Sixth day of rain drenches New Jersey; more on way
Newark, N.J. – A sixth straight day of rain from a storm that has parked itself over New Jersey snarled traffic Wednesday, delaying flights and causing flooding that was only expected to worsen.
Several northeastern states have been hit with heavy rain in the past week, including New Hampshire, where three people have been confirmed dead in floodwaters and four others remained missing.
The National Weather Service canceled a flood watch for New Hampshire on Wednesday, but said the already-saturated area could see 3 to 6 inches of rain in the next few days.
New Jersey remained under a flood watch, and streams and rivers in several areas were overflowing by midday. Minor to moderate flooding was expected, with rain expected to continue through Saturday.
Flooding was reported in several counties, and arriving flights at Newark Liberty International Airport were delayed by as much as five hours because of rain.
Business districts in Hackensack and Princeton were experiencing flooding, high water in Jersey City caused delays approaching the Holland Tunnel, and the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford canceled its thoroughbred racing programs Wednesday night and tonight.
WASHINGTON
$45 million donation boosts Smithsonian
The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation donated $45 million on Wednesday to help cover the estimated $270 million cost of refurbishing the building that houses two of America’s great art museums.
The National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum, both part of the Smithsonian Institution, were moved from the Old Patent Office nearly six years ago when renovations began. They are expected to move back by July 4.
ST. LOUIS
City settles lawsuit on harassing homeless
The city agreed Wednesday to pay 25 homeless people $80,000 to settle a lawsuit accusing police of harassing and unjustly jailing them to clear downtown over the Fourth of July weekend last year.
The plaintiffs will split $30,000. An additional $20,000 will go toward meals and other services for the homeless. The rest will cover lawyers’ fees.
WASHINGTON
Salazar blocks pick for EU ambassador
Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., has used a legislative maneuver to block confirmation of President Bush’s nominee for ambassador to the European Union, C. Boyden Gray, because of advertisements linked to Gray that Salazar found objectionable.
Salazar wrote a letter to Gray criticizing an advertisement run by Committee for Justice – a Republican group led by Gray created to push for confirmation of Bush’s judicial nominees.
The ads showed the closed Senate doors with the sign “Catholics need not apply,” implying that a nominee was being blocked by Democrats because of his religion. Salazar, a Catholic, said the ad was “disgraceful.” The nomination stays on hold until Salazar relents.
BERLIN
Schroeder not part of new government
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Wednesday he will not participate in Germany’s new coalition government, ending seven years in power marked by a newly assertive foreign policy and efforts to prune welfare benefits that were a drag on Europe’s biggest economy.
Schroeder’s Social Democrats lost last month’s elections to conservative Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats, and Merkel struck a power-sharing deal Monday to become Germany’s first female chancellor.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.
Man arrested in charter-jet joy ride
A man was arrested on charges of stealing a charter jet and taking it on a 350-mile joy ride from Florida to Georgia, police said Wednesday.
The circumstances of the theft were not clear, police spokesman Darren Moloney said. The incident “appears to be a joy ride.”
Daniel Andrew Wolcott, 22, of Buford, Ga., was charged with felony theft and misdemeanor reckless conduct, police said.
