Tom Ridge, former governor of Pennsylvania and the nation's first Secretary of Homeland Security, is in critical condition following a heart procedure, a spokesman said Thursday.

Ridge, 72, fell ill Thursday morning at the JW Marriott hotel in Austin, Texas. He was attending the Republican Governors Conference.

Paramedics rushed Ridge to a Dell Seton Medical Center and he was taken into surgery. Doctors performed a cardiac catherization, a procedure designed to diagnose heart issues.

Ridge was listed in critical condition following surgery, but is responsive, his spokesman said.

Ridge, a Republican, served as Pennsylvania's 43rd governor from 1995-2001. President George W. Bush appointed him as the United States' first advisor on Homeland Security in the days following the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks.

He took over as the first secretary of the Department of Homeland Security when it was formed from 22 agencies in 2003.

Gov. Tom Wolf in a statment said he and his wife, Francis, are praying for Ridge's recovery.

"We know Tom is a fighter and the Ridges should know that all of Pennsylvania is pulling for them as he recovers," Wolf said.

After more than 15 years of deferring to state oversight, the City of Philadelphia has regained control of the school district.

The School Reform Commission voted Thursday to dissolve itself, opening the door for Mayor Jim Kenney to appoint a local school board that would then be approved by City Council.

"Since the imposition of this body, Philadelphians have been without direct control and accountability," Kenney said. "The time is right to return the School District of Philadelphia to local control and accountability."

So what’s next for schools?

Thursday’s vote launches a three-phase transition that kicks off in December, when Kenney will appoint a panel to nominate at least 27 candidates for a nine-person school board. Candidates must be Philadelphia voters, according to the city charter.

Applications for the new governing body will be available online and in person starting next month.

A second phase will begin in February as school board members are appointed and begin training.

In March, Kenney will give his budget address, which is expected to include plans for the school district. Earlier this month, Kenney indicated money for the city’s schools could come from new taxes, though he did not say what those taxes would be. A new school budget is expected to be adopted by May.

A third phase kicks off with a new board of education in place by July 1, 2018. The SRC will continue to govern until June 30, 2018.

How will this impact parents, students and teachers?

Current contracts for teachers and Superintendent William Hite will remain in place until the new school board decides otherwise.

“Our priorities will remain the same," Hite said. "We are focused on early literacy, preparing students for college and career, recruiting and retaining great talent and maintaining our hard won financial stability.” 

Hite is under contract through 2022 and is supported by Kenney and other members of council.

The idea during transition is for students and parents not to fill the pinch as administrators go in and out of power. 

“Our goal is for this to be seamless … so that parents don’t see this as a big change,” SRC chair Joyce Wilkerson told NBC10. “Hopefully it will mean stability so as people read about the long-term challenges, they won’t be fearing the district will be out on its own again.”

What is the current financial situation for Philly’s public schools?

Currently, the school district has a $103 million deficit and a projected deficit of $1 billion over the next five years. Councilman-at-large Allan Domb introduced legislation Thursday to collect millions in unpaid real estate taxes to help fill that gap.

Kenney said earlier this month that collecting delinquent taxes alone will not close the deficit, but Domb argued it should, at least, be part of the solution.

Why now?

The SRC was always meant to be a temporary solution. Now, after 16 years of state control, officials claim Philly’s schools are no longer in distress.

Graduation rates across the district have risen to 67 percent - it was barely 50 percent 10 years ago - and student scores have improved for several Keystone exams, the SRC said. Suspension rates have dropped and attendance is up.

Revenue is also on the rise despite a lingering deficit. The school district has successfully obtained recurring revenue streams from the state, including $58 million annually from the cigarette tax and $2.5 million annually from rideshare fees. In September, the district received its first ratings upgrade by Moody’s Investor Service since 2010.

“There is stability and positive momentum within the school district because local government partners are collaborating and working toward a shared vision of equitable educational opportunities for every child in Philadelphia,” Kenney said.

A woman was stuck underground for three hours after falling into a septic tank behind a home in Mullica Township, New Jersey Thursday, authorities said.

The 57-year-old woman fell about 10 feet into the sewage tank in the yard of a home along Nesco Road, authorities said. The opening is 30 inches in diameter.

Firefighters were called in from Atlantic City — some 30 miles away — to assist in the prolonged rescue. They used a ladder truck to lift the woman from the tank on a backboard.

Officials said the woman suffered severe back pain in the fall, but her injuries did not appear to be life threatening. She was flown to Atlanticare Regional Medical Center by medical helicopter. 

Business owners in New Jersey are hoping a tax reform being voted on in Washington will benefit them. NBC10's Lauren Mayk spoke to those workers to see what they're hoping the tax reform will do for them.

A Cherry Hill gym owner who was featured on NBC's American Ninja Warrior is using his skills to teach kids how they, too, can be active. NBC10's Tim Furlong explains the fun workout kids are getting.

A driverless car slammed into a school Thursday morning following a minor accident nearby, according to The Lakewood Scoop.

The bizarre incident happened just before school was about to begin at Bais Hatorah on Swarthmore Avenue in Lakewood.

The driver reportedly got into an accident, but forgot to put the car in park after getting out. The driverless car then veered across a patch of grass and driveway before jumping a curb and slamming into the school building. The entire ordeal was caught on the school’s surveillance cameras.

No students were hurt, The Lakewood Scoop reports.

Thursday brought warmer temperatures to our region, but will the higher temperatures stick around? NBC10 meteorologist Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz has your forecast.

A fraternity is kicked off campus after a student allegedly needed medical attention after drinking too much at a party. Now, students have mixed reactions to the university's decision.

We all know the feeling after a big Eagles win: happiness, cheering, and anticipation for the next game. But those feelings could actually be in your brain. NBC10's Tim Furlong explains the psychology behind it.

A Philadelphia firefighter pleaded guilty to a disorderly person charge and will pay a fine after he faced jailtime for killing a sea gull at the Jersey Shore. 

Here's something that may surprise those of us familiar with the Shore: Seagulls are state- and federally-protected animals.

And killing one of them, even accidentally, can get you jammed up in court.

Edward Frost, a 29-year veteran of the fire department, was vacationing on the Sea Isle City beach in August with his wife and son when he allegedly threw an object — some say a rock, some say a shell — at a gull in the middle of a crowded beach, killing the bird.

On Thursday, Frost appeared in a Sea Isle City municipal courtroom where he took an agreement with the prosecutor and agreed to pay a $250 fine. 

He had faced two disorderly persons charges issued by a local animal cruelty investigator and potentially up to six months in jail and fines for allegedly hitting a gull with a shell.

Frost Said he didn't mean to hurt the bird and apologized in court Thursday.

"He is a good person and did not intend any harm to any creature whatsoever," his lawyer, Richard Bobbe III said in court.

"It's absolutely not accidental when you get up out of your chair, walk to a group of seagulls that are federally protected birds and throw a rock," Nicole Buck, a witness to the incident who tried to save the bird said. 

There are several species of seagull common to New Jersey. While two types of smaller shore birds, known as terns, are on the state’s endangered species list, no seagull species are. Still, seagulls are protected animals.

A spokesman with the state’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Agency said that means killing the birds intentionally is prohibited, unless you get permission.

That requires a federal permit and a state permit. Obtaining those permits requires “a specific and justified purpose,” Fish and Wildlife spokesman Robert Geist said.

Live video feed above may have some interference. 

Flames ripped through a senior living community in Chester County, Pennsylvania Thursday evening.

More than twenty residents have been taken to hospitals and many ambulances could be seen near the fire location.

The fire spread to multiple buildings of the Barclay Friends community located along the 700 block of North Franklin Street in West Chester. 

County officials said the fire reached 4 alarms as crews worked to contain the flames and get residents to safety.

One witness reported seeing multiple people rescued from burning buildings. 

Barclay Friends is a senior living community that provides professional nursing staff 24 hours a day, meals and other services, according to its website. 

Stay with NBC10 for updates on this breaking story.

Here are the top news stories you need to know to start your day from your friends at NBC10.

TODAY'S TOP STORY 

Woman Killed in Crash Following Stolen Car Chase: A woman is dead after the stolen car she was riding in crashed into the back of a tractor trailer during a police pursuit in Cinnaminson, New Jersey, police said. The crash happened around 10:30 a.m. along U.S. 130 at Riverton Road when the silver BMW sedan slammed into the back of a FedEx trailer. Cinnaminson officers had been pursuing the car and the 17-year-old male driver after the vehicle was reported stolen earlier Wednesday, police said. Officers worked to pull the driver and passenger from the car following the crash. The woman died at the scene, police said. The driver was taken to Cooper University Hospital where he's listed in critical condition, police said. Police could not say how the driver and passenger knew each other.

• MORE ON THE CHASE
  

WHAT YOU MISSED YESTERDAY

1 at Large, 3 Caught After Escape from Juvenile Detention: Three of the four teenagers who police say overpowered a guard and stole his car during a daring escape from a southern New Jersey juvenile detention center were captured Wednesday morning after nine hours on the run. The  juveniles escaped from the Harborfields Youth Detention Facility in Egg Harbor City — about 20 miles west of Atlantic City — around 12:20 a.m. Wednesday. New Jersey State Police and Bridgeton police responding to a burglary call took three of the teens into custody in Bridgeton — about 35 miles from Egg Harbor City, investigators said. Michael Huggins remains on the run and is considered dangerous. Schools in Bridgeton, where Huggins was a student, were put on lockdown. Police helicopter scanned the area searching for Huggins. The sheriff's office said the teens overpowered two corrections officers and drove off in one of their cars. They sideswiped a Jeep before crashing into a home and fleeing the scene.

• MORE ON THE ESCAPE
  

YOUR FIRST ALERT FORECAST  

Thursday is expected to be partly sunny with plenty of wind. Friday is expected to be sunny with temperatures in the 50s. Showers and thunderstorms are possible for Saturday. Sunday is expected to be windy and cold. Get your full NBC10 First Alert forecast here.

AT&T Nationwide Outage Repaired: AT&T customers nationwide reported cellphone outages Wednesday evening. Users started posting on social media claiming they could not place any calls. AT&T quickly responded on twitter, telling users to "restart your device - that should resolve the issue.” Even after the advice from AT&T, some users claimed that did not help. Some users said "disabling LTE" and entering the phone into airplane mode for 10 seconds was the only thing that would resolve the problem. AT&T then sent out a follow up tweet saying "please restart your device, this might be required multiple times” Just after 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday NBC got a notification from AT&T that the issue had been resolved and service should be back to normal.

• MORE ON THE OUTAGE
  

AROUND THE WORLD

Calif. Gunman's Wife Found Buried in the Floor of Their Home: Authorities said the wife of a gunman who went on a rampage in Northern California was found dead, hidden under the floor inside their home. Tehama County Assistant Sheriff Phil Johnston said Wednesday investigators discovered the body of Kevin Janson Neal's wife riddled with bullets under floor boards. Neal "cut a hole in his floor, murdered — shot her probably late Monday, and literally just put her body in the floor and covered it up," Johnston said, adding that investigators believe her slaying was the start of the rampage. The gunman shot and killed four other people and wounded 10 at different locations around the rural community of Rancho Tehama Reserve, including an elementary school, before he died in a shootout with police. Seven children were among the injured.

• MORE ON THE MASS SHOOTING
  

That's what you need to know to Catch Up Quickly, but we've got more stories worthy of your time. Click here to check them out. 

New allegations of sexual misconduct revealed Thursday with accusations against Senator Al Franken. NBC10s Keith Jones looks at the mounting allegations and response.

A special look at how Eagles Quarterback Carson Wentz is combining his two passions to help others. NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark reports.

When Jersey City firefighters responded to a call about a head-on collision overnight, they had no idea they’d find one of their own, unresponsive, in the back seat of one of the vehicles.

Firefighter Matthew Nierstedt was off duty when he was killed in the crash at about 2 a.m. Thursday on Paterson Plank Road, according to authorities.

When colleagues pulled Nierstedt from the car, some rode with him in the ambulance and gave him CPR along the way. Fire Chief Steven McGill said he even called the department chaplain to read last rites and console the man’s family at the hospital bed at Jersey City Medical Center.

“I was there the whole time when the parents came in,” McGill said. “It wasn’t a pretty sight.”

Nierstedt had been a Jersey City firefighter for about a year, McGill said. Before that, he served four years in the Navy.

"He was a good fireman, he was up and coming,” McGill said.

He also comes from a family of community servants: His father is a retired department chief with the Jersey City Police Department, and his mother is a trauma nurse at Jersey City Medical Center.

Police haven’t released any further details about the crash, which also left two of Nierstedt’s friends in the front seats and two occupants in the other vehicle with injuries.

Parents with kids who play sports also have to constantly worry about sports-related injuries. That's why NBC10's Tim Furlong shows us an activity parents say kids can participate in with less risk to their physical health: go karting.

NBC10's Matt DeLucia discusses the dos and don'ts of donating online so your cash ends up in the right hands.

A second suspect has been arrested in the killing of a New Jersey father of 11 who law enforcement sources say was stabbed to death in front of his 8-year-old son Tuesday in a bizarre case involving an eviction, a pair of sneakers and a jacket.

The Hudson County Prosecutor had issued an arrest warrant Thursday for 19-year-old Nasiar Day, charging him with murder, felony murder, conspiracy and other crimes in the death of 30-year-old Jose Malave, who was found lifeless in the doorway of his Jersey City apartment. 

Day was taken into custody in Newark, officials said Friday. Attorney information for him wasn't immediately available. A 17-year-old boy already faces similar charges, though as a juvenile.

Law enforcement sources have said Malave was spotted wearing a jacket and sneakers belonging to the teenage suspect's friend, who was in the process of being evicted from his own home and whose belongings had been left on the sidewalk. Someone apparently sold them, and Malave bought several items.

It wasn't immediately clear if Day was the evicted friend, but sources have said the friend and the teenage suspect saw Malave walking back to his home with his son and recognized the items. Words were exchanged. 

The teenage murder suspect demanded his belongings back, according to the sources. He told Malave to "give me my stuff," and Malave responded, "It's not your stuff," the sources said. Then Malave was stabbed to death. 

The young man's sisters broke down as they spoke to News 4 Thursday. 

"I look down the street to see if he's coming and he's not even coming," said one. "To know that he's not gonna come, to know that I won't be able to tell him I love him, hug him, this is crazy." 

Another sister said she was in the home, along with four of her brother's children, when he was killed. She could barely speak through her tears, but described a trio of attackers with knives, one of whom punched her. 

Relatives created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses and childcare. On it, they wrote, "It is a painful loss to our family and friends. It is a pain that we do not wish on anyone." 

The name of the 17-year-old boy arrested has not been released. He faces charges of armed burglary and weapons possession in addition to the murder offenses.