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MTV Star Charged with Prostitution

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The star of a popular reality TV show on MTV was one of eight women arrested in a prostitution bust in Delaware.

Valerie Fairman, 21, of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, was arrested Thursday for prostitution and issued a criminal summons pending an appearance in court, police said. Fairman appeared on season 2 of MTV's “16 and Pregnant." 

Along with Fairman, Brooke Hatfield, 23, of Wilmington; Stephanie Brown, 26, of Newark, Delaware; Dawn Price, 32, of Newark, Delaware; Jaquya Fairley, 34, of New Castle, Delaware; Lindsey Taylor, 30, of Newark, Delaware; Kristina Weaver, 33, of New Castle, Delaware; and Leslie Larkin, 54, of Wilmington, Delaware, were also arrested in the bust.

The arrests were part of a multi-agency operation initiative targeting prostitution in New Castle County.

Delaware State Police, the Wilmington Police Department and other law enforcement agencies targeted the areas of Maryland Avenue south of Wilmington and New Castle Avenue in New Castle.

The areas were targeted after police received several complaints from citizens reporting prostitution and other crimes.

Information on the suspects' attorneys is not immediately available.


 


Dogs Deliver Valentines to Patients

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This Valentine's Day holiday will be anything but "ruff" for the children and elderly patients at two Southern California hospitals thanks to some extra-loving pups.

A group of therapy dogs donning valentine costumes delivered custom-made Valentine's Day cards to the patients at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA in Westwood and UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica.

"I'm sure that all these kids here on this floor aren't smiling about too many things, with whatever procedures they've had, but with bringing the dogs in like this, it's kind of brought a smile to their face, and in turn it brings smiles to parents' face," said Chris Sanders, whose son suffers from epilepsy and has undergone brain surgery.

"You know, sitting here with your child can be a little heartbreaking, seeing whatever it is that they've been going through," Sanders said. "But every little smile counts."

The pooches are part of UCLA's People-Animal Connection (PAC), a program that has visited more than 100,000 patients since it started in 1994, according to their website.

One of the dogs, a Labrador retriever named Bubbles, visited a 17-year-old boy with kidney failure, said Kim Irwin, UCLA Health Sciences spokeswoman.

Irwin said the teen was happy to see Bubble, and that he said this year, he had a valentine.

The event aims to give the patients a reminder of what "normal" life outside of a hospital is like, Irwin said.

"What’s more normal than a dog?" she said.

This is PAC's third annual Valentine's Day celebration, Irwin said. The dogs also visit the UCLA medical centers on a regular basis, and for holidays including Halloween and Christmas.



Photo Credit: Volunteer People Animal Connection

Man Faked Car Accident: NYPD

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Police say a man intentionally threw himself in front of a moving car in Brooklyn in what police believe was a faked accident captured on surveillance video, obtained exclusively by NBC 4 New York. 

The driver of the Lexus SUV was traveling near 98th Street and Livonia Avenue in Brooklyn on February 4 when she told NBC 4 New York she saw a shadow appear in front of her.

"I immediately slam on the brakes and then I see a man jump on top of my hood and bounce onto the ground," said the woman who asked to be identified only as Jennifer. 

"I was very horrified. Immediately I was panicking," she said. 

Jennifer checked on the man and called 911. 

But when she saw the footage of the incident, it became clear to her -- and to police -- that it was staged. 

The man was standing in between cars for nearly 30 minutes. Then, with traffic whizzing by in both directions, he leaned out and jumped onto Jennifer's SUV.

"He leaped onto my car," she said. "There is no damage on the grill or the bumper, only on top of the hood." 

Police arrested 50-year-old Andre Richardson on charges of reckless endangerment and filing a false report. Richardson has more than 20 arrests on his record, but none for incidents like this one. 

Law enforcement sources said they believe Richardson was shopping for a victim and that he intentionally threw himself in front of the car. It's possible he was looking for insurance money, the sources said. 

His sister Debora Richardson told NBC 4 New York Friday, "That's not him. He's not like a person trying to profit from it." 

Richardson said her brother has never been hit by a car before and she maintains this was an accident, not a crime. 

"He was going for the bus because he was going to take care of his business and he said that's just what happened," she said. "It's not like he just threw himself out there." 

Jennifer, who has to pay the deductible for the damage to her car, wonders if there are other victims like her. 

"I don't want this to happen to anybody else, to go through the stress and horror," she said. 

Shot Sportscaster to Be Back on Air

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“Stay tuned, San Diego. Kyle will be back on the air.”

That’s the statement from the family of CBS 8 sportscaster Kyle Kraska that was posted on the station’s website to update viewers on Kraska’s condition Thursday.

CBS 8 reports that Kraska is in “critical but stable condition” following the Tuesday afternoon shooting outside his Scripps Ranch home. Kraska was shot 10 times, the station reports.

A suspect, Mike Montana, has been arrested in connection to the shooting. Investigators say the incident resulted from a business dispute with Kraska over work done on his home. Montana is expected to be arraigned on charges on Tuesday.

In the statement, Kraska’s family said they were deeply grateful to the community for the outpouring of support following the shooting.

The family goes on to say they believe the sportscaster’s fighting spirit will keep him going.

“We’ve long known Kyle is a tour de force, touching and inspiring everyone he’s come into contact with during his 27-year career,” the statement reads. “It’s never been clearer how many people Kyle impacted with his exuberant TV presence and dedicated reporting … Kyle is healing more and more each day. He will certainly be so touched by all of your words. We look forward to sharing them with him.”

“Stay tuned, San Diego. Kyle will be back on air – with his typical charm and encyclopedic knowledge of sports – as soon as he’s able.”

Residents, Power Company Workers Gear Up for Cold and Snow

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People and power companies are gearing up for another winter storm.

Many residents spent Friday night stocking up on groceries ahead of a storm set to bring several fresh inches of snow to the state this weekend.

“I’m done with winter. Definitely done with the winter. It’s cold. It’s too cold,” said Plainville resident Donna Demaio.

The cold could become dangerous for residents who lose power at power. Scattered outages are not out of the question, with the potential for wind gusts of over 50 mph Sunday morning.

Eversource Energy, formerly known as Connecticut Light & Power said crews are ready to tackle power problems. Wind could take down trees and prevent crews from working.

“If problems do occur and the winds get up to 35, 40 mph or above, that could delay repair. It’s unsafe when the winds get up that high to get up in the buckets to make repairs to the overhead lines,” said Eversource Energy spokesman Mitch Gross.

For most people, the biggest concerns were more snow and bitter cold.

“Very tired, too much snow, tired of shoveling,” said Thea Ricci, of Southington.

All that work is creating more business for stores, including 44 Hardware Store in Avon. The staff said customers will likely be searching for whatever it takes to melt, breakup and clear ice or snow this weekend.

“I’m sure everybody will go crazy again with the new storm,” said 44 Hardware owner Kevin Cochran.

Several other hardware stores are completely out of pellets for stoves and said they're waiting for emergency shipments.

It's just another sign of how cold it’s already been this winter.

Car Chase Ends in Shooting

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A car chase culminated in a fatal officer-involved shooting in San Bernardino Friday afternoon after multiple assaults on police officers, authorities said.

Officers were pursuing the driver of a stolen white Scion at the time, according to Lt. Richard Lawhead of the San Bernardino Police Department.

Cell phone video provided by witnesses shows an initial stop on the freeway after the stolen car was rammed by a police car.

After a little more than a minute of being surounded by officers, the suspect drove off in the stolen Scion. He allegedly caused multiple accidents in trying to evade police.

At one point, the driver aimed the car at officers, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said.

Police said the owner reported the SUV stolen from a health care center in Banning, 40 miles from San Bernardino, and then it was tracked down by GPS. During the chase, the driver was throwing items out of the car window, including a laptop. It's not yet clear if the man was armed.

A second cell phone video shows the moments when the chase ended near the 215 Freeway's University Parkway exit, about a mile from the first stop, where the man was fatally shot following a standoff with officers. Police said he tried to use the car to ram the officers and they had no choice but to open fire.

No officers were injured.

Five officers shot at the suspect, firing off at least 18 rounds.

Witnesses said they could not believe what they were seeing. At least two dozen drivers were stopped about 40 yards from where the shooting happened.

"Just a lot of adrenaline, man. We got scared. You know, we were just watching the whole thing. It was surreal," said Thomas Rivera, who was on the freeway behind the officers during the standoff.

Another witness said the whole drama unfolded quickly.

"Everybody just stopped... and started shooting as soon as they got out of the car," said Jose Garcia.

"They gave him a chance to surrender, he didn't take it and they unloaded into the vehicle," another witness said.

The northbound 215 in the area of the incident at University Parkway remained closed while police investigated. Drivers were being asked to avoid the area and were being rerouted onto surface streets and the 210 Freeway. It reopened at 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

Frustrated drivers were stuck in the traffic mayhem as they headed into a three-day weekend.

"He died over a car, huh?" said Freddie Maraz as he waited to get through the gridlock.

Others headed long distances said they knew it was going to take some time.

Ariel Arellano was heading to Las Vegas.

"It's going to be a long night," she said.

Police are asking for anyone with cellphone video of the incident to contact the San Bernardino Police Department.

Lolita Lopez, Hetty ChangRosa Ordaz and Nyree Arabian contributed to this story.



Photo Credit: Chris Christie

What to Know Ahead of Sunday Obamacare Deadline

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If you're not insured, there's still time to sign up for health coverage this year under Obamacare before the Sunday, Feb. 15, deadline.

The Obama administration projects that more than 9 million Americans will sign up by Sunday's deadline. That's up from the 7 million it estimates got insurance through the Affordable Care Act last year, cutting the number of uninsured from 17 percent at the end of 2013 to 12.9 percent at the end of 2014.

Here are six things to know about Obamacare enrollment before the Feb. 15 deadline.

Enrollment Is Off Without a Hitch

The 2015 enrollment effort is running more smoothly than it did when the insurance marketplaces first debuted in 2013.

The federal HealthCare.gov website and state-based sites experienced no major meltdowns during the current enrollment period, and wait times at call centers have improved, too.

But there are other concerns and issues to keep in mind when signing up for health care.

You May Have Trouble Getting Covered If You Miss the Deadline

In the first open enrollment period, from late 2013 to early 2014, insurance exchanges extended deadlines for many people, mostly due to technical glitches that slowed the application process.

Since the system is running more smoothly this time around, it may be more difficult to get the deadline extended.

Still, there are some exceptions if you miss the deadline. Certain life events — like getting married, having a child, becoming a legal resident or citizen of the U.S. or being denied Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) — can qualify you for a special enrollment period. 

The next open enrollment period is expected to begin in October and may end in December, rather than extending into 2016.

The Obamacare Law Faces a New Threat

The Affordable Care Act offers subsidized private health insurance to people who don’t have access to coverage at work, but about 8 million people could lose that financial assistance later in the year.

The Supreme Court is set to consider a case, King v. Burwell, in which Obamacare opponents argue that the law's wording lets the federal government pay health care subsidies only in states that have set up their own insurance exchanges, according to The Associated Press — something that most states haven’t done. The people who wrote the law, however, say it provides subsidies to people in every state.

Should the plaintiffs win the case, people in the 37 states where the federal government is running insurance markets could lose their subsidies. The court is expected to rule on the case in late June.

Some Could Face Stiff Premium Hikes

Many consumers who already signed up for Obamacare may experience a sticker shock during this enrollment period. They could see their premiums increase sharply if they automatically re-enroll in their current plans, instead of choosing new, lower-priced versions.

Learn if you qualify for lower costs on health insurance coverage here.

There's a Tax Penalty This Time

This is the first year consumers have to consider their health insurance at tax time. If you don’t have health care coverage in 2015, you’ll have to pay a penalty when you file your 2015 federal income tax return in 2016.

Federal health officials predict that 2 to 4 percent of taxpayers will end up paying a fine, which amounts to $95 per adult ($47.50 per child), up to $285 for a family, for the 2014 tax year. The penalties go up to a minimum of $325 per adult for the 2015 calendar year and $695 per adult for the 2016 calendar year.

There are exemptions from the fee for not having health care coverage — for instance, if you're uninsured for only one or two consecutive months of the year, if you were covered by May 1 of last year, or if the cheapest available coverage would have cost more than 8 percent of your household's income.

You Must Be Able to Prove Your Legal Status

You must be able to prove your legal status to qualify for Obamacare, health officials have warned.

About 200,000 people will be dropped from insurance policies at the end of February because they have been unable to prove they are legally living in the U.S., the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said. That's in addition to 112,000 people were dropped from their plans in September.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Tractor Trailer Accident Causes Lane Closures in Middletown

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An accident involving two tractor trailers has caused the closure of two lanes on I-91 North.

State police say the right and center lanes are closed on I-91 North in Middletown near Exit 21

State police responded shortly at 5 a.m. to the area. There are no details on any injuries at this time.

There are wreckers in route to the scene to tow away the trucks. The lanes will remained closed at this time.


Multi-Car Crash in Wallingford

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A multiple-vehicle crash closed Interstate 91north in Wallingford on Saturday morning.

The crash happened near exit 14.

Further information will be provided when it becomes available.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Water Main Break in Waterbury

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Crews are working to repair a water main break near the Thomaston town line in Waterbury and officials are asking motorists to avoid the area.

It happened on Thomaston Avenue and the break valve has been shut down as repairs are underway, according to Chris Bogucki, the superintendent of water in Waterbury.

Customers who usually get their water from that supply are now getting it from another large service station in town. However, because of the increased flow to the water lines, that could cause dirty water, he said.

The water quality is expected to improve by mid-afternoon. The water company is asking customers not to use excess water if possible and to wait to run the dishwasher or do laundry. But if residents must use the water, they are advised to check the water first to make sure it's not dirty.

Officials are asking drivers to avoid the area so repairs can be made.



Photo Credit: Peggy Cassidy

Flower Deliverers Brave Cold to Keep Love in the Air

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Love is in the air, but so is the cold. Nevertheless, people tasked with delivering flowers for Valentine's Day are working hard Saturday to help bring warmth to people's days on the holiday.

At the Flower Box and Avenue Florist in Wethersfield, bouquet assembly started at dawn for deliveries that would last until at least dusk.

"You got to get the flowers delivered no matter what, just like the mail," Bryan Keaveny, a flower delivery driver, said.

One of the coldest mornings of the year, so far, was also the busiest for flower delivery. Drivers had no choice but to go out in the arctic air this Valentine's Day, beginning their shifts at 8 a.m.

"You gotta stay warm, gloves hat, gotta keep the flowers protected," Keaveny said.

Inside one refrigerator, flowers were kept at 38 to 44 degrees. Flower shop employees are wrapping all of the bouquets in plastic so that the flowers won't wilt when they're exposed to the cold air.

Cathy Thaller, of The Flower Box and Avenue, said that if the temperature hits freezing, below 32, they'll freeze and start to die.

"They'll look beautiful until they start to thaw," she said.

Thaller anticipates going through 250 plastic bags Saturday.

"Even though customers say don't worry about it, they're going right into my warm car, even from here to the door, from the door to the car, they will freeze," Cathy Thaller, of The Flower Box and Avenue, said.

Keaveny keeps his car running in between deliveries, which are not as simple as running from the car to the door.

"With all the snow and ice it can be pretty tricky, you just got to be careful," Keaveny said.

But on a day when love is in the air, protecting these perfect petals is also a priority.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Flight Cancellations at Bradley Airport

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Bradley International Airport is reporting some flight cancellations and delays as snow falls across the state.

As of 4:21 p.m., there were two canceled departures and one departure was delayed. Nineteen incoming flights were canceled and one arrival was delayed.

The airport remains open and advises people flying to check with their airlines on their flight status.

Passenger Robs Taxi Driver at Knifepoint: Police

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A New York cab driver has life-threatening injuries after a passenger slashed his face and neck and demanded money in Greenwich.

Miguel A. Reyes-Pantoja, 26, of Port Chester, New York, faces multiple charges including assault and robbery after he tried to rob an RC Taxi driver taking him to Greenwich, police said. When they arrived at his destination on South Water Street, he grabbed the driver's neck and demanded his wallet at knifepoint, according to police. Reyes-Pantoja cut the driver's face and neck, which severely injured him, police said.

During the assault, the driver called for help on the taxi company's radio and several drivers rushed to his aid and called Greenwich police.

Police arrested Reyes-Pantoja on scene and charged him with first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and breach of peace.

An ambulance took the driver to the level two trauma center for the region at Stamford Hospital to get surgery for life-threatening injuries, police said. The victim is out of surgery and "recovering well," Greenwich police said.

Reyes-Pantoja is due in court on Feb. 23 and was held on a $500,000 bond.



Photo Credit: Greenwich Police Department

Website Claims to Sell Komisarjevsky Belongings

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A website is selling poems and artwork it claims Cheshire home invasion killer Joshua Komisarjevsky wrote and drew, as well as some of his prison books and clothes.

Komisarjevsky is one of two men on death row for killing a Cheshire family and burning down their house in 2007.

Website darkvomit.com lists multiple Komisarjevsky items for sale that range from $30 to $275, including a drawing on an Edgar Allen Poe poem, a drawing called "The Bride of the Monster, a supposed original poem called "Poem of Suffering," prison paperwork that the site says is Komisarjevsky's, sweatshirts the website says he wore in prison and books that the site claims he owned as an inmate. The website is self-described as "Dark vomit's True Crime Museum & Prison Art Gallery" and sells crime-related collectibles.

The Hartford Courant reported that prison officials began investigating how the website obtained items listed as Komisarjevsky's after a victim advocate in Texas came across it.

Kelly Hutchison, the artist and dealer who runs dark vomit.com, told the Hartford Courant that he got the belongings from Komisarjevsky's pen pal and that he didn't buy them from the death row inmate.

It hasn't been verified whether the items for sale actually belonged to Komisarjevsky.

Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes were convicted in 2011 for brutally attacking Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters in their Sorghum Mill Drive home in Cheshire in 2007. Komisarjevsky appealed the verdict and requested a new trial.



Photo Credit: AP

Hartford Declares Snow Emergency, Orders Parking Ban

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The city of Hartford has declared a snow emergency and issued a parking ban effective midnight through Sunday at 6 p.m. due to the snowstorm.

“We have been through this kind of storm before," said Mayor Pedro Segarra. "Residents should be prepared to move their vehicles accordingly to help make the snow removal process as smooth as possible. Please take time to check on your neighbors, especially the elderly."

Hartford police are advising drivers to stay off the roads in general and have received numerous calls about car accidents and stranded motorist. 

Residents who don't have a place to park off the street can move their cars to one of the following available lots listed on the city website:

  • Morgan Street Garage
  • 2 Holcomb Street lot
  • Keney Park Entrance lot — Ridgefield Street
  • KDA Center Lot — Naugatuck Street
  • Pope Park Center Lot — Park Terrace
  • Metzner Center Lot — Franklin Avenue
  • Colt Park lot — Wawarme Avenue
  • Hartford school parking lots starting at 3 p.m.

Click here to see the map showing their location.

The cost for getting a towed vehicle back is $93.59 and $99 tickets will also be issued.

If you need a warm place to stay, you can call 211 for information on the nearest shelter. The following shelters will stay open 24 hours if it's below 25 degrees.

  • McKinney Shelter: 34 Huyshope Ave, 860-722-6922
  • Immaculate Conception Shelter: 560 Park St, 860-724-4823
  • South Park Inn: 75 Main St, 860-724-0071


Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Crews Respond to Meriden Garage Fire

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The Meriden Fire Department responded to a three-bay garage fire Saturday evening.

More information will be provided when it becomes available.

Hartford City Council Votes on 25-Year Baseball Park Lease

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Hartford's City Council voted Saturday in favor of a 25-year lease with a municipal stadium authority to manage and run a new downtown baseball park that will house the Rock Cats and bring Minor League Baseball to the capital city.

“I want to thank Council President Shawn Wooden, the City Council and the Treasurer for their hard work and due diligence on this historic project," Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra said in a statement. "As I’ve said in the past, doing nothing is no longer an option. What was once a sea of parking lots for decades will soon be a thriving new neighborhood bringing more customers for our businesses and more jobs to our capital city.”

The new baseball park is schedule dto open in April 2016 for the start of the Minor League Baseball season.

True Love Transcends Alzheimer’s

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Roy Moskop didn't buy roses for his wife or take her out to a fancy dinner on Valentine's Day, he's just doing everything he can to help her hold on to the memories of the life they've shared for the last 70 years.

"70 years. It went by awful fast. It didn't seem like 70 years. I remember meeting older couples when we were younger and they had 70th anniversaries and I thought at least I don't have to worry about that because I won't live that long. And it's a big surprise that we did," he said.

When 93-year-old Roy Moskop looks in his wife's face, he still sees the woman he married in 1945.

"She looks now so perfectly normal to me. Like it's the way she's always looked. And of course I know -- I see pictures, I look in the mirror -- we both look so much different. But you're with one person that long and they become part of you. And you become part of them," he said.

Roy and Helen are both 93-years-old. They started dating shortly before he shipped out to Italy to fight in World War II. Roy describes their early courtship as a "sister swap," and he never looked back.

"I was dating her sister at first. But it didn't take long before I met Helen and I realized I chose the wrong sister, he said. "It was a situation where we kind of all agreed I was better suited for Helen."

They wrote letters to each other every day during the war, and were engaged within weeks of his return to the states. and married shortly thereafter.

Helen suffers from Alzheimer’s now, and Roy has watched her inevitable decline, powerless to stop it.

"I just want to be sure that she's happy. I remember a lot of things that we had together, the places we traveled, and I greatly appreciate that we had a life that she made possible. And I owe her a lot," he said.

For the last two years they've lived in the Windsor Senior Center in North Dallas. Roy is sharp and active, as energetic as any 93-year-old could be.

But Roy chooses to live with Helen inside the Windsor's dedicated Memory Unit wing, designed for caring for those residents with Alzheimer's Disease. He says he wanted to be with his wife around the clock.

"It's like the minister says, together for better or worse. Sickness and health. And right, now she needs me more than I’ve ever needed her in the past. This is my chance to pay it back," he said.

"He has made the choice to live with her and live in her surroundings. Care for her, eat with her," said Carol Cottle, one of Helen's caretakers. "He could have lived on a different part of the community, on a floor with more active seniors, and not have to be around the residents who require that extra care. But he chose to be with her 24-7."

Roy enjoys reading to his wife and reviewing their old photo albums together -- hundreds and hundreds of photographs.

"She likes it when I'm around. We hold hands a lot, that seems to comfort her," he said.

They've traveled around the world together over the decades, to every continent except Antarctica. They raised three children, and have five grandchildren. And the Moskop family is growing still.

Roy's undying love for his wife inspires the entire staff.

"I'm sitting here and listening to this and thinking every day is their valentine's Day. He is her sweetheart every day. As she is his," Carol Cottle said.

"I've been married 45 years, and for them to continue to mentor me, speaks volumes on how to live your life. And the power of that covenant of marriage," Cottle said.

Cottle says it's gentle but powerful reminder about what Valentine's Day is really about, and how the grandest romantic gesture can also be the simplest.

"She may not be able to say all the things that he might want to hear, but she touches him. She looks at him. She calls his name. That's love," she said.

Helen Moskop turns 94 on Sunday.

Roy shared his advice for young couples and newlyweds during the NBC5 interview, and even what he thinks about Valentine's Day. Watch his extended interview with NBC5 below:


 



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News
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Over 100 Cars Involved in Pileup

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Seven people were hurt after a pileup involving 107 cars in Erie County, Pennsylvania Saturday.

The pileup occurred in the westbound lanes of I-90 at mile-marker 41 near the I-86 intersection.

Seven people suffered “bumps and bruises” in the pileup though no one was killed or seriously injured, according to officials.

I-90 was closed for several hours due to the accident.

Officials said road conditions were “icy” at the time of the accident with one to two inches of snow on the ground as well as blowing snow in the air.


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Typo Leads to $30,000 Electric Bill

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A Pennsylvania man says a typo led to a $33,000 overcharge on his electric bill with the Philadelphia-based company, PECO. Now he’s speaking out, claiming PECO took too long to respond to him and refund him for an obvious mistake.

Steve Onufrey, 71, of Warminster, Pennsylvania, told NBC10 the ordeal began when his wife made a typo while sending an electronic bill payment to PECO in January.

“My wife did not enter in a decimal point on a bill for $339.38 and the payment went through as $33,938,” Onufrey said.

Fortunately for Onufrey, he just happened to have enough money in his account for the huge payment to go through.

“That money happened to be in the account due to the settlement on my father’s house in Northeast Philadelphia after he died last year,” he said. “The money was waiting to get taxes calculated on it prior to putting the rest in an interest bearing account.”

Onufrey reached out to PECO as well as his bank Wells Fargo. Onufrey claims reporting the overchage to PECO was a long and frustrating process.

“I was on the phone literally every day this week with agents, supervisors and managers,” he said. “All who said they would call me back that same day – no one ever did call me back.”

Onufrey says he was finally told Friday by a PECO manager that a refund check would be mailed to him on Feb. 19, which would meet the company’s 30 day standard wait time for refunds.

“Nothing was done to get this to me any earlier,” Onufrey said. “$33,000 and it is treated like a $33 overpayment.”

Onufrey admits he’s fortunate to have actually had the money in his account but wanted to speak out for other customers in a similar situation who weren’t so lucky.

“If this happened to me, I am sure this type of mistake has happened to others and will happen again,” Onufrey said. “I feel for others who are less fortunate than me financially and need a refund due to a simple mistake and a request for a legitimate refund is denied which may have a financial snowball effect that will be of harm to them.”

NBC10 reached out to a PECO spokesperson for comment Friday. The spokesperson said they weren’t able to access Onufrey’s account until Monday to verify his story. The spokesperson also said however that the normal wait time for a refund is 30 days.
 

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