MORNING,
MORNING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO GREAT DAY AT NINE. A I'M
CAITLIN FRANCIS ANY HERE. NICE
TO SEE YOU WAKE UP, CAITLIN, AND
IT'S TIME TO DO A WHOLE HOUR
SHOW. I'M AWAKE. YOU'RE AWAKE
AWAKE AT THE DUNCAN REFRESHER
CHALLENGE LAST NIGHT, DUNCAN
SUMMER SHAKE OFF. YES SO I AM
POWERING THROUGH WITH MY DUNCAN
REFRESHER THIS MORNING FLAVORS
THAT STRAWBERRY WATERMELON
STRAWBERRY WATERMELON. YEAH,
THANKS FOR GETTING ME ONE.
THEY'RE RIGHT OVER THERE.
TOTALLY KIDDING, BIG WATERMELON
FAN UNLESS I'M ACTUALLY EATING
THE REAL WATERMELON. OKAY YOU
KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE LIKE A
JOLLY RANCHER. I DON'T LIKE
WATERMELON FLAVORS. I DON'T LIKE
A LITTLE YEAH. HOW YOU DOING?
I'M DOING WELL, HOW ARE YOU
DOING? EXCELLENT SOUND BETTER
THIS MORNING. I TOOK MUSIC.
NEXT. I WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND
HE SAID I HAD POST NAVAL DRIP.
SO I TOOK A LITTLE MU SYNTAX AND
IT SEEMS TO BE DOING THE TRICK
CLEARED IT RIGHT UP GREAT. NOT
TELL EVERYBODY ELSE, BECKY SAID
. I THOUGHT I TOLD MY MOTHER
ASKED ME THIS MORNING. SHE'S
LIKE, WHAT ARE THE DOCTOR GIVE
YOU AND I THOUGHT IT WAS
DRAMAMINE. SO SHE'S SHE'S LIKE
DROWNING ME AND THAT'S
PROMOTIONS. YES YOU'RE TAKING
MUSA NEXT TO ALL THE SAME THING,
WHATEVER. WHATEVER. SO, WHAT'S
GOING ON? ALL RIGHT. YOU READY
TO TALK ABOUT SOME HEADLINES?
LET'S DO IT. CONNECTICUT IS
HIRING AN INDEPENDENT FIRM TO
INVESTIGATE THOUSANDS OF FAKE
TICKETS WRITTEN BY STATE POLICE.
AN AUDIT RELEASED LAST MONTH
REVEALED THE SHOCKING
INFORMATION. HUNDREDS OF
TROOPERS FALSIFIED 26,000
TRAFFIC CITATIONS. THE DATA ALSO
RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT INACCURATE
RACIAL PROFILING DATA. STATE
LAWMAKERS PLAN TO HOLD A HEARING
ABOUT THIS WHOLE INVESTIGATION.
NEXT WEEK. SO OF COURSE WE'LL
KEEP YOU UPDATED ONCE THAT
HAPPENS, BUT UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE
THE TROOPERS INVOLVED. IF
THEY'RE CONVICTED, THEY COULD OR
, YOU KNOW THEY COULD BE STILL
ANY CHARGES. FELONY CHARGES.
THAT'S NOT GOOD. SO WE'RE JUST
GONNA HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT
HAPPENS. TROOPER THAT WAS JUST
PUT ON LEAVE MONDAY WAS
SUSPENDED FOR TICKET WRITING
ISSUES, BUT THEY'RE NOT RELATED
TO THE AUDIT. THAT'S SOMETHING
ELSE DIFFERENT. SO I AGAIN
SUSAN RAFF IS ALL OVER THE STORY
. SO STAY TUNED FOR
EYEWITNESS NEWS STARTING AT NOON
AND AT FOUR. WE'LL HAVE MORE
INFORMATION ON THIS. BUT IN THE
MEANTIME, LET'S TALK ABOUT A
SPECTACULAR DAY OF WEATHER. IT'S
ABOUT TIME. IS THAT ABOUT THAT
ABOUT THAT TIME? SO WE ARE
TAKING A LOOK AT THE CHANNEL
THREE. EARLY WINNING DO PULL
RADAR SCANS TO STAY DRY.
EARLY WARNING WEATHER CAST.
TOMORROW'S WEATHER TODAY SHOWS
US YOU KNOW WHAT TRIES TO BRING
IN A LITTLE PASSING SHOWER? I'M
NOT BUYING INTO IT TODAY IS
GONNA BE MOSTLY SUNNY TONIGHT
THE CLOUDS ROLL IN. AND THEN
HERE COMES BACHELOR NUMBER ONE
YOU'LL SEE IT THERE. IT'S A
LITTLE LINE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. THIS IS RIGHT
AROUND 8 A.M. AND THEN THIS IS
NOONTIME AND THEN WATCH WHAT
HAPPENS TOWARDS THE EVENING
HOURS. MORE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP. THIS IS
RIGHT THROUGH SEVEN PM SO,
THERESA, YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED
THIS WEEKEND, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO
MOVE THE PARTY INDOORS WILL
CERTAINLY KEEP YOU POSTED. BUT
YOU KNOW IT'S DURING COCKTAIL
HOUR 6 TO 8 AND THERE COULD BE
SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
IN THE STATES NOT GONNA BE A
WASHOUT, BUT THERE COULD BE SOME
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
AROUND. SO FOR THE REST OF
TODAY, TEMPERATURES RIGHT IN
THERE IN THE MID EIGHTIES WITH
TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. AND YOUR
THREE DAY FORECAST COMFORTABLY
WARM TODAY REALLY NICE WITH SOME
FAIRLY LOW LEVELS OF HUMIDITY.
MOSTLY CLOUDY, HUMID, THE
HUMIDITY SPIKES TOMORROW.
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS AND
THEN SUN AND CLOUDS ON SATURDAY
LESS HUMID. THE WEEKEND IS
LOOKING GREAT. CHIEF
METEOROLOGIST MARK DIXON PUT
THIS STATISTICS TOGETHER. IT
WILL BE THE FIRST WEEKEND. THAT
IT'S DRY SINCE MAY SINCE MAY. AS
WORTH A HIGH FIVE. SURE IS. ALL
RIGHT. SO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH
THIS? OKAY, SO THIS IS NOT GREAT
NEWS FAMILIES ARE PROBABLY NOT
GOING TO BE VERY HAPPY ABOUT
SOME BIG CHANGES COMING TO THE
FAFSA PROGRAM, ITS FINANCIAL AID
APPLICATION FOR COLLEGE
STUDENTS. A LOT OF PEOPLE
REMEMBER HAVING TO PUT THIS
THROUGH. ABSOLUTELY IT'S GOING
TO MEAN STUDENTS ARE INELIGIBLE
FOR AS MUCH AID THE FREE
APPLICATION OF FEDERAL STUDENT
AID. FAFSA IS ELIMINATING THE
SIBLING DISCOUNT AND HELP
FAMILIES WITH ONE WITH MORE THAN
ONE CHILD IN COLLEGE. THE CHANGE
IS PART OF A SIMPLIFICATION OF
THE FORM FOR NEXT YEAR THAT IS
SUPPOSED TO MAKE MORE STUDENTS Y
LIKE PELL GRANTS, ROUGHLY ONE
THIRD SIBLING IN COLLEGE. I
DON'T KNOW HOW PARENTS DO IT. I
DON'T KNOW HOW YOU PUT ONE KID
THROUGH COLLEGE WITH THE COST,
BUT THAT'S WHY SO MANY STUDENTS
TAKE OUT LOANS EXACTLY THE
FASTEST FOR SO THAT THEY CAN
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF LOANS THAT
THEY'RE TAKING OUT. OKAY BECAUSE
MY BROTHER AND I ARE ONLY TWO
YEARS APART, AND SO WE WERE BOTH
IN COLLEGE AT THE SAME TIME FOR
AT LEAST FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS
IN COLLEGE WITH MY BROTHERS. MY
BROTHERS WERE FIVE AND SEVEN
YEARS. OLDER THAN I WAS SO YOU
KNOW. TAKE OUT LOANS REGARDLESS,
SAME SAME AND I DID LOANS. LOANS
APPLY FOR A FAFSA. YEAH I HAD TO
GO THROUGH THAT. AND IT WAS PART
OF, UM, LIKE OUR GUIDANCE
COUNSELORS IN HIGH SCHOOL. THEY
HELPED WALK US THROUGH ALL THAT
KIND OF STUFF. THAT'S VERY
INTERESTING. REMEMBER THAT
PROCESS? OKAY ALL RIGHT. NOW
IT'S AN ITEM INVESTIGATION,
DIGGING INTO THE SAFETY OF
AMUSEMENT PARK RIDES JUST THIS
PAST SUNDAY, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER
A 10 YEAR OLD CHILD WAS THROWN
FROM A CARNIVAL RIDE IN INDIANA
AND THEN HAD TO BE AIRLIFTED TO
THE HOSPITAL. SO SCARY. HOW SAFE
ARE THE RIDES? YOUR CHILDREN ARE
GETTING ON IN CONNECTICUT CHIEF
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SAM SMITH
INC WENT ALONG WITH STATE
INSPECTORS TO CHECK IT OUT. LIKE
THE HORSES ON A CAROUSEL OR THE
CARS ON A FERRIS WHEEL. HEATHER
MENDEZ MIND IS ALWAYS TURNING,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR
KIDS SAFETY. SO WHEN WE ASKED
HER HOW SAFE SHE THOUGHT
AMUSEMENT RIDES WERE, SHE DIDN'T
HESITATE. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY GO
UP VERY QUICKLY AND COME DOWN
VERY QUICKLY AND THE WEAR AND
TEAR ON THE CARNIVAL RIDES VERY
MUCH WORRIES ME LIKE THIS.
PARENTS MAY REMEMBER IN 2016 6
CHILDREN AND MULTIPLE ADULTS
WERE INJURED BY ELECTRIC SHOCKS
ON AN AMUSEMENT RIDE AT OCEAN
BEACH IN NEW LONDON, AND IN 2013
18 PEOPLE WERE INJURED AT THE
NORWALK OYSTER FESTIVAL AFTER A
PART OF THE SWING RDE
MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE
SWINGS TO ABRUPTLY STOP. HOW
MANY RIDES WOULD YOU SAY YOU
LOOK AT A YEAR. POLICE DETECTIVE
DAVID COLLINS JOB TO BRING BOTH
THE RIGHT AND YOUR WORRIES TO A
HALT. HUNDREDS HUNDREDS OF RIDES
TOOK US ALONG FOR AN INSPECTION
BEFORE MADISON'S ANNUAL FAIRS
OPENING DAY. FIRST WE KIND OF
START OFF WITH THE GATES. THEY
HAVE TO BE NO MORE THAN A FIST.
PARTS THAT WAY, NO HANDS OR
HEADS OF LITTLE KIDS GE TRAPPED
IN THEIR NEXT IT'S ON TO THE
RIDE ITSELF. IN THIS CASE, THE
CAROUSEL IS IT SECURE? IS IT
STABLE OR MAKING SURE THAT YOU
KNOW THERE'S NOWHERE AND
TERRIBLE. WE'RE MOVING THAT THIS
ASSEMBLY IS NOT GOING TO COME
OFF IS THAT RIDE GOING TO SHIFT
HER SHIMMY DURING OPERATION IS
EVERYTHING MECHANICALLY. OH LOOK
SOUND MOVING ON TO THE SIZZLER
OR MAKING SURE THAT THE
SEATBELTS. PROPERLY SECURED.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COME
UNDONE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GIVING A
GOOD HARD PULL ON THAT SWINGER.
WE'RE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WHEN
THOSE SWINGS COME UP, AND WHEN
THEY'RE AN OPERATION, YOU KNOW
THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE TOO
CLOSE TO ANOTHER RIDE R
STATIONARY OBJECT WITH THE SEATS
. YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST MAKING
SURE YOU KNOW THAT THEY SEEM
STRUCTURALLY SOUND. THERE'S NO
CRACKS. YOU KNOW, THE SCREWS OR
BOLTS AREN'T COMING LOOSE.
SEATBELTS HERE ARE SECURE AND WE
LOOK UP MAKING SURE THAT THE
ATTACHING RODS AND EVERYTHING
ARE ARE PROPERLY INSTALLED. THE
CHAINS AREN'T TWISTED EVEN
BEFORE STATE INSPECTORS SEE THE
RIDES, THE RIDES NEED TO BE
INSPECTED BY A PRIVATE ENGINEER
THAN THE TOWN OR CITY'S
ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR,
ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR, ACCORDING% TO CONNECTICUT STATE LAW,
MULTIPLE MULTIPLE LEVELS OF EYES
THAT ARE BEING PUT ONTO THESE
RIDES, FERRIS WHEEL ARE TAKEN
DOWN AND PUT UP MULTIPLE TIMES A
YEAR, AND THEY'RE INSPECTED EACH
TIME. BUT THE RISE AT LAKE
COMPOUNDS AND QUASI THEY ONLY
HAVE TO BE INSPECTED ONCE A YEAR
, BUT GEORGE FRANCIS OF QUASI
AMUSEMENT PARK SAYS THAT'S JUST
THE STATE INSPECTION. THERE'S A
LOT THAT GOES ON YOUR BEFORE. WE
EVEN ALLOW OUR GUESTS IN THE
PARK. FRANCIS SAYS. ALL RIDES GO
THROUGH A PRIVATE ENGINEER
INSPECTION, A TOWN INSPECTION, A
STATE INSPECTION AND INSURANCE
INSPECTIONS WILL TRUST CHECK ALL
THE STRESS AREAS OF ANY RIDE.
AND, UM JUST BASICALLY WHAT
ENGINEERS DO. I MEAN, THEY KNOW
THE STRUCTURES. THE STRESS
POINTS ALSO HAS THEIR OWN
INTERNAL INSPECTIONS DONE DAILY
, WEEKLY AND MONTHLY
ROLLERCOASTER IS WALKED EVERY
DAY. THEY GO THROUGH EVERYTHING
THEY INSPECT THE TRACK UNDER AND
OVER EVERY DAY, WHICH IS A YOU
KNOW, 2 TO 3 HOUR PROCESS.
MADISON THE ONLY VIOLATIONS
STATE INSPECTORS FOUND THAT DAY
WERE WITH THE GATES. YOU KNOW
THIS GATE? HERE WAS. SELF
CLOSING, BUT IT JUST WOULDN'T IT
WOULD HIT THIS AND THEN KIND OF
BOUNCE BACK. SO IT WASN'T SELF
LATCHING PROBLEM THAT WAS FIXED
RIGHT AWAY. SO NOW EVERY TIME
YOU SHOT IT. ITSELF LATCHES.
DETECTIVE COLLINS HOPES LEARNING
ABOUT THE INSPECTION PROCESS
ALLOWS PARENTS LIKE HEATHER AND
MENEZ TO JUST SIT BACK AND ENJOY
THE RIDE. MAKE YOU FEEL A LITTLE
BIT BETTER ABOUT HAVING THEM ON
THE RUN FOR SURE. MAKES ME FEEL
BETTER, TOO LATE COMPOUNDS TOLD
US IN A STATEMENT THAT SAFETY IS
CORE TO OUR BUSINESS AND OUR
NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. STRINGENT
INTERNAL SAFETY PROTOCOLS, WHICH
INCLUDE DAILY WEEKLY, MONTHLY
AND ANNUAL INSPECTIONS. PLUS WE
CONDUCT TEST RUNS OF EVERY
SINGLE RIDE AND ATTRACTION PRIOR
TO THE PARK OPENING. OKAY SO THE
COMPANY THAT OPERATED THE RIDES
IN THE STORY DID NOT WANT TO GO
ON CAMERA. SO THAT'S SOMETHING
TO NOTE, BUT I'M SURE IT'S ON
TOP OF A LOT OF PARENTS FAMILIES