Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., conceded Monday that he believes the upper chamber will vote this month to terminate the national emergency President Donald Trump declared at the U.S.-Mexico border, NBC News reported.

“I think what is clear in the Senate is there will be enough votes to pass the resolution of disapproval which will then be vetoed by the president and then all likelihood the veto will be upheld in the House,” he said at a news conference in the Capitol.

Intestate 84 westbound is closed in Southington after a tractor-trailer fire, according to the Department of Transportation.

The highway is closed between exits 29 and 27.

No other details were immediately available.

A West Haven man is in the fight of his life and while he still can he’d love to meet a man he admires, President Trump.

“I would probably be out of breath for a little while because it would be so unreal,” said Jay W. Barrett.

Word has been spreading quickly about Barrett’s bucket list, even apparently to the First Family.

Barrett says he received a special phone call on Monday.

“He goes, ‘This is Eric Trump. Me and my brothers and sisters. We’ve all read your story’,” said Barrett. “We’re seeing that you’re fighting, keep fighting and don’t ever quit.”

Born with cystic fibrosis, which damages the lungs and digestive system, Barrett was only expected to live into his early teens.

Now his future is uncertain with his lungs failing.

“He texted me and we need to start working on my bucket list,” said Bridgette Hoskie.

Hoskie helped come up with ideas for her brother including seeing a Mets game.

Then he threw a curve ball: what about a trip to Washington D.C. and maybe a presidential sighting?

“I voted for him. He’s got my support 100 percent,” said Barrett.

His sister is a local councilwoman and a Democrat.

“If it’s President Trump or it’s somebody else, I just want to make that come true for him,” said Hoskie.

Hoskie posted online for help to pull it off and the story quickly spread.

Now in home hospice with his sister, Barrett knows a trip to Washington could be tough but it would be worth it to meet the president.

“He’s got a busy schedule. I somewhat got a busy schedule, you know? If he wants to pencil me in, I’m here,” said Barrett.

Barrett tells us he also talked to a Trump administration official, Lynne Patton, with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. She organized the call with Eric Trump and says she plans to visit Barrett this weekend.

Crews responded to the second fire on Victory Drive in New Haven within 12 hours on Tuesday morning.

Firefighters said Tuesday's fire happened around 4 a.m. at the house next door to 24 Victory Drive.

It is unclear how much damage the house sustained.

Less than 12 hours earlier, firefighters were called to another fire on Victory Drive.

Firefighters responded to 31 Victory Drive around 7:45 p.m. on Monday after getting reports of heavy fire.

There is no word on the condition of the home.

The causes of both fires are under investigation.

A vehicle hit the side of a restaurant and a pedestrian while attempting to avoid a collision with another vehicle in Newtown on Monday, according to police.

Officers said a vehicle being driven by 78-year-old Theodore Shear, of Bridgewater, was traveling southbound on South Main Street around 2:30 p.m. while a vehicle being driven by 59-year-old Douglas Gabel, of Moneroe, was heading northbound.

Shear attempted to turn left into the driveway of Kings Restaurant in front of Gabel, police said. Gabel turned abruptly to the right and into the driveway of Kings Restaurant in an attempt to avoid hitting Shear's vehicle.

Once in the driveway, Gabel continued through the parking lot of the restaurant and hit an exterior wall with his front bumper. He also hit a pedestrian who was sitting in a chair with her back to his vehicle, according to police.

No injuries were reported.

Shear was issued an infraction for failing to grant right of way at a driveway.

Route 15 in Hamden has fully reopened after a vehicle fire on Tuesday morning.

The vehicle fire closed Route 15 southbound between exits 60 and 59, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The highway has since reopened.

Route 15 northbound between exits 58 and 60 in Orange was also congested for more than 7 miles.

No injuries were reported.

It’s Fat Tuesday, a day of celebration and indulgence before the start of the Lenten season.

Fat Tuesday is also Paczki day for Polish Roman Catholics and many bakeries around Connecticut took part in the tradition.

At Roly Poly Bakery in New Britain, they’re selling a sweet polish treat for a reason.

“Fat Thursday and Fat Tuesday are like the biggest batches we make,” said Barbara Szupryczynski. She and her husband own Roly Poly Bakery and said Fat Thursday is a polish tradition and Fat Tuesday is celebrated mostly in America.

Whatever day you celebrate, it’s a good reason to get your Paczki and plenty of people were lined up on Tuesday taking part in this pastry party.

“Paczki, they are actually doughnuts but they are made very specifically toward the Polish tradition,” said Mark Nikola from Middlebury. “My wife craves these all the time so I better come home with these.”

For Catholics, Fat Tuesday is the last day of eating these richer kind of foods before the leaner days of lent begins.

“Today, Fat Tuesday and last week, Fat Thursday and then I also stopped by on Saturday because the ones on Thursday were gone,” said Irena Markow.

Markow lives in New Britain and has been back to buy several batches of paczki for her grandkids. She said with so many fillings and flavors, everyone loves these puffy pastries.

“Here they are magnificent! The dough is so light, they put a lot of jams in the middle,” said Markow.

“Variety of flavors. They are very tasty, very puffy and not too sweet just perfect,” said Szupryczynski.

A perfect Fat Tuesday Tradition. With the bakery open until 7 p.m., these patrons had one piece of paczki advice.

“Better get here early because they are going fast,” said Nikola.

OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma is exploring filing for bankruptcy as one of its options to address potentially significant liabilities from thousands of lawsuits alleging the drug maker contributed to the deadly opioid crisis sweeping the U.S., NBC News confirmed through a source familiar with the matter. 

The deliberations show how Purdue and its wealthy owners, the Sackler family, are under pressure to respond to mounting litigation accusing the pharmaceutical company of misleading doctors and patients about risks associated with prolonged use of its prescription opioids.

Purdue denies the allegations, arguing that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved labels for its opioids carried warnings about the risk of abuse and misuse associated with the drugs. The Stamford, Connecticut, drug maker has not made any final decisions and could instead continue fighting the lawsuits, sources told NBC News.

"As a privately held company, it has been Purdue Pharma’s longstanding policy not to comment on our financial or legal strategy," Purdue said in a statement. "We are, however, committed to ensuring that our business remains strong and sustainable."

U.S. clocks will "spring forward" again on March 10 to make room for an extra hour of sunlight in the evenings as winter fades away. That also means losing out an hour's sleep Saturday night.

Daylight saving time officially starts at 2 a.m. Sunday, when clocks are pushed forward one hour to 3 a.m.

When you go to bed on Saturday night, don’t forget to turn your watches, alarms and microwaves forward an hour. Electronic devices, like cellphones, by default are set to automatically update the time as it changes. Standard time returns Nov. 3.

In observance of the biannual switch in time, here are some things you may not have known about this event.

It Has an Impact on Your Health
Switching into and out of daylight saving can disturb people’s sleeping routines, making them more restless at night, according to U.S. News and World Report. However, morning people tend to be less bothered by the changes. Studies have shown that during the first week of daylight saving time there is a spike in the number of reported heart attacks. Some experts suggest, according to the report, that the loss of an hour’s rest may make people more vulnerable to an attack. Nonetheless, when people get an extra hour in the fall, the incidents of heart attacks are less than usual.

When Was DST Implemented
Before President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act in 1966, which established a uniform daylight saving time, local governments could start and end daylight saving time as they desired. For five weeks a year Boston, New York and Philadelphia were not on the same time as Washington, D.C., Cleveland or Baltimore. Different daylight saving times also caused confusion for travelers going from the Midwest to Northeast.

In 2005, President George W. Bush extended the daylight saving time for an extra four weeks through an energy bill. Since 2007, daylight saving time has begun on the second Sunday of March, ending on the first Sunday of November.

Not All States Observe DST
Arizona and Hawaii are currently the only two states that do not observe daylight saving time. Indiana did not observe the practice until 2005. The American territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands also do not participate.

Several states have tried to end the tradition of re-setting the time twice a year, but haven't been successful. 

A Founding Father Did Not Come Up with DST
According to the History Channel, Benjamin Franklin did not come up with the idea of daylight saving time; he only suggested a change in sleep schedules.

Englishman William Willett is the one who suggested in 1905 that the United Kingdom move its clocks forward by 80 minutes between April and October, so people could enjoy the sunlight. He published "The Waste of Daylight" and spent much of his fortune and time promoting the idea.

DST is Singular Not Plural
By the way, it's "daylight saving time," not "daylight savings time."

When it comes to money, wisdom does not necessarily come with age.

Kylie Jenner has officially become the world’s youngest, self-made billionaire at 21 years old, according to Forbes’ annual “World’s Billionaires” issue.

Jenner is no stranger to breaking records.

Last year, Forbes ranked Jenner as America’s 27th richest self-made woman and valued her wealth at approximately $900 million. She was the youngest woman on that Forbes’ list, too. 

The 21-year-old has made much of her money by selling makeup through her company Kylie Cosmetics, which Forbes said was worth $800 million in 2018. She owns 100 percent of the company.

"I struggled for a minute with finding something to do on my own," Jenner told Forbes after being featured on the cover of its "Richest Self-Made Women" issue. "Ever since I was in sixth grade, I would wear purple eye shadow. I turned to makeup to help me feel more confident."

Jenner has also made millions by endorsing everything from Puma sneakers to Waist Trainers’ corsets on her social media accounts.

"Social media is an amazing platform," Jenner also told Forbes. "I have such easy access to my fans and my customers."

The cosmetics titan currently has 128 million followers on Instagram, where she advertises most of the brands she partners with.

Jenner was also the highest paid woman in Forbes’ “Celebrity 100” issue in 2018 for earning $166.5 million after taxes during a 12-month period. She bested sister Kim Kardashian West, who made $67 million, and mother Kris Jenner, who made $37 million, for the title. 

Although she might be the richest of the Kardashian and Jenner sisters, she has had some help from her siblings.

In October 2017, the Kardashian-Jenner family became $150 million richer when it renewed its contract for their hit reality show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” according to Blast.

When Kylie Jenner was just 15 years old, she launched a clothing collection with older sister Kendall Jenner through PacSun, according to Cheatsheet.

The Kendall + Kylie clothing brand sells wholesale in 390 U.S. locations and 975 international shops, including stores like Topshop, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s, according to a 2017 Women's Wear Daily report.

Kylie Jenner was not the only newcomer to Forbes 33rd “World’s Billionaires” issue.

Spotify founders Daniel Elk and Martin Lorentzon made the list with net worths valued at $2.2 billion and $3.1 billion, respectively.

James Monsees and Adam Bowen, the owners of e-cigarette company Juuls Labs, also became billionaires in late 2018 when investors valued their company at $68 billion. Both Monsees and Bowen are worth $1.1 billion, according to Forbes.

Kind Bar creator Daniel Lubetzky has also been added to the list with his $1.5 billion fortune. 

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos retained his place as the world’s richest man, beating out Microsoft founder Bill Gates for the second year in a row. Bezos' net worth is currently valued at $131 billion, but Forbes said it’s unsure how his impending divorce will affect his ranking.

A bear was spotted in the yard of a West Hartford home on Tuesday morning.

The homeowner at 48 Lostbrook Road spotted the bear around 8 a.m. Animal Control responded immediately while yards away, kids were arriving at Norfeldt Elementary School.

“Spoke to them, and told them, ‘We’ll just wait and see what happens. I’ll keep an eye on him in the meantime, let kids get to school safely," said West Hartford Assistant Animal Control Officer Helen Lee.

The bear slept barely disturbed and minutes later, he stirred, yawned, gnawed on a few twigs and stretched out.

Once he had his bearings, he dozed off again.

Meanwhile, cars and buses continued driving by to drop off the kids.

“This time of year, the bears are still a little groggy, and he wasn’t acting threatening to anyone, so there’s really no reason to get crazy about it or make a big scene," Lee added.

The bear later climbed 60 feet into a backyard pine tree. 

Officers approached to make the bear climb higher, to keep it away from the school.

“When they’re in the trees, they feel a little more secure, and they’re less apt to move around people," said Lee.

One neighbor said he sees this bear every three to four weeks.

"Always walks through the neighborhood. Same pattern. My house, the neighbor’s house the neighbor’s across the street, so we see the bear all the time actually,” said Mark Zydanowicz, of West Hartford.

Bears are not true hibernators and are known to come out in the winter months every once in a while, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Experts recommend taking down any bird feeders and eliminating food attractants by placing garbage cans inside of garages or sheds.

Residents are urged not to approach or get close to bears for a photo or video. They are also urged not to intentionally feed bears as they could become accustomed to finding food near the home.

If a bear is seen in your neighborhood, you're encouraged to leave it alone. In most situations, if the bear is left alone and given a route to escape, it will usually wander back into a secluded area, DEEP said. 

If a bear is found in a densely populated area, you can contact DEEP Wildlife Division at (860) 424-4911 or DEEP Dispatch at (860) 424-3333.

U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney took a close look at Birch Grove Primary School’s foundation on Tuesday. District leaders have been watching it for over a year after noticing spider-like veins in the concrete.

The district hired an engineering firm to test the concrete and a report delivered to town leaders in January concluded the school foundation had substantial cracking from the presence of pyrrhotite in the concrete

Walter Willett, the superintendent for Tolland Public Schools, said repairs are estimated to cost $46 million. Willett said the Connecticut Department of Education would help pay up to 52% of the repair costs.

Rep. Courtney is trying to raise awareness in Washington, D.C. and find federal money to help. Just last week on Tuesday, the House Education and Labor Committee passed a provision that Courtney wrote within the Rebuild America’s Schools Act (H.R. 865). It would create a new federal grant program for schools with crumbling foundations. It is now headed to the Ways and Means Committee and the Transportation Infrastructure Committee.

School officials have scheduled a meeting for parents at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the school to provide more information about the situation.

A town meeting is scheduled for March 27 at 7 p.m. at Tolland High School to discuss the effects on the town. Tolland will have to hold a referendum in May to appropriate the full amount of money for the Birch Grove Primary School repair project.

Uber has released its annual list of the most common items left behind in vehicles. The list compiled items left in Uber vehicles in Connecticut in 2018. It also includes a look at some of the strangest items found in Connecticut Ubers.

Connecticut Top 10 Most Commonly Lost Items:

1. Phone/camera (1251 instances)
2. Wallet/purse (910)
3. Keys (591)
4. Backpack/bag/folders/box/luggage (429)
5. Clothing (214)
6. Glasses (160)
7. Headphones/speakers (130)
8. Vape/e-cigarette (126)
9. ID /driver’s license (44)
10. Water bottle (36)

Strangest Lost Items in Connecticut:

• Cat board scratcher
• Police belt
• Social security card
• Dentures
• Pager

Three postal bags rigged as explosive devices were found Tuesday near three major London transportation hubs, including Heathrow and London City airports, NBC News reported.

Another of the small improvised explosive devices was found at London's busiest rail station, Waterloo. They appeared "capable of igniting an initially small fire when opened" and are being treated as linked, police said.

Staff at a Heathrow administrative center were the first to report one of the packages, after they opened it and the device initiated. No one was hurt — part of the bag was burned — but the building was evacuated, police said.

The other packages weren't opened when they were reported, and were rendered safe by police. No arrests have been made.

Two months after declaring all U.S. troops are leaving Syria, President Donald Trump wrote to members of Congress that he now agrees "100%" with keeping a military presence in Syria, NBC News reported.

A bipartisan group of senators and representatives wrote to Trump on Feb. 22, applauding his decision to keep a small residual force in Syria.

In a copy of the letter obtained by NBC News, Trump highlighted a paragraph in the letter about the U.S. goals in Syria, which said, "Like you, we seek to ensure that all of the gains made in Syria are not lost, that ISIS never returns, that Iran is not emboldened, and that we consolidate our gains and ensure the best outcome in Geneva for American interests."

"I agree 100%. ALL is being done," Trump responded, writing directly on the letter and signing it.

In the past decade, egg freezing has undergone major technological improvements. But experts are still raising concerns that the technology may not be keeping up with expectations as an ever-increasing number of women in the United States turn to it, NBC News reports. 

“One of the fantasies is that when a woman is ready to have a child, that science will make it possible for them,” said Tanya Selvaratnam, an activist and author of “The Big Lie: Motherhood, Feminism, and the Reality of the Biological Clock.” “The reality is that it won’t work out for every woman.”

According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 21 percent of Assisted Reproductive Technology cycles among patients using their own frozen eggs ultimately ended in live births. The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, which uses a slightly different metric than the CDC, showed odds that top out around 11 percent, depending on age.

But for Emily Goulet, an infertility specialist who used her frozen eggs to conceive, her 10-month-old son Charlie was worth the expensive gamble that included multiple rounds of IVF hormone shots and tens of thousands of dollars.

“He is my motivation,” Goulet said. “Even those mornings when I wake up at 5:45 and I want to sleep five more minutes, I say, ‘No, I need to get out there and help other women have a baby like him.’”

Two teenagers are accused of vandalizing the soccer field at the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center in February.

Ansonia police said two 17-year-old boys have been charged with first-degree criminal mischief in connection with the case.

Police estimated the vandalism caused $1,500-worth of damage.

In photos from the scene in February, tire marks could be seen across the field, and a goal post was flipped over.

The suspects were released to their parents and are due in court later this month.

A local man is accused of exposing himself to a woman on Arch Street in Hamden Monday.

Police said they received a report from a 40-year-old woman, who said she was walking down Arch Street near Fairview Avenue when she was approached by a man in a car. The victim said the man, later identified as 33-year-old Andrew Porter, showed his genitals and asked her if she “wanted to watch.”

Porter was arrested and charged with public indecency and breach of peace. He is due in court on March 20.

Women who are taking drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol birth control are being asked to check for a "packaging error" after a manufacturer issued a recall on Monday.

The Apotex Corp. recall covers 3 mg / 0.03 mg drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol tablets that feature the NBC number 60505-4183-3 on the outer and inner cartons. The packaging may have an incorrect tablet arrangement or an empty slot for a tablet, meaning a patient may take the wrong pill, varying the dosage.

Apotex said in its recall notice that it's received no reports of pregnancies or adverse events due to the issue. Anyone with affected tablets should speak with their pharmacy and health care provider; they should also continue their therapy or use a non-hormonal method of birth control, according to the recall notice.

"As a result of this packaging error, where a patient does not take a tablet due to a missing tablet or that a patient takes a placebo instead of an active tablet, loss of efficacy is possible due to variation in the dosage consumed," Apotex said in a statement.

The affected pills were distributed to wholesalers and distributors nationwide, according to the recall notice. The affected lot numbers are 7DY008A through 7DY011A, with expiration date 8/2020.

Any consumers with questions can reach Apotex by calling 1-800-706-5575 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays or by emailing UScustomerservice@Apotex.com.

The Classical Magnet School in Hartford is in a "soft lockdown" after it received a threat on Tuesday and police are investigating.

Police said the Classical Magnet School on Woodland Street received a phone call threat of gun violence around 12:30 p.m.

Administrators quickly placed the school on a Code Yellow "Soft Lockdown" and called police, police said.

Hartford Police Patrol Division, Intelligence Division and Special Investigative Division responded and are conducting an investigation.

According to police, there is no anticipated early dismissal and authorities remain on scene.

The investigation is ongoing.