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Arson At Northeast Philly Mosque Sparks Hate Crime Probe, $2.5K Reward Arson At Northeast Philly Mosque Sparks Hate Crime Probe, $2.5K Reward
Arson At Northeast Philly Mosque Sparks Hate Crime Probe, $2.5K Reward A fire intentionally set at a Northeast Philadelphia mosque over the holiday weekend is being investigated as an arson, with civil rights leaders urging authorities to determine whether it was motivated by hate. Officers and Philadelphia Fire Department personnel responded to the Northeast Islamic Center in the 1400 block of Tyson Avenue on Sunday, July 5, at approximately 2:11 a.m. after a fire was reported, Philadelphia police said. Firefighters extinguished the blaze in the enclosed front porch area of the building. The mosque was unoccupied at the time, and no injuries were reported, po…

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by Jillian Pikora
Lifestyle
Dinner Decisions Are Complicated, New Survey Reveals Dinner Decisions Are Complicated, New Survey Reveals
Dinner Decisions Are Complicated, New Survey Reveals Figuring out dinner can feel like its own full-time side quest. A new survey of 2,000 adults found that the average respondent spends nearly 16 minutes a day deciding what to have for dinner, according to Talker Research. That adds up to more than an hour and a half each week, or about four full days a year. The survey, conducted by Talker Research for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, examined the daily “dinner decisions” Americans make and what makes a meal feel worth the wait. For many, food is also a mood boost. More than half of respondents, 58 percent, said splurging on a lav…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Freezers Packed With 55+ Dead Animals In PA Ends With Pet Ban: DA Freezers Packed With 55+ Dead Animals In PA Ends With Pet Ban: DA
Freezers Packed With 55+ Dead Animals In PA Ends With Pet Ban: DA A man convicted in a disturbing animal cruelty case involving dozens of dead animals stored in freezers and neglected pets left behind in a boarded-up home has been sentenced, prosecutors announced on Monday, July 6. Eric Lee Wise Werner, 41, of Conoy Township, was sentenced by Judge Todd Brown on June 26 after a Lancaster County jury found him guilty in March of 17 counts of animal cruelty, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office. Brown sentenced Werner to four years of probation, ordered him to pay a $300 fine, undergo a mental health evaluation, and prohibi…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
'Unending Trauma': Savannah Guthrie Describes 'Months Of Agony' Since Mom's Disappearance 'Unending Trauma': Savannah Guthrie Describes 'Months Of Agony' Since Mom's Disappearance
'Unending Trauma': Savannah Guthrie Describes 'Months Of Agony' Since Mom's Disappearance For Savannah Guthrie’s family, every day has become another unanswered question. The NBC "Today" co-anchor spoke publicly through a statement as the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, reached the 5-month mark, KOLD News 13 in Tucson reported. Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Catalina Foothills home near Tucson, Arizona, on Sunday, Feb. 1. "It is five months of agony and unending trauma for our family," the statement said. "There is not a moment that goes by that we aren’t actively trying to find our mom. We thank the people of Tucson for holding her in their hearts, as …

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by Joe Lombardi
News
29 People Died In NJ's Heatwave, Report Says 29 People Died In NJ's Heatwave, Report Says
29 People Died In NJ's Heatwave, Report Says Twenty-nine people are believed to have died as a result of last week's heatwave in New Jersey, the New York Times reports. Most of the fatalities were reported in New Jersey's heavily populated central and northern regions, where residents endured several consecutive days of triple-digit heat, the outlet reported, citing the state Department of Health.  The heatwave lasted from Wednesday to Saturday. At times, temperatures in parts of the state felt like 110 degrees. The victims ranged in age from their 30s to their 80s, and were found in homes, cars, and outside, according to Th…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Dad Of 3 ID'd After Fatal Police Shooting At Children's Hospital In Philly Dad Of 3 ID'd After Fatal Police Shooting At Children's Hospital In Philly
Dad Of 3 ID'd After Fatal Police Shooting At Children's Hospital In Philly A Philadelphia father of three has been identified as the man who was fatally shot by a police officer outside St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, authorities announced Monday, July 6. Joseph "Smitty" Smithers, 32, was killed after officers responded to the hospital at 3601 St. Christopher's Drive on Thursday, July 2, at approximately 10:21 a.m., Philadelphia police said. Officers were dispatched after a family member called 911 because Smithers was experiencing a mental health crisis and was believed to be suicidal, according to the police. Smithers had been directed off the hospital…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Public Funeral Set For PA Trooper Killed During NY Truck Inspection; Mass. Driver Charged Public Funeral Set For PA Trooper Killed During NY Truck Inspection; Mass. Driver Charged
Public Funeral Set For PA Trooper Killed During NY Truck Inspection; Mass. Driver Charged Pennsylvania State Police have announced funeral arrangements for Trooper First Class Michael E. Pahira Jr., the veteran trooper who was killed while inspecting a tractor-trailer driven by a New York trucker after investigators say a Massachusetts truck driver crashed onto the shoulder of Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County. Public visitation will be held from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, at North Schuylkill Junior/Senior High School, 15 Academy Lane in Ashland, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Monday, July 6. The funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. Burial services will be…

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by Jillian Pikora
Business
Bacteria Found In Popular Shampoo Prompts Recall: What To Know Bacteria Found In Popular Shampoo Prompts Recall: What To Know
Bacteria Found In Popular Shampoo Prompts Recall: What To Know A popular salon shampoo is being recalled because it may be contaminated with bacteria. Kao USA voluntarily recalled select lots of Oribe Serene Scalp Densifying Shampoo, according to a company announcement posted by the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday, July 1. The recall affects 8.5-ounce and 33.8-ounce bottles sold in the US and Canada. According to the company, the shampoo may contain Pluralibacter gergoviae bacteria. The bacteria pose little medical risk to healthy people, but people with weakened immune systems may be more susceptible to infection, the FDA said. The aff…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Stranger Shoots PA Family Man Walking In Park, Then Self: Police Stranger Shoots PA Family Man Walking In Park, Then Self: Police
Stranger Shoots PA Family Man Walking In Park, Then Self: Police Kevin Lucas was walking through Lancaster County Central Park when Brandon Cunningham, a man he did not know, shot him before turning the gun on himself, police said. A Lititz family man was shot and killed by a stranger while walking through Lancaster County Central Park, authorities revealed in a major update at the start of July. Brandon Cunningham, 32, of East Hempfield Township, shot at two people as they were walking through the park on Wednesday, June 24. Cunningham struck Kevin T. Lucas, 47, before turning the gun on himself, according to the Lancaster City Bureau of Police. The pe…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Lauren Bennett Dies At 37: Popular Singer's 'Party Rock Anthem' Became No. 1 Hit Lauren Bennett Dies At 37: Popular Singer's 'Party Rock Anthem' Became No. 1 Hit
Lauren Bennett Dies At 37: Popular Singer's 'Party Rock Anthem' Became No. 1 Hit Her voice helped define one of the biggest pop moments of the 2010s. Click here for a new, updated story: Lauren Bennett's Family Shares New Details After Singer's Death At 37 Lauren Bennett, best known for her featured vocals on LMFAO’s "Party Rock Anthem," has died at 37. Her former group, G.R.L., announced her death in an Instagram post on Monday, July 6. No cause of death was announced.  "Our hearts are broken, and we cannot express how much she meant to us," G.R.L. said. "We will forever cherish the love, laughter, and countless memories she gave us. Her beautiful spirit …

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Driver Charged In Death Of PA Firefighter Thrown From Moving Car At Shopping Center Driver Charged In Death Of PA Firefighter Thrown From Moving Car At Shopping Center
Driver Charged In Death Of PA Firefighter Thrown From Moving Car At Shopping Center The driver of a car involved in the crash that claimed the life of a 20-year-old volunteer firefighter has been charged, Northampton County prosecutors announced on Monday, July 6. Zachary Warren Barndt, of Bethlehem Township, is charged with Accidents Involving Death, Homicide by Vehicle, Aggravated Assault by Vehicle, Involuntary Manslaughter, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Careless Driving – Unintentional Death, Driving Without a License, and multiple traffic offenses in connection with the death of Daniel J. Maffea, according to Northampton County District Attorney Stephen G. Bar…

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by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
PA Model's Final Moments Captured Partying On IG Story Before Double Fatal NJ BMW Crash PA Model's Final Moments Captured Partying On IG Story Before Double Fatal NJ BMW Crash
PA Model's Final Moments Captured Partying On IG Story Before Double Fatal NJ BMW Crash The final moments of a Pennsylvania model were captured on her Instagram story. Ayzia Toledo, a 22-year-old Bristol resident, shared videos of herself smoking hookah, dancing, and singing karaoke with friends at approximately 9:30 p.m., about 90 minutes before her crashed BMW was found along Route 55 south in Deptford (Instagram stories disappear after 24 hours, screenshots attached). Toledo had apparently been hosting an event called "Darty in the USA," according to an Instagram post promoting the event by The Horsemen in Philadelphia last week. "Darty in the USA" thehorsemenphl …

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by Sam Barron & Cecilia Levine