Bars, restaurants and other public establishments are evaluating and rethinking security plans after the shooting at the Borderline bar in Thousand Oaks, Calif. 

Jonathan Heggenhougen, director of operations at F.YC. Entertainment, which operates four downtown Hartford bars, said they take all the precautions they can and try to eliminate problems at the door. At the Russian Lady, one if their businesses, capacity is 800 and patrons spread out over three floors.

This week’s deadly shooting inside at a busy California bar forced Jonathan and his staff to review their security plans.

“We have extra meetings before and after all shifts. The door guys have a meeting where they go over what event we have going on, how many people can we expect for that event, and kind of, they anticipate what we're looking for,” Heggenhougen said, describing some of the preparation and training. “Before they’re hired, they go through a whole training course to keep an eye out for weapons, knives.”

Staff also keeps a close working relationship with the Hartford Police Department, who are also on alert after the shooting.

Police have extra eyes on patrol, with 24/7 surveillance offering 1,000 views all over the capital city, and full-time analysts to feed officers on scene real-time intelligence.

“We find out what’s available in that general area and try to get eyes on it. Descriptions of potential suspects or witnesses come in they’re trying to identify location,” explained Sgt. Jeff Morrison.

The goal, as always, is to keep the public safe.

Law enforcement said regular citizens can also help by being aware of their surroundings and taking note of possible exits when visiting a new place.

It’s been a long road for Lawrence Alpert who moved from Minneapolis to Connecticut. The Danielson resident said he had to wait months for some of his personal belongings to be delivered.

“There’s family heirlooms, pictures,” said Lawrence Alpert. “This is just a lot of anguish.”

Last June, Alpert contracted the Florida-based Discount Interstate Moving, which, according to corporate records, also goes by the name Fara Trucking, to transport his furniture, clothing, electronics and family mementos.

When the movers showed up, they didn’t even know how to make an inventory list nor did they have enough labor to move his stuff, according to Alpert. So, he pitched in to get it onto the truck.

“They were in no way prepared to do that,” said Alpert. “And at that time, I needed to get out of the house that we were renting. So, I was kind of stuck.“

The contract gave the company a window of up to one month to deliver Alpert’s goods.

Alpert said he received a text message a month after the truck was loaded that his delivery would be arriving on July 12 or 13. But he said it never came.

Over the next few weeks, Lawrence made numerous calls, sent emails and text messages, but still heard nothing from the company.

“I have no idea what’s going on with it. I don’t know if it’s sitting in a warehouse somewhere. I don’t know if it was taken off the truck and sold piece by piece,” said Alpert.

Alpert filed multiple complaints with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration against Discount Interstate Moving and Fara Trucking, which are the same company using two different names.

FMCSA told NBC Connecticut Responds, “U.S. DOT# 3000641 has no current for-hire operating authority with FMCSA.”

FMCSA added the carrier’s Bodily Injury and Property Damage (BI&PD) insurance was canceled on Aug. 30, 2018 and, as a result, its operating authority was revoked.

In August, Alpert added that a Fara Trucking dispatcher texted him claiming that they were trying to locate his shipment.

Alpert said dispatch told him his things were in Columbus, Ohio, and he offered to pick it up.

He then called the company asking for information. But Alpert said he got no response. Responds also reached out through phone calls and emails to both Discount Interstate Moving and Fara Trucking. But to no avail.

We found out that there were four complaints filed with Florida’s BBB against Discount Interstate Moving by customers alleging that the company stole their belongings and did not return phone calls. Two similar complaints were filed against Fara Trucking.

In September, the company sent Alpert a photo, asking if items in the picture belonged to him.

He confirmed they did and a month later a rental truck showed up at his Danielson home with the TVs and 50 boxes of items. But Alpert said the master bedroom set and half of his clothing were missing.

The Dispatcher told him they couldn’t fit all of it on the truck. But Alpert hasn’t heard from the company since.

While the Better Business Bureau couldn’t comment on this specific case, Luke Frey offered advice on what consumers should do.

• Don’t go with the first or the cheapest estimate you get.
• Watch out for movers who pose as someone else.
• Keep an inventory list especially on high ticket items.
• Be leery of movers who show up with rented vehicles.
• And offer you a discount for a large down payment or the entire amount upfront.

Alpert said he filed complaints with a police department in Florida, Florida’s Attorney General’s office and the BBB. Alpert said he hasn’t heard back from police or the AG’s office. But said Florida’s BBB closed his complaint stating it’s unresolved.

A temporary reversal means one of the Hartford convenience stores that was stopped from operating overnight can now stay open around the clock, at least for now.

A judge issued the decision Friday in favor of Andy’s Mart, an Exxon Station at 351 Woodland St.

Over the summer, citing disruptions created in their community linked to late hours, Hartford police took steps to revoke the 24-hour permits of about a dozen gas stations and convenience stores in the city.

Businesses wishing to operate in Hartford between the hours of 11:30 p.m. and 5 a.m. must have a specific permit. Hartford police make recommendations to the city licensing authority about who should be approved for the permits.

The owners of that store on Woodland Street told the court they’ve had a rough time staying afloat since their open hours were slashed.

After reviewing a request for an injunction, a judge granted the store on Woodland Street a temporary injunction allowing it to once again remain open between 11:30 p.m. and 5 a.m.

The owners of the store claimed that since it was stripped of its 24-hour permit, business dropped by roughly 50 percent, forcing them to let go of two employees and use personal funds to cover the building’s rent.

In court documents, a judge agreed that the city has no uniform standard for how many calls for police assistance could warrant permit revocation. The city had claimed that the stores that had their permits revoked attracted loitering, drug sales and other quality of life issues.

The city said the issues are a balancing act.

“We will of course comply with the temporary injunction granted at this particular location, and we remain willing to consider negotiated resolutions with conditions on a case by case basis. As we have always said, the granting of 24-hour permits is a question of balancing quality of life and public safety concerns with businesses’ desire to maximize revenue,” said Hartford Corporation Counsel Howard Rifkin.

The injunction will remain in effect until a hearing to determine the future of this store. At least one other business affected by the ordinance intends to call the city next week and re-request to remain open in the late hours. If that’s not approved, they may seek the same injunction.

Interstate 84 east in West Hartford has reopened after a crash on Saturday morning.

According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, there was a two vehicle crash on I-84 eastbound between exits 41 and 43. The left and center lanes were closed, but have since reopened.

Officers believe speeding played a role in the crash.

Police said there were no injuries reported.

The 2018 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has arrived, marking the start of the holiday season in New York City. 

The 72-foot-tall, 12-ton Norway Spruce was trucked onto the Plaza Saturday morning after making the 75-mile journey from its home in upstate New York Thursday.

A crane raised the iconic holiday symbol off a 115-foot-long trailer and put it into place around 10 a.m. 

About 50,000 LED lights and a new Swarovski crystal star designed by Daniel Libeskind will adorn the tree, which will be lit on Nov. 28.  It will remain on display until Jan. 7.

The tree, which is 45-feet in diameter, comes from the Wallkill home of Shirley Figueroa and Lissette Gutierrez, who gave the spruce a last hug before it was chopped down.

Crews then hoisted the tree on a flatbed to make its roughly 75-mile journey to midtown Manhattan, where it is expected to arrive on Saturday.

"After we bought the house, the previous owner told us, 'Hey, by the way, the tree in the yard? Rockefeller Center has been scouting it," Figueroa told News 4. "When she told me that, I was like, 'Oh, that would be cool,' but I [didn't] believe it. Until they came knocking on the door." 

Last year's tree, also a Norway Spruce, came from State College, Pennsylvania. 

The first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was put up in 1931 by workers building the complex during the Great Depression. The first official tree lighting there was in 1933.

Figueroa and Gutierrez said they plan to replace the tree with new ones. 

"I believe if you take something down, you gotta put something back, so we're definitely going to plant... a few more trees, because she took up a lot of space," Figueroa said. 

While the two homeowners said it was difficult to part with the tree, both were excited to see it in all its glory at Rockefeller Center. 

"It's been a little tougher for me," Gutierrez said. "But it's for a great cause — and everybody's going to see it," she said, noting that the tree will be donated to Habitat for Humanity and used for home-building lumber after the Christmas season.

"I grew up going to Rockefeller Center every year, and I've only missed a few years that I couldn't get down because of work," Figueroa added.

"It's going to be really amazing to be down there and know that the tree came from our yard." 

A pedestrian has died after getting by a vehicle in West Haven on Friday night.

Officers were called to Elm Street near Second Avenue around 11:11 p.m. after getting a report of a car versus pedestrian crash with injuries.

Investigators believe a Dodge sedan was traveling east on Elm Street near Campbell Avenue when it hit a pedestrian. They said it appears the vehicle continued driving east on Elm Street until parking in a lot near Elm Street and Second Avenue.

The unidentified female pedestrian sustained serious injuries and was transported to the hospital, where she later died, police said.

Police have not released the driver's identity and said the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is asked to call West Haven Police Traffic Division at (203) 937-3925.

A coach bus heading to a sporting event has crashed into a building in West Haven on Saturday morning.

The coach bus crashed into a building at Anderson Glass on Campbell Avenue, near the off ramp for exit 43 on Interstate-95 in West Haven.

The bus was carrying Princeton students to the Princeton-Yale football game and had brake failure, said West Haven Police Sergeant Charles Young.

According to police, four students were transported to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries. Firefighters had to extricate the bus driver, who has unknown injuries.

Fire crews and ambulances are at the scene, as well as Connecticut State Police and West Haven building officials.

The students who were not injured are taking another bus to the game, police said.

Campbell Avenue is closed while officials investigate the crash.

NBC Connecticut has a crew at the scene and will update this story as details become available.

As the Florida Secretary of State called for recounts in three key statewide races Saturday, gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum withdrew his concession from Election Night and called for all votes to be counted.

The Secretary of State’s office ordered recounts for the Florida governor, U.S. Senate and commissioner of agriculture seats after reviewing the unofficial election results submitted from each county by Saturday's noon deadline.

According to Florida law, a machine recount is ordered if races are within 0.5 percent. A hand recount is ordered if the margins are within 0.25 percent after the machine recount results are reviewed.

In the official tally released Saturday, outgoing Republican Gov. Rick Scott had 4,098,107 votes and Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson had 4,085,545 votes – a difference of 12,562 votes with a 0.15 percent margin, which falls under the threshold requiring a manual recount. 

In the governor's race, Republican Ron DeSantis had 4,075,879 votes and Democrat Andrew Gillum had 4,042,195 votes. That's a difference of 33,684 with a difference of 0.41 percent.

"I'm replacing my earlier concession with an unapologetic call to count every vote," Gillum said in a press conference Saturday. 

The Florida Cabinet position of agriculture commissioner is also being recounted. Nikki Fried is leading Matt Caldwell with a 0.07 percent margin. 

Broward County will also recount the races for mayor of Plantation, mayor of Pompano, the West Park Commission and the Walnut Creek commission.

Canvassing boards across the state have until 3 p.m. on Thursday to complete the machine recounts and submit those results.

A manual recount would then be ordered if any of those races have the candidates within a margin of 0.25 percent of one another. In that case, the supervisors of elections in each Florida county would hand-check any ballots.

As scheduled, the entire recount process must be completed by Nov. 18.

Dozens of people came out to support our veterans in Rocky Hill for the second annual Veterans Day Classic Walk and Run.

The event raises money to give back to the veteran community in Connecticut and throughout New England.

Saturday's race was led by 96-year-old Purple Heart recipient Armand Jolly.

His destroyer, the U.S.S. Emmonds, was sunk during the Invasion of Okinawa during World War II and he was wounded in the attack.

Jolly was given a police escort to kick off the walk.

"I was surprised. They didn't tell me about this. They said you're going to go there and walk, walk a mile, but they didn't say all this was going to be there. I don't think I'm worth something like this, but this was really a big, big surprise to me," Jolly said.

"It's emotional, it's uplifting and it's an honor for us to have him lead us in this race today," said Commissioner Thomas Saadi, of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Connecticut.

All of the proceeds from the walk will go to support veterans outreach programs.

A serious crash has closed Route 69 and Greenwood Drive in Prospect on Saturday night.

Troopers said they responded to the area around 4:14 p.m. after getting a report of a one-car accident with a serious injury.

The driver of the vehicle was extricated and was taken to the hospital for an evaluation, according to police.

Officers at the scene have the area closed off. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes.

There is no word on when the road will reopen.

New England Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski reportedly won't play in this Sunday's game against Tennessee.

A source tells NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that Gronkowski won't hit the field as he heals up his back and ankle.

"The team is taking the smart, cautious approach to making sure he's back after the bye at full strength to close the season strong," Rapoport's source told him.

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Sunday's game against the Titans will be the third game he's missed so far this season due to injuries. He had been listed as questionable earlier this week.

"It's been more challenging, but it's just a little more obstacles in the way. I mean, it's life. You gotta take 'em on. That's what I'm doing," Gronkowski said Friday, NBC Sports Boston reported.

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Gronk previously missed last Sunday's game against the Packers and Week 7's game against the Bears.

The Patriots face the Titans in Nashville at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Santa Claus has arrived at Westfarms for the holiday season and kids of all ages can enter Santa's Flight Academy to join Santa's Flight Crew.

New Britain Firefighters responded to an apartment fire on Dwight Street Saturday night. 

According to officials, the fire started a little after 7 p.m. and caused extensive damage to a third floor apartment. 

The family that lives in the apartment was not home at the time, but will likely be displaced, Deputy Fire Chief Paul Walsh tells NBC Connecticut. 

The fire was deemed under control in 25 minutes. No injuries were reported.

The Fire Marshal is working to determine the cause of the fire. 

Two members of Congress, a cabinet official, a presidential confidant and a frequent guest on Fox News are among those being considered by President Donald Trump to be the next attorney general, multiple sources tell NBC News.

One of those, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, was a close adviser to the president in his 2016 presidential campaign. He has been largely sidelined by the administration since then but resurfaced at the White House on Thursday for what White House officials said was for a previously scheduled meeting on prison reform.

Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, and retiring Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, have also joined the list of those in the running, the sources say.

One person was killed in a crash in East Lyme on Saturday night.

The head-on crash happened on Flanders Road around 11 p.m., according to police.

The driver of one of the cars was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in that car and the driver of the other car were both flown by LifeStar helicopter to Hartford Hospital, police said. Their conditions have not been released.

Police also have not released the name of the driver who died, pending notification of the next of kin.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call East Lyme police at 860-739-5900.

Police have made an arrest in a serious stabbing in New Britain on Saturday.

Officers were called to Dwight Street just after 3:30 p.m. and found a 22-year-old suffering from stab wounds.

The victim was rushed to the hospital where he is listed in critical condition, police said.

Police determined the stabbing stemmed from an argument that escalated to violence.

Officers found the suspect, 28-year-old Rashad William Candelaria, of New Britain, at the scene and arrested him.

Candelaria is charged with criminal attempt to commit murder, first-degree assault, and breach of peace. He is being held on $1 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

Buying breakfast at a Hamden restaurant on Sunday helped get veterans the assistance they need to make repairs to their home.

“It gave me the freedom to actually keep it up, you know, not have to worry about it,” said Sgt. Judy Burke, a veteran of the Connecticut Army National Guard.

Burke, of Ansonia, served through the 1980s and early 1990s. She and her husband, who’s also a veteran, benefited from House of Heroes Connecticut.

The non-profit helps veterans who are living on a fixed income, are disabled or facing financial or physical challenges by making improvements to their home, including creating handicap access, doing electrical work, window replacement, deck repair and much more.

All of the work is free of charge to the veteran.

“It gives them the opportunity to be able to afford to stay in their home,” said House of Heroes president and co-founder, Steve Cavanaugh.

This Veterans Day, dozens of people filled Eli’s on Whitney for a Veterans Day breakfast from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. All proceeds went to House of Heroes. Cavanaugh said that included bartender tips.

“Anything I can do for them, for what they gave for this country, I’m happy to do,” said Jim Furnaro, who came to show his support.

Others, like U.S. Navy veteran Gary Kasprzycki, also volunteer with House of Heroes to give back.

“We do everything, like making it accessible for handicap bathrooms, ramps, doors, windows,” Kasprzycki said.

House of Heroes Connecticut Chair Carol May’s late husband served with the Army for 23 years. Bill May helped found the Connecticut chapter of the non-profit with Cavanaugh back in 2012.

“The military is a family. And we all work together, we all support one another and families need, families need help,” May said.

In its six years, House of Heroes Connecticut has worked on 110 homes, 18 in 2018 alone.

The New England Patriots have confirmed that the team's star tight end Rob Gronkowski won't play in this Sunday's game against Tennessee.

Reports had been circulating that Gronkowski won't hit the field as he heals up his back and ankle.

Sunday's game against the Titans will be the third game he's missed so far this season due to injuries. He had been listed as questionable earlier this week.

"It's been more challenging, but it's just a little more obstacles in the way. I mean, it's life. You gotta take 'em on. That's what I'm doing," Gronkowski said Friday, NBC Sports Boston reported.

Gronk previously missed last Sunday's game against the Packers and Week 7's game against the Bears.

The Patriots face the Titans in Nashville at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

A serious crash shut down Route 44 in Putnam on Sunday afternoon.

The crash involved four vehicles, according to Quinnebaug Valley Emergency Dispatch.

The accident happened near the Connecticut-Rhode Island state line.

At least six people have been injured, according to dispatchers.

There is no word on how long the road will be shut down.

After a couple of dry, chilly days, the First Alert forecast team is tracking a developing storm that will impact the morning commute on Tuesday.

What to expect:

Monday will feature a dry day with highs in the 40s.  Clouds will increase late day with rain developing after midnight.  Rain could be mixed with sleet or wet snow briefly before going to all rain.

We expect a rainy commute for Tuesday morning.  Rain will be heavy at times during the day.  

As the storm approaches, the wind will pick up across the state.  Gusts 20-30 mph are possible.  While widespread flooding isn't expected, over 1 inch of rain could cause already swollen rivers and streams to get close to flood stage.

Once the storm passes we expect some of the coldest air of the season to arrive from Canada.  High temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday will struggle through the 30s.  Another potential storm could bring another round of rain or a wintry mix by Friday morning.

Track the storms on our interactive radar.