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Detectives Investigating ‘Suspicious Death’ in Hartford


Resident Suffers Burns During Newtown House Fire

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One person suffered burns during a house fire in the Sandy Hook section of Newtown Monday.

Fire broke out at the home on bungalow Terrace Monday morning. Firefighters said crews from Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire, Hawleyville Fire Company, Botsford Fire Rescue and Dodgingtown Fire Company all responded.

Firefighters said a resident of the home suffered burns to his hands and smoke inhalation. He was conscious on scene and escaped the home on his own.

No other information was immediately available.



Photo Credit: Karin Halstead

Woman Arrested After Dog's Death Is Due in Court

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A Hartford woman who was arrested and charged with animal cruelty after a dog was found frozen to death on Adams Street in Hartford is due in court today. 

Hartford police said a concerned neighbor reported on New Year’s Day that a pit bull mix had been left outside during the bitter cold weather. Officers responded to the home on Adams Street and found the dead dog chained inside a doghouse behind the home.

The 3- to 4-year-old dog did not have any protection against the cold and showed signs of hypothermia and other signs of neglect, according to police.

It is not clear but police said the dog may have been outside for a month. The dog was being kept in the basement before a pipe bust and then was moved outside.

On Wednesday, police applied for an arrest warrant charging 50-year-old Michelle Bennett, of Adams Street in Hartford, with one count of animal cruelty.

Police attempted to serve a warrant at Bennet’s home overnight and located her on Cabot Street.

Bond was set at $2,500. She is due in court today.




Photo Credit: Hartford Police

Crews Responding to Large Oil Spill in Marlborough

Oprah for President? Twitter Says So During Golden Globes

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Oprah Winfrey's acceptance speech for a lifetime achievement award at the 75th Annual Golden Globes on Sunday resulted in a rallying cry for her to run for president.

But NBC sparked a backlash after a message posted on the network's Twitter account referred to Winfrey as "OUR president." The network deleted the tweet Monday morning, saying the message was posted by a "third party," had been in reference to a joke from host Seth Meyers' monologue and was "not meant to be a political statement." 

Winfrey's Cecil B. DeMille Award acceptance speech was a full-throated tribute to the women and men who support the #MeToo Movement. 

"It will be because of a lot of magnificent women... and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when no body ever has to say 'me too' again," Winfrey said.

She expressed homage to Recy Taylor, a black woman from Alabama who was kidnapped and raped by six white men in the 1940s. Taylor never saw justice and died just 10 days ago. Rosa Parks served as her appointed caseworker. 

Winfrey said in honor of all women and men who've experienced abuse that "speaking your truth is the most powerful tool you all have."

Reese Witherspoon, Winfrey's co-star in "A Wrinkle In Time," introduced Winfrey and said her hugs could end all wars.

Calls for Winfrey to run for president echoed on social media. And Winfrey's partner, Stedman Graham, told The Los Angeles Times that a potential presidential run would be "up to the people." 

"She would absolutely do it," he was quoted as saying.  

Well before Winfrey's speech, NBC had tweeted this during Sunday's broadcast: "Nothing but respect for OUR future president. #GoldenGlobes"

The tweet on the network's account came in the wake of jokes by Meyers about the possibility of Winfrey running for office. 

"Oprah Winfrey is receiving the Cecil. B. DeMille award tonight. What a tremendous honor for Cecil B. DeMille," he said. "And Oprah, while I have you, in 2011, I told some jokes about our current president at the White House Correspondents Dinner. Jokes about how he was unqualified to be president. And some have said that night convinced him to run. So if that’s true, I just want to say: Oprah, you will never be president. You do not have what it takes.” 

Pointing at actor Tom Hanks, Meyers said, "you will never be vice president. You are too mean and unrelatable."

NBC's tweet drew criticism from some prominent conservatives, including Donald Trump Jr., who called it another example of media bias against his father, President Donald Trump.  

In deleting the tweet on Monday, NBC said in a pair of messages that it was "not meant to be a political statement." 




Photo Credit: NBCUniversal via Getty Images
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Belichick 'Absolutely' Intends to Return as Patriots Coach

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Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had a one-word answer when asked if he will definitely be back with the Patriots next season, "Absolutely."

On his Monday morning conference call, Belichick was asked about a weekend New York Daily News report saying he would consider coaching the Giants.

"Right now my interest is trying to do the best I can for our football team to get ready for Saturday night against Tennessee. That’s where my total focus is," Belichick said.

Belichick also responded to questions about last week's ESPN report that described a power struggle between him, Robert Kraft, and Tom Brady.

ESPN reporter Mike Reiss asked Belichick whether it was an accurate characterization that he was, "furious and demoralized," following the reported mandate from Kraft to trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

"I haven't read the article. I don't know what that refers to," Belichick said. "I know you want to report on things that are inaccurate and unattributable and I'm not really interested in responding to all those random and, in a lot of cases, baseless content."

The ESPN article, which was published on Friday, alleged that there is a rift between Brady, Belichick, and Kraft. The story, which cited "interviews with more than a dozen New England staffers, executives, players and league sources with knowledge of the team's inner workings," said the trio has had a series of major disagreements in recent months. The article also reported there was a sense inside the building that this could be their last year together.

Following the article, the Patriots released a statement on behalf of Belichick, Brady, and Kraft discounting the article and saying, "We stand united."



Photo Credit: NBC Boston

Number of Workplace Safety Inspectors Declines Under Trump

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The number of federal workplace safety inspectors has fallen under the Trump administration, according to new data obtained by NBC News.

Forty inspectors were lost through attrition and no new hires were made to fill vacancies, as of Oct. 2.

Those lost represented 4 percent of OSHA's total federal inspection force, according to the data.

"OSHA is far too understaffed to fulfill its mandate of reducing workplace injuries," Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said. "Under the Trump administration, OSHA has suffered a troubling decline in both staff and workplace inspections in key areas of the country."

Labor Department spokesman Eric Holland countered that since early October the agency has hired "several additional inspectors" and is recruiting over two dozen more.






Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Hartford Police Detective Fired After Plainville DUI Arrest

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A Hartford police detective who was accused of driving under the influence in Plainville in August and using several racial slurs during that arrest has been fired.

Plainville police arrested 44-year–old Robert Lanza on Aug. 27 and he was charged with driving under the influence and interfering with an officer.

Police said Lanza refused to obey orders from Plainville police during the arrest, used racial slurs and tried to intimidate Plainville officers into giving him special treatment because he was a member of the Hartford Police Department.

Police said Lanza also “showed evidence of animus towards individuals based on race, suggested that individuals of certain races are treated less favorably by law enforcement due to their race” and “attempted to intimidate Plainville Police by advising them to never come to Hartford.”

In dashcam video Plainville police released, Lanza swore at the officers and could be heard using a racial slur.

The Hartford Police Department opened its own internal investigation after learning of the arrest and concluded that Lanza violated the Hartford Police Department Code of Conduct. He was terminated, effective Monday.

“These actions were egregious, deplorable and completely unacceptable for a Hartford Police Officer and are grounds for termination even before considering their present and future detrimental effect upon the operations of the Hartford Police Department. This causes concerns over Detective Lanza’s ability to perform the functions of a police officer, as well as the public trust and legitimacy in his ability to enforce the laws equitably without regard to race or ethnicity. His behavior discredited the Hartford Police Department, undermined the good order and discipline of the Department, and damaged working relationships with other law enforcement agencies,” Hartford police officials said in a statement.

Lanza was an 11-year veteran of the force and was placed on administrative duty during the investigation.



Photo Credit: Plainville Police

California Billionaire Will Not Run in 2018 Elections

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California billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer announced Monday he will spend $30 million to get young voters to the polls to help Democrats in this year's midterm elections.

Steyer is a former hedge fund manager who has invested some of his wealth in an array of political causes, most notably fighting climate change. Forbes estimates his wealth at $1.6 billion.

Steyer has advocated for President Donald Trump's impeachment. He said he knows that the effort is making "some of our friends and allies in this city uncomfortable." But Steyer said that effort will continue.

He said his organization will deliver the book "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House" to all members of Congress this week. The book portrays the 45th president as a leader who doesn't understand the weight of his office and whose competence is questioned by aides.

“By my count, Donald Trump has committed at least eight impeachable offenses,” Steyer said Monday. He said more than 4 million people have signed the online petition.

When asked if he would support Oprah, Steyer said his focus is on the midterms.

Steyer said he will also focus his financial clout on helping Democrats running for the House and Senate. He said Republicans won't cross a president who controls their base regardless of what he says or does.

"We now know that this partisan fight has becomes a fierce battle for the soul of America," Steyer said. "And we, the people, have to win this battle, and we don't just have to win, we have to run the table."

Steyer considered running for office, but says that's not where he can make the biggest difference. He is the founder of NextGen America, a liberal advocacy group. He is the main source of cash for a super PAC called the NextGen Climate Action Committee, which spent more than $90 million in the last election cycle.

Steyer said NextGen America helped register more than 20,000 voters in last year's Virginia elections. He credited the effort for helping Ralph Northam win election as governor, and he said the effort will expand to 10 states this year, including California, Arizona, Michigan and Nevada. The organization is looking to register more than 250,000 voters this year.

Steyer has also spent $20 million on a campaign to impeach Trump. He was coy about how much more he would spend on that front. He said it would depend upon political events, but was confident of a greater investment.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California has called impeachment efforts a distraction and warned they could backfire against Democrats.

Michael Ahrens, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, said, "Tom Steyer can light as much of his money on fire as he wants, but doesn't change that Democrats like Nancy Pelosi view him as a distraction. If Democrats' message for 2018 is a baseless impeachment threat that the majority of voters disagree with, they're going to lose."



Photo Credit: NBC

Pfizer to Cut 300 Jobs, End Neuroscience Research Projects

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Pfizer announced it will be ending its early-stage research in neuroscience and cutting around 300 jobs, a third of which will be in the Groton area.

The neuroscience programs, which were in pre-clinical and Phase I/II stages, were primarily focused on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The company will continue to work on programs for tanezumab and Lyrica, both of which deal with nerve pain, and the rare disease programs in the neuromuscular and neurology areas. The company said overall researching and developing spending remains the same and they are simply reallocating spending to where their scientific expertise is strongest.

The 300 jobs being cut are primarily at the company’s locations in Groton, Cambridge, Mass., and Andover, Mass. The reduction will take place over the next few months.

"Any decision impacting colleagues is difficult; however, we believe this will best position the company to bring meaningful new therapies to market, and will bring the most value for shareholders and patients. We are thankful for the contributions of our colleagues who have supported our neuroscience portfolio and are committed to supporting them during this transition," the company said in a statement.

Company officers said they still have plans for a future neuroscience venture fund and will release more details on that later in the year.

"I’m not nervous. Pfizer’s going to be here for a while," Groton Mayor Keith Hedrick said.

Hedrick said he talked with Pfizer on Monday morning and a representative told him they’re going to do what they can to keep those employees in Groton. 

"Last year they built a fuel cell, which was a $10 million fuel cell. They have an additional building that they’re going to do in the next two to three years. So that shows me they’re committed to staying in southeastern Connecticut," Hedrick said on Monday.

The restaurant Hummos House has been across the street from Pfizer for the last year.

"It’s going to hurt me. Other restaurants depend on this, so they’re going to get hurt," Hummos House owner Ayman Karsou said. 

According to Karsou, Pfizer employees are half his business.

"It’s bad," Karsou said. "I feel bad for their families because they have families.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Romney Treated for Prostate Cancer Over the Summer: Sources

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Mitt Romney — who is said to be eyeing a bid for U.S. Senate from Utah — was treated last summer for prostate cancer, two sources close to the former presidential candidate told NBC News Monday.

Romney’s treatment, which involved surgery at the University of California-Irvine Medical Center, was successful, and he has a good prognosis, the sources said.

"Last year, Governor Mitt Romney was diagnosed with slow-growing prostate cancer," an aide to Romney told NBC News. "The cancer was removed surgically and found not to have spread beyond the prostate."

Romney is said to be seriously considering running for the Senate seat being vacated by Utah Republican Orrin Hatch, who announced last week he would retire at the end of his term this year.



Photo Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images, File

Connecticut Tax Revenue Projections Rise $900M

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The office of Connecticut's governor says the state's projected revenue from personal income tax collections has risen by more than $900 million. 

The estimates include accelerated payments that were made ahead of changes in the federal tax law as well as one-time payments that hedge fund managers had to pay to bring overseas profits back into the United States. 

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said it's promising news for the state. 

Also Monday, the General Assembly passed a measure to restore full Medicare benefits for over 90,000 people who rely on the program for office visits and other procedures. The Medicare Savings Program had been cut by lawmakers late last year to close a deficit. 

The legislation passed by the House and Senate is a temporary fix to restore those benefits.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Governor’s Nominee Would Be First Openly Gay State Chief Justice

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Gov. Dannel Malloy's nominee to be Connecticut's next chief justice would be the first openly gay leader of a state Supreme Court. 

The Democratic governor announced Monday that longtime friend and current Associate Supreme Court Justice Andrew McDonald was his nominee for the court's highest post. Chief Justice Chase Rogers is retiring next month. 

“Justice McDonald has proven himself to be a consummate, revered jurist who has an exceptional ability to understand, analyze, research, and evaluate legal issues,” Malloy said in a statement. “He has a deep understanding of the role and the impact that the justice system has on the everyday lives of Connecticut residents, and the value of ensuring equality and fairness through the court’s many responsibilities. His experience having served as an Associate Justice on our state’s highest court, where he has undertaken some of the most complicated of cases in the state, will benefit him well in the position of Chief Justice. I am pleased that Justice McDonald has agreed to accept this challenge, and I am confident that his years of distinguished service on the bench will serve him well in this leadership capacity.” 

Puerto Rico Chief Justice Maite Oronoz Rodriguez became the first openly gay chief justice in U.S. history in February 2016. 

The 51-year-old McDonald has served on the Supreme Court for five years and was nominated by Malloy. Before that, he was general counsel for the governor's office under Malloy, a state senator from Stamford and corporation counsel for the city of Stamford when Malloy was mayor. 

McDonald must be confirmed by the legislature. 

“I am deeply grateful to Governor Malloy for the confidence and trust he has placed in me with this nomination,” McDonald said in a statement. “If confirmed by the legislature, it would be the honor of a lifetime to continue the great and tireless work of Chief Justice Rogers administering justice on behalf of the people of Connecticut in a fair, timely, transparent and efficient manner.” 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

These Are the 20 Safest Airlines in the World, Ranking Says

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Safety rating website AirlineRatings.com has released its annual list of the 20 safest airlines.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Openly Gay Figure Skater Makes US Olympic Team and History

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American figure skater Adam Rippon has qualified for the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, making him the first openly gay U.S. athlete to ever qualify for the Winter Olympics.

The 28-year-old Olympics rookie will be joined in South Korea by fellow American figure skaters Vincent Zhou, 17, and Nathan Chen, 18, NBC News reported.

Rippon may also be, according to research conducted by LGBTQ sports site Outsports, "the first publicly out gay man ever selected to a Winter Olympics team from any country in any sport."

In the rink, Rippon is graceful, able to execute the esteemed "quad lutz," a quadruple spinning jump once thought impossible. Off the ice, he's a firebrand — and one who does not shy away from his sexuality.

"I was recently asked in an interview what its like to be a gay athlete in sports," he tweeted. "I said that it’s exactly like being a straight athlete. Lots of hard work but usually done with better eyebrows."



Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

1 Person Unaccounted for After Fire in East Haddam

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One person is still unaccounted for after crews put out an East Haddam home fire on Monday, the fire chief said. 

Firefighters reported to the home located on Ackley Cemetery Road for a structure fire. 

When firefighters arrived, the 2.5-story wooden home was fully involved. Colchester firefighters said. 

Multiple fire departments responded to the scene. 

One person who lives at the home is unaccounted for and state police are handling the investigation. 



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Crews Battle Raging 4-Alarm Fire in Lynn, Mass.

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At least one person was injured in a four-alarm fire in a large multi-unit apartment complex in Lynn, Massachusetts, on Monday afternoon.

The fire broke out at 26 Broad St. shortly before 4 p.m. 

The Lynn fire chief said all 28 residents of the building were able to get out, most on their own. However, one woman was injured and was taken to a local hospital. Her current condition is not known.

Aerial footage from NBC Boston's Sky Ranger helicopter showed firefighters on the roof as heavy black smoke poured from windows and vents. The Lynn fire chief described the moment as intense and said crews pulled back just as flames erupted from the roof of the building.

Firefighters are now attacking the fire solely from the exterior of the building.

As of 7 p.m., the roof of the building appeared to have completely collapsed, and chunks of the walls could be seen falling from the building as firefighters continued to douse the structure with water.

Neighbors who live in the area said the fire appeared to be just a little smoke until it rapidly grew, engulfing the building.

"The smoke's crazy. You can smell it in my house and everything," said one neighbor who was down at the scene. "It smells really, really bad."

"Everything just happened so fast," said one resident of the building. "And by the time I got outside that whole side was just black smoke." 

Temperatures are right around freezing, and the strong, 20 to 30 mph winds are making it difficult for firefighters to extinguish the blaze. Light snow is now falling as well.

The Lynn Item reports that firefighters from at least a half-dozen communities responded to the scene. The Red Cross said it also has a disaster action team headed to the scene.

The 18-unit wood-frame building was built in 1860, according to town records.

Officials have blocked off several streets in the area, and drivers are urged to avoid the area if possible.



Photo Credit: NBC Boston

White House Would 'Welcome' 2020 Oprah Challenge

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Bring it on, the White House said Monday, welcoming a would-be battle against Oprah Winfrey for the presidency in 2020, NBC News reported.

"We welcome the challenge, whether it be Oprah Winfrey or anybody else,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley told reporters aboard Air Force One in response to buzz about Winfrey's possible future foray into politics.

It's unclear if President Donald Trump watched Winfrey's powerful remarks at the Golden Globes Sunday night. The speech ignited chatter that Winfrey could throw her hat in the ring for 2020, exciting a Democratic Party that lacks an obvious standard bearer in the wake of Hillary Clinton's 2016 loss.

Though Winfrey has previously denied that she would run for office, longtime partner Stedman Graham seemed to leave it open as a possibility.



Photo Credit: AP, Getty Images

US Spy Satellite Lost After SpaceX Rocket: Report

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A highly classified U.S. government satellite appears to have been totally lost after being taken into space by a recent launch from Elon Musk's SpaceX, according to a new report.

Dow Jones reported Monday evening that lawmakers had been briefed about the apparent destruction of the secretive payload — code-named Zuma — citing industry and government officials

The payload was suspected to have burned up in the atmosphere after failing to separate perfectly from the upper part of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the report said.

According to Dow Jones, the absence of official word on the incident means that there could have been another chain of events.



Photo Credit: NASA via Getty Images, File

Hundreds Without Power in Willimantic

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Hundreds were without power in Willimantic on Monday night. 

The fire department urged residents to avoid the area of Stop and Shop because a pole, wires and three transformers were down. 

Main Street was closed on Monday night as crews worked on the scene. 

As of 10 p.m., nearly 400 households were without power, according to Eversource.

It appears the power has been restored. 

No other information was immediately available. 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com
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