Northeast
Freak accident kills Long Island worker fixing septic system
A man died after he was buried alive while working on a septic system on Long Island, New York, on Monday, according to police.
The worker, Lauro Pacheco, 38, of Bay Shore, was installing cesspool rings at a home in Head of the Harbor just before 2:30 p.m. when the incident took place, the Suffolk County Police Department said in a press release. Head of the Harbor is a village in Suffolk County, located on the North Shore of Long Island.
The victim entered the hole to level a cesspool ring when excavated dirt collapsed on him and buried him alive, police said.
A man died in an accident on Long Island, New York, on Monday after he was buried in a hole while installing a septic system. (Newsday RM)
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Emergency crews from several towns worked to dig the worker free but could not save him in time.
He was eventually removed from the hole by Emergency Service Section officers about five hours later and pronounced dead, police said.
The worker was installing cesspool rings at a home in Head of the Harbor when the incident took place, police said. (Google Maps)
Pacheco and employees from Darius Masonry Inc. were installing cesspool rings at the home at 1 Piper Lane when tragedy struck, police said.
Head of the Harbor Police Chief Chuck Lohmann said the worker was helping to install a septic tank near the carriage house on the property, according to PIX11.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was notified, the Suffolk County Police Department said.
A map shows Head of Harbor on Long Island. (Google Maps)
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It is almost time for “Weather Predictor Extraordinaire,” Punxsutawney Phil, to decide if six more weeks of winter are in our future or if spring is right around the corner.
And for many in the Carolinas, it is hopes for the latter after the weekend snowstorm.
Groundhog Day is the time when a legendary groundhog makes his prediction as thousands of his biggest fans gather to cheer Phil on during his yearly duty on Groundhog Day in the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
In the years since the tradition of the groundhog seeing his shadow started, it has become a cultural phenomenon that leads up to a big party/
And the party is alreday under way early in the morning, hours before Phil was even “awake”. People with Phil signs and groundhog hats on danced to music, enjoyed fireworks and the much-anticipated main event.
The big question is, will Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow or not?
“Wake up Phil! Wake up Phil!” filled the air before Phil’s big reveal in Pennsylvania on Monday, Feb. 2, before the groundhog came into the light to predict whether we’ll see six more weeks of winter or an early spring.
The crowd encouraged Phil to wake up just a short time before the sun began to rise on the cold morning in Pennsylvania, just after 7 a.m.
Chants of “Phil! Phil! Phil!” filled the air as Punxsutawney Phil was awaken from his slumber ― he was very comfortable in his hay bed ― to make his prediction.
Punxsutawney Phil brought cheers, and some boos, as he predicted six more weeks of winter this year.
Phil’s prediction typically happens after 7 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Where to watch if the groundhog will see his shadow?
You can watch a live feed of the event at Visit Pennsylvania’s website on Groundhog Day. The livestream, started at 4 a.m. ET and you can find it here. You can also see USA TODAY’s live stream at the top of this story.
When is Groundhog Day 2026?
Groundhog Day is on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026.
It might not be a federal holiday, but people in the U.S. tune in to see if Phil, or their own local groundhog celebrity, sees his shadow every year on the same day, Feb. 2. If he sees his shadow, he predicts six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, it’s a forecast of an early spring.
Groundhog Day: Punxsutawney Phil almost always predicts this
According to Groundhog Day legend, winter will last six more weeks if Phil sees his shadow, but there will be an early spring if he doesn’t.
What is Groundhog Day?
In the American tradition of Groundhog Day, the nation’s most well-known groundhog takes a stance on the season ahead.
The biggest celebration happens in Pennsylvania. Each year in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Gobbler’s Knob becomes a hive of activity for those wondering if winter is going to last a few more weeks. The celebration is free and spectators can enter the grounds starting at 3 a.m. ET. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club celebrates with talent shows, banquets and performances leading up to, and after, the prediction.
When was Groundhog Day first celebrated?
The first Groundhog Day was celebrated on Feb. 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Penn., according to History.com.
The tradition has roots in the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be.
Germans added to the tradition by selecting an animal to help predict the weather. But it wasn’t the groundhog at first, it was the hedgehog. After coming to America, German settlers in Pennsylvania continued the tradition and made the switch from hedgehogs to groundhogs, which were plentiful in the state.
And while the tradition has old-world roots it hasn’t gotten old, Punxsutawney Phil is still making his predictions to a sold-old crowd 138 years later.
How often is Punxsutawney Phil right?
While Phil may be known as the “Weather Predictor Extraordinaire,” the groundhog’s predictions are rarely right.
Punxsutawney Phil has been right 39% of the time since the tradition started in 1887, according to the Stormfax Weather Almanac. Phil has seen his shadow more often than not, predicting a longer winter 107 (84%) times. USA Today compiled all of his results since 1887:
- Saw shadow (six more weeks of winter): 107
- No shadow (early spring): 19
- Partial shadow: 1
- No record: 10
- Did not appear: 1
MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont’s state flower was chosen on this day in history.
An act of the legislature on February 1st, 1895, made the red clover the official flower of the Green Mountain State.
The red clover was seen as hardy, durable, like Vermont’s population, and widespread across the state’s agricultural lands.
Copyright 2026 WCAX. All rights reserved.
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