Author Archives: Angelo Fichera

Crime Report: 3/30/11

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Over the past week, a number of crimes occurred around Main Campus. None of the crimes were followed by TU Alerts or TU Advisories.

  • On Wednesday, March 23, Wendy’s at 1708 N. Broad St. was robbed by a black male who ordered a drink and demanded money via a note to the cashier. The man was given $140 in cash and fled the scene. There were no injuries and no arrests were made.
  • On Friday, March 25, there was a robbery by handgun at 1902 N. Broad Street at approximately 3:40 p.m., according to the Philadelphia Police Department’s crime statistics.
  • On Saturday, March 26, a 17-year-old male was shot and robbed near 19th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, after leaving the Pearl Theater at Avenue North. After sustaining a single gun shot to his right side, the man was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital where he was listed in stable condition. There were no arrests made.
  • Last night, at 7 p.m., a robbery that occurred at 1600 N. 15th Street at approximately 1 a.m. yesterday morning was reported, according to Campus Safety Services.

No suspects named in year-old murder of senior

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Photo courtesy Brittany Lewis

Last spring, senior public health major Gina Clarke-Lewis, 27, was shot in front of her home in Lindenwold, N.J.

And while Saturday, March 26, marked the one year anniversary since Clarke-Lewis was pronounced dead, Cherry Hill, N.J.’s Courier-Post reports that suspects have yet to be named.

In original reports, some speculated an ex-boyfriend was responsible for the murder.

“We were able to gather some valuable information early on,” James Pisano, an investigator with the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, is quoted as saying, in the article. “I have leads that point in certain directions, but I still need more before I can file charges.”

Pisano suggests that a $1,000 reward announced by his office recently might help to garner the information needed to close the case.

“Gina was an innocent victim and I’m hopeful that between the public conscious and the promise of money we will get some useful information,” Pisano said to the Courier-Post.

Japan study abroad program suspended for remainder of semester

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As reported yesterday on temple-news.com, Temple University Japan will be evacuating its remaining 200 U.S. students from its Tokyo campus.

Additionally, the Temple Japan study abroad program has been suspended for the remainder of the semester, an announcement on the TUJ website reads.

According to the website, the university will assist students in completing their coursework at Main Campus or by other means.

The chartered flight will leave from Narita International Airport on Sunday, March 20 with a destination of Hong Kong.

While Temple is covering the initial cost to Hong Kong, students are responsible for paying for flights to their final destinations – but can be reimbursed at a later date.

The announcement states that students who have not already planned a flight home and do not sign up for Temple’s chartered flight will not be assisted in arranging a trip for a later date.

Although TUJ plans on re-opening March 28, the announcement is clear that nothing is set in stone.

“However, whether or not TUJ re-starts for the spring semester, every effort will be made to help all students fulfill their academic requirements for the semester,” the announcement states.

Check Broad & Cecil, temple-news.com, and Tuesday’s issue of The Temple News for updates.

Former Temple professors may find seats on city ethics board

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Phyllis W. Beck, a retired Superior Court judge, and Michael H. Reed, a lawyer at Pepper Hamilton LLP, may find themselves appointed to Philadelphia’s Board of Ethics, the Inquirer reports.

Beck is a former law professor at both Temple and the University of Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Reed is a former adjunct professor at Temple and a 1969 alumnus, his biography page reads.

The article suggests Mayor Michael Nutter is expected to nominate the Beck and Reed to two vacant spots in the near future. City Council would have to confirm the appointments.

Sydenham Commons sells for $5.85 million

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Yup, that’s right.

Sydenham Commons, the apartment complex behind the Liacouras Center parking garage reportedly sold for $5.85 million, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal. That equates to $65,000 per bed in the 27-unit, 90-bed building.

The property was built in 2006.

The Business Journal reports that the buyer of Commons is local but the name has not been disclosed.

Keep up with The Temple News for future reports.

Drunk at the…Student Center?

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At approximately 4:45 p.m., today, a girl was seen being placed on a stretcher on the outside of the Einstein Bros. in the Student Center.

A witness said the girl appeared intoxicated.

Temple police and medical personnel escorted the girl into an ambulance outside the Student Center.

Former Temple student found not guilty in shooting

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As reported on Broad & Cecil earlier, Gerald Ung, a former Temple student, stood trial today for shooting Edward DiDonato on Jan. 17, 2010. Ung was found not guilty by a Philadelphia jury, Philly.com reports.

The former law student plead self-defense in his reasoning for shooting DiDonato, a Villanova graduate, six times in Old City last year.

According to the Daily News article, Ung, 29, was originally charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and possession of an instrument of crime.

Ung, the article reads, “contended that he shot DiDonato in self-defense after being followed, threatened and lunged at by DiDonato and three of his friends.”

Ung had a permit from Fairfax County, Va., to legally carry the gun.

A Facebook group, “Gerald Ung is innocent,” was created last January after the shooting; discussion topics have continued to generate posts.

Pennsylvania students rally at capitol

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Students from Temple, the University of Pittsburgh, Lincoln University and Penn State University came together today to rally the support of state politicians for state funding.

Joining under PASS, the Pennsylvania Association of State-related Students, students lined the stairwell in the rotunda of the Capitol building in Harrisburg at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Throughout the Rally for Higher Education, students took turns taking the podium to share personal stories, sing, or begin chants.

Temple Student Government’s, the organizing body behind Temple’s participation in PASS and the rally, Student-body President Natalie Ramos-Castillo made an address at the beginning of the rally. Ramos-Castillo was joined by the leaders of the student governments from the other three state-related schools, as well.

The total number of students appeared to be around 250 students.

State representatives occasionally walked by, while others stopped to take notice of the rally.

Former Philadelphia Mayor and Temple alum John F. Street was in attendance for quite some time, wearing a Temple hat and watching the rally unfold.

The “T for Temple U” chant and a rehearsed “I believe, I believe, I believe that we need funds,” song were two of the chants used a number of times to entice the crowd.

The rally ended at approximately 1:45 p.m.

Check back on temple-news.com for a longer, web-exclusive article and a photo slideshow.

University announces new medical administrator appointment

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The university announced Monday that Dr. Larry Kaiser will be the new senior executive vice president for health sciences, dean of the School of Medicine and chief executive officer of the Temple University Health System. His appointment will be effective no later than April 1, 2011.

Kaiser, the current president of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, is also a professor of surgery and a professor of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, according to the university’s official announcement.

Kaiser held positions at the University of Pennsylvania, from 1991 to 2008, and faculty appointments in surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine and Cornell University Medical College.

Kaiser earned a bachelor’s degree and M.D. from from Tulane University.

In November, the School of Medicine’s current dean, Dr. John M. Daly, announced his intent to leave the deanship before 2012.

Can’t wait to see the new School of Medicine’s dean face-to-face? See what he’s been up to at the UT Health Science Center by watching his promotional video below.

Snow-fueled bitterness ensues

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It appears as though students aren’t yet over the university’s decision to remain open, despite severe weather conditions, last Thursday, Jan. 27.

While a Facebook group and iPetition, calling for the university to reconsider its policies when it comes to weather conditions, were started in response to the university’s decision, a new Facebook group has popped up on the web. Though this one is a little less serious and, presumably, a bit more sarcastic.

A new Facebook group, “If the world ends in 2012, at least Temple University will still be open,” was recently started and already has over 3,000 “likes.” My guess is that it has a tiny bit to do with last Thursday’s events.

At least the university now knows the cyber-unity students are willing to forge in the midst of class during snowfall — or an apocalypse.