While the government shutdown continues, some federal employees are working with no pay. Now, people are stepping in to help local TSA agents who are struggling financially during the shutdown.
A policy in Newark, Delaware, means side streets don't get plowed unless a certain amount of snow falls. But residents, especially those who lives on those side streets, are hoping for a change. This all comes as a triple-threat storm is expected to hit our region this weekend.
Nearly two years after Anna Maciejewska vanished from her suburban Philadelphia home, investigators searched through a townhouse she and her husband owned in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
State police and other officials burst through the green door of the townhouse Thursday around 4 p.m. to serve a search warrant. It marked the first big, physical search in the cold case in more than a year and a half.
The townhouse was owned by Maciejewska and then jointly owned by her and her husband Allan Jay Gould after their wedding. Maciejewska was living at a different home in Malvern however at the time of her disappearance in April, 2017.
Gould was the last person to see the 43-year-old mother before she vanished. He told investigators she left for work in a “panic.” He waited several days to report that she was missing however, according to officials.
The missing persons case eventually became a murder investigation.
“We are out there looking for her body,” Pennsylvania State Police Cpl. Robert Kirby told NBC10 back in May of 2018. “We haven’t ruled out any suspects.”
Gould was named a person of interest in his wife’s disappearance but he was never named a suspect. Officials said he stopped cooperating with investigators.
State Police did not reveal what specific information prompted Thursday’s search of the West Chester townhouse.
“We’ve been working this case since day one,” Cpl. Kirby said Thursday. “We came up with some new information that led us to get a search warrant for this residence. We’re working very closely with the Chester County District Attorney’s Office. And finally, we were able to get the search warrant and we can’t wait to get inside and hopefully we’re going to find something.”
State Police had previously searched for clues inside Maciejewska’s home in Malvern in July of 2017.
Since Maciejewska’s disappearance, her family and friends have raised awareness and money for the search effort.
Here is a timeline of the cold case.
An officer was struck in the hand by a ricochet bullet after a police sergeant shot a dog in North Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia police sergeant, police officer and a probation officer all responded to a home on the 2100 block of North 5th Street around 5 p.m. Thursday to serve a warrant.
While the sergeant and two officers were outside the home, a dog got loose, police said. The dog attacked both the police officer and the probation officer. The sergeant then took out her weapon and fired four shots, killing the dog.
A ricochet bullet struck the police officer's hand, according to officials. The probation officer was also bit in the lower back area by the dog. Both officers were taken to Temple University Hospital where they are in stable condition.
As shooting numbers rise in Philadelphia, top officials are now combatting the crisis with a new plan. Neighbors say something has to change.
A triple threat of winter storms and bitter cold is cranking up as we speak to slam into the Philadelphia region and tri-state area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
Preparedness will be key ahead of what is turning into a weekend mess and Monday mayhem. Luckily, the forecast is allowing everyone time to be just that: prepared.
Here are the valuable links and facts you need to know, state-by-state, to be ready for power outages and dangerous travel conditions. (And before you go to your individual state, the Red Cross also has a "How to Protect Your Family, Pets, Home" checklist.)
PENNSYLVANIA
- All the power companies serving electric customers, along with links to OUTAGE MAPS for each utility supplier and how to report an outage: http://www.puc.state.pa.us/consumer_info/electricity/electric_companies_suppliers.aspx
- Road conditions and traffic jams in the Keystone State can be found here: https://www.511pa.com/
- Twitter account for the state Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), which posts updates consistently throughout storms: https://twitter.com/ReadyPA
- County-by-county preparedness and shelter information links:
Bucks County // Chester County // Delaware County // Montgomery County // Philadelphia
- The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency's ReadyPA winter preparedness guide: https://www.ready.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx
NEW JERSEY
- All the power companies serving electric and gas customers, along with links to OUTAGE MAPS for each utility supplier: http://www.ready.nj.gov/plan-prepare/public-utilities.shtml
- For rental residents, this is a list by municipality, of who to contact if you lose heat: https://www.nj211.org/no-heat-complaints
- Road conditions and traffic jams in the Garden State can be found here: http://www.511nj.org/
- The state Office of Emergency Management's Winter Weather guide: http://ready.nj.gov/plan-prepare/winter.shtml
- Warming centers, by county (there are many of them): https://www.nj211.org/nj-warming-centers
- Twitter account for the state Office of Emergency Management, which posts updates consistently throughout storms: https://twitter.com/ReadyNJ
DELAWARE
- The state Emergency Management Agency's Winter Weather guide: http://www.dema.delaware.gov/disprep/winterstrms.shtml
- Register for the Delaware Emergency Notification System (DENS) alerts: http://www.dema.delaware.gov/services/DENS.shtml
- Power outage resources, with a links to the utility companies that serve the First State: http://www.dema.delaware.gov/information/power_outages.shtml
- Warming centers in the event of a Code Purple: http://211service.com/index.php/code-purple-now-active
TRAVEL-RELATED LINKS
- SEPTA Winter Weather
- PATCO Travel Alerts
- NJ Transit Service Alert
- Philadelphia International Airport Twitter account
Firefighters are battling a railroad tie fire in University City.
The fire started near 34th Street and University Avenue Thursday around 7:20 p.m.
SEPTA's Airport, Media/Elwyn, and Wilmington/Newark regional rail lines were briefly suspended before service was restored. Passengers may experience residual delays of up to 30 minutes.
No injuries have been reported.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
A local high school student says she was so upset about the Eagles' playoff loss that she couldn't take her midterm exam. After seeing her email to her teacher, some Eagles players decided to step in.
Federal workers are struggling to get by as the government shutdown continues. One retired member of the coast guard who isn't getting his pension at the moment resorted to selling his beloved Harley Davidson motorcycle to help feed his family. Other federal workers are getting some help.
The first of two winter storms moved into our region Thursday night. It's the tamest part of a three-part system that will bring snow, ice, heavy rain, strong wind and sub-zero temperatures.
A First Alert is in effect from now until Monday, which is also the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, due to the winter weather.
Here is the latest breakdown from the First Alert Weather Team:
First: The Nuisance Storm — Thursday night into Friday morning
The first winter storm, the weaker of the two, moved in Thursday night and will continue into Friday morning, bringing light snow and rain. The best chance for accumulating snow will be north and west of Philadelphia. Light rain and snow will end Friday morning.
The snow should change to rain along the I-95 Corridor early on Friday. North and west of the city, where temps will remain colder, they may only see snow.
Roads could be slippery and schools could be impacted Friday morning the further north and west your get from the City. Several districts, including the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, announced delayed openings Thursday night.
Expected snowfall totals on untreated surfaces: 1 to 3 inches in Berks County, the Lehigh Valley and north/west Pa. suburbs; Up to an inch in Philadelphia, South Jersey and Delaware; Little to no snow at the Jersey shore, southern Delaware and Delaware beaches.
Temps should push into the low 40s Friday. Then dry conditions continue into the day on Saturday.
Second: The Major Storm – Saturday evening through Sunday night
The second winter storm will cause problems for the entire East Coast and could bring ice to parts of our region.
Based on the latest predicted track, Philadelphia and neighborhoods north and west should see a period of snow Saturday night then a switch-over to heavy rain on Sunday for much of the area. The precipitation will flip back over to snow Sunday night with ice possible as temps change.
Snow should begin to fall late Saturday afternoon into evening becoming heavy in points north and west. Ice then becomes a concern late Saturday night as freezing rain could fall as the ground remains cold. A quarter of an inch, or more, of ice could accumulate by Sunday morning in the northern and western suburbs, Lehigh Valley, Berks County and Poconos.
What you get will depend on where you are and how the rain/snow/ice line moves during the storm. Even a small amount of ice could knock out power and bring down tree limbs leaving homes without heat when people need it most.
Inches of rain could then fall once it begins to just rain.
The biggest uncertainty is the location of the rain/snow line, which may bisect the Philadelphia area at times leaving some neighborhoods in rain and others in snow and ice Temps that could fluctuate from the 50s along the coast to below freezing north and west will be critical in determining the effects of the storm.
As Arctic air rushes in later on Sunday, any leftover moisture will quickly freeze — slush will likely turn to ice on roads and sidewalks. The sooner you shovel, especially in northern and western suburbs, the better as whatever snow is on the ground will harden as temps quickly drop.
It’s still too soon to predict how much snow and ice could fall as there is uncertainty.
Third: Dangerous Cold – Late Sunday through Monday night
The coldest air of the winter season so far will plunge our neighborhoods into a deep freeze later Sunday as winds, with gusts above 40 mph possible, blow. Low temperatures are expected to rest in the single digits and highs in the teens on Monday.
Making matter worse, the wind chill will remain well below zero all day, but it'll feel 10 to 20 degrees below zero.
Any moisture left on the ground will freeze making for potentially treacherous travel Monday.
This Arctic blast will come on one of the most popular days for volunteerism: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Outdoor activities are likely to be moved or canceled.
The African American Museum in Philadelphia hopes to get people inside as quickly as possible Monday. Other groups are also making plans for the cold. Keep an eye on social media and reach out to organizations to learn of any changes to volunteer opportunities.
Temps still won’t break the freezing mark Tuesday when sunny skies push the high temperatures into the upper 20s. Relief from the cold finally comes on Wednesday with high temps pushing into the 40s.
Our team of First Alert meteorologists will keep you updated with the latest forecast here and on air and on the NBC10 App so you will be prepared for rain, snow or both and bitter cold in your neighborhood.
Letter carriers in Delaware are being recognized for hitting a milestone. Twelve postal service drivers have joined the "million mile drivers club". This means they have driven over a million miles without an accident.
The light coating of snow is creating beautiful scenery for your commute in Center City Friday morning. If you're heading downtown, the roads appear to be clear, but you should still be cautious as wet spots could be slippery.
All Upper Marion Area School District campuses will be closed Friday following a threat made against the district.
Superintendent John Toleno confirmed that all UMASD schools and offices will be closed and that the Federal Bureau of Investigations as well as the Upper Merion Police Department are looking into the threat.
The threat was made over Twitter Thursday night, the UMPD said. "This threat, which came via Twitter, referenced an individual coming to school tomorrow with a handgun to commit acts of violence," the department said, adding that the investigation is still active.
"We will work through this as a community knowing that we will not allow these senseless acts of stupidity to define us!" Toleno wrote on Twitter.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates
You've heard of a super moon -- but we have a Super Blood Wolf Moon coming at the end of January. All you need to know, explained by Anthony Yanez.
Students at Abington High School threw a surprise pep rally for their beloved janitor, Woody, as he celebrated 50 years working at the school. "I love this school, and I love the kids and the families because we are community involved," Woody said.
Upper Merion Area School District campuses and offices were closed Friday after someone made a shooting threat over Twitter. Miguel Martinez-Valle reports on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019.
When it comes to winter, the NBC10 First Alert Weather Team uses a lot of terms to describe precipitation. There’s rain, snow, sleet, even freezing rain! But why do some areas see different types of precipitation than others? It’s all about what’s going on up in the sky!
Take a look at the image below.
Temperatures are typically much cooler high in the sky than they are on the ground. That means that when precipitation forms in the clouds this time of year, it begins as snow.
When a flake falls from the cloud, it passes through air that may gradually warm as the flake falls to the ground.
If the temperature is still near or below freezing at the surface, then the flake lands on the ground as snow. It’s frozen precipitation.
How about the opposite?
If a snowflake falls into an area of warm air (above 32 degrees), then it melts. If the warm air continues all the way to the ground, then the precipitation is called rain. It’s liquid precipitation.
Now let’s talk about the “tricky” forms of winter precipitation.
Sometimes, warm air will wedge into the atmosphere. It may just barely slice into the sky, or it may take up a good period of the flakes’ fall. You can see this example in the image above. This results in two different “wintry” conditions.
When the snowflake falls from the sky into an area of warm air, it melts into a raindrop. However, sometimes a thin layer of very cold air hugs the ground. If the rain drop enters the cold surface air (near or below 32 degrees) the raindrop may become “supercooled." This means it doesn’t have enough time to freeze, but it’s cold enough too. Once it hits a cold object like a tree, power line, vehicle, or road, it freezes. This type of precipitation is called freezing rain. This is especially hazardous because it can create black ice, or cause tree limbs to snap due to the added weight from the ice.
Now, if the warm air just barely slices into the column of air the flake falls into, it has a different effect on what we see on the ground. The snowflake may melt or partially melt once it enters the warm air, and turn into a raindrop or slush. However, if it enters a period of colder air again as it continue to fall and has enough time, it will refreeze into a frozen raindrop. This isn’t the same as a snowflake, because it formed differently and its structure is different. It’s literally a frozen drop of water. This is called sleet. Sleet typically bounces, but can accumulate into piles. You can remember this by remembering the phrase “sleet has a beat." You can hear it!
So why is this important for us?
We often see different types of precipitation in different neighborhoods! Colder areas (Poconos, Lehigh Valley, Berks, and even the PA Suburbs) more often see snow in winter. That’s because these areas regularly keep temperatures near freezing during precipitation events. So, the precipitation hits the ground as snow.
However, during some storms, warmer ocean air will wedge into our atmosphere. Last March (2016), this occurred. The result? The shore saw rain, portions of Delaware, New Jersey and Philadephia saw sleet and freezing rain, and portions of the PA Suburbs and Lehigh Valley/Berks Co/Poconos saw snow! The warm air thinned as it stretched inland, and created a major ice storm for some and snow storm for others. That’s why we do neighborhood weather. We don’t all see the same thing, because we aren’t all dealing with the same atmospheric conditions!
The events that led to the death of an elderly couple in Whitemarsh Township remains unclear, but authorities do not believe a crime was committed.
Montgomery County and township officials said Friday that their investigation into the Dec. 4, 2017 deaths of Ross and Rhoda Woodward found no evidence of a crime.
A mail carrier found 81-year-old Rhoda's partially-clothed body on the front lawn of their home along Bethlehem Pike near Mather's Lane. Ross, 84, was found inside the single family house. At the time, sources described the scene as bloody.
Dr. Joseph Staniszewski, the Montgomery County Deputy Coroner, said Ross died from coronary artery disease. Rhoda suffered blunt impact trauma to the head and hypothermia.
Staniszewski ruled the manner of death as undetermined.
Neighbors described the couple as long-time members of the community who were quiet, friendly and always returned a smile and wave.
"Soft spoken, older couple," Michael Skalecki said. "Seemed pleasant."
Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen is bringing his artwork to King of Prussia and Atlantic City. His pieces are inspired largely by his own life experiences, but some of them also depict imagery reminiscent of wounded soldiers, which he says comes from his work with Wounded Warriors. Allen's artwork will be on display at the Hard Rock Cafe & Casino in Atlantic City Friday, January 18 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Wentworth Gallery in King of Prussia.
