Eleven Counties In Pennsylvania On List For Potential Federal Disaster Assistance

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Governor Corbett has asked President Obama to declare eleven Pennsylvania counties disaster areas, which would begin the process of applying and qualifying for federal aid.

The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency said Monday the list so far includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, Pike, Wyoming and Wayne counties.  More counties may be added.

Governor Corbett and Lt. Governor Cawley are touring areas of the state ravaged by Hurricane Irene.

D Is For Drought!

I have wondered how long it would take before we started talking about water problems with this hot, dry summer!

Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties are under drought warning.  Chester and Delaware are under drought watch.

We are being asked to conserve water between 10% and 15% under a drought warning.

All of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are being asked to conserve water!

Four People Slaughtered In Northampton By Paroled Murdered

Police described the scene as a slaughter with blood on the floor in puddles and all over the walls.  Four people were butchered in Northampton, a normally quiet suburb of Allentown.  Three residents of the home and a good Samaritan neighbor were allegedly murdered by Michael E. Ballard.  The 36-year-old Ballard had a brief relationship with one of the victims after being paroled in 2007 for a murder he committed in 1991!  Could be why the relationship was “brief”!

The accused was involved in a minor car accident, shortly after committing the alleged crimes.  Ballard was covered with blood and told an off-duty state trooper he just killed everyone.  He was driving a victim’s car in an attempt to flee from the police.

Mr. Ballard will be sent to the Northampton County Jail without bail after he is released from St. Luke’s Hospital in Fountain Hill.  This could be the first quadruple homicide in the county’s history according to Northampton District Attorney John Morganelli.