In the summertime, when the weather is hot, so is Philadelphia’s electric power grid.

Energy customers’ high use of air conditioners, fans and other cooling devices during the summer months often lead to fears of power outages. Aside from a few reported isolated incidents of power loss during last week’s heat wave, PECO spokesman Ben Armstrong said Philly’s power grid is hanging tough through the heat and he knows why.

“You have to watch how your customers are using energy really closely to make sure they’re not using more than the system is capable of managing,” Armstrong said. “I would say the reason the system held up so well is the investment PECO makes in it year over year. We know our customers want the lights on when they hit the switch, and we work hard to ensure that when they hit that switch, they get the power that they need.”

PECO maintains energy for more than 1.6 million electric customers in Pennsylvania.

Armstrong says PECO recently invested nearly $400 million in its service territory, adding larger substations, new transformers and new electric lines to ensure reliable service to tens of thousands of energy customers.

Last week, the region saw its hottest day of the year in the midst of seven consecutive days of temperatures in the high nineties.

While meteorologists say this was an above average heat wave for the region, Armstrong said usage levels were tame compared to previous years. According to Armstrong, use from customers reached a record high in July 2011, a month when PECO had five top 20 usage days.

“We did not see customers push usage to record levels, but there was an increase overall. To achieve record level usage you really need a prolonged period of record heat,” he said.

“It all depends on the weather and we saw a taste of what summer can be like last week, but it’s important to understand that we’ve invested in our system and that we’re here to meet the customer’s needs.”

Armstrong said PECO takes a number of proactive and reactive measures to maintain power during extreme heat temperatures, including performing routine equipment inspections prior to the summer season, offering rebates to customers who use energy efficient appliances, and adding extra staff when needed.

“We have a number of programs in place to help customers conserve energy during the summer months. We have about 90,000 customers participating in our program where we’ve placed devices on their air conditioner compressors. We pay them $20 per month during the summer, to allow us to cycle their air conditioners on and off for 15 minute cycles for a period of time to manage the overall customer usage and the load that customers are placing on the system during days of extreme temperatures,” he said.

“There is also a lot of summer readiness work that we have completed by June 1st of each year to ensure our system is ready for that period of high usage. We did have additional staffing, not just for the heat, but also due to the potential for severe storms that are associated with extreme heat and humidity.”

Armstrong also recommended a number of simple tips customers can use to keep cool during the summer months, including closing the shades and not using appliances that produce heat or using them later on at night.

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) regulates utility providers in Pennsylvania, including PECO. Overall, PUC spokesman Jennifer Kocher said PECO did a good job minimizing and responding to small outages throughout the heat wave.

“In order for an incident to be reported to PUC you have to have 2,500 customers or more who are out of service for 6 or more consecutive hours. We didn’t have any reports during last week’s heat wave,” Kocher said.

“PECO did well; all of our utilities did well and so did consumers. We think consumers heeded the advice to conserve electricity, and it not only helps the grid but it helps their pocketbooks as well,” Kocher said.

Tips and more information about PECO’s energy saving services can be found at peco.com/smart ideas.

Four men were arrested and three others are wanted by police after investigators say they terrorized a quadriplegic man over the course of several months.

On February 24, shortly after 2 a.m., police say Kyle Krosnodomskie, 18, Mohamed Abdelfatah, 20, Mark Halcomb Jr., 19, and Dominic Juliano, 18, broke into the home of a 47-year-old disabled man in Medford, New Jersey.

While Krosnodomskie and Abdelfatah allegedly intended to rob the victim, police say Juliano and Halcomb also conspired to kill him. Juliano was armed with a knife and tried to kill the man as he slept in his wheelchair, according to investigators. Police say his accomplices stopped him however and they fled the scene.

Police say Halcomb and Juliano returned to the home on May 4, around 2 a.m. along with 19-year-old Andrey Lesyuk. The three suspects allegedly tried to burglarize the home but fled after discovering the victim was awake.

On May 7, shortly before 3 a.m., police say Halcomb and Lesyuk broke into the home once again along with 19-year-old Marcello Ferreira and 20-year-old Alfred Rizzo. Police say the four suspects stole a safe containing jewelry, knives and personal documents.

After a five month investigation that began with the first alleged break-in, police say they discovered that Halcomb had orchestrated all three break-ins and recruited the six other suspects to commit the crimes. On July 18, Halcomb, of Mt. Laurel, NJ and Juliano, also of Mt. Laurel, were both arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder, armed robbery, burglary and other related offenses. Halcomb was lodged in Burlington County Jail in lieu of $855,000 bail. Juliano was also lodged in Burlington County Jail in lieu of $800,000 bail.

Krosnodomskie, also of Mt. Laurel, was arrested in Ocean City, Maryland and is awaiting an extradition hearing. Rizzo, of Moorestown, NJ, was charged and released. Police are still searching for Abdelfatah, of Bellmawr, as well as Lesyuk and Ferreira, both of Philadelphia.
 

For the longest time, it seems, Kyle Kendrick never got any respect. Following his 2007 rookie season when he was called up from AA to help fill out the rotation, things got a bit rough for the starter. After putting up a 5.49 ERA in 155 innings in 2008, he was shuttled back and forth between roles and the minor leagues, and he was never really a big part of the organization's plans.

A big reason for that, is, well, he wasn't that good. It's not like he was pitching batting practice every time he took the hill, but was a league average pitcher, at-best. Between 2007 and 2011, Kendrick split time between the rotation and the bullpen when he wasn't plying his trade in the minor leagues. In 598.1 innings with the Phillies in that span, he has a 43-30 record, with a 4.1 K/9 and a 4.41 ERA, and a just below average ERA+ of 96.

That performance is what made his two-year contract for $8.5 million for 2012 and 2013 so questionable when Ruben Amaro handed it out in 2011. It's not that Kendrick was a bad pitcher, because he provided the Phillies with a rubber arm that was able to spot-start when needed, while providing valuable innings in long relief.

What no one expected, however, was that Kendrick would turn his career around midway through the 2012 season, when he went from being a long reliever and spot starter into a legitimate starter with upside. After being a punching bag (4.86 ERA) in his first 96 innings of work, Kendrick figured it out and had a 2.73 ERA in his final ten starts (64 IP) of the season. That success has mostly carried into 2013, although he does currently sport a 3.94 ERA in 130 innings. At times, he can get beat up due to his relatively low strikeout (5.6 K/9) rate, but more often than not in 2013, he's put the Phillies in a position to win, by allowing three or fewer runs in 13 of his 20 starts, while pitching fewer than six innings in just five of his starts.

He isn't the perfect starter, and he probably isn't the guy you want on the hill in Game Seven, but if a team needs solid innings at a low cost, then it doesn't get much better than Kendrick, who is set to earn all of $4.5 million this season, and who won't be a free agent until after the 2014 season.

We talked about the market for third baseman and for second baseman recently, but if there is one thing that the Phillies have going for them, it's that every team can use pitching. Rarely do teams make it into August with a full dance card of starting pitchers (not even the 2011 Phillies were immune to injuries), and even the best teams could use an extra starter. They say that you can never have enough pitching, and the Phillies would be foolish not to dangle Kendrick on the market to see if any teams would be willing to part with a prospect or two in exchange for the services of the 28-year-old right-hander.

In the aftermath of Monday's shootout that left one step brother dead and the other critically injured, a U.S. Justice Department agency is now investigating police-involved shootings in Philadelphia.

Both FBI agents and Police officers processed the shooting scene on Tuesday in East Mount Airy. That's where two suspects connected to several homicides were shot during a confrontation with authorities. A 21-year-old man was killed while his step brother, 19-year-old Justin Mackie, remains in critical condition. 

East Mount Airy resident Stacy Edwards is concerned that so many shots were fired on the street.

"Anyone could have gotten hit," she said. "It could have been kids. It could have been my son. He was outside at the time. Or it could have been my mom."

As of today, there have been 23 police-involved shootings this year, already 50 percent more than there were last year at this time. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey has asked the federal government to review the shootings.

"Representatives from the Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) Office will be spearheading this study," Ramsey said. "They arrived today to begin a series of meetings."

COPS is part of the Department of Justice and specializes in making recommendations to help police departments across the country better investigate and reduce the number of police-involved shootings.

"It's going to be a review of our policy, a review of our training and a review of our followup procedures whenever we have a shooting," Ramsey said. "I hope to see something that will better strengthen our department training."

COPS began the program last year in Las Vegas and also conducted the program in Spokane, Washington earlier this year. Officials say the recommendations the group made in Las Vegas are already helping the Philadelphia Police Department.

LINK: Las Vegas COPS Report

The Philadelphia Police Advisory Board, a group of residents appointed by city council to investigate police complaints, are happy with the move.

"We believe this is an extraordinary step to improve the relationship between the department and the community," said Kelvin Anderson, a member of the board.

Anderson says he'll meet with COPS on Wednesday.

Over a week since an accident on Roosevelt Boulevard killed a mother and her three children, city officials are considering more safety improvements on the busy highway.

Last week, two separate accidents on the Boulevard resulted in the death of Samara Banks and three of her four young children and left an 11-year-old girl who was hit while riding her bike, in critical condition.

The accidents have brought national attention once again to the issue of pedestrian and driver safety along the 12-lane highway that is frequently referred to as one of the most dangerous roads in the country.

Yet despite the recent attention, on Tuesday NBC10 still spotted people jaywalking in the same spot where the family was killed, even though there are safe crosswalks a tenth of a mile in both directions. June Navarro and a friend were seen crossing that area with a baby in a stroller.

“I shouldn’t be risking it,” Navarro said when confronted. “You’re right. I’m not gonna do it no more now that you put that to my attention.”

But even after he claimed he would never do it again, he was spotted a short time later once again crossing in the same spot with the baby. A half dozen other pedestrians were spotted crossing the same area about a half hour later.

“I have to do it sometimes,” said Lucy Torress, one of the pedestrians. “It’s faster for me.”

Friends and family of Samara set up a memorial at the accident scene as a reminder to people of what happened. A group supported by the victims' family is not only raising money for their funerals but also pushing the city to replace a signal crosswalk that was taken down from the Boulevard 30 years ago.

Philadelphia’s chief traffic and lighting engineer did not offer an explanation as to why the crosswalk was removed. He did say however that the city will spend the next 15 weeks deciding whether a new signal crosswalk should go up.

Saa-Sean, one of the children killed in last week’s crash, would have turned 2-years-old today.

 

For much of his life, Bruce McElrath only had two ways to get around Philadelphia, SEPTA or his wheelchair. For McElrath and other disabled Philadelphians in wheelchairs, taxis aren’t much of an option.

“You can flag all day,” McElrath said. “What can they do? They can’t fit a motorized chair in their cab. There’s no option.”

Out of the 1600 taxis in Philadelphia, only seven of those are wheelchair-equipped. The Philadelphia Parking Authority is taking the steps to change that however. On Tuesday its board approved a new set of rules governing 150 new wheelchair-accessible taxi medallions.

The parking authority’s new rules still have to be approved by Harrisburg and reviewed by the public. The authority hopes the first 45 wheelchair-accessible cabs will be auctioned off for immediate use by next summer. For McElrath and other advocates for the rights of the disabled, it’s much-needed progress.

“This is the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection,” MCElrath said. “So we should be beyond that. Everyone should have an equal opportunity.”
 

Investigators are searching for a possible police impersonator in North Coventry Township.

Police say a woman was driving along Route 100 near Hoffecker Road on July 17 shortly after 9:30 p.m. when she was stopped by a middle-aged man. Investigators say the man was driving a vehicle of an unknown make and model with flashing lights on the dashboard.

The man allegedly approached the woman and told her she was speeding. Investigators say he then made the woman step out of her vehicle and searched her car. He then drove away after the search, according to police.

The man is described as a white male, approximately 50-years of age, with a mustache, goatee and salt and pepper hair. Investigators say he was wearing a tan campaign style trooper hat with a white long sleeve shirt and an unknown badge.

If you have any information on the man’s identity or whereabouts please call the North Coventry Township Police Department at 610-323-8360.
 

It was nine months ago when Hurricane Sandy hit the Jersey Shore, leaving Christina and Sean McPartland with no electricity. Completely in the dark, the Little Egg Harbor Township couple could only think of one thing to do.

“We figured there wasn’t much else left to do in the dark,” Christina said while laughing.

Nine months later, Christina and Sean welcomed their child, Oliver, into their lives.

“He’s a direct result of no power and no entertainment,” Christina said.

Oliver was born at Atlanticare Regional Medical Center in Galloway Township along with several other babies in the past few weeks. Officials at the hospital say they’re on track to see a 25% increase in births in July compared to last month.

“The people know the exact time, when where and how of conception in and around Sandy,” said Dr. Sal Carfagno of Atlanticare Regional. "It's very unusual. Most people can't give that type of detail with respect to when they conceived their babies." 

The hospital is averaging 10 to 15 deliveries a day, compared to the normal seven to eight. With so many babies, the hospital has also had to bring in extra nurses.

“All of our rooms up here are fulll,” said Kim Hanson. “We’re trying to accommodate to make sure we can care of everybody."

Hospitals in Ocean and Monmouth Counties, which were hit especially hard during Sandy, are also dealing with a recent spike in deliveries. In fact, the Monmouth Medical Center is even planning an expansion to coincide with the baby boom, adding a nursery and postpartum rooms.

“It’s kind of exciting,” McPartland said. “An exciting story to tell him later on in life.”

 

Emergency crews are searching for two people who went missing in Neshaminy Creek in Bucks County.

Police say the two victims went swimming in the creek near East Bristol Road and Grove Avenue in Neshaminy Falls Tuesday night and were reported missing around 10:20 p.m. 

Officials are currently at the creek searching for the two unidentified swimmers.

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

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Woman Pulled Over by Fake Officer: Police

Post-Sandy Baby Boom at Jersey Shore Hospitals

Pedestrians Jaywalking at Spot of Fatal Boulevard Accident

Friends and family gathered at Love Park in Center City on Tuesday to celebrate the life of Diamond Williams, a transgender woman who police say was brutally murdered and dismembered.

“I don’t want them to think it’s another tranny who was killed and no one cares about it,” said Williams’ sister, Rachel Rose. “She had a family. She had friends.”

Williams was killed last week after having relations with 43-year-old Charles Sargent, according to investigators. Sargent allegedly killed Williams after finding out she was a transgender woman. Police say he then dismembered her and dumped her body parts in a North Philadelphia field. He was arrested and charged with murder, abuse of a corpse and other related offenses.

“I don’t care if he knew or didn’t know,” Rose said. “No one deserves to die like that.”

Those who attended the vigil not only wanted to remember Williams, but also wanted to draw attention to violence against transgender men and women in the Philadelphia area.

“What we want people to know is that we’re a part of the greater community at large,” said Dionne Stallworth. “It’s time for everybody to embrace everybody.”

Williams’ loved ones say they will follow the case to the very end and are hoping that Sargent will spend the rest of his life in jail.

 

Watch NBC10 live.

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The primary election for a U.S. Senate seat from New Jersey is just three weeks away, but the race is not getting a lot of attention from Garden State voters.

Rutgers political science professor Ross Baker say most voters aren't focused on the election.

"People are much more concerned about the weather, about sweating through the next few weeks, and I just don¹t think that primary is very high on people's agenda," Baker said Tuesday.

Though voters aren't paying much attention to it now, the election is important, said Montclair State political science professor Brigid Harrison.

"It really is quite significant because the outcome of this primary is essentially going to determine who will be sitting in the U.S. Senate from New Jersey for perhaps decades to come," she said.

"There's very little turnover in these seats."

As for the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Monday by the widow of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, analysts aren't expecting it to have much of an impact.

Pallone is vying with Newark Mayor Cory Booker, U.S. Rep. Rush Holt and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver for the Democratic nomination.

Rutgers political science professor Ross Baker said he doubts the endorsement will sway many voters.

"Not a whole lot. I always question the value of endorsements," he said. "I don't think they're terribly valuable, but I think it's certainly a morale booster for the campaign."

Harrison also said the endorsement will not do much to help Pallone beat front-runner Booker in the Aug. 13 primary.

"If this had been a situation in which there wasn't a clear front runner, if Mayor Booker weren't in the race, that endorsement may actually carry a bit more weight," Harrison said.

Analysts expect voter turnout for the unusual election could be below 10 percent.

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

Three Philadelphia "gentleman's clubs" are challenging the city's attempt to extend the amusement tax to lap dances.

Their legal defense? The dancers are legitimate thespians.

Professor Katherine Profeta of Queens College of New York testified that after observing dancers at Delilah's, Club Risque and Cheerleaders, she believes they are theater performers and therefore exempt from Philadelphia's amusement tax.

Profeta spoke at a Tuesday hearing, but would not speak directly to reporters outside to answer follow-up questions.

Attorney George Bochetto, who represents two of the clubs, said her testimony is important to clubs' case.

"Nudity does not mean that it's not part of American contemporary theater," said Bochetto.

"Immersiveness or touching does not mean that it's not part of American contemporary theater. There are many plays on Broadway, which have nudity, which have contact with the patrons, which are designed for sexual arousal. which are American contemporary theater."

Philadelphia says the three clubs owe a combined $1.5 million.

They already collect the amusement tax on cover charges, but not lap dances.

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

Margaret Lee watched as her neighbor desperately tried to save his daughter and his niece.

"He was trying to do everything," Lee said. "The door, the window, wherever he could go to get his babies, he tried. I think he got burned in the process."

A fire broke out at his three bedroom home around 6:30 a.m. at 911 East 15th Street in Chester, Delaware County.

A total of eight people were in the house, including two adults, three boys and three girls. Two of those residents, 9-year-old Amajhay Ferguson and her 6-year-old cousin died after they were trapped in separate bedrooms on the second floor. Neighbors say the father tried to save the children but the heavy, black smoke prevented him from going back inside the home.

"The father just keep screaming 'my children, my children, my children,'" said Don Dodds. "It's horrendous to think that those little babies are no longer here. It's just a shame."

Firefighters arrived within five minutes of the initial call. A 4-year-old boy was taken to the burn center of Crozer Chester Medical Center and is in critical condition. Police say at one point the boy stopped breathing inside the ambulance on the way to the hospital but EMTs were able to revive him.

"The whole first floor was completely engulfed in flames. There was nothing they (firefighters) could do in this situation. They made it to the second floor and did the best that they could do," said Chester Fire Department Battalion Chief Jack Powers.

A friend of the mother of one of the children says they were all at the home because the father had been recuperating from injuries he suffered during a car accident on Tuesday.

"It's just one of those situations that you can't account for emotionally...it's tough," said Chester Mayor John Linder.

Four firefighters also suffered non-life threatening injuries in the blaze. Two were released while two others remain in stable condition.

Fire investigators say there were working smoke detectors inside the home.

During the day, the mother of one of the victims was spotted weeping in despair as EMS officials led her away from the scene. Lee says her prayers go out to the family of the young girls.

"I hope they don't blame themselves for it," Lee said. "They tried to get those children out. They really did."

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• Police: Boy Escapes Trunk After Abduction
• Woman Allegedly Assaults Garbage Man
• Search Continues for Boys in Missing Creek

Officials say a 100-ton mudslide has closed a western Pennsylvania road.

Allegheny County Public Works employees say days of rain contributed to the mudslide on Pitcairn Road in Monroeville.

That's about 15 miles east of Pittsburgh.

Allegheny County spokeswoman Amie Downs says crews cleared the trees and mud but decided to keep the road closed because of concerns about more mudslides.

There were no injuries reported, but an area resident says people are worried about their homes.

Nick Hauck says the mudslide washed away 20 feet of hillside, and his house is on a nearby hill, too.

More Stories on NBC10.com:

• 2 Teens Missing in Neshaminy Creek
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Wonder Bear, a beloved Jersey Shore mascot, is back home with its rightful owners after parts of the bear were swiped by thieves more than a week ago.

Gillian's Wonderland Pier in Ocean City tells NBC10's Ted Greenberg that the stolen parts were returned yesterday and a man received a $500 reward for bringing the bear back home.

On July 14, workers found only Wonder Bear's head, feet and one hand after burglars broke into a room where the costume was stored. The mascot's torso and other hand were taken by the thieves.

Gillian's says the man found the missing mascot's parts in a dumpster.

Wonder Bear is now being dry cleaned before he'll take his place back on the boardwalk.

MORE NEWS:

A double shooting is under investigation in the Kensington section of Philadelphia.

Investigators say the shooting happened just before 1:00 p.m. at East Allegheny Avenue and E. Street.

A 35-year-old woman was shot in the thigh and taken to Temple University Hospital in critical condition.

A 15-year-old boy was shot in the ankle and taken to St. Christopher's Hospital in stable condition.

Police say there are no arrests.

Check back for updates in this developing story.

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• School District Bans Unannounced Visits

• 2 Cousins Killed in House Fire

• Man on Trial in Deadly Beating of 95-Year-Old Woman

A woman is stabbed outside a daycare center in the Mantua section of Philadelphia.

Skyforce10 flew over the daycare at 31st and Spring Garden as police investigated.

The 26-year-old woman was transported to the University of Pennsylvania. She's listed in critical condition.

Police took a man into custody.

The daycare tells NBC10 the woman has no ties to the center.

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• 1-Month-Old Found Dead in Crib