Snow shutting schools early

A storm is shutting schools down early today, as forecasters expect between 2-4 inches of snow to fall in our area through evening hours. All week, meteorologists have been trying to pinpoint when this storm will hit, how much snow it will dump and when, said Elyse Colbert, National Weather Service meteorologist. "With this system there's been a lot of disagreement between the different models," she said. But it now appears snow will fall through evening, Colbert said. "The evening rush hour is going to be a lot worse than this morning's."

Students poke fun with meth-making costumes

SOUTH CENTRE TWP. -- Central Columbia students had a little fun at Berwick's expense Saturday night when the student section at the boys basketball game came dressed as characters from "Breaking Bad," a show about a high school chemistry teacher who cooks meth. Several students wore full-body protective suits and aprons, along with gas and respirator masks. A few sported fake mustaches, like the show's lead character, Walter White. But despite the provocative costumes, Central Columbia Superintendent Harry Mathias said it was all done in good fun.

Hikers from BU outdoors group rescued from N.H. mountain in fierce blizzard conditions

PINKHAM NOTCH, N.H. -- Four people from a Bloomsburg University outdoors group doing a winter hike on New Hampshire's Mount Washington took shelter in a snow cave Sunday after they lost their bearings in below-zero temperatures and 95 mph wind gusts. They set off a GPS signal beacon and managed to get off one 911 call to alert rescuers.

New details in deadly plane crash

BIGLERVILLE (AP) -- Federal investigators have new details about the plane crash that killed a local man and his girlfriend's daughter. The small plane broke apart in the air before crashing near Gettysburg on Dec. 26. Debris from the plane was spread along a nearly half-mile path leading to the crash site in Butler Township, Adams County, the National Transportation Safety Board report says. The plane's wings, rudder and horizontal stabilizer were found 1,000 feet from the main wreckage, the fuselage and engines.

Con man claims power company giving out $1.5M

BERWICK -- A con artist called John Navickas on Tuesday, telling him the power company was giving him $1.5 million just for having paid his bills on time. The Berwick man didn't fall for it. "I got salty with him and hung up," said Navickas, who wants to warn other people of the scam. "I'm 72, but I'm far from being stupid." But the would-be swindler was undeterred, calling back twice Wednesday. The caller claimed the power company -- which he didn't name -- had drawn 55 names of senior citizens who had paid their bills on time for a year.

Double mastectomy for mom, daughter

MILLVILLE -- After watching four women in their family die from breast cancer, Gail Bradley and daughter Lori Reese were faced with an agonizing choice: wait and watch, knowing they had an 85 percent chance of getting cancer, or have surgery to remove both breasts. They chose surgery, and now their risk has dropped to zero The decision to have a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery was tough. Reese said her husband, "a breast man," was against it, and he stopped talking to her for a month.

What we're working on: Jan. 18, 2014

Here's a look at the stories that kept our reporters busy: * A mother and daughter both had double mastectomy after four relatives died from breast cancer. The daughter's husband -- a "breast man" -- refused to talk to her for a month. * A swindler called a local man, claiming the power company was giving him $1.5 million just for having paid his bills on time. Look for these stories and more in tomorrow's edition of the Press Enterprise.

Graffiti accumulates in town

BLOOMSBURG -- Signs of the big city have crept into the small alleys north of Main Street. Graffiti covers the rear of one building, the side of the Caldwell Consistory and a corner of the Moose Exchange. The heaviest areas of graffiti are concentrated on the back walkway between La Fontana Restaurant and the Caldwell Consitory and then - two blocks east - on a garage and apartment along Ridge Avenue behind the former Iron Horse Motorcycle building.(Have a look at some of the graffiti:)

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