In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, leaders of Aramark and Cigna present checks to the American Red Cross in order to support the agency's relief efforts in areas impacted by Hurricane Florence.

Credit freezes and unfreezes with the three major credit reporting agencies will now be free for consumers as a federal law passed in response to the Equifax data breach goes into effect Friday.

Beginning Sept. 21, consumers can freeze their credit file with TransUnion, Experian and Equifax without paying any fees. Credit freezes helps prevent identity thieves from opening lines of credit or taking out loans in your name because lenders can't access your credit score or report. 

Only a handful of states had laws in place prohibiting credit bureaus from charging consumers a fee for freezing and unfreezing their credit report. 

The nationwide free-freeze provision was included in a larger bill rolling back banking rules that were enacted to prevent a recurrence of the 2008 financial crisis that brought millions of lost jobs and foreclosed homes. Congress voted in May to dismantle parts of the 2010 Dodd-Frank legislation, a move that critics argue will increase the likelihood of future taxpayer bailouts. 

The bill also allows parents to freeze credit on behalf of their children under the age of 16 and extends free fraud alerts from 90 days to one year. Fraud alerts are placed on credit files to inform lenders that a consumer may be a victim of identity theft, requiring businesses to take extra steps to verify the consumer's identification before extending credit. 

Credit bureaus will be required to freeze an account within one business day of a request made over the phone or online, and within three business days of an application received through the mail. 

More than 140 million people in the U.S. were affected by a data breach at Equifax in 2017. Hackers stole data that included customers' names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, addresses and some driver's licenses numbers, CNBC reported. The breach remains the largest exposure of personal information in history, according to The Associated Press. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

While Walter E. Brandon will not be in attendance at the 5K on Saturday, his influence will be everywhere you look. Brandon's goal in life was to raise awareness and let those who were suffering with the disease know that they can live a long full life.

A beloved member of the Philadelphia Zoo’s primate population, the last of her kind in North America, has died.

The zoo humanely euthanized Toi on Wednesday after a recent serious health decline, including decreased mobility and changes in behavior, in the 21-year-old female Red-Shanked Douc langur, the zoo announced Friday.

Toi was born in 1997 at the San Diego Zoo in California and came to the Philly Zoo in May of 2009, the zoo said. She was the oldest ever of the Red-Shanked Douc langur in the United States and the last one living in captivity, the zoo said.

The zoo, which has had Douc langurs since the early 1990s, called the decision to euthanize Toi a difficult but humane choice.

“Toi was a favorite of many,” zoo COO Dr. Andy Baker said in a news release. “Her gentle demeanor and unique behavior of covering her eyes with her hand endeared her to staff and visitors alike.”

Douc langurs, which are native to Southeast Asia are considered “endangered to critically endangered” by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

“Douc langurs are among the most beautiful of all primate species,” the zoo said in its news release. “Sometimes called the ‘costumed ape’ for its colorful extravagant appearance, the Douc langur sports what looks like maroon-red stockings, white forearm length ‘gloves’ and black hands and feet. Its golden face is framed by a white ruff, which is considerably fluffier in males and its eyelids are a soft powder blue color. The tail is white with a triangle of white hair at the base.”

Mercer County, you're off the hook.

For the last four decades, a 16-mile stretch of highways around Trenton constituted the last stretch of the East Coast's Interstate 95 that wasn't technically I-95.

But when massive steel beams went up over an existing stretch of I-95 in Bristol Township in mid-February, they symbolized an end to the Mercer County "missing link."

Now, on Friday, the Pennsylvania Turnpike announced those steel beams and the concrete roadway poured on top of them are opening to the public for use this weekend.

“Motorists who travel in this area have been waiting a long time to realize the benefits this direct link will bring, namely reduced congestion on Bucks County roadways and improved traffic flow in the Philadelphia region and the entire east coast,” Turnpike Commissioner Pasquale T. "Pat" Deon Sr. said.

The overpasses, or flyovers as they are also called, are just north of Philadelphia and connect the New Jersey Turnpike to I-95 in Pennsylvania, ending the need to use Interstate 195 and Interstate 295 for 16 miles around Trenton.

It’s the last piece to a highway more than 60 years in the making, first envisioned as a crucial part of the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System. And it’s the completion of a 1,900-mile road that finally links Maine to Miami seamlessly.

"This is the last piece of that original system," engineer Jay Roth told NBC Philadelphia in March. Roth, of Jacobs Engineering, has been involved in the elusive connection for most of his long career. "It is meaningful to a number of people."

About 75,000 vehicles travel through that area on I-95 (around what used to be exit 40) each day, and another 50,000 travel the Pennsylvania Turnpike there.

Not only will there be a smooth transition from the New Jersey Turnpike to I-95, there will also be the first-ever connection between I-95 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Towns in the area will have to deal with far fewer vehicles exiting the highways, and swamping local streets.

All this translates into a big deal for the area's transportation system in an age when large-scale improvement projects have proven rare.

"Back in the '50s and '60s, a project like this happened every day," Roth said. "But with how built up the east side of the country is, (these days) we’re typically rebuilding. The accomplishment is that this is one of the big ones."

In the early 1980s, the first plan to close the I-95 hole in central New Jersey proposed a new highway through Mercer County, but opponents there were able to scuttle the project.

The county executive at the time, Bill Mathesius, described the local feelings as "a specific revulsion to tearing up a rustic community — a rural community — and putting 95 through it."

"There would be fundamentally a six-lane highway going through this area, with off-exchanges in one or two places," Mathesius told National Public Radio. "Those places would have been developed."

It took some 35 years, spanning whole careers for many accomplished planners and engineers, to solve the Mercer County obstacle.

The plan now bypasses the central Jersey communities just east of the Delaware River, and uses long-held right-of-ways to connect the New Jersey Turnpike near exit 6 to Interstate 95 in Bristol, Bucks County.

This map illustrates the before-and-after designations. Click on the slider to see the differences.

The cost of such a project is monumental beyond the time it has taken. Then again, the $425 million in financial costs doesn’t truly capture the incredible coordination that goes into a federal highway project spanning two states. There is the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, which is overseeing the major components of the project. There are three Departments of Transportation involved. There is the numerous local communities involved. There are hundreds of contractors and vendors and suppliers who did the work and provided the material and transported, for instance, those massive steel beams.

Here's a look at the old signage versus what drivers now see. Note how I-295 now goes all the way to Bristol where the new interchange has been constructed.

Friday marks the last day of summer, but when will we actually feel the change? NBC10 Chief meteorologist Tammie Souza gives you all the details.

Raking leaves, baking pies, sipping hot cocoa and trick-or-treating are just a few things that make fall a special time of year. This time around, Dairy Queen is joining the fall craze by releasing their first-ever autumn-themed treats.

Starting September 22, Dairy Queen customers nationwide can enjoy the following five new Blizzard Treats that pay homage to festive fall activities:

Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Blizzard Treat - Vanilla soft serve mixed with Snickerdoodle cookie dough chunks sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

Pumpkin Pie Blizzard Treat – Vanilla soft serve mixed with pumpkin pie pieces, topped with whipped topping and a touch of nutmeg.

OREO Hot Cocoa Blizzard Treat – A mix of OREO cookie pieces and fudge blended with vanilla soft serve that's finished with whipped topping.

Reese's Outrageous Blizzard Treat – A combination of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Reese's Pieces, peanut butter topping and caramel that's blended with vanilla soft serve.

Dipped Strawberry Blizzard Treat Made With Ghirardelli – Chunks of Ghirardelli chocolate and real strawberry topping hand-blended with vanilla soft serve.

"These Blizzard Treat flavors are the perfect transition into the fall season," said Maria Hokanson, a spokesperson for American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ).

Customers can find more information about Dairy Queen and find a location near them by visiting their website.

For some, the closing of North Wildwood’s Flitzer is no big deal.

But for others, the retirement of the small steel roller coaster is the loss of a Jersey Shore icon.

"It was my first roller coaster when I was a little fella," said Jason Ofria, of Downingtown, a longtime Flitzer rider.

He buckled himself and his five-year-old son into a brightly colored coaster car. "Now, to share this with my son is a passing down of the torch, so to speak."

The Flitzer was manufactured in 1969. When it was installed at the Morey’s Piers & Beachfront Waterparks seaside amusement park on the Wildwood boardwalk in 1983, it was already a used ride. Of the ten original Flitzer coasters in the United States, it’ll be the ninth to retire, according to the Roller Coaster DataBase.

The last — and soon, only — operating Flitzer is on Jenkinson’s Boardwalk on Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, just 100 miles north of Morey’s Piers.

The boardwalk amusement park has retired many of its original rides in the past few years, including the Wipeout, the Golden Nugget, the Haunted House, and the Jumbo Jet.

But retiring the Flitzer, brothers Will and Jack Morey say, has been the most emotional decision yet.

In the end, it was a choice they were forced to make. "From a technical perspective," their announcement reads, "there is simply no feasible way to extend the life of the ride any longer."

The Flitzer has been on the boardwalk for 35 years; over the past fifteen, it’s been improved and enhanced with new tracks, a different control system, and new cars. But, the owners say a recent diagnostic exam of its main structural components showed there was no way to repair it further.

And since the ride is no longer being manufactured, it’s impossible to rebuild.

To honor its last climb, Morey’s Piers will hold a final farewell party this Sunday from 1 p.m . to 4 p.m. The event will feature an '80s-themed cover band, free Flitzer rides, and an '80s costume contest.

The Facebook event for the party is crowded with comments sharing memories of the Flitzer, protesting its loss, and lamenting its retirement. For many patrons, the Flitzer was the first coaster they remember riding, or the first that their children and grandchildren rode. For them, the ride and its memories are irreplaceable.

"It's like a part of my childhood is being dismantled," one commenter said.

But the Moreys themselves hold out hope for rides of the future.

"We may never be able to bring the Flitzer back," their statement read. "But we will do our best to make sure the next coaster will be a shared family experience, providing new memories for the generations to come."

Sarah Ashworth knew that Bubba was going to be her cat when she helped deliver him a little over a year ago. Her friend, who owned a pregnant cat, didn’t know what to do with the kitten, but Ashworth had already decided he was hers.

"She just instinctively knew, 'This is going to be my cat,'" Ashworth’s mom, Kelly Ashworth, said.

Since that day, the Ashworths have raised Bubba, dressed him up for Halloween, given him a stocking at Christmas time, taught him how to play fetch, and watched him jump on the family’s trampoline in the backyard.

But their worlds turned upside down on Sept. 14 when Bubba, an indoor and outdoor cat, went outside for the last time. Kelly Ashworth says she was coming home when she saw her neighbors lined up on both sides of the street. She immediately knew something was wrong.

“Bubba was laying by the curb” Kelly Ashworth explained, “He was scared to death.” She knew he was injured.

Neighbors told Kelly Ashworth they thought Bubba was hit by a car, so she rushed him to the vet. Doctors and nurses tended to Bubba immediately, desperately trying to save the cat’s life, but Bubba did not pull through.

It was then that the vet told Kelly Ashworth Bubba wasn’t hit by a car – he was shot.

“There was a bullet in his x-ray,” Kelly Ashworth said, devastated.

Since that day, the Ashworths have done everything they can to find out what happened to Bubba.

His story has broken hearts throughout their community.

Cindy Kelly, Director of Communications and Development of the Bucks County SPCA says their organization initially offered a $500 reward in Bubba’s case. The next day, an anonymous community member vouched to give an additional $2,000 for any information leading to a conviction in Bubba’s case, making the reward total $2,500.

“We just want justice for Bubba,” Kelly Ashworth said.

The Warminster Police Department is currently investigating Bubba’s death. Anybody with information should call the Bucks County SPCA at 215-794-7425, or contact the Warminster Police Department. The Ashworth family has also since set up a GoFundMe to help with vet costs.

As the Ashworths wait for information, they are thankful for their time with Bubba, a kitty who had taught himself how to retrieve his own treats from the container.

“He was just a quirky cat,” Sarah Ashworth said. “He was really just the funniest cat.”

Police and people in recovery who were once adversaries are now joining forces in their mission to raise awareness about drug addiction. How are they doing it? Through softball. But it's about more than just the score.

One year after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, those victims are still recovering. The Allentown School District took in several of those students and now, one year later, they're continuing to help.

A sleepy Delaware beach that doesn't get much attention is now getting a lot of publicity after something unexpected washed up. Now, the green buoy is the star of lots of selfies.

Authorities in two states are searching neighborhoods and wooded areas for a man they say sexually assaulted children in Bucks County.

David Hamilton was spotted Friday in the woods near Sugan and Stoney Hill roads in Solebury Township, police said.

Hamilton is wanted on a warrant out of Lower Southampton Township for allegedly carrying out multiple sexual offenses against kids, according to police.

Police found his 2016 Toyota Corolla in Morrisville and he was spotted riding a bike across the Calhoun Street bridge into Trenton, New Jersey, early Friday morning.

Then, Friday afternoon, a hunter saw Hamilton walking through the woods in the New Hope area. Officers responded and attempted to capture him, but police say he attacked an officer and was able to get away.

Police set up a search area on the ground and New Jersey State Police scrambled a helicopter to assist from the air. Several roads are closed in the New Hope area.

Hamilton was last seen wearing a dark colored T-shirt, gray cargo shorts and sneakers. Anyone with information is asked to call 911.

A man wanted in Bucks County for allegedly assaulting children remains on the loose after he was last spotted in thick brush outside New Hope in central Bucks County. Authorities are warning residents to stay away from suspect David Hamilton if he is seen.

A national "get out the vote" group backed by big names including former First Lady Michelle Obama, actor Tom Hanks and basketball star Chris Paul, held a voter registration event Saturday in Philadelphia.

The group, When We All Vote, garnered support from Mayor Jim Kenney and other Democrats in the city on the same day the local chapter of the NAACP held voter registration events throughout the city as well.

The voter push by the two groups coincided with an appearance by former President Barack Obama in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon, when he rallied thousands of liberals at the Dell Music Center.

His message to long-fervent supporters — the Dell is in Pennsylvania's Third Congressional District, one of the most Democratic in the country — was simple: turnout is key for the Nov. 6 midterm election if Democrats are to take control of Congress.

The NAACP volunteers were visiting various ShopRite supermarkets across the city from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

When We All Vote is hosting rallies across the United State as part of their "Week of Action," teaching new and experienced voters what it takes to shape democracy.

In Philadelphia, Kenney and other politicians kicked off the local effort with an event at 11 a.m., which was to run till 3 p.m. at the Mingle Event Studio on North 54th Street in the Wynnefield section of West Philadelphia.

The 175,000 commuters who drive through a key area of Bucks County just north of Philadelphia will see the opening of two massive "flyover" ramps by Monday morning. Their opening also signifies the completion of a highway 62 years in the making: the 1,900-mile I-95 from Maine to Miami.

It was a Catholic school showdown in Delaware County.

Another Friday night under the lights. Here are the best high school football highlights from across the region.