Latest news with #Havertown
CBS News
28-07-2025
- Business
- CBS News
HVAC technicians staying busy amid heat wave in Philadelphia region
As a summer heat wave sweeps through the region, air conditioning systems are being pushed to their limits, and some are failing. At Bloomfield Dental in Drexel Hill, owner David Yarmark had to shut down his office for three days earlier this month when the air conditioning gave out. "It got really hot in here and at the dental office, that's not fun," Yarmark said. Yarmark hired Doug Stiefel, owner of PJ Mac HVAC Service & Repair, who diagnosed the problem as a broken compressor and got the system running again. Stiefel said he's seen a 400% spike in service calls since this spring. "What happens many times is they don't do the maintenance and think A/C works fine in 80 degrees," Stiefel said. "But when it's 90 and above, it doesn't work as well." Stiefel recommends homeowners and business owners replace their air filters every one to three months, schedule professional tune-ups that include cleaning the condenser and make sure the condensate drain is clear to avoid leaks. On Monday, Stiefel visited the Bon Air Fire Company in Havertown for a routine maintenance check. He replaced a faulty capacitor to ensure the station's cooling system keeps running during the extreme heat. "Just sitting in the A/C, it makes a huge difference," Bob Cassano, safety officer at Bon Fair Fire Company, said. "We replenish our bodies and ready for the next alarm." Yarmark said he's grateful to be back in business and credited Stiefel for the quick fix. "He really saved our butts because it got really hot and humid and patients were complaining," Yarmark said. "Being able to get up and running again was wonderful." With more 90-degree days in the forecast, HVAC technicians say the best time to service your system is before it breaks down.
CBS News
23-06-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Neighbors work together in Havertown, Pennsylvania, as storm cleanup and power outages continue
Neighbors work together in Delco as storm cleanup and power outages continue Neighbors work together in Delco as storm cleanup and power outages continue Neighbors work together in Delco as storm cleanup and power outages continue More than 72 hours after Thursday's powerful storms, thousands across the Philadelphia area are still without power. But in Havertown, a community is finding light by working together. Sometimes the best way to lend a hand is by lending some power – and that's exactly what Andrew Izzi did. "I just ran an extension cord to Chris' house. … He's helped me out a bunch in the past," Izzi said. Izzi's extension cord runs from his front window across Washington Avenue to the home of his neighbor, Chris Romanelli. "It was just a generosity thing. He didn't have to, he offered, and it was awesome," Romanelli said. "That's what I love about Havertown, it's a great community." Thursday's storms split the block. Romanelli's side is still without power — a downed line hangs behind the homes. But just across the street, Lisa Bielli was lucky. She's on the same side of the street as Izzi. And as she cleared up branches in her yard, she checked on neighbors and offered them support. READ MORE: Tips on how to file an insurance claim for storm damage Help was all around. Farther down Washington Avenue, another cord connected two homes, bridging the power divide. Romanelli is still mostly in the dark, but thanks to his neighbors, he's managing to keep food cold — and his spirits up. "I do have a fridge, that's the good thing," Romanelli said. "Thanks to my neighbor, I'm able to run that,"
CBS News
09-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Pope Leo XIV worked at this church near Philadelphia before becoming pontiff
The pastor of St. Denis Parish in Havertown, Pennsylvania, who recently met Pope Leo XIV, shared a little-known Philadelphia connection about the pontiff. The Rev. Kevin Gallagher said it's still settling in that American Cardinal Robert Prevost, a man with local ties whom he saw just last week in Rome as part of the funeral celebrations for Pope Francis, is now the world leader of the Catholic church. "When I was looking at him, I wasn't necessarily looking at him as the next holy father, the universal pastor of the Catholic Church throughout the world," Gallagher said. "I was looking at somebody who I knew went to Villanova, somebody who I met in the past, and I did not think he would appear on that balcony today as Pope Leo XIV." Gallagher shared a picture from a dinner last year with Pope Leo XIV, who has a surprising local tie — he worked at St. Denis while he was a student at Villanova long before being named the new pope. "He worked in our cemetery cutting grass and on the maintenance crew for one summer when he was a student at Villanova," Gallagher said. Gallagher said there is a lot of pride at St. Denis for Pope Leo XIV. "I know there is great jubilation on Lancaster Avenue. I have been texting with some of the Augustinians. This used to be an Augustinian parish, and they're just so excited, and we actually have several members of our parish who are classmates of the pope from Villanova," Gallagher said. As for what kind of Pope Leo XIV will be, Gallagher said: "I think with all my heart that he will be the victor of Christ. He'll be the presence of Christ." "This is a pope who comes to bring peace and I hope all of us Catholics, Christians and anyone in the world can get behind someone who is leading the body, the Catholic Church, and leading us to goodness," Gallagher added.
