UPS Driver Rescued 8 From Flooding With His 'Class Clown' Humor

Good morning! It’s Tuesday, Sept. 14. Here’s what to know before you dive into the day.

• The California governor recall election has reached its final day, with Gov. Gavin Newsom poised to keep his seat.
• The former head of the Food and Drug Administration says children as young as age 5 could be eligible for the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine by Halloween.
• State police in Pennsylvania are on the lookout for a gunman on Interstate 95.
• A civil rights group is seeking hate crime charges against a woman accused of calling a Muslim woman a “terrorist” on a Detroit-bound Spirit Airlines flight.

UPS Driver To The Rescue

Just a few years ago, Nick Dirla was voted the "class clown" at Bridgewater-Raritan High School in New Jersey. It’s that same humor that is now credited with keeping eight people calm during the massive flooding caused by Hurricane Ida before the group found its way to safety.

Dirla, now a UPS driver, opened his work truck to eight people stuck in traffic on Route 22 as the torrential rain poured and flooding devoured their cars.

"I am kind of a laugh-it-off kind of person, it is my coping mechanism," Dirla said. "I was just trying to calm everyone down." Read the full story from Bridgewater, New Jersey, Patch

California Recall Election

The recall election regarding California Gov. Gavin Newsom enters its final day.

Nearly 8 million people have already voted, with the majority of the returned ballots coming from registered Democrats. That bodes well for Newsom, as no other major Democratic candidate has emerged from the field. Read more from Los Angeles Patch

ALSO: Why California’s Recall Election Is Unlikely To Lead To State’s First Female Governor

Vaccine OK For Kids By Halloween?

Children as young as age 5 could start to get vaccinated from the coronavirus around the time they go out for trick-or-treating on Halloween this year. That’s the prediction from Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

Gottlieb predicts the FDA could approve the Pfizer vaccine for kids 5-11 by Oct. 31. The former FDA chief sits on the Pfizer board of directors. Read more from New Brunswick, New Jersey, Patch

‘High Demand’ For Third Vaccine Dose

Although kids under 12 have yet to receive any COVID-19 vaccine dose, many Americans are prepping for the possibility of a third, booster shot.

The demand is high, officials in at least one state have said.

“We are working hard to meet what we anticipate will be a very high demand," New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said during a Monday news conference. Read more from Cinnaminson, New Jersey, Patch

‘Muslim Terrorist’ Slur On 9/11

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling for hate crime charges to be filed against a woman accused of assaulting a Muslim woman on a Spirit Airlines flight before it landed in Detroit on Saturday. Among the phrases reportedly directed at Aicha Toure was “Muslim terrorist.” Read more from Detroit Patch

Interstate 95 Gunman Sought

Pennsylvania State Police are searching for a 21-year-old man accused of attempted homicide and assault after a shooting in Delaware County. Read more from Media, Pennsylvania, Patch

Boa Rescue

Three good Samaritans teamed to help rescue a 15-foot boa constrictor that slithered its way down a storm drain. Read more from Nanuet, New York, Patch

More On ‘The Patch’

No, Sewage Did Not Spill On Fans At FedEx Field, via Bowie, Maryland, Patch

Vaccine Mandates Would Put Thousands Out Of Work, DeSantis Says, via Tampa Patch

Patient Who Wanted Ivermectin For COVID-19 Dies, via Chicago Patch

Trump Appointee Announces Run For Governor, via West Chester, Pennsylvania, Patch

‘Cotton Candy Clouds’ Brings Imagination To Sick Kids And Families, via Silver Spring, Maryland, Patch

Where Is Gabby? Police Search For Missing Woman, viaMO Patchogue, New York, Patch

Find Your Local Patch

Patch is in more than 1,000 communities across America. Find your community and see what's happening outside your front door.