Flood-weary Pa. residents deal with more water

    Come on, Mother Nature, we’ve had enough!

    Flood watches remain in effect for much of flood-weary eastern Pennsylvania, where rising waters had some people fearing for their homes for a fourth time in a month.

    The area stretching from Philadelphia north to the New York border is forecast to get more rain today and concerns over runoff have prompted flash flood warnings.

     Some residents in Harveys Lake were evacuated late Wednesday after water ran over the Twin Lakes dam.

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     The Valley Stream Mobile Park in Luzerne County had water from a nearby creek rushing into the streets yesterday. It was the fourth time residents have seen flooding since late August, when Hurricane Irene hit the area.

     Five to seven inches of rain fell in Columbia County, again inundating areas hit hard by the record flooding from Tropical Storm Lee.

    The forecast calls for a (finally) dry and sunny weekend. Fingers crossed.

     

    AP-NJ–Right Now,1253Latest New Jersey news, sports, business and entertainment   FATHER-SON-DEATHS   Autopsies: Nothing suspicious in dad, son deaths   (Information in the following story is from: The Record, http://www.northjersey.com )   ENGLEWOOD, N.J. (AP) — Autopsies performed on an Englewood man and his young son who were found dead in their apartment this week didn’t reveal anything suspicious.   But Deputy Police Chief Lawrence Suffern tells The Record that 53-year-old Alan McNeil Jr.’s cause of death won’t be disclosed until toxicology tests are completed.   Suffern referred questions on 3-year-old Alan McNeil III’s cause of death to the Bergen County prosecutor’s office, which didn’t provide further details on Wednesday.   Authorities don’t believe the deaths are suspicious.   Police broke into the apartment early Monday and found McNeil’s lifeless body on top of his dead son. Authorities believe he may have died from natural causes and fallen on the toddler.   The child’s mother had called police late Sunday after McNeil didn’t drop the boy off for a scheduled visit and she couldn’t reach them.   SUITCASE REMAINS   NJ’s top court won’t hear “suitcase murder” appeal   TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The New Jersey Supreme Court won’t hear the appeal of a woman convicted of killing her husband and tossing his dismembered remains in the Chesapeake Bay.   The justices didn’t give a reason for turning down Melanie McGuire’s request. Their decision, issued Sept. 20, was made public on Wednesday.   A state appellate court had previously rejected arguments made by McGuire’s lawyers. They claimed, among other things, that “prejudicial Internet postings” could have influenced jurors and alleged a prosecutor overstepped her bounds during closing arguments.   McGuire was sentenced to life in prison after a jury convicted the Woodbridge resident of the 2004 murder.   Prosecutors say she drugged, shot and dismembered her husband, whose remains were found in three suitcases in the Chesapeake Bay near Norfolk, Va.   COP KILLS WIFE   Prison term cut for ex-NJ cop who killed his wife   (Information in the following story is from: The Press of Atlantic City, http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com )   BRIDGETON, N.J. (AP) — A judge has cut two years off the prison sentence given to a former southern New Jersey police officer who admitted shooting his wife to death during an argument in their home.   Former Millville police Sgt. Robert Vanaman had been given eight years for manslaughter and another year for evidence tampering when he was sentenced in May 2009.   But a state appellate court earlier this year rejected that sentence, saying the judge inappropriately considered Vanaman’s job while deciding his prison term.   So the judge on Wednesday reduced the manslaughter sentence by two years and took one day off the evidence tampering term.   Cumberland County prosecutors tell The Press of Atlantic City that they’re “disappointed” with the new sentence.   ARTIST FATALLY STRUCK   NY Artist Robert Loughlin fatally struck by car   NEW YORK (AP) — A well-known New York artist and furniture dealer has been fatally struck by a car near his home in New Jersey.   Robert Loughlin (LAWF’-lihn) was struck as he crossed a North Bergen thoroughfare on foot Tuesday night. That’s according to Gary Carlson, his partner of 31 years.   Loughlin was famous among designers as a `picker’ or someone who visited flea markets and thrift stores looking for vintage furniture to re-sell– including to art world stars like Andy Warhol.   In 1995, Loughlin found a Salvador Dali painting in a thrift shop. The 62-year-old was also a prolific painter himself.   North Bergen Police Lt. Frank Mena says the vehicle stopped at the scene. The driver’s name was not released. Mena says charges could possibly be filed against the driver, pending further investigation.   IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT-CRIMINALS-NJ   86 in NJ arrested as part of fed immigration sweep   NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Federal immigration officials say they’ve arrested 86 immigrants with criminal convictions in New Jersey.   The arrests announced Wednesday were part of a recent nationwide roundup and deportation of nearly 3,000 immigrants with at least one criminal conviction.   Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say the seven-day national enforcement operation, dubbed “Cross Check,” was the largest of its kind for the agency. ICE Director John Morton says more than 1,600 of the 2,901 criminal immigrants arrested in the last week had at least one felony conviction.   The roundup comes a month after Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced immigration officials would focus enforcement efforts on serious criminals and delay deportation cases for most non-criminal immigrants who don’t pose a threat to public safety or national security.   REHIRING POLICE   Camden to rehire 14 laid-off police officers   CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — New federal grants will add 78 police officers to patrols across New Jersey, where several departments have had deep layoffs because of budget problems.   Federal authorities announced funding worth more than $20 million for New Jersey communities over three years.   The biggest recipients are Newark and Camden, two high-crime cities that have had deep police layoffs in the past year.   Newark will be able to add 25 officers. About 150 were laid off late last year.   Camden, which laid off about half the force in January, can rehire 14. The city had already secured state and federal money to bring back 74 of the 168 officers who were laid off.   FLOOD RECOVERY   NJ flood victims share $116 million so far   HOWELL, N.J. (AP) — State and federal officials are warning residents that they have less than a month to apply for federal disaster money.   Officials say more than $116 million in disaster aid has already gone out to about 54,000 residents hit hard by Hurricane Irene and other recent storms.   Most of it has been used to pay for housing and other residential needs.   But about $12 million went toward low-interest disaster loans primarily to homeowners and renters, as well as businesses of all sizes and nonprofit organizations throughout the state.   On Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno toured homes in Howell, where many residents were still waiting for FEMA checks after being flooded in the week leading up to Hurricane Irene, and then again when the hurricane hit.   SETON HALL-TUITION BREAKS   Seton Hall offers breaks for top new students   SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. (AP) — Seton Hall University has a novel new deal to entice top students to attend.   Under a plan announced Wednesday, they’ll get a tuition break so steep they’ll be paying the same rate as an in-state student heading to public Rutgers University.   To qualify, students would have to apply by Dec. 15, rank in the top 10 percent of their high school class and score at least 1200 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT. Their yearly tuition would be $10,104, which would be frozen for four years, as long as they maintain a 3.0 grade-point average.   Regular tuition at the Catholic school in South Orange is $31,440. Room, board and fees add about $13,000.   About one-sixth of this year’s freshman class at Seton Hall would have qualified.   WHY THEY TEASE   Non-candidates keep presidential buzz alive   NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Christie isn’t running for president. But that hasn’t stopped some fans from begging the New Jersey governor to join the Republican field.   Christie, Sarah Palin, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and real estate mogul Donald Trump have all been floated as possible late entrants to the race. But many analysts believe the field is already set.   Christie told an audience in California Tuesday he still had no plans to run for president but would listen to those who want him to change his mind.   Palin told Fox News she would decide soon but said she worried the presidency might be too “shackling” for her.   (Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)   APNP 09-29-11 0214EDT

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