Great Lakes region braces for more snow while cleaning up after lake-effect storms

Even more snow could be on the way for places in the Great Lakes region that are still digging out after days of storms caused deadly wrecks, collapsed a barn on top of 100 cows and buried some towns under nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters).

While cleanup was still taking place Tuesday around parts of western New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan — where some places saw just an inch or two of snow while others were hit with several feet — areas in New York were still seeing snowfall and a lake-effect snow warning remained through much of Tuesday. Some spots could get another 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) of snow, according to the National Weather Service.

Layers of snow piled on top of an Ohio high school caused its roof to partially collapse while the building was closed over the weekend. School officials near Ashtabula found more damage on Monday, saying it would take weeks to repair and that they were making plans to move classes elsewhere.

More than five feet (1.5 meters) of snow blanketed the area east of Cleveland along Lake Erie and more was expected later in the week, with a winter storm watch in place from the weather service beginning Wednesday night into Friday.

Todd Brainard used a roof rake to scrape several feet of snow from the top of his house in North Perry, Ohio.

“I just don’t want to take the chance of having the roof cave in on my kids or wife or any one of us,” he said Tuesday. “A lot of people haven’t seen this amount of snow in a long time.”

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency in four counties on Tuesday, noting that more snow squalls and high winds were expected in the coming days.

In neighboring western Pennsylvania, another 3 to 9 inches (8 to 23 centimeters) could fall from late Wednesday through Thursday morning. Many school districts in the western part of the state remained closed Tuesday after several days of lake-effect snow.

Members of the Pennsylvania National Guard were using Humvees and tactical vehicles to transport health care workers and those needing medical care while also rescuing stranded drivers during the past four days, according to a spokesperson, Maj. Travis Mueller.

In Erie, Pennsylvania, which was buried under several feet of snow, more than 200 cars were left abandoned in the snow, hampering efforts to clear streets. Even for a city accustomed to lake-effect snow, the storm was “unprecedented” in its intensity, said the city’s assistant fire chief, Gregory Purchase.

Erie County officials asked residents to help dig out fire hydrants on their streets and added that inmates from the jail were expected to be enlisted in the effort starting Wednesday.

The heavy snow in recent days was blamed for a series of fatal accidents. Three people died Monday morning in an Iowa crash involving two vehicles after a driver crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic to pass a snowplow, according to the Iowa State Patrol.

In western Kentucky, two people died in a crash Monday night that blocked Interstate 24 for hours. Winter weather conditions had caused multiple accidents along the highway, officials said.

Meanwhile in southeast Alaska, an ice storm warning was in effect along with flood watches because of rain and melting snow, the weather service said. Juneau, the capital city, received heavy snowfall over the weekend before precipitation transitioned to rain and temperatures warmed.

Contributing to this report were John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Michael Rubinkam in Allentown, Pennsylvania; Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska; and Dylan Lovan in Louisville, Kentucky.

Snow is piled at a parking lot in Lowville, N.Y., Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Cara Anna)

A snowplow clears snow as the sun rises in Lowville, N.Y., Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Cara Anna)

A truck travels on interstate 90 near New York-Pennsylvania border in Ripley, N.Y., Monday, Dec 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Terrence Yarbrough of Erie, Pa, rides his bicycle through the streets of downtown Erie, Pa, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Serena Schodt brushes snow off her car in Erie, Pa., Monday, Dec 2, 2024. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Shoppers walk through blowing and drifting snow, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in downtown St. Joseph, Mich. (Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP)

Snow covers the sign for the North Perry Village Hall in North Perry, Ohio on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)

Snow is piled at a parking lot in Lowville, N.Y., on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Cara Anna)

Resident Todd Brainard cleans snow off of the roof of his home in North Perry, Ohio on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A group led by left-wing activists filed a second impeachment complaint against the Philippine vice president on Wednesday over her alleged misuse of government funds and demanded that she be permanently barred from holding public office.

The impeachment complaint filed by at least 74 activists, including human rights, labor and student leaders, before the House of Representatives reflects the extent of the political hostilities faced by Vice President Sara Duterte. She did not immediately comment on the new impeachment complaint or an earlier one filed Monday.

Duterte, a 46-year-old lawyer, is the daughter of also-controversial former President Rodrigo Duterte, who oversaw a bloody anti-drug crackdown while in office. The killing of thousands of suspects during the crackdown is being investigated by the International Criminal Court as a possible crime against humanity.

Her No. 1 political adversary has been President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whom she publicly threatened with death in a Nov. 23 online news conference.

Government investigators have launched a criminal investigation into her threat against the president, his wife and the speaker of the House of Representatives, a cousin and ally of Marcos. Duterte has tried to walk back her comments by saying they were not a direct death threat but rather an expression of concern for her own safety.

The complaint filed Wednesday accused the vice president of “betrayal of public trust over the illegal use and mishandling of 612.5 million pesos ($10.3 million) in confidential funds,” according to a statement by the complainants.

The impeachment complaint said that in addition to the alleged misuse of the confidential and intelligence funds, the vice president and her staff allegedly tried to cover up the irregularities by submitting fabricated reports, receipts and documents to the Commission on Audit and deliberately obstructing a congressional investigation.

It said that in December 2022, the vice president’s office spent 125 million pesos ($2 million) in 11 days during the Christmas holidays for suspicious expenditures, including renting “safe houses,” paying for unspecified confidential information and financing rewards, which it said were not clearly explained by Duterte.

“Wasting the confidential funds is a big betrayal of the people,” said Liza Maza, a leading complainant from the Makabayan political coalition. “This is not just a simple technical violation but a systematic misuse and robbery of public funds.”

“The impeachment is the antidote to impunity,” said Renato Reyes of Bayan, another left-wing political coalition. “Citizens and taxpayers need to hold public officials accountable.”

On Monday, a group of civil society activists, including Roman Catholic priests and pro-democracy activists, filed an initial impeachment case that contained about 24 alleged crimes and irregularities, including her death threats against Marcos and her alleged role in the extra-judicial killings of drug suspects under her father's crackdown. She was also accused of failing to stand up to Chinese aggression in the disputed South China Sea.

The impeachment complaints will be examined by the House of Representatives, which is dominated by allies of Marcos and his cousin and key backer, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who also has been politically at odds with the vice president.

The process could take weeks or months. Congress is to start its Christmas recess on Dec. 20 and resume on Jan. 13. Many legislators will then start campaigning for reelection ahead of the May 12 midterm elections.

The House has been investigating the alleged misuse of confidential and intelligence funds received by Duterte’s offices as vice president and education secretary. She has since left the education post.

She has refused to respond to questions in detail in tense televised hearings. Philippine police have filed criminal complaints against Duterte and her security staff for allegedly assaulting authorities and disobeying orders in an altercation in Congress over the brief detention of her chief of staff, who was accused of hampering the congressional inquiry into the alleged misuse of funds.

The National Bureau of Investigation subpoenaed Duterte to face investigators on Dec. 11 about her threats against the president.

Marcos and Duterte won landslide victories as running mates in the 2022 election but have since fallen out over key differences. The two offices are elected separately in the Philippines, which has resulted in rivals occupying the country’s top political posts.

Associated Press journalists Aaron Favila and Joeal Calupitan contributed to this report.

House Secretary General, Reginald Velasco, left, receives a second impeachment complaint filed against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte by a group led by left-wing activists on Wednesday Dec. 4, 2024 at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

House Secretary General, Reginald Velasco, left, signs a document as a second impeachment complaint is filed against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte by a group led by left-wing activists on Wednesday Dec. 4, 2024 at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Activists hold a copy of a second impeachment complaint filed against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday Dec. 4, 2024 at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

House Secretary General, Reginald Velasco, center, receives a second impeachment complaint filed against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte by a group led by left-wing activists on Wednesday Dec. 4, 2024 at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

House Secretary General, Reginald Velasco, left, receives a second impeachment complaint filed against Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday Dec. 4, 2024 at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)