DOZENS OF BARGES BROKE FREE AND ENDED UP GETTING STUCK AT A LOCK AND DAM ALONG THE OHIO RIVER OVER THE WEEKEND. NOW, CREWS ARE COMING UP WITH A PLAN TO CLEAR THE RIVER. THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD HAS DECLARED THE AREA NEAR THE EMSWORTH LOCKS AND DAM A SAFETY ZONE AFTER SEVERAL BARGES BROKE AWAY FROM JACK’S RUN FLEETING EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. A TOTAL OF 27 BARGES BROKE FREE DUE TO FLOODING AND ICE JAMS.
SO FAR, 25 HAVE BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR. 15 WERE VISIBLE AT THE DAM, BUT SEVERAL HAVE SINCE DISAPPEARED. OTHER BARGES ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE SUNK IN THE RIVER. AS A RESULT, NO VESSELS ARE ALLOWED THROUGH THE AREA. EMSWORTH LOCKS AND DAM HAS STOPPED OPERATIONS UNTIL THINGS ARE BACK TO NORMAL, WHICH COULD TAKE SOME TIME. FORTUNATELY, THE EMSWORTH LOCKS AND DAM WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED…AND THERE ARE NO ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS FROM POLLUTION.

ALL BEAVER COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES ARE CLOSED TODAY IN OBSERVANCE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY. COURTS ARE CLOSED. POST OFFICES ARE ALSO CLOSED. REGULAR MAIL IS NOT BEING PICKED UP OR DELIVERED. MOST BANKS ARE CLOSED. CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL BRANCH TO BE SURE. STATE LIQUOR STORES THAT ARE NORMALLY OPEN TODAY ARE OPEN…AND PENNDOT DRIVER LICENSE AND PHOTO CENTERS ARE CLOSED. A VARIETY OF SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.DMV.PA.GOV.

TODAY IS MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR’S BIRTHDAY…AND FOLKS ARE MARKING THE HOLIDAY WITH AN OBSERVANCE AT LINCOLN PARK IN MIDLAND. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO HAS A PREVIEW…

WEATHER FORECAST FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 15TH, 2018

TODAY – CLOUDY WITH SNOW DEVELOPING LATER IN THE
DAY. ACCUMULATIONS LESS THAN ONE INCH.
HIGH NEAR 30.

TONIGHT – SNOW THIS EVENING WILL GIVE WAY TO
LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS. 1 TO 3 INCHES OF
SNOW EXPECTED. LOW – 21.

TUESDAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SNOW SHOWERS
AROUND IN THE MORNING. HIGH – 23.