With below-freezing temps gripping the region, you can't blame people for dreaming of spring in Philadelphia.
So when does spring start? Check out our countdown clock.
The trick to balancing on slick sidewalks is to "walk like a penguin."
Instinct tells us to do the opposite and center our weight mid-stride, which works on dry walkways.
But this tactic forces legs to split your body weight in half and rely on both feet to maintain balance — not the best idea for icy streets.
A few years ago, Little Baby’s Ice Cream in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood shared a simple infographic on their blog to remind everyone to think of gravity and mimic penguins. Shifting one’s weight onto the front leg keeps people – and penguins – from slipping.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention backs up the penguin waddle claim, reminding people to also spread feet slightly to fortify the center of gravity.
With sidewalks freezing over, remember to stay smart and give yourself extra time to waddle to and fro.
One more tip, keep your hands out of your pockets (and in gloves) and wear a puffy coat…so if you do fall, at least you can catch yourself and cushion your buns.
Angel Perez, of Millville, New Jersey, saw his life changed forever after contracting a bacterial infection in 2018. Eventually, he lost the lower portions of both arms and both legs. Still, he says he's a fighter, and with the help of his family, he's going to learn to live without his limbs.
Businesses along Main Street in Doylestown are dealing with a wintry mix hitting our area Tuesday. Be careful if you have to go out in the icy conditions.
An underground explosion caused a broken storefront window and another traffic problem in Center City Philadelphia.
The underground blast along 20th Street near Chestnut Street around 7:30 a.m. caused a manhole cover to blow off and left the front of nearby Son's Cleaners broken.
The impact also caused a large metal grate to break into pieces.
Sarah Kim was luckily away from the register and handling clothes when the front of her store blew out.
Haviv David, owner of neighboring Mama's Vegetarian, was inside his eatery when he said he heard the loud blast.
"I heard a big explosion," David said. David, who is from Israel, initially thought it was a bomb but saw it was something else when he ran outside to see smoke pouring from underground.
No one was hurt inside the stores or on the street.
"Thank God, thank God, thank God," David said. "We're lucky we are still alive."
The owners of Mama's and Son's don't know when they will be able to reopen.
PECO and fire crews closed 20th Street from Chestnut to Market streets as they investigated midday. The road reopened with the exception of part of the right lane by mid-afternoon.
No power outages were reported, PECO said.
This closure happened less than a block from where a collapsed sewer caused the closure of Chestnut Street for a couple weeks.
Take an umbrella if you need to go outside Tuesday afternoon in Philadelphia. Sleet and frozen rain have covered the ground in a slushy mess. A snowman even appeared in Rittenhouse Square from the earlier snow.
The Transportation Security Administration unveiled Monday its weirdest and most dangerous checkpoint finds of 2018 and it turns out that two local airports were among the locations where agents made the most unusual finds.
One of the strangest finds had little to do with the object found, but rather where it was found. According to the TSA, a traveler passing through a security checkpoint at LaGuardia Airport on July 6, 2018, was traveling with a child in a baby carrier. When the carrier went through the checkpoint X-ray scanner, TSA officers discovered a sharp kitchen carving knife “artfully concealed” in the lining of the baby carrier.
“It could be that the baby took it from the kitchen drawer and folded it up into the bottom of the baby carrier. Or it could be that an adult did it. Your guess is as good as ours. All that TSA knows is that sharp kitchen carving knives have no place in the cabin of an airplane. That’s quite a no-no,” the TSA said in a tongue-in-cheek statement.
This incident came in as the sixth weirdest find, according to TSA’s list.
Meanwhile, coming in at No. 4 is an incident that occurred at Newark Liberty International Airport when TSA officers detected two hand grenades in a carry-on bag on Aug.20, 2018. The grenades had a tux painted on them and were accompanied by a large set of instructions to not pack them for a flight.
“But alas, this traveler ignored the instructions provided by the manufacturer and it resulted in the grenades being confiscated. They were actually inert grenade-like novelty bottle openers,” TSA said.
The agency goes on to say that even novelty grenades will trigger an alarm at the the checkpoint and will delay not only you, but the others in line and your traveling companions.
“Even more important is that if someone displays them on an aircraft, the crew and other passengers could think that they are live grenades and cause a panic on a plane. Or, in an another scenario, someone could pretend they are real in an attempt to make a threat aboard an aircraft,” TSA said in a statement, simply concluding. “Don’t be that guy. Ship these sorts of items to your destination.”
What other weird confiscations took place at TSA checkpoints? Well, according to the released list, an ax, harpoon, switchblade, snakes, an apparent bomb, gigantic scissors, an inert mortar round and a glove complete with finger blades reminiscent of scary movies rounded the Top 10 most unusual checkpoint finds.
(Lee esta historia en español aquí.)
Angel Perez didn't let Parkinson's Disease slow him down.
The Millville, New Jersey, man spent his much of his free time in the summer crabbing along the riverbanks and shorelines near his South Jersey home.
Then his pasttime nearly killed him.
A flesh-eating bacterial infection took hold in July 2018 after one of his trips crabbing at a popular Maurice River location. He nearly died, but after a long hospital stay and numerous surgeries, Cruz, 61, survived.
Yet he lost the lower portions of both his arms and both his legs.
"You feel depressed," he said in the immediate aftermath of such a dramatic change. But "I didn't pay no mind to that. Because God's got the last word."
His hard work has inspired his family, which Perez in turn credits for pushing him to fight on. He has even begun walking on prosthetic legs.
Perez's scary medical battle began when he noticed a skin rash after crabbing in the Cumberland County river near Matt's Landing in Commercial Township.
Soon, his legs started to swell and lesions began appearing on his skin. The next day, July 3, he took two trips to local urgent care centers.
"It got worse. He started to swell up. You started seeing color change, blistering," his daughter said. "He was hallucinating at one point."
By July 4, he went to the hospital and was admitted to intensive care, diagnosed with a rare infection called vibrio necrotizing fasciitis.
Perez's severe reaction to the infection from a bacteria called vibrio vulnificus is extremely rare, Cumberland County, New Jersey, health officer Megan Sheppard told NBC10 at the time. It was likely caused by the bacteria entering his bloodstream through an open wound.
Vibrio vulnificus is common in New Jersey saltwater and brackish water, especially in the summer months, Sheppard said.
Most of the 80,000 cases of infection in the United States each year are caused by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, she said. Only about 205 of those cases develop from infections caused by the bacteria entering open flesh wounds, as is suspected in Perez's case.
"The immuno-compromised are typically more susceptible, " Sheppard said, adding that many cases involve vomiting and falling ill, but not the potential loss of limbs.
Still, several cases, including fatal infections, have popped in recent years, according to published reports.
The small sandy stretch off Matt's Landing Road where Perez is believed to have been crabbing in the river has not been shut off to the public, as it is not an approved beach area anyway, Sheppard said.
Crabbing or fishing in the water increases the chances of a bacterial infection, compared to fishing from a boat or dock, she said.
A New Jersey woman may be an early contender for mug shot of the year.
Shana Hilsman, of Old Bridge, was arrested this month on charges of burglary and criminal tresspass in connection with a month-long investigation into a string of reported car burglaries and attempted break-ins on the same road in Spotswood.
She matched the clothing description provided by a resident who had surveillance video of a woman allegedly trying to break into a vehicle on Jan. 13 and again two weeks later, authorities say.
When cops ran into Hilsman on Feb. 1, they allegedly found her with multiple burglary tools, including a screwdriver, hammer and a flashlight that appeared to be the same one seen in the resident's surveillance footage, authorities say.
She was arrested and taken to a corrections center with a pending court date. It's not immediately clear if Hilsman had an attorney, nor was it clear if she voiced any comment on her arrest (though her mug shot may hint at how she feels about it).
A woman who suffered a medical emergency while driving is still alive thanks to the quick actions of a mother as well as responding police officers.
Amber Lynn Weithoner was driving with her daughters along Route 73 in Cheltenham Township back on Feb. 7 when she spotted another woman in front of her driving erratically and swerving.
Weithoner then called police and stayed on the phone with dispatchers until Cheltenham Police officers responded to the scene.
“Just her concern for the driver,” Nancy Bangert, the emergency dispatcher, told NBC10. “That the driver was okay. She was getting worried that there was a physical problem or something wrong with the driver. That they were sick.”
The responding officers eventually got the woman to stop and discovered she was having a diabetic emergency. Police took her to the hospital. Investigators say Weithoner’s call may have saved the woman’s life.
“Something just told me to stay behind her and see what happens,” Weithoner said. “Really great relief that they were able to react so quickly.”
1 in 365 – the odds of parents sharing the same birthday.
1 in 12,000 – the odds of being struck by lightning.
1 in 133,000 – the odds of both parents and child sharing the same birthday.
1 in ? – the odds of both parents and their child sharing the same birthday AND all being born at the same hospital where parents shared the same nursery.
Like most married couples, Lauren and Dave Peirce share their life together. The pair started dating at the age of 20 and got married on Oct. 14, 2016. But one could say their paths crossed much earlier – at Chester County Hospital, where they shared the same nursery.
The Peirce family doesn’t have to worry about forgetting birthdays. Lauren and Dave Peirce were both born on Feb. 6, 1989 at Chester County Hospital. And now their newborn son also shares the special date.
Readers might remember the Peirce family from early October when David Akers of the Philadelphia Eagles helped with their gender reveal at XFINITY Live!
Dave Peirce is a longtime David Akers fan and has lots of signed memorabilia collected over the years.
“My 8-year-old dog is named Akers,” Dave Peirce, who gave Akers a handwritten letter at an autograph signing with his gender reveal proposition, said. “He humbly agreed to help us out and even wished us blessings after the baby was born.”
The family's baby boy was originally due to be born on Feb. 18. However, due to medical concerns regarding the mother’s health and the baby’s position, an emergency C-section took place.
The Peirce family named their son David Peirce after the boy's great grandfather.
"Our little man was the best birthday present ever, and we're happy to surrender the day to him when it comes to celebrating future birthdays," Dave Peirce said.
Critics of Philadelphia's child abuse policy are offering their support to parents who believe they were unjustly separated from their children by the city's Department of Human Services. The controversy was addressed by Councilman David Oh at a recent city council meeting.
Just two days before Valentine's Day, about 500 Camden County military brides or active duty spouses got free wedding dresses thanks to a special campaign.
Booking your next rental car? Hundreds of customers say a company wrongfully held onto their security deposits. NBC10 Responds has tips on how to avoid a similar situation.
A man in Haverford Township, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to a maximum of four decades behind bars for repeatedly sexually assaulting a preschool-aged child in 2017.
Michael Kaminsky, 47, was convicted of sexually abusing the then four-year-old after a jury trial in November 2018. He will face a 13 to 40-year prison sentence.
Kaminsky was found guilty of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a child, sexual assault, indecent assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
"The deplorable actions of Michael Kaminsky are abhorrent and beyond reprehensible,” Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland said Tuesday. “As the result of the courageous testimony of the victim and his family, the defendant will be in prison for a very long time, and he can cause no more harm.”
As part of his sentence, Kaminsky will also have to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life under Megan’s Law.
A local cafe is employing teens and adults with developmental disabilities in order to smash stigmas and help them gain real world experience.
From chia to matcha to avocado, eating healthy can be overwhelming when coming across food items that are unfamiliar. Jessica De Luise, founder of Eat Your Way to Wellness, walks us through some healthy food fads and the benefits from them.
A would-be car thief is dead after police say the car's owner turned the tables on him in Roxborough Wednesday morning.
A resident heard someone trying to steal his car shortly before 6 a.m. along the 8100 block of Ridge Avenue and went out to confront the man, the Philadelphia Police Department said. According to police, the homeowner and alleged would-be robber got into some sort of struggle, and when officers arrived, they found the man unresponsive.
Officers performed CPR for around 10 minutes and transported the man to Roxborough Hospital, where he died, the PPD said.
Police say they found no weapons at the scene or any evidence that weapons were used during the struggle. The resident, meanwhile, was also taken to a hospital with a separated shoulder.
Police are ruling the death "suspicious" as they continue to investigate.
Target is recalling tens of thousands of toddler boots over choking concerns.
The retailer said Tuesday it was pulling about 33,600 unicorn boots -- specifically, Cat & Jack Unicorn "Chiara Boots," because the unicorn on the front can detach, posing a choking hazard to children.
Target says it has gotten four complaints of detached horns, but no injuries were reported. The items were sold in Target stores nationwide and online.
The recall includes boots in sizes 5-13 and size 1; the shoes are white with silver shimmer, and have a white zipper and white faux fur lining. The unicorn’s horn and inner ears are silver glitter and its eyelashes and nostrils are stitched and gray. The model numbers are located on the inside tag of the boot; for the full list of affected model numbers and more product photos, click here.
Anyone who has the recalled boots should take them away from kids and return them to a Target store for a full refund. Consumers can call 1-800-440-0680 for more information as well.
Debra Serota, from Sort It Out Philly, has turned her own passion for organization into a career. She helps people, including parents with kids, make the most of their space and gives tips on how to keep things tidy.
