Q: A movie called “The Perfect Storm” came out several years ago, and was about a nor’easter that sank a boat in the Atlantic Ocean. Did this storm impact New Jersey and New York, or did it primarily stay in the open sea?
—William McKee Jr., Flowery Branch
A: Sebastian Junger wrote the 1997 book called "The Perfect Storm," which was adapted into the 2000 movie starring George Clooney, about the Halloween Nor'easter of 1991, as it is called. The Perfect Storm was a combination of Hurricane Grace and a "mid-latitude trough," according to researchers at the University of Miami, that took several forms in the Atlantic Ocean and "was at its strongest while out over the open ocean." It caused 13 deaths and about $200 million of damage from Puerto Rico to Canada. Outside of Massachusetts and New England, southern New Jersey was hardest hit, with $75 million of damage. Areas of New York, including Staten Island and Coney Island, also suffered damage. The "Andrea Gail," a commercial fishing boat out of Gloucester, Mass., and her crew of six were lost at sea.
Q: We closely followed the murder trial of Waseem Daker in Cobb County, since it happened in our neighborhood. Where is he serving his sentence?
—Elard Scharffenberg, Marietta
A: Daker is being housed at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson. On Oct. 1, Daker was sentenced to life plus 47 years for the 1995 murder of Delta flight attendant Karmen Smith and an attack on her then-5-year-old son Nick. Authorities weren't able to connect him to Smith's death until DNA tests in 2009 matched hairs found on her body to Daker.
Andy Johnston wrote this column; Andria Simmons contributed. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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