Sen. Marco Rubio suspended his presidential campaign after losing his home state of Florida on Tuesday, after a contentious campaign that survived a disastrous debate where he was mocked relentlessly for his robotic, repetitive performance but soon after fizzled out.

"While it is not God’s plan that I be president in 2016, or maybe ever, and while today my campaign is suspended, the fact that I’ve even come this far is evidence of how special America truly is," Rubio told supprters.

Going into the March 15 primary in Florida, where Rubio trailed Trump by double digits, the Florida senator was doing all he could to squeak out a victory in his home state. He asked his supporters in Ohio to back Gov. John Kasich in the contest there in the hopes that Kasich's supporters would vote for him in Florida, but Kasich's campaign scoffed at the idea. 

After Rubio's announcement, Ohio Governor John Kasich sent a tweet saying:

"Make no mistake, Marco Rubio will continue to be a powerful voice frot eh future of our Republican party," Kasich wrote."

The day of the primary, Rubio was insisting that he would push on to Utah the following week regardless of the Florida results. By then he had won only three contests: Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., and Minnesota.

But he did not win Florida, his home state and one he had long said would be critical to his campaign.

"There’s nothing more you could have done," he told his supporters Tuesday night, before conceding.

Rubio lost Florida to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, against whom he had led a series of caustic attacks on Donald Trump, making fun of the front-runner’s spray tan and small hands, failed business deals and lack of policy proposals. He called him a “con man” seeking to pull off the “biggest scam in American policy history.”

"The politics of resentment against other people will not just leave us a fractured party, they’re going to leave us a fractured nation, they’re going to leave us as a nation where people literally hate each other because they have different political opinions," he added.

But Rubio was also accused on flip-flopping, particularly on the incendiary issue of immigration. With Trump calling for the deportation of all illegal immigrants and the construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, Rubio was left to explain his embrace of a bipartisan group of senators, the so-called Gang of Eight, who in 2013 put an ultimately unsuccessful immigration overall bill.

At a debate in February, rival U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said Rubio had written a bill for amnesty.

Within Florida, Rubio, 44, annoyed backers by running for president so quickly. They thought he had done little once he had reached the U.S. Senate. He earned more enmity when he decided to enter the race even after former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush decided to run.

Rubio hoped to bring in more Latinos to the GOP and to be the face of a new Republican party. He campaigned with South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, the second Indian American governor in the United States and whose endorsement he won.

"America needs a vibrant conservative movement but one that’s built on principles and on ideas, not on fear, not on anger, not on preying on peoples’ frustrations," he told supporters.

Rubio was born in Miami, Florida, to parents who first left Cuba for the United States before Fidel Castro's communist regime took over. They returned to Cuba after the overthrow but later came back to the United States.

He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010 as a favorite of the Tea Party. 

No one will be immune to the fiscal crisis. That's the message that came across during Hartford's Board of Education meeting Tuesday night. While there was no mention of the budget on the agenda, it quickly became the focus for the hundreds in attendance.

With both the state and city facing gaping budget shortfalls, Hartford Public School officials acknowledge that difficult decisions will need to be made.

"This year the situation is much worse because we just have nowhere to go while also facing a budget gap of approximately $20 million. We have no choice but to face the current reality that we have been able to put off year after year," Superintendent Beth Schiavino-Narvaez told the crowd of teachers and parents.

Teachers spoke before the BOE pointing out that they're already struggling for supplies and equipment and that it's hindering their ability to teach students. They also expressed frustration over a lack of communication from school officials.

The superintendent told teachers that she's already making cuts at the central office and that she's not asking schools to do anything that she's not willing to do.

"I am eliminating a third of my senior leadership team. I am then asking my team to make cuts within their departments so we can give back to schools and save everything we possibly can," said Schiavino-Narvaez.

Hartford Public Schools Director of Communications and Marketing released this statement on behalf of the district:

"Hartford Public Schools is in the midst of the budgeting process and we are closely reviewing the alternatives available. Superintendent Beth Schiavino-Narvaez plans to submit her budget proposal at the Board of Education Budget Workshop scheduled for April 5th.

"We are heading into our 8th consecutive year of flat funding with increasing costs of supplies and services. There is a tight financial situation at the state and city levels. Those are our primary funders. Given the dwindling resources and bleak financial projections for city and state coffers, we are facing some very difficult decisions that will impact every school and every administrative office at Hartford Public Schools.

"However, we will continue to keep these spending cuts away from the classroom. Our pie may be smaller as we head into the new academic year, but we will continue to invest around 82% of our budget resources directly in our schools."

The fate of two faltering campaigns depended on the results of Tuesday’s primaries. Sen. Marco Rubio’s fell when he lost his home state of Florida, but Gov. John Kasich, who staked his presidential hopes on a victory in Ohio, beat Donald Trump there. Residents in Illinois, Missouri and North Carolina also voted Tuesday. On the Democratic side, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders lost to Hillary Clinton in Ohio, where observers had wondered if he could replicate his surprise success in Michigan. Here are some notable moments from the day.

Kasich’s First Win: Ohio
Kasich’s much-needed success in Ohio — his first win — gave him all of his state’s 66 delegates and kept his campaign going.

“We are going to go all the way to Cleveland and secure the Republican nomination,” he told his supporters, referring to the party’s nominating convention in the summer.

How did he win his home state? Satisfaction with the economy may have played a part, according to the NBC News exit poll in Ohio. About 60 percent of residents said their family finances were holding steady and another 20 percent said they were getting ahead. Only about 15 percent said they were falling behind.

Kasich has been praised for running a campaign based on issues, not insults, and he told his supporters he would continue that approach.

"I will not take the low road to the highest office in the land," he told his supporters.

Among Republican voters who chose someone other than Trump on Tuesday, the dissatisfaction was greater -- six in 10 said they would seriously consider a third-party choice.

In his concession speech, Rubio warned that politics of resentment would leave the country fractured.

“America needs a vibrant conservative movement but one that’s built on principles and on ideas, not on fear, not on anger, not on preying on peoples’ frustrations,” Rubio said.

A Good Night for Trump
Trump celebrated a series of victories, again at his Mar-a-Lago club in West Palm Beach. The Associated Press described a large ballroom filled with more than a dozen crystal chandeliers, gilded walls and ceilings.

Trump called for bringing the Republican party together but defended the anger among his supporters.

"They're not angry people but they want to see the country properly run," he said. "They want to see borders, they want good health care, they want to see things properly taken care of, they want our military rebuilt."

'It Makes Him Wrong'
Hillary Clinton also had a good night, with strong victories in Florida, North Carolina and Ohio.

She took the battle to Trump, saying that when a candidate calls for rounding up 12 million immigrants and banning all Muslims from entering the United States, when he embraces torture, “That doesn’t make him strong, it makes him wrong.”

“We should be breaking down barriers not building walls,” she said. "We are not going to succeed by dividing this country between us and them. You know, to be great we can’t be small. We can’t lose what made America great in the first place."

A $150,000 reward for the capture of two inmates who escaped a Southern California prison in January will be divided among four people, including two Target employees and a homeless man, the Orange County Board of Supervisors decided Tuesday.

Two Rosemead Target employees, a van owner who reported his vehicle stolen and a homeless man from San Francisco will all get a share of the reward. The Target employees, Hazel Javier and Jeffrey Arana, will be awarded $15,000 each, and Armando Damian, the stolen van owner, will receive $20,000.

Matthew Hay-Chapman, a 55-year-old homeless man who recognized escaped inmates Hossein Nayeri and Jonathan Tieu and followed them into a McDonald's, will be awarded the majority of the bounty: $100,000.

Chapman flagged down officers who were on duty on Jan. 30 and reported seeing the two prisoners. Shortly after, San Francisco police were able to find and capture Nayeri, who was wanted on charges of kidnap and torture, after a brief chase. They then tracked down Tieu, who was imprisoned in Santa Ana on murder charges, as he was hiding in the white van nearby.

Chapman told the San Francisco Chronicle on Feb. 2 that he hoped to use the reward money to help his children and his grandchildren, who are in foster care in Oregon.

"I had a duty to help bring these individuals back into custody," Chapman told Spitzer in a voicemail.

The Target employees tipped off police after spotting Nayeri and the third escaped inmate, Bac Duong, buying cellphones at their store in Rosemead. Their information helped investigators track down the cellphone numbers the escapees were using and find Damian, who provided police with additional information.

One man involved in the case, taxi driver Long Ma, was not named as one of the reward recipients. The driver was integral to the capture of the fugitives, his attorney said at the board of supervisors meeting on Tuesday.

Ma was taken hostage by the three inmates and forced to drive all over California.

"In the interest of justice and basic fairness, we ask that the Orange County Board of Supervisors reconsider and ... award Mr. Ma his share of the reward," said his attorney, Hoang Tu. "Not because he is a victim, but because [of] ... the instrumental role he played in the capture of these dangerous fugitives."

Supervisor Todd Spitzer responded, saying that giving Ma a cash reward would be an unlawful gift of public funds, though he is "morally deserving."

Ma, who has not gone back to work since being taken hostage, intends to fight the board's decision not to allocate him a portion of the reward, Tu said.

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story stated that the reward was $200,000. The Board of Supervisors approved a $150,000 reward, and the other $50,000 was offered by the US Marshals Service and the FBI. That portion has not yet been allocated.

The 29-year-old man who died in a shootout that left three Chicago officers injured was a felon and a documented gang member, police said Tuesday.

Lamar Harris, who fired at officers Monday night in West Chicago, had seven felony convictions and 43 arrests on his rap sheet, according to police. His most recent felony convictions were on January 9, 2012, for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and resisting a peace officer, causing injury.

A narcotics tactical team observed a drug deal in the alley of the 3700 block of West Polk just before 10 p.m. on Wednesday, according to police. When the team confronted the offenders, the men opened fire.

When the shootout was finished, three officers sustained non life-threatening injures, according to police. They were taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition, and all are expected to live.

One of the officers was able to return fire and shot and killed Harris, one of two offenders, according to CPD Spokesman Sgt. Al Stinites. The other offender fled on foot and was not apprehended.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel released the following statement:

"Every day the dedicated men and women of the Chicago Police Department put themselves in danger so the rest of us can be safe. Tonight we were reminded of the dangers that our police face, and the bravery that they routinely display as three of our officers were shot in line of duty. The thoughts and prayers of our entire city are with the officers and their families during this difficult time."

The producers of "Spotlight," which won Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards, acknowledged on Tuesday that they fictionalized dialogue attributed to a real person who was portrayed in the film, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Boston College spokesman Jack Dunn had taken issue with a scene in which his character - in his role as a BC trustee - attempted to downplay the extent of the clergy sex abuse case.

"As is the case with most movies based on historical events, 'Spotlight' contains fictionalized dialogue that was attributed to Mr. Dunn for dramatic effect," Open Road Films said in a statement. "We acknowledge that Mr. Dunn was not part of the Archdiocesan cover-up. It is clear from his efforts on behalf of the victims at BC High that he and the filmmakers share a deep, mutual concern for victims of abuse."

The studio had previously defended the movie's portrayal of Dunn.

Dunn told Entertainment Weekly on Tuesday that he feels "vindicated" by the statement.

A detective with the San Jose Police Department has taken it upon himself to rally on behalf of a young boy whose life was seemingly permanently altered when he was struck by a stray bullet.

Nine-year-old Alexis was sleeping in his bed on Oct. 28, 2015, when his upstairs neighbor Eric Smith accidentally shot himself in the foot with a hunting rifle. The bullet pierced the floor and traveled through the child’s legs, severely damaging them.

Detective Huan Nguyen told NBC Bay Area that in his line of work, he often comes across people who "put themselves in danger."

But not Alexis.

"He didn’t do anything," Nguyen said. "He was sleeping in his own bed and just being a kid. It’s just hard to take because your home is supposed to be your haven."

Nguyen and his wife came up with the idea of setting up a YouCaring page to raise funds for Alexis.

"He loved to play soccer, but may never play again because of the severity of the injuries," said Nguyen, who is a father of two children who are close to Alexis’ age. "It’s very sad."

As of Tuesday evening, 55 people have donated $3,980 of the $50,000 goal.

"I was dreaming about my soccer game from the last weekend and how I missed a goal when I was woken up by a loud explosion and my legs started to hurt," Alexis told Nguyen, according to the crowdfunding account. Pictures show the curly-haired child with a boot on his left leg and a brace on his right.

Police said they were called to the Almaden Apartments on the 1900 block of Almaden Road around 5:45 a.m. Oct. 28. Investigators found that a bullet had traveled through the floor of the upstairs apartment and hit Alexis, who lives in a first-floor unit of the two-story duplex.

Eric Smith, a 40-year-old convicted felon, fired the .30-06 rifle and hurt the boy, according to police. Smith has been arrested on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of ammunition. 

"When he first got hit with the bullet, a portion of his leg was blown off," Nguyen said.

Alexis was sleeping on his side and the bullet traveled through the ceiling and entered his right leg right below his knee. It then went into the left leg and fragmented the bone.

"We picked up pieces of human tissue and bone in the room," Nguyen said, adding that doctors initially left his wound open to allow bone and tissue to regenerate and then inserted a metal rod in his right leg.

After Alexis was shot, Nguyen started visiting him regularly in hospital.

"I tried to cheer him up and get him video games and stuff, but that’s only good for so long," he lamented.

Nguyen also realized that the shooting has left Alexis with severe post-traumatic stress disorder, which has been "lingering for months," he said.

The detective recalled a conversation with a nurse who told him about Alexis having one particularly bad night.

"Someone dropped something in the hallway, and it was loud, and Alexis freaked out for hours," Nguyen said. "He was shaking and crying."

Even after Alexis' release from hospital, the detective has made it a point to check in with the family regularly. But it bothers him that the child is now forced to spend day after day in the same apartment in which he was shot – where "bad things happened to him," Nguyen said.

According to Nguyen, the donations will go into a trust fund and remain "protected" for Alexis and his future. It remains to be seen whether the money will be used to pay for ongoing medical expenses, a college fund, or to help move the family to a different home.

"We need to help him and his family to just get away from that environment that he was in," Nguyen stressed. "Hopefully that helps him move on with his life."

Today, nearly five months after the shooting, Alexis has undergone multiple surgeries, but remains in a wheelchair. 

Nguyen said that "everything is up in the air" because doctors can’t definitively say  if he will able to play sports or do other activities like children of his age. His road to recovery will be long and tough, he said.

"We initially thought he was going to lose a leg," but luckily his doctors were able to avoid that scenario, Nguyen said. 

Alexis’ mother, who declined to talk to the media, has been receptive to Nguyen’s crowdfunding effort. Every donation helps and she is grateful for the outpouring of support from the community, he said.

"He’s a trooper – he’s gone through a lot, but handled it pretty well for his age," Nguyen said. "We are all rooting for him."

From the "big house" to the White House — once a homeless teenager, Christopher Poulos has completely changed his life. He's now working to change national drug policy.

Growing up in Portland, Maine, Poulos became addicted to drugs and started dealing. He spent two years in a federal prison.

Now that he has been sober for nine years, Poulos is playing a major role in drug control policy.

"It is possible to overcome this addiction, even to opioids," said Poulos. "We need funding, resources, treatment, and we need people who have recovered to be brought into the decision making process."

He recently completed an internship at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and even advised Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine.

"The first question I asked him was, 'Does treatment work?'" said King.

King said meeting with Poulos convinced him he was doing the right thing in asking for more federal funding for drug treatment.

Poulos has worked on other National Drug Control Policy projects, including efforts to change the language around addiction.

He wants people to stop using the word "abuse" when it comes to drugs.

"You wouldn't call someone with a heart disease an 'abuser.' They're a patient," he explained.

Poulos, who is set to graduate from the University of Maine Law School this spring, said he would like to continue working on drug policy in his career.

He hopes to see more financial resources dedicated to detox, drug treatment centers, recovery "coaches" and law enforcement programs like the ANGEL program in Gloucester, Massachusetts,where police pair struggling addicts with volunteers to help guide their recovery.

One of Poulous' biggest goals is to see more people in recovery join the conversation.

"We've actually been through it directly, and now we are on the other side," said Poulos. "We can not only tell but show people how it's done."

He wants the media to portray more positive images of people undergoing recovery in order to show there are more people like him, and that there is life after drug addiction.

"Not everyone returning from prison is going to go to law school and work at the White House — but we can," said Poulos. "We can."

The owners of 32 horses and several other animals that were seized from an East Hampton facility in February appeared in court today.

Thomas Olajos, 36 and his wife, Melanie Olajos, 37, were arrested earlier this month after animal control officers accused the couple of failing to provide proper food, water, veterinary care and shelter to their animals. The couple were each charged with 35 counts of cruelty to animals.

In Feb., the Department of Agriculture seized 32 horses, 78 chickens, 19 rabbits and two dogs from Fairy Tail Equine in East Hampton. 

"If you don’t have the money or don’t have the home for a horse, don’t get one!” Cindy Andrews, an animal rights activist, said.

According to court documents, officers started checking on the facility once a month after a complaint was filed by a woman who had leased four horses from Fairy Tail Equine. In January, officers still found the horses underweight-- some with protruding hip bones and visible spines. 

A veterinarian determined that the horses were neglected and underweight, according to the state Department of Agriculture.

When officers came to seize the animals, they found three dead chickens and stalls with about five inches of manure in them. Many stalls were without water or not enough grain for one feeding, the court documents said. 

Many of the horses also had active lice infestation, had dermatitis and fecal material caked on their tails and legs. Officials said their manes and tails were matted and tangled.

The two dogs, both Great Danes, were so emaciated that their ribs, vertebrae and pelvic bones were visible, officials said.
One dog also had fleas, calluses on both elbows, excessive discharge in its ears, whipworms, profuse diarrhea and anemia.

The other dog, a 1-year-old old female, was underweight and also had fleas, conjunctivitis, and excessive discharge from both ears. The condition of the teeth suggested that the dog might have been chewing on rocks and dirt, officials said.
The chickens were underweight and malnourished when seized and most had little or no access to water.

Necropsies on three that were found dead during the seizure showed little content in their stomachs, minimal fat, skin lesions and intestinal perforation consistent with aggression and cannibalism.

Earlier this month, the state was granted ownership of all the animals.

The couple was relased on a $10,000 bond. They are expected to appear in court again on Apr. 12.

According to the court's website, the Olajoses do not have an attorney listed.

A former partner in a Silicon Valley venture capital firm has countersued a woman who claimed he sexually abused her for years, alleging she was trying to extort $40 million from him, CNBC reported.

The firm, Sequoia Capital, said Sunday it dismissed Michael Goguen after learning of the lawsuit on Thursday. Goguen joined the Menlo Park, California, firm in 1996 and sits on the board of some 10 companies.

Amber Laurel Baptiste filed a lawsuit March 8 in San Mateo County Superior Court, claiming Goguen abused her "sexually, physically and emotionally for over 13 years."

The lawsuit alleges that Goguen signed a contract agreeing to pay Baptiste $40 million in compensation but paid only $10 million.

In a cross-complaint filed Monday, Goguen's attorneys described a consensual relationship between Goguen and Baptiste and denied that Goguen abused the woman.

A devastating fire ripped through a home on George Street in Bristol Monday, leaving a family of four with nothing. Now the mother who escaped the flames is thanking the community for the support during the aftermath.

Megan Gauthier was the only one home when the fire broke out Monday morning.

“I rolled over and I just saw big orange flames,” Gauthier said. “There was thick black smoke and the flames shattered the living room windows.”

The escape was nearly impossible for the mother of two and their family dog, Bingo.

“If it was 30 more seconds that I woke up, we would not have gotten out of there. There would have been no way to get out,” Gauthier said.

Once they got out, the reality started to set in for the family of four now living in a hotel room.

Gauthier has two sons under the age of 8, including one with autism.

“Stuff for him, it just doubles the expenses,” she said.

They are expenses the family cannot cover because they did not have renter’s insurance. A family member saw the need and set up a GoFundMe page. More than $4,000 was raised in 24 hours and the support doesn’t end there.

“At my school they are going to be starting a clothes drive and toy drive for us,” her son Noah Gauthier said.

It will take a while to replace everything that burned and the cause of the fire is under investigation, but the family is grateful to have the help they need to move on.

“I can’t say enough thank yous,” Gauthier said. “There aren’t words to explain the gratitude that I feel and I will never be able to thank people enough.”

Click here to donate to the Gauthier family.
 

Months after the fatal police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald put Chicago in national headlines, the prosecutor under fire for the handling of the case lost her re-election bid.

Embattled incumbent Anita Alvarez was defeated during Tuesday's primary by former Assistant State’s Attorney Kim Foxx for the Democratic nomination for Cook County State’s Attorney.

Foxx beat out Alvarez and former state and federal prosecutor Donna More for the nomination.

"I want to be absolutely clear in all of the jubilance about what’s happening that this race is not so much just about saying goodbye, it’s about turning a page," Foxx told supporters on Tuesday. "I understand the excitement but let us not get lost in the gravity in the work that’s ahead of us."

"The work that we have to do is going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach," she said, "and it is one that I am honored and humbled to be tasked with taking on."

Alvarez called Foxx to concede the Democratic nomination just before 9 p.m., according to Alvarez's campaign.

"The people of Cook County have chosen another person to serve as their state’s attorney," Alvarez said, "but we find ourselves here in this country, not just here in Cook County but in the entire country, in a great climate of change and reform in the criminal justice system. I’m extremely proud of the work that I have done."

Alvarez said she assured Foxx during her concession phone call that there will be a smooth transition.

"We hoped that the results would have been different, but I just want to say that I am proud to stand up here as your state’s attorney and I am very, very proud of the work that I have done in this job."

The shooting of McDonald by Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke in 2014 has in large part defined the race for Cook County State’s Attorney. Van Dyke was not charged with McDonald’s murder until November of 2015 when dash-cam footage of the incident was made public as a result of a Freedom of Information Act request.

Foxx used the case to challenge Alvarez in campaign ads and the handling of Cook County’s juvenile justice system.

“This current state’s attorney’s executive leadership has been an unequivocal failure,” she said.

Foxx received high-profile endorsements from the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times in the lead-up to the Democratic primary.

Foxx is a Chicago native, raised in the Cabrini-Green housing projects. She served as an assistant state’s attorney for Cook County for 12 years.

More recently, she served as chief of staff for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. During her tenure under Preckwinkle, Foxx was the lead architect of the criminal justice reform agenda which deals with racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

Foxx will face Christopher Pfannkuche in the Nov. 8 general election.

Police are looking for the man who robbed a Cumberland Farms gas station in Cromwell early Wednesday morning.

Police responded to the gas station at 38 Berlin Road around 1:30 a.m. after a robbery was reported and the employee said the robber demanded cash from the register. Thinking the robber had a weapon, the employee complied.

The robber tried to conceal his face with what appeared to be a white plastic bag, police said.

He has a medium build, weighs between 190 and 215 pounds, stands 5-feet-7 to 5-feet-9 and was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and dark pants, according to a news release from police.

No injuries are reported.

Cromwell police are investigating and ask anyone who was in the area around this time and saw anything or has more information to call the Cromwell Police Department, 860-635-2256.
 

Firefighters have responded to a fire at the former Del Rio Restaurant in Thompson.

Officials said the fire broke out overnight at 274 Riverside Drive.

No injuries are reported and officials said the bulk of fire is knocked down.

Route 12 was closed, but has since reopened.

Firefighters responded to two fires in New Britain early Wednesday morning.

There was a one-alarm fire at 6 Mill Street and another fire at 5 Kimball Drive.

The Mill Street fire broke out just after 2 a.m. and no injuries were reported. It’s not clear whether the house was occupied.

No additional information was available on the Kimball Drive fire.
 

Gov. Dannel Malloy will be announcing an administrative appointment on Wednesday morning.

No information was immediately available, but the announcement is coming at 11 a.m.

Malloy is making the announcement in the Old Judiciary Room of the State Capitol in Hartford.

Watch the news conference live on NBCConnecticut.com.

More than 12 million people were under flood warnings across the South early Wednesday as the region struggled to recover from a week of deadly thunderstorms, NBC News reported.

Rivers were still rising in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi, with 15 river gauges showing major flooding and a further 26 showing moderate flooding.

Although the worst of the rain stopped on Monday, the crest — or highest point — of several swollen rivers now has to move downstream to the sea.

When the flooding finally subsides depends on the severity and location of several lingering, scattered thunderstorms are forecast for the coming days. 

A break from the gloomy March weather will make for a nice day today, though showers arrive tonight and thunderstorms are possible tomorrow.

High temperatures will be in the lower 60s.

Rain showers move in this evening and last into the night. So, well timed in that they don't impact the daylight hours.

Tomorrow turns out dry from the morning commute through lunch time, then scattered thunderstorms are expected in the afternoon and evening.

Gusty winds will accompany the threat for storms. Temperatures will be in the lower and middle 60s.

Friday features everything from rain showers to snow showers and thunder. Temperatures will only be near 50.

Splendid weather arrives Saturday as high pressure builds in. The sky should be cloud-free, though highs will only be in the lower 40s.

The dry weather sticks around Sunday, though clouds increase as an ocean storm gains strength to the south.

First Alert forecasters continue to track the threat for a storm Sunday night into Monday, but recent trends have been farther south and east.

At this point, a miss or a glancing blow is increasingly possible.

Belgian officials on Wednesday identified the man shot dead during a raid linked to the Paris terror attacks, saying that an ISIS flag and extremist manual were found in the operation.

Belkaid Mohammed, 35, was killed by a police sniper in the joint Belgian-French raid Tuesday in the Brussels neighborhood of Forest. Two other people targeted in the raid were still on the run.

The Algerian suspect had been living illegally in Belgium and was not previously known to authorities except for a case of theft in 2014, according to the prosecutors' statement.

A police source told NBC News on Tuesday that the targets of the raid were people connected to those already charged in relation to Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris.

There are heavy delays on Route 9 South from Cromwell to the Berlin Turnpike exit after a crash near exit 20.

One lane is getting by.