Screams of Joy as Power Restored

Screams of joy erupted through the canyons of lower Manhattan today when the lights came back on through a large section of the city, four days after Sandy's flood waters knocked out power to the city's financial district.

The power surge will allow greater movement of the city's crippled subway system and was a major step in the recovery from the killer storm, whose death toll had topped 90, according to the Associated Press.

When traffic lights came on, screams of joy could be heard in Soho, Chelsea and other Manhattan neighborhoods that have had to go without heat, light, elevators and restaurants since Monday.

Increasingly impatient Sandy survivors got another glimmer of hope when New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that a flotilla of ships and barges began unloading gasoline in an effort to reduce long lines of gas-desperate motorists.

"The issue of gasoline has created concern and anxiety and practical problems all throughout the region," Cuomo said at a news conference today. "People can't get gas. It's slowed down the delivery of service, it's increased the stress level all across the region."

Hurricane Sandy: Full Coverage

Some gas stations in New York and hard hit New Jersey have fuel in the ground, but are unable to pump it without power. Others have power but have no gas due to shortages and difficulties in transporting the fuel.

At the gas stations that do have power, police have been keeping order at hours-long lines, but the fight for fuel has been getting nasty. Authorities say a motorist was arrested after he tried to cut in line at a gas station in Queens Thursday and allegedly pointed a pistol at another motorist who complained, according to the Associated Press.

The man was identified as Sean Bailey, 35, and he faces charges of menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.

Cuomo said that debris in New York's harbor, much of it ship containers blown into the water and lurking below the surface, had posed a threat to navigation until they were cleaned up. The port was reopened Thursday.

In addition, Sandy's flooding damaged some pumping equipment used to move the gas.

"There should be a real change in conditions and people should see it quickly," Cuomo said.

Despite the good news, millions still shivered in dark and unheated homes. Their anger forced New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to cancel Sunday's New York City Marathon after city officials and those suffering from Sandy's wrath argued that the marathon would detract from recovery efforts.

Those still waiting for electricity were further daunted by the news that temperatures are expected to dip into the 30s this weekend with a possible Nor'easter on the way.

Some parts of the region hammered by Sandy feel they have been left behind in the rush to restore power to Manhattan.

Staten Island was one of the hardest-hit communities in New York City. More than 80,000 residents are still without power, many are homeless, and at least 19 people died there because of the storm.

Can Obama Win Black Votes and Support Gay Marriage?

Election night 2008 was an historic moment for the country, particularly for many African-Americans.

An African-American man was elected president of the United States for the first time, largely with the help of a community that voted for him at an unprecedented level. Barack Obama won 94.2 percent of the black vote in 2008.

As the results came in on Nov. 4, 2008, tears flowed freely. Many people watching were filled with emotion, hard for some of them truly to explain. Some in the black community wrestled with thoughts of the past, present and future, thoughts of Jim Crow and overcoming, all of which were crystallized in one epic moment.

But it is now four years later and there is a looming question: Will African-Americans turn out for Obama on Election Day as enthusiastically as they did before?

Black voters' participation in a race many say to be too close to call could prove critical to President Obama's chances for re-election.

A new BET documentary, "Second Coming: Will Black America Decide 2012," tries to take the pulse of the community in the final days of the campaign. Film director Marc Levin sent teams around the country to talk to African-Americans from every walk of life, from celebrities to everyday people. The producers found the euphoria of 2008 has given way to some harsh realities.

"I think there is no doubt the thrill is gone and that for the African-American community, for a lot of young people, for a lot of Americans, period, that moment in 2008 was a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Levin said.

the Great Recession has hit the African-American community hard. The ABC News polling unit said unemployment among African-Americans is at 14.3 percent, nearly double the national rate.

"To me, [Obama] hasn't done anything," said an African-American man in the BET documentary. "The economy hasn't gotten better, nothing's gotten better. We're in the same spot we were when Bush was in presidency."

Aside from the economy, one issue has risen to the top of the most contentious issues among many blacks, and influential black clergy: gay marriage. Many in African-American church congregations are opposed to President Obama because he supports gay marriage.

"We are living in days of darkness," Pastor Michael Stevens of Charlotte, N.C. said in the documentary. "To declare what the word of God says about male and female and man and woman and husband and wife, now I am the homophobic bigot."

Baltimore Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant is an Obama supporter who also appears in the film. He too opposes the president on the gay marriage issue. Bryant said he believes that gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to share insurance and be able to leave their property to their partners in their wills. But marriage, he said, is reserved for a man and woman.

Bryant told "Nightline" there are some pastors in the African-American community who are telling their congregations either to stay home or vote the other way on Election Day, but it's a small minority. He said he still believes that African-Americans "are walking in lockstep" with the president.

"The African-American community is not myopic by nature. We have more than one opinion," he said. "I think that those parishioners are still going to go vote and in large numbers, they're going to vote for President Obama."

Boy Influenced by TV Show in Murder

A 10-year-old boy told police that he figured that if he killed his neo Nazi father, he might not get in trouble because that's what happened on a television program he had watched.

"A bad father did something to his kids and the kid did the exact same thing I did ' he shot him," the boy said in a videotaped interview with detectives, as reported by the Riverside Press-Enterprise. "He told the truth and wasn't arrested and the cops believed him. He wasn't in trouble or anything. I thought maybe the exact same thing would happen to me," he said of the episode of "Criminal Minds."

Prosecutors played the video in court on Wednesday, the second day of the boy's murder trial. He is accused of shooting Jeff Hall with a .357 Magnum at point-blank range while he slept on a sofa in their home.

If a judge finds the boy murdered his father, he could be jailed until he is 23. The Associated Press is not identifying the boy because he is a juvenile.

The prosecution claims the boy, now 12, killed his dad to keep him from splitting up with his stepmom, while the defense says the stepmother manipulated the boy to shoot Hall because she was angry he might leave her for another woman.

The boy says in the video that he wanted to end his father's abuse and to ensure he would live with his stepmother because he thought the couple was going to divorce. He said he was scared and angry about his father's temper and threats.

"I thought it would be a good idea to end it ' to shoot my dad in the head," he said in the video. "I shot him because I was upset. He was always taking off. He also hit me."

At one point in the video, the boy says he thought his dad would recover. "I was choosing who should leave and I chose my dad," the boy said. "I thought he would get out of the hospital and maybe we could go back to being friends and start over."

As the video was shown, the boy clanked his ankle chains and rested his head on the table. The judge stopped the video at one point because the boy was falling asleep

The little sister of the boy tearfully testified earlier in the day that her brother had plotted the shooting days in advance.

At the time of the shooting, the girl was asleep, but she said her brother told her of his plans four days earlier.

"Did you know ahead of time that someone planned to shoot your father?" Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Soccio asked her.

"Yes," she said quietly.

The girl, now 11, also testified that she lied to authorities that stepmother Krista McCary told the boy to shoot Hall.

McCary initially told police she killed Hall but testified Tuesday that she was lying to protect the boy. She has pleaded guilty to one felony count of child endangerment and criminal storage of a firearm.

Soccio said the white supremacist beliefs of Hall, an unemployed plumber who was a regional leader of the National Socialist Movement, had nothing to do with the crime and that the boy's history of violence dated to his first day of kindergarten when he stabbed a teacher with a pencil.

The defense claims the boy was influenced by being raised in an abusive, violent, racist environment where he was taught to shoot, attended Nazi rallies and was taken to the border once on a mission to learn how to keep Mexicans out of the U.S.

Military Airlift Gear for Sandy Repairs

Linda Welz/U.S. Air Force

The Pentagon has begun an airlift of  69 vehicles from California to help restore power in New York and New Jersey in the wake of superstorm Sandy.

Utility crews and their trucks are driving into the New York area from all parts of the country, including some teams from California that will arrive in three to five days after driving cross country  on flat bed trailers.

To accelerate the repairs, the Federal Emergency Management Agency asked the Pentagon to transport 69 vehicles from Southern California Edison into the hard hit areas of the east coast.

Air Mobility Command arranged for five huge  C-5 cargo planes and 12 C-17 aircraft  from a dozen bases across the country to travel to March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, Calif., where they would pick up the equipment to be taken east.

Air crews worked all night Wednesday to load 60 passengers and approximately 632 tons of equpiment and supplies onto the aircraft  bound for New York.

The first of the planes is scheduled to arrive Thursday afternoon at Stewart Air National Guard base in Newburgh, N.Y.,  which is about 60 miles north of Manhattan.  The additional planes will continue to fly in Thursday and over the course of the coming days.

The planes are carrying  10 double bucket cherrypicker trucks, four line trucks, a flatbed digger, eight trouble trucks, a mobile command center, three Rangers, 14 companion trucks, two mechanic trucks, and a slew of F-150 pickup trucks .

Most of the utility personnel who will man the equipment have already been flown by commercial air to the east coast.

About 10,000 National Guardsmen have been mobilized by states affected by Sandy's destructive power.  At FEMA's request the Defense Department can augment the assistance provided by the National Guard

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has taken a lead role in helping to 'dewater' New York.   They are working to deploy 100 powerful water pumps  that are being delivered to FEMA mobilization centers.  U.S. Northern Command is also providing an additional hundred pumps to the effort.

The Corps has also provided 200 power generators to four locations in the New York and New Jersey area that can be deployed by FEMA as needed.

Three Navy ships including the helicopter carrier USS Wasp were pre-positioned by the Navy near the New Jersey coast, but they have not been asked to assist with relief efforts.

If FEMA requests the use of the ships, the Wasp could serve as a landing deck for helicopters helping with relief efforts.  In a pre-emptive move the Navy has also sent six helicopters to the Wasp in case they are needed ashore.

The Wasp is not carrying helicopters aboard, but if its services are requested by FEMA it could serve as a landing deck for helicopters helping with relief efforts.

On Wednesday, per a request from the Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Transportation Command airlifted in about  120 medical personnel to New York City to augment medical staff providing care to nursing homes and at-risk elderly patients.

 

Gas Woes, More Bodies Mar Sandy Recovery

New Jersey and New York, struggling to recover from the wreckage of Sandy, were staggered today by a gas shortage and an overwhelmed transit system as more victims of the deadly storm were found.

Four bodies were located on Staten Island, New York City's smallest borough and the one most exposed to the water. Two of the bodies were boys, aged 2 and 4, who were washed away from the roof of their family's car where their mother had put them to avoid the flood waters.

So far at least 19 people died from the storm on Staten Island. The deaths push the regional toll for Sandy's rampage to more than 80, according to the AP.

The region struggled to get back on its feet today and throughout New Jersey, the hardest hit state, motorists roamed for hours looking for a gas station that had power and still had gasoline. And when a station was located, the line to the pump could last two hours.

Joseph McGinn, a spokesman for Sunoco, cited power outages, closed roads and supply disruptions as obstacles to keeping their stations supplied.

"We are working diligently to get all of our affected retail locations in New Jersey and New York back to full service as quickly as possible," McGinn said.

Those with gas who had to commute into New York City encountered a major traffic jam at the Lincoln Tunnel, one of only two entrances to the city from New Jersey that hadn't been closed down because of damage from Sandy.

Tens of thousands of motorists tried to beat Mayor Bloomberg's edict that after 6 a.m. cars must have three people in them or be turned away, creating a pre-dawn line for the tunnel that was backed up for more than a mile.

Even travel within the city was gridlocked as the mayor's three-passenger rule extended to bridges into Manhattan, making a trip from Brooklyn or Queens into the heart of the city last several hours.

Photos: Assessing Sandy's Destruction

The first limited bus and train services came to life, but many of the buses were quickly filled to capacity, creating enormous lines to get on them and forcing drivers to skip stops and roll past hordes of waiting passengers.

In Brooklyn, lines for buses at the new Barclays sports area wound twice around the block-long sports palace before getting near a bus. A typical wait this morning for a bus at the stop was an hour.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo recognized the seriousness of the transportation gridlock.

"I am declaring a transportation state of emergency and authorizing the MTA [Metropolitan Transportation Authority] to waive fares on rails, subways through the end of the week, Thursday and Friday," the governor said.

New York City buses serve 2.3 million people on an average day, and two days after the storm they were trying to handle many of the 5.5 million daily subway riders, too.

Hurricane Sandy: Full Coverage

"We are going to need some patience and some tolerance," Cuomo said.

Nevertheless, Cuomo assured New Yorkers, "The worst is behind us."

At the worst of the storm's aftermath, 8.5 million people were left in the dark, but that number has been pared to 6 million, with outages as far west as Wisconsin and as far south as the Carolinas.

The Pentagon launched an airlift using 17 military cargo planes to bring a fleet of utility vechicles to the region to speed repairs. Utility crews have been traveling to the area by road to help out.

Cuomo also announced that FEMA will start the delivery of 1 million gallons of water and 1 million pounds of food to seniors running out of food in high-rise buildings without power.

New York's LaGuardia Airport reopened today, the last of the region's major airports to resume air service.

But schools remain shut throughout the region.

Severe problems persisted with widespread flooding crippling Hoboken, N.J. Utility crews and tree crews worked to remove hundreds of trees that had toppled throughout New Jersey and were entangled with power lines and had pulled down utility poles.

On Wednesday night the Coast Guard confirmed to ABC News that an oil facility in Sewaran, N.J., owned by Motiva, spilled oil into New York harbor. Motiva said that two diesel storage tanks were damaged during the storm.

Motiva released a statement to ABC News, saying, an "unknown amount" of diesel has been released and they are working with local agencies "to conduct a thorough inspection and damage assessment of its petroleum terminals that were situated in the path of Hurricane Sandy."

PHOTOS: Sandy - Before and After

Sewage, Bacteria, Gasoline Found in NYC Floodwater

Credit: ABC News

Water is everywhere in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy ' in basements, on the streets and in transit systems ' but the one place that flood water is most dangerous is in your body.

ABC News chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser collected floodwater and drinking water in some of the areas hit hardest by Sandy and had them tested at The Ambient Group lab. The floodwater collected in Lower Manhattan tested positive for gasoline and two types of bacteria found in sewage: E. coli and coliform.

'Very dangerous,' Besser said. 'Make sure you wear protective gear if you are coming into contact with flood water.'

Looking at the testing containers filled with Manhattan floodwater, Besser explained that the yellow glow indicated that coliform bacteria was present at high levels.  The purple fluorescence tells us that there are sky-high levels of  E. coli from sewage contamination.

Today, he went to Piermont, N.Y., an area hit so hard by the hurricane that it's under a boil water advisory, meaning residents are instructed not to drink tap water without first boiling it or purifying it with bleach.

Click here to read Dr. Besser's 'Tips to Make Tap Water Safe for Drinking.

When a power outage knocked out one of Piermont's water pumps, officials were concerned about tap water contamination. The water company tested water from a hydrant, which initially ran brown, but eventually cleared.

Besser tested the hydrant water as well, and smelt chlorine in it, which helps protect it from bacteria.

He also collected tap water from a family's home faucet and expects to review the lab results tomorrow which will indicate whether the family's water was contaminated.  Several families in the neighborhood are already boiling their water as a precaution.

Anyone in a flood-affected area should listen for alerts. While water companies are responsible for alerting residents whether their water is unsafe to drink, city officials also alert the community.

Click here for a list of areas under boil water advisory.

New York City, for instance, the Department of Environmental protection announced today that its water is safe to drink. Water in reservoirs 125 miles north of the city continue to be monitored closely with extra testing in the wake of the storm.

If you rely on well water and were in a flooded area, you  should assume your water is contaminated until it can be tested. Follow the 'boil water' advisories and boil your water for a full minute before using.

Obama, Christie Tour Sandy's Devastation

President Barack Obama, center, and Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) administrator Craig Fugate, left, watch as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, second from left, meets with local residents at Brigantine Beach Community Center, Oct. 31, 2012, in Brigantine, NJ. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo)

President Obama surveyed the devastation wreaked by the superstorm Sandy today with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in what both men said was a non-political event. But it was a powerful image of bipartisan cooperation just six days before the election.

Following a helicopter tour of the state's battered shoreline, Obama expressed his sympathies and promised the full weight of his office and the federal government in providing aid.

"We are here for you, and we will not forget," Obama said. "We will follow up to make sure you get all the help you need until you rebuild.

"I don't want anybody to feel that somehow this is all going to get cleaned up overnight," Obama said. "But what I can promise you is that the federal government will be working as closely as possible with the state and local officials, and we will not quit until this is done."

Obama was accompanied on the tour by Christie, a vocal supporter of Obama's challenger, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. However, Christie has praised the president for his oversight of federal emergency efforts.

Jersey Bromance: President Obama and Chris Christie Survey Storm Damage

Christie again thanked the president today, saying the two men had a "great working relationship" and that the president "sprung into action immediately."

Although it was not a political statement, Christie's comments were an unlikely endorsement of the president's leadership at crucial juncture in the presidential race.

Together, the two men cut a surprising image of bipartisanship and cooperation ahead of next week's vote, as polls show the race in a dead heat nationally.

President Barack Obama, center, and Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) administrator Craig Fugate, left, watch as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, second from left, meets with local residents at Brigantine Beach Community Center, Oct. 31, 2012, in Brigantine, NJ.

New polls in three key swing states show Obama holding his lead in Ohio and wiping away Romney's advantages in Virginia and Florida.

Obama leads 49 percent to 47 percent in Virginia and had a 48 percent to 47 percent edge in Florida, according to the Quinnipiac University/New York Times/CBS News poll.

Obama's leads in those two states were within the margin of error, meaning the candidates were essentially tied. But Romney was leading in those states just a few days ago in other polls.

In Ohio, Obama is maintaining a five-point lead, with a 50-45 margin, according to Quinnipiac.

In a new video today, Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said he thinks Obama is in the dominant position heading into Election Day because, "We are ahead or tied in every single battleground state."

(For more politics coverage check out abcnews.com/politics or, for lighter take, otusnews.com)

The Romney campaign disputed the results of the Quinnipiac survey, claiming it overestimated the size of the Democratic turnout.

Ohio, Virginia and Florida are among the most vital of the battleground states for both campaigns.

The Quinnipiac survey was the first major poll of the swing states released since superstorm Sandy made landfall in Atlantic City, N.J., Monday evening, wreaking billions of dollars in damage and delivering an October surprise that no pundit predicted. The polling, however, was done before Sandy arrived and may have altered voter attitudes towards the candidates.

Romney today went back to a day of full campaigning after a brief respite out of respect to the storm victims, and his campaign hoped that the momentum generated in the days before Sandy would hold through Election Day.

He was to attend two "victory rallies" in Florida today with a number of high-profile conservatives, including former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and Sen. Marco Rubio.

Obama was to return to campaigning Thursday with events in Green Bay, Wis., Las Vegas and Boulder, Colo.

Meanwhile, Romney and conservative Super PACs were spending big in the Democratic-leaning states of Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Republicans said Romney's slim lead in nationwide polls gave them the opportunity to go after Obama in blue-leaning states, which the president did not yet have fully locked up. The Democrats, however, said Republicans were spending money in blue-leaning states because the swing states were already saturated with political ads, and buying new ads would be prohibitively expensive for outside groups.