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Felony Charges in Cockfighting Bust

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A Berks County man is facing 10 felony counts of animal cruelty after an investigation uncovered a cockfighting ring at a large farm.

Thirty-one-year-old Jesus Rodriguez, of Reading, was taken into custody Thursday morning after the Pennsylvania SPCA discovered cockfighting paraphernalia and hundreds of birds on a Bernville property, according to officials.

Officers removed more than 100 birds and transported them to the PSPCA's Philadelphia headquarters for evaluation, according to reports.

The PSPCA also removed three dogs, a goat and a horse from the farm based on animal cruely violations, including unsanitary confinment, failure to provide veterinary care and failure to provide adequate sustenance.

 



Photo Credit: Pennsvlvania SPCA

Nearly Naked Hospital Patient Breaks Into Home

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A Camden County woman wants answers from a local hospital after a patient --wearing only underwear-- broke out of the emergency room and broke into her home Friday morning.

Val Neighbors told NBC10 she was working from her Berlin, N.J. home when she heard the back kitchen window break around 9:30 a.m.

"Glass all over the floor, the screen is hanging and all I can see is from, like, the chest up this man yelling at me, 'Give me the keys! Give me the keys!" Neighbors said.

The suspect then grasped her by the arm and continued to demand keys to her family's vehicle, which was purchased less than a week earlier.

"He grabbed onto my wrist and I noticed he had a hospital ID bracelet on," Neighbors recalled.

She said detectives told her the alleged burglar was recently admitted to nearby Virtua Berlin by his family for a psychiatric evaluation.

The suspect fled in Neighbors' car, running across her front lawn and hitting shrubs on his way, she said.

The Berlin Police Department released a statement Friday afternoon confirming the same man who bolted from Virtua Berlin's emergency room after a confrontation entered Neighbor's home and stole her car.

The suspect was apprehended at his residence, where he drove Neighbors' car, according to police.

Authorities charged the man with burglary, robbery, theft and criminal mischief.

Representatives with Virtua declined to comment citing privacy rights, but Neighbors said hospital officials told her it was the second time he escaped from the facility.

The terrifying incident, which occurred while Neighbors' 11-year-old son was asleep upstairs, has led the Berlin woman to demand the hospital reform policies regarding mental health issues to ensure the safety of patients and the surrounding community.

"He could have gotten hit by a car and killed," Neighbors said. "What if I would have had a gun sitting next to me and would have shot him?"

"He deserved to be protected," she said.

Berlin Police said there was no immediate threat to any residents during the incident and research on programs to send alerts to community members is underway.

Welcome to Philly Drug Sign Divides Neighborhood

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A resident fed up with the crime plaguing his Philadelphia neighborhood decided to post a dramatic, custom-made sign to draw the attention of city officials.

The sign, which violated a city ordinance, was removed by the Philadelphia Fire Department Friday evening, but not before others in the community took notice.

Attached to a telephone pole on C Street near Cambria Street in the city's Kensington section, the sign lists multiple terms for various illegal drugs -- dope, PCP, Angel Dust, Ecstasy, LSD, acid, crack, cocaine, coke and heroin -- directly below the line, "Welcome to Philadelphia," and above an arrow indicating the substances can be found in any direction.

"That's the only way we can get the attention of the city," according to the man responsible for posting the sign earlier this week.

The retired School District of Philadelphia employee, who did not want to be identified, said his neighborhood is infested with drugs.

"This is the way we live here," he said. "For years and years, it's drugs everywhere you go here."

Latoya Dixon, a neighbor, had mixed feelings regarding the sign.

"He's going to start a lot of trouble around here," she said.

Despite her initial reaction, Dixon said many of the man's statements about the neighborhood are true.

"It is very dangerous around here," she said. "Heroin addicts around here. It is a lot of stuff that is going on that the kids can't play outside."

Another resident agreed, describing how common drugs are in Kensington.

"You see every corner and there's drugs around," said Bengi Cruz. "It's not a good thing if you want to come and live in Philadelphia."

Members of the Philadelphia Police's East Detectives Division said they are aware of the problems, but the sign had to come down.

No citations will be filed against the man who posted the sign, which was confiscated by police, according to officials.

But the man who posted the sign said he will do what he can to get it back from authorities and put the sign back up on his own property.

NBC10 First Alert Weather: Gorgeous Weekend

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We're in for another beautiful weekend with sunny skies and low humidity. But how long will the lovely weather last? Tedd has the forecast.

Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Weekend Events Guide

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Bank Robber on the Loose

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Philadelphia Police and the FBI are looking for the subject responsible for a bank robbery Friday afternoon.

The suspect walked into the Wells Fargo Bank branch on the 5000 block of Frankford Avenue in the city's Frankford neighborhood and handed the teller a demand note, according to police.  He was given an undisclosed amount of cash and then fled the area of the bank, according to authorites.

Police desribe the suspect, who is in his early to mid-20s, as approximately 5-foot 6-inches tall with a thin build.

The suspect is considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information regarding the subject or the robbery is urged to contact authorities. Tipsters can remain anonymous and there may be a reawrd for information leading to the subject's capture.



Photo Credit: Philadelphia Police Department

Catcaller Knocks Man Out in Rittenhouse Square: Police

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A man who police say tried to defend a group of women from catcallers landed in the hospital after he was brutally assaulted in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square early Saturday morning.

Police say the 39-year-old man who was visiting from Texas was walking along 18th and Walnut Streets around 2:45 a.m. when he observed several men inside a Black Nissan pull up next to a group of women.

The men inside the Nissan began taunting and catcalling the women, according to investigators, prompting the victim to get involved.

"The male victim took offense to something that the guys were saying to the girls and said 'hey, watch what you're saying,'" said Philadelphia Police Captain George Fuchs.

Police say one of the men inside the Nissan then got out of the car and punched the victim once in the head. The man was knocked unconscious after he fell and struck his head on the concrete

The suspect then ran back into the Nissan which fled west on Walnut. The victim was taken to Hahnemann Hospital where he is currently in stable condition.

"This is a tragic, tragic story," Captain Fuchs said. "Here's a guy trying to stick up for these girls and he gets victimized."

Police say the suspect's Nissan had Delaware tags. They are currently looking through surveillance video to see if they can find the license plate number. They are also speaking to a witness at Central Detectives.

If you have any information on the attack, please call Philadelphia Police.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Couple Charged in Facebook Date Robberies

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A Philadelphia couple is behind bars after they allegedly set up dates with several men on Facebook and then robbed the unsuspecting victims.

Tyreese Gibson, 26, and Mariah Harris, 27, were both arrested on Thursday. Police say the couple, who have three children together, used Facebook to scam their victims into believing they were meeting women for dates.

According to police, the victims first met Harris online before deciding to meet with her on the 200 block of South Allison Street. Once they arrived, Gibson allegedly approached them from behind with a gun before stealing their cell phones and cash.

“Each time he came up behind the victims,” said Philadelphia Police lieutenant John Walker. “The victims are not paying attention because they think they’re going there to meet a woman. The next thing they know they’ve got a gun stuck to their back.”

Police say Gibson and Harris robbed at least three men that they lured to South Allison Street in a three week span. During one incident, Gibson allegedly robbed a man of his legally owned and loaded .40 caliber gun.

Aside from the latest robbery charges, both suspects have a criminal record, according to investigators. Police say Gibson was previously charged with robbery, aggravated assault, drug offenses and sexual assault while Harris was previously charged with aggravated assault.

While police confirmed the three robberies, they also say Gibson and Harris may have targeted other men as well. They urge all victims to come forward.
 



Photo Credit: Philadelphia Police

Propane Truck Overturns on NJ Turnpike

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A ramp on the NJ Turnpike has been reopened after a tanker truck full of propane overturned in Burlington County.

The truck overturned late Wednesday morning on the Turnpike in Bordentown. Officials say the driver of the truck managed to escape. He was evaluated by medics at the scene though officials have not yet revealed whether he was seriously injured.

The truck is full of propane though none of it leaked during the crash.

The NJ Turnpike exit 7 ramp from the toll plaza to the northbound lanes was shut down after the crash. It has since been reopened.

Officials continue to investigate the cause of the accident.

This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.
 



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Jonestown Massacre Remembered

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Family and friends of victims remember the 1978 massacre of 918 people involved in a cult, the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project. Cremated remains of nine people who died in the massacre were recently found at a Delaware funeral home.

Photo Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

Want to Open a Restaurant? Philly Pop-Up Tests New Ideas

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Foodies rejoice! One Philadelphia neighborhood is getting 36 new restaurants over the next three years.

Common Table, a pop-up restaurant incubator, is giving entrepreneurs a chance to test their restaurant concepts for one month in a newly remodeled 44-seat location at 310 S. 48th St. in West Philadelphia.

“We are looking for people who know how to cook and have a passion for food service, but don’t necessarily have the know-how or the resources to execute their ideas at the restaurant level,” said Della Clark, president of The Enterprise Center, which is running the federally-funded program.

The Enterprise Center, a nonprofit that educates and assists entrepreneurs, is currently accepting applications for Common Table.

To participate in the fellowship, applicants must complete a questionnaire, which the nonprofit then uses to decide who should move on to the next round. Those selected will be asked to submit a business plan by early September, followed by the final step in vetting -- a taste test.

About 10 new eateries will likely open during Common Table’s inaugural year, said Caroline Valvardi of The Enterprise Center --- which is footing the bill for nearly all the restaurant’s expenses.

“We will provide the front of house staff,” Valvardi said. “We’ll provide all the food and ingredients… We’ll basically build the restaurant for them.”

But there is a caveat for the cash-strapped. The entrepreneur will not receive a paycheck and any dollars gained during each residency will get poured back into the pop-up space, Valvardi said.

Each fellow can put their own personal touch on the 1,400-square-foot space, which they'll occupy for about a month.

They will also receive technical training and financial advice as part of the approximately six-month-long program.

Anticipating the space will be unoccupied during some portions of the year, Valvardi said Common Table would welcome established restaurateurs to fill those gaps and test out their own ideas.

Many culinary stars may be excited about the opportunity to showcase their cuisine, but the real benefit is Common Table’s educational component, said Daniela D’Ambrosio, chef and co-owner of Pickled Heron, a French-inspired bistro.

“We would have loved to have someone guide us through financing and permits and health inspections,” said D’Ambrosio, who opened Pickled Heron at 2218 Frankford Ave. in the city’s Fishtown section nearly 3 years ago. “For someone who finds all the paperwork daunting, this is great.”

But the hospitality industry veteran warns the future Common Table participants that one busy month in the pop-up location does not ensure their enterprise will survive elsewhere.

“Because your restaurant is successful for a month in West Philadelphia does not mean it is going to translate well to other places,” she said. “Restaurants have so many variables to their success and location is a huge one."

Scheduled to open late fall, the pop-up location at 310 S. 48th St. is currently under construction. The deadline for the first round in the application process is Aug. 15.


Contact Alison Burdo at 610.668.5635, alison.burdo@nbcuni.com or follow @NewsBurd on Twitter.

Man Dies After Police Use Stun Gun

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An autopsy will be performed on a Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, man who died on the way to the hospital after police shot him with a stun gun.

On Friday, around 4 a.m., police were called to the Fegley’s Mini-Market on Center Street in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, for a report of a man running around the parking lot and screaming obscenities. When they arrived, they found 38-year-old Jose Paulino Jr. of Tamaqua, who was allegedly acting “aggressively.”

Investigators say Paulino refused to cooperate with the officers and ran over to a nearby Sunoco Station. The officers then shot him with a stun gun numerous times in order to bring him under control, according to police.

Medics were called to the scene and Paulino was placed in an ambulance. Paulino then died inside the ambulance as he was being taken to St. Luke’s Hospital Coaldale.

NBC10 affiliate WBRE spoke with Schuylkill County residents who believed the officers handled the situation correctly.

“I think the cops handled it the way they were supposed to handle it,” said Keith Bieber of Tamaqua. “I think they had to do what they had to do to protect themselves and the other people around.”

Pennsylvania State Police are now investigating the incident to determine whether the officers who used the stun gun were justified. An autopsy is also scheduled for Saturday to determine the cause of death.
 



Photo Credit: WBRE

At Least 1 Hurt After Car Crashes Into Little Caesars

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At least one person was hurt after a car crashed into a Little Caesars restaurant in the West Oak Lane section of the city.

Officials say an unidentified driver was traveling on the 7100 block of Ogontz Avenue Saturday afternoon when he or she somehow lost control and crashed through a wall of the restaurant and into the kitchen.

Officials say at least one person was hurt inside the restaurant. They have not yet revealed whether the driver was injured.

This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates.
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Two Teen Girls Missing: Police

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Police are asking for the public's help locating two 14-year-old girls who went missing.

Nysiah Brown, of the 3000 block of Essex Road, Camden, was reported missing from her home Friday, according to officials.

Authorities describe Brown as 4-feet 11-inches tall, weighing about 110 pounds, with black hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and black pants, according to police.

Officials are also searching for Tatiana Coles, who was reported missing Saturday from the 1200 block of Liberty Street, Camden, according to reports.

Police describe Coles as 4-feet 9-inches tall, weighing aproximately 90 pounds, with brown eyes and brown shoulder-length hair. She was last seen wearing a black or gray-colored tank top and red gym shorts, according to authorities.

Neither girl has been reported missing before and the cases are not related, according to officials.

Anyone with information on either girls' whereabouts is asked to contact the Camden County Police Department tip line at 856-757-7042.

5 Hurt in Crash on I-476

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Emergency crews responded to a multi-vehicle accident on Interstate-476 in Delaware County Saturday.

Three cars collided in the northbound lanes of the Blue Route near Baltimore Pike in Springfield just after 6 p.m., according to police.

Five people suffered non-life threatening injuries and were transported to local hospitals from the scene, according to officials.

The northbound lanes were temporarily shut down while authorities investigated, according to reports. Police said the roadway was reopened by 7:30 p.m.


Philly Firefighter Saves Wounded Pit Bull

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When Ryan Craig, a Philadelphia firefighter and veteran, went to work July 1, he was prepared to leave the firehouse for an emergency. But he was not expecting an emergency to come running through the station door.

"This dog just comes running underneath the engines' doors," Craig said. "We saw she was completely lacerated, oozing maggots."

Craig said he and his fellow firemen coaxed the gray pit bull out of its hiding spot beneath the captain's desk and immediately contacted animal control.

The Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia took the dog in, but the shelter was at full capacity, he said. And the agency holds strays for just 48 hours. If an owner doesn't come forward during that time, the dogs are either put up for adoption or – in some cases – put down, according to shelter policy.

Shelter workers said the approximately 3-year-old pup -- coined Guinevere by animal control, or Gwen, by Craig -- was hung by a steel cable that was wrapped around her neck. They also told Craig the injured pit bull, who had been through the animal control system previously, was unlikely to be adopted.

The dog's situation weighed on Craig, who has a dog and two cats with his fiancée. He said he had two choices: help Gwen or let her be euthanized.

“I wanted to get this dog out of animal control, but [she was] going to require some expensive surgery,” Craig said.

So later that night, he created a GoFundMe page for Gwen’s surgery and shared it on social media.

Four hours after the page went live, dog-lovers had already donated $1,000. By the next morning, the entire $2,200 needed had been raised.

Craig said he rushed to the animal shelter to pick up Gwen and take her to his vet for surgery.

After a successful operation,Craig and his fiancée decided to foster Gwen until her wounds were healed and a permanent home was found, he said.

About three weeks after her surgery, the CEO of Dogs for Heroes heard about Gwen through social media and approached Craig. The organization rescues dogs and trains them as companion and therapy dogs for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

“As a combat wounded vet myself, I could think of no greater calling for her than to help a disabled veteran,” Craig said.

Craig and his fiancée took the 18-hour round trip drive to North Carolina to meet Gwen’s new trainers halfway. The husband, who is also a firefighter, and wife from Florida are professionally trained to rehabilitate dogs.

“It’s all gone full circle,” he said.

When Gwen passes training, she will be paired with a disabled combat veteran.

“It’s a good happy ending for her,” Craig said. “It’s about as fairy tale as you can get.”



Photo Credit: Ryan Craig

Alleged Musikfest Gunman Identified

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The alleged gunman who shot two people near a popular music festival in Bethlehem, Pa. is on the loose.

Police identified 17-year-old Julius Jose Cortijo as the shooter responsible for wounding two people Tuesday night near the intersection of West Garrison and Guetter streets -- a short distance from the venue of Musikfest.

Cortijo opened fire near a large crowd that had gathered around 11 p.m. -- only moments after police began to disperse the group, according to officials.

Bullets struck two men, wounding one in his right hip and the other in his groin, according to authorities.

Police describe Cortijo as approximately 5-feet 4-inches tall, weighing about 135 pounds.

The suspect is affiliated with an Allentown-based sect of the "Bloods" street gang and is considered armed and dangerous, according to investigators.

Cortijo's last known address was on the 200 block of South 13th Street, Allentown, officials said.

The 17-year-old is being charged as an adult. He faces multiple counts of attempted homicide, aggravated assault and other related charges.

Anyone with information on the crime or on the suspect's whereabouts is urged to contact Bethlehem City Detectives at 610-865--7187.

Musikfest, which was founded in 1984, is the nation's largest non-gated free music festival, according to event organizers.

Police Search for Alleged Peeping Tom

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Police are searching for a suspect they say was observed “peeping” into the window of a northern Delaware home.

New Castle County Police responded to a trespassing complaint on the 1500 block of Hickory Road, Wilmington around 10:30 pm Wednesday.

A witness at the scene told officials he observed a male suspect looking into the ground floor window of a neighbor’s home, according to reports. The witness said he exited his front door and saw the suspect fleeing on foot and hopping a fence, according to police.

Authorities said additional witnesses also observed a male suspect fitting the same description walking away from the window of the victim’s home.

Assisting units, including a K-9 officer, arrived on the scene to try and locate the suspect.

Police describe the suspect as in his early 40s, about 5-feet 10-inches tall, weighing approxmately 200 pounds, with a large build and brown hair. He was last seen wearing a t-shirt, jean shorts, and sneakers, according to investigators.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Castle County Police Department at (302) 395-8110.



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area

Winning Bid to Develop Archidocesan Land

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Jenkintown-based Goodman Properties has won the bid to develop a 200-acre-plus parcel on Sproul Road in Marple Township, property owned by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia that backs up to Cardinal O'Hara High School.

The development could consist of as many as 300 houses and 800,000 to 1,000,000 square feet of commercial space, including a Wegman's supermarket, said real estate brokers familiar with the deal.

"All I can say is we're very excited to be selected as developer," Bruce Goodman, owner of Goodman Properties, said Friday. "Other than that, I can't comment at this time."

He would not say how much the deal was worth. Competing developers said the winning bid totaled $44 million for the property at 1971 Sproul Rd. Jeff Cohen of CBRE-Fameco was the broker.

An agreement of sale has not yet been signed, said archdiocesan spokesman Kenneth Gavin.

In an e-mail, Gavin wrote: "The property on Sproul Road was marketed for sale by the archdiocese some time ago and consists of over 230 acres. . . . As has been our past practice, we will make a public announcement about a transaction if and when we reach such an agreement."

The parcel stretches from Eagle to Reed Roads, extending along Reed to the Lawrence Park Industrial Center.

With the goal of selling the entire tract except for the high school grounds, the archdiocese solicited requests for proposals, said Marple Township Solicitor Adam Matlawski. The township did not participate in the evaluation or selection process.

"The anticipated proposed development is very large and very significant," said Matlawski, a partner in the Media law firm McNichol, Byrne & Matlawski.

"The review process they have to go through will necessarily involve hard looks at everything, including quality of life, traffic, storm-water runoff, as well as experts in engineering and urban planners," he said Friday.

The developer will be required to appear before the township commissioners, the Planning Commission, and the Zoning Hearing Board for conditional use and other relief, Matlawski said, adding, "There will be a number of public hearings."


This story was published through a news content partnership between NBC10.com and The Philadelphia Inquirer.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Philly Mom Mourns 2 Kids Killed by Ebola Virus

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Heartbroken and inconsolable, a Philadelphia woman is searching for answers after the deadly Ebola virus took the lives of two of her children in the span of just a few weeks.

“I can’t stand it,” said Georgia Nah of Southwest Philly. “I can’t sleep. Every day I think about them.”

Nah was thrusted into the spotlight July 25 when her son, 40-year-old Patrick Sawyer became the first American to be killed by the virus.

Sawyer became ill just a few weeks after rushing to the bedside of his sick sister, 27-year-old Princess Nyuennyue, who was hospitalized in early July in Liberia, where she lived with her fiancée and son.

“I didn’t even know she was sick,” said Nah as she choked back tears.

Nyuennyue died July 7-- one day after her brother visited her.

But hospital officials did not test the woman for Ebola until after her death – meaning her brother had no way of knowing he was exposed to the virus.

About two weeks after his sister’s death, Sawyer -- in Liberia since 2008 for his work with the foreign government’s Ministry of Finance -- was sent to Nigeria on assignment.

He collapsed as the plane touched down July 20 and was rushed to a hospital, where he was quarantined until his death five days later. He left behind a wife and three daughters, who he visited regularly at their home in Minnesota.

“My children were good children,” Nah said.

Nyennetue was buried in Liberia. But more than two weeks after Sawyer’s death, his family is still working to have his ashes returned to the states.

“At least send me something,” Nah said. “To know that here are the death certificates, the results of the Ebola. I don’t have anything.”

A memorial service for both of Nah's children will be held in Philadelphia Aug. 23.


Contact Alison Burdo at 610.668.5635, alison.burdo@nbcuni.com or follow @NewsBurd on Twitter.

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