Animal control officials managed to shoot a bear with a tranquilizer dart after it climbed a tree near a northern New Jersey elementary school, camped out there for a bit and shimmied the 40 feet back down before running off in the opposite direction, leading authorities on a six-hour chase.

Authorities were trying to coax the 301-pound bear down low enough so they could tranquilize it and safely catch it in a net, but the bear apparently came all the way to the ground on its own -- and escaped.

The bear led authorities on a chase through Ridgewood after it climbed about 40 feet up a tree in the front yard of a home near Ridge Elementary School around 9:30 a.m. It ran toward Godwin Avenue and climbed another tree there, then climbed down that one and ran off again before authorities found it nestled in the crook of yet another tree, this time on Lake Street.

The bruin clung to a branch for awhile, but the effect of the tranquilizer dart eventually made it fall into a safety net held by emergency responders. The bear, a male, was not harmed. It will be tagged and marked and driven back to the woods in northwest New Jersey. Authorities said it never behaved aggressively.

No injuries were reported and students in nearby schools were able to go home as scheduled.

An hour before the bear was spotted near the elementary school, sanitation workers reported seeing a bear and two cubs at a leaf dump. Authorities also got a call about a large bear spotted elsewhere in town.

The multiple sightings in Ridgewood come a day after officials at an elementary school in Wayne, a county over, canceled outdoor recess for the second time in two weeks after a bear was spotted wandering through the neighborhood.

Police say the bear in Wayne, believed to be the same one spotted in the area last week, hasn't shown aggressive behavior. It was seen in the woods surrounding the Toys R Us corporate headquarters over the weekend and on various blocks around the Pines Lake neighborhood.

Residents in nearby Oakland have also seen a mother black bear and her cubs walking near houses.

Many homeowners are taking the bears more seriously after Rutgers senior Darsh Patel was killed in a bear attack in West Milford last Sunday, the first fatal bear attack in New Jersey in at least 150 years.

Since the bear hunt in New Jersey began four years ago, the number of bear nuisance complaints have gone down by 43 percent.

But in 2014, the numbers have been going back up, with a 30 percent increase in bear nuisance calls compared to last year. Biologists are still trying to determine why.

Follow Jen Maxfield on Twitter @JenMaxfield4NY 

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

Can antibiotics actually harm children in the most crucial years of development? Researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia seem to think so thanks to a retrospective study based on electronic health records from the CHOP Care Network.

The results show that exposing a child to broad-spectrum antibiotics that treat a wide range of bacterial infections during the first two years of life can increase the risk of childhood obesity. No link was found between narrow-spectrum drugs and obesity.

In particular, the study looked at the effect of antibiotics on a child’s microbiome, the population of bacteria within the intestines that forms a symbiotic relationship with the person and helps with energy metabolism.

“The thought is that the microbiome may be critically dependent on what is going on during infancy,” said the lead author of the study, Charles Bailey M.D. PhD in a statement.

Researchers looked at twelve years of electronic data that corresponded to 64,580 children with annual visits at 0 to 23 months with more visits at 24 to 59 months. They focused on diagnoses and prescriptions before 24 months of age and the onset of obesity in the following three years.

“Treating obesity is going to be a matter of finding the collection of things that together have a major effect, even though each alone has only a small effect,” said the study’s senior author Patricia DeRusso M.D. in a statement. “Part of what we are exploring in this study is one of those factors that we can possibly modify in the way we take care of kids and make it better.”

For a more thorough glimpse into this medical phenomenon, future studies on the subject will focus on larger groups across different populations. For the time being, CHOP researchers are searching for ways to circumvent obesity which has doubled in children over the past 30 years and poses a number of medical, developmental and social problems throughout one’s lifetime.
 

After allegedly being stiffed by Eagles running back LeSean McCoy, the local burger joint at the center of the infamous “tipgate” controversy received a helping hand from actor Charlie Sheen. Employees at popular Northern Liberties restaurant PYT told NBC10 Wednesday they received $1000 through the mail.

• Charlie Sheen Pledges $1K to PYT Waiter

Sheen pledged earlier in the month to send $1000 to Rob Knelly, a PYT waiter who made headlines when Eagles running back LeSean McCoy allegedly left him a 20-cent tip.

PYT owner Tommy Up posted a photo of the receipt which he claimed came from McCoy, showing a $.20 tip on a $61.56 bill.

“I just thought it was pretty callous and insensitive,” Up said. “Twenty cents isn’t an industry standard.”

• PYT: LeSean McCoy Left a 20 Cent Tip

Knelly told NBC10 McCoy and his friends visited the restaurant but were rude and indecisive about what they wanted as he tried to serve them. He also admitted however that he missed their appetizer.

“That was my fault,” Knelly said. “We were pretty busy at that point.”

Knelly also acknowledged he didn't return to check on McCoy and his friends after serving their food because they were "rude."

• PYT Owner Responds to McCoy 20-Cent Tip Photo Backlash 

After Up posted a photo of the receipt and called out McCoy, several people claimed the move was unprofessional while others questioned how good the service actually was. Some even claimed the picture was a hoax meant to generate publicity for PYT, which Up denied. Up also defended his decision to post the photo, saying he was standing by his employees and accused McCoy of being “verbally abusive” to his staff.

"While I'd like to apologize to Mr. McCoy, I cannot in good conscience do so," Up wrote on his Facebook page. "I stand by my actions one hundred percent."

McCoy has not directly responded to the photo. Les Bowen, a sports reporter for the Philadelphia Daily News tweeted that the player called the incident "bull****", but declined to elaborate.

As for what the restaurant did with the $1000, employees declined to elaborate to NBC10. According to the Philadelphia Daily News however, Knelly donated $100 to the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society and used the rest of the cash to pay off some of his bills.

The self-proclaimed “Ultra Low Fare Airline,” Spirit Airlines, announced Tuesday it will add non-stop flights between Philadelphia and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport starting Apr. 16, 2015. This is in addition to their promises of a “fit fleet” of planes, “frill control” with ticket pricing, and “cozy seating” when traveling.

In a statement, the CEO of Philadelphia International Airport Mark Gale said, “We are very excited that Spirit Airlines is expanding service at Philadelphia International Airport. Chicago is one of our most popular destinations, and this new service will give travelers in our region even more low-fare flights to the Windy City. The increased competition is great news for the flying public.”

The Florida-airline, already offers non-stop service between Philadelphia and Dallas-Fort Worth, and Myrtle Beach. Its collection of modern, fuel-efficient planes carries out more than 280 flights from 55 destinations in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
 

A person was struck and killed by a SEPTA train Tuesday evening in the Lawncrest section of the city.

The unidentified man was hit by a northbound train at Devereaux Street and Hasbrook Avenue at 6:53 p.m. He was pronounced dead at 7:15 p.m.

Investigators say the unidentified man stepped in front of the train before he was struck.

Regional rail service is currently suspended along SEPTA’s Fox Chase Line.
 

A massive fire spread to several buildings in Atlantic City Tuesday night.

The 3-alarm blaze began on the 1100 block of Atlantic Avenue around 10:15 p.m. Officials say three to four buildings caught fire and several people had to be rescued.

Investigators have not yet revealed whether anyone was seriously hurt. Firefighters continue to battle the blaze.

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

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

A beauty pageant was the backdrop for a fight ugly enough to result in criminal charges for a South Jersey high school football star and a 17-year-old girl.

Each hit the other, according to Millville police, who would not identify either because they are both juveniles.

But City Commissioner, David Ennis, told the South Jersey News his nephew, Rob Ennis, a running back for Millville High School, was involved in the alteration Saturday night during the Miss Holly City pageant held at the school.

Police have not revealed what provoked the fight, but say the boy punched the girl in the nose and she also struck him at some point. He was charged with aggravated assault and the girl was charged with simple assault.

"In the 17 years that I have known him, his record will speak volumes by itself," commissioner Ennis told the newspaper, defending his nephew. "He's never had one incident his entire school history."

The younger Ennis is committed to play football next year at Purdue University.

The school would not comment on the report or answer questions about school policy or guidelines for scholarship recruits. 

The family of a 6-day-old Pennsylvania boy who was wounded by a hunter's stray bullet says the infant is expected to survive, but will be blind.

Stefanie Iverson says her son Shayne's life was spared when the bullet exited through the orbital area -- or eye socket -- of his skull rather than hitting his brain.

The boy's father, Jeremie, was holding the baby on Sept. 25 when the bullet came through a window of the family's home near Saltsburg, about 35 miles east of Pittsburgh, and struck the baby's skull.

Indiana County District Attorney Pat Dougherty says the hunter had an agricultural deer control permit when he fired the shot that wounded the boy about 7 p.m. that day.

The shooting was likely accidental, but questions remain about whether the hunter followed state regulations.

A week ago, the Flyers' ice crew hit the ice without their signature team of scantily-clad women, but fear not fans, they will return -- all it took was loud boos from a very vocal Philadelphia crowd.

The team announced their decision to bring back the Ice Girls on the jumbotron during Tuesday night's last preseason game against the New York Rangers, about a week after the debut of an all-male ice crew. A crew that was met with boos. Loud boos.

Then, the organization posted the announcement on their facebook page.

The even better news? Tryouts for the 2014-2015 team are this Sunday, October 5 at noon at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, NJ.

It's unclear what prompted the Flyers to cut the Ice Girls in the first place, although many believe an article on Mother Jones dissing pay and conditions, may have been behind the decision.

The defunct Revel Casino Hotel in Atlantic City will reopen as another casino, a spokesman for Brookfield Property Partners parent company said Wednesday, hours after the firm was declared the winning bidder.

"Our expertise is running casino, hotel properties," said Andrew Willis of Brookfield Asset Management, which operates the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas and the Atlantis Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas.

Revel officials declared Brookfield Property Partners the winning bidder Tuesday after the Toronto-based company upped their offer to $110 million late Tuesday.

Willis declined to discuss specifics about Brookfield's plan for the property, but did share its expectation for "synergies" between its future Atlantic City casino, Las Vegas' Hard Rock and the Atlantis.

The casino, which cost $2.4 billion to build, opened in 2012 and closed Sept. 2 after filing for its second bankruptcy in June.

"[Revel] and its advisors determined that Brookfield's bid was the highest and the best bid received," a Revel spokeswoman said in a statement. "The company intends to move forward promptly ... to seek approval of the sale."

The sale hearing is scheduled for Oct. 7.

Revel selected Polo North Country Club Inc. as the backup based on its $95.4 million offer, the statement said.

Brookfield first pledged $94 million and then $98 million as it competed with other bidders, like Polo and a real estate developer -- Glenn Straub, for ownership of the bankrupt casino.

Initially Straub appeared to be the only party interested in acquiring Revel, offering $90 million before the bankruptcy auction was even scheduled.

Ahead of the auction, Straub spoke about his ambitious plan to turn the closed casino into a university that would serve ideally "white and over 21" students  -- apparently Straub's way of describing someone with no financial obligations, Reuters reported.

The auction, which began last Wednesday, was suspended that afternoon due to the approaching Rosh Hashanah holiday. It resumed Tuesday.

The bidding process frustrated Straub, who said he waited around for six hours on Sept. 24, "but nothing happened."

He asked the judge to delay the auction, claiming Revel's attorneys failed to keep a promise to share information about other bids they received. A Revel spokeswoman declined to comment on Straub's complaint.

The court refused to suspend the auction, but a hearing was scheduled on Straub's objection for Oct. 20.

A woman out for an afternoon walk along one of Philadelphia's most popular trails became the victim of an assault where her attacker pushed her to the ground and put dirt in her mouth, according to police.

A 51-year-old woman told police she went for a walk around 4:30 p.m. Friday on a trail near Gate House Lane inside the Wissahickon Creek Park section of Fairmount Park in the Chestnut Hill section of the city.

After walking for about a half hour, the woman noticed a man in his late 20s passing by her on the trail, according to police. 

The man -- described by police as a large built man standing about 6-feet tall -- then came up from behind and grabbed the woman, police said. He demanded money from the victim but she told him she didn't have any on her, according to authorities.

The victim told police that the suspect told her to empty her pockets before he pushed her to the ground. Once on the ground the man began choking the victim around her neck and shoved dirt in her mouth. During the attack, the man asked the woman for sex, according to police.

After nearly a 10 minute struggle the woman broke free and called police on a passerby's cellphone.

Police said the suspect wore a red polo shirt with white writing, tan pants and a baseball cap -- possibly green in color -- during the attack.

The assault comes just a few months after a series of car thefts in Wissahickon Park's parking lot.

The park preservation group, Friends of the Wissahickon, offer a list of park safety tips to avoid trouble. 

Hunting and trapping has been banned in seven northeastern Pennsylvania townships after police found explosive devices allegedly left by Eric Frein, the suspect in last month's deadly ambush at a state police barracks.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission issued the ban on Wednesday, one day after state police revealed that two pipe bombs were found in the woods where 31-year-old Eric Frein is believed to be hiding.

Hunting and trapping is prohibited until further notice on all public and private lands in Blooming Grove, Porter, Lehman and Greene townships in Pike County and Barrett, Price and Paradise townships in Monroe County.

State game lands in the seven townships are closed to the public altogether. Portions of state game lands 180, 183 and 221 are impacted.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

The Toronto company that won Atlantic City's Revel casino at a bankruptcy auction is facing financial problems at a Hard Rock casino it owns in Las Vegas.

Brookfield US Holdings LLC owns the Hard Rock and the Atlantic Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

In an August filing with securities regulators, the company said it did not have the money to make an interest payment due that month, and was trying to work things out with its lenders.

The filing said lenders could demand immediate payment of nearly $1 billion in debt.

Brookfield spokesman Andrew Willis says the negotiations underway for the Hard Rock property will not affect its ability to complete the Revel purchase.

Brookfield will pay $110 million for Revel, which cost $2.4 billion to build.

Details of Brookfield's financial problems in Las Vegas were first reported by Philly.com.

Federal prosecutors say a New Jersey Army National Guard member sexually abused a woman at a military base in the state earlier this year.

Ioannis Karazoupis, of Flemington, was arrested Wednesday at his home by U.S. Marshals and was due to make his initial court appearance later in the day. It was not known if he has retained an attorney.

Prosecutors say the alleged abuse occurred May 4 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, while Karazoupis' unit was there for training.

They say the 27-year-old engaged in a sexual act with a person who was "incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct" and was physically incapable of declining participation and communicating unwillingness to engage in a sexual act.

Karazoupis could face life in prison if convicted.

Runner, walkers and bikers rejoice – that project over the Schuylkill River you’ve seen being built for years is finally coming to fruition.

Dignitaries, organizers and neighbors will come together Thursday to unveil the sparkling new Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk -- the first of its kind in the City of Brotherly Love.

“People along the trail have been asking about it,” said Schuylkill River Development Corporation director for capital program Lane Fike. “People were coming up and talking to you saying, ‘this is so exciting,’ ‘I can’t believe it’s in Philadelphia, this looks like something in New York.’ Everybody said ‘we can’t wait for it to be open.'

"It's going to bring a lot of people down to the trail."

The 2,000-foot boardwalk -- which connects the Schuylkill River Trail from Locust Street to the South Street Bridge -- took nearly two and half years to construct at a cost of nearly $18 million to build.

Fike said the money came from a combination of federal and state funds including nearly half from a first-phase Tiger Grant -- a federal stimulus project grant.

The grant came due to a joint request from the SRDC, Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition and other groups, Fike said.

“We got about seven or eight projects here in the city and the biggest one was the Boardwalk and we got about $8 or $9 million out of that Tiger Grant,” said Fike. “There was very little, if any, city money at all.”

The boardwalk -- designed by Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based URS -- might look like wood but the boards are actually concrete.

“We couldn’t have wood out there,” said Fike. “So we put a concrete deck on it and we put on what they call a ‘broom finish,’ where you take a stiff broom across the deck to roughen it up and then we actually ran a piney rake -- it looks almost like a garden rake but half flexible pines on it -- and it produced a pattern of a boardwalk similar to Atlantic City.”

The concrete span can withstand floods, ice and heavy rains. The lights also should keep working no matter what Mother Nature brings including large logs, branches and other debris that sometimes comes down the river and winds up on the trail.

“You design for the worst-case scenario,” said Fike. “The thought with the boardwalk was to design a railing -- more like a guardrail – that if these branches and logs come down they are going to bounce off the rail and go back in the river.”

The boardwalk also includes a solar light system designed to work even when the boardwalk is underwater.

Expect further expansion of the Schuylkill River Trail -- which currently runs from Valley Forge to Center City -- in the coming years.

The plan is to eventually run the trail all the way down to Fort Mifflin in South Philadelphia but in the coming years the SRDC would like to build part of the trail on land in hopes of reaching Bartram’s Garden on the other side of the river is Southwest Philly, Fike said.

The trail officially opens Thursday morning with ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Mayor Michael Nutter, City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, SRDC officials and engineers. A community celebration is also planned for 1 p.m. Sunday.

But before those events, a sold out, pre-grand opening walk will be held Wednesday night at where 200 people will be the first to go across the boardwalk.

A heartbroken mother is speaking out after she witnessed a car accident that claimed the life of her 7-year-old son.

"He was a fun-loving person," said Patricia Stone while in tears. "He was always happy."

Stone's son Zahvair Robinson was walking home from school in the Nicetown section of the city with his sisters along the 3600 block of North 15th Street around 4 p.m. Stone says she watched as her daughters crossed the street between two parked cars. Robinson followed them and ran towards his mother when he was suddenly struck by a brown Buick LeSabre that was passing by.

"He was running to me," Stone said. "The car hit him twice and he was stuck under the car."

A witness, who did not want to be identified, told NBC10 he tried to help the young boy.

"I heard the tires screech and heard a little girl scream," he said while fighting back tears. "I came to the corner and I saw the little boy's feet hanging under the car. I went back and grabbed my jack."

Responding medics tried to save the boy but it was too late. Zahvair was pronounced dead at 4:13 p.m.

Police say the driver is traumatized by the accident but remained cooperative with the investigation. They also don't believe drugs, alcohol or speeding played a role in the crash and charges have not been filed.

"It doesn't look like there was any impairment," said Philadelphia Police Captain John Wilczynski. "It just looks like an unfortunate scenario that happened this afternoon." 

Stone believes the driver was distracted during the crash however.

"When he drove down the street he was on the phone," she said.

Police say it's legal to talk on the phone while driving in Philadelphia though it isn't recommended. Stone told NBC10 she and her family want a thorough investigation as they continue to mourn.

"It's devastating," she said. "I don't know what to do without my son." 

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia