Travis Scott, Cardi B To Headline 2019 Made In America Festival

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Made in America festival returns to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway this Labor Day weekend with a star-studded lineup! Travis Scott and Cardi B are set to headline the 2019 festival.

Other performers scheduled to perform include: Juice WRLD, James Blake, Kaskade, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Kodak Black, Bazzi, Jorja Smith, Blueface, Pink Sweat$, Jacob Banks, KAYTRANADA, Grace Carter, Kayzo, Tierra Whack, Roddy Ricch, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Hippie Sabotage, SG Lewis (DJ Set), MadeinTYO, DaBaby, Amber Mark, Megan Thee Stallion, KASAI, Channel Tres, elephante, Phantoms, Set Mo, 99 Neighbors and Calboy.

The two-day event will be held on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

American Express Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Tuesday, April 2 at 10 a.m. through Thursday, April 4 at 10 p.m. General public tickets will go on sale Friday, April 5 at 10 a.m. ET at Ticketmaster.com.

This is the festival’s eighth year.

135-Acre Controlled Burn At Valley Forge Park To Take Place Tuesday, Wednesday

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (CBS) – A 135-acre prescribed fire at Valley Forge National Historical Park will begin Tuesday morning. Officials say the controlled burns will help reduce invasive plant species in park meadows.

The burns will take place Tuesday and Wednesday in multiple meadows near Route 23 (Valley Forge Road) and Gulph Road, beginning at 10 a.m. The operations could take from two days to one week to complete, say officials.

The area for the burn is within the Grand Parade area, a high-priority habitat area with a diverse mixture of native and non-native plant species that will be assessed following the burn. The burns will help control the invasive plants found in the fields, like Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus) and Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana).

Park officials say the burns will be conducted outside of normal commuting hours but the public should expect to see smoke and fire adjacent to trails and roadways. The smoke could cause traffic delays.

spring 2019 valley forge prescribed fire map

The following areas will be open for viewing:

Public Viewing Areas: Varnum’s Picnic Area and Artillery Park, Portions of Joseph Plumb Martin Trail (Field #1), Maurice Stephens House Parking Lot and Joseph Plumb Martin Trail Along PA Route 23 (Field #23).

The following areas will be closed during the burns:

Public Closures for Field #1: Von Steuben Statue and Maurice Stephen House Parking Areas, North Inner Line Drive, Grand Parade Trail from the North End of Baptist Trace to Maurice Stephens House, Baptist Trace Trail from Gulph Road to Route 23, “Underlook Trail” from Baptist Trace to the Grand Parade Trail.

Public Closures for Field #23: Chapel Parking Lot (NPS portion), Chapel Trail.

For more information on the burns, including frequently asked questions and public resources click here.

Valley Forge park officials go after invasive plants with controlled burns

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — If you see smoke coming from the fields at Valley Forge National Historical Park on tuesday, don’t be alarmed. Park managers are the ones setting those fires.

Fire management crews from the National Park Service are in the area Tuesday and Wednesday to start and manage a series of fires on 135 acres of meadows.

They’ll be working in meadows along Route 23, known locally as Valley Forge Road, and along Gulph Road.

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The point of this: Burn out invasive plants, which are encroaching on the habitat of native plants in the meadows.

“We have over 1,000 different species of plants and animals at Valley Forge,” Park Ranger Jonathan Parker said. “And invasive species have become more of a problem for not only the park, but the other plants and animals that live in the park.”

The controlled burn is targeting Japanese honeysuckle, Himalayan blackberry, callery pear and Oriental bittersweet.

Parker says National Park Service firefighters, who do these kinds of controlled burns up and down the East Coast, are starting and supervising the fires. 

“Re-introducing fire to the landscape … helps us reduce the need to use herbicides,” he said. “And it is also restoring a natural process to the landscape.”

The Park Service did controlled burns last year, and park managers say it’s the only way to go after exotic invasive plants that degrade the habitat here and can’t be controlled by mowing or herbicides.

Park officials say most trails, public roads and buildings will be open during the controlled fires, although some areas, especially around the statue of General Friedrich Von Steuben and trails to the Grand Parade Field, may be temporarily closed for short periods.

Parker says most roads and trails through the park will remain open, and the public is invited to watch at the Varnum picnic area and Artillery Park as well as the Maurice Stephens House parking lot.

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Sneak Peek Inside ‘Costuming THE CROWN’ Exhibition At Delaware’s Winterthur Museum

WINTERTHUR, Del. (CBS) – Many of us dream of being royalty or at the very least, dressing like it. “Costuming THE CROWN,” the latest exhibition at Delaware’s Winterthur Museum, will take you right into the costume closet of the award-winning Netflix show, “THE CROWN.”

“We are telling the story in this exhibition of how the designers both recreated the events and historical things that are seen in THE CROWN, but also created the characters that show the private moments of the royal family,” said Kim Collison, Winterthur’s manager of exhibitions.

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The popular Netflix series dramatizes the early reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Collison, one of three curators for the exhibition, shared the difficult task of choosing 40 of the hundreds of costumes designed and re-created for the show.

“We have the wedding dresses of course, we had to have both of them,” she said with a laugh.

The exhibition includes costumes worn by some of the male characters, down to the smallest details on their military uniforms.

“It was fascinating to learn about what [the designers] put into thinking about creating the costumes and how they go from drawing the concept to creating them,” Collison said.

Even those who haven’t watched the show may recognize some of the designs, because they were taken straight from the history books.

“What we like to do is use objects to tell history,” Collison added. “Costumes seem to be an object that people really relate to.”

Collison’s favorite costume is actually an original from designer Michele Clapton. It’s a lavender ball gown worn by Princess Margaret and intended to evoke the character’s lively personality.

“One of the things she did is she put pockets in the dress, and she thought that was fun and free-spirited in a way that Margaret is,” she said. “The dress was hand-painted, beaded, embroidered. It’s just a very lovely design.”

No princess dress is complete without a little bling and the there’s plenty of it on display. Though as Collison shared, all that glitters is not gold.

“Real diamonds actually look fake on camera and the fake ones look more authentic,” she said.

“Costuming THE CROWN” is open now and runs through January 5, 2020 at Winterthur. For information on hours and ticketing, click here.

Suspect Taken Into Custody After Argument Ends With Two Men Shot In Tioga, Police Say

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – An argument in North Philadelphia ended with two men shot and a suspect in custody. The shooting happened outside the Crown Chicken restaurant near Broad Street and Erie Avenue in Tioga, just before 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.

One of the bullets went flying into the Crown Chicken, while the owner and his uncle were at work.

Investigators say two men were arguing outside the restaurant when one of the men pulled out a gun and shot the other man in his back. Police say a second person, a 36-year-old bystander, was also hit in the knee.

Police counted 11 shell casings on the ground.

“There were two males having an argument outside of the Crown Chicken, and at that time one of the males drew a gun and fired several rounds, approximately 11 shell casings are on the ground,” said Philadelphia Police Captain Lee Strollo.

Both men are in stable condition.

A short time later, police stopped a car at 15th Street and Indiana Avenue. Police identified the man driving that car as the shooter.

He was taken into custody.

Detectives are still gathering evidence.

This is not the first time there has been a shooting on Broad Street and Erie Avenue. About six weeks ago in another shooting, bullets went  flying and hit nearby businesses while people were inside. The Crown Chicken owner also tells CBS3 his business was hit by bullets about 10 to 12 years ago.

Are spring allergies bugging you? Some foods can help, some foods make it worst

WARRINGTON, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — If your spring allergies are already a problem, changing your diet could help stop the itching and sneezing. 

When the pollen counts soar and your allergies get annoying, it’s best to eat a bland diet, according to Dr. Richard Smayda of AFC Urgent Care in Warrington. He says hot, spicy foods can trigger your body to release histamines – the chemicals released during allergic reactions. So pack your plate with fruits rich in vitamin c.

A good choice is pineapple, which he says contains an enzyme which reduces swelling in the nose and sinuses. Dairy should be avoided as it can make mucus thicker. 

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And no tomatoes either. 

“They can produce histamine and irritation and inflammation, opposite of what the medication is for, an anti-histamine effect is to reverse our allergic response,” Smayda said. 

And cut out the wine because some varieties can make your nose stuffy and eyes itchy. 

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Pennsylvania Lawmakers Push Bill For Harsher Criminal Penalties For Online Child Predators

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Lawmakers from Pennsylvania are joining forces to get a bipartisan effort over the finish line. The Combat Online Predators Act enhances criminal penalties for cyber-stalkers who terrorize children over the internet.

“Social media creates a new opportunity for monsters to engage in this kind of activity, and as a result, Congress and state legislatures need to take a hard look at legislation that will help protect our children from these kind of monsters,” Sen. Pat Toomey said.

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Sen. Casey and congressman Brian Fitzpatrick are also pushing for the bill. The legislation was inspired by a cyber-stalking case in Bucks County.

Delaware County Man Celebrates 103rd Birthday Doing What He Loves: Bowling

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A Delaware County man is celebrating his birthday by doing what he loves: bowling. He’s proof that age is no barrier.

A bowling tournament inside Wynnewood Lanes was interrupted briefly for a birthday party. According to the bottom lefthand screen on lane one, the celebration was for a teenager — at least that’s what his friends call him.

Sye Brandman is celebrating another year doing what he loves. And that is crushing pins and landing those strikes.

“He’s carrying about 120 to 125 right now. He used to carry 160 but at 103 what do you expect,” longtime friend Stanley Levin said.

Oh yeah, this is Brandman’s 103rd birthday. He’s been bowling more than half his life.

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Aside from bowling twice a week, Brandman still golfs.

“You have to exercise,” he said.

He credits his long and happy life to staying active.

“He bowled with me, he bowled with my father, my son and he has bowled with my grandson,” Levin said.

At a certain point in the evening — with a cool 102 on the board — he thought he might knock just one more pin over to commemorate his 103 years. But, he couldn’t resist a good hurl.

Brandman was born in 1916, served in the military and lost his wife just a few years ago.

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So it’s here that he has formed a second home.

“We had one scare this year when he didn’t show up,” Levin said. “We were calling the house and he didn’t answer. We figured at his age, god knows, but he overslept.”

With his signature flick of the wrists, this triple-digit teenager bowls through another year in proud company.

‘Where Else Are You Going To Have It’: Kensington Community Engages In Heated Debate Over Possible Safe-Injection Site

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Debate over a possible safe-injection site in Kensington took place with neighborhood community members and leaders Monday. Some believe safe-injection sites can save lives while others believe they enable people with addiction to keep using.

The meeting, held at the Bethel Temple Community Bible Church on the 200 block of East Allegheny Avenue, featured a heated debate about the issue that has gripped the city and has even drawn a challenge by the U.S. Attorney’s office.

“Because people don’t want it in Kensington,” Roz Pichardo, a supporter, said, “but the fact of the matter is, the amount of heroin that’s here, where else are you going to have it?”

Kensington community members and elected officials discussed the pros and cons of a proposed safe-injection site mere blocks away.

Safehouse, a nonprofit organization, began negotiating a lease last month for a site on Hilton Street in Kensington.

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“It’s been rough,” Pichardo said. “You have a lot of things happening. A lot of syringes everywhere, but I think having a safe-injection site will eliminate a lot of that.”

Philadelphia councilman Mark Squilla introduced legislation to rezone the area the building is located in to allow for more community involvement and he believes multiple sites need to open simultaneously.

Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez agrees.

“If you cannot convince me that I can safely place this in a neighborhood that we have acknowledged we went to and asked for support and we broke and we have to fix,” Quinones-Sanchez said.

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Lizette Lewis is a nurse and social worker who says she sees firsthand the issues involved with opioid addiction, but is conflicted on safe-injection sites.

“I don’t believe there’s one solution because everyone has different needs,” Lewis said.

But not everyone is sold.

“The problem is there are too many schools in the neighborhood,” Gilberto Gonzales, who’s against safe-injection sites, said.

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Some are calling for more input from city hall.

“Until we reclaim this, and there is a lot of political will by this administration to reclaim these corners, we are not going to win this argument,” Quinones-Sanchez said.

One of the major issues for Harrowgate residents is that they say Safehouse has yet to talk to any of the community members about the proposed site.

Police: Man Accused Of Fatally Stabbing Ex-Girlfriend With Broken Golf Club Handle After She Was Late To Pick Up Their Children

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (CBS) — A man remains behind bars without bail Monday night after he allegedly stabbed and killed his ex-girlfriend with a broken golf club handle. Alexander Acosta-Quezada was arraigned on one count of criminal homicide Monday in Allentown.

He’s accused of attacking Yosandra Munoz-Corporan Sunday morning.

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Police say Acosta-Quezada reportedly admitted to stabbing the victim because he was upset she was late to pick up their children.

Lansdale Man Facing Child Pornography Charges After Filming Events At Catholic School, Police Say

LANSDALE, Pa. (CBS) – A Montgomery County man is facing child pornography charges. Police say 50-year-old Eric Swenson has been charged with possession of child pornography and criminal use of communication facility.

Officers were called to the Mater Dei Catholic School for a report of a student’s father on school grounds making other students feel uncomfortable.

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According to police, people reported that Swenson was filming school events even when his daughter wasn’t participating.

Police later executed a search warrant on Swenson’s home on the 400 block of East Main Street.

Swenson’s preliminary hearing is April 16.

Montgomery County Marine one of two killed in Arizona helicopter crash

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Montgomery County Marine was among those killed in a helicopter crash over the weekend in Arizona.

One of the two Marine pilots who died in a helicopter crash on Saturday has been identified as 34-year-old Maj. Matthew M. Wiegand of Ambler, Montgomery County.

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According to the U.S. Marine Corps, the pilots were conducting a routine training mission outside of Yuma, Arizona when the AH1Z Viper crashed, killing Wiegand and 30-year-old Marine Capt. Travis Brannon of Nashville, Tennessee. 

Wiegand joined the Marines in 2008 and was previously deployed in Okinawa, Japan. Wiegand’s awards included the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with a Gold star.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff on Tuesday in honor of the fallen pilots. 

The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.

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Players Coalition members, lawmakers take tour designed to stop reintroduction of mandatory minimums

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Members of the Players Coalition joined a cohort of Pennsylvania lawmakers on a tour designed to highlight the impact of enhanced mandatory sentencing, and their goal is to stop such bills before they become law. 

“The idea was that we were going to target people that sold drugs to kids,” said Kevin Ring, president of DC based FAMM, a group working to end mandatory minimums.

“Where we are is not in a school zone. But over there, it is a school zone,” he told a group that included Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, ex-Steeler Will Allen and several Pennsylvania lawmakers.

Ring led the neighborhood walking tour, as attendees held signs designed to illustrate the absurdity of drug-free school zone laws. The laws, part of the war on drugs, added two years to any prison sentence if a defendant was caught selling drugs within 1,000 feet of a school or daycare. 

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Given the density in urban areas and close proximity to schools, low-income individuals were serving long sentences for selling minor drug sales done in their own homes. In 2015, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down such laws on the grounds that process used at trial were illegal.

“But in the last two legislative sessions, they have tried to reenact it. They should stop,” said Jenkins, one of the co-founders of the Players Coalition. He addressed a group of justice reform advocates at Eastern State Penitentiary Monday afternoon. 

Senate Bill 8 was introduced in the Pennsylvania Senate in February to take on the opioid epidemic by adding enhanced sentences to individuals caught selling fentanyl. Jenkins and others want to stop overdoses, but also want to end mass incarceration.

“It did nothing to make us safer, it did not deter drug use, but it did destroy lives, particularly black Lives,” said Jenkins of school zone laws.

African-Americans and Hispanics made up more than 80 percent of school zone offenders. 

Pennsylvania lawmakers like Sens. Sharif Street and Anthony Williams and State Rep. Movita Johnson-Harell told the group they will vote against such laws that increase mass incarceration.

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Inside Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion, A Jewel Box Of A Victorian-Era Philadelphia Home

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – On the corner of Tulpehocken and Green Streets in historic Germantown sits the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion, a jewel box of a Victorian-era home. It offers people a glimpse into Victorian-era Philadelphia with daily tours.

The Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion is truly an original and something to really take in.

“This is an 1860 parlor dome and it looks like it was created yesterday,” executive director Diane Richardson said.

It’s a marvel of Victorian architecture and a history that reigns as Philadelphia’s only authentically-restored Victorian house museum.

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“It’s the only place in the city where you can walk through the iron gate, up the original the herringbone brick walkways to the brick door and you’re just transported to 1860,” Richardson said.

While its location automatically places this home in Philadelphia, it’s what’s been placed inside that makes it truly a Philly original.

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“The furniture in here was manufactured in Philadelphia by the Lagan brothers in the 1860’s and the other most fabulous feature of this room is this gasolier manufactured by the Cornelius Company in Philadelphia circa 1860.”

Pennsylvania Marine Among 2 Killed In Helicopter Crash In Arizona, Officials Say

YUMA, Ariz. (CBS/AP) — Authorities have released the names of two Marine pilots who died in a helicopter crash during a training mission in southwestern Arizona. One of the victims, 34-year-old Major Matthew M. Wiegand, was from Ambler, Pennsylvania.

U.S. Marine Corps officials said Monday Wiegand and 30-year-old Captain Travis W. Brannon of Nashville, Tennessee were killed in the crash.

They say the cause of Saturday night’s crash on the vast Marine Corps Air Station Yuma training grounds remains under investigation.

Marine Corps officials say the AH-1Z Viper crashed while the pilots were conducting a training mission as part of a weapons and tactical instructor course.

(©Copyright 2019 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)