An American judge for Adam Rippon's free skate gave him a score that was 15 percent above the mean for the panel of nine judges. Earlier in the short program, the judge also scored American skater Nathan Chen more favorably than all but one judge on the panel, NBC News reported.

But none of this sets her apart from the rest of the figure skating judges at the 2018 Winter Games. In a previously published report, NBC News found that judges typically give higher scores to skaters from their own countries.

The pattern is continuing at the Olympics, based on scores reviewed by NBC News and Dartmouth economist Eric Zitzewitz, who has spent 15 years examining national bias in figure skating judging. Through Feb. 21, judges typically gave skaters from their homelands about five to seven points more than skaters from other countries during the longer free programs, a meaningful amount in a sport where total scores for top finishers range from 180 to 220.

According to Zitzewitz, historical data indicates the Olympics may be the most biased of all international skating competitions. The pattern has continued at PyeongChang, and there is little reason to think it will change in Olympic skating's marquee event, the women's free skate, which begins Thursday night U.S. time.

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An electrifying end to an eventful year for the U.S. women’s ice hockey team, David Wise’s wipeouts, and the gold medal jump in women’s big air snowboarding -- all in another action-packed day filled with joy and anguish at the Winter Olympics. Here are the Pyeongchang Games by the numbers: 

20  The U.S. women’s ice hockey team snapped a 20-year gold-less drought with a 3-2 victory over Canada. The gold medal was the country’s first in the Olympic event since the Nagano Games in 1998, and it ended Canada’s bid for a fifth straight title. Star forward Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson feinted three times to fool Canadian goalie Shannon Szabados, before scoring the winning goal in the sixth round of a thrilling shootout. After the game, forward Hilary Knight described the win against their biggest rival as a storybook ending to a series of incredible accomplishments. A year ago, the women were threatening to boycott the world championships over a pay dispute until an agreement was reached at the last minute. “It’s going to be a turning point for women’s hockey in the U.S. (and) I feel like a turning point for women’s hockey in the world,” Lamoureux-Davidson predicted at the time.

2 David Wise wiped out on his first two runs in the men’s freeski halfpipe final after his bindings failed, then went big with a run that featured double corks spun in four different directions. It paid off. Wise earned a score of 97.20 points to defend his Sochi title and win his second consecutive gold in the event. The silver went to teammate Alex Ferreira, the most consistent competitor of the day who boosted himself more than 20 feet out of the halfpipe. New Zealand’s Nico Porteous shocked himself to take bronze. Wise’s gold marked the fifth for the United States in snowboarding -- Shaun White and Chloe Kim in the halfpipe, Red Gerard and Jamie Anderson in slopestyle all took the top spot as well.

96 — Austrian Anna Gasser scored a 96 as she edged two-time gold medalist Jamie Anderson in a thrilling final to earn gold in the Olympic debut of women’s big air snowboarding. Gasser stomped her last jump, a “cab double 10” or two flips and three full rotations to earn a 96, the highest of the day, for a total of 185. The reigning world champion had finished a disappointing 15th in the earlier wind-bedevilled slopestyle. 

Talk show host Steve Wilkos has been charged with operating under the influence in Darien after a crash in January and police said his blood alcohol content level was more than three times the legal limit. 

Wilkos was the bouncer on the Jerry Springer Show and hosts his own show, which is filed at NBC’s studios in Stamford. 

Police said an officer who was on patrol responded to a one-car crash on West Avenue, in the area of Turnabout Lane in Darien, at 4:20 p.m. on Jan. 21 and identified 53-year-old Steven Wilkos, of Darien, as the only person in the car. 

Because of the severity of his injuries, crews took Wilkos to Stamford Hospital for further evaluation and treatment. 

Police said they obtained a search warrant for Wilkos’ medical records, which indicated that his blood alcohol content was .29 percent the afternoon he crashed his vehicle. The legal limit is .08 percent. 

Wilkos turned himself in at Darien Police headquarters Wednesday and has been charged with operating under the influence and failure to drive right. 

Wilkos posted a court-ordered $1,500 bond, was released around 7:30 p.m. 

He is scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on March 5.

NBC is the parent company of NBC Connecticut. 

You might start to notice a new label on some of the food and products you buy. State lawmakers unveiled a new Connecticut Made logo, which local businesses can use to set themselves apart. 

The logo is free to makers and manufactures of Connecticut products. 

“We’re so excited about launching this new Connecticut Made initiate,” State Rep. Caroline Simmons said. “We think it’s an excellent way to showcase many of the excellent products made in our state, ranging from beer to maple syrup, to honey, to everything from submarines to helicopters.” 

The logo was created through a bill passed last year and it resembles the state’s Still Revolutionary brand. 

Michael Acosta, the owner of Story and Soil coffee in Hartford, plans to use the new brand. 

“What differentiates us from any other coffee shop is that we are for the community,” Acosta said. “If we’re able to distinguish ourselves as folks who are proud about using Connecticut-grown and Connecticut-produced products then sure, that could be an attraction.” 

“I think in general it’s good to support local products,” said customer, Heather Einstein. 

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin is calling for a coordinated strategy to reduce car thefts in the wake of several committed by juveniles and young adults. 

Bronin plans to convene a meeting with regional and state leaders on March 1 to address a recent increase in stolen cars and vehicle fatalities. 

“This is clearly a trend that is growing and that is taking lives,” Bronin said. 

The announcement came Wednesday, just two days after the death of Reny Alfonzo-Jimeno.  

The 22-year-old Hartford woman was killed and two other people were hurt when the driver of a stolen pickup fled after a crash at the intersection of Ward and Zion streets in Hartford late Monday. 

“You saw the absolute tragic end of what this is causing,” said Deputy Chief Brian Foley, of the Hartford Police Department. 

Just hours after that fatal crash, Hartford police responded to another stolen car crash after a vehicle plowed into a brick pillar at Trinity College, injuring three teenagers. 

On Wednesday, police were out again on Farmington Avenue where a stolen vehicle crashed into a fence. 

“All the sudden I see someone getting restrained on my front lawn,” David Steinberg said. 

A look at the latest police “hot sheet,” breaks down 55 active stolen car investigations over recent weeks in the greater Hartford area and it shows 38 of the thefts happened when the keys or key fobs were in the car. 

“We are just begging people, do what you can and don’t leave your keys in the vehicle,” Foley said. 

While that might cut down some of the cases, Bronin knows it will not eliminate them. With these incidents often crossing town boundaries, he hopes having local leaders in one room can lead to a more permanent solution. 

“That's one of the reasons we are pulling everyone together is to just have a very open, honest conversation about what can we do better collectively,” Bronin said.

Following several school threats across Connecticut over the last few days, superintendents statewide are meeting at 11 a.m. at East Hartford High School to discuss students’ safety and call on leaders to act and help stop this chain of incidents from continuing. With these events on the heels of the shooting in Florida, police and parents are on high alert. 

Students at Sheehan High School were welcomed by extra police officers Thursday morning. 

Police said an inappropriate message was written on a classroom white board at the school. 

They said it wasn’t a credible threat, but stepped up their presence because the message contained what they call “alarming content.” 

Barbara Marek, whose youngest son attends Sheehan, said it’s “not a bad idea, I just don’t want our schools being turned into armed camps.” 

As police continue their investigation, parents told NBC Connecticut several teens stayed home Thursday out of safety precautions. 

“If they’re waking up and feeling really scared that day, then perhaps it would be a good idea to stay home. But, it’s also important to carry on with life and not let these things hold you down,” Cori Zuppardi said. 

Barbara Marek, a Boy Scouts leader, said they’ve taken the time to talk about school safety as a troop. 

“A lot of the younger boys, especially the ones in junior high going into high school, are very nervous about these sorts of incidents going on,” Marek said. 

In the past few days, police in Colchester and Old Saybrook arrested teens accused of making school threats and displaying concerning behavior. 

“It can be taken really far, and it’s really serious,” says Zuppardi. “It’s very scary.” 

Zuppardi’s daughter is only 4 years-old, but she’s asking school leaders to be more vigilant about student mental health services. 

“Being more aware of social media, and the pressures of being a kid today I think are really, really great,” Zuppardi said. 

Simsbury police responded to Simsbury High School Thursday morning after they were alerted about a social media threat and said they determined it was part of a nationwide hoax. 

Police learned around 7:30 a.m. about a social media threat that was possibly related to the high school after several students alerted the school resource officer and Simsbury High School Staff when they got to school about the threat, which was vague and not specific to Simsbury Schools. 

The school and police worked together and activated a “Lock Out” procedure at the high school. 

Additional uniformed officers were present in the building and on the grounds during this time, police said. 

They said they determined that the social media posting has been part of a nationwide hoax facilitated using social media throughout the country.

Police are asking people who are near Middlesex Hospital in Middletown to go inside and shelter in place after a car crashed into the emergency entrance of Thursday morning and burst into flames.

Emergency officials said the bomb squad has arrived and they are inspecting the vehicle. 

Little additional information has been released, but a neighbor who witnessed the crash said he saw someone on fire run from the scene of the crash and scream for help.

"Just heard an explosion. I got up, looked out the back window and then I looked at the hospital and that's when I saw the car in there, and then I saw a guy come running out with -- he was on fire, screaming for mercy and he just kept screaming and screaming and some guys ran up to him, threw something on him, put him on the gurney," said Gary Mills, who lives right across the street from the hospital.

Another witness said the man appeared to be naked.

A hospital spokesperson said one person was in the car when it went down the one-way street and crashed into the entrance around 10 a.m. It's not clear how that happened or what the condition of the driver is.

Middletown Mayor Dan Drew said via Twitter that city officials do not believe there is any threat to community and they believe this is an isolated incident.

Crescent Street is closed between Main Street and Main Street Extension.

Town officials will be holding a news conference at noon.

A car went off an overpass and onto Route 2 in Marlborough on Thursday afternoon.

The eastbound lanes of Route 2 near Exit 15 were expected to be closed for several hours, according to State Police.

The one-car crash involves life-threatening injuries, police said.

Another 20 flu-related deaths have been reported in Connecticut in the last week.

Flu is widespread across most of the country and 97 deaths related to flu have been reported in Connecticut between Aug. 27 and Feb. 17.

Among those who have died from the flu, 78 were 65 years old or older, 11 were between 50 and 64, five were 25 to 49, one was between 19 and 24 and two were between 5 and 18 years old.

There have also been 1,951 hospitalizations for flu this flu season.

As of last week, 77 flu-related deaths had been reported. 

Students and educators from across the state gathered at East Hartford High School Thursday and called for change in the wake of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed.

“We feel we have a special obligation to raise our voices in the aftermath,” said Fran Rabinowitz, executive director of the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents. 

Rabinowitz outlined the actions those in attendance would like to see. 

The group called for sensible gun laws, school security investments and effective treatment for disturbed individuals at risk of committing violent acts. Following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, education leaders said the state did take strong steps, but more is needed. 

“Connecticut is proud of its efforts to protect our children and our teachers, but obviously it is not enough,” said Shelia Cohen, president of the Connecticut Education Association. 

East Hartford High School students are also standing with their Parkland peers. 

“Seeing the students go through this and seeing how strong they were to come out of something like that and just want to make a change, makes me want to help them make a change,” said senior Hannah Rivera.

The Connecticut Education Association is coordinating a day of statewide walk-ins on Thursday, March 14. 

While walkouts are being planned nationwide, Cohen said they will not walk out on their schools but instead gather in solidarity. 

The body of the late Rev. Billy Graham will lie in honor next week in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol building. 

Graham, dubbed "America's Pastor" and the "Protestant Pope," died Wednesday at his North Carolina home at age 99.

His casket will be on display at the Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 28, and Thursday, March 1. 

"Members of the public and Capitol Hill community are invited to pay their respects to the late reverend while he lies in rest," a statement from House Speaker Paul Ryan's office said. 

Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are set to participate in a bipartisan service after Graham's casket arrives.

Graham is the fourth person to lie in honor at the Capitol and the first in almost 13 years, following Rosa Parks in 2005.

Graham also will be honored in other ways around the District. On Thursday, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery unveiled a 1972 photograph of Graham taken by Yousuf Karsh. The portrait is set to be on display on the first floor of the museum through March 25.

Ryan and McConnell wrote a letter Wednesday to Graham’s son, the Rev. Franklin Graham, expressing their condolences and asking for permission to have Graham’s body lie in honor at the Rotunda.

Since Henry Clay in 1852, the U.S. Capitol rotunda has been used to pay tribute to the nation’s most distinguished citizens in two ways: being laid in state or in honor. People who lie in state are military officers or elected American officials, while people who lie in honor are private citizens.

Eleven U.S. presidents have lain in state, including Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.

One person is dead after a crash on Interstate 395 South in Waterford early Thursday morning.

Police said Stephen Wilmot, 23, of Uncasville, was going south on Interstate 395 South, near exit 2, in Waterford when he went off the road just after 2:30 a.m. and hit a rock.

The Toyota Camry he was driving then hit a guardrail and stopped in the median, according to state police.

Police are investigating and ask anyone with information to call Troop E at 860-848-6500.

Exactly one week after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, eight GOP candidates for governor of Connecticut took to the stage in West Haven. 

The issues ranged from ways to “drain the swamp” in Hartford and renegotiating the state’s agreement with its union employees to bringing jobs back to Connecticut and improving the state for retirees. 

The issue however that had debate moderators returning to it, was the issue of school safety and gun violence. 

State Rep. Prasad Srinivasan, (R – Glastonbury), previously told the Connecticut Citizens Defense League that he regretted his vote for the post-Sandy Hook gun regulations and said, as governor, he would sign a repeal of the legislation. 

No one on the stage Wednesday night at Notre Dame High School made a similar proposal and Srinivasan all but walked back his comments. He did not repeat his idea to repeal the law, but instead criticized its execution, pinpointing inadequacies in funding for school security and mental health programs. 

“We passed a bill that we did not implement and for me it is critical that you have to walk your talk and we did not do that,” Srinivasan said. 

The turnout was an impressive one for the Connecticut GOP. About 500 people, many of whom paid to be in attendance, filled the auditorium at Notre Dame. 

The crowd applauded for Peter Lumaj’s pledge to sign an executive order, if elected, that would put armed security at every school in Connecticut. He did not say how he would pay for such a proposal, but instead said he would find the people to do the job locally. 

“We have retired police officers and military people in our state who have served us well, who have protected you and I and we can trust them to protect our children.”

No candidate made any proposal or made any comment for that matter about further restrictions on firearms. Connecticut already has bans on assault-style weapons.

Tim Herbst, the former First Selectman from Trumbull, made his position clear on whether he thinks guns are responsible in mass shootings.

“A deadly weapon is made deadly by a deadly person,” he said.

He echoed the sentiment that the state hasn’t adequately funded mental health programs.

Tech giant Snap shares dropped nearly 7 percent on Thursday, after reality star Kylie Jenner tweeted to her 24.5 million Twitter followers that she is no longer using the popular app due to design changes, CNBC reported.

Jenner tweeted: "sooo does anyone else not open Snapchat anymore? Or is it just me... ugh this is so sad."

Soon after Snap lost over an estimated $1 billion in market capitalization.

The new layout first debuted in November and was rolled out gradually. It is a drastically different design from its previous design changes and many users felt it became confusing to use.

Route 2 East in Marlborough is closed at exit 15 after a car went off the overpass. 

Life-threatening injuries are reported and drivers are advised to seek an alternate route. 

Route 2 East is closed at the exit 15 onramp from South Main Street and it will be closed for an extended period of time.

A top UNICEF honcho has resigned following revelations that he reportedly peppered female staffers — at the children’s charity that previously employed him — with “unsuitable and thoughtless” messages.

“I want to make clear I am not resigning from UNICEF because of the mistakes I made at Save the Children,” Justin Forsyth, who was a deputy director at the United Nations Children's Fund, wrote in a letter obtained by NBC News. “They were dealt with through a proper process many years ago.”

“I am resigning because of the danger of damaging both UNICEF and Save the Children and our wider cause.”

Forsyth, who worked at the United Nations Children’s Fund for two years, did not divulge what “mistakes” he made at Save the Children.

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel on Thursday said he has suspended, without pay, the school resource officer who was at the Parkland school where 17 people were shot dead.

Israel said school resource officer Scot Peterson took a position outside of  Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School but "never went in" as the onslaught occurred, citing security footage.

"In the case of Scot Peterson, our school resource deputy, I want to clarify any rumors, conjecture or stories that may have been out there," Israel said.

Israel said Peterson was "absolutely on campus," adding that he was armed and in uniform during the shooting.

"After seeing video and witness statements, and Peterson's own statement, I decided this morning ... to suspend Scot Peterson without pay pending an internal investigation," Israel said, adding that Peterson chose to then resign and retire.

When asked what Peterson should have done during the shooting, Israel said he should have "went in, addressed the killer and killed" him.

"Our main goal at this point, absent of helping these families heal and keeping our schools safe, is making sure this killer receives the justice he deserves," Israel previously said.

In 2014, the Broward County Crime Commission awarded Peterson with the title of School Resource Officer of the Year for the City of Parkland District.

The group said Peterson proved "to be reliable in handling issues with tact and judgment."

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said the suspended deputy's family requested privacy and protection.

Israel also addressed the 23 previous calls BSO received related to the gunman. Two other officers who previously responded to one of the calls related to Cruz have been placed on restrictive duty.

"In two of these cases, after being briefed by internal affairs, I've restricted two of our deputies to take statements and make a decision to see whether they should have and could have" done something to prevent the shooting, Israel said.

BSO released a document that detailed each call it received related to Cruz – including the two calls that led to the unidentified officers being placed on restrictive duty.

The two officers are facing an internal affairs investigation and a BSO internal review.

On Feb. 2, 2016, a deputy responded to a suspicious incident call in which someone reported that Cruz made a post on Instagram indicating he "planned to shoot up the school." However, the police document suggests the specific target was "unknown."

The deputy made contact with the caller who wished to remain anonymous. The deputy determined that Cruz had knives and a BB gun.

"Information forwarded to Stoneman Douglas School Resource Officer," the document's response description concludes.

It has not yet been confirmed if Peterson, who was assigned to the school for years, was the resource officer who received the information of the threat.

The other call and response under review occurred on Nov. 11.

"Caller advised subject Nikolas Cruz is collecting guns and knives. Cruz wants to join the Army. Concerned he will kill himself one day and believes he could be a school shooter in the making," the document reads.

The deputy who responded contacted the caller via telephone.

"No report was initiated," the document reads.

In an interview after the shooting, the deputy said he referred the caller to the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office as the caller said he believed the Cruz was living in Lake Worth.

The BSO press conference occurred after 17 people, mostly teenagers, were shot dead at the school in Parkland.

The accused gunman is Nikolas Cruz, a former student who had previously been reported over disturbing behavior particularly about weapons.

Israel on Wednesday announced that he directed a new policy that will arm Broward County deputies stationed at schools with a rifle.

The Colchester community is mourning the death of a 6-year-old child.

Interim School Superintendent Dr. Mary Conway says the district was informed of the kindergartener's passing last night.

“As a parent, I am heartbroken and as a teacher, I am absolutely heartbroken,” said Dr. Conway.

The staff at Colchester Elementary School were told the news this morning. Letters from both Dr. Conway and the elementary principal went out in the afternoon.

“The principal, Judy O’Meara is sending a letter to all the parents in this particular classroom as well as all of the parents in her building,” Dr. Conway said.

According to Conway, school psychologists from two other schools, as well as social workers will be on hand to provide to provide support to students and staff for as long as needed.

No information on how the child died has been released.

Cutting teachers, outsourcing busses, even shutting down an elementary school are all options on the table if Montville Public Schools sees significantly less than expected state aid.

Board of Education Chair Bob Mitchell said Montville schools could see about $1.5 million in funding cuts based on Gov. Dannel Malloy’s plan.

A worst-case scenario could include cutting about 20 teachers’ jobs, closing an elementary school, moving kindergarten back to half-day and outsourcing the district’s bus system, Mitchell said.

“We’re a casino town and I feel really bad with all the traffic that goes through our town and we have to support the roads and the students of the employees, and now we’re facing budget cuts while our money goes elsewhere,” Amy Funk said. She has a senior at Montville High School and is a paraprofessional in the district.

Chistopher DiNoto has a seventh grader and ninth grader and said he doesn’t want to see class sizes increased.

“It kind of takes away from each person and it kind of throws them all together.”

Mitchell said Superintendent Brian Levesque came up with three budgets. The second best option would be if state aid remained the same as last year, but that means class sized could still grow.

“I’ve heard some of the class sizes, especially at the high school, from my own daughter. And that makes me sad that they’re that big and sometimes they might have to sit at their teacher’s desk because there’s no room in the classroom for them to sit,” Funk said.

The district is seeing decreasing enrollment and the keeps class sizes to under 25 students, according to Mitchell. The school system’s budget has increased less than six percent in the last decade, he added.

A cut like this is painful for a small town, Mitchell said, when the money is already tight.

The school board meets again Tuesday where they can vote on a budget, or hold off, since the town council does not require a budget until March 15.