Philadelphia

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Philly Crane Operator Was on Drugs: Reports

42-year-old expected to be charged with involuntary manslaughter

(Newser) - The crane operator at the controls in Philadelphia's deadly building collapse shouldn't have been anywhere near a crane, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer . It cites a toxicology report showing 42-year-old Sean Benschop had enough marijuana in his system to render him "unfit to perform safety-sensitive, job-related duties."...

Judge: Don't Touch Philly Collapse Site

Women injured in the incident want to sue

(Newser) - A Philadelphia judge has ordered the site of this week's horrific building collapse preserved, so that experts can comb it for evidence. And the city should keep any debris removed from the site available for inspection as well, the judge said. The order comes in response to an emergency...

Woman, 61, Found Alive in Philly Rubble

Demolition contractor pleaded guilty to fake auto accident

(Newser) - Rescue work is continuing at the site of a collapsed Philadelphia building , and another person has been saved. Twelve hours after the collapse, rescuers pulled Myra Plekam, 61, from the debris. She was awake and talking; now she's in the hospital in critical condition, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Meanwhile,...

6 Now Dead in Philadelphia Building Collapse

Death toll rises

(Newser) - Five more bodies have been pulled from the rubble of today's building collapse in downtown Philadelphia, bringing the death toll to six, reports AP . The collapse happened when a building under demolition unexpectedly came crashing down this morning, destroying an adjoining Salvation Army thrift shop and crushing some who...

Gosnell Will Be Spared Death Penalty

Abortion doctor waives right to appeal, takes life sentence

(Newser) - Kermit Gosnell, the abortion doctor convicted of killing three babies he delivered by snipping their spines with scissors, will not face the death penalty. The 72-year-old waived his right to appeal yesterday's conviction and will instead spend the rest of his life in prison, reports AP . Given his age,...

Judge Tosses 3 Murder Charges Vs. Abortion Doc

But there are still plenty of others facing Kermit Gosnell

(Newser) - A Philadelphia judge has thrown out many of the charges facing Kermit Gosnell, including three first-degree murder counts, NBC Philadelphia reports. The judge also put the kibosh on five counts of abuse of a corpse and one of infanticide. The 72-year-old is hardly home free, however; he still faces four...

Philly Skyscraper Hosts ... Giant Game of Pong

Science stunt helps kick off Tech Week

(Newser) - If anyone in downtown Philadelphia last night was wondering about that strangely familiar pattern of lights on the Cira Center, the AP has the answer: They were epic games of the classic Atari game Pong. The games played out via LED lights on the facade of the 29-story skyscraper, with...

'Hero' Ex-Con Saves Guy From Train

Christopher Knafelc 'kind of surprised' himself with selfless act

(Newser) - Most days, recovering drug addict and ex-con Christopher Knafelc has plenty to regret. But not Thursday, when he didn't hesitate to save the life of a perfect stranger. As the AP reports, Knafelc was sitting on a bench in a Philadelphia train station when he saw a man in...

French Guy Poses as Pilot, Makes It to Cockpit

Based solely on his ... Air France T-shirt?

(Newser) - Apparently Philippe Jernnard thought that donning an Air France shirt and a leather jacket with epaulets on its shoulders would be enough to let him pass as a pilot. Alas, it was not, but it did get him all the way to the cockpit of a US Airways flight before...

7-Year-Old Finds Loaded Gun in His Backpack

Boy alerts school, police trying to find out how it got there

(Newser) - Police say a 7-year-old boy alerted a teacher after finding a loaded gun in his backpack at a Philadelphia elementary school. It happened during an after-school program at Universal Samuel Daroff Charter School around 4pm yesterday; the boy was putting a folder in his bag at the end of the...

Behind Liberty Bell Bomb Threat: Ex-ASU Professor?

No explosives found in Carlos Balsas' backpack after alleged threat

(Newser) - A former Arizona State University professor went to visit the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia Saturday and told security personnel who were examining his backpack, "I have explosives in there," police say. Carlos Balsas then left his backpack there and walked away; he was arrested nearby after a brief...

Exterminator Charged With Killing Philly Pediatrician

Police say he snapped during a service call

(Newser) - A high-profile murder case near Philly may have been solved: Police today charged a 36-year-old exterminator with murdering a young pediatrician in her home, then setting her body on fire in the basement in a bid to hide the evidence, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer . The apparent motive is a paltry...

Man Nabbed in Yet Another Subway Attack

This time in Philadelphia, and this time, the victim survives

(Newser) - Let's hope subway-pushing isn't turning into a horrific trend: After beating a woman at a Philadelphia subway station, a man dragged her by the ankle and tossed her onto the subway tracks Tuesday afternoon, ABC's local affiliate reports. In this case, however, the woman survived with just...

Winter Storm Takes Aim at East Coast

Thousands of flights already canceled

(Newser) - The winter weather that ravaged much of the country yesterday is pummeling the East Coast, and thousands more flights have already been canceled, CNN reports. Parts of Pennsylvania have already been hit with up to a foot of snow, MSNBC notes, and central Maine could see more than two feet...

Childhood Obesity Drops in US Cities

Experts stunned, see a big shift in fight against epidemic

(Newser) - For the first time in decades, a number of US cities are reporting a decline in childhood obesity rates—an unexpected shift that had researchers checking and re-checking their data. Big cities have seen dips: Between 2007 and 2011, the rate fell 5.5% in New York, 5% in Philadelphia,...

Philly Officer Charged for Punching Woman

Jonathan Josey accused of misdemeanor assault

(Newser) - The Philadelphia police lieutenant who got fired for punching a woman at a festival was charged today with simple assault, a misdemeanor. District attorney Seth Williams says he made the decision to charge Jonathan Josey after carefully reviewing video of the altercation. Williams says police were responding to a chaotic...

Sandy Wreaks Havoc All Along Coast

Cars underwater in Atlantic City

(Newser) - Superstorm Sandy is battering coastal communities tonight with storm surges, downpours, and high winds, causing power outages and evacuation orders from Vermont to Virginia. No longer officially a hurricane, Sandy is starting to merge with two cold fronts, becoming bigger and messier but slightly weaker, sustaining winds of 85mph, according...

Man Dies in Massive Wedding Brawl

3 arrested in crazy hotel fight

(Newser) - Two Philadelphia weddings ended with three guests arrested and one of the bride's uncles dead of a heart attack after a massive brawl broke out early yesterday, and the insane melee was caught on tape. The madness started when guests from one wedding reception at a Sheraton hotel went...

Philly Cop to Be Fired After Punching Woman

Could face criminal charges

(Newser) - Lt. Jonathan Josey, the Philadelphia police officer who was caught on video punching a woman at a street party, has been suspended for 30 days and is set for dismissal. Disorderly conduct charges against the woman, Aida Guzman, 39, will be dropped, prosecutors say. After being hit, Guzman landed on...

Germany Targets Philly Man in Nazi Probe

Johann 'Hans' Breyer is accused of aiding in genocide

(Newser) - German prosecutors have thrown an elderly Philadelphia man back in the spotlight for allegedly aiding in the genocide of Jews at Auschwitz, the AP reports. The new investigation into 87-year-old Johann "Hans" Breyer, a retired toolmaker, comes nearly a decade after the Justice Department gave up trying to deport...

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