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Drag Queens Protest at Border Wall for LGBTQ Asylum-Seekers

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Drag queens from across the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas, which sits on the U.S.-Mexico border, gathered Saturday in front of an existing border structure in Brownsville to host a No Border Wall Drag Protest, NBC News reported. They said their goal was to show people there is no border crisis and voice opposition to more barrier construction in the region. All the money raised by the protest will go to LGBTQ asylum-seekers. 

Beatrix Lestrange, wearing a multicolored dress, red wig, black pumps and a choker with studs, organized the protest performance and is a self proclaimed "dragtavist," a drag queen who uses her platform for social activism. 

“The vision was to perform in front of this wall and project our beauty and our glamour and our empowerment against this symbol that stands for hate, racism and xenophobia,” Lestrange said. “All of these things that aren’t really happening in our community.” 

Click here for the full story.



Photo Credit: Reynaldo Leanos Jr.

FIRST ALERT: Plowable Snow Expected Wednesday into Thursday

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Our team of meteorologists have issued a First Alert for accumulating snow expected Wednesday into Thursday.

A clipper system will move from Canada into southern New England on Wednesday afternoon.

Light to moderate snow is expected during the afernoon and evening with it commencing sometime Thursday morning.

This will likely lead to some issues on the roadways especially with the Thursday morning commute.

It's too early to talk about snowfall accumulations however a plowable snow is looking more likely.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Man Accused of Threatening Comedian Aries Spears With Knife

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A Massachusetts man is accused of threatening comedian Aries Spears with a knife after a heckling situation during a show in Manchester.

According to police, 34-year-old Michael Perrone of Worcester, Mass., attended a show at the Funny Bone Comedy Club at the Shoppes at Buckland Hills in Manchester Friday. Witnesses told police that Perrone was heckling Spears, and the two got into a verbal argument. After the exchange, Perrone left the club and was seen pulling out a folding knife and threatening to wait for Spears outside, police said.

Perrone told officers he left the club because the comedian was making fun of him. Perrone did not have a knife on him, but investigators found one in a planter outside the club. Witnesses confirmed the knife in the planter was the one that Perrone brandished, according to police.

Perrone was charged with second-degree threatening, second-degree breach of peace, and tampering with evidence. He was released on a $1,000 bond and is due in court on March 7.



Photo Credit: Manchester Police Department

Sleeping Man Escapes Fire After Being Awoken By Neighbors

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A sleeping homeowner was able to escape a fast-moving fire in Hamden Monday due to the quick actions of neighbors who woke him up.

Hamden firefighters said they were called to the home at 114 Fallon Drive around 2:52 p.m. The homeowner was sleeping at the time of the fire, but neighbors were able to wake him up by banging on doors and windows. The man made it out, but the family dog could not escape and was killed in the fire. No other injuries were reported.

Fire officials said it appears the fire spread quickly from the attached carport to the rest of the home. Gusty winds aided the spread of the flames and hampered firefighting efforts.

The home was significantly damaged by the fire and the family will be staying with relatives.

The heat from the fire was so strong it damaged the vinyl siding of a nearby home.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.



Photo Credit: Hamden Fire Department

Man Accused of Recording Woman While She Was in The Bathroom

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A man is accused of recording a woman without her consent while she was using the bathroom in a Plainfield home.

Plainfield police arrested 29-year-old Cole Parrock on a voyeurism charge Monday. According to police, the investigation began in November when an 18-year-old woman reported that Parrock secretly recorded her while she was in the bathroom of a home.

Investigators found evidence, including video of Parrock trying to record the victim through a door frame.

Parrock was held on a $50,000 bond and is due in court on Tuesday.



Photo Credit: Plainfield Police Department

Lamont Activates Severe Cold Weather Protocol

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Gov. Ned Lamont has activated the state’s Severe Cold Weather Protocol with temperatures below freezing and below average expected.

Temperatures are expected to be in the 20s over the next two days. Average high temperatures this time of year are typically in the 40s.

Those in need of shelter from the cold can contact 211. The protocol began at 5 p.m. Monday and will remain in effect through 10 a.m. Wednesday.

The Severe Cold Weather Protocol activates coordination between Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), the Department of Social Services (DSS), the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), and the Department of Housing (DOH) to work across the state’s network of shelters to make sure everyone has a place to go in the cold.

The cold weather is followed by the potential for plowable snow Wednesday into Thursday. Stay tuned on that.

Get the latest forecast anytime here.



Photo Credit: NBC10

Connecticut Considers Motorcyle Helmet Law

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Connecticut lawmakers are considering ending a long-standing practice on state roads: riding a motorcycle without a helmet.

For the first time, some of the loudest voices in the conversation are coming from motorcycle riders who favor wearing helmets.

“Their choice comes at everyone else’s expense,” said Paul Siciliano, a motorcycle safety instructor said of motorcycle enthusiasts who insist on not wearing helmets a matter of comfort and tradition.

“They don’t represent the majority of riders in Connecticut anymore. They just don’t,” he added.

Motorcyclists who prefer not to wear helmets were also vocal before the Joint Transportation Committee. They argue that trained adult riders know how to protect themselves, and avoid dangerous situations that could result in crashes. They also argued that helmets impede their ability to see the road.

Twenty-eight states have some kind of requirement for helmets, either universal or for children up to age 17.

“This should be our choice. You know? I want to take that chance,” said Norman Lejoie, who started riding motorcycles more than 40 years ago. He’s owned 17 different bikes over that period of time. He added, “Let those who ride decide.”

A recent poll of licensed Connecticut drivers showed that 75 percent of them favor a universal helmet law, which is what New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts have as their laws.

Jennifer Homendy, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, even testified in support of the universal helmet proposal before lawmakers.

“Safety equipment is the best defense to prevent injury and that’s across the board whether it’s seat belts, helmets, car seats, booster seats. It prevents fatalities and injuries and in these case we believe it would prevent salaries and injuries as well,” Homendy said.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

AT&T Workers Protest Plan to Move Jobs Out of State

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AT&T plans to move nearly 90 jobs out of their Meriden call centers, and many union workers aren’t happy about it.

The union, CWA Local 1298, joined forces today with Sen. Richard Blumenthal to protest.

AT&T workers at that call center gathered Monday to speak out against the company’s plan to move 89 jobs to either Tennessee or Georgia.

The union says the jobs are specialized, good paying, and hard to find. They monitor and maintain the 911 system in 22 states.

Paul Scherban has been working in the building at the 911 Center for 25 years.

“It's nothing that you're just going to start doing immediately... there's a big learning curve,” the Wethersfield resident explained.

AT&T said the move to consolidate takes place throughout the year and won’t affect the majority of Meriden employees.

“I beg to differ with that as well in our bargaining unit here in CT there is probably a grand total of 150 people in the core business and this is 89,” said CWA Local 1298 president David Weidlich.

“We are talking good jobs public safety and fair treatment of people,” Blumenthal said.

The senator supported the workers at the protest, and said he agrees that these are not jobs Connecticut can afford to lose.

“We are here to send a message to AT&T to do the right thing keep these jobs here because it's more than just the individual workers it's their families and it is the people who are going to call 9-1-1,” Blumenthal said.

The company said there will be no impact to public safety – in fact the company claims the larger centers with more employees are more effective.

In a statement AT&T went on to say:

"Most affected employees, including all affected union-represented employees, will be offered a job at other U.S. company facilities, and a $20,000 relocation allowance. We hope as many of the affected employees as possible choose to stay with the company. Any who decline the relocation offer have the opportunity to seek other jobs within the company."

AT&T said the company hired 20,000 people last year, including 150 here in Connecticut.

The union says severance packages are also being offered.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Venture Smith: A Slave Who Bought His Own Freedom

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Venture Smith is a slave who bought his own freedom and later created an autobiography that stories his history.

It’s a piece of Connecticut history and a very important story to tell, as NBC Connecticut celebrates Black History Month.

Smith was born in Dukandarra, Africa and named Broteer, the son of King Saungm Furro, according to descendants.

But Smith was captured and taken on Rhode Island slave ship to America. He was sold for “four gallons of run, and a piece of calico” according to his autobiography. He was also renamed Venture.

Venture was about 7 years old at the time, according to Karl Stofko, East Haddam Municipal Historian.

The reason there is so much knowledge of Smith’ history is because he created an autobiography called “A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, A Native of Africa: But Resident Above Sixty Years in the United States of America.”

“One of the earliest ones that was written and published. And was probably the only one that described what life was like in Africa,” Stofko said.

Stofko has been studying Smith and watching over his East Haddam gravesite since the 1970s. There was an archaeological dig in 2006 on the site to try to gain even more knowledge of his history.

Smith was sold from owner to owner, working in places like Fisher’s Island and Stonington. He was a slave for about three decades.

But Smith took on side-jobs to earn enough money to buy his freedom from his last owner, Oliver Smith, of Stonington, and took his last name. Eventually Smith amassed enough money to buy the freedom of his children, his wife, and other slaves.

Stofko said Smith also amassed 134 acres of land in Haddam Neck.

“Here’s somebody that had all of this adversity but still made a big success of himself,” Stofko said.

“It’s my history, my relative’s history, my descendants’ history and it will be carried on,” said Florence Warmsley, of Middletown, who is an eighth generation descendent of Smith’s.

Warmsley’s learned Smith’s story from her grandmother. Now Warmsley keeps the legacy alive with the next generation of descendants.

Warmsley said she once held an original copy of Smith’s narrative.

“I think he knew how rare it was, and how important. I think he was very intelligent and decided that in this way, he could have his own little piece of the American dream,” Warmsley said.

According to University of North Carolina Associate Professor John Sweet, who also studied Smith, Smith’s narrative was the first published American slave narrative. He also said Smith was one of the few survivors of the Middle Passage who got to tell their story in print.

Chandler Saint, co-director of the Documenting Venture Smith Project spoke with NBC Connecticut on the phone while in Ghana. He said he’s taking Smith’s story back to Africa.

“He overcame slavery and unbelievable oppression in a non-violent way which is something very few figures in history have accomplished,” according to Saint.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Univision Crew Temporarily Detained After Maduro Interview

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Univision said journalist Jorge Ramos and a TV crew were "arbitrarily detained" in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday after an interview with President Nicolas Maduro was abruptly terminated.

In a tweet Monday night, the Spanish-language news network said that "a @Univision team, headed by @jorgeramosnews, is being arbitrarily detained at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas. They were interviewing @NicolasMaduro but he didn't like the questions. Their technical equipment was also confiscated."

Western Hemisphere Assistant Secretary of the State Kim Breier Tweeted that the State Department had received word of the detention and insisted on their immediate release, warning that "the world is watching." 

Minister Jorge Rodriguez responded for the Maduro administration on Twitter by calling the reported detention a "new fake allegation."

According to Univision president Daniel Coronell, the crew was later released, but their recording equipment and records of the interview remained confiscated by Maduro loyalists. Coronell said in a tweet that he spoke with Ramos over the phone after he and the crew were released.

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Coronell also said that he confirmed Ramos' release with the Maduro regime's communications minister.

Speaking from Caracas Monday night, Ramos told Univision anchor Patricia Janiot during a phone call that aired on the network’s broadcast, Maduro didn’t like the questions he was asking about the country’s humanitarian crisis and after showing the president photos he had taken of Venezuelans eating out of trash cans on the street, Maduro left the interview.

Ramos told Janiot they were then held for more than two hours and placed in a dark room for some of that time. Janiot said Venezuelan Communications Minster Jorge Rodriguez told Univision that Ramos insulted Maduro repeatedly by calling him a dictator and murderer.

Ramos made headlines in 2015 after then-candidate Donald Trump had him removed from a news conference when the Miami-based anchor attempted to engage with the GOP front-runner as he recognized another reporter. Ramos was trying to question Trump on his proposal to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants. As the two spoke over one another in a testy back-and-forth, Trump’s security detail approached the Mexican-American journalist and escorted him out of the room.

"You cannot build a 1,900-mile wall," Ramos continued on his way out.

Ramos was eventually allowed to return to the presser and Trump called on him to ask a question.

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Photo Credit: Alan Diaz/AP (File)

Shoreline Towns Targeted by Phone Scammers

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Authorities say scammers are targeting two communities on the shoreline.

On Monday night, phones were buzzing in Old Saybrook with apparently bogus requests for donations to the fire department.

“The people on the phone started becoming very rude and pushy, saying no, they’re accepting donations over the phone. Please give us a credit card,” said Chief Joseph Johnson, Old Saybrook Fire.

In New Haven, police say several people reported receiving a call from someone claiming to be an officer.

That apparently fake cop left a message saying they were looking to serve a warrant for jury duty or a subpoena.

In most cases they said money would be needed.

New Haven Police provided their recording of what people heard when they called back: “Hello. You have reached the New Haven Police Department. We are located at 26 Charles Street, New Haven.”

During the message, which is similar to the actual one used by the department, police say people could chose an option that likely would lead to the scammer answering.

New Haven police say they do not ask for money for warrants, subpoenas or anything like that.

And in Old Saybrook, the fire chief reminds people to be alert.

“The fire department does not solicit any donations via phone calls,” said Chief Johnson.

The fire chief says when they do fundraising there is an annual mailer that goes out to people in town.

Anyone who receives one of these strange calls should contact police.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Hidden in Plain Sight: Places You Never Knew Were in Conn.

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A River Runs Through It

Tucked between Hartford’s Pope Park and busy Interstate 84 is one of the few spots where you can spot some hidden history. If you have not heard of the Park River, maybe it is because you cannot always see it. The waterway flows underground, under the Capital City for more than two miles.

"I think most people probably don't realize that it's underneath us," said Shanna Gottfried, a Hartford resident. "I think it’s really cool that we have an underground river."

The Park River was buried back in the 1940s by the Army Corps of Engineers as a way to prevent spring-time flooding and divert polluted run-off. The subterranean waterway flows beneath the grounds of the State Capitol then Bushnell Park before it sees the light of day again, dumping into the Connecticut River.

 

Cold War Leftover

In Cromwell, just off of Route 372 next to a condominium complex is what is left of a Cold War relic: a Nike Missile site. The U.S. Army built hundreds of these line-of-sight anti-aircraft missile systems across the country in 1950s. Project Nike was named after Nike, the goddess of victory from Greek mythology.

A dozen of the sites were constructed in Connecticut, including in Ansonia, Shelton, Manchester and Portland, among others. Many of the sites have been demolished and redeveloped.

The Nike Missile site in Cromwell is dilapidated and overgrown, but some of the original buildings and the circular radar platforms are still visible. The missile site and many of the others like it were deactivated in the late 1960s.

"It’s nice to live next to it but it’s also nice to know that we don't need places like this anymore," said Rick Lawrence who lives in the condominiums next to the Cromwell site.

 

Where the Bodies Are Buried

This photo contains imagery that some viewers may find disturbing.
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In the heart of the Elm City is the New Haven Green; an open space and gathering place for concerts, demonstrations and the annual tree lighting. But underneath all of that activity is what some might consider to be a morbid marvel. The Green was once a cemetery, the final resting place for thousands and thousands of people.

“I think that kind of weirds me out a little,” said New Haven resident Julie Super.

In the early 1800s, all of the headstones were removed from the Green, but the bodies were not. Since then, layers of soil were added over the remains buried underfoot.

“I think your everyday person is not going to think about that,” said Andrew McKinney, of New Haven.

In October 2012, strong winds from Hurricane Sandy uprooted the historic Lincoln Oak tree on the Green. The tree's exposed roots revealed human skeletal remains that date back to the 1700s. 

Mysterious House on the Corner

In West Hartford, what appears to be a house stands at the busy intersection of South Main Street and Park Road. Despite a seemingly typical brick exterior, black shutters and white windowpanes, no one is living in the structure - because it is not a home.

"Well, I'm sure they intentionally made it look like a residence," said Marilyn Kagels who lives in the neighborhood.

The town decided to purchase the property more than a decade ago to create a bunker-like facility for important town technology. The property is secure, is outfitted with back-up generators and it can withstand extreme weather, according to the town. The town declined an NBC Connecticut request to view the interior of the structure.

Not everyone passing by knows what is really inside until now.

"If they think anything, they probably just figure it's a house," said Kagels. 

If you know of other spots in our state that seem to be “hidden in plain sight,” NBC Connecticut wants to hear from you. Submit your idea here. 



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut
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Woman, Daughter Accused of Killing 5 Relatives in Pa. Apt.

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A woman and her adult daughter are accused of killing five family members, including two of the woman's children and her 9-year-old twin nieces, in an apartment in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, the Bucks County district attorney said Monday.

Shana Decree, 45, and her daughter Dominique Decree, 19, both face five counts of criminal homicide and one count of conspiracy, according to court records.

The five victims were identified as Shana Decree's two children, Naa'Irah Smith, 25, and Damon Decree Jr., 13, both of Morrisville; Shana Decree's sister, Jamilla Campbell, 42, of Trenton, New Jersey, and Campbell's 9-year-old twin daughters, Imani and Erika Allen.

"This is a terrible tragedy," Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said at the scene late Monday night. "I just spoke with the family of all five of the deceased and we're all heartbroken."

Investigators are also searching for Campbell's son, Joshua Campbell, 17. The teen boy is not a suspect but officials are looking for him in order to ensure his safety.

The five victims were all found dead inside the two bedrooms of a first floor apartment in the Robert Morris Apartments on the 200 block of W. Bridge Street, which is about 30 miles northeast of Center City Philadelphia, shortly after 4 p.m. Monday during a welfare check. A friend of the victims told NBC10 they tried knocking on the door a few times Friday but no one answered.

"I saw the landlord and said, 'What's going on?' And she said, 'We are doing a welfare check because trash is piled up out there for awhile to see if they are alright.' Nobody answered the door so the maintenance guys went in," Nicole Owens, a resident of the apartment, told NBC10.

Shana Decree and Dominique Decree were both hospitalized before being taken into custody, Weintraub said. A judge arraigned the elder Decree early Tuesday morning and ordered her held without bail, courts records said. Dominique Decree has yet to be arraigned.

"I wanted to make sure everybody knew that the people who committed these atrocious acts are now in custody and (will) be made to pay for their crimes," Weintraub said.

While police ruled the deaths homicides, investigators did not reveal how the victims died. They continue to investigate.

Online court records don't list an attorney who could comment for either woman.

Man Accused of Stealing $1,800 Worth of Merchandise from Milford Victoria’s Secret

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A New Haven man is accused of stealing more than $1,800 worth of merchandise from a Victoria’s Secret store in Milford.

Police said 28-year-old Stephen Blackshear, of New Haven, is accused of shoplifting at the Victoria’s Secret at 1201 Boston Post Road on Nov. 19 and he has been charged with fourth-degree larceny and fourth-degree conspiracy to commit larceny.

He was released on a promise to appear.

Student Gets Foot Run Over By a School Bus in New Haven

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A student was taken to the hospital on Tuesday morning after police said a school bus ran over his foot in New Haven.

Officers were called to Sherman Parkway at Munson Street around 7:15 a.m. after getting a report of a crash involving a student hit by a school bus.

According to police, the 14-year-old student suffered bruising and swelling to his foot after the school bus drove over it.

Investigators determined the incident happened on Ellsworth Avenue when the student walked into the roadway as the school bus approached. The student got on the bus and traveled for several blocks before telling the bus driver about his injury, police said.

The student was taken to the hospital and is expected to be released soon.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Aerosmith Announces 4 Shows at MGM Springfield

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If you've been hoping to see Aerosmith live soon, you don't have to "Dream On" much longer.

Get ready to rock n' roll this August because Aerosmith will be performing at MGM Springfield.

The "Bad Boys from Boston" announced Tuesday morning they will perform at the new casino for four nights. The rock stars will be taking a break from their Las Vegas residency to perform in Springfield on: Aug. 21, Aug. 24, Aug. 26 and Aug. 29.

If you don't want to miss a thing, you can purchase tickets on Friday on the casino's entertainment section



Photo Credit: Robb Cohen/Invision/AP
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Man Seriously Injured in Shooting in Meriden

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Meriden Police are investigating after a man was seriously injured during a shooting last week.

Officers were called to North Colony Road around 11 p.m. on Friday after getting a report of shots fired.

Police said they also received a report that a man had showed up to Midstate Medical Center with multiple gunshot wounds.

Investigators determined that a shooting did happen on North Colony Road and said they later learned that the 18-year-old man at the hospital had come from there.

The man was transported by LifeStar to a local trauma hospital for treatment. He is currently in stable condition with serious injuries, police said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Det. Wagner at (203) 630-6334.

Torrington Social Security Administration Closed After Suspicious Letter Was Found

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The Social Security Administration offices on Litchfield Street in Torrington are closed and the building will be closed for the rest of the day as authorities investigate a suspicious letter.

The fire department responded to the offices at 147 Litchfield St. a little before 8 a.m. Tuesday after a letter with possible white powder was discovered and the building was evacuated.

Officials from the Department of Fire Services said the letter could be related to “other incidents in the region.”

The fire department and police secured the building and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, State Police, Torrington Area Health Department, United States Postal Inspection Service, Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, DHS Federal Protective Services and Federal Bureau of Investigation responded to assist in the event it was necessary.

The Connecticut State Police Bomb Squad secured the package, which was collected for evidence and further testing.

Fire officials said the initial meter readings didn’t indicate anything hazardous, but more testing will be done.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Hour by Hour Timing & Impacts for Tomorrow's Snow

Recall Issued for Market 32 By Price Chopper Ham That Might Contain Plastic: USDA

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A recall has been issued for some Market 32 By Price Chopper Black Forest Ham sold at deli counters in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

A news release issued Tuesday afternoon says that Sahlen Packing Company, Inc., based in Buffalo, New York, is recalling more than 13,000 pounds of ready-to-eat deli ham products that might be contaminated with plastic

The deli ham items were produced on Jan. 25.

The USDA said the recall is for varying weights of whole hams sliced and sold at deli counters containing “MARKET 32 BY PRICE CHOPPER BLACK FOREST HAM with natural juices caramel color added 97% FAT FREE” and a sell by date of April 8, 2019.

The recalled ham has establishment number “EST. 5155” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The Food Safety and Inspection Services was notified on Feb. 22 and said there have been no confirmed reports of anyone being injured and anyone concerned about an injury or illness should call a healthcare provider.

If you bought these products, throw them away or return them to the store you purchased them from.



Photo Credit: The United States Agriculture Department
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