LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. (CBS) - Several students at Rider University were hospitalized last night, suffering from a gastrointestinal illness.

Rider University says they suspect a Norovirus outbreak — that virus just recently in the news after an outbreak on some cruise ships.

Rider says about 40 students were taken to the hospital last night. They say local health authorities and EMT’s were also working throughout the night to find any other students in residence halls who may have symptoms.  Some were treated on site.

Symptoms of Norovirus include diarrhea throwing up, nausea, and stomach cramping.  The school says it’s not usually considered serious, but is very contagious, transmitted by food or drink or by contaminated surfaces.

Of the 40 students taken to the hospital, the university says some have already been treated and released.

Rider University officials say an outbreak also started a week ago and continues at Princeton University.

A spokesman with Rider says the school is taking any steps they can to contain the virus, including sanitizing university buildings and dorms, but they say classes are scheduled as normal today.

The school issued a statement on its’ website. READ IT HERE

Photo Credit: Thinkstock.com

Adam Ant

This contemporary live music venue always sets quite the stage for live music acts, so if you like burlesque, this place is a must. The show features Adam Ant, a 80s pop star from Great Britain. While he has dabbled a little in the punk genre, his recent style is pop all the way. Settle in for a show in the historic little theater in Center City on Valentine’s Day.

Hoots & Hellmouth

Hoots & Hellmouth will perform at their fifth annual Valentine’s Day concert at the Tin Angel. The Serrano Restaurant located at the same spot will fulfill all your dining needs before, during or after the show, and drinks are, of course, available. Self-described as “new music for old souls,” Hoots & Hellmouth is a Philadelphia-based folk band.

Related: Best live music venues in Philly. 

Photo Credit: Thinkstock.com

The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia

The principal clarinet player of the Metropolitan Opera, Anthony McGill, will perform alongside the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. Classical music will surround you at the Temple Performing Arts Center, as the orchestra plays Mozart and other original music selections for your Valentine’s Day enjoyment.

Valentine’s Day Dinner Cruise

For the ultimate Valentine’s Day experience, choose live music aboard this venue. With a live DJ and a full buffet, you will dance and dine to your heart’s content on the Spirit of Philadelphia. Add in the champagne toast and the cash bar, and the night will be as memorable as any Valentine’s Day date ever was. Additionally, there are dinner cruises available the weekend before February 14th.

Karaoke

Make your own music this Valentine’s Day by singing karaoke. For those wanting to escape romance, karaoke is a fun and vivacious activity alone or with a date. Plus, you can snag a decent Irish meal at Downeys while you’re waiting for your turn at the mic.

Lindsay Lewis is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

VILLANOVA, Pa. (CBS) – ‘Moneyball’ is a blockbuster film about the success a down-on-its-luck baseball team found with statistics.  Now, the story is coming to Villanova University — in the form of an all-star panel.

Brad Pitt won’t be at the Pavilion, but the man he portrayed will.

“Mr. Moneyball himself, Billy Beane.”

Villanova School of Law Dean John Gotanda says the GM of the Oakland As joins Jeffrey Moorad and Omar Minaya from the San Diego Padres and MSNBC president Phil Griffin.

“And it will be moderated by former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell.”

Gotanda says they’ll talk of how the principles of ‘Moneyball’ transcend sports.

“It really is about having to do a lot with a little — being creative, being thoughtful, as well as using analytics.”

The free event is at noon on Friday.

To register: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2774623975

To watch live from your desk: http://www.law.villanova.edu

HARRISBURG, Pa (CBS) - A controversial bill to impose regulations and impact fees on natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania is on its way to becoming law. A state House vote yesterday sent the bill to the governor’s desk.

Governor Corbett is on board with the bill and during an appearance Wednesday with WPHT’s Dom Giordano, the governor said it will protect the people of Pennsylvania.

“It addresses the environment. It makes us of the strongest environmental laws in the nation when it comes to the natural gas.”

But opponents of the measure have a wildly different view. Democrat Bud George, during House debate, said the bill will “invite an environmental disaster. A catastrophe that seemingly it will take to put the legislature on track for adequate legislation.”

Opponents of the measure also contend it does not raise enough money from the gas drilling industry and weakens the ability of local governments to control it. The governor says even he doesn’t like all the provisions but says it was time to get something done.

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) - Advocates for domestic violence victims are concerned about a recent spike in the number of violent incidents involving intimate partners in the Philadelphia suburbs.

In just the last two weeks, there’s been a double homicide in Bucks County involving two estranged spouses, a murder in Pottstown where the victim’s boyfriend has been arrested and a violent beating in Delaware County.

Experts suspect the weak economy and the increased stress levels it brings may be the spark that’s causing more violence. Maria Macaluso is the Executive Director of the Women’s Center of Montgomery County.

“Lots of times they [women] are choosing to stay in a relationship because financially they can’t afford to leave. They are letting the offender stay in the home when they get a protection order sometimes, and so the frustration level is building, there’s less places to go.”

She says there were nearly 2,000 protection from abuse filings in Montgomery County last year, up from 1,500. But she cautions they are also seeing more dual filings where both parties are seeking an order.

She says calls to their hotline are also revealing more people with access to guns.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Mayor Nutter is voicing alarm at certain aspects of the budget unveiled by Governor Corbett on Monday. He’s warning of a rough ride for mental health programs, libraries and homeless centers.

Mayor Nutter says it will take at least a few weeks to sort through the proposed Corbett budget to fully understand its implications on the city. But he says the initial take is that key agencies and services here may bear the brunt.

“Mental health services appear to take a significant hit. Second, support for homelessness prevention. And public education appears to be taking a pretty big hit in a system that is already struggling.”

Nutter said precise dollars figures of the impact on the city won’t be clear for some time.

Governor Corbett, in his budget address, said reductions to the Department of Public Welfare were meant to — as he put it — “right-size” the state’s public welfare system.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A security “fast lane” for travelers is coming to Philadelphia International Airport.

The TSA’s Pre-Check program is a pilot program at seven airports now.  It’s expanding to 28 including Philadelphia by the end of the year.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, at a Washington news conference, said it’s designed to move passengers deemed “low risk” through a designated security line.

“This could include no longer having to remove shoes, laptops, jackets or belts.”

But it’s only for those frequent fliers who pre-register, volunteering personal information so the government can pre-screen them for security.  Traveler Jim McLaughlin of Malvern says he’s all for airport security and he supports anything that streamlines the process.

“It would be great if they could make travel easier for businesspeople who do most of the traveling in this country.”

A TSA spokeswoman says it’s too soon to say precisely when the PreCheck program will be in effect here.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says he’s concerned about a recent surge in fatal traffic accidents.

The alarming statistics became a topic at one of the Commissioners morning meetings this week. Through the first six weeks of this year there have been 17 traffic related deaths.

“We’ve had double the number of vehicle fatalities this year versus this same period last year,” Ramsey explained.

It remains to be seen whether this is merely a blip or a trend. But Ramsey is clearly concerned and he suspects that the surge may be related to cell phone use.

“Something’s is not right,” he said. “When you have a combination of distracted drivers, people who drive under the influence, people who just drive too fast you need people to be in the right state of mind but more importantly they need to be paying full-time attention to what they are doing.”

He says cell phones are a big part of the problem.

“Our own research at Triple A reports that 21 percent of drivers have admitted text messaging while driving. Now those are the people who admit it. Just imagine how many people do it and won’t admit it.”

A recent study by the University of Chicago found that social networking has become more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol. Social Media consultant and Rowan Marketing Professor Jennifer Regina says more and more drivers are checking their email, Facebook and twitter pages.

“It has increased dramatically over the past few years especially with advent of people being able to use smart phones or afford smartphones so having the internet accessibility pretty much 24-7.”

It’s against the law to text while driving in Philadelphia. The law goes statewide on March 8th.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Here’s a sequel that’s pretty much the equal of its predecessor.

That is not a compliment.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is an escapist action-adventure thriller for kids, a follow-up to Journey to the Center of the Earth in which characters keep asking, “Are you ready for an adventure?”

Well, whether we are or not, it turns out that the film itself isn’t ready.

The 2008 original, a family-adventure remake starring Brendan Fraser, based on the 1864 Jules Verne novel, was a cheesy, clunky movie-as-theme-park-ride, a 1-D movie in the 3-D format, which was the tail that wagged the dinosaur.

Its place in movie history?  It was the first live-action narrative feature film shot entirely in the digital 3-D process.  So, yes, some of us will praise it for starting the trend, while others curse under our breath for unleashing the 3-D dogs.

This one’s a journey too.  Which is perhaps why it’s called Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.  It’s a follow-up loosely based on another Jules Verne novel, The Mysterious Island.  And it’s child-friendly but grownup-alienating.

Josh Hutcherson, who co-starred in the first entry and is the only cast member to return, is Sean Anderson, a troubled 17-year-old and Jules Verne enthusiast who receives an encrypted distress signal, perhaps from long-lost adventurer grandfather Michael Caine.

With Fraser, who played Sean’s uncle in the first film, gone, the father-figure role goes to Dwayne Johnson, who plays Sean’s Navy vet stepfather and legal guardian, who accompanies him on this exotic trip, which he also bankrolls, hoping it will be a bonding experience that will bring them together.

Together, they take off on their quest with the help of a father-daughter team of tour guides — thus providing love interest and comic relief in one tandem — played by Vanessa Hudgens and Luis Guzman, a helicopter pilot.

They travel to the South Pacific near Palao, to what they think is the location of Mysterious Island, but are stranded when a freak storm forces them to crash there.

However, who shows up but Sean’s quirky grandfather, who has been on the island for years.

What makes the island so mysterious is not just that there are fantastical creatures, but that it seems an upside-down world to the visitors.  Creatures that are tiny in their world back home are enormous here, and vice versa:  here, elephants can fit in the palm of your hand, whereas the butterflies are gigantic.

But this inverted paradise is sinking, so escaping from it will be a race against time.

Canadian director Brad Peyton (Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore), who seems to have little if any feel for the material, conjures an extravagant visual spectacle but one that not only includes phony-baloney sets and terribly obvious CGI, but little in the way of suspense, drama, humor, or character delineation.

The childishly simplistic screenplay by Brian Gunn, Mark Gunn, and Richard Outten borrows elements from not only Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, but Treasure Island, Gulliver’s Travels, and Robinson Crusoe as well.  But it’s thin and sloppy, bereft of internal logic.

There’s an implausibility to so much of the film, even allowing for the license afforded any fantasy, that only impressionable and forgiving children (and the younger the better) will gladly go with the flow of a film that exudes kids’ll-buy-anything cynicism in its lazy plotting and half-baked execution.

So we’ll explore 2 stars out of 4 for the fanciful but feeble fantasy film, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, a bargain-basement behemoth to take the kids to, as long as you — and even they — leave critical faculties at home.

More Bill Wine Movie Reviews

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Dogs vocalize in several ways including barking, whining, yelping, howling and growling, among others. They’re all forms of communication. As a canine behaviorist, I’ve seen that the most disconcerting, however, for most people and other canines alike, is growling, due to its very nature.

Growling is a way for the dog to communicate any number of things including fear, anxiety or stress. It could also be purely territorial or used as a warning along with very distinctive and accompanying body language, such as ears up, hackles up and tail erect to signify an offensive stance or ears pulled back and a lowered tail to signify a defensive and fearful but still serious warning to stay away.

When a dog growls, it signifies that he/she is experiencing a problem. Try to determine WHY your dog is growling before any aggression ever takes place. Stronger leadership and more exercise may be required. But in such instances, it’s always best to seek the help of a qualified trainer or behaviorist first.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - If you are a parent you may have heard that the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that all boys between the ages of 11 and 12 receive the three-dose vaccine for the human papillomavirus or hpv. This follows up on a recommendation released a few months ago by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisory committee on immunization practices.

Now you might be asking why boys need to get the vaccine if the hpv virus is associated with cervical cancer and cervical cancer occurs only in women. There are two reasons: the first is that hpv is spread through sexual activity and vaccinating both boys and girls early in life could cut down the potential for spread. The virus is transmitted through genital or oral sex, and many people who have the virus don’t know they have it.

To be effective, the vaccine for the virus must be given before someone is ever infected. Your physician can explain in greater detail.

By Jay Lloyd
KYW Newsradio 1060

It’s often about the weather, isn’t it? Winter comes, skiers head north, snowbirds fly south. This winter, getaway seekers, plants and animals are confused and staying put.

So, how about a getaway where weather doesn’t matter – near or far? Try these spots.

No town is more versatile than the nation’s capitol. In pleasant weather, stroll the mall of Georgetown, lunch along the Potomac, or stop at the National Zoo.

Cold and clammy? Head for the Smithsonian, the Halls of Congress or an Irish Pub complete with a day of soccer on the the telly.

If you want to take your chances, but cover your bets on winter, consider Mont Tremblant in the Canadian Laurentians, a day’s drive away.

In crisp weather, ski a wonderful mountain. If the temperature spikes, a whole village of incredible French restaurants, brew pubs and boutique shopping lies at the base.

Or fly four hours to the Virgin Islands where the weather this time of year is always boringly beautiful. Nothing to do but eat, drink, sail and comb the beach.

“Jay Lloyd’s Getaway” main page

By Elizabeth Hur

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – There’s a new weapon for the Philadelphia Police Department — real time crime fighting.

Wednesday night, Eyewitness News got an exclusive inside look at the high-tech crime fighting of the future.

In the name of public safety, Philadelphia is one of about ten cities in the country to create the Real Time Crime Center.

Capt. Joseph McDowell explained, “We are operating 24/7. It’s the police department maintaining situational awareness of what is going on in the city so that we can deploy effectively and efficiently.”

They do so from a centralized technology center with access to multiple street, crime and septa cameras. So when an emergency call comes into the 911 dispatch center, the Real Time Crime Center gets to work.

“We are pinging away at the databases, trying to find information that may be related to that crime. We’re sending it out there as the officers are responding to the crime scene once the detectives get on the scene we’ll have more information for them so that they can speed up that investigation,” Capt. McDowell said.

Traditionally, Capt. McDowell says the dissemination of information in a best case scenario could take up to six hours, “We are going to shorten that up to within one hour.”

Sgt. John Massi added, “Most of our cameras are able to move around.”

And that’s how the Real Time Crime Center came in handy in a recent robbery at a Septa Subway station at Broad and Snyder. When the report came in, Sgt Massi immediately tapped into the Septa videos system.

Sgt. Massi said, “I saw a victim that appeared to be startled, I then rewound back to see what occurred.”

He then spotted a male matching the description of the suspect running out of the station. A further review of the surveillance video resulted in a clear still shot of the suspect which was quickly distributed.

“Based on the video we obtained, patrol officers in the streets saw him walking in a South Philadelphia neighborhood, stopped and arrested him,” Sgt. Massi said.

The center in Philadelphia is modeled after the one in New York City which has dubbed itself as a data warehouse. But the vision here is to do more than just share data.

Capt. McDowell explained, “It will also serve as the police department’s operation center, a daily watch center and a deconfliction hub. That is to prevent blue on blue encounter. For instance, if one plain clothed unit is going to serve a warrant they’re not stepping on another plain clothed unit.”

Right now, the center is still a work in progress but is expected to be fully functional within the next year.

By Jim Donovan

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – In this tough economy it seems that everyone is looking for ways to save. So it’s no surprise that the popularity of dollar stores are the rise.

But just because something is inexpensive doesn’t always means it’s a good buy.

As you try to get the most bang for your buck, 3 On Your Side consumer reporter Jim Donovan shares some dollar store do’s and don’ts.

Many dollar stores today are bigger and better than ever.

“They’ve really upped the quality of the products that they’re carrying so you get a lot of good products there,” said Caroyln Forte, director at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute.

“We certainly advocate going there but just know what it is that you’re buying,” said Forte.

When it comes to paper products like paper towels?

“I think the dollar stores and the discount stores are a very viable place to buy paper goods // many get many name brands,” said Forte.

The same goes for wrapping paper.

“As long as you like the styles and designs and the colors we say definitely go for gift wrapping,” said Forte.

Take greeting cards for example. You can get two cards for a buck at the Franklin Mills Dollar Tree. You save money and remember, it’s the thought that counts.

It might be worth trying cleaning products too.

“What you see at the dollar store very much mirrors what you see in the super market.

I mean there are brands in the supermarket, some are better, some are not. It’s going to be trial and error if it’s a brand your not familiar with,” said Forte.

But there are some things you need to look out for before you throw the items in the cart particularly when it comes to food for example.

“If you don’t see an expiration date we say don’t buy it because you want to make sure the foods you’re buying are fresh,” said Forte.

Pay close attention to makeup too.

“You should be buying makeup that’s fresh so if for any reason it doesn’t look fresh, if packaging looks a little mangled or whatever, dusty or old we say stay away from it,” said Forte.

Extension cords and power outlets could also pose a risk.

“We say be careful with this. Make sure that they are safety tested,” said Forte.

Look for a UL label or tag on the packaging.

RELATED LINKS:

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com

http://www.dollartree.com/home.jsp

Tim Duncan had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Tiago Splitter scored 15 for the Southwest Division-leading Spurs.

Lou Williams led Philadelphia with 22 points. Andre Iguodala had 17 and Thaddeus Young scored 16.

The Atlantic Division-leading Sixers fell to 4-2 during a seven-game stretch that coach Doug Collins termed “Death Row” because of the quality of their opponents. After building a strong record early in the season against lesser competition, they beat Orlando, Chicago, Atlanta (on the road) and the Los Angeles Lakers. Their other loss was at home to Miami.

The Spurs are a much different team on the road. But they outplayed the Sixers throughout to improve to 5-8 away from home. They’re 13-1 in their own building.

Down 83-71 near the midpoint of the fourth quarter, the Sixers scored seven straight points and had the crowd rocking after Jrue Holiday’s 3-pointer. But Neal answered with his fourth 3-pointer of the night and his free throw a minute later after Williams got a technical foul gave the Spurs an 89-80 lead.

Williams hit a 3 to cut the deficit to 95-90 with 1:46 left. But Parker nailed a jumper and Philadelphia couldn’t get any closer.

Starting center Spencer Hawes didn’t play for the Sixers. Hawes had missed 10 games with an Achilles injury before returning to play the previous two. Elton Brand returned to the lineup after sitting out two games with a sprained thumb, and had 11 points and 13 rebounds.

The Sixers missed Hawes’ presence in the middle as the Spurs repeatedly drove to the basket for layups and finished with 54 points in the paint.

The Sixers committed just four turnovers to help them overcome a 55-30 rebounding deficit in a 95-90 win over Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on Monday night. They had four turnovers in the first 11 minutes against the Spurs, and 10 in the game.

Matt Bonner’s 3-pointer capped a 17-6 run and gave San Antonio its biggest lead, 71-59, to that point. Williams hit a pair of 3s of his own and the Sixers got within 75-67 after three quarters.

Iguodala kicked off a 10-0 run with a jumper and Young finished it off with a layup that put the Sixers up 38-36 in the second quarter.

Parker scored 10 of San Antonio’s next 12 points and the Spurs took a 48-45 lead at halftime. All of San Antonio’s 22 points in the second quarter were either on layups or free throws.

Neal, who averages 8.5 points per game, had 12 in the first quarter on three 3-pointers and 4-for-4 shooting — all in the last half of the period.

Notes: Hawes had MRIs on his left Achilles and his lower back. Both were negative. … This was the second of nine straight road games for the Spurs, who are on their annual extended road trip because of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. The Spurs will return to the AT&T Center on Feb. 29 vs. Chicago. … The Sixers finish up the toughest portion of their schedule Friday night when the Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Clippers visit. … Splitter, a second-year forward, and forward Kawhi Leonard of the Spurs along with second-year swingman Evan Turner of the Sixers were selected to play in the Rising Stars challenge during All-Star weekend.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Shire’s Great Food Fight is a regional competition where high schools hold food drives to benefit food for Philabundance. This year’s battle against hunger kicked off Wednesday afternoon with a pep rally at Penncrest High School.

They rolled out the school band, mascots and cheerleaders to get student reps from the 21 high schools from across the region that signed up to participate in the challenge. Matt Cabrey from Shire says the goal is to have students find creative ways to collect 100 tons of foods in two weeks.

“Several schools incorporated mascots, like “Can Man,” to rally students in their school and create awareness and encourage them to make contributions. Other schools made t-shirts, wrist bands,” said Cabrey.

(credit: Cherri Gregg)

Penncrest Senior Zac Shauerman says he is ready to do the work it takes to win. His school won $10,000 after collecting 24 tons of food!

“Last year I participated, I helped collect cans, I helped bring in cans, I helped sort the cans. It made me feel really good to know that mys chool was contributing to the community.”

Shire’s Great Food Fight runs from February 15 through March 20th.

WARMINSTER, Pa. (CBS) -- A college student from Bucks County has been sent to the disciplinarian’s office — in this case, a courtroom — after admitting to grade fraud.

Edwin Kim just wasn’t very good in the classroom:

“His grades were pretty poor.”

The Warminster man was getting F’s in accounting and financial management — among other courses at Temple University’s Ambler campus. So, Montgomery County assistant district attorney Steven Bunn says Kim upgraded himself to an A-.

“He basically hacked into the computer grading system and changed his grade.”

Using a keylogger, which captured his professors’ passwords when they signed on a computer in an administration office.

It crumbled for the 31-year-old when the grading system alerted a professor that she was already logged in.

“He acknowledges what he did was wrong.”

Lawyer Stephen Geday says Kim pleaded guilty to records tampering. He’s on a two-year probation and has gotten himself kicked out of school.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Governor Tom Corbett’s proposed $27.3 billion state budget has no tax hikes, but makes substantial cuts to the Department of Public Welfare and Education.

Today, the $470 million dollars in cuts and the efforts to reform welfare are creating real worry among the agencies that help the state’s most vulnerable citizens — those with mental disabilities, the homeless and others dealing with things like drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

This year, they will be fighting over a funding pie that is 20 percent smaller than before.

For Michelle Manigo, a client at ARC of Philadelphia – an agency that trains adults with intellectual disabilities — cuts could put her job at risk.

Michelle works in a sheltered workshop at ARC. On Wednesday, she was making sure that every plastic bag has been filled with all five items, ordered by the company that contracted with ARC for its services.

“It means a lot to me to be here. I like working here, and it’s fun,” Michelle says. “It feels nice to get a paycheck.”

If the governor’s budget, with its steep cuts, is passed by the legislature, Michelle’s paycheck could be at risk.

In his budget address from Harrisburg yesterday, Corbett proposed reforms. He said he wants to transform the public welfare system.

“Not to eliminate it…but to right-size it,” Corbett explained.

But the part of his plan that those affected said was very short on details involved merging seven budget lines that provide and administer funding to social service agencies. Corbett’s intention is to put the money into block grants, which would be administered by the counties. The counties would have more flexibility in prioritizing who needs the help and getting it to them.

“The devil is in the details,” says Jill Michal, the CEO of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania. “Actually, how some of that gets operationalized and rolled out, I think there is some work to do in both crafting and understanding it.”

And having less money to work with concerns Michal, because people need these services more than ever.

“We all are going to have to do more for more, with less…and that’s the stark reality, right now. But what it means is that a lot of really vulnerable people are going to get a lot closer to the edge.”

At ARC of Philadelphia, 150 people trained there are now working for agencies and companies such as the Department of Motor Vehicles and Tastykake. Last year, ARC had to manage its services with a six-percent cut.

Bruce Hulick of ARC believes this year could be worse.

“The alternative for people coming here to receive job training is sitting at home, and that’s probably the worst thing that could happen.”

As for Michelle, she says cuts “would make me feel unhappy, mad and upset.”

2012 Grammys

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Big chain stores can be found in practically every large strip mall and shopping center in America, and each offers a different experience for shoppers. But how do they all stack up? 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan has the results of a recent shopper survey.

Bright signs, big parking lots, tons of locations. Big retailers like Target, Sears, Sam’s Club and Kohl’s seem to be everywhere. But the question is which chain is most popular with shoppers?

In the March edition of Consumer Reports Magazine, 26,000 shoppers were surveyed on their experiences at big chain stores. Costco came out the winner. The discounter was rated tops in quality of merchandise both in-store and online. The chain also won high marks for its electronics, sporting goods and jewelry. Costco was the only one of the ten chains in the survey to get an “outstanding” overall rating.

Both Kohl’s and JCPenney scored high, earning the second and third highest overall scores. People were especially happy with the value and layout at Kohl’s stores.

Target shoppers liked having an easy-to-navigate floor plan. But online shoppers say the Target website isn’t always easy to use.

Macy’s website, on the other hand, got very positive reviews. The chain finished fifth and was rated better-than-average for product quality and layout.

Sears customers complained the most about their online customer service experiences, while Sam’s Club customers complained of long check-out lines.

Bringing up the rear were K-Mart and Wal-Mart, in that order. Both chains scored much lower than other retailers. In fact, 13 percent of Wal-Mart and K-Mart customers reported hidden or missing price tags.

For more information on Consumer Reports shopping survey, click here.

2012 Grammys

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Management concerns about the sale of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News have spilled into the papers’ coverage. In the past few days, stories about a potential buyer have been spiked and taken down from the website. In addition, a story that appeared in the paper on Saturday was altered, online.

The turmoil started on Monday when developer Bart Blatstein announced he had assembled a group of partners, calling itself Philly Hometown Media LLC,  interested in buying the papers. Angelo, Gordon and Alden Global– major partners in Philadelphia Media Network (PMN), which currently owns the papers– put their shares up for sale last month. Last Saturday, the Inquirer ran a front  page story by Andy Maykuth about local bidders led by former Governor Ed Rendell but sources say, on Monday, the Inquirer decided not to run a Maykuth story about Blatstein’s interest.

On Tuesday, Daily News reporter Dave Gambacorta posted an item about Blatstein’s group on his philly.com blog, “Clout.” The post was removed and replaced by a statement from PMN saying it was not “in negotiations” with Blatstein.

At the time, PMN spokesman Mark Block said the company had the latitude to remove the post because it was on a blog but would not discuss the criteria used for the decision.

“It would be inappropriate to share an editorial conversation, which I’m not even privy to, as to why decisions are made on blogs, what should and should not be posted,” he said.

He also differentiated between a blog post and a newspaper story online.

“If we were taking an article from the Inquirer or from the Daily News and we were going to have a byline there,” he said, “then you’re talking about a much different dynamic and you wouldn’t be able to have that level of latitude.”

He denied that PMN was censoring its own reporters.

“We just would not engage in that level of activity,” he said, “because once you engage in that level of activity, you’re going to constantly be questioned that you’ve done that.”

It was later discovered that a paragraph from Maykuth’s Saturday story about Rendell, disclosing that the company’s earnings before interest are about $4 million, was excised online. Block said he would not comment on that.

Newspaper Guild president Dan Gross says both removing Gambacorta’s post and editing Maykuth’s Saturday story are contract violations.

“The contract stipulates that anytime there’s going to be any kind of retraction of a reporter’s material, that the affected individual would be consulted before any kind of retraction could  happen,” Gross said.

He said the Guild had filed a grievance.

Blatstein declined to comment on the apparent hostility to his overture but a source familiar with the sale says he has been closed out of bidding. The source says the company managing the sale, Evercore, closed the first round of bidding last week and has no obligation to open it to another bidder, though it could accept another bid if it did not receive enough adequate bids to meet the seller’s expectations.

Neither Evercore, Angelo, Gordon or Alden Global would comment. It’s not known what other bids Evercore received, aside from the Rendell group’s.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Two teens on Wednesday admitted to a cowardly, unprovoked attack on a 64-year-old Vietnam Vet in Olney in January.

Judge Kevin Dougherty told the two 15-year-old defendants that he was troubled by their heartless attack on victim Edward Schaefer, and the judge immediately imposed the maximum penalty — four years in a secure juvenile facililty.

Evidence showed the defendants were out to wreck and rob.

“The one defendant went up and just punched him, cold cocked him out,” said Dougherty. “(He) repeatedly punched him while another defendant then ran up and stomped on Mr. Schaefer’s face mulitple times.”

And they took his phone during an attack caught on tape.

Schaefer said that he’s satisfied with the outcome.

“The four years,” he said.  “Maybe the gentleman will learn their lesson and we won’t have a repeat of this.

Schaefer was recovering from broken bones in his face, and doctors were waiting for the swelling to go down to determine if he needed surgery.

“In another week or so, I have to back to the doctors,” added Schaefer. “They are going to take a look at my face, see just how bad it got beat up, and I may still have to have an operation.”

If an event you are interested in is not mentioned here, you may want to contact the sponsoring organization for more information.

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Bryn Mawr Hospital has cancelled tonight’s child-birth education tours.

Fiesta Dance Club closed this evening.

Paoli Hospital has cancelled tonight’s “Unite” support group meeting.

Phoenixville Hospital Atrial Fibrillation network is cancelled.

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If your organization’s public event is being canceled due to weather, contact the KYW newsroom at 215-238-7600.

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (CBS) — The Gaming Control Board Wednesday officially awarded the soon-to-be opened Valley Forge Casino Resort a license for table games.

The region’s newest casino in Valley Forge, slated to open in spring, was already licensed for 600 slot machines.

Now it’s been given a license for 50 table games, including 23 blackjack tables.

Casino official Alex Figueras told the gaming board the approval means more money for the host township.

“Our pledge to Upper Merion Township will increase from $415,000 to $625,000 for traffic improvements, and our annual contribution to Upper Merion Township will increase from $75,000 to $142,500,” Figueras said.

In addition, Upper Merion gets 1-percent of gross revenues from table games.

The gaming board also approved Valley Forge’s gaming floor plan and allowed Harrah’s in Chester to reduce its number of slot machines from 3,000 to 2,800.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – It’s the key to deleting digital error, and on Facebook, a way to erase embarrassing photos.

But just because you deleted a picture doesn’t mean it’s gone. An investigation by technology website Ars Technica reveals that deleted photos on Facebook actually remain on network servers.

That means your online indiscretions can be accessed for months–even years–through direct links.

“Part of the problem is that when you look at Facebook, you have top layer, user interface… then you have what’s happening underneath, the database servers,” says Andrea Forte, an assistant professor of social media at the Drexel University iSchool.

She also says Facebook has a responsibility to do on their server what they claim to be doing on the interface, but warns that’s not always the case.

There are mirrors, caches, archives, strategies for making sure we don’t lose things, but it means you might not have control over your info the way you think you do.

And that’s something that didn’t sit well with many students.

“Not the most comfortable, definitely nervous,” said Cameron Staines, of Radnor.

“Definitely be nerve-wracking in interviews or when applying for a job,” added Brian McCave from New Jersey.

Experts say frequent changes to Facebook’s interface – including the new Timeline feature – add to user confusion, especially when it comes to content and how it’s controlled.

“You get used to the behavior of a certain site. If that behavior changes, all of a sudden they are taking actions without understanding implications,” explained Forte.

Which serves as one more reason to think before you post.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — In the latest court papers, the Milton Hershey School is asking a judge to rule that it didn’t violate the Americans with Disabilities Act in denying admission to an HIV-positive 13-year-old boy. The initial federal civil lawsuit was filed on November 30.

Philadelphia based AIDS Law Project Executive Director Ronda Goldfein represents the teen and his mother, who live in Delaware County. She said he’s intelligent, motivated, healthy and has no behavioral problems.

She contends the school is denying him an educational opportunity because of ignorance and fear about HIV and AIDS.

“His status created a risk for the entire student body, because the school acknowledges that they are unable to control teenaged sexuality at the school,” said Goldfein.

The school, which educates low-income and socially disadvantaged pre-K through 12th graders, said it’s prohibited from informing the community of his HIV positive status, and the ‘risk rose to a direct threat to the health and safety of others.’

The students live in homes in groups of 10-14.

Because of his age, the boy’s real name is being withheld. In court papers, he is known as Abraham Smith.

Read the entire statement from the school.