May 4 / 7:00 pm
Nearly four dozen dead from tornadoes in Oklahoma, Kansas
(Oklahoma City-AP) _ The death toll now stands at 43 after fierce tornadoes destroyed entire neighborhoods in Oklahoma and Kansas. One monstrous twister chewed across miles of Tornado Alley for four hours. The Oklahoma medical examiner says 38 people were killed in Oklahoma alone in Monday's storms. Five people died in Kansas. The combined Oklahoma-Kansas death toll makes this the deadliest tornado outbreak since 42 people were killed last year in Florida.
President Clinton has now declared parts of Oklahoma and Kansas disaster areas. Clinton's declaration is aimed at speeding federal aid to hard-hit areas. In Oklahoma, it applies to eleven counties. In Kansas, the declaration affects one county: Sedgwick.
Red Cross answers call for help
(Hartford-WTNH) _ As people in Oklahoma and Kansas try to piece their lives back together following the deadly tornadoes, there is already a massive relief effort underway. Right here in Connecticut the devastation has brought out a desire to help out.
 News Channel 8's Jayne Saffer has the story.
Travelers sends disaster teams to Oklahoma
(Hartford-AP) _ Travelers insurance agents have been dispatched to the Midwest to help homeowners devestated by last night's severe tornadoes.
Two of the company's Catastophe Response Vehicles, high-tech mobile insurance claim offices, are en route as well. Officials of the Hartford-based company say agents will be able to issue checks to policyholders on the spot.
Demand for help can be overwhelming
(WTNH) _ From the tornadoes and other natural disasters to the Kosovar refugees, we are being bombarded with images of people in need.
Many people feel compassion and want to help, but feel overwhelmed.
News Channel 8's Jocelyn Sigue reports.
What to do when a tornado warning is posted
Hamilton makes it official - He's off to NBA
 (Storrs-WTNH) _ Now that he has an NCAA championship to his credit, UConn star Richard Hamilton says he's ready for the NBA. He made the announcement at a news conference in Storrs Tuesday afternoon. Hamilton averaged 19.7 points a game and became the second highest scorer in school history with 2,036 points. He thanked God, his family, Coach Jim Calhoun, and his teammates for all they have done for him.
Richard Hamilton: "I can't imagine sharing a national championship with a better group of guys, from Khalid El-Amin to Stanley the walk-on (laughs) It's been a fun ride."
Coach Jim Calhoun: "He's been very special to our program...
Clearly he's ready to make the next step. Just as in life people graduate on to other things. Richard has graduated now from the basketball program, and is ready to go onto another endeavor. I told him I would fully support whatever decision he made."
Hamilton flirted with the idea of turning pro last year, but decided to come back to UConn and try to win a championship. The decision paid off with a first ever men's basketball title for the Huskies.
Rowland still wants stadium, but new location possible
(WTNH) _ Even without the Patriots, Governor John Rowland still wants to build a stadium in Hartford, but the next step may be to avoid the riverfront. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Insurance company is going to resume test drilling at the Adriaen's Landing site rather than pulling the plug completely on the development concept.
Chief capitol correspondent Mark Davis reports.
Walkout underway at two nursing homes
(Ansonia-WTNH) _ Workers at two Connecticut nursing homes are on strike today two homes in Bridgeport and Ansonia. Strikes were planned at three other nursing homes as well today, but they settled early this morning.
News Channel 8's Leon Collins reports.
Six-year-old arrested in threat to kill teacher
(West Haven-WTNH) _ You've been hearing a lot lately about students getting arrested for making threats at school.
Now, a 6-year-old has been charged by police.
The Savin Rock first-grader allegedly said to other classmates "let's kill the teacher". He's been suspended for 10 days and face a misdemeanor charge of threatening. Some think school administrators overreacted, but the superintendent defended the school's 'zero tolerance' policy.
However, a child development expert tells News Channel 8 a child that young is not fully capable of separating fantasy from reality.
News Channel 8's Judy Chong reports.
News Channel 8 policy on bomb threats
(WTNH) _ Ever since the tragedy at Columbine High School in Colorado, there has been a rash of threats, bomb scares and rumors spreading throughout our nation's schools. There have been several incidents here in Connecticut.
Some of those we have reported, and many we have not. Many of you have called to say there was a bomb threat at your child's school and you were surprised it was not on the news.
We want to explain News Channel 8's policy on reporting threats at schools.
Chemical found in parking lot
(West Haven-WTNH) _ An unusual discovery in a West Haven parking lot sent three people to the hospital Tuesday. A worker at Shop Rite sound some film cannisters filled with powdered zinc nitrate. He got some of the powder on his hands, and when another worker tried to help he did too. A firefighter who responded to the discovery also got some in his eyes. All three were treated and released at the hospital. No word on where the zinc nitrate came from.
Ticket scofflaws face prospect of tow
(Norwich-WTNH) _ Norwich residents who don't pay their parking tickets will soon be paying the price for their offenses. Under a new law anyone with five or more unpaid parking fines will have their car hauled away.
Towing may sound a little drastic, but city officials say they're owed thousands of dollars by hundreds of scofflaws who are taking up valuable parking spaces downtown.
News Channel 8's Peter Standring has the story.
NRC to eliminate 'watch list' of troubled nuclear plants
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) _ The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is overhauling its system for evaluating safety at the nation's nuclear power plants, eliminating the "watch list" of troubled facilities in favor of a scheme identifying plants that require national or regional attention.
The list _ issued semiannually since 1986 _ will be replaced by a yearly announcement of plants needing "agency focus" and "regional focus," NRC spokesman Victor Dricks said Tuesday.
Here's more on the story.
Mother of Aquan Salmon arrested
(Hartford-AP)_ A new round of controversy is developing out of the fatal shooting of a 14-year-old teenager by a Hartford police officer.
Police have arrested the mother of the teen following a confrontation over a parking violation.
Donnett Salmon, the mother of 14-year-old Aquan Salmon, was charged Sunday night after police arrived to investigating a parking violation.
Police say after they decided no violation occurred, the 48-year-old woman approached an officer, demanded to know his name and threatened to kill him.
She was arrested and taken to the police lockup, where police say she struggled with officers, urinated on the floor and refused to be fingerprinted or photographed.
She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital for psychiatric evaluation later Sunday night.
Some in the community say the arrest is an act of aggression by police.
Connecticut men facing court martial in helicopter crash
(Fort Stewart, Georgia-AP) _ Military officials say two pilots from Connecticut blamed for a helicopter crash that killed their wives will face a court-martial. Chief warrant officers David Guido, formerly of North Haven and Daniel Riddell, who grew up in Windsor, were charged yesterday. They charges include conspiracy, making a false official statement, dereliction of duty, wrongful appropriation of military aircraft and conduct unbecoming an officer.
Their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in dense forest in the Bahamas last July. Their wives were not authorized to be on the flight. Riddell was in control of the helicopter when it crashed.
Six time drunken driver loses license for life
(Milford-AP)_ After being convicted of drunken driving for a sixth time, a Stratford man has lost his driving privileges for life.
Stewart Paskiewich lost his license yesterday and was sentenced to two and a-half years in prison. The sentence stems from a 1997 arrest in Milford. Paskiewich faced up to five years in prison if convicted by a jury.
Paskiewich's first conviction for driving while drunk came in 1987. After that, Paskiewich had been arrested five times over the past 12 years on drunken-driving related charges, racking up convictions for incidents in Shelton, Seymour, New Haven, Watertown and Westport, authorities said.
In September 1997, Paskiewich was arrested a sixth time for drunken driving when Milford police stopped him for speeding on the Boston Post Road.
Battling Insomnia
(WTNH) _ Everyone has a sleepless night once in a while, but insomnia is becoming a big problem for baby boomers. So how can you make sure you'll go to sleep when you hit the sack? Follow good sleep hygiene.
Health Team 8's Susan Hiland reports.
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