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Community Support

Bayonne Dad ID'd As Man Killed By NJ Transit Train On Easter Sunday In Jersey City Bayonne Dad ID'd As Man Killed By NJ Transit Train On Easter Sunday In Jersey City
Bayonne Dad ID'd As Man Killed By NJ Transit Train On Easter Sunday In Jersey City A Bayonne father of three and NYC truck driver has been identified as the man struck and killed by an NJ Transit train on Easter Sunday. James Edward Porch, 40, was hit by the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail train operating on the Bayonne branch near the Richard Street Station at 6:40 a.m. on Sunday, April 20, according to NJ Transit. Porch was on the tracks when he was struck and killed, NJ Transit said. No injuries were reported to the approximately 44 customers or the operator aboard the light rail vehicle. Porch’s obituary on Legacy.com described him as a “loving son, brother, father, an…
Maryland Mother Dies After Lengthy Cancer Battle, Remembered As 'Radiant Light' Maryland Mother Dies After Lengthy Cancer Battle, Remembered As 'Radiant Light'
Maryland Mother Dies After Lengthy Cancer Battle, Remembered As 'Radiant Light' A beloved DMV wife and mother lost her fight with cancer, leaving behind a heartbroken family and a community now rallying in her honor. Evelyn Escobar died on Wednesday, April 16, after what loved ones described as a courageous battle with the disease, according to a heartfelt GoFundMe launched by her friend and cousin-in-law Sandra Lisset Molina. “Evelyn was a radiant light in the lives of all who knew her — a devoted wife, loving mother, loyal friend, and kind soul who touched so many with her warmth, strength, and compassion,” Molina wrote. “Her departure has left a void that can never …
Saved by the Bell: Quaker Prep School In Sandy Spring Will Stay Open In Surprise Move Saved by the Bell: Quaker Prep School In Sandy Spring Will Stay Open In Surprise Move
Saved by the Bell: Quaker Prep School In Sandy Spring Will Stay Open In Surprise Move In a stunning twist that has left the community buzzing, Sandy Spring Friends School (SSFS) in Maryland is not closing after all. Just weeks after blindsiding families with the bombshell news that it would shut its doors after the 2025 school year, SSFS has officially reversed course — and it’s thanks to an outpouring of last-minute financial support and good old-fashioned community grit. In an urgent message sent Tuesday, April 23, the Board of Trustees announced that “a path forward” has been secured thanks to “substantial and meaningful funding guarantees” from a newly formed Coalition o…
Family Killed In Newington Crash Will Be Laid To Rest Together Family Killed In Newington Crash Will Be Laid To Rest Together
Family Killed In Newington Crash Will Be Laid To Rest Together A mother, her teenage daughter, and her sister who were killed in a crash on Saturday, April 19 in Connecticut will be laid to rest together this weekend. Services for Florinda Antonia Tineo, 50, her daughter Gabriela Johailiz Difo, 17, and her sister Jeannette Tineo, 48, will be held Friday, April 25 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Newington Memorial. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow on Saturday, April 26 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 626 Willard Ave., with burial at West Meadow Cemetery. Maritza Smith, 56, of New Britain also died in the cra…
‘Remarkable Family’ In Odenton Loses Everything In Fire—Town Rushes To Rebuild ‘Remarkable Family’ In Odenton Loses Everything In Fire—Town Rushes To Rebuild
‘Remarkable Family’ In Odenton Loses Everything In Fire—Town Rushes To Rebuild A Maryland family is picking up the pieces after a fast-moving fire tore through their Odenton home — but they’re not doing it alone. Fire crews were called to the 2600 block of Wing Stem Circle just before 6 a.m. on Tuesday, April 22, where they found heavy flames ripping through a home’s garage and quickly spreading to the second floor, according to the Anne Arundel County Fire Department. The Odenton fire. Anne Arundel County Fire Department Crews from both Anne Arundel and Fort Meade Fire Departments jumped into action, battling the blaze while searching the house.  …
Hackettstown College Student Dies: Remembering Evan Esposito Dies, 19 Hackettstown College Student Dies: Remembering Evan Esposito Dies, 19
Hackettstown College Student Dies: Remembering Evan Esposito Dies, 19 Evan Esposito, a 19-year-old Hackettstown resident, died on Thursday, April 17, according to his obituary from the Cochran Funeral Home website. Esposito graduated from Hackettstown High School in 2023 and was pursuing a business degree at Siena College at the time of his death, his obituary reads. An avid fan of the Mets and Packers, one of Esposito's favorite memories was traveling with his mom to Lambeau Field and going on the Packers Cruise, according to his obituary. He loved organizing cornhole, bucketball or Kan Jam tournaments during family camping trips or creating fantasy sports l…
No Family Should Go Hungry—Fund The Food Banks No Family Should Go Hungry—Fund The Food Banks
No Family Should Go Hungry—Fund The Food Banks In the heart of West Philadelphia, every week, hundreds of families line up at my district office at 4027 Market St. for a simple, yet powerful act: receiving free groceries. What started as a response to crisis has become a lifeline for so many. The faces we see every week are diverse — working parents, seniors, students, immigrants, and children — all unified by one heartbreaking reality: food insecurity. The fight against hunger is not abstract here. It is daily. It is personal. Across Pennsylvania, nearly 1 in 8 people — including 1 in 6 children — are food insecure. That means they do …
Union City Father Of 4 On Ventilator After Heart Stops For 18 Minutes: Fundraiser Union City Father Of 4 On Ventilator After Heart Stops For 18 Minutes: Fundraiser
Union City Father Of 4 On Ventilator After Heart Stops For 18 Minutes: Fundraiser Justin Sanchez, a 35-year-old Union City resident, is unconscious and breathing on a ventilator after he went into cardiac arrest earlier this month, according to a fundraiser set up to support his family. On Sunday, April 6, Sanchez suffered a seizure in his sleep and his heart stopped. He went into cardiac arrest and his heart stopped beating for 18 minutes. Before that, Sanchez was a healthy, energetic, loving father, Tobin Jacob, who organized the fundraiser said. Sanchez is unconscious and dependent on a ventilator for breathing, leaving his wife, Stephanie, to care for their four chil…
Virginia Family Loses Home, Dogs In Easter Sunday Fire While At Church Virginia Family Loses Home, Dogs In Easter Sunday Fire While At Church
Virginia Family Loses Home, Dogs In Easter Sunday Fire While At Church A Virginia family is picking up the pieces after a devastating Easter Sunday fire destroyed their home — and claimed the lives of their two beloved dogs — while they were at church. Tom and Diana Rosner were at services on Sunday, April 20, with two of their three children — Reese and Eli — when a fire tore through their Woodbridge home, leaving behind nothing but charred remains, loved ones said. Their oldest son, Tommy Jr., was away at school when his mom called to deliver the heartbreaking news. While the family was unharmed, their pets, identified as Walter and Bernard, did not survive…
Fire Victim, Retired Highway Supervisor From Beacon Remembered: Here's When Services Will Be Fire Victim, Retired Highway Supervisor From Beacon Remembered: Here's When Services Will Be
Fire Victim, Retired Highway Supervisor From Beacon Remembered: Here's When Services Will Be The Dutchess County community is mourning the loss of Eugene “Gene” Murphy—better known as “Murph”—a retired highway department supervisor who died in a devastating house fire.  Murphy, 81, died at his home at 9 Alice St. in Beacon on Tuesday, April 15 after a fast-moving fire broke out just after 6:20 p.m. Three other relatives were injured in the blaze, including his 15-year-old great-grandson, who was left in critical condition with severe burns at Westchester Medical Center, as Daily Voice reported.  Murphy, a lifelong Beacon resident, was born on October 24, 1943, and worked …
‘Lavender’ The Dog Reunites With Rescuers Weeks After 'Unimaginable Cruelty' In Schenectady ‘Lavender’ The Dog Reunites With Rescuers Weeks After 'Unimaginable Cruelty' In Schenectady
‘Lavender’ The Dog Reunites With Rescuers Weeks After 'Unimaginable Cruelty' In Schenectady In a moment as tender as it was powerful, Lavender—an abused dog whose story has gripped upstate New York—was reunited this week with the very heroes who saved her life. The gentle pup, still recovering from unimaginable cruelty, greeted members of the Schenectady Police Department, Schenectady Animal Control, and the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society’s (MHHS) Humane Law Enforcement team with tail wags and quiet trust. It was her way of saying thank you. “Lavender’s Heroes Reunited,” MHHS wrote in a heartfelt update Friday, April 18, on Facebook. “Lavender greeted them with tail wags and trust—a…
Support Comes To Family Hurt In Fatal House Fire In Beacon: Boy, 15, Badly Burned (UPDATE) Support Comes To Family Hurt In Fatal House Fire In Beacon: Boy, 15, Badly Burned (UPDATE)
Support Comes To Family Hurt In Fatal House Fire In Beacon: Boy, 15, Badly Burned (Update) As the Dutchess County community continues to mourn the loss a retired city employee who died in a house fire on Tuesday, April 15, the public is now working to support his grieving family, who also lost their home, belongings, and now face a long medical road ahead.  The fire, which broke out in Beacon just after 6:20 p.m. at 9 Alice St. and resulted in the death of Eugene “Gene” Murphy, an 81-year-old retired City of Beacon Highway Department Supervisor,  left three other residents hospitalized, including Murphy’s 15-year-old great-grandson, who sustained severe burns and is…
Virginia Teen Killed Weeks Before 17th Birthday; Two Charged With Murder: Sheriff Virginia Teen Killed Weeks Before 17th Birthday; Two Charged With Murder: Sheriff
Virginia Teen Killed Weeks Before 17th Birthday; Two Charged With Murder: Sheriff Nico never made it to 17. A Virginia teen was shot and killed just weeks before his birthday—and now, two suspects have been charged with his murder, Loudoun County officials said. The victim, identified by loved ones as Nick—affectionately known as “Nico”—was just 16 when he was gunned down in Ashburn on Saturday, April 12, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were called around 5:58 p.m. after the teen was found wounded in the passenger seat of a car parked outside the Harris Teeter in Southern Walk Plaza.  Despite life-saving efforts, he died at the scene. A…
Father Of Missing Waldorf Mom Launches Fundraiser To Continue Desperate Search Father Of Missing Waldorf Mom Launches Fundraiser To Continue Desperate Search
Father Of Missing Waldorf Mom Launches Fundraiser To Continue Desperate Search The community is rallying around the family of a Maryland woman who has been missing for weeks under suspicious circumstances. Lesbia Mileth Ramirez Guerra, 23, of Waldorf, was last seen on Monday, March 31, inside her Adams Court home, where she lived with her boyfriend — the father of her two children — and several others, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office said Monday, April 7. He reported her missing two days later. But as detectives started digging, they discovered “unusual and suspicious activity” at the home the very next day after Guerra was last seen.  Investigators now sus…
‘Devastating': Selden Firefighter, Wife Diagnosed With Cancer Just Days Apart As Support Grows ‘Devastating': Selden Firefighter, Wife Diagnosed With Cancer Just Days Apart As Support Grows
‘Devastating': Selden Firefighter, Wife Diagnosed With Cancer Just Days Apart As Support Grows A Long Island couple is facing the fight of their lives — side by side. Selden resident Melissa Tiedemann received the news no one ever wants to hear on Monday, March 17: a breast cancer diagnosis. While she was still processing her own battle ahead, she noticed something wasn’t right with her husband, Tom. His skin and eyes had begun to yellow. Days later, their world shifted again — Tom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Now, the pair — both in their 40s, both deeply woven into the fabric of their community — are preparing to fight two aggressive cancers, together. “This is devastat…
Trenton Rallies Around Family After Mother, Daughter Murdered Trenton Rallies Around Family After Mother, Daughter Murdered
Trenton Rallies Around Family After Mother, Daughter Murdered Santana Maher’s mother, Malika Whiting and 13-year-old younger sister, Jairah Biggs were fatally shot in their home on Trenton on Saturday, April 12, authorities said. At 10:30 a.m., Trenton police responded to the 300 block of West State Street and found Biggs in a third-floor bedroom, and Whitting shot in a stairwell leading upstairs, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said. Both were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. A person of interest was detained on unrelated charges, but no one has been arrested for the killings, authorities said. Maher has set up a fundraiser to a…
Silver Spring Mom Known As ‘Peaches’ Killed In Late-Night Crash Was 'Safe Place, Guiding Light' Silver Spring Mom Known As ‘Peaches’ Killed In Late-Night Crash Was 'Safe Place, Guiding Light'
Silver Spring Mom Known As ‘Peaches’ Killed In Late-Night Crash Was 'Safe Place, Guiding Light' A beloved Maryland mother known affectionately as “Peaches” was killed in a tragic crash late Sunday night, leaving her family and community reeling from the sudden loss. Osbelia Minh, 34, died on April 13 after her SUV veered off the road and struck a utility pole in the 10400 block of Colesville Road, Montgomery County Police said. Officers were called to the single-vehicle crash shortly after 10:40 p.m., where they found a black Kia Telluride off the right side of the roadway.  Minh, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. She was the only per…
Havre de Grace Dad Killed, Son On Life Support After Harford County Crash With 3 Kids Havre de Grace Dad Killed, Son On Life Support After Harford County Crash With 3 Kids
Havre de Grace Dad Killed, Son On Life Support After Harford County Crash With 3 Kids A Maryland father was killed and his three young sons were seriously injured in a devastating crash on Churchville Road in Harford County that has left the community heartbroken. Tyler Lingenfelter, 33, of Havre de Grace, died at the scene of a three-vehicle wreck near North Stepney Road in Aberdeen shortly after 10 a.m. Monday, April 14, Maryland State Police said. The family shared a photo of the three boys — smiling in matching Grinch pajamas beside a Christmas tree, just months before the crash that changed everything. Troopers said Lingenfelter was driving a Chevrolet Traverse westbou…
'Sweet' Plainview Teen Battling Leukemia Finds Swelling Of Community Support 'Sweet' Plainview Teen Battling Leukemia Finds Swelling Of Community Support
'Sweet' Plainview Teen Battling Leukemia Finds Swelling Of Community Support A New York family is facing every parent’s worst nightmare — but they’re not facing it alone. Eshaal, a bright and spirited student at Plainview’s Mattlin Middle School, was recently diagnosed with leukemia, sparking an outpouring of support from the Long Island community and beyond. A GoFundMe campaign titled “Support Eshaal’s Fight Against Leukemia” was launched by family friend Marisa Wein to help ease the financial burden of medical treatment, travel, and time away from work. As of Monday, April 14, the fundraiser had already brought in more than $4,800 from donors touched by Eshaal’s s…
Mother, Daughter ID'd In Trenton Fatal Double Shooting: Prosecutor Mother, Daughter ID'd In Trenton Fatal Double Shooting: Prosecutor
Mother, Daughter ID'd In Trenton Fatal Double Shooting: Prosecutor Malika Whitting, 40 and Jairah Biggs, 13, have been identified as the mother and daughter found fatally shot in a Trenton home on Saturday, April 12, authorities said. RIP Malika Whiting love you .you didn't deserve this you my favorite cousin and we talk we cry and we laugh together... Posted by Jasminda Villoch on Saturday, April 12, 2025 At 10:30 a.m., Trenton police responded to the 300 block of West State Street and found Biggs in a third-floor bedroom, and Whitting shot in a stairwell leading upstairs, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said. Both were pronounced dead at t…
8-Year-Old Girl, Mom Killed in Devastating Norwich House Fire 8-Year-Old Girl, Mom Killed in Devastating Norwich House Fire
8-Year-Old Girl, Mom Killed in Devastating Norwich House Fire An 8-year-old girl and her mother were killed in an early morning fire at their Connecticut home, authorities said.  The fire broke out just before 1 a.m. on Thursday, April 10, at a home on Otis Street in Norwich, officials said. Three families made up the seven people living at that address, Norwich firefighters said.  A tenant on the third floor was the first to spot the flames, and they ran, horrified, trying to wake up everyone else in the building. They called 911 as well, helping fire crews get there just 10 minutes after they spotted the fire.  Authorities did n…
Army Vet Donates Kidney To Retired Montvale Cop, Here's How The Cop Is Now Helping Him Army Vet Donates Kidney To Retired Montvale Cop, Here's How The Cop Is Now Helping Him
Army Vet Donates Kidney To Retired Montvale Cop, Here's How The Cop Is Now Helping Him When Bryan Cirelli donated a kidney to save his best friend’s life, he asked for nothing in return. But now, that friend—retired Montvale police officer Jason Szabo—is making sure Bryan doesn’t face recovery alone. The two have been best friends since 5th grade, growing up together in Montvale, according to a GoFundMe launched by the Montvale PBA. They stayed close through decades of life, service, and challenges. Szabo joined the Montvale Police Department in 1997 and retired in 2023. After the 9/11 attacks, he volunteered to assist in the recovery efforts in New York City. In 2005, Szabo …
Colonie Pub Closing After 32 Years: 'It's Been A Pleasure And Honor' Colonie Pub Closing After 32 Years: 'It's Been A Pleasure And Honor'
Colonie Pub Closing After 32 Years: 'It's Been A Pleasure And Honor' After more than three decades of pouring pints and serving up Irish classics, a beloved Albany-area pub is closing its doors. O’Toole’s Restaurant Pub, located at 1814 Central Avenue in Colonie, will hold its final dinner service on Tuesday, May 27, after 32 years in business. Owner Anthony Gizzi — who also runs neighboring What’s Poppin — made the bittersweet announcement in a Facebook post Monday, April 7, thanking staff, customers, and the surrounding community for their support over the years. “Thirty two years of serving the community, our beloved patrons, and our cherished Village of…
8-Year-Old Killed By Falling Tree Branch In Fredericksburg Was 'Mom's Twin, Had Dad's Eyes' 8-Year-Old Killed By Falling Tree Branch In Fredericksburg Was 'Mom's Twin, Had Dad's Eyes'
8-Year-Old Killed By Falling Tree Branch In Fredericksburg Was 'Mom's Twin, Had Dad's Eyes' A Virginia family is mourning the sudden death of an 8-year-old girl in a freak accident over the weekend in Fredericksburg. Sierra Marie Hash was playing with her siblings on Sunday, April 6, when a large tree limb suddenly broke off and struck her, causing fatal head injuries, her loved ones said. The freak accident unfolded in front of her siblings — a moment her family says they will never forget. There has been an outpouring of support from the community and loved ones following the tragedy that claimed Hash's life.  "Sierra was like no other," a friend of the family posted on s…
Third-Grade BFFs Killed In Fiery I-695 Baltimore Crash Were 'Beautiful Souls' Third-Grade BFFs Killed In Fiery I-695 Baltimore Crash Were 'Beautiful Souls'
Third-Grade BFFs Killed In Fiery I-695 Baltimore Crash Were 'Beautiful Souls' Two third-graders from Lutherville Lab Elementary were among three people killed in a horrific, fiery crash off I-695 in Baltimore County over the weekend, police confirmed. Maryland State Police said the crash happened around 11:05 p.m. Saturday, April 5, when a trooper attempted a traffic stop on a Jeep Wrangler on the inner loop of I-695 near Greenspring Avenue.  The Jeep fled. The trooper did not pursue and reentered traffic, police said. Just minutes later, that same Jeep was found fully engulfed in flames off the ramp to southbound I-83. Investigators believe the driver lost con…
Car Hits Building, Starts Fire: Arrest Made In Ossining Crash That Displaced Single Mom Car Hits Building, Starts Fire: Arrest Made In Ossining Crash That Displaced Single Mom
Car Hits Building, Starts Fire: Arrest Made In Ossining Crash That Displaced Single Mom Nearly two weeks after a car slammed into a multi-family home in Westchester and triggered a fire that displaced more than a dozen residents, police say they’ve caught the driver who fled from the scene. On Monday, April 8, 33-year-old Tevin Mackey of Ossining turned himself in to police in connection with the crash, which happened at around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, when a 2011 Subaru Impreza barreled into the corner of a home at 62 South Highland Ave., Ossining Police announced on Tuesday, April 8.  The Impreza struck the building’s utility connections in the crash,&…
‘Cousin-Dad’ Gunned Down Outside Virginia Apartment, Leaves Behind Two Daughters ‘Cousin-Dad’ Gunned Down Outside Virginia Apartment, Leaves Behind Two Daughters
‘Cousin-Dad’ Gunned Down Outside Virginia Apartment, Leaves Behind Two Daughters A beloved father from Alexandria was gunned down outside a Woodlawn apartment complex in the middle of the night, and now a Maryland man is facing murder charges in Fairfax County, authorities said. Xavier Alexander, 43, also known to friends and family as “Duval,” “Duvie,” or “Alex Kydd,” was found dead around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, April 3, on Madge Lane after a violent shootout in front of an apartment building, according to Fairfax County Police. When officers got to the scene, they found two men suffering from gunshot wounds. Alexander died before first responders could get him to a hospi…
Support Pours In For Decades-Old Food Truck Business After Fire In Hyde Park: 'Total Loss' Support Pours In For Decades-Old Food Truck Business After Fire In Hyde Park: 'Total Loss'
Support Pours In For Decades-Old Food Truck Business After Fire In Hyde Park: 'Total Loss' A cherished piece of Dutchess County's culinary history recently went up in flames, prompting a community effort to help pick up the pieces and rebuild.  The Carole’s HotDogs truck — a fixture in Hyde Park for more than 30 years — was destroyed in a fire that started in the engine compartment on Saturday, March 29, just as the busy spring season was beginning. Known for its loyal customer base and comforting roadside bites, the iconic red-and-white truck has long been more than just a food stop; it’s been a local institution.  In a Facebook post after the fire, the truck's owner L…
Myerstown Husband, Wife Die Months Apart After Battles With Illness Myerstown Husband, Wife Die Months Apart After Battles With Illness
Myerstown Husband, Wife Die Months Apart After Battles With Illness A Myerstown husband and wife died just months apart following battles with serious health issues, according to a fundraiser organized by family friends. Lois Young, 63, passed away on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, after being diagnosed with cancer. Her husband, Robert Young, died on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2025, after entering hospice care, their loved ones said. The couple had been known for their devotion to each other and their family. When both began struggling with their health, Lois’s daughter, Sherilynn Russo, moved in to care for them and Robert's mother. Despite their family's efforts, Lois died…
Sudden Death Of Westwood Dad Spreads Shock: Remembering Brian Fennell Sudden Death Of Westwood Dad Spreads Shock: Remembering Brian Fennell
Sudden Death Of Westwood Dad Spreads Shock: Remembering Brian Fennell Support is on the rise for the family of a Bergen County dad and Rockland County native who died unexpectedly this week. Brian Fennell  Brian Fennell Facebook Brian Patrick Fennell, of Westwood, died on Wednesday, April 2, at 47, leaving behind a family and community heartbroken by the loss. Brian was a devoted husband to Katrina and loving father to their two children, Caroline Cecilia and Reyer Patrick, his obituary on the Becker Funeral Home website says. He  Brian was raised in Pearl River, NY and had a long, successful career in construction management, starting at ag…
Mom Of 3 Killed In Owings Mills Murder-Suicide Remembered As ‘Glue Holding Family Together’ Mom Of 3 Killed In Owings Mills Murder-Suicide Remembered As ‘Glue Holding Family Together’
Mom Of 3 Killed In Owings Mills Murder-Suicide Remembered As ‘Glue Holding Family Together’ A beloved Maryland mother of three who was found dead alongside her husband inside their Baltimore County home is being remembered by loved ones as a beautiful light and selfless friend. Karen Halle Franklin, 59, was identified by police as the woman found fatally shot on Tuesday, April 1 inside her home on Avery Hill Drive in Owings Mills,. Both Franklin and her husband, Gary Franklin, 63, were found suffering from gunshot wounds, and their deaths were ruled a murder-suicide, police said on Thursday. Jill Cohen, who called Franklin her best friend of nearly 34 years, launched a GoFundMe t…