3 Local High School Students Killed In Crash In Poconos

3 Local High School Students Killed In Crash In Poconos

 

PAUPACK TWP., Pa. (CBS) – Three sophomores at Council Rock High School South died over the weekend following an SUV crash in the Poconos.

Police say the SUV carrying six juveniles crashed in Paupack Township, Wayne County Saturday morning, resulting the deaths of the three Bucks County students.

Authroties have identified two of the victims as 15-year-old Ryan Lesher and 15-year-old Shamus Digney. The identity of the third victim has not yet been released. The extent of the injuries of the other three involved in the crash are unknown at this time.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

City Of Philadelphia Announces Taney Dragons Parade Details

City Of Philadelphia Announces Taney Dragons Parade Details

 

 

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The City of Philadelphia has announced plans to celebrate the Taney Dragons for becoming the third best little league team in the nation.

The sweethearts of the summer will be honored with a parade kicking off at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.
The party starts at 20th and Market Streets, before a parade will make it’s way east on Market, and then south on Broad Street down to FDR Park.

Along the way, the parade will make a stop at the Kimmel Center to be serenaded by the Philly POPS! and make another stop at Broad and Washington for a performance from the Mummers.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Taney’s Wide Baseball Family Prepares To Root Team at Little League Semifinals

Taney’s Wide Baseball Family Prepares To Root Team at Little League Semifinals

 Taney teammates and fans prepare to board a bus to Williamsport,
Pa., for the Little League World Series semifinals.

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (CBS) — Dozens of Taney baseball fans and players are on their way to Williamsport, Pa. to watch the Dragons in their US semifinal game against Nevada.

A charter bus packed with fans left this morning.  It’s a big game for the Taney Dragons, as they hope to keep their winning ways.  A win punches Taney’s ticket to the US finals game on Saturday.

These are exciting times for all the kids who play -– not just for this Little League team, but for all the other Taney teams.

“It’s pretty cool to see to see my friends and Mo’ne playing in the Little League World Series,” says eight-year-old Sidney, who plays second base.

And Drew Reidy, who plays third base with Taney’s 13U team, says he’s proud of this squad.
“Really awesome to see them on TV, because Taney used to not be that big, but now they’re worldwide,” he wisely observes.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Holder says he understands mistrust of police

Holder says he understands mistrust of police 

Attorney General Eric Holder talks with Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol at Drake's Place Restaurant, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2014, in Florrissant, Mo. Holder arrived in Missouri on Wednesday, as a small group of protesters gathered outside the building where a grand jury could begin hearing evidence to determine whether a Ferguson police officer who shot 18-year-old Michael Brown should be charged in his death.

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Attorney General Eric Holder sought Wednesday to reassure the people of Ferguson about the investigation into Michael Brown's death and said he understands why many black Americans do not trust police, recalling how he was repeatedly stopped by officers who seemed to target him because of his race.

Holder made the remarks during a visit to the St. Louis suburb that has endured more than a week of unrest fueled by the fatal shooting of the black 18-year-old by a white officer. The Obama administration intended the trip to underscore its commitment to civil rights in general and the Ferguson case in particular.

The attorney general described how he was stopped twice on the New Jersey Turnpike and accused of speeding. Police searched his car, going through the trunk and looking under the seats.

"I remember how humiliating that was and how angry I was and the impact it had on me," Holder said during a meeting with about 50 community leaders at the Florissant campus of St. Louis Community College.

Holder also met with federal officials investigating Michael Brown's Aug. 9 death and with Brown's parents.

While living in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, Holder was once running to catch a movie with his cousin when a squad car rolled up and flashed its lights at the pair. The officer yelled, "Where are you going? Hold it!" Holder recalled.

His cousin "started mouthing off," and Holder urged him to be quiet.

"We negotiate the whole thing, and we walk to our movie. At the time that he stopped me, I was a federal prosecutor. I wasn't a kid," he said.

Holder also met briefly with Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson, who has been in charge of security in the community for nearly a week. The National Guard has also been called in to help keep the peace.

Asked whether he had confidence in the local investigation of the police officer, Johnson said Holder's presence "is a guarantee on that."

In nearby Clayton, a grand jury began hearing evidence to determine whether the officer, Darren Wilson, should be charged in Brown's death. A spokesman for St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch said there was no timeline for the process, but it could take weeks.

At the college, Holder told his audience that the most experienced agents and prosecutors would be assigned to the Ferguson investigation.

Outside the St. Louis County Justice Center in Clayton, where the grand jury convened, two dozen protesters gathered in a circle for a prayer, chanted and held signs urging McCulloch to step aside.

McCulloch's deep family connections to police have been cited by some black leaders who question his ability to be impartial in the case. McCulloch's father, mother, brother, uncle and cousin all worked for the St. Louis Police Department, and his father was killed while responding to a call involving a black suspect.

The prosecutor, who is white, has insisted his background will have no bearing on the handling of the Brown case, which has touched off days of nighttime protests during which authorities used tear gas and rubber bullets to clear the streets.

The protests were more subdued Tuesday night, with smaller crowds, fewer confrontations and no tear gas. Police said they still made 47 arrests, mainly of people who defied orders to disperse. Tensions rose briefly when someone hurled a bottle at officers, but there were no reports of gunfire or the type of clashes that had marked previous nights.

On Wednesday, police said an officer had been suspended for pointing a semi-automatic assault rifle at demonstrators, then cursing and threatening to kill one of them. A protester captured the exchange on video Tuesday and posted it to YouTube and other websites.

In a letter published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Holder promised a thorough investigation while calling for an end to the violence in Ferguson. He said the bond of trust between law enforcement and the public is "all-important" but also "fragile."

Arrest patterns "must not lead to disparate treatment under the law, even if such treatment is unintended. And police forces should reflect the diversity of the communities they serve," Holder wrote.

The Justice Department has mounted an unusually swift and aggressive response to Brown's death, conducting an independent autopsy and sending dozens of FBI agents to Ferguson in search of witnesses to the shooting.

Meanwhile, Brown's funeral arrangements were set. The Austin A. Layne Mortuary, which is handling arrangements, said the funeral will be Monday at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis. Brown's uncle, the Rev. Charles Ewing, will deliver the eulogy. The Rev. Al Sharpton will also speak.

Brown will be buried at St. Peter's Cemetery in St. Louis County.

Holder said the Obama administration has been trying to achieve change through the Justice Department's civil rights division.

"The same kid who got stopped on the New Jersey freeway is now the attorney general of the United States," he added. "This country is capable of change. But change doesn't happen by itself."

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Attorney General Eric Holder sought Wednesday to reassure the people of Ferguson about the investigation into Michael Brown's death and said he understands why many black Americans do not trust police, recalling how he was repeatedly stopped by officers who seemed to target him because of his race.

Holder made the remarks during a visit to the St. Louis suburb that has endured more than a week of unrest fueled by the fatal shooting of the black 18-year-old by a white officer. The Obama administration intended the trip to underscore its commitment to civil rights in general and the Ferguson case in particular.

The attorney general described how he was stopped twice on the New Jersey Turnpike and accused of speeding. Police searched his car, going through the trunk and looking under the seats.

"I remember how humiliating that was and how angry I was and the impact it had on me," Holder said during a meeting with about 50 community leaders at the Florissant campus of St. Louis Community College.

Holder also met with federal officials investigating Michael Brown's Aug. 9 death and with Brown's parents.

While living in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, Holder was once running to catch a movie with his cousin when a squad car rolled up and flashed its lights at the pair. The officer yelled, "Where are you going? Hold it!" Holder recalled.

His cousin "started mouthing off," and Holder urged him to be quiet.

"We negotiate the whole thing, and we walk to our movie. At the time that he stopped me, I was a federal prosecutor. I wasn't a kid," he said.

Holder also met briefly with Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson, who has been in charge of security in the community for nearly a week. The National Guard has also been called in to help keep the peace.

Asked whether he had confidence in the local investigation of the police officer, Johnson said Holder's presence "is a guarantee on that."

In nearby Clayton, a grand jury began hearing evidence to determine whether the officer, Darren Wilson, should be charged in Brown's death. A spokesman for St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch said there was no timeline for the process, but it could take weeks.

At the college, Holder told his audience that the most experienced agents and prosecutors would be assigned to the Ferguson investigation.

Outside the St. Louis County Justice Center in Clayton, where the grand jury convened, two dozen protesters gathered in a circle for a prayer, chanted and held signs urging McCulloch to step aside.

McCulloch's deep family connections to police have been cited by some black leaders who question his ability to be impartial in the case. McCulloch's father, mother, brother, uncle and cousin all worked for the St. Louis Police Department, and his father was killed while responding to a call involving a black suspect.

The prosecutor, who is white, has insisted his background will have no bearing on the handling of the Brown case, which has touched off days of nighttime protests during which authorities used tear gas and rubber bullets to clear the streets.

The protests were more subdued Tuesday night, with smaller crowds, fewer confrontations and no tear gas. Police said they still made 47 arrests, mainly of people who defied orders to disperse. Tensions rose briefly when someone hurled a bottle at officers, but there were no reports of gunfire or the type of clashes that had marked previous nights.

On Wednesday, police said an officer had been suspended for pointing a semi-automatic assault rifle at demonstrators, then cursing and threatening to kill one of them. A protester captured the exchange on video Tuesday and posted it to YouTube and other websites.

In a letter published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Holder promised a thorough investigation while calling for an end to the violence in Ferguson. He said the bond of trust between law enforcement and the public is "all-important" but also "fragile."

Arrest patterns "must not lead to disparate treatment under the law, even if such treatment is unintended. And police forces should reflect the diversity of the communities they serve," Holder wrote.

The Justice Department has mounted an unusually swift and aggressive response to Brown's death, conducting an independent autopsy and sending dozens of FBI agents to Ferguson in search of witnesses to the shooting.

Meanwhile, Brown's funeral arrangements were set. The Austin A. Layne Mortuary, which is handling arrangements, said the funeral will be Monday at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis. Brown's uncle, the Rev. Charles Ewing, will deliver the eulogy. The Rev. Al Sharpton will also speak.

Brown will be buried at St. Peter's Cemetery in St. Louis County.

Holder said the Obama administration has been trying to achieve change through the Justice Department's civil rights division.

"The same kid who got stopped on the New Jersey freeway is now the attorney general of the United States," he added. "This country is capable of change. But change doesn't happen by itself."

Officer's name begins to lift weeklong mystery

Officer's name begins to lift weeklong mystery 

Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson is surrounded by his officers as he answers questions at a news conference in Forestwood Park on Friday, Aug. 15, 2014. Jackson took questions in the quiet park after earlier identifying Darren Wilson as the officer who shot Michael Brown.

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- For nearly a week, the police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, has been a shadowy figure - nameless, faceless and seemingly shielded from the fury that has filled the streets of the town he was sworn to protect.

On Friday, the community finally learned his name - Darren Wilson, a 28-year-old white officer who has spent the last six years patrolling the St. Louis suburbs, drawing praise from his boss.

Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson provided the name and said Wilson had not been the focus of any public complaints. He declined to offer many details about Wilson's life or career but commended his police record and his demeanor.

"He was a gentle, quiet man," Jackson said. "He was a distinguished officer. He is, has been, an excellent officer for the police department."

Wilson has been on administrative leave since the Aug. 9 shooting.

Police said Wilson stopped 18-year-old Michael Brown and another young man because they were walking down the middle of the street. He ordered them onto the sidewalk.

Authorities say one of the men pushed Wilson into his squad car, then physically assaulted him in the vehicle and struggled with him over the officer's weapon. At least one shot was fired inside the car before the struggle spilled onto the street, where Wilson shot Brown multiple times, according to police.

Wilson is "devastated" by last weekend's events, the police chief said.

"He never intended for any of this to happen," Jackson added.

The killing touched off day after day of violent protests, which were met by an aggressive police response that included officers in riot gear pointing assault rifles, firing rubber bullets and unleashing tear gas. On Thursday, the governor ordered Missouri State Police to take over security in Ferguson. Within hours, the tension in the streets began to ease.

Wilson spent the first two years of his career with the police department in nearby Jennings, Missouri, before moving on to Ferguson for the past four years. Ferguson's police force is nearly all-white. The town's population is about 70 percent black.

Jackson had originally planned to release the name earlier in the week but delayed the announcement, citing safety concerns and death threats against the officer.

St. Louis County police and the FBI are conducting separate investigations.

The St. Louis County prosecutor said it will probably be weeks before a decision is made on whether to charge Wilson with a crime.

ID of officer who killed teen festering issue

ID of officer who killed teen festering issue 

A demonstrator throws back a tear gas container after tactical officers worked to break up a group of bystanders on Chambers Road and West Florissant on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014 in St. Louis. Nights of unrest have vied with calls for calm in a St. Louis suburb where an unarmed black teenager was killed by police, while the community is still pressing for answers about the weekend shooting.

 

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) -- In the days since an unarmed black teenager was shot dead by a white police officer in a St. Louis suburb, a big question that's smoldered amid the outrage of many is who the officer is.

Authorities have refused to release the name of the officer who shot 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson. Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson has said he's concerned about the officer's safety amid numerous death threats. Computer hackers have also targeted the city's website and released details online about individual city employees.

But civil rights activists and the attorney for Brown's family, all pressing for calm amid nights of unrest since Saturday's shooting, counter that knowing the officer's name may help the area to heal, allowing the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and others to dig into the officer's background for any prior brutality.

"We don't want anyone's life threatened. If someone like this officer is killed, then there is no justice," said John Gaskin III of St. Louis County's NAACP chapter. "What the officer may have done is certainly unacceptable, and we are outraged. But we want to be realistic here: This is a man with a family."

Investigators have released few details, saying only that a scuffle unfolded after the officer asked Brown and another man to get out of the street, and that the officer's weapon fired at some point inside a patrol car. 

Witnesses say Brown had his hands raised when the officer repeatedly shot him.

The shooting has exposed deep racial and economic fault lines in the community, with the release of the officer's name a festering demand of protesters, as well as activist computer hackers.

In the aftermath of Brown's death, the group Anonymous said in online postings that it was monitoring police treatment of Ferguson's protesters and threatened to disrupt the suburb's government websites.

On Monday, someone burrowed into the city website and shut it down for much of the day. Representatives of Anonymous have taken credit. Separately someone snipped City Hall's fiber-optic cable during a protest that day, Jackson said.

Jackson, whose 53-person police force includes just three black officers, said he was unaware whether the hackers obtained any personal information about his officers. But, he added, "I don't know why they'd sit on it if they did."

On Tuesday, hackers went after St. Louis County's chief, Jon Belmar, whose department has been asked to investigate Brown's death. Some posted pictures of Belmar's home and family online, as well as his home address and telephone number.

"Realistically, what positive could come from that information coming out?" Jackson said. "Right now, people want it so they can destroy that person's life. That's the only reason that group's asking for it."

At a Tuesday night community meeting, Belmar and the county's prosecutor, Robert McCullough, said law enforcement won't release the officer's name won't be released unless criminal charges are filed.

Still, impatience grows by the day.

"We have the right to know, and the family has the right to know who murdered their son," said Sahari Gutierrez, a 27-year-old Ferguson legal assistant.

"The community is crying out for transparency, and we want to be able to know what kind of person would shoot an unarmed kid in broad daylight," said Ben Crump, the Brown family's attorney who also represented relatives of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old fatally shot by a Florida neighborhood watch organizer who was later acquitted of murder. "Can you imagine if you are parents of a child shot multiple times in broad daylight and police won't even tell you the name of the shooter? That doesn't inspire confidence."

 

Eagles Turn Back Clock With Franklin Field Practice

Eagles Turn Back Clock With Franklin Field Practice 

The Eagles returned to Franklin Field Sunday for an open practice.
 
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Eagles called Franklin Field home from 1958-1970.  On Sunday, the Eagles returned for a nostalgic practice at the site of their last NFL championship.

The team went through a workout at Franklin Field, with a host of former Eagles in attendance.  While the Eagles got down to business when it was time for practice, Chip Kelly reminded his players about the team’s tradition before they took the field.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Mentally Challenged Missing Teen Found Safe

Mentally Challenged Missing Teen Found Safe

 PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Philadelphia Police say a mentally challenged teenager who went missing Saturday has been found.

 The aunt of 14-year-old John Cromer reported him missing around 2 p.m. Saturday. He was last seen  in his home on the 2400 block of West Firth Street in Strawberry Mansion, according to police.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Trendi & Co. Presents: Church Ladies Boutique. New Life on Lancaster Avenue by Mary A. Jones, a.k.a. MAJones - MAJones777@gmail.com (215) 558-8673.

Trendi & Co. Presents: Church Ladies Boutique. New Life on Lancaster Avenue by Mary A. Jones, a.k.a. MAJones - MAJones777@gmail.com (215) 558-8673.

Church Ladies Boutique From L to R:  Shintele Lewis,  Debbie Ebo, 
and  Mary A. Jones, a.k.a. MAJones
 

Church Ladies Boutique has brought new life and a new style to the Lancaster Avenue corridor. The ownership is unique in itself; entrepreneur partners, each owning their own business: Debbie Ebo – A Beautiful Creation, Shintele Lewis – Trendi & Co., and yours truly, Mary A. Jones – Jones & Jones Strategic Consulting.                 

As resellers, our primary goal is to provide quality merchandise, (clothing, jewelry, shoes, hats, collectables, etc.) that are new and slightly used, for men and women at prices that you can afford. By taking on consignments, the Church Ladies Boutique has something for everyone. The boutique is a cut above the rest, showcasing their display window afresh each week. The display window presents a new theme every Thursday. Now until after the Grand Opening, August 8^th, from 2:00 pm to 8:00 p.m. the theme showcases evening dresses that any woman would love to wear on a dinner date or to a show at the theater. You don’t want to miss our wedding theme coming up on August 14^th.

 So if you are looking to get married and want a gorgeous gown that is affordable, yet of expensive taste, check us out – 4250 Lancaster Avenue, from 2:00pm – 6:00pm Monday thru Thursday, Fridays 2:00pm to 7:00pm and Saturdays from 10:00am to 6:00pm.

ChurchLadiesBoutique@gmail.com (215) 558-8673.

Church Ladies Boutique has become the spot. The community has welcomed us with open arms and in return we exemplify the love of Jesus that dwells within us to everyone. In fact, they gave us the name “Church Ladies”. The boutique is open for all and we specialize in getting you what you want and serving you with gladness. 

In my closing, it is an honor for the Church Ladies Boutique to be in Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell’s district. For years she has served the neighboring communities by bringing programs, events, and quality service to the community that would benefit everyone. 

The partners of Church Ladies Boutique will promote the same kind of service and altitude. Our platform is a springboard for entrepreneurs to showcase their up and coming business, by presenting their merchandise; giving them an opportunity to sell their products and teaching them skills they need. Jones & Jones Strategic Consulting will provide entrepreneurial training so that the presentment of the inspiring entrepreneur is one of a professional manner. We will offer coaching and marketing strategies for the new and upcoming entrepreneur.  

Jones & Jones Strategic Consulting and Trendi & Co. will collaborate on this initiative. The executive designing officer of Church Ladies Boutique will advance the presentation skills of their merchandise; teaching them how to showcase to get results. Our motto: “A Cut Above the Rest”.