i'm vernon odom for chahael six "action news". >>> all right, thanks, vernon. and, now we will check with meteorologist karen rodgers in the weather center. again we're talking about more snow falling but are we looking at a shorter window are we saying 4:00 o'clock before things taper off. >> we will see intensity for same period have time so window hasn't really closed any. we have this storm for quite a while. my favorite part ace accumulation on vern's mustache i hope he gets warm. lets take a look right now at weather center and storm track er six live double scan and showing us, right now that we can see storm tracker six showing thaws we've got about 15 lightening strikes just within the past few minutes here and that is that area of low pressure intensifies, right new through the region. so watching this right now on storm tracker six live double scan, lets take a look right now, at the conditions, it will be

vernon odom is live at the montgomery county courthouse with more on today's arguments. >> reporter: good afternoon rick, these cosby pretrial hearings are quite contentious and the lawyers body slamming each other of allegations of ethical violations fly around the courtroom and the new defense team from the west coast are very aggressive. day two of pretrial hearings, this morning bill cosby's lawyers are presenting arguments against the prosecutions bid to have at least 19 women that they that they too are drug and assault victims of cosby and some allegations date back to the 60s. and they say they need to show a pattern of conduct. and he told the judge these are ancient allegations too old to be credible and unprofession unprofessionalab unprofessionalable. constand is the former temple employee who says that cosby drugged and sexually molested her in january of 2004. in his mansion. and judge prevented all but one other cosby accuser from testifying. that was declared a mistrial. and the request for more is to enrage the jury in the me too climate. the hollywood sexual harass

vernon odom has the story. >> reporter: the mayor came to city council with a spending plan including goodies for pretty much everyone. more for police and for more firefighters and more resources to battle the opioid crisis and more for the school district and there in lies the bone of contention he wants a hike in real estate taxes to the tune of 6% to cover the perpetual deficit this time $900 million over the next five years. >> we return to locally controlled schools we must provide the stability that they need to keep billing on the progress of recent years. >> a home assesses at $113,000 there see an increase of $97 in their tax bill. >> it's not the first time members of council have to wrestle with property taxes to get the schools funded. >> i would like to see more businesses paying their fair share to the support of our public schools and the tax abatement could be on the table. >> initial public reaction to the tax hike plan. >> i go back and forth because the schools need money but as a homeowner, i feel like i have to be able to afford my property tax. >> will you be ab

i'm vernon odom, channel 6 "action news." >> thank you. meantime the roads are slippery in montgomery county. this is video from montgomeriville where a car is slid off route 202 at costco drive. the driver appeared to be okay but the driver was stuck in a ditch on the side of the road. and accidents like this is the reason that penndot is urging penndot to avoid unnecessary travel. joining us now on the phone is bob kent from penndot. >> how are the conditions around the region at the tomorrow? >> due to the severity of the storm we reduced speeds on the highways to 45 miles per hour. and our trucks have been out and an all hands on deck operation. we have a salting operation but counter noted as the storm intensifies we'll get our blades down and turn into a plowing operation as the afternoon goes on. and the snow continues to build. as we know the heaviest snow is expectd this afternoon. we are using all available resources this storm. more than 420 pieces of equipment and 70 thousand tons salt. >> we have been seeing video of the highw

"action news" reporter vernon odom is live outside montgomery county court in norristown. vernon, what happened there today? >> reporter: jim, it was essentially inside baseball today. the lawyers battling and sparring with each other over which witnesses will be allowed to take the witness stand for both sides when this trial -- retrial starts next month. bill cosby back at the norristown courthouse for a new round of pretrial hearings on the drugging and sexual assault cancer against him lodged by former temple university employee andrea constand who testified the now disgraced show biz legend drugged her and then sexually assaulted her in his cheltenham mansion back in 04. the first trial ended with a hung jury. cosby's new did he first team headed by l.a. to me mevrov moved to have the charges dismissed on the grounds that the statute of limitations has passed. constand testified the assault occurred in january of 04 but cosby's lawyer suggest the encounter may have taken place earlier saying they'll produce her phone records saying she made no calls to open the drive w

"action news" reporter vernon odom just stepped out of court for us. he joins us from norristown with the very latest from there. vern. >> reporter: good afternoon sharrie. at today's hearings lawyers from both sides sparred with each other over who will be allowed to testify at the retrial next month and making allegations of bad faith by the lawyers on both sides of the celebrated case and the main argument who will be allowed to testify at next month's retrial of bill cosby. bill cosby returned to the norristown courthouse for a new round of pretrial hearings on the drugging and sexual assault charges against him. lodged by former temple university employee andrea constand who says the now disgraced show biz legend drugged her with blue pills and then sexually assaulted her at his cheltenham mansion back in 04, the first trial ended with a hung jury. cosby's new defense team has signaled their aggressive strategy at today's hearing they moved to have the charges dismissed on grounds the statute of limitations has passed. constand as testified that a

vernon odom channel 6 "action news." in norristown. >>> time now for a check of the "action news" traffic report tuesday night. >> all right matt pellman is in the traffic center things are getting busy and nothing compared to tomorrow night. i'm starting to feel jittery tomorrow and it's the typical nonsense along 95. northbound lanes coming out of the city past this point at the betsy ross bridge to cotman avenue. but if you get off of 95 in northeast philadelphia watch out you can't access the local portion of woodhaven westbound. you can stay on woodhaven route 63 from the boulevard and local woodhaven remains closed there. and in advance of this coming storm we are cleaning up from the last storm. portions of dels mill road remain blocked and radnor township. closure at gulf creek road and a pole downtown a rider truck on king of prussia road. in lower merion we have bryn mawr avenue at old gulf blocked off and lincoln drive northbound at johnson downed trees up there jamming us up for the commute. and southwest phi

i'm vernon odom, channel 6 "action news." live at logan circle. >> thank you. >>> stocks turned sharply lower as talk of steep tariffs on steel and aluminum spooked investors the arrange dropped as much as 5 had hundred points today and the dow ended down 420. and the nasdaq and s&p 500 both down as well. >>> more ahead on "action news" thursday night. more proof that what you eat is having a major impact on your health. >> new evidence tonight the diet can play a role in developing cancer. what a new study revealed. >> we have rain moving in light rain in philadelphia and a bit heavier across the lehigh valley. but this the leading edge of what will become our nor'easter with high winds and heavy rain and yes even snow. i'm have new information what to expect where you live when "action news" returns. more and more student debt is keeping people from doing what they love. (horn sound) ♪ ♪ like buying a home. ♪ ♪ (knocking sound) traveling. ♪ ♪ even getting married. ♪ ♪ at citizens bank we can help you refinance both your fed