Most firefighters in the suburbs are volunteer, making it difficult to hold on to people who do a dangerous job for free. NBC10’s Deanna Durante shows us one township’s plan to boost recruitment and hold on to its volunteers.
A man paid hundreds of dollars to sign up his brother in Liberia for a conference in the United States. When his brother’s visa was denied, he was promised a refund. The man contacted Harry Hairston and NBC10 Responds when he was not provided a check after six months passed.
Police have charged several people in connection to a brutal beating that was captured on cellphone video that later went viral.
On April 26 around 7 p.m. police were called to 4th Street and Garrison Avenue in Millville, New Jersey for a report of a large group fighting. When they arrived they found a 30-year-old woman who had been attacked. The woman’s right eye was completely swollen shut.
The victim told police she was struck by an unknown object which knocked her to the ground and was then punched, kicked and dragged by several men and women. Along with the swelling on her eye, the woman also suffered abrasions to her knees and arms. She was taken to the Inspira Medical Center where she is in stable condition.
Part of the attack and the aftermath were captured on cellphone video and later posted on Facebook where it went viral. Police used the video as part of their investigation and arrested several people in connection to the incident.
Lashante McCrae, 34, Mlv Frain, 21, Keyonna Frain, 21, and Chicana Brown, 37, were all taken into custody. McCrae, Mlv Frain and Keyonna Frain are all charged with aggravated assault and disorderly conduct. McCrae and Brown were also both cited for maintaining a nuisance. Investigators say Brown and McCrae were involved in several other reported fights in the same area that occurred on April 26 between 12:30 p.m. and 5:40 p.m.
Investigators also say they are searching for two more people allegedly involved in the fight and additional charges are pending.
“Going to be extra patrols in that area and we encourage people who live in that area to call us when they see something suspicious,” Millville Police Chief Jody Farabella said. “We count on the community to tell us what’s going on. They’re our eyes and ears.”
If you have any information on the incident, please call Millville Police at 856-825-7010 and ask for Officer Hall.
Police are searching for a man accused of sucking a young boy’s fingers at a park.
Investigators say the 5-year-old boy was visiting the Northampton Township Municipal Park on Hatboro Road in Southampton, Pennsylvania Saturday with his parents when he was approached by a man approximately 75-years-of age.
The man was sitting at a picnic table adjacent to the boy and his family and began interacting with the child, according to police. He then allegedly began licking and sucking food residue from the boy’s fingers before fleeing the scene.
The suspect is described as a white male with gray hair driving a white SUV. If you have any information on the incident, please call Northampton Township Police and ask for Detective Gross at 215-322-6111.
NBC10's Jacqueline London spoke with the stars of the show "Taken," Clive Standen and Brooklyn Sudano.
The Blue Cross Broad Street Run kicks off Sunday, May 7th. NBC10’s Jim Rosenfield shows us how running helped one veteran cope with PTSD.
A Maryland father would trade his late son's life for his own if he could.
Kevin Ballard's son, Delaware State Trooper Cpl. Stephen J. Ballard, was shot and killed Wednesday during an investigation in a gas station parking lot in Bear, Delaware.
Kevin Ballard cried on Thursday as he spoke from his home in Accokeek, Maryland.
"If I could give my life right now to bring him back, I would, because he didn’t deserve the fate that he got," he said.
Cpl. Ballard, 32, was shot in the parking lot of a Wawa convenience store as he investigated two men in a suspicious car.
The husband and father of a young child never had the chance to draw his weapon, authorities said.
The trooper's father got to speak some final words to his son. After Cpl. Ballard was shot, his wife put the trooper's father on speakerphone.
"The last words out of my mouth to him was, 'I love you. You can't leave me because you're all I have,'" Kevin Ballard recounted.
He quickly began making his way to his son's bedside. Prince George's County police escorted him to Joint Base Andrew, where he was transported via helicopter.
"I got in the helicopter and I asked the gentleman, 'How's my son?" he said, 'Unfortunately, he passed.' It was like everything inside me just went numb," Kevin Ballard said.
The suspect, Burgon Sealy Jr., 26, was shot and killed by police on Thursday after a standoff that lasted nearly a day.
The father said that once he returned to Delaware, he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from Cpl. Ballard's colleagues and strangers.
Still, it did not eliminate the pain of losing his son.
"I want my son back. I would do anything to get him back right now," he said.
Ballard was raised in Bowie, Maryland. As a teenager, he joined the Civil Air Patrol, the organization that allows young people to work closely with the Air Force. His former mentor, Paul Cienciolo, said Ballard stood out from the beginning.
Ballard went on to attend Delaware State University. He became a state trooper shortly after he graduated.
"He always had a passion to do something in that realm, where he was serving and helping people in need," Cienciolo said.
The gunman's actions hurt a family and the world, Kevin Ballard said.
"He just took away a future from a young man that was promising to the community, promising to the family, and we can't get him back," he said.
Kevin Ballard will speak at his son's memorial service Friday.
The threat of severe weather will continue progressing east across the country Monday. By early Tuesday morning, the line of storms arrived in the Delaware Valley, bringing the possibility of wind damage, localized flooding, and even small hail or an isolated tornado.
A cold front will pass the area early Tuesday morning. The cold front, combined with lingering warm air from Monday afternoon (highs in the 80s) and ample moisture, will fire off a line of thunderstorms as it passes the Tri-State area.
The Storm Prediction Center, an organization that analyses the threat of severe weather, has categorized our region under a mix of Enhanced and Slight threats.
That might not sound too bad, but it’s a bit deceiving. Why? Because we’re talking about the threat of SEVERE weather. Severe weather is worse than a run-of-the-mill thunderstorm with some rain and windy conditions. Severe storms can cause major damage. In fact, a severe thunderstorm is defined by the ability to produce hail one inch or larger in diameter and/or winds equal to or exceeding 58 miles per hour.
Here’s a look at the Storm Prediction Center’s threat map for Monday:
[[420929073, C]]
Notice the western edge of our viewing area (Berks County) is under the Enhanced threat. That’s the 3rd highest threat level. Most of our region is under a Slight threat. Still, that’s about a 2/5 on the severe weather threat scale.
As for the timing, storms will pass overnight, which is actually a good thing. The strongest Spring storms gain part of their strength from the warm afternoon air. As we cool overnight, this may help weaken the storms a bit.
Still, the line of thunderstorms is expected to hold together enough to provide some wind damage and small hail threat. There is a very low threat of an isolated tornado mostly west and south of our viewing zone (where you see the brown shading on the above map).
Here’s one computer models’ projection for the line, which shows the thunderstorms entering the region around midnight near Berks Co. and the Lehigh Valley.
[[420929273, C]]
That line should move through the I-95 corridor around 4 a.m. and clear the shore by 6 a.m. The line will also likely weaken as it nears the shore (where there is cooler air).
As the line of storms continues to progress to the east through the day, the NBC10 First Alert Weather Team will get a better picture of the storm threat to our region. We’ll be updating this blog regularly, so keep checking in on air and online!
[[420902144, C]]
Hershey's is debuting a new line of candy that involves barbecue, key-lime pie, cheesecake and other foodie favorites, Today reported.
The Pennsylvania-based candy company announced this week that it is rolling out a "Flavors of America" line of limited edition candies and chocolate bars inspired by popular summer destinations. Some of the places inspiring the flavors include New York, Florida and California.
The new chocolate bar choices include strawberry-flavored Kit Kats, cheery cheesecake Hershey’s bars and BBQ-flavored PayDay bars. Honey-roasted Reese’s peanut-butter cups are also included in the mix, along with coconut-almond Hershey’s kisses and key-lime pie and orange cream pop Twizzlers.
A hiker died at a New Jersey park after suffering a medical emergency, police say.
The man was hiking with another person at High Mountain Park in Wayne when he suffered the emergency, according to police.
Emergency responders attempted CPR, to no avail.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
High Mountain Park Reserve sits on nearly 1,300 acres in the Preakness Range, and features views of New York City. The rest of the range is occupied by William Paterson University, a golf course and private homes.
Nikki Johnson-Huston came up with a creative way to use phones to fight homelessness. NBC10’s Katy Zachry shows us how the Donafy App helps those in need.
SEPTA warned of delays on its Broad Street and Broad-Ridge Spur Tuesday morning due to a person possibly being struck by a train.
All express trains boarded on the local tracks between the Fern Rock Transportation Center and Cecil B. Moore stations and all trains bypassed the North Philadelphia Station due to the investigation around 7:15 a.m., said SEPTA.
The impact forced commuters off trains before the North Philly station and onto buses.
"Shuttle buses are operating between Allegheny and Susquehanna-Dauphin Stations," SEPTA spokeswoman Heather Redfern said.
No word yet on possible injuries. SkyForce10 captured police vehicles and an ambulance outside the North Philly station.
Trains began operating normally between Olney and Fern Rock stations around 9:45 a.m., SEPTA said.
We continue our behind the scenes look at Philadelphia International Airport to see what happens when security has you hand over your bag. NBC10’s Matt DeLucia has more on what could flag your bag for further inspection.
Nearly three dozen New Jersey high school students were arrested for alleged underage drinking at a post-prom bash at a house in New York they had rented for the after-party, authorities say.
Police got a noise complaint from someone on West Saugerties Road Friday around 8:20 p.m. and went to interview the person. When they got to the home, they could hear music blasting from a half-mile away, authorities said.
Police tracked the music to a home on Manorville Road, which they learned had been rented to a group of kids from Wallington High School for a prom after-party. In total, 34 students between the ages of 17 to 19 were arrested for alleged underage drinking; they were released on desk appearance tickets.
Authorities say some of the kids ran into the woods to escape cops, but officers chased after them and everyone was apprehended.
Saugerties Police say their investigation is ongoing and further criminal charges are pending.
NBC10 continues our weeklong look at behind the scenes at services that impact you and Tuesday reporter Matt DeLucia gives viewers a look at the baggage processing area at Philadelphia International Airport.
Two people are in custody after a large group of vandals who police described as “anarchists” damaged high-end cars and newly developed buildings and left behind an anti-gentrification message near the Kensington and Northern Liberties border in Philadelphia Monday night.
Investigators told NBC10 around 20 high-end vehicles and several properties were vandalized in the area of 2nd and Jefferson streets. Several witnesses said a group of at least 30 people smashed the windows, spray painted anarchy symbols and caused other types of damage to newly developed properties and cars in the area around 9 p.m.
“I was just inside watching TV with my girlfriend and [I heard] a really loud pop and the sound of glass breaking,” victim Jeremy Mackey said. “I saw at least 10 of them in the back kind of turning around the corner.”
Police say a man and a woman were both taken into custody in connection to the vandalism. Both suspects had masks and spray paint in their possession, according to officials.
[[421010163, C]]
On Tuesday, police announced criminal mischief, conspiracy, risking a catastrophe and related counts against Geoffrey Suchocki, 45, of Doylestown, Pennsylvania and Patricia Monahan, 28, of Philadelphia.
A banner which read, “Gentrification is Death, Revolt is Life,” was also left behind at the scene of the vandalism.
[[420966153, C]]
“They left us some messages that said that they weren’t happy with our gentrification and they weren’t happy with us building,” Amberlynn Kabana, the property manager of one of the damaged buildings, told NBC10. “That was their overall intention from what I gather.”
Kabana said the vandals only targeted high-end vehicles.
“They only attacked the Mercedes, the BMWs, the higher end cars,” she said. “Their message was pretty clear.”
Kabana said several newly developed properties are located in the area where the vandalism took place.
“About 100 properties here and I’m also part of the new construction so their overall attack is they know that there is a large group of builders that is rebuilding in the area,” she said. “So they knew by whatever source because they hit all of my properties. So I think it was very intentional. Very well aimed.”
While no injuries were reported, Kabana said residents in the area could have easily been hurt if they had confronted the vandals.
“When you have 50 people coming down a block and their intention is to cause harm, their intention is to cause a message,” she said. “When they emptied their pockets there were dangerous weapons. They were caught with hammers. They were caught with very intimidating objects and their intention is to instill fear.”
Both Kabana and another victim told NBC10 they believe at least some of the culprits had participated in a rally earlier in the day in the city, though police have not yet confirmed this and are looking into whether the vandals were part of a larger group.
“It looks like it was from the anti-Trump rally,” Kabana said. “They came and I guess their intention was to break windows to entice them to come outside.”
Police are looking at surveillance video from a nearby store owner. They continue to investigate.
Police in South Jersey searched the woods near a high school for a missing girl Tuesday.
Hannah Sylvester was last seen around 3 p.m. Monday walking alone into a wooded area behind Clayton High School along Pop Kramer Boulevard.
The 16-year-old who stands around 5-foot, 2-inches tall and weighs around 110 pounds, was last seen wearing a long-sleeve black and white flannel shirt, blue jeans and burgundy Converse high tops when she entered the Clayton-Glassboro Wildlife management area, Gloucester County investigators said.
Hannah has "some limited experience with outdoor living and survival skills as she was a member of the JR ROTC," investigators said in a news release. She is also an avid runner familiar with the trails in the wildlife area.
On Tuesday, a police helicopter and emergency vehicles could be seen in the wooded area.
Investigators asked anyone with information to call Detective Nick Carr at 856-881-2300.
Federal safety regulators issued an urgent warning advising consumers to immediately stop riding or charging LayZ Board hoverboards after the device was linked to a house fire that killed two girls in Pennsylvania.
The girls, ages 10 and 3, were killed March 10 in Harrisburg. They are believed to be the first in the U.S. to die in a fire caused by a faulty hoverboard.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Monday it believes the LayZ Board device sparked the deadly blaze.
More than 3,000 of the self-balancing scooters were imported into the United States from China, the CPSC says.
Consumers should dispose of their hoverboard at their local recycling center for safe handling of the lithium-ion battery, the CPSC said.
The LayZ Board is a two-wheeled, battery-powered, self-balancing scooter that has a pivoting platform intended for the rider’s feet and does not have a handlebar. The name LayZ Board appears on the front of the product.
More than 3,000 of the hoverboards, manufactured in China, were imported into the United States. The CPSC notes the safety warning applies to LayZ Boards hoverboards, and not the similarly named Lazyboard hoverboards, which is a different product.
LayZ Board has not responded to a request for comment.
UPDATE: Casey released the letter publicly Monday evening.
Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania has drafted a letter to send this week to the U.S. Homeland Security secretary urging “the immediate release of four children and their mothers who are being detained at the Berks County Residential Center.”
Eight other Democratic senators, including former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, and 13 U.S. representatives from across the country are also expected to sign Casey’s letter to Secretary John F. Kelly. The list of co-signers was not final as of Monday morning and could grow, according to an official with knowledge of the letter.
“With more pressing issues facing ICE and the need to spend our limited federal resources wisely, there are more cost effective and humane approaches to this situation than family detention,” the letter, which could be sent as soon as Monday, reads. “The Department of Homeland Security should be focused on apprehending and deporting violent felons and maintaining a secure border, rather than expelling young mothers and children fleeing near certain death in their home countries.”
The Berks County facility is one of only three detention centers in the country for undocumented immigrant families. The other two are in Texas. The facility, which is run by the county and paid for with federal funds, was scheduled to lose its license to operate with the state of Pennsylvania. But last week, a judge overruled the state’s decision.
As many as 40 mothers and their children are housed at the facility outside Reading. The four mothers and their children cited in Casey’s letter currently face removal from the country at any moment, though lawyers for the women say the children have been granted Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). The status, their lawyers argue, should allow them to remain in the country pending a court hearing seeking permanent legal residency.
“Three out of the four have received their employment authorization cards (see attached). They are eligible for social security cards and await only the final step in the adjudication of their legal permanent residency,” the letter reads. “However, they remain detained with their mothers at Berks, where they have been held for nearly 600 days. Multiple requests to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release these families have been denied, with no individualized determination as to why.”
ICE officials, who have increased enforcement in 2017 throughout the Philadelphia region, do not comment on the facility. In fact, no ICE official out of the Philadelphia field office, has spoken with name attribution in recent memory.
After a recent raid on a Chester County mushroom farm in which 12 people were arrested for alleged undocumented status, a spokesman for the field office confirmed the raid and gave a statement that he said is attributable to “ICE officials.”
“ICE’s enforcement actions are targeted and lead driven. ICE does not conduct sweeps or raids that target aliens indiscriminately,” the statement read.
The four women in the letter are identified, but an attorney for the women and children asked that news organizations only identify them by initials: W.M. and her three-year-old son D., C.M. and her four-year-old son A., M.N. and her seven-year-old son J., and J.M. and her 16-year-old son V.
The women fear for their safety, their attorneys say.
The U.S. Supreme Court last month declined to hear arguments in the women’s appeal of their removal order, setting them up for possible deportation in the near future. It remains unclear what Homeland Security officials plan to do.
If deported, the women would be sent back to homes they fled almost two years ago in fear of their lives, their lawyers have said.
The Casey letter describes their native countries in the “Northern Triangle of Central America” -- El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras -- as “the most dangerous areas in the world.”
“(V.) was only 14 years old when he and his mother, (J.), fled El Salvador because they received death threats from the MS-13 for defying gang recruitment. (V.) and his mother only want (V.) to be able to go to church and attend school without the fear of being murdered for refusing to join the gangs. They know they will face extraordinary challenges and, very likely, violence, if they return, as (V.) has two friends who were murdered for refusing to join the gangs,” the letter reads. “Seven-year-old (J.) and his mother (M.) have been in detention for over 550 days. According to her lawyers, (M.) is a survivor of sexual harassment and assault from gang leaders, and fled El Salvador with (J.) following threats to harm her and kidnap her son. Each of these families has a story similar to (V.), (J.), and their mothers. They fled one of the most dangerous areas in the world to seek refuge.”
Others in Congress to co-sign Casey’s letter include Sens. Bob Menendez, Cory Booker, Sherrod Brown, Kirsten Gillibrand, Mazie Hirono, Ed Markey, Elizabeth Warren and Sanders; and U.S. Reps. Lucille Roybal Allard, Nanette Diaz Barragan, John Conyers, Danny Davis, Keith Ellison, Luis Gutierrez, Pamila Jayapal, Barbara Lee, Zoe Lofgren, James McGovern, Holmes Norton, Norma Torres and Juan Vargas.
