Quantcast
Channel: Local – NBC10 Philadelphia
Viewing all 60465 articles
Browse latest View live

Missing Dredge Operator's Body Found in River

0
0

The body of a missing dredge operator was recovered Wednesday evening, nearly 24 hours after he and two other men -- who were rescued immediately -- fell into the Christina River in Delaware when the barge they were on capsized.

The United States Coast Guard and various rescue crews scoured the river in Wilmington, Del. until the body of Emmanuel Gatling Jr., a dredge maintenance operator for Norfolk Dredging, was found around 5:30 p.m., according to officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Gatling Jr. and two other Norfolk employees were dumped into the river just before 7:30 Tuesday night as they moved anchors in the Wilmington Harbor Channel -- a routine job performed on a regular basis to reposition the barge, said Charlie Myers of the Army Corps of Engineers.

The other men were rescued immediately. It is believed that Gatling Jr. got tangled in equipment while underwater, according to Myers.

Norfolk Dredging is a company contracted out by the Army Corps of Engineers.

"We are all very upset," said Myers. "We work with these folks everyday and they are like family."


Donated Items Don't Always Go to Local Needy

0
0

The holiday season is a time for giving, but have you ever wondered what happens to your donations? NBC10's Doug Shimell tracks donated items in Mount Airy.

Teen Hero Honored in Delco

0
0

Ridley High School senior Joe Chambers, hailed a hero for saving a Philadelphia police officer's life, received an honor from the Delaware County Council today.

Complaints Made Against Delaware Charter Schools

0
0

Two organizations have filed a complaint saying Delaware's charter schools are not offering the same opportunities to all children. NBC10's Tim Furlong gets both sides.

Reading Police Ask Residents for Crime Camera Cash

0
0

In an attempt to make the city of Reading safer, police are looking to improve their surveillance camera system. The only problem is, they do not have the money to do it and are asking residents for help.

Former Traffic Court Judge Sentenced for Ticket-Fixing

0
0

Former Philadelphia traffic court judge Robert Mulgrew was convicted of lying about fixing tickets.

2nd Child Abuse Trial for Army Major, Wife

0
0

A New Jersey army officer and his wife will go on trial a second time on charges they abused and neglected their three adopted children.

Firefly Music Fest Boosts Delaware's Economy

0
0

Major summer music festival Firefly has brought in $68 million for Delaware's economy.

Photo Credit: Getty Images for Firefly Music F

Fire Rages Through West Philadelphia Apartments

0
0

Firefighters had their work cut out for them as fire raged through an apartment building in the city's Wynnefield neighborhood Wednesday night.

Several homes in an apartment building on the 5300 block of West Montgomery Avenue were evacuated after nearby units were overcome by fire, causing the building's roof to collapse, officials said.

"I saw fire just shooting all out of the window, like right there at my face and someone yelled from a window, 'get out,'' said fire victim Rhonda Cooper.

The Red Cross is assisting several residents displaced by the fire. Red Paw is also on scene to help with displaced pets, according to Red Cross spokesperson Sara Smith.

Firefighters battled the blaze for nearly two hours before it was extinguished around 7:30 p.m. No one was injured in the blaze.

It's unclear at this time how the fire began.



Photo Credit: File Photo

Keeping Your Holiday Packages Safe From Thieves

0
0

‘Tis the season to be merry, but some (Grinches) also see the holiday season as the perfect time to steal.

With the holiday season in full swing, residents are already reporting missing packages from their properties in and around the Philadelphia area with most thieves aiming to resell the item or wrap it up for their loved ones.

While it's nearly impossible to protect the perimeter of your home at all times, there are some things you can to try and protect your delivery items, according to the United Parcel Service (UPS) and FedEx.

Common sense will tell you to send your shipment to your home. However, if you work during the day, an alternate destination is best. Have the good delivered to your office or to a neighbor or relative you know will available to receive it. Just make sure to place a note on the door for the delivery driver, “deliver to next door neighbor,” giving permission to the driver to give the parcel to someone else.

In the case of an emergency, you can redirect your packages to a different location -- even when they’re already on their way.

FedEx also offers an online delivery manager for instructions on residential deliveries including time, location and other safety details. Similarly, UPS offers a service allowing consumers to sign up for a text alert with a delivery time window.

Additional safety steps include requesting a signature, or a requesting a doorbell ring or knock upon delivery with a note.

Leaving the area for the holidays? Request a vacation hold for up to 14 days.

Happy shopping!
 

16 Families Displaced in Levitown Apartment Fire

0
0

The fire at Fox Wood Manor Apartments was started by a gas main explosion Wednesday evening, according to fire officials. No one was injured in the blaze.

NBC10 First Alert Weather: Cold Temps Set In

0
0

It's cold and dry out there, but enjoy it while you can because a long stretch of rain will move in by the weekend.

Car Hits, Kills Highway Worker on Route 422

0
0

A construction worker is dead after a car struck him along Route 422 late Wednesday night.

The project superintendent, identified as 60-year-old Lee Boyer of Liberty, Pennsylvania, was setting up cones as part of a crew completing ongoing roadwork on Route 422 around 11 p.m. when the vehicle hit him as he stood on the westbound side of the highway near the exit for Route 100 in North Coventry Township, police said.

The driver of the striking car remained at the scene.

The deadly accident caused officials to close a portion of Route 422 overnight. The westbound lanes were reopened around 4 a.m.

No word yet on whether the driver will face charges. Accident investigators are reconstructing the crash to determine exactly what occurred.

Fire Destroys Police Officer's Montgomery County Home

0
0

A fire tore through a Montgomery County home early Thursday morning, destroying the property before firefighters were able to get the blaze under control.

Crews responded to reports of smoke and flames in the 2-story home of a local township police officer on Commons Drive in Sanatoga shortly before 2:30 a.m., officials said.

The fire was placed under control overnight, but authorities said they are treating the incident as suspicious.

The Montgomery County Fire Marshal is investigating whether an accelerant was used to spur the blaze, which completely gutted the police officer's home.

No one was hurt in the blaze.

Man Hurt When Gunman Opens Fire on Car in NE Philly

0
0

A gunman opened fire on a car in Northeast Philly early Thursday morning, hitting the driver multiple times.

The shooter approached the vehicle, which was on the 6600 block of Castor Avenue, near Magee Avenue, around 1 a.m. and fired seven shots at the 41-year-old driver, authorities said.

The victim, who was hit three times in his arm, drove his car about a half block -- turning a corner -- to escape the suspect, police said.

He was rushed to Aria-Torresdale Hospital in stable condition, according to officials.

No word yet on a possible motive.

Police are searching for the gunman.


NJ Gov. Christie Heads to Canada to Talk Energy

0
0

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will head to Canada on Thursday for his second foreign trip in recent months, giving him the chance to begin to build a foreign policy platform and demonstrate his policy chops as he considers a run for president in 2016.

In addition to meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and courting business leaders, Christie's trip will focus heavily on strengthening ties with America's neighbors and ramping up North American energy production, building on two themes he began to articulate during his recent trip to Mexico.

"The objective of the trip is to continue to strengthen relationships with our neighbors where we have strong economic and trade partnerships and natural resource opportunities," Christie's communications chief Maria Comella said.

Christie will spend Thursday in Calgary, Alberta -- the heart of Canada's tar sands energy boom -- giving a speech at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and meeting with energy CEOs and members from the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

On Friday, the delegation will meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and members of his cabinet in Ottawa and attend a wreath-laying at the National War Memorial, where a soldier was recently gunned down.

The trip ends in Toronto, where Christie will tout New Jersey to CEOs and banking executives and meet with utility company representatives who helped the state in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. He will also deliver a private speech at the exclusive Albany Club.

Christie is expected to emphasize the stalled Keystone XL oil pipeline, which would carry oil from western Canada's tar sands to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast.

The back-to-back international visits appear to be part of an effort to carve out an early policy niche in the crowded field of potential 2016 candidates and demonstrate his policy chops on a bread-and-butter topic his aides believe will resonate with voters.

"The primary emphasis of the trip, of course, is to grow cross-border investment, trade and economic opportunities for New Jersey. But I think while he's there he's going to talk about -- as he did in Mexico -- the importance of trade," said Robert Grady, a former White House official and former chair of the New Jersey State Investment Council, who will be part of the delegation.

"It's very important to him to strengthen and pay priority attention to our closest allies, and Canada certainly qualifies," he said, adding that Christie has prepared for the trip by having a series of meetings with people who are knowledgeable about Canadian-U.S. relations.

Democratic Senator Raymond Lesniak, a frequent Christie critic, said the trip was another example of Christie putting his ambitions ahead of the state.

"We have an absentee governor who's more interested in gallivanting throughout the country and outside the borders of New Jersey to bolster his prospects for running for president, and that's not good for the state."

Christie has faced growing criticism for refusing to weigh in on divisive issues like immigration, fueling questions in Republican circles about whether he's doing enough to study up on issues he'll have to discuss in depth if he runs. But Christie's trips have provided him an opportunity to be briefed by some of the nation's top foreign policy experts, without stirring speculation.

That includes David Wilkins, the former U.S Ambassador to Canada under George W. Bush; Robert Zoellick, the former president of the World Bank who recently co-chaired a Council on Foreign Relations task force on North America; David Burney, a former Canadian ambassador to Washington; and other experts.

"Governor Chris Christie had a good visit with Mexico and his visit to Canada now is a bookend with the focus being on New Jersey with an economic as well as foreign policy interest," Zoellick said.

"It's a good opportunity for him to combine something that's interesting to New Jersey as a state and the country as a whole."



Photo Credit: EFE

House Explodes in Northeastern Pa. After Gas Leak

0
0

Officials evacuated dozens of residents in a northeastern Pennsylvania neighborhood early Thursday morning after a gas leak caused a house to explode.

The home, located near Laurel and Smith streets in Dunmore, Lackawanna County, exploded around 3:45 a.m. -- almost two hours after crews responded to a water main break near that intersection, according to reports.

The water main break, which crews responded to around 2 a.m., may have damaged a nearby gas line, causing the leak, officials said.

Following the blast, a neighboring property caught fire.

One firefighter was hurt, although the severity of his injuries are unclear.

Officials evacuated neighbors immediately after the water main break and the American Red Cross has opened a warming center on the 1400 block of Monroe Avenue to assist them.

Philly Jesus Fights Charges, Pleads Not Guilty

0
0

Philly Jesus is fighting charges after entering a not guilty plea in court Thursday.

Police charged 28-year-old Michael Grant -- better known as Philly Jesus -- with disorderly conduct and failure to disperse in mid-November.

Grant, who declined to comment on the case Thursday, told NBC10 last month the officer accused him of soliciting in LOVE Park -- his usual hangout where tourists and locals often take photos with him as he quotes sermon.

But the local celebrity -- the City of Brotherly Love’s pious answer to Times Square’s Naked Cowboy -- insists he never charges people, tweeting about it hours after his arrest on Nov. 14.

“I tell people I do not charge," he explained last month. "But tips and donations are always welcome."

Known for wearing a long white robe and carrying a staff, Grant sported his signature outfit while in court Thursday.

A recovering drug addict, Grant embraced Jesus as part of his efforts to maintain his sobriety.

"I considered myself completely healed and cured when I surrendered my heart to Jesus Christ,"  Grant, who said he has been sober since June 4, 2013, told NBC10 in September.

Shortly after his arrest, the BBC announced it would tell his story, which includes occasionally baptizing people in the fountain of LOVE Park.

Grant is due back in court Dec. 15.



Photo Credit: Instagram - PhillyJesus

Attorney: Recalled Airbags are 'Time Bombs'

0
0

Nearly a dozen drivers – including several Philadelphians -- are suing a Japanese auto parts maker after defective air bags sprayed metal fragments as they deployed, maiming and even killing their passengers.

“When you buy a big item like a car, you expect that you’ll be safe,” said Sol Weiss, a Philly-based attorney with Anapol Schwartz who is representing the group suing Takata.

Around 14 million Takata-made air bags are defective worldwide and about 8 million of those are in the U.S. The company made air bags for Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, BMW and Honda – which is Takata’s largest customer. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a nationwide recall, but Takata has refused to accept the federal government’s decision, citing a lack of data.

Instead the firm is focused on sending replacement parts to the U.S. regions with high humidity, which Takata officials said contributes to the malfunctioning air bags.

That decision is causing drivers in our area to hit a roadblock as they try to replace the part in their own cars.

“You come to the dealership and say, ‘can you replace my air bags?’” Weiss asked. “I’m sorry Mr. Smith, come back in six months.”

Bill Caras, a BMW owner from Southern California, took his vehicle to a dealership in his area when the government issued the recall.  But, Caras said, his dealer told him it would be months before they could replace the air bag.

“They said simply don’t have anyone sit in the seat,” he said. “I couldn’t possibly put anyone in the front seat.”

More than a dozen Philly-area dealerships, including Honda, Toyota, Mazda and Ford, declined to comment when asked how they are handling the recall, instead telling NBC10 Investigators to contact automakers.

Rick Schostek,a Honda North America exec, told Congress dealers need to replace the recalled air bags immediately, but he anticipates problems. 

“We believe there will be a parts shortage that may occur despite Takata’s efforts to increase the supply of inflators,” Schostekof said.

Several carmakers, including Toyota, Honda, General Motors and BMW have issued statements saying their customers’ safety is their top concern and several told Congress they will provide loaner cars if necessary.

But the parts shortage is putting automakers and dealers in the middle of Takata’s mess, according to Weiss, who referred to the airbags as "time bombs." 

“They’ve got to speed up production and figure a way they can get these air bags replaced,” he said.

A Takata executive acknowledged the need for replacement supplies, but it is unclear if Delaware Valley drivers will move up on the priority list.

“It’s not speed enough,” said Hiroshi Shimizu, senior vice president at Takata.  “We understand the issues so that is why we are discussing to add the capacity of the productions.”

Attorneys in our area are pushing the Japanese auto parts maker to hand over proprietary information about how the air bags are constructed so other manufacturers could increase production and offer car owners an alternative.

****Customers with questions can contact their automaker: BMW Customer Relations, 1-800-525-7417 or email customer.relations@bmwna.com; Toyota Customer Experience Center, 1-888-270-9371 and Lexus Customer Satisfaction, 1-800-255-3987; Honda, recalls.honda.com or 1-800-999-1009, option 4 and recalls.acura.com or 1-800-382-2238, option 4****

AFFECTED VEHICLES

Acura: 2002–2003 CL and TL; 2003–2006 MDX; 2005 RL

BMW : 2000–2005 3-series sedan and wagon; 2000–2006 3-series coupe and convertible; 2001–2006 M3 coupe and convertible

Chrysler: 2005–2008 Chrysler 300; 2007–2008 Aspen

Dodge/Ram: 2003–2008 Dodge Ram 1500; 2005–2008 Ram 2500, Dakota, and Durango; 2006–2008 Ram 3500 and 4500; 2008 Ram 5500

Ford: 2004 Ranger; 2005–2006 GT; 2005–2007 Mustang

Honda: 2001–2007 Accord; 2001–2005 Civic; 2002–2006 CR-V; 2002–2004 Odyssey; 2003–2011 Element; 2003–2007 Pilot; 2006 Ridgeline

Infiniti: 2001–2004 Infiniti I30/I35; 2002–2003 Infiniti QX4; 2003–2005 Infiniti FX35/FX45; 2006 Infiniti M35/M45

Lexus: 2002–2005 SC430

Mazda: 2003–2007 Mazda 6; 2006–2007 Mazdaspeed 6; 2004–2008 Mazda RX-8; 2004–2005 MPV; 2004 B-series

Mitsubishi: 2004–2005 Lancer; 2006–2007 Raider

Nissan: 2001–2003 Maxima; 2001–2004 Pathfinder; 2002–2006 Nissan Sentra

Pontiac: 2003–2005 Vibe

Saab: 2005 9-2X

Subaru: 2003–2005 Baja, Legacy, Outback; 2004–2005 Impreza, Impreza WRX, Impreza WRX STI

Toyota: 2002–2005 Toyota Corolla and Sequoia; 2003–2005 Matrix, Tundra

Insurance Premiums on the Rise Through HealthCare.gov

0
0

The Obama Administration announced today that insurance premiums are on the rise through HeathCare.gov.
Viewing all 60465 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images