Rain and Flood, SITW Deadline, Trump Nominates RFK Jr: Dawn Brief

TOP STORIES: Rain and flooding, key SITW deadline, Trump nominates RFK Jr. to Cabinet

1. Rain last night and today could cause flooding problems. Be prepared when driving in Hampton Roads, especially in tidal flood areas near high tide this morning. While the rain will stop this afternoon, we will have about 5.4 feet of tidal flooding this morning. It will recede to unpleasant flood levels tonight.

   Rain last night and today could cause flooding problems

2. Today marks the end of the key term for the next Something in the Water festival. Earlier this week Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer threatened to pull the plug at next year’s SITW unless the organizers sign the contract by the end of business today.

   The city council ordered the city and SITW organizers to enter into an agreement to hold the event after the festival is postponed this October. Festival organizers had until Nov. 1 to sign the contract, but it had not been signed when the issue came up at Tuesday’s council meeting, city officials said. Mayor Dyer said he was “very angry” and shared the updated timeline.

   We’ll have updates on air and here at WTKR.com if we learn of any contract changes today.

   VB Entrepreneurs and festival goers talk about missed SITW deadline

3. Trump nominates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his candidate Minister of Health and Social Services. US President-elect Donald Trump made his first full public speech since his election victory speech at Mar-a-Lago last night. He was joined by several recently announced cabinet picks. One of his last chosen, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services, is now controversial because of his previous criticism of vaccines and other health measures.

   RFK Jr.’s push to fight chronic disease and clean up the nation’s food supply has resonated with some Trump supporters, but his calls to remove fluoride from public drinking water and his criticism of vaccines have raised concerns among health experts.

   Trump nominates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services

Weather this morning: cool, beginning of rain, afternoon will be dry

Forecaster Derrah Getter says the day will start out cool and rainy with temperatures in the low 50s. Separate showers will continue from the coast until late morning.

By noon we will begin to dry out. During the day, the high temperature will be from 50 to 60 degrees. Sunny and dry weather will return tomorrow. The high will be around 60 degrees and we don’t expect any rain.

Morning forecast for Friday

For the latest weather updates, watch Miles live on News 3 This Morning here.

Traffic this morning:

There were no major road accidents in our region this morning.

For the latest traffic updates, watch Conor live on News 3 This Morning here.

We stick: About half of the Nansemond River is badly damaged

• A recent Nansemond River report concerns a local non-profit organization. Beth Cross, president of the Nansemond River Conservation Alliance, says them the latest data on the state of the river was not good

  That’s the story News 3’s Curt Williams has been following since the first report on the river’s condition last November. He went to the town of Mattanock, tribal headquarters of the Nansemond Indian Nationthat sits on the river. At the time, Keith Anderson, chief of the Nansemond Indian Nation, emphasized how important the health of the Nansemond River was.

  The alliance, the tribe and others are working together to urgently improve the river’s health, stressing that we “must act now.” It turns out there are ways you can help, too, including reevaluating certain lawn care products you use to accommodate native plants in your yard.

Watch the full story on News 3 Today Morning here.