Anyone who has played a team sport knows wearing your team name comes with a lot of pride.

"It's so much pride, ever since my freshman year, I always had Hurricanes on my back and I knew for sure when I came in it was going to mean something more than just a uniform,” said New Britain baseball senior Danniel Rivera.

Every New Britain baseball player knows what that “more” means.

"We run down to first base and touch first base every time,” said senior Kevin Slisz. “That's something that stressed but it shows that we respect the game of baseball and that we're proud to be a Hurricane."

So, a jersey with that much meaning, can't be left to sit in the closet when it’s not being worn. For every game that the hurricanes play here in New Britain, they give their away jersey some playing time too by passing it off to a school staff member who has made a positive impact on them.

"It bled into me when he gave it to me,” said Jeffrey Taddeo, who got this game’s jersey from Slisz. “Because I really felt, even my posture was better. I stood tall because I was so happy.”

Rivera gave his to art teacher, Evan Fabel, who rarely misses a baseball, football or basketball game.

"And it's so nice to see that love and passion that I put in, because I truly enjoy seeing every game, come right back to me here in the classroom.”

Hurricanes head coach Roberto Mercado started this tradition about seven years ago. He says each player has to tell him not just who, but also why, they have chosen that specific staff member.

A commercial plane went off the runway and into a river Friday night in Jacksonville, Florida, sheriff's officials said.

The crash happened before 11 p.m. near the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville. The aircraft crashed into St. Johns River, WTLV reported.

The plane did not submerge in the water, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said.

WTLV reported over 100 passengers were onboard a 737 passenger plane. All passengers are "alive and accounted for," sheriff's officials and Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

The court appearance for a man accused of killing a Windsor teen erupted into chaos on Friday afternoon.

Family members of the victim, 16-year-old Felipe Lopez, charged at the suspect, 22-year-old Isaiah Benitez.

As prosecutors listed prior and existing charges Benitez is facing, included attempted murder during a St. Patrick’s day double shooting, Lopez family members came at the defendant.

The father of the victim was wrestled to the floor as the brother of the victim climbed the benches.

The Father was restrained, sobbing, repeatedly, “He killed my son. He killed my son. He killed my son."

During this very intense exchange, six marshals intervened, attempting to restore order.

Lopez supporters, including family and friend were escorted out of the courtroom, and removed from the property.

Following the melee, Lopez's father was removed from the court in handcuffs and we believe will face charges of breach of peace.

Benitez was eventually arraigned and is being held on $1.5 million bond.

Police found Lopez while they were responding to a 911 call reporting a crash at Albany Avenue and Sigourney Street around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24.

The person who called 911 told police that a vehicle went through the traffic light on Sigourney Street, crossed Albany Avenue and crashed into a parked vehicle in the church driveway lot, police said.

Police said Thursday that Lopez and Benitez knew each other and were meeting on Sigourney Street when there was an altercation.

According to the arrest warrant application, Facebook messages show Lopez was meeting with Benitez to sell him marijuana. Benitez told investigators he shot at Lopez after the boy grabbed his arm during their meeting.

A Bristol credit union employee’s harrowing experience was detailed on “Dateline.”

Four years ago, Matt Yussman was taken hostage in his home before a fake bomb was strapped on to him in a botched robbery attempt.

NBC Connecticut’s Caitlin Burchill sat down with him Friday to check in.

Yussman said things will never be quite the same for him since the events of Feb. 23, 2015, but he chooses to talk about what happened to heal, and the help other people.

“They picked the perfect house because you know my neighbor’s house right there have no windows there,” Yussman said.

“There was no way anyone was going to see anything and that year was so much snow.”

Four years ago February, Yussman’s home was a crime scene. Two masked men held him and his mom hostage in her attached in-law apartment.

“I literally spent that whole night in her apartment, blindfolded, zip tied,” he told NBC Connecticut.

In the morning, police said Yussman was tasked with robbing the bank where he worked in New Britain with what he thought was a bomb strapped to him.

“Longest minute of my life is when I’m sitting there and I’m staring at my phone and it’s saying 10:59 and you think you’ve got one minute to live. That was pretty awful,” he said.

In a moment that played out like a movie, police intercepted Yussman, and the suspects left the state.

Yussman said while he knows police had a job to do, it was the months following that fateful day that were the worst.

“The 12 hours were just awful, being held at gun point, seeing my mom held at gun point going through all the trauma was just intense, but it was over in 12 hours. For the next nine months I was considered a suspect,” Yussman said.

Two men were eventually convicted and connected with an extortion and robbery spree spanning several other states.

“They had told me kiss my mother goodbye and I refused to do so,” he said.

“You know four years later and I still don’t want to give in to them. I’m not giving them the satisfaction of making me scared.”

The suspects sought out his daily routine by stalking him on social media. While he’s not scared, Yussman says he’s more careful now, and tries to stay aware of his surroundings.

While he still works at the same credit union, he now also speaks to folks around the country about safety after his experience.

To help make sure you stay informed on the most shared and talked about stories, each Saturday and Sunday we'll revisit 5 stories from the previous week, including the most recent updates.

Mother Killed in Waterbury

A 33-year-old Waterbury woman was found shot to death in her driveway early Monday morning and her boyfriend is now charged with her killing. Family of Nathalie Feliciano said she feared for her life. Police say Luisito DeJesus shot her in the head and left her dead. DeJesus was arrested after leading police on a multi-town chase that ended in West Hartford. See more on the woman's death and on the suspect here.

Campus Shooting

A gunman opened fire inside a classroom at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte on Tuesday, killing two students and wounding four others. Police arrested the suspect a short time later. One of the students who was killed, Riley Howell, is being hailed as a hero for running at the shooter and tackling him as he was fatally shot. For more on the shooting, click here.

Barr Grilled By Senate Democrats

Attorney General William Barr appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to answer questions about the Mueller Report on Wednesday. Barr was on the defensive after a letter from Mueller surfaced criticizing how the attorney general handled the public release of the special counsel's core findings. Barr testified that he called Mueller after receiving his complaints and Mueller told him he hadn't "misrepresented" the report. See more on the key takeaways from Barr's testimony here.

Bear Attack

A bear killed five goats on a farm in Burlington on Sunday morning. The family that owns the farm says they have seen bears on their property before, but never had one scale the fence to get into the goat pen. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection set a non-lethal trap nearby in the hopes of catching the bear and putting it through a process to change the bear's behavior to stay away from human habitats.  For more on the attack, click here.

Roller Coaster Oops

Two test dummies fell out of a New Jersey roller coaster and landed on a nearby hotel. The incident took place on April 20, but was only revealed this week. The operators of Playland's Castaway Cove in Ocean City, New Jersey say the roller coaster is safe. They say the water-filled dummies sprung a leak and that allowed them to slip from the harnesses on the ride. See more on the incident here.

Two people were transported to the hospital with serious injuries after a motorcycle crash on Interstate 691 in Meriden on Saturday morning.

Police said there were serious injuries reported in the crash that closed the right lane of I-91 southbound near exit 18 and the I-691 westbound ramp to I-91 southbound.

According to state police, the motorcycle was traveling on I-691 westbound at exit 10 approaching I-91 southbound when the driver lost control of his motorcycle on the wet roads. The motorcycle went down on its side and ejected the driver and his passenger, who were not wearing helmets.

Both the driver and the passenger were transported to Yale-New Haven Hospital to be treated for serious injuries.

LifeStar was called to respond to the crash, but said they could not fly due to the weather.

The I-691 westbound exit 10 ramp to I-91 south and the shoulder of I-91 southbound at exit 17 remain closed. There is no estimate for when the highways will fully reopen.

One person has died after a fiery crash in the Moosup village of Plainfield early Saturday morning.

Officers were called to a one-vehicle crash on Sterling Road around 2:40 a.m.

When crews arrived, police said the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

Firefighters extinguished the fire and once it was extinguished, officers said they found a body in the driver's seat.

Police were not able to identify the body that was found due to the fire and the severity of the crash, according to officers.

The State of Connecticut Medical Examiner's Office was contacted and removed the body from the scene. Police said an identification will be made at a later time.

Investigators said they believe the vehicle, a Hyundai Sonata, was driving eastbound on Sterling Road when it veered off the right side of the road and hit a large tree head-on. They believe the vehicle immediately caught fire after the crash.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Anyone with information about the crash that could help investigators is urged to contact the Plainfield Police Department.

Over 1,000 volunteers are rolling up their sleeves across Connecticut for Comcast Cares Day this year.

As part of the effort on Saturday, more than 200 local Comcast NBCUniversal employees brought their families, friends and community partners to Jumoke Academy in Hartford, where they spent hours giving the school a makeover.

NBC Connecticut employees joined the effort by gardening, landscaping and painting much of the school’s interior, including their cafeteria and library.

The school’s principal, Dr. Marie Gordon-Hall, said she wants her students to be proud of where they go to school.

“I can’t wait for them to come in on Monday so I can see their smiling faces when they see all the changes in the building,” said Dr. Gordon-Hall. “Our wonderful kids deserve a safe, beautiful space to learn in and I think after today they will get that.”

Comcast employee, Alayssia Pringle, was once a Jumoke Academy student herself. She said she is overwhelmed with gratitude, as she watched her co-workers and their families come together to make her former school a better place for its students.

“I thought it’d be a great initiative for the scholars, especially because of the environment that they’re in, being in some of the underprivileged areas,” said Pringle. “I did not think we’d have this many people to help!”

The initiative is part of a company-wide tradition that’s in its 18th year. This year, over 100,000 volunteers participated in Comcast Cares Day nationwide.

“It goes back to Ralph Roberts who was the founder of Comcast,” said Brian Ferney, VP of Sales & Marketing at Comcast. “He really had a strong commitment that we want to serve the communities that we serve in.”

NBC Connecticut’s Kaitlyn McGrath couldn’t pass up the opportunity to give back, and even brought along her new fiancé to help out.

“We’re so proud to support this community and actually get out here hands-on,” said McGrath. “It’s one thing to deliver the news and the weather day in and day out, but to be here and to meet all of these new people and see our work come to fruition in front of our eyes is really special.”

A "ground shaking" explosion that occurred in Waukegan, Illinois Friday night resulted in three deaths and sent at least four people to the hospital, authorities said.

Officials later confirmed Saturday morning that three people died. One body was found, however it remained unclear if the other two who were reported dead also pertained to those that were mising from the site.

Authorities said early Saturday morning at a press conference that they found the structure too unstable and thus unsafe for crews to continue the search, though three missing bodies were unaccounted for at the time.

As of 11:30 a.m., police confirmed three deaths —all males who had been working with the company for a while.

Nine people were inside the building at the time of the incident, the company's spokesperson Anthony Madonia said.

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The identities of the individuals affected have yet to be released, police said.

A Twitter user posted video of what appeared to be the massive blast which occurred in the 3700 block of Sunset Avenue in Waukegan shortly before 10 p.m. Friday.

A fire official said the decimated structure was home to a business called AB Specialty Silicones. Waukegan fire Chief Steven Lenzi said four people were sent to the hospital but did not provide their conditions. Two were taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center and the other two were taken to Vista Medical Center-East, he said.

Waukegan police Cmdr. Joe Florip said a search and rescue operation was underway for other second-shift workers who may have been in the plant. There is no hazardous material concern for the debris scattered across the streets and in the air, officials said.

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"If you have first-hand knowledge of the incident please call your local law-enforcement," the Lake County Sheriff’s Department said. "If you’re not in danger and don’t have info, please don’t call 911."

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Before official information trickled out, Twitter users from all over the Lake County area were vexed by the "sonic boom," as one person described it. Users from as far away as southern Wisconsin reported feeling the shockwave.

Emily Laughlin, who lives in the area, snapped photos of the large emergency response near the Waukgean/Gurnee border. She said authorities near Northwestern and Sunset avenues were telling cars to turn away from the burning husk of the silicone facility.

"Something exploded," she said in a phone interview. "It looked like it was a building but they stopped everyone from getting closer."

Nearly 1,000 Lake County residents were without power and viewers calling NBC 5 said windows in homes were shattered throuhgout the area.

No other information was immediately available.

A transgender woman said she was assaulted in downtown Denver last week by two men who targeted her because of her identity. The Denver Police Department is investigating the attack, NBC News reports.

Amber Nicole, 23, said she had gone out to enjoy Denver's nightlife and drink and dance with friends last Saturday, when she was assaulted outside her friend's car after leaving a downtown bar.

A Denver Police Department report said that an unidentified male suspect struck "the victim three (3) times in the face with a closed fist causing a suspected broken jaw." "We're still investigating it as a normal assault, but our bias-motivated crime unit is involved in the investigation," Carlos Montoya, public information officer for the Denver Police Department, told NBC News.

Nicole said she woke up the next morning with her jaw resting on her neck because it had been dislocated. It had also been broken in three different places, requiring it to be wired shut, she said. Blood vessels burst in her left eye, she said, adding that doctors told her she may not recover from the nerve damage on the right side of her face.

Norwalk Fire is investigating after a tractor-trailer car carrier went up in flames on Interstate 95 Saturday afternoon.

The fire caused the highway to shutdown northbound.

When firefighters arrived on scene, they found a tractor-trailer car carrier with the cab involved on fire along with three vehicles on the carrier fully engulfed in flames.

An additional engine and two tankers from the Darien and Noroton Heights fire departments were called to the scene.

Firefighters said six five gallon cans of foam were used to distinguish the fire.

No injuries were reported, firefighters said.

The highway reopened at about 4 p.m.

Police are investigating after a motor vehicle accident left a man dead in Trumbull.

Police said they responded around 7 p.m. on Saturday to reports of a two car crash in the area of Daniel Farms Road near Strobel Road.

A pick-up truck and sedan were involved in the accident. The pick-up truck also came in contact with a nearby residence, according to police.

The driver of the pick-up truck was entrapped and bystanders assisted before police arrived on scene.

The 54-year-old pick-up truck driver was later taken to St. Vincent's Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Police said the driver of the sedan suffered minor injuries and was taken to Bridgeport Hospital for evaluation.

The residence that was struck by the pick-up truck sustained minor damage and the residents were not home at the time of the accident, according to police.

The victim's identity has not yet been released.

Police are investigating after a stabbing incident in Norwalk on Saturday night.

The incident took place on Belden Avenue, according to police.

Police said they located a female victim that sustained a non-life threatening stab wound to the leg.

The woman was transported to Norwalk Hospital.

Officers are looking for the suspect involved in the shooting.

Police said there is no danger to the public.

This is a developing story. Stay with us for updates.

Police are investigating after a man was shot at a club in New Haven on Saturday.

The 34-year-old man was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital with a non-life threatening wound to the leg.

The shooting occurred at 102 Hamilton Street, which traces back to Club Vandome.

The suspect fled the scene but was later stopped by police on Interstate 95 in Fairfield County.

Anyone with information is asked to contact New Haven Police at 203-946-6304.

Police are investigating after a man and a woman were arrested in connection with a violent altercation in Manchester.

22-year-old Makenzie Boudreau and 46-year-old Jackeno Oliphant were arrested Saturday after police responded to a Oakland Street home for a report of an assault.

When police arrived to the scene, they found a 41-year-old man located in front of the home bleeding from a laceration on his forehead. The man was transported to Hartford Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to police.

Police said witnesses reported Boudreau and Oliphant assaulted the man after an argument outside the home.

Witnesses also told police that Boudreau struck the victim in the head with a bottle during the altercation.

Boudreau faces charges including second degree assault, second degree conspiracy to commit assault and second degree breach of peace.

Oliphant faces charges including third degree assault, second degree conspiracy to commit assault and second degree breach of peace.

Both Boudreau and Oliphant are being held on a $100,000 bond and are expected to appear in court on May 16.

Anyone with information is asked to call Manchester Police at 860-643-3373.

Tyson Foods Inc. issued a nationwide recall for nearly 12 million pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strip products that may be contaminated with "extraneous" material, namely pieces of metal, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Saturday.

Previously, Tyson Foods recalled about 36,000 pounds of chicken nuggets due to possible contamination with rubber in January, before recalling about 69,000 pounds of frozen ready-to-eat chicken strips in March due to possible metal contamination.

Saturday's massive recall is an expansion of the March recall, FSIS stated.

The recall of nearly 12 million pounds of chicken was listed as a Class I recall, which is the most urgent designation by the agency. According to FSIS, a Class I recall "is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death."

The items under recall were produced on various dates ranging from Oct. 1, 2018, through March 8, 2019, FSIS said in a news release.

Consumers should look for establishment number "P-7221" on the back of the product package, FSIS advised and stated that products were shipped to Department of Defense and retails locations across the country and even to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Check your freezers, FSIS advised the public and instructed people to immediately throw away the products or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Tyson Foods Consumer Relations at 1-866-886-8456.

A Florida man is behind bars after he allegedly abused a 2-year-old girl in Escambia County.

According to NBC affiliate WPMI, Andrew Bennett Ross-Celaius is facing child abuse charges, among many others.

The man is accused of torturing the girl for months, treating her like a dog and even shooting her with an airsoft gun while sleeping.

“Our abuser would wear a mask, a werewolf mask, and the collar the chief described is a tasing collar for dogs,” said Sheriff Morgan of Escambia County.

Officials said that most of the abuse was recorded on cell phone video.

Deputies said the child’s mother, who happened to be the suspect’s girlfriend, had no idea.

She took the victim to the hospital for a case of ringworm that doctors determined to be burn marks.

“In some instances, it’s indescribable,” said Chief Deputy Simmons. “It’s the thing that nightmares are made of and no child should ever be subjected to his.”

WPMI found court records indicating that Ross-Celaius was charged with murder in the 2006 killing of 2-year-old Kyler Janes. Court records showed that Ross-Celaius was not found guilty.

In this latest case, Ross-Celaius is being held in jail without bond.

“We are comforted to some degree by the thought that this precious child will not be harmed tonight,” said a police official.

Deputies went on to say that Ross-Celaius called a friend from jail and had him destroy cell phone evidence of more abuse.

Eric Furnans was arrested and charged for destroying evidence.

In addition to six counts of aggravated child abuse, Ross-Celaius is being charged with probation violation, possession of a weapon, marijuana possession, four counts of child abuse, three counts of possession of a controlled substance and more.

History was made in Hartford Saturday.

Hartford Athletic tied Charlotte Independence, their first game in front of a home crowd.

Before the pros stepped foot on the pitch, young fans practiced their footwork.

“We like to watch how they play. It teaches us how to be better,” said Ava Maselek, playing outside Rentschler Field with her Sporting CT teammates before the Hartford Athletic game.

“It’s a fun bonding experience as a team to get closer with each other,” her teammate Camryn Dimauro said.

Dozens of local teams traveled together to watch these smooth moving superstars.

“It’s cool because I want that to be my future,” Matheus of Milford said.

Local soccer supporters have been counting down the seconds until this long awaited home game.

“I was just excited. He surprised me with it during Christmas,” said Lucas Almeida of Watertown, sporting a blue wig. “It’s amazing for the state. I think it’s a long-time coming,” Lucas’ father said.

More than 11-thousand fans flooded the stands of Rentschler Field, some getting the proper gear to cheer too.

“They’re 0-8, but we figure it’s the first game in Hartford and we have to support them,” said Tom Lonselle of Madison, who had just bought a hat.

“I’m a huge soccer fan and as soon as I heard about this club coming on this scene. I’ve been spreading this word as much as I can,” said Brian Howe of West Hartford.

This Atlanta rapper had to come back to his roots. “I’m from here’s it’s only right”, said PxRRY. The Hartford native wrote the team’s theme song, “This is huge for Connecticut. Huge for Hartford, so I had to be a part of it.” PxRRY was seen dancing to his jam in the aisles before the beginning of the game.

“Look how amazing this is! What an environment. Hartford was ready for this baby,” said super fan group 2nd Regiment’s founder Myke Furham of New Britain.

Despite ending in a tie, those we spoke to have a new favorite home team.

“GOOO HARTFORD,” cheered the Sporting CT teammates.

To help make sure you stay informed on the most shared and talked about stories, each Saturday and Sunday we'll revisit 5 stories from the previous week, including the most recent updates.

Unvaccinated Students in Connecticut

The state Friday released school-by-school data for the percentages of students who are exempt from being vaccinated against diseases such as measles. The Department of Public Health called the number of children entering kindergarten who are not fully vaccinated a "troubling trend." See the full school-by-school immunization data here.

Child Shot

A 9-year-old boy who went out to retrieve his stolen basketball in New Haven ended up being a shot on Tuesday night. The boy and his father walked through their Dixwell Avenue neighborhood before being picked up in a car by the boy's mother. That's when police say shots were fired at the car, hitting the boy in the pelvis. For more on the shooting, click here.

Police Shooting Video Released

The state on Friday released videos of a police shooting in Wethersfield on April 20. The video shows the moment a Wethersfield police officer shot and killed 18-year-old Anthony Jose Vega Cruz on the Silas Deane Highway. The shooting has sparked protests in Wethersfield. See video of the shooting from other angles here.

Chaos in Venezuela

Violent clashes erupted in Venezuela this week as opposition leader Juan Guaidó took to the street of Caracas with supporters to call for an uprising against President Nicolas Maduro. The move by Guaidó drew quick support from the Trump administration and fierce resistance from forces loyal to Maduro. For more on the clashes, click here.

Top Schools

U.S. News & World Report released its list of the top schools across the country, including the Top 10 High Schools in Connecticut. See the list here.