Nia Ali's mom, Melita Johnson, always knew her daughter, who first ran on the streets of Philadelphia, would compete in the Olympics someday.

"When Nia says she's going to do something, she does it," Johnson told NBC10 ahead of the Rio games. "When she said she wanted to be an Olympian, I believed it. I just knew."

The mother's intuition was spot-on -- and then some. Ali, 27, won silver Wednesday night in the 100-meter hurdles, joining two other U.S. runners who swept the race. With her mom and her toddler son, Titus, watching from the stands in Rio, Ali pounded the track and sailed over the hurdles, finishing in just 12.59 seconds -- the 10th-fastest time for the event in U.S. history.

Ali's journey to the Olympics hasn't been an easy one. Raised in Philadelphia's hard-scrabble Germantown neighborhood, she eventually left to pursue track and her dreams of going bi-coastal, heading to college at the University of Southern California.

But while she went to school, tragedy struck back home: In 2009, her father, Aleem Ali, shot his girlfriend to death in West Oak Lane before turning the gun on himself, taking his own life. Both city workers, Aleem Ali and the woman's deaths stunned the city, and the shock of it left Nia Ali, 3,000 miles away in California, reeling.

But eventually, she managed to pick herself back up and apply what she learned from her father's death to her time on the track, coming back stronger and more determined than ever.

"I was able to pick myself apart and learn that I am my biggest [obstacle]," Ali told the Orange County Register in 2011. "I will hold myself back. My mind is so strong and there have been so many times where I would just defeat myself before a race, before anything, before I got to the end, I would just defeat myself. So I had to learn how to get over myself to be successful."

Ali flashed a wide smile as she celebrated with her fellow U.S. medalists on the track after the race, each woman donning an American flag to wear over her shoulders. Her 2-year-old son, Titus, eventually joined his mom to celebrate on the track, wide-eyed and excited but too young to know yet the full significance of the moment. Ali's medal makes Titus the son of two silver medalists: His father, Michael Tinsley, won silver in 2012 in the 400-meter hurdles in London and is back again in Rio.

Back home in Philadelphia, Daryl Murphy, who coached Ali since she was 6 years old, shed tears of joy after her successful race. He watched Ali race alongside his family in his East Mount Airy living room.

"She worked for this. She worked very hard for everything she's accomplished," Murphy said, tears welling in his eyes.

He said he sees Ali achieving even more in the future, if she decides to compete in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

"She's the first athlete I coached that ever made the Olympics and ever medaled ... she earned it and she deserves it," Murphy continued. "She's made everybody here in Philly proud. She just keeps getting better."

Ali told NBC10 before she left for Rio that love, support and faith help her get through her races.

"I never know until I cross the line and look at my phone and see so much love and support form people, and I'm like, 'Wait, you were watching?'" Ali said. "There were people from middle school and teacher watching, so it made me really want to do it ... I prayed to God and said, 'I know a lot of people want you to be with them right now, but I need you.' So my faith is strong and I believe that I was one of the chosen ones."

A six-month coordinated operation in New Jersey led to arrests of 40 men on child porn charges, including at least one from each county in the state and nearly two dozen in our area.

Authorities said the lengthy investigation, called "Operation Statewide," is a result of collaboration among the New Jersey State Police, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and dozens of local prosecutors' offices coordinated by the New Jersey Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Of the 40 men arrested, officials said, 37 face charges of child porn distribution. A number of computers police seized in their investigation contained more than 1,000 sexually explicit images of children on them, police said, and one had more than 76,000 files.

"These offenders, by their actions, contribute in a very real and direct way to the cruel exploitation of innocent children, and ta ht is why we remain tireless in our efforts to protect children by locking up these criminals," Attorney General Christopher Porrino said. "The message that Operation Statewide delivers to these offenders is clear: It doesn't matter where you live or whether you think you can hide your crimes by viewing these vile images in the dark seclusion of your home, we're monitoring you on the Internet, and we will track you down and arrest you."

NJ State Police Col. Rick Fuentes said authorities believe the arrests will prevent future sexual abuse of children.

"It's widely accepted that a percentage of those obtaining child porn will be involved at some point in the sexual assault of children," Fuentes said.

Laws enacted three years ago in NJ stiffened child porn penalties, including enhanced consequences based on the numbers of items of child porn possessed or distributed. The law now requires a five-year mandatory minimum sentence with no parole for anyone convicted of distributing 25 or more child porn items, and creates a presumption of prison time for anyone convicted of possessing 100 or more items -- meaning even first-time offenders charged in the investigation will likely serve prison time, officials said.

At least 20 of the men arrested in the sting were found to possess 100 or more items of child porn, authorities said, and nine so far have been charged with distributing 25 or more images.

A Gloucester County man possessed the largest child porn collection found in the operation, police said. John Defay Jr., 47, of Pitman, had more than 76,000 files on his computer, along with "a complete backup system, which doubled the files in his possession," police said. They said a large number of the files were videos.

Authorities said the ages of the those arrested span from 20 to 72, and among the men are a former teacher who taught in Delran, N.J., Bristol Township, Pa. and Philadelphia, an accountant, a school custodian, salesmen and food service workers.

The men from our area arrested in the sting were identified by police as:

• Thomas Colameco, 24, Salem, charged with possession and distribution
• Adam Farrington, 37, Cinnaminson, charged with possession and distribution
• John Rudy, 54, Flemington, charged with possession and distribution
• John Defay Jr., 47, Pitman, charged with possession and distribution
• Fabian Maldonado-Espinosa, 31, Lakewood, charged with possession and distribution
• Anthony White, 30, Lakewood, charged with possession and distribution
• Esau Rios-Osorio, 27, Vineland, charged with possession and distribution
• Adolfo Reyes-Aguayo, 38, Flemington, charged with possession and distribution
• Robert H. Magrann, 51, Maple Shade, charged with possession and distribution
• Nicholas Puppo, 40, Bordentown City, charged with possession and distribution
• Robert Cohen, 20, Magnolia, charged with possession and distribution
• Michael Kushner, 42, Cherry Hill, charged with possession and distribution
• Christopher Campi, 48, Gloucester City, charged with possession and distribution
• Alfred Suez, 72, North Wildwood, charged with possession
• Lawrence J. Venturino Jr., 27, Villas, charged with possession and distribution
• Gregg Bilarczyk, 58, Mays Landing, charged with possession and distribution
• Randy G. Hull, 43, South Toms River, charged with possession and distribution
• Brandon Adelhock, 30, Toms River, charged with possession and distribution
• Bruce Davis, 55, Whiting, charged with possession and distribution

Nearly 6,000 football helmets manufactured by Xenith are being voluntarily recalled because they can crack and increase the risk of a head injury,  according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Xenith's recall includes the Epic Varsity, X2 Varsity, X2E Varsity and Youth football helmets with a gloss or metallic-painted polycarbonate shell sold or factory-reconditioned between May 1, 2015 and March 18, 2016.

Though no injuries have been reported, the company said it received 29 reports of helmets cracking.

In a statement posted on their website, Xenith said an additive compound which "prevents other coating components from causing embrittlement of the shell material" was not added to the gloss or metallic-painted helmets. Xenith said they have corrected the issue and have added the compound on all helmets manufactured since March 2016.

Xenith officials said players should immediately stop using the recalled helmets and contact the company for a new replacement helmet. 

The helmets were sold through team dealers and direct school sales, as well as at BSN, Buddy’s All Stars, Carey’s Sporting Goods, End Zone Sports and Sports, Inc. and other stores nationwide and online at Eastbay.com, Footlocker.com, SafetyFirstSports.com, SportsUnlimitedInc.com and Xenith.com for between $140 and $400.It is not known how many schools or athletes in North Texas may be using the helmet.

The serial number is printed on a white sticker inside the top of the helmet. For a complete list of the serial numbers included, visit www.xenith.com/recall.

Cutomers are advised to call Xenith at 1-800-956-902 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit their website and click on the "Helmet Shell Recall" link for more information.

Police investigated after a car wound up in the Delaware River in Bucks County.

SkyForce10 video from the scene showed a dive team working around a red car just barely floating at the water's surface about 1 p.m. Thursday. One diver opened the car door.

The car wound up in the river in Morrisville off of the intersection of Delmorr and Philadelphia avenues, not far from Route 1, during a suicide attempt, said Morrisville Police.

Chopper video didn't show the divers rescuing anyone from the vehicle.

"HAVE YOU HEARD WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING?"

This would be a really funny story if so many people didn’t take this stuff seriously. But they do. In fact, atmospheric scientists have gotten so many e-mails, tweets and Facebook posts that drastic measures had to be taken. Now there’s actually been a published scientific study where actual scientists have spent (*wasted*) a lot of time debunking a long-lived conspiracy theory. Of course, it’s the government’s fault (*not really*).

(I have had to resort to explaining any sarcasm clearly, so no one will mis-interpret my statements. So, I use a (*____*) to show my real opinion.

THE CHEMTRAIL CONSPIRACY THEORY

You won’t believe this one! It seems the government has been secretly releasing dangerous chemicals into the upper atmosphere for about 20 years! (*not*). Depending on who is doing the writing, these "chemtrails" (*not even a real word*) involve:

• Population control
• Biological warfare
• Chemical warfare
• Psychological manipulation
• Weather modification (combat global warming)

I have read and heard many people say that the U.S. Government has a program to actually poison its population. And this has already affected people’s health (*you must be kidding!*). Before you think that this mindset is rare, the new study quoted by the Washington Post says: "In a 2011 international survey, nearly 17% of respondents said they believed the existence of a secret large-scale atmospheric spraying program (SLAP) to be true or partly true." That’s even more than the percentage of people who believe the moon landing was fake (*another whopper*).

Some celebrities have been quoted about their belief in "chemtrails," including Prince, Vin Diesel, Chuck Norris, Merle Haggard, and Kylie Jenner (of course, if Vin Diesel or Chuck Norris wanted to argue that to my face, with a fist raised, I may be more inclined to agree with them).

It all starts with the real thing: CONTRAILS from jet aircraft. These CONdensation TRAILS form when water vapor from the exhaust condenses into narrow clouds as the plane races across the sky. We see them regularly...

Let a real Professor of Atmospheric Sciences explain in this blog about "chemtrails" versus "contrails."

SO THEY HAD TO DO A (PUBLISHED) STUDY

Hearing from individual professors or meteorologists hasn’t managed to calm down the fears of the 17%. The new study, from scientists at Stanford and the University of California, Irvine wanted "to establish a source of objective science that can inform public discourse." It was published in the past week by the prestigious Environmental Research Letters.

They surveyed 220 contrail experts and 255 atmospheric deposition experts (the type of scientists who should know better), A total of 77 responded (*the rest probably thought it was some sort of prank*).

The scientists were asked if they ever came across evidence "that you think indicates the existence of a secret large-scale atmospheric spraying program?." The result: 76 of the 77 simply answered "no." What about the 77th one? "...said the evidence was "high levels of atmospheric barium in a remote area with standard 'low' soil barium." Sounds ominous (*not*).

The study went into great detail, showing multiple "suspicious" photos. The scientists explained, for example, why these trails behind aircraft appear to be lasting longer than they used to (a major point from the conspiracy believers). Planes are flying higher, have larger engines that produce more water vapor, higher water vapor content of the atmosphere due to climate change, and increased fuel efficiency.

Doesn’t that sound more reasonable than the government trying to poison us?

AND ANOTHER THING

If anyone wanted to spray stuff in the atmosphere to affect us at the ground, they wouldn’t do it at the level jets fly. Anything up there just disburses into the atmosphere. They would spray close to the ground, like crop dusters.

HOW DID THIS ALL START?

I have wondered for years how this interesting (*crazy*) theory got started. The answer is really interesting (*really*). This goes back to 1996, when the Air Force published a paper, "Weather as a Force Multiplier." It was a theoretical look about how weather could be modified for combat. You can read it here.

And then it spread…and spread…and spread. I guess they didn’t read the "this report contains fictional representations of future situations/scenarios" part.

AND THEN THERE’S HAARP

HAARP is a real research program, started in 1990 (and recently cancelled). "Chemtrail" people sometimes say the "chemtrails" are from the HAARP program. And get a load of some of the things HAARP has been blamed for:

• Floods
• Droughts
• Hurricanes
• Earthquakes
• Gulf War Syndrome
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

….and the downing of TWA Flight 800 (according to Wikipedia –- I can only take so much reading of the conspiracy sites).

The scientific study of "chemtrails" did not mention HAARP. Sounds like a reason for yet another interesting (*unnecessary*) study.

In the meantime, there are so many real problems in the world. I suggest focusing on one of them, instead of spending (*wasting*) your time worrying about ridiculous conspiracy theories that pose little (*no*) logic.

Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz
Chief Meteorologist, NBC10 Philadelphia

Four people in Montgomery County have been confirmed infected with the Zika virus, the county said at the monthly Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday.

All of the cases have been deemed "travel related," meaning the patients were infected while traveling outside of Montgomery County, officials said. In Pennsylvania, 74 cases of the Zika virus has been confirmed as of Monday, the Department of Health said.

The county said it is providing free Zika Prevention Kits to residents and health inspectors will investigate any reports of standing water on private property.

The public can call and report standing water that appears unattended on vacant land or in front or backyards of residences. If inspectors find standing water that needs to be addressed, the county will give property owners five days to take care of the issue.

County spokeswoman Lorie Slass said she did not immediately have total inspections of standing water this year, but added that she was not aware of any property owners who did not address the issue within the time allotted by the county after an initial warning.

For more information about Zika, go to the Montgomery County Department of Health website.

Within months, construction of 29 towers that help form Montgomery County's $36 million emergency communications overhaul will be complete.

But there's a problem. The upgraded dispatch system requires 30 towers to fully cover the county.

The lone snag is in Upper Merion, where township supervisors and county officials have butted heads for more than two years about construction of a 180-foot tower.

The upgraded system would significantly improve the ability of county dispatchers to communicate with emergency personnel like firefighters and police.

"More towers are needed to increase coverage and increased capacity (number of channels) is needed because the system gets bogged by the volume of use during major events," according to a county report on the project.

After hearing about the holdup, which First Assistant County Solicitor Josh Stein said has added $300,000 to the project, County Commissioner Josh Shapiro said Thursday, "This is unbelievable. This seems like a relatively simple issue."

Stein and other county officials suggested Upper Merion's supervisors purposefully changed local zoning code to prevent the county from installing a tower on a property along Hughes Road.

The location, Stein said, in fact already has a radio tower. It is 90 feet in height, according to Upper Merion.

Stein said in addition to the zoning code change, Upper Merion officials have also cited the complaints of eight families who live near the proposed tower.

"I wish I knew this when I approved the resolution earlier [in the meeting] that extended a trail through Upper Merion," Shapiro said. He was referring to the commissioners' approval to purchase an easement for the Chester Valley Trail expansion.

Without the 30th tower, parts of Upper Merion, Bridgeport, West Conshohocken and Lower Merion could have spotty coverage within the emergency dispatch system, Stein said.

"They're having a negative impact on their surrounding communities," Shapiro said of Upper Merion.

Upper Merion supervisors did not respond to emails, but township Manager David Kraynik told NBC10.com that the township has not changed any zoning in that area of Hughes Road -- disputing the county's account.

And he said the county, like anyone else seeking a variance, must go before Upper Merion's zoning board.

"All we're asking is go before the zoning board," Kraynik said. "Any property has to go before the zoning board for a variance. That's our position and that's consistently been our position with the county."

Stein said the county solicitor's office will send a letter to Upper Merion supervisors requesting that they reconsider the merits of the tower and sign off on its construction.

The 21-year-old woman whose body was found discarded like trash along a Wilmington street was loved, her mother tells NBC10.

Precious Hoskins, 21, was found dead along the 800 block of E. 22nd Street Wednesday afternoon. She was shot several times and her body was stuffed into a recycling bin outside a home along the street, police said.

“Wherever she went, everybody loved her,” the woman’s mother, Mary Dunham, said.

Dunham said her daughter had some troubles in the past, but had recently turned a corner. She was living at home and helping care for her grandparents and nieces and nephews.

Since her daughter’s death, the mother said she learned Hoskins’ on-again, off-again boyfriend was abusive and apparently spent time in jail for threatening a person with a gun.

“He was a good dude, he was just dealing with some mental issues,” Dunham said.

The boyfriend, who is not being named because he has not been charged with a crime, lived down the street along the 200 block of Locust Street. Police executed a search warrant at a home on the block Thursday morning and SWAT officers took a person of interest into custody for questioning, police said. It’s not clear whether that man is Hoskins’ former boyfriend.

Charges have not been filed in the case. Detectives continue to ask anyone with information to come forward.

Lehigh County has been slapped with a federal lawsuit over its inclusion of a Latin cross in the center of the official county seal.

County residents Stephen Meholic, David Simpson, John Berry and Candace Winkler and Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation filed the lawsuit Tuesday. They say the seal violates the constitution by endorsing Christianity.

The cross sits in the center of the seal and is one of several symbols in the insignia which dates back to the 1940s.

The lawsuit seeks to have a judge rule the seal as unconstitutional and put forth an injunction to prevent its use across the county. They're also requesting 'nominal' damages for litigation fees and harm, the foundation said.

Patrick Russell, an attorney with the foundation, said the government can't use religious symbols at all in its insignia.

"There's probably about a dozen cases that have been struck down by the courts," he said. "The idea is that the government is supposed to be neutral on religion and not promote any religion."

The seal is displayed widely across the county, on flags, on county documents and websites and etched in stone outside buildings.

Last March, the Lehigh County Commissioners declined to change the seal after the foundation sent a letter threatening a lawsuit. The commissioners said the cross was included as a tribute to early Christian settlers.

The county declined comment citing the pending litigation, but some residents told NBC10 they don't have an issue with the cross.

"Unless you're really looking at it hard, you can't really tell it's a cross," one woman said.

David Hallman said it should stay adding "if the atheists don't like it, let them go to hell where they belong."