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Tolland Buses Delayed by Downed Tree on Gehring Road

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Buses in Tolland may be late due to a tree that fell across the road on Gehring Road Wednesday morning.

Fire officials said the tree fell near 108 Gehring Road and that crews have responded to clear it. Drivers in the area should expect delays.



Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Remains Found in Norwich Woods in April Identified

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Police have identified the man whose remains were found in a wooded area of Norwich in April as 50-year-old Kenneth Suter, of Norwich, and said they are investigating but do not suspect foul play.

Norwich police received a 911 call around 6:30 p.m. on April 8 about a possible dead body in a wooded area off of Norwich Avenue, near Hunter’s Road. 

When officers arrived, two children who were playing in the area led them to the remains, police said, and Suter appeared to have been dead for at least six months.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performed an autopsy and the results were undetermined, but DNA testing revealed the remains were of Suter, who was 50 when he died, Norwich police said. 

Police continue to investigate.



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London Has Long Experience With Attacks

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Londoners, famous for remaining calm in the face of danger, from the blitz of World War II to a long campaign of IRA bombings, saw the worst terrorist attack on their city a little more than a decade ago when suicide bombers attacked the Underground.

Four assailants detonated backpacks filled with explosives on London’s public transportation in 2005, killing 52 people. Three of the men blew themselves up on the London Underground and one on a double-decker bus during the morning rush hour of July 7. About 700 people were injured.

The four men were linked to al Qaeda and one, Mohammad Sidique Khan, claimed in a videotape released after the attack that the British public's support for governments that "perpetuate atrocities" against the Muslim world was to blame. Osama bin Laden's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, praised the bombings.

One woman was killed in an attack on London on Wednesday, March 22, when a police officer was stabbed at the British Parliament, and a vehicle struck people on the nearby Westminster Bridge. Others on the bridge have "catastrophic" injuries, The U.K. Press Association reported, citing a doctor. London Ambulance tweeted that it had treated at least 10 patienets. 

The Parliament assailant was shot by police, who said the attack was being treated as a terrorist incident until more was known. 

Four years ago, in an al-Qaeda inspired attack, two men murdered a soldier near a military barracks in London.

Lee Rigby, who had served in Afghanistan, was killed in broad daylight, almost beheaded, as he returned to the barracks in May 2013.

The attackers said his death was in retaliation for a foreign policy that was killing Muslims.

The threat level for international terrorism in the United Kingdom on Wednesday was listed at severe, and the city was on alert for the Thursday funeral of Martin McGuinness, the former Irish Republican Army commander turned peacemaking politician.

The IRA had conducted a long bombing campaign against the British army for more 20 years beginning in the early 1970s, with multiple attacks in London and elsewhere, killing soldiers and civilians until Northern Ireland's 1998 peace accord.

The IRA set off bombs outside the Old Bailey, in pubs, outside Harrods department store, and in Hyde Park and Regent’s Park, among other sites.

In 1984, it attacked a conference of the Conservative party, missing the prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, and in 1991 fired three motor shells at No. 10 Downing Street, the British prime minister’s official residence in London. 

British sangfroid was on display during the Blitz, the German air raids that killed 43,000 civilians and lasted for eight months in 1940 and 1941. According to the BBC, when the raids became so frequent, Londoners moved into street shelters that had been constructed and even into Tube stations.

The most famous would-be attack on the British Parliament occurred in November 1605, when Roman Catholic conspirators smuggled barrels of gunpowder into a cellar of the House of Lords. The Gunpowder Plot was discovered, and the best known of the plotters, Guy Fawkes, who was to have lit the fuse, was found, sent to the Tower of London and gave up the names of the others. Guy Fawkes Day, Nov. 5, is celebrated with fireworks and bonfires.



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South Windsor Residents Approve Plan for 2 New Elementary Schools

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South Windsor residents voted Tuesday night in favor of building two new elementary schools in town. 

The referendum, which has a $70 million price tag, passed, 3,090 to 900, according to results provided by the school district. 

The plans are for a new Phillip R. Smith Elementary and a new Eli Terry Elementary School to welcome students for the start of the 2020 school year. 

“Yesterday our community held a referendum to determine if our residents support Phase II of the Ten Year Elementary Facilities Plan. I am pleased to report that not only did our community say yes, they said yes by an extremely wide margin,” Supt. Kate Carter said in a statement sent to families in South Windsor. 

“While school construction projects are about brick and mortar, yesterday’s vote was about so much more. It serves as a powerful reminder that our community wisely invests in the future of our children, it enthusiastically champions public education, and it is willing to work together to serve the greater good,” the statement goes on to say. 

Studies the board of education commissioned in 2007 and 2013 said all the town's elementary schools need upgrades, including mechanical systems and changes to comply with fire codes and the Americans With Disability Act. 

The referendum was to authorize bonds of nearly $70 million, with an estimated $23 million reimbursement from the state.  



Photo Credit: Shutterstock / maroke

Fallen Tree Stops Amtrak Acela in New Haven

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An Amtrak train that was heading from Boston to Washington, DC is stuck in New Haven after a tree fell on wires. 

Officials from Amtrak said the initial report at 11 a.m. was that a tree fell into catenary wires, which provide power from overhead. 

The train affected is the 2159 Acela Express, which is carrying 184 passengers. 

Amtrak officials said the train will remain stopped for awhile and passengers should expect delays on Amtrak lines. 

A statement on the Amtrak website says trains between Boston and New Haven are temporarily delayed.

Crews are working on restoring power.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Backhoe Tips Over on Founder's Bridge in East Hartford

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Interstate 84 eastbound is closed in East Hartford at the Founder’s Bridge after a backhoe tipped over, and serious injuries have been reported.

Connecticut state police remind drivers to reduce speeds in the area. The highway is currently shut down.

More details weren’t immediately available. Check back for updates.



Photo Credit: Jay Schall

19-Year-Old Shot Several Times in New Haven

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A 19-year-old New Haven man was shot in New Haven after an argument and police are investigating. 

The shooting was reported on Chapel Street, between Orchard and Kensington streets, at 11:45 a.m. 

Police said officers responded to reports of gunfire in the area and found the man, who had been shot several times. 

His injuries are not considered life-threatening and no information was available on the shooter. 

Anyone with information on the shooting should call detectives at 203-946-6304.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Dunkin' Says Goodbye to Coffee Coolatta

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Dunkin' Donuts is getting rid of the coffee Coolatta, replacing it with a new line of frozen energy drinks.

According to the Boston Herald, the Coolatta wil be replaced by Dunkin' Energy Punch as part of a new partnership with Monster Energy. The new drinks are expected to launch this summer and includes a coffee flavor.

The Coolatta has been around since 1994. It is one of the highest-calorie options on Dunkin's menu.


Driver Dead After Tree Falls on School Bus in Avon

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An Avon Public Schools bus driver is dead after what appears to be a tragic accident in Avon. 

A tree fell on the bus, which then hit a utility pole on Country Club Road around 8:55 a.m., according to police and school officials. 

The school bus driver was the only person on the bus and school officials said it appears that gusty wind caused the accident.

The bus driver is a man, according to police. His name and age have not been released. Police said they are working to notify his family.

"Please send your thoughts and prayers to anyone who might be injured," a statement from Avon Public Schools says, in part.  

Specialty Transportation also released a statement about the tragedy.

"It is a sad day at Specialty Transportation with the passing of one of our School Bus drivers.  We ask that your thoughts and prayers are with the driver’s family during this difficult time.  The driver was part of our corporate family and was an exceptional employee whom was well respected both by the company and the entire community he served.  I’d like to thank the Town of Avon’s Board of Education for coordinating grief counseling for our employees that have been adversely affected by this tragedy.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, our employees and the students and teachers of Avon that have tragically lost an exceptional individual," the statement says.

Country Club Road will remain closed between Old Farms and West Avon roads for a few hours, according to Avon police, and police officers, firefighters and paramedics responded to the scene.

Eversource has responded to the scene and turned power off to the utility pole.

A limb from another tree also fell further down the road, hit power lines and caused a transformer fire.

The Eversource website says there are 376 power outages in Avon, or 4 percent of the utility company's customer base in town.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

'Heroic' British MP Attempted to Save Cop in London Attack

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A British foreign minister bloodied his hands attempting to save the life of a police officer who was stabbed on the grounds of Britain's Parliament in what was described Wednesday as a "terrorist incident."

After an individual drove a 4x4 through a crowd outside the Palace of Westminster, shots were fired and a police officer was stabbed. Tobias Ellwood, a conservative member of Parliament and former soldier who was close to the incident, rushed to the officer's side.

The officer later died of his wounds.

Ellwood served in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Kuwait, Germany, Gibraltar and Bosnia while in the military. He's currently an active Army reservist.



Photo Credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA Images via Getty Images

Seniors Worry About Loss of Meals Under Trump Budget Plan

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Dale Lamphier, 97, never married and her closest living relatives―three nephews―live across the country. About two years ago, she moved to a senior housing complex in Westwood, New Jersey, a town she has lived in her whole life. She has been using the meal delivery service Meals on Wheels since her brother died about three years ago.

"Meals on Wheels is important because I can't do much shopping―very little," she said. "And I can't carry things. There are a lot of people here that can't."

There is a Trader Joe's about a block from her complex, which she walks to, but not often. She relies on her daily meal delivery.

North Jersey is just one of the thousands of Meals on Wheels branches that could see cuts to its funding under President Donald Trump's proposed budget plan. Jeanne Martin, the executive director of Meals on Wheels North Jersey, said her program reaches about 220 senior citizens across 30 towns in northern Bergen County. If Trump's budget plan passes, her branch will lose about $32,000―10 percent of her annual budget―and potentially more money from other Department of Health and Human Services grants.

As a whole, the national Meals on Wheels organization receives about 35 percent of its funding from the federal government. Trump is proposing to end the Community Development Block Grants, one of many federal grants that fund the program. Other cuts to Health and Human Services, the parent agency for Meals on Wheels, also could affect the program negatively, but the magnitude of those cuts is unknown. 

Martin has been the executive director of Meals on Wheels in North Jersey for 12 years. She said she has never seen a federal cut this large.

"I don't see any room for us in that budget," she said. "I haven't seen any positive things coming from [the Trump administration] in the social services or the senior service so far."

"It is going to impact our program," she said. "We're not going to be able to offer the subsidies to our clients that they really need."

Andre Sitbon, a Holocaust survivor in his early 90s, has been using Meals on Wheels for more than five years out of the Westwood seniors complex. Around three years ago Sitbon's wife died and he started having severe eye problems, which interfered with his love of cooking. He said the program "receives you with arms open," with extremely friendly staff and good food. On Monday he received meatloaf, mashed potatoes and mixed greens.

Another senior, a 65-year old mentally disabled man, had virtually nothing in his fridge except the two meals―one hot, one cold―that Martin delivered to him Monday morning. The only other parcels were an apple and a small carton of milk, which were given to him by Meals on Wheels the day before.

Martin estimated that about 30 percent of the seniors in her program are no longer visited by family and, like Lamphier, are isolated. Martin said the 550 local volunteer drivers who deliver the meals are often the ones who report health problems and find fallen or sick seniors. Meals on Wheels, she said, is "more than just a meal."

"We're helping people stay in their homes, which is where they want to stay," she said. "It's keeping people out of nursing homes. And they want to spend the rest of the time they have on this world in their homes and we're doing the best we can to give them that."

When Martin became director there were about 100 seniors in the program. The number has more than doubled during her tenure, though she thinks that there are hundreds more seniors who need assistance but are too isolated or too worried about appearing needy to receive help.

If Martin loses funding she would have to make changes to the program's model. The food is now prepared by four local nursing homes to meet federal guidelines. But if the program no longer receives federal funds, it would be free to receive donated meals from volunteers.

"It seems to me that all of the programs that support our most needy, vulnerable populations are the ones that are being jeopardized," said John Birkner Jr., the mayor of Westwood. He also said that recent comments made by Trump administration officials "trivialize" the importance of programs like Meals on Wheels.

Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s budget director, called Meals on Wheels a program that is "just not showing any results." 

"We can’t spend money on programs just because they sound good," he said at a news conference last Thursday. "Meals on Wheels sounds great. Again, that's a state decision to fund that particular portion, to take the federal money and give it to the states, and say look, we want to give you money for programs that don't work."

Martin called Mulvaney’s comments "insulting" and said he "couldn’t be more wrong."

Supporters have cited studies to back their case. A University of Illinois review in 2013 of home-delivery programs for seniors found that they "significantly improve" the nutritional quality of diets, as well as increased chances for socialization and an overall "higher quality of life."

Another study in 2015 by Brown University researchers found multiple benefits of Meals on Wheels for senior citizens, including reduced feelings of isolation and loneliness, an increased feeling of security and fewer falls and hospitalizations.

Martin said the cost of a year's worth of meals from her program was $1,500. She compared that to the cost of a one-day hospitalization. 

"So, if we're keeping someone well-nourished and doing a well-check on them, we're saving the government money by keeping them out of the hospital," Martin said. 

Meals on Wheels has about 5,000 local and state delivery programs that supply food to isolated, disabled or poor seniors. In 2016, they served about 2.4 million people, including more than 500,000 veterans.

National Meals on Wheels spokeswoman Jenny Bertolette confirmed to NBC that the program has seen a significant spike in donations since Mulvaney’s comments last Thursday. On a typical day, the nonprofit receives about $1,000 in individual online donations.

Three days after the preliminary budget was released, Meals on Wheels had received about $140,000 in donations. On Tuesday, the nonprofit told The Associated Press that it had received an additional $50,000 donation from NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. 

Bertolette said the organization was "thrilled about the public’s passionate support" but also said the additional donations could not replace what it gets from the federal government.

The portion of Meals on Wheels' budget that comes from the federal government is part of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program, which falls under Health and Human Services. Trump is calling for an 18 percent cut to the department.

Each state uses Community Block Development Grants differently, so the amount that funds Meals on Wheels per branch varies widely. For example, one program in the suburbs of Detroit could lose 30 percent of its budget; on the other end, New York City's Meals on Wheels is funded through other grants, so it is not affected by the potential loss of Community Block Development Grants.

The program is also funded by private money.

"Cuts of any kind to these highly successful and leveraged programs would be a devastating blow to our ability to provide much-needed care for millions of vulnerable seniors in America," Ellie Hollander, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels America, said in a statement.

The cuts are no sure thing. Congress must pass the budget that Trump has outlined and there has already been support from both sides of the aisle for Meals on Wheels.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., tweeted that cuts to programs like Meals on Wheels "jeopardizes the health and safety of the poor."

Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., told CNN he would "never vote to cut even one dollar" of Meals on Wheels.

Since Mulvaney's comments last week, Martin has gained three more volunteers and an additional donor. 

Even if the budget doesn't cut as much as the 10 percent that is currently threatened, to Martin "a cut is a cut." 



Photo Credit: Shannon Ho
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Fears ISIS Could Plant Bombs in Planes Driving New Rules

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A new rule banning some electronics on United States-bound flights from certain airports in Muslim-majority countries is a result of fears that ISIS could plant explosive devices in electronic devices, officials told NBC News.

Officials did not confirm or deny a recent New York Times report that ISIS was developing an explosive that could be hidden in laptop batteries.

But law enforcement sources said that longstanding concerns about al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, an affiliate that has sought to hide bombs in aircraft for a long time, was a factor in the development of the new rule.

A senior law enforcement source also said that intelligence suggests that a Qaeda could be helping ISIS develop smaller explosives.



Photo Credit: File, Berk Ozkan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Police Warn iPhone Users of Potentially Dangerous Siri Prank

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Law enforcement agencies around the country are warning iPhone users about a potentially deadly prank involving the Apple iPhone's "virtual assistant" Siri.

According to police, social media posts have been encouraging users to ask Siri about the number "108 if you want laugh." 

"The Harris County Sheriff's Office, along with Texas NENA, are encouraging iPhone users NOT to test the '108' command," the Texas department urged in a Facebook post. "The command, in fact, will instruct Siri to call emergency services, which could potentially tie up emergency lines."

That's because the Apple designed Siri to recognize emergency service numbers from anywhere in the world. In India, the number 108 is the equivalent of dialing 9-1-1, so saying it will connect a caller to the nearest 911 dispatch center.

The same feature was also used in the U.K. this month by a boy who asked Siri to call 999 to help his unconscious mother. 

Using the code will give someone five seconds to cancel before the call goes through to emergency officials. 

Sheriff officials warned that pranks taking advantage of the feature tie up emergency lines and delay response time — which could mean the difference between life or death — for people who are in actually need of help.

Other numbers officials said users should avoid are 112, 110, and 000.

"The 9-1-1 Communications Division tested these numbers and can confirm that dialing or asking Siri about any of these numbers will result in a call being placed to the emergency communications center," an Oregon sheriff's department said in a statement.

Officials say the prank is very dangerous and even criminal in some states.

"Help us spread the word and make our community safe by ensuring those who need the life or death assistance of police, fire or EMS have access to them quickly when they call for help," the Douglas County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook.

An Apple representative declined comment.



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Wind Gust Causes Damages on Wednesday, March 22

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Quinnipiac Holds Pep Rally Before Sweet 16

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The Quinnipiac Women’s Basketball team held its final practice in Hamden Wednesday afternoon before flying out to northern California Thursday morning.

The team has already made history by winning the program’s first two NCAA Tournament games. The Bobcats will look to make it three in a row with an upset of top seeded South Carolina on Saturday.

“Making history is something, but making history twice, unreal and it’s really hard to explain the feeling,” said senior guard Adily Martucci.

A two-step ladder brought to center court after practice represents the run by the team so far in the Big Dance.

“We won the first two games and those two steps are gone and we kind of needed a bigger ladder," Martiucci said.

So at the send-off pep rally outside the TD Bank Sports Center, Head Coach Tricia Fabbri fired up fans and students from inside the bucket on a Hamden fire truck ladder.

“The way that we were going to get the recognition was winning the game in the tournament and the fact that we were able to do that has brought all the attention that is deserved,” Fabbri told NBC Connecticut.

Sharp shooting by senior Morgan Manz from three point range helped the 12th seeded Bobcats shock 4th seeded Miami Hurricanes on their home floor in the round of 32.

“When you think of Connecticut basketball teams, you think of UConn and now I think it’s really nice Quinnipiac is getting on the map because this program, Tricia has brought this program to high standards,” Manz said.

Like the players who proudly represent their university, the students are relishing in their team’s success.

“I’ve had the pleasure of getting very close with them throughout the years and to see them go this far, it’s incredible for this school, state of Connecticut,” said QU junior Liam Kenney. “People actually know how to pronounce our name now.”

There will be a watch party Saturday afternoon at the TD Bank Sports Center when Quinnipiac and South Carolina tip off at 4 P.M. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN.



Photo Credit: Justin Schecker

93-Year-Old Coventry Woman Found Safe in Massachuetts

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A 93-year-old Coventry woman who was reported missing on Wednesday has been found and she is safe.

A Silver Alert was issued Wednesday for Eleanor Dannolfo and it was canceled on Thursday morning when Massachusetts State Police found her at 7 a.m. 



Photo Credit: Coventry Police

Town of Groton Worries About Budget Cuts, Large Tax Hikes

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With deep cuts in state aid potentially on the horizon, the Town of Groton is looking at how to slash its budget without depleting essential services.

In the town’s proposed budget, there’s a 15.4 percent tax rate hike. That means an extra $334 of property taxes owed for every $100,000 of assessed value.

"Holy cow! I can hardly afford what they are now,” said Marie Chaney, a Town of Groton resident.

“Of course we don't like to see it raised so much, but we can handle it,” said Victor Dufault, who lives in town.

Town Manager Mark Oefinger said he created the budget assuming the state would only cut $5 million from the Town of Groton. But he created four different scenarios, just in case.

If Gov. Dannel Malloy’s budget goes through as is, residents could be facing a 25.6 percent tax hike, he said.

“You're not gonna have people moving into the community if they can't afford the taxes for the homes that are being sold,” said Diane Barber, who serves on the Town of Groton Council.

Barber is suggesting making cuts by considering combining the resources of the Town of Groton, City of Groton and Groton Long Point.

She also said the school district needs to slash into its budget. Education spending would increase about 1.7 percent.

Oefinger said Malloy has proposed to cut $9.4 million in Education Cost Sharing funding from Groton schools.

One reason the cut is so high is because the Governor calculated the program, in part, based on children eligible for the Husky Health program, according to Oefinger. But more than 25 percent of students a Navy dependent and therefore not eligible for Husky, he said.

Superintendent Dr. Michael Graner said Groton needs to be looked at differently because of that. Not penalized for it.

“To say that Groton is pretty much like most other communities is not accurate,” Graner said.

Graner said he doesn’t know what he’d cut from his budget. If it does get to that point, he knows he’ll work hand-in-hand with the town to figure out the best option.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Alleged Sword Killer Cops Say Hated 'Blacks' Faces Judge in NYC

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The white U.S. Army veteran from Baltimore accused of killing a black man collecting bottles on the street with a sword is due to face a judge Thursday. 

James Harris Jackson was bent on making a racist attack and took a bus to New York City to carry out the rampage, police said Wednesday. 

Jackson chose New York because "it's the media capital of the world and he wanted to make a statement," Assistant Chief William Aubrey said. 

He turned himself in about 25 hours after the victim, Timothy Caughman, staggered into a police precinct bleeding to death. Caughman had been stabbed in the neck and back with a 26-inch sword, police said. 

Jackson was wandering the streets in a long overcoat concealing the sword when he encountered Caughman, according to police.

After the attack, 28-year-old Jackson went to the bathroom of a nearby restaurant and washed off the blood from the killing, authorities said.

Investigators said they believed Jackson was considering other attacks but surrendered after noticing his photo in the media. He had two knives and told investigators where they could find the sword, police said. The sword was retrieved from a trash can not far from the crime scene.

Video surveillance captured Jackson in the days leading up to the attack, and investigators said he had walked purposefully toward a black man but didn't attack him.

Quinnipiac Students in London Recount Attacks

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The 13 Quinnipiac University students studying abroad in London this semester are all safe following Wednesday's terror attack.

Five people were killed, including the assailant, and dozens of others were injured after a knife-wielding man plowed a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge. The man then stabbed a police officer to death inside the gates of Parliament.

Quinnipiac sophomore and Danbury native, Kassie Mendes was in her dorm room — which is only a 20 minute drive from Parliament — at the time of the attack. She was close enough to hear all the commotion.

“I heard most of the sirens the helicopters that kind of stuff,” said Mendes.

Mendes said she felt secure in her surroundings, but with information slow to come in, she had concerns.

“Not having the proper information just kind of puts you in a little panic even though you know you are safe,” Mendes said.

Back in Connecticut, Quinnipiac University had received an alert from their partners in London. The school immediately began contacting the students individually, hoping to have answers for concerned families before they began to call.

"We got the alert so our safety protocol is to contact every student to see that they're in a good place," said Diane Ariza with Quinnipiac’s Department of Cultural & Global Engagement.

According to Ariza, within an hour they had confirmed the safety of each of their students. She says the schools does their best to prepare students and families for life abroad and Mendes agrees it is a conversation families should have before making the decision to go.

“I knew coming over here that I ran the risk of something like this happening I feel like that is a conversation every student who decides to go abroad has to have with their family,” Mendes said.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Connecticut Residents Concerned for Healthcare Reform

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More than 100,000 people are covered by plans in Connecticut that were purchased on Access Health Connecticut and another 200,000 are covered under Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. 

Some of the people most affected by Obamacare spoke out the State Capitol Wednesday about their fears for what might come from Republicans in Congress.

“For someone like me, immediately, the same plan I’m on in the marketplace, my costs would go up $6,000 every single year for the care I get now," said Jonathan Miller, a 26-year-old Meriden man who lives with Cystic Fibrosis and expects to be on Medicaid one day.

He said he could only have health and financial security if the Affordable Care Act's provisions remain in effect.

“Peoples’ lives are at stake and the cost to people that would come at the expense of this bill, as well as the financial burdens that would be placed on communities, it’s just far beyond any small amount of money that they’re going to save," Miller said.

Sally Grossman also benefits from Obamacare. She recently gave birth to her second child, four years after she gave birth to her son who had health issues upon delivery.

"He needed a lot of care, prenatal care and the bills would have added up and I want to make sure that someone else in my situation can use this and have happy, healthy children like I did. Everyone deserves that," Grossman said.

She qualified for Husky A, a form of Medicaid coverage, and said she couldn't imagine life without her level of healthcare provided by both the state and federal government.

“I don’t think I would have my children here today so I can’t imagine it and I really don’t like to imagine that.”

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