‘Real World’ star Swift arrested outside of Draught Horse, TMZ reports

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Alumnus and “The Real World: St. Thomas” star Brandon Swift, 23, was arrested last night, Oct. 31, outside of the Draught Horse, TMZ reports.

TMZ updated at 9:57 a.m. today with reports that Swift was arrested for disorderly conduct, was given a citation, and has since been released.

Early this morning, Swift was vocal about the incident on his official Facebook page:

“Always voice your opinion even if its the Police!” the post read. “[#F—] Select Members of Temple Police…Im not scacred of yall and I will always say what I gotta say to you dirty filthy liars AND I hope this gets back to yall! #MiddleFingersUp! …Sorry for the rant all but it was necessary.”

To read The Temple News’ profile on Brandon Swift, click here.

For more on this, check back with temple-news.com.

Wachmann Hall evacuated

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Three fire trucks pulled in front of Wachmann Hall as the building was evacuated around 1 p.m. The cause of the evacuation, smoke caused by a student microwaving a hamburger wrapped in aluminum foil, according to a Temple Lucky Cup employee.

According to the employee, a student microwaved the hamburger and proceeded to throw it into a garbage can. The can began to smoke, causing the building to evacuate.

The building was empty for less than an hour and normal operations have resumed.

Public transit system starting to resume service

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Philadelphia’s public transportation system is slowly climbing back to full service. Mayor Michael Nutter announced that all subways, trolleys and buses are running, except for Route 55.

All Regional Rail service is suspended as of Tuesday afternoon, but Nutter said the focus is on restoring service for Wednesday morning’s commute.

For commuters from New Jersey, PATCO announced that it is resuming service at 6 p.m. and is running every 30 minutes at reduced speed.

Temple to resume operations Wednesday, Ambler, Fort Washington will remain closed

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The university will reopen Wednesday after all classes and activities were cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy on Monday and Tuesday, according to a TU Alert sent out Tuesday morning.

Power remains out at the Ambler and Fort Washington campuses which will remain closed until further notice.

The Johnson & Hardwick Cafeteria and Student Center are still open for food service, but the Student Center is open for food only, all activities within the facility on Tuesday have been cancelled, according to Temple’s website.

Beginning at 5 p.m., Paley Library, the TECH Center, the IBC Student Recreation Center and Pearson and McGonigle Halls will open with their regular hours. At 6 p.m., the TUrdoor and Owl Loop shuttle services will resume.

SEPTA makes preliminary plan to restore some services Tuesday afternoon

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SEPTA may restore limited service tomorrow, Oct. 30, pending the outcome of an assessment of its facilities, equipment and infrastructure in the early morning.

The transportation authority released a press release today, Oct. 29, indicating its hope of reimplementing some service Tuesday. The Broad Street and Market-Frankford lines would resume first, followed by bus and trolley services, the statement reads.

SEPTA temporarily shut its services down at 12:30 a.m. this morning, in preparation for Hurricane Sandy.

“Other modes of service – Regional Rail, Norristown High Speed Line and Route 101 and 102 Trolleys – which operate in areas prone to flooding and track obstructions, may be slower to return to service,” the statement states.

Based on Amtrak’s notification that its Northeast Corridor service will be disrupted until Wednesday, Oct. 31, the release notes, some Regional Rail Lines will be suspended until further notice. Those lines include: Paoli/ Thorndale Line, Airport Line, Chestnut Hill West Line, Wilmington/Newark Line, Cynwyd Line, and Trenton Line.

SEPTA also said that it is unlikely the Norristown/Manayunk Line will operate tomorrow.

The authority’s review of its services will take approximately 6 hours and be done with the city’s Office of Emergency Management.

Continue to check Broad & Cecil and temple-news.com for Temple-related coverage of the hurricane.

Top 10 songs to listen to during Hurricane Sandy

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Instead of Instagramming the raindrops on your window and hashtagging  “#sandy,” some of us at The Temple News suggests you utilize the two days of cancelled classes to enjoy music most fitting for rainy weather.

With a little help from Fear of Music Columnist Kevin Stairiker, here’s the ideal Hurricane Sandy playlist:

“Blame it on the Rain” – Milli Vanilli

“I Hear the Rain” – Violent Femmes

“Purple Rain”  – Prince

“Sunday Morning” – Maroon 5

“I Feel the Earth Move” – Carole King

“The Kind of Boy You Can’t Forget” – The Raindrops

“I Think It’s Going to Rain Today” – Nina Simone

“Train Under Water” – Bright Eyes

“Raining Blood” – Slayer

“Raining in my Heart” – Buddy Holly

Honorable Mention: “Sandy” – John Travolta

As Sandy approaches, TTN delays print edition

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The Temple News will print its weekly print edition Thursday, Nov. 1.

The paper is delaying the release of the paper two days, ensuring the safety of its staff members until Hurricane Sandy passes.

The university announced yesterday, Oct. 28, that campus buildings would close in preparation for the hurricane dubbed “Frankenstorm.”

In the meantime, TTN encourages those in the Temple community to submit photos of storm damage or news updates from the area to the paper, for redistribution on temple-news.com or in its print edition.

Have something you’d like to share, or for us to look into? Comment below or email editor@temple-news.com.

Continue to check Broad & Cecil and temple-news.com, or follow us on Twitter @TheTempleNews for Temple-related coverage of the hurricane.

Temple closes classes

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Temple will close all classes and activities Monday and Tuesday, according to a TU Alert sent out at 1:52 p.m. Sunday.

Dining Services will remain open, but all campuses will be closed. Essential personnel were advised to report as necessary.

Stay tuned to The Temple News for information on closures and Hurricane Sandy.

Mayor Nutter declares state of emergency

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Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has issued a state of emergency for the city, beginning at 5 p.m. Sunday, and lasting until at least 5 p.m. Tuesday, due to severe weather conditions caused by Hurricane Sandy.

In a press conference Saturday, Nutter issued a simple message to Philadelphia residents, “have a plan, be prepared, and then be prepared to take action.” The mayor added “we are encouraging residents in this city to please stay inside during the height of this storm.”

Nutter said that three emergency shelters would be open in the city at West Philadelphia High School, Roxburough High School, and Samuel Fels High School. The closest shelter to Temple is Fels High School located 6.4 miles away at 5500 Langdon St.

Nutter warned that the storm could cause extensive power outages, as well as flash flooding in certain areas of the city. The city will place robo-calls to residents of the East Germantown area of the city, warning them of the hazards of flash flooding.

Nutter said the city had not closed off any streets, but may do so in response to rising flood waters.

Temple has not cancelled any classes as of Saturday, however officials said they will monitor the weather and remain in talks about canceling classes.

Hurricane Sandy is the first hurricane to reach the East Coast this season. She is expected to make landfall on the Delaware or southern New Jersey shore late Monday or early Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service, which as issued a flood and coastal flood watches along with a high wind watch for Philadelphia County.

John Moritz can be reached at john.moritz@temple.edu or on Twitter @JCMoritzTU.

Campus prepares for Hurricane Sandy

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The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration has issued a hazardous weather outlook for Philadelphia and surrounding counties in the Delaware Valley region in preparation for Hurricane Sandy, which is projected to make landfall in the Chesapeake Bay area early next week, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Reports from the NHC said that while Sandy weakened slightly over the Bahamas, the storm still has a maximum sustained wind speed of 75 mph, and is moving up the coast at 7 mph.

Beginning on Monday, the National Weather Service predicts tropical storm conditions in Philadelphia, continuing until Tuesday with rain lingering into Wednesday evening. Heavy snow fall is also predicted for more inland areas of the East Coast.

Deputy Director of Campus Safety Services Charlie Leone said that the university has been working to prepare for the storm by cleaning sewers and drainage pipes, securing trash can lids, going over emergency procedures and keeping up to date on the forecast.

Leone also said that while the university is taking steps to ensure a safety, students, especially those living off-campus, need to use the weekend to make sure they are stocked up with proper emergency equipment such as food, water, and batteries, as well as keeping track of the weather reports.

“Keep in mind what would happen if your power were to go out, would you have enough things to sustain you?,” Leone said.

Leone said that CSS will continue to look at weather reports and talk with university officials into next week regarding class and program closures, as well as the use of the TU Alert system.

Students and faculty can contact Temple Emergency Preparedness and Continuity Planning at tuready@temple.edu. Additionally, those in need of help can call CSS at 215-204-1234 or call 911.

The Temple News will continue to monitor and report on the latest campus news regarding Hurricane Sandy.

John Moritz can be reached at john.moritz@temple.edu or on Twitter @JCMoritzTU.