SmithtownRadio.com Weather Center Alert

For those of you who like the winter chill and snow you're going to enjoy the next 72 hours - the rest of us will need to buddle up.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory, which is in effect until 1 pm Thursday.

A low pressure system approaching from the west is expected to bring us 2-3 inches of snow by Thursday evening.

Snow developing overnight Thursday should leave about 1 inch of the white stuff on the ground by about the time your kids are heading out to the bus stop Thursday morning.

Steady snow will continue into early afternoon with the heaviest of snow falling between 7 am and 11 am. This is expected to bring another 1-2 inches, bringing total snow accumulations to about 2-3 inches. The east end is expected to see higher snow accumulation. Gusty northwest winds are expected to develop during the early afternoon hours making traveling difficult due to decreased visibility. As well, road conditions will quickly become slippery at the onset of precipitation as very cold air is in place over the region and the snow is not expected to melt on contact with roadways.

In addition, these gusty northwest winds will also blast an artic air mass over the region. Sub zero wind chills expected both Thursday night and Friday. Frigid temperatures will grip the area right through Saturday and untreated roadways are expected to remain hazardous into the weekend. Be sure to use extra caution when driving.

For Thursday, a high of 22 is expected but will drop to 7 degrees Thursday night. A high of 19 is expected Friday, which will drop back into the single digits Friday night. Saturday a high of 19; a high of a 30 for Sunday. The wind chill will make it feel like the temperature is around zero.

You can get the latest forecast at the top and bottom of every hour on SmithtownRadio.com.

Man Suffers Burns after Motor Vehicle Crash

Suffolk County Police Department Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that occurred in Smithtown today.

James Gilleo was driving his 1986 Chevy van northbound on Route 25A when he lost control of the vehicle, traveled across the southbound lanes, and crashed head-on into a tree on the west side of the road. Gilleo’s legs were pinned under the dashboard when a fire ignited.

Fourth Precinct Officer Laura Lopreto was the first officer to arrive at the scene. Officer Lopreto entered the back of the van and used a fire extinguisher to keep the flames from reaching the victim. Lopreto was unable to extinguish the fire completely and called for back-up. Officers Brian Nortillo, Robert Williams and Frank Messana of the Fourth Precinct and Officer Jeanne Riley of the Community Outreach Bureau responded and used several fire extinguishers to keep the fire from fully engulfing Gilleo.

Smithtown Fire Department responded, extinguished the flames, and freed Gilleo from his vehicle. Several civilians assisted in the rescue, including Tony Monterosso of Kings Park, Thomas Baker of Miller Place and Jeffrey Tiu of Smithtown.

Gilleo, 51, of Smithtown, who suffered a broken femur, broken ribs and burns to his legs and face, was airlifted to Stony Brook University Medical Center. Officers Lopreto, Riley, Nortillo, Messana and Williams were taken to St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center where they were treated for smoke inhalation and released.

The investigation into the crash is continuing.

Bulletin: Bernard Madoff Case

Bulletin: A New York judge has determined Bernard Madoff will be allowed to remain free on bail at his Mahattan penthouse

Obama Asks for Delay in Digital TV Switch

By Jeffry Bartash
MarketWatch
(MCT)

WASHINGTON - The incoming Obama administration on Thursday asked Congress to postpone the nationwide switch to digital television, saying too many Americans would lose their TV signals if the change takes place as planned in mid-February.

John Podesta, co-chairman of Obama's transition team, sent a letter to top lawmakers in the House and Senate requesting the delay until later in 2009. He said the government has not provided enough financial support and consumer information to make the planned switch.

"We have discovered major difficulties in the preparation for the February 17 conversion," Podesta wrote.

On that day, U.S. broadcasters are slated to switch from decades-old analog signals to digital transmission. Customers with older TVs who do not have satellite or cable hookups would lose the ability to receive over-the-air channels unless they connected a converter box to their TVs. The boxes convert digital signals to analog on older TV sets.

The federal government allotted about $1.5 billion for coupons to subsidize the purchase of converter boxes, but it's already run out of the $40 vouchers. More customers requested the coupons than the government expected and consumers have been put on a waiting list.

Converter boxes sell for $50 or more in retail stores. Prices are eventually expected to fall, but it could take a while.

Critics also say the Bush administration has mishandled the transition, leaving millions of consumers in the dark about the planned switch. On Wednesday, the nonprofit group Consumers Union urged lawmakers to postpone the digital transition.

The decision by the president-elect's team to weigh in suggests a delay is increasingly likely. Leading lawmakers in the ruling Democratic Party such as Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., have already indicated a willingness to push back the digital switchover.

One alternative is to inject more money into the coupon program, but Consumers Union said there's not enough time ahead of the Feb. 17 date.

Some Republicans immediately voiced objections. "Ditching the deadline and slathering on more millions of taxpayer dollars ... is just panic," said Joe Barton, R-Texas.

Digital broadcasts deliver a superior picture compared to analog and are ideally suited for high-definition televisions. Millions of consumers have purchased HDTVs over the past five years.

Cable and satellite boxes also convert analog signals to digital, so most cable and satellite customers do not need a converter box.

___

© 2009, MarketWatch.com Inc.

Visit MarketWatch on the Web at http://www.marketwatch.com

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Winter Storm Warning

SmithtownRadio.com will have coverage of the storm all weekend long. The latest can be found on their Web site, and at the top and bottom of every hour on-air...

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM SATURDAY TO 8 AM EST
SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM SATURDAY TO 8
AM EST SUNDAY.

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY AND WESTERN
PORTIONS OF THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY AROUND MIDDAY BEFORE
SPREADING FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SNOW WILL THEN
CONTINUE TO FALL THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT AND BECOME HEAVY AT
TIMES. THE SNOW WILL TAPER OFF SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE ON SUNDAY.

THE LOW WILL PASS CLOSE ENOUGH TO LONG ISLAND THAT THE SNOW WILL
MIX WITH SLEET AND POSSIBLY FREEZING RAIN LATE SATURDAY
NIGHT ACROSS NEW YORK CITY AND LONG ISLAND LOCATIONS...HELPING TO
LIMIT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN THESE AREAS.

TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS FROM THIS SYSTEM WILL RANGE FROM 6 TO
9 INCHES ACROSS THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY AND INTERIOR
CONNECTICUT...AND FROM 5 TO 7 INCHES ACROSS NORTHERN NEW YORK
CITY...NASSAU AND NORTHERN SUFFOLK COUNTY...AND COASTAL PORTIONS
OF NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA ALL HAZARDS WEATHER RADIO OR VISIT OUR WEB
SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/NYC FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND UPDATES.

Winter Storm Warning for Nassau, north Suffolk; at least four inches of snow expected

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime® 6.5 or higher is required.

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "QuickNews Breaking News Now" group.
To post to this group, send email to quicknewsalerts@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to quicknewsalerts+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/quicknewsalerts?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

Biggest Snow Storm of Season On Its Way

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY
MORNING.

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST
AREA BEGINNING LATE SATURDAY MORNING BEFORE SPREADING FROM WEST TO
EAST THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SNOW WILL THEN CONTINUE TO FALL THROUGH
SATURDAY NIGHT AND MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES.

DEPENDING ON THE TRACK OF THE LOW...SLEET MAY MIX WITH THE
SNOW...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTH SHORE OF LONG ISLAND. THIS WILL
HELP LIMIT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS.

TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS FROM THIS SYSTEM WILL RANGE FROM 4 TO 8
INCHES ACROSS LONG ISLAND WITH HIGHEST AMOUNTS EXPECTED NORTH OF
THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY...AND LOWER AMOUNTS WITHIN A FEW MILES
OF THE ATLANTIC WHERE THERE IS THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR A PERIOD
OF ALL SLEET LATE SATURDAY NIGHT.

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.