Charges have been filed against the mother of a baby who was found dead inside the bedroom of her Bucks County home.

Police say 38-year-old Lorie Bendorovich gave birth to a baby boy on either July 14. Investigators say Bendorovich believed her child was stillborn and placed him in a black trash bag. Police say one of her children later discovered the baby's decomposing body inside the bag. 

On July 18, around 11 a.m., police say a friend of Bendorovich's visited her at her home on the 200 block of Lakeside in Tullytown. The woman noticed a smell coming from a bedroom. When she walked in, police say she found the remains of the newborn inside the bag.

The woman contacted police who took Bendorovich in for questioning.  Bendorovich told police she didn’t realize she was pregnant until she gave birth to the child. An autopsy performed on the child confirmed that he was stillborn.

"We are not charging criminal homicide at this juncture," said Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler during a press conference on Monday. "The post-mortem examination which was performed Friday of last week indicated, at least preliminarily, that the child was indeed stillborn and that the lungs in particular never had oxygen in them and that the child never took a breath." 

Despite Bendorovich's claim, prosecutors say that she knew she was pregnant at some point. According to investigators, the father of the child told police that he had offered to raise the baby with or without her back in October of last year. However, the father says Bendorovich told her in November that the pregnancy had been "terminated." Officials are investigating whether Bendorovich underwent a procedure to end her pregnancy and believed the child had been aborted.

On Monday, Bendorovich was arrested and charged with concealing the death of her child as well as abuse of corpse. She appeared in court Monday afternoon for her arraignment and was released on unsecured bail. A judge ordered her to live with her parents. She is scheduled for another hearing on July 30.

Eight home-improvement contractors in New Jersey stand accused of operating without proper permits.

Acting State Attorney General John Hoffman says the eight were caught during a sting in which investigators posed as the owners of a Sandy-ravaged home in the Highlands or the homeowners' relatives.

The contractors provided the investigators with damage assessments and cost estimates for rebuilding.

Four of the contractors were criminally charged with engaging in home improvement contracting without being registered, while the other four face civil charges.

Hoffman says the undercover investigators identified home improvement contractors via online listings and, after checking each for annual registration with the state's Consumer Affairs Division, scheduled individual appointments with suspected unregistered contractors.

There are currently about 47,000 registered home improvement contractors in New Jersey.

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A small group of octogenarians gathered to reminisce about their college days. 

The Lincoln University graduates shared the fondest memories of their alma mater at their 60th class reunion last year. Today, they came back together to watch those video-taped interviews, which were put together in documentary form to preserve the school's history.

"I came to Lincoln to get off the streets of New York," said Simeon Lewis, 83. "It was a quiet campus, a nice farm and beautiful. I learned how to get along with people and how to be independent."

The men, all in their 80s, shared rich stories of 1950s life in suburban Philadelphia and coming of age. The project, titled The Dr. Walter D. Chambers Oral History Project, was named after the alumnus who spearheaded the venture.

As he headed to college in 1948, Chambers remembered the trip to The Lincoln University all by himself. His mother and grandmother put him in a cab in Newark, New Jersey, to get to the bus station. When he arrived to the campus, he reacted-- "Oh my God. This is not what I saw in the movies," referring to the quaint, farm town of Oxford, Chester County, Pennsylvania.

If he'd had enough money, Chambers said he said would have turned around and gone home.

He stayed, and he's glad he did. Chambers recalled a small faculty that was integrated, which inspired him.

"A good Lincoln man can stand on his feet and speak on any subject at any time even if he doesn't know what he's talking about," joked Chambers, 81.

Lincoln help shaped who the men became, but their experiences included the struggles of the times. Battling segregation was an issue they all recalled.

The men recounted not being allowed to sit in the orchestra section to watch a movie in the town's theater. Blacks, then referred to as Negroes, had to sit in the balcony section. But, they protested and were arrested for sitting in the orchestra section, recalled Kalonji Olusegun on video.

Olusegun took photos of the arrest and mailed them to the NAACP.

"We had sit-ins before 'the' sit-ins of the 1950s," said Lewis who recalled Thurgood Marshall coming to Lincoln to learn more about the movement there. "It was like Georgia. It was bad."

Chambers said there were 125 incoming freshman in the class of 1952. Four years later, only 60 graduated. Presently, the class of 1952 has a mailing list for 38 alumni. Chambers doesn't know how many are still alive, but is happy that 10 from the class were able to gather again and stay in touch.

One of the men who agreed to take part in the video project, Kalonji Olusegun, passed away since the taping last year.  

Harry Joyner, 86, a Biology major, said The Lincoln University prepared him for a life and how to raise a family.

He sat next to Simeon Lewis at the history project screening to reminisce.

"I had more jobs than (President) Carter had liver pills," said Joyner, of Washington, D.C. as he looked back on his life since Lincoln.

The Lincoln University re-branded itself just a few months ago.

"The" was added to the university's title. President Robert R. Jennings advocated for the name change because Lincoln was "the first" Historically Black College and University to offer a degree. In addition, the university felt it was necessary to differentiate itself from other Lincoln Universities across the United States.

Every August, the university has a men's meeting of all male employees and students. The oral history video will now be shown to teach life lessons and help explore what it means to be a "Lincoln man," someone who is respectable and knows how to carry oneself. Jennings also plans to use the video during orientation week and show it to all incoming students.

"Lincoln served me well in every way, and prepared us for life," said Chambers, who called his classmates lifelong friends.

He plans to spread the joy of producing the oral history project. The university has agreed that every class celebrating its 50th anniversary will now put together a similar video compilation highlighting the experiences of its graduates. 

A 10-year-old girl whose fight to obtain a lung transplant resulted in a court ruling in her favor continues to make a steady recovery, according to her mother.

Sarah Murnaghan's mother, Janet, wrote on her Facebook page that the girl stood up for the first time in months.

"Sarah stood today in physical therapy," Janet said. "After months in bed and lots of time paralyzed and sedated, this was a huge accomplishment. Here she is sitting up in bed all by herself."

Last Friday, Janet wrote that Sarah underwent her first Trach change, had her last chest tube removed and was moved back to a traditional ventilator. 

"Sarah's feeling such pride in her accomplishments this afternoon," Janet wrote. "She did a dance in bed over that."

On July 12, Sarah underwent surgery for a tracheostomy. Janet wrote that she was relieved the procedure was over and it was a joy to see her daughter's face sans tubes and tape.

Murnaghan says the procedure created an opening into Sarah's windpipe that she can breathe through.

The Newtown Square girl, who has end-stage cystic fibrosis, received a pair of adult-lung transplant after a federal judge ruled in favor of her parents' lawsuit challenging national rules regarding organ donations.

"Our heads are spinning, definitely not slow and steady today, just improving left and right," wrote Janet on Friday. "I am so proud of her! We are told a move out of Cardiac Intensive Care Unit is in our near future, now that will be a victory. Stay tuned."

Officials at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where Sarah is being treated, have declined to comment on her case.

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Family members are defending the parents of two toddlers who were found malnourished and living in allegedly filthy conditions.

Early Sunday morning, the city's Department of Human Services received a tip reporting suspected child abuse at a home on York Street in West Kensington. When police arrived, they say they found two young children in a state of severe malnutrition and neglect.

Investigators say the home was overrun with pests and insects. They also say the 1-year-old and 3-year-old children were covered with bug bites and irritated skin. A foul odor from the house could be smelled from the street, according to investigators. Officials who went inside also say that the home was "unlivable."

"Whoever allowed their children or themselves to live in a condition like that, they really need some serious help," said Cullie Hawthorne Jr., a neighbor.

Officials say the 1-year-old girl only weighs 13 pounds, half the average weight of a girl that age.

"I think that's pretty sick," said one resident who did not want to be identified. "When my son was one-year-old he was 31 pounds!"

Both children were taken to St. Christopher’s Hospital where they are being evaluated.

The parents of the children were taken to the Special Victim’s Unit where they were interviewed. They have since been released and are currently with their children at the hospital, according to family members. Some neighbors say they didn't even know the couple had children.

"I don't know what goes on inside the home," said one neighbor who did not want to be identified. "I saw them out and about but I never saw children." 

No charges have been filed yet however as officials are investigating whether the allegedly filthy conditions actually compromised the health of the children. Family members insist that it did not.

"My niece is fine," said the aunt of the two children. "She's not malnourished. They say she was 11 pounds. My niece is an even 20 pounds. My nephew is fine."

The family also says the young girl is underweight because she was a premature baby and relied on a feeding tube after her birth.

"Those kids are healthy and blessed," said their uncle Timothy Fontaine. "They're good, the family is good. There are a lot of false accusations. When you're premature you aint' gaining weight until you're 19 or 20. That's common sense." 

Police continue to investigate.

It’s been nearly a week since a tragic accident on Roosevelt Boulevard claimed the lives of a mother and three of her four young children. Despite vocal support for Boulevard safety in the past, Mayor Michael Nutter has yet to provide comment on the incident or the City’s plans for preventing future tragic accidents on one of the country’s most dangerous roads.

Nutter’s spokesman Mark McDonald said the Streets Department may be considering some new safety measures, but they cannot be discussed at this time.

“The Streets Department is always looking to improve traffic safety. What has been implemented has helped but there’s always more that can be done in a very complicated traffic pattern that is Roosevelt Blvd,” McDonald said.

“The Streets Department and its partners on the Boulevard Safety Committee are considering other measures to improve safety. I can’t discuss any of those ideas at this point.”

This weekend, Nutter was reportedly out of town, but released a statement regarding the death of Jabriel O’Connor, a 7-year-old who died after nearly drowning in the Cobb’s Creek Recreation Center pool.

"It is with the deepest sadness that I am reporting that Jabriel O'Connor passed away yesterday," said Nutter in a statement released on Sunday. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Jabriel's parents, family, friends, and all of the young people present at the Cobb's Creek Recreation Center on Thursday as they grieve. The City will continue to provide support services to Jabriel's family, the camp staff, City employees and community members affected by this tragedy."

Some have questioned the mayor’s silence on the Boulevard accident deaths compared to his swift response to the Cobbs Creek drowning.

City Controller Alan Butkovitz said he has no idea why the mayor hasn't spoken out on the issue yet.

"I really don't know what that’s about except that there are obviously a number of policy issues triggered by these incidents on the Boulevard and it indicates that things need to be done. These are issues we ‘ve been dealing with for several years," Butkovitz said.

"I believe setting speed traps and having more intense police presence is important. People traveling on the Boulevard have to have a sense that they will get caught if they drive recklessly. The lady and her children weren't doing anything wrong. They probably couldn’t even see these cars at the time that they entered the crosswalk. The fact that these drivers weren’t worried about being caught by radar or anything, that’s a crazy system."

Nutter was unavailable for comment.

In a separate incident last week, doctors say an 11-year old is in critical but stable condition at St. Christopher’s Hospital after she was hit while riding her bike near Roosevelt Boulevard and Garland Street on Friday evening.

This accident took place just over a mile from where 28 year-old Samara Selena Banks, 7-month-old Saamir Williams, 23-month-old Saa-Sean and four-year-old Saa-Deem were killed when police say the driver of a 2012 Audi, Khusen Akhmedov, lost control of his car while allegedly street racing with another driver, Ahem “Ahmen” Holloman late last Tuesday night.

Both drivers are facing four counts of homicide by vehicle, third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, aggravated assault, simple assault and aggravated assault by vehicle charges.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), for the past ten years, PennDOT has been providing the Philadelphia Police Department with $1.9 million in grants to pay police officers to conduct additional traffic enforcement on the Boulevard. Additional police enforcement paid for by the most recent grant of $119,603 is set to expire on Sept. 30.

PennDOT spokesman Gene Blaum says PennDOT is already in discussions about continuing this additional police support beyond the September expiration date.

“PennDOT provides these funds to the police department. These are federal funds that PennDOT receives from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” Blaum said.

“PennDOT has received the Philadelphia Police Department’s proposal for the next fiscal year. There is a plan to continue funding additional police enforcement on Roosevelt Boulevard.”

When the Phillies acquired Michael Young last December, they were pretty much trading for a stop-gap third baseman that proved to be better than most anyone else on the open market. It was a cost-saving move as much as a strategic one, because the free-agent market at the hot corner wasn't a great one, unless the Phillies wanted to take a flier on the likes of Mark Reynolds or Eric Chavez.

While the argument could have been made to promote Kevin Frandsen to a full-time player – more on that later – Ruben Amaro opted to trade a pair of pitchers for the 36-year-old Young, who had spent his entire career up to that point with the Texas Rangers, where he hit 177 home runs with a .301/.347/.444 line in 13 seasons.

With Young, the Phillies received a right-handed hitter who could play third base, and hopefully do more good than bad with his bat. It was a gamble, because Young was coming off the worst year of his career in 2012, where he had a .682 OPS and eight homers in 156 games. The gamble paid off for the Phillies, who saw Young hit .341 in his first 27 games. While he cooled off considerably in May, Young owns a .764 OPS and seven homers in 92 games this season. It's not a stat line from a third baseman, but he's been above average, even though he has hit into 17 double plays with the Phillies.

Given his rebound with the bat and the fact that the Phillies are far more likely to miss the playoffs than to make them, Young is an ideal candidate to get shipped out before the end of the month. Not only does he provide solid offense at third, but he is a free agent at the end of the season, meaning whichever team trades for him isn't going to be responsible for a ton of salary. Even if the Phillies didn't offer any cash in the deal, he'll be owed less than $3 million the rest of the way, thanks in part to the Rangers paying for $10 million of his $16 million salary in 2013.

As for the suitors, there are quite a few that could use a decent third basemen as they make a push towards the playoffs.

Los Angeles Dodgers (50-47, 2nd Place in NLW): Currently, third base is occupied by Juan Uribe and his .745 OPS. Young wouldn't be a huge upgrade, but they are flush with cash and eager to make a splash as they push for the playoffs.

Cleveland Indians (52-46, 2nd Place in ALC): The Tribe could certainly use Young's services, as third basemen Lonnie Chisenhall (.290 on-base percentage) and Mark Reynolds (.303 OBP) are doing more harm than good in the batter's box this season.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (46-50, 3rd in NLW): While they have perhaps more pressing concerns than third base, like the performance of Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton, they would no doubt like to upgrade from Alberto Callaspo, who is hitting .266 with five homers this season.

New York Yankees (52-46, 4th in ALE): It was only a week or so ago that the Yankees were rumored to have inquired about Young, and with Alex Rodriguez not returning any time soon (due to injury or a potential suspension), then New York could be an ideal landing spot for Young, who would be a tremendous upgrade over their current third basemen, be it David Adams (.536 OPS) or Jayson Nix (.554). And thanks to Mark Tiexeira being out for the season, Young could be a potential fit for first base, which is currently occupied by Lyle Overbay (.747 OPS).

Boston Red Sox (60-40, 1st in ALE): The Red Sox could be a fine suitor for Young, as Will Middlebrooks (.617 OPS) hasn't had a great season. While the young Jose Iglesias has equipped himself nicely at third, it's no secret that the Sox are looking for help at the position.

Like the market for second basemen, there is no shortage of potential suitors for Young, who is the most likely Phillie to be traded before the year is out.

In his place, the Phillies could do any number of things, first of which would be to make Kevin Frandsen their full-time third baseman. In 300 at-bats dating back to last season, the 31-year-old Frandsen has a .320/.381/.443 line, with five homers, 16 doubles, and three triples. He has a little bit of power, he can play defense, and he can get on base. Most importantly, he's cheap, and won't be a free agent until 2016. Conversely, they could dip into their farm system and give 23-year-old Cody Asche at shot. Asche, a left-handed hitter, is sporting a .283/.343/.442 line with ten homers at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and he could potentially be auditioning for a starting job next season.

While there is about a week before the non-waiver trade deadline remaining, the Phillies shouldn't wait to decide if they are going to be buyers or sellers before moving Young, because the honest truth is that he potentially offers more value to the team in a trade this season, than he does on the field for the next two months.

A man is recovering after police say he crashed into a Norristown home.

Police say the driver somehow lost control of the vehicle and drove into a home on the 500 block of Hamilton Street.

According to a witness at the scene, the driver was unruly and appeared to be intoxicated when police arrived at the scene. The witness says the man had to be tasered before he was taken to the hospital.

Officials have not yet revealed the driver's condition. No one inside the home was injured.

Stay with NBC10.com for more details on this developing story.

Also on NBC10.com:

5 Hurt in 2 Separate Philly Shootings

College Student Stranded in Ocean for 16 Hours

Nutter Silent on Recent Boulevard Accidents

SEPTA Sets Regional Rail Ridership Record

Police are investigating two separate shootings in Philadelphia.

Investigators say a gunman opened fire on two men shortly before 5:40 p.m. on the 2500 block of Palethorp Street in the Kensington section of the city. A 25-year-old man was struck twice in the right side. He was taken to Temple University Hospital where he was in serious condition. A 37-year-old man was struck once in the pelvic area. He was taken to Episcopal Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.

No arrests have been made and a weapon has not been recovered. Police continue to investigate.

Police also say two gunmen fired into a crowd on the 6400 block of Norwood Street in Germantown around 6:10 p.m. Police say an 18-year-old woman was struck once in the left thigh, a 20-year-old man struck once in the right ankle and an 18-year-old man struck once in the left ankle. Police also say some of the bullets struck a nearby day care center.

All three victims are currently in stable condition. No arrests have been made.

Also on NBC10.com:

Malnourished Toddlers Found in Home Overrun by Pests: Officials

Step Brothers Shot in Confrontation With FBI, Police

Contractors Nabbed in Sandy-Damaged Home Sting

Good news and bad news for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.

Today, SEPTA officials announced Regional Rail ridership has hit a record -- 36,023,000 trips by customers during Fiscal Year 2013, or from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. The 36 million trips represents a 2.2 percent increase.  

"The problem is that although ridership is at its highest point, funding is at its lowest," said Jerri Williams, spokeswoman for SEPTA. "There's a $5 billion backlog of capital projects."

The wear and tear put on the Regional Rail system as a result of the additional ridership must be addressed at some point, according to Williams.

SEPTA officials say improvements are needed on the rails, such as repair and upgrades to the wires, equipment, vehicles and substations, all of which powers the Regional Rail. There's a concern if those issues aren't addressed, losses could be experienced in the future.  

SEPTA's capital budget is projected to stay at about $300 million for the fourth consecutive year due to the decrease in state funding. 

"The region has come to rely on SEPTA for service, but we won't be able to provide it (in the future)" said Williams. "Most of the backlog needs to be addressed through state funding. We haven' t been able to get it for years now."

Despite the capital budget challenges there's been some updates. SEPTA added 120 new Silverliner V rail cars, replacing vehicles from the mid-1960s.

The recent fare increase does not help SEPTA's capital project needs. The July 1 fare increase goes towards SEPTA's operating budget. The cost of a token went from $1.55 to $1.80 and cash fares on transit lines went up from $2 to $2.25. In short, the fare hike is not enough for the agency to meet its needs. 

SEPTA logged 337.3 million trips for the year on its trains, buses and trolleys. Its average weekday ridership is about one million trips.

At a Philadelphia Housing Authority auction last week, a squatter placed the winning bid on the home she'd been living in for the past eight years.

Jess Meyers, 28, had raised enough with online crowdfunding to make the down payment of $2,500. Now she's going online again to raise the rest.

A new squat

The story of Jess Meyers' West Philadelphia rowhome begins with a drug addict and the dog he left behind.

"You watch this dog, you get the house," one of Meyers' friends was told by a future neighbor.
That was her introduction to the area near 52nd and Funston — a spot with more than its fair share of Philadelphia's 40,000 vacant properties.

"We were like, 'Let's just go check something out around here, let's see what we can do, if there's something that's fixable, something we could work with,'" said Meyers, who had previously been squatting at an abandoned apartment tower known as Paradise City.

"A haven"

After settling on what she describes as a former crackhouse, the homeless Meyers and her then-boyfriend took up residence and started fixing up the place.

The home improvements won over the admiration of her neighbors, one of whom put this reporter in touch with Meyers.

After a few years, Meyers says it felt like home, becoming, along the way, a free hostel of sorts for "traveling punk hobos" like her.

"When you need a place to stay, my house has been a haven for that," Meyers said. "Sometimes even people that aren't travelers that just need a place to get on their feet. Sometimes it's hard. If you don't have a place to live, how are you going to get a job?"

Her pitch

Meyers says she gets by as a handywoman. But without enough saved up to the buy the building she calls home, she's asking online donors to chip in.

"At the $100-level you get a one-night stay there," she says, with a laugh. "At the $1,000-level you get a weeklong stay and a T-shirt and a patch."

Meyers says she's helping reverse the blight that has overtaken this run-down slice of West Philadelphia. Helping her, she says, is helping hundreds like her.

"[The city] should be letting people who need a home come in and fix these places, instead of leaving them there," Meyers said. "The neighbors don't want them like that."

Her story was enough to nudge a few dozen supporters to pony up online payments. But now the clock is ticking on 60 days to cover the rest of her winning $8,000 bid. With closing costs, she says the total price of going legit on her "new" home will be about $9,800.

Meyers has what she calls a "fairy godmother" in her corner, willing to cover some of what she can't raise and ready to accept repayment in handywork.

She's not allowed to stay at the house until the closing costs are paid, Meyers says. If she can't pay in full, the housing authority will retain ownership.

Nonetheless, Meyers seems confident it will all work out. "I'm going to win. It's my year," she said.

This story was reported through a news coverage partnership between NBC10.com and NewsWorks.org

Didn't have a chance to catch up on local news yesterday? Here's what you missed:

Stranded Woman: My Body Never Gave Up
Even for the most experienced swimmer, it's a nightmare scenario. Stranded in the middle of the ocean with no food and the blistering sun burning down on your face. Jelly fish and sting rays circling beneath your feet. That’s what Heather Barnes had to deal with... for 16 hours.

Girl, 2, Drowns in Grandparents' Pool
A 2-year-old girl has drowned after she was found in her grandparents' swimming pool after briefly wandering away.

Tasered Suspect Dies After Police Chase
A man died after twice being stunned while police tried to subdue him after a police chase.

8 Contractors Accused in Undercover Sting
Eight home-improvement contractors in New Jersey stand accused of operating without proper permits.

County Sees "Mini-Outbreak" of Syphilis
A northwestern Pennsylvania county is dealing with a “mini-outbreak” of syphilis, with six cases of the sexually transmitted disease diagnosed so far this month.

Dog Left Outside Dies at Kennel
Officials are awaiting necropsy results to try to determine if heat caused the death of a dog at a New Jersey kennel.

New research from the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine has yielded an unexpected finding on personal safety.

"If you consider safety as your risk of injury overall, we found that you're actually safest in larger cities and get less safe as the areas become more rural," said Sage Myers, the lead author of a study published Tuesday in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

That's right, Myers says: The big, bad city is less deadly than the suburbs or small-town America.
Myers, a physician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and an assistant professor at Penn's medical school, crunched the data from nearly 1.3 million injury-related deaths in the U.S. from 1999 to 2006, excluding the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

The study found that motor vehicle crashes, firearms and poisoning were the top causes of injury-related deaths. As for the relative safety of cities, Myers says she was "a little surprised."

"If you look at everything together, cities actually seem kinda safe," she said.

The study confirmed that murder rates are higher in more urban areas, but fatal car crashes are far more common, especially in more rural areas. The greater magnitude of those unintentional-injury deaths (i.e., car crashes, falls, etc.) gave cities the statistical edge on safety.

Myers' research team had to obtain special permission from the National Vital Statisitcs System to access the trove of data from the nation's 3,000-plus counties.

The Penn researchers also took a closer look at America's 20 largest cities.

Of that group, Myers added, Philadelphia has the highest injury-related death rate.

This story was reported through a news coverage partnership between NBC10.com and NewsWorks.org

Investigators know where a fire that destroyed a popular area began but they don't know exactly what caused the blaze.

Bensalem Fie Rescue tweeted late last night that after "sifting through the charred remains of the Nifty Fifties" for two days that "the area the fire originated has been located but the exact cause is still undetermined..."

Flames broke out just as employees served the first diners of the day a little before 6:45 a.m. Friday at Nifty Fifty’s on Street Road in Bensalem, Pa.

Employees said they first spotted smoke coming from a ceiling fan inside the 1950s-themed restaurant.

"The employees actually tried to put it out but once it's up in the ceiling it spread right through the roof," said co-owner Leo McGlynn.

Two alarms responded to the fire as firefighters battled not only the flames but morning temperatures already in the 80s. Bensalem firefighters needed to shuttle in and out of the shade to stay cool.

Dispatchers said that there were no reports of injuries. The investigation into the blaze continues.

This is one of five area Nifty Fifty's. According to federal prosecutors, the local chain's owners, Robert Mattei and McGlynn, pleaded guilty last year in the weeks after they and three others were charged in a tax evasion case and are awaiting sentencing.

Investigators say the owners conspired with two employees -- Joseph Donnelly and Brian Welsh -- and accountant (and Mattei's daughter) Elena Ruiz to keep cash from customers without reporting it as income -- keeping millions from the government in the process. All the co-defendants also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

McGlynn says he plans to rebuild.

A noxious odor sickened workers at an area office building today.

The odor caused the evacuation of the Montgomery Professional Building at Powell and Wood Streets in Norristown, Pa. around noon Tuesday.

Dispatchers said that a handful of people were walking wounded but only two were taken to the hospital with non-serious injuries.

As SkyForce10 hovered overheard works could be seen gathered outside the building.

Contractors working in the five-story building caused the odor but it isn't certain what set it off, dispatchers said.

Story will be updated.

Two high-end luxury cars stolen overnight have been found as the search for the people who took the vehicles and other items continued through the morning.

Burglars broke into an East Falls apartment, ransacked the place, took flat-screen televisions and took the keys to some high-end luxury cars overnight.

The resident and a friend returned to the apartment at Charter Court of East Falls along the 5400 block of Wissahickon Avenue around 10:30 p.m. Monday to find the second-floor apartment ransacked.

It appeared the thieves broke in through a window, according to police. The burglars took the TVs, about $2,500 in cash, a passport and keys to some very expensive cars -- a 2006 yellow Lamborghini Gallardo with a batman sticker on the back window and 2006 black Continental Flying Sport Bentley.

A friend who was with the victim at the time told NBC10’s Katy Zachry off camera that they called police, then checked the garage to find the cars safe and sound. After police arrived on the scene, the victim returned to find his cars gone.

“It’s rare to even see those cars driving around the streets of Philadelphia, let alone have someone report them both stolen,” said Chief Inspector Scott Small.

Police put out descriptions of the vehicles in the hope they could find the thieves, especially since the cars are so unique.

Around 7 a.m., the Lamborghini was recovered along the 400 block of W Upsal Street -- about 1-1/2 miles away. Then around 9:30 a.m. the Bentley turned up on on the 500 block of W Abbotsford Avenue -- less than a mile from the scene of the crime, police said.

Small said that it appeared the thieves targeted the victim. The victim's friend said he just had the Lamborghini shipped to the area within the last month.

Anyone with information on the heist should contact Philadelphia Police.

If Samara Selena Banks had taken her normal route home last Tuesday night, she may have lived to celebrate her son's birthday today.

"I remember she did say that this man kept following her when she would go the C Street way, so normally she would get a little cab service or something. But it was nice out that night, so she just took the short walk and went the other way. It just really baffled me because I know the way she goes home," Samara's aunt, Latonya Byrd said.

"You have your children with you at night, you gotta think quickly. A man is walking behind you, of course you're going to change your route."

One week ago today, 28 year-old Samara Selena Banks and her sons, 7-month old Saamir Williams, 23-month-old son Saa-Sean and four-year-old Saa-Deem were struck and killed by a 2012 Audi that police say was street racing with a 1994 Honda when the Audi lost control.

Saa-Sean is believed to have been riding in the stroller that was later found mangled at the scene of the crash. He would have been two-years-old today. The family is expected to gather at the crash site later today for a ceremonial balloon release in his honor.

Her eldest son, the lone survivor of the crash, 5 year-old Saa-yon was later released from Albert Einstein Hospital with bumps and bruises. Byrd says he has since been surrounded by family, helping him cope with the loss.

Saa-yon said his first words about the accident yesterday.

"I've gotta get him in therapy. He's been playing with his cousins to keep busy but he finally said something yesterday. He looked around and he just looked sad and he said, 'I miss my mom.' For him, it's a lot to deal with," she said. "But we're working on him. The family is around him and we try to keep him with the children, his cousins, a lot."

"He's holding up pretty good, considering. He's around family and friends and everybody is being very supportive to him," Saa-sean's godmother Tyeisha Marshall said.

The family spent the weekend raising funds to go towards the funeral costs for Banks and her three sons. As of Saturday, the family had collected $6,000 in donations.

Byrd said, to her knowledge, fund-raising efforts have halted as funeral arrangements are being finalized today. She added, not everyone raising money is part of the family's effort.

"We still have to go and finalize things at the church, but once I do all of that and we know all of those people are paid, I want to make an announcement to thank everybody who donated. If any other funds come in, we'll work to make sure they go to good use. I heard they are trying to do a scholarship fund for Saa-yon," she said.

"We don't know everybody; other people all over the city are saying they're collecting money for Samara. I don't know who they're giving money to, but we will try to find out. We're not part of doing anything wrong. We set something up with Wells Fargo so things could be monitored and tracked, and everything we get will be going to the funeral home."

Mayor Michael Nutter, once a very vocal proponent of safety on the Boulevard has yet to speak on the accident. Nutter's spokesman Mark McDonald said he could not predict if the Mayor would speak on the issue in the future.

Nutter was unavailable for comment again today.

Byrd says the family is relying on input from the community to determine exactly what should be done to improve safety at the intersection. She said she hopes Nutter will act on their recommendations.

"We did realize that Mayor Nutter hasn't said anything. We've spoken to some other city officials, but I don't know why he hasn't said anything yet. We want what the community wants. Those people that live over there ran straight to the scene; they were right there. So whatever they say needs to be there to make it better, we want the Mayor to see it through," she said.

"I drive the Boulevard every day to get to work. They have cameras so they know that people have to get across the street. We want a crosswalk and we want lights out there or even put a speed monitor there too like the ones they have at Levick, because people think when its dark and its late that they can just race down that road. It's been a lot of deaths up there, but maybe it takes this one to make a change," Byrd said.

The funeral for Banks and her children will be held on Saturday at Deliverance Church on 2001 W. Lehigh Avenue in Philadelphia. The viewing will take place from 8:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. The funeral services begin at 11:00 a.m.