PT burning body identified, VB heart recipient thankful, Thanksgiving kitchen safety: Sunrise Brief

TOP STORIES: Body in PT burning dumpster identified, VB heart recipient thankful, Thanksgiving kitchen safety

1. Portsmouth police identified the body found in a burning dumpster last week. Officers tell us he is 45-year-old Kurtis Lee Watson. Last week, we told you about a body found in a fire in a dumpster on Pepperwood Court behind Bethel Worship Center.

   Police say Watson's body was found Monday, November 18, when police responded to a call about a discovery when extinguishing a dumpster fire.

   Earlier this week, court records obtained by News 3 revealed Watson had several gunshot wounds. An autopsy also showed Watson had bullet fragments in his foot.

   This incident is still under investigation, and News 3 is committed to bringing you updates on air and online as we learn more.

   Body found in burning Portsmouth dumpster outside of church was identified

2. A Virginia Beach woman celebrates the second anniversary of her heart transplant. A day like today is about spending time with family, and for one Virginia Beach woman, that message hits closer to home now more than ever.

   Janell Hull, a Virginia Beach mother of two, is thankful to be alive this holiday season to see her family after suffering from a rare form of heart failure.

   "It’s been a long journey. I developed heart failure through pregnancy. It’s called Peripartum Cardiomyopathy, where women develop it during pregnancy or during the postpartum period," Hull said.

   One in every 4,000 pregnant women are at risk of developing the rare heart condition, according to the National Institute of Health.

   Hull says it was hard to do simple tasks with her two kids after giving birth to her second child. She got moved up on the list to get a transplant when she started going into cardiac arrest frequently.

   She's grateful to be celebrating the holidays with family and with a better heart.

   Virginia Beach mother spends Thanksgiving with family after heart transplant surgery

3. Safety reminders you want to keep in mind when cooking this Thanksgiving. If you're in the kitchen cooking today, don't let your home go up in flames. Thanksgiving is one of the highest reported days for house fires.

   This week, New 3's Kelsey Jones caught up with the Newport News Fire Department with some safety reminders you'll wanna keep in your apron pocket.

   Frying the big bird! It's delicious to eat, but as you heard fire officials say, that's one of the main ways to spark a fire if you don't do it properly.

   You should only fry a turkey outside and away from your home. Never fry a turkey in the garage or on the porch.

   Firefighters also say you should never leave the kitchen with food on the stove or in the oven. You want to make sure you always have a fire extinguisher in your home. Also, check to see if your smoke alarm is working and has charged batteries.

   Kitchen safety reminders for this Thanksgiving

This morning's weather: Rainy, warm Thanksgiving

Meteorologist Myles Henderson says another round of rain is set to move in today with a cold front. Expect mostly cloudy skies with showers throughout the day.

A strong to severe thunderstorm is possible. Highs will warm to the mid-60s today and it will be windy with a SW to NW wind at 10 to 20 with gusts to 30 mph. However, tomorrow we can expect cooler temperatures in the mid-50s.

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

This morning's traffic:

So far this morning, there haven’t been any major traffic incidents in our area.

Interactive Traffic Map

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

We Follow Through: The cost of ambulance rides in Virginia Beach

• Could patients be charged for ambulance rides in Virginia Beach in the future? Back in September, we reported on some challenges the Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad is facing, including funding.

  Right now, if you need an ambulance in Virginia Beach, you will not be charged for it. However, that could soon change with increased costs for equipment and supplies.

  On Tuesday, a presentation was given to city leaders on a study to roll out EMS billing in the city.

  "We are the only city that I know of, really in the country, that does not charge for the ambulance ride," Councilman David Hutcheson of Virginia Beach told News 3.

Watch the full story on News 3 This Morning here.

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