A telephone scheme attempting to receive money from Lehigh County residents has been reported multiple times over the last few weeks.

Lehigh County Sheriff Joe Hanna says telephone calls from a male claiming he is Sgt. Todd Sullivan have been reported by multiple citizens. The unknown suspect continues, attempting to notify the citizen that they have a warrant or failed to respond to jury duty. The fake officer then advises the subject to purchase a disposable debit card and give him the details, or be subject to apprehension and incarceration.

Sheriff Hanna is warning residents that "There is no one within the ranks of the Lehigh County Sheriff’s Office by that name."

The Lehigh County Police do not collect money via disposable debit cards and deputies are not responsible for collecting these payments, authorities say.

Hanna added "varied telephone scams of this nature have been around for some time and anyone is subject to being targeted."

Anyone receiving a call requesting money on behalf of his office should contact the Lehigh County Sheriff’s Office at (610) 782-3175 rather than give any information to the caller.

An investigation is underway after a woman who was jogging in Norristown Farm Park in Norristown was sexually assaulted at gunpoint Tuesday morning.

The 19-year-old woman was running in the park Tuesday at 10:50 a.m. when she was approached from behind by an unidentified man armed with a gun. He then sexually assaulted the woman before fleeing the scene, police said.

The woman was taken to Einstein Medical Center where she is undergoing medical treatment.

The suspect is described as a black male wearing a black mask and a dark hooded sweatshirt armed with a handgun. If you have any information on the incident, please call the East Norriton Police Department at 610-272-0748, the West Norriton Police Department at 610-630-1701 or Montgomery County Detectives at 610-278-3368.

An investigation is underway after a burglar targeted a golf course pro shop in Evesham Township, New Jersey.

Police say an unidentified man wearing a black ski-mask, black clothing and a tool belt broke into the Links Country Club on Majestic Way around midnight back on July 24. Surveillance video shows him removing a safe that weighs between 70 and 110 pounds. Police say he stole $3500 in cash.

NBC10's Cydney Long has the details.

Bacteria was detected in ponds of standing water caused by weekend rain at the site of the controversial dune construction project at the beach in Margate City, New Jersey, according to city leaders. 

Officials say preliminary test results revealed elevated levels of bacteria in the water which has been extremely slow to drain into the sand after five inches of rain fell over the weekend.

"As a precaution, we shut access so people are not walking through those areas," said John Amodeo, the Margate Commissioner of Public Safety.

Contractors with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began pumping the standing water onto the ocean side of the dunes Tuesday, fueling additional concerns about health and safety. Every Margate beach from the Ventnor line to Gladstone Avenue will be closed Wednesday as a result.

"It obviously has created some unanticipated consequences that really looks like a nightmare for the city," said Mike Ruffo of Margate.

Meanwhile the Army Corps told NBC10 its experts are now considering making changes to how Margate's beach protection project is designed, a project bitterly opposed by many in the city.

"I'm not an expert but I will tell you we can see that it's failed," Amodeo said. "Just look behind me."

The project began in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, relying on wooden bulkheads to protect against storm surges. A group of homeowners in Margate opposed the project and filed a lawsuit against the State Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corps. They feared it would cause large lagoons of standing water on the beach that could contain a mixture of trash, oil and other contaminants, providing a breeding ground for mosquitoes that could potentially carry and transmit the Zika virus.

In February however a federal judge declined to block the dunes, ruling that the opponents’ fears were not realistic and stating that they either weren’t likely to happen or could easily be fixed by engineering solutions or cash compensation. Several scientists also said the possibility of the dune project leading to a Zika outbreak were remote at best since the type of mosquito that carries the virus isn’t a problem in New Jersey.

The judge also ruled the puddles or ponding the project might cause likely wouldn’t be worse than what was already there without the dunes. The homeowners ultimately ended their litigation in April.

Months after the lawsuit was dropped however, some Margate residents are now saying, “I told you so,” after the weekend downpours left standing water near the dunes, which officials confirmed contains bacteria.

A spokesperson with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers told NBC10 the water in the basin area between the bulkhead and dune is not percolating due to oversaturation by the recent rain and a weekend deluge. Margate Mayor Michael Becker told NBC10 he considers the area dangerous.

“Bacteria, mosquitoes, I don’t want little children in there,” he said. “There’s certainly enough water in there that could be fatal to somebody. This has to be dealt with.”

Becker called an emergency meeting for commissioners Wednesday morning to discuss the issue and possibly come up with a plan to hire an attorney and file an injunction to stop the project.

“My hope will be that that passes and we hire a good attorney who will obviously get this project stopped,” he said.

Army Corps officials say additional pumps will be arriving at the dune site Wednesday.

Pennsylvanians may have to pay a steeper price for wine and liquor later this month as the state battles with liquor suppliers over costs.

In a July 20 letter, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board informed their 450 suppliers that they had one week to cut what they charge the state for bottles of alcohol.

If suppliers don’t comply, the state says it would be forced to pass along a roughly $1 per bottle price increase to customers. The price jump would hit a majority of products.

The PLCB stands by its demand to suppliers, referencing Act 39 of 2016, which permitted the agency to seek cost reductions instead of price increases.

The state agency says they're making the changes to increase revenue and maintain competitive prices for customers. 

The move is not sitting well with local tourism agencies, however. The Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PRLA) described the move as a “shakedown” and referred the agency’s tactics as “strong-arming.”

“A consumer price increase in a system which averages higher prices than surrounding states will likely lead to even more 'border bleed,' an issue that the PLCB said flexible pricing would help them combat,” argued John Longstreet, the President and CEO of the PRLA.

Prior to Act 39, the PLCB said it was restricted on how it could price products. In a May 10th hearing Tim Holden, Chairman of the PLCB called the rigid structure "inefficient" and went on to add it restricted revenue opportunities for the commonwealth.

“We will persuade those suppliers who have yet to enter into negotiation that it is in their best interests to find common ground before they begin to lose market share in Pennsylvania,” he asserted in the hearing.

The PRLA says that negotiation strategy is ultimately going to hurt suppliers and consumers.

“So far, we have seen the PLCB flex their monopolistic muscles by picking and choosing provisions from Act 39 that would increase their profits rather than pass on cost-savings to consumers or licensees.”

A liquor control board hearing on the issue is scheduled for Wednesday. Any price increases could go into effect as early as August 28.

Leona L. Paulus was forced to quit school at age 12 to help work on the family farm.

That was 84 years ago. For those many long years, she wanted a diploma. She recalls one day feeding chickens when a school bus drove by.

"I was out there crying 'cause I wanted to go on that bus so bad," Paulus said. 

This story has a happy ending: The 96-year-old earned her high school proficiency diploma June 13, 2017 after taking exams offered by HiSet, a program through the Educational Testing Service (ETS). 

Paulus took the tests the old-fashioned way: paper and pencil. She also earned top scores on her first try.

The graduation for Paulus, a grandmother of 12, was Aug. 1. The high school grad wore a cap and gown and walked down to graduation music.

Paulus received a letter of congratulations from President Donald Trump and a special surprise. Paulus’s son came up from Texas to watch his mother graduate. 

The diploma was awarded Aug. 1 at Elmer Grange Hall in Elmer, New Jersey by HiSet and the New Jersey Department of Education.

"She sends an inspiration to everyone young and old. If you have a dream and you believe in it, you will succeed," Ken Figgs of the New Jersey Department of Education said.

Paulus said she wants to be an inspiration to young people.

"Stay and do it. Get all the education you can. That's what you need," she said.

A New Jersey woman achieved a lifelong dream this summer by receiving her high school diploma — a feat more than 80 years in making.

Police are searching for a man who they say burglarized a country club in Evesham Township, New Jersey. NBC10's Cydney Long speaks to law enforcement and shows surveillance video of the suspect.

Law enforcement says beware of fake cops targeting you. It's the latest scam hitting Lehigh County in an attempt to get you to give up cash over the phone. NBC10 Responds reporter Harry Hairston has more on this warning and what you need to do to protect yourself.

President Trump's drug commission describes the opioid epidemic as a national emergency. NBC10's Lauren Mayk spoke with health professionals about how this crisis is affecting our area.

A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for parts of the region Tuesday night due to isolated storms in parts of Philadelphia and South Jersey.

The warning is in effect until 10:15 p.m. for northwestern Camden County, west central Burlington County and east central Philadelphia County.

• WEATHER ALERTS
  

The Wissinoming, Holmesburg and Tacony sections of Philadelphia as well as Palmyra, Pennsauken, Cinnaminson, Riverton and Moorestown-Lenola in New Jersey could see flooding in poor drainage areas while the warning is in effect. Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall is expected to cause flooding in small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage areas and low-lying spots.

• LIVE RADAR
  

Motorists are advised to turn around and not attempt to drive in flooded roads. A Flood Advisory is also in effect for Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties until 10:15 p.m.

Stay with the NBC10 First Alert Weather team throughout the night for the latest on the rain and weather alerts.

An 18-year-old man has been arrested for sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a 71-year-old woman after breaking into her New Jersey home and robbing her, prosecutors say.

John Santiago, of Boonton, was charged Tuesday with theft, burglary, criminal sexual contact and attempted aggravated sexual assault, according to Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp.

Santiago allegedly broke into the woman’s home on Tuesday morning. After taking money from her purse, he woke her up, engaged in sexual contact with her, then attempted to rape her while she resisted, according to prosecutors.

Santiago was being held at the Morris County Correctional Facility on Tuesday.

Decorative iPhone cases sold at Victoria's Secret, Nordstrom Rack and other stores have been recalled by their manufacturer because a liquid glitter inside the cases can cause skin irritation and chemical burns.

MixBin Electronics recalled 24 styles of cases for iPhone 6, 6S, and 7. Over 260,000 affected cases were sold at websites and stores for Victoria's Secret, Nordstrom Rack, Amazon, Tory Burch, Henri Bendel and MixBin.

Worldwide, 24 cases have been reported of the liquid inside the cases causing skin irriation or chemical burns, including 19 cases in the U.S., according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

One consumer reported permanent scarring from a chemical burn, and another reported chemical burns and swelling to her leg, face, neck, chest, upper body and hands.

Only fluid released from a cracked or broken case may cause skin irritation. If you come into contact with the liquid glitter, immediately wash affected areas with warm soapy water and seek medical attention if irritation continues.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cases and contact MixBin Electronics for a full refund at 855-215-4935 or online here.

The family of a 12-year-old New Jersey girl who took her own life in June is planning to sue the school district she attended, saying she was relentlessly bullied for months before a "preventable tragedy." 

The family announced Tuesday in Roseland, alongside with their attorney, that they’re suing the Rockaway Township school district because they say it did nothing to stop months of bullying that led to Mallory Grossman’s suicide. 

Mallory was an accomplished cheerleader and gymnast who family and friends say was well-liked and sociable. But her family’s attorney says she was tortured for months by several girls online.

Beginning last October, Mallory would come home and tell her mother about "the dirty looks and the constant harassment and the name-calling and the cold shoulder, the exclusion," to the point that the girl suffered chronic headaches andstomachaches, and her grades plummeted, her mother says. 

The family repeatedly asked school officials for help to stop the bullying, Nagel said, but the school district did nothing. The day Mallory died by suicide, her mother had gone to the school to complain — yet again — that her daughter was being relentlessly bullied. 

"For months, there were texts, there was Snapchat, there was Instagram. For months she was told she's a loser, she has no friends. And finally, she was even told, 'Why don't you kill yourself?'" said family attorney Bruce Nagel, who said a cellphone could be "a lethal weapon" in the wrong hands. 

The messages were "vile and malicious," Nagel said. Two of the last Snapchats sent to the girl were taken on school grounds, without Mallory's permission, her mother said. 

Mallory's mother, Dianne Grossman, says she believes schools have a responsibility "to look a little below the surface." 

"Dirty looks, snide comments, things like that are important for administrators to pay attention to. It's not enough to say, 'We don't have evidence.' Just because it's not in writing doesn't mean it doesn't hurt," she said. "To a child who's 12, constant dirty looks, it does change the makeup of who you are." 

Nagel said the family will sue the Rockaway Township school district for gross negligence. The family is also considering suing the parents of "three or four" children for allowing the bullying to go on for months. Mallory's mother said the night before her daughter died, she spoke to the mother of one of the alleged bullies, and the mother dismissed it "and said it was just a big joke and defended her daughter." 

It's not clear why Mallory was targeted. Her mother said because Mallory was popular, an athlete, a quiet child and a good student, "she kind of represented what they couldn't be," Dianne said. "She had a target on her back. It really was about the humiliation and the intimidation."

"It's hard to understand that while she had a great circle of friends and she was liked among her peers and active, that still doesn't quiet the noise of the girls that didn't like her and who decided to put a target on her back and constantly taunt her," said Dianne Grossman.  

Though New Jersey has some of the strongest Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) laws in the nation, the school district never filed a mandatory HIB report, Dianne Grossman alleges. 

The Rockaway Township school district had no comment, but in a self-assessment last year it gave Copeland Middle School an "A" grade of 94 percent for how it dealt with bullying at the school, including in the areas of curriculum and instruction, investigation procedures, and incident reporting.

A number of families from Morris County told News 4 that cruel comments posted online are a far bigger problem than face-to-face bullying, and that cyberbullying is even an issue with young kids in elementary school. 

"There are a lot of people putting things on Instagram, and other people make mean comments, and I just hate it," said 10-year-old Eric Gjelsvik. 

Morris County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Fred Snowflack said that the investigation into Mallory’s suicide is still under investigation.

Mallory’s former gymnastics coach remembered her as a good student and athlete who was popular among her peers.

“Wonderful child – sweet, smart, kind, quiet,” coach Paula Gehman said.

According to her obituary, Mallory loved the outdoors and would often donate her own money and handmade jewelry for sick children.

Her family announced Tuesday they've set up a nonprofit foundation in the girl's name, called Mal's Army, to educate people about bullying and to prevent it. 

A GoFundMe page set up for Mallory’s family has raised more than $75,000 in her memory. 

If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting ‘Home’ to 741741.

The search for a swimmer who went missing off the iconic Steel Pier in Atlantic City continued Wednesday morning.

The 31-year-old man went into the water around 8:15 p.m. while under the Steel Pier with a woman. That woman later told Atlantic City officers that the man went into the water but she didn't see him come out.

The U.S. Coast Guard used a 29-foot Response Boat with a small crew based out of Atlantic City and a rescue helicopter in the initial search, the agency said.

An 87-foot patrol boat based out of Cape May then searched for the missing swimmer through the night.

New Jersey troopers, Atlantic City officers and beach patrol also assisted in the search, police said

Six weeks after a woman was found in her backyard swimming pool beaten to death, prosecutors in South Jersey charged her husband with "purposely or knowingly" causing her death and trying to cover his tracks.

Norman Long allegedly ordered food at a local restaurant as part of that effort, the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday.

The death of Michelle Long was ruled a homicide after the county medical examiner determined the 47-year-old woman died of blunt force trauma. Her body was found June 17 at her home, which is located on the cul-de-sac of Forrest Court in Woolwich Township, prosecutors said.

"Mr. Long killed his wife inside their home then placed her fully clothed body in their backyard swimming pool," Dalton alleged.

Long, a self-employed construction contractor, is accused of "using physical force to cause blunt force head and neck trauma," Dalton said.

After placing his wife's body in the pool, Long went to an area Applebee's restaurant to grab food before returning, calling authorities and telling first responders his wife drowned, Dalton alleged.

"The information that he provided was not consistent with the evidence," Dalton said.

In addition to first-degree murder, the 51-year-old suspect also faces a count of concealing evidence and obstruction for placing his wife's body in the pool and "disposing paper towels containing the blood of Michelle Long in the kitchen trashcan," Dalton said.

Long "became combative" while CPR was being administered to his wife on June 17 and had to be restrained, according to a police report. A small dog was also found dead in the pool when police arrived around 8:35 p.m.

Family members called Michelle Long a loving person.

"She did not deserve this at all, we are broken without her," Michelle Long's daughter Brittany Maguire said.

"She was known by friends and by family alike as a very caring, happy person, a successful business woman," Dalton said.

Dalton didn't give a motive for the alleged killing.

Long was committed to a state psychiatric hospital for observation following his arrest Tuesday after stating he wanted to kill himself, Dalton said. 

Alfred Angelo, the bridal boutique Alfred Angelo which filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy last month, has indicated it will no longer make good on delivery of dresses ordered by brides at its now-closed stores across the country.

A message posted on the Alfred Angelo website this week begins by noting that the bankruptcy trustee "greatly regrets the upset" caused by the July 14 bankruptcy filing. It goes on to cite logistical and financial difficulties in fulfilling outstanding deliveries.

“While we have been successful in obtaining customer records and delivering many dresses and accessories for customers all over the country, even after the bankruptcy filing date, it has now become apparent that the logistical and financial strain of fulfilling each and every open order makes continuing that course of action no longer possible,” the statement reads. “Thus, to the extent any order has not been fully delivered to a customer, it shall have to remain unfilled.”

Sixty-two Alfred Angelo stores were closed without warning following the bankruptcy filing, leaving brides and employees blindsided.

Sarah Bliss ordered her “perfect” wedding dress from the location in Frisco, Texas, and has now apparently been left in the lurch with approximately 100 days to go until her wedding date.

“Alfred Angelo corporate did everybody really wrong and they should be ashamed of themselves,” Bliss said.

On the door of the now-closed Frisco location, Alfred Angelo has posted the name and contact information for an attorney in Florida, where the company is based.

This is the information Alfred Angelo listed on the door:

Patricia A. Redmond, Esquire
Stearns Weaver Miller
150 West Flagler Street
Miami, FL 33130
(305) 789-3553
predmond@stearnsweaver.com

On the Alfred Angelo website, there is a link provided for customers who believe they are still owed a refund.

Newly released video shows the moment lightning struck a Florida airport ground worker, severely burning the 21-year-old who was hospitalized for nearly two weeks, according to NBC affiliate WBBH.

Video of the July 22 incident shows a Sun Country plane on the tarmac preparing for take off at Southwest Florida International Airport. In the video, Austin Dunn can be seen walking under the nose of the plane when lightning strikes the tail.

The bolt traveled through the fuselage and then struck Dunn, who collapsed from the shock, according WBBH.

There were at least three workers in the area during the time of the incident.

“We knew he wouldn’t give up,” said Autumn Dunn, Austin's sister. “Once we knew he was alive. It was a relief but it was definitely the scariest thing, you don’t expect it…you don’t expect it.”

Dunn suffered third degree burns on his hands, feet and chest, bleeding in his brain and severe muscle damage, according to his family. He was released from Tampa General Hospital Tuesday.

Southwest Florida International Airport officials tell WBBH the airport’s lightning warning system was activated at the time Dunn was hit. Dunn is employed by Navstar, a company contracted by Sun Country Airlines.

A Delaware County woman was abducted and robbed by her apparent Lyft driver as she headed home from celebrating her sister's 21st birthday at a Philadelphia club, police said Wednesday.

Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said the 31-year-old ordered a car through the popular ridesharing service around 3 a.m. Wednesday as they left Voyeur Nightclub in Philadelphia's Gayborhood.

The woman and her sister then got into a black sedan — possibly a Nissan — and headed to Havertown. Chitwood said the driver made two stops, first at a Sunoco on Walnut Street for matches and then a Sunoco on West Chester Pike in Upper Darby.

At the Upper Darby gas station, the driver asked the 21-year-old to go into the convenience store for a bottle of water so he could take medicine, Chitwood said.

When she returned, her older sister, the driver and car were gone.

The 31-year-old told police she was driven back into Philadelphia with the man stopping in Olney along the 100 block of Champlost Avenue.

There, around 4:30 a.m., the driver allegedly demanded the woman hand over her credit card, debit card and smartphone, Chitwood said. She when she refused to give him the password to her phone, the woman told detectives she was yanked from the car. The man, believed to be 25 to 30 years old, then drove away with her personal belongings.

The victim walked to a nearby 7-Eleven and called police.

In the meantime, police in Upper Darby began a missing persons case asking for the public's help in finding the woman.

Philadelphia police returned the woman to her Havertown home around 10:30 a.m. and Upper Darby police took over the investigation.

The woman is being questioned by detectives. She was not physically injured in the incident, the superintendent said. She is hearing impaired, but Chitwood said he did not believe there was a miscommunication.

It's not clear if the man was actually a Lyft driver or was posing as one, Chitwood said. Philadelphia police are working to figure that out.

Chitwood added that there are still a number of details to sort out, but that police are treating the incident as an abduction and robbery.

Anyone with information should contact Upper Darby Police Department at 610-734-7693.

The head of the Coast Guard expressed strong support for transgender service members despite President Donald Trump's tweets last week that transgender individuals would not be allowed to serve in "any capacity." 

Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft said that his office contacted 13 members of the Coast Guard who self-identify as transgender in a show of solidarity in response to the ban. The comments came in a speech to a Center for Strategic and International Studies forum in Washington, D.C., The Hill reported. 

"That was the commitment to our people right now," Zukunft said. "Very small numbers, but all of them are doing meaningful Coast Guard work today."

Among the transgender Coast Guard personnel who were contacted was Lt. Taylor Miller, the Coast Guard's first openly transitioning officer. Miller was profiled in a Washington Post article.

"If you read that story, Taylor's family has disowned her," Zukunft said. "And I told Taylor, I will not turn my back. We have made an investment in you and you have made an investment in the Coast Guard and I will not break faith."

A spokesperson for the Coast Guard told NBC they will "follow the [Department of Defense] closely on human resource policies" and will be in contact about future changes in policy.

The Coast Guard falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security but would be subject to the transgender ban as a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

President Trump's three tweets announing that the military "will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity" reportedly came as a surprise to leaders at the Pentagon.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford said in a memo to military leaders that the current policy regarding transgender individuals in the military will not change until the president issues an official directive.

The top Air Force officer, Gen. David Goldfein, said in another note that he and Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson "emphasize that all airmen will be treated with dignity and respect as we work through the potential policy changes" of the ban.

Attorneys general in 18 states and the District of Columbia, meanwhile, called for Congress to protect transgender service members from discrimination.