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Driver Takes Off After Hitting Toddler

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Philadelphia Police are searching for the driver who hit a 4-year-old boy in Germantown and left the scene of the accident.

Investigators say the boy was walking along Germantown Avenue with his teenage sister and they were about to cross at Seymour Street, when the boy let go of his sister's hand and darted into the street.

Surveillance video shows the driver of a S.U.V. hitting the toddler and knocking him to the ground.

Vincent Saunders witnessed the accident and talked to the driver.  "He got out of his car and walked over, I said to him, 'You hit that little boy.' I told him to park on the side, but he spun off." 

The toddler, named Andre, was rushed to the hospital. Tonight, he's back home recovering with his family.

"I completely just wish they turn themselves in," said Andre Wright, older brother.

 



Photo Credit: Surveillance video

More Chaos in Colwyn

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Tempers flared in Colwyn, Pa. Thursday night, as the town's public safety director was cleared of criminal charges. The officers who brought those charges were then fired. NBC10's George Spencer sorts out the details.

Narberth Homes Robbed

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Burglars have hit six homes in Narberth, PA in recent weeks, promping neighbors of the quiet, Main Line community to take security measures. NBC10's Chris Cato reports

Watch Now: NBC10 News

Hunt for Killer Nearly 7 Years After Prostitutes' Murders

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Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain sits down with NBC10's Ted Greenberg to talk about the 2006 unsolved murders of four women who worked as prostitutes in Atlantic City.

'Miracle Drug' Taken Away After Study Abruptly Ends

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Mike and Lynn Berman say an experimental drug turned out to be life-changing for their daughter, who suffers from a debilitating genetic disorder called Fragile X.

Her parents say the disorder causes their 13-year-old daughter Hannah to be isolated, locked in her head and unable to socialize or do school work.

So when a small company called Seaside Therapeutics offered Hannah and dozens of other children the opportunity to try an experimental drug called arbaclofen, her parents agreed.

They say the medicine worked miracles for their daughter. "It's almost a cure for us, this medication. It's our ticket to the true Hannah," said Lynn Berman.

Dr. Shivkumar Hatti, of Suburban Research Associates, participated in the drug study. "It seemed like the longer they took the medicine the better result we got," said Dr. Hatti.

But this month, the study suddenly came to an end. The Berman's were one of many couples to receive a letter in the mail from Seaside Therapeutics informing them they would no longer be able to receive the drug for their daughter.

"It is due to resource limitations at Seaside, and it is not due to any safety issue. The studies we have completed do not provide sufficient evidence for FDA approval," the letter read in part.

All the parents did sign consent forms that said this could happen, but it didn't make the news any easier to handle.

"You just lose the child that you had," said Mike Berman.

The Vice President of Seaside Pharmaceuticals tells NBC10 they need additional resources to continue their work. They are hoping to get funding for more testing and approval from the FDA to market the drug.



Photo Credit: NBC10 Philadelphia

More Chaos in Colwyn

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Tempers flared in Colwyn, Pa. Thursday night, as the town's public safety director was cleared of criminal charges. The officers who brought those charges were then fired. NBC10's George Spencer sorts out the details.

Philly Schools Get a Bit of Good News

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A special meeting of the School Reform Commission (SRC) of the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) revealed good news for some teachers and students returning to school in the fall.

According to SDP spokesman Fernando Gallard, the District intends to use $33 million in confirmed funds to rehire 220 secretaries, one for each school, and 66 music instructors, thereby completely restoring the Class Itinerant Music Teachers (CIMT) program that was sacked by layoffs earlier this summer.

“We will be using $33 million, which we are confident that we will have access to, and we will be using it to bring some programs and personnel back that are crucial for us to get ready for school and to be able to have a school culture that is important for our students,” Gallard said.

The CIMT program delivers small, group music instruction to roughly 10,000 students throughout the city. Current funds will support the return of those music instructors and secretaries until Jan. 2014.

Trinette Giberson’s son Ravi received music instruction through the CIMT program at Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School last year. Giberson said she’s thrilled to hear that the program will be funded through January, but she worries about what will happen after that time.

“I think that it’s good news that we get the program back until January. I’m kind of blown away,” she said. “I was hoping they would be able to find the money from somewhere, even if it’s only through January. I mean its great news but it just kind goes to show the sad state that we’re in. It’s a double edged sword. It’s very good news, but they obviously still have more work to do.”

According to district personnel records obtained by NBC10.com, 290 school secretaries were among the 3,000+ employees to be laid off by the district earlier this summer. That number includes 40 bilingual secretaries. Base salaries for school district secretaries ranged from $19,387 to $60,118. The bulk of these employees were hired prior to 2000 with some having been with the district since the 1980s; one employee started in 1976.

The $33 million will also restore several sports programs, including the return of coaches, referees, and the purchase of new equipment. Monies would allow these programs to be funded through the end of December.

In addition, the District plans to use remaining monies to implement charter-run turnaround programs as part of the Renaissance Schools Initiative in three elementary schools, James Alcorn Elementary, Kenderton Elementary, and Francis D. Pastorius Elementary.

Gallard says the District will make assessments on how to best apply additional monies as they come in.

“This is what we plan to do with the funds that we’re confident we’ll have access to at this time. We’ll identify more steps, going forward and as more money comes in, we hope to fund those positions further.”



Photo Credit: Queen Muse

Suspect in Custody After NE Philly Barricade

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Philadelphia Police take man into custody after a barricade situation in Northeast Philadelphia.

Authorities blocked off the 3200 block of Cottman Avenue around 4:00 p.m. for the report of an armed gunman inside a home. Nearby residents were asked to stay inside their homes.

Within an hour, police took the man out of the home in handcuffs. 

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Photo Credit: Skyforce10

3rd Child Dies in Chester House Fire

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A 4-year-old boy dies, two days after the deadly fire that claimed the lives of two other young children in Chester, Delaware County.

The boy, Moses McKnight, died after spending two days in critical condition at the burn center of Crozer Chester Medical Center.

The fire started around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday on East 15th Street. Two cousins, 9-year-old Amajhay Ferguson and 6-year-old Bella McKnight died in the fire.

A total of eight people were inside the house, including two adults, three boys and three girls. Neighbors say the father tried to save the children but the heavy, black smoke prevented him from going back inside the home.

A friend of the family says they were all at the home because the father had been recuperating from injuries he suffered during a car accident the day before.

Fire investigators say there were working smoke detectors inside the home. They are still investigating what caused the deadly fire.

$100K Worth of Equipment Stolen from H.S. Computer Lab

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A teacher from Sayre High School in West Philadelphia walked into the school this morning to find the entire computer lab had been wiped out.

Police say a burglar made off with 75 Apple laptops from a newly upgraded technology lab. The burglar entered through a second floor window, sometime between July 10 and this morning, according to investigators.

"The burglar climbed up to the second floor roof and forced his way in through the window. We're not sure if he left through that window or came out through the front door. At this point we know there was no alarm that was sounded," said Lt. John Walker, Southwest Detectives.

Investigators say there was no surveillance cameras in the computer lab, but they are now reviewing surveillance video from other parts of the school to see if they can find the person responsible.
 
"This is tough, obviously school district is struggling money is tight," said Lt. Walker. "It's just sad that these kids now have to come to school and maybe not have these computers. So whoever did this or people who may know who have done this and they think they are getting a deal on a computer, they need to do the right thing."
 



Photo Credit: NBC10 Philadelphia

Tractor-Trailer Carrying Cotton Catches Fire

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The evening commute slowly crept by on I-295 Northbound after a tractor-trailer caught fire in Wilmington, shutting down four lanes of traffic.

Latresha Wilkie, driver of the tractor-trailer, told authorities she jumped out of the tractor-trailer after the fire started. She was not injured.

Firefighters from two local companies, as well as crews from Delaware River and Bay Authority responded to the scene around 3:00 p.m. to help put out the fire.

As they worked to get it under control, vehicles kept moving through the far left lane of the highway.

The truck, owned by Storewide Delivery Company in Secaucus, N.J., was carrying cotton.

DRBA says the right lane and shoulder of the highway remain closed as crews remove the cotton fabric from the highway.

Authorities are investigating what started the fire.
 



Photo Credit: Delaware River and Bay Authority

Issuing Same-Sex Marriage Licenses a Lonely Job?

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This week, the Register of Wills and Orphans' Court Association of Pennsylvania hosted its annual conference in Washington, Pa. to discuss improvements in the administration of their offices and collaborative efforts to serve the citizens of its members' counties.

But the topic of discussion at the conference changed when Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes began appearing in news headlines across the state for his decision to approve same-sex marriage licenses, despite a state law that effectively bans the marriages.

Hanes announced that he would begin accepting applications for marriage licenses from same-sex couples on Tuesday. Since then, more than two dozen same-sex couples had applied for and received their licenses in the county.

On Thursday, the last day of the conference, the Association issued a resolution stating that it would uphold the state's law and that its members should not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

"I don't have a response to that," Hanes said when asked about his reaction to the resolution.

Hanes is a member of the Association, but did not attend the conference. He says he's not trying to be a rebel; he feels he's just doing the right thing.

"The Association can say whatever they want. It's a free country," he said. "I don't feel like a lone reed, I just feel like I'm doing the right thing."

Not everyone agrees that he is.

The Pro-Life Coalition of Pennsylvania protested the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses by holding a pray-in at the county building earlier today. The organization's president, Mike McMonagle also issued a call for Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman to charge and arrest Hanes for violating state law.

Ferman says Hanes' decision to defy the law sets a dangerous precedence but she does not plan to arrest him any time soon.

"You have individuals that are coming to the courthouse and they are criticizing, appropriately, elected officials for refusing to follow the law; everyone from the Attorney General of Pennsylvania to a low-level county official, and they are defying the law and saying we’re going to do whatever we want and we’re going to ignore the law. In essence, they’re asking me to do the same thing, by filing criminal charges not supported by the law and the courts. Arresting somebody is within my jurisdiction, but arresting somebody for acts that don’t constitute a crime would be a violation of my oath," she said.

Hanes said earlier this week that his decision to grant same-sex marriage licenses was made after a legal consultation and because he knew that he wouldn't get any backlash from state Attorney General, Kathleen Kane, who is refusing to defend the state law in court.

After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act last month, the American Civil Liberties Union decided to challenge Pennsylvania's law by filing a suit, Whitewood v. Corbett, on behalf of 12 same-sex couples seeking to be married. The suit has invoked the question of whether a state's law against same-sex marriage will trump the federal decision on DOMA and has prompted state, and now county officials to declare their position on the issue.

"My analysis is focused on what do I have the authority to do if anything, and so those are the issues that my staff is looking at. What authority other individuals have is not for me to say. The Register of Wills and other county officials can’t change the laws of the Commonwealth just because they say so. We’re a country of laws, we’re a nation of laws, and as an elected official I believe they are bound to follow the law as it exists. And if you object to it and if you want to change it there are processes in place to go ahead and do that. But to just defy the law and say we’re not gonna follow laws that we don’t like, sets a very dangerous precedence."

Bucks County Register of Wills Donald Petrille, Jr., declined to comment on the matter as he is named as a co-defendant in the Whitewood v. Corbett case.

According to the complaint, Petrille and Washington County Register of Wills Mary Jo Pokins were named as defendants because they refused to issue marriage licenses to two same-sex couples that are listed as plaintiffs in the suit.

Register of Wills for Chester County and member of the Pennsylvania Register of Wills Association Terri Clark, said she is sticking with the law.

"Well at this point and time the Constitution and the state law states that same sex marriage is not legal. When I was elected by the voters of Chester County I took an oath to obey and uphold the constitution and the laws of commonwealth. So at this time my office will not be issuing any licenses to same-sex couples."

According to it's website, the Register of Wills and Orphans' Court Association's members serve as Registers of Wills and Clerks of Orphans' Courts in 67 counties in Pennsylvania.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Woman Fondled on Transatlantic Flight

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A Delaware woman was on a flight home from Paris when she was fondled by a stranger.

The 23-year-old victim told authorities she was sleeping on the Philadelphia-bound flight and woke up to find a man touching her on the outside of her clothing.

As soon as the flight landed at Philadelphia International Airport, the man was taken into custody.

Philadelphia Police identify the man as 21-year-old Aburayyan Mohaned, of Jerusalem.

Mohaned is charged with simple assault and indecent assault.

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Photo Credit: Getty Images

Surveillance Catches School Burglars in the Act

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Camden County Police are searching for two juveniles, caught on surveillance video, stealing from a school.

Police say the suspects broke into East Camden Middle School on Stevens Street just before 2:00 a.m. this morning.

The suspects, both wearing dark hooded sweatshirts, spent about 45 minutes inside the school after breaking in through a gated window.

Police say the pair visited several classrooms, stealing different items including six specialized mountain bikes, an overhead projector, three computers, and a keyboard and amplifier from a music classroom.

Police say the stolen items were worth $6,000.

Anyone who recognizes the men in these pictures is asked to call the police tipline at 856-757-7042.



Photo Credit: Camden County Police Department

Dramatic Images of Apartment Fire

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Skyforce10 was over the Racquet Club Apartments in Levittown, Bucks County as firefighters worked to get a massive apartment fire under control.

Look Who's Getting Another Super Wawa

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The back-and-forth over the proposal to build a 24-hour Wawa gas station and convenience store on Route 130 in Hamilton has finally been resolved: last night the planning board unanimously approved construction at the site of the former Harry's Army & Navy Store.

Earlier this month, Princeton-based developer Hamilton Crosswicks 130 LLC presented its application to construct a "super Wawa" – a 4,691-square-foot store with 12 fueling stations – on the corner where Route 130 meets Crosswicks Hamilton Square Road. At the time, however, the planning board delayed their final vote to allow traffic engineer Jeff L'Amoreaux sufficient time to assess traffic concerns for the intersection.

Last night's unanimous vote of approval came after L'Amoreaux informed the board that he perceives "no operational difficulties after reviewing the evidence and report" even at peak hours of operation.

Another potential obstacle to the Wawa development project could have been its proximity to other gas stations in the area, but the township council's April vote upended an ordinance that formerly prevented gas stations from being within 1,500 feet of each other. The closest gas station to the proposed Wawa fueling site is Garden State Fuel, which at a quarter of a mile away could have triggered the buffer zone law.

There are currently two Wawas in Hamilton Township, both along Route 33, but neither has fueling stations.


This story was reported through a news coverage partnership between NBC10.com and NewsWorks.org



Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Wawa

Medical Marijuana Available in Just Weeks

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A new medical marijuana dispensary is scheduled to open in South Jersey in the coming weeks.
Compassionate Care Foundation, Inc. is expected to open a facility in Egg Harbor Township, just outside of Atlantic City, in mid-September.

All that's left is a final state inspection, the last step before a permit to dispense can be issued.
The review involves, among other things, making sure the space is properly secured and that employee and operations manuals are in place.

If approved, the facility would be just the second dispensary in the state that's considered to have the strictest regulations for medicinal pot in the country.

Legislation legalizing medical marijuana took effect in the state in January 2010.

Jay Lassiter, one of the 1,000 patients registered with the state's medical marijuana program, is skeptical that the Egg Harbor site will open in September. But he said there's no doubt it'll make life a lot easier whenever it does.

The Cherry Hill resident lives two hours from the state's lone dispensary in Montclair.

"I look forward to having my medical needs served in a more convenient manner," said Lassiter, who smokes medicinal marijuana when he needs to settle his stomach.

Lassiter has had HIV for the past two decades.

The bevy of medications he takes each day sometimes make him sick, but he can't skip taking the pills that keep him alive.

"I'm trying to imagine what it would be like if I had to drive two hours to pick up my HIV meds or if a diabetic had to drive two hours to pick up insulin," he said.

Rosanne Scotti, the New Jersey state director for the Drug Policy Alliance, said the state still needs more dispensaries. The Greenleaf Compassion Center in Montclair, she noted, was only set up to only handle 300 patients.

The facility reportedly closed briefly this month after running through its supply.

"We have just an incredibly long waiting list for patients to get appointments and to access their medicine," said Scotti. "For some of them, they're just never going to be able to access their medicine with just one program or even with two when the second one opens."

The state has licensed six "alternative treatment centers." Donna Leusner, a spokeswoman with the state's Department of Health, said three more dispensaries are in the works. It's unclear when they may open.

A message left for Compassionate Care Foundation CEO William Thomas was not immediately returned.


This story was reported through a news coverage partnership between NBC10.com and NewsWorks.org



Photo Credit: ShutterStock

New Video Offers Lead in Murder of Fruit Stand Owner

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New video offers a fresh lead in the April murder of a popular food vendor in University City.

Don Ly, who ran a fresh fruit stand at 34th and Chestnut Streets, was killed near his South Philadelphia home on April 18.

Investigators say he was packing up his van along the 400 block of Vollmer Street when he was stabbed in the abdomen, throat, chest and arms.

New video shows the suspect casually walking away after the murder. Police say one clue that could help lead them to the suspect is that he was wearing "Chuck Taylor" sneakers on the morning of the murder.

"It's hard without him around," said Hoanh Ly, victim's son. Family members say their sweet-mannered father had no known enemies. More than three months since the murder, the motive remains unclear.

Investigators don't believe robbery was the motive, because Lee's wallet with $200 inside was still in his pocket after he was killed.

"Everyday we cry, we need justice for him," said Nary Ly, victim's daughter.

Police are also hoping a $25,000 reward will help lead them to the killer.



Photo Credit: Family Photo

Jellyfish Invasion at Jersey Shore

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Swimmers on the Jersey Shore are being threatened by an invasion of jellyfish that are stinging a with a vengeance this summer.

For the past few years, swimmers in the northern sections of Barnegat Bay have dealt with large numbers of the creatures which have translucent bodies and tentacles that can be more than 6 feet long, but this summer more and more are being seen in southern portions.

People who have lived in the area for decades say they've never seen so many of the creatures.

"This year’s been very rough," said homeowner Norma Terzian.
 
State environmental officials have launched a study to find out why the jellyfish population is growing.

Marine biologists say two possible causes are increased construction of docks and bulkheads with materials that attract baby jellyfish, and low levels of oxygen stemming from fertilizer run-off. Unlike other organisms, jellyfish don’t need much oxygen to thrive.

Dr. Paul Bologna from Montclair State University is researching the jellyfish population to find possible ways to reduce their numbers.

“What are the possibilities for control, are there mechanical ways, can you scrub them off, can you freeze them?” Bologna asked.

In the meantime, resident Carolyn Buck said she just ordered a special lotion for her family that’s a jellyfish protector and sunscreen in one.

“We don’t know who’s going to be the trial child that puts it on and goes in because it’s not going to be me,” Buck said.

Ted Greenberg contributed reporting.



Photo Credit: NBC10 Philadelphia
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