A man died after fire broke out this morning in a room at a South Jersey motel.

Flames began around 8:30 a.m. at the Travel Inn along New Jersey Route 38 and the Mount Holly Bypass in Lumberton, N.J.

Burlington County Dispatchers said that firefighters knocked the flames back and got the blaze quickly under control but it was too late to save a man.

The fire appeared contained to Room 309.

As SkyForce10 hovered overhead, firefighters could be seen entering neighboring units as a red sheet hung over the room where the unidentified victim was found.

Firefighters didn't immediately reveal how the fire began.

This blaze came a couple weeks after another New Jersey motel blaze. That earlier fire in Point Pleasant Beach left four dead, eight hurt and more without a place to stay.

Thousands of education leaders and research scholars will converge on the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Friday to discuss strategies for education reform as part of the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) annual national conference.

The five-day conference will include a number of breakout sessions, during which attendees will explore ideas about how research data can inform education practices and policies.

Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), William Hite, will be a featured panelist in a Friday morning roundtable discussion entitled The Landscape of Education and Reform in Philadelphia. The session will focus on the causes and impacts of SDP's funding crisis, and possible solutions to it, as well as issues of governance, resource allocation and oversight.

SDP is facing a suite of issues including frayed labor negotiations between the Philadephia Federation of Teachers and the city's School Reform Commission, and an ever-increasing deficit.

NBC10's Monique Braxton spoke with SDP spokesman Fernando Gallard ahead of the conference. According to Gallard, the district is headed into the next fiscal year with a $29 million deficit, bringing the district's total shortfall for the next school year to more than $300 million.

"As we project our budget for next fiscal year, we're looking at a deficit of $320 million, if we are to run schools at a level that is gonna service our students and allow them to be successful in the classroom," Gallard said.

"We have made it really clear that the way our schools are now, the way they are being funded is completely insufficient."

Also participating in the Friday morning session are Executive Director of the Philadelphia School Partnership, Mark Gleason, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Student Union, Hiram Rivera, Executive Director of Research for Action, Kathleen M. Shaw,  Chief Education Officer for the Office of the Public School Family and Child Advocate, Lori Shorr, and Editor of the Philadelphia Public School Notebook, Paul Socolar.

The AERA conference is the largest annual gathering of scholars in the field of education research.

Thanks to rain, we’ll all have to wait another day to play Tetris on the Cira Centre.

In fact, the entire  Arcade at the Oval kickoff event for Philly Tech Week will be moved to Saturday. It’ll be at the same time (7-10:30 p.m.) and same place (the Oval at Benjamin Franklin Parkway) as the original event that was scheduled for Friday. Games, food, music and beer will still be plentiful.

As we all sob at the thought of waiting another 24 hours to see Tetris played on a 29-story building, remember this: At least it’s not snowing. Read more about this story on PBJ.com.

For more breaking business news go to PBJ.com

Another violent fight broke out in the cafeteria of a Philadelphia high school less than two weeks after a brawl involving six students.

The fight broke out during lunch on Tuesday in the cafeteria of John Bartram High School on the 2400 block of S 67th Street.

The brawl between several students was caught on cell phone video and posted on a social media website, according to the Philadelphia School District Spokesperson Fernando Gallard. 

Gallard said punches were thrown as dozens gathered to watch. While a male police officer tried to break the fight up between the female students, a larger brawl ensued, according to officials.

The violent incident comes just two weeks after "a free for all" that also began in the school's cafeteria.

During that fight, the school was placed on lockdown and six students were arrested. Police say that the whole thing started over a stolen cell phone.

The week before that, a school employee was knocked unconscious by a 17-year-old student. Police say that the worker, one of two conflict resolution specialists at the school, and the teen exchanged words prompting the student to grab the man's arm and slam him into a wall, knocking him unconscious.

"I'm concerned as a parent," said Curtis Brown. "It's sad. It's very sad."

Gallard tells NBC10 that nine students were suspended for Tuesday's fight.

 

The Phillies return home Monday for their home opener at Citizens Bank Park.

The team got fans in the mood Friday as the “Phillies Trolley” featuring the Red Phanatic and Phillies Ballgirls made stops around Center City.

The trolley leaves CBP at 11 a.m. then winds its way to Center City where it will stop around the city during the lunch hour to give away freebies and get Phillies fans fire up.

The trolley trip is part of the team’s Paint the Town Red campaign that will wrap up Sunday with a "Pup Rally" at the Schuylkill River Park at 1 p.m.

The home opener is Monday afternoon at CBP and will be broadcast on NBC10.
 

Philadelphia elementary school students got an unexpected early dismissal Friday after a gas leak was discovered before classes started.

Students from Bryant Elementary School in the Cobbs Creek section of the city weren't allowed in their building when they arrived at school Friday morning because of a gas leak, according to police. Instead, they were taken to Anderson Elementary while crews worked to repair the leak.

Bryant students will be dismissed for the day at 11:30 a.m.

No one was injured in the incident and school is expected to be open Monday.

A rowdy crowd threw rocks at police officers as they responded to a deadly shooting in Wilmington, Del. last night.

Wilmington Police say officers responded to Elm and S. Harrison Streets around 8:45 p.m. Thursday.

When officers arrived they found 39-year-old Theodore Jackson unconscious in the middle of the street suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest.

According to investigators, as officers administered first aid and CPR on the Wilmington resident, a crowd of about 200 people formed around them.

Some in the hostile crowd began to throw rocks, striking several officers, according to police.

Additional officers responded to the scene to ensure that medics could help Jackson.

Jackson died a short time later at Christiana Hospital. He was the sixth murder victim in Wilmington so far this year.

Police didn’t report any serious injuries to officers. And investigators say that the additional police support was enough to disperse the crowd without any further incident.

No arrests were made and police didn't name any suspects.

The impact of a three-vehicle wreck left a van on its side in the middle of an area road today.

The crash closed the 8500 block of State Road in Northeast Philadelphia in both directions around 11:30 a.m.

The crash left one person hurt. He or she was rushed to Aria Health-Torresdale Hospital with undisclosed injuries.

As SkyForce10 hovered overhead a short time later you could see firefighters gathered around the overturned white van. A black sedan also appeared damaged.

The crash left the roadway closed in both directions.

• Get the latest traffic from NBC10.com

Click here for more news from around Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

A man found guilty of trying to abduct a 10-year-old girl from a sidewalk in South Philly nearly two years ago will spend up to the next 34 years behind bars.

Philadelphia Common Please Judge Alice Dubrow sentenced Carlos Figueroa-Fagot to 17 to 34 years behind bars for trying to twice abduct the girl as she walked home from getting water ice with her brother.

Figueroa-Fagot was found guilty last year on charges which include attempted kidnapping, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors, assault and related offenses.

Dubrow handed him down a 10- to 20-year sentence for kidnapping and 3-1/2- to 7-years for the child sexual contact and interference with custody of child charges to be served consecutively.

All the other counts will be served concurrently to the most serious counts.

Surveillance video showed Figueroa-Fagot trying twice to abduct the girl from the 2400 block of S. Lee Street, according to prosecutors.

Tips started coming in to police after the video was released and then the suspect's own family and a priest convinced him to turn himself in. Figueroa-Fagot, who is unemployed, admitted to police that once the video got out, he felt trapped.

Police say Figueroa-Fagot, now 35, turned himself in because he "felt that he could not walk, talk or breathe out there."

He wore a Sesame Street T-shirt with Elmo and Cookie Monster on it that says, "Every Day I'm Shufflin'" as police led him out of the Special Victims Unit the day he was arrested.

Police say the video is one of the most disturbing things they've seen.

"It is gripping, to say the least. It is disturbing," said Special Victims Unit Capt. John Darby.

The victim and her little brother were walking home just before 4 p.m. after getting water ice a couple of blocks away. In the video you see the man come up from behind them. He grabs the little girl and tries to run off with her. She kicks and bites him and falls to the ground.

"She will fight tooth and nail with anybody," said the victim's mother. "He definitely picked the wrong girl that day, that time."

In the video, you can see that after she falls, the man tries a second time to take the little girl away. At that point, her 2-year-old brother lets out a scream that was apparently loud enough to scare off the attacker.

"Ultimately, with the screams from this little boy and by her account [the victim] she says the child literally screams louder than anything she's ever heard before, he literally interrupts this assault," Darby said.

According to court records, Figueroa-Fagot was charged in Feb. 2011 with a sexual assault on a minor family member. Those charges were withdrawn because the victim and her mother claimed they made up the story, police said.

A body was found in the Schuylkill River Friday afternoon, according to Philadelphia Police.

The body of a man that appeared to be in his late 20s or early 30s was discovered near the Market Street Bridge in Center City just after noon.

Police haven't identified the man or determined a cause of death.

This story is developing. Check back with NBC10 for more information.

Residents in Philadelphia’s Hunting Park neighborhood called police overnight to report the shrill sound of screams and banging on walls coming from a home.

Police responded to the row home along the 700 block of W Butler Street around 12:30 a.m. Friday to find a 77-year-old man suffering from severe head trauma.

Emergency responders rushed the elderly victim to Temple University Hospital with bad cuts to his face, mouth and eyes.

Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small described the violent scene.

“It’s a very, very violent crime scene. There is a lot of blood on the second floor, on the stairway leading to the first floor, on the furniture… there’s broken glass to the front door.”

The victim remained in very critical condition Friday morning.

The victim told investigators he was beaten by a wine bottle, according to police.

The homeowner had trouble communicating because his mouth was so badly hurt but he did manage to identify his alleged attacker.

“He was able to tell us the name of the individual,” said Small.

The man who allegedly beat up the homeowner was recently released from prison, according to investigators. He was in the home because his girlfriend rents a room from the victim.

Investigators said they don't know what provoked the violent attack.

Police didn’t immediately identify the suspect, who fled the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Philadelphia Police.

The World Championship Punkin Chunkin Association (WCPCA) is eyeing the Dover International Speedway as it actively seeks a new location for its nationally renowned pumpkin throwing competition, scheduled for October 24-26.

Punkin Chunkin Association president John Huber said the group began their search for alternate locations last week when they were notified that the previous event host, Dale Wheatley of Wheatley Farms, would no longer host the event on his land.

Wheatley's decision stems from a 2011 lawsuit in which a pumpkin spotter claims he seriously injured his spine when he hit a bump on his ATV and it rolled over him. He is now suing the farm and the Punkin Chunkin Association for over four million dollars.

WCPCA is reportedly reviewing several new venues to host the event. Huber said one particular location--the Dover International Speedway--might be a perfect fit.

""WCPCA leadership opened discussion with Dover International Speedway to look at the feasibility of using the Speedway property to host our annual event. The DIS leadership team has been very helpful in evaluating this location for use and has offered it to us provided it meets our needs and both parties can meet on terms and conditions," he said.

The Dover International Speedway is a 750-acre complex that has served as the host of many NASCAR events, as well as several other large events, including the annual Firefly Music Festival.

Huber emphacized that discussions with DIS leadership in no way indicate that the Speedway will be the final venue selected to host the event.

WCPCA officials had initially indicated the event might be moving to Maryland, but say they're making a concerted effort to keep the event--and the massive revenue that it brings--within the state.

"Local elected officials in Delaware have also expressed their willingness to engage departments within the State of Delaware to assist in locating alternate sites within Delaware," Huber said.

Delaware Tourism officials say the fall tradition attracts more than 100,000 visitors from around the world each year, and reels in millions of dollars in annual revenue for the state, and for local businesses. In 2013, the event drew $100,000 in ticket sales.

As of Friday, 202 days remain before the big event.

Police are looking for a man they say jumped from a hotel window in Montgomery County to escape arrest Friday afternoon.

Horsham Police went to the Days Inn at 245 Easton Road to serve an arrest warrant to Gary Long when the man jumped from a third story window and took off.

Once inside Long's hotel room, police discovered drug equipment prompting a hazmat situation.

K-9 were brought in to help search for Long, but to no avail.

Long has three outstanding warrants out for his arrest, according to authorities.

The 30-year-old suspect is six-foot tall with hazel eyes. He was shirtless when he took off, police said.

Anyone with information on Long's whereabouts is urged to call police.

State Police are waiting on a warrant and will also search the room the suspect was staying in.

An unattended package found in Center City Friday sparked an investigation by authorities and forced SEPTA to alter its transit operations as commuters began heading out of work.

Police discovered the unattended package at the 15th and Market streets SEPTA station around 3:50 p.m. and quickly determined the item was not dangerous.

Transit authorities operated shuttle buses in place of the Market-Frankford Line between the 5th Street station and 30th Street stations for about 20 minutes during the early Friday rush hour due to the police activity.

The El resumed service around 4:10 p.m.

One of Philly's spring traditions kicks off this weekend -- the closure of Martin Luther King Drive.

The city closes the road to traffic from the first weekend in April through the last weekend in October to give weekend warriors the right of way.

The tradition began twenty years ago as an initiative by the Fairmount Park Commission.

"We wanted to increase the recreational use of the roadway on the weekends," said Barry Bessler, Chief of Staff for the Parks and Facilities division of the city's Parks and Recreation department.

Each Saturday and Sunday, starting April 5, 2014, Martin Luther King Drive closes from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The only caveat is that the stretch from the Art Museum to the Sweetbriar cutoff reopens at noon.

"We've won awards for the program," Bessler said, talking about the success of closing down the road. Along with the regular cyclist, walkers, skaters, organization now schedule a lot of fundraising events.

Here's the city's list of upcoming events for the spring and summer:

April 6 -- Hot Chocolate 5 and 15K -- 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

April 12 -- Walk Against Hunger -- 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

April 13 -- Dash for Organ Donor Awareness -- 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

April 19 -- Run for Clean Air -- 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

April 27 -- March for Babies -- 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

May 3 -- MS Walk -- 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

May 11 -- Race for the Cure -- 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

May 17 -- RAPCS Bike & Hike @ Black Road -- 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

May 18 -- ADL Walk -- 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

June 1 -- US Pro Bike Race -- 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

June 8 -- Strides for Stroke Walk-a-Thon -- 6 a.m. to Noon

June 8 -- Oddyssey Half Marathon -- 6 a.m. to Noon

June 21 -- Philadelphia Triathlon Sprint -- 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

June 22 -- Philadelphia Triathlon -- 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 4 -- July 4th Celebration -- 6 a.m. to MIDNIGHT

July 19 -- Back on My Feet 24 hour -- 10 a.m. to 10 a.m.

July 20 -- Back on My Feet 24 hour -- Until 10 a.m.

August 9 -- fun Run -- 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

August 17 -- National Veterans Wheelchair Games -- 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

August 30 -- MIA Concert -- 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

August 31 -- MIA Concert -- 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

September 13 -- Undy 5000 -- 6 a.m. to Noon

September 21 -- Rock n Roll Half Marathon -- 6 a.m. to Noon

September 28 -- The Parkway Run -- 6 a.m. to Noon

October 4 -- Step out for Diabetes -- 6 a.m. to Noon

October 5 -- Suicide Prevention Walk -- 6 a.m. to Noon

October 11 -- Walk for Parkinsons -- 6 a.m. to Noon

October 19 -- AIDS Walk -- 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

October 25 -- Domestic Violence Awareness Walk -- 6 a.m. to Noon

October 26 -- JDF Walk to Cure Diabetes -- 6 a.m. to Noon

October 26 -- MLK DRIVE SEASON WEEKEND CLOSURE ENDS AT 5 P.M.