Pennsylvania

High levels of respiratory illness reported across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware

Published

1 year ago

January 14, 2025

High levels of respiratory illness reported across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware

NEWARK, Del. (WPVI) — If you feel like everyone around you is coughing and sneezing, it’s not your imagination.

The CDC says the level of respiratory illness, including flu, COVID, and RSV, is classified as “high” in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, while Delaware is classified as “very high.”

Doctors say they’re seeing it all.

“Everyone is sick. We have RSV going on. We have flu. We have COVID going on. We have GI distress. Essentially, you’re getting sick in some fashion,” said Dr. Theresa Metanchuk, the Regional Clinical Director for ChristianaCare.

Dr. Claiborne Childs, the vice president of medical affairs at Riddle Hospital, is seeing the same thing.

“It’s sort of a confluence of all the different viruses all together. We’re seeing an uptick all around the hospital,” Childs said.

We’re at the center of the respiratory illness season.

“We still have some time to go. We have the rest of the month of January, February and early March,” said Dr. Childs.

That means there is still time to protect yourself with vaccines.

Dr. Metanchuk said the latest statistics show this year’s flu shot is 40% beneficial, which she said is “better than nothing.”

“They’re meant to keep you out of the hospital. They are meant to limit how severe the illness makes you,” she said.

As people heal from those illnesses, their bodies are at greater risk.

“Whenever you get sick, our immune system has to get a chance to recuperate, bounce back, so we’re more likely to get sick with something else,” said Dr. Metanchuk.

Staying hydrated, working out, and eating healthy – common New Year’s resolutions – are good ideas for preventing these illnesses too.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania man pleads guilty to threatening Trump and ICE agents online

Published

10 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

22 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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