Firefighters honored 19 colleagues including a Pennsylvania native during a memorial service Tuesday that included a standing ovation -- both inside and outside the building -- for the lone surviving member of the Granite Mountain Hot Shots crew, 19 members of which were killed in a desperate fire fight on a central Arizona mountain.

Read: Worst Firefighter Tragedies | How to Help: Donate to Firefighters' Families

Thousands of mourners attended the memorial service for the firefighters who died June 30 when they were over-run by a wind-whipped wildfire northwest of Phoenix.

One of the firefighters remembered was Bucks County native Robert Caldwell. The 23-year-old was born in the area and lived in Richboro, Pa. until moving out west with his family about 18 years ago. Despite the move, his family says he remained a loyal Philly sports fan who would come back for games.

Caldwell's father told NBC10 last week that he was "extremely proud" of his son.

"Robert died doing what he loved doing," said Dave Caldwell. "He took great pride in what he did."

The service included a prayer read by the lone surviving member of the Caldwell's Granite Mountain Hot Shots.

"I miss my brothers," said 21-year-old firefighter Brendan McDonough, who received a standing ovation from those inside the building and in an outdoor overflow seating area. "Thank you for supporting me."

Organizers set up a large monitor outside Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott to accommodate the overflow crowd. About 30,000 people had been expected to attend the service.

"I saw joy in the hearts of each one of them when they were doing their jobs," said Prescott Division Fire Chief Darrell Willis. "I take comfort in the fact I would have followed them blindfolded. They brought everything to the table"

Willis and other members of the firefighting community spoke in front of a large U.S. flag. Poster-sized images of the 19 firefighters were lined in front of the speaker's podium.

In front of the pictures, the crew members' uniforms, boots, hand tools and helmets were placed in a row.

"What happened on Yarnell Hill is still raw," said Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo. "Even so, I can assure you our people will keep their heads up high. If I could fulfill my fondest wish, it would be that my tears wash away the pain that we all feel.

"I was proud to be their chief."

An honor guard presented the victims' families with U.S. and Arizona flags. The families also were presented with bronze firefighting hand tools, a nod to the Pulaski tool commonly used by wildland fire crews to construct firebreaks.

The firefighters, members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots crew, were killed June 30 as they fought a 13-square mile wildfire near the community of Yarnell, Ariz. The wind-whipped fire marked the deadliest wildland fire since 25 firefighters were killed as they fought the 1933 Griffith Park fire.

Dan Bates, vice president of the local firefighters association, said the men were protecting a community they loved. The men not only fought fires, but cleared defensible space to protect homes, developed community disaster plans and trained other firefighters.

"Protect us they did, not just June 30, but for many years and in many ways," Bates said. "Anything Prescott need, anything Arizona needed, these Hot Shots stepped up."

Vice President Joe Biden and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer spoke at the service.

"To the Yarnell 19, we will never forget your sacrifice and that of your families," said Brewer, who thanked President Barack Obama for his "kind words" and assistance.

Residents of Prescott Valley and other visitors have left flowers, notes and other items along a fence near the Prescott Fire Department since the deadly June 30 fire fight. Firefighters brought shirts from fire departments represented at the memorial to add to the memorial. 

Nineteen hearses, each accompanied by an honor guard, transported the firefighters' bodies Sunday from the medical examiner's office in Phoenix to Prescott as people -- many from the community the firefighters died trying to protect -- lined streets and waved American flags.

Most of the victims were in their 20s.

The victims were identified as Caldwell, 23; Anthony Rose, 23; Eric Marsh, 43; Clayton Whitted , 28; Scott Norris, 28; Dustin Deford, 24; Sean Misner, 26; Garret Zuppiger, 27; Travis Carter, 31; Grant McKee, 21; Travis Turbyfill, 27; Jesse Steed, 36; Wade Parker, 22; Joe Thurston, 32; William Warneke, 25; and John Percin, 24; Kevin Woyjeck, 21; Chris MacKenzie, 30; and Andrew Ashcraft, 29.

"Firefighting was not what they did, it was who they were," Biden said. "There's a long history of ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things."

Another tragedy that cost the lives of firefighters as recalled at the memorial.

"Aside from 9/11 this is the largest firefighter tragedy in the history of the fire service," said Capt. Tom Richards, of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. "To honor these firefighters is something the guys and ladies needed to do."

The service closed with the reading of the victims' names, each followed by the ringing of a bell. McDonough then read the Hot Shots -- the name comes from Granite Mountain, located in central Arizona's Yavapai County -- prayer, which ends with the words, "For if this day on the line, I should answer death's call, Lord, bless my hot shot Crew. My family, one and all."

Police in say the former finance director of the Centre County United Way faces charges for using the nonprofit's credit card to pay for $17,000 in personal expenses.

The Centre Daily Times reports Bellefonte resident Doris Conner used the card for things including airline tickets for family members, paying veterinary bills and attending events. Police say she faces charges including theft by deception, receiving stolen property and other counts for purchases between May 2002 and June 2012.

She was arraigned Monday and released on $20,000 bail. A message left for her attorney was not immediately returned.

Tammy Gentzel, the United Way chapter's executive director, says it has received partial restitution from Conner and its insurance company and that it's confident it will recoup all the missing funds.

“We’re all incredibility saddened someone we worked with for all these years, that this situation has come up,” Gentzel told the paper. “But we really want to convey to donors that their donations have not been misappropriated. Everything is accounted for, and we are confident all the money will be returned.”

Gentzel said the organization has implemented additional checks and balances, including contacting an outside accounting firm to do some bookkeeping, to make sure a similar situation doesn’t happen again.





      


 

A woman has been jailed on charges that he threatened to kill his mother and rammed her car with his because she refused to give him money to buy drugs.

Online court records don't list an attorney for 23-year-old Matthew Mollica, of Kennedy Township, who has been charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and reckless driving.

Township police say Mollica's mother reported that he threatened to kill her and spat at her Monday night and that his attacks continued Tuesday when she, again, refused to give him drug money.

The woman told police she left the house to avoid further confrontations, but he drove after her and repeatedly rammed his car into hers until police arrived.

Mollica remained jailed Wednesday and faces a preliminary hearing July 30.

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On a day when Americans pay tribute to the red, white and blue, police in Barnegat, N.J. were investigating a Fourth of July flag theft.

Investigators were called out to the Barnegat Municipal Dock at 6:50 a.m. on July 4 after residents reported a giant flag was missing from the flag pole.

The 19 by 10 foot flag was attached to a rope and police say the thieves cut that rope to get the flag down.

Detectives talked with residents, living in the condominium units near the dock, to see if anyone had seen or heard anything.

They were then able to narrow in on two suspects, Clayton McNabb, 18, and Adriane Cuchelo, 18, both residents of Barnegat.

The stolen flag was found at Cuchelo's home on Tara Lane, according to Barnegat Police, who say the flag was not damaged.

McNabb and Cuchelo were arrested on July 9. Both are facing charges of 4th degree theft.

A teenager who confessed to murdering his girlfriend during a break-up waived his preliminary hearing today.

Pennsylvania State Police say 16-year-old Tristan Stahley stabbed 17-year-old Julianne Siller on a hiking trail in Skippack Township's Palmer Park, Montgomery County.

Investigators say the couple, who had been dating for 9 months, was walking along the trail when they got into an argument over Siller "going out too much" and she allegedly smashed his cell phone.

Police say that Stahley admitted he stabbed his girlfriend several times, then dragged her body into a wooded section of the park.

After the teen arrived home, police say his mother, Heather Stahley, says it appeared her son had been crying and had blood and dirt on his legs.

Police say Stahley confessed the murder to his mom and his parents then notified police.

"This whole incident is just a tragic case," said Montgomery County First Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steele. "You have a young woman whose life was taken from her and a 16-year-old who faces potential life in prison for his actions."

Stahley is charged with first degree murder, third degree murder and possession of a weapon.

A pane of glass came crashing down from a Center City high-rise this morning leaving two people hospitalized.

One of the those people is the man who claims he accidentally caused the window to break.

The glass fell around 10 a.m. at the Avenue of the Arts Building at Broad and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia. That’s the building where the Capital Grille and Olive Garden are located on the ground floor with apartments located above.

Police on the scene told NBC10’s Katy Zachry that a pane of glass fell from the 12th floor of the 17-story building onto the sidewalk and street on the Broad Street side of the building.

No one was hurt by the falling glass, however, a person cleaning up the broken glass did cut his or her hand and required hospitalization, according to Philadelphia Fire Department Executive Chief Richard Davison.

The man who was in the apartment where the glass broke loose told Zachry he was "making music" when he lost his blanace and fell back into the window, which gave way. Luckily, he didn't fall out.

The unidentified tenant was taken to the hospital as a precaution, police said.

Police said it appeared the window fell by accident.

A worker could be seen replacing the window glass.

Broad Street was closed for about 45 minutes as crews worked to clean up the scene.

Montgomery County has a task force that has spent a year trying to tackle cyberbullying and bullying. According to the task force, it's a growing problem in the area.

They've come up with a manual, which they say is the first of its kind. It's an anti-bullying guidebook.

It gives recommendations for parents and schools on how to keep track of bullying and how to report it. The manual focuses on prevention and accountability.

To download the free guide, click Montgomery County Cyberbullyin/Bullying Task Force

Bullying is not considered a crime in Montgomery County and there is no law in the state of Pennsylvania that addresses bullying, specifically, according to DA Risa Vetri-Ferman.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has barred local churches from inviting a rebel priest to speak at parishes during his upcoming trip to Philadelphia.

Austrian Catholic priest Father Helmut Schuller, described by supporters as a priest activist, has been pushing for major reforms in the Roman Catholic Church through his organization, the Austrian Priests’ Initiative. Schuller is scheduled to speak at Chestnut Hill College this month on his "The Catholic Tipping Point" tour.

In a 2011 edict called the “Call to Disobedience,” Fr. Schuller and the Austrian Priests’ Initiative, citing a shortage of priests and declining followings, called for lay people to take a larger role in the church and help with decision-making.

Fr. Schuller also supports relaxing the rule barring women and married people from being ordained as priests and prohibiting communion from being given to divorced parishioners and other Christians.

Such views, coming from a practicing and ordained priest, have not sat well with church leaders. Pope Benedict XVI stripped Fr. Schuller’s monsignor title. Bishops in Boston and now Philadelphia are protesting his 15 city U.S. speaking tour – The Catholic Tipping Point – which stops at Chestnut Hill College next Friday.

In a statement about Fr. Schuller’s visit, the archdiocese says he “publicly advances views that diverge very seriously from Catholic belief and practice. . .As a result, and to avoid the furtherance of any confusion about Catholic teaching, he may not speak at any parish or diocesan-related facility in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia,” the statement reads.

Church officials also make it clear that Chestnut Hill College, while a Catholic institution, is not run by the archdiocese.

“Chestnut Hill College is not affiliated with the archdiocese, nor is it an official sponsor of the Schuller appearance. Nonetheless, allowing a campus venue to be used in this manner is regrettable and inevitably damages the unity of the local Church.”

“What I think should be emphasized is that he has a really positive message for church reform that addresses some of the challenges the church is facing today,” said Regina Bannan, president of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Women’s Ordination Conference. The group, which pushes for women to be ordained, is one of the local organizations coordinating Fr. Schuller’s Philadelphia visit.

Bannan said the archdiocese’s statement isn’t unexpected, but that the focus should be on listening to Fr. Schuller’s views and not controversy over his visit. “I would like to see the bishop attend,” she said.

Sister Christine Schenk of FutureChurch, another progressive Catholic group sponsoring Fr. Schuller’s U.S. tour, was more critical of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Archbishop Charles Chaput’s statements.

“For my part, a priest in good standing like Fr. Schuller should be warmly welcomed by an Archdiocese struggling with closing 27 parishes because of the priest shortage,” Sr. Schenk said.

The archdiocese announced in June they would be merging 27 parishes, in a second round of parish restructuring. Officials said a decrease in available clergy was one of the factors.

While the archdiocese's statement forbids Fr. Schuller from preaching at Philly-area churches, archdioceses spokesman Kenneth Gavin says the priest was not given an invite from any local parishes.

Chestnut Hill College Director of Communications Kathleen Spigelmyer says the school "fully respects" Archbishop Chaput's statement and that they are not taking a position on Fr. Schuller's views.

"The College serves merely as the site for the event, having agreed to rent the facility several months ago as part of the College’s continuing mission to encourage dialogue on issues of importance to society."

Fr. Schuller’s talk will be held at 7 p.m. on July 19 at Chestnut Hill College’s SugarLoaf Hill. The event is open to the public and free.

Contact Vince Lattanzio at 610.668.5532, vince.lattanzio@nbcuni.com or follow @VinceLattanzio on Twitter.

While the National Transportation Safety Board panel hearings on the Paulsboro train derailment came to a close today, the State of New Jersey continues to conduct their own investigation into what happened after the November 2012 accident that led to a hazardous gas leak. The man who helped launch the state investigation is Washington Township Assistant Fire Chief Rick Sumek.

Sumek is one of 15 Washington Township firefighters who assisted Gloucester County’s Hazmat team in their response to the derailment. After observing what he believed to be a complete lack of preparedness from the Hazmat team, Sumek filed a complaint with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development which ultimately slapped Gloucester County with 12 violations related to safety and training. Today, Sumek remains adamant that he did the right thing by blowing the whistle.

“I would do the same thing,” he said. “I would battle with my own bosses. This is wrong! We need to fix it.”

Sumek says the County Hazmat team did not have the proper training and that it was evident in their response to the derailment. According to Sumek, neither the team’s air monitors nor weather station worked properly. Sumek also says his own men were never told to wear a breathing apparatus, even with vinyl chloride in the air at unsafe levels.

“Even if it’s not my men going to this call, a firefighter should be protected at the level he’s trained at,” he said.

The report from the state claims the Hazmat members did not wear a breathing apparatus, were not provided medical exams after being exposed and did not receive adequate training.

Gloucester County officials are contesting the state's findings however. They say the County did offer medical exams and that adequate training did take place. They also say they have the proper documentation to back that up.

“The County Office of Emergency Management contends that all of its members were offered and had access to medical screening throughout and after the Paulsboro derailment incident,” a county spokesperson said in a written statement. “Each member was and is a competent, qualified CBRNE team member of a trained professional group.”

Gloucester County Administrator Chad Burner also spoke with NBC10.

“Most fire departments or any emergency responders do have violations from time to time,” he said. “All of our responders are trained and certified. They’re all competent. That’s why they serve on the team.”

In regards to the other violations listed in the state's report, Burner says the county has taken action to correct them.

“It’s an opportunity to relook at everything,” Burner said. “We don’t want any of our emergency responders in harm’s way nor our residents. We’re going to do everything we can to ensure it doesn’t happen.”
 

Police arrested a local middle school teacher after he allegedly sexually assaulted a young girl over a period of several months.

According to a police affidavit, 34-year-old Jared Leimeister inappropriately touched and fondled an 8-year-old girl on several occasions between October 2012 and February 2013.

Leimeister, of North Coventry Township, teaches science at Pottstown Middle School. Police say the alleged victim is not one of his students however. A spokesperson with the Pottstown School District says they will likely suspend Leimeister without pay pending the outcome of the investigation. School officials are currently in the process of notifying parents of the charges against him.

“The determination of the criminal charges clearly are going to affect employment status of this individual,” said John Armato of the Pottstown School District.

Police are also investigating whether Leimeister abused other victims. He is currently charged with endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of minors and indecent assault of a person less than 13-years-old. Leimeister posted bail and was released from the Chester County prison on Monday.

Leimeister's defense attorney says that his client "vigorously denies" the accusations against him.
 

Authorities say a standoff with a man inside a southeastern Pennsylvania house ended after police entered and found the subject dead.

Police in Montgomery County say officers were sent to the Lower Pottsgrove Township residence shortly before noon Monday.

Chief Michael Foltz said they were backing up National Guard officials checking on the welfare of a man reported absent without leave after not showing up for work for several days.

Foltz said they surrounded the house after hearing a shot fired. One nearby school was evacuated as were a few residents.

Officials said SWAT officers entered the house at about 5:30 p.m. Monday and found the man dead. His name is not being released.

Police said a device with wires attached was rendered safe, but its purpose was unknown.

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One person is dead while another is in the hospital after a car accident in Tabernacle, New Jersey.
Police say the car was traveling on Chatsworth and Patty Bowker Road when it overturned and crashed into either a tree or a pole.

Both the driver and passenger were ejected from the vehicle. One victim was pronounced dead at the scene while the other was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Both Chatsworth and Patty Bowker were closed in both directions.They have since reopened.

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Man Tries to Prove He's Alive After Being Declared Dead

Darren Daulton Diagnosed With Brain Cancer

Eleanor Hayes will never forget the terrifying words.

“He said, ‘Take your clothes off, I’m going to rape you.’”

The 77-year-old woman was inside her home in Upland around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Suddenly, she says, she heard a knock at the door. She was greeted by a man who asked to use her phone, claiming his 4-year-old daughter was missing and that he needed to call the police.

Hayes says she opened her front door slightly and handed the man her phone. Police say the man began to dial and acted as if he was contacting someone.

“He was gonna hand the phone back to me,” Hayes said. “As I went to reach, he grabbed the door and pushed me back on the floor. I hit the table.”

Hayes, who has a bad back and was unable to defend herself, said the man threatened to rape her and began to shove her. That’s when, police say, Doug Scott, an Upland firefighter, noticed the commotion. Scott says he happened to be looking out of the window of his firehouse, located only a few feet away.

“I ran across,” Scott said. “I went to the outside screen door and pounded on it three times.”

Police say the suspect had locked the front door in order to prevent Hayes from fleeing. But Scott’s presence was enough to scare him off, according to investigators. Police say the suspect fled out of the home through the backdoor with Hayes’ phone still in hand. He then ran away in an unknown direction.

“By the time I got to the back of the building, he was gone,” Scott said.

While Doug refuses to take credit for saving her life, Hayes, who suffered cuts and bruises during the attack, says the firefighter is her hero.

“I owe him everything,” she said.

Police later found Hayes' phone about two feet away from the back door and will process it for fingerprints. The suspect is described as a light skinned black male with short hair and no facial hair, weighing between 150 and 170 pounds and standing between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and tan pants or long shorts.
 

A month after her beloved necklace was snatched during a robbery, a local woman was reminded in a big way that there are still good people in this world.

Verna Void, 57, says she was on her way to get treatment for skin cancer back on June 12 and boarded a SEPTA route 38 bus. As the bus stopped at Broad and Chestnut Streets, police say a man who was sitting behind the woman got up to leave. As he exited the bus, the man snatched Void’s gold chain and cross from her neck and fled the bus on foot.

"I was just minding my own business and he just reached over," she said. "He ripped it off my neck."

Void suffered a laceration on her neck due to the chain snatching. She says her injury required extra care since there was concern it could exacerbate her skin cancer.

"It was so traumatic to me that he did that and the fact that I have this condition," Void said. "I had to go to the doctor." 

Void also says the stolen chain and cross are particularly meaningful to her because they were the only things she had left from her child’s father who died last year. She says she wore the chain for more than 30 years.

Credit: Philadelphia Police

After NBC10 reported the story Tuesday night, one of our viewers felt compelled to take action.

"I felt really bad that she had to encounter such a sudden and violent act," said Pietro Pace, owner of Pietro Jewelers. "I thought to myself, what if that was my mother?"

Pace contacted NBC10, saying that he wanted to help Void. After meeting her, he gave her a gold chain and cross from his South Philly Jewelry store at no cost.

"It's perfect!" said Void after trying it on. "It's just what the other one looked like!" 

Police continue to search for the man who robbed Void, believing he will likely strike again. Thanks to Pietro however, she has a renewed faith in humanity.

"Not only seeing the joy but more so the gratitude was very touching to me," said Pace. "Because she said things my mother would say. That God would take care of it."

"It shows that there are still kind people in this world and people that care about other people," Void said. "When bad things happen to them, they reach out. It's all good." 

Pietro also started the South Philadelphia Charitable Foundation, a group of business people who perform random acts of kindness.

Since the season started, many wondered whether or not the Phillies would become sellers if things went south before the All Star break. For the first part of the season, it looked as if Ruben Amaro would have no other choice than to trade the likes of Michael Young, Carlos Ruiz, and Chase Utley, as the Phillies struggled to keep their heads above water and a .500 record. It seemed to be a pretty easy decision to make, but one that Amaro couldn't commit to in earnest, going as far as to suggest that their current ten-game home stand would ultimately determine whether or not they would become sellers at the deadline.

Following a series win against both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves, as well as a pair of victories to open up a four game series against the Washington Nationals, it looks like the Phillies have found some new life in July. As such, Amaro has altered his stance on selling, and according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, is possibly even looking to become a buyer to try to strengthen the team to make a run at the playoffs.

And as exciting as it sounds, it's really not a great idea for Amaro to even consider the notion of acquiring additional players. It's actually a bit of a nightmare scenario, because the potential for loss is so much greater. And not loss in the "the Phillies lost 86 games," but the loss of no potential prospects that could go a long way to ensuring the team is back on its feet in a season or two. If the Phillies decide against selling, they are losing out on the value that Chase Utley, Michael Young, Carlos Ruiz, Kyle Kendrick, and Jonathan Papelbon (among others) could bring on the trade market. They are losing out on shedding salary dollars while recouping valuable prospects that they were so eager to trade while putting together one of the greatest runs in the history of the organization.

Now, the loss of value would be totally acceptable if the Phillies were currently fielding a team that had a legitimate chance at snagging one of the two wild cards or overtaking both the Nats and Braves in the division. You'd absolutely exchange a World Series ring for a few prospects, for sure. But is that likely? It's not as if the offense is going to be getting some help any time soon, and the bullpen is what it is. There is a ton of time left in the season, and anything is theoretically possible, but you can't bank on the Phillies winning six out of every eight games the rest of the way. They are still a deeply flawed team with an awful bullpen and a below-average offense, and they would need to have every break go their way from now until the end of the season – not to mention needing every team ahead of them to hit the skids at the exact same time. This recent run of success and flirtation with a .500 record should not be conflated with the kind of surge that this team has been known to put together during the late 2000s.

Given that, it doesn't make a lot of sense for them to acquire pieces (like relief pitchers) that are ultimately unlikely to get them any closer to the playoffs. They possess no fewer than four players that can be traded for in exchange for valuable young players, and that is not something that they should (or can afford to) miss. It's a tough pill to swallow, this rooting for your team to sell, but it's the reality that the Phillies are faced with.

Does that mean we should root against them? Of course not. I'm going to have as much fun as possible watching this team in 2013, even if it means saying goodbye to some of my favorite players. We've all become so used to his team being buyers at the deadline that an honest-to-goodness fire sale is going to feel really, really weird. They came close to doing that last season, but that figures to pale in comparison to what the Phillies might be doing in 2013.

Phillies Hall of Famer Darren Daulton has been diagnosed with brain cancer. This news comes just over a week after Daulton underwent surgery to have two brain tumors removed.

Daulton has Glioblastoma, otherwise known as "GBM" according to Tony Perri, president of the Darren Daulton Foundation.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Glioblastomas are the most common and aggressive primary brain tumors, have been called grow-and-go tumors. They not only grow rapidly at a given site, they also move rapidly to new sites.

Daulton returned to his Clearwater, Fl. home to recuperate and will eventually begin treatments in Florida.

"Darren and his family wish to thank everyone for their loving support throughout this difficult time. He is deeply touched. In typical fashion, he again said, 'Right on; Fight on.' " said Perri in a release issued this afternoon.

Daulton had surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital on July 2. Doctors said the surgery "went well" and both of the tumors on the left side of Daulton's brain were removed.

On a scale of one to 10 in terms of difficulty, Dr. Kevin Judy called the surgery, which took between six and seven hours, an "eight." According to Judy, preserving Daulton's language was key, as the former Phillie's communication skills suffered before he was diagnosed.

The procedure involved "language mapping," in which doctors probed Daulton's brain. Daulton had to be awake during the surgery. To keep him talking, doctors asked him sports questions.

Daulton spent 14 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies.

He now chairs the Darren Daulton Foundation, which helps in the development of youth sports programs and homelessness organizations.

A Northeast Philadelphia man says when his social security checks were cut off, he was stunned when the federal government told him the reason why.

George Morris had been declared dead.

"I think I'm alive," says Morris, a former truck driver, who is reliant on these checks after a stroke left him with vision problems.

Morris says someone called the SSA, claiming to be a relative and reported him dead on May 30.

"I asked them, I said, "Why didn't they produce a death certificate?" ' says Morris.

The Social Security Administration says a family member can report a death by providing certain identifying information and they are not required to produce a death certificate.

The SSA tells NBC10 that in George's case, the person who called in was able to verify his personal information.

"They had information about me and that's the worst part. I never shred anything, I always throw stuff in the trash," says Morris, who adds that he's also been receiving harassing text messages and believes the same person is responsible.

"It's not the typical fraud because the offender is not really looking for financial gain, the motive here seems to be revenge," says  Dr. Rob D'ovidio, identity theft expert.

After NBC10 contacted the SSA, Morris has been sent back checks. But he says he is still working to get his situation straightened out with the bank.

The Social Security Administration says the biggest problem they deal with is fraud and that this case is unusual. They say their typical fraud cases involve families collecting checks, after their loved one has passed away.

It’s a decades-old Philadelphia dry cleaner that has been around for decades. But it’s abrupt closure has left numerous customers confused at best and outraged at worst.

Customers at Fashion Expert Dry Cleaners, located at the Pathmark Center on the 4100 block of Monument Road in Wynnefield, say they knew the business was closing at the end of July. In a surprise move however, the doors locked nearly a month early. A sign on the doors notified customers that they only had a two hour window on Tuesday to pick up their clothes.

“A retail business closing with very little notice and everyone’s clothing held hostage,” said Sandy Kauffman of Wynnefield.

A long line of customers gathered outside the business Tuesday afternoon.

“There was no warning,” said Eric Norris. “How do you say you have to come back on a day and you only have two hours? People have jobs.”  

While the owners initially said the customers had until 2 p.m. to pick up their clothes, the line was so long that the time was extended. Customers vented their frustration as they waited for hours to get their clothes back.

“A lot of people are out of town,” said Sharon Lee. “They’re going to be despondent when they come back.”

Eddie Yi, the owner of the business, said the sudden closure was due to problems with rent.

“We had a lease problem,” Yi said. “So we asked about lower rent. But they said no.”

Deanne Lesnik, of Pathmark Property Management, claims the tenant was evicted for “not paying rent.”

While Lee and Kauffman were able to pick up their clothes, they were still angry about how the entire situation was handled.

“I wish we had some warning,” said Lee.

“Arrangements could have been made in a timely fashion which would have been a little more respectful to the customers,” said Kauffman.

The business was completely boarded up on Wednesday. However, a note was left outside, notifying customers that it will re-open for pickup from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 16, 17, and 18. It also provided the number of the store owner.