July 5 / 11:00 pm
Electricity knocked out to tens of thousands, Power Warning issued for Tuesday
(WTNH) _ On such a hot, sweltering day, the last thing people need is to lose is their electricity. But that's what more than 35,000 customers of Northeast Utilities are dealing with Monday evening. The extreme heat and great demand are overloading switches and transformers. The hardest hit areas are in the greater Hartford area, in Glastonbury, West Hartford and Rocky Hill, as well as Meriden and Stamford. Police in Madison tell News Channel 8 transformers were popping on utility poles.
United Illuminating was reporting only a few hundred outages for its customers.
ISO New England, the company that manages the region's power supply, has issued a Power Warning beginning at 5:00 am Tuesday. Customers are being asked to conserve power as much as possible by turning off lights, not using unnecessary appliances, and delaying laundry until early morning or late evening hours.
National Weather Service extends heat warning through Tuesday
(WTNH) _ The hot, miserable weather is continuing, and with relief still two days away the National Weather Service is extending an Excessive Heat Warning for parts of New England through Tuesday. Record temperatures were set in the Bridgeport and Hartford areas.
 Temperatures were soaring into the triple-digits across the state Monday afternoon. At noon it was already 98°f outside the News Channel 8 studios in New Haven, and by 3:00 it was 102. The heat index sizzled to 116. Similar conditions were recorded at News Channel 8's SchoolNET station in Derby.
The thermometer reached a record 100° in Bridgeport, breaking the old mark of 95° set in 1955. At at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks the temperature reached 99° breaking the old record of 98° which was also set in 1955.
The heat index is a measure of how hot it feels based on the combination of temperature and humidity, and is measured under shady conditions. The weather service says readings in direct sunshine may be as much as 15 degrees higher.
The EPA expected conditions to be in the unhealthy stage today, meaning people with asthma or other respiratory problems should limit their exertion or activity outdoors.
"I'm the most popular man today," said air conditioning repairman Stephen Davis, who works for Air Inc. Fans and air conditioners are hot items at stores throughout the state. Malls were busy too, and not just because of holiday sales. Many people were there just to beat the heat.
Some folks were trying to beat the heat by opening up fire hydrants, but fire officials say that's not an answer. New Haven firefighters spent a good portion of the day turning off opened fire hydrants.
Fire officials say water comes out of the hydrant at very high pressure and knocks children down. They also say if hydrants aren't opened with the proper tools they can be broken.
 News Channel 8's Leon Collins reports on how people are beating the heat. (Real Player required)
Dr. Mel explains why the heat is here.
 Here's more on Monday's heat warning.
EPA's Daily Ozone Forecast page
Dress properly and drink a lot to keep cool
(WTNH) _ As the thermometer continues to rise the chance for heat exhaustion and heat stroke rise with it. Plenty of people were outside enjoying the hot weather this weekend, and more heat is expected for today.
Doctors say the best preventive measure to avoid problems is to stay out of the heat. But if you have to go outside take it easy on the physical activities.
Drink lots of fluids, one eight ounce glass of water an hour if possible. Avoid alcohol and carbonated drinks. Wear light colored clothing, and keep them loose fitting, And do not overexert yourself, especially if you have respiratory problems or a heart condition.
Doctor discusses heat related problems
(WTNH) _ The heat not only makes life miserable for most of us, but it can also create real and serious health problems. This is especially true for children, seniors and many people who take prescription medications. On News Channel 8 at 5:00, Ann Nyberg interviewed Dr. Vanessa Bromell, a specialist in internal medicine, who explained the often overlooked health risks of heat and humidity.
Here's the video interview.
Pets need relief from heat too
(WTNH) _ The extreme heat can cause people to overheat, but did you know dogs can also die from heatstroke. Dogs don't realize they're getting dangerously hot, so it's up to owners to keep their dog cool.
News Channel 8's Susan Hiland reports.
Bus accident closes I-84
(Waterbury-WTNH) _ Eastbound traffic on I-84 near exit 25 was stopped Monday night after a collision between a car and a bus. The accident happened just before 10:00pm. No word on exactly how the accident happened. State police say injuries appear minor, and no one had to be transported to the hospital. Police did not know when the highway would reopen.
Meantime, police were investigating two other accidents on state highways.
The most serious was in Middletown on Route 9 between exits 10 and 11 southbound. That area is shut down at this hour.
One car flipped over just after 8:00pm, injuring several people. At least one person was flown by helicopter to the hospital.
No word on what caused that accident and no names have been released.
The other accident happened on I-95 in Clinton near exit 63 around 7:00pm. Some lanes were shut down for about 45-minutes there. No serious injuries.
Connecticut Man Drowns in Massachusetts Pond
(WTNH) _ A 19-year old Connecticut man has drowned in Worcester, Massachusetts. Police say the teenager, whose identity will not be released until tomorrow, went down in a pond while swimming with some friends.
The call came in about 4:30pm. Police say it took about 15-minutes to find the victim.
Hartford man drowns in Barkhamsted
(Barkhamsted-AP) _ A 31-year-old Hartford man has drowned while swimming in a private lake in Barkhamsted. Police say lifeguards pulled Travis Collier from the waters of Stancliff Cove about 2:30 pm. They tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate him until rescue workers arrived. Collier was taken by LifeStar helicopter to Hartford Hospital, where he died shortly after 4:00 pm.
Search underway for missing elderly man
 (Litchfield-WTNH) _ The heat is causing concern in Litchfield where officials are searching for an elderly man. The 81-year old has Alzheimer's Disease. He walked away from a nursing home Monday morning.
News Channel 8's Andrea Stassou reports.
Bridgeport council member found dead in his home
(Bridgeport-AP) _ A 41-year-old Bridgeport city councilman was found dead inside his home Sunday night. Police say it appears Michael Rizzitelli Junior died of natural causes. His body was sent to the medical examiner's office in Farmington for an autopsy. Rizzitelli was a Democrat, who owned a restaurant in the city. He is survived by his mother, four sisters, and a daughter, Jackie Nicole, for whom the restaurant was named.
Man drowns in Farmington river
(Burlington-WTNH) _ A 26 year old New Britain man died while swimming in the Farmington River Sunday. The accident happened in Burlington near Route 179 Sunday afternoon. Police say Michael Colon was in a secluded area of the river when he went under. Family members tried to rescue Colon, but were unable to reach him.
Police find car believed to be involved in hit-and-run accident
(Rocky Hill-AP) _ Rocky Hill police have seized a car they believe may be connected to a fatal hit-and-run accident. 52-year-old Joseph Frazier, who lived at the Veterans Home and Hospital, died July First after being struck by a car on Main Street. A tip led police to a 1979 blue Camaro. They will not say who owns the car. No arrests have been made.
Monroe police asking for help in 22-year-old murder case
(Monroe-AP) _ The FBI is being called in to help Monroe police solve a 22-year-old murder case. The body of 8-year-old Renee Freer was found in the woods near her home in the spring of 1977. She had been beaten to death.
Police are hoping advances in DNA technology might help them crack the case.
Evidence has been sent to the FBI's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crimes in Quantico, Virginia. Police say they are also hoping the new publicity about the case might prompt witnesses to come forward.
Police say drug overdose may have killed Yale grad student
(New Haven-AP) _ The death of a Yale grad student is being blamed on a drug overdose. 26-year-old Corky Jenson of San Jose, California died at Yale-New Haven Hospital Saturday morning. His body was taken to the medical examiner's office for an autopsy and toxicology tests. Jenson was reportedly attending a party in the hours before he died. Lawrence Haas, director of public affairs for the university, says Jenson was in his fifth year as a graduate student and was on scheduled to receive a doctorate degree next year.
Registered sex offender charged in kidnap attempt
(Norwalk-AP) _ A registered sex offender has been arrested after trying to abduct a local woman, police said. Ronald Piro, 29, of Norwalk, tried to force a 30-year-old woman into his car Sunday about 9 a.m., police said. Neighbors helped her escape. Piro was charged with attempted kidnapping, second-degree stalking and third-degree assault. He was being held on $500,000 bond. Piro was required to register under the state's Megan's Law after a 1992 conviction for third-degree sexual assault.
African pythons found in Columbia
(Columbia-WTNH) _ Residents in one Connecticut town are feeling threatened from of all things pythons. At least six ball pythons have turned up in the eastern town of Columbia over the past couple of weeks, and the questions remains how did they get there?
Boat launch closed because of water weed
(East Haddam-WTNH) _ One of the state's boat launch sites is closing temporarily. The launch at Bashan Lake in East Haddam is closing until Wednesday. The Department of Environmental protection has shut down the site while they apply a herbicide to get rid of a pest-like weed called milfoil.
Phone company puts out help wanted sign
(New Haven-AP) _ Despite the recent merger with telecommunications giant SBC, SNET is putting out the call for workers. Officials at the New Haven-based company say they have about 300 job openings. In February, SNET sent notices to about 450 employees, or about 5 percent of their work force at the time, notifying them that their jobs were being eliminated or consolidated in the merger. But SNET spokeswoman Beverly Levy says the actual number cuts was less than originally anticipated.
Survey shows state residents feeling good about things
(Hartford-AP) _ State residents are feeling pretty good about things. That's according to a semiannual survey that attempts to index the "spirit" of state residents. The Hartford Courant/Connecticut Poll's Gross National Spirit Survey is similar to a stock market index. The numbers based on answers to six questions about how residents feel about themselves, the country, the future and the president. The total spirit index stands at 1,396 out of a possible 2,400, up 12 points since December. Misgivings about the future of the economy, and a declining opinion of President Clinton, prevented the index from challenging its record high of 1,484 set during President Reagan's first term.
|
