A heartbroken local artist in mourning is pleading for the return of his treasured painting he made of his late wife after it was stolen from a Cumberland County, New Jersey art gallery. 

“The day I realized it was stolen, I mean, my emotions went mad,” said Dennis Tawes.

Tawes’ 67-year-old wife Linda lost her battle with lung cancer in March. A few months before her death, Tawes made a painting of her that he called “Cloud Walker.” It was inspired by the first time he saw her nearly 30 years ago.

Tawes put the painting on display at an art gallery in Millville, New Jersey. The painting was recently stolen however. Tawes believes the theft occurred the third Friday of either June or July, the only times the gallery was open.

“Your heart feels ripped out anyway, ripped to a million pieces,” Tawes said. “It just ripped my heart out again.”

Tawes, who is preparing for an art show on Friday, is now begging for the thief to return the painting.

“Return it,” Tawes said. “I won’t press charges. You took something personal.”

Tawes said the painting was not for sale and its value is priceless.

“It’s not the money, the loss of that,” he said. “It’s just that piece of my heart that was taken.”

If you have any information on the painting's whereabouts, call Tawes at 904-304-6336.

A foster child who once lived with a Pennsylvania girl who authorities say was killed and dismembered by her adoptive mother and her boyfriend, told NBC10 she witnessed her being abused years before her murder and even reported it to a foster care agency.  

Grace Packer, 14, was murdered in July of 2016. The girl’s adoptive mother, Sara Packer, and her boyfriend, Jacob Sullivan, were both arrested and charged in the girl’s death. Authorities say the couple killed the girl as part of a rape-murder fantasy they shared and then left her for dead in a hot closet inside a home in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. After several months, the couple allegedly dismembered the girl's body and dumped it in a field near Scranton, Pennsylvania where it was eventually discovered in October.

More than a year after Packer’s death, a foster child who once lived with the girl is speaking out, claiming she not only saw her being abused by her adoptive parents but that she also reported it.

“We weren’t listened to,” the woman, who did not want to be identified, told NBC10. “No one cared to hear what was going on.”

The woman said she witnessed the abuse when her and Grace Packer were under the care of Sara Packer and her then-husband, David Packer, in 2007. At the time, the couple cared for 30 foster children, including Grace. David Packer was later arrested however and accused of sexually abusing Grace and another foster child.

The woman who spoke to NBC10 Monday is the third person who claimed they witnessed Grace Packer being abused and reported it to the Impact Project, a foster care agency.

“We told Impact and I told my case workers from Bucks County Children and Youth,” the woman said. “Gracie was hit, slapped around.”

While the Bucks County CYS declined to comment Monday, Courtney Wagaman, the executive director of the Impact Project, spoke on the allegations.

“We have never once not reported any suspected abuse and where it goes from there is outside of our control,” Wagaman said. 

“Are you aware of any children coming to you saying Grace Packer was being abused?” NBC10’s Deanna Durante asked.

“I cannot speak about anything related to Grace Packer,” Wagaman replied.

Grace Packer’s biological parents, Rose and Rodney Hunsicker, are currently trying to become administrators of their daughter’s estate. Vincent Vangrossi, an attorney for the Hunsickers, said they also want to sue Berks County Children and Youth Services, the agency that took Grace from them and placed her in the care of Sara and David Packer.

“I’m very surprised that more hasn’t been done to assure the Hunsickers of the safety of their other children, at least offer them an apology,” Vangrossi said.

Berks County CYS had no comment. Vangrossi said any possible lawsuit would extend to all county agencies involved in the adoption and placement of Grace and her siblings, including the Impact Project.

Residents ran down the hallway knocking on doors and yelling to help neighbors get out as a blaze burned at a Northeast Philadelphia apartment building overnight.

Three people, including a firefighter, suffered injuries in the fire that broke out shortly after midnight Tuesday on the second floor of the G Building at the Canterbury Court Apartments at Academy Road and Morrell Avenue.

Firefighters rescued one person and another person was taken to the hospital for evaluation while a firefighter suffered minor injuries that required treatment, Fire Deputy Chief Gary Loesch said.

But, it could have been worse if not for quick-moving firefighters and neighbors helping each other.

“They started knocking on the doors and saying the building was on fire,” resident Troy Weaks said.

Weaks left his building to see another building, which houses about 10 units, engulfed in flames.

“(Residents) just start running through the building and start trying to get everybody out,” Weaks said. “They just start kicking on the door and knocking and people just start coming out.”

Residents hoped to return to their homes to assess the damage. In the meantime, the American Red Cross assisted with about 50 people displaced and a waiting SEPTA bus served as a temporary shelter.

The cause of the fire, which left smoke and water damage throughout the morning, remained under investigation Tuesday morning.

President Donald Trump is receiving backlash for his delayed denouncement of hate groups after the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

A New Jersey police sergeant is being hailed a hero for saving the life of a 2-year-old child who appeared to have nearly drowned at a Florida beach. 

Morris Township Police Sgt. Sean O'Hare was on vacation at Clearwater Beach, Florida, Sunday afternoon when he saw some commotion and distress by the shore, the local police department said. 

O'Hare realized the stir was over a 2-year-old child that had turned blue and was not breathing after having been pulled from the water. 

The cop initiated CPR and was able to resuscitate the child. An update on the child's condition was not immediately available Monday. 

In a Facebook post, the Morris Township Police Department praised O'Hare's actions and called him a "true hero." 

Citizens Bank, NBC10/Telemundo62 and Philadelphia Media Network are now accepting applications for the first Champions in Action of 2018, this time in the community arts category. The Champions in Action^® program provides financial, volunteer and public relations support to local nonprofits.

Nonprofit organizations focused on solving a social need through community-based artistic activity in our communities are invited to apply for the Champions award to be announced in January 2018. Applications can be completed online at http://www.citizensbank.com/community/champions and must be submitted by August 18, 2017 at midnight EDT.

Champions in Action is part of Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities, the bank’s program designed to enhance quality of life and economic vitality in local communities. It provides support for small nonprofit organizations to recognize their contributions to communities throughout Pennsylvania.

The selected Champion in Action will receive:

• a $35,000 contribution in unrestricted funds from Citizens Bank;
• media coverage from NBC10/Telemundo62, and public service announcements from Philadelphia Media Network;
• volunteer support from Citizens Bank colleagues during the nonprofit’s events;
• the opportunity for the organization’s executive director to participate in an “Executive-to-Executive” mentorship with a Citizens Bank executive;
• promotional support highlighting the Champion in Action in Citizens Bank branches;
• exposure on the Citizens Bank, NBC10/Telemundo62, and Philadelphia Media Network websites..

To be eligible for consideration, an organization must:

• Be a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit organization that serves Greater Philadelphia and addresses the designated social concern;
• Provide verification of tax-exempt status under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code; and
• Have a total operating budget of $5 million or less.

The application deadline is Friday, August 18, 2017 at midnight EDT. Applications can be completed here.

The National Constitution Center announced Thursday that its annual Liberty Medal will be awarded to U.S. Sen. John McCain in Philadelphia.

McCain will be receiving the award for his lifetime of sacrifice and service in the military and government. The National Constitution Center’s Liberty Medal honors men and women annually with the award.

“It has been my greatest privilege in life to swear an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, beginning with my enlistment in the Navy and continuing through my service in the United States Senate," Sen. McCain said. "Each time I have raised my right hand, I do so with enormous weight of the people who elected me to serve. I’m grateful to the National Constitution Center for this recognition, and am humbled to join the ranks of so many past Liberty Medal recipients I greatly admire.”

Former Vice President Joe Biden, chairman of the National Constitution Center’s Board of Trustees, will award the Liberty Medal to McCain on Oct. 16 in Philadelphia.

The general public can submit an online request for tickets to the ceremony from noon on Aug. 15 through 10 p.m. on Sept. 10. A random drawing will pick the winners.

McCain joined the Navy in 1958 and rose to the rank of captain during his 22 years of service. In 1967, his plane was shot down over Hanoi, Vietnam, and he spent years in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp, where he endured torture. After his return, he joined politics and is now serving his sixth term as senator in Arizona. McCain, the GOP nominee for president in 2008, lost that election to Barack Obama. 

“In our over two decades serving together in the United States Senate, there were few others I could count on to be as honest, respectful, and decent as John," Biden said. "His heroic sacrifice for his country and dedicated service to his constituents are unquestionable and unmatched. It will truly be an honor to award the Liberty Medal – my first as Chair of the National Constitution Center’s Board of Trustees – to my very good friend, John McCain.”

Other recipients include Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai and the Dalai Lama of Tibet.

For travelers looking to get a glimpse of the total solar eclipse next week, rubber-necking delays may be the least of their worries.

The eclipse, due on August 21, has astronomy enthusiasts and summer road-trippers flocking to the "path of the totality," a belt of states across the country that will provide prime viewing of the solar event. But as hotels fill up and time runs out to find a viewing spot, drivers may attempt to watch the solar event while in transit, according to the American Automobile Association.

That's a bad idea. The organization recommends that eclipse-seekers arrive at the location to view the eclipse before it begins and never attempt to watch while driving a car. However, if you must drive during the event, AAA has some tips to ensure you stay safe.

Drivers are advised to keep their car's headlights on and put down the sun visor to block the sun. Stay mindful of people outside the car, too — pedestrians who would normally be looking down at their cellphones may be looking up at the sky instead.

Experts warn travelers against wearing eclipse-viewing glasses while driving. Drivers should not try to photograph or take video of the eclipse, though using your cellphone or camera in the car is never advisable. And although pulling over from moving traffic may sound like a safe way to get a glimpse of the eclipse, AAA says that drivers should not pull over to the side of the road and instead should simply exit the roadway and find a safe area to park.

The solar eclipse could make an already-enjoyable summer vacation astronomically better — but with any event expecting high traffic, safety should always be the priority.

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How did an alligator wind up in an Atlantic City motel pool?

Atlantic City Police promised to safely remove the reptile after it turned up in the pool at the Bayview Hotel along Albany Avenue Tuesday morning.

The gator measures around 3-feet-long, police said, while calling the gator a likely pet.

An animal control worker safely removed the gator as the investigation into how it got into the pool continued Tuesday morning.

The gator was taken to the Cape May County Zoo, police said.

A father and his two young children went missing from their South Jersey home Monday.

Raymond Reasoner III’s and his two children, 3-year-old Raymond Reasoner IV and 1-year-old Raegan Reasoner, were reported missing by a family member from their Church street home in the Blackwood section of Gloucester Township, New Jersey Monday after the 40-year-old Reasoner failed to show up for work, township police said Tuesday morning.

It is uncharacteristic for Reasoner, who stands 5-feet, 7-inches tall, to miss work, family members told police. Tuesday was his second-straight day not showing up.

Little Raymond and Raegan both have who has blond hair and blue eyes. Raymond was wearing a white short sleeve shirt with black lettering and gray shorts and Raegan was wearing a black and white Minnie Mouse onesie when they went missing.

Reasoner is believed to be driving a dark tan or brown 2013 Nissan Altima with Pennsylvania tag KBP7220. He is known to frequent parks, large parking lots and shopping centers, investigators said.

There is no custody issue involved.

Police and county prosecutors didn’t initially say there is anything suspicious but they hope the public can help track down the father and his children.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911, township police at 856-228-4500 of the county tip line at 856-842-5560.

Duke the working cat is a special employee at the Philadelphia Brewing Company brewery.

The CEO of Campbell's Soup will remain on an advisory board to President Donald Trump in the aftermath of high-profile defections by fellow executives and labor leaders.

Those who quit, including North Philadelphia native Kenneth Frazier, the president and chief executive of pharmaceutical giant Merck, left the White House's American Manufacturing Council in protest of what they perceived as a tepid response by Trump to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The fourth and latest resignation is Scott Paul, the president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. The labor leader left the council Tuesday morning.

"I'm resigning from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative because it's the right thing for me to do," Paul said in a tweet.

Campbell's Soup CEO Denise Morrison will not resign, the Camden, New Jersey-based company said in a statement Monday.

"We believe it continues to be important for Campbell to have a voice and provide input on matters that will affect our industry, our company and our employees in support of growth," the company statement posted to its website reads.

Trump, who initially called out Frazier for resigning by questioning Merck's pricing tactics, again went on the offensive Tuesday on Twitter.

Campbell did condemn the violence in Virginia that erupted Saturday during a rally by white nationalists over a proposal to remove a statue of Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee. White supremacist groups, neo-Nazis and the KKK joined the nationalists, and the groups eventually clashed with counter-protesters.

One counter-protester was killed and numerous others were injured when a man associated with the rally allegedly blowed into a crowd with a car.

"The reprehensible scenes of bigotry and hatred on display in Charlottesville over the weekend have no place in our society," the Campbell statement reads. "Not simply because of the violence, but because the racist ideology at the center of the protests is wrong and must be condemned in no uncertain terms. Campbell has long held the belief that diversity and inclusion are critical to the success of our business and our culture. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is unwavering, and we will remain active champions for these efforts."

A request for further comment was left with the company. NBC10 has also requested an interview with Morrison, a New Jersey native and Princeton resident.

Twenty-five CEOs and other leaders of American manufacturing remain on the Trump advisory council after the resignations of Frazier, Under Armour CEO Kevin Planck and Intel CEO Brian Krzanich. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, previously resigned from the council after Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Here are the remaining members of the council:

Andrew Liveris, The Dow Chemical Company

Bill Brown, Harris Corporation

Michael Dell, Dell Technologies

John Ferriola, Nucor Corporation

Jeff Fettig, Whirlpool Corporation

Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company

Alex Gorsky, Johnson & Johnson

Greg Hayes, United Technologies Corp.

Marilynn Hewson, Lockheed Martin Corporation

Jeff Immelt, General Electric

Jim Kamsickas, Dana Inc.

Klaus Kleinfeld, Arconic

Rich Kyle, The Timken Company

Thea Lee, AFL-CIO

Mario Longhi, U.S. Steel

Denise Morrison, Campbell Soup Company

Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing

Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar

Michael Polk, Newell Brands

Mark Sutton, International Paper

Inge Thulin, 3M

Richard Tumka, AFL-CIO

Wendell Weeks, Corning

NBC10's Randy Gyllenhall met with photographer Josep Drudis who gave advice for those who plan to take photos of the upcoming solar eclipse. One major tips: Don't look into the sun. 

Dozens of residents and stakeholders, some wearing stickers that read "I live in Mt. Airy and I oppose this location," crammed into a Philadelphia zoning hearing Tuesday morning to lay out their concerns about a state-approved medical marijuana dispensary.

A defunct bank at 8319 Stenton Avenue near East Allen Lane would be converted into the facility, which would provide tinctures, oils and edibles to approved patients. The cannabis plant, itself, would not be grown or sold on the premises. 

The building is in a residential neighborhood some worry could be exposed to crime, litter and crowding should TerraVida Holistic Center be allowed to operate there.

The dispensary owner, Christine Visco, was awarded a license by the state Department of Health in June, but lawyers representing members of the community said TerraVida was not in full compliance at the time of permitting.

Representatives for TerraVida argue that many zoning restrictions enacted by the city came after the state issued permits to potential medical marijuana businesses. They will retrofit if necessary, lawyers representing Visco said.

"This case has nothing to do with medical marijuana," TerraVida attorney Michael Phillips said. "This is a land-use issue."

Despite the understanding that Tuesday's hearing would be a referendum on Pennsylvania's medical marijuana program, residents questioned if drug dealers would be attracted to the area and worried the impact this facility could have on young children in the area.

A home daycare center currently operates within 500 feet of the building, which would be in conflict with the city's ordinance to maintain at least that much distance from any child-serving institution. But TerraVida lawyers argued that the daycare center is not licensed by the city, only the state, and therefore not a concern for the dispensary. 

Tensions rose throughout the first two hours of testimony as residents murmured, snickered and occasionally shouted.

At one point, an attorney representing opponents of the dispensary compared zoning issues to segregation in the 1960s.

"It's a question of whether the city preempts the state," David Fineman said.

Among his complaints, Fineman argued TerraVida does not have a garage door or covering mandated by the state to provide coverage for cars and trucks that will unload product into the dispensary. Lawyers representing TerraVida said retrofitting of the existing building, which functioned as a bank for several years, would be done in accordance with state law, but did not have to be completed prior to receiving a license to operate.

"It was a nightmare when it came to parking," said one resident who has lived on Allen Street for 35 years and remembers overflow parking obstructing her own home.

Councilwoman Cherrelle Parker, who represents the neighborhood, accused TerraVida of not meeting with community members before applying for a permit at the Stetson Avenue location.

"They never talked to me about it," she said. "We were shocked that the attorney never even informed us this was occurring."

In an apparent attempt to ease anger, the chairman of the zoning board offered one alternative.

"Sometimes you might want to look for another place," former City Councilman Frank DiCicco said as audience members clapped and whistled.

"I know this community well. They're not going to give up."

After more than two hours of back-and-forth, both sides agreed to break. The hearing will be continued Sept. 19 at 9:30 a.m. 

"I know what some of you sacrificed to be here," Parker said before Mt. Airy residents boarded buses and shuttles back to their neighborhood. "But come September, if you can't be here, you better find someone to take your place."

A shooting victim managed to drive himself more than a mile to a police station to get help.

The man pulled into the parking lot of the Philadelphia Police Department’s 18th District along Pine Street in West Philly shortly before 11 p.m. Monday and told officers about his ordeal.

The 25-year-old victim was driving near 54th Street & Wyalusing Avenue when bullets began striking his vehicle, police said.

Despite being shot in the back, the man managed to drive almost 1.5 miles to the police station, investigators said.

Police got the victim to Penn Presbyterian Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.

Investigators gave no motive for the initial shooting.

Summer, an adoptable dog is on the show. NBC10's Tracy Davidson talks with Jenn Rafter from Salfid Rescue about Summer as well as shelters and rescues.

A beachgoer in Ocean City allegedly killed a seagull under false pretenses Monday, according to police, who are looking for the man.

The bird death was reported to police in the New Jersey shore town by a witness, but when officers arrived, the alleged attacker said the bird "was being aggressive toward young children on the beach," police said Tuesday in a statement.

The seagull had already been removed from the beach by lifeguards, police said. After officers questioned the alleged killer, they took no further action and left.

"A short time later, the police were contacted by another witness that had a different version of what occurred," the statement reads. "This witness said that no children were being threatened and that the individual responsible for the injuries to the bird did so maliciously.  At this time, the officers were unable to locate the person responsible."

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Ocean City police at (609)399-9111.

Philadelphia Police hope a $15,000 reward helps them track down the would-be arsonist who tried to torch a garage below a Philadelphia police and fire station.

“The male saturates a sheet and other items in an ignitable liquid forming a path to the vehicles,” Philadelphia police said about the Aug. 9 incident below the 12th Police District, Engine 40 Firehouse, and Philadelphia Streets Department located at 6448 Woodland Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia.

On Tuesday, ATF Philadelphia Field Division, the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5 and the Philadelphia Firefighter’s and Paramedic’s Union, Local 22, announced a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the would-be arsonist.

Around 5:30 a.m. a worker smelled a strong odor of gasoline coming from the building. Investigators then found empty gasoline cans and a shirt, sheet and boots covered in fuel, police said.

What scared the firebug – his face covered with a bed sheet and wearing blue jeans faded below the knee and white sneakers when he first entered the garage – off wasn’t clear. Surveillance cameras captured him entering and exiting the garage six times over a one hour period starting around 4:15 a.m., coming back at one point with a baby stroller that he later ditched.

The man had a unique walk as he went to and from the garage. Police were able to determine he is a man in his late 30s with a beard thanks to the sheet falling from his face for a moment.

He eventually left the garage barefoot, his sneakers nowhere to be found.

Police say the suspect could be homeless and could be known to resident of the area.

"This attempted arson of these vehicles located underneath a city-owned building is a serious and dangerous act that potentially threatened the safety of the employees of that building," ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Sam Rabadi said. "ATF and our partners from the Philadelphia Police Department and Fire Marshals Office will use every available resource to identify and apprehend this perpetrator. We are asking the public to provide any information that would lead investigators to the person responsible for this attempted arson."

Anyone with information on the arson can call the ATF 24/7 hotline at 188-283-3473 or email a link to ATFTips@atf.gov.

Days after violence turned fatal over a statue of Robert E. Lee in Virginia and within hours of President Trump asking if statues of George Washington would be next, a Philadelphia council member called for the removal of a statue of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo in Center City.

“All around the country, we're fighting to remove the monuments to slavery & racism. Philly, we have work to do. Take the Rizzo statue down,” Councilwoman-at-large Helen Gym said in a tweet Monday.

Rizzo’s fraught history with the city is nothing new, Gym told NBC10.

“In a way, you can date this all the way back to when he was in office,” she said, adding that Rizzo regularly used racial epithets and advocated for publicly strip-searching members of the Black Panther party.

“What happened, to some extent in Charlottesville, comes out of a nation that needs to be able to confront its own racism and history. We can’t marginalize racism. We can’t deny that it’s growing [and] growing more violent.”

The Rizzo statue, located outside the Municipal Services Building on John F. Kennedy Boulevard, was erected in 1998 using privately funded money. That it lives on public land in a highly visible location is one of the problems that needs to be addressed, Gym said.

She would support moving it somewhere less visible or onto private property.

“For the people who say this is erasing history, I would say the plaque and memorial also erased history. Frank Rizzo means a lot of different things to a lot people, but there is no question he stands for racism for a lot of people,” Gym said.

The councilwoman has at least one supporter in Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. His spokeswoman, Lauren Hitt, told NBC10 that "now is a good time have that conversation."

"We need to figure out the proper forum for that conversation in a serious, structure way," she said. "Now is the right time."

Rizzo first joined the Philadelphia police department in the 1940s and became its commissioner in 1967. It was during that time that he strong-armed Black Panthers and also broke up riots. He often bragged that Philadelphia had the lowest crime rate of the country’s biggest cities, the New York Times wrote in his 1991 obituary.

Rizzo served as a two-term mayor from 1972 to 1980. His list of accomplishments included introducing the Commuter Tunnel in Center City that connects Suburban Station to Reading Terminal Market.

But his “racist relationship towards Philadelphia’s African-American community has always been one of violence, devastation and despair” wrote Erica Mines, who started an online campaign to remove his statue.

The petition received 1,000 signatures last year when it first surfaced, and has since received nearly another 1,000.

In May, a Rizzo mural in South Philadelphia was defaced by black paint. It has previously been spray-painted with vulgar language calling him a fascist.