A SEPTA bus and car collided Monday morning on a Center City street.

The Route 27 bus and car were involved in an accident around 9:30 on 22nd Street, according to SEPTA.

The impact of the crash took down a traffic light at 22nd and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

It's unclear if anyone was injured in the accident or how many passengers were on the bus.

This is the second accident involving the transportation company since Friday. Twenty-two people were injured in the Chinatown crash.

 

Actor Mickey Rooney brought a smile to the faces of moviegoers for 80 years.

The beloved actor passed away yesterday at the age of 93.

• MICKEY ROONEY REMEMBERED

People took to Twitter to share their remembrances of the Oscar-nominated actor. Rooney's death was made known after comedian John Pinette was found dead in a Pennsylvania hotel. 

•  MICKEY ROONEY'S BIG IMPACT

A tragic child drowning at a Philadelphia Parks and Recreation pool last year will mean stricter rules for young swimmers who visit city pools this summer.

The biggest change: all camp swimmers will have to swim from one end of the pool to the other before they'll be allowed in the deep end.

On July 18, 2013, Ja'briel O'Connor was visiting the Cobbs Creek Recreation Center pool with his summer camp when he ventured into the deeper end of the pool. O'Connor, who was 7 and 4-foot-4-inches tall, panicked in the water, which was 5-feet deep.

He did not know how to swim.

According to the Philadelphia Medical Examiner, O'Connor suffered cardiac arrest and sank to the bottom of the pool, unnoticed.

Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Deputy Commissioner for Programs, Leo Dignam, said the new swimming pool rules were developed in direct response to O'Connor's drowning in an effort to keep young swimmers safe.

"Two weeks after the unfortunate drowning I got together with our aquatics director and our program director and we thought of several changes we could make to prevent incidents like that from happening again," Dignam said.

Some changes swimmers can expect to see this summer include increased signage about the 4-foot-5 swimmer height requirement and rope partitions to mark the shallow end of each pool.

"We are preparing for our pool season and our new pool rules will be going up online. We'll also be getting new signs for the pools, so they have to be ordered and installed," First Deputy Commissioner for Parks and Recreation Susan Slawson said.

Perhaps the most significant new rule will be the mandatory swim test for all visiting camp swimmers.

"I want to make a distinction here, this is not for people who swim during 'free swim.' We're talking about between 11 and 1 p.m. when large groups of camps come for camp swim. All of those campers will be screened. They’ll have to swim across the pool. If they can't, they’ll have to stay at the shallow end of the pool," he said.

"And we offer free swim lessons. So, those kids that don’t know how to swim will have an opportunity to learn how to do so."

Dignam said the department is also implementing additional water safety training for all of its camp staff; this includes more than 200 employees that operate the city's summer camps and employees at the more than 250 outside camps and day cares that use city pools during the summer. As of this summer, they will all be required to provide a certificate of proof that they have completed the new training.

Dignam said the department has a good record of keeping children safe at its pools, but there's always room for improvement.

"We actually have a very good track record, when you think that we have almost a million visits a year in an 8 week period. But any drowning is not good for us . It’s a tragedy that we would hope not to happen. So these rules are designed to keep children safe."

After 35 years of shaping the lives of Philadelphia School District students, teacher Andrea Seitchik sits in her Langhorne, Bucks County home, outside of her classroom.

And not by choice.

"Teaching is my entire life. Since I was a little girl I wanted to be a teacher. I love being around children and touching their lives and watching them grow. It's an amazing feeling," said Sietchik, 57. 

Seitchik is a vibrant business and marketing teacher who receives high praise from her former and current students. For the past five years, she's taught at George Washington High School in the Northeast. This year, she's coordinating the junior prom and advising students in the National Honor Society club. 

"She's one of the most beloved teachers in the building. She's a remarkable person, one of those bright spots that makes my day a lot easier," said George Washington principal Gene Jones. 

Seitchik has been sidelined by a health problem she's dealt with quietly for 15 years. But now the wife and active mother of two needs a new kidney and that's a hard thing to hide.

Her oldest daughter, 23-year-old Lexi, describes her mom's struggle on her Facebook page, "She has been hiding it for years because unlike other diseases, it doesn't show. She walks around with the biggest smile and has never stopped this from living her life to its absolute fullest."

Just a few weeks ago, Seitchik told students and administrators that more than a decade ago she was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and that her condition had recently worsened due to the scar tissue in her kidney. Her immediate outlook was emergency surgery and dialysis --  indefinitely -- until she can acquire a new kidney.

Her current and former students rallied around her once they heard. Five 2012 graduates sent her flowers. After the gesture, they decided they wanted to do more to give back to the teacher that had given them so much. 

While Seitchik's daughter Elixis awaits word on whether she is a compatible match to donate a kidney, student and relatives started the search for a donor via social media. They launched a FIGHT for ANDI Facebook page to and started using the hashtag #FIGHTforANDI on Twitter to amplify their cause.

"I couldn't believe it because I've seen her every day with a smile on her face. I never knew. She's taking it on now with a smile on her face too and ready to battle," said former student Corey Sharp, 18. He attributes Seitchik with inspiring him to study sports marketing at Holy Family University and to get involved in charitable work. 

Within a week of Seitchik's admission, one of her coworkers lost her son in an accident and offered to donate his kidneys to her. Unfortunately, they were not a match. So, Sietchik remains on the donor list and has been told she may have to wait four years or more.

Acquiring an organ donor is no easy task.

Less than 800 people out of 43,000 people who die are potential donors. That's 2 percent. Of the people who consciously choose to donate their organs when they die, the number that actually become potential donors is low because the donor must be brain dead in order for their organs to be harvested, according to Gift of Life Donor Program president Howard M. Nathan. 

The Gift of Life Donor Program facilitates all organ donations in Southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey and Delaware. In 2013, the organization facilitated the coordination of organ transplants from 447 donors resulting in 1,228 organ transplants. Half of them were kidney transplants.

Presently, in our region, 6,391 people are waiting for an organ transplant via Gift of Life and 5,335 of them are waiting for a kidney. Although the wait list for organ donation can be long, the Gift of Life program facilitates the largest number of organ donors anywhere in the United States and has the highest per capita organ donor rate anywhere in the world, says Nathan. This year, the non-profit celebrates 40 years of helping save lives and has conducted a total of 36,000 transplants and 500,000 tissue transplants. 

Former student Jatin Brahmbhatt understands just how hard it's going to be to find a match for Sietchik. He feels getting the word out is the least he can do to repay his former teacher who helped him acquire enough community service hours for him to graduate in 2013.

"She's the nicest person you are ever going to meet," said Brahmbhatt, a student at Temple University. 

Seitchik started her dialysis last Wednesday. She's trying to adjust to her new routine but hopes to work out a treatment schedule so she can get back to teaching this month. Her students have motivated her. 

"These kids are giving back. I'm so thankful and overwhelmed by it. They wonder why I became a teacher. It has been a very emotional couple of weeks," said Seitchik. "It's a remarkable feeling."

 Contact Sarah Glover at 610-668-5580, sarah.glover@nbcuni.com or follow @skyphoto on Twitter.

Good news, Phillies fans, you can catch all the home opener festivites right here on NBC10 on Tuesday! The even better news? You can still catch your favorite afternoon shows, just at a different time.

Here's the schedule for the afternoon and evening of Tuesday, April 7 on NBC10:

• 12 p.m. - Days of Our Lives
• 1 p.m. - Ellen
• 2 p.m. - Steve Harvey
• 3 p.m. - NBC10's Welcome Home Phillies special
• 4 p.m. - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Milwaukee Brewers
• After the game, NBC10 News

We'll return to our regular programming at 8 p.m. with "The Voice." 

Go Phillies!

 

Jenkintown Police Department Chief Al DiValentino said he can only attribute the recent misfortunes of the department's only K-9 unit, Rocky, to Murphy's Law.

"All of a sudden he was really seriously ill. He started to vomit and the handler had to take him to the hospital. For this to happen when it did, go figure," he said.

Doctor's tell the department that they still don't know what caused Rocky's sudden illness, but it led to emergency surgery at the University of Pennsylvania Animal Hospital. And more than $8,000 in medical bills.

The timing for Rocky's health issues is unfortunate.

According to DiValentino, the Department's K-9 unit is solely funded by donations from local businesses and organizations. Two days before Rocky got sick, the insurance policy for the dog expired and there was not enough donated money to renew it.

Without the insurance policy, the department now has to pay more than $8,000 for Rocky's surgery and post-surgery care.

After hearing from doctors that Rocky had a 50/50 chance of surviving the surgery, the department immediately launched a fundraiser to pay for his continued care.

"We plan to pay UPenn as the donations come through the account; they've been very good about working with us. Today alone we got around $400. So, I'm very confident that we're gonna reach our goal because the community has always been very generous with this dog," DiValentino said.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman met Rocky shortly after he was inducted to serve the department in 2008. Over the weekend, Ferman posted a flier with information about Rocky's condition on Facebook to promote the fundraiser.

"He has been a dedicated public servant for many years," she said. "When I heard from the Chief about Rocky's situation, I thought social media might be a good platform to let our community know about the need and how they could help."

Numerous schools in the Jenkintown School District are also pitching in on the fundraising effort.

According to the District, Jenkintown Elementary School is hosting a fundraiser where students can purchase paper dog paws for $1 and have them displayed on a wall. To drive the fundraiser even further, the school decided to add a little competition. So, for the school's color day or 'field day,' they'll host a red versus blue competition. The team that sells the most paper dog paws wins. All of the money raised will go to Rocky.

Last week, teachers at Jenkintown High School paid $5 toward Rocky's fundraiser to have a dress down day on Friday. Jenkintown Middle School is also planning an event to raise funds for Rocky.

"Whenever there's something going on in Jenkintown, the whole community comes together to help. And he is the dog that comes to the school and the kids see him during class trips, so the kids all love him," Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent Susan Hughes said. "Everybody loves to help a dog."

Donations for Rocky can be sent to Jenkintown Police Donation Account, 700 Summit Avenue, Jenkintown, Pa. 19046.

A police officer is in the hospital after a car accident in Chester on Monday.

Investigators say the K9 officer was responding to a report of shots fired shortly before 4 p.m. when his vehicle collided with an SUV at the intersection of 3rd Street and Central Avenue.

A traffic pole was also knocked down during the accident.

The officer was trapped inside the vehicle after the crash but was later pulled out by rescue workers.

The officer was taken to the hospital where he is currently in stable condition. A K9 was also taken to the veterinarian to get checked out.

The driver of the SUV was not hurt in the crash.

Click here for more news from the South Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware area.
 

Fire officials say a South Jersey brush fire that could be smelled 90 miles away has been contained.

Assistant Division Forest Fire Warden Michael Achey (ACK'-ee) says the fire in Wharton State Forest was deemed contained at 4 p.m. Monday, about 24 hours after it was first spotted.

The forest fire burned more than 1,500 acres of land, or about 2 square miles, in the Wharton State Forest Sunday into Monday sending smoke into the air that could be seen and smelled in neighboring states.

The location of the fire was 31 Batsto Road. Crews dropped water on the fire from airplanes and used backfires to contain the fire. The fire did not threaten structures or people.

NBC10's SkyForce10 could spot smoke from the fire wafting in the air above Northeast Philly Monday morning -- that's about 40 miles away. There were also reports of reduced visibility at some area airports.

Credit: Chris Santaspirt

NBC10 First Alert Weather chief meteorologist Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz said that winds pushed the smoke towards Pennsylvania ahead of a storm system that delivered rain to the area that eventually helped firefighters battle the blaze. 

Achey says crews will be sent home Monday evening. Heavy rain should help put out the areas that continue to burn.

New York City's emergency management office alerted residents in Brooklyn and Staten Island that they might smell smoke from the blaze, which is about 90 miles away.

There were no reports of injuries.

How the fire started remains under investigation.

A person was struck and killed by a SEPTA train Monday afternoon in Abington Township, according to officials.

Investigators say the victim was struck by a train on the tracks near Old York and Baeder Roads.

SEPTA’s West Trenton Regional Rail line was suspended due to the accident. Check the SEPTA website for alternate service.

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

It's been two days since 11-year old Jamara Stevens was shot and killed by her 2-year-old sibling who police say accidentally fired a .357 caliber handgun.

The bullet pierced Jamara's arm, went through her chest and hit her heart.

On Monday, Jamara's mother, Tiffany Goldwire and her three surviving children were visibly distraught as they sat among family and friends at their home in the Mantua section of the city,  struggling to come to grips with their loss.

"I'm never gonna see my child again. This is a hard pill to swallow," Goldwire said.

Amid sporadic bouts of tears and emotional outbursts, Goldwire sent a message to other mothers.

"For all the mothers who lose their kids, I feel their pain. And to the ones that still have their children, treasure every moment with your kids because you never know when you'll never see them again," she said.

Goldwire was reportedly in the bathroom on Saturday when, just before 10 a.m., investigators say her 14-year-old son grabbed a handgun that was allegedly left behind by the mother's boyfriend earlier that morning.

According to police, family members told them the eldest son brought the gun into Goldwire's bedroom where he, Jamara, their 7-year-old sister, and 2-year-old brother began playing with it.

Authorities say the 2-year-old pointed the loaded, cocked gun in the direction of Jamara and it discharged, striking and killing her.

Police have not determined who the handgun belongs to.

Goldwire says now she is struggling to cover the cost of an expense she never expected to have.

"I gotta pay for a funeral. I gotta buy all of us clothing to walk through those funeral doors. I need help," she said.

Family members say no concrete funeral plans have been made. Goldwire said she would like to start a memorial fund for her daughter, but that she is, "not in the right state of mind to do that right now."

In the meantime, she says she is putting her pride aside and will take any help she can get to cover funeral costs.

"Pride ain't gone get you nowhere. Tell them I need help. I need people to support me."

The mother of 19-year-old Shaquelle Abraham collapsed to the ground when she heard the news. Her son had been shot and killed during a home invasion.

“It’s crazy,” said James Robinson, Abraham’s neighbor. “The young man finally got his life together, getting his own apartment and about to do the right thing when someone took his life for nothing.”

Police say Abraham was inside a home in Northeast Philadelphia on Monday, around 10:30 a.m., when two gunmen forced their way inside.

The suspects shot Abraham in the chest and then fled the scene. Police say his girlfriend was inside the home during the shooting but hid in the closet until the gunmen were gone.

“His girlfriend was in the house with him, calling the police from the closet,” said one woman, who did not want to be identified.

By the time paramedics arrived, Abraham was already dead.

“Nothing was taken,” said Philadelphia Police Captain James Clark. “They weren’t even in the apartment that long. It was a quick altercation. They shot him one time and then they fled the location.”

Police are currently interviewing witnesses, including Abraham's girlfriend.

Abraham’s mother was too distraught to speak to NBC10. Her boyfriend told us however that the young man was trying to turn his life around prior to his murder.

“He just got his job, got an apartment and decided to leave his mom’s house,” said the man, who did not want to be identified. “And they kill him now.”

Investigators say the suspects may have fled in a newer model red Volvo and that there also may be a third suspect who served as the getaway driver. If you have any information on the shooting, please call Philadelphia Police.

Police are on the hunt for vandals who they say keyed over a dozen cars in Wilmington’s historic Triangle neighborhood over the weekend.

Police say 16 cars parked on the 600 and 700 blocks of W. 19th Street and the 2000 block of N. Harriston Street were keyed during the overnight hours of April 4 into April 5, causing paint damage.

“I was going out,” said Cathy Geahr, one of the victims. “So I went to get in my car and I saw a scratch. And then I looked at my neighbor’s car and hers was scratched. And then I went down and saw the other ones were scratched.”

The Triangle neighborhood is a community of homes in Wilmington built in the 1920’s. 

“It’s a really great neighborhood and it’s a strong neighborhood,” said Wilmington Police Cpl. Mark Ivey. “It’s frustrating because these are good people who’ve had their hard-earned property destroyed for no reason.”

Police have not released descriptions of any suspects but are warning residents in the area to remain vigilant and contact them if they notice anything suspicious.

“The problem stems from the park,” said Jason Moore. “We have a lot of traffic coming through the neighborhood and a lot of young kids.”

If you have any information on the vandals, please call Wilmington Police at 302-576-3162.
 

It was February 2 of last year when Sam McGraw’s life changed forever.

The then 24-year-old former volunteer firefighter was sleeping inside his parent’s home in Deepwater, New Jersey when he heard a commotion outside.

“I thought people were breaking into my house,” McGraw said. “So I got a gun thinking it would keep everyone safe.”

Fearing for his parent’s safety, McGraw says he grabbed his Benelli 12-gauge shotgun, which he legally owns, and stepped outside to confront who he initially believed were intruders.

It turns out they weren’t burglars however. Instead, they were Pennsville Police officers.

The officers were searching the area with a flashlight for a suspect who ran from a fight at a local bar. McGraw was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm with an unlawful purpose and aggravated assault by pointing a firearm.

Police accused McGraw of pointing his shotgun at the officers. McGraw insists that he only cocked his weapon and didn’t point it at anyone however.

“I just don’t see how people can grab a shotgun and rack it and stand on their front porch and point it at someone,” said Pennsville Police Chief AJ Cummings.

Under New Jersey’s Graves Act, which enforces strict mandatory sentencing for gun offenses, McGraw faced a mandatory minimum of five years in prison.

“I had to put my life on hold to see how this trial went,” McGraw said. “I could have essentially gone to prison for 10 years.”

According to Cummings, NJ gun laws are strict in order to protect both citizens and police. Cummings also believes McGraw should have called 911 before he even thought of picking up his gun.

“Why not call the police?” Cummings asked. “Why pick a gun up, go on the front step and take it in your own hands?”

“The weapon is a lot closer than police,” McGraw said.

McGraw was found not guilty and acquitted last March. Despite his freedom, McGraw, who now works at an auto parts store, says the incident has hurt his reputation.

His attorney, Tim Farrow, says he hopes his client’s ordeal will spark a conversation.

“It’s up to the police and prosecutors how they charge essentially,” Farrow said. “Because once the ball rolls and charges are filed, a judge can essentially do nothing to stop it.”

Players on the Westfield High School football team in Houston, Texas didn’t know what to expect when their offensive coordinator, 30-year-old Justin Outten, held a team meeting last week.

“I started the meeting, saying I had been at the high school for 7 years and it was time for a change,” said Outten.

Some of Outten's players broke down in tears, believing their beloved coach was about to leave. It turns out that Outten had different plans however.

“I need your help,” Outten told his players. “I’m a little nervous right now but I want to propose to my girlfriend and I wanna make sure that you guys are involved.”

Outten says the sorrow immediately turned to joy as the locker room erupted into cheers.

“It took a good five to ten minutes for them to settle down,” Outten said. “As soon as they calmed down I went on the dry erase board and drew out a game plan for them.”

Football has always been an important part of Outten’s life. He grew up in Chalfont, Pennsylvania and played as a guard on the Central Bucks West High School team that went on a 59-game winning streak and won a state championship.

After graduating, he played for Syracuse University before working as the offensive line coordinator for Westfield High School’s highly successful football team. Outten says his love and commitment for the game helped inspire his proposal to his girlfriend Vanessa.

“It just clicked in my head that I’m just so heavily involved,” Outten said. “A lot of hours go into what I do and I love it. She’s a big supporter for what I do. What better way to propose to her then to involve the kids that I work with every day and the sport I love?”

After going over the details, Outten and his players put the plan into action. The team staged a fake fight on the football field that was recorded on video. Outten says he then texted his girlfriend about the brawl.

“Right after we recorded it, I let her know that there was a big fight at practice and I got hit in the back of the head,” Outten said. “It was a big situation and she was very concerned.”

Outten says he continued to tell his girlfriend about how serious the fight was over the next two days.

“I kept saying it was a big deal and there were a lot of things going on with it,” Outten said. “I kept building it up.”

On Saturday, Outten finally showed the full video to his girlfriend. Of course, he didn’t tell her about what happened at the end of the clip.

After the fake fight, the team gathered in the middle of the field and started to celebrate.   All of his players then got down on one knee, with Outten in the front. He then held up a sign with a picture of him and Vanessa with the words “Vee, Will You Marry Me?”

As she watched the clip, Outten bent down on one knee, took out a ring and proposed to her. She said yes, making the most important game plan of Outten’s life a huge success.

She said YES!!!! I'm so blessed! A big shout out to the players for helping out! pic.twitter.com/8KKylyAnLs

— Justin Outten (@Outdog) April 5, 2014

It was a normal Monday night for Jack Moore at the Lower Merion ACME grocery store on City Avenue. That was until he spotted two men approach the small Citizens bank branch inside the store.

“Two gentlemen came in,” Moore said. “One with sort of a fake beard and the other with a scarf over his face.”

Witnesses say one of the men pointed a gun at the security guard while another placed a plastic bag over the counter with a note demanding money.

“I saw the security guard who works at the ACME put his hands in the air and get down on his knees,” Moore said.

The men then fled the store with an undisclosed amount of money. According to witnesses, the robbery occurred shortly before 7 p.m. when the bank branch closes. At that time the grocery store was packed with shoppers.

“If someone is bold enough to do that in a crowded store and in an area that is well policed, they could really harm someone,” said Ruth Birchett. “I hope there are good pictures of them because we need them off the street.”

An ACME employee told NBC10 that robbers also targeted the store last February as well as in February of 2013.

While Lower Merion Police arrived at the scene Monday night, they have not yet released an official statement on the robbery or descriptions of the suspects. 

Three people, including two inmates, were hurt when a sheriff’s department van and sedan collided yesterday at a busy Montgomery County intersection.

The Buck’s County Sheriff’s Department prisoner’s transport van was traveling south on U.S. Route 202 when it struck a 2005 Nissan Sentra as it attempted to make a left from Route 202 onto westbound Welsh Road (Route 63) in Upper Gwynedd Township around 4:25 p.m. Monday, according to an initial investigation by the Upper Gwynedd Township Police.

Investigators said that two inmates needed to be extracted from the damaged van. Those inmates were taken to local hospitals with undisclosed injuries.

Police said that local firefighters helped in the rescue.

The driver of the Sentra, a 64-year-old Durham, N.C. resident, was also hurt and required hospitalization for undisclosed injuries.

Nether sheriff's deputy nor the third prisoner in the van reported any injuries.

Police didn’t name any of the victims of the crash. They also didn't say why a Bucks County sheriff's vehicle was in Montgomery County.

Police asked that anyone who witnesses the wreck to call township police at 215-699-5861.