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Your Fall Foliage Photos

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Photo Credit: Chris Opito

Metro-North Adds Yankee Clipper Service to Yankees ALCS Games

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The New York Yankees are in a battle with the Houston Astros to head to the World Series and Metro-North is adding service to get Yankees fans to the home games of the American League Championship. 

Metro-North Yankee Clipper service is being added to Hudson, Harlem and New Haven Lines direct to Yankees E-153rd St. Station. 

Metro-North says there will also shuttles between Grand Central Terminal, Harlem-125th Street and Yankees-E.153rd Street stations. 

Additional service will be added to depart in time for the game start and then return after the game. 

Houston leads the series, two to one heading into tonight‘s game. 

Tonight’s game was scheduled for 8:08 p.m., but it has been rescheduled for Thursday. 

Thursday night’s game, which was scheduled for 8:08 p.m., has been pushed back to 7:08 p.m. on Friday. 

Get additional Yankee Clipper information here.  

Check schedules here.

The winner of the series will take on the Washington Nationals. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Conn. Public Health Commissioner to Testify About E-Cigarettes on Capitol Hill

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The nationwide epidemic on vaping-related illnesses shows no signs of slowing down.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are set to hear testimony from a number of people on Wednesday including Connecticut's own Public Health Commissioner on how to handle this ongoing health threat.

So far, 31 cases of vaping-related lung illnesses have been reported here in Connecticut since the middle of August. Two dozen people have died across the country including one in the state.

Commissioner Renee Coleman-Mitchell will testify before the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee about the public health threat of vaping. She's the only state-level public health official to testify along with The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the commissioner's testimony on Wednesday, Coleman-Mitchell plans to push for education beginning in first grade through college about the risk of vaping.

"Addiction is threatening the future of our youth," she said. She's encouraging committee members to consider funding a joint federal and state response for dealing with the epidemic.

There's also been a push across the country and Connecticut to ban flavors and try and discourage teens from vaping.

State Senator Mary Abrams spoke with NBC Connecticut earlier this month and talked about how she thinks lawmakers can do more.

"We want to look at where vaping products are being sold. They seem to be readily available and we have to look at that issue. They're even online and how to keep them out of the hands of kids," she said.

Now that we're approaching flu season, doctors are warning people to be especially careful. Fever, chest pains, trouble breathing, coughing and vomiting are some of the symptoms you could experience with a vaping-related lung illness.

The CDC said the latest findings suggest products containing THC, particularly those obtained off the street, are linked to most of the cases, but some patients have reported exclusively using nicotine products.



Photo Credit: NBC10

Parents of British Teen Killed in Crash With Diplomat's Wife Reject Trump Offer to Meet Her

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The family of a British teenager killed in a wrong-way crash involving the wife of an American diplomat said President Donald Trump dropped a "bombshell" during a meeting at the White House, revealing that the woman was waiting to meet them in the room next door, NBC News reported. Their lawyer said the way the meeting was proposed was "so wrong." 

Harry Dunn, 19, was killed after his motorcycle was hit by Anne Sacoolas, who admits driving on the wrong side of the road near a British military base used by the United States. 

Sacoolas, 42, whose husband is an American diplomat assigned to the United Kingdom, said she cooperated with the police but flew back to the U.S. three weeks later. 

The case has sparked a transatlantic dispute about whether she still has diplomatic immunity from prosecution. 

"The bombshell was dropped not soon after we walked in the room: Anne Sacoolas was in the building and was willing to meet with us," Dunn's mother, Charlotte Charles, told reporters in Washington afterward. "We made it very clear that as we've said all along … we would still love to meet with her but it has to be on our terms and on U.K. soil." 

She said such a meeting should involve "therapists and mediators in the room."



Photo Credit: AP

Woman Found Dead at Calif. Home of 'Tarzan' Actor, Deputies Kill Suspect

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A woman was found dead at the Santa Barbara County home of "Tarzan" actor Ron Ely and the suspected killer died after at least one deputy opened fire at the residence, according to the sheriff's department.

The deadly chain of events began before 8:15 p.m., when deputies responded to a family disturbance call in the 4100 block of Mariposa Drive in the Hope Ranch neighborhood of Santa Barbara and found a woman dead, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said.

During the ensuing search, deputies asked nearby resident to stay in their homes. Deputies found the suspected killer on Ely's property and at least one deputy opened fire, killing the person, Lt. Eric Raney of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said. 

In a statement, the department said deputies opened fire "in defense of the threat posed by the suspect."

Raney did not immediately return a phone call seeking more details early Wednesday. 

No deputies were injured. 

Details about the woman's identity and whether she had a relationship to Ely were not immediately available. 

Ely was not injured. The actor is best known for his portrayal of Tarzan in NBC's 1966 series by the same name and for his lead role in "Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze."

A representative for Ely did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.

Construction Worker Seriously Injured After Getting Struck by Vehicle in Westport

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A construction worker has serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle in Westport on Tuesday night.

Officers were called to Post Road West around 9:15 p.m. after getting a report of a crash with serious injuries. Initial reports said the accident involved a pedestrian.

Emergency responders found and helped a man that had been hit by a passing vehicle near an active work zone, police said.

According to police, he was preliminarily identified as a worker associated with the on-going construction project for repaving Post Road West and Post Road East.

The man was transported to Norwalk Hospital to be treated for serious injuries, authorities added.

The driver of the vehicle had been traveling on Park Road West at the time of the collision, police said. The driver remained at the scene to speak with officers and is cooperating with the investigation. No charges have been filed.

The incident remains under investigation.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) was also called and is investigating.

Presidential Yacht Docks in New London

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A historic presidential yacht is docked in New London.

The U.S.S. Sequoia is a 104-foot classic wooden, fantail motor yacht.

It was built in 1926 from mahogany, teak and yellow pine.

It served eight sitting U.S. presidents from Herbert Hoover through Gerald Ford.

The boat is on a barge on its way to Maine for restoration.

It is riding out the storm on City Pier until Friday night or Saturday morning.



Photo Credit: Equator Capital

An Old Pipe Caused a Massive Blast. Then Came the Acid Leak

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Thousands of pounds of deadly hydrofluoric acid escaped into the atmosphere following the massive June 21 blast at the now-shuttered gas refinery in South Philadelphia, according to a new federal report.

More than 5,200 pounds of the chemical, known shorthand as HF, was estimated to have been released from a complex system of pipes in three early morning blasts, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board said in its finding released Wednesday.

The root cause of the explosions? A decades-old elbow pipe had degraded to just 7 percent of thickness level, the federal safety agency said. That is well-below the threshold that normally would prompt replacement.

"The thickness of this elbow was not monitored," the board wrote in the report.

The escape of the deadly HF has not been previously confirmed by investigatory authorities. A Reuters article published in August first raised the possibility that HF may have been released in the blasts, but city and company officials would not confirm the report at the time.

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The report said 676,000 pounds, in total, of hydrocarbon chemicals are estimated to have escaped containment in the disaster. A large majority of those chemicals was gas products, which burned during the explosions and subsequent fire.

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HF can be very painful, and lethal, when it comes in contact with humans, and even a small leak could lead to a widespread catastrophe, particularly in a heavily-populated area like South Philadelphia.

However, widespread effects weren't reported in the hours and days that followed the explosion at Philadelphia Energy Solutions' refinery.

That would suggest the thousands of pounds of HF that did escape were likely thrown high into the atmosphere during the powerful blasts, leaked very slowly in low concentration, or both, according to Peter DeCarlo, an air quality expert and Drexel University professor.

"That's a massive release," DeCarlo said. "Based on what we've seen and based on the lack of major health impacts, which would have been clearly observed, we dodged a fairly substantial bullet."

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The refinery was the largest on the East Coast, and was Philadelphia's largest polluter for decades. Its origins as an industrial site go back two centuries.

The current owner, PES, filed for bankruptcy in July. It was the second time in two years that the company did so. Protests by South Philadelphia residents and some city leaders followed the explosion, with calls for a shutdown of the facility. About 300 union workers were laid off in August. The facility employed about 1,000.

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The fire burned for two days until plant staff were able to turn off a valve that sent fuel into the alkylation unit where the degraded pipe initially burst. 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.

Even after the fire was extinguished, the disaster site wasn't ruled officially contained until September. 

A minute-by-minute leadup to the explosions that NBC10 ran live on its early morning newscasts is included in the report and show how quickly the catastrophe developed inside one of the HF alkylation units of the refinery:

- At 4 a.m., there was a sudden loss of containment that caused flammable process fluid, including HF, to release into the unit. It formed a "ground-hugging vapor cloud."

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- At 4:02 a.m., the vapor cloud ignited, causing a large fire in the alkylation unit.

- Thirty seconds later, a control room operator activated the Rapid Acid Deinventory system.

- At 4:15 a.m., during the still-burning fire, the first of three explosions occurred. The second explosion occurred four minutes later.

- At 4:22 a.m., the third and largest blast occurred when a feed drum within the alkylation unit "violently ruptured." The drum contained combustible gases, primarily butylene, isobutane and butane. Butane is known for its use in cigarette lighters.

A fragment of the drum, which weighed nearly 20 tons, was ejected and flew across the Schuylkill River. Two other fragments, about 11 and eight tons each, also went airborne. They landed elsewhere in the refinery. A federal investigator called their landing spots "miraculous" for not damaging other parts of the facility as they came back to earth.

Here is the full report released Wednesday morning:

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Rain Postpones Game 4 of Yankees-Astros Series

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Game 4 of the Yankees-Astros AL Championship Series has been postponed as a major storm bears down on New York City.

Game 4 will now be played Thursday at 8:08 p.m. at Yankee Stadium, with the Yankees trailing the Astros two games to one. It's not clear how the extra day off will affect either team's pitching plans. 

Game 5 will be Friday at 7:08 p.m., also in the Bronx.

The teams will not take a travel day, as planned; if Games 6 and 7 are necessary, they will be played Saturday and Sunday in Houston. 

A major coastal storm will soak the region Wednesday night, which left the team and Major League Baseball with little choice but to postpone the game. 



Photo Credit: MLB Photos via Getty Images
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Child Reports Being Approached By Driver in Putnam

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A child reported being approached by a driver in Putnam on Tuesday evening and police are asking anyone who witnesses anything to come forward.

Police said a child was walking in the area of Frank and Centennial streets around 3 p.m. when a driver stopped and said something to the effect of “get in the car.”

The child ran away from the area and the vehicle, described as a “newer” silver sedan. turned down Centennial Street.

It had a tinted rear windshield and a roof rack. It’s not clear what the make and model of the car are.

The child was able to provide limited information about the driver, who was described as a man with short gray/brown hair, a bald patch and no facial hair.

Anyone who witnessed this incident, has information or surveillance video of this area is asked to call Detective Donna Brown of the Putnam Police Department at 860-928-6565.

Anonymous tips can be left at 860-963-0000 or through the police department website, www.putnampolice.com.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Probe Reveals High-Level Unease Over Trump, Giuliani Moves

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The House impeachment inquiry is exposing new details about unease in the State Department and White House about President Donald Trump's actions toward Ukraine and those of his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

One witness said it appeared "three amigos" tied to the White House had taken over foreign policy. Another quoted national security adviser John Bolton as calling Giuliani a "hand grenade" for his back-channel efforts to get Ukraine to investigate Trump's Democratic rival Joe Biden and Biden's son Hunter.

On Wednesday, a former aide to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived to speak to the House impeachment panels behind closed doors. Michael McKinley, who resigned last week, is a career foreign service officer and was Pompeo's de facto chief of staff.

He is expected to discuss concerns held by career State Department officials about the treatment of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, and others who worked on the Ukraine portfolio, according to a person familiar with his testimony. A Latin America specialist, McKinley wasn't directly involved in Ukraine policy, but as a senior adviser to Pompeo was generally aware of the situation, the person said.

McKinley expects to talk about demoralization in the ranks of career foreign service officers and what many have lamented as the politicization of the once-apolitical bureaucracy, according to the person, who was granted anonymity to speak about his remarks.

The 37-year veteran of the diplomatic corps was known to be unhappy with the state of affairs although his farewell note to colleagues mentioned nothing about the reason for his departure other than it was a "personal decision."

Another key figure in the impeachment investigation, special envoy Kurt Volker, returned to Capitol Hill on Wednesday. He and his lawyer were to review the transcript of his Oct. 3 testimony to investigators, according to a person familiar with his appearance who was not authorized to discuss it. Republicans say all the transcripts from the investigation should be released to the public.

Volker provided text messages to lawmakers that revealed an effort at the State Department to push Ukraine's leader into opening an investigation of the gas company Burisma, connected to Joe Biden's son, in return for a visit with Trump.

That effort soon escalated into what one diplomat feared was a quid pro quo for U.S. military aid. Trump has denied that, saying assistance to Ukraine was delayed to pressure the country into addressing corruption.

The testimony so far from the witnesses, mainly officials from the State Department and other foreign policy posts, is largely corroborating the account of the government whistleblower whose complaint first sparked the impeachment inquiry, according to lawmakers attending the closed-door interviews.

Trump's July 25 phone call in which he pressed Ukraine's president to investigate the Bidens is at the center of the Democrats' inquiry.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, despite intensifying calls from Trump and Republicans to hold a formal vote to authorize the impeachment inquiry, showed no indication she would do so. She said Congress will continue its investigation as part of the Constitution's system of checks and balances of the executive.

"This is not a game for us. This is deadly serious. We're on a path that is taking us, a path to the truth," Pelosi told reporters after a closed-door session with House Democrats.

Democratic leaders had been gauging support for a vote to authorize the impeachment inquiry after Trump and Republicans pushed them for a roll call. Holding a vote would test politically vulnerable Democrats in areas where the Republican president is popular.

Trump calls the impeachment inquiry an "illegitimate process" and is blocking officials from cooperating.

The White House Office of Management and Budget Pentagon, the Pentagon, Vice President Mike Pence and Giuliani, on Tuesday all refused to comply with subpoenas from House impeachment investigators.

Assistant Secretary of Defense Robert Hood said in a letter to the three committee chairmen that the Department of Defense had taken steps to identify and preserve potentially relevant documents, but that the subpoena "raises a number of legal and practical concerns" and the department would not comply "at this time." Impeachment investigators had issued subpoenas for documents detailing why military aid to Ukraine was frozen.

A senior administration official told NBC News that the OMB and acting Director Russ Vought "are not participating in the sham impeachment process."

The chairman leading the impeachment investigation, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said the stonewalling simply bolsters the charge that Trump is obstructing Congress.

"The case for Congress continues to build," Schiff said. He said Defense Secretary Mark Esper told investigators Sunday that he would comply with a subpoena request, only to be "countermanded" by a higher authority, likely Trump.

Still, the inquiry is moving quickly as a steady stream of officials appears behind closed doors this week, some providing new revelations about the events surrounding the July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. It is on that call that Trump urged Zelenskiy to investigate a firm tied to political rival Joe Biden's family and Ukraine's own involvement in the 2016 presidential election.

Career State Department official George Kent testified Tuesday he was told by administration officials to "lay low" on Ukraine as "three amigos" tied to the White House took over U.S. foreign policy toward the Eastern European ally.

Kent was concerned about the "fake news smear" against Yovanovitch, whom Trump recalled in May, according to emails obtained by The Associated Press.

Kent told the lawmakers that he "found himself outside a parallel process" and had warned others about Giuliani as far back as March. He felt the shadow diplomacy was undermining decades of foreign policy and the rule of law in Ukraine and that was "wrong," said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va.

Connolly said Kent described a May 23 meeting at the White House, organized by Trump's acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, where three administration officials — U.S. ambassador Gordon Sondland, special envoy Kurt Volker and Energy Secretary Rick Perry — declared themselves the people now responsible for Ukraine policy.

"They called themselves the three amigos," Connolly said Kent testified.

Kent also told them that Trump, through the Office of Management and Budget, which Mulvaney previously led, was holding up military aid to Ukraine while pressing Zelenskiy to investigate a company linked to Biden's son.

Another witness, former White House aide Fiona Hill, testified Monday that Bolton, then national security adviser, was so alarmed by Giuliani's back-channel activities in Ukraine that he described him as a "hand grenade who is going to blow everybody up."

In 10 hours of testimony, Hill, the former White House aide who was a top adviser on Russia, recalled to investigators that Bolton had told her he was not part of "whatever drug deal Sondland and Mulvaney are cooking up," an apparent reference to talks over Ukraine.

She testified that Bolton asked her to take the concerns to National Security Council lawyer John Eisenberg.

As White House lawyers now try to learn more about the handling of the Ukraine call, Eisenberg is coming under particular scrutiny, said one White House official. He was both the official who ordered that the memorandum of the call be moved to a highly-classified system and the one who involved the Justice Department in a complaint from the CIA general counsel. The latter caught the attention of the president, according to the official.


Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Michael Balsamo, Eric Tucker, Matthew Lee, Padmananda Rama, Andrew Taylor and Alan Fram in Washington and Jonathan Lemire in Dallas contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Destructive Spotted Lanternfly Spotted in Connecticut

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A spotted lanternfly, a species that is causing nightmares in parts of Pennsylvania, has been found in Connecticut. A single living adult spotted lanternfly was found in Southbury, according to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

The invasive sap-feeding bugs, called Lycorma delicatula. are native to China, India and Vietnam, but were discovered in Berks County, Philadelphia in 2014.

NBC Philadelphia reports that the spotted lanternfly sucks the sap from valuable trees and vines, weakening them. It rains its clear, sticky, sugary waste -- called "honeydew" -- onto pools and decks, driving exasperated homeowners indoors when they're not too busy killing the flies. 

The video from below if from NBC Philadelphia. 

No other spotted lanternflies were found during a survey of the immediate area, but a live insect strongly suggests others might be present within easy transport from somewhere in the region,” a news release from CAES says.

They have planned additional surveys in the area.

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station warns that the spotted lanternfly has the potential to severely impact Connecticut’s farm crops, particularly apples, grapes, hops and a number of tree species, including maple.

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station says that early detection is important to protect local businesses and agriculture.

They are urging anyone to report potential sightings to ReportSLF@ct.gov and to submit a photo if possible.

Learn more here about the spotted lanternfly here. 



Photo Credit: Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Middletown Police Find Motorcyclist Suspected in Hit-and-Run

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Middletown police said they have found the motorcyclist who fled after hitting a pedestrian at the intersection of Newfield Street and Westfield Street earlier this month.

According to the preliminary investigation, a 50-year-old man was crossing Newfield Street from Westfield Street in the crosswalk when a motorcyclist traveling southbound on Newfield Street hit him, police said.

The pedestrian suffered a broken leg and other minor injuries. The motorcyclist fled the area after the crash, according to officers.

Police said Wednesday that they found the motorcyclist and motorcycle.

 

 



Photo Credit: Middletown Police

Hamden Police Investigating After Letting Missing Middletown Man Go Nearly 2 Weeks Ago

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Almost two weeks have passed since 59-year-old Peter Recchia, of Middletown, disappeared and Hamden police said they spoke with him hours before he was reported missing while responding to reports of an unwanted person in a 76-year-old woman’s home in their town. Now they are launching an internal investigation.

Middletown police said Recchia was last seen on Thursday, Oct. 3 in the area of Millers Pond State Park in Haddam.

On Wednesday, Hamden police said one of their officers saw him early that morning after responding to a report of an “unwanted person.”

They said they responded to a home on State Street at 4:15 a.m. and met with a 76 year-old resident who said she “heard heavy footsteps downstairs” and a man talking out loud, so she went downstairs and saw a man seated at her kitchen table. Police later identified the man as Recchia and said they believe he got in through an unlocked door.

The woman convinced Recchia to leave and a police officer saw him moments later, walking south on State Street.

While at the scene, a computer check was done and the search for was negative, police said. After determining that Recchia wasn’t a danger to himself or others, he was told he could leave, according to Hamden police.

They said Recchia had not yet been reported missing when they accounted for him and that Middletown Police issued a Silver Alert for him sometime after 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 3.

Hamden Police said the ethics and integrity division has launched an internal investigation.

The search continues for Recchia, who is 5-feet-11 and has gray hair, green eyes, a mustache and glasses. He weighs 150 pounds.

When Recchia was last seen, he was traveling south on Foot Hills Road and was wearing a short-sleeve royal blue shirt, jeans, a black belt and black sneakers, according to Middletown Police.

They said Recchia does not have a history of violence but has a history of mental health issues and might be delusional and in need of medication.

Anyone with any information is urged to call Middletown Police Detective Jimmy Lacasse 860-638-4134 or Middletown dispatch at 860-347-2541 if Detective Lacasse is not available.

If you are out of the Middletown area and see Recchia, call your local police department.



Photo Credit: Middletown Police
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What Is a Bomb Cyclone?

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The NBC Connecticut meteorologist have issued a First Alert for strong winds and heavy rain. The storm will rapidly intensify and will reach the critieria of a "bomb cyclone." 

What is a Bomb Cyclone

A bomb cyclone is a rapidly strengthening area of low pressure. In order to be considered a bomb cyclone, pressure has to drop 24mb in 24 hours. The storm forecast to move into New England tonight will be even stronger, dropping about 30mb in 24 hours. 

We will be very close to breaking the strongest October storm on record set back in 2006 for the Hartford area when the pressure dropped to 980mb. The current record for the Bridgeport area stands at 972mb during Hurricane Sandy.

Even though the barometric pressure will be exceedingly low the storm will not be nearly as severe as other October storms we've had like Sandy or the October Snowstorm. Still, winds will gust anywhere from 30 to 40mph with even higher winds at shoreline gusting up to 50mph. 

Heavy rain will also accompany the storm and we are expected anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of rain in a short period of time, which might result in urban street flooding. 


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Customer Hurt When Car Crashes Into Stratford Grocery Store

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A customer was injured when a car crashed into Big Y in Stratford Wednesday.

Stratford police said the car crashed through the front bay door of the store on Hawley Lane just before noon and hit a customer. That person was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash is under investigation and no other details were immediately available.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

First Responders Rescue Bald Eagle Found on Highway

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A bald eagle is recovering after it was hit by a car on Route 8 Wednesday afternoon.

Connecticut State Police said the bird was found with a broken on Route 8 southbound near exit 25 around 12:48 p.m. Crews determined it had been hit by a car.

Waterbury Animal Control responded to assist, but the eagle tried to escape by running down an embankment toward the Naugatuck River. Crews were able to capture the bird and turn it over to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for treatment.

Police said the eagle is stable was transported to the Audubon Sharon wildlife sanctuary in Sharon for rehabilitation.



Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police

'Don't Be a Tough Guy': Trump's Letter to Erdogan

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President Donald Trump wrote Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan an extraordinary letter warning him not to be "a tough guy" or "a fool" as his forces launched their attack on northern Syria, a White House official confirmed to NBC News.

"Dear Mr. President," the Oct. 9 letter began, "Let's work out a good deal! You don't want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don't want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy — and I will."

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"I will call you later," the letter concludes. It's signed, "Sincerely, Donald Trump."



Photo Credit: AP
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Milford Expecting Flooding During Strong Storm

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Milford residents and Public Works employees had to deal with street flooding even before the high winds and rain rolled in Wednesday afternoon.

City of Milford highway foreman Thomas Hunt said the afternoon high tide was about a foot higher than usual. Workers had to barricade some areas.

Residents like Kris Marinelli moved his car as a precaution. He said he’s lost one in flooding on Point Beach Drive before.

Locals said they love living in Milford when it’s beautiful out, but Mother Nature can be a beast.

“Oh it’s beautiful, especially 4th of July. It’s gorgeous. It is. It is beautiful growing up here. But yeah, flooding sucks. You got to get a boat. Would nice if you had a house boat you could just float around.”

Public Works also had a street sweeper comb many of the city underpasses that tend to flood to help clear the leaves from the basin tops.

Hunt is asking residents to help them out by clearing nearby basins they may not have been able to get to since we’re told there’s 6,000 of them around the city.

In preparation for the storm, DPW workers also sharpened their saws, started up their chippers, and checked on their bucket trucks, so they are ready to respond if need be.

“Hopefully the storm doesn’t get as powerful as they say it’s going to get. Right now one of the problems is the leaves are still on the trees. With that in mind, what can happen with the rain and the wind the combination, so we could have some trees that come down,” said Hunt.

If you have damage to report within the city, Milford DPW said give them a call. If it is an emergency call 911.

The same advice usually applies in most Connecticut towns and cities.

And while it seems obvious, even in his 20 plus year career, Hunt urges people to not go through flood waters. He said you are risking your life and it endangers first responders too.

Meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan expects the overnight high tide to cause flooding issues too as the storm strengthens.

Get the latest forecast anytime here.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Historic Presidential Yacht Harbors in New London

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A historic presidential yacht is in New London after severe weather halted the boat from traveling to Maine for restorations.

The USS Sequoia is a 104-foot classic wooden fantail motor yacht built in 1925. It served eight presidents before Jimmy Carter put it up for auction in 1977. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and commanded rental fees of $10,000 a day at one point.

The boat is on its way to Maine to be completely overhauled and refurbished and is expected to be ready in three years.

Numerous ships have been commissioned to carry the president since 1880. The longest serving and most famous among them is the USS Sequoia, which carried eight presidents as a "floating White House" from 1933 until 1977. Docked at Pier One in the Washington Navy Yard, the presidential yacht provided an easily accessible and secure location for conducting meetings, entertaining dignitaries, and avoiding media scrutiny.

The USS Sequoia was designed by renowned Norwegian naval architect Johan Trumpy in 1925. The mahogany-hulled motor yacht could sleep six and accommodate 40 revelers for cocktails on the spacious aft-deck or 22 guests for a formal dinner in the salon.

John F. Kennedy added a king-size bed to the yacht and celebrated his 46th birthday on the boat. Marilyn Monroe may have also joined him for a cruise or two.

Presidents travel in style. Perks of the office include a custom Boeing 747 for long range journeys, a Sikorsky Sea King helicopter for shorter jaunts, and an apocalypse-proof armored Cadillac limousine, nicknamed "the Beast," for ground transit. As luxurious as this sounds, one form of transportation has been conspicuously absent from the chief executive's lineup for 40 years: the presidential yacht.

Todd French is the Sequoia Project Manager and is working to help refurbish the Sequoia.

“This boat is wrapped up in our history and to be able to restore something like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said French. “It served every type of President, every type of party and it’s a piece of Americana and really this is a historic artifact that’s going to bring us together.”

French says the memories made aboard the ship are compelling and hundreds of memories were made on the ship, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing several bills for his ‘New Deal’ initiative.

“When I step on the boat, I get chills because you feel the soul and the history of the boat,” said French.

Greg and Daneen Roth live in New London and happened to see the historic yacht while on their morning stroll.

“It’s amazing to know the history of the Presidents who were on board and everything so it’s quite a treat to see her up this close,” said Greg Roth.

“She has quite a storied past and when you look at her and see her beautiful lines, you can't help but appreciate everything that went into making her and making her a presidential yacht,” said Daneen Roth.

The USS Sequoia has a special connection to New London. During Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, he ventured through the New London City Pier in an effort to travel to see his son and attend the Harvard-Yale Regatta.

New London’s Mayor Michael Passero just found out about the ship making a stop at the city pier last night and was excited to see it return to the city.

“I’m glad to see the Sequoia make its way back and it’s a surprise visit for us and we love to celebrate our history,” he said.

The boat is on a very large barge under the control of a tug boat and is expected to be at New London City Pier from Wednesday until Saturday.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut
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