Major Storm Could Slam Northeast Early Next Week

Will Tropical Storm Sandy hit the Mid-Atlantic or Northeast with heavy rain/snow, high winds and flooding?

Some computer models show that Tropical Storm Sandy could hit the Northeast - including eastern Pennsylvania - with fury early next week, which is the anniversary of last year's bizarre "Snowtober" storm. Sandy could bring rain, snow, high winds and possible storm-surge flooding to the Boston-to-Washington corridor in a "slingshot" scenario, in which the tropical storm (or hurricane) initially moves out to sea, but is captured by the jet stream and flung back to the Mid-Atlantic or Northeast, according to Climate Central's Andrew Freedman. A USA Today report says the storm could hit the Northeast the day before Halloween and it could be devastating. Sandy's first U.S. impacts will be along the East Coast of Florida this afternoon and …

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Jenae Holtzhafer

7:17 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012

This is a great resource. It's never too late to be prepared! Remember last October? Yikes! http://www.scribd.com/doc/111166580/Hurricane-Safety-and-Preparedness-Guide   more ›

Ignore a Flood Roadblock, Get Fined?

Do you think drivers who ignore flood roadblocks and need to be rescued should be fined?

Major storms inevitably bring stories of drivers who ignore flood roadblocks and end up needing rescue by emergency crews. Now, Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering a bill that would levy fines on drivers who disregard the familiar warning to "turn around, don't drown." The bill would impose: What do you think? Vote in our poll and tell us in the comments section below.

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Musikfest 2012 Will Return to Flood Plain

Jeff Parks tells City Council that "crafters begged us not to move them," so Handwerkplatz and Volksplatz will stay put.

  Despite the soggy experience of 2011, Handwerkplatz and Volksplatz will return to their traditional locations near the banks of the Monocacy Creek in the Colonial Industrial Quarter for Musikfest 2012. So said Jeff Parks, the president of ArtsQuest, who appeared at Town Hall on Tuesday night to give City Council an update on progress at the SteelStacks arts and entertainment campus. “There will be no changes in terms of the sites,” Parks said. “We surveyed the crafters and they begged us not to move them. They said two times in 28 years is not a bad record.” Last year, ArtsQuest, which runs the annual 10-day festival of music, food and beer, was forced to close Handwerkplatz and Volksplatz during the fest’s last weekend. It had rained – …

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Daryl Nerl

12:39 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Thank you George for sharing that information with us. (And I'm a big fan of the salsa!)   more ›

Fountain Hill Man Charged with Cheating Check Cashing Business

Winfred Dobbins accused of cashing original and replacement checks for flood damage.

A Fountain Hill man is accused of trying to cheat a city check cashing business using a duplicate check for flood damage issued by his insurance company has been charged with theft, Bethlehem police said. Winfred Dobbins, 58, of 1445 Broadway, received two checks of $7,208.48 from All-State Insurance for flood damage to his home’s basement following one of the summer storms, according to court papers. The first check arrived on September 16 after Dobbins reported to All-State that the first check had not arrived and might have been stolen, the arrest affidavit says. He then cashed the check at United Check Cashing at 1814 Stefko Boulevard. A second check – the originally issued check – arrived a few days later. Dobbins also cashed that …

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Environmental Council Focuses on Monocacy Floods

Trees and shrubs along the creek can help lower the risk of banks overflowing.

Bethlehem’s Environmental Advisory Council sees the recent flooding along the Monocacy Creek as an opportunity. “It’s time for intercommunity cooperation,” said Jack Abel, EAC member and former chair of the Bethlehem Planning Commission. In the past month, the Monocacy has flooded the Colonial Industrial Quarter of the Historic Bethlehem Partnership five times, the EAC noted. And on Sept. 28, way upstream, the Monocacy overflowed and filled downtown Bath with water 2 feet deep for the first time anyone could remember. It was the perfect storm, a combination of the wettest September on record, following the wettest August on record, with a total of more than 26 inches of rain falling on the Lehigh Valley. The EAC’s recommendations for …

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Monocacy Creek Floods. Again.

Banks in Bethlehem overflow for the fourth time in two months.

The Monocacy Creek in Bethlehem overspilled its banks for the fourth time in two months overnight. With the worst of the rain apparently over, the creek was receding this afternoon. Nonetheless, the aftermath was still apparent. The Colonial Industrial Quarter once again took the brunt of the flooding. The same could be said of Illick's Mill Park. Conestoga Street was closed as was Elizabeth Avenue to the Paint Mill Bridge. Nearly three inches of rain fell at Lehigh Valley International Airport in two hours early Wednesday evening, according to the National Weather Service. This has already been the wettest September on record, as nearly 13 inches of rain has fallen. That followed the wettest August on record, with nearly 13.5 inches of …

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Staberdearth

8:30 pm on Thursday, September 29, 2011

Is that like "awesome"? I'm only "aksing"..   more ›

5 Things to Know Today

Rain threatens more flooding, the Celtic Classic, free music at SteelStacks and Friday night football.

Good morning Bethlehem. Today is Friday, September 23, 2011. Happy 62nd birthday to The Boss, Bruce Springsteen. Here comes the weekend.

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Wegmans Accepting Donations for Flood Victims

Grocery store chain will be accepting donations between Sept. 13 and Oct. 1.

Starting today, Sept. 13, Wegmans stores throughout eastern Pennsylvania, including the Hanover and Lower Nazareth township stores, will be accepting donations to help flood victims. Customers can contribute any amount, and 100 percent of the donations will be given to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. At Wegmans stores in Pennsylvania, the donations will be used for Pennsylvania flood relief. The checkout donation program will continue through Saturday, Oct. 1.

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5 Things to Know Today

September 11 remembrances continue today at Lehigh University.

Good morning Bethlehem. Today is Monday, September 12, 2011. Welcome to the working week.

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