. this is 9news now. right now at 11:00, we are some 48 hours out after taking that hit from super storm sandy, the death toll at least 63. locally power is back on for thousands of families up and down the east coast. millions are still in the dark. the damage is in the billions of dollars. on families and flooded homes rescued and choppered out to stacey. in a moment a story you'll want to see. a local man living with als. his devoted wife and how this amazing couple has weathered the last few days. a ray of hope for a couple that can really use it. we're going to be here for a long haul. that promise from president obama to the people of the garden state. >> from the air and on the ground, mr. obama got an up close, firsthand look at all of

the carnage, and together they met with dozens of families that lost their homes, their businesses and in some cases both. >> we are here for you. and we will not forget. we will follow-up to make sure that you get all the help that you need until you rebuild. >> and the president reiterated he's ordered federal agencies to cut through any red tape. the top priorities, restoring power and clearing roads in mass transit. for nomillions are still in the dark tonight. entire neighborhoods are under water. and getting life back to normal, that's definitely going to be a long haul. bruce johnson is in ocean view, new jersey tonight with more on what those folks are going through. bruce. >> reporter: hey, derek. it's actually ocean grove. and this small town like the other jersey towns that we've been talking about all evening long steel reeling from the effects of the -- still reeling

from the effects of the hurricane that blew through here. those lights are ours because this place is still in the dark. no heat. no cell phone service. there is somebody up there that has a candle burning. it's almost a sign of hope. because they're hoping this doesn't last that long and they're being told right now tonight this could go on for months. you know, we don't know where that family was when the storm came on board on monday night, but we did run into one couple in another jersey shore town who ro out the store and it could have cost them their lives. >> we look around and you feel like you're coming out of a disaster. >> reporter: they should have been part of the evacuation of the jersey shore this week. >> i guess i wasn't smart enough this time. this time it wasn't about winds. it was about ocean. >> reporter: this couple chose to stay at the shore in their beach house on the boardwalk. where were you had when sandy came ashore? >> right here. right here. scary. it was pitch black. you really couldn't see. we stood by our door here and

watched the water rise. you make a decision when you st no one is going to help you because you couldn't put a first responder at risk because you made the choice to stay. >> reporter: all of the other beach towns on the jersey shore there is destruction and flooding. and every indication that the recovery will take months, not weeks. >> it's just devastating. >> we saw some boats washed up on some people's back yards up against trees and it's sad. >> reporter: some of the towns there's still so much flooding that boating is the best way to get around, even for emergency responders. >> it's unbelievable. and we live here with my grandmother too. she's been in belmont for 80 years and never seen anything like it. >> reporter: hasn'tening seen anything like this in 80 years. a shortage of gasoline is a problem. long lines of people waiting to get gasoline. they said the federal government

needs to get portable generators out here because we need to get the gas station open when we need to go back to school and work. there is a curfew der way. we haven't seen any police officers. they have got more important things to do, i suppose. that's why you see nobody out there. there's a curfew up and down the jersey shore. back to you, derek. >> now, bruce, when you said months, i thought you must have misspoke but i see the video and i realize it's going to take months to recover. bruce johnson in new jersey, thanks for that. it's not just new jersey. new york city is trying to pull itself back together. and it could be next week before things even start to feel normal again. >> reporter: gridlock on the streets of manhattan and michael bloomberg requiring a three passenger limit for vehicles in the city. portions of the subway system also submerged along with a

runway at laguardia airport. >> many people's lives were turned upside down and everyone is working 24 hours a day to get this city back on track. >> reporter: the stock market managed to reopen, but traders report limited access to internet and cell phones. many other buildings remained closed while city inspectors searched for damage. 643,000 throughout new york city are still without power. public schools won't reopen for students until monday. but it's the images from staten island and queens that remain most shocking. docks at the piers in shambles. >> i thought i could fight the flood and i probably could have the flood. but not the fire. >> reporter: and that's what a lot of people say sandy's legacy will be. a hurricane unlike any other with unprecedented snow, fire

and flooding in one of the most populated portions of the country. >> thank you. around here there is still 71,000 people without their pow we're. the majority of them are -- power. the majority of them are bge, dominion and potomac edison. i want to show a personal account of what prolonged outages can mean to families in our region. i got an e-mail from a loyal viewer in kristin, virginia, who has been waiting desperately for the power to come back on. she wrote, dear anita, i want to thank you for being our beacon in every storm. my husband waits for your telecast every morning. steve has als, lou gehrig's disease. he is ventilator dependent. the machine breathes for him so those of us that love him have one more day and the day after that. we are waiting for our power to be restored in clifton.

we live alone. we are down to the last 300 customers in fairfax county without power. we cannot complain. we have say generator. but it is a single point of failure. steve's ventilator has two back up batteries. we have power for 15 hours. we are house bound in a storm. when we heard that, all of us at 9news knew we needed to try to help. we did just that tonight. >> thank you for sending us that e-mail. >> thanks very much. i appreciate your time and efforts. but now i'm going to run because i cannot leave steve unattended. >> reporter: and steve is the reason we're here. his wife e-mailed anita asking for help because their power was out and steve needs it to live. >> we've been married for 32 years. steve is beginning his ninth year with als. they say he's trapped in his body. >> reporter: when she means she has the equivalent of three full-time jobs.

around the clock care, can't leave his side, can't leave the house. there is nowhere else she would rather be. >> i would not be me without steve. >> reporter: if the generator goes, they only have a few batteries, and that means a few hours. >> if he loses power capability, he could live for maybe 40, 45 minutes. that's it. >> reporter: steve uses this computer to speak. this tv to watch 9news every night. that's why the nickels reached out to us for help. we called novek and told them about the life or death situation. anita wanted the nickels to know they weren't alone. >> we also wanted to do a special shot out to onef our viewers, actually a couple of them, helena and steve nickels out in clifton, virginia. they called us in the storm. they are still without power. one of the few left in fairfax county that don't have power. this is so critical because steve as als. [ laughing ] >> i am honored and quite humbled by the recognition by my favorite news team and especially anita. >> reporter: it looks like the

former computer guru, husband and grandfather has a sweet spot for the ladies. >> i like all pretty women. [ laughing ]. >> reporter: and daring. >> and daring. [ laughing ]. >> reporter: and daring. >> and derek and topper, right. >> and derek and topper. that's right. >> oh, yes. kristen too. >> reporter: and if that was like christmas for the nickels, this is like new years. >> i think we just heard possibly the power has come on. now i know we're safe. steve is smiling. >> wow. that is -- yes, i know. i know. right? unbelievable. nevek did give them their power back ahead of time. they'll call everyone on the

list with an estimate of when the power will be back on. >> i'll tell you, there's a lot of love in that house. >> there sure is. and thank you for sharing it with all will us, helene and steve and making sure they got attention. >> you did too. for sure. >> they love you for sure. >> steve especially. >> yes. [ laughing ] >> sandy caused a lot of devastation, and there are people all over the coast who need our help. here at wusa9 we're donating a dollar to the american red cross sandy relief fund for every one of you who like us on facebook. it's quick and simple. all you have to do to help out. well, you have to love live television. a pumpkin carving segment ends but not the way they expected. see how this guy ended up with gourd all over his face. and up next, we've got the latest on the search for a bomb maker who has already targeted

his ex-girlfriend, a deputy. top. >> we were 55 today. it's hard to believe we were 84 last wednesday. here is your wakeup weather. sunglasses might be necessary. mid 30s at 5:00. and generally in the 40s with a little bit of sunshine breaking out at 9:00. we'll come back and talk about when we're going to see a full sunny day and looking ahead at the weekends we have the terps and skins in town.

he is out for revenge on a pair of cops and his ex-girlfriend. and now a suspected bomber with an ax to grind is on the run from the authorities in northern virginia after investigators say he planned and carried out three separate attacks against his targets. our ken molestina has more on the efforts to catch 25 years laurence alan stewart before he strikes again. >> reporter: here is the man authorities say possesses the will and ability to set off violent bombing attacks. 25-year-old laurence alan stewart ii is considered to be armed and extremely dangerous. >> to be terrorized by this individual doesn't sit well with any of us. we're extremely committed to put him down. >> reporter: the first of three attacks happened here on the 3100-block of normandy avenue early tuesday morning. his target was a starved county deputy who -- stafford county

deputy who he thought still lived here. >> there was some gas explosion or something and then we found out it was a bomb. >> reporter: shortly after it happened again in stafford 's king grant subdivision. it's believe this was the home of a county sheriffs detective. then once more. this time at his ex-girlfriend's house in the country ridge subdivision. >> we believe this guy has been premeditated and planned this out for a while. >> reporter: stewart had a beef with his targets. they say the detective had charged him with a case involving in decent exposure. the other deputy charged him with a domestic violence involving the case with the third victim, his ex-girlfriend. they say he was living here inside the trailer with his father. they raided the trailer. authorities believe the trailer was boobie trapped with explosives. thankfully it wasn't. >> he's made three bombs. he's deployed them. i don't know anything more vicious than that. >> reporter: late wednesday they were back at the scene of the blast at the country ridge

subdivision. they had said shap nal pierced the family -- shrapnel pierced the family car. >> this man is a serious danger and threat to society. >> reporter: i'm ken molestina, 9news now. don't you love that music. lots of goblins out there roaming the street. and of all ages too. >> absolutely. it's not just for kids. adults are enjoying a fun night out. nick. . [ no audio ] >> reporter: hallown at georgetown for most people. >> justin bieber. >> reporter: is adult's version of all hallow's eve. >> i originally wasn't planning oncoming out because i thought

it was going to be miserable. >> reporter: halloween hasn't gone to the adults, though. it's still a kids night. they arranged a parade, trick-or-treating and a contest for humans and canines. and everybody business has been so wonderful. they're really excited to be part of the community. >> we actually take them to the grocery store down the street and the women there get to call him the doughboy because he is so fat. >> reporter: in lesli heights, arts. >> it takes about an hour per pumpkin. >> reporter: she has been carving for almost 10 years. she gets a request for her jack-o-lanterns every year but refuses to make a business of it. >> this is for me a hobby. . >> very artistic and i think it would take a lot of time. >> reporter: and what is even better than beyond brilliant. the fact that we can do any of this at all. >> this girl wouldn't let me go out in the hurricane so i was stuck at home watching movies

and everything. so now we get to see it. >> reporter: i don't think nick could hear us so well out in georgetown. >> it's that kind of night. believe me. so you never know what's going to happen. check out the pumpkin carving experiment that ended with a bang. >> are are you ready? >> i'm ready. >> are you sure? >> i think so. . >> okay. let's see here. >> oh. >> okay. we blew up the whole thing. [ laughing ] >> blew up the whole thing. not what you had in mind. that guy is known as the hooked on flying high and he was trying to demonstrate how you can use a small explosion to carve a pumpkin. once gas was in the pumpkin he ignited it and the precut part was supposed to blow out. too much gas build up. he didn't use bean-o. >> if you're going to cut it,

just cut it. >> it wouldn't have been as much fun. >> i can't stop laughing [ laughing ] . >> blowing up things. but it didn't work. >> no. >> the thought the lady was shocked. >> everybody was shocked. >> everybody was shocked. >> too much gas. 84 last wednesday. i mean, that just is weird. 55 today. >> i wish you would stop bringing that up. [ laughing ] >> it's all that contrast. let's start with a live look outside. looking east from our tower on wisconsin avenue. and, you know, it's still chilly out but it's not crazy cold. 49 downtown. dew point 33. and the pressure continues to recover. it was so low after that storm. 29.66 inches of mercury and on the rise. okay. satellite picture radar combined, you would think we're done with sandy but we're not. circulation is still huge. still about 850, 900 miles in diameter. we still have snow showers in west virginia. more snow showers in garrett county and plain old fashion rain circulating around eastern lakes or pennsylvania and new york. that is really not going to

change. i think most of this stays in the mountains at least west of i81 #. but we'll keep the chance of a shower or sprinkle in overnight and we'll keep a chance of a shower tomorrow, especially north of town. but nothing heavy. more of a nuisance thing than anything else. all of the precip is back in the mountains in the morning and in this case on the other side of the divide and in the case of more snow. we had reports of 30 inches in parts of garrett county. okay. 12:00, lunch time, maybe a sprinkle up near frederick but more clouds than anything. then we get into the afternoon and finally we're seeing some clearing in the evening and late afternoon and then by night this time tomorrow night we're looking at clear to partly cloudy skies and that is going to leave us in great shape for a strong finish to the week. okay. cold smart tomorrow, though. a jacket required. and maybe some sunglasses. there will be a little bit of sun tomorrow. and then a bit breezy. no doubt about that. more sun. and then wednesday we're going to have more sun on friday than we're going to have on thursday.

so we're going in the right direction here. overnight partly to mostly cloudy, breezy and cold. a shower possible. mountain snows continue. lows 36-42. winds west, southwest at 10-15. those winds are from sandy. becoming partly sunny breezy and chilly. jackets needed. 30s and 40s. winds west, southwest at 10-15. and then by afternoon, partly sunny, breezy and cool. slight chance of a shower. clearing late. high temperatures around 55. winds westerly at 10 to 15. our 9 weather alerts, finally green, green and green. 54. breezy on thursday. more sun on friday. 55. a bit cool on saturday but lots of sunshine. 52. next seven days, terps in town saturday. a cool day. this weekend is 49 hours long. that's nice. turn your clocks back one hour. skins in town sunday. maybe some showers late. a better chance of showers on monday. and election day right now looks kind of cloudy. we'll keep it dry and chilly with highs in the low 50s. kristen will be back with sports

after this.

and now 9 sports with kristen berset. >> robert griffin iii has told us time and again he's his own person. he's unlike anyone else. but on the field he's always being compared to others. well, we get to see the two of them side by side this weekend. the skins return home to host the carolina panthers and last year's rookie of the year. rgiii obviously tired of getting compared but says if it must be done, there's others he would rather be connected to. >> we do run similar schemes. there's a lot of similarities. but, i don't know, i would rather be compared to erin rogers or a guy like that. someone who has won super bowls. you want to go out there and win. that's our biggest goal here. so that's what this game is all

about. it's not about me versus cam newton. it's about us getting a win. >> and this weekend also marks the redskin's 80th anniversary celebration during their annual homecoming game the skins will wear these special uniforms that you see over my shoulder. the team will also recognize the latest group of 10 noteable alumni selected as the greatest redskins and includes guys like the late sean taylor whose family will be here to represent him as well as lavar arrington and clinton portis. the man of many faces, mr. portis, has probably had his fair share of costumes in the past. so this year we asked them to share their memories of their favorite costume. >> my mom made me a tie dinosaur costume. >> my brothers and i dressed up as three ninjas. >> i do want to sit on my porch like i'm a mannequin and people

jump up. but i've seen that gone wrong in some instances so i might not do that. >> i was really not allowed to go trick-or-treating. >> we got masks and put them on. >> and check this out. mona beach got this pick. look at this pumpkin. she said this is what she did during sandy. it took her about three hours. >> that's awesome. >> and look at this. that is bryce harper. >> no. >> down be a clown, bro. [ laughing ] >> he's even got the rgiii socks on. dressed up. at least he has a sense of humor. >> oh. >> they're hoping the other players would tweet. not them. >> [ laughing ]

good night, everyone. happy halloween. >> bye bye.