Another major accident on Sunrise Highway on Long Island at the Oakdale Connetquot merge. The vehicle involved with the accident is a tractor trailer, which overturned and knocked down a power line which supplied power to Oakdale and some parts of Bohemia. According to WRAJ Internet Radio, which has been keeping track of major accidents and road closures since 2005, says that this is the worst its seen this year, while reporting 32 accidents this year so far, which a few caused road closures.

This resulted in road closures and power failures. And for the fourth time this year, the eastbound and westbound was closed. The road was reopened sometime after 7pm but was closed again into the late night. At our 1:30am inspection of Sunrise Highway this morning, the highway is still closed from exit 46 to exit 49 eastbound and westbound, according to officials.

Vidgle’s and WRAJ Internet Radio’s offices lost power instantly after the crash at around 3:30pm Thursday. According to Maria O’Connell, WRAJ Internet Radio’s relations director, said that it caused the headquarters of WRAJ and Vidgle to have no power for over 7 hours. “The lightpole that was hit by the tractor trailer is only 10 poles down the street from us,” O’Connell added. The light pole that was hit is the lead pole for cables to cross the 8 lanes of traffic of Sunrise Highway. “The power company and Verizon also had to replace their cable from the lead pole.”

WRAJ Internet Radio also identified of what might be the location of the accident, as seen above. The location is the on-ramp from Pond Road to Sunrise Highway westbound. WRAJ Internet Radio reported similar accidents like this in the past when the light pole was hit in 2006 and 2007.  WRAJ Internet Radio is assuming, by previous similar accidents, that the tractor trailer was on the service road and lost control at the fork of the service road; in which one way leads to a stop sign to Pond Road South so drivers can get back onto Sunrise Highway or to go northbound onto Pond Road leading to Sycamore Avenue.

WRAJ Internet Rado is the sister website of Vidgle, which has been operating since 2002. Satellite image courtesy of Google Earth.

For FiOS and over-the-air TV viewers living in New York, cable’s local regional news may not be something important anymore. NBC Universal is creating a 24-hour local channel on WNBC’s DT feed, it was first reported in the New York Times website.

“It will de-emphasize the identity of the NBC network’s flagship station, WNBC, Channel 4 in New York, rechristening it a “content center,” and making it one part of a larger local media effort.” (Carter)

This operation will compete with Cablevision’s News 12 organization and Time Warner’s NY1. Currently, Verizon FiOS does not offer a local news service like cable. The new news platform will be delivered on the cable’s digital service on Cablevision, Time Warner, Comcast, Satellite, and FiOS. The channel will also be available out-of-house, such as taxis, gas pump televisions, and PATH stations.

No employees will be layed off, but a change of shifts is expected. The new channel will have “live headlines” every half hour, including weather and traffic. Currently being planned is the new space needed for such an operation. It is unconfirmed if the local newscasts will be relocated out of studio 6B, where The Tonight Show was once held, or if the news studio will have a new set.

WNBC’s website will experience a change as it might leave the IBS (Internet Broadcasting Systems) platform, which they have been with since 2001; most NBC owned stations use the same platform. Instead, it will go completely video and on-demand, (of what we understand, something similar to NBC Nightly News website).

“This is the next step in WNBC’s mission to diversify its operations and become the leading multi-platform content provider for the New York market,” said John Wallace, Local Media Division President.

The expected move is to be complete by quarter 1 of 2009. If a success, the seven other owned stations: KNBC, WRC, KNTV, WMAQ, KXAS, and  KNSD, may follow a similar move.

 Crash Actress Sandra Bullock is unhurt after a head-on collision with an SUV. The driver of the SUV was intoxicated and her blood alcohol content was .20, twice the legal limit. The driver, 64 year old Gatchell has no previous record. 

Police Lt. Jerry Cook said that Bullock and Husband were being driven on Friday around 9:50 when the accident occurred. 

Bullock is said to be “grateful” and was initially worried about the driver that hit their car. 

In a blog entry that went over a thousand words, Moore defended Obama. “My endorsement is more for Obama The Movement than it is for Obama the candidate,” writes Moore. 

If you aren’t impressed and are awaiting for the banter and brash talk that he’s usually famous for, take a look at this, written by Moore himself,  “Over the past two months, the actions and words of Hillary Clinton have gone from being merely disappointing to downright disgusting,” he writes, saying that she has tried to “smear” Obama — “Like you were nuts. Like you were a bigot stoking the fires of stupidity.”

But don’t think Moore is all hugs and kisses for the Democratic party.  Moore goes on further to write, “do(ing) the bidding of the corporate elite in this country. Any endorsement of a Democrat must be done with this acknowledgment …”

Of course Moore refused to comment to the Associated Press. 

 After three years of marriage to lawyer Al Reynolds and a very public wedding, Star Jones has decided to call it quits when she filed for divorce in March. Even though the papers are sealed a representative for Star has confirmed the impending divorce.

Star Jones gave out the following statement, “The dissolution of a marriage is a difficult time in anyone’s life that requires privacy with one’s thoughts. I have committed myself to handling this situation with dignity and grace and look forward to emerging from this period as a stronger and wiser woman.”

DiNero’s film festival is kicking off with Baby Mama starring Tiny Fey and Amy Poehler. The event is running from the 23^rd to the 4^th of May and has over 200 movies from political documentaries to relationship dramas. The big features include KATYN,  The Secret of the Grain, Eden, Idiots and Angels and Worlds Apart. 

For more informative visit www.tribecafilmfestival.org.  

The Cruise’s connection with the Smith family continues!  Will Smith has tapped in Tom Cruise’s adopted son Connor, 10, to play him in the film Seven Pounds.

Connor, the son of Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise is biracial and will be playing a younger version of Will Smith. The film Seven Pounds is the second American film by Director Gabriele Muccino (The Pursuit of Happyness). 

“Tom is so proud of Connor,” says a source. “He’s proud of him for really doing this on his own.”

The film is an emotional story about a man (Will Smith) who will change the lives of seven strangers. The man contemplates suicide while falling in love. Rosario Dawson also stars as Smith’s love-interest. 

Seven Pounds is already getting the attention from critics who are quick to put the Oscar Buzz on the movie.  

After getting engaged in 2006 while vacationing in Italy the couple has decided to call it quits. 

Late last year West gave an interview to GQ where he said “I’m just going to go and get married. I’m not going to make a big deal out of it.” He considered this an honor to his mother, the late Donda West, who died following plastic surgery last year.

Phifer who had been by his side through the tumultuous ordeal has broken up with West a few times so people are weary to believe that this is the last run around for the couple.

A source close to the couple tell UsWeekly that “Kanye is possessed by the tour and everything going on and just couldn’t keep it going. They are still friends.” 

The future is not certain for this couple but Cruzin’ Hollywood will keep ya posted!

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UPDATED at 2:32pm 

“It’s always sad when things like this end, and we remain friends,” Phifer reportedly told People.com. “I wish him the best in his future and all of his endeavors. He’s one of the most talented people I’ve ever met.”  

37-year-old Ewan McGregor told the BBC News that he has gotten a cancerous mole removed. The mole was right below his right eye and had set off suspicion by McGregor. 

“I went to see a specialist who thought they were better to be removed, and indeed, he was correct,” he tells BBC News.

McGregor commented that the surgery was “not that big of a deal” and he now he is “fine.’

Never letting up on his sense of humor to the whole experience he said “It was great fun having skin cancer. It was great, I really enjoyed it.”  Oh Obi-Wan!

In the events of her father’s passing Cameron Diaz has received support from ex’s John Mayer and Justin Timberlake. The two showed up (separately) at the memorial held for her father later Sunday evening. 

Emilio Diaz, 58, had passed away from complication due to pneumonia. On Wednesday Cameron made a statement thanking everyone for their support and went on to say, “his humor and spirit will always will in our hearts.” To bring to light Emilio’s vibrant personality everyone wore bright Hawaiian shirts and almost no one wore black.  The memorial service took place at Mahe in Seal Beach.  “It looked more like a party”, says a source.

Even though the two ex’s arrived separately both stayed until after 4pm, after Cameron had spoken to the group.

In lieu of flowers, the Diaz family has suggested donations to Surfrider.org and/or Reefcheck.org in Emilio’s name.