Strong winds and heavy rains toppled trees and brought down power lines from Maine to New Jersey on Saturday, sending utility crews scrambling to restore power to thousands. Wind gusts exceeding 50 mph knocked out power Saturday to nearly a quarter-million people in the New York City area. The worst problems were on Long Island, where 78,683 customers – about 228,000 people – were without power at noon. Crews restored electricity to many of those, but winds knocked down more wires later in the afternoon.
Florida: Twister rips though town
The seaside town of Apalachicola was without power Saturday after a tornado tore through the area, damaging nearly 50 buildings and slightly injuring two people, authorities said. By Saturday evening, George E. Weems Hospital had reopened its lab using generator power; workers covered the roof with tarps and the broken windows with boards. American Red Cross damage assessors said three homes were destroyed and 43 were damaged in Friday afternoon’s tornado. The twister also damaged the roofs of an elementary school, officials said.
Massachusetts: Boston growing
Boston is growing, not shrinking, the U.S. Census Bureau says, acknowledging it underestimated the population by more than 37,000 people. Its new estimate puts Boston’s population at 596,638, rather than 559,034, an increase by 1.3 percent since 2000 instead of a decrease of 5.1 percent, the city’s mayor said Friday. A review of housing data suggested not as many people moved away from the city as initially thought, a Census official said.
Wisconsin: Thief ignites fireworks
A man attempting to rob a fireworks shop Saturday fired his shotgun, igniting fireworks and starting a blaze that destroyed the business, authorities said. No injuries were reported at North American Fireworks, the Vilas County Sheriff’s Department said. A 20-year-old man was in jail after being tracked to a home about 10 miles away. The owner told deputies a male entered the business wearing a ski mask and armed with a shotgun. He fired indoors, and a shot apparently ignited fireworks, authorities said.
From Herald news services
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