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Woman Grabs Knife from Attacker, Stabs Him in Chest

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A New Jersey woman who was being sexually assaulted managed to wrestle away her attacker's knife and stab him in the chest, officials said.

The woman was attacked inside the suspect's home on Stevens Avenue in Jersey City at about 5 a.m. Thursday. Prosecutors say the pair had known each other for a few days. 

The woman broke free, struggled against her attacker outside his house, took his knife and stabbed him several times, according to prosecutors and witnesses.

"He was bleeding," said neighbor Christopher Shirden. "She wasn't bleeding. There was blood on her, but it probably was his." 

He was in intensive care Friday.

The 45-year-old suspect works in the Hudson County roads department.

He is charged with kidnapping, criminal restraint, aggravated sexual assault and other counts.


Philly Schools May Cash in on $2M Art Collection

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Before Marilyn Krupnick was a science teacher at Northeast Philadelphia's Wilson Middle School, she was a student there. When she stepped through the building's doors for the first time in 1956 with her mother, she was shocked by what she saw.

"I said, 'Mom, this school is an art museum.'"

About 70 pieces of art lined the walls, including works by the famous African-American painter Henry Ossawa Tanner and Philadelphian Dox Thrash.

Many years later, as the head of Wilson Middle School's mentally gifted program, Krupnick taught students about the 19th- and 20th-century paintings.

"And you know what's amazing?" she said. "Not one student damaged any painting in the building. And we had some wild kids."

The School District of Philadelphia has approximately 1,125 paintings, photos, sculptures and other pieces that are scattered throughout city schools and an undisclosed storage facility.

Most of the artwork was donated to the schools or purchased for low prices over several decades. The collection even includes portraits by Thomas Eakins, one of the country's most beloved painters.

DISTRICT SEEKS BIDS TO APPRAISE, AUCTION COLLECTION

In the midst of an unprecedented budget crisis, school district officials are now thinking about selling the pieces. They asked companies this summer to bid on a contract to appraise and auction the art, a move that has largely flown under the radar.

Spokesman Fernando Gallard said the district issued a request for quotation, or RFQ, for a simple reason.

"We are considering selling the art collection because we must look at every revenue source possible to assist us with putting more resources the classroom," he said.

Facing a $304 million budget deficit, the district sent pink slips this summer to nearly 3,900 employees, including teachers, guidance counselors and safety staff. The district received emergency funding from the city and state after the layoffs, but only enough to hire back 1,600 workers.

It is unclear how much money the district could raise by selling the collection. In 2003, an art consultant said it was worth $30 million. Gallard said it is now valued at $2 million, but couldn't explain the change.

The fact that the district is eyeing a sale drew a range of responses from education advocates, school employees and city officials.

Krupnick, who is now retired, said the artwork shouldn't be sold to the highest bidder because it could end up in private hands, never to be seen by Philadelphia school kids.

For her, that would be a tragic ending to an even more tragic story, which began in 2003.

ARTWORK TAKEN FROM SCHOOLS, CONSIGNED TO STORAGE

Then-district CEO Paul Vallas decided to conduct a survey of the art at schools throughout the city. Afterward, district officials said about 200 pieces at Wilson Middle and other schools were in danger of being stolen or damaged, so they quickly moved them to a top-secret storage facility.
Gallard said former officials did not notify school employees before boxing up the art because they believed that could have put it at risk.

"One day, an unmarked truck pulled up," said Krupnick. "The paintings were all hung on wires, with beautiful frames and lighting. They just started snipping wires. We were all crying hysterically."

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Los Angeles Times, National Public Radio and several other media outlets reported on the district's discovery of its valuable collection.

Teachers and principals called for it to be returned to schools. Some education advocates said it should be sold to help shore up the district's budget. But for almost 10 years, neither one of those things happened, and the paintings languished in storage.

Krupnick is afraid that Wilson's paintings could be stolen now if they were returned to the school. The next best thing, she said, is for them to be available for children to view at a museum, ideally for free.

Arlene Holtz, a former principal at Wilson Middle School, agrees. She said the district's proposal goes against the wishes of teachers and administrators who collected the art decades ago with the explicit goal of educating children.

"You never know whose life you touch with a painting or a choir rehearsal or a show performance," she said. "Putting up paintings in a school — that first generation ... those teachers, those parents — that was an act of faith. We've broken that faith. I really feel, deeply, we've broken faith with that generation."

Helen Gym, co-founder of the advocacy group Parents United for Public Education, urged the district to be cautious while considering an auction.

"What you don't want is a fire sale and a frantic desperation to dump things," she said, "for what's essentially not going to be that much money."

Gym also worries that the proceeds would be used to pay off the district's massive debt service, instead of funding school programs. Gallard said the money "would definitely be going to back to schools."

VALUE OF ART VS. VALUE OF ARTS PROGRAMS

Donna Cooper, executive director of the nonprofit Public Citizens for Children and Youth, supports selling at least some of the paintings to raise money for the district's art and music programs.

She noted that many of Philly's schools do not currently have choruses or annual plays.

"At this point," she said, "if we can get another year of art and music out of it, it's probably a better use of the picture than having it be on the wall and reminiscing about when we had art and music for children."

City Controller Alan Butkovitz, who has audited the art collection, said selling it would be an improvement over storing it indefinitely.

But he warned that may not be as easy as it sounds. He said some pieces are damaged or missing.

For instance, he said, murals at the former Thomas Middle School were painted over during a renovation. (It is now the Mastery Charter Schools' Thomas Campus.) He said the pieces were valued at $210,000.

To further complicate matters, Butkovitz said, the district may have a hard time determining who owns the artwork.

"There were claims that teachers owned them, or they belonged to associations, so that has to be sorted out," he said. "But nine years is way too long to grapple with these decisions."

Gallard said the district unquestionably owns the entire collection. He declined to confirm or deny Butkovitz's claim that Thomas' murals had been destroyed.

The district's proposal to auction off the collection faces another barrier. The School Reform Commission needs to approve a sale of the work.

In the midst of a doomsday budget, though, it's hard to imagine the SRC won't.


This story is reported through a news coverage parternship between NBC10.com and NewsWorks.org.



Photo Credit: Office of the Philadelphia Controller

Diner Under Fire for Booting Veteran, Service Dog

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A Massachusetts diner is facing widespread public backlash and calls for a boycott for refusing to serve to a veteran and his service dog.

Big I's, in Oxford, Mass., has been bombarded with angry phone calls, comments on online review sites and even arson threats in response to its treatment of James Glaser, an Iraq veteran, and his dog Jack.

Glaser, who says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and carries paperwork confirming Jack's status, said that he had just stepped in the restaurant for lunch Saturday when he heard someone say "get that F-ing fake service dog out of my restaurant." The owner of the eatery refused to let the dog stay, even after a call to police confirmed that the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits businesses from denying entry to certified service dogs like Jack.

"Just the fact he did it in public, I never felt so belittled in my life," Glaser told NECN in an interview.

Big I's owner, Russel Ireland, stood by his decision earlier this week, though he acknowledged that he may have overreacted. He said he should have told Glaser he wouldn't allow the dog inside after an earlier visit in which Glaser upset him by feeding the dog off of a plate.


"This is not a needs dog to me," Ireland said. "He did not come in with a harness. There's no muzzle on it."

Glaser's story sparked national interest after a Facebook post he wrote went viral, receiving more than 20,000 likes. Supporters responded by making profanity-laden calls to the eatery and posting Yelp reviews urging customers to dine elsewhere. They are now planning a weekend rally and a boycott.

“You got someone with a service dog,” Air Force veteran Ron McGrath, a Glaser supporter. “Legally, you should have accepted him and not made a big deal out of it. Now [Ireland] is being very belligerent about it so he gets what he deserves.”

Some local residents have defended Ireland, saying it was his call to make.


“I have a lot of respect for vets, but then again, the owner owns the place,” said Arnold Allaire, who supports the diner. “He has the right to say what goes.”

 

Katelyn Tivnan is a reporter for NECN.com.

Sheared Hydrant, Geyser Cause Power Outage

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A sheared hydrant caused a 55-foot geyser in the Southcrest area Friday, followed by a related power outage.

According to SDG&E, a vehicle struck a power pole and fire hydrant around 12:40 p.m. at 38th Street and Acacia Street. Officials said live wires were down.

The incident was followed by a power outage that left more than 1,000 SDG&E customers without power in portions of Logan Heights, Mountain View and Lincoln Park.

SDG&E says full restoration of power in the area is expected by 3:10 p.m. The cause of the outage, again, is linked back to the vehicle impacting the electric system.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Pilot Makes Emergency Landing on Beach

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A pilot was injured Friday morning when his small plane went down on a beach in the Rancho Palos Verdes area.

The report was received at about noon from Portuguese Bend, a nature reserve near the ocean. Aerial video showed the plane upside-down on the ground near the water line below Trump National Golf Club.

The pilot is "alert and talking with minor injuries," according to a tweet from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Aerial video showed a fire-rescue crew transporting the pilot from the area in the bed of a pickup.

Refresh this page for updates.

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Driver Swims Out of Car Trapped in Flood

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A morning commuter rolled down his windows to escape his car early Friday after it was trapped in floodwaters left behind by a an hourlong downpour that hammered Riverside and San Bernardino counties, snapping tree limbs and sending mud and debris through streets.

Download the Free NBC LA Weather App | Weather Page: Severe Weather Alerts | Interactive Radar | Send Us Your Weather Photos

Flash flood watches are expected to go into effect again Friday morning for inland areas, but showers and thunderstorms will be isolated to mountain and desert areas.

"The good news is that portions of Riverside and San Bernardino counties that saw all that rain yesterday will get a break," said NBC4 forecaster Elita Loresca.

The clear start to Friday comes after a brief, but intense, rainstorm caused flooding and debris flows. The downpour left 5 feet of water under a 91 Freeway overpass in Riverside, catching a morning commuter by surprise.

"It just carried me -- all the way to the middle," said driver Gary Quesada. "I put the windows down so I could climb out."

His stalled car -- containing a water-logged sandwich, Bible and other items -- was submerged to the roofline. A tow truck company worker waded into the water to attach a cable to the vehicle before the crew towed the Honda sedan out Friday morning.

Water gushed from the car after Quesada opened the passenger's side door.

"The lunch didn't make it, but the coffee still looks good," Quesada said. "And, I made it, so I'll just get another car."

Intense rainfall occurred on 14th Street and University Avenue, where standing water prevented drivers from crossing intersections.  By 8 p.m., crews had removed water on University, just below the Riverside Freeway, but 14th was still closed Thursday night.

Water and mud damage occurred in two homes on Sunnyside Drive, just off the Riverside Freeway at Arlington Avenue, according to the Riverside Fire Department. One home was damaged by mud and debris that spilled over from a nearby canal.

The downpours began at about 3 p.m. Thursday and continued for about an hour. The storm also brought strong winds that snapped tree limbs and damaged power lines, leaving some customers without power.

Badgett expected power would be fully restored Friday morning. The outages affected about 1,000 customers.

"We had the equivalent of a 200-year flood in one hour,'' Riverside Public Utilities Deputy Director Steve Badgett told City News Service. "It rained hard for a solid hour. We recorded nearly 1.5 inches of rain in the heart of the city."

National Weather Service forecasters reported winds in excess of 60 mph.

In Needles, about 200 miles east of Riverside, swift-water rescue crews responded to a pickup driver trapped in rising floodwaters north of Interstate 40. The truck was stranded in a 100-foot-wide flood area with water moving at about 15 mph.

The specially trained team rescued the man from the vehicle. No injuries were reported.

The inland region has been engulfed in a tropical air mass this week, pulling  moisture from the south and east into the southwestern United States. The chance of showers and thunderstorms will increase through the morning hours Friday.
 

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Flash Flood Warning Issued for North County

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The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for north central San Diego and Riverside counties effective from 3 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Friday.

Check Interactive Radar here

 Meteorologists say there are thunderstorms producing heavy rain in the area near the county line.

Rainfall rates could range between 1 to 1.25 inches in one hour according to the National Weather Service.

The area that may be affected is northeast of Valley Center. The NWS said the excess rain could cause the Aqua Caliente Creek to overflow its banks. That creek travels near State Route 79 in Warner Springs.

 

Drunk Driving Nightmare Warning

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10 Reasons You Don't Want To Drive Drunk

1)  Danger to Other Drivers on the Road

2)  Danger to Yourself

3)  Your Insurance Canceled

4)   DUI on Record for 10 Years

5)  Five-thousand Dollars Minimum Attorney Fees

6)  Civil Suit and Penalties

7)  Jail Time from 4 Days to 6 Months

8)  Lose License for 4 Months Minimum

9)  Skyrocketing Insurance Rates

10)  Feel Like an Idiot



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Church Burglars Steal $11K Worth of Stuff

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Calvin Presbyterian Church in West Philadelphia is hoping police will be able to track down the burglars who targeted their church.

"These guys know what they were doing. These are no amateurs," Elder Ron Ricks of Calvin Presbyterian told NBC10 Philadelphia's Nefertiti Jaquez.

The thieves pried open a door to the church during the overnight hours when no one was around. "It's very odd. It's almost like they've been here and they knew what they wanted and came back to get it," said Ricks.

The burglars allegedly swiped about $11,000 worth of antique chandeliers and chairs from the pulpit.

"They would have to be heartless, ruthless, and have no sense of respect for God or a church building," said Ricks.

This church has been a fixture in the community for 112 years.

Calvin Presbyterian is one of six churches in the city hit by burglars just this week.
 
Police aren't able to confirm if all these cases are linked.



Photo Credit: NBC10 Philadelphia

96-Year-Old Woman Refuses to Leave Home

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At 96 years old, Jeanne Simmons had planned to live out her days in the Falls Church, Va. area town home she purchased for $1,000 back in 1957.

Instead, the former teacher finds herself at the center of a property rights dispute, a story first reported by the Annandale Blog.

Built in the 1940s, the Hillwood Square town house complex where Simmons lives was sold in June to property development company Avalon Bay. The complex is a co-op, meaning each resident owns one share. Simmons was among a group of residents who fought the sale, but lost when two-thirds of the owners voted in favor of the deal.

Residents were given until Aug. 23 to move out. Everyone left, except Jeanne Simmons.

"I like Virginia," Simmons told News4 Washington's Northern Virginia Bureau chief Julie Carey. "I like this house even with all the flaws."

But recently it has become even more difficult to stay. A water main break forced the City of Falls Church to have the water cut off, so Simmons' tap is dry. Avalon Bay and Simmons' friends have been bringing her water jugs.

Simmons' two-story, two-bedroom home is filled with life-long mementos and artwork painted by her son. Simmons was a longtime volunteer for the Republican Party, and most rooms feature photos of President George W. Bush. A hand-written, signed letter from him is positioned next to Simmons' bed.

Simmons' friend Pierre Joligard stopped by Friday with supplies and spent some time singing French songs with Simmons.

"It's terrible," Joligard said. "The time she's been living here, she doesn't want to move anywhere. When you are old, you are attached to every single thing that is in your house. All her life is situated here."

A former neighbor tried to bring in some boxes to encourage Simmons to pack up.

"I got two of them in her house and then she said, 'No, I don't want any more. I'm not going anywhere,'" said Tabi Yothers.

Aug. 26, Avalon Bay's attorneys sent a follow-up notice to Simmons asking her to leave within five days. In a written statement Avalon Bay spokesman Kurt Conway says:

“We are very upset at the way this unfortunate situation has developed. We have tried very hard to work out a reasonable approach with the family, and we have repeatedly attempted to explain the necessity of relocating Mrs. Simmons, who will receive for her co-op membership interest the price that was negotiated by the Hillwood Square Mutual Association. Unfortunately, we have had no cooperation from the family."

An Avalon Bay representative said the company has offered to pay for a hotel room for Simmons if she will move out.

Simmons' son, John, lives in Colorado. He says while he has power of attorney, he must legally follow his mother's wishes.

"My mother does not intend to vacate her home on any date," John Simmons said. "She has a right to occupy her home. She is going to challenge the sale all the way back to day one."

Friends say they will continue to look in on Simmons, but they worry about conditions in her town home.

"Things have gone downhill for her because people who lived here took care of her and checked on her, cleaned her house, did her dishes and made sure she had food and everything else," said former neighbor Yothers. "We've tried to help her with various other options but her thing was, 'I don't want to leave. I want to be here if I have to die here.'"

Top News Photos of the Week

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View weekly updates on the very best photos in domestic and foreign news.

Photo Credit: AP

Gloria Counters Filner's Final Act as Mayor

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Minutes after taking office, interim Mayor Todd Gloria quickly reversed one of Filner’s last actions as mayor of San Diego.

As mayor, Filner always said neighborhoods are important. On Friday, just hours before his term officially ended, Filner tried to stop construction of a fast food drive-thru, issuing a “Stop Use Order” for a construction project at a Jack in the Box restaurant in North Park.

The order was then rescinded by Gloria, who said that the move was reckless, and an abuse of government power.

Gloria released the following statement regarding Filner’s final act:

“Bob Filner’s last act was symbolic of his entire tenure as Mayor: it was contradictory and exposed the City of San Diego to liability. While Filner was Mayor, his staff approved the permit for the renovations on Jack in the Box in North Park. Before leaving office for the final time today, Filner issued a Stop Use Order to Jack in the Box for the same project that he had approved. I agree the Land Development Code must be changed so that the scenario experienced in North Park cannot be repeated. Unfortunately, Mayor Filner didn’t see it fit to change the rules while he was in office, but I’ll clean that mess up, too.”

The Jack in the Box in question is located at 30th and Upas Streets. It’s a target of criticism among residents in the area who say Jack in the Box remodeled the building without the proper approvals, and used a technicality to allow the construction of a drive-thru lane on the property.

Some neighbors argue that the drive-thru causes late-night noise and litter. Several months ago, they took their concerns to Filner, who promised to help.

And, just before his term was up on Friday, Filner issued an order to halt the project.

Gloria, however, reversed the order, arguing that Filner’s action exposed the city to an expensive potential lawsuit.

According to Gloria, Jack in the Box re-submitted their project through the City’s Development Services Department as a “remodel” under section 12.7.1 of the Land Development Code, despite the fact that the project was more a rebuild. This allowed the project to be permitted without review or approval by the City Council.

Gloria says the city code should be changed to close loopholes that allowed the construction of the drive-thru and prevent a project like this from happening again.

“As I take on the role of Interim Mayor, I assure North Park neighbors and all San Diegans that my City Council colleagues will address this loophole. Until then, I expect everyone to play by the rules as they are written today,” Gloria added in a prepared statement released Friday evening.

SDG&E Offers Energy-Saving Incentive

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In an effort to go easy on strained electric grids on a hot Labor Day weekend, San Diego Gas & Electric is offering an energy-saving incentive to customers.

The company has declared Saturday a “Reduce Your Use” day, meaning customers are asked to cut back on their electricity use so SDG&E can have enough resources to meet demand across the county on the hotter-than-average day.

Here’s how it works: Customers are asked to reduce their electricity use between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. By doing so, they become eligible to earn a credit on their electricity bill of 75-cents per kilowatt hour saved.

For more information about earning the reduced-use reward, visit this website.

In the meantime, SDG&E says customers can follow a few simple tips to save energy at home including raising their central air-conditioning thermostat setting four to six degrees, running major appliances before 11 a.m. or after 6 p.m., unplugging chargers and power strips and turning off swimming pool pumps between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
 

Murder Charge for Man Accused of Biting Wife's Nipple

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A man accused of beating his wife with an iron fireplace poker and then biting her nipple is now being charged with attempted premeditated murder following an appearance in a Broward County bond court.

Robert Ruman was initially charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, domestic violence and committing/attempting a specified felony for the July 25 attack.

Officials said Robert Ruman and wife Judy Ruman had been talking about getting a divorce, but the husband objected. That's when he "completely lost control" and made threats to kill her and then himself, an arrest report said.

Robert Ruman first hit his wife with his fist, then hit her in the head with the fireplace poker, officials said.

Judy Ruman was taken to Broward Health North to be treated for open wounds on her head and face, along with permanent damage to her nipple and other injuries to her back, torso, arms and legs.

Robert Ruman continues to be held without bond following the new charge.

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Photo Credit: Broward Sheriff's Office

Oceanside Police Search for Fugitive

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Authorities in Oceanside searched extensively for a fugitive Friday night by ground and air.

According to officials, police are searching for a fugitive wanted by federal law enforcement. Patrols searched for the suspect on the ground and via helicopter, and blocked off streets as they scoured the area.

As of 9:15 p.m., officers had established a perimeter from Highway 76 to Mission Avenue.

At one point, officers were going from house to house in search of the suspect. Officers also went car to car, inspecting vehicles and trunks for any sign of the wanted fugitive.

The suspect's name has not yet been released. It is unclear why he is wanted by law enforcement.

No further details were immediately released.

Check back for updates, and watch NBC 7 News at 11 p.m. for a live, detailed report from the scene.



Photo Credit: Dave Summers

Two Critically Injured as Powerful Storm Rakes Area

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Two people were critically injured Friday when a strong line of storms raked the Chicago area, bringing down trees and power lines, knocking out power to thousands, and delaying the travel of thousands of commuters heading into a busy holiday weekend.

In one incident, a woman sitting on a couch was injured when the roof collapsed on her. The building she was in, on the 1100 block of North Ashland Avenue, was under construction at the time, officials said.

She was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County and listed in critical condition as of 7:30.

On the northwest side of the city, a man was taken to Lutheran General Hospital and listed in critical condition after he was struck by a falling tree on the 7200 block of West Howard Street, officials said.

Temperatures in the Chicago area on Friday were in the upper 90s, and with high humidity the heat index was more than 100 degrees. All of that hot, humid air was fuel for the line of storms that began crossing the Wisconsin/Illinois state line in mid-afternoon.

The storms topped out at about 55,000 feet and were moving to the south and east at about 25 MPH at about 5 p.m.

Wind gusts exceeded 60 MPH in some areas and there were reports of 12 to 18-inch diameter trees down in northern suburbs. Other areas saw large hail stone falling from the sky. One of NBC Chicago's neighborhood weather sites, in Harvard, Ill., collected 3.8 inches of rainfall from the event.

Thousands of lightning strikes were recorded. Residents were advised to get inside a sturdy structure or hard-roofed automobile until the severe weather passed.

Reminder: there is no safe place outside when there is lightning, and lightning strikes are possible up to 30 minutes after a storm passes.

Full ground stops were issued at both O'Hare International and Midway International while the brunt of the storm passed overhead.

On roadways throughout the area, traffic slowed to a crawl as torrential rain diminished visibility.

As of 9 p.m., Commonwealth Edison officials reported nearly 71,000 customers were without power.

Storms are expected to continue to push southward into the southern suburbs during the Friday evening hours.
 

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Photo Credit: Mike Paskvan

Another Cyclospora Case Found in Dallas County

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Dallas County health officials have identified another case of cyclosporiasis.

The total number of cyclospora cases in Dallas County is now 38. Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin counties report a total of 128 cases.

More than 600 people in 23 states, including 282 people in Texas, have been sickened by the microscopic parasite this summer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC says that early evidence shows that the cases in Texas are not linked to the illnesses in other states.

The source of the outbreaks in Iowa and Nebraska was linked to a salad mix served at restaurant chains in those states, but the cause in other states has not been determined.

The source of the salad mix in Iowa and Nebraska, Taylor Farms de Mexico, suspended production and distribution of the mixes on Aug. 12 until it was given the all-clear by the Food and Drug Administration on Aug. 25.

In the Texas outbreak, health officials are doing a lot of retracing of footsteps, said Dr. Cedric Spak at Baylor University Medical Center.

"They have to follow the path, so it does sometimes almost seem like something you'd see on a television show -- so, boots on the ground," he said. "They have to travel. They have to go place to place to figure it out."

In some previous cyclospora outbreaks, the cause was never discovered, federal officials say.

Thorough washing of produce is recommended, however, it may not eliminate the risk of cyclospora transmission, according to the Dallas County health department.



Photo Credit: AP

Colo. "Potty Peeper" Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison

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A Colorado man, who hid in the tank of a portable toilet at a yoga festival to spy on women, has been sentenced Friday to three years in prison and ten years of probation, according to The Associated Press

Police arrested Luke Chrisco in 2011 after a woman at the Hanuman Yoga Festival in Boulder, Colo., discovered someone moving inside of a portable toilet, according to the AP. She then saw a feces-stained male emerge from the chamber and flee the scene.
 
The 31-year-old pleaded guilty in July to attempted unlawful sexual contact and two burglary counts, KUSA-TV reported. Prosecutors dropped six other burglary charges and a misdemeanor count of criminal invasion as part of a plea agreement.
 
Chrisco also admitted to spying on women through peepholes he created in numerous public bathrooms in Boulder, including the University of Colorado and Naropa University campuses, according to The Daily Camera.
 
At the time of his arrest, Chrisco suffered from mental health issues such as delusional behavior and hallucinations.

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Jogger, 69, Attacked With Stun Gun in Attempted Rape

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Police are looking for a man who used a stun gun on a 69-year-old jogger and tried to rape her in Forest Park in Queens, NY.

Police say the woman was jogging in the park on Monday afternoon when she was attacked. She was in a more secluded area of the park called the trail section. 

Officials are investigating whether the assault is related to a stun gun attack on a 23-year-old woman in March.

City councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, a jogger herself, says she pushed for more patrols after the March attack. 

"Every inch of the park needs to be safe," she said. "We need to be assured that. But if you're going to be out there running on your own, please stay on the main roads."

Police say the description of the suspects in both Monday's attack and the one in March are similar. 

-- Checkey Beckford contributed to this report. 

Fla. Boy Gets Royal Delivery From Buckingham Palace

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A South Florida boy received a special letter from Buckingham Palace after a chance encounter with Prince Harry in Washington, D.C.

Juan Dada, 12, met the prince weeks earlier when on a class trip to Washington, DC. For Dada, the May trip almost didn't happen because the Boca Raton middle schooler couldn't walk.

"I stepped on a clam and I got 10 stitches on my foot, so I didn't think I could go," he said.

Stan Perlmutter, owner of About Thrift Store where Dada's mother volunteers, donated a wheelchair so the boy could make his trip.

"We happen to have a portable wheelchair, so I said, 'Marta, take the wheelchair. They'll wheel him around,'" Perlmutter said.

That wheelchair is what caught Prince Harry's attention when the two were at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the same time.

"He came up to me and said, 'What happened' and I told him and then he shook my hand and said hi," Dada said.

His mom Marta Perez remembers her son's excitement.

"He said, 'Prince Harry! He was there! He shook my hand! He said hi to me mommy. I can't believe it! I can't believe it!' It was beautiful listening to him talking in that way," Perez said.

Then, a letter from Buckingham Palace arrived at the thrift store.

"The mailman came in and said, 'What did you guys do wrong?' I said, 'Why.' He said, 'I have a letter here from Buckingham Palace,'" Perlmutter said.

It arrived two weeks after Perlmutter made a few calls to the British Embassy.

He told officials that the boy was now Prince Harry's number one fan and asked if there was someway he could get something as a remembrance.

"I didn't think it was from Prince Harry until I read the title," Dada said. "At first I thought my parents were playing a prank on me.

To Perlmutter, Dada said, "Thank you. I was really happy."

It was a chance meeting that happened after stepping on a seashell. Now, Dada said every time he looks at the scar on his foot, he will think of Prince Harry.



Photo Credit: NBC 6 South Florida
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