More than 400 students from schools across Middlesex County gathered in Middletown Thursday for the Fourth Annual Rally for Bully-Free Communities.

Students grades five through 12 took part in several team building exercises to help build friendships with their classmates and build their own self-confidence.

The Council of Business Partners at the Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC) spearheaded and sponsored the event. More than 20 small business owners are members of the council.

“We wanted to make a difference in the lives of kids,” said David Director, one of the Council of Business Partners members.

There were seven different team building exercises where students had to work together to accomplish a task.

“It’s a lot of fun and I think it’s really good for teamwork because we all have to work together or else it messes up,” said Jennifer Tripp, an eighth-grade student at East Hampton Middle School.

Students heard from Mike Cicarella, a middle school student in Wallingford, who initiated a gratitude campaign at his school. He learned to look for the good, while dealing with his mother’s illness.

Former NBC player Donny Marshall also spoke with students about his personal experiences with bullying. He wanted to share with them that they are not alone and they can choose a positive path.

Budget talks continue Thursday after Republicans declined to attempt to override the governor’s veto on the House floor Wednesday.

Towns and cities across the state are struggling with budget cuts enacted October 1 after state leaders failed to come to an agreement months into the fiscal year.

Democrats viewed Wednesday’s decision not to pursue an override vote as proof Republicans didn’t support their own document and Republicans cried foul, providing multiple reasons for not attempting an override, including not having the votes.

Republicans had spent several of the previous five days pushing for the veto override. They held events all over the state with Republican House and Senate members, along with constituents, pushing for an override.

Democrats described the effort as disingenuous.

“Let’s get this budget off the table. It will never get 101 in the House. It will never get enough in the Senate. Let’s stop talking about something that doesn’t exist. Let’s get rid of the impossible and move to the possible. Let’s get to a budget and let’s do that and stop the insanity,” Rep. Joe Aresimowicz, D–Berlin said.

Republican Leader Themis Klarides, R–Derby, said she felt the vote, held just days after veto, was rushed and she preferred continuing bipartisan budget talks, reserving the veto override for possibly weeks, or even later.

“It’s disappointing to me that this happened so quickly,” Klarides said.

She also said she was ready to continue those budget talks, using the GOP budget that passed with some Democratic support as the starting point.

Malloy said he expected to see an override vote fail, but viewed the result as being the same.

“Everyone knows what the result would have been if there was a vote today and I think we need to keep moving forward and try to keep moving to get a budget by the 13th,” he said.

Russian government hackers stole highly sensitive U.S. spying tools after a contractor brought classified material home and put it on a computer that used Kaspersky anti-virus software, a former senior intelligence official briefed on the matter told NBC News.

The contractor, whose name has not been made public, worked for the National Security Agency, which specializes in hacking computers and eavesdropping on communications.

The Wall Street Journal, who first reported the story, said the stolen material included secret details about how the NSA penetrates foreign computer networks, the computer code it uses for such spying and how it defends networks inside the U.S.

The report also said it was unclear whether the contractor had lost his job or is facing prosecution. He is not believed to have wittingly cooperated with a foreign government.

The recovery in hard-hit areas of Puerto Rico far afield from metropolitan San Juan is being hampered by the slow restoration of cellphone service, electricity and safe drinking water two weeks after Hurricane Maria struck the island.

“The nights are very hard because of the heat, the wet mattresses,” Ana Toribio Vargas, 62, told NBC News in Spanish from her home in the Martell neighborhood of Arecibo.

Running water for her came back on Tuesday but it is dirty and she feels like she's "living in a nightmare."

Emilia Burjosa Rivera had mud about an inch thick on the floor of her home. She said she got an emergency relief kit at a coliseum in Arecibo after the storm, but had not seen any Federal Emergency Management Agency workers in her neighborhood.

“We’re going to see how the island goes on, how it picks itself up,” her partner Edwin Cortes Medina, 47, said. “And we hope to God that help from FEMA gets here to the people who need it the most.”

A high-ranking Democratic California official has proposed minority leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California step down to allow for another generation of Democrats to show leadership. 

Rep. Linda Sanchez of California, the fifth-ranking Democrat in the House, was interviewed on C-SPAN by two reporters who asked her about the current makeup of Democratic leadership.

Sanchez said it was important "...to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders..."

Sanchez said House minority leader Pelosi, Steny Hoyer of Maryland and assistant House minority leader, James Clyburn of South Carolina should leave their leadership positions.

Pelosi has enjoyed a 15-year grasp on power leading the Democrats and has served in the House since 1987. She served as the speaker from 2007-11. Hoyer, the second-ranking Democrat, has served since 1981 and has had stints as majority leader and minority whip. 

Governor Dannel Malloy on Thursday said officials from FEMA and Army Corp of Engineers have in the state to evaluate pyrrhotite, the mineral suspected of causing concrete foundations to crack in the eastern part of Connecticut.

In August, several Connecticut homeowners whose homes were damaged because of foundations crumbling called for a federal investigation. State officials estimate around 30,000 homeowners are affected by the problem.

Malloy said on Thursday that officials were in the state for the past two days to evaluate the mineral. Authorities were discussing with Connecticut lawmakers on how they would lend their technical expertise to assist the state with the crumbling foundations issue. 

During their visit, the FEMA and Army Corp of Engineers officials met with homeowners and scientists. Their goal was to evaluate the current federal resources in the state to determine if more is needing to create future regulation.

Malloy said the group will be in contact with lawmakers at the end of the month to have a more "broad discussion of their findings."

"From the beginning, I’ve been very clear that I believe that we must have assistance from our Federal partners to address this issue. I’m thankful that FEMA and the Army Corp of Engineers sent some of their best scientists to Connecticut to study this issue," Malloy said on Thursday.

In the meantime, Malloy said he asked the Army Corp of Engineer scientists to provide "short order" guidance on standards that can be implemented for both quarries and companies that manufacture concrete. 

He also asked for the organization to determine a low-cost standardized test that could be utilized by Connecticut homeowners to help everyone better understand the scope of this problem to their property.

John Kelly, the White House chief of staff, abruptly scrapped plans to travel with President Donald Trump on Wednesday so he could try to manage the fallout from new revelations about tensions between the president and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, six senior administration officials told NBC News.

Kelly summoned Tillerson, and their ally Defense Secretary James Mattis, to the White House, where the three of them huddled to discuss a path forward, according to three administration officials.

The White House downplayed Kelly's decision to stay in Washington, saying he did so to manage day-to-day operations.

Vice President Mike Pence, meanwhile, was fuming in Phoenix, where he was traveling, seven officials told NBC News. He and Tillerson spoke on the phone before the secretary’s public appearance on Wednesday morning.

Kathleen Depp has spent countless hours filling out job applications online and emailing her resumes to companies who are hiring.

The problem with that process, she said, is she isn’t sure if anyone is even checking her qualifications or simply moving her resume to their junk folder.

Depp joined thousands of others on Thursday at the Hartford Convention Center for Get Hired Hartford. The event, the largest job recruiting fair in the state, hosts nearly 80 companies with over 5,000 job openings.

“There’s more opportunities here,” said Depp, of New Britain. “Some companies that you don’t know are out there even when you go on the internet and you try and Google certain things but you don’t know which ones are out there. It’s kind of like cold calling if you will. At least this way you get your face there with some of the people and hand them your resume and maybe they will remember you.”

Companies, both local and from out of state, took part in event. The Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut hosts the event— NBC Connecticut is proud to be a partner.

Organizers of the event worked to ensure there were opportunities for everyone. Local insurance companies, like Aetna and The Hartford saw some of the longest lines form at their booths.

Popular nationwide companies like WalMart, Chili’s Bar & Grill, Whole Foods and Home Depot were represented along with local organizations like the Hartford Yardgoats, CTTransit and Hartford Public Schools.

“This is one of the biggest job fairs I have ever been to, quite the variety,” said Depp. “There is something for everybody here. So hopefully a lot of us will get hired.”

Job seekers were able to walk up to booths and hand over their resumes in person, giving a smile and handshake that is lost when applying online.

“There is nothing like that one to one contact that you can have at a job fair where you can sell yourself and you can show them your resume and you can expand on your skill set,” said Kathy Thompson of Watertown. Thompson is a veteran who is looking to put her unique military skills to work for a local company.

On top of 5,000 jobs that were available, those attended were offered help with their resumes, free photo copies and a free professional headshot.

“Goodwill is happy to help anyone who is interested in employment. New college graduates, retirees, someone looking for a second job, anyone is welcome,” Vicki Volpano, Goodwill president and CEO said.

If you were missed the job fair, the Goodwill Career Center on New Park Ave. in Hartford offers many of the services that were available at the fair free of charge.

A pedestrian was seriously injured after being struck by a train in Danielson, the Quinebaug Valley Emergency Communications (QVEC) dispatch reported. 

Danielson fire and ems crews responded to the railroad tracks south of Franklin Street around 8:30 p.m.

The victim was located and is being transported to the hospital.

No other details were immediately available. 

Please check back for more updates. 

A suspect shot at another car in Milford on Thursday during a road rage incident, state police said.  

Connecticut State Police received reports of someone discharging a handgun and striking another vehicle while traveling in the area of Interstate 95 south around 5:38 p.m.

The shooting happened on the exit 36 off ramp and police believe the incident may have originated anywhere between exits 41 and 36. 

Anyone with information is asked to call troopers at (203) 696-2500 or email. 

Bounded by tragedy, Norwich’s 97.7 WCTY employees and listeners are now taking to the airwaves as the tight-knit community continues to heal after the Las Vegas shooting tragedy.

"Could've been our listeners, it was somebody's listeners," Dave Elder said. "With the country fans and country music and with the country listeners, everybody feels like somebody attacked our family."

Elder, program director for the station, is now offering listeners airtime to air out their concerns.

“We opened up the phones and we dulled down the contests, we kind of subdued it a little bit this week if people wanted to talk about they could,” Elder said.

Elder said the country music community is already pouring out and using their voices to help bring healing.

"A lot of people were going in shock and offering thoughts, what can we do, can we donate blood, what can we do just to make ourselves feel a little bit better," Elder said.

Listeners are also hearing more songs like Tim McGraw’s 'Humble and Kind' the lyrics also bringing comfort over the airwaves.

"I think the music is also comforting like I'm going to hear from my artists and I'm going to listen to their words," Elder said.

While time can be the ultimate healer, Elder hopes tunes, for now, can also bring peace in a time of tragedy.

"We're going to try to spread that good message," Elder said

An Indonesian man who has lived in Connecticut for decades is facing deportation in less than a week.

On Thursday, there was a rally outside of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices in Hartford for 68-year-old Sujitno Sajuti.

Sajuti came to the United States in 1981 as a Fulbright Scholar and has currently lives in West Hartford.

"For me, it's very, very moving, because I didn't think it could happen to me, I never thought people would be fighting for me," Sajuti said.

After receiving stays of removal for four years, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has ordered Sajuti's deportation on Oct. 10.

ICE released a statement on Sajuti saying, in part:

"Sujitno Sajuti is an illegally present citizen of Indonesia who entered the u.s. Legally in 1989, but overstayed his lawful visit by several years. A federal immigration judge issued him a final order of removal in October 2003. In an exercise of discretion ice chose not to place Mr. Sajuti into custody and has allowed him ample time, and numerous stays of removal, to pursue legal options to resolve his case."

Sajuti's lawyers said they have filed another stay of removal on Wednesday. They are now waiting on the decision.

Governor Dannel Malloy gave a less-than-rosy assessment of where the budget stalemate stands on Thursday.

"I would honestly say we're hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars apart," Malloy said.

Democrats and Republicans continued to meet for another day and it ended like every other one – without a budget. The governor said the deadlock could be hurting the state's chances to grab more jobs.

"We have discussions that are on hold with companies that want to enlarge their footprint or move to our state who said, 'Listen, when you get a budget we'll have further discussions. Meanwhile, we're going to talk' - at least in one case 'with five other states. We're not going to talk to you, but when you get a budget we'll talk to you.' We're going to lose thousands of jobs, potentially, because we can't do the hard work that we were elected to do?" Malloy said.

On Thursday, the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) urged for a plan that would ideally halt the governor's push to shift some teacher pension costs to towns. CCM sent a letter asking that the FY 18-19 state budget proposal establish a pension and retirement benefits reform commission.

"The Commission would propose recommendations to the Governor and state legislators by February 1, 2018, for consideration and action by the 2018 General Assembly. No municipal contribution to the TRF should be included in the agreed-upon budget proposal until the review and resulting recommendations have been completed," the letter read.

The governor said painful cuts are being made everywhere and municipalities should have to share in that difficulty.

"Of our $20 billion budget, $5.2 billion is, in essence, local government support," said Malloy. "Every argument that CCM is making to you ... or every argument that communities are making, they have made those arguments time and time and time again. And you know what? They have won, and that's why our state is in such a mess," Malloy said. 

In response, CCM spokesperson Kevin Maloney said the proposal came because pension costs are choking the finances of the state and municipalities and they "are not sustainable and we're looking for a cooperative effort through this commission to devise a long-term strategy."

A car crashed into a vacant house in Middletown Friday morning.

The car crashed into a house at Saybrook Road and East Main Street that is being remodeled, according to officials.

No one was injured.

A 22-year-old East Hampton man was killed in a crash in Marlborough Thursday night. 

State police said Jonathan Thomassian was driving a Nissan Altima, went off the road, hit a rock, a mailbox and two trees. 

He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Police said Thomassian was the only person in the vehicle.

Fire destroyed a home in Jewett City early Friday morning. Firefighters were called to the fire around 5 a.m. 

The fire was on North Main Street, which is also Route 12, and the road is shut down.

Fire departments from Jewett City, Griswold, Lisbon, Yantic, Taftville and Plainfield responded to the fire.

The state fire marshal has been called in to assist local fire marshals with the investigation. 

The leaves are turning, with many starting to fall to the ground, but it feels more like summer than fall.

Some people were in flip flops Thursday and others were in boots.

Some wore long sleeves, while others, like Mary Lee Meter said it was too hot for that.

“I have my tank top, and my shorts and my sandals,” said Meter.

Meter and her friend Darrin Schneider were walking along Harbor Park in Middletown in outfits for completely different seasons.

“My fall attire, but not really, because I have the short sleeve shirt on. I’m usually in jeans,” said Schneider.

In the heat of the day, temperatures reached the low 80s in Middletown and Middlefield.

Morgan Deprey, who was Lyman Orchards, said she is used to picking her apples when it’s a little cooler.

“Usually people are out like taking their pictures for Instagram in their flannels and you know, you’re wearing warmer weather clothing, but I’m dying in these jeans right now,” said Deprey. “Everyone is wearing tank tops, shorts, sandals.”

From apple picking to pumpkin picking – it doesn’t get more fall than that. Though Courtney Wahl, who was searching for the perfect pumpkin, begs to differ.

“Pretty much feels like the middle of summer. But we’re OK with that. We’ll hold on to the nice weather as long as we can,” said Wahl.

Rescue divers from the Stamford Fire Department are searching the water off of Harbor Drive for a person after reports that someone went under water, according to the Stamford Fire Department's Twitter account.

No additional information was immediately available. 

Check back for updates. 

Linda McMahon, the administrator of the Small Business Administration, stopped by NBC Connecticut to talk about her work with the Trump Administration, small business and the business environment here in Connecticut.

A 3-year-old girl was badly injured when an impaired driver hit the car she was in on Route 44 in Colebrook Thursday night, according to state police.

State police said the driver of a Dodge Ram was under the influence when he lost control of his pickup just after 10 p.m. Thursday, crossed from the westbound to the eastbound side of the road and collided with a Honda Accord that had swerved onto the shoulder of the road.

The 25-year-old Bristol woman who was driving the Honda and a 5-year-old girl who was in the back seat of her car were transported to Waterbury Hospital. The state police report says their injuries are believed to be minor.

LifeStar transported the 3-year-old girl who was also in the back seat of the Honda to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, state police said.

State police identified the driver of the pickup as 23-year-old Frank Rose, of Catskill, New York, and said he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. He was not injured and was released on a $100,000 bond.

He is due in court on Oct. 20.

State police are still investigating and said additional charges are possible.

Anyone with information is asked to call 860-626-1820.