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Bomb Threat Called into Cromwell Shop & Stop Unfounded

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Customers and workers inside a Cromwell Stop & Shop were forced to evacuate, the stores district manager said. 

A bomb threat was made toward the grocery store located on 195 West Street but police determined it was a false alarm, a spokeswoman for Stop & Shop told NBC Connecticut. 

The store was closed for about half an hour before shoppers and employees were allowed back in the building. 

No other details were immediately available. 



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Russia Eyes Sending Snowden to U.S. as ‘Gift’: Official

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U.S. intelligence has collected information that Russia is considering turning over Edward Snowden as a "gift" to President Donald Trump — who has called the NSA leaker a "spy" and a "traitor" who deserves to be executed.

That's according to a senior U.S. official who has analyzed a series of highly sensitive intelligence reports detailing Russian deliberations and who says a Snowden handover is one of various ploys to "curry favor" with Trump.

Snowden's ACLU lawyer, Ben Wizner, told NBC News they are unaware of any plans that would send him back to the United States.

The White House had no comment, but the Justice Department told NBC News it would welcome the return of Snowden, who currently faces federal charges that carry a minimum of 30 years in prison. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said talk about returning Snowden is "nonsense."

Snowden's Russian lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, told the state-run news agency last month that his client would like to return to the United States — with no criminal charges hanging over his head.



Photo Credit: AP

Report Says HPSD Failed to Respond to Child Abuse Complaints

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A state report has found Hartford public schools failed to adequately respond to child abuse and neglect allegations over nearly a decade. 

Connecticut Child Advocate (OCA) Sarah Eagan said Friday that her office's nine-month review revealed district officials didn't follow protocols for reporting potential abuse and neglect, as mandated by state and federal law and the school district's own reporting policies. 

The report outlines the fact employees repeatedly accused of misconduct were often allowed to remain on the job for months or even years, including former administrator Eduardo Genao. He was forced to resign and arrested by Hartford police for felony risk of injury to a minor back in the Spring of last year. That is when a young girl’s mother from New York State discovered explicit text messages from Genao to her daughter Genao pleaded not guilty in court.

The 76-page report outlines questions surrounding how the situation was handled.

OCA also criticized both school officials and a community advocate for not reporting to Department of Children and Families (DCF) properly.

"School district for much of the previous decade did not regularly review or update its mandated reporting policies as legally required. Training of reporters was inadequate and often not documented. Mandated reporters sometimes failed to make reports that certain employees had abused or neglected a child," Egan told NBC Connecticut.

Acting Hartford Superintendent Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez told NBC Connecticut, "I am saddened, disappointed and I am angered by the findings in this report. As a leader I am committed to creating a culture in our district of high expectations."

The report was commissioned by Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, after Eduardo Genao’s arrest. He said parents have every right to be angry and the aftermath of the report demands an immediate and aggressive response and dramatic culture chance and a whole new level of accountability and expectation of Hartford Public Schools.

"What it reveals is a decade long failure of policies procedures and practice to adequately protect children in HPD it demonstrates an outrageous and unacceptable level of dysfunction and lack of policy," Bronin said. 

The OCA report also revealed Genao had a history of "grooming" like behavior dating back almost ten years involving Hartford students. 

Ultimately, DCF found Genao had questionable contact with at least one student, who the OCA said tried to tell school officials. Apparently she had said Genao made her uncomfortable and she didn't want to be alone with him.

"She told a lot of people, that was her avenue of seeking help. And a lot of adults gave her advice. How to get the principal to stop texting her, or take her off the list and one person said you should tell someone in authority, and was telling someone in authority," Egan said.

Genao continued to be promoted and moved laterally within the district when concerns came up. The report also said there are other employees with mandated reporting concerns who are being carefully reviewed. 

"With child abuse, suspected abuse, if we know that people know and have not acted they will be held accountable up to and including termination," Torres-Rodriguez said. 

According to Eagan, key findings from the report—developed after a thorough review of district and child welfare records, as well as interviews with a number of individuals with knowledge of district practices, include:

1) The school district did not regularly review and update its mandated reporting policy as legally required.

2) Training of mandated reporters was inadequate.

3) Mandated reporters sometimes failed to make reports concerning suspicion that school employees have neglected or abused a child.

4) DCF did not have a system in place to efficiently document, track and address either the failure to make mandated reports or delays in mandated reporting.

5) School employees who engaged in misconduct were not effectively held accountable.

6) There exists a special vulnerability for children with disabilities to possible abuse or neglect.



Photo Credit: Hartford Police

West Hartford Parents Welcome Newborn During Blizzard

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While the town of West Hartford faced a heavy snowstorm on Thursday, residents Jessica Hamilton and Cruger Dunn-Flanagan had something else on their minds: their newborn daughter. 

Hamilton and Dunn-Flanagan welcomed Charlotte Flanagan into their family on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 3:25 p.m. Charlotte embraced her parent’s warmth at Hartford Hospital during the midst of the blizzard.

West Hartford accumulated up to 16 inches of snow—only a few more inches than baby Charlotte herself, who was born at 21 inches and 9 lbs.

“While the snow was billowing and the thunder was crashing, we found the calm in the storm as we welcomed our beautiful daughter Charlotte into our lives,” said Jessica Hamilton.  

Toy Wands Sold at Disney Shows Recalled Over Injury Hazard

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Feld Entertainment is recalling more than 30,000 light-spinner wands sold exclusivly at Disney on Ice and Disney Live shows due to an injury hazard.

The wands feature either a Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse at the top and measures about 18 inches tall. The Mickey Mouse wands are yellow, red and black. The Minnie Mouse wands are pink, white and blue.

The top component of the light-spinner toy wands can detach and expose an eight-inch metal rod, posing an injury hazard to young children, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. No injuries have been reported.

Consumers should immeditaley stop using the recalled wands and contact Feld Entertainment at 800-755-1530 or 703-448-3683 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday to receive a full refund. 

They were sold for about $22 at Disney on Ice and Disney Live shows from October 2016 through November 2016.

See the full list of shows below:

Show

Location

Dates

Disney Live

Buffalo, N.Y.

October 23, 2016

Allentown, Pa.

October 27-28, 2016

Erie, Pa.

October 21, 2016

Hershey, Pa.

October 22, 2016

Pittsburgh, Pa.

October 14, 2016

Reading, Pa.

October 30, 2016

Wilkes Barre, Pa.

October 29, 2016

Charleston, W.Va.

October 15, 2016

Wheeling, W.Va.

October 16, 2016

Disney On Ice

Baltimore, Md.

October 27-30, 2016

Fairfax, Va.

October 19-23, 2016

Knoxville, Tenn.

November 2-6, 2016

Worcester, Mass.

November 2-6, 2016

Salt Lake City, Utah

November 10-13, 2016



Photo Credit: Consumer Product Safety Commission

New Haven Residents Report Snow Issues On SeeClickFix

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Some residents in New Haven are turning to SeeClickFix as a way to report problems with the snow clean-up. 

Unplowed streets, blocked sidewalks, and neighbors not obeying the citywide residential parking ban are some of the issues that have been reported on the digital communications platform.

“It’s been really busy,” SeeClickFix Impact Manager Caroline Smith said, “it always peaks during snow season.”

On Nash Street in New Haven, not everyone followed the city’s parking ban rules of only parking on the even side of the street. That was the focus of one of the nearly 30 snow-related issues reported on SeeClickFix since Thursday’s winter storm.

Most of the cars on Bishop Street did park on the right side of the road, but now they are blocked in by more snow from the plows.

“Wouldn’t it make a whole lot more sense (for two-way streets such as ours) for plows to push the snow toward the odd side of the street?” someone posted on SeeClickFix Friday morning.

Shawn Hopkinson has been out in the New Haven area shoveling for friends and clients since the height of the storm.

“As long as they’re actually doing something with that information and it’s not just going to an email and being deleted or not looked at, but if it’s something they’re actively using to address problems and fix them I think it’s a great idea for residents to be able to report it,” Hopkinson said.

Someone reported on SeeClickFix that Prospect Avenue by the Main Street Annex in New Haven had not been plowed and was not accessible to emergency vehicles, but by 2:15 pm the street had been cleared.

“Looking on the site today, it looked like about 30 issues have been reported and 21 of those thus far have been acknowledged,” Smith said, “which means that city in some way has indicated to the citizen hey, we’re on it.”

City of New Haven spokesman Laurence Grotheer said he encourages residents to use SeeClickFix, adding it is helpful directing city departments to address neighborhood concerns.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

One Dead In West Haven Shooting

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One person has died after a shooting in West Haven Saturday morning.

Police were called to the area of Captain Thomas Blvd. and Campbell Ave. for a report of a fight and exchanging of gun fire. 

When officers arrived, they discovered one male victim, approximately 20-30 years of age, deceased from gunshot wounds.

Detectives and police officers are interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence.

Another Significant Winter Storm Moves in Tomorrow

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Another significant winter storm will impact Connecticut tomorrow into early Monday morning. 

NBC Connecticut Meteorologists have issued two First Alert's for storms that will impact the state tomorrow and on Wednesday. 

Snow and sleet will move into the state during the mid to late morning hours tomorrow. Snow will come down heavy at times. A wintry mix will occur for areas of southern Connecticut while the northern half of the state will be primarily snow. 

Winter Storm Watches have been posted for the northern Connecticut counties while Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for the southern counties. 

We are forecasting anywhere from 6 to 12 inches for the Litchfield and Tolland hills and as little as 1 to 3 inches for areas of southern Connecticut. 

The snow, sleet, and rain will wrap up early Monday morning. This will likely lead to once again more school cancellations and delays. Click here for the latest list of cancellations and delays.


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Three Potential Fixes to the Travel Ban Order: Analysis

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President Donald Trump confirmed Friday that he and his staff are planning to issue a new executive order on immigration after an appeals court refused to reinstate his controversial executive order banning nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S.

As NBC News reports, there appear to be three ways the White House could tweak the order so as to eliminate some of the challengers' arguments while maintaining the thrust of the policy. 

Could a new executive order tackle all the open legal issues and end the legal challenges? The big question may be whether the White House will decide to refine the order as it continues to wage a defense in court.



Photo Credit: Andrew Harrer, Getty Images (Pool)

More Patriots Stars Boycott Visit to Trump White House

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Six New England Patriots players have a message for the Trump White House: We're just not that into you, NBC News reported.

Since the team won an historic fifth Super Bowl with a stunning come-from-behind victory over the Atlanta Falcons in overtime on February 5th, a growing number of players on the team have told the press that they would turn down an invite to commemorate their victory at the White House.

On Thursday, running back LeGarrette Blount and defensive lineman Alan Branch said during separate interviews they would not make the trip. Defensive end Chris Long tweeted the same.

Martellus Bennett, Devin McCourty and Dont’a Hightower had previously said they would not attend.

And while some have not explicitly cited President Donald Trump and his policies as the reason — some have — and the number of players planning to boycott a future photo-op is unprecedented compared to years past.

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Photo Credit: AP

State Prepares for Round 3 of Winter Weather

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Saturday morning residents across the state were cleaning up from two rounds of winter weather and preparing for a third - and possibly a fourth. 

The NBC Connecticut meteorologists have issued two First Alerts – one for a storm expected to hit the state Sunday and another for Wednesday. 

These storms come on the heels of a blizzard that dumped over a foot of snow on most of the state Thursday and another squall that left a dusting of the white stuff Friday night.

The crew at from Landscapes Unlimited in Southington was busy Saturday cleaning up the leftovers from Thursday’s storm and the added layer Friday. They were also prepping roads for the next round – which means ice melt and salt.

“It’s more important than plowing I feel. As long as cars get traction, it doesn’t matter how much snow is on the ground. It’s just once that snow compresses and it forms ice and that brine is not there to prevent that, it just becomes a sheet of white ice,” said Jeff Krupinski of Landscapes Unlimited.

In Enfield, people headed to the grocery store to get their errands done after being cooped up Thursday and digging out Friday. The threat of a storm is always good for the grocery business, but the actual storm forced ShopRite to close Thursday.

With another hit on the way, most people were trying to get the errands done fast and spend some time out of the house.

“I have two little boys, nine-years-old, and we’ve been going through a lot of crafts, and a lot of activities. So, we’re ready to get some outside time in,” said Alexander Clines of Hamden, Mass.

In Enfield and inch and a half of snow fell overnight Friday, adding to the 17 inches that piled up Thursday.

Jane Crafts of Vernon said she cleared the snow three times that day. She traded in her shovel for a shopping cart, today.

“It’s not as bad as we normally have and it just seems like we’re getting it all at the same time,” Crafts said.

The repeated hits aren’t doing any favors for the highway crews, who were still working to get streets clear and prep spaces for more snow.

“We’re trying to get the streets opened up curb to curb to make room for the snow,” said Ken Boulette, the Enfield highway crew leader.

Another issue comes with round three. The storms took a toll on equipment and now mechanics are rushing to fix everything up in time for another bout, making for long days for public works crews.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

National Zoo Reveals Date Panda Bao Bao Will Leave for China

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We always knew this day would come, but that doesn't make it any easier.

The National Zoo revealed Monday that Bao Bao, its 3-year-old giant panda, will move to China Feb. 21.

The zoo announced farewell celebrations for Bao Bao back in January, but this is the first time it's announced her official travel date.

Commence crying... now.

Bao Bao is moving to China to enter the the country's panda breeding program, the National Zoo has said. All panda cubs born at the zoo must move to China before they turn 4.

Bao Bao won't turn 4 until August, but the zoo has said it's better for pandas to travel in the winter months when it's cool. A team will travel with Bao Bao to ensure she's comfortable throughout the trip. 

Bao Bao's older brother, Tai Shan, moved to a Chinese breeding center in February 2010 -- with the aid of none other than FedEx. Tai Shan was carefully placed on the back of a FedEx truck and driven to Dulles International Airport, where he was shipped via a FedEx 777.

Bao Bao and Tai Shan's late grandfather, Pan Pan, was the Chinese breeding program's superstar. He fathered at least 32 cubs, and can count among his descendants about one-quarter of the world's population of captive-born pandas.

The zoo will bid farewell to Bao Bao with a series of online and on-site events next month. Bao Bao is sure to be the belle of the ball, receiving twice-daily treats, her own 24/7 panda cam and an ice cake party between Feb. 16 and Feb. 20.

Bao Bao is the second of three surviving cubs born to Mei Xiang during her time at the zoo. She and a stillborn female twin were born Aug. 23, 2013. Her birth was especially exciting because it had been years -- eight, in fact -- since the National Zoo had a surviving cub.

Bao Bao now weighs 180 pounds and is classified as a "sub-adult."

Pandas can begin breeding between the ages of 4 and 6.



Photo Credit: National Zoo

Yale University to Rename Calhoun College

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Yale University has announced it will rename Calhoun College to honor Yale graduate and computer science revolutionary Grace Murray Hopper, according to an announcement from the school on Saturday.

Students and community activists have been calling on the university to change the name of the building, which is an undergraduate residential college, because John C. Calhoun, who the building is named for, was a supporter of slavery.

University President Peter Salovey and the board of trustees voted to change the name at their most recent meeting.

The decision to change a college’s name is not one we take lightly, but John C. Calhoun’s legacy as a white supremacist and a national leader who passionately promoted slavery as a ‘positive good’ fundamentally conflicts with Yale’s mission and values,”  Salovey said in Saturday’s press release announcing the news.

Back in April, Salovey responded to controversy and protest surrounding the school’s name and announced the name would not be changed, in an effort to “to confront, teach and learn from the history of slavery in the United States.”

However, the debate continued and in August the university created a committee to establish principles on renaming. Another group was tasked with applying what the first committee came up with specifically to Calhoun College. Their reports are available here. 

Students who oppose keeping the name of the school have launched protests and a university employee in 2016 smashed a stained glass window in the Calhoun College dining hall that depicted slaves. He was charged, but those charges were later dropped and Yale rehired the employee in a new role. 

Grace Murray Hopper attended Yale in the 1930s and received a master’s degree in mathematics (1930) and a Ph.D. in mathematics and mathematical physics (1934). Much of her work was as a computer science and she was considered a trailblazer in that field. In 1952 she and her team created the first computer language “compiler,” which made it possible to write programs for multiple machines. She was also a leader in development of word-based computer languages and worked to making computers more accessible.

Hopper was a naval reservist for 20 years and retired as a rear admiral at 79, making her the oldest serving officer in the US armed forces at the time. She also taught at Vassar.



Photo Credit: Moment Editorial/Getty Images

Wallingford Man Secretly Videotaped Teen Girls Naked: Police

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Wallingford police have arrested a man accused of videotaping two teenage girls in their bedrooms without their knowledge, sometimes while they were naked.

Wallingford police allege the suspect, identified as 50-year-old Gary Lozowski, Sr., of Wallingford, used a hidden baby monitor and a cell phone to record video of the victims in their bedrooms and other parts of their home. Police said in some images the victims, who were 14 and 15, were partially or completely naked.

The investigation began when police received a complaint on Jan. 20 and Lozowski was arrested by warrant on Wednesday. Police said when he was arrested Lozowski had a cell phone that matched the description of the phone used to record the victims while standing outside their bedroom windows. Lozowski had told police he lost his phone when they first spoke to him after the original report on Jan. 20. The phone was seized and will be searched for further evidence.

Lozowski was charged with two counts of voyeurism, two counts of risk of injury and two counts of disorderly conduct. He was released on a $10,000 bond and is next scheduled to appear in court on March 8.



Photo Credit: Wallingford Police Department

1 Dead of Apparent Overdose in Hartford

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One person is dead after what appears to be an overdose, according to Hartford police.

Officers responded to Fern Street around 1:30 p.m. Saturday for reports of an unresponsive person. Police said when they arrived the victim’s girlfriend told them she arrived at his home to visit and found him unresponsive in his bed, so she called 911.

EMS declared the victim dead on scene. He was not identified.

According to police, drugs and drug paraphernalia were found at the scene.

The Office of the Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy. Police are investigating.


New London Police Investigate Death of 52-Year-Old Man

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New London police are investigating the death of a 52-year-old New London man.

Police said around noon on Saturday they were called to 24 Rodgers Street for a report of an unconscious male. Emergency crews transported the man to Lawrence and Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The man has been identified as the resident of the home, Anthony Johnson.

Narcotics and drug paraphernalia were found on scene, according to police. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine cause of death.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact New London police at 860-447-1481 or submit a tip through the New London Tips 411 system.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Opposition to Trump, HB2 Beef Up 'Moral March on Raleigh'

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A massive crowd attended Saturday's annual civil rights rally in North Carolina's capital, beefed up by protesters energized in opposition to President Donald Trump and to a state law limiting LGBT rights and which public bathrooms transgender people can use.

Organizers of the "Moral March on Raleigh," led by the state chapter of the NAACP, has largely focused on state government during its 11 years of existence, more recently against the conservative-leaning agenda Republicans have implemented.

Saturday, however, had a more national emphasis, particularly with the arrival of Trump in the White House. Speakers at the end of the downtown march near the old Capitol Building lamented Trump's support to repeal President Barack Obama's signature health care overhaul and Trump's hard-line stance on immigration.

Trump last month signed an executive order that barred anyone from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days. Although a federal court has blocked its enforcement, marchers kept the issue front and center by chanting "No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here."

"I think it's a shame," said Laurence Brunet, 30, a Canadian researcher living in Carrboro for just over a year. "Any country is so stronger if we just accept everyone."

The surface area that the crowd covered neared the march's previous peak from 2014. Event organizers predicted 20,000 people in their march permit application with the city. Raleigh police don't provide crowd estimates.

"People cannot stand the things that Trump supports and are appalled and I think that's the big driving force," said protester Dan Zachary, 54, of Chapel Hill, while also holding a sign urging the repeal of the state law known as House Bill 2. "It's unsustainable. It's unfair to human beings."

The Republican-led General Assembly and then-GOP Gov. Pat McCrory approved HB2 last March in response to the approval of a Charlotte city ordinance expanding non-discrimination protections. HB2 canceled that ordinance and prevented other local governments from approving similar protections.

While North Carolina's economy continues to improve after the Great Recession, the national fallout over the law has damaged the state's brand and caused some companies not to expand in the state. A repeal agreement fell apart in December amid partisan acrimony.

Sarah Williamson, attending the rally with others from North Carolina State University's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Center, said delays in HB2's repeal are "definitely upsetting" and are hurting transgender people.

"There's a lot of stuff going on that is really not fair to a lot of people," said Williamson, 20, an N.C. State student who identifies herself as queer.

The Rev. William Barber, state NAACP president and the driving force behind the rally, portrayed Trump's election as a right-wing response to recent expansions of equality and justice. Barber used the biblical story of three Hebrew children who refused to bow down to a king at the risk of being thrown into a furnace to urge the crowd to stay strong.

"Bowing down and standing down is not an option," Barber said. He announced local marches at the offices of North Carolina's congressional delegation later this month and a lobbying day at the Legislative Building in March.

State Republican Party Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse said the agenda supported by the march organizers would create "bigger and more expansive government, higher taxes and fewer jobs in North Carolina" and "does not represent the agenda of most North Carolinians."

Republicans have performed well in state elections since 2010, but Barber said the movement made strides in 2016 with Democratic Roy Cooper's victory over McCrory and the election of a black judge to the state Supreme Court.

A rally speaker announced the crowd exceeded the totals in 2014, when people took up three blocks of Fayetteville Street. Saturday's crowd filled much of the third block as the final marchers arrived.



Photo Credit: @tylerashworth
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Bristol Police Seek Armed Robbery Suspect

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Bristol police are searching for a suspect accused of robbing the Citgo Food Bag Store on Farmington Avenue at gunpoint Saturday night.

Police said a male suspect walked into the store at 54 Farmington Avenue around 9 p.m., showed a small handgun and demanded the register’s cash drawer. The clerk complied and the suspect then fled in a vehicle. No injuries were reported.

The suspect is described as in his mid-20s, with short dark hair and a mustache. He was approximately 5-foot-8 and weighed between 130 and 140 pounds and was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt at the time of the incident, police said.

Police believe the suspect fled in a black vehicle, possibly a Mercedes.

Anyone with information on this crime is asked to contact Bristol police at 860-584-3011.



Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Trump Adviser: District Judge Can't Make Immigration Law

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After a federal appeals court upheld a lower court judge's decision to freeze the Trump administration's travel ban from seven countries, White House Senior Policy Adviser Stephen Miller said Sunday that officials are considering all of their options to put the ban back in place, NBC News reported.

That could mean an appeal of the 9th Circuit Court decision, additional executive actions, or other options, Miller said. The adviser played a key role in drafting the controversial order.

The administration is "pursuing every single possible action to keep our country safe from terrorism," he said, adding that he knows every branch of government is equal but there's "no such thing as judicial supremacy."



Photo Credit: AP

Tearful Pilot Removed From Plane After Bizarre Rant

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A bizarre scene aboard a United Airlines flight bound for San Francisco International Airport on Saturday evening showcased a pilot dressed in street clothes ranting about politics and her personal life before breaking into tears, according to passengers.

United Airlines Flight 455 was parked at Austin-Bergstom International Airport when the pilot took control of the intercom and began discussing her divorce and firing off about the recent election, according to Randy Reiss, a passenger on the airplane.

Reiss, who tweeted that he felt unsafe and uncomfortable during that point of the rant, proceeded to storm off of the plane. About half of the other passengers followed suit, passenger Sylvia Nguessan said.

Nguessan added that the pilot was originally agitated when she began her speech before being overcome by tears.

United Airlines confirmed that the pilot was removed the airplane when it issued a statement regarding the ordeal.

"We hold our employees to the highest standards and replaced this pilot with a new one to operate the flight," the statement read in part. "We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience."

Reiss, while waiting in the airport for his flight to depart, eventually ran into the pilot. He said that she was crying and that she apologized for her actions. Reiss said he wished her well, and he later issued a statement backing up that hope.

"Being a pilot is a tough and stressful job," the statement read. "This particular pilot did not seem emotionally equipped to do that job today. I hope she gets the help she probably needs."

Nguessan echoed a similar sentiment.

"It was sad and by the end (the pilot) was in tears," she said. "I talked to her and hugged her because she was having a nervous breakdown."

Flight 455 eventually departed from Austin roughly two hours late, United Airlines said in a statement.



Photo Credit: NBC
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