A former UC Berkeley student is accusing members of the university’s football team and coaching staff of sexual harassment.

Paige Cornelius posted the detailed accusations on her Facebook page Wednesday, saying they happened while she was working for the team’s Sports Medicine program last season.

The Facebook post, which has over 700 shares, describes the alleged "lewd" remarks made by members of the California Golden Bears football team as well as the "persistent" messages from the team's coaching staff, including one allegedly telling her she'd get fired if she didn't have sex with him. 

Cornelius wrote she was "medically withdrawn from school, seeking intensive therapy and psychiatry for the post-traumatic stress syndrome and anxiety that happened from the time I spent working for the Cal Football team."

The allegations were turned to the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, the school said Wednesday.

Read Cal Athletics’ full statement below:

"We are aware of the very disturbing public allegations made on social media. As is our policy when such assertions are made, we have immediately referred the matter to the campus Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, which is responsible for investigating such assertions. These allegations go against the very core of our values.

Cal Athletics is and will always be committed to fostering a culture where everyone feels safe, welcome and respected. All of those associated with the department are expected to maintain ethical standards at all times. We encourage anyone who is feeling distressed or troubled to contact the PATH to Care Center for confidential support, and other campus resources.

Athletics does not have its own specific conduct process nor does it investigate allegations or cases on its own, but follows the University’s policy and works in concert with campus professionals who are responsible for those areas.

While we can discuss our process for handling these matters, we generally cannot address any specific case. Allegations of sexual violence and sexual harassment by campus employees are confidential unless officials determine policy is violated, and disciplinary action has been decided. Such allegations against students remain private regardless of the outcome, under UC policy and federal law regarding student records.

Campus prevention and response efforts have increased in recent years. All university staff and all students are required to complete sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention training. In addition, the athletic department sponsors supplementary formal training for coaches, staff and student-athletes in sexual violence awareness and prevention, bystander intervention, and campus reporting procedures."

Kingston Pharma is recalling bottles of children's cough syrup sold at Dollar General stores nationwide over concerns that the medicine could make babies sick.

The Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday that the Massena, New York-based company is recalling 2-fluid ounce bottles of DG health NATURALS baby Cough Syrup + Mucus because it could possibly be contaminated with Bacillus cereus and/or Bacillus circulans.

According to the FDA, Bacillus cereus in food products has the potential to cause vomiting and diarrhea. The company said it has not received any reports of illnesses in connection with recalled product.

The recalled bottles of cough syrup are marked Lot KL180157, with an expiration date of 11/20 on the bottom of the carton and back of the bottle label. The UPC code of the affected bottles is: 8 54954 00250 0.

The recalled bottles were distributed nationwide in Dollar General retail stores.

Kingston said the presence of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus circulan in some bottles from Lot KL180157 were discovered during audit testing.

Most often, Bacillus cereus-related illnesses are mild and self-limiting, although more serious and even lethal cases have occurred, the agency said. Individuals at risk for more severe forms of illness include infants, young children, and others with weakened immune systems.

Production of the product has been suspended, according to the FDA.

Consumers can return the bottles to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Anyone with questions can contact the company at 1-844-724-7347 from 8:30 a.m. ET to 6:00 p.m. ET.

A Connecticut native and former Army Ranger is on a mission to save those who save us. Jonathan Norton is climbing to new heights with new equipment to help first responders.

Norton is a father of three and former Army Ranger who served in the 10th Mountain Division where he was deployed multiple times to Iraq. He also spent years training Ranger students. His life now is focused on a mission of safety.

“My mission is to protect those who are protecting and serving us every day,” said Norton, who also owns Peak Safety Systems.

“It is literally suspending me from the edge of a 90-foot cliff. That’s how much confidence I have in this equipment,” said Norton.

He’s talking about RopeSafe, an edge protection system for load bearing ropes and cables. Norton designed RopeSafe to save first responders after he came close to losing someone himself.

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“It scared me. I was sitting on the edge of the cliff and this student lost his footing and he pendulumed. And the rope, our edge protector failed and the rope nearly sheered. And at that moment I responded. I reacted and fortunately, he did not fall to his death, but it was very, very close,” said Norton.

It was a close call that pushed him to this calling of creating all kinds of life-saving gear with his company Peak Safety Systems.

“I invented RopeSafe to solve for those problems,” said Norton.

Simply put, the point of RopeSafe is to protect this rope from jagged or sharp edges and to keep our first responders safe. Already Norton has sold products to the Army Rangers, Navy Seals and Green Berets. However, making this product is the just the first part of his mission. Norton also wants to help military members in the tough transition back to civilian life.

“My goal is to employ veterans. I want to create a bridge between the veteran who is leaving active duty and entering into the civilian work force,” said Norton.

Having a hard time coming home himself, this Connecticut native wants to be that safety net for our service members. Norton is working to get grant money to fund this mission. No matter how high the climb, he’s motivated to reach this peak of success.

“If there is something I can do to make high risk professions, soldiers, first responders, military, little bit safer, actually exponentially safer, then I am all in,” said Norton.

You can follow Norton’s story on Instagram and Facebook at @RopeSafeUSA and find out more information about his mission on his website. You can also text RANGER to 428-28 to be connected to updates and alerts on the mission.

A pedestrian was struck at Capitol and Rowe avenues in Hartford Thursday morning. 

Police said the pedestrian’s injuries do not appear to be too serious and the driver is cooperating with police. 

Police were asking drivers to avoid the area, but the road has reopened. 

No additional information was immediately available.

A man and his dog are safe after a fire on Cedar Road in Clinton after getting onto the roof of the garage. 

Firefighters were called to the home around 3 a.m. and officials said the man who was home and his dog were able to get onto the roof of the garage and they were brought to safety. 

No one was injured and it’s not clear how much damage the fire caused. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Two lanes of Interstate 95 South are closed in Milford after a crash.

State police said the crash is in the area of exit 36 and the right and center lanes are closed.

Traffic cameras in the area show delays.

The CT Travel Smart website says a dump truck is involved.

An additional 11 flu-related deaths have been reported in Connecticut.

Flu remains widespread in Connecticut and the Connecticut Department of Health released new statistics Thursday that said there were 11 flu-associated deaths in the week that ended March 16, bringing the total number this flu season to 55.

State officials have not identified the people who died of the flu this season, but released ranges of ages. Since August, one person between 5 and 17, four people between 25 and 49, 15 between 50 and 64 and 35 who were 65 years old or older have died.

Between Aug. 26 and March 16, 2,480 people have been hospitalized with influenza and there have been 7,355 positive influenza laboratory tests.

Following is the breakdown by county:

• New Haven: 2,207
• Hartford County: 1,686
• Fairfield: 1,505
• New London: 592
• Litchfield: 445
• Middlesex: 427
• Windham: 240
• Tolland: 131
• Unknown: 122

Two female JetBlue crew members were allegedly drugged and raped by one of the airline’s pilots during a layover in Puerto Rico — leaving one of the women with a sexually transmitted disease, according to an explosive lawsuit filed Monday in Brooklyn.

The lawsuit against JetBlue Airways Corporation names two pilots, Eric Johnson and Dan Watson, but only Johnson is accused of raping one of the victims. Watson allegedly drugged a crew member but didn't rape her because she threw up, "which was a turnoff," the suit says.

It was filed by two women referred to as Jane Doe # 1, of Riverton, Utah, and Jane Doe # 2, of Fort Worth, Texas.

According to the lawsuit, after a May 9 flight from Washington, D.C., Jane Doe #1, Jane Doe #2 and a third crew member, who is not identified in the suit, checked into the Intercontinental Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and went to the beach since they had a layover before their flight to Newark the next morning.

The lawsuit alleges that it was at the beach that the women began talking to Johnson and Watson and found out they were both JetBlue pilots.

The lawsuit claims that Johnson handed an opened beer to the women that he pulled from a lunch box and the women shared it.

According to the lawsuit "the beer was laced with a drug, and after that point, the rest of the night became a blur for Doe #1, Doe #2 and the other crew member."

The suit alleges that Jane Doe #1 woke up in a hotel room in a bed with Johnson and the third crew member not involved in the lawsuit. It claims Johnson was raping Jane Doe #1, but she "was unable to react to the situation" because of the alleged drug-laced beer. Her "flashes of memory" include Johnson "having sexual intercourse with the other crew member who was also under the influence of the drugs," according to the lawsuit. That other crew member was also drugged, it says.

She also remembers Johnson saying, "Thank you for making my fantasy come true," according to the lawsuit.

Jane Doe #2 also had trouble remembering everything that happened, allegedly "because of the drugs that she ingested from the beer can” from Johnson and Watson, the lawsuit says. It adds that she did not remember how she left the beach or how she got in the elevator at the hotel, but that she "vomited a number of times throughout the night and was generally sick from the drugs." 

Johnson and Watson allegedly drugged Jane Doe #2 with the intent to rape her but did not because she vomited, "which was a turnoff," the lawsuit claims.

The next morning, all three women felt "groggy and numb," vomited on the flight back to Newark and talked about what they had experienced the night before, according to the suit.

The trio reported their "sexual assault, rape and sex and gender discrimination” to JetBlue at the New York corporate headquarters and were told that the incidents would be investigated, but "no corrective action was ever taken against" Johnson and Watson, the suit claims.

JetBlue said in a statement that it can't comment on pending litigation but "takes allegations of violent or inappropriate behavior very seriously and investigates such claims thoroughly."

"We work to create a respectful workplace for all our crewmembers where they feel welcome and safe," the statement continued.

The lawsuit also includes an explosive allegation about an STD. Jane Doe #1 became fearful she may have contracted one and went to a hospital on May 11, the day she returned home. She reported "she had been drugged and sexually assaulted, and asked to be tested for any drugs,” the lawsuit says.

The hospital reported the allegations; police were contacted and prepared a report, the lawsuit says.

The suit claims that although Jane Doe #1 had been "previously tested and was STD-free, she had contracted the STD human papillomavirus ("HPV"), which she could have only contracted from Defendant Johnson."

It also accuses Johnson of deliberately giving her the disease. 

The two women are suing for an "amount to be determined at the time of trial plus interest, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees" and costs.

Attorney information for Johnson and Watson was not immediately known.

John “Jack” Staver, of Watertown, appeared to those who knew him to be a low-key modest man. When he went to work out at the Greater Waterbury YMCA, he carried what employees described as a battered gym bag and the headphones he used were from the 1980s.

So there was surprise when Staver left a fortune – more than $4 million – to benefit local organizations, including the Greater Waterbury YMCA.

Staver, who passed away at the age of 80 in January 2018, bequeathed his millions to establish a permanent charitable fund at the Connecticut Community Foundation, according to the organization. And he designated that fund to benefit the performing arts in the Greater Waterbury region, the maintenance and improvement of the Town of Watertown’s recreational facilities and the general operations of the Greater Waterbury YMCA.

“I think he's looking down laughing. He really surprised everybody I know at the YMCA. I know them and they were all surprised also because he was just very mild-mannered,” Lisa Carew, director of Watertown Parks and Recreation, said. 

Julie Loughran, president and CEO of Connecticut Community Foundation, helped Staver set up the fund and said he did not have children or any living family.

He was a “modest person,” who spent quite a bit of time volunteering in the community after retiring.

“Really toward the end of his life had just determined he had accumulated some assets and he really wanted to give gifts back to make things available to people that he enjoyed in his life.” Loughran said.

Staver had a career in the early computer industry and Jim O’Rourke, chief executive officer of the YMCA, said Staver was actually the person to install the first computer at the YMCA in the 1980s.

“As soon as you saw him you got a smile because you knew that he was life. He had a persona about him - everyone would always smile and say hello. Not many people approached him however, he was just a humble gentleman,“ ’Rourke said. 

Staver went to the Greater Waterbury YMCA almost every evening for more than 50 years.

“I think he always had a soft spot for us and he always talked about the children he saw at the Y as well as the teens and the money that we will be receiving will help families here in Waterbury participate in our school age aftercare programs and preschool programs,” O'Rourke said. 

The man staff called “Mr. Staver” kept to himself, but would often chat at the front desk with the staff, even after the Y had closed for the day, according to the Connecticut Community Foundation.

O’Rourke said that Staver would arrive at the YMCA around 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., speak with the staff at the desk and ask for an envelope to put his keys and wallet in.

When he’d exercise “he would put on his 1980s headphones and his Walkman,” according to O’Rourke. 

“You always knew that he was there because the denim shirt would be on as well as the short 1980 shorts and the big high white socks up to the knees and he would pedal away,” O’Rourke said. 

The obituary for Staver says tennis was his first love and he volunteered his time at several organizations, including tennis lessons at the Greater Waterbury YMCA.

“For him to think about the Y in such a special way is so powerful and I’m just so happy we had an impact on him. I would say that we were an extension of his family―we were his family,” O’Rourke said. 

Carew knew Staver for more than 30 years and said Staver drove around town in an older-model car as Watertown’s first recycling coordinator. He also helped people at the senior center learn to drive or to prepare their taxes, according to the Connecticut Community Foundation.

Staver played tennis almost every day and one of the things he always wanted was a park bench at the tennis courts. 

“He'd say he needed a bench up there and I would say to him, exactly what I said in the paper. I said, ‘Jack if you want a bench, give me the money and I will buy you a bench,’ and that's what he is getting,” Carew said. 

Bill Donston, chairman of the Watertown’s parks and recreation department, said they learned that Staver donated some money and they figured it was for the bench that he talked about, but it was so much more. 

“You never know who is coming through the door and you treat everybody with the same respect and it pays off big dividends and I am sure Jack is in heaven right now, smiling down on us,” Donston said. 

The first endowment will be earmarked toward the tennis courts and “of course that bench in Jack’s memory,” Donston said. 

A Wallingford man is accused of threatening to blow up a Branford bank when his checks didn’t clear.

Branford police arrested 72-year-old David Poulton Thursday. Police said Poulton threatened to blow up a TD Bank at 1003 West Main St. while speaking with corporate customer service after his checks did not clear.

Local police were notified around 9:08 a.m. and bank employees evacuated the building while police responded. Officers located and arrested Poulton in his vehicle while he was on his way to the bank. Officers did not find any weapons or explosive devices and no one was hurt, police said.

Poulton was charged with first-degree threatening, second-degree breach of peace and second-degree reckless endangerment. He was held on a $10,000 bond.

Part of Prospect Street in Willimantic is closed after a car crashed into a house Thursday.

Police said the road is closed from Birch Street to Windham Street while firefighters work to stabilize the car. It’s unclear at this time how the crash happened and if anyone was injured.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

NBC Connecticut Responds got results for a Madison woman after she purchased a laptop and modem that didn’t work properly.

Susan Dworak wanted to upgrade her desktop and bought a laptop and modem from Walmart.com.

“I’ve been obsolete for a couple of years or more,” said Susan Dworak.

Within a few weeks of using it, Dworak said she experienced a problem.

“It didn’t want to dial out. Then, all of the sudden it just quit altogether,” said Dworak.

Dworak contacted customer service about it. After a couple of weeks of troubleshooting, in which she purchased another brand new modem, Susan still had issues.

Meanwhile, Walmart’s 90-day return policy had expired.

“First they said they weren’t going to take it back because I was past the date,” said Dworak.

When Dworak pushed back, Walmart finally agreed over the phone to take back the laptop and modem. She says the customer service agent told her she could return it in person.

“So, I go over to the Guilford store and now they don’t want to take it back,” said Dworak.

She says the store sales associate told her they couldn’t do anything further. That set Susan off.

“It was very frustrating because they kept changing their mind,” said Dworak.

So, she reached out to NBC Connecticut Responds.

A Walmart spokesperson told us in a statement which read in part:

“After Walmart.com received Susan Dworak’s complaint, we reviewed her account and order history. As such, Walmart.com considers this matter closed.

“We had spoken to Ms. Dworak and had issued a total of $398.79 back to her account.”

For Susan, getting a refund was well worth the effort.

”Very pleased, very pleased,” said Dworak. ”If you really do have a problem, call you.”

Hartford Police Chief David Rosado will be stepping down and taking a leadership role at Pratt & Whitney, according to the office of Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. 

Rosado’s last day will be Friday, April 12 and the city expects to conduct a national search for a new police chief. 

Rosado, Hartford’s first Latino police chief, has been in the position for a little over a year.  

He was born in Hartford, graduated from UConn, and rose through the ranks of law enforcement, serving as a lieutenant colonel with State Police, before taking on the job as chief in Hartford. 

“As someone who was born and raised in Hartford, it has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as our Police Chief,” Rosado said in a statement. “I have always been committed to public service, but after twenty-two years, this opportunity to take a leadership role at Pratt & Whitney is one that I could not turn down for my family. I made this decision with mixed emotions, but as anyone who knows me understands, my family is central to everything I do, and they have supported my career in public service for more than two decades.” 

Mayor Bronin said the city was “fortunate to recruit someone with Chief Rosado’s combination of experience and deep roots in our community, and I’m grateful to Chief Rosado for his service to Hartford.” 

Assistant Chief Jason Thody will serve as interim chief of the Hartford Police Department. 

“It’s an honor to be asked to serve as Interim Chief of the Hartford Police Department,” Thody said in a statement. “I have proudly served the City of Hartford for twenty-three years, and I am looking forward to continuing to work with Mayor Bronin, the City Council, the men and women of the department, and the community in this new role. It has been a privilege to work with Chief Rosado, and on behalf of our department, we wish him every success as he transitions to the private sector after such a long career in public service.” 

The Hartford Police Union released a statement on Thursday afternoon. 

"We wish him success in future endeavors," Hartford Police Union president John Szewczyk said in a statement. 

The Department of the Interior gave its approval Thursday for a tribal casino in East Windsor, according to officials.

"Today is a great day for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the State of Connecticut, especially given our 400-year history together, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman Rodney Butler said in a release.

The Mashantucket Pequots and the Mohegan tribe entered a joint agreement to build the casino in East Windsor.

MMCT Venture, the joint company of the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes, has proposed opening the $300 million 188,000 -square foot gaming and entertainment facility in spring 2020. It would include around 1,800 slot machines, 50 table games and 10 poker tables.

Butler said news of the approval means the tribes will move forward with construction of the casino, which is located just off Interstate 91.

Supporters argue this casino would compete with the new MGM casino that recently opened Springfield, Massachusetts and preserve jobs and revenue in Connecticut.

MGM has been fighting the tribes on the issue and argues it was not given equal opportunity to compete for a casino license at the same time. The company has been pushing a proposal to redevelop the waterfront in Bridgeport.

There have also been concerns about potential increases in problem gambling, crime and traffic.

Gov. Ned Lamont's office released the following statement:

“We are very pleased that the Interior Department has decided to approve the amendments to Mashantucket Gaming Procedures and Memorandum of Understanding. Approval of these amendments ensures that any state law authorizing MMCT to operate a commercial casino off of the tribal reservations will do no harm to the state’s existing revenue sharing agreements with the tribes. We remain committed to working with the tribes toward a global resolution of all outstanding legal issues or obstacles that may arise out of this decision, including any lawsuits third parties may bring against the state law that now authorizes MMCT to operate a commercial casino in East Windsor.”

The University of San Diego confirmed Wednesday that former head basketball coach Lamont Smith is the USD employee who allegedly received at least $10,000 in bribes to facilitate the admission of two freshman applicants.

Smith is one of several college coaches involved in what federal prosecutors describe as a corrupt scheme in which wealthy parents paid millions of dollars in bribes to assure their children were accepted by some of the nation’s top colleges.

Smith resigned his USD coaching position in March 2018 after leading the men's basketball team for three seasons. 

His resignation followed his arrest last year on suspicion of domestic violence in the Bay Area. Ultimately, no criminal charges were filed in the domestic violence incidentk and Smith later took a job as assistant coach at University of Texas, El Paso.

A federal indictment made public on March 19 charged several other coaches in the sweeping bribery scandal. Women’s soccer coaches at the University of Southern California, a men’s soccer coach at UCLA and a tennis coach at Georgetown University are among those accused of felonies related to the admissions cheating scheme.

A USD spokeswoman said Wednesday the University could not identify Smith last week because it was “subject to a confidentiality order that restricted our ability to identify the former coach referred to by the government.”

The spokeswoman said the government modified that order early Wednesday, allowing USD to identify Smith as the coach involved in the scandal.

"Based on our review of the information available to us to date and on what the government has told us, the only USD employees, students or applicants involved in the alleged wrongdoing are the three people identified by the government: Lamont Smith and two applicants, one is a current student and one declined admission," reads the written statement from USD Asst. Vice President Pamela Gray Payton.

Any student falsifying or making misrepresentations on an application for admissions may face disciplinary action up to and including expulsion, Payton added in her statement.

According to the complaint, Beverly Hills real estate developer Robert Flaxman is accused of paying $250,000 to a consultant firm in 2016 to secure a spot on the USD basketball team even though his son was not a student athlete.

Prosecutors allege the consultant "paid the USD coach for facilitating Flaxman's son's admission." 

Court documents also reveal that the unnamed USD coach “designated another student as a recruit to manage the coach’s team, thereby facilitating her admission to USD. Although the student decided not to attend USD (defendant William “Rick”) Singer paid the USD coach $10,000 for his help in securing her admission.”

Other court documents confirm that the female student is Flaxman’s daughter.

Flaxman is charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on March 29.

San Diego criminal defense attorney Jan Ronis, who does not represent any of the defendants, told NBC 7 that Smith and others could still be charged with crimes related to the admissions scandal.

Ronis said prosecutors frequently file charges against additional defendants as the case unfolds. They can also file more charges against those already arrested.

Ronis also said some coaches, parents and others referred to in the criminal complaint might avoid criminal charges because they cooperated with investigators by providing important evidence of wrongdoing by other targets of the investigation.

The University of Texas El Paso, where Smith worked most recently as an assistant coach, said it accepted Smith's resignation Wednesday after they were notified of his involvement in the bribery scheme by USD.

NBC 7 has contacted Smith about the university's statement. We have not received a response. 

Hill's Pet Nutrition announced Wednesday it is expanding its recall of canned dog food due to potentially elevated levels of vitamin D.  

The company issued a voluntary recall on Jan. 31 of 25 varieties of Hill's Prescription Diet and Hill's Science Diet canned foods, due to the same concern. It is now saying eight more products and several additional lot codes of previously recalled varieties have been affected by the same vitamin premix that was the source of the original recall, according to The Food and Drug Administration. 

Hill's said the issue was isolated to the vitamin premix from a U.S. supplier used in its canned dog foods and limited to specific production lots. 

Elevated levels of vitamin D which could lead to health issues, including vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling and weight loss, according to the FDA.

When vitamin D is consumed at very high levels it can lead to serious health issues in dogs including renal dysfunction.

The FDA urged pet parents with dogs who have consumed any of the recalled products or is showing any of these signs to contact their veterinarian immediately.

Hill’s has received a limited number of complaints of pet illness related to the expanded recalled products.

The affected canned dog foods were distributed through retail pet stores and veterinary clinics nationwide.  The company said no dry foods, cats foods or pet treats were affected. 

The additional Hill's canned foods recalled are: 

• Hill's Prescription Diet k/d Kidney Care with Lamb Canned Dog Food, 13oz, 12-pack
• Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight Chicken & Vegetable Entrée dog food 12 x 12.8oz cans
• Hill's Prescription Diet c/d Multicare Urinary Care Chicken & Vegetable Stew Canned Dog Food, 5.5oz, 24-pack
• Hill's Prescription Diet i/d Low Fat Canine Rice, Vegetable & Chicken Stew 24 x 5.5oz cans
• Hill's Prescription Diet r/d Canine 12 x 12.3oz cans
• Hill's Science Diet Adult Beef & Barley Entrée Canned Dog Food, 13oz, 12-pack
• Hill's Science Diet Adult 7+ Healthy Cuisine Roasted Chicken, Carrots & Spinach Stew dog food 12 x 12.5oz cans
• Hill's Science Diet Healthy Cuisine Adult Braised Beef, Carrots & Peas Stew Canned Dog Food, 12.5oz, 12-pack

A full list of the recalled foods is available here.

After the initial recall, Hill's faced a backlash from pet owners who felt that company was slow to communicate the issue with customers. Pet owners took to the company's Facebook page alleging their dog had either become sick or died after being fed the canned food that was later recalled.   

At the time, Hill's said it was "heartbroken" about the situation and "working with pet parents to listen to their concerns." 

"As pet parents ourselves, we understand the gravity of health issues with our pets. We have extended our call center hours and tripled the number of people on our phones, so we can take time with every pet parent. Additionally, our team of veterinary professionals is engaged with vet hospitals and clinics to respond to their questions," the statement said.

Customers who purchased the product with the specific lot/date codes listed should discontinue feeding and dispose of those products immediately or return unopened product to your retailer for a refund.

For more information, please contact Hill's via their website or at 1-800-445-5777.

The Washington National Cathedral says President Donald Trump did not need to approve the funeral for Sen. John McCain.

Trump said during a speech in Ohio on Wednesday, "I gave him the kind of funeral that he wanted, which as president I had to approve. I don't care about this. I didn't get a 'Thank you.' That's OK. We sent him on the way, but I wasn't a fan of John McCain."

But a spokesperson for the National Cathedral said in a statement Thursday that relatives organize funerals and it doesn't need approval from the president.

“Washington National Cathedral was honored to host the funeral service for Senator John McCain. All funerals and memorial services at the Cathedral are organized by the family of the deceased; only a state funeral for a former president involves consultation with government officials. No funeral at the Cathedral requires the approval of the president or any other government official,” read the statement.

In her first two weeks on the job, Connecticut’s new Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno says she’s been inundated with information about the crumbling foundations crisis, first uncovered by NBC Connecticut Investigates in July of 2015.

Thursday, for the first time, Mosquera-Bruno saw the problem in person, touring two homes with failing foundations in northeast Connecticut.

“It’s just devastating. I wasn’t expecting this,” she said.

Willington homeowner Tim Heim invited the commissioner into his basement to see what he and as many as 35,000 homeowners could be dealing with in the state. Heim first noticed cracks in the foundation of his home four years ago. Today, the cracks inside his basement are multiplying.

“We purchased the house for $329,000 and right now it’s worthless,” said Heim.

Astonished by the crumbling concrete and the bowing basement walls, Mosquera-Bruno learned of failed fights with insurance companies, and the financial burden the crisis is placing on communities.

“We’ve lost almost $5 million in assessed values for our town. That’s huge for small towns. That goes to the taxpayers, and it’s hard to overcome that in your budget,” Stafford First Selectman Mary Mitta told the commissioner.

Heim pointed out how the home was starting to lift off of the foundation as the cracks widened.

“You can see the space up top,” he pointed out on the tour.

His spirits were lifted seeing the new commissioner take a hands-on approach to what he calls the biggest crisis in Connecticut.

“She’s two weeks into the job, she’s in the basement looking at a crumbling foundation first hand and that’s a great start,” said Heim.

Heim urged Mosquera-Bruno to call Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, who came to his home last summer, and Hein says promised help for homeowners.

The commissioner said she plans to put pressure on Washington.

“Every time there is a natural disaster there are resources and that’s what we are gonna plea,” she said.

The state has already requested funding from FEMA twice and been denied. FEMA says it considers this a man-made event.

CVS Pharmacy announced Wednesday it will begin selling hemp-derived CBD products in eight states.

The national drug store chain will be marketing the topical cannabidiol products, such as creams, sprays and roll-ons, as an “an alternative source of relief,” CVS said in a statement to NBC News. 

The items will be sold in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and Tennessee.