Dec. 1 marks World AIDS Day. It's a time to remember over 35 million people who have died from the disease since the early-1980s and show support for those who are struggling with it now. It's also a chance for health organizations and charities to raise awareness about testing and treatment.

In the United Kingdom, activists are spreading the message that HIV stigma is “not retro, just wrong.” The U.S. World AIDS Day theme for 2016 is “Leadership. Commitment. Impact,” and the United Nations launched the “Hands up for #HIVprevention” awareness campaign, emphasizing the importance of protecting at-risk demographics like young women and girls. 

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Across the globe, approximately 34 million people suffer from HIV/AIDS, including more than 1.2 million who live in the United States. 

A red ribbon is a universal symbol of support and solidarity for those living with HIV or AIDS. Here's how organizations are raising awareness and money to help combat AIDS: 

World Health Organization
For World AIDS Day, the UN agency is advocating that health organizations should make self-testing equipment more readily available. About 14 million people around the world don’t know they have the disease -- one in eight AIDS survivors in the U.S. goes undiagnosed.

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Self-testing allows individuals to check their HIV/AIDS status. If they do get a positive test result, they can then explore much-needed medical resources that will improve their standard of living and protect others from infection.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there are two types of self-HIV tests: the Home Access HIV-1 Test System and the OraQuick In-home HIV test. You can buy a self-testing kit at drug stores like Walgreens and Rite Aid. 

(RED)
When U2’s Bono and activist Bobby Shriver founded (RED) in 2006, they were bent on eradicating HIV/AIDS in Africa. Since then, they’ve raised $365 million for grants to provide survivors with anti-retroviral treatments that can cost as little as 30 cents a day, but that still aren’t accessible to about 18 million people suffering from the disease.

This World AIDS Day, (RED) has partnered with companies to raise money for the Global Fund to Help Fight AIDS. For every handcrafted holiday drink purchased today, Starbucks will donate 25 cents to the cause. Profits from 20 Apple games sold on the iTunes app store are also going toward AIDS prevention, and New Yorkers can swing by the (BANK OF AMERICA)RED pop-up in Bryant Park to buy holiday gifts through Dec. 4.

According to (RED)’s website, “Bank of America will donate $1 for every purchase made with a Bank of America card using Apple Pay, up to $1M” beginning on Dec. 1. This contribution will be doubled by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has promised to match the money raised by (RED) this year, up to $78 million.

AIDS.gov
This World AIDS Day, the website’s team is asking Americans to educate themselves about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and how it manifests in the U.S. They’ve put together a resource page for readers to peruse, including links to the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, a timeline of HIV/AIDS, and information about the Affordable Care Act, which has provided coverage to survivors who couldn’t find insurance before because of their pre-existing condition.

Philadelphia real estate developer Ori Feibush is offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a group that he says vandalized his company's Washington Avenue office.

Feibush posted the reward offer to his Facebook page on Monday, including a surveillance video collected by the Philadelphia Police that shows the alleged offenders as they jog down a nearby street. As the group leaves the frame, viewers can see one spray painting another property.

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For more information on the reward, click here.

For more business news, visit Philadelphia Business News.

Barring any last-ditch legal challenges, a recount of presidential election results is expected to take place in Philadelphia Friday.

Frederick Voight, attorney for the Philadelphia City Commissioner’s Office, told NBC10 that a recount of voting results from machines in 75 of Philadelphia’s nearly 1,700 wards would take place around 1 p.m. Friday at the voting machine warehouse along Wissahickon Avenue.

Voters in each of the wards in question petitioned for the recount.

The process isn’t expected to take long as each machine’s results – there are normally two machines per ward – will be reprinted and evaluated.

The recount comes on the heels of supporters of Green Party candidate Jill Stein posing recount challenges around the Keystone State. Stein’s campaign has pushed for recounts in Michigan and Wisconsin as well. Republican President-elect Donald Trump won each of the states.

Barring any further legal maneuvers, the city commissioners office plans to begin recounting paper provisional, mail-in and absentee ballots Monday morning at the Elections Committee headquarters at the commissioners’ office along Spring Garden Street in Penn’s Landing, said Voight.

No word on how long that recount could take.

With more than 2.9 million votes, Trump defeated Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton by about 68,000 votes in Pennsylvania, said NBC News. In Philadelphia, however, Clinton defeated Trump by a margin of nearly 455,000 votes. Stein only got about one percent of the vote statewide.

Peter Gerbert, a Blue Bell resident, took to the podium Thursday after a handful of students and workers at the Montgomery County Community College spoke about a proposed funding increase for their school.

One of the students had said the college "doesn't make you feel like a number" in lauding the school experience.

Gerbert said the feeling he got these days as a county taxpayer was the exact opposite.

"Unfortunately, as taxpayers, if everyone feels as much as me, I feel like a number," he told the county commissioners during a public hearing on the 2017 proposed budget that would raise taxes 11 percent. "It's fiscal insanity to raise taxes 21 percent in two years."

Most of the residents who spoke assailed the proposed $410 million spending plan that comes on the heels of a 2016 budget that raised taxes nearly 10 percent.

But the audience gathered to address Commissioners Val Arkoosh, Joe Gale and Josh Shapiro also included a contingent of about 25 advocates for the county college. In the budget is $22 million for a separate fund to the college -- an increase of about $4 million over its current funding from county coffers.

Democrats Arkoosh and Shapiro, who is resigning this month to become Pennsylvania Attorney General, have touted the college funding as an important piece of the budget. The increase would stave off increases to tuition in the near future and bring the county in line with its share of financial support with state funding and revenue from classes and operations, Arkoosh has said.

Student Quinton Gibson, a Willow Grove resident, was among those in the audience that thanked the commissioners for the proposed funding.

"I'm not from this area and there's a reason I moved here," Gibson said. The college is a "very significant reason."

Republican Gale has railed against the overall budget, which is $20 million more than the 2016 version.

Before the public hearing, Shapiro and Arkoosh squared off with Gale in a meeting with reporters.

Gale called for an "across the board" cut to county department budgets, but when he couldn't name any specifics to cut, Arkoosh accused Gale of having "not been engaged in the work" of building the budget.

"Commissioner Gale is not in the office that often, so he may not be aware of the hours and hours of work put in," she said.

Gale denied the notion that he isn't in the office or a part of the budget process.

Shapiro said of Gale that "it is easy to sit here and pontificate and make up things."

But the numbers show, Shapiro said, that "the (county) government is smaller than it was the day we walked in here."

The bitter tone between the Democrats and the Republican has been building since the summer and early fall. Gale often used commissioners' meetings to question Shapiro's record and political connections. Then, more recently, Gale ran a political advertisement leading up to the November election that attacked Shapiro, who at the time was running against Republican candidate, John Rafferty, a state senator from Montgomery County.

On Thursday, Shapiro called Gale's actions "unethical," considering Gale is a member of the county Elections Board.

Shapiro prodded Gale to introduce his own budget that would not increase taxes and Shapiro would happily debate that proposed budget. The Republican declined to say whether he would take Shapiro up on the offer.

Gale did say, without providing specific examples, "I find it ridiculous that we have an over $400 million budget and there is no waste in our government."

The commissioners have scheduled a final vote on the budget for Dec. 15. The tax increase would fund $18 million in new spending, as the 2017 budget would increase to $409 million from $391 million last year. The owner of a property at the county average assessment of $169,000 would pay $66 more in taxes.

Arkoosh said the commissioners would listen to taxpayers who spoke at the public hearing and weigh their opinions about spending.

Bruce Enwisle, a businessman from Ambler, opposed the tax increase. He said he didn't appreciate how the debate has been framed about the county paying "its fair share" to the county college.

"Half of my productivity goes to the government," he said of his income. "Enough!"

The proposed 2017 budget as well as the current budget is available on the Montgomery County website. Click HERE for a direct link to the county's finance page.

A person wore two hats and a heavy coat as that person dropped off a homemade explosive that exploded in a Center City Philadelphia apartment, said Philadelphia Police.

The person, described by police as a person of interest, wore a "Elmer Fudd-like" lumberjack hat and a baseball cap as the person dropped off a package at Jim Alden's apartment along Pine Street -- not far from Rittenhouse Square.

Investigators showed photos of the person of interest Thursday and also said the device that blew up in Alden's hands was like no other seen on the East Coast. They also stressed that it appeared to be a targeted attack but they aren't sure if the person of interest simply delivered the device or manufactured it as well.

Surveillance images captured the delivery person on Lombard and Pine streets, said police.

Alden, who is cooperating with officials doesn't know why he was targeted, said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross.

Alden, 62, released a statement Tuesday updating people about his progress and thanking everyone for the support.

“What I want to say at this point is how overwhelmed I have been at the outpouring of love and support that I’ve received from my partner, family, friends, and coworkers,” Alden wrote.

On Nov. 22, Alden arrived home at his apartment on the 1800 block of Pine Street after being out of town to find the package that he thought contained asthma medication addressed to him. As he opened the package the contents inside exploded. The envelope, which was rigged with a bomb, contained some type of shrapnel, causing injuries to Alden’s face, chest and arms.

Alden, who pursued a career in theater before working as a restaurant manager and caterer at the Warwick Rittenhouse Hotel, faces more surgeries and a long road to recovery. [[403702046, C]]

"The 'shrapnel' damage to my face, chest and arms is slowly healing, and a blister on my ear drum is affecting my hearing, but is supposed to heal," Alden wrote. "At this point, I only know that I have a long road ahead of me, and I will likely be unable to work for quite some time."

CLICK HERE if you would like to donate to Alden’s medical funds.

Anyone recognizing the person of interest is asked to contact Philadelphia Police.

MILD NOVEMBER: NO RELATION TO DECEMBER

It’s been yet another amazingly warm month across the country, especially to our west. November in Philadelphia has been about 2 ½ degrees above normal, but parts of the Plains are up to 12 degrees above normal! Here’s the map that shows it:

It’s also been unseasonably mild in Canada. So how does any really cold air get down into the Lower 48? 

It has been exceptionally cold in Alaska, with Fairbanks just reaching 30 degrees below zero. That’s a rare feat in recent decades. Now we need to monitor that area to see what happens to that super-cold air. 

Look at the purple areas at the top left of the current map below. That’s the extreme cold. Most of Canada is in the red or pink colors-WAAAY above normal temperatures.

Now look what happens over the next week. The map below is valid for next Friday, December 9th.

The purple and dark blue cold air now covers almost all of the U.S.! And the unseasonably mild air in Canada has disappeared. It just shows how quickly weather patterns can change at this time of year. A mild November has no relation to what December will bring. 

HOW DOES THAT HUGE CHANGE HAPPEN?

This is what the upper-air pattern is expected to look like next Friday, according to the European model (the world’s best overall).

Not only is there an area of very low pressure centered over the Great Lakes, but a big area of high pressure is in Canada. This is part of the blocking patterns we’ve been talking about when predicting a colder winter this year. 

The December chill won’t necessarily last all month, but the pattern is sure looking more like a much colder and wetter one than November. 

Three teenage boys have been charged with allegedly stealing mail numerous times in two neighborhoods in Abington, Montgomery County, according to township police.

Two 17-year-olds from Rydal and a 17-year-old from Abington have been charged for what local police believe to be at least several weeks of alleged tampering with mail delivered to homes in the Rydal and Meadowbrook neighborhoods.

The suspects were caught Wednesday after an officer noticed a car driving "in a suspicious manner in the area of Wrack Road" in Meadowbrook, Abington police said.

The arrests were made after a special detail deployed by Abington police saw the vehicle.

During the traffic stop, officers found the three suspects and two other teenagers. The three teens charged allegedly "admitted to committing the thefts not only yesterday but also earlier in the week and several other times throughout November and possibly even earlier."

The three will face charges in Montgomery County Juvenile Court. The investigation is ongoing, police said.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele asked the county commissioners Thursday to increase his 2017 budget by $268,000 for pay raises for his prosecutors.

His plea came at the first of two public hearings on the proposed $410 million spending plan. The three-member Commissioners' Board are scheduled to vote on a budget Dec. 15.

"I have lost a number of people and will continue to lose people," said Steele, who was elected district attorney in 2015. His office has had a busy year, with high profile cases against Bill Cosby and Kathleen Kane.

Steele, who worked for years as first assistant district attorney under his predecessor Risa Vetri Ferman, said his office is not only about 30 staffers smaller than comparative prosecutors' offices, but that his assistant DAs are very underpaid.

Even with the additional money for pay raises, Steele said "this doesn't even get me to where the other local DA's offices are."

There are 155 employees in the Montgomery County District Attorney's office, according to payroll records provided to NBC10.com. The records were obtained through a right-to-know request.

Of those 155 employees, 51 are attorneys, 41 are county detectives and the rest are administrative staff and investigators.

Prosecutors make an average of $55,147. The highest paid is First Assistant District Attorney Edward McCann, with a salary of $105,000. The lowest paid assistant DAs earn $41,176 in salary.

County detectives average $106,304. They also make an average of $10,700 in overtime.

Prosecutors are not eligible for overtime pay.

In a recent interview, Steele said he has long advocated for increased pay for his assistant district attorneys.

"I'll continue to go to bat for my staff," Steele said. "They are incredibly talented and incredibly hard-working."

A spokeswoman for the county commissioners did not respond to an email asking if Steele's request for additional funding would be considered. Commissioners Val Arkoosh, Joe Gale and Josh Shapiro did not publicly address Steele's request.

The current budget proposal already includes more than $1 million in additional funding for the District Attorney's office. Funding would increase from $15.4 million to $16.5 million if the budget is approved.

Sierra Bailey was a mother of three, a twin, a young woman gripped by addiction and a homeless youth.

Her short life ended Sunday, November 25 in Philadelphia, two days before her 28th birthday.

I first met Sierra in August 2015 while reporting on a lack of resources for young Philadelphians who have no place to call home. She was quiet, rail thin and had a beautiful, sly smile. As we spoke, she would cock her head to the side, her eyes darting away to avoid making contact for long.

The Lower Merion High School grad from Ardmore, Pennsylvania, told two NBC10 reporters at the time that she was 19 (a fact we were skeptical of, but one we didn’t let discount her story), that her last name was Richardson and that she’d often house hop to get a safe night’s sleep. When no one would take her in, she’d walk the streets all night.

"I just try to stay up as long as I can," she told my colleague Morgan Zalot and I. "It’s like hell."

A mix of desperation and compulsion to her addiction led her to go on "dates" from time to time to make money. Those were a “last resort,” she explained.

For a time, Sierra dreamed of being a doctor, but had given up on that aspiration by the time we met. “I can’t now,” she said with regret tinging the edges of her rich voice.

She also spoke longingly of a daughter, who she hadn't seen in some time.

Sierra’s death was ruled accidental by the medical examiner. The exact cause of death hasn’t been released as the coroner waits to notify her family first.

Her story illustrates the tangled web among social epidemics like the opioid crisis and youth homelessness – one often fueling the other.

Each year in Philadelphia, hundreds of youth don’t have a home. Advocates insist statistics gathered through homeless youth counts are most likely extremely under-representative, however, because young people are embarrassed to identify as homeless and tend to stay out of sight. Six thousand additional kids lack a stable home to go home to. Instead, they’ll spend nights sleeping on friend’s couches or on the street.

Some wind up on the street as a result of poor parenting, others as a result, in part, of their own misguided choices. Exposure to the elements and human dangers like robbery, rape and murder envelop them in a constant swirl of uncertainty and stress. Drugs become a way to numb the pain and get through the disturbing days and nights.

Other times, like in Sierra’s case, the disease of addiction lead them to the streets, with a way out hidden from plain view.

The city has begun taking larger steps to join advocacy groups like Covenant House Pennsylvania and Valley Youth House to fight youth homelessness. This week, City Council approved an additional $700,000 in funding to add more beds to the emergency and short-term housing system.

On the heroin and opioid crisis, a city task force has been created to help steer other young people like Sierra -- who told us she’d come to the city to buy drugs in high school -- away from the extremely powerful and highly addictive painkillers. But that fight, at this point, continues to be a losing one.

Sierra leaves behind three daughters, her mother, two sisters and extended family. She will be buried Friday afternoon. Her family launched a GoFundMe page asking for help covering the funeral expenses.

The Penn Valley Elementary School in Narberth is also accepting donations for the benefit of Sierra's children.

A fire in West Philadelphia turned deadly Thursday evening.

Police said fire crews found a person dead on the second floor after fire broke out along the 300 block of North 64th Street.

Heavy smoke and flames could be seen at Nicky and Pete's Famous Hot Dogs spreading into apartments above the business.

Investigators were looking into the cause of the fire.

There was no word on the identity of the victim.

At least half a dozen homes along a block in Allentown were destroyed by fire Thursday night, leaving residents standing in the cold.

Fire broke out in row homes along the 400 block of North Fulton street around 8:30 and quickly spread to neighboring homes.

NBC10 crews on the scene said at least 7 homes looked to be damaged by fire, but others may have water or smoke damage.

The American Red Cross of Eastern Pennsylvania was responding to provide help to those left without a home this cold night.

The fire burned for more than two hours as it hopped from home to home and crews from multiple fire companies worked to contain and stop the flames. 

There were no reports of injuries and no word on what may have sparked the destructive blaze.