A man is in custody after police found two explosive devices inside a van with young children inside in Philadelphia, according to investigators.
Police told NBC10 they spotted a white minivan that was double parked on 20th Street and Champlost Avenue Tuesday night. When the officers approached the vehicle they smelled marijuana, officials said. They then found the drugs as well as two 3-year-old children, fireworks and two explosive devices inside the vehicle, according to investigators.
Homes near the van were evacuated and the area was blocked off as the bomb squad responded to the scene. Police also took the two kids to safety and arrested the driver of the van, an unidentified 31-year-old man. Investigators told NBC10 the man is the father of at least one of the kids found in the van. The bomb squad also confiscated the homemade explosive devices, which investigators say are the equivalent of two quarter sticks of dynamite.
"We don't know if he had any malicious intent," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
No injuries were reported during the incident.
"Depending on how close those devices were to explode near people they could cause serious injury, possibly death," said Small. "Especially when you have 3-year-old children in the vehicle at the time."
Small told NBC10 the timing of the incident is especially concerning considering the fact that the Democratic National Convention is set to take place in Philadelphia next week.
"This is a big concern to us especially with the Democratic National Convention coming up," Small said. "We're not too happy about finding anyone with explosive devices in the city. The police did a great job making this apprehension. The bomb squad did a great job identifying these devices and taking him into custody so at least this individual is not going to have the opportunity to utilize these explosive devices."
Police say they're currently interviewing the man and the investigation is ongoing.
ConAgra Foods, the company that distributes P.F. Chang's frozen food, is recalling about 192,000 pounds of P.F. Chang's frozen chicken and beef products due to metal fragments in sauce.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, small metal shards were found in sugar used in the product's sauce.
The metal fragments are between two and nine millimeters in size and are "curled, malleable and shiny," according to the provider.
The frozen products were produced between May 31 and June 22 and were shipped to retail locations across the U.S. Click here for a full list of recalled items.
The recall expands the company's July 7 recall of 3,800 pounds.
Consumers with questions can contact ConAgra at 1-800-252-0634.
On the second night of the Republican National Convention, GOP leaders used their disdain for Hillary Clinton as their case for a Donald Trump presidency, NBC News reported.
The presumptive Democratic nominee on Tuesday night, perhaps even more than Trump, was again the star of the convention even as the night was tentatively themed "Make America Work Again" and was meant to focus on the economy.
Few speakers addressed the topic of jobs, using their time on the podium to litigate a host of other issues against Clinton. The former secretary of state provided a desperately needed change of subject for a party bitterly divided over its own nominee's competence, ethics, and policy acumen.
In the best-received speech of the evening, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie didn't discuss the economy at all. He devoted his remarks to "prosecuting" Clinton's foreign policy record point by point for the audience, who shouted "guilty!" at the individual charges.
A Chester County mushroom farm went up in flames overnight sending flames and smoke into the night sky.
It took firefighters about 90 minutes to contain the fire at Modern Mushroom Farms along Newark Road in Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania after flames broke out around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
About 350 hay bales (around 1,000 tons) fueled the flames. And, despite being contained, the fire continued to burn as of 6:30 a.m.
No one was hurt.
Fire companies from Delaware joined the Avondale Fire Company in battling the flames.
Modern Mushroom supplies mushroom for Giorgio and they “recycle the mushroom compost to make garden-worthy soil,” according to its website.
An upstate New York mother and five of her nine children got some unexpected help from New Jersey State Police this week.
Stacey Fraterrigo drove her family down from their home in Attica, New York to Sea Girt, New Jersey, where state police run a summertime Trooper Youth Week because her 17-year-old son Michael wants to become a state trooper.
With a family of nine children, her husband's salary as a state corrections officer doesn't leave room for motel bills when they travel. Usually she stays in churches on the road where her family band, The Band Anastazja, performs. But with no time to arrange gigs this week, five of her kids volunteered to sleep in the family van all week long while Michael was learning the life of a cop.
That was too much for Pete Stilianessis, the president of the State Troopers NCO Association. When he heard about Fraterrigo's situation, he reached out and told her his union would pay for a motel room.
"We're there to help, not hurt you and if we pass this out and it spreads like wildfire, good things will happen around the world," Stilianessis told NBC 4 New York.
The veteran trooper then treated the family to a meal at a boardwalk restaurant in Point Pleasant Beach. He would have paid for rides there, too, except Jenkinson's Boardwalk heard about his gesture and let the family ride for free.
Fraterrigo said she's very grateful, and when asked about the controversies swirling around police across the country, said 99.9 percent of them are good.
"When things go bad, that's the person I want to see, is a police officer," Fraterrigo said.
A New Jersey police department and its SWAT team swarmed a trampoline park to surprise a special fan Friday.
Six-year-old Christopher Layton waas celebrating his birthday at the Skyzone trampoline park in Lakewood when police officers and SWAT members began streaming into the gym, suited up and bearing gifts.
"Happy birthday, buddy!" one of the officers greets the surprised boy, who then shakes each of his visitor's hands.
Christopher got to check out an armored SWAT vehicle, received police swag and badges, and even got a special SWAT-themed cake as officers sang "happy birthday" to him.
Lt. Greg Staffordsmith told The Asbury Park Press that Christopher's babysitter had reached out to the department to tell them how much he loves SWAT.
"She told us he has a SWAT uniform and goes out to help us catch the bad guys," Staffordsmith told The Asbury Park Press.
The department's new police chief, Gregory Meyer, planned the event. Staffordsmith said most of the officers who attended the party were off duty and went just to surprise him.
Christopher's mother, Kristen Layton, told NBC 4 New York, "We are so overhwhelmed with the love, support and generosity of Lakewood Police and SWAT team."
A pair of masked gunmen stood over their victim as they fired the deadly shots early Wednesday.
The 22-year-old victim had just parked his car and was returning to it after stopping into his home along Viola Street near N 42nd Street in Philadelphia’s Parkside neighborhood around 2 a.m. when two gunmen emerged from a vacant lot and began chasing the victim, said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
"They began firing shots at him, when the victim collapsed, both of the shooters stood over the victim and continued... to fire shots from point-blank range," said Small.
Officers patrolling the area heard the gunshots and rushed to the scene where they found the man with multiple gunshot wounds to his head, said investigators.
Medics from a neighboring fire station pronounced the man dead. His body remained under a sheet in the middle of the street while police searched for clues.
Small said the shooters likely used revolvers since investigators didn't find any shell casings.
"Both of these males were wearing ski masks and white T-shirts," said Small.
Police spook with witnesses as well as family members as they searched for the gunmen. Anyone with information is asked to contact Philly Police.
An unlikely friendship. A mutual rescue. An unbreakable bond. The stories of these 10 lucky pets are sure to tug on your heartstrings.
SHELTER DOG, RESCUER SAVE EACH OTHER
When Eric O'Grey remembers his shelter dog Peety he wonders, "Who rescued whom?"
In 2010, O'Grey weighed 340 pounds and struggled with high blood pressure, cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes. His doctor told him if his lifestyle didn't change, he would be dead within five years.
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O'Grey went to the Humane Society in Silicon Valley and asked for "an obese, middle-aged dog so that [O'Grey] would have something in common with him," he said in a video published by SFGate.
The two formed an inseparable bond. They took long walks together every day — 'Grey lost 140 pounds and Peety dropped 25. It wasn't long before O'Grey finished his first marathon.
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Sadly, Peety developed a large cancerous growth on his spleen and died. O'Grey will never forget the way Peety changed his life — and hopes to return the favor with his new shelter pup, Jake. [[384867411, C]]
NEW WHEELS FOR PARALYZED GUINEA PIG
Estella, a 2-year-old guinea pig from California, was found last fall in a carrying case on the side of the road, unable to move the lower half of her body.
She was brought to the Harvest Home Sanctuary in San Francisco, where volunteers realized a child must have squeezed her tight enough to break her back, according to the animal rescue organization.
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After quickly raising $500 on social media, the Harvest Home Sanctuary was able to fit Stella with a tiny wheelchair, making the little guinea pig ready to roll.
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ORPHANED PUPPY ADOPTED INTO LITTER OF KITTENS
A lonely puppy found his new family and now has five brothers and sisters — they all just happen to be feline.
Bobby, a 5-week-old Chihuahua mix, was taken to the Michigan Humane Society in April after his mother was struck by a car and killed, the "Today" show reports.
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At the time, the shelter was housing a cat named Gwen who had just given birth to five kittens. Gwen had enough motherly love to go around and took in Bobby as one of her own.
Eventually, the shelter will find Bobby a home with other dogs, but for now the adorable family is happy and thriving.
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TEAM ADOPTS PUP LEFT OUTSIDE STADIUM
A collegiate baseball team in Georgia took on a furry new member this spring.
Daisy, a 7-week-old puppy, was found alone and crying last month outside Grayson Stadium in Savannah, according to the Savannah Bananas' team website.
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She had no tags or microchip and quickly found a new home with team president Jared Orton and his wife Kelsey.
"It was just meant to be that we’d have a team dog as part of our staff," Orton said in a statement posted on the team website. "We took Daisy to the vet and aside from being hungry and dehydrated, she was in pretty good health."
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Daisy has been appointed "bat dog" and helps out in the office every day.
"We aren’t sure how big she’ll get, so it’s hard to say if she’ll be able to pick up a bat or just coach first base," Orton said. "But as she grows, she’ll be a fixture at the ballpark."
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RESCUE DOG COMFORTS PUPPY WHO WAS SHOT
Two severely injured rescue dogs shared a touching moment that captured hearts nationwide.
Photos of Sammie and Simon went viral when the Paws & Claws Animal Clinic posted them on Facebook. Simon, a rescued border collie, is seen comforting 3-month-old Sammie after surgery at the South Carolina clinic.
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Sammie arrived at the clinic from New York in early May. He had been shot in the head, dragged behind a car and sprayed with bug repellent that turned his fur blue — then left outside for three days, according to the clinic's Facebook page.
Simon was rescued from another shelter where he would have been euthanized. When he got to the clinic in late April, he was emaciated, had hook worms and was "in so much pain he cried when he moved or if you touched him," the clinic wrote.
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According to the shelter, Sammie is healing faster than expected and Simon looks better every day. Both dogs have returned to New York to find new homes. [[384869661, C]]
RESCUE DOG, BABY HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL IN COMMON
Life hasn't always been easy for Fleetwood Mac the Chihuahua, but she fits right in with her new family.
The Umbrella of Hope animal welfare organization had long tried to find a home for 8-year-old Fleetwood Mac. But a rare condition called ectrodactyly, which causes fused digits on the hands and feet, deterred potential adopters, the "Today" show reports.
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The organization shared Fleetwood's story on a Facebook group for people affected by ectrodactyly. It caught the eye of Victoria Campos, whose daughter Grace was born with ectrodactyly in her hands and feet, as well as a cleft palate.
In early March, Fleetwood traveled from California to the Campos' home in Hobart, Indiana. The family hopes Fleetwood will help support Grace as she grows and faces the reality of living with ectrodactyly.
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"You don't just throw away something because it's different. We want her to learn from that," Campos told "Today." [[385892371, C]]
DANCING SHELTER DOG FINDS NEW HOME
Nobody puts this puppy in a corner.
Video of a 1-year-old rescue dog sashaying from side to side took social media by storm ealier this year. The footage was posted on Facebook in February by the Orange County Animal Services in Florida and captioned, "Looking for a new partner."
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Shared more than 250,000 times, the video features a dog fittingly named after Ginger Rogers, who starred alongside Fred Astaire in "Dirty Dancing."
It looks like this Ginger has found her Fred — according to shelter workers, the pup was adopted after her dance moves won heart across the country. [[385893861, C]]
RESCUE PUP, CHEETAH FORM UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP
A dog might be man’s best friend, but who’s to say he can’t be cheetah’s best friend too?
That’s what happened when Kumbali met Kago.
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Kumbali, a cheetah cub born at the Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia, was the runt of his litter. When his mother wasn’t producing enough milk to feed all her cubs, zookeepers began to hand raise Kumbali.
But cheetahs are meant to have companions in the wild and Kumbali was lonely — at least until he was introduced to Kago, a yellow Lab mix rescued from a kill shelter in Alabama.
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The two hit it off right away. Initially, they were kept in a zookeeper's home for close monitoring. Kumbali and Kago, both born in May 2015, have since moved to an outdoor enclosure and remain the best of friends.
Dogs have been used as companions for cheetahs for more than three decades, providing behavioral cues and a calming influence, according to the Metro Richmond Zoo. [[385892581, C]]
DOG LEAVES SHELTER AFTER STORY TIME WITH BOY
It turns out reading really can set you free. A pit bull named Pirate is out of the shelter with a little help from his reading buddy.
Pirate made headlines when he found a friend in 6-year-old Jacob, who has autism. Every Thursday, Jacob would visit the Carson Animal Shelter in Southern California and sit in front of Pirate's cage to practice his reading.
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"If I read to the dogs, they will come out of their cages and find homes," Jacob said in an interview with NBC Los Angeles. "They have to find new homes because they are alone."
There's a happy ending to this story. Shelter workers told NBC Los Angeles in May that Pirate had left the shelter to be trained for a permanent home, and Jacob now reads at a third-grade level, according to his mother.
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POLICE OFFICER'S PHOTO WITH HIS RESCUE KITTEN GOES VIRAL
Call them "Catman" and Robin. One South Carolina police officer has found his new sidekick in a feline friend.
Officer Cody Garrett, 28, told NBC's "Today" show he adopted Squirt after a colleague found the kitten seeking shelter from the rain under a dumpster and brought him to the police department.
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Garrett already had two dogs at home, along with another rescue cat who had just given birth to four kittens and was still nursing. The timing was ideal.
He posted a photo on Instagram of his new buddy Squirt donning a stick-on mustache that matches his own. Garrett’s picture has received more than 2,000 likes, something he says is "hard to believe."
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"I just wanted to show some people my new kitten, and it's kind of blown up," he told "Today."
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Bar-S Foods Company is recalling nearly 400,000 pounds of hot dogs and corn dogs due to possible listeria contamination, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Oklahoma-based company issued the recall Tuesday for chicken and pork hot dogs and corn dogs produced July 10 through 13 and sold nationwide, the USDA said.
Recalled products include:
Bar-S informed the Dallas office of the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service of the precautionary recall Tuesday. The company is awaiting test results but cited "recurring Listeria species issues at the firm," according to the USDA. No illnesses have been reported.
Consumption of food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes can lead to listeriosis. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
The company is urging anyone who purchased these products to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.
More information is available by calling the Bar-S Foods Consumer Hotline at 1-888-965-6134.
John Timoney, who served as Philadelphia's police commissioner from 1998 to 2001 is battling late stage lung cancer according to a report by NewsWorks.org.
The 68-year-old native New Yorker is being treated in a Miami hospital and told reporter Bobby Allyn his voice is "completely gone," when asked if he could do an interview.
"I am quite upset about this," former Philly District Attorney Lynne Abraham told NewsWorks.
Timoney was Philly's top law enforcement official from 1998 through 2001. He spent seven years as Miami's police chief after leaving Philadelphia. In 2011 he was hired as a consultant to help launch Camden County's Metro police force and most recently consulting for Bahrain.
During his visits back to Philadelphia, Timoney is sometimes seen rowing on the Schuylkill River.
