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How to Defend Yourself In Case of An Attack

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A stranger stalked and attacked a young woman from behind and it was all caught on camera. Now, police are commending the woman for managing to escape. NBC10’s Denise Nakano talked to a self-defense expert about what you can do to stay safe.

Last Republican Standing: Can Trump Unify the Party?

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Donald Trump is the only Republican left in the race, but the question remains – can he bring the party together? NBC10’s Lauren Mayk reports.

Photo Credit: Corbis via Getty Images

Soda Tax Hearings Spawn Protests

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Tractor trailers, many emblazoned with soda name brands on their sides, surrounded Philadelphia City Hall two hours before a public hearing Wednesday evening on Mayor Jim Kenney's proposed "soda tax."

The drivers were joined by other groups who objected to the tax, including corner store coalitions and beverage distributors, which rely on soda and other sugary drinks for revenue.

Most of the organizations and businesses against Kenney's proposed 3-cents-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks are part of an umbrella group called Philadelphians Against the Grocery Tax Coalition.

Protesters with that group spoke at a rally outside City Hall before the 5 p.m. budget hearing in council chambers. The hearing was one of two chances the public will get to speak to council about the entire city budget proposal for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. The budget would begin July 1, if approved by council.

Speakers at the rally included Dany Vinas, owner of CTOWN Supermarket; Anne McNally, owner of McNally Tavern; Danny Grace, business manager for the Philadelphia Teamsters; and Miguel Martinez, the head of the Dominican Merchants Association.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined in on the soda tax debate, contributing an undisclosed sum to a nonprofit group starting an $825,000 ad campaign in support of the tax.

Bloomberg tried unsuccessfully to ban oversized sodas in New York, and supported successful soda-tax efforts in Mexico and Berkeley, California.

The American Beverage Association has already spent more than $1.5 million on its Philadelphia anti-tax campaign.



Photo Credit: NBC10

Star Athlete Survives Hit-&-Run, Will Walk at Graduation

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While it may have been a preview of her ultimate goal, Wednesday marked a significant moment for Temple University student Rachel Hall. The 23-year-old Lacrosse player walked across the stage during her school’s athletics ceremony over a year after she was critically injured in a hit-and-run accident. She is now set to walk during her graduation ceremony Friday.

“It feels great to finally be with my friends for graduation and go through all the ceremony and all the excitement that I missed,” Hall told NBC10. “So I’m really happy to be back.”

Few people gave Hall a chance to ever walk again let alone survive in the days after the hit-and-run a year ago. Hall was riding her bicycle near Temple’s campus back on April 29, 2015 when she was struck by a 2012 Mitsubishi Gallant. The driver, later identified as 19-year-old Rashan Roberts, fled the scene. He was later arrested and sentenced to 11 ½ to 23 months in prison after pleading guilty to the hit-and-run. Police say he only had his learner’s permit at the time of the crash.

Hall suffered severe head trauma and a badly broken leg. Determined to overcome her injuries, she endured grueling rehab and therapy.

“It’s a miracle that she’s where she is now,” said her mother Kathy Hall. “I never expected it. All of this is from her. It’s her work.”

Hall, who dreams of becoming a police officer, said she knew she’d achieve her goal of overcoming her life-threatening injuries and walking again.

“I always had a very positive personality even before this,” she said. “I knew there was no reason to be negative about it because it won’t help me at all.”

Donald Trump Faces NJ GOP Backlash

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As the Republican party scrambles now to figure out what to do with Donald Trump as its likely presidential nominee, party leaders in New Jersey say they may either vote Hillary Clinton or not vote at all. 

Outside the Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, where Trump says he wants to be buried when he dies, some Republicans are holding out hope that there is a way to politically bury him this summer -- with a surprise third-party candidate. 

"His desire to demean and diminish people is just appalling," said former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. 

The former Republican governor says she can't stand Trump and that he's left her party in disarray. Whitman was state chair for John Kasich, who threw in the towel Wednesday. 

Alan Steinberg was regional EPA administrator under George W. Bush and was a delegate for Ted Cruz -- his hope for the conservative cause. Steinberg said he's actually voting for Hillary Clinton, with whom he worked when she was U.S. senator for New York. 

"She can work with people on the opposite side of the political aisle," he said. 

Steve Lonegan, who once ran against Chris Christie for governor, was state chair for Cruz. Now he's packing up what's left of the campaign, buttons, stickers and all. 

"I'm not going to say I'm voting for Hillary. I'm also not voting for Donald Trump," he said. "I may not vote." 

Lonegan said Trump has to earn his vote, starting by making up with Cruz over what Lonegan calls character assassination. 

A third Cruz delegate, Chris Schiavone, told NBC 4 New York by email, "What good is a lesser of evils when one must choose between being hit by a car or by a train?"

Trump's hopes of uniting the party count on support from Christie to many in the tea party, like Bayshore's Barbara Gonzalez. 

Still, a March Monmouth University poll shows 12 percent of Republicans would vote for Clinton. Nine percent more would simply not vote. 

Whitman says there may be an alternative.

"I'm ruling out a vote for Trump and I'll wait to see how the campaign moves forward," she said. "I'd rather write in. I'm looking for that third party." 

Whitman herself ruled out running. But she'll be seeing former Secretary of State Colin Powell soon and says she'll ask him if he would run. 



Photo Credit: AP

Worker Puts Hidden Cam in Dialysis Center Restroom: Police

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Mount Laurel Police say they arrested David Leftridge of Sicklerville after employees at DaVita Dialysis Center on the 100 block of Gaither Drive discovered a hidden video recorder in the woman's employee restroom. Leftridge was sent to Burlington County Jail on $50,000 bail.

King of Prussia Mall Kidnapping Suspect Due in Court

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More than a month after a woman abducted a 7-week-old baby from the King of Prussia Mall, the woman accused in the kidnapping is due in court Thursday.

Cherie Amoore, 32, faces kidnapping, false imprisonment, reckless endangerment and child endangerment charges in the March 31 abduction of Malika Hunter's son Ahsir.

She posted bail last month. No word yet if Thursday afternoon's hearing could be continued like a previously scheduled hearing last month.

Hunter told NBC10 the ordeal began when she took her children, including 7-week-old Ahsir, to the King of Prussia Mall. She says she met 32-year-old Cherie Amoore at a jewelry store and the two quickly bonded.

"She was so polite," Hunter said. "Nice, calm and energetic. Like the normal, average person."

Hunter says Amoore asked her about Ahsir and the two bonded over being mothers.

"She was just stressed and she just had a new baby and the father is in the military so that puts all the work on her," Hunter said. "It was relatable. She ain't been out in a while."

The two continued talking as they headed to the food court. During their conversation, Amoore asked Hunter if she could hold Ahsir. While police initially said Hunter let Amoore hold him, they later said Hunter told her "no" and never handed him to her. Hunter told NBC10 she began tending to her 2-year-old son who was growing irritable. That's when Amoore took Ahsir from his stroller and walked away, according to police.

"When I realized it was really happening it was like my heart could just bust open at any moment," Hunter said. "At any moment I could just hit that floor. It was the worst feeling I ever felt in my life." 

Surveillance video shows Amoore with Ahsir in her arms leaving the mall around 5:30 p.m., according to investigators. 

Hunter alerted police and an extensive search -- including an Amber Alert -- began that ended about five hours later after the boy was found safe. Police said they found Amoore and the baby inside a home on the 900 block of Upper Gulph Road in Tredyffrin Township. Friends say the man who lives at the home had a relationship with Amoore. While the man declined to comment, his mother spoke to NBC10, telling us her son had no idea about the kidnapping.

"All he knew is when he got home from work," said Gladys Biggers. "She was there too." 

The baby's family dealt with a roller coaster of emotions throughout the ordeal.

"I was like hysterical I was going through it," said Burdette Lewis, the boy's grandfather. "We all prayed in there together."

Their prayers were answered as they had him back in their arms at the Upper Merion Police headquarters late Thursday night.

"I'm glad he's in my arms at this moment," said Malika Hunter. "I didn't know what the outcome of this situation would be." 

Amoore is the daughter of Republican Party of Pennsylvania Deputy Chairman Renee Amoore, a longtime GOP advocate.



Photo Credit: Upper Merion Township Police
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Philly Trauma Center Named for Fallen Colleague

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Pennsylvania Presbyterian Medical Center named its new trauma center after Dr. John Pryor, a former colleague who died serving his country in Iraq.

Photo Credit: NBC10

Ambushed Officer Grateful, 8 Surgeries Later

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A Philadelphia Police officer who chased down a gunman after being shot during an ambush attack earlier this year was honored by law enforcement officials from around the world Wednesday night.

Officer Jesse Hartnett received the “Man of the Year” award during the annual National Police Defense Foundation (NPDF) Awards Dinner in Howard Beach, New York. Hartnett spoke to NBC10 about the honor during his first on-camera interview since the shooting.

“It’s a big deal and it’s nice to be recognized,” Hartnett told NBC10’s Aundrea Cline-Thomas in an exclusive interview. “Especially after something tragic like that.”

On January 7, Hartnett, 33, was shot by a gunman in an ambush attack while he was sitting inside his patrol car. Despite being struck in the arm and bleeding heavily, he still chased after the suspect and returned fire. The gunman, who police identified as 30-year-old Edward Archer, was later captured a few blocks away. During Wednesday’s award ceremony, attendees praised Hartnett for his heroic actions that night.

“In 40 years of police work this is the first time I’ve ever seen such an incident that turned out good,” said Joseph Occhipinti of the National Police Defense Fund.

Hartnett couldn’t discuss the details of the shooting while speaking with NBC10 due to the pending court case. He did say however that his military and police academy training ultimately saved his life.

“I’m sitting here speaking to you,” he said. “So did it keep me alive? I would say yes. It definitely kept me alive.”

Hartnett also addressed what he believed to be the unfair depiction of police officers involved in shootings.

“A lot of the media coverage you see a lot of bad, negativity of police when you see different shootings and different cases,” he said. “Everything is obviously a different scenario but you have split seconds to react to something where lawyers can just attack it for months, sometimes years and you have seconds to respond to something.”

Hartnett suffered extensive nerve damage and has limited use of his left arm after undergoing eight surgeries. He just started physical therapy and continues to recover. 

“I really look forward to getting my hand back,” Hartnett said. “It’s difficult. You don’t really realize what you have. It’s a real eye opener when you lose something. But I’m working with really good people at Penn Hospital and everything is going really well.”

Hartnett says he’s spoken to police recruits about his experience and plans to do more volunteering in the future.

“I think It helps to focus their minds and let them realize what they’re getting into,” he said. “It’s not just you it’s your family involved, so many other people and yourself. It’s a huge decision that they’re making. I think it’s an eye-opener, me sharing my story.”

Watch the full interview in the video embedded above.

Getting Around Southwest Philadelphia Water Main Break

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A water main break at 63rd Street and Eastwick Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia caused a mess on the road Thursday morning. Nearby Lindbergh Boulevard could be used to get around the mess.

Photo Credit: SkyForce10

Will City Council Tackle Temple Stadium Battle?

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Philadelphia City Council convened Thursday to honor Secretary of the U.S. Army Patrick Murphy and discuss other resolutions but a group of protesters could interrupt proceedings discuss proposals about zoning.

Council plans to vote a slew of bills for passage Thursday -- many dealing with zoning -- after Councilman Kenyatta Johnson honors Murphy, a former U.S. congressman recently appointed as Secretary of the U.S. Army.

It's still unclear if council plans to discuss plans to build a football stadium on Temple University campus in North Philadelphia and

Residents and Temple students frustrated by the uncertainty of stadium plans planned on heading to council to have their voices heard.

WATCH the proceedings LIVE on this page

Get more on Thursday's proceedings at PHLCouncil's Twitter.



Photo Credit: NBC10 Philadelphia

Shelter in Place in Bucks Co. After Chemical Spill

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Authorities in a Bucks County township told residents to shelter in place after a chemical spill at a municipal site.

Crews rushed to the Lower Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority water treatment plant along Main Street in Tulleytown, Pennsylvania around 8:30 a.m. to address a chemical spill, said Tulleytown Borough Police Department Chief Daniel Doyle.

"As a PRECAUTIONARY action only we are asking residents & businesses in the area of Main Street to keep windows and doors closed," the borough police posted to Facebook.

Crews arrived to find a tank of ferric chloride leaking.



Photo Credit: Google Maps

NJ Transit Train T-Bones Station Wagon, 4 Hurt

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A New Jersey Transit train slammed into a station wagon Thursday morning leaving two people trapped in the car and service suspended along the RiverLine.

Crews worked to free people from the Mercedes wagon after it was struck by a light-rail train near the Riverton Station along Main Street near Broad and Harrison streets around 10:15 a.m., said Burlington County dispatchers.

As SkyForce10 hovered overhead a short time later, you could see crews working on the SUV, which appeared to be T-boned. Two people were freed from the vehicle and taken to Cooper University Medical Center for treatment, said dispatchers.

Two of the 35 passengers on the train suffered injuries, said NJ Transit spokeswoman Lisa Torbic. The injured passengers were taken to Lourdes Medical Center for treatment.

NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith said the injuries don't appear to be life-threatening, reported NBC10's Lauren Mayk.

Crews took the roof of the station wagon during the rescue.

The wreck left RiverLine service suspended between Palmyra and Cinnaminson for more than two hours. Passengers could take buses to get around the closure.

Crews inspected the tracks and reopened the line -- with 15-minute residual delays -- around 12:45 p.m.



Photo Credit: SkyForce10
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Learning Outdoors, No Matter the Weather

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NBC10 reporter Katy Zachry fills us in on outdoor education for preschoolers at the Forest Edge Preschool at Haverford Friends School.

Montco Farmers Market Opens For Cinco

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Pottstown kicked off their outdoor farmers market Thursday with a Cinco De Mayo celebration, three weeks before the market's grand opening May 26.

The Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority welcomed residents and guests starting at 4 p.m. for music, dancers and a chili contest to celebrate a Mexican holiday.

If you can't make Thursday, the market's official grand opening is on May 26 and is open every Thursday night from 4 to 8 p.m. until October 13.

Over 15 vendors will be in attendance, from farmers selling fresh produce to artisan meats and cheeses and will change regularly to keep lots of variety available.



Photo Credit: Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority

Caught on Cam: Passersby Rescue River Jumper

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Quick-reacting passersby rescued a woman from the Delaware River near Race Street Pier in Center City on Wednesday, police said.

Someone captured on video two men pulling the woman by her arms from the water. She was motionless and speechless throughout the minute-long video.

Police identified her only as a 20-year-old who witnesses saw jump from the sidewalk along the river. Medics arrived within minutes and took her to Hahnemann Hospital.

One of the passersby who helped pull her from the river told NBC10 that the woman did not say much, but responded "yes" when asked if she spoke English.

"The guy with the dotted shirt waved me down saying he saw someone in the water and we both looked and didn't see anything at first," he said. "[Then] she surfaced and a few of us pulled her out. Eventually police and paramedics came."

Road Rage Leads to Shooting on Blue Route

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A driver shot up a car in an apparent road rage incident on the Blue Route Thursday afternoon and now troopers are searching for him, state police said.

The shooting happened at 3 p.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 476 at mile 16 in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, state police said.

The driver of a dark blue Lincoln sedan with tinted windows and a red and silver Lincoln emblem opened fire on a blue Mitsubishi Lancer while on the highway, officials said.

A Pennsylvania State Police spokeswoman said the shooter, who is between 40 and 50 years old, pulled alongside the Mitsubishi, rolled down his window and began shooting.

A bullet narrowly missed the 26-year-old Mitsubishi driver, lodging in the car dashboard, police said. The driver was not hurt.

The sedan driver took off after the shooting.

Police said it appears that road rage led to the shooting. A sketch of the suspect was released Thursday night. Troopers are asking anyone who recognizes the man to call them.

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Photo Credit: Composite Photo
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Pa.'s Selling Your Driver's Record and Making Millions

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The information on your driver’s license is a gold mine and Pennsylvania is cashing in. The NBC10 Investigators found the state has earned more than $157 million since 2010 selling driver records.

An NBC10 analysis of the more than 32,000 private companies and government agencies to which PennDOT sold driver information traced it to every state in the country.

The companies include credit agencies, insurance companies and car dealerships. The information PennDOT sold includes names, addresses, and driving histories.

"The state should not be doing this unless they can control it," Pennsylvania driver Albert Lopez said. "It doesn’t belong to whoever runs PennDOT. That information is mine."

Lopez’s phone number and address are unlisted. He pays for ad blockers and browser protection software. But, somehow, he says solicitors found him. He says they weren’t able to when he lived in other states. He attributes it to when he applied for a Pennsylvania driver’s license.

"I don’t know why specifically an individual business on a particular case would need access to a particular record," PennDOT deputy secretary Kurt Myers said.

Myers said companies sign contracts with PennDOT agreeing to use driver information for legal reasons, including background checks. Myers said he was unaware of any solicitation or identity theft related to the sale of Pennsylvania driver records.

However, the NBC10 Investigators learned it is unlikely PennDOT would be aware if information was misused. The state has only checked to see how one company used driver records since 2010. The audit of Sterling Info. System discovered "inadequate security," "inadequate controls over the use of personal information" and found the company "was reselling PennDOT driver records."

“Their access to information was immediately taken away based upon the audit,” Myers said. “They still to this day don’t have access to records.”

In a prepared statement Sterling Info. Systems said, “These types of audits are typical and part of the ordinary course of business. Due to the ongoing nature of the audit, Sterling cannot comment further at this time.”

Not every state sells driver records. Delaware only shares the information with law enforcement.

“We consider their information their information and it shouldn’t be spread,” Mike Williams with the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles said.

Public records in New Jersey show the state sold its driver’s records to more than 1,500 companies.

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"There’s always risk whenever information is being exchanged,” Tiffany George with the Federal Trade Commission said. “Giving them notice and allowing them to opt out gives them a chance to take themselves out of the information loop.”

In Pennsylvania drivers are not given the chance to opt out. PennDOT has planned to audit other companies buying driver information. Governor Wolf’s office said auditors have been added to PennDOT’s staff.



Photo Credit: NBC10
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Ambushed at Home: NJ Man Opens Up About Home Invasion

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A team of robbers beat and bound a man inside his Mullica Township home before ransacking the place. He opened up to NBC10's Ted Greenberg about the ordeal and how he escaped.

Photo Credit: NBC10

NBC10 First Alert Weather: Wet and Nasty Friday

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NBC10 First Alert Weather chief meteorologist Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz tells us that we still have some rainy weather to come, but may have a break for Mother's Day.
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