Ahead of the first Democratic primary debates of the 2020 presidential election set for Wednesday and Thursday nights, here's a primer with what you should know before it's time to settle in for the anticipated fireworks. 

When and How to Watch the 2020 Democratic Presidential Debates

The Democratic National Committee has approved up to 12 debates. Six debates are scheduled this year and six more set for 2020.

The first debate, sponsored by NBC News, MSNBC, and Telemundo, will take place on June 26 and 27 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, Florida. The field will be split into two with 10 candidates debating each night. 

NBC announced the candidates would have 60 seconds to answer questions and 30 seconds for follow-ups. The candidates will be allowed closing statements but no openers.

The debate will air live across NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo and also stream online free on this website, NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, the NBC News mobile app and OTT apps, in addition to Telemundo’s digital platforms.

CNN will host the second debate in Detroit on July 30 and 31. 

The 20 Democrats Who Qualified for the First Presidential Primary Debates in Miami Are

NBC News announced on June 14 the lineups of Democratic presidential candidates who are appearing on stage at the first debates in Miami.

The first group of 10 appearing on Wednesday, June 26: Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, former Rep. John Delaney of Maryland, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, former Housing Secretary Julian Castro, Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee.

The second group of 10 appearing on Thursday, June 27 are: Sen. Kamala Harris of California, former Vice President Joe Biden, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, author Marianne Williamson, Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, entrepreneur Andrew Yang and Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado.

Three candidates who failed to make the cut for either night of the debate were Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, Massachusetts congressman Seth Moulton, and Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam. 

Here is more information about all the candidates and how they are trying to stand out. 

How Candidates Qualify for the First Two Democratic Presidential Primary Debates

In February, the DNC published specific debate guidelines spelling out what  candidates have to do to participate. 

Democratic candidates may qualify for the first and second debate by meeting one of the two following sets of criteria:

Criteria 1- Polling Method: Participants must register 1% or more support in three polls (which may be national polls, or polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and/or Nevada) publicly released between Jan. 1, 2019, and 14 days prior to the date of the debate. Qualifying polls will be limited to those sponsored by one or more of the following organizations/institutions: Associated Press, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Des Moines Register, Fox News, Las Vegas Review Journal, Monmouth University, NBC News, New York Times, National Public Radio (NPR), Quinnipiac University, Reuters, University of New Hampshire, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, Winthrop University. Any candidate’s three qualifying polls must be conducted by different organizations, or if by the same organization, must be in different geographical areas.

Criteria 2 - Grassroots Fundraising Method: Candidates may qualify for the debate by demonstrating that the campaign has received donations from at least (1) 65,000 unique donors; and (2) a minimum of 200 unique donors per state in at least 20 U.S. states.  

If more than 20 candidates qualify, here is how a tiebreaker would work, according to NBC News. Candidates who meet both the polling and fundraising criteria would get preference. If that still doesn't winnow the field, then preference goes to candidates with the highest polling average.    

How Candidates Will be Selected for Future 2020 Presidential Debates

For the third debate, the DNC is essentially doubling the polling and fundraising thresholds set for the first two debates — and requiring candidates to meet both standards, instead of just one or the other, NBC News reported.

Candidates will need to register at least 2 percent in four major polls conducted this summer and receive donations from at least 130,000 individual donors, including at least 400 in 20 states.

Who Will Moderate the 2020 Presidential Debates?

There will be five moderators for the first debate: "TODAY" co-anchor and NBC News chief legal analyst Savannah Guthrie, "NBC Nightly News" and "Dateline" anchor Lester Holt, "Meet the Press" moderator and NBC News political director Chuck Todd, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow and "Noticias Telemundo" and "NBC Nightly News Saturday" anchor José Diaz-Balart. 

Holt will moderate for both hours. Guthrie and Diaz-Balart will co-moderate for the first hour, while Todd and Maddow will join Holt for the second hour, NBC News said. 

No information has been revealed by the DNC on the question format. 

Specific hosts and moderators have not yet been revealed for subsequent debates.

The DNC has said it will have at least one female and non-white moderator at each Democratic presidential debate.

"The DNC is committed to an inclusive and fair debate process," DNC senior adviser Mary Beth Cahill told Refinery29, which first reported the debates will have at least one female moderator. "That means that all 12 DNC sanctioned debates will feature a diverse group of moderators and panelists including women and people of color, ensuring that the conversations reflect the concerns of all Americans."

HuffPost later reported that the debates will also include at least one person of color as a moderator, who could also be the same person as the female moderator. 

Eric Trump, the son of President Donald Trump, was spit on by an employee of a Chicago bar Tuesday night, multiple sources told NBC 5. Eric Trump later confirmed the incident to a right-wing commentary website. 

The incident took place at around 8:30 p.m. at the Aviary, located at 955 W. Fulton Market. Sources said Eric Trump was a patron at the cocktail lounge when an employee approached and spit on him.

Chicago police responded to the scene, with CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeting just before 10:30 p.m. that officers were "assisting the United States Secret Service with a law enforcement matter," adding that any further inquiries "regarding a federal protectee" should be directed to the Secret Service. The Secret Service declined to comment.

Eric Trump was seen leaving the restaurant in a motorcade of two black SUVs. In a statement to right-wing commentary site Breitbart News, he called the incident "purely a disgusting act by somebody who clearly has emotional problems.”

Eric Trump tweeted photos of the Trump Hotel in Chicago at around 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, with the caption "Always love visiting @TrumpChicago⁩! It is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world! @TrumpHotels," but made no mention of the alleged incident.

Representatives for the Aviary did not respond to requests for comment. It was not immediately clear if anyone was taken into custody in connection with the incident, or if charges would be filed.

The estranged husband of missing New Canaan mother Jennifer Dulos is back in court on Wednesday fighting for custody of the couple's five children.

Fotis Dulos was already going through a divorce and custody dispute with Jennifer before she disappeared on May 24. On Wednesday, Fotis is expected to appear at Stamford Court in relation to that.

Attorneys for Jennifer filed a motion to hold Fotis and his attorneys in criminal contempt, claiming they violated a court order by releasing information about evaluations done on the couple's children. It's information they said was supposed to be sealed.

Attorney Norm Pattis, who is representing Fotis, said he believes they acted appropriately and filed his own motion to have the evaluations unsealed.

The filing goes on to request that Fotis and his attorneys be barred from divulging information from the custody evaluation to the media. It also asks that Fotis' attorneys be disqualified from representing him in any custody or criminal cases.

Fotis' attorney Norm Pattis responded by writing in an email, "without commenting on the allegations in the counsel's motion, we contend we acted appropriately in the defense of our client."

Jennifer has been missing for over a month. According to court documents, when police searched her home, they found blood, and investigators believe she was the victim of a serious physical assault. Her disappearance is considered a missing persons case.

City surveillance cameras captured a man police said matched the appearance of Fotis throwing away bags of garbage along Albany Avenue in Hartford the day Jennifer disappeared, according to court documents.

Jennifer, who moved from Farmington to New Canaan after filing for divorce, was last seen while dropping off her children at school in New Canaan on Friday, May 24. Since Jennifer disappeared, her children have been living with her mother.

Investigators have spent the better part of the last month searching for clues related to Jennifer's disappearance at locations all over the state.

As the search continues, police have dedicated a website, FindJenniferDulos.com, and an email address, FindJenniferDulos@newcanaanct.gov, to the investigation. Police have also set up a tipline, 203-594-3544.

Connecticut State Police Eastern District Major Crimes is investigating in Windham. 

State police said there is an incident on Scott Road but they are not releasing any additional information. 

Check back for updates.

U.S. immigration officials have placed a detainer on the man charged with seven counts of negligent homicide in the collision that killed seven motorcyclists in a small New Hampshire town last week.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ordered a hold on 23-year-old Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, a Ukraine national who was allegedly driving the pickup truck that was involved in the June 21 wreck. The detainer would place Zhukovskyy into ICE custody after criminal proceedings conclude in New Hampshire.

The Union Leader first reported the hold, citing the Coos County House of Correction superintendent, who told the newspaper the detainer was placed on Zhukovskyy the same day that he arrived at the jail.

ICE issues detainers to let local law enforcement agencies know that they intend to take custody of a suspect and request that they not be released in the interim.

NBC10 Boston has reached out to the Coos County House of Correction.

Zhukovskyy was allegedly behind the wheel of a 2016 Dodge 2500 pickup truck that collided with 10 motorcyclists, killing seven of them, in Randolph, New Hampshire. The truck, carrying a flatbed trailer, was traveling westbound on Route 2 when it crossed the double-yellow centerlines, hitting the motorcyclists in the eastbound lane, authorities said.

The suspect waived his arraignment on Tuesday but entered a not guilty plea via his attorney in Lancaster, New Hampshire. He was held without bail and ordered not to have contact with 14 people, which includes survivors of the collision and family members of victims.

The victims, whose ages ran from 42 to 62, were members or supporters of Marine JarHeads, a New England motorcycle club comprised of Marines and their spouses.

Zhukovskyy was arrested in his West Springfield, Massachusetts, home on Monday and briefly appeared in court in the Bay State later that day. He waived extradition to New Hampshire.

Zhukovskyy had a green card, his father told The Boston Herald. An ICE official wouldn't comment on his U.S. residency status, citing the agency's privacy policy.

The suspect has a lengthy history of vehicular incidents and arrests. Zhukovskyy was arrested on drunken driving charges just last month in East Windsor, Connecticut, and in 2013 in Westfield, Massachusetts, according to Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles records.

Police in Baytown, Texas, confirmed to NBC10 Boston Investigators that Zhukovskyy flipped a tractor-trailer in their town while hauling five cars. The defendant claimed a car cut him off. In February, police in the same community arrested him on drug charges.

Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said the Registry of Motor Vehicles did not act on information sent by Connecticut’s Department of Motor Vehicles of the suspect’s arrest in the Constitution State. Had MassDOT known of that arrest, Zhukovskyy’s driver’s license would have been revoked.

Massachusetts' registrar of motor vehicles, Erin Deveney, resigned from her position in the wake of the crash.

A candlelight vigil hosted by Whitman VFW will be held Wednesday to honor the lives of the victims.

Police are investigating a hit-and-run crash in Waterbury on Wednesday morning and they are looking for the driver who ran from the scene.

Police said a black Acura going west on Plank Road crossed the center line into the lane of a white Honda Accord, which tried to avoid the crash, and the vehicles collided head-on. The fire department extricated the driver and front passenger of the white Honda Accord.

The driver of the black Acura ran before police arrived and a Police K-9 search is underway, police said.

Both vehicles sustained significant damage and all passengers in both vehicles were injured and transported to local area hospitals.

Plank Road from Scott Road to Harpers Ferry Road was closed for the investigation and drivers were urged to avoid the area while the investigation was underway. The road has reopened. 

Anyone with information is asked to call the Waterbury Police Department Detective Bureau at 203-574-6941 or CrimeStoppers at 203-755-1234.

A dinosaur on the morning commute?

That’s what greeted drivers in South Jersey and Philadelphia Wednesday morning as a massive animatronic dino made its way from a Somerdale, New Jersey, storage facility to the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.

Loaded onto a flatbed truck, the 40-foot-long Spinosaurus, left the facility around 6:45 a.m.

It made its way along the White Horse Pike (U.S. Route 30) then onto Interstate 295 and Interstate 76 before heading to the foot of the Ben Franklin Bridge. The odd load then made its way over the bridge, accompanied by police cars and news vans.

Once on the Philly side of the bridge, the Dino went up Market Street and around City Hall and Love Park before heading up the Ben Franklin Parkway toward the museum.

SkyForce10 captured it on the move.

The dino will be part of the Academy's Dinosaurs Around the World exhibit, which opens Sunday.

A teen assaulted a woman as she was running in Branford on Tuesday night, according to police, and they are asking anyone with information to come forward.

Branford police said the victim was running in the Mill Creek area when a teen attacked her around 8:30 p.m.

The victim was running in the area of Harbor Street, Reynolds Avenue, Driscoll Road and Maple Street, according to police and the teen was wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt, according to police.

Detectives are investigating and ask anyone with information to contact the Branford Police Department Detective Division.

The Branford Police Department encourages reporting suspicious activity.

The South Philadelphia oil refinery that caused a series of massive explosions last week will close within the next month, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney confirmed.

The announcement by the refinery's owner, Philadelphia Energy Solutions,  would seem to be a surprise to Kenney and his administration. In an interview with NBC10 late Tuesday afternoon, the mayor said his administration kept in daily contact with PES senior officials.

He gave no indication that a shutdown was imminent.

"You have to remember: we want people to be safe first and foremost. But there are a lot of jobs there," Kenney said when asked if he would like to see a drawdown of the refinery's operations. "There’s a lot of decent paying jobs there and we can’t just discount that. We have to figure out what happened why it happened what we can put in place to prevent it from happening again and we’ll see what the future brings."

Shortly after a report by Reuters that PES officials would look to shut down the refinery in the near future, Kenney's first reaction was for the workers. 

"I am extremely disappointed for the more than [1,000] workers who will be immediately impacted by this closure, as well as other businesses that are dependent on the refinery operations. " Kenney said in a statement. "The City is committed to supporting them during this difficult time in any way possible."

Less than a week ago, and an explosion and subsequent inferno rattled entire parts of the region, reigniting a debate among city leaders and residents who worried about the safety of the 150-year-old refinery, which is considered the largest single source of pollution in the area.

Kenney also said Wednesday that the city will convene a group of "quasi-governmental organizations" to look at the economic repercussions of shutting down the refinery. The Philadelphia Fire Department and the city's managing director will also lead efforts to determine the future of the site.

The refinery is the largest on the East Coast, and the sudden announcement of its imminent closure is likely to have an effect on the U.S. markets. Within hours of the explosion last Friday, gasoline futures jumped 3.5%.

City Councilwoman Helen Gym, one of the most vociferous voices calling for the refinery to close, said via Twitter that the "city has a lot of work to do to prioritize clean energy and sustainable futures for everyone."

"The 1,000 plus workers at the refinery and residents deserve a real transition plan," she tweeted.

Around 4 a.m. Friday, a mixture of butane and propane ignited a fire that caused three explosions. They could be seen and felt across the city and suburbs.

The fire burned for two days until plant staff were able to turn off a valve that sent fuel into an alkylation unit. City fire officials and the refinery's private fire brigade let the fire burn to avoid the uncontrolled release of explosive gas into the atmosphere.

Philadelphia Fire Department Commissioner Adam Thiel said most of the fuel burned was similar to what fuels gas barbecue grills.

A joint investigation between his fire marshal's office, city police and the ATF is underway, Thiel said. While a fire is no longer burning at the site, the incident has yet to be placed under control because investigators are unable to tour the entire affected area.

A representative from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said that agency plans to inspect the large gas storage tanks nearby to ensure they were not damaged by the fire.

The refinery complex, which is split into two refineries and dates back to the 1800s  — producing gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other fuel. It is the single largest cause of particulate pollution in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Energy Solutions emerged from bankruptcy protection in October 2018. At the time, the limited liability company owed the local and state government more than $3 billion. The amounts were negotiated down to tens of thousands of dollars.

A New Jersey mother says she was walking home after picking up her son from school when she was attacked — and the 13-year-old attacker, a student who had allegedly been bullying her son, was arrested and charged with assault Tuesday.

Beronica Ruiz said she had just gotten her 7th-grader son from The Gifted and Talented Academy in Passaic on June 19 and was walking home with him and her 1-year-old daughter when a student approached them at Lexington Avenue and Monroe Street.

The student verbally accosted them, and when Ruiz told him to stop, he punched her. Ruiz was knocked unconscious, waking up on a stretcher. Her face was left bruised and fractured, and her eye is still red, days after the assault.

The juvenile also allegedly struck Ruiz's son in the face, according to officials. He was later released to his parents.

"Despite this accusation, the juvenile is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt," Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said in a statement.

The Ruiz family says the trouble actually started inside the school, with students allegedly telling their 12-year-old son to "go back to Mexico" on Tuesday before the attack. Their son is a U.S. citizen.

"They told my son Mexicans should go behind the wall," Ruiz said.

Beronica and Alfonso Ruiz were never contacted by the school about the alleged bullying, and the administrators said they talked to the students about the bullying when Alfonso confronted them about it.

The family believes if the school had handled the situation better, the attack may never have happened.

“This incident is being taken extremely seriously," the mayor of Passaic said to News 4 in a statement. "I have met with and spoken personally with the family, I have met with my Chief of Police, local officials and school administration as well as board members to make sure there is accountability and that this family receives justice.”

Alfonso Ruiz said that they forgive the child who beat Beronica, but wants their son to be able to learn in an inclusive — and more importantly, safe — environment.

"Education like I said before is very important," Alfonso said, "But their safety has to be priority."

The school refused to comment.

A New Britain man is accused of injuring his girlfriend’s 18-month-old daughter and has been charged.

Police said the state Department of Children and Families contacted them on Sunday about a possible case of abuse.

The baby girl had been admitted to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center for an unrelated condition when hospital staff noticed bruising on her legs and more severe bruising on her stomach and back, according to police.

They said the mother had no explanation for the injuries and further testing at the hospital revealed the child had sustained serious abdominal injuries and a fracture to her right hand that was starting to heal. 

Detectives from the Youth Bureau assisted with the investigation and interviewed the child’s mother as well as her boyfriend, 20-year-old Dylan Michael Vitale, of New Britain and police said he provided information leading investigators to suspect he caused the child’s injuries.

Vitale was arrested on Monday and was held on a $250,000 bond.

The child remains in the custody of the DCF.

Vitale was charged with cruelty to persons, assault in the first degree and risk of injury to a minor.

President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that he will invite the U.S. women's national soccer team to the White House following this year's Women's World Cup — whether or not they win the mega sporting event.

But his attempt at extending a level of courtesy toward the women's team came with a dig at co-captain Megan Rapinoe, who said in a video clip shared on social media this month that "I'm not going to the f------- White House."

"I am a big fan of the American Team, and Women's Soccer, but Megan should WIN first before she TALKS! Finish the job!" Trump wrote in a series of tweets, at first tagging the wrong Twitter account for Rapinoe.

"We haven't yet invited Megan or the team, but I am now inviting the TEAM, win or lose," Trump added. "Megan should never disrespect our Country, the White House, or our Flag, especially since so much has been done for her & the team. Be proud of the Flag that you wear. The USA is doing GREAT!"

The president also said that sports teams "love" coming to the White House.

Rapinoe said in an interview this month in Eight by Eight magazine that "no f---in' way will we be invited to the White House." She surmised that Trump doesn't invite teams that he knows will decline or "like he did when the Warriors turned him down, he'll claim they hadn't been invited in the first place."

Wall Street in New Haven is closed and one lane of Church Street is getting by as emergency crews investigate a suspicious envelope. 

New Haven officials said the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, New Haven police and state police were called. 

No one is evacuated, officials said. 

No additional information was immediately available.

Applications to adopt puppies rescued from a suspected hoarding situation in the city of Orange will be accepted by OC Animal Care beginning Tuesday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors said.

Organizers said the public had been inquiring about the adoption process for the Shih Tzus that were rescued from a filthy home in an affluent neighborhood back in May. One hundred and forty dogs were recovered and are currently being cared for at OC Animal Care. Approximately 50 of them have received clearance for adoption.

"It is our goal to place every dog into a loving home," said Orange County Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett, Fifth District Supervisor in a press release. "We are incredibly proud of our team at OC Animal Care, which pulled together to provide care for these dogs on such short notice, and we're greatly touched by the generosity and support from our community."

Those interested in adopting one of the dogs will need to complete an online survey that explains the adoption process before filling out an adoption form. OC Animal Care staff said applications will be reviewed immediately to match potential adopters and a puppy.

The dogs involved in the hoarding case are subject to full adoption fees. The other dogs are expected to be released for adoption at a later time.

A cancer survivor from Cromwell is getting ready to ride for the third time in Closer to Free on her team, The Mermaid’s Arrow.

“Three years ago I couldn’t have pictured myself here right now,” Jackie DePierro told NBC Connecticut. “I didn’t know, the unknown is scary, like you don’t know where your journey is going to take you.”

DePierro’s journey to riding in Closer to Free began on a date back in the Fall of 2015.

“And I had my hair pulled back and he noticed that I had a beauty mark, (and said) ‘oh you should get that checked out by a dermatologist,” she recalled.

She listened and went to a skin doctor.

“He started feeling my neck, and I was like, “what are you doing,” she said, “he’s like I like to give my patients neck checks because I had thyroid cancer so it’s just preventative.”

DePierro said she visited additional doctors and had ultrasounds.

“Tomorrow is actually the third anniversary of me finding out that I had cancer, thyroid cancer,” she said.

In August 2016, DePierro went in for surgery at the Smilow Cancer Hospital to have her thyroid removed.

“It had spread,” she said, “so it was supposed to be a two hour surgery and it ended up being six hours, had spread to my lymph nodes, to my chest,” DePierro said.

Further treatment required she takes pills full of radioactive iodine and there were other adjustments after the surgery.

“With not having a thyroid, I was having a lot of weight issues and just being tired and lethargic a lot and I finally got through all those weight issues,” she said.

Now, DePierro is preparing to put on a survivor jersey for her third Closer to Free bike ride in support of research and patient care at the Smilow Cancer Hospital in New Haven. Since 2011, the ride has raised more than $15 million.

“There’s no way I can say thank you to this place, what they did for me and for my family you can’t thank them enough,” she said. “I saw a lot of things, a lot of patients that I knew didn’t have probably the prognosis that I did and those people are forever in my mind, thinking of them and I do it for them, too.”

She named her team The Mermaid’s Arrow, because “mermaids are a sign of being strong and feminine and I’ve always loved mermaids.”

“The arrow comes from in order to go forward in life, sometimes you have to go backwards and that’s what an arrow does and that’s kind of how my journey felt like to me,” DePierro explained.

In September, she’ll pedal forward for 25 miles to help make the world closer to cancer free.

Route 8 South is closed at Exit 22 in Seymour due to a multi-vehicle accident, according to state police.

Drivers should use an alternate route.

A Bridgeport police officer fired his gun while trying to take several suspects into custody Wednesday, according to the Bridgeport Police Department.

Police said it began as a stolen car investigation in the area of 915 Pembroke St. around 1:37 p.m. According to police, there were five suspects involved and one had a gun. While trying to take the suspects into custody, one officer fired his weapon due to a “perceived threat to his life.” Police did not provide specific details on what led up to the shots fired.

No one was hit and all five suspects were ultimately taken into custody. One detective reported minor injuries after being hit by a suspect vehicle while the suspects tried to flee the scene.

The suspects have not been identified at this time and the charges they face were not immediately released.

A retired Navy veteran is on a mission to make sure the stories of fallen heroes live on forever.

On Wednesday, his journey brought him to the town of Madison.

“It’s one thing to be a military mom, it’s another to be a Gold Star mother,” Helen Keiser-Pedersen said.

Her son Army Captain Andrew Pedersen-Keel was killed in 2013 during his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.

“Less than one percent of the American population served and to be a ranger and a green beret, that’s even a very small percentage,” his dad Bob Keiser said. “It’s the very elite, it’s the very best, it’s the very best trained.”

Pedersen-Keel enrolled at West Point after 9/11.

“His class was the first class to come into West Point during war and graduating at war,” Keiser said.

Six years after losing their son, his parents are sharing his story with the Gold Star Dirt project.

“Without any other thought, we agreed to be interviewed,” Keiser-Pedersen said.

Retired Navy veteran Keith Sherman is traveling to all 50 states to record and document the stories of fallen service members to be submitted to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

“I wanted to go across the country and go to hometowns of fallen service members that I had serve with, friends and maybe share anecdotes with their families that they hadn’t heard,” Sherman explained.

For Sherman, who suffered a traumatic brain injury, this project is therapeutic.

“After doing it, it’s so fulfilling and so healing and wholesome,” he said.

For the Gold Star families, this is a way to inspire future generations of soldiers.

“A lot of times if someone just plants a seed that’s enough,” Keiser-Pedersen said.

And this helps make sure these selfless stories of sacrifice live on.

“There’s a saying that a soldier dies twice, first time on the battlefield and secondly when their name is no longer spoken,” Keiser said. “This kind of project is absolutely perfect because it will keep Andrew’s name alive.”

Police are searching for an 87-year-old man missing from Manchester.

Authorities issued a Silver Alert for 87-year-old Fitzroy Degrasse Wednesday.

He is 5-foot-7, 90 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a light blue Nautica shirt and khaki pants.

Anyone with information should contact the Manchester Police Department at 860-645-5565.