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In Case You Missed It: Yesterday's Top Stories

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Didn't have a chance to catch up on local news yesterday?

Boy Savagely Killed by Pit Bulls
Police say a young boy was killed and his pregnant mother injured during a pit bull attack in Delaware.

Fire Destroys Facility at NJ Chemical Maker
Firefighters fought a blaze at a Camden County, N.J. chemical manufacturer where several small explosions were reported inside a packaging facility.

Philly Teachers, Principal Cheated on State Testing for Years: AG
Cheating operation allegedly went on for five years as educators "perpetuated a culture of cheating."

Male Dance Teacher Charged with Rape, Child Porn
A local dance teacher who has performed with Cyndi Lauper and taught in the region for 14 years is accused of engaging in sexual acts with a now 16-year-old former student at a Conshohocken studio.

Ex-Coach to Pay Family of Player Who Committed Suicide
A former New Jersey high school baseball coach will pay $275,000 to help settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of a player who committed suicide.


More Local Grocery Delivery Service

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A same-day grocery delivery service that launched in Philadelphia less than four months ago is already expanding its services to other parts of the city and suburbs.

“The demand keeps growing so we have to keep following it,” said George Shotz, San Francisco-based Instacart’s City Manager in Philadelphia.

Instacart, which began in California in 2012, distinguishes itself from the other competitors available locally, like FreshDirect and PeaPod, with its ability to deliver groceries from higher-end markets like Whole Foods and Green Aisle Grocery, its shorter delivery window and its staff of “personal shoppers” – which has at least one customer as a fan.

"They call me when they are checking out,” said 36-year-old Bess Collier, an attorney who switched to Instacart in March after using FreshDirect for about 15 months. “They’ll say, ‘The store didn’t have this, but I got this for you instead, is that okay?’”

Instacart's grocery prices may be higher than listed in supermarkets. Delivery fees range from about $4 to $15, depending on the total order cost and the window of time the customer selects for delivery.

Shotz boasts one Philly-area customer received their groceries in 14 minutes and 14 seconds, one of the fastest delivery times for the entire company.

When Instacart entered the local market in mid-February, the company’s service area covered Center City, University City and certain neighborhoods in the northwest section of the city, like East Falls, Roxborough and Manayunk, along with nearby tony suburb  Bala Cynwyd.

Shotz received a high volume of requests for Instacart service from residents in North Philly, the Northeast and northern suburbs like Elkins Park, Flourtown, Glenside, Abington, Jenkintown and Bensalem, prompting the delivery service’s expansion.

“Philadelphia was ready for a service like this,” Shotz said. 

The expansion nearly doubles Instacart’s local service, a move that may appear risky since the company is still relatively new in the market, but Shotz says customers keep calling.

“Just last month we tripled our members,” said Shotz, who declined to name specific customer numbers, but added that the company has added 50 personal shoppers to the pay roll in less than three months and plans to hire another 15 by the end of the month.

One local marketing expert adds that the growth is sensible given how normal online shopping has become.

“People have their mobile phones with them all the time. We’ve been trained to do nearly everything online,” said David Bell, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. “It is just a natural rising tide.”

He adds the idea that grocery delivery is a luxury service has been debunked, opening up the potential for new customers.

“People now have this expectation that things can be delivered, my time is valuable,” said Bell, who explained Instacart could appeal to professionals as well as lower-income families.

“You might get people in terms of demographics that look much different,” he said. “But you are essentially addressing the same need, which is to be more efficient in how you source and consume everyday items.”

To find out if Instacart delivers to your neighborhood, visit its website.


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



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Gun Scare Causes Catholic School Dismissal

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A gun scare put a South Philadelphia school in a lockdown-type of situation this morning and caused the school, which has dealt with a series of recent threats, to dismiss students early even though no weapon was found.

The dramatic moments played out inside Saints John Neumann-Maria Goretti High School at S 10th and Moore Streets.

According to a statement from Philadelphia Archdiocese spokesman Kenneth Gavin, Philadelphia Police called school administrators around 8:30 a.m. to alert them to a report that someone brought a gun into the school.

The Catholic school responded by instructing all students and faculty members to remain in their classrooms while police officers swept the building.

Gavin said that the school was not put on lockdown despite teachers and students being told to stay in their classrooms during the search.

According to police, the preliminary search turned up no weapon.

The archdiocese decided to dismiss school at noon Friday as a “precaution,” according to Gavin. Clearing all students and staff would allow a “thorough investigation of the building” to take place.

No arrests were made in Friday's incident and no one was hurt.

Gavin said that new safety procedures would be put in place at the school starting next week and that families have been notified of the new procedures. He also said that private security, put in place after recent threats, would continue to monitor the campus.

He stressed that this incident had nothing to do with recent threats made at the co-educational school. Police arrested a minor earlier this week who allegedly made threats against the school in recent days. That student was expelled and wouldn't be allowed to attend any city Catholic schools.

Gavin stressed that students shouldn't fear going to school.

“We have every reason to believe that the school is safe at this time," Gavin said. "This past week has been difficult for students, parents and staff.  School administration continues to be firmly committed to the safety and security of all members of the Neumann-Goretti community. All threats are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies.”



Photo Credit: Neuman-Goretti Student

Suspects Arragined in Philly Teacher Cheating Scandal

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Five educators accused of changing answers on state standardized tests in an effort of boost the school's scores were arraigned on forgery and other charges early Friday morning.

Fifty-nine-year-old Evelyn Cortez, the principal of Cayuga Elementary School in the Hunting Park section of the city, faces conspiracy, forgery, record tampering and corruption charges for allegedly putting tremendous pressure on teachers to change students' responses on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), review questions prior to administering the test and provide students answers to the exam.

Authorities also charged four teachers, 59-year-old Jennifer Hughes, 41-year-old Loraine Vicente, 65-year-old Rita Wyszynski and 56-year-old Ari Sloane for their alleged involvement in the five year-long cheating operation.

Cortez "blatantly promoted" cheating over the PA system at the nearly 450 student school, according to the office of Pa. Attorney General Kathleen Kane.

She already came under fire due to issues with her work earlier in the school year, prompting school officials to reassign her to Overbrook High School on May 2.

The School District of Philadelphia suspended all five educators until a disciplinary conference next week, according to a statement from Fernando Gallard, the school district's spokesman.

From 2007 to 2012, Cortez, Hughes, Vicente, Wyszynski and Sloane allegedly instructed students to record test answers on scrap paper so their work could be checked, a grand jury investigation found.

Prosecutors said the grand jury found the principal allegedly walked through classrooms during the testing, looked over students' shoulders and tapped their test booklet to indicate the answer needed to be changed.

Testifying before the grand jury, one teacher said Wyszynski admitted she, Sloane and Cortez would at times come into school on Saturday and change test answers, a grand jury report stated.

The high test scores led to accolades from district officials and even a promotion for Sloane, who was a teacher before moving on to administrator roles in 2008.

But the test results and the number of answer changes were statistically improbable, according to the grand jury investigation.

When the alleged cheating stopped in 2012, prosecutors say the school's PSSA scores plummeted across all grades and subjects.

The charges stem from a 2011 investigation conducted by the Pa. Department of Education and state Inspector General, Gallard said. Officials looked at suspicious PSSA results at 11 district schools and 3 charter schools as well as other schools across the Commonwealth.

Cortez's attorney, Matthew Sedacca, told NBC10.com that his client contends "the charges are not true."

Hughes' attorney, Leno Thomas, said his client is innocent. "We look forward to defending in court vigorously."

Attorney information for the other teachers was not immediately available.

All five educators have a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 19.

Rally for Public School Funding

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Parents, educators and elected officials gathered in Parkside at the now-closed Leidy School in Parkside to rally for funding.

Downed Wires Hit Car in Old City

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The ramp from Race Street to I-95 north was closed Friday afternoon after wires fell on a car.
 

Around 12:30 p.m., a cable wire fell from the Ben Franklin Bridge near Race Street onto a car that was on the ramp from I-95 north to the Vine Street Expressway, according to Fran O'Brien with the Delaware River Port Authority.

The off ramp from I-95 north was closed to traffic for nearly half an hour. The ramp from Race Street to I-95 remains closed. Two eastbound lanes on the bridge are also closed.

O'Brien says that the wires that fell were holding up temporary scaffolding for platforms being used to make repairs on the PATCO rail. Workers are on the scene.

No injuries have been reported.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.



Photo Credit: Matt DeLucia

Graduation a Family Affair For Mom, Daughter

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Raye Goldsborough and her daughter Shiela will graduate from Peirce Collge together. After a 30 year break, Raye decided to go back to school with her daughter.

Photo Credit: NBC10.com

3 Pit Bulls Maul, Kill 4-Year-Old

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Three pit bulls viciously attacked and killed a 4-year-old boy as his mother and two nearby repairmen tried to fend the dogs off of the young child.

The child and his 24-year-old mother were visiting her friend, who owned the three dogs, on the 900 block of Edwardsville Road, Felton, Del. Wednesday.

The women, who were inside the home, watched from a window as the boy played outside while the pit bulls -- pets the 4-year-old knew his entire life -- were nearby, according to investigators.


The Felton, Del. home was the scene of a fatal pit bull attack Wednesday.

Then in an instant, the seemingly tranquil scene ended when the pit bulls suddenly attacked the boy around 4 p.m., according to police.

His mother immediately ran outside to save her son while her friend called 911. But the dogs began biting the mom and continued to maul the boy, according to authorities.

Two HVAC repairman who were working at the home saw the attack, rushing over to help the mom and son. The men even used PVC piping to try to push the dogs away from the child

EMS and Delaware State Troopers soon responded to the scene and immediately began first aid on the boy, but they were unsuccessful. The child was later pronounced dead at the scene.

The boy’s mother was taken to Kent General Hospital where she is being treated for her injuries.

Authorities put down the three dogs.

Officials have not yet revealed the name of the young boy pending notification of next of kin. They continue to investigate the incident.



Photo Credit: Tim Furlong

Gosnell Movie Makes History, Reaches $2.1M Goal

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The Gosnell Movie project made history today. The campaign to make the movie reached its $2.1 million goal on Friday, a record amount raised for a film on the crowdfunding website Indiegogo. 

"People have been sending small donations and inspiring messages. They felt compelled, often because of personal experience, to ensure the Gosnell Movie gets made," said producer Ann McElhinney.

Those small donations from more than 23,000 donors worldwide helped propel the project's success.

"I was thinking we were going to beat the (most money raised) target, but not win and become the most successful failure ever on crowdfunding," said journalist and filmmaker Phelim McAleer. 

Now that the financial goal has been met, producers have set a new goal. They'd like to gain 30,000 contributors to help send Hollywood a message that the story of former Philadelphia abortion Dr. Kermit Gosnell must be told. The crowdfunding campaign ends May 12 at midnight.

McAleer calls Gosnell America's biggest serial killer after reading about him and attending his murder trial. Gosnell ran an abortion clinic in West Philadelphia dubbed the "House of Horros" by local media. Producers say they'd like to shoot in Philadelphia because the city is a large character in the film but the film's shooting schedule has not yet been established. 

According to the Indiegogo website, the Gosnell Movie is listed as number one for the most funds raised for a film, besting actor James Franco's film. The Gosnell Movie has a clear lead in the #1 position with the second highest film raising $898,144. Indiegogo will retain 4 percent of the total amount raised and 3 to 5 percent will go to credit card processing fees.

McAleer turned to Indiegogo after he says rival crowfunding website Kickstarter tried to censor his film. To celebrate the Indiegogo crowdfunding milestone, the Gosnell Movie project put an advertisement on a billboard near Kickstarter's offices in New York City. 

McAleer used the popular Kickstarter site for his first film project "FrackNation," which was supported by 3,305 people who donated $212,000. Kickstarter, he says, tried to censor this project because they asked him to remove parts of the descption that stated "1000s of babies stabbed to death" and "1000s of babies murdered." Gosnell was convicted in July of murdering three babies that were born alive in his West Philadelphia abortion clinic.

"We just couldn’t start telling this story by buying into an act of censorship. We walked away," McAleer told NBC10. "(The subject matter) is going to offend. We are not going to be part of community that’s offended by the truth."

Pictured at right: Producers Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer

Now that the Indiegogo fundraising goal has been met, the film staff will hire a writer, director. The plan is to release the made for television drama sometime next year. McAleer descibes the movie as a docudrama that tells Gosnell's story and the media cover-up.


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

Teacher Accused of Sex With 13-Year-Old Boy

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A Delaware English teacher accused of having sex with a 13-year-old boy who she allegedly sexted with on multiple occasions appeared in court for the first time this morning.

Suspended Fred Fifer III Middle School teacher Stephanie Seabury faced a preliminary hearing in Kent County Friday morning.

Seabury surrendered to Dover Police late last month on a sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust charge.

Police allege the 22-year-old first-year teacher would meet her teenage student and then drive him to her unit at Woodmill Apartments at 1300 S Farmview Drive in Dover.

"It was a very highly inappropriate relationship," said Dover Police Cpl. Mark Hoffman. "Especially with a 13-year-old and a 22-year-old, and, of course, being a teacher."

Police say that on Feb. 26, Seabury and her student were captured on surveillance video leaving the Caesar Rodney School District school and getting into Seabury’s car. Investigators say Seabury then drove the teen to her apartment where the two had sex.

Police learned of the alleged assault on March 12 and began to investigate. That investigation revealed a series of “explicit phone message and photographs during the inappropriate relationship,” police said.

In police papers, investigators allege that Seabury likely went back to her apartment with the boy more than the one time for which she is charged.

Seabury was booked and released April 28 after her parents helped her post $40,000 secured bond. The Long Island, N.Y. native and University of Delaware graduate had no comment as NBC10 cameras exclusively captured her leaving custody and driving off in a sports utility vehicle.

School district superintendent Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald said Seabury was suspended without pay since the initial report surfaced.

"The district will take the appropriate personnel action as dictated by state and federal regulations," Fitzgerald said.



Photo Credit: Dover Police

Students Stage #SaveTheTeachers Walkout

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Hundreds of students attending Perkiomen Valley High School in Collegeville, Pa., staged a walkout on Friday morning to try and save the jobs of three beloved teachers.

The District, which is in Montgomery County, is currently facing a budget shortfall of more than $3.3 million. To close the funding gap, district officials have proposed a number of service cuts at schools throughout the district, including increased class sizes at the high school level, as well as the elimination of three core high school teachers.

During their morning protests, students took to Twitter, posting photos of the gathering using the hashtag #SaveTheTeachers.

#SaveTheTeachers pic.twitter.com/qQR17Iha3x

— Sean Moriarity (@SeanMor5) May 9, 2014

Students have also launched a petition on Change.org that has garnered more than 1,600 signatures.

Perkiomen Valley School District Community Engagement Manager Jessica Lester said school officials supported the student protest by allowing them to participate in the walkout from 8 a.m. until shortly after 10 a.m. without any threat of detention of punishment.

"We felt it was important for them to be able to express their opinions on this issue. They're certainly showing a lot of passion for it," Lester said. "For any student that attended the walkout and returned to class by 10:15, there were no consequences." According to Lester, principals at the high school say there has not been a walkout of this magnitude at the school since the late 1980's.

Eileen Bernstein said her daughter, a 9th grade student at the high school, participated in the walkout because she's not looking forward to the proposed larger class sizes.

"She's in all college prep courses there. So, with these cuts they're gonna pretty much get rid of the track system and have bigger class sizes with both college prep and non-college prep kids all in one room," she said.

"These teachers have been there for a long time too. They're upset that they'll have to go."

According to recent budget presentation documents, the District is proposing service cuts to avoid hiking real estate taxes above the 2.5 percent state tax cap.

Proposed cuts -- many of which effect students at the high school level -- that are supported by the Board of School Directors include:

  • Eliminate two high school cafeteria monitors
  • Do not replace a second security officer position that is currently vacant
  • Delete a proposal to increase a part-time athletic secretary to a full-time position
  • Eliminate six Family and Consumer Science periods at the high school
  • Eliminate two instructional paraprofessionals at the high school
  • Contract with an independent provider for vision support
  • Remove the Drivers’ Education classroom course from the required high school curriculum and offer it through Community Education
  • Curtail the purchase of musical instruments
  • Reduce a mental health coordinator position from 12-month to 10-month
  • Increase class size at the high school level and reduce core high school teachers by three
  • End the practice of paying for 10th-graders to take the PSAT
  • Curtail one bus service run to Germantown Academy

Other proposed cuts have been put on hold or rejected.

The Board of School Directors will convene on Monday, May 12, for a business meeting, during which there will be discussions about the budget. Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting and comment on the issues discussed.

Bernstein said she'll be attending the meeting.

"A lot of the kids plan on attending the board meeting on Monday night along with all of their parents," she said. "I'll be there to support my daughter because this is something that she really feels strongly about."



Photo Credit: Sean Moriarity | @SeanMor5

Missing 2-Year-Old Found Safe

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The search for a toddler who went missing Thursday has ended safely, according to Philadelphia Police.

Two-year-old La-Toya Brown found just over a day after she went missing from her home on the 4200 block of W. Stiles Street in West Philadelphia.

The toddler was found safe in Atlantic City, said officials.

She was reported missing by her mother who said La-Toya was last seen around 2:45 Thursday afternoon when she left with her mother's girlfriend, Dwanada Palmer, 20.

No other details have been released. Check back with NBC10.com for updates.



Photo Credit: Philadelphia Police

Penn's Landing Summer Season Kick-Off

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Samba dancers shook their hips and musicians beat drums Friday afternoon as part of the celebration to kickoff the summer season at Penn's Landing.

During the festival at the PECO building at 2301 Market St., officials announced the lineup of the utility company's multicultural festivals, concerts and other events taking place on the Delaware River's waterfront.

The first event, the Art Star Craft Bazaar, will take place this weekend. The first PECO sponsored multicultural fest, which will honor the Israeli community, is set for May 18 from noon to 5 p.m.

To see a full list of summer events, visit the Delaware River Waterfront Croproation's website.



Photo Credit: Delaware River Waterfront Corp.

Free Dental Service Saturday

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A dental practice with offices in 27 states is offering free care in Pennsylvania Saturday.

The free service is available at Aspen Dental offices as part of the company's Healthy Mouth Movement, which is an initiative designed to help needy communities receive dental care.

Appointments are necessary and interested patients can contact 844-234-9034 to schedule a visit.

The dentists will focus on treating any urgent dental needs of each patient and will offer fillings, extraction, denture repair and basic cleanings.

Aspen Dental began the program in February in Florida and Georgia and plans to continue it throughout 2014 with free service days in other states along the East Coast and in the Midwest.

To find an Aspen Dental location near you, visit the company's website.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

No More Wild, Lewd Block Parties

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Just days after video and photos surfaced of lewd behavior, underage drinking and public urination during a free outdoor concert, Philly’s trendy NoLibs neighborhood pulled away the welcome mat for future block parties with the radio station that hosted the bash.

"There will be no more of the concert series with Radio 104.5 taking place at the Piazza," spokeswoman Rachel Reichblum said on behalf of Kushner Companies, which is the majority owner of the Piazza at Schmidt's.

Radio 104.5’s Summer Block Party was held at the Piazza last Saturday. Northern Liberties residents complained that the free event turned into an out-of-control party -- featuring intoxicated teens having sex in public and urinating on the street. One neighbor recorded two teens having sex out in the open.

"My entire house was peed on, people were having sex two feet in front of my children and everyone was drunk that day,” said Sibyl Lindsay of Northern Liberties.

According to neighbors, there was a lack of both security and port-a-potties during the free concert featuring Phantogram & Chvrches.

Lindsay, the mother of two toddlers, said she has spent a frustrating week trying to find out who is ultimately responsible for the party. "I'm fighting to have my property, as well as my neighbor's cleaned up," she said. "And I've never seen the buck passed more."

After complaining in person and in writing to the Piazza management company, Westminster Management, Lindsay did get copied on a email from Laurence P. Rabinowitz, the general counsel for Kushner Companies.

In the email, Rabinowitz admonishes the promoter of the event and advises him to make things right with Lindsay.

"It's not fair to my kids," said Lindsay, who said she did get an email on Friday from a total stranger about clean-up. They asked for her home address. Because the email didn't come from a company account or any of the parties involved, she wasn't comfortable giving out her private information.

Late Friday, she was planning to clean the yard herself.

"No one is willing to stand up and handle an 'oh s***' moment," said Lindsay.

On Tuesday, Clear Channel, the owner of Radio 104.5 did issue a statement apologizing for the behavior of fans. On Friday, the company reiterated the message and for fans, partially addressed the question of where other summer events will be held:

We apologize for any of our fans who may have had a less than enjoyable experience at this past weekend’s block party. For the past few years, we’ve brought free, quality concerts to Philadelphia. As these shows have become more popular and larger in crowd size, we’ve worked with our partners at the Piazza to have them increase security and facilities to accommodate. Due to the continued increase in interest from fans, we recently announced that we’re moving the June event to the newly remodeled Festival Pier which has a larger capacity and more viewing space.

Clear Channel Spokeswoman Loraine Ballard Morrill said that moving June 7's The Head & The Heart Block Series concert to the Festival Pier was decided upon before the concerns developed over Saturday's bash..

Morrill said venues for the remaining three summer concerts have not been determined.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Boy Flown to Hospital After Being Shot

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A boy was medevacted to an area children's hospital after being shot in the leg along a Chester County street Friday afternoon.

The shooting took place along the Unit Block of W. Main Street in North Coventry Township, Pa. around 5 p.m., county dispatchers said.

The 10-year-old victim was riding his bike with a friend when he was shot outside the Pottstown Dance Theatre, officials say.

The boy was flown by medical helicopter to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where he was being prepped for surgery. Officials say he was alert and talking.

Police took two guns from the home of a man who lived along the street. But he has not been implicated in the shooting.

Authorities are still searching for who may have shot the boy. Their investigation is ongoing.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

New Film Shows Different View of Hindenburg Disaster

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A rarely seen video showing a different angle of the Hindenburg airship disaster in New Jersey has been released to the public for the first time in 77 years.

The video, which was found decades ago by the Navy Lakehurst and Ocean County Historical Societies, was obtained exclusively by NBC10.com on Friday.

The new film footage shows the 803-foot-long German airship erupt into flames from the side, rather than the nearly head-on view widely seen in newsreels.

“In a great many disasters and scenarios, there’s always rumor of the other film. Well this is that other film,” said Rick Zitarosa, historian and Vice President of the Navy Lakehurst Historical Society.

It was around 7:25 p.m. on Thursday, May 6, 1937 when the Hindenburg, carrying 97 people, came in for a landing at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, Ocean County, N.J. During that landing, the hydrogen inside the airship, used to keep it airborne, ignited sending the zeppelin crashing to the ground tail first. Flames shot from through the Hindenburg and out the bow. More than 60 people were killed – including 13 passengers and 22 crewmen on-board the ship.

With a new vantage point of the disaster comes new information about what happened in the moments when the fire began.

“It does get us a few seconds closer to the actual point when it did happen,” said Kevin Pace, with the Navy Lakehurst Historical Society.

Historians also say the video shows the pilots were having trouble keeping the airship balanced in the minutes before the disaster.

“There is indication that the crew was very aware that the ship was out of balance and that they were having trouble maintaining proper lift and trim with the tail section,” Zitarosa said.

This second film was last shown in 1987 to a small group of people at an event for 50th anniversary of the tragedy, but the film then again fell into the shadows.

“It was simply lost through history,” Pace said.

The 77th anniversary of the Hindenburg disaster was on Tuesday.



Photo Credit: Navy Lakehurst and Ocean County Historical Societies

Boys, 7 & 8, Abducted After Mom Found Dead in Home: Police

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New Jersey state police have issued an Amber alert for two young boys they say may have been taken from school by their father after their mother was found stabbed to death in their Lodi home. 

Anthony Jordan, 7, and Nicholas Jordan, 8, were picked up by their father, 47-year-old John Jordan, at their school, Wilson Elementary School in Lodi, on Friday, according to police.

The boys were last seen wearing their school uniforms, a maroon-colored collared shirt and khaki pants, police say.

Police were not immediately disclosing further details on the stabbing death of the mother, who has not been identified. Investigators blanketed the area near the Garibaldi Avenue home Friday night. 

The boys' mother and father were estranged, though it's not clear if they were legally separated or divorced.

Family members of the mother's new boyfriend were frantic with worry. 

"Just please, just bring them home, they need to come home," said the boyfriend's sister, Marie Dejulia. 

Dejulia said the boys' mother and her brother had known each other since high school and had been dating about a year. 

"He loved her very, very much," she said, adding her brother was devastated. 

"She was an amazing person, she was awesome," Dejulia said of the boys' mother. "She was a good, good person."

Dejulia said of the boys' father: "I don't think he's in the right state of mind." 

John Jordan may be driving a 2007 black Honda Civic with the license plate VHH37S, police say. He should be considered armed and dangerous. 

Nicholas is about 3 feet 10 inches and 60 pounds, and Anthony is about 3 feet 7 inches and 50 pounds. 


John Jordan

lodi mother stabbed to death, anthony jordan, nicholas jordan,young brothers abducted father lodi new jersey, nj amber alert,

-- Marc Santia contributed to this report. 

1 Killed, 3 Critical After Plane Crash in NJ

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A person has been killed and three others critically wounded after a small plane went down in a rural area of Atlantic County, N.J. on Friday night.

The plane went down along Paddock Street in Hamilton Township, N.J. around 8:40 p.m., emergency officials said.

Hamilton Township Police say were four people on board the plane when it went down in dense fog.

One person was killed in the crash and three others had to be rescued from the plane, Atlantic County Emergency Management tells NBC10.com. The three survivors were rushed to area hospitals in critical condition, officials said.

Lisa Liepe, whose farm is right near the crash site, tells NBC10.com her family did not hear the crash, but that the visibility is very poor.

"It's very foggy down here and you can't see anything," she said.

NBC10 First Alert Weather Meteorologist Sheena Parveen said a Dense Fog Advisory was issued around 9 p.m. for portions of Atlantic County and other towns along the Jersey Shore. She said visibility is down to a half mile or worse in some spots.

Liepe said there are large open areas of land used for farming and also very dense forest-like areas where the plane could have wound up.

She said the plane was most likely heading in for a landing at Atlantic City International Airport.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Pa. Convention Center Boots 2 Unions, Carpenters Cry Foul

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The Carpenters Union Local 8 hand delivered a signed contract, complete with concessions, to leaders of the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Friday, but convention officials say it was too little, too late.

Convention center management had been feuding with the six unions that work inside the 679,000-square-foot facility nestled in the heart of Center City Philadelphia over a number of issues -- most notably Exhibitor Rights.

SMG, the center’s newly installed management company, and the Pa. Convention Center Authority wanted to relax rules to allow exhibitors do minor setup, break down and other installation work inside their own booths. The convention center put forth a Customer Service Agreement, which would allow for the changes, but the unions opposed concerned it could lead to less work.

Four other unions eventually signed the agreement, but the Carpenters Union and Teamsters, who operated vehicles, opted out, choosing to instead go on a short strike last week. Convention center officials said the chance to get in on that agreement expired on Monday -- meaning the other two unions are now locked out.

Despite the deadline, the Carpenters agreed to the work rule changes on Friday, signing the agreement and delivering it to convention center officials.

Carpenters union spokesman Marty O’Rourke tells NBC10.com the union was granted a 10 day extension -- giving them until Saturday at midnight to get the deal done. He says carpenters are ready to show up and work on Monday.

Convention Center CEO John McNichol says they’re not welcome because the union missed the boat.

“The Carpenters had every opportunity to be part of this deal and for them to feign consternation over the fact that they're not made part of it now is disingenuous,” he said.

McNichol said it was made very clear to the union that the deadline to sign the Customer Service Agreement was midnight on May 5 and that the Saturday deadline was simply for a different collective bargaining agreement that will soon become null and void.

"It was made abundantly clear to them, that the opportunity for them to join the deal was midnight on May 5th, so they had made the decision not to join on that process. So they're outside this deal, they don't have an opportunity to join in this process," he said.

The Carpenters and Teamsters will be barred from working at the Pa. Convention Center as of Saturday. McNichol says the work the two groups would have done has already been redistributed between the four remaining unions. O’Rourke said the Carpenters plan to fight the deadline.


Contact Vince Lattanzio at 610.668.5532, vince.lattanzio@nbcuni.com or follow @VinceLattanzio on Twitter.



Photo Credit: AP
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