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Markley Says Conservative Credentials Will Boost GOP Ticket

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State Sen. Joe Markley is considered by many in the Connecticut General Assembly to be the single most conservative member of the body.

He’s a fiscal and social conservative, a reliable challenger to liberals and progressives in the State Senate, and even to moderate Republicans.

He says it’s for those reasons that he would help the GOP nominee for governor, and not drag the ticket down in any way.

“I think I bring a strength to the ticket and I think I bring it in part through this organization and in part through the things I stand for and my ability to communicate them and the record. I feel like I’m a strength across the board and I give them the best chance,” Markley said during an interview Wednesday.

The organization Markley talks about is a reliable group of volunteers and campaign staff that faces few rivals on the Republican side. Markley has been successful at rallying grassroots supporters which has led to comfortable victories in State Senate elections. He says it’s that reliable base of conservatives that can help a Republican nominee.

Markley is anti-abortion, and recent picked up the endorsement of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, the leading gun rights advocacy group in the state.

His conservative values and views, he says, put him in a position to win amongst that base of voters in next month’s GOP primary.

“I don’t know that I’m in line with establishment Republicans but I think I’m in line with the average Republican.”

However, conservatives with views like Markley’s are not widespread in Connecticut. The state has been reliably blue in presidential elections dating back to the 1980s. Further, Connecticut has been considered a national leader on progressive issues like women’s reproductive rights, criminal justice, gun control, and raising the minimum wage.

Markley says Democratic candidates have attempted similar attacks in the past, attempting to paint him as being out of touch with the mainstream in the state, and expects the same thing to happen if he’s the nominee.

“They’ve tried it in my state senate district and it hasn’t gotten them anywhere in part because when people hear me they like what I have to say,” Markley said. “Not only are my positions actually popular with the electorate, but they can be presented reasonably and people will embrace them when they have the chance.”


Hartford Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal March Shooting

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Hartford police have arrested a suspect in a deadly shooting on Westland Street in March.

On March 19, officers responded to the area of 188 Westland Street for a report of a person shot. Police found the victim, identified as 20-year-old Tyrell Spence of Hartford, with multiple gunshot wounds.

Spence was taken to St. Francis Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Hartford Police, United States Marshal Violent Fugitive Task Force, Vice and Narcotics, and Major Crimes Division arrested the suspect, 21-year-old Kyrone Gardner, on Wednesday. Gardner is charged with murder.

He was held on a $1.25 million bond and is due in court Thursday.



Photo Credit: Hartford Police Department/NBC Connecticut

Hartford Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal Shooting, Car Crash

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Hartford police have arrested a suspect in a fatal shooting on North Canaan Street last month.

On June 25, officers responded to a Shotspotter activation and 911 calls reporting shots fired on North Canaan Street. When officers arrived, they found a car crashed into a tree with a male victim with an apparent gunshot wound inside.

The victim was pronounced dead on scene. He was identified as 42-year-old William Smalls.

On Wednesday police arrested 42-year-old Damond Bester, of Bloomfield, on a murder charge in the case. Bester was held on a $1 million bond and is due in court Thursday.





Photo Credit: Hartford Police Department/NBC Connecticut

ATV Riders Illegally Cruise West Hartford Roads

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A group of ATV rivers was spotted cruising the streets of West Hartford over the weekend.

NBC Connecticut’s Kate Rayner was in the passenger seat with her husband driving when several of the riders pulled up around them.

The riders, spotted at the red light in front of the Corbin’s Corner Shopping Center, decided to show off when the light went green. They weaved from one lane of traffic to another, popping wheelies as they passed WestFarms. All of these tricks were done on a busy stretch of road that cuts through West Hartford, Farmington and New Britain, and it happened in the middle of the day.

“It’s just unsafe. For pedestrians, for motorcyclists, people in the vehicles,” said Maggie Jaksina.

This type of activity is illegal.

In April, 10 people were arrested in Hartford as part of a multi-jurisdictional operation to curb this kind of behavior.

“I don’t think they should be anywhere where there’s any kind of traffic. That’s for off-roading,” said West Hartford resident Kathy Neidhardt.

New Britain police said ATVs riding illegally on city streets are a known problem, especially on Sunday afternoons, but they haven’t had as many reports this year as compared to others.

Police don't chase ATVs on the street due to safety reasons, so they rely on other means of enforcement, including asking the public to help them identify where the vehicles are stored.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Dropped AT&T Phone Calls Frustrate Old Saybrook Residents

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Some Old Saybrook residents who live in the east part of town said they’ve been dealing with dropped calls and choppy data for months and are pointing their fingers at AT&T.

"It's still not fixed. It keeps happening over and over,” Old Saybrook resident Ed Freeman said. He works from home and relies on his AT&T-serviced phone for both calls and internet.

“I can't download, I can’t work on my computer, I try to call clients and it gets dropped,” Freeman said. “It’s problematic.”

It’s been an issue since April, Freeman said, adding he’s called the company three times and has gotten a partial credit, but no straight answer about what went wrong.

"One day you might be good the next day is horrible again,” Freeman said.

He’s not alone. Other business owners tell NBC Connecticut they’re also experiencing dropped calls and glitches with payment applications that rely on phone data.

Old Saybrook Firefighter Pat Hanley said he’s spoken with AT&T customer service and technical support and wonders why he’s paying for a service he’s not getting.

He said AT&T told him the equipment on the tower was degraded.

Former Old Saybrook Fire Chief J.T. Dunn is experiencing it, too. His concern is a call not going through if someone is on the water or needs to call 911.

AT&T Senior Public Relations Manager for New England, Karen Twomey, said in a statement “Our equipment continues to support customers and first responders in East Old Saybrook. We are aware some customers may be experiencing intermittent issues and are currently working with the utility that owns this cell site to make improvements to our network in this area.”

NBC Connecticut was told that once AT&T was aware of complaints about the issue and is working fix it as quickly as possible. That includes adjusting the antennae on a tower in east Old Saybrook along the Connecticut River.

Mitch Gross, a spokesperson for Eversource, confirmed that Eversource owns that tower and said, “We don’t have a record of AT&T contacting us however we’re ready to go right to work with them as soon as we hear from them. We are always ready to work with any telecom companies or other utilities that have equipment on our infrastructure.”

There are times Eversource cannot cut power, if that’s necessary, because of overall customer demand, Gross added.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Guilford Decides to Change School Start Times

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The first bell will ring 15 minutes later for Guilford high school students, 10 minutes later for middle schoolers and five minutes later for elementary students next year.

The district debated this change to start times for years, and has faced some controversy over it, but ultimately decided the shift will benefit their students.

“It didn’t really make any sense about 10 minutes. There’s going to really be no difference when I go to school,” said Baldwin Middle School student Caeleb Grieder.

This week the Board of Education decided to make it official and start the school day later. The move is something the town has debated since 2014, citing research claiming students who sleep more and start school later performed better in the classroom.

Before the change was official, many parents worried it was the wrong thing to do.

“I really question whether those 15 minutes are really going to offer our kids the benefit that these studies suggest,” one parent said during one of several meetings to discuss the school start time issue.


But parents that spoke with NBC Connecticut Wednesday night said they were open to the change.

“All the studies that I’ve seen show that a good night’s sleep is really important to learning. So we’re thrilled that this is a step in the right direction,” said parent Paul Anastas.

To facilitate the later start while keeping classroom time close to the same, the kids at the high school level with have the time between classes shortened by one minute each period.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Fundraiser Pushes to Keep Man Facing Deportation in US

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The fight is on to keep a West Hartford man and Fulbright Scholar in the country.

Right now the 69-year-old has taken sanctuary in a church as he faces possible deportation.

“Everything I get is the blessing of God,” said Sujitno Sajuti.

Keeping the faith, Sajuti sat down with NBC Connecticut at the place he’s called home for the last 10 months.

Facing possible deportation, he sought refuge at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Meriden.

“It’s positive. You can see what these people, the problem with the kids trapped in the cave. Still much better right? My life so much better,” said Sajuti.

While on Wednesday Sajuti could not leave his sanctuary, he phoned in to thank dozens of his supporters, including his wife.

At the Flagg Road United Church of Christ in West Hartford, they gathered for a potluck and fundraiser for him.

“One of our thoughts in organizing this was we felt hardly anybody even knew we had a resident from this town in sanctuary,” said Mark Diters, minister of Flagg Road United Church of Christ.

“These West Hartford residents have been a part of this community for so long and have given so much to our community so I am super excited we can raise funds that will support them,” said Jillian Gilchrest of West Hartford.

For years we’ve followed Sajuti’s struggle to stay in the country.

Originally from Indonesia, he came to U.S. in 1981 as a Fulbright Scholar and pursued a Ph.D. at UConn.

But after his visa expired, a federal immigration judge eventually ordered him to leave in 2003.

Since then he’s been battling to stay, now hunkered down in the church.

“I hope my legal case gets done, is my prayer,” said Sajuti.

Right now his lawyers are working on several avenues to win his fight.

We reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has not yet provided a statement.

Previously they told us they consider Sajuti an ICE fugitive for not following the judge’s order.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Crews Battle House Fire in Bloomfield

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Firefighters battled a fire at a house on Park Avenue, near Blue Hills Avenue, in Bloomfield and the woman who was in the home escaped and was not hurt, according to the fire chief.

The fire at 12 Park Ave. was reported at 7:42 a.m. and firefighters found the heaviest fire on the right side of the house. Flames spread to the second floor and through the roof.

Firefighters got the fire under control in around 25 minutes. The local fire marshal’s office is investigating what caused the fire. 

A woman who lives in the home told firefighters no one else was inside the home at the time of the fire, but firefighters did a search to confirm no one else was there.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Trump Admin.: About Half of Migrant Kids Under 5 Reunited

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Two days after the Trump administration missed a court-ordered deadline to reunite children under 5 separated from their families at the border, the Department of Homeland Security said it reunited all those who were eligible, just over half of the 103 in government custody.

Of the 103 children covered under the federal court order, 57 kids have been reunited as of Thursday morning, DHS said in a statement.

However, 46 children did not qualify for reunification, the statement said. Reasons for ineligibility included adults having criminal histories or not having the claimed relationship to the child. In other cases, some adults had already been deported or were in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

"Throughout the reunification process our goal has been the well-being of the children and returning them to a safe environment," DHS said in the statement.

Last month, a federal judge in San Diego ordered that separated children under 5 must be reunited by July 10. The judge said older children must be reunited with their parents within 30 days from that June 26 order.

"Only four" migrant children under 5 had been reunited by Tuesday, according to a court filing from government lawyers.



Photo Credit: Ross D. Franklin/AP, File

Report Ranks Connecticut 35th Best Place to Retire

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Connecticut ranks low on the list of the best places to retire, according to Bankrate.

The report, which ranks Connecticut 35th overall, takes into account several criteria, including the cost of living, taxes, weather, crime and other factors and decided that South Dakota is the best state to retire.

Connecticut ranks 44th for the cost of living, 31st for weather and 20th for well-being.

New York came in last overall.

These are the top 5 states: 


  1. South Dakota
  2. Utah
  3. Idaho
  4. New Hampshire
  5. Florida





Photo Credit: DroneRanger

Plane Crashes Near Robertson Airport in Plainville

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A plane has crashed in a landfill in Plainville and several emergency crews have responded to the scene.

The single-engine plane crashed on Granger Lane, near Robertson Airport, town manager Robert E. Lee said.

The plane crash is near condos and several residents reported hearing a plane flying very low then a boom.

No additional information was immediately available.

Check back for updates. 




Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

2-Year-Old Boy Injured in Middletown Hit-and-Run

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A 2-year-old boy was struck by car in Middletown Thursday morning and police are looking for the driver who fled the scene.

The child was hit on Grand Street by Bacon Avenue around 8:35 a.m. and he was transported to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, where he is listed in stable condition, according to police.

The vehicle that hit the child was a blue four-door Infinity and the driver left the scene after briefly stopping, police said.

Middletown police ask anyone with information to help identify the vehicle and driver to call Middletown Police Department’s Traffic Unit, Officer Botsacos at 860-638-4061.





Photo Credit: Middletown Police and NBC Connecticut.com

Danbury Man Killed in Motorcycle Crash on I-84 in Newtown

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A 48-year-old Danbury man is dead after a motorcycle crash on Interstate 84 in Newtown Thursday morning.

William Jasmin was riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle on I-84 east when he hit a concrete rail on the Rochambeau Bridge just after 7 a.m., according to state police.

Jasmin was pronounced dead at the scene.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call state police.





Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Fortnite Season 5 Arrives: What You Should Know

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After weeks of hype and bringing items from the online game into the real world, Season 5 of Fortnite has arrived.

For those who haven’t yet joined the craze, Fortnite is a game available on consoles, PC and mobile where 100 players drop from a flying school bus, collect guns and resources to fight and build structures (hence the "fort") and fight to be the last player standing.

Thousands of Fortnite gameplays can be found on YouTube or the popular livestreaming website Twitch.tv, which is owned by Amazon.

This time, the popular multi-player "battle royale" game has upgraded its map, added new cosmetic skins and items in the new update.

In Season 4, players watched a rocket launch into the sky while they were battling to eliminate 99 other players in the game. That rocket exploded and appeared to have caused a worm hole, bringing items from other eras like a viking ship, an ATV and even a Moai statue.

Players can still enjoy the game for free and they're able to purchase V-Bucks to get access to Season 5 Battle Pass. The pass cost 950 V-Bucks which is around $10.

Some gamers might opt to spending more to earn a higher tier because a Battle Pass will start you off at level 1. Players will gain more access to over 100 new items as they level up and complete challenges.

If you're wondering why your children can't seem to stop playing this game, challenges are different every season and every week. They vary from simple things like killing five opponents with a pistol to opening loot chests at different locations in the map.

The game gives different rewards for each challenge completed. This season, players can even unlock an exclusive outfit by completing special challenges.

One of the biggest changes in Season 5 is the addition of "toys." Players can conjure up a golf ball and a beach ball to actually play at the new "points of interest" in the arena.

Fortnite has gotten rid of older points of interest, where players would land and collect firearms and other items that will help them win the game, to keep the game fresh for veteran players.

The game made $233 million in March, CNBC reported, and its popularity doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon.

Fortnite has millions of players. Many are children younger than 16, and they can be seen as easy targets for hackers and scammers. Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, has been warning players to be aware of scams around free or discounted V-Bucks. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

'Extreme Crowds' Force Build-a-Bear to Close Lines on 'Pay Your Age Day'

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After Build-a-Bear Workshop offered customers the chance to pay their age for any stuffable animal, the company was forced to close its lines at all U.S. and Canadian workshops as "extreme crowds" filled shopping centers and lines wrapped around stores and buildings.

The company said in a statement on its website that the response to the company's first-of-its-kind sale "has been overwhelming and unprecedented in our 21-year history." It added that at the request of local authorities, new customers were not being accepted at stores over safety concerns.

"The crowds have greatly exceeded our expectations," Build-a-Bear said, adding that they are working to address the situation and reach out to affected customers.

With kids and adults hoping to get a customizable animal for cheap, social media posts showed local workshops stuffed with eager customers and throngs of people spilling into the hallways of malls.


The Otay Ranch Town Center in Chula Vista, California, posted Build-a-Bear's statement to its Facebook page and replied to customers' comments that all lines were closed "because of extreme length."

"The store or the mall should give out vouchers for customers to return at a later date to obtain their bear. Seems a bit unfair, and both entities should have prepared for a response like this when offering this type of promotion," one Facebook user wrote on the post.

Police could be seen responding to the winding line at Orland Square Mall in Illinois, NBC Chicago reported.


It was not immediately clear if Build-a-Bear planned to reopen lines as they lessened or if any future discounts would be offered. 

The discount was also being offered at U.K. stores. Police said lines formed at a workshop in England "about a mile long," the BBC reported. Several stores closed for the rest of the day due to the crowds.

The sale allowed customers to choose any of the "furry friends" available at local workshops and pay their age number for it. The company said no one would pay more than $29 for a bear on the special date — regardless if the purchaser is in their 30's or older. Build-a-Bear required no identification or proof of age.

The day-long event was set to serve as a kickoff for a larger, year-round celebration of birthdays in which those 14 and under can receive a "Count Their Candles" invite. Kids can pay their age for a special bear during their birthday month.

"We have overwhelming data that indicates Build-A-Bear is synonymous with childhood, and nearly one-third of our sales are associated with birthdays," said president and chief executive officer of Build-A-Bear-Workshop Sharon Price John.



Photo Credit: Brad Luck
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Train Derails in Bridgeport

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A train has derailed behind Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, according to Bridgeport fire officials.

Little additional information was immediately available and it’s not clear what kind of train is off the tracks.

Metro-North say service is impacted because of a disabled train in Bridgeport, according to Tweets from the rail service.

The Waterbury branch is experiencing delays of 30 to 35 minutes and the rail service is warning New Haven line customers to anticipate delays of up to 25 minutes due to congestion.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Southbury Voters to Decide on Funding to Clean Up Storm Damage

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It's been two months since tornados swept across parts of Connecticut, damaging homes and tearing down trees. As the cleanup continues, Southbury town officials hope for more money to help the process. 

The Southbury Board of Selectmen wants approval for another $1.7 million outside of the current budget and a vote is scheduled for Thursday night during a town meeting at town hall at 7 p.m. 

First Selectman Jeff Manville said he hopes FEMA will cover 75 percent of the cost and the application process to secure funding is underway, however, the town must move forward without federal help for now. 

“Any help that we can get, any extra help that we can get would be great,” said David Goewey, who lives in New York, but owns a property on Sanford Road. 

While he is thankful his house wasn't damaged, the yard was another story. 

“The backyard still needs to be cleaned up. We have gotten various estimates on that and that seems to be taking a little while. Two trees back there were completely like just shredded and they are all in the backyard," said Goewey. "It costs a fair amount of money." 

Money the town said it needs more of for storm debris cleanup. Many people in Southbury on Thursday said an approval of an additional $1.7 million would really help. 

"I think that it would be a huge benefit for the town, I know there are a lot of people who could really use the help," said Kealy White. 

White said their house was not damaged, but many of their neighbors on Jacob Road got hit hard. The storm was so unusual it caught people by surprise, including White and her husband. 

“He was like, ‘oh yeah, I think there’s supposed to be a tornado’ and I was like, ‘OK, shouldn’t we go in the basement?’ He’s like, ‘No, I’m sure it will be fine. Have you ever heard of a tornado in Connecticut?" said White. 

Now that they have heard of tornadoes in Connecticut, people in Southbury want to get back to the way life was before the storm. 

'just to see everybody taken care of, that's really all I could ask for," said White. 

"We really need, at this point, I think a good influx of money to get this all cleaned up to get the town back to where it was before that, before May," said Goewey. 

The meeting and vote are scheduled for Thursday night at the Southbury Town Hall at 7 p.m. If the money is approved, the board of selectmen will move forward on picking a contractor. 




Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

90-Year-Old Greenwich Woman Reported Missing

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A 90-year-old Greenwich woman is missing and police have issued a Silver Alert.

Katherine Hogan left her home in Old Greenwich around 9 a.m. to go to CVS Riverside and did not return to the Edge Hill Retirement community at 11 a.m., which is unusual, according to police.

Hogan was driving a red Toyota Camry with Connecticut plate 954 DRA. She was last seen wearing a dark paint suit.

According to police, her husband said she is forgetful, but has not been diagnosed with any illness. When this has happened in the past, Hogan has returned home later, saying she was lost.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Greenwich Police Department at 203-622-8000.



Photo Credit: Greenwich Police

A Bear at a Horse Barn? Wildlife Spotted in Woodbridge Yard

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A bear made a visit to some horses in Woodbridge Thursday.

The homeowner on Apple Tree Lane told NBC Connecticut he first spotted the 200-pound bear when he came out to check on a spooked horse around 10 a.m. The bear later climbed a tree on his property and hung out until local police and state Environmental Conservation police responded and scared it off.

An hour or so later, the bear returned for a bath in the horses’ water trough. The homeowner said he called police again, and they again chased the bear back into the woods.

According to the homeowner, the bear has also visited the police chief at his home and apparently lives in the area.



Photo Credit: Contributed Photo

Reward Offered for Info on Niantic Boardwalk Bench Vandals

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East Lyme Police are trying to identify four people who tossed six benches off the Niantic boardwalk onto the rocky beach below, and a reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest.

East Lyme police responded on the morning of July 2 after witness reported the damage. The benches, which normally sit along on the boardwalk, were found strewn across the rocks below. The benches are worth about $800 each.

Police said surveillance footage shows four male suspects pulled up in a black sedan and entered the boardwalk through the “Hole in the Wall” entrance just after midnight.

Multiple sources are offering a combined $1,500 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the vandals.

Anyone with information on the vandalism is asked to contact the East Lyme Police Department at 860-739-5900 or by texting keyword ELPD and their message/tip to 847411 (tip411).



Photo Credit: East Lyme Police Department
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