Many in Puerto Rico feared the damage Hurricane Dorian could bring, but so far there haven’t been any reports of widespread damage. It appears Puerto Rico missed the worst of Dorian, and that’s a relief to many with family on the island.

“I think we’re always going to have that worry inside,” said Sonia Alvelo.

When Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico two years ago, it took ten days before Alvelo finally heard from her family. So when news that the island could be in the path of Dorian, it brought back the trauma of Maria.

“This is the moment we worry the most. Is it going to happen again? Is it going to be the same? What’s going to happen to them? When are we going to talk to them again?” said Alvelo.

Alvelo is the CEO of Latin Financial in Newington, which loans to small businesses on the island, and most of her family still lives there. She says for this hurricane, everyone has been more than ready. Her brother snapped a picture at a grocery store showing shoppers stocking up. As the day progressed, the storm moved further away from Puerto Rico which left many relieved. While flooding and power outages are a concern, the impact Dorian will have will be minor in comparison. Still, Alvelo says she’s continuing to watch the hurricane’s path and is keeping tabs on her loved ones.

“They text me, they text my fiancé that they’re okay, they’re ready. Communication is a big plus because from over here in the US we want to make sure they’re okay,” said Alvelo.

President Trump has approved a state of emergency declaration for Puerto Rico. The concern regarding Dorian now is that it could hit Florida as a major hurricane.

The NBC Connecticut meteorologists are tracking some rainy weather for today.

Tropical Storm Erin will send some moisture toward New England today evening. The moisture will interact with a cold front moving in from the west.

Showers will develop early this afternoon, with locally heavy rain by evening. There will be a wide variation in rain totals across the state with some areas seeing little rain and others seeing over 2 inches with potentially even higher rainfall amounts.

Localized flash flooding is possible.

It all clears out by Thursday morning before daybreak.

Track conditions in your area using our interactive radar.

The University of Connecticut is tightening up its tailgating rules and warning students that bad behavior at Pratt & Whitney Stadium could mean the end of the student lot.

In a letter to students, Athletics Director David Benedict said that students must abide by the university’s tailgating policy, which details rules prohibiting hard alcohol, times tailgating is permitted, parking rules and other information.

School officials did not specify what problems they were seeing at the student lot.

Those who have tailgated there before said things can get unruly.

UConn Senior Andre Hristu said he checked out the student tailgating section before football games last year and it was not his thing.

“Too rowdy, too loud. I don’t really like it," he said.

After the lot was created at Rentschler Field in East Hartford three years ago, UConn said it’s getting tougher when it comes to the rules for students.

Among the additions this year:

• No hard alcohol, only beer and wine
• No large containers of liquids
• No standing in or on top of trucks and cars

“It’s a bunch of drunk people hanging out. I don’t know why the put restrictions on it. Because that’s the only reason people go to the football games. But I understand because of how people act after," said UConn junior Xela Laird.

Athletic Director David Benedict said while he understands tailgating is an important part of the gameday experience they need to ensure the health and safety of all students and fans.

In a letter to students, he wrote in part:

“Law enforcement will have a greater presence than in past years to ensure that the tailgating policies are followed and that unacceptable behavior is wiped out. The student lot was created three years ago with the hope that providing an exclusive lot for students would create more enthusiasm and camaraderie among the student body and I still think that can be realized,” he wrote. “However, if the student culture cannot adhere to the appropriate guidelines, the student tailgate lot privilege will be eliminated.”

Even with the changes, students were looking forward to the upcoming season, especially since now they just have to swipe their ID to get in for free.

“It’s pretty fun. You get to see a lot of people. The football team, it’s good to support them," said UConn junior Megan Sturm.

“The school pride for sure. Everyone is, it’s a community as soon as you get there. I’m really excited to see that," said junior Tessa Dipallina.

The home opener against Wagner is set for 7 p.m. Thursday.

New Haven parents are fuming after the school district released a new set of bus routes, changing some stop locations and eliminating others altogether.

The school district’s leaders said the changes are about eliminating redundancies on bus routes and improving student health and activity.

“There were dozens of bus stops where no one actually got on because those people were no longer in the system either through graduation or moving away. This year we cleaned all of the data and reestablished the routes effectively from scratch,” said New Haven Public School Chief Operating Officer Michael Pinto.

But given the pushback from parents, the district is now saying sorry, and they claim they’re going to try to fix things.

“I want to apologize to families. My operations team had assured me that we could reduce some of the redundancies in our buses as well as create greater efficiencies throughout the district and they didn’t quite get this right,” Dr. Carol Birks, the superintendent, said Thursday morning. “As superintendent of schools, I extremely apologize and say to families, we will get this right.”

She vowed to be on the buses and assess what occurred.

“They’re ridiculous, I’m sorry to say it that way but it’s ridiculous,” said parent Loyda Hernandez.

Hernandez learned over the weekend that her kids’ bus stops are moving further away, and one child is losing a ride to school altogether.

“That’s not fair, not only for my child, but for other little kids that have to walk,” Hernandez said.

The school district said K-8 students must now live more than a half mile from the school to get bus service. It’s a mile and a half for high schoolers.

Instead of catching the bus, this year Hernandez’s high school sophomore will have to walk from the family’s home on Shepard Street to school at Hillhouse High, which could take as long as 30 minutes.

“I want them to put the stops where they were before,” Hernandez said.

A day before school started, hundreds of parents showed up at district headquarters, angry about the changes they said are poorly planned, inconvenient, and in some cases, unsafe.

School Board President Darnell Goldson said the board wasn’t consulted about the route changes and the school district’s plan wasn’t thought out.

“This roll out wasn’t tested before it was rolled out and that’s frustrating because they had all summer to do it,” Goldson said. “I think they’re trying to save some money and they’re just realizing they made a mistake now. “

Recognizing the mistake, the district’s COO said they’re now reevaluating the bus changes, though families will have to tolerate their problematic routes, at least for now.

“We sincerely apologize for that. Its raised significant concerns and anxiety in our New Haven Public Schools family,” Pinto said. “If you received a bus assignment, please follow that for the time being, but we are working to address your issue.”

The school district wasn’t about to provide numbers for how many families are losing or gaining service, or how much money they are saving.

But they said they’re working on fixes and admitted some of those stops are in places they shouldn’t be.

“I apologize to families. It just breaks my heart to see that this happened … I had received assurances that this would not occur. I met with First Student and they have also made a commitment to providing additional supports so that we have a great start to the school year, but we’re excited about the students and I take this personally because these are all my children,” Birks said. 

The new changes will be announced on September 9.

Without making the policy change public, USCIS, and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, has quietly rejected all requests for deferred action, except those made by certain military members and veterans, NBC News reports. In addition, deferred action for immigrants who arrived as children, known as "Dreamers" under the DACA program, is protected because of ongoing litigation.

The deffered action program is reserved for  immigrants who have "compelling circumstances," such as a medical condition. Approved applicant do not get the legal right to work, but the status can prevent them from being deported while they await a green card.

WBUR-FM, Boston's National Public Radio station, was first to report that USCIS has denied medical deferred action requests, reserved for immigrants with health conditions whose lives would be endangered if they were deported.

USCIS told NBC News the policy of denying deferred action now applies not only to medical cases but more generally to all deferred action requests outside of the military and DACA. Instead, applicants must apply to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"USCIS field offices will no longer consider nonmilitary requests for deferred action, to instead focus agency resources on faithfully administering our nation’s lawful immigration system," an agency spokesperson said in a statement.

According to the latest state data released Tuesday, mosquitoes in Chester, Haddam, Hampton, North Stonington, Stonington, Voluntown and Killingworth, have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).

Commonly referred to as “Triple-E,” this rare but potentially deadly disease is carried by mosquitoes.

Among the towns mentioned in the report, Killingworth showed an exceptionally high concentration of mosquitoes that tested positive for the virus.

According to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, four out of 33 mosquitoes tested in Killingworth tested positive for the disease, prompting the town to issue a public health alert.

“It’s been something that’s been identified in Connecticut for several years now but right now it seems to be peaking or spiking and so that’s a concern,” said Killingworth Director of Health Paul Hutcheon.

Officials are urging precaution, including avoid being outside around dusk and dawn, wear long sleeves and pants, along with insect repellant. Infectious disease experts say this is the right message to send.

“I think towns are asking people to be very cautious because of the potentially devastating effects consequences that can occur if this virus involves your brain,” said Dr. Virginia Bieluch, chief of infectious disease at the Hospital of Central Connecticut.

Symptoms of the disease mimic the flu, including malaise, fever and headache.

It is however, rare. According to Killingworth health officials no one in Connecticut has been diagnosed with the disease since 2013.

“The good news is, the numbers are relatively low but the disease is a serious illness and if you contract the disease it’s a 30 percent or greater death rate,” added Hutcheon.

First Selectwoman Cathy Iino says the town has been proactive and says they’ve shortened the hours of the town’s transfer station and made recommendations to schools and recreational organizations to limit outside activity. Killingworth’s Rec department has recommended coaches conclude practices by 6:30 p.m.

People in the area are taking this seriously although the reaction has been mixed.

“I might be a little more hesitant to have dinner out on the terrace at night because that’s when I hear they come out,” said Lisa Rollins of Westbrook.

Meanwhile, Jon Norton of Killingworth ate lunch outside today wearing short sleeves, explaining he’s not worried.

“I take care of myself. I take care of my family,” he said, “We use bug spray so I don’t really have a strong reaction to that.”

Killingworth is also suggesting people in their area, including surrounding towns, makes sure to eliminate standing water on their property, where mosquitoes breed.

They also recommend anyone who owns a horse to get it vaccinated, because for a horse the disease is almost 100 percent fatal.

Crews responded to a 10-inch water main break in the area of Asylum Avenue in Hartford Thursday morning.

Officials said they have isolated the leak and 945 Aslyum Ave. is the only property affected.

Police are asking the public to avoid the area while crews work to repair the water service line.

The road is expected to be closed through the morning rush.

At Bradley International Airport people departing on flights to Florida Wednesday said they’re watching this storm, worried about what Hurricane Dorian will mean for their travel plans.

Carolyn Rios was heading to Disney for a huge family trip with her daughters.

“I’m hoping that it doesn’t hit Florida,” she said. “I don’t wanna cry because it could be a really sad birthday for my niece. We always make it through the weather, but we are looking forward to a good, sunny fifth birthday that the whole entire family can enjoy.”

Dorian gathered strength and became a hurricane Wednesday afternoon.

Caroline Padilla from Glastonbury just returned from Florida. She said people there are preparing for the storm.

“I know a lot of people are buying water,” she said. “That’s for sure. People are doing that already. Getting water because that goes fast.”

Suzanne Aresco at AAA said traveling during hurricane season is usually cheaper, but it’s risky.

“You’ve got to worry about flight changes and delays, cruise changes, alterations or cancellations,” she said. “So at AAA we are monitoring this storm.”

She said it’s a good idea to check the cancellation policy as early as possible to avoid unexpected fees.

“If someone booked travel on their own, my suggestion would be to go onto the airline website, go onto the cruise or hotel website and find out do they have weather advisories up.”

Route 191 in East Windsor is closed at Route 140 because of crash. 

No additional information was immediately available.

Federal police officers arrested a Silver Spring, Maryland, woman suspected of attempting to steal sensitive medical specimens and equipment from the clinical center of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda.

The woman, Chinyere Okunji, is unemployed and suspected of having mental health concerns, according to testimony in court Wednesday. She wore a lab coat with a University of Rochester logo, but does not work for the school or NIH, according to a detention order issued by a federal judge.

The agency said Okunji entered the grounds through the NIH visitor screening process and was issued a visitor's pass. But the agency said it is unaware of why she was on the campus.

The woman was acting suspiciously and "trying to open hospital freezers, which are kept locked and may be accessed only by authorized hospital employees," according to a police affidavit obtained by the News4 I-Team.

The incident occurred Aug. 21 in Building 10 at the NIH clinical center, which is home to about 1,600 clinical studies, including into rare diseases.

Police arrested Okunji, who was ordered detained pending trial at a court hearing Wednesday at the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. She is charged with stealing U.S. property.

According to the NIH police affidavit, "Unknown to any of the hospital personnel, she entered restricted areas of the hospital by following authorized medical personnel into those areas. She was carrying a number of white plastic patient bags containing items belonging to NIH. When confronted by hospital personnel, she said at different times that she was a doctor, was going to see a patient, was with the phlebotomy lab, and was with another clinic."

According to the affidavit, Okunji was found holding bags with specimens of "human peptides" that required refrigeration and were stolen from a medical researcher. The affidavit said she was also found carrying a medical thermometer and hundreds of slides belonging to the hospital.

"The NIH is reminding employees that even if someone is wearing a lab coat or hospital staff attire, that person should still have a valid NIH ID visible," an NIH spokeswoman said. "Employees should not hesitate to question individuals in non-public areas that aren't displaying proper identification and are not known to the employees that work in that area."

Okunji, 29, did not speak during the Wednesday afternoon hearing. She is scheduled to return to court in October. The judge ordered a psychological exam of Okunji.

"We don't know what she did when she had access back there (at NIH)," a federal prosecutor said during Wednesday's court proceedings.

The prosecutor said the feds have not yet completed an estimate of dollar amount or worth of the items stolen.

In his detention order, a federal judge called the items stolen "a weird assortment of rare specimens." The items were taken from the surgery theater at the facility and from freezer knit areas, the judge said.

Okunji's defense attorney declined to comment.

As summer winds down, fair season heats up, bringing in amusement rides and attractions.

Consumer Investigator Sandra Jones looked into just how safe those rides are, and what goes in to making sure they stay that way.

Whether it’s the state fair, amusement parks, or even carnivals, Connecticut State Police say safety is non-negotiable.

Tragedies have marred the fun at events across the country.

In 2018, a woman fell out of an amusement ride in Queens ending up in the hospital. In 2017, the Fireball ride at the Ohio State Fair malfunctioned mid-air, killing one person and injuring seven others.

And in 2016, at Ocean Beach in New London, Connecticut State Police shut down the Scrambler after a half dozen people were shocked.

Terrifying scenes have played out at amusement parks across the country.

“We want to keep everybody safe coming out to these carnivals, the travelling road shows that come out,” explained Detective Richard Gregory with the Connecticut State Police Explosion Investigation Unit.

Detective Richard Gregory is charged with keeping you safe on the rides.

“If we could keep the ride from falling over. If we could keep the car onto the ride and if we could keep the passenger safe in the car that they’re sitting in then we’ve done a job there,” he said.

Gregory explained his work as he inspected nearly 30 rides at the Danbury Fair Mall, checking for proper set up and making sure state regulations are followed.

First up was the Ferris wheel.

“I started at the foundation. I start at the blocking at the basic footprint of the ride to make sure that it’s level and steady,” he said.

Working safety restraints are a must.

“Make sure that all of their fasteners are in place. All their seatbelts are properly buckled and broken parts are replaced.”

Some of the equipment’s safety features include indicators for operators.

“You can see none of the green lights are illuminated right now. So, the operator knows this ride can’t start until it gets four green lights across the top,” he said.

Inspectors search for sharp edges or hazards inside of cars, and if they’re securely attached.

“We find a lot of broken and worn parts and pieces to the rides. All of the rides are portable. So, we look at the set up positions of the rides,” Gregory said.

Something else that’s essential for safety at those festivals - height restrictions, which are posted at every ride, set by the manufacturer in both English and Spanish.

“We can never have too many sets of eyes to make sure everything is safe,” said Marc Janas with Powers Great American Midways. Janas said his company hasn’t had a mishap in 40 years, and they plan to keep it that way.

Janas said that he thinks sometimes, carnivals get a bad wrap.

“I think people have a misperception that it’s a fly by night type of operation where we’re a multi-million dollar business,” Janas said. “We’re very, very proud of what we do and we’re proud to have a great safety record.”

According to Connecticut State Police, 2078 amusement rides were inspected in 2018 in Connecticut. They found deficiencies in 1278, ranging from missing parts to serious safety hazards.

So far this year, out of 1078 inspections they’ve found 562 with deficiencies.

When that happens, Gregory said they put an out of service tag on the ride, and ground it.

The outdoor amusement business Association estimates that out of the 2 million-plus riders annually nationwide, there were roughly between 2,000 to 3,500 reported injuries yearly, with at least one fatality each year.

In Connecticut, there were just four reported injuries in 2017, and no fatalities in 2017 or 2018.

A rideshare passenger gunned down an Uber driver and another passenger in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Tuesday night and told police he was high on PCP at the time of the shooting, authorities say.

Beaudouin Tchakounte, 46, and 32-year-old Casey Xavier Robinson were found dead in a car on Indian Head Highway near Bald Eagle Road about 9:45 p.m., Prince George's County police said. Tchakounte was the Uber driver and Robinson was a passenger.

Detectives quickly learned through information from Uber and other clues that Tchakounte picked up Robinson and later picked up a second passenger, 42-year-old Aaron Lanier Wilson Jr., at a separate location. 

Wilson was arrested about 6 a.m. at his home in the 10000 block of Indian Head Highway.

Police said Wilson confessed that he was picked up and he was inside the vehicle. He also told detectives he was high on PCP, police said.

Wilson was charged with first- and second-degree murder.

During a news conference Wednesday, a spokesperson for police said Tchakounte was the father of four children.

“We are devastated by this news and our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of Beaudouin Tchakounte and Casey Robinson. We will continue to work with law enforcement on their investigation into this heinous crime,” a spokesperson for Uber said to News4 through email.

Police are still asking that anyone who may have passed by the area during the shooting or who saw something to to contact Prince George's County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.

Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.

A former meat-packing facility in Beacon Falls will be demolished after a fire early Thursday morning.

Firefighters battled the fire at the former meat-packing building next to 234 Rimmon Hill Road for nearly six hours and said no one was injured.

A Facebook post from Beacon Hose Company 1 says Rimmon Hill Road will remain closed between Back Rimmon Road and West Road as crews work to overhaul, douse hotspots, and pack equipment. It’s not clear how long it will be closed.

The fire started at 2:30 a.m. and was out as of 8:20 a.m.

Crews from seven different communities, including Bethany, Oxford, Seymour and Southbury, provided mutual aid.

According to Jeremy Rodrigo, the public information officer, the high school is near the scene of the fire and school bus drivers were notified to use alternative routes.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The state Department of Public Health said MMR, or measles-mumps-rubella. immunization rate for Connecticut’s kindergarten students declined .6 percent over the past two years, from 96.5 percent for the 2017-2018 school year to 95.9 percent for the school year that ended in June.

The department also said the overall number of religious exemptions to vaccination increased by 25 percent between the two school years, from 2 percent to 2.5 percent, which is the largest single year increase in religious exemptions for vaccination since they started tracking the statewide data a decade ago.

“This also continues a trend of steadily declining MMR vaccination rates among Connecticut kindergarteners since the 2015-2016 school year,” the news release from the Department of Public Health says.

The department said the MMR immunization rate for Connecticut’s kindergarten students remains high and they are reminding parents to make sure their child’s immunizations are up to date.

“As our children go back to school this week, it is important to have on the parental checklist that all vaccinations are up-to-date,” DPH Commissioner Renée Coleman-Mitchell said in a statement. “Connecticut overall is meeting the guideline recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that at least 95 percent of kindergarteners receive the MMR vaccine required for school attendance. It does raise concern, however, that this number declined in the 2018-2019 school year while religious exemptions for vaccine-preventable diseases overall have increased. If parents have any questions about vaccinating their children, they should discuss them with their child’s primary care physician. We want to make sure every school in Connecticut has a high enough percentage of immunized children to prevent a vaccine-preventable disease such as measles from spreading in a school environment.”

The governor's office said county-by county data will be released in October and scholl-by-school numbers will be released sometime afterward.

Six Flags New England announced its newest ride set to debut in 2020, the Supergirl Sky Flyer.  The ride will be part of the newly themed DC Universe section of the park opening in late spring.

The Supergirl Sky Flyer will take guests nearly seven stories up in open-air vehicles.  The vehicles will spin and tilt while being inverted at 80 degrees.

“Innovation is part of our DNA here at Six Flags New England and Supergirl Sky Flyer delivers breathtaking new thrills,” Park President Pete Carmichael said in a press release. “The renowned DC-branded attractions are extremely popular with our guests and we are excited to add this cutting-edge attraction bearing Supergirl’s name to our epic lineup of world-class attractions.”

Twenty-four rides will reach a maximum spinning height of 67-feet in the air.  Guests must be 48" and taller to ride the new attraction.

Six Flags currently has a flash sale through Labor Day featuring up to 70 percent off a 2020 Season Pass and the chance to receive a free upgrade to a Gold Combo Season Pass.

During the Flash Sale, guests who sign up for a Membership receive three free months and an exclusive Golden Ticket valid select days through the remainder of the 2019 season.

The school year in New Haven began on Thursday with 21,500 students heading back to the classrooms. But while many are excited, some parents are frustrated due to the recent changes to the school district’s busing routes. 

Students from Kindergarten through eighth grade now do not get bused if they live within a half a mile from the school. For high school students, the cutoff is 1.5 miles. 

Even the distance getting to a bus stop changed for many families. 

Corrine Smith’s 14-year-old daughter used to walk one block to the bus stop, but it was changed to six blocks. 

“I know a lot of parents in New Haven are frustrated, very frustrated this morning,” Smith said. “New Haven, they need to get it together. They really do. For them to do this and I got her notice for the original bus stop two days ago.” 

The Smith’s story is being echoed across the city and the superintendent has been fielding complaints from angry parents. 

“I just want to say to families, I apologize profusely. This really saddens me. I relied on my operations team and the department of transportation and I was getting briefs from them every week for several months and they assured me we would not interrupt services for our families,” said Carol Birks, the superintendent of public schools in New Haven. 

The superintendent said she was never told a student would have to walk up to a mile and a half to get to school. 

“Given the information that was provided to me, that no student would walk more than a quarter of mile. I would never have allowed that plan to be rolled out,” Birks said. 

Birks said the district plans to rectify the situation in the coming weeks and asked families to be patient. 

“I take this very personally and seriously because our children deserve and our families deserve respect and a great start to the school year. So, again I apologize,” Birks said. 

For parents unhappy with the new bus routes, the district says to call the Department of Transportation at (475)220-1600, fill out the form here or submit a Transportation Change Request Form at your child’s school. 

The DOT will make adjustments on a case-by-case basis by Sept. 6. 

A New Haven police captain who was released from the hospital a week ago after being shot while off-duty received a warm welcome, hugs and handshakes as well as a standing ovation at a New Haven police meeting this morning.

New Haven Police Captain Anthony Duff was off-duty and on his way to the hospital where his first grandchild was born on the night of Monday, Aug. 12 when he saw a man fire a gun at another man. Duff tried to intervene and was shot three times.

Duff was released from the hospital last Thursday and fellow officers lined the exit of Yale New Haven Hospital and cheered as he was released.

On Thursday morning, Duff took some time to speak to fellow officers, as well as media attending the meeting. 

The person who shot Duff fled the scene and remains at large.

New Haven Police said they have taken the lead in the investigation of the August 12th shooting that left one man dead and New Haven Police Captain, Anthony Duff hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds.

Troy Clark was fatally shot on the night of Monday, Aug. 12 and Duff was shot while coming to his aid after hearing gunshots, police said. 

After discovering Duff never fired his own weapon, Connecticut State Police have turned the investigation over to New Haven, as they continue searching for the shooter.

“We have a homicide and we have an officer who was shot. (This case) is very, very significant for this department,” said New Haven Police Interim Chief, Otoniel Reyes.

Police did not reveal much more information about the investigation, only to say they’ve made significant strides and that this case is a priority.

“We’re very grateful for the support and outpouring of information and we are very confident that we are going to be able to make an arrest on the person who did this very shortly,” added Reyes.

Meanwhile, just a week after being released from Yale New Haven Hospital, Duff returned to police headquarters Thursday, where he received a hero’s welcome during the department’s weekly COMPSTAT meeting.

Duff used the opportunity to express gratitude to those who’ve helped him and his family since the shooting.

“I would just like to thank all the supporters from within the police department, from all over the city. From all over the country,” he said.

Although not back on the job yet, this temporary return was met with praise, recognizing Duff’s selfless attempt to stop the shooting. Duff, who was off-duty, was shot three times and remained hospitalized until last Thursday.

“To be confined to a hospital bed, for two weeks you get an entirely different perspective and I have a whole different appreciation for what goes on at that hospital,” said Duff, thanking the Yale New Haven staff for the care he received.

Late last week, just a day after being released from the hospital, Duff made another private appearance. He attended the funeral of Troy Clark.

“That was amazing and that was last Friday and he still wasn’t getting around that fast and he still made a point to go there say that he was sorry to the family,” said Assistant Chief Karl Jacobson.

Reyes called Duff’s actions heroic and said he epitomizes what New Haven’s officers are all about.

“When we look at him, we’re all inspired. We’re all motivated. It reminds us why we decided to do this in the first place,” said Reyes.

Assistant Chief Rene Dominguez agrees. “It brought us together,” she said, “This tragic, awful event really has brought this department together and I’m just so grateful that he’s back and walking around.

For those who work with Duff, his return was a welcomed and almost expected.

“When I saw him back today, it didn’t surprise me,” said Assistant Chief Herb Sharp. “It’s his purpose. It’s what he’s meant to do in life.”

Is Pluto a planet, as generations of schoolchildren learned? Or is it really a dwarf planet, as astronomy’s official governing body has determined?

NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine says it’s the former.

“Just so you know, in my view Pluto is a planet,” he told reporters Aug. 23 while touring an aerospace engineering lab in Boulder, Colorado. “It’s the way I learned it and I’m committed to it.”

“I’m flying back Saturday night and I haven’t had a moment to prepare.”

Barbara Bates, who lives 30 minutes outside of Orlando, is worried her two-day trip to the Northeast could be extended thanks to Hurricane Dorian.

“I just want to be able to get home. If I can get home I’m fine,” said the Deland, Florida resident.

She flew into Bradley International Airport Thursday, to bring her daughter Madison to college at Mount Holyoke in Massachusetts. However, it’s her 15-year-old son and her animals back in Florida she’s thinking about with a Category 4 storm headed their way. 

“I’m just praying I at least get back there and then I’ll figure it out from there,” she said.

Miriam Rodriguez came to Connecticut for a wedding. She’s not due to return until a week from Saturday.

“I would have preferred to stay because that way I could take any measures that needs to be taken during the time and not wondering what I’m gonna find when I get there,” said Rodriguez.

However, Margaret Swanson, who brought son Tucker to visit his grandparents in Portland, is much more laid back about the storm.

“When you’re from Florida you sort of learn to wait it out and just see what happens. A lot of the time it’s less than they say it will be,” said the Jacksonville resident.

She’s glad she got out in time, but isn’t sure her husband will make his flight Saturday night. His mother, who lives in Portland, Connecticut, has been keeping a much closer tab on the forecast.

“I’ve just been watching it. They were planning to come and visit so we knew they were coming and just a little concerned that he won’t make it out or worried about property damage,” Swanson said.

Many airlines are already warning passengers of potential cancellations and waiving rescheduling fees ahead of the storm.