because somebody stole somebody’s phone,” said Chardanay Carter, a student at the school.

The school was placed on lockdown and police were called to the scene. The six students were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.

“It’s usually a fight every day,” Carter said.

On Friday, a 17-year-old student at the school was arrested after he allegedly assaulted a school employee and knocked him unconscious. Police say the worker and the teen exchanged words as the students changed classes. That’s when the teen allegedly snapped, grabbing the man’s arm and slamming him into a wall. A viewer sent NBC10 a Vine video which they claimed showed the aftermath of the attack. The video shows a man lying on the ground, out cold.

According to the school district website, there were 50 serious incidents at Bartram High, including assaults and possession of weapons from September through December of 2013.  Those incidents don't even include the fights at the school so far this year.

Erika Herndon, another student at Bartram High, told NBC10 she often doesn’t feel safe at the school.

“Most of the time, no,” Herndon said. “But I have to go here. It’s my neighborhood school. I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

In light of the recent violence, school administrators will hold weekly meetings to gather suggestions from staff and students on how to improve safety. Officials say students will hold “mock trials” with their peers to try and resolve conflicts that lead to fights. The District is also evaluating a policy that allows students to use electronic devices.

 

Transit Workers Union local president Willie Brown has made his first public comments since contract negotiations with SEPTA broke down earlier this month.

On whether the union and SEPTA can avert what would be the first transit strike in almost five years, Brown said, "It's up to SEPTA. If they come to the table serious about negotiating then we'll be there ready to negotiate."

The two sides have not met face-to-face since March 13.

"I'm going to work as long as I can until you know, it comes to a point, when there's no reason to negotiate anymore, then I'll do what I have to do," Brown said.

The 4,700 members of Brown's TWU Local 234 have been working without a contract since the middle of March.

Brown said any strike would not take place until three remaining, smaller contracts expire the first week of April.

"I believe we go out together, we come back together."

If the two sides do not reach a deal by the first week of April, the total number of SEPTA employees working without a contract would top 5,000.

SEPTA declined to discuss terms of contract negotiations publicly. The sticking points according to Brown  remain health care costs and employee pension contributions.

While Brown argues SEPTA is in better financial shape than in years past, SEPTA Spokeswoman Jerri Williams said new money recently allocated by the state of Pennsylvania comes with dedicated purposes.

"That's just for infrastructure and new vehicles," Williams said. "We have the same amount of money that we've always had to pay for salary and benefits. There has been no increase other than somewhat of an increase because of higher ridership."

Williams said fares make up 40% of SEPTA's operating budget.  She said the two sides could come back to the table as early as this week.

There have been twelve separate transit strikes in Philadelphia since 1975. The most recent, lasting a week began in the early hours of Election Day of 2009.

This story is reported through a newsgathering partnership between NBC10.com and NewsWorks.org.

An elderly Lehigh Valley man is dead following a police standoff during which he allegedly opened fire.

Police responded to the Sherwood Winding apartment complex at Ralston Road and Richard Avenue in Bethlehem, Pa. late Wednesday night.

Frank Story, 90, was armed with a rifle and handgun and had barricaded himself inside his apartment in the Sherwood West community for nearly five hours, according to Bethlehem Police.

Officers say the suspect fired shots at a police robot during the standoff.

When the standoff ended and police entered the residence around 4 a.m. Thursday, they found Story dead. The Lehigh County Coroner's Office ruled the man's death a suicide.

Police didn’t give a motive for the incident.

Story's wife, who was inside the home during some of the standoff, was rescued safely, according to officials.