What to Know
- The U.S. government is taking steps to prepare for potentially devastating cyber attacks on Election Day
- Lawmakers investigating the deadly NJ Transit train crash may get a chance to question agency officials on Friday
- A man allegedly killed his wife before leading police on a 30-mile chase across Long Island and Brooklyn early Friday, police said
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*We'll be off Monday, Nov.8 and will return Tuesday, Nov. 8.
U.S. Prepares for Cyber Mayhem
The U.S. government believes hackers from Russia or elsewhere may try to undermine next week's presidential election and is mounting an unprecedented effort to counter their meddling, American officials told NBC News. Officials say steps are being taken to prepare for worst-case scenarios, including a cyber-attack that shuts down part of the power grid or the internet.
Candidates Focus on Blue-Collar States
Hillary Clinton is rushing to secure Michigan and bolster the Democrats' vaunted blue wall of upper Midwestern states that have backed the party's presidential nominee for two decades, sending in reinforcements as Donald Trump aims to blow up the former secretary of state's path to 270 electoral votes. If Trump manages to win blue-collar states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, it opens more pathways for him to overtake Clinton. Trailing in several battleground states, Trump's fortunes have improved since FBI Director James Comey's stunning announcement that the bureau was looking into emails that may be related to the investigation into Clinton's use of a private server. Despite the announcement, early voting suggests an edge for Clinton with the election less than a week away.
Local
Historic Speech in Spanish
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine made history Thursday as he delivered what was called the first speech completely in Spanish by a candidate at an organized campaign rally during a presidential election, NBC News reported. Meanwhile, Donald Trump's wife, Melania, made a rare public appearance Thursday, delivering a get-out-the vote speech in the Philadelphia suburbs. The speech focused on her husband's vision for American women, children and families. She said she would be commited to fighting cyber bullying.
NJ Transit Officials Face Lawmakers
Lawmakers investigating September's deadly New Jersey Transit train crash could finally get a chance to question the top agency officials who skipped out on an oversight hearing last month. NJ Transit says new executive director Steve Santoro and other key leaders will testify before the legislative committee on Friday. They likely will face questioning about NJ Transit's poor safety record and high breakdown rate. One woman died and more than 100 people were injured when a packed NJ Transit train going twice the 10 mph speed limit slammed into a bumping post at Hoboken Terminal on Sept. 29.
Long Island Police Chase
A Long Island man stabbed his wife to death and then led police on a 30-mile chase that ended in a fiery crash in Brooklyn, authorities said. The man’s son called police after his dad allegedly stabbed his mother and attacked his sister, sparking the cross-county chase that ended when the man crashed into a gas station pump in East New York, according to officials.
Santa Endorses Pot
A man named Santa Claus has thrown his support behind marijuana after the tiny town of North Pole, Alaska, voted to ban the sale of pot. Alaska legalized the sale of marijuana last year but communities are allowed to opt out. "I think they are not in this particular instance are not embracing the sprit of love," Claus said. "I think what they're doing is engendering hate, which comes from fear."
