On Monday night, Kobe Bryant became the first NBA player to have two jerseys retired by the same team, as no. 8 and no. 24 rose into the rafters in front of a jam-packed, star-studded STAPLES Center.

Lakers president of basketball opeations Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Lakers president and majority owner Jeanie Buss spoke during the halftime ceremony that culminated with a double jersey reveal and Bryant on the microphone.

Standing at center court, Buss explained the decision to retire both of Bryant's jerseys by stating that if one looked at Bryant's career with no. 8 and no. 24 separately, "Both of those numbers would qualify for the Hall of Fame."

Kobe Bryant has 2 jerseys in the rafters... pic.twitter.com/ETl2RkMsRt

— SoCal Sports 4 You (@SoCalSports4You) December 19, 2017

Bryant won three NBA championships and scored 81 points in a game while donning the no. 8 and claimed two NBA titles, two NBA Finals MVPs and a league MVP wearing no. 24. As such, Buss' argument appeared to hold up, and the celebration at Staples Center featured former teammates, coaches and other members of the Lakers and NBA family.

From Bill Russell to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Allen Iverson to Shaquille O'Neal, Bryant's ceremony brought out some of the greatest names in the history of the league.

For his part, Bryant told reporters that getting his jerseys retired meant more because of the company he joined, rather than all he accomplished on the basketball court.

Bryant Family Photo pic.twitter.com/xy7GtGvpWn

— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) December 19, 2017

Then, when the ceremony was wrappin up and Bryant had finished addressing the crowd, he concluded the ceremony with his now famous catch phrase: "Mamba out."

The crew of a Coast Guard cutter used to finding bales of cocaine floating on the ocean got a surprise last month: a sea turtle trapped amid the contraband, NBC News reported.

The crew of the cutter Thetis found the creature in the eastern Pacific after a military plane spotted a debris field of 26 packages strung together, amounting to 800 kilos of cocaine, authorities said.

The turtle had lines wrapped around its neck and fins, Commander Jose Diaz said. "There were some marks on her neck, so she may have been there a day or two."

The availability and use of cocaine are rebounding to levels not seen in a decade, in some cases, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

A tractor-trailer crash caused lane closures on Interstate 84 in Manchester Tuesday morning.

It happened around 3:20 a.m. Connecticut State Police said the truck crashed on -84 east between exits 63 and 64 and landed down an embankment.

Traffic was light and no other vehicles were involved in the crash. No injuries were reported.

The driver was issued an infraction for failing to maintain proper lane.

Amazon Key, a new service from Amazon, allows a delivery person to unlock your door and deliver a package inside your house.

But "Today" national investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen demonstrated with the help of a cybersecurity expert a loophole in the system that can allow someone full access to your home without you knowing.

With the permission of a homeowner named Rachelle, who watched remotely using her Amazon Key app, Ben Caudill, founder of Rhino Security Labs, was able to disable the homeowner's Wi-Fi and freeze the camera feed.

Amazon has issued a software update, saying customers would be notified more quickly if their camera goes offline.

In this case, Rachelle received a notification in less than a minute that her camera was unavailable — but no clear indication that it had been hacked, or that someone was in her home.

Amazon told NBC News that "safety and security are built into every aspect of the service" that this poses little risk to customers, and the issue is with most Wi-Fi systems themselves, not with Amazon's software.

A South Windsor man who was crossing the street in Bloomfield after getting off a CT Transit bus Tuesday morning was hit by a car and police are looking for the driver who fled the scene.

Police said they were called to 1415 Blue Hills Ave. at 6:15 a.m. and found the 49-year-old man, who was bleeding severely from his lower left leg. Police said he also has a possible fracture and was transported to St. Francis Hospital.

The car that hit him was a dark sedan, police said. Officers found pieces of the side mirror from the passenger side of a Nissan as well as black plastic thought to be from the car that left the scene.

Police said they interviewed a witness and are asking anyone else with information to call Bloomfield police at 860-242-5151.

A single mother of four from Maine says her faith in humanity has been renewed after a stranger gave her a $500 tip, saving Christmas for her children.

When Trisha Murphy, of Sullivan, isn't working at a nursing home in Seaport Village, she picks up extra shifts at a Denny's restaurant, all while taking classes to become a certified nurse assistant. 

In a Facebook post Sunday, Murphy wrote that she began her Saturday morning shift at Denny's particularly stressed because her car was towed and she did not know how she could afford to pay the $735 she needed to get it out and buy Christmas presents for her school-aged kids.

"I went into work, racking my brain as to how I was going to pull this off," she wrote. "I can pick up a couple extra shifts and do some odd jobs. That would mean I'd have to pay extra for a sitter though."

Murphy wrote that she "painted on a smile" and waited on a table of three men.

"The older of the three kept asking me about Christmas. I just told him I'm in it for my kids, but besides that, I don't really get into it all that much," she wrote. "He joked that he'd come be Santa."

When it came time to pay the bill, Murphy said the man insisted she cash him out instead of the restaurant's hostess. 

"When he put his card in, he had a huge, ear to ear, smile. The receipt printed and I almost collapsed!" Murphy said of the $500 gratuity on the receipt. "I looked up at this grungy looking man, my face as white as snow, and tears in my eyes. He just smiled again and said 'merry Christmas, dear.'"

Murphy says she doesn't know the man's name, but hopes "he realizes that he literally saved Christmas for my children and I."

"Good people do still exist. Yesterday was the day I met Santa," Murphy added.

The holiday season is right around the corner and there are many festive activities around the state.

Bridgeport

"The Christmas Elf" runs through Dec. 28 at the Downtown Cabaret Theater in Bridgeport.

Bristol

Holiday Lights at Lake Compounce is held weekends from Nov. 24 through Dec. 30. The park will be covered in hundreds of thousands of lights, with light shows every half hour. Tickets are $15.99 for adults, $11.99 for children 4 to 10 and seniors. Tickets sold before Nov. 24 are $10.99. The event is free with a 2017 or 2018 diamond or platinum season pass. New for 2017 is dinner with Santa. 

Chester

A Connecticut Christmas Carol runs through Dec. 30 at The Terris Theater.

East Windsor

Winterfest and the Tunnel of Lights runs through Dec. 30 at the Connecticut Trolley Museum. 

Essex

The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat in Essex has a Santa Special through Dec. 23.

Meriden

Festival of Silver Lights at Hubbard Park begins on Tuesday, Nov. 21. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. and includes singing and a holiday lighting display at 6 p.m. The holiday lights will be on until Jan. 1.

Mystic

Winterfest with Rudolph & Friends runs through Dec. 31 at Mystic Aquarium.
Lantern Light Tours: A Christmas Ghost Story, runs through Dec. 23 at Mystic Seaport.

New Haven

• Celebrate the holiday season in downtown New Haven at The Shops at Yale with free events that are open to the public through December 24, including shopping, dining, laser light shows, ice carving competitions and demonstrations, downtown horse and carriage rides, visits with Santa, and much more.

Norwalk

• See Santa at the Martitime Aquarium of Norwalk in December. Visit Santa in his fishing village as the Go Fish exhibit is transformed. 
• Santa will also dive with the sharks in the “Ocean Beyond the Sound” exhibit. Tickets to the aquarium are $22.95 for adults, $15.95 for children 3 to 12, $20.95 for children 13 to 17 and $20.95 for seniors 65 and up.

Old Saybrook

There have been several holiday events at the Kate, including "Judy Collins: An Evening of Holiday and Hits" on Dec. 22 and 23/

Thomaston

Clara and the Nutcracker" opens on Dec. 30 at Landmark Community Theater.

What's your favorite holiday event? Let us know in the comments.

For Bob and Ruth Kretschmer, life without each other wasn’t an option.

The elderly couple from a Chicago suburb celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary last week, and five days later, they died peacefully in their Medinah home just minutes apart.

The pair, ages 92 and 90, passed away within 15 minutes of each other – an act family members said was meant to be.

Bob Kretschmer, a World War II veteran with two Purple Hearts, had always been a fighter – and he fought until his very last breath, holding on during a battle with cancer to stay with his wife until her time came too.

"They both wanted to die in this house and if my father went first, that wasn't going to happen for my mother," the couple’s daughter Roberta "Bobbi" Boston told the Daily Herald. "He hung in there for her. After she passed away, he asked why everyone was crying, then he passed away.”

Ruth Kretschmer, a former Republican politician who served as a DuPage County Board Member and the chair of its zoning committee along with 20 years on the Illinois Commerce Commission, had been in hospice for two years and was reportedly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, according to family members.

Bob Kretschmer was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.

Also a carpenter, Bob Kretschmer built several houses in his lifetime, including the one he and Ruth raised their family in. It was in that home the couple said they wanted to leave together.

On Friday morning, in that very home, Ruth Kretschmer stopped breathing.

Minutes later, Boston told the Sun-Times a caregiver was holding Bob Kretschmer’s hand while crying when he asked her what wrong.

“She said, 'Ruth’s gone,' and his hand went limp,” Boston told the publication.

The pair were described in their obituary as “truly an adventurous and active couple,” who enjoyed roller skating and traveling around the world.

A visitation was held for the couple Sunday, and services were set for Monday.

They are survived by their children, Ruthann Koenig, Roberta "Bobbi" Boston and R. David Kretschmer along with their eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Residents in Manchester may finally see some relief from a stinky problem.

Upgrades are coming to the Manchester landfill to relieve odors that have been plaguing nearby neighborhoods.

Residents say the stench is almost unbearable for those living near the landfill. But town officials say some new investments should help deal with the stench.

"It’s been horrible," said resident Barbara Dubofsky.

"It’s worse in the summer, it smells like manure," Barry Dubofsky added.

The Dubofskys live across the street from the Manchester Landfill and Transfer Station, and every day their noses remind them.

"You have to close your windows, your doors, I mean everybody here has to deal with it. It’s just terrible," Barbara said.

The reason the stench is so bad, according to Town General Manager Scott Shaley, is because of 24 gas collection wells currently installed. Shanley says the wells, scattered across the 66-acre landfill, don’t work as they should.

"Basically there's too much gas from the landfill that's escaping our well system and our extraction system and it causes an odor," Shanley said.

The Board of Directors decided on a plan to clear the air. They approved adding more than $750,000 in town fund to an already existing town grant. With more than $1.5 million combined, they can use the money to rip out the old wells and install 42 new ones.

"All that is extracted and then burned using a flare that burns at about 1,500 degrees and the methane burns and the other gases burn up in the methane flare," Shanley explained.

Until construction begins ina few weeks, the Duboskys say they will have to deal with the nightmare, knowing smaller dreams will still come true.

"That would be great then we can keep our windows open," Barbara said.

And Shanley said the new wells are expandable, so as the landfill grows, so will the equipment.

Commuters at New Haven’s Union Station were among train riders all over the nation reacting to the derailment of an Amtrak train in Washington state Monday morning.

While many told NBC Connecticut news of the fatal derailment shocked and frightened them, none said it was enough to stop them from riding trains.

"It made me think what would happen now if that happened? And how would I react?" said Mary-Jo Amatruda, who often rides the train between New York and Branford.

"I’m so sorry for their families. It’s so sad," said commuter Amal Alshehri of Bridgeport.

"It’s so unfortunate for those who lost their lives. Tragic for those who lost their lives, but we just live in a world full of risk," said Aaron Johnson, visiting Connecticut from Boaz, Alabama.

In 2016, there were 863 different derailment incidents on American rails and 62 collisions, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. The frequency of these kinds of accidents is something some commuters say has left them questioning the training of personnel who operate the nation’s trains.

"You’re carrying a lot of people every day and we put our lives in their hands. So they need to train these people," said commuter Michelle Ivory from Mount Vernon, New York.

As of Monday evening, federal and local officials say the cause of the Washington incident is still under investigation.

Most commuters in New Haven said since they’ll still have to take the train despite this latest tragedy they’ll continue to hope for the best.

"I leave it up to god. It’ll be alright. Stay focused, I’m not going to let it stop me from riding the train," said Ivory.

Waterbury police have arrested a man accused in a brazen afternoon shooting in front of a liquor store on Willow Street, at Woodlawn Terrace, on Dec. 2.

Surveillance video shows a man wearing a dark mask and jacket come around the corner onto Willow Street around 4:30 p.m. and begin shooting. Another camera angle shows three men standing nearby, one of whom was shot in the throat.

Waterbury police identified 18-year-old Levar S. Roach as the suspect and secured an arrest warrant earlier this month. On Tuesday police announced that investigators had located Roach and took him into custody.

Roach is charged with criminal attempt at murder, illegal discharge of a firearm, first-degree reckless endangerment and illegally carrying a pistol without a permit. He was held on a $75,000 bond and is due in court Tuesday.

The victim who was shot was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital and police said he is still recovering

Hartford police, the mayor’s office, Uber and Mothers Against Drunk Driving are all joining forces to promote safety this holiday season.

The goal is simple: stop people from driving drunk, especially when it’s so prevalent this time of year.

In Connecticut, there have been 275 deaths from drunk driving, according to AAA.

All the groups involved are going over the resources available to stop it.

Hartford police will have increased checkpoints and patrols. They say the work to bring justice to the lives lost starts now, pointing to an incident at Park and Zion Streets where a 70-year-old woman was struck by a drunk driver. The driver was arrested on second-degree manslaughter charges.

MADD and police are encouraging everyone to designate sober drivers, drink responsibility, and use services like Uber to get to destinations safely.

25:31 “We want everybody to have fun. We want everyone to come down and patronize the great restaurants that we’ve got here in downtown Hartford and all around our city, but we want everybody to do it safely,” said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin.

MADD Connecticut wants drivers to show their pledge to drive sober this holiday season by tying a red ribbon on their car.

Stratford police are searching for the suspect in an armed robbery at a local convenience store.

Police said officers responded to the 24/7 Express at 1607 Barnum Ave. around 12:15 a.m. Monday after the store was robbed. The suspect was armed with a machete and made off with $800 in cash.

The employee was not hurt.

The suspect is described as male, around 5-foot-3 in his 20s or 30s. He was wearing an army green zip-up hoodie, blue jeans, black sneakers, sunglasses and a furry tan “trapper” style hat at the time of the crime.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect pictured above should contact Stratford Police Detective Legen at 203-385-4141.

Meriden police are trying to identify a man accused of identity theft.

Police said the man pictured above is suspected of opening credit cards in other people’s names then intercepting the victims’ mail to hide the evidence.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect is asked to call Meriden Police Detective Dean Benoit at 203-630-6297.

Meriden police remind residents that identity theft is a common crime and that you should take measures to protect private information.

The Salvation Army has begun distributing toys to thousands of parents this week for Christmas. 

At the Hartford Salvation Army location, parents were able to choose one toy and one stocking stuffer for each child, as well as a board game for the family. 

“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community. All of the toys and gifts we’ve received have been donated by the community, which shows how important this cause is to the community and how much they care about our families,” said Lauren Fair, the director of social services for the Greater Hartford Area Salvation Army. 

One of the less fortunate mothers who picked out toys for her children was Carla Valdes, of East Hartford. She has four children under the age of 9 and said the toy drive is crucial to helping provide for her children. 

“Amazing. You get to choose what you actually need and what you know your kids will play with. This is a blessing,” said Valdes. 

The organization is still accepting unwrapped toys because the Bridgeport location and Torrington location are short on toys. 

There are 179 children in need In Bridgeport and 70 in Torrington. 

Unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the below locations: 

The Salvation Army
30 Elm St.
Bridgeport

The Salvation Army
234 Oak Ave.
Torrington

The Salvation Army is also in its last week of collections for the Red Kettle Campaign. 

The goal is to raise $1.3 million in Connecticut and so far approximately $769,000 has been raised. The money raised goes toward year-round programs for seniors, the youth, shelters and food pantries.

Some locations experiencing a decline in kettle donations since last year are Danbury, Manchester, New London, Norwalk, Norwich, Stamford, Torrington and Waterbury.

The latest disclosure of information on congressional sexual harassment payments revealed that taxpayers paid an additional $115,000 between 2008 and 2012, NBC News reported.

The office where victims file complaints, the Office of Compliance, gave the information to Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss., chairman of the House Administration Committee Tuesday.

It brings the total amount of sexual harassment settlements so far disclosed to $199,000, following an $84,000 settlement for a complaint against Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas. He is no longer seeking re-election.

The information has not been easy to come by — the Office of Compliance denied a request for information from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., on how many sexual harassment claims have been filed and settled.

A school resource officer was captured on video using a stun gun on a female student involved in a fight outside a Florida middle school.

According to the Pinellas Park police, a fight broke out Thursday between two girls in the bus circle at Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School in Pinellas Park, near Tampa.

The officer, who was not identified, tried to break up the fight, but one of the students refused orders to stop, police said, according to NBC affiliate WFLA.

Cellphone video recorded by a bystander shows the students yelling "get off of me" as she appears to try to escape from the officer's grip.

The officer is then heard yelling "get on the ground" before firing his Taser.  The student can be heard screaming as she falls on the sidewalk and other students look on. 

"She also threatened the officer himself, to strike him, if he didn’t let her go. So [he] ended up, after giving her multiple commands, ended up deploying a Taser against her,” Sgt. Michael Lynch of the Pinellas Park Police Department told WFLA.

The student was treated for injuries sustained during the fight and released to her mother, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Officials did not identify the student and said the state attorney's office will determine what charges she could face. The school resource officer is working with the school to decide what disciplinary action or charges the other female student involved in the fight could face, police said. 

The United States Postal Service, major shipping companies and Amazon are still guaranteeing delivery before Christmas Day across the country. But you better get those packages moving soon if you want to score the cheapest rates. 

USPS
The USPS listed these days to ship items for arrival before Christmas Day; Tuesday, Dec. 19 for First Class; Wednesday, Dec. 20 for Priority Mail; and Friday, Dec. 22 for Priority Mail Express.

For residents in Alaska, Wednesday, Dec. 20 is the last day for First Class and Priority Mail and Thursday, Dec. 21 is the last day for Priority Mail Express shipping services before Christmas Day. 

For residents in Hawaii, Wednesday, Dec. 20 is the last day for Priority Mail Express shipping services before Christmas Day. 

FedEx
FedEx shipping services will deliver on Saturday, Dec. 23. with these services: FedEx First Overnight, FedEx Priority Overnight and FedEx 2Day for an additional fee. On Christmas Day, FedEx will ship with the FedEx SameDay service option.

UPS
UPS will ship 2nd Day Air on Wednesday, Dec. 20 and Next Day Air on Thursday, Dec. 21. The company will not be shipping on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and their last day to ship before Christmas is Saturday, Dec. 23. Their regular delivery schedule will resume on Tuesday, Dec. 26.

Amazon
Amazon is offering shipping on Friday, Dec. 22, Saturday, Dec. 23 in select cities, as well as same day and two-hour delivery on Sunday, Dec. 24 in select cities. Shipping may be free for Amazon Prime members. 

Customers are advised that shipping dates closer to Christmas Day could have adidtional costs as well as shipping deadlines and rates could be different for residents in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Please check with the respective shipping company for details. 

United Technologies Corporation (UTC) paid more than $1 million to resolve federal violations involving Goodrich Pump and Engine Controls Systems (GPECS). 

UTC indirectly owned GPECS between July 2012 and March 2013. 

GPECS was a subcontractor to Rolls-Royce, a prime contractor for the U.S. Army, according to the settlement agreement.

The settlement says that GPECS purchased, shipped and caused counterfeit microprocessors to be integrated into engine control units installed into U.S. Army helicopters from 2005 to 2012.

"GPECS sold its Full Authority Digital Engine Control Units, which includes the Engine Control Unit (FADEC/ECU), to Rolls-Royce Corporation for installation into its M-250 series engines. The M-250 series engines were then sent to the U.S. Army for installation into U.S. Army helicopters, specifically the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior aircraft and A/MH-6M Mission Enhanced Little Bird (MELB). From 2005 to 2012, GPECS purchased, shipped and caused counterfeit microprocessors to be integrated into FADEC/ECU assemblies, which were then incorporated into the M-250 series engine, ultimately for the Kiowa Warrior aircraft and MELB," the U.S. attorney's office said in a statement. 

It further alleged that GPECS provided the government with numerous false authenticity certifications of the FADEC/ECU assembly between 2005 and 2012. According to the settlement, 172 false certifications occurred from 2011 to 2012 as one example. 

"Federal contractors must abide by the certification requirements set forth in government contracts so that taxpayer dollars are not wasted, and our national security is not threatened," said U.S. Attorney John Durham. "Vulnerabilities caused by counterfeit parts will not be tolerated. We thank the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General for thoroughly investigating this matter, and UTC for cooperating with the government’s investigation."

On Tuesday, entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government and paid $1,060,000 to resolve the False Claims Act violation.

The company provided a statement on Tuesday afternoon:

“We are pleased that the matter is resolved without any admission of liability. As the government acknowledged in settling this matter, no UTC employees were involved in the conduct at issue and UTC never exercised control or management over the operations of Goodrich Pump and Engine Controls Systems (GPECS).”