3 3 the deadline to apply for individual assistance fema has been extended again...you now have until monday january 4th to apply. it originally was the third... but because that falls on a sunday... fema officials will be accepting registrations through monday. president obama has declared all midlands counties a federal disaster... which assistance.the money would cover losses not taken care of by insurance. if you have already registered--you don't need to *re-apply. 3 faith based 3 the rain continues to fall in most of the midlands this morning...but we could be in for some relief... before we ring in the new year. good morning and thanks for waking up with us on this new year's eve day. let's toss things over to meterololigst... efren afante... 3 with what we can expect to see the rest of the day. efren.. 3 3 sce&g officials are monitoring water levels at lake murray... and the lower saluda river... after they released water into the river from the dam.they decided to let water out after heavy rainfall allowed for significant inflow into the dam.during the october flooding sce&g their six spillways. right now just one is opened. 3 the rain here in the midlands is once again affecting businesses... including one that was forced to shuttle their workers in and out... due to a flooded parking lot... news 19's... chuck ringwalt... has the story. 3 "the road that i'm standing on metropolitan treatment workers here unless you or a truck it's impossible to management it's not within the "the plant is whenever there is rain it taxes the system a lot more. we're having to treat a lot more water that is coming in, but we are able to keep up with victoria that the created during the still using them today. "our staff are able to park in a secondary area. and then we use city vehicles to traffic them in, in and keep the plant and keep it operational."kramer says that it's not the water to rise in that area.but there enough time for any of it to recede. todd hammill is for the southeast river forecast center. rivers throughout the southeast and shares information with the national weather "all the ground is saturated. so instead of that soaking running off. right now all of the rainfall we're getting and it's causing the rivers rise and the areas around them to flood. he says we've seen so much rainfall that..."we don't the ground to recover. we don't have time for the river recover and so they just keep filling up."in columbia chuck ringwalt news19 center says to look out for local forecast updates.to do so... be sure to follow news19 on social media... and sign up for text alerts on wltx dot com. 3 newberry county residents continue to see some flooding issues this morning. sheriff lee foster says yesterday... three people had to be evacuated from their homes on wheeler street... because of the high water levels.several roads in the county are blocked off by barricades... due to the heavy rainfall. foster says if you e in a low lying area or live near a creek ... you need to be aware of the water levels... and make a plan that allows you to leave quickly if you need to. and if you e driving and cannot see the pavement under the water... be sure to turn around. 3 a richland county deputy is one step closer to getting home... thanks to the saluda county community.kim macgregor was rescued from her home in irmo's pine glen neighborhood... during the flood.although she has flood insurance for structure damage... macgregor says she has to pay out of pocket for all of the contents on her her parents for $3,000 to help... when she was presented a check for that exact amount by saluda residents.they teamed up with multiple churches in town... for the receding waters benefit.... to help flood victims like macgregor.she says the help allowed her to continue construction without stopping. 3 kim macgregor: "it's very nice to get help from everybody. my department, other departments, other counties, random people that you don't even know. it's very 'wow!'"the saluda community says they were lucky to not have much damage from the flood.they raised over 15- thousand dollars during the event. 3 a reminder... you've got 4 more days to apply for individual assistance through fema.it originally was the third but that falls on a sunday ...so fema will be accepting registrations through monday.president obama has declared all midlands counties a federal disaster... which means the entire midlands is eligible for individual assistance.the money would cover losses not taken care of by insurance. if you have already registered-- you dont' need to re-apply. 3 we're on your side this morning...with some boil water advisories ... both involving west columbia customers.first ... the is an advisory issued for all addresses in 400 through 600 blocks of old barnwell road.also all addresses on lynn drive ... bel air drive... and anyone in the savannah woods subdivision. you should boil your water for one full minute before using it to cook or drink. 3 there will also be an advisory in place this saturday.the water line relocation that was supposed to happen on tuesday... had to be postponed due to the weather. they will relocate the lines on from 9:00 am until 8:00 pm ... that's happening near leaphart and mineral springs road. customers wont have water during those hours.once the water is back on... you will need to boil your water for at least one minute... before you use it. 3 3 the search continues in sumter... as police there look for three suspects in connection to an attempted year-old henry dingle ... 20- year-old kevin smith and 18- year-old... william spann.4 other men have already been arrested in connection to this case.police responded to a shots fired call on frazier street shortly before 4pm on tuesday. detectives think the three men could be involved in other cases as well.all three are believed to be armed and dangerous.if you have information that could help call crimestoppers at 1-888-crime-s-c. 3 in richland county... authorities say a husband and wife's fight over a chicken dinner... landed them both in the hospital.it happened on ranch road... near decker boulevard and percival road. deputies say the wife wanted to get chicken at church's... and the couple got into an argument... that's when deputies say the husband punched the wife knocking her out. he said when the woman came to... she grabbed a knife and stabbed her husband multiple times in the upper body.authorities say... both were taken to the hospital but are expected to be okay. they say charges will be filed 3 3 the day is here and it's time to celebrate the new year..nearly 30-thousand people will pack downtown columbia around the state house... for the amously hot new yearcelebration tonight. despite rainy weather crews willl be back out this morning putting the final details on the biggest party in the columbia and streets in that area will be closed this morning... and into tonight so routes. 3 and speaking of tonight's big event...grammy award winning artist... lauryn hill... is headlining this year. famously hot new years is on main and gervais in downtown columbia... and its free. but of course just like last year... you can watch it from the comfort of your own home... as news 19 will broadcast the event live from 11pm to 12-30 am. 3 if you are planning to go out tonight ...and will be drinking be sure to be responsible. cab rides will be stationed near the fountain in five points ....near the the corner of lady street and sumter street from 11 pm until 3am new years day.the first ten dollars are covered as long as you are going to a residence or hotel within richland and lexington counties.to take advantage of the program you must call checker yellow cab prior to the ride or let the driver know you are a k-w beverage alert cab rider. 3 if you do plan on heading downtown tonight... don't forget that usc will be collecting non perishable food donations for harvest hope. u-s-c volunteers will have people at all the entrances to this year's party in downtown columbia ... collecting canned good and monetary donations. 3 before lauryn hill hits the big stage... three bands from right here in the palmetto state... will be peforming. 3 if midnight is a 3 little too late for your litle ones... edventure children's museum has a new year's countdown for you.they are hosting a kid friendly party beginning this morning at 9. and just before noon... the kids will be able to countdown to 2016 with a ball drop.the party is free with museum admission. 3 netflix announced it's hosting special animated countdowns on new years' eve... for the little ones.. the countdown will feature the care bears and other popular characters. the idea... is kids don't have to stay up until midnight... to watch the new year's countdown. 3 still to come... first it was the blue dress..... a debate that had people in every about how to wear the pants... 3 plus... remember the first time you tried bacon... well a video going viral... will make sure one kids does... and its the cutest thing ever... that there's a new debate about dog pants that is going viral.the question...if a dog wore pants...would they wear them on its hind legs or on all four legs?think it's the hind legs? you're in the majority... however... many are arguing that pants cover all your legs...we wear two-legged pants because we have two legs...thus...dogs should wear four-legged pants... 3 many of you like to play corn hole... but i bet you have never played like this... cheerleaders from the teams competing in this year's chance... to play from a blimp... flying more than 2-hundred feet above the massive game board... they tossed giant beanbags out of goodyear's newest blimp, "wingfoot one." the game ended in a 1-1 tie... and secured a place in the record books... as the largest game of cornhole. 3 a family in charlotte has a lot to celebrate in the new year... after welcoming a very special delivery.their daughter is the smallest baby *ever delivered at levine children's hospital.baby e-layah faith was born premature, weighing just 10 ounces and measuring just 10 inches long. high blood pressure threatened both the baby and her mom... so doctors performed an emergency c- section. 3 "they had this mask on her for the oxygen, and her face was covered... it weighed more than her.""anytime you have a baby that challenges your clinical expertise and challenges your team, it only makes the team stronger, you experiance" 3 now three months old... baby e-layah could soon be going home. 3 speaking of babies... you may have seen this next video on facebook....but it is totally worth seeing again.a california baby's hilarious reaction to tasting bacon for the first time... is going viral.take a listen.19-month old... 3 easton beach... was sitting in grandparents' 3 home on christmas morning... when he had his first taste of bacon.his mom says easton spent about 10 minutes eating the bacon... but she only grabbed her phone in the last minute or so... to record the funny moment.she's posted it on facebook last friday... and it's been viewed more than four million times. 3 it's almost that time of year again... girl scout cookie season. for the second year in a row... girl scouts are doing digital orders.there is a catch... you have to know a girl scout to order online. they invite you to the website... so they can get credit for your order.sales begin here in the midlands next week. 3 southern coffee drinkers turned to the gingerbread latte... to celebrate the holidays in 2015. according to starbucks that was the most ordered holiday drink is several southeastern states... including ours. alaska ... the eggnog latte. texas liked the chestnut praline latte. californians drank iced beverages.those in the northeast... liked the holiday spice flat latte.the coffee mega-giant tracked the ordering habits by looking at the number of specific holiday beverage orders... sold per one thousand customers. 3 coming up on news 19 this morning... bill cosby has been charged.... we'll have details about the charges... and how they finally came about after next half hour. 3 3 3 good morning 3 and thanks for waking up with news 19 this morning... and happy new years eve... im mary sturgillyour time now is 5:30 you are waking up to another rainy day in the midlands... but we're expecting that to move on through before tonight's festivities... meteorologist... efran efante 3 3 3 3 in lexington county... a gaston man is behind bars... charged with helping his wife commit suicide.he's 63 year old... randy gene jones. deputies say his wife... karen jones... was found dead inside a hotel room... on burning tree drive.officers say they assisted in her suicide... sometime between the afternoon of december 20th and the morning of december 21. deputies found her body inside the room with mr. jones... when they arrived around lunchtime on december 22... in response to what was originally dispatched as a civil dispute.he is being held in the lexington county jail... on a bond of more than 32-thousand dollars.a judge also ordered jones to undergo a mental evaluation. the case remains under investigation. 3 meanwhile in the upstate... police have arrested a woman in connection to the death of her husband... who was found dead behind a hardee restaurant... over the weekend. she's 25-year old... angelita wrightpolice say 36- year-old... brent lee tessnear... was found behind the hardee on north main street in cowpens... and died later at a hospital.wright is charged with hit and run... resulting in death.she is now in the spartanburg county jail.. under no bond. 3 attorney insists her client will be exonerated of what she calls an unjustified charge of sexual assault. kenneth craig has more from elkins park, pennsylvania, where cosby was arraigned on wednesday. 3 3 if convicted, cosby faces up to ten years behind bars. 3 up to a million revelers are expected to ring in the new year in new york city's times square tonight. they'll be joined by nearly 6-thousand uniformed and undercover police officers. the head of the city's counterterrorism unit says new york city will be the safest place in the 3 at least 21 passengers aboard an air canada boeing 777 were sent to the hospital after their shanghai to toronto flight encountered severe turbulence. officials say the injuries were non-life- threatening neck and back injuries. 332 passengers and 19 crew members were on the flight, which was diverted to calgary. 3 3 a couple of g-o-p presidential contenders made their way through south carolina.jeb bush hosted a meet and greet in lexington... at the hudson's smokehouse barbeque last night. the former florida governor spoke to a packed house... on russia's relationship with the u-s... and how to empower working class americans. in washington3 south carolina holds the first primary in the south... on february 20-th. 3 the republican frontrunner was also in south carolina. donald trump was in hilton head... speaking to supporters at the westin.he touched on a number of topics including climate change ... foreign policy.trump got one of his biggest applause when he spoke about strengthening the country's military. 3 but we e going to build the strongest most powerful military ever. and, let me just tell you, let me just tell you a little secret, it's the cheapest thing we can do. we're never gonna have to use it. i don think we're gonna have to use it. don't forget, they talk about my tone. i remember when jeb and hillary, the same day, mr. trump tone is not nice. they e chopping off christiansheads in syria and other places and hey want me to have a nice tone; i'm supposed to be oh isn't life wonderful, okay? look, we've got be tough, we've got to be smart, we've got to have heart too. we have to have heart, we've got to take care of healthcare program. obamacare is a disaster, you people know. you people know."3 trump also spoke about his recent attacks against former president bill clinton.he once again implied hillary is a hypocrite for claiming he is degrading to women... considering president clinton's past affairs. 3 3 the day is here and it's time to celebrate the new year..nearly 30-thousand people will pack downtown columbia around the state house for the amously hot new yearcelebration tonight. despite rainy weather crews willl be back out this morning putting the final details on state. parts of downtown columbia and streets in that area will be closed this morning and into tonight so make sure to find alternate routes. 3 and speaking of tonight's big event...grammy award winning artist... lauryn hill... is headlining this year. famously hot new years is on main and gervais in downtown columbia... and its free. but of course just like last year... you can watch it from the comfort of your own home... as news 19 will broadcast the event live from 11pm to 12-30 am. 3 if you are planning to go out tonight ...and will be drinking be sure to be responsible. cab rides will be stationed near the fountain in five points ....near the tin roof in the vista and near the corner of lady street and sumter street from 11 pm until 3am new years day.the first ten dollars are covered as long as you are going to a residence or hotel within richland and lexington counties.to take advantage of the program you must call checker yellow cab prior to the ride or let the driver 3 if you do plan on heading downtown tonight... don't forget that usc will be collecting non perishable food donations for harvest hope. u-s-c volunteers will have people at all the entrances to this year's party in downtown columbia ... collecting canned good and monetary donations. 3 if midnight is a little too late for your litle ones... edventure children's museum has a new year's countdown for you.they are hosting a kid friendly party beginning this morning at 9. and just before noon... the kids will be able to countdown to 2016 with a ball drop.the party is free with museum admission. 3 or here's another option... netflix is hosting special animated countdowns ... for the little ones.. the countdowns will feature the care bears and other popular characters. the idea... is kids don't have to stay up until midnight... to watch the new year's countdown. 3 still to come... clemson coach dabo swinney talked about the three players who were suspended and won't be playing inn the orange bowl... what he says one of them will have to 3 plus... a therapy... to help depression... may be something you already do... we'll show. 3 where is the safest place to have a baby? researchers in oregon compared the risks of giving birth in a hospital and at home. they found a significantly higher risk of death or seizure for the baby in planned out-of-hospital hospital births. the rate of caesarian section births was much lower outside the hospital setting, but the risk of blood transfusion for the mother was higher for births at home. 3 vitamin d may one day be used to treat people with multiple sclerosis. in a preliminary study, researchers at john hopkins found high doses of vitamin d3 helped reduce the severity of the disease. doctors say more testing is needed. 3 a recent review of studies finds online therapy is helping people with depression and anxiety. hena daniels reports. 3 coming up on news 19 this morning... have you ever noticed... that when you *really need something it is suddenly there... that's just what happened to one midlands woman who lost everything n