[naviga:h3]Hermine storm keeps churning[/naviga:h3]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Hermine is expected to begin weakening as it churns hundreds of miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean, but forecasters warn it could continue to impact areas from New York to southern New England with pounding waves, coastal flooding and beach erosion before it moves out to sea.

A tropical storm warning remained in effect this morning from New York’s Long Island to Massachusetts.

New York officials extended beach closures beyond Labor Day because of continued deadly rip currents, but some ignored the warnings.

The New York Post said police issued $80 tickets to at least four surfers at Rockaway Beach. An emergency worker who dived into the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island to save a swimmer who violated the ban told the Post that the current felt like a “300-pound guy pulling me back out to sea.”

In New Jersey, big waves and churning surf up to the base of dunes were reported in some areas of the state hit hard by Superstorm Sandy in October 2012, including the Ocean County communities of Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, Mantoloking and Brick. But no flooding or other damage was reported.

The National Hurricane Center said Hermine was expected to become nearly stationary by tonight before turning toward the northeast Wednesday.

As of 2 a.m. today, Hermine’s top sustained winds were steady at 65 mph as it moved west-northwest at 9 mph. The storm was centered about 110 miles south-southeast of the eastern tip of Long Island.

The threat of Hermine caused many vacationers to cancel their holiday plans.

[naviga:h3]Sinkhole closes S.C. highway[/naviga:h3]

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Part of a major highway near a South Carolina resort town was shut down for about 20 hours because of a sinkhole.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation said its crews and the utility made emergency repairs to the southbound lanes of state Highway 31, just south of its intersection with state Highway 22.

The sinkhole was caused by the collapse of a utility line under the pavement of the Grand Strand, a stretch of highway also known as the Carolina Bays Parkway. It serves as a quick way to get from North Myrtle Beach to Myrtle Beach.

Officials say the sinkhole opened Sunday night and was fixed Monday afternoon.