A police officer is recovering after he was shot while thwarting a robbery in West Philadelphia Sunday night.

Officer James McCullough, 24, a two-year veteran in the 18th District, was on patrol in West Philadelphia with his partner at 8:52 p.m. when he was flagged down by a woman on Salford and Market streets. The woman told the officer two men were breaking into her car.

As Officer McCullough approached the woman's vehicle, two men got out of the car and started to run away, officials said. McCullough tackled one of the suspects and attempted to apprehend him, according to investigators.

The armed suspect allegedly opened fire, striking McCullough once in the left thigh.The suspect then got up and began running northbound on Salford Street, police said. McCullough then pulled out his own weapon and fired three shots, according to officials. The suspect continued running down Salford but was later apprehended by other officers, police said.

"The guy that ran down Salford Street, he started shooting first," a witness told NBC10. "He turned around and was shooting the cop and then the cop retaliated."

Police say McCullough was bleeding profusely and applied a tourniquet to his thigh. His partner drove him to Presbyterian Hospital where he is currently in stable condition. McCullough is engaged to be married and is also the father of a 2-year-old daughter.

Police say both suspects are currently in custody. They have not yet revealed their identities however.

The shooting occurred about three blocks away from where fellow 18th District Philadelphia Police Officer Jesse Hartnett was shot during an ambush attack back on January 7.

Trains on SEPTA's Market/Frankford line are currently not stopping at the 60th Street Station due to the police activity at the scene of the shooting. Market Street is also closed between 59th and 61st streets.

A driver rushed three gunshot victims to the hospital after a shooting in West Oak Lane overnight.

Gunfire rang out around 1 a.m. Monday along N Sydenham Street near 68th Avenue, said Philadelphia Police.

After the shooting, three people arrived at nearby Einstein Medical Center via private car, said police.

No word yet on the gunshot victims' conditions nor did police immediately reveal a motive for the shooting.

The triple shooting followed a violent Sunday where at least 11 people were shot in Philadelphia including police Officer James McCullough. Three of the victims from the earlier shootings died.

You might want to plan on a different route in or out of Philadelphia this week if you normally ride the Kelly Drive.

PennDOT warned motorists of possible delays along the popular Schuylkill River drive as part of a $1.8 million project to mill and resurface 3.5 miles of roadway over two stretches begins Monday.

More than 3 miles of the Kelly Drive will be resurfaced from 25th Street to Hunting Park Avenue in Fairmount Park, said PennDOT.

The plan is to work on the roadway during off peak hours (9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.) through Saturday, said PennDOT. During the construction, drivers should expect delays and lane restrictions, warned PennDOT.

The goal of the project is to mill the roadway and apply a new “ultra-thin friction course pavement” that helps motorists with traction while channeling away storm water, said PennDOT in a news release.

Drivers can use adjacent Martin Luther King Drive or the Schuylkill Expressway (Interstate 76) to avoid the Kelly Drive.

The agency also plans to resurface the roadway from the Kelly Drive ramp to Ridge Avenue in East Falls as part of the larger project – including the curb ramp installation that began earlier this month – that is expected to be wrapped up in May.

PennDOT has a website set up so that drivers can keep updated all road improvement projects over more than 40,000 miles of Pennsylvania roads.

www.511PA.com

A school bus carrying children and a car crashed along a New Castle County roadway Monday morning leaving an elderly man trapped in his car.

The wreck caused traffic troubles along S Old Baltimore Pike at Albe Drive in New Castle shortly before 7 a.m.

No one on board the First Student yellow bus suffered injuries, said New Castle County Paramedics. The 86-year-old driver of the car, however, was trapped inside his rolled over car, said medics.

Medics took the elderly man to Christiana Hospital's trauma center for treatment for head, chest and lower body injuries. He was listed in stable condition, said medics.

No word yet on where the bus was headed.

As SkyForce10 hovered overhead, crews could be seen loading a car onto a tow truck as the school bus moved from the roadway.

Waiting until the last minute to pay your taxes can cost you if you are expecting a refund, since the government hangs on to your money and receives more interest on it. However, if you owe money to the government, that same principle applies to you.

Extending your deadline to file does not extend your payment time. You are expected to pay the amount you owe, or your best estimate, by the April 18th deadline.

If you do have to make an estimate, it is usually best to err toward overpaying. Paying too much can always be applied to next year’s taxes, but paying too little requires that you pay interest on the difference – and could expose you to an audit if you greatly underestimate the amount.

You have four general payment methods from which to choose: 

Check/Money Order – The classics never go out of style. The IRS accepts checks or money orders payable to the United States Treasury. Include your phone number, Social Security number, and the 1040-V payment voucher (or other voucher as appropriate for the tax form you are submitting). 

Credit/Debit Cards – There are six IRS-approved payment processors for credit or debit cards. Links to these vendors may be found on the IRS website. Debit card charges are usually flat fees ($2.50-$3.95) and credit cards are charged as a percentage fee (1.87 percent -2.25 percent).

Electronic Funds Withdrawal (EFW) – Essentially, this is the reverse of direct deposit. Most e-filing methods require EFW. This has to take place as part of the electronic filing process – you cannot initiate EFW after your taxes have been submitted.

Check with your financial institution and verify that they allow EFW transactions. If so, they will supply you with the routing number and account number for the account from which you wish to have the funds withdrawn. Do not assume that the routing number on your checks is the correct one – sometimes extra internal routing digits are included, and the numbers need to conform to the IRS standards.

You will need to supply a contact phone number, Social Security numbers for every filer, and a payment date. You can still choose to have your payment made on April 18th, even if your form is filed earlier.

Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) – This is the IRS-run equivalent of EFW. It has the advantage of allowing same-day wiring of funds from your account, and is useful for scheduling regular estimated tax payments for the self-employed. 

EFTPS requires registration with the IRS. It can take five to seven business days to register, so make sure you leave enough time for your registration process to be completed before your payment deadline expires.

Electronic methods can be used on all 1040 Series forms, but not all tax forms or taxes can be handled through electronic payments. For details, check the links available on the IRS website. This page also contains links for businesses to use in electronic payments.

Should the computer gremlins attack or you spill coffee on your keyboard, you can still pay by phone using one of the IRS-approved credit/debit card processors, or by calling the IRS directly and using EFTPS.

Choose whichever payment method works best for you, and pay at the last minute with confidence. Just do not forget to make that payment before the deadline, or you’ll have to make a much bigger payment later.

This story first appeared on Moneytips.com. More from Moneytips: 

• How Will the New Mortgage Rules Affect You?
• Tax Season: What Your CPA Needs From You
• Top Ways to Use Unwanted Gift Cards

Your mother was right; it is important to start your day with a good breakfast. But the hearty feast of bacon and eggs that you may remember from your youth is hardly a good start by today's standards, and the doughnut and coffee of today's fast-paced world are no better.

A good breakfast can lend a hand with a successful workout. Without proper fuel, glycogen and blood-glucose levels can fall to dangerously low levels, which will affect your energy levels when you're running.

Cereal: the heart of the matter

Cereal is a great choice for breakfast but, only if you choose the right one. Unfortunately, most cereals are made from refined grains, and many are laced with extra sugar. Don't be misled by bold print that boasts about vitamins, minerals, or even whole grains. You should focus on two criteria: fiber content and personal preference. Look for a cereal that provides at least 6 grams of fiber per portion — 10-12 grams would be even better. You'll still need lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds later in the day to meet your target of 25-30 grams.

Other grains

Bread and toast are American breakfast traditions. If you like them, choose whole wheat or pumpernickel bread, which have a low glycemic index. Bran muffins are tricky; some are high in fat, and most provide only a few grams of fiber. Bagels are low in fat (unless you cover them with cream cheese) but very low in fiber. Overall, there's nothing wrong with any of these baked goods — unless they displace your breakfast cereal.

Spreads

Breakfast spreads present opportunities as well as perils. Avoid the regular use of butter (saturated fat) and stick margarine (trans fat). Honey and jam have no fat but are too sugary for daily use in large amounts. Soft margarine from a tub is acceptable, but plant stanol margarines such as Benecol® and Promise® are even better since regular use will help lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Fruit

The best diets include at least two to four portions of fruit a day. Breakfast presents a great opportunity to take the first step toward that goal. Pick the fruits you like best; there are no bad choices.

Eggs

Conflicting messages have scrambled the traditional wisdom about eggs, and modern nutritional science has not yet cracked the problem. An average egg contains 213 mg of cholesterol and 5 grams of fat, virtually all in the yolk. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends a daily consumption of just 300 mg or less of cholesterol, or 200 mg for people with high blood cholesterols. It's a sound recommendation, and it's taken eggs off the heart-healthy breakfast table. Fortunately, egg substitutes can be used to make fine baked goods and even omelets and scrambled "eggs."

Beverages

Watch the sugar and fat content of what you drink with your breakfast. Choose low- or non-fat milk for your cereal, coffee, and tea. If you drink juice, look for those that are not made from concentrate and have no added sugars or high fructose corn syrup. Caffeinated beverages are also okay unless you experience unpleasant side effects such as heartburn, palpitations, or headaches.

Not recommended

There is little debate about the healthfulness of some of the other breakfast choices. Doughnuts, croissants, waffles, and fried potatoes have too much fat. Processed meats, including bacon, ham, and sausage, have too much fat and salt. And the fast food breakfasts have too much of everything (except, of course, fiber).

Breakfast and your belly

Many people assume that skipping meals will help them lose weight. It's not true, particularly if the missed meal is breakfast. For example, a study of 16,452 American adults found that breakfast eaters were leaner than breakfast skippers — and people who ate cereal for breakfast were leaner than those who ate meat or eggs. A study of 2,831 young adults agreed, finding that people who ate breakfast regularly were only half as likely to be obese as those who usually skipped it. And a smaller Massachusetts study reported that skipping breakfast was associated with a fourfold increase in the risk of obesity. Not surprisingly, eating breakfast at home was more beneficial than eating out.

Start right

A good breakfast is an ideal way to start changing to a healthful diet. The food choices are simple, and you can measure your progress quite easily. Experiment until you find a healthful breakfast you can really enjoy. And if you eat right and stay healthy, you can afford to "cheat" from time to time.

A Philadelphia man has confessed to shooting his 4-year-old daughter in the face before punching another sibling and fleeing his home, homicide detectives said.

Maurice Phillips was denied bail at a Monday arraignment as he faces third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and related charges, according to court documents.

Phillips confessed early Sunday morning to shooting Tahirah Phillips in the face inside the front bedroom of the family's home along Mayfield Street near B Street just before 2:30 p.m. Saturday, police said.

The girl's six siblings, ranging in age from 7 months to 13 years old, were also in the room watching TV and playing when their sister was shot. After the shooting, police said Phillips got off the bed and punched his 5-year-old daughter and wiped blood from his hand onto the girl's shirt.

Phillips moved the 4-year-old's body to a back bedroom and called his fiance and told her to come home, police said. When she got there, Phillips got changed and left.

Phillips allegedly told police he was handling his semi-automatic handgun and accidentally shot his daughter. Police had initially believed that the little girl’s 5-year-old sibling had found Phillips’ gun and accidentally shot her.

Police worked to sort out if Phillips' claim that the shooting was an accident held up.

Investigators said Phillips fled the scene after the shooting. He later surrendered to police and remained in custody Sunday morning. Police also recovered the weapon, a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, at the scene, officials said.

News of the little girl's tragic death left neighbors in the community plagued by gun violence reeling.

"She was full of life," said Crystal Dougherty, a family friend, as she wept near the scene of the shooting. "She was always willing to help. She was a great big sister to her little brother."

During a vigil for Tahirah Monday on East Mayfield Street, friends, neighbors and strangers embraced each other and showed their support for her family. They released balloons into the sky while shouting, "We love you Tahirah."

Tahirah's grandfather Donald Myers was in tears while he addressed the crowd.

"It really hurts," he said. "For real. I mean this is crazy."

Myers condemned Phillips and called for an end to violence in his community.

"He shouldn't have did that," he said. "That was a 4-year-old girl who never went to school! This should stop for real! It has to be stopped! We're getting too old for this! We've got to stop killing each other!"

A Philadelphia man is charged with murder after shooting three people to death and seriously injuring a fourth before barricading himself inside his Kensington home this weekend.

James Elijah Dickson, 46, is charged with three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and related offenses for the shooting that happened early Sunday morning at his home along the 600 block of E. Westmoreland Street, police said.

Dickson called 911 to confess to the killings just before 4 a.m. Sunday and told the police dispatcher he was armed with a shotgun and wouldn't come out until "the sun comes up," police said.

The Philadelphia Police SWAT unit was dispatched and eventually coaxed him out of his home around 5 a.m.

Searching the home, police found the bodies of a woman and two men laying across the living room, dining room and kitchen, detectives said. All three were shot in the head.

A fourth person, shot in the arm, was able to flee the house, police said. He was taken to Temple University Hospital in critical condition.

The identities of two of those killed, the woman and one man, have yet to be released. Police identified the third deceased victim as 46-year-old Edwin Laboy.

A motive for the shooting was not immediately known.

A crossing guard died from his injuries after he was struck by a pickup truck in Trenton Monday afternoon.

The unidentified crossing guard was walking across Route 129 at Lalor Street at 3:19 p.m. when he was hit by a Chevy Avalanche traveling northbound on Route 129. The victim was pronounced dead. Officials have not yet revealed his identity.

SkyForce10 was over the crash and showed that the striking vehicle remained at the scene.

Zaniya Morgan-Lewis has not even graduated high school and she is already doing amazing things.

Zaniya was selected as the co-winner of a national essay contest initiated by First Lady Michelle Obama’s ‘Better Make Room’ campaign, which encourages students to work hard in high school and to excel in college, and Seventeen Magazine. Students were invited to submit an essay about any obstacles to success they have faced and how they were able to overcome them. She and her co-winner were invited to the White House and treated to a full tour and an hour-long interview with the First Lady, which was covered in an article by Seventeen Magazine.

Zaniya described the experience meeting First Lady Michelle Obama as surreal.

“I couldn’t believe I was actually meeting her," she said. "Then, when she came into the room, she was so welcoming. She immediately gave each of us a hug.”

The First Lady also imparted wisdom on the girls, telling them not to be afraid of doing the extra things in life and warning them that people will always doubt them and they had to prove those people wrong.

Zaniya wrote her essay about overcoming the adversity she faced in 9^th grade, when she switched from a public school to Doane Academy, a predominantly white high school in Burlington, New Jersey. The transition was a difficult one, but she was able to conquer it through her commitment to community service with the New Jersey National Guard Teen Panel, the Ronald McDonald House, and the Kindness Project, all of which she writes about on her website.

Zaniya cofounded the New Jersey National Guard Teen Panel along with other military kids to create a supportive community. Her father has served in the National Guard for 20 years and the experience has had a lasting effect on her. Unlike other military posts, the families of National Guard members are housed off-base in civilian neighborhoods, which can be burdensome on the kids. The panel hosts forums for the kids to talk about their experiences and plans fun events and activities.

Her experiences on the Panel have been wonderful, but she wanted to expand her horizons. She identified with the Ronald McDonald’s mission of helping families and decided to apply to serve on the Ronald McDonald House Teen Advisory Council of Southern New Jersey. Zaniya, and a few of her classmates who also volunteered with Ronald McDonald House, felt that they were doing really important work and decided to bring community service to Doane Academy. Last year, they launched the Kindness Project at their school and it has been a huge success. The group boasts over 30 members and hosts an annual talent show to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House.

Zaniya firmly believes that volunteering helped her through her transition to her new school. Helping others helped give her the confidence she needed to succeed.

A young Delaware County girl battling cancer received a hero’s welcome when she returned home Monday after several months of chemotherapy. 

Last May the parents of 7-year-old Cameron McCarthy, of Aston, Pennsylvania, noticed there was something wrong with her eye. After going to the doctor she was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.

After her diagnosis, Cameron was taken out of school and spent months in the hospital for treatment. Late Monday morning, after undergoing her 17th and final round of chemotherapy, Cameron finally left AI DuPont Hospital in Delaware.

“She’s been through 17 rounds of chemo,” said Cameron’s father Mike McCarthy. “She had proton therapy done also, 31 times. She’s tough.”

A stretch limo with a police and fire escort took her home to Aston where she was greeted by the entire community.

Cameron’s first stop during her homecoming was the Pennell Elementary School where classmates dressed in blue -- her favorite color -- held up signs showing their support. She then finally returned to her home on Morgan Road where she was greeted by her family, friends and more supporters, including Philadelphia Union goalie John McCarthy (no relation). John was asked to send her a signed ball a few months ago. He decided to do more than that.

“I said no I’d like to go visit her because you never know when a tough time like that happens you don’t know what can happen,” he said. “So I thought I’d give it a whirl and give it all I could.”

While Cameron was too tired to talk to NBC10 Monday, her parents told us her prognosis looks good.

“In the beginning you feel like you’re never going to get there so for her to have her last chemotherapy today, is amazing,” Cameron’s mom Laurie McCarthy said. “She was up for the challenge I guess.”