Former AFL-CIO President John Sweeney dies at age 86

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A gloomy Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil says 6 more weeks of winter

WILKES-BARRE &mdash; While vehicle restrictions have been lifted in many areas of the state, several roadways in Northeast Pennsylvania still have restrictions in place, said the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.
				These restrictions will remain in place until conditions warrant their removal. Motorists are urged to avoid non-essential travel as crews continue their work to clear and treat roadways.
				The following tier restrictions are have been updated as of 2 p.m.:
				The entire length of Interstate 84 in Lackawanna, Wayne and Pike counties will be placed on a commercial vehicle right lane only restriction. The Tier 1 restriction has been lifted.
				The entire length of Interstate 380 in both directions in Lackawanna and Wayne counties will be placed on a commercial vehicle right lane only restriction. The Tier 4 restriction has been lifted.
				All speed limit restrictions for roadways in the region have been lifted as of 3:30 p.m., according to a release from PennDOT.
				The following roadways have Tier 1 restrictions in place:
				Route 33 from Interstate 78 to Interstate 80;
				Interstate 78 from Route 33 to the New Jersey border;
				Interstate 81 from Interstate 80 to the New Jersey border; and
				Interstate 476 (PA Turnpike Northeast Extension) from Lehigh Valley Interchange (Interstate 78, Exit 56) to Clarks Summit (Interstate 81, Exit 131).
				Under Tier 1 restrictions, the following vehicles are not permitted on affected roadways:
				Tractors without trailers;
				Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded enclosed trailers, open trailers or tank trailers;
				Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded tandem trailers;
				Enclosed cargo delivery trucks that meet the definition of a CMV;
				Passenger vehicles (cars, SUV&rsquo;s, pickup trucks, etc.) that are towing trailers;
				Recreational vehicles/motor homes;
				School buses, commercial buses and motor coaches not carrying chains or Alternate Traction Devices (ATD&rsquo;s); and
				Motorcycles.
				The following roadways have Tier 4 restrictions in place:
				Interstate 80 from Interstate 81 to Route 33;
				On roadways with Tier 4 restrictions in place, no commercial vehicles are permitted. Additionally, all school buses, commercial buses, motor coaches, motorcycles, RVs/motor homes and passenger vehicles (cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, etc.) that are towing trailers are not permitted on affected roadways while restrictions are in place.
				Additional speed and vehicle restrictions on these and other interstates could be added depending on changing conditions.
				Restrictions will be communicated via variable message boards, the 511PA traveler information website at www.511pa.com and smartphone apps. Motorists can also sign up for alerts on www.511pa.com by clicking on &ldquo;Personal Alerts&rdquo; in the left-hand menu.
				PennDOT and PTC are continuing their ongoing work to clear and treat roadways, and encourage that motorists avoid all unnecessary travel. Drivers should also be extra cautious around operating snow-removal equipment.
				Temperatures are expected to remain near or below freezing, and winds are expected. With freezing temperatures, roads that look wet may actually be icy, and extra caution is needed when approaching bridges and highway ramps where ice can form without warning. If travel is necessary, motorists should generally reduce speeds, increase following distance, and be aware of changing conditions.
				Weather forecast
				The National Weather Service in Binghamton, New York, issued the following forecast for Northeast Pennsylvania:
				Today: Occasional snow before noon, then snow showers, mainly after noon. High near 31. North wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of around 2 inches.
				Tonight: Scattered snow showers, mainly after 2 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 23. North wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
				Wednesday: Isolated snow showers before 8 a.m. Cloudy, with a high near 29. Northwest wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
				Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. Northwest wind around 8 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
				Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 39. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
				Thursday Night: A chance of snow showers after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
				Friday: A chance of snow showers before 8 a.m., then rain and snow showers likely between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m,, then rain showers likely after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
				Friday Night: A chance of rain and snow showers before 9 p.m., then a chance of snow showers between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
				Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 32.
				Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19.
				Sunday: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
				Sunday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 12. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
				Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 21.

PennDOT updates road restrictions for Northeast PA