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Ledyard Mayor Postpones Trick or Treating on Tuesday

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The mayor of Ledyard voiced his frustration with Eversource on Monday following heavy rainfall over the weekend and said there will be no school or trick-or-treating on Tuesday because of downed power lines. 

Mayor Fred Allyn said he has seen "little to no action" from Eversource after the town was damaged by heavy rainfalls on Sunday.

"I'm extremely frustrated with the lack of response from Eversource. Mind you, they are proposing an average 6.9 percent rate increase and seeking approval at the end of next month," Allyn wrote on Facebook.

Allyn said the Eversource liaison has not arrived to assess damage in the town.

Because of "too much danger" Allyn said there will be no school or trick-or-treating on Tuesday because of power lines down "all over."

He said trick-or-treating will be moved to Friday, Nov. 3. 

Ledyard Middle School will be open for showers and charging stations from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

Charging and bathroom facilities will be available at Town Hall from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

"We certainly understand the mayor’s concerns as we work to restore power to Ledyard and all of the communities that were hit by the storm. It’s important to understand that we anticipate this being a multi-day event for some of our customers. In the meantime, we have restored power to more than 130,000 customers across the state and will continue to work non- stop to restore our remaining customers as quickly and safely as we can," Eversource said in a statement.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Cops Accused of Taking Turns Raping Cuffed Woman in Van

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Two NYPD officers are named in a 50-count indictment charging them with allegedly raping an 18-year-old woman in a police van in Coney Island after handcuffing her and placing her under arrest earlier this year. 

Detectives Eddie Martins, 37, and Richard Hall, 32, who were assigned to NYPD Brooklyn South Narcotics surrendered Monday to face charges including first-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping, official misconduct and other counts. Both were released on $250,000 and $150,000 bail, respectively, put up by high-profile bail bondsman Ira Judelson, after their arraignments Monday. They face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Their attorneys have vowed to fight the charges. 

"We don't believe they have the evidence to support the majority of charges that are alleged," said Mark Bederow, attorney for Martins. 

According to the indictment, the detectives were on duty and riding in a Dodge Caravan on Sept. 15, working as part of a team of plainclothes cops assigned to the narcotics unit and conducting a buy-and-bust operation in the 60th Precinct. They left their post without authorization and drove to Calvert Vaux Park in Gravesend, according to the indictment. 

Shortly after 8 p.m., the officers stopped an Infinity Couple driven by an 18-year-old woman. Two male passengers were in the vehicle and there was marijuana in the front seat cup holder, court documents say. The officers told the trio to get out of the vehicle and asked if they had drugs. According to court documents, the woman said she had pot and two Klonopin pills, at which point the cops cuffed her, told her she was under arrest and said she would be issued a desk appearance ticket. They let the men go and told them to come get their friend from the precinct in three hours, prosecutors said. 

The cops and woman left the park, and then the detectives allegedly told the young woman to call her friends and tell them not to follow their van. Martins allegedly told her he and his partner were "freaks" and asked what she wanted to do to get out of the arrest, according to court documents. Prosecutors allege Martins then forced the handcuffed woman to perform a sex act on him as Hall drove the van and watched through the rear view mirror.

Martins then allegedly raped the young woman, prosecutors say. Later, the officers allegedly pulled over and switched places, then Hall allegedly forced the woman to perform a sex act on him. According to court documents, the officers drove back to the 60th Precinct, told the victims to call her friends to come get her, then allegedly gave her back her Klonopin pills, told her to keep her mouth shut and released her. 

Prosecutors say the woman told her friends she had been attacked and was later taken to a hospital, where a rape kit was conducted. Prosecutors say DNA recovered from the woman was a match to both detectives. 

"These alleged acts are despicable. They have no place in our law enforcement community," said Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. 

Gonzalez said his office is "making sure the officers are held truly accountable for conduct that boggles the mind." 

The defense attorneys for the detectives argue the victim's story lacks credibility, that she may have a financial motive and that the charges contradict themselves.

"What that suggests to me is that the district attorney, after a six-week investigation, also has their own doubts of the credibility of the tale that's been put forth," said Bederow. 

Gonzalez said of the officers, "They're grown men in a position of power over an 18-year-old girl. For them to go ahead and blame her is ridiculous." 

NBC 4 New York first reported on the looming indictment late last week.

An NYPD spokesman said both Martins and Hall have been suspended without pay. 



Photo Credit: NBC 4 New York

Found a Tick on Yourself? How to Submit it for Testing and Identification

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Hover over your town to find contact information for your local municipal health department, as well as details they provided the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters on how to submit ticks for testing. 

Municipal health departments throughout Connecticut have different procedures for accepting ticks to identify and test for bacteria which can cause Lyme disease, Babesiosis, and other tick-borne illnesses. The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters contacted every municipal health department in our state and collected their preferences for tick submissions.

The majority require ticks to be brought to them in person, while others will accept them through the mail. Many do not charge a fee to test or identify ticks, but some departments, such as the Torrington Area Health District and the Trumbull Health Department, charge fees ranging from $3 to $25 to process ticks.

For a $65 fee, the Greenwich Health Department offers an expedited testing service for ticks submitted from anywhere, although nearly every other health department we spoke with will only accept ticks from residents of the region they serve.

Most labs are willing to identify any ticks they receive as deer ticks, dog ticks, or the rare lone-star tick that was recently discovered in southwestern Connecticut. Testing for bacteria, however, is generally reserved for ticks which were found blood-engorged, which means they recently fed and may have transmitted bacteria.

Many of the ticks collected locally will eventually be forwarded to the state’s Tick Testing Program at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) by their municipal health department, but residents of some districts including North Haven, Monroe, and Brooklyn are asked to send ticks they find directly to CAES. The CAES primarily tests only deer ticks which are blood-engorged and does not charge a fee.

Earlier this year, the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters reported the CAES was inundated with tick submissions, resulting in long wait times for results. Dr. Goudarz Molaei, the Director of the Tick Testing Program at CAES, said submissions have slowed since late-July, although his team expects another spike in activity in October and November.

Check out this map for information on how to contact your local municipal health department. For information on the Tick Testing Program at CAES, click here.



Photo Credit: AP

Autumn Peak Season for Adult Ticks

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State experts warn autumn’s cool, crisp weather make October and November peak season for adult ticks.

The spike in tick activity comes as Connecticut’s famed foliage draws leaf-peepers and hikers to the woods where the risk of a tick-bite is highest. The spike also comes just a month after the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters first cautioned a popular shrub called Japanese barberry is linked to higher numbers of Lyme disease-carrying ticks in our forests.

Japanese barberry is an invasive species and spreads from home gardens to the wild, where it proliferates quickly and can stop native plants and trees from growing. State scientists studying the plants learned the dense thickets barberry forms in the wild provide added advantages to ticks and their research shows an acre of forest with Japanese barberry averages twelve times the number of Lyme disease-carrying ticks as a forest without it.

It grows rampant throughout the 230-acres of forest conservation at Highlawn Forest in Middlefield. Lindsay Suhr, the land conservation director for the Connecticut Forest & Park Association, told the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters the spot is popular with hikers, but added phones are ringing with calls from, "people worried about going outside," as word spreads about the dangers of ticks and their connection with the plants.

Suhr explained the association works hard to keep trails clear of barberry and other brush to keep tick numbers down, but that it’s an uphill battle against the resilient shrubs. While younger ticks have mostly retreated beneath fallen leaves by this point in the season, state scientists told the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters adult ticks can take advantage of the added warmth and humidity in dense thickets of Japanese barberry to remain active well into December.

At the adult stage of life, ticks specifically search for larger hosts like deer and humans, as opposed to rodents, to satisfy their needs before mating and laying eggs. They thrive in cooler temperatures and, as Dr. Scott Williams, one of the state’s top researchers into Japanese barberry and ticks explained stands of Japanese barberry trap the added humidity and warmth they need to survive dry autumn and early winter air.

The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters joined Williams and his team on a walk through Highlawn Forest where they quickly collected multiple ticks seeking a host. Williams stressed it’s important to get outside, despite the risk of a tick-bite, and added folks should, "enjoy the fall foliage and go hiking, but you should certainly be aware and do tick checks."

If you do find a tick latched on you, our state’s tick-testing program will test it for free. The first step is bringing it to your local health department as soon as you can. So far this year, the program has tested over 4,800 ticks for the bacteria which causes Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Dennis Johnson, the health director in Guilford, says at least 35 of those have come from his office. Lyme disease, he said, is endemic in Guilford and on residents’ minds.

He stressed the importance of bringing ticks in as soon as they are found and pulled off. Having the tick tested, rather than yourself, can tell you if you’re at risk for an infection and possibly save you a trip to the doctor.

Most health departments, like Guilford’s, will help you identify ticks and tell you if it needs to be tested before sending them off to the state’s tick-testing program. There are some that charge a processing fee, and several who ask their residents to send ticks directly to the state.

The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters prepared a map to help you find your local health department and whether or not they charge a fee. 

Click on your town to find contact information for your local municipal health department, as well as details they provided the Troubleshooters on how to submit ticks for testing.

If you find a tick on a person or pet, consider sending it in for testing to your local municipal health department. Experts test ticks for bacteria and parasites including Lyme disease and Babesia, and they say the data helps track changes in tick populations and infection rates. The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters learned municipal health departments throughout Connecticut have varying procedures for accepting ticks. Some charge fees, and the majority require ticks to be brought to them in person, though others will accept them through the mail. Several towns ask residents to send ticks they find directly to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station’s Tick Testing Program. To contact CAES, click here.

For more on how to submit the tick you found, click here. 



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

I-691W Reopened Near I-84 Merge in Cheshire

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I-691 westbound has reopened near the exit 2/I-84 merge in Cheshire after an accident.

Police said at least six vehicles, including a tractor-trailer, were involved. Minor injuries have been reported.

The road was initially closed but around 7:30 a.m. the left lane was reopened. Drivers should expect delays in the area.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.



Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police

Lack of Compromise Led to Civil War: Chief of Staff Kelly

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The White House is backing chief of staff John Kelly's defense of Confederate monuments and his assertion that the Civil War was caused by a failure to compromise.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters Tuesday that Kelly's calling Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee "an honorable man" was an attempt to point out that "history isn't perfect."

Sanders cited historian Shelby Foote to back up Kelly's claim that the "lack of an ability to compromise led to the Civil War."

Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., criticized Kelly, saying he "needs a history lesson" for minimizing the role of slavery in bringing about the Civil War.

Kelly also said in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham that aired Monday night that the removal of monuments to the Confederacy shows "a lack of appreciation of history." The retired Marine Corps general was responding to a question about a Virginia church's decision to remove historical markers for Lee and George Washington.

Kelly said that applying current thinking on social issues to figures in history is "very, very dangerous." He said the Civil War was sparked by "the lack of the ability to compromise."



Photo Credit: AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File

Puppy Abandoned in Prospect Getting a New Home

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A puppy abandoned in Prospect last week is doing well and will be adopted this week.  

Police said the male puppy was dumped at the end of Cornwall Avenue on Oct. 25 and has no collar, tags or ID chip.

The animal control officer said the dog is healthy and will be adopted by a nice family this week.



Photo Credit: Prospect Police
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Police Standoff in New Haven Ends Peacefully

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A police standoff overnight in New Haven ended peacefully when the suspect turned himself into police Tuesday morning.

According to New Haven police, the incident began when the man fled from bail enforcement officers and barricaded himself inside a home on Dickerman Street. Police attempted to make contact with him, but he refused to come outside.

There was no threat of violence, but police evacuated the neighboring homes and blocked the street off as a precaution.

Police sought a warrant and the suspect eventually surrendered without incident. 

The suspect was not identified and police did not say what he was wanted for or what charges he faces.




Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Old Stafford Road in Tolland Closed for Serious Crash

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Old Stafford Road in Tolland is closed due to a serious accident, according to Tolland fire officials.

Officials said crews are responding to a report of a car into a tree at 485 Old Stafford Road. Life-threatening injuries have been reported and LifeStar has been requested.

Old Stafford Road is closed in the area. Drivers should expect delays and avoid the area if possible.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Texas Plague of Grackles Reminiscent of Hitchcock's 'The Birds'

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This Halloween, you do not need a big budget horror film to get your fear fix in North Texas.

The sound of thousands of birds massed together in a grocery store parking lot — perched on cars, hopping along the ground and fluttering from tree to tree — is enough to send shivers down the spine of even the toughest Texan.

Grackles are back in full force this fall, as tends to happen in Texas. And the people of Dallas-Fort Worth have noticed.

“It’s positively ‘Hitchcockian’ in the evening!” noted JoAnne Kamman about the Kroger where she shops in Flower Mound, at Cross Timbers and 2499.

“We have to run and dodge them and their poop — bad, bad, bad!” Alysha Singleton exclaimed about the grackles she encounters at the L.A. Fitness at Little Road in Arlington.

“When they roost, it’s freaky,” Jo Hoffart noted about the grackles she sees at the Red Oak Walmart.

Longtime residents might balk at the hubbub, but remember, approximately 1,000 new people move to Texas every single day.

There are several species of grackle — the iridescent black and purple Great-tailed Grackle might be the most recognizable — and all of them are native to this region. Their numbers grow during the fall migration. And the grackles are most noticeable around dusk and dawn.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology so eloquently describes the grackle’s p.m. routine as follows: “In the evening, raucous flocks pack neighborhood trees, filling the sky with their amazing (some might say ear-splitting) voices.”

One place where the grackles, whose numbers are counted in the millions across Texas and the American Southwest, are not likely to be spotted is in downtown Fort Worth.

The area around Sundance Square is patrolled around dawn and dusk by contractors, hired by Downtown Fort Worth, Inc., whose sole responsibility is to clear the area of grackles.

The staff of Texas Bird Services employs several tactics to keep the grackles away: laser pointers, noisemakers, even professional falconers, whose large birds of prey are brought in thanks to a special permit granted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"Operation: Grackle," as this effort has been called, has been recognized as a model program to rid an urban area of the pesky blackbirds. In 2013, the International Downtown Association awarded Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. (DFWI) a Pinnacle Award for ‘Operation: Grackle,’ according to a news release.



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News

Manafort Indictment: The Fallout

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The White House says recent indictments from the Mueller Investigation have nothing to do with the president, his campaign or alleged collusion with Russia. Tracie Potts reports.

Dark Chocolate Sold in 23 States Recalled for Undeclared Milk

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A New York-based company is recalling a bunch of chocolate products, most of which were sold at Wegmans stores in nearly two dozen states, because they contain milk not declared on the list of ingredients, which could be extremely dangerous, even life-threatening, to people allergic to it. 

First Source announced the voluntary recall Monday. Both packaged chocolate, coffee beans and almonds and items sold in self-service bins are affected by the recall. 

The following 10 packaged items are affected:

  • Wegmans Dark Chocolate Almonds 23oz tub
  • Wegmans Dark Chocolate Almonds 11.5oz tub
  • Wegmans Dark Chocolate Almonds with Sea Salt and Turbinado Sugar 12oz tub
  • Wegmans Dark Chocolate Cherry-Infused Cranberries 12oz tub
  • Wegmans Dark Chocolate Strawberries 13.5oz tub
  • Alpine Valley Dark Chocolate Almonds 11.5oz tub
  • Circle K Favorites Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds 3.25oz bag
  • Tops Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds 11.5oz tub
  • Tops Dark Chocolate Coffee Beans 12oz tub
  • 7 Select Dark Chocolate Turbinado Almonds with Sea Salt 2.25oz bag 

Those were sold in 23 states including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, Vermont and Virginia from Jan. 1, 2016, to the present. 

The following products sold in bulk self-service bins at grocery stores between Jan. 1, 2016, and Oct. 30, 2017, are also affected: 

  • 15 LBS Dark Chocolate Peanuts distributed to Wegmans Food Markets, Dryden Food Market, New Brighton Food Land, Punxsutawney Country Market, and Trumansburg Shur Save,
  • 20 LBS Dark Chocolate Almonds to Wegmans Food Markets, Giant Food Store, Martin’s Food Market, and Stop N Shop
  • 25 LBS Dark Chocolate Coffee Beans Giant Food Store, Giant Food Mart, Martin’s Food Market, Wegmans Food Market, Dryden Food Market, Orchard Fresh, Stop N Shop, and Punxsutawney Country Market 

Those products were distributed in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. 

No illnesses or reactions have been reported, and First Source says it is issuing the recall out of an abundance of caution. It found out about the issue after a supplier issued its own recall because of the milk allergen. Anyone with questions can call First Source at 1-716-389-0200.



Photo Credit: File-Stephen Chernin/Getty Images

How Will Team USA View Anthem Protests? Unclear, Expert Says

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Politics has become a major player in sports since Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem last year in protest of police brutality. That act led to a national debate, more protests and eventually even a politicized visit to the White House for one championship team.

Kneeling might also bring politics to the forefront of the Pyeongchang Games in 2018, if a competitor chooses to bring Kaepernick's form of protest to the world stage.

They would be doing so despite an Olympic rule that prohibits political protests — the Olympic Charter states that "no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas." But it’s difficult to tell what would actually happen if such a protest were to occur this February, according to one Olympic historian.

David Wallechinsky, president of the International Society of Olympic Historians, said that the rule, which was put in place in the early 1960s, was mainly to prohibit advertisers from overtaking the venues. The political aspect, he said, was added "almost as an afterthought."

The rule's political component was tested soon thereafter when two black Americans raised their fists in a symbol of the Black Power movement as they stood atop the podium for the 200-meter dash in 1968.

The International Olympic Committee, the governing body of the Olympic Games, put "enormous pressure" on the United States Olympic Committee to punish Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Wallechinsky said. As a result, they lost their medals and were expelled from the rest of the Mexico City Games.

Nearly 50 years after Smith and Carlos, all eyes will fall on the Americans who top the podium again as the debate over how athletes should behave when "The Star-Spangled Banner" is played carries on.

The anthem has become a focus of President Donald Trump's, who has lashed out at Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who was the first to sit and kneel during the anthem year.

Trump called out the players carrying on his protest this September, saying at a rally in Alabama that any "son of a of b----" who kneels during the anthem should be fired by his team's owner, prompting more than 200 players across the league to kneel during the anthem.

The issue has spilled across the sports world. The 2017 NBA champion Golden State Warriors had their invitation for the customary title-winners' visit to the White House rescinded when Trump took issue with criticism from one of its players. Meanwhile, the NHL champion Pittsburgh Penguins did not criticize the president's comments and made the visit. 

Trump has continued to pressure the NFL to ban kneeling or sitting for the anthem, creating a political conundrum the league has yet to solve. Commissioner Roger Goodell said that while the NFL believes "everyone should stand for the national anthem," he has no plans to mandate it.

Potential American Olympians were left to reflect on whether symbols of patriotism should take precedence over the freedom to express a political position. 

"Part of me would be proud of that person for standing up or kneeling, or whatever, for their rights and using their voice," alpine skier Laurenne Ross told the Los Angeles Times at the time of Trump's divisive comments. "Part of me would be a little bit heartbroken that we are being torn as a nation and we are doing these actions that make us seem that we're not one anymore."

"I would have no problem doing something," freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy told The Washington Post about protesting during the anthem at the Winter Games. "I think there would be teammates that would stand with me."

If an athlete does kneel during the national anthem, it would be up to the United States Olympic Committee to decide how to react, said Wallechinsky, who has written histories of the Summer and Winter Olympics.

A spokesman for the USOC declined to comment on what would happen, while the IOC said in a statement ahead of the Pyeongchang Games that, as with any issue that arises, any demonstration prohibited by rule 50.2 will be reviewed "on a case by case basis."

But USOC CEO Scott Blackmun has discussed the issue, saying at a recent media summit in Park City, Utah, "I think the athletes that you see protesting are protesting because they love their country, not because they don't." 

He added that he and the USOC "recognize the importance of athletes being able to express themselves." But he also referred to the Olympic Charter and implied that he expects Team USA athletes to adhere to the political protest rule.

What the IOC does permit is political displays that represent entire nations, said Wallechinsky. That’s why an athlete can wave their nation’s flag after an event. It’s also why Nazis were allowed to salute during the 1936 Games.

Kneeling or raising a fist during the national anthem does not represent the entire country, which is what makes it potentially problematic, Wallechinksy said.

But even so, it is hard to tell how political statements can be received.

During the 2016 Rio Games, Ethiopian marathoner Feyisa Lilesa crossed his arms above his head as he reached the finish line. The gesture was meant to show solidarity with Ethiopia’s native population, the Oromo people, who were being persecuted, he said. Wallenchinsky pointed out that the IOC did not punish Lilesa. (The runner never returned to Ethiopia out of fear of persecution and now lives in Arizona.)

Wallechinsky noted one way athletes can protest without falling afoul of the IOC's rule:  "There is nothing that stops athletes from expressing themselves outside of the [Olympic] venue." 



Photo Credit: Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images, File

Man Claims Mutilated Body Is Blow-Up Doll Made of Flesh: PD

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Caution: This story may be disturbing to readers.

A Miami man was arrested this weekend after he tried to tell police that the mutilated body of his girlfriend was really a blow-up doll made of flesh, an arrest report said.

Jerome Ernest Wright, 32, was arrested Saturday in connection with the death of his girlfriend, 52-year-old DeAnna Clendinen, according to the Miami-Dade Police arrest report.

The report said officers responded to a home in the 6200 block of Northwest 23rd Avenue for a report of a foul odor that was reported by Wright's mom, 62-year-old Della Rosalie Wright.

Della Wright told officers that she lives with her son and that the odor was coming from his room. As officers approached his room, he came out naked and sweaty and said he had a stomach ache, the report said.

Officers checked the room and saw what appeared to be bodily fluids on a trash can and a mattress, the report said. When they checked a closet, they found a body wrapped in sheets and clothing.

The body was later confirmed to be Clendinen. It had a large laceration to the abdomen where her organs were removed, and the organs were found in the trash can outside, the report said.

Investigators said they could smell "a strong odor of human decomposition emanating from the defendant," according to the report.

Wright is charged with abuse of a dead human body and remained behind bars Tuesday, jail records showed. Attorney information wasn't available.

Della Wright said Clendinen frequently stayed at the home and said she last saw her on Oct. 24 going into Wright's bedroom, the report said. She said on Friday, Wright ran out of his bedroom complaining of a stomach pain, and that's when she noticed the foul odor coming from his room.

She said she asked Wright what the odor was and he said he saw a rat in the room, had diarrhea and that the dog defecated on the floor, the report said. She noted that he smelled like blood, the report said.

Later on, she smelled a foul odor in the garbage can in the kitchen and took the trash to the outside garbage bin without looking inside, the report said.

After he was taken into custody, Wright denied that there was a dead person in the closet and said whatever was in his room was not real, the report said.

"The defendant stated that there was a life size blow-up doll in the closet, and that the doll is made of flesh," the arrest report noted. "The defendant advised on several occasions that if you find something in my room it's from the internet."

Wright told officers he hasn't seen Clendinen in five months and she was not at his house recently and he was not in a relationship with her, the report said.

But the report said Wright had been arrested for aggravated battery in March, and the victim in the case was Clendinen. Wright pled guilty in the case last month and was on probation.

"It's hard to deal with something like this, I'm just devastated," Della Wright told reporters Tuesday. "I would ask my son, 'why would you do something like this? I never know in my wildest dreams that you would do something like this.' This is what I would say to my son. And what you done is wrong. Morally it was wrong."



Photo Credit: Miami-Dade Corrections
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Crews Knock Down Building Fire on Route 34 in Derby

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Fire officials are investigating a fire at a building on Derby Avenue (Route 34) in Derby Tuesday morning.

Fire officials said they responded to the fire at 19 Derby Avenue around 2:30 a.m. The fire appears to have started on the first floor, where between 8 to 10 tenants were staying in a back room. No injuries were reported.

“The first floor was some type of bar, restaurant. The second and third floor were vacant as far as we know, but there were tenants in the back room that were living here. Everyone made it out safely,” said Derby Fire Chief Mike Goodman.

The tenants have been temporarily displaced, but Goodman said the damage wasn’t too significant.

"It was pretty decent. There were definitely a lot of low hanging wires from maybe previous renovations or something. For the most part, the building seemed to be pretty well intact,” Goodman said.

The fire marshal is on scene. Fire officials said the fire does not appear suspicious, but the exact cause remains under investigation.

Route 34 west was closed in the area for hours while crews worked but has since reopened. 



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Power Remains Out for Thousands Ledyard

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Thousands of people in Ledyard remain without power Tuesday and are in the dark for a second day after a powerful storm caused outages Sunday night. With power out and wires down, the mayor is in touch with the company and might recommend postponing trick-or-treating until Friday night.

On Tuesday afternoon, Eversource reports that 54 percent of the town is still without power. Eversource crews arrived in town Monday after Mayor Fred Allyn voiced frustrations with the company on Facebook.

He wrote that the utility company was not doing enough and that there would be no school Tuesday, and there is a chance there will be no trick-or-treating. Dozens of trees and wires went down around town, initially leaving 5,400 in the dark – that’s 80 percent of town. 

Eversource crews have been making an effort to restore power and the mayor is in touch with crews to determine where the company is with restoration.

"I'm not confident the wires and everything will be back up and I'm just very concerned about child safety, that walking around, particularly in the dark, with potentially live wires on the ground, it's just not a good recipe for a fun night," Allyn said. 


On Tuesday Ledyard Middle School and town hall is open for those who need charging stations and bathroom facilities.

Eversource has brought in around 200 extra crews from out of state to help restore power to customers who remain in the dark.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

State Officials to Discuss Improvements Since Super Storm Sandy

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Super Storm Sandy struck Connecticut five years ago, ravaging the shoreline, and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman and state officials will hold a news conference to discuss infrastructure and state resiliency improvements since the storm. 

The news conference is scheduled for 2 p.m.at New Haven Rail Yard on Brewery Street in New Haven. 

On the fifth anniversary of Super Storm Sandy, thousands of Connecticut residents are without power after the storm Sunday into Monday.

Christmas Movie Shot in New Britain and Bristol Airs Next Month

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A Christmas movie that was shot in New Britain and Bristol over the summer will air Thanksgiving weekend.

Mario Lopez and Melissa Joan Hart star in “A Very Merry Toy Store,” a Lifetime Christmas movie that also includes a cast made up of Brian Dennehy; Beth Broderick, who played Aunt Zelda in “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, starring alongside Hart, and Diane Janssen in “Lost;” “Mike and Molly” star Billy Gardell; Mario Cantone; Dan Amboyer, from “The Blacklist: Redemption,” and Tara Strong.

Amatos Toy and Hobby store in downtown New Britain was one of the sets for the film, which was previously going to be called "Christmas Hours.”

“We chose New Britain and Bristol because it has that kind of New England kind of feel and the storefronts are great, the locations are great,” Andrew Gernhard, a Connecticut native and producer on the film, said during the filming.

In , “A Very Merry Toy Store,” Hart plays a single mom and the characters she and Lopez play each run their small, family-owned toy stores in Connecticut. They have been business rivals for year until both of their livelihoods fall into jeopardy when the big box toy store "Roy's Toys" opens right before Christmas. 

“A Very Merry Toy Store,” premieres Sunday, Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. on Lifetime.



Photo Credit: Bristol Mayor Ken Cockayne
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Check CT Sex Offender Registry Before Trick or Treating

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Neighborhoods across Connecticut are going to be filled with kids trick-or-treating in costumes tonight, but do you know who’s behind the doors they knock on? 

Some people might have a criminal history involving children and some are still allowed to hand out candy to your kids tonight. State police say the trick to staying safe while pursuing treats is doing your research and planning ahead. 

“There are no state statutes that say sex-offenders can’t hand out candy on Halloween. So it is your choice as a parent whether or not you will go to those residences,” Trooper Kelly Grant, of Connecticut State Police, said. 

In essence, some sex-offenders could interact with your children tonight. The only thing stopping them is any agreement they have with the court prohibiting them to do so. 

“If this was a sex offense against a child,” says Trooper Grant, “then they may have a stipulation that says they are to have no contact with children. And they do have to abide by that.” 

The registry is updated daily, but not all parents know about it. 

Jelitza Mercado, a mother of two, found six registered sex-offenders live around her home when she checked the online registry for the first time, but had no idea about any of them. She already planned on taking her kids only to the homes of friends and family and said this research confirms why. 

“That’s scary,” Mercado said. “That’s why you definitely have to see where you’re going to take them and stay with them.” 

Adam Kovalski hadn’t checked the registry either until we showed him while he was shopping with his son. He found one person registered near his home. 

“It doesn’t surprise me,” since the area isn’t as densely populated, he said. 

Trooper Grant said this tool is essential for parents to use before their kids go out on Halloween night. 

“Check the sex offender registry. See who’s in your neighborhood. See who’s in that neighborhood, and then adjust your trick-or treating accordingly,” she said. 

You can check the registry online here. 

After clicking that you agree to the terms and conditions, you will be able to search it. Type in your address and a map will pinpoint every offender within five miles of your location and provide names, photos, addresses and a list of offenses, including those involving children.




Bristol Couple in 80s Reported Missing After Leaving for Fla

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A husband and wife from Bristol who are both in their 80s are missing after leaving for their Florida home and Silver Alerts have been issued for them. 

Police said a family member of 84-year-old Joseph Wojenski and 86-year-old Antoinette Wojenski called authorities to report that the couple left Bristol but has not arrived in Florida. 

The Wojenskis were last seen just before 3:30 a.m. Tuesday just over the North Carolina border, by Virginia. A North Carolina trooper saw them by a visitor's center off Interstate 95.

Antoinette Wojenski was last seen wearing a white sweatshirt. Joseph Wojenski has a tattoo on his upper left arm and was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and gray gym pants.

They were driving a blue/green older model Chrysler Town and Country with Florida plates.

Anyone with information is asked to call Bristol police at 860-584-3011.




Photo Credit: Bristol Police
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