PIPES FREEZE, BURST DURING END OF WINTER BREAK
The cold temperatures of December 2015 had adverse effects on pipes in Gladfelter Hall, the Louis J. Esposito Dining Center, 1940 Residence Hall and Morgan North Residence Hall.
In all four of these buildings, pipes froze and burst on Jan. 5, damaging the ceilings, a university spokesman said. The spokesman added Temple Police, Facilities Management, University Housing and Residential Life, the University Fire Marshal and Sodexo all responded and cleaned up the area before students returned. All the pipes have been repaired or isolated, he added.
Food stands affected by the pipe bursting have been temporarily moved to other areas of the Louis J. Esposito Dining Center. Students in the residence halls were affected to a greater degree—clothes left on the ground were soaked and smelled of mildew. Temple compensated for damaged property with 25 Diamond Dollars.
-Lila Gordon
COSBY CRIMINAL CASE COULD BE DELAYED FURTHER
Bill Cosby’s Feb. 2 preliminary hearing has been deferred following a Sept. 23 email from Bruce L. Castor Jr., a member of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, to then-District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman.
The Inquirer reviewed the email in which Castor said he struck a deal 10 years ago to never criminally prosecute Cosby for the 2004 Constand allegations.
“With the agreement of the defense lawyer and Andrea’s lawyers, I intentionally and specifically bound the Commonwealth that there would be no state prosecution of Cosby in order to remove from him the ability to claim his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination thus forcing him to sit for a deposition under oath,” Castor wrote in the email obtained by the Inquirer.
A judge will hear arguments to dismiss the case on Feb. 2.
Camille Cosby may take her husband’s place and be deposed in Boston Feb. 22 instead, concerning the Massachusetts defamation lawsuit.
-Lian Parsons
NORTH BROAD STREET TO BE FURTHER RENOVATED
About 200,000 square feet of new retail space is available for development in North Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported.
Businesses and residencies from Center City to Temple are in the works, beginning with service-oriented establishments like banks, a grocery store and restaurants.
The development is in response to a greater amount of residents in North Philadelphia; the PBJ reported there are more than 5,000 residential units north of City Hall and a lack of profitable retail spaces.
Bart Blatstein, a 1976 Temple alumnus and president and chief executive officer of Tower Investments, Inc. is planning 60,000 square feet of new retail space at Broad and Spring Garden streets and 30,000 square feet behind Avenue North development, PBJ reported.
The goal is to optimize the area and improve retail opportunities in North Philadelphia, as well as expand the “Center City core,” the article said.
-Lian Parsons
REPORTER AND THREE OTHER AMERICANS RELEASED IN PRISONER SWAP
Four Americans and seven Iranians were exchanged in a deal on Sunday related to the implementation of a nuclear deal between Iran and six other countries.
Among those released were Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and American student Matthew Trevithick, 30, of Hingham, Massachusetts.
Trevithick went to Iran in September to an institute affiliated with Tehran University, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported. Officials learned why he was arrested.
Rezaian was arrested July 22, 2014 and had been held in Iran up until the release, the Washington Post reported. He was charged with espionage, and was sentenced to an undisclosed prison term before being released.
-Lian Parsons
