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Trout Season Begins Saturday

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This year's trout season in New Jersey could be one for the record books. NBC10's Na'eem Douglas has the story.

Photo Credit: AP

3 Children Killed in House Fire

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An early morning fire killed three children in Central Pennsylvania. It is currently under investigation.

Secret Shopper Scam?

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Wal-mart is warning shoppers about a scheme that involves "secret shopping." NBC10's Tracy Davidson has the story.

SEPTA Bus Crash

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Multiple people are injured after a SEPTA bus and another vehicle collided in Center City Friday afternoon.

Authorities say the accident occurred around 5 p.m. when the vehicle struck a Route 23 bus on 11th Street near the Vine Street Expressway in Chinatown. Two other vehicles were also stuck at the scene.

Emergency crews are using the jaws of life to get the driver out of the vehicle and multiple bus passengers are injured, according to reports.

Stay with NBC10 for more on this developing story.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

What to Know If SEPTA Strikes

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Regular service for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has not been interrupted and both sides are still talking.

As of Friday afternoon, there were no clear signs of an agreement, however, between SEPTA and the more than 5,000 Transport Workers Union (TWU) employees that operate and service the city's buses and trains.

If negotiations fail, more than one million city transit riders will be left scrambling to find new ways to get around.

Here's what SEPTA riders need to know if a strike occurs:

You will not be able to use:

  • Market-Frankford Line
  • Broad Street and Broad Ridge Spur Line
  • City transit buses or frontier bus routes
  • Trolley and Trackless Trolley routes

You will be able to use:

  • Regional Rail Lines
  • LUCY (limited service)
  • CCT Connect
  • Suburban bus and trolley routes (limited service)

According to SEPTA, Regional Rail lines are the best travel option during a service interruption.

Parking

Riders who decide to use Regional Rail can park at regional rail train stations for $1-$2, though spaces will likely fill up quickly.

Transpasses

Riders who purchased transit passes before a service interruption may receive full or partial refunds for unused passes.

Alternative Transportation

Bicycles: If you commute four miles or less, a bicycle may be your best option, according to the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia (BCOG). During the 2009 SEPTA Strike, bicycling jumped 38 percent, according to the BCOG. And a lot of the stranded SEPTA riders who chose to bike, were women. If you don't have a bike, you can rent one. Click here for some rental company names and numbers from the BCOG.

Cars: If you don't own one, you can rent one through any of the car rental companies. Most are located at Philadelphia International Airport. Some have satellite offices at other locations. You can also explore car sharing. Zipcar.com offers hourly car rentals and there is PhillyCarShare, which is now operated by Enterprise.

Carpools: You can lean on family and friends first, or you can hop online and find someone to carpool with. One service that helps match up people is CarpoolWorld.com. Share-A-Ride is another program that helps match you with a carpool, but the turnaround time is two business days.

Cabs: Click here for Yelp.com's list of Philly cab companies.

SEPTA will be posting updates about the ongoing labor union negotiations on its website. Additional information, including a full service interruption guide is available via mobile download here.

And the @SEPTA_SOCIAL team will be troubleshooting via Twitter and updates.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Conflict Over Seismic Blasting Off the NJ Coast

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Seismic testing is being proposed to research changing sea levels, but concern for marine animal safety is causing controversy.

Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Businesses, Riders Prepare for SEPTA Strike

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While negotiations between the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and the near 5,000 Transport Workers Union Local 234 employees that support Philadelphia's transit system are still underway, businesses and residents are making strike contingency plans.

In the event of a strike, more than one million transit riders would have to find alternate ways to get around the city.

Temple University Health System (TUHS) is coming up with plans to help its 9,000 employees get to work in case of a strike.

TUHS spokesman Jeremy Walter said the medical center plans to handle a strike in much the same way it's handled previous service interruptions.

"We make sure Temple University Hospital staff is aware and informed about a possible strike and we put multiple alternate plans. Alternative transportation options include urging them to carpool, and offering discounted parking for Temple University Hospital employees at Temple University Hospital garages," Walter said.

According to Walter, in the event of a strike, TU Hospital staff will be allowed to ride Temple University student shuttle bus routes by showing their employee ID.

TUHS has also activated an information hot line, 215-707-7775, to provide updates on the strike.

The following message was recorded on the hot line late Friday afternoon:

"This is the Temple University hospital hot line. There is currently no septa strike, and septa services are running on a normal schedule. If a septa strike does occur, Temple University hospital will issue the appropriate code white emergency alert to ensure that all units and departments are fully staffed for the next shift, if a septa strike occurs this hot line will offer additional information."

Locally headquartered food service company Aramark said it is also preparing its employees for strike conditions.

"We are closely monitoring the situation and have contingency plans in place for our employees, including suggestions for carpooling, ride share programs, parking and telecommuting," Aramark spokesman Karen Cutler said.

"We are keeping employees up to date through our company intranet and email notification system."

Steve Drabkowski, 54, said he has lived in the city since 1983 and has thus seen the impact of seven transit strikes.

In his experience, Drabkowski recommended biking and carpooling, and warned of what could turn out to be a real parking war.

"Biking would be easier now because we have bike lanes versus trying to deal with traffic before. But, of course, parking is going to become a bit of a problem because everybody is going to try to drive now. So hopefully people who have friends who all work in the same area try carpooling because you can then share in whatever parking costs," he said.

As for his own commute, Drabkowski said he'll likely take advantage of suburban routes or take a bike ride, which could prove to be a bit of a workout.

"For me, since I live in Upper Darby now, it doesn’t really do much for me because I usually take one of the trolleys. So, I would either have to maybe pick up the regional rail train in Landsdowne or learn to bike into Center City from my house, which probably wouldn’t be bad going into work because it's primarily down hill; but coming back might be a little bit of an issue."



Photo Credit: phillynightowl/Instagram

Keeping Millennials in Philly

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Students from the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University were named winners of Philadelphia's first Public Policy Case competition at City Hall today.

The competition, which was managed by Mayor Nutter's Office of Policy Planning and Coordination, and the Philadelphia Youth Commission, invited undergraduate and graduate students in the Philadelphia region to submit proposals in response to the prompt What can the City of Philadelphia do to further attract and retain millennials?

The City received a total of 16 submissions from students attending Arcadia University, Drexel University, Philadelphia University, Rutgers University, St. Joseph’s University, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, University of the Sciences, Ursinus University, and Widener University.

"All of the ideas were great and I believe that we could do just about all of them, but we really did want to see answers to the prompting question, which was how do we keep millenials here," said Councilwoman María Quiñones Sánchez. She was among several local leaders who served as judges for the competition.

The winning proposal recommended the establishment of lease-to-own options on select Land Bank properties and affordable student-oriented housing cooperatives for students and recent graduates.

Philly's newly-created land bank became a reality earlier this year. Land banks streamline the process of managing, selling and rehabbing vacant properties that have become community eyesores. Right now, the city has about 40,000 properties that fall under that umbrella.

The winning team, which included Eileen Divringi, Matt Steele and Ellie Devyatkin from the University of Pennsylvania, and Maxwell Cohen from Temple University, met with Mayor Michael Nutter to discuss their proposal and were awarded tickets to the Mayor’s Box for a Phillies game.

Sánchez, who was a big supporter of establishing a land bank, said the winning team created a smart proposal that directly responded to the competition prompt.

"In the case of the winner, they clearly focused on the issue, and considered all of the planning that is going on with Land Bank, and the fact that Universities have problems with housing. We thought they really responded to the prompting better than anyone else, and in a simple way. You want young people to stay, they need a place to live. Simple as that."



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Suspect Who Shot Temple Student Caught: Police

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Police say they have captured the suspect responsible for shooting a Temple University student in February.

Authorities arrested 33-year-old Jermill Edwards on the 2000 block of West Ontario Street in North Philly around 9 a.m. Friday, according to the U.S. Marshalls, who helped track down the suspect.

Investigators say Edwards fired shots after a brawl that began at the Let Out nightclub on the 1600 block of Cecil B Moore Avenue, near Temple's campus, spilled onto the street around 2 a.m. on Feb. 23.

A stray bullet struck the 21-year-old Temple student, who was about a block away from the scene.

At least 29 shell casings were on the ground after the shooting, according to police.

Edwards is facing charges related to the Feb. 23 shooting and for struggling with police during his arrest.
 

Tyson Recalls 75,000 Pounds of Chicken Nugget Products

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Tyson Foods Inc. is recalling more than 75,000 pounds of chicken nugget products that may be contaminated with “extraneous materials,” officials announced Friday.

Officials say consumer complaints alerted them to small pieces of plastic found in some of the company's frozen, fully cooked chicken nugget products. The problem was traced to a product scraper inside a blending machine at a Sedalia, Mo. plant, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The company said one of the products has been sold at Sam's Club stores nationwide since January.

Tyson Foods Inc. said the company received reports of minor oral injury associated with consumption of some of the recalled products.

The recall includes the following items:

  • 5-lb. bags of “Tyson Fully Cooked White Meat Chicken Nuggets – 16142-928” with a “Best if Used By” date of “Jan 26 2015” or Feb 16 2015.” The manufacturer codes “0264SDL0315 through 19” and “0474SDL0311 through 14” can also be found on the bags.
  • 20-lb. bulk packs of “Spare Time Fully Cooked Nugget-Shaped Chicken Breast Pattie Fritters w/Rib Meat – 16142-861” with identifying case codes of “0264SDL0315 through 19” and “0474SDL0311 through 14.”

The product bags bear the establishment number “P-13556.”

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Tyson Foods Consumer Services at (866) 328-3156.
 



Photo Credit: AP

Philly Weekend Entertainment Guide

First Alert Weather: Sunny and Breezy Saturday

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We're in for gusty winds but also sunny skies on Saturday. Bill has the forecast.

Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Live On-Stage Documentaries Hit Philly

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Two filmmakers are showing Philadelphia new ways to make documentaries, by taking them to the stage in a hybrid of music performance, theater, and film.

New York-based filmmaker Sam Green was nominated in 2002 for an Academy Award for his documentary, "The Weather Underground," about the violent political activism of the Weathermen in the 1960s. It had a limited theater run at the time, and is available on Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube.

His new project is not available anywhere online. "The Love Song of R. Buckminster Fuller," about the visionary designer who spent most of the last 10 years of his life at the University of Pennsylvania, exists only as a live performance.

"Buckminster Fuller was an unlikely hero for the counter-culture," said Green during his live narration of the film, setting up an old TV news clip of Fuller talking with hippies in San Francisco. His informal, soft-spoken vocal style is backed up by the band Yo La Tengo, which joins him onstage to perform an original score.

The film element of the performance is made up up of interview footage shot by Green with people who knew or studied Fuller, and visual artifacts from the Dymaxion Chronofile, a massive, life-long archive Fuller maintained about himself.

"He is a documentary filmmaker's dream because he saved everything," said Green. "Not only did he save laundry receipts and telegrams and letters, he saved photographs of himself. Whenever somebody took a photo, he got a copy of it. When somebody filmed an interview with him, he got a copy of it."

Not only is Fuller an ideal subject for a documentary filmmaker, he is an ideal subject for this filmmaker. Green's previous experiment with performance documentary, "Utopia in Four Movements," looked at the successes and failures of four attempts to build an ideal community. Buckminster Fuller's ideas also sought a global utopia; he believed good design would preserve resources and promote sharing, leading to world peace.

Similarly, Green's documentary film-as-performance format strives to create a moment of physical community in an otherwise dissociative online world.

"One of the things I love about this form is it requires a lot of care and energy. This may sound silly, but there's a lot of love in it," said Green. "We come all the way there, we're all in a room together, you're sitting with strangers, you paid some money for a ticket, you turn your cell phone off, the lights go down, you totally give yourself over to this experience. That makes things special."

Green is not the only person experimenting with the live documentary format.

Brooklyn artist Rachel Mason will sing a documentary, accompanied by projected film and live music. On April 15th at the University of the Arts on Broad Street, she will present the "The Lives of Hamilton Fish."

One Hamilton Fish was a former Speaker of the New York State Assembly who served as assistant treasurer under President Teddy Roosevelt.

The other Fish — Albert "Hamilton" Fish — was a serial killer executed in Sing Sing prison.

"He kind of makes Jeffrey Dahmer look like child's play," said Mason, adding that was "poor choice of words, but he ate children."

Curiously, both of these Hamilton Fish's died on the same day, January 15, 1936, about 20 miles apart. The following day the Peekskill Evening Star News ran their obituaries together.

That bizarre coincidence prompted Mason to spend seven years writing a 20-song cycle imagining the ways their lives intersected — both real and fantastic. She shot a feature-length film as a kind of extended music video in which actors mouth the lyrics to her songs.

Last summer Mason debuted the performance and film at the the Pineapple Underground Film Festival in Hong Kong. For the Philadelphia show, the American premiere, she will be joined onstage by artist and musician Stephen Dufala, who will be accompanying her with a variety of instruments.

Mason says, ultimately, she would like the open up the performance to anybody, turning the project into a kind of karaoke rock opera.

"Anyone can learn the songs. I like this idea of a karaoke film, as a structure," said Mason.

The costumes and props Mason created by hand, many out of cardboard, are now on display at the Marginal Utility gallery at 319 N. 11th Street (aka the Vox building) in North Chinatown. The gallery had hosted an earlier iteration of this project.


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



Photo Credit: Emma Lee/for NewsWorks

The Future of the Old Montco Prison

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The Norristown Project was founded in May of 2013 with the mission of improving the image of Norristown through volunteerism and community engagement activities. During the warmer months, the group organizes community cleanups in the town that include covering graffiti, park and neighborhood cleanups. Throughout the year, TNP will write regular blog posts to keep the community engaged on what is happening around town. The hope for the blog is to inspire creativity and connect the community virtually. The tagline is “Implementing Visions for a Better Community.” To date, TNP has cleaned over 50 blocks in Norristown and has hosted numerous volunteer events.



At the "Conversation With the Commissioners" event a while back, I was pleased to see all the questions about the future of the old Montgomery County Jailhouse (Norristown Jail in this blog). Discussions about the future of this jailhouse have been in the works for 27 years now. I read an article from 1987 that talked about the county's plan to prevent it from "sitting there for the rats." Unfortunately, that is what it's being used for today most likely. Today's blog looks at the history of the structure and ideas for creative uses for the building.

The Norristown Jail was built in 1851 as the county jail. It is also believed that the county prison before this one stood on the same location in the late 1700s, but no physical proof to back up that claim was found. The original design was built to hold approximately 180 prisoners. There became a need for a maximum security facility in the county which resulted in the one in Eagleville opening and this one closing.

The building remains unused on Airy Street today...but the structure is quickly becoming unusable. Roots from a tree are threatening the roof and the building has had no maintenance to prevent further damage since it has been closed. In the article linked above, there were talks to reuse the space as offices for county workers. Unfortunately at the time, the county did not need that much space, so the building went unused.

If the county would've known sooner, they would've had an easier time remodeling the old jail for office space instead of using Sacred Heart Hospital. That plan could still work since the population is expanding and the county is now expanding their business. Norristown is quickly becoming a "service" town. Meaning county offices, legal, non-profits, and more are making Norristown their home. This explains the spike in restaurants in town and not as many retail shops.

For those following TNP over the months, you know our desire to see a higher quality hotel in Norristown other than the one value chain on Main Street. With Norristown as the county seat and the courthouse across from the prison, a hotel would be beneficial to the county. Sometimes, the jury gets placed in hotels to avoid being persuaded by media and outsiders. I'm pretty sure the county doesn't send the jury to America's Best Value on Main Street. Most likely, they are staying in King of Prussia.

The second reason why bringing a hotel to that area would be great would be for our Arts Hill district. For argument's sake, let's say Norristown Jail has been converted to a hotel. Visitors who stay at this hotel have many nearby activities to keep them in Norristown. If you were staying there, you can easily walk down the street to catch a play or a show. The best part about it is that you won't have to look for parking! I guarantee if there was a hotel near our Arts Hill, EVERY show in those theaters would sell out each night, bringing in more revenue for those non-profits.

Nearby restaurants and coffee shops will also benefit by having a hotel in the area. People need to eat! Caffee Galileo is right there on Swede and Casa Bonita is a few blocks away on DeKalb. ALL within walking distance of the old jail. Do you see where I'm going with this?

At the Conversations with the Commissioners event, people also asked about the County's plan to increase pedestrian foot traffic. Let's say the hotel can accommodate 150 rooms,  approximately 300 guests between the 90-95% occupancy rate. If half of them spent their free time walking around the neighborhood to businesses and to theaters, we would see the foot traffic we desire.



The Oxford Prison in the UK was converted to a hotel while keeping the original structure in place. Guests are able to appreciate the history of the structure while having 5-star accommodations. Norristown is a long ways away from having a 5 star hotel in our borders. However, this gives you an idea of what we can have if we start looking at creative uses for our abandoned buildings. 



This is a picture of the Oxford Prison that was turned into a 5 star hotel in the UK. I mention this place because it is around the same age as the Norristown Prison.



Oh, did I mention their cool bar!?

So let's start the discussion of what we would like to see the Old Montco Prison used for. Maybe you have a personal dream of what you would like to see happen to the jail. Some other options for this building can be:

What would you like to see happen to the old jail on Airy Street? Add your positive comments below!

Click here for a complete list of prisons that were turned into hotels

Shae Ashe is a 24-year-old student at Norfolk State University (VA) who was born and raised in Norristown, Pa. Having the privilege of living in Central Florida and the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, he was inspired to come back to his hometown and create ways to give back. He started the Norristown Project as a way to bring others together who share his vision of a better Norristown.
 



Photo Credit: Shae Ashe

NTSB: Flight Conditions Played a Role in Aborted Take-Off

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A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board reveals blown tire did not cause a plane to abort take-off at the Philadelphia International Airport in March.

U.S. Airways Flight 1702 was forced to abandon its take-off on March 13 around 6:25 p.m. on its way to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The pilot returned the plane to the ground, where it skidded down the runway before coming to a stop.

The flight crew conducted an emergency evacaution and passengers could be seen running away from the A320. Of the 149 passengers and five crew members aboard the plane, just one minor injury was reported.

Officials initially suspected the damaged tire contributed to the incident, but the latest information shows flight conditions may have played a larger role in causing the nose gear on the Airbus A320 to collapse.

An FAA agent with the Philadelphia Flight Standards District Office says winds affected the plane during the take-off.

Winds shifted during a critical moment of flight and the plane was experiencing quartering winds, which hit the plane at a 45 degree angle.

Sources say winds shifted suddenly from the front to the rear of the plane, causing it to lose lift.

Air control warned pilots flying into Philadelphia International the same day as the aborted flight that wind shear could affect the planes' descent.

Even though wind may have been more of a factor than originally thought, authorities have not yet ruled an official cause.

The investigation will continue until he National Transportation Safety Board makes an official ruling.


B-Ball Coach Accused of Attacking Girlfriend and Her Son

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The coach of a successful high school basketball team was arrested on Friday after he allegedly attacked his girlfriend and her teenage son.

Police say they responded to a home on Elson Road in Chester Township around 11:45 a.m. on Friday for a report of a domestic disturbance.

When police arrived, they say they found Larry Yarbray, 43, standing outside. Yarbray allegedly told the officers that nothing had occurred and that the woman who alerted police was overreacting.

When police went inside the home, they say they found Yarbray’s girlfriend and her 14-year-old son. Both the woman and teen had bruises on their head and neck, according to investigators.

The woman told police that Yarbray first attacked her while they were lying in bed together Thursday night. The woman claimed she smelled alcohol on Yarbray and the two began arguing. The argument soon escalated into a physical altercation, according to investigators.

Yarbray allegedly grabbed her neck to choke her and she struck him in order to protect herself. Yarbray then allegedly grabbed her arm and back of her neck, threw her on the bed and placed his knee in the center of her back.

Investigators say the woman’s teen son then entered the room and punched and shoved Yarbray in order to protect his mother. Yarbray then allegedly grabbed the boy by the throat and held him against the wall. He then let the boy go and left the home, according to investigators.

The woman told police she changed all the locks on her door, fearing that Yarbray would return. Friday morning, Yarbray allegedly returned to the home and tried to break in through the front. He then allegedly forced his way through the back door.

Investigators say Yarbray confronted the woman on the steps inside the home and then shoved her down.

Yarbray was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and other related offenses.

Yarbray is the coach of the Chester High School Boys basketball team. Since he became coach in 2008, the team has gone 156-27 and won two PIAA Class AAAA titles.



Photo Credit: Chester Township Police

Is the Superintendent Being Targeted?

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Serious new allegations have surfaced following the suspension of Coatesville Area School District's assistant superintendent.

Dr. Angelo Romaniello was placed on administrative leave this week and the Chester County District Attorney believes the suspension is retaliation for Romaniello's cooperation in the case of the possible cover-up of racial text messages sent between the school district's former superintendent, Richard Como, and ex-athletic director Jim Donato.

"It sounds and it smells like they are targeting the people who are providing information in this investigation," District Attorney Thomas Hogan told NBC10's George Spencer.

According to the school district, the assistant superintendent was placed on leave for unrelated concerns, although they failed to specify what those concerns were.

The new allegations come six months after the investigations into the text messages began.

The messages, first reported by The Daily Local of West Chester and later obtained by NBC10, were uncovered by the district IT employee before the start of the school year, according to officials. That employee brought it to the attention of the school board on Aug. 18, prompting Como and Donato to resign a short time later.

Shortly after the resignations, Chester County prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into the matter, and Hogan says the school district's given him a hard time ever since -- accusing them of trying to impede his review of the fallout and possible text message cover-up.

"Quite frankly, they are impeded us and slowing down this investigation," said Hogan.

At the height of the scandal, Romaniello himself faced accusations.

Friday night, Coatesville school board responded to Hogan's allegation with the following statement:

We are disappointed in District Attorney Tom Hogan’s most recent comments accusing the CASB and our solicitor of retaliation, obstruction and interfering with his investigation by placing Deputy Superintendent Angelo Romaniello on administrative leave pending the outcome of our internal investigation as well as investigations by county and state agencies. At all times in connection with this matter, the CASB and our solicitor have acted in good faith and in accordance with our responsibilities and duties under law. Contrary to Mr. Hogan’s assertions, the CASB promptly informed our special counsel Matt Haverstick of the issue pertaining to Dr. Romaniello, which was reported to CASB member Deborah Thompson by Dr. Theresa Powell and Mr. Abdallah Hawa on the evening of Thursday, March 27, 2014.  Mr. Haverstick was alerted immediately that evening by Mrs. Thompson via telephone, and he advised her that he would immediately report the matter to Mr. Hogan’s assistant district attorney, Andrea Cardamone. The rest of the CASB was alerted the same evening, and an executive session was held the next morning, Friday, March 28, 2014 @ 9 a.m., to review the information provided by the two staff members pertaining to Dr. Romaniello.  After reviewing the information provided by these individuals and discussing the same, Mr. Haverstick was directed to verify the authenticity and origin of the information provided, and Solicitor James Ellison was directed to verify the involvement/investigative status of one or more state agencies to which the two staff members asserted they previously provided said information. Mr. Ellison immediately met and spoke with the relevant state agencies as directed, and thereafter ensured that the Coatesville Area School District complied with state required reporting guidelines and procedures through which a separate state agency referral was made to Mr. Hogan’s office the same day.  Mr. Haverstick has secured the original source material containing the information provided by the two staff members and is in the process of verifying the accuracy and authenticity of the same as directed. Mr. Haverstick also provided copies of the information to Mr. Hogan’s office upon the express directive of the CASB, so that a determination could be made by law enforcement whether the same was criminal or noncriminal in nature - - assuming its authenticity could be verified.

Pending the outcome of internal and external reviews, the CASB believed it prudent to place Dr. Romaniello on paid administrative leave as soon as possible. A CASB member, the interim superintendent and the solicitor were directed to convene a meeting with Dr. Romaniello for that purpose on Tuesday, April 1, 2014. The CASB wanted to be as transparent as possible regarding this process, while maintaining confidentiality regarding any investigation underway.  To that end, the CASB directed that a press release be issued immediately that afternoon. The Coatesville Area School District administration requested the assistance of the Chester County Intermediate Unit (IU) in drafting the release, and the IU graciously agreed. Upon receipt from the IU, the press release was reviewed, clarified and provided to the CASB, which authorized its issuance by the solicitor.  Later that afternoon, Assistant District Attorney Andrea Cardamone emailed Mr. Haverstick to advise him that her office reviewed the information shared by the two employees (which Mr. Haverstick provided on behalf of the CASB) and determined: (1) that it was noncriminal, (2) no investigation would be undertaken, and (3) her office wanted to inform the CASB of its decision right away.  Ms. Cardamone’s email to Mr. Haverstick made no mention of any accusation that the CASB was acting in an obstructive, retaliatory, or otherwise improper manner. There was no mention that our actions were viewed as "attempting to undermine a witness who is cooperating with the Commonwealth", "coordinated obstructionism" or other criminal conduct, or in bad faith. However, two days later, Mr. Hogan issued a blistering and inaccurate press statement accusing the CASB of doing just that.  We have no explanation as to why Mr. Hogan would presume, without evidence or even inquiry, that our actions were designed to interfere with his investigation or witnesses. We are at a loss to explain how reporting information which was provided to us by the two staff members, and following up on the same, raises suspicion by law enforcement. We believe that all would agree that if the CASB had handled the matter internally without reporting it to Mr. Hogan’s office, complying with state reporting requirements, and informing the public, the CASB would have faced withering criticism and a litany of accusations of improper, unethical and possibly illegal conduct.   Unfortunately, in acting in accordance with the law and in the spirit of total transparency, we stand accused and criticized nonetheless.

 

Protesters Run Around Philly School District HQ

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Hundreds of runners circled the Philadelphia School District headquarters Saturday morning. But they weren’t participating in the latest marathon. Instead, they were sending a message.

The teachers and school advocates ran around the district headquarters on 440 North Broad Street to protest the state of education in Philadelphia.

“Tom Corbett and the State run school reform commission and are treating Philadelphia like a colony of Harrisburg and not the economic engine that pulls the entire state,” said Luigi Borda, the organizer of the run and a teacher at Masterman High School.

Borda organized a similar event three years ago in which protesters ran from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. This time, Borda says he and his organizers will run on the first Saturday of each month until a new contract is negotiated for Philadelphia teachers.

“They are intentionally funneling Philadelphia tax dollars to private companies while starving our public schools,” Borda said. “We will keep coming back every first Saturday of the month until they do what is right.”

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

School District spokesman Fernando Gallard says 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."

On Friday, thousands of education leaders and research scholars converged on the Pennsylvania Convention Center 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.

On Friday, school district Superintendent William Hite participated in a roundtable discussion focused on the causes and impacts of the district’s funding crisis as well as possible solutions.  



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Girl Shot, Killed While Siblings Played With Gun: Police

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Police are investigating the shooting death of a young girl in the Mantua section of Philadelphia.

Investigators say four children, a 14-year-old boy, 11-year-old girl, 7-year-old girl and 2-year-old boy were all inside the second floor bedroom of a home on the 3800 block of Wallace Street shortly before 10 a.m. on Saturday.

While they were inside the room, the children were playing with a large caliber revolver, according to officials.

At some point the gun went off, striking the 11-year-old girl in the right arm. Investigators say the bullet then traveled through her chest and heart.

The girl was taken to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she was pronounced dead at 10:20 a.m.

Police say the three other children along with their mother are currently at police headquarters. They also say the weapon has been recovered.

This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.

Also on NBC10.com:

 



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Volunteers Clean Up Street in Honor of Slain Architect

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Around 50 people gathered in Northern Liberties on Saturday to help clean up the neighborhood and also honor a local woman who had a major impact on the community.

Volunteers spent the morning and afternoon cleaning up and painting the area on Front Street between Poplar and Laurel Streets, the same place where 26-year-old Amber Long was shot and killed last January.

Long, an architect, was shot and killed back on January 26 while she and her mother were walking to their car along the 900 block of Front Street. Police say her killers are still on the loose.

The Northern Liberties Neighbors Association received a $3500 grant to help revitalize the area where Long was murdered.

“Amber’s architecture was helping to make the area more vibrant and we want to continue that and continue to bring light there and awareness,” said Jackie Newell, the event organizer. “We want this area to feel safe again.”

Friends and family also set up the Amber Long Scholarship Fund for students with a passion for sustainable design who enroll in the Architecture program at Philadelphia University, Long’s alma mater.

The event was part of the 7th Annual Philly Spring Cleanup. Volunteers, including Mayor Nutter, cleaned up and removed graffiti and litter from playgrounds throughout the city.
 



Photo Credit: Family Photo
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