Pennsylvania

Families displaced by Norristown, Pennsylvania, fire stay at shelter on Thanksgiving as community steps up

Published

1 year ago

November 29, 2024

Families displaced by Norristown, Pennsylvania, fire stay at shelter on Thanksgiving as community steps up

Nearly 40 people in Norristown do not have a place to call home for Thanksgiving after theirs were heavily damaged in Wednesday’s fire.

Some of the displaced families spent their holiday at a nearby shelter as they continue to recover.

“I came to this door like four times today just looked across the street at all the houses, like wow that really happened,” said Bernon Perry, who lives across the street from where the fire happened.

Perry is still in disbelief about the fire on Lafayette Street. He says he is keeping his neighbors in his thoughts and prayers. Perry says the tragic fire puts things into perspective for him on this Thanksgiving day.

“On how fast you can lose it all and tragedy can strike,” he said.

Perry was one of the first on the scene. He went door to door to door to make sure everyone could get to safety.

“It was pandemonium. That smoke was coming out of there and then it just turned into flames,” he said.

The fire ultimately damaged 10 homes, displacing 39 people. Some of the affected families are staying at a Norristown middle school for the holiday while the American Red Cross works to help them get back on their feet.

Alana Mauger with the American Red Cross says seven families are still staying at the shelter and they will be there for as long as they need.

“We are making sure that people have their immediate needs taken care of, we are providing them with comfort and care, a safe place to sleep, meals, other services that they need.”

The Ebenezer Foundation in Norristown is also stepping up to help the families, partnering with local organizations to raise at least $1,000 for each family ahead of Christmas.

Meantime, Perry is feeling grateful no one was injured in the fire, but his heart hurts for his neighbors, knowing their lives will never be the same

“I wouldn’t put that on no one,” he said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania man pleads guilty to threatening Trump and ICE agents online

Published

12 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Pennsylvania man pleads guilty to threatening Trump and ICE agents online

Shawn Monper, 33, of Butler, Pennsylvania, entered the plea on Monday before U.S. District Judge W. Scott Hardy to two counts of threatening federal officials with intent to impede, intimidate, interfere with and retaliate against them in…

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania man charged after son brought loaded gun to school, DA says

Published

24 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Pennsylvania man charged after son brought loaded gun to school, DA says

A Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, man was charged after his son went to school with his loaded gun, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office said Monday.

The DA’s office said Russell Matthews, 58, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering the welfare of a child.

East Pikeland Township Police responded to Hares Hill Elementary School on Monday at around 12:15 p.m. for the report of a student who brought a handgun to school.

At school, the student noticed the handgun inside their backpack and told a school counselor, according to the DA’s office. The student told officials that he recognized it and that it belonged to his father. The semiautomatic handgun was loaded with five rounds of ammunition, the DA’s office said.

Matthews told police that he put the gun in the wrong backpack, the DA’s office said.

Nobody was injured during the incident.

“We are grateful to the school officials and the East Pikeland Township Police Department who worked quickly to ensure that [Hares] Hill Elementary School is safe again,” Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said in a statement.

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Pennsylvania

Cynthia Ann Gargasz, Sharon, PA

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

SHARON, Pa. (MyValleyTributes) – Cynthia Ann Gargasz, age 75, passed away peacefully, on Friday, April 10, 2026, surrounded by her family.

Cynthia was born on October 5, 1950, in Sharon, Pennsylvania, to Mary and Carl Spruk.

Cindy grew up in Farrell, Pennsylvania, where she attended Farrell High School and graduated from class of 1969. She went on to dedicate 30 years of hard work at Packard Electric before retiring.

Cindy found joy in simple comforts at home and maintaining her home and family. Throughout her life, she cared deeply for her animal friends and would always feed and nurture any additional critters that would cross her path. She loved sitting with a cup of coffee, watching the birds and welcoming visits from friends and family. She cherished gathering around the kitchen table for meals and conversation and was always adding simple touches to her space to make it feel more like home. She enjoyed hosting holidays, where everyone felt welcome. Cindy had an eye for style, enjoyed meeting up with friends and dancing the night away to good music. Most recently during her illness, she very much enjoyed trips to the corral drive-in, for vanilla ice cream and burger visits with family.

Cindy is preceded in death by her parents Mary and Carl Spruk; her sister, Carol Crisan; and her brother, Edward Spruk.

She is survived by her children, Frank (Reagan) Gargasz and Ashley Gargasz; her grandson, Jordan DeCarmen; her brother, Mark Spruk (Gretchen); and her nieces and great-nieces.

Per her wish, family and close friends may call on Tuesday April 14, 2026, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., in the Stephen J. Sherman Funeral Home

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 12:00 p.m., in the funeral home, with Father James Power, officiating.

Burial will take place in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cemetery Hermitage, PA.

Arrangements entrusted to the SHERMAN Funeral Home & Crematory.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Cynthia Ann (Spruk) Gargasz, please visit our floral store.

A television tribute will air Tuesday, April 14, at the following approximate times: 6:47 a.m. on WYTV, 9:43 a.m. on WKBN, 10:58 a.m. on FOX and 8:12 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.

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