de blasio and business owners in new york city. >> reporter: the putnam county democratic committee usually transferred only a few thousand dollars every year for the five years prior to the 2014 election. that year they transferred more than $600,000, almost all of it to two specific candidates who later lost. with city and federal prosecutors now launching criminal investigations in to team de blasio, the core question is this. did the mayor and his aides willfully break campaign finance laws to try to get more democrats elected? >> this is clearly a statewide corruption scandal engineered by the mayor of new york city. >> the mayor's staff made it clear today he would not take any questions on this issue but since the scandal broke, both the mayor and his attorney have insisted they did nothing wrong. we're live outside the westchester county board of

lucy yang for channel 7 eyewitness news. now to a developing story involving another man at the center of the de blasio fundraising investigation. he's the former owner of a restaurant in harlem charged with running a $12 million ponzi scheme and is about to appear in court after his extradition. peralta is accused of running the ponzi scheme out of the hudson river cafe. prosecutors say he fleeced wholesale business. two of his victims who donated money to de blasio's campaign are linked to some of the nypd officials who are now under investigation for corruption. a developing story. presidential candidate donald trump will be called to testify at a trial involving his trump university. a superior court judge called for the trial after all sides failed to resolve the case at a hearing. trump university is accused of being a sham for-profit college that defrauded thousands of students.

new information about the white house lockdown we first told you about at 4:00. a law enforcement source tells abc news there was a fence jumping incident and the alleged fence jumper is now in custody. the lockdown has since been lifted. parts of new jersey under a thunderstorm watch right now and throughout the evening. meteorologist lee goldberg is tracking the storms at the weather wall. >> great shot there. low clouds hanging over lower manhattan. look at this shot downtown. really eerie. we have low clouds but even blue above it. i'm going to give you a street level view here as you look on the west side where folks are starting to abandon the umbrellas because the rain is starting to move up. slippery spots for your ride home. it's turned cooler. make sure you have your spring jacket this evening. it's no longer parts of northern new jersey. it's central and southern new jersey and the severe threat is quickly coming to an end. there's a big thunderstorm that just went offshore. general rain over parts of queens, brooklyn, nassau and suffolk. and this is really the last

which will start to move in to mercer county, maybe in to middlesex, monmouth, and ocean. there's the lightning offshore about 10 strikes in the last 15 minutes. see that line with the converging arrows, that's where the wind is. also places that were in the 80s across central southern new jersey have dropped in to the 60s. cool in the 50s and upper 40s off to the north and east. so it's going to be a cool night. showers are exiting during the early evening hours. there could still be a couple brief heavy downpours over central new jersey. just isolated. then we turn much cooler later on. we have more rain threats as the week goes on. your accuweather 7-day forecast is a few moments away. >> you can keep an eye on the storms on the go. download our free accutrack weather alert app. college students being told to walk in pairs after a student is sexually assaulted. the victim was attacked on her

aj ross is on the scene. >> students here at fairfield university are wrestling with a lot of emotions after that female student was sexually assaulted last night. they say this is a tight knit community. so not only students here but people throughout the town are concerned as police continue their hunt for the suspect. >> they can't feel safe on their own college campus. >> reporter: disturbing news of a young woman brutally attacked and sexually assaulted swept across the fairfield university campus tuesday as the university sent out text alerts and e-mails, urging students and staff to remain on guard and vigilant. >> i feel worried for the females at my school that they can't walk on the safety of their campus without this happening. >> reporter: police say they received a call around 11 p.m., detailing how the young woman was ambushed by a stranger who punched her along a path near the library, then lured her to a wooded area nearby where she was then assaulted.

campus and i walk back and forth from the library all the time. it's scary to hear it's happening to one of my classmates. >> reporter: the victim was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment as police worked off a vague description of the suspect, believed to be a male in his 40s. police are urging students to use the buddy system late at night and report any suspicious activity to campus police. >> we encourage students to travel in pairs, to notify other students where you may be going to ensure there's a timeline. >> reporter: fairfield police are also reviewing nearby surveillance cameras to see if they captured any images of the suspect before and after the attack. they're also working closely with more than two dozen campus police officers to keep close tabs on the university. >> they do the best they can to keep these types of people off campus but they can't keep everyone off. >> anything could happen. we just need to be aware. >> we're told the female victim has been offered counseling services through the university

as the investigation continues. aj ross, channel 7 eyewitness news. a knife attack on a manhattan subway that's left one man injured and another man on the run. police say the two men started yelling at each other on the 6 train this morning. the victim says he grabbed a knife that was pulled by the other man. he got off on grand central terminal and went to the hospital with cuts on his fingers. the suspect tonight on the run. and investigators are hoping that surveillance video will lead them to a suspect in a violent road rage case in manhattan. video shows the suspect getting back in to his car after the attack on saturday night. the two men had pulled over on the upper east side after an incident on the queensboro bridge. police say the victim got out of his car to confront the suspect and he was stabbed 11 times. right now he's in critical condition. tonight we're hearing a 911 call made during a fire that killed a new york city police officer. it was played today during the trial for the teenager charged with setting the fire. a woman who took the stand today

brother and young nephew as flames and smoke erupted at their coney island apartment building. she frantically called for help as marcel dockery, the teen on trial, appeared to be banging on doors and telling people to get out. >> there's a big fire outside my door. we can't get out the house. the whole 13th floor. i heard somebody in the hallway yelling. >> also released today, a photo of dockery's hands after the 2014 fire. nypd officer dennis guerra was killed. his partner officer rosa rodriguez who testified yesterday was seriously injured. mayor bill de blasio presenting his 2017 budget. the spending plan totals $82 billion and comes with a host of new initiatives. among them, $21 million for new snow plows that can better navigate narrow streets and $70 million to build a new police precinct in southeastern queens.

communities in laurelton, rosedale. it would relieve pressure on the sprawling 105th precinct. >> for decades there's been a desire to create a new precinct to allow for faster and better response in the neighborhood so we'll be investing $70 million to build a new police precinct in southeast the mayor talked about healthcare for new yorkers. he wants to set aside $5 million to pay for more ambulance crews on the job so we can speed up response times. and $2 billion for the city's health and hospital program. voters in connecticut have three hours to head to the polls for the primary. they're among voters in five states where primaries are being held today. tim fleischer is live in norwalk tonight. >> connecticut voters, especially here at this precinct in norwalk, are feeling this time around during super tuesday that their vote actually carries

elections. >> reporter: as only republicans and democrats cast ballots in this connecticut primary, they're a bit unaccustom to having their vote carry more importance than usual. >> i don't remember this much attention being paid to a primary in connecticut before so it's exciting. >> reporter: state elections officials are hoping a surge in voter registration will result in a higher turnout in the polls. >> we're really late in the process and yet it does matter. the delegates matter. >> reporter: and what speaks to vote snrz -- voters? >> the person that can relate to my needs. that matters the most to me. >> i think she's very smart, knowledgeable. >> reporter: professor of political science at fairfield university sees voters on both side choosing between extreme messages. >> sanders is criticizing the establishment. and gosh, trump certainly has, hasn't he? >> reporter: in addition to connecticut, there are primaries in four other states.

clinton there are 384 delegates at stake. clinton could snare 90% of the delegates needed to win. >> in this campaign it's important that people not just give speeches and get everybody riled up. you need to ask them what are you actually going to do and how are you going to do it? >> reporter: but bernie sanders is not giving up without a fight. >> we're in this race to win. >> reporter: donald trump will need a big grab of delegates to maintain his lead. he needs 58% of all remaining delegates to lock up the nomination. >> folks, they ought to both drop out of the race so we ought to unify the republican party. >> again, the polls here in connecticut stay open until 8 p.m. reporting live in norwalk, tim fleischer, channel 7 eyewitness news. >> stay with eyewitness news and abc news for results as they come in tonight. we'll stream the candidates' speeches live on abc7ny and have

new information tonight regarding new york state's primary voting problems. the large number of voters that were purged from the roles in brooklyn. the board of elections apologizing today. michael ryan said there was a miscommunication between his office and the postal service. typically the board reaches out to a voter if the postal service reports that that person is no longer receiving mail. that step was apparently missed. ryan also said today that not all of the 126,000 voters who were purged in brooklyn were democrats but he did say the majority were from that party. new at 5:00, the police officer in new jersey who stopped a man from jumping from a bridge talks to eyewitness news for the first time about how this all unfolded. >> plus, president obama is speaking at this year's rutgers university commencement and it's led to a change that's angered many students. >> also, the new details prince's sister has revealed about what will happen to his estate. >> and a rainy look at the george washington bridge but it's actually drying out.

in washington heights. it's cool though. make sure you have the rain jacket. we're watching a cell that could get strong. that could go toward howell not too far from the 6:00 hour. still a severe thunderstorm

all across new york families are coming back to time warner cable. join them, and switch right now. we have trucks standing by, and we can install as early as today. we came back for internet speeds so fast even the kids are impressed. oh she's impressed. we're catching up on movies and shows on demand just as fast as we can watch them. for $89.99 a month you'll get 100 meg ultra-fast internet, popular hd channels and unlimited calling. twc's home wifi is so strong we can use all our devices at the same time. so we can all watch whatever we want. and that's kinda cool. call now. for $89.99 a month you'll get internet, tv and phone. there's no contract, no risk and our money-back guarantee. come back today and we'll give you free installation with our exclusive one-hour arrival window. feels good to be back. come back today and get installed as early as today. at no extra cost! plus get tv equipment and epix included. and get a $300 reward card.

new information tonight about one of the people who died during the legionnaires' out break in the bronx. one of the victims has been identified as joseph pilon of minnesota. he was on a trip to see a yankees game last summer with his son when he stayed at the opera house hotel. the 71-year-old died a month later. the outbreak killed more than a

the hotel is facing a lawsuit for that outbreak. a lawyer for johnny manziel says his client will plead not guilty to assault charges. manziel was indicted for allegedly beating and threatening his ex-girlfriend in january. he was cut from the cleveland browns after a lackluster year filled with headlines about partying. he could face a year in jail and a $4,000 fine if convicted. the fbi has not revealed how it accessed a locked iphone because the agency says it's just not quite sure it was done. the fbi paid more than $1 million to a third party to open the locked iphone of the san bernardino attacker. that attacker, syed farook. fbi director james comey says the agency is still studying the software vulnerability. some storms are moving through our area right now. other parts of the country are dealing with tornado watches and damaging winds. james from texas posted pictures

today near san antonio and there could be more. here's abc's brandi hitt. >> reporter: america's heartland is on tornado watch, bracing for severe weather. heavy rain and hail striking parts of texas and missouri. >> this is crazy hail. >> reporter: with the threat of a tornado outbreak now stretching across several states, putting more than $35 million 35 -- putting more than 35 million people in the cross hairs. >> damaging wind, large hair and unfortunately dozens of tornados on the ground. >> reporter: the threat so great in this area known as tornado alley, schools are closed. these commercial jets pommeled international airport. and conditions on the roads are also dangerous. >> we really want folks to pay attention, have multiple ways of getting the warnings and have a plan and be able to put it to use later today. >> the severe weather threat is

the evening. everyone here is being urged to follow all tornado warnings and take shelter immediately. brandi hitt, channel 7 eyewitness news. >> got a different situation here. >> i was just looking at the tornado warning across southern kansas. golf ball sized hail. >> i always think about hail as a little bit more round but that hail was weird looking. >> all shapes and they go up to softball shaped hail in the most intense storms. we have a little bit of rain we're dealing with right now. >> and the temperatures will be decreasing? >> they're already starting to, yeah. even places in the 80s are dropping in the 60s already. you're saying 80s, what are you talking about? we're in the 40s and 50s in parts of the area as well. that severe thunderstorm watch is for central and southern new jersey. the frost advisory that map is referring to is up over southern new england. gives you an idea. we're dealing with chilly air. lighter showers over parts of long island and look at that.

up over mercer county. still over parts of middlesex, monmouth and ocean. through the evening hours we could have one more downpour. a look at the george washington bridge as skies try to brighten up. we're down to 51. a cool damp feel to the evening. only managed to get to 60 at least in central park today. 65 is the average. just under a quarter inch of rainfall so far. not getting much additional rainfall in new york city. last year in the state, partly sunny and 64. rainfall amounts, about half inch in caldwell. .4 in islip. .3 in belmar. more showers over central new jersey. still 71 in clinton, new jersey. 58 in to clifton. on long island you're looking at temperatures in the 40s. 52, poughkeepsie. see these reds here? that's 80s in southern new jersey. philadelphia hit 85 degrees today. so pretty incredible temperature contrast here. it's in the 30s across northern new england so that's why the front is right overhead right now. we'll drop through the lower and mid 50s through the early evening. still a shower around especially

clouds are a little slow to break. and then tomorrow, cool start. even upper 30s in a few spots north and west. a lot of sunshine. look for partial sunshine across much of new jersey, central and southern new jersey. speaking of those areas, a downpour near stafford. and there's the cell right there. northwest of hamilton, to the west of poughkeepsie. that could head in to maybe western monmouth and ocean county over the next hour or so and there's lighter showers over nassau and suffolk and breaks in the clouds over northern new jersey and ramapo. there it is right there. still a few more showers to roll through new jersey during the evening hours and futurecast indicates that as well. even 7:30 between i-78 and 195. we're looking at some of the showers moving through. they should pull offshore by 8:30, 9:00 latest. tomorrow is a nice day but it is brighter to the north. see how there are clouds north of i-78 tomorrow? partial sunshine. more sunshine to the north. on thursday the front is trying

east. the trend is wetter especially south and west of new york city. any showers are exiting early this morning. it's brisk and chillier. clouds break late, down to 45. only 63 or 65 tomorrow. mainly sunny but patchy clouds over central and southern new jersey. another cool partly cloudy night tomorrow night. here's what we're looking at for 5:30. could it turn in to a soaking on thursday? more showers are back by friday afternoon. will the entire weekend stay dry? close call with rain on sunday. we'll have the timing and 7-day accuweather forecast in our next half hour. representatives for former wrestling star chyna say her brain is being donated for research on cte, the disease is caused by several hits to the head. it can only be diagnosed after death. chyna was found dead in her home last week. she was 46 years old. police initially reported the

toxicology results are still pending. lightning sparking a fire in new jersey. coming up, why one family is very thankful for their neighbor. they knew exactly what to do. >> the first lady meeting with thousands of new york city students this afternoon. what the students all agreed to do. >> how happy are you with flying?

it's called signing day. an event started by michelle obama to encourage kids to attend college. thousands of students put pen to paper making a commitment to higher education and the first eyewitness news reporter shirleen allicot has more from the harlem library. >> where am i going to go to college? bmcc. >> reporter: the excitement was brimming outside the harlem armory. seniors from all over new york city for the first lady's college signing day. the event cohosted by mtv, starting off with performances. and guest appearances from the first lady's hollywood friends. >> college is fun. take advantage of the opportunity.

>> the first lady of the united states, michelle obama! >> we all know that completing your education past high school is the most important thing you can do to reach your dreams. >> reporter: the third annual event reminiscent of signing day for athletes, but this one tailored to the 4,000 young people in this room going to college. >> see, we believe that all the adoration and attention should not just be focused on a few amazing football or basketball players. the focus should be on young people like you. >> reporter: mrs. obama pushed them to go for it, just like she did. >> what did you take away from it? what was the biggest thing? >> don't let anyone stop you from pursuing your dreams. >> reporter: the event is catching on nationwide. today there were more than 1,000 signing day events across the country. >> who's going to college? >> me! >> reporter: shirleen allicot, channel 7 eyewitness news.

for the countless syrian refugees struggling to find a place to live. the olympic torch made a symbolic stop at a united nations run refugee camp in athens, greece. the torch was carried by a syrian refugee. the man dedicated his time with the torch to all refugees in desperate need of homes. all new at 5:00, a police officer in new jersey speaking out for the first time about an incredible rescue. the dramatic video on our facebook page. he stopped a man from jumping off a bridge and tonight he tells us what happened. >> plus, a mom in connecticut suspected of being drunk arrested and it's who turned her in that will likely surprise you. >> and senior citizens struggling to make ends meet. the group that's helping them

all across new york families are coming back to time warner cable. join them, and switch right now. we have trucks standing by, and we can install as early as today. we came back for internet speeds so fast even the kids are impressed. oh she's impressed. we're catching up on movies and shows on demand just as fast as we can watch them. for $89.99 a month you'll get 100 meg ultra-fast internet, popular hd channels and unlimited calling. twc's home wifi is so strong we can use all our devices at the same time. so we can all watch whatever we want. and that's kinda cool. call now.

there's no contract, no risk and our money-back guarantee. come back today and we'll give you free installation with our exclusive one-hour arrival window. feels good to be back. come back today and get installed as early as today. at no extra cost! plus get tv equipment and epix included. and get a $300 reward card. call now, and welcome back. i don't worry, i know. i'm doing it for me, and my insurance covers it. i am ready. it's time to get screened for colon cancer. it can be prevented. there's more than one way to screen for colon cancer and screening is easier than ever. if you're 50 or older talk with your healthcare provider and choose the best test for you!

ro all new at 5:00, the police officer who saved a man who was trying to jump off a bridge. tonight that officer is speaking out. >> how did he know the man was going to make a break for the edge? how the dramatic scene went down and what was going on through his head. >> toni yates is in riverdale with the story. >> what an incredible joy to bring people a story like this. a police officer comes face to face with a man who was probably experiencing the darkest hour of his life and that police officer did what he needed to do to save his life. >> reporter: that's the calm

his dashcam video showing him arriving at an overpass where a young man is distraught. >> i got about halfway up there and phone calls started coming in that he was now running in to traffic. >> reporter: things quickly escalate. the sergeant is barely out of his cruiser when the young man decides to go for it, heading the overpass presumably to jump. >> no, come here! don't do it! don't [ bleep ] do it! >> he focused on the edge of the bridge and i knew he was going to take a run for it. i started screaming don't do it. don't do it and just ran as fast as i could to stop him from jumping. >> reporter: after his duty in the air force, sergeant bogert came home to riverdale where he served 18 years on the police force, a tight knit group, most who were mentored by one of the police chiefs. someone who wanted to give up, being saved by someone who's saving a life. it's not the first time.

in 2010 for resuscitating a child who stopped breathing. he received a gallantry bar when he and fellow officers captured a murder suspect. another life saving commendation may be on the way but for now, his fellow officers have decorated the door to his locker. flash indeed. >> that's the way we handle it. we handle it through humor and we back each other up that way. they've been good. they're all good guys in this department. >> beautiful. congratulations. >> thank you. >> really wonderful meeting him today. state police took that man who was from pennsylvania to the hospital and sergeant bogert went back to work serving and protecting. for now we're live here in riverdale, toni yates, channel 7 eyewitness news. the search is on right now on staten island for a woman accused of stoilting a 12-year-old boy with his own hockey stick. the boy says he and his friends were playing street hockey in

when the woman yelled at them for making too much noise. as they argued the boy said she grabbed his stick and hit him, injuring his leg. she left the scene and has not yet been identified. police hope surveillance images lead them to the man who robbed an elderly woman. police say this is the man who approached the 71-year-old victim from behind as she walked on sylvan avenue. they say he threw her to the ground, grabbed her purse and ran off before jumping in to a dark colored bmw. the victim suffered a shoulder injury but refused medical attention. a $10,000 reward is being offered for the man dubbed the masked knifepoint robber. surveillance video shows the man that police are looking for. his string of robberies began in march. police say he's struck for an 11th time, robbing a subway restaurant. >> yesterday's robbery has throw a new twist in to a very complex investigation due to the fact it occurred at 9:48 a.m. which

occur prior to 9 p.m. >> police say they believe he cases the businesses before robbing them making sure there's only one person in the building. prince's sister says the superstar had no will, so she's asking to be appointed special administrator of his estate. court papers, tyka nelson said immediate action is needed to manage prince's business interest. no value was given for prince's estate but it's estimated to be worth up to $300 million. under minnesota law nelson's sister and five half siblings are entitled to inherit. a new york judge has denied a request to force new york magazine to turn over audio, video, and notes to bill cosby's attorneys. the material is from interviews of six of the 35 women who accused cosby of sexual assault in an article. the federal judge called the request a fishing expedition. cosby's attorneys said they plan to use the material to find

the women filed a defamation lawsuit against cosby boston. a massive wildfire burning in olster county. seven duchess county fire departments have deployed resources to help fight the flames. the fire has scorched more than 800 acres of the mountainous sams point reserve. the area has very thick brush and terrain that's difficult to reach. firefighters are responding with additional equipment including brush trucks and utility terrain vehicles. a new report finds that millennials here in new york city are still feeling the effects of the recession especially when it comes to their income. millennials make up about a third of all new yorkers. a report by the controllers office finds millennials make 20% less in 2014 than those who entered the job market in the 90s. the reason, most millennials work in low paying jobs and wages have declined in those jobs. so take a look.

was earning $27,700. in 2014, the average, $23,500. not only that, young new yorkers owe about $14 billion in student debt. here at wabc we're happy to once again team up this week for the annual citizenship now immigration hot line. for the 14th year, volunteers are answering phones and providing free and controversial citizenship and immigration information at gutman community college. the hot line is up and running from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through friday. since the kick-off yesterday, we've helped 3800 people. assistance is available in several languages. the numbers are on your screen. we also have them on abc7ny in the featured section. a teen snaps the perfect selfie with bruce springsteen. this photo is going viral. eliza had a front row seat at his concert in baltimore last week. the boss came close and she got ready for the photo of lifetime.

amazing photo was being prepared. >> i was ready. i didn't even look back. i was just ready to get a selfie with him and he came up and i was hoping to get him out of the corner of the picture but he came up and gave me a hug from behind which was amazing. >> she was prepared all right. she said her rocker dad got her hooked on springsteen's songs. >> that's a selfie skilled young lady. a controversy at rutgers university. the changes made for the graduation ceremony that has students upset. >> a new york company giving its employees a gift today that could make them millions. >> and a new survey says people happy with their airlines? tonight the reason why and which airlines scored the best. >> today's storms making for really cool camera shots. this one over new york harbor as the sun tries to come through. we are at 51 degrees. we're watching a strong cell. could become a thunderstorm over middlesex, monmouth, and ocean county headed to lakewood and brick.

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a mother in connecticut under arrest and accused of putting her two children in danger. police in fairfield say that leonard's 9-year-old daughter called 911 on sunday saying her mother was acting strange and had fallen. responding officers say leonard was drunk and combative. the chobani yogurt company is giving back in a big way. 2,000 workers were handed shares in the company today. the owner says it's his way of awarding loyalty. chobani's value estimated at more than $3 billion, some

million0001 u.s. carriers received a rating of 72 out of 100 points. the highest rating they've seen in more than two decades. airlines spent the fuel savings on things like better in-flight entertainment, free snacks and cheaper fares. jetblue and southwest sharing the top spot in customer satisfaction. spirit came in last. a bathroom policy boycott. more than 740,000 people signed a pledge to stop going to target after the retail giant said transgender people can use the bathroom of whatever gender they identify with. the christian activist group says the policy encourages sexual predators and puts women and girls in danger. target is by its policy. two baby bald eagles born in their official names. liberty.

the eaglets' names were chosen by a social media campaign in which more than 36,000 people voted. the eaglets hatched at the national arboretum in march. their parents are nicknamed mr. president and the first lady. fire breaks out in a base ment in new jersey. how a lightning strike near the home sparked these flames and why their neighbor knew just how to put it out. >> deirdre channing and bob steele are roommates. the home sharing program helps seniors offset their costs and also prevents isolation. i'm lauren glassberg with that story coming up. >> the national weather service warning of a particularly dangerous weather situation tonight. major weather emergencies, millions at risk here in the east and south. also breaking, the ship that sank.

a family in new jersey ran for their lives when a lightning strike sparked a fire in their home. it spread along the ground through the sprinkler system. and then it entered through the laundry room of the house. brian heard a sound like a gunshot in his room then he felt the static electricity in his hand. then the fire alarm went off. he and his mom ran outside. >> my neighbor is the chief of the fire department. ran right over. he put out the fire within like 5 minutes. real hero. real hero. >> the lightning caused significant damage to the home's electrical system. an insurance adjuster said the family may be displaced until most of the wiring can be -- >> i've never heard of the sprinkler system. >> because it's metal, right?

earlier in the day. he could not believe it. when we say stay away from appliances and windows, but the truth is in the rarest case like that it can happen. >> that thunder and lightning last night, it was scary. i was earned the covers last night. >> i was knocked out. [ laughter ] >> we had storms overnight. another round this afternoon. everything on time. and now we see the storms basically leaving the scene unless you're over central and southern new jersey. we've got great camera shots and thanks to lisa over in long beach because it's definitely rainbow weather. we're getting the sunshine out after the storms. this is from long beach. great look at the beach. love the boardwalk. of course you have the sunshine there giving way to rainbows. a new severe thunderstorm warning has actually just popped up until 6:15. over parts of mercer county and western ocean and monmouth there's a pretty strong cell

that warning will go to 6:15. sunshine trying to come up. 52. mostly cloudy and east wind at 6. let's take a look at the cell. light showers over parts of long island. from new york city north and west we're all clear but it's this cell right here that's coming out of the princeton area. hickory corner, robinsville. it's western monmouth and northern ocean county over the next half hour or so and the lightning strikes looking at 12 strikes in the last 15 minutes so that storm is actually getting a little bit stronger right now. there are delays at the area airports because of previous showers. up to 90 minutes at laguardia. the rain is moving out of flushing. 54. breaks in the clouds. definitely a little chill in the air. notice the shower threat over in new york city, just a gusty breeze but definitely cool as numbers drop through the 50s. tomorrow morning at 47. there's a fair amount of sunshine tomorrow. mostly sunny skies north of new york city. central and southern new jersey,

highs in the low and middle 60s during the day. for the next couple of hours we'll have to watch out near 195 for showers and storms that will roll through monmouth and ocean and middlesex. by the time we get past 9:00, 9:15, i think things are moving offshore. tomorrow a cool start. definitely a little bit more cloudiness off to the south. south of i-78. while it's perfectly sunny in the hudson valley and connecticut. through the afternoon, cool, more clouds to the south. more sun to the north. definitely a cooler spring day. air quality is moderate. uv index at a 7. pollen count is high. here's your 7-day accuweather forecast. tomorrow is the best bet despite clouds to the south. thursday is looking rainier over parts of new jersey and that could reach in to new york city. you'll need your umbrella especially thursday afternoon. friday there are a few showers around. still kind of a cool cloudy day. saturday is the better half of the weekend. clouds will be gathering but we'll squeeze out a dry daylight. unsettled again early next week.

of dry weather and the price in early may. usually when you think of roommates you think of two young adults right out of college, but in new york city, expenses are so high, even senior citizens need roommates to make ends meet. lauren glassberg has more on a program that matches those in need. >> that was leonard on the phone. >> reporter: bob steele and deirdre channing have been living together for nine months but not in the way you may think. they're strictly roommates. >> the idea frankly of my having someone living here with me was not something i met with great pleasure. >> reporter: but the 81-year-old didn't have a lot of options. he lost his vision to glaucoma a couple years ago and could no longer work as a store designer. the rent on his two-bedroom in sutton place became a stretch. finances were also tough for deirdre whose husband lives at a nursing home. >> i'm not a planner, which is of course why i got myself in to the situation. >> reporter: but the new york

helped that situation with its free home sharing program which pairs hosts who have an extra bedroom with a guest who can help cover some expenses. either the host or guest has to be 60 years old. social workers figure out compatibility. >> i can count on less than five fingers the number of matches that we've had to undo since 1981. >> reporter: the organization's founder says the need for hosts is pressing. >> the top priority need of the elderly in the city of new york is affordable housing. >> reporter: the alternative can be homelessness. but through this comes security, even companionship. >> she fits in perfectly with my life. we have separate schedules. she's a night owl and i'm a morning person. but it works perfectly, absolutely perfectly. >> reporter: 75-year-old deirdre visits her husband during the day and dances the tango at night. here she has a home base and a good friend. >> i'm so glad, yes, he's included in my life.

channel 7 eyewitness news. president obama is set to speak at rutgers graduation. >> but some students are upset. why they say the ceremony is ruined. >> i'm bill ritter. new at 6:00, a new budget and plans for mayor de blasio to bail out new york city hospitals and make sure smaller streets get plowed during a big snowstorm. what's this going to cost you? and a father's dying wish granted. a local high school agrees to let one senior have an early

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do you remember your graduation? your whole family watching as you accepted your diploma. >> now some students at rutgers say their family won't get that experience because they're only getting three tickets to graduation instead of an unlimited amount. the reason, president obama is the guest speaker. >> eyewitness news reporter anthony johnson is at rutgers tonight with the story. >> with the president coming to town to the may 15th commencement address, it's the hottest ticket in town. but some of the graduates we had an opportunity to talk to today said their family members who supported them through the four years of school are being left out in the cold. >> reporter: graduation day celebrates years of hard work and dedication. but some in the rutgers new brunswick class of 2016 feel they're being shortchanged because each grad is only receiving three tickets for guests. >> i'm a little upset. i have a lot of siblings that aren't going to be able to watch me graduate. >> reporter: the three-ticket

president obama is the commencement speaker marking rutgers' 250th anniversary. the president's appearance on may 15th means more people want to witness the graduation. dylan says relatives traveling from around the world will not be able to attend. >> maybe 16 people in total. unfortunately they booked their tickets but only my brother and my parents can come to commencement which breaks my heart. >> school officials say the ticket limit is being dictated by the math. with 12,000 students on the field, 36,000 friends and family sitting in the stadium and 4,000 students coming from the rutgers newark and camden campuses. >> the fact that we're letting in a number of students from rutgers camden as well as rutgers newark makes them feel like they're intruding on their commencement when in reality we're all under the rutgers umbrella. >> students have expressed frustration. heather smith wrote, i am an out of state student with family coming in from far away to be at

if anyone is selling graduation tickets, message me. another post reads my siblings can't go now. and all i needed was five tickets. very disappointed. >> i think people are upset because they wanted to come bring a lot of people to see the president speak and you can't always get what you want in life. >> video screens will be set up at alternate sites around the rutgers campus so everybody can at least watch the president's address but anybody going in to the stadium on may 15th should get here early because security is expected to be extremely tight. that's the latest live , anthony johnson, channel 7 eyewitness news. remember all those unplowed streets during the blizzard? >> now a plan to prevent that from happening again. eyewitness news at 6:00 starts

if i can't see my son walk down the aisle, what if i can just see him graduate from high school? >> a dying father's wish to see his oldest child graduate from high school. if he waits till june he might be gone. now the school with an early graduation so dad can see his son get a diploma. first, a mini super tuesday in the five primaries in the northeast and frontrunners hillary clinton and donald trump hoping for a five-state sweep. good evening at 6:00. i'm bill ritter. >> i'm liz cho. we'll begin with the weather. powerful storms are popping up right now. part of our area is now under a severe thunderstorm warning. >> meteorologist lee goldberg tracking the storms. he's in the weather center. >> that warning issued just a few minutes ago. it's for parts of monmouth and ocean county. you can see it over parts of central and southern new jersey. there's a watch that goes till

that warning is going to impact places like jackson and over to millstone. really for the next 15 to 20 minutes. there's the cell. right near upper freehold, very heavy rainfall. that's headed toward jackson as well in to northern ocean county. here's some storm tracking. lakewood around 6:12. brick, 6:19. toms river, 6:27. brief downpours and gusty winds, lightning. other than that really from new york city northward and including long island, connecticut as well, it's the all clear sign. we're watching central and southern new jersey over the next hour or so. you can see on this future scan, thunder. are quieting down. we're cool. we're at 51. areas that were in the 80s today have dropped in to the 60s. you have a cool night ahead. isolated evening storms over