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Fatal Stabbing of Simsbury Woman Unsolved 2 Years Later

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Two years have passed Melissa Millan, a 54-year-old mother and insurance company executive, was stabbed and killed while jogging on Iron Horse Boulevard on Nov. 20, 2014 and the case remains unsolved.

Someone found Millan in the road around 8 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2014 and she was rushed to Saint Francis Hospital, where she died a short time later, according to police.

Police initially thought she might have been killed in a hit-and-run, but the medical examiner determined that she died of a stab wound to the chest.

She had been jogging somewhere between Phelps Lane and Pent Road when she was stabbed on the busy street that includes a heavily used bike trail, several restaurants and the Performing Arts Center at Simsbury Meadows. 

In June 2015, a $40,000 reward was offered for tips that led to an arrest and conviction, but there has been no arrest.

Two years after the slaying, a memorial with a photo, a pumpkin, mementoes and more marks the site where Millan was stabbed.

Bob Knight, who knew Millan and her parents, said last year he believes Millan's death might be tied to her work as an investigator for the insurance company.

But police have not nothing to indicate Millan's job had anything to do with her death.

Local police continue to investigate on a daily basis, interview people and take tips and calls.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has also been involved in looking into the case.


How Trump's Business Presents Conflicts of Interest

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Amid reports that diplomats are staying at President-elect Donald Trump's newly opened hotel in Washington, D.C., to curry favor, commentators are warning of potential conflicts of interest over Trump's business empire, NBC News reports.

The impression that Trump could be mixing business with politics recalls his criticism of Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation, which he alleged gave access and special favors to donors.

Now, the conservative Wall Street Journal editorial page is recommending that Trump liquidate his stake in his company to avoid any possible problems.

Soon-to-be Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said on Meet the Press that potential conflicts were being evaluated and that the White House Counsel's office would be involved with any decisions.



Photo Credit: AP

Hartford Police Arrest Bloomfield Man on Gun Charges

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Hartford police arrested a previously convicted felon on gun charges Saturday.

Officers responded to a call about a person with a gun on Franklin Avenue around 1:24 a.m. The suspect, later identified as Arcenio Dunker, 27, of Bloomfield, tried to flee the officers when they arrived.

Police said the officers gave verbal commands to stop but that Dunker ran off. When police pursued, Dunker eventually threw the gun to the ground and approached officers with his hands up.

A search of the area turned up a 9mm TGI pistol with four live rounds inside.

Dunker was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, possession of a pistol without a permit, and criminal possession of a firearm.



Photo Credit: Hartford Police Department

Possible Gas Leak Closes Day Street in Newington

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Day Street in Newington is closed after a possible gas leak, according to police.

The incident is in the area of 136 Day St. and firefighters are at the scene.

No additional information was immediately available.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Dry for Thanksgiving Travel Wednesday

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After more than a foot of snow in Norfolk and other parts of northwest Connecticut, improving weather is expected over the next two days.

While some snow showers will linger this evening, they will end overnight.

There's still a good amount of clouds on Tuesday with a northwest flow, but sunshine will take on a greater role tomorrow. Temperatures will rise to near 40 degrees.

Wednesday should be the brightest of the week, as a sliver of high pressure will be overhead. Temperatures will be in the middle 40s.

Rain and snow showers are expected on Thanksgiving morning, so a few slippery spots are possible.

Friday will be mostly cloudy, and rain showers are possible by Saturday as temperatures rise into the upper 40s.

The pick of the weekend appears to be Sunday, with mostly sunny skies. Highs will be in the upper 40s.

Woman Dragged by the Neck Behind Car in Germany

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A woman was seriously injured after being dragged by her neck through the German town of Hamelin Sunday, NBC News reported.

A 38-year-old suspect turned himself in at a police station around the same time the woman, 28, was found on a sidewalk, according to a police statement issued Monday.

The woman was airlifted to a medical center near the northwest German town, according to the police. She had been tied by the neck to the trailer-hook of the car.

The suspect allegedly admitted to the crime, but didn't give a motive.



Photo Credit: Police handout

A Look at Recent Killings of US Law Enforcement Officers

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Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Man Suspected of Sexually Assaulting 4-Year-Old in Florida

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Connecticut state police have taken a man into custody who is accused of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old child in Florida.

The Altamonte Springs Police Department in Florida reached out to state police on Saturday because they were looking for 28-year-old Blair Thompson and believed he was staying in Mansfield.

Troopers spent the weekend following various leads and conducting surveillance and took Thompson into custody, according to state police.

He was transported to Troop C and is being held on $500,000 bond.

State police said they are coordinating extradition with authorities in Florida.



Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police

Seen in Trump's Orbit: Rick Perry, Scott Brown

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Manhattan's Trump Tower in New York City and Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, have both become political hot spots, as mayors, senators and advisers meet with President-elect Donald Trump during his transition period.

Photo Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Heritage Turkey Is Making a Comeback

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The turkey grandma is serving at Thanksgiving probably looks — and tastes — far different from what she remembers from her childhood.

But heritage breed turkeys like the Narragansett, which industrial livestock brought to the brink of extinction, are making a comeback, NBC News reports.

They're smaller, leaner, free range, more expensive and can be more challenging to cook, but Anna Dinn of Hamtramck, Michigan, is one of many who has found that the taste and tradition of heritage turkeys made cooking one worth it.

There are over 15,000 heritage turkeys gobbling across the United States, according to the Livestock Conservancy, a 1000 percent boost since 1997, when they were nearly extinct. Of course, commercial farms produce about 280 million each year in North America.



Photo Credit: Jeannette Beranger / The Livestock Conservancy

Cop Impersonator Tries Arresting Hamden Man: Police

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A man who was allegedly impersonating a police officer pulled over a Hamden resident and tried arresting him, police said. 

In October, the 24-year-old resident told Hamden police that he was driving on Evergreen Avenue at 1 a.m. when another car started "tailgating and flashing high beams" at him, according to police.

The car followed the resident to Cannon Street and a man identifying himself as an off-duty officer exited the vehicle, Hamden police said. 

After a brief verbal altercation, the alleged cop left Cannon Street and then came back, banging on the resident's door. When the victim answered the door, the suspect was now dressed in a police officer uniform, including a badge, police said. 

The suspect said that he was instructed by his supervisor to arrested the victim before getting in another verbal altercation and leaving the property, according to Hamden Police. 

On Nov. 18, police arrested Nicholas Ferrucci, of North Haven, on a warrant alleging that the 23-year-old had impersonated a cop a month earlier.

Ferrucci was charged with impersonating a police officer, carrying a dangerous weapon and breach of peace. His bond was set at $20,000 and is expected to appear in court on Dec. 2.



Photo Credit: Hamden Police

Earthquake Strikes Off Fukushima in Japan

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An earthquake with preliminary magnitude of 7.3 struck Tuesday off the coast of Fukushima prefecture in Japan. A tsunami warning for waves of up to 10 feet was issued.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says the quake struck around 6 a.m at a depth of 6 miles. It warned people along the coast to move to higher ground.

The earthquake shook buildings in Tokyo, 150 miles southwest of the epicenter.

Fukushima prefecture is home to the nuclear power plant that was destroyed by a huge tsunami following an offshore earthquake in 2011.

The operator of the plant said there were no abnormalities observed at the plant, Japanese public broadcaster NHK said.

NHK urged people to flee the coast immediately, reminding them of the devastating 2011 quake that killed about 18,000 people.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the magnitude at 6.9.

The National Weather Service issued the following tweet regarding tsunami risks for areas along the west coast of the U.S. and Canada:

This developing story will be updated.


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Trump Auditions Cabinet Prospects High Above Manhattan

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Donald Trump held court from his perch high above Manhattan on Monday, receiving a line of former rivals, longtime allies and TV executives while overseeing a presidential transition that at times resembles a reality show like the one he once hosted.

Trump met with nearly a dozen prospective hires, all of whom who were paraded in front of the cameras set up in the Trump Tower lobby as they entered an elevator to see the president-elect. Out of public view himself, he fell back on his TV star roots by filming a video that touted his legislative goals once he takes office.

Trump did not immediately announce any appointments after the meetings, which came on the heels of a two-day whirlwind of interviews at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Unlike his predecessors, who often spoke with Cabinet candidates under a cloud of secrecy, Trump has turned the search into a very public audition process. The extraordinary exercise took on a routine feel on Monday: First, former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown stepped off the gold-plated elevator into the marble-coated lobby after his meeting to declare to waiting reporters that he was "the best person" to become Veterans Affairs secretary.

Next, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, a candidate for Interior secretary, did much the same, striding off the lift to say she had "a wonderful discussion" with Trump. Former Texas Governor Rick Perry declined to speak to reporters, but he did take time for a photo with the Naked Cowboy, the underwear-sporting, guitar-strumming New York institution who is normally a fixture at Times Square but has spent recent days camped out at Trump Tower singing about the president-elect.

Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned her post on the Democratic National Committee after endorsing Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton, also met with Trump but entered and exited out of sight. She later defended crossing party lines to meet with Trump about U.S. involvement in Syria, saying in a statement she would never "play politics with American and Syrian lives."

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a longtime Trump ally, was also expected to meet with him on Monday.

Senior adviser Kellyanne Conway said of the visitors, "Not all of them will be in his Cabinet and his federal government, but they are all incredibly important in offering their points of views, their experience and certainly their vision of the country."

No one was saying whether Trump would announce more appointments before heading to Florida for Thanksgiving. He was planning to leave Tuesday or Wednesday to spend the holiday at his Mar-a-Lago estate, while Vice president-elect Mike Pence will spend Thanksgiving in Mississippi, where his Marine son is stationed.

Trump has largely remained out of sight since winning the election, save for a flurry of brief public appearances over the weekend, often with Pence at his side, to flash thumbs-ups and provide quick updates on his progress in building a government. He remained in the upper floors of his skyscraper Monday, seeking counsel on the phone and interviewing candidates all while keeping an eye on the cable news coverage of the day's events.

The video he made, expected to be released late Monday, continues the president-elect's practice of trying to go over the heads of the media and take his case directly to the American public. Since Election Day, he has twice ditched the group of reporters designated to follow his movements and has so far eschewed the traditional news conference held by the president-elect in the days after winning.

Trump has not held a full-fledged news conference since July.

But the media were clearly on his mind as he met with executives and on-air personalities from TV networks. He frequently singled out the media — declaring them "so dishonest" — for criticism during the campaign, but it's not unusual for presidents to hold off-the-record meetings with journalists when trying to promote policies or programs.

Among the attendees were NBC anchor Lester Holt and "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd, ABC "Good Morning America" host George Stephanopoulos and anchor David Muir, CBS "Face the Nation" host John Dickerson, CNN's Wolf Blitzer and several executives at the networks.

None of the attendees would discuss the meeting with reporters in the lobby, though Conway said it was "very cordial, very productive, very congenial."

Those Trump met with over the weekend included former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a former critic now being considered for secretary of state; retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, who Trump dubbed an "impressive" prospect for defense secretary, and billionaire investor Wilbur Ross, who is under consideration for Commerce secretary.

"We've made a couple of deals," Trump said Sunday. He gave assurances that "incredible meetings" would be bringing "incredible people" into the government.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Gold Star Bridge Reopens in New London

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Both sides on Interstate 95 were closed for around a hour in New London near the Gold Star Bridge because of icy conditions and several crashes, but traffic is moving on the highway again.

State police said several accidents due to icy conditions prompted the closure this morning.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Retailer Pays Up for Damage Caused During Installation

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A Tolland woman turned to NBC Connecticut Responds for help after waiting more than six months for her complaint to be resolved.

Denise Vannoy bought a new washing machine from Best Buy in March. She paid for a Best Buy to deliver and install it and haul away the old machine.

The new washer was actually delivered and installed by a third party contractor. Vannoy said they hooked it up and started a wash cycle before leaving.

"So they had some quick cycle going and five minutes after they left I started hearing all these alarms going off. And basically the hot water wasn't coming out," she said.

Vannoy said she discovered the hot water valve was broken. She called Best Buy right away and a team from the store’s Geek Squad came to take a look at the damage.

Vannoy said the technicians were able to hook the hot water line up to the sink in her laundry room so she would be able to use the washing machine until the valve was fixed. For that, they said she would have to hire a plumber to fix the valve. They estimated it would cost around $250 and assured her Best Buy would reimburse her.

Vannoy said the fix was more complicated than she expected. The plumber’s bill came to $500.

“So they had to cut into the wall and cut the pipes, replace the pipes, replace the box and valves," she said.

Vannoy was contacted by an insurance company representing Best Buy about her claim.

“They were just like, ‘oh fill out this paperwork, do this, do that, do this.’ And I’m like, you know, I purchased this through Best Buy. I don’t feel like as a consumer that I should be doing all that. I feel like Best Buy should handle it,” she said.

Vannoy said she was asked for the same information each time she spoke to someone about her claim.

“It’s like telling the same story over and over again and I’m just done with that,” she said.

So Vannoy decided to see if NBC Connecticut Responds would have better luck than she did.

After we contacted Best Buy, Vannoy received another call from the insurance company, asking for the same information. So we circled back to the retailer.

A few weeks later, Vannoy received a check for $500 along with a $100 Best Buy gift card.

A Best Buy spokesperson told NBC Connecticut, “The bottom line is that we didn't take care of this customer the way we should have and we are very sorry."



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

No Injuries Reported in Suffield Apartment Fire

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One person is displaced after a fire at an apartment complex in Suffield early Tuesday morning.

Suffield fire officials said they were called to an apartment complex on Harmon Drive around 1:15 a.m. The resident of the apartment heard the fire alarms and escaped unharmed.

Firefighters evacuated 18 people who live in nearby apartments as a precaution. The fire was quickly extinguished.

Fire officials believe the fire started in the basement of apartment 56 and spread to the first floor.

The resident of the apartment where the fire started is temporarily displaced. Everyone else was allowed to return to their homes.

East Granby fire and Windsor Locks fire also responded mutual aid.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Prominent Sanders Supporter Holds 'Positive' Trump Meeting

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Hawaii Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard characterized her meeting with president-elect Donald Trump on Monday as a "frank and positive" conversation, NBC News reported.

Hawaii was Trump's single worst state (he got only 29 percent of the vote).

Gabbard, who has often challenged President Barack Obama on national security and supported Bernie Sanders' presidential candidacy, said she discussed Syria and other foreign policy issues with Trump.

Gabbard, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, also said she and Trump discussed legislation that she is pushing that would end what she described as "our country's illegal war to overthrow the Syrian government."

Sanders embraced Gabbard and she became an effective surrogate for his campaign, appearing in a Sanders ad that featured her surfing and discussing the cost of war.



Photo Credit: AP

Developer Eyes Old Stanley Buildings for Technology Park

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A Farmington firm is looking to invest in the redesign of a Stanley Black and Decker factory and build a data center, powered by fuel cells.

“We’ve been talking about this project for the better part of eight or nine years," said Tim Stewart of the project with Thunderbird CHP.

Stewart is New Britain's former mayor and currently works for the New Britain Chamber of Commerce.

Thunderbird and Stanley confirmed the preliminary details of the project to NBC Connecticut.

A spokesperson for Stanley said the plan would be for Thunderbird to lease space owned by the Fortune 500 company.

The building that would be the catalyst for the project is a former metal stamping factory that's been vacant for years but remains in Stanley's portfolio.

The fuel cell and data center project, Stewart says, makes sense because there is already a fiber line directly below the site, and New Britain's location.

“We sit in a hub that is exactly in between Boston and New York and you know financial centers abound in both of these places and this is I think a great place to locate,” he said.

The project recently hit a speed bump when it wasn't selected for a grant from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Stewart says that funding was not a make or break for the project.

“They’re still on track and they’re still moving forward but that was just a bump in the road.”



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Lay's Potato Chip Truck Crashes into Danielson Business

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A Lay's Potato Chip truck crashed into a welding shop next to a martial arts school in Danielson on Tuesday morning and remained there for hours until crews were able to safely remove it from the building.

State police said the truck driver lost control around 4:45 a.m. and crashed into the building that houses the welding shop, which is next to a separate building that houses Danielson Martial Arts Academy at 30 Wauregan Road and classes will likely be canceled for a week.

A pickup parked in the parking lot was also damaged. 

Daryl Laperle, the owner of Danielson Martial Arts Academy, said the his father called him around 5 a.m. to tell him a truck crashed into the school. 

“They sent me pictures before, but I was half asleep. And then when I finally saw it in person, I was kind of shocked,” he said.

 A backhoe inside the building was able to stop the truck from going further inside, according to the family that owns the building.

“Thankfully, my nephew put it in there last night and that’s probably what saved the karate school,” Laperle said. 

Crews had to turn off the gas because the proximity of the crash to the gas line. 

"They’re pretty sure the building is going to collapse and there’s a gas line right there, so we’re kind of concerned about that. Hopefully we don’t lose the karate school. Hopefully they can figure it out,” Laperle said. 

The driver, identified as Robert Morano, 40, of Jewett City, was taken to a William Backus Hospital to be evaluated as a precaution, but police said he person was not injured.

The extent of the damage to the building is not yet known, but Laperle said they had to cancel martial arts classes, probably for the rest of the week.

“The problem is the gas, the heat and all the electricity are run through the wielding shop, so we have nothing in the karate school right at the moment,” he said. 

The truck was removed on Tuesday afternoon.

The cargo the truck was carrying will have to be destroyed to ensure it is not used for consumption, according to the Department of Consumer Protection.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Obama Presents Presidential Medals of Freedom

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Saying they had touched him in a powerful and personal way, President Barack Obama awarded the nation's highest civilian honor to 21 groundbreaking actors, musicians, athletes and others during a ceremony Tuesday at the White House.

"These are folks who have helped make me who I am," Obama said as the celebration concluded in the White House East Room.

Among those getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom were actors Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Robert Redford and Cicely Tyson.

Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, two of the best basketball players ever, were also among the honorees.

Bruce Springsteen and Diana Ross were recognized for their music.

Other honorees included philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates, comedian Ellen DeGeneres and broadcaster Vin Scully.

Obama said the people receiving the medal helped push America forward and inspired millions around the world.

The award recognizes especially meritorious contributions to the national interests of the United States, to its culture, or to other significant endeavors.

Posthumous honors went to Native American advocate Elouise Cobell and Rear Adm. Grace Hopper.

Others receiving the award included: Richard Garwin, an inventor and polymath physicist who made pioneering contributions to the nation's defense; Frank Gehry, one of the world's leading architects; Margaret H. Hamilton, a mathematician and computer scientist; Maya Lin, the designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial; Lorne Michaels, producer of "Saturday Night Live"; Newton Minow, a former Federal Communications Commission chairman devoted to numerous public and charitable causes; and Eduardo Padron, president of Miami Dade College.



Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images
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