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9 Gang Members Facing Charges in Death of Waterbury Woman: Police

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Waterbury police have identified nine people facing charges in connection with the shooting death of a 30-year-old mother in October.

On October 11, officers Walnut Avenue around 3 a.m. after neighbors heard gunshots and they found 30-year-old Fransua Guzman, in front of 50 Walnut Ave., police said. She had been shot in the head and was pronounced dead at St. Mary's Hospital.

Police also found a 53-year-old woman was shot once in the stomach and survived, police said. She remains paralyzed due to her injuries.

On Monday police said they’ve identified nine people tied to the case. Investigators said the suspects are gang members and that the shooters were targeting a member of a rival gang when they opened fire on Walnut Street.

Police believe the women were innocent bystanders. 

Police said there were two shooters, who they identified as Gabriel Pulliam, 25, and Julian Scott. They are each charged with murder, first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit assault, along with various firearms charges. Both Pulliam and Scott are in custody.

Jermaine Gilbert, 21, Laderrick Jones, 27, and Dayquain Sinisterra are in police custody on conspiracy of murder and conspiracy of first-degree assault charges. D’Andre Burrus, 25, is wanted on the same charges and remains at large, police said.

Three juvenile suspects have also been arrested. They each face conspiracy of murder and conspiracy of first-degree assault.

People who knew Guzman said she was a very good person.



Photo Credit: Submitted and NBC Connecticut

Ocasio-Cortez: Detained Migrants Being Told to 'Drink Out of Toilets'

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on Monday described the abysmal conditions she and other members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus witnessed after visiting two immigration detention facilities in Texas, including Customs and Border Patrol officers telling detained women to "drink out of the toilets," NBC News reports. 

“After I forced myself into a cell w/ women & began speaking to them, one of them described their treatment at the hands of officers as ‘psychological warfare’ — waking them at odd hours for no reason, calling them wh*res, etc.,” she wrote. “Tell me what about that is due to a “'lack of funding?'”

Her tweets came hours after Pro Publica reported that 9,500 Customs and Border Patrol agents had participated in a Facebook group replete with jokes about migrant deaths and sexist comments about lawmakers, including Ocasio-Cortez. NBC News has not independently verified this Facebook group and has not seen the posts.

Rep. Joaquín Castro, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, corroborated Ocasio-Cortez's tweets, stating that the group encountered a group of around 15 mothers — some of whom had been housed in the facility for more than 50 days — living in "indefensible" conditions. "When we went into the cell, it was clear the water was not running," Castro said. "One of the woman said she was told by an agent to drink water out of the toilet. These are the conditions folks are facing."



Photo Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Remembering the 1944 Hartford Circus Fire

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Photo Credit: Connecticut Historical Society

Swab Summer Kicks Off at United States Coast Guard Academy

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The United States Coast Guard Academy welcomed a new class of cadets on Monday.

The 285 men and women marked their first day of Swab Summer, the academy’s grueling eight-week training program. This year officials said is one of their most diverse, with cadets representing each state, including 15 from Connecticut.

“Not only diversity of race, gender and ethnicity, but also diversity of backgrounds from the places in the country they come from,” said Rear Admiral William Kelly, the academy’s superintendent.

Eighteen-year-old Andrew Kerst grew up in Mystic.

“It’s pretty overwhelming. I’m pretty nervous, but the opportunities of the academy I think are worth it.”

Adrian Alpizar hails from San Jose, Costa Rica. He is one of the five international students in the Class of 2023.

“My brother has always been my hero. I always looked up to him and when he decided to go out to the Naval Academy, I was impressed, and I said I want that in myself. It just called to me much more than anything before.”

The cadets will spend hours on the field running drills and exercises in discipline.

“I wanted to prepare myself physically more than mentally really because that was a big challenge for me,” said cadet Alyssa Parker of Old Saybrook.

USCGA Officials noted that over the past two years the incoming classes have been comprised of 40 percent women.

“We’re not individuals once we step through these gates,” Parker continued. “We’re a team and that’s exactly how it’s going to have to be for all of us to start together and finish together. No one can do it on their own.”



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Angels Say Pitcher Tyler Skaggs Has Died at Age 27

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Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died Monday in Texas, according to statements from the team and police. 

He was 27.

Police responded to Skaggs' hotel room at the Hilton Hotel in the 1400 block of Plaza Place after receiving a call about an unconscious man, the Southlake Police Department said in a news release. 

Skaggs was found unresponsive and declared dead at the scene. 

No foul play was suspected, according to Southlake police. 

Monday night's game between the Angels and Texas Ranger in Arlington, Texas was postponed, the Rangers said in a statement.

Skaggs, of Woodland Hills, was drafted by the Angels in 2009. He made his big league debut in August 2012. He attended Santa Monica High School, and was drafted by the Angels as No. 40 overall pick. 

Skaggs was a regular in the starting rotation since 2016, when he returned from Tommy John surgery. He struggled with injuries repeatedly over the past three seasons but became a valuable starter in Los Angeles' injury-plagued rotation.

He started 15 games, going 7-7.

"I am deeply saddened by today’s tragedy in Texas. All of us at Major League Baseball extend our deepest condolences to Tyler’s wife Carli, their family, their friends and all of his Angels’ teammates and colleagues. We will support the Angels’ organization through this most difficult period, and we will make a variety of resources available to Tyler’s teammates and other members of the baseball family," Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. said in a statement.

Ten years before Skaggs' death, Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart died in a car crash in 2009. He recently retweeted an LA Times tweet honoring Adenhart's legacy after his sudden death. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Still Seeking Answers: Family Hopes to Exhume Bodies Unidentified After Hartford Circus Fire

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On July 6, 1944, thousands of people came to Hartford for the event of the summer – the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

The events of that day became one of the deadliest tragedies in the city’s history.

Saturday is the 75th anniversary of the Hartford Circus Fire. There were 168 people killed that day, and five lost in the fire were never identified.

Now, with modern DNA technology, a family whose grandmother disappeared that day may finally get answers about what happened to her.

Ilene Frank is the chief curator of the Connecticut Historical Society and an expert on the fire.

It was a hot, muggy day and 7,000 people crowded underneath the tent to see the show. It was a matinee, the lions the opening act. As the trapeze artists flew through the air, something went horribly wrong.

“The circus orchestra switched to playing…Stars and Stripes Forever which was the code that there was something disastrous happening,” Frank said.

“The big tent caught on fire,” she explained. “Animals in their cages were already being moved into position and so they ended up blocking the exits.”

The tent, coated in a mixture of paraffin wax and gasoline, a water-proofing technique at the time, was devoured by flames within 10 minutes.

“There are lots of reports of people having to slash through the canvas to make their own way out and adults pulling people through these holes,” Frank said.

There were hundreds of people injured and 168 people died.

“The armory which is downtown was used as the morgue and so people had to go and walk through and try to identify their loved ones,” Frank said.

Two of the bodies pulled out of the rubble were Leslie Choquette’s grandmother and grandfather.

“My grandfather a very tall man took my mother, they were working their way down they were by the animal shoot, took my mother told her to remain very stiff and he was going to push her over into whatever it took get back and run so that's what happened,” she said.

“The last thing that my mother got to hear her father-- my grandfather Frank say is ‘once I push you out of here you keep running and don't look back,’”

At the Circus Fire Memorial in the North End of Hartford, trees line the spot where the tent stood. There, Choquette explained how her grandfather, a Simsbury volunteer firefighter, saved her mother and aunt. It was his first and last act of duty.

“My mother never got over feeling guilty that she survived and her mother and father did not,” Choquette said.

Not everyone tracked down the date of their loved ones in the aftermath of the fire.

“There are still are people who were unidentified and bodies that were never matched to individuals,” said Sandy Sumrow of Charlotte, North Carolina. “My grandmother is one of them.”

Sumrow’s grandmother, Grace Fifield, was last seen at the circus that day, but her body was never found.

Now 75 years later, Connecticut’s chief medical examiner wants to exhume the two female bodies of the five who remain nameless to compare Sumrow’s DNA to the remains, and hopefully give her answers.

“It's a closure for my mother. More than it is for me,” Somrow explained.

The case to exhume the bodies is working itself through the courts now.



Photo Credit: DroneRanger

Chinese Military Conducts Anti-Ship Missile Tests in Hotly Contested South China Sea

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China has been conducting a series of anti-ship ballistic missile tests in the hotly contested waters of the South China Sea, according to two U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter.

The Chinese carried out the first test over the weekend, firing off at least one missile into the sea, one official said. The window for testing remains open until July 3, and the official expects the Chinese military to test again before it closes, NBC News reports.

While the U.S. military has ships in the South China Sea, they were not close to the weekend test and are not in danger, the official said, adding that the test however is "concerning." The official, who was not authorized to speak about the testing, could not say whether the anti-ship missiles being tested represent a new capability for the Chinese military.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to CNBC's and NBC's requests for comment.



Photo Credit: VCG via Getty Images

Shoreline Businesses Embrace Summer Weather

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The beautiful weather is sparking plenty of people to venture out to the coast and enjoy the beach.

It’s not just beachgoers who are taking advantage of the hot temperatures but West Haven businesses.

Stowe’s Seafood is a food haven destination along the shoreline.

Wayne Capone is the owner and still prepares food nearly 40 years later.

“I want to run out of food each day,” said Capone. “On a nice day like this, people are ready to get inside.”

Dustin Edwards and his family are traveling from Houston to Portland, Maine. Edwards says he heard about Stowe’s while searching online for local family business.

“My wife found this place and it had great reviews,” said Edwards. “The icing on the cake is that Stowe’s is family owned and have a great reputation.”

The picture-perfect weather prompted Nicole Graham and her father to enjoy the sunshine.

“We come here for the lobster rolls and the amazing atmosphere,” said Graham. “We’ve been coming to Stowe’s for decades.

The Graham family say it’s the hospitality and the mouth-watering dishes that keeps them coming back.

A few blocks away Angels Saving Rock is garnering the attention of dozens of ice cream lovers.

Anglina Diglio co-manages the shop and is excited for the July 4th Holiday.

“Business has been tremendous these last few weeks,” said Diglio. “We’re crossing our fingers that it’s not going to rain like last summer.”

Dive Bar sits right across the street from the beach.

Art Gilbert works and owns the irresistible drink and food destination.

“Business is really good, it’s a great menu, it’s good food, good view,” said Gilbert. “The weather right now will definitely bring out people, it doubles the amount of people coming here.”

Several businesses say the July 4th holiday is one of the busiest days of the summer.

They’ve say they due largely to the weather, they’ve seen an uptick in the amount of food traffic coming in and out and hoot of day.


Bridgeport Police Officer Arrested on Domestic Violence Charges

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A Bridgeport police officer is on administrative leave after he was arrested on domestic violence charges.

Shelton police said 29-year-old Stephen Figueroa was charged after a woman reported he held her against her will at his apartment when she showed up to collect personal property. Police had been called to the apartment that night, but did not make contact with anyone at the address.

The victim made the report at 9 a.m. the following morning.

Figueroa was charged with third-degree assault, second-degree threatening, second-degree unlawful restraint, and risk of injury to a minor.

There was a 2-month-old baby inside the apartment at the time.

Bridgeport police confirmed Figueroa is an officer with their department and was placed on administrative leave after the incident.

“The Bridgeport Police Department & Chief Perez will assign a full and thorough internal investigation by Bridgeport's Office of Internal Affairs where the repercussions for the incident will be determined based on current Bridgeport Police policies and the conclusion of the investigation,” a department spokesperson said in a statement.

Figueroa was released on a $150,000 bond.

No other details were immediately available.



Photo Credit: Shelton Police Department

Honduran Man Dies in ICE Custody at Texas Facility

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A 30-year-old Honduran migrant died while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody on Sunday, the government confirmed.

Yimi Alexis Balderramos-Torres was found unresponsive in his dormitory at the Houston Contract Detention Facility on Sunday, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security. Balderramos-Torres was then taken to a hospital in Humble, Texas, where he was pronounced dead, NBC News reports.

The cause of death remains undetermined and an autopsy is scheduled.

"Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment detainees arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay," the DHS said in a statement Monday. "All ICE detainees receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, and access to daily sick call and 24-hour emergency care."

Balderramos-Torres is the sixth person to die in ICE custody since the start of the fiscal year, which began in October, DHS said.



Photo Credit: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

Solar Eclipse to Cover Parts of South America in Darkness

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Parts of South America will be plunged into darkness Tuesday afternoon and evening during Earth’s only total solar eclipse of 2019.

It won’t be visible from the United States, but you can watch the total solar eclipse streaming live in a video embedded above between 4:38 p.m. and 4:44 p.m. on Tuesday. Totality is expected to last just over two minutes. No eye protection required.

The eclipse begins at 12:55 EDT over the southern Pacific Ocean, but the main show occurs over land in a narrow path between the high deserts of La Serena, Chile and Buenos Aires, Argentina.  

Droves of star gazers, scientists and celebrities like Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Bill Clinton are expected to be on hand in South America for the eclipse.

The last total eclipse was Aug. 21, 2017, over the United States. It was considered spectacular and known as the "Great American Solar Eclipse." The next three total solar eclipses all take place in the southern hemisphere on Dec. 14, 2020, Dec. 21, 2021 and April 20, 2023.

The next total solar eclipse in the northern hemisphere will be April 8, 2024, with a very long path directly over the United States from Texas to New England. There will also be several partial and annular solar eclipses during the next five years.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and sun, blocking the sun’s rays to the observer on the ground. The skies will turn dark, temperatures will drop and animals are known to act strangely.



Photo Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images, File

Dog Found Dead in Crate in Woodbridge

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Woodbridge Animal Control is investigating after a dog was found dead in a crate in a wooded area of town Monday.

According to a Facebook post from Woodbridge Municipal Animal Control, a Public Works employee found the dog dead in a crate, and there is evidence that the animal was alive when it was left. Animal Control said it appears the dog was deliberately left somewhere where she was difficult to find.

The dog is described as a young grey and white female bully dreed dog with a wide purple collar. There is a reward being offered for information on this case.

Anyone with information on the dog’s owner is asked to contact Animal Control at 203-389-5991.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

AP Analysis: Trump Smiles With North Korea, Threatens Iran

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With North Korea, President Donald Trump puts on the charm. But with Iran, he cranks up the pressure with economic sanctions and a stronger military presence in the Persian Gulf. He warned its leaders Monday they are "playing with fire."

Nuclear weapons are at the heart of the difficult U.S. relations with both Pyongyang and Tehran. But it's in North Korea where Trump has more leeway — and perhaps a greater chance of striking a deal.

Kim Jong Un has seemed as willing to meet with Trump as the U.S. president has been to talk and shake hands for the cameras with him. The North Korean leader jumped at the chance to meet Trump at the Demilitarized Zone between the Koreas last weekend.

Trump has made repeated overtures to Iranian leaders, too, but without the same results.

"I think Trump would be equally on a charm offensive with the Iranians if he had a dance partner," said Mark Dubowitz, an Iran nuclear deal skeptic with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Also, Israel, which views Iran as its archenemy, is pressuring Trump to take a hardline approach to Tehran, which has threatened to wipe Israel off the map. There is no big anti-North Korea lobby in the United States pressuring the White House to shun Kim's repressive government.

Trump inherited heavy U.S. sanctions on North Korea and then for months traded fiery rhetoric with Kim, saber rattling that caused jitters across the world. That has given way to flowery correspondence, meetings between the two and this weekend's historic visit when Trump became the first U.S. president to step into North Korea while in office.

Not that Pyongyang has taken big steps in return. Critics point out that North Korea has not moved to "denuclearize" as Trump has demanded. But the country has refrained from conducting nuclear tests or test-firing long-range missiles.

Trump tweeted late Monday that "our teams will be meeting to work on some solutions to very long term and persistent problems. No rush, but I am sure we will ultimately get there.

Not so smooth with Iran.

Trump campaigned on pulling the United States out of the nuclear agreement that Tehran signed with the U.S. and other world powers in 2015. He complained that the deal, which eased economic sanctions in exchange for Iran curbing its nuclear program, didn't address Iranian ballistic missile capabilities or its support of militant groups.

After failing to adjust what Trump condemned as a fatally flawed deal, the U.S. exited the agreement last year and re-imposed sanctions that had been eased when the deal was finalized under the Obama administration.

The pressure campaign evolved not like the Trump-Kim lovefest, but to what seemed like the brink of war.

With its economy diving, Iran lashed out by shooting down a $100 million, unmanned U.S. surveillance drone and attacking shipping vessels in the Persian Gulf region. Trump said he was "cocked and loaded" to retaliate with limited missile strikes but changed his mind when he learned 150 Iranians could have been killed.

He tweeted last week, "Any attack by Iran on anything American will be met with great and overwhelming force. In some areas, overwhelming will mean obliteration."

On Monday, Iran announced it now has a stockpile of more than 660 pounds (300 kilograms) of low-enriched uranium in violation of the 2015 deal. The U.S. is partly to blame because it failed to renew waivers that allowed Iran to swap its excess to other countries.

But officials say the administration is less concerned about Monday's breach than possible further violations that could reduce the time Iran would need to produce a nuclear weapon. The deal aimed to keep that "breakout time" at one year.

Iran's deputy foreign minister has warned the White House that it's naive to think Iran will wilt under pressure, or that the Iranian people will revolt and throw out its government. He said Iran will not be forced to negotiate by having a knife put to its throat.

As for North Korea, administration officials caution that Trump's charm offensive with Kim does not foreshadow a softening of its insistence that his country must not have nuclear weapons. The New York Times reported Monday that the administration might agree to a nuclear freeze as a first step toward denuclearization.

Under that scenario, which was quickly disputed by U.S. officials, North Korea would not make any new nuclear material, meaning it couldn't expand its arsenal of 20 to 60 nuclear weapons. Under such a deal, North Korea would remain a nuclear power and would still have short and long-term missiles that could threaten U.S. allies like Japan and South Korea as well as the United States.

Stephen Biegun, U.S. special envoy to North Korea, said the report was "far from accurate."

"What is accurate is not new, and what is new is not accurate. No one on our team who knows anything would speak right now anyway," he said in a statement distributed by the State Department.

Trump's hawkish national security adviser John Bolton, who has advocated a tough stance against both North Korea and Iran, also said the administration was not considering a softer approach.

However, Richard Haas, president of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, said the fact that Bolton was in Mongolia when Trump met Kim at the DMZ suggested there is a "significant split" within the Trump administration.

Democrats have been quick to criticize Trump for his strategy with both Iran and North Korea.

"After three made-for-TV summits, we still don't have a single concrete commitment from North Korea," said former Vice President Joe Biden, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. "Not one missile or nuclear weapon has been destroyed, not one inspector is on the ground. ... North Korea has continued to churn out fissile material and is no longer an isolated pariah on the world stage."

On Iran, Biden said Trump walked away from a deal that was temporarily keeping it from developing a first nuclear bomb and applied economic pressure that has led Tehran to restart its nuclear program and become more, not less aggressive.

"Trump's Iran policy has alienated us from our allies and taken us to the brink of another war in the Middle East," he said.

In its first year, the administration tried to work with Europeans allies to mend what Trump identified as flaws in the nuclear deal, such as its silence on ballistic missiles and Iran's support for destabilizing proxies around the Middle East. The effort to create a separate agreement without Iran's participation ultimately failed.

Michael McFaul, a U.S. ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama, says that while Trump has said he's open to talks with Iran, he sees little evidence that's the case. He wonders whether complete and verifiable denuclearization is not the goal in Iran or North Korea.

"In Iran, it may be that the real objective is regime change, including the option of U.S. military action," he says.

"In North Korea, it could be that the goal is not complete denuclearization, but an outcome that allows Kim to maintain part of his nuclear arsenal while perhaps dismantling his intercontinental ballistic missile program to reduce the direct threat to U.S. national security.

"This lesser goal could help to explain why Trump is so oddly accommodating toward North Korea."



Photo Credit: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images, File

2 Great White Sharks Tagged Off Cape Cod

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The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy has tagged its first two great white sharks of the season in Cape Cod Bay.

The organization tweeted video of its research team tagging one of the sharks Monday.

At least 11 white sharks were spotted on the expedition. The sightings all took place on Billingsgate Shoal.

The sharks that were tagged measure nine feet and 10 feet.

Click here for more shark-related news and video.



Photo Credit: Atlantic White Shark Conservancy

Police Investigating Reports of Shooting, Brawl Outside Newington Restaurant

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Newington police are investigating after a gunshot victim showed up at Waterbury Hospital early Tuesday morning and reported being shot at Plaza Azteca.

Newington police said they received a report around 1 a.m. Tuesday about a large brawl in the parking lot of Plaza Azteca on the Berlin Turnpike and the sound of a gunshot. The caller who reported the incident did not see a gun, according to police.

When officers responded to the scene, they saw several vehicles leaving but did not find any victims.

Around 30 minutes later, Waterbury police contacted authorities in Newington about a gunshot victim who was being treated at Waterbury Hospital and reported he had been shot at Plaza Azteca, police said.

The victim’s injuries are not life-threatening, according to police.

Detectives from the Newington Police Department are investigating and police ask anyone with information to call Det. L. DeSimone at (860) 594-6239.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Voice Recorder Recovered in Deadly Texas Plane Crash; Witness Recalls Tragedy

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A news conference with NTSB investigators is expected to begin at 11 a.m. It will be streamed live at the top of this article.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating Sunday morning's plane crash at Addison Airport that claimed the lives of 10 people, including two children.

During a Monday press briefing, NTSB Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg and lead investigator Dr. Jennifer Rodi said the twin engine Beechcraft BE 350 Super King airplane's landing gear was down when it crashed into a hangar at the suburban Dallas airport.

"The airplane was airborne, so the airplane veered to the left, started to roll to the left, rolling when it collided with the hangar," Landsberg said.

Rodi also revealed the entire plane made impact with the hangar, meaning it didn't fall apart in the air.

Investigators said the hangar's sprinkler system helped get the subsequent fire under control.

Maintenance records also came into question during a press conference Monday afternoon.

"The FAA is now working on looking for the maintenance records for the aircraft. Anytime there is any maintenance done on an airplane it is documented by a certificated mechanic," Landsberg said. 

The NTSB also was able to recover the plane's voice recorder. It captures communication between the pilots and their communication with air traffic control.

"We don’t know exactly what’s on the recorder, but what the recorders do will capture external communications between the crew and air traffic; and of particular interest to us is of the internal cockpit conversation between the pilot and the copilot," Landsberg said. 

Landsberg said the "black box" is being analyzed in Washington, D.C., but added as far as they know communication seemed "completely normal" that day. The small plane was cleared for takeoff, the pilots acknowledged.

Landsberg said there was, however, no flight data recorder device in the plane, which would have aided in the investigation.

Personal-use planes like the one involved in the deadly accident are not required to have them, although the NTSB has recommended it to the FAA, Landsberg said.

This means the NTSB will "take the long road" and rely heavily on the wreckage and especially on security video that captured the entire event.

Investigators have spoken with just a few people who witnessed the horrific crash, including a longtime local pilot.

David Snell was readying for his own flight Sunday morning to catch breakfast with friends when he witnessed the accident.

"My friend and I have flown for a long time," he said. "We both knew that the sound that we were hearing out of that King Air was not correct."

Snell grabbed his cell phone and captured the horrific aftermath.

"It appears as though the airplane stalled and it fell to the left, and when that happens at a low altitude it's impossible to recover," he said.

Snell said he remembers hearing both engines running, but at a lower power setting.

"If you have a house fan: Speed one is low, speed four is high. When you're taking off you should be at a three or four, and this sounded like it was at a one or a two," he said. "But it didn't sound like it was one engine operating at a high speed, like as if they lost one."

According to Snell, the plane was simply too low and too slow on takeoff.

"Being a pilot, all of us can relate to incidents, accidents — we try to learn from them, but to see it happen in front of you and know that there's a loss of life that's going to take place and there's not anything you can do about it, it's pretty traumatic actually," he said.

The NTSB is going to recover maintenance records for the aircraft; annual inspections are required.

The plane was two years old, according to the NTSB.

Investigators will also look at the pilot and his co-pilot's training records. Pilots are required to have specific training to operate this specific aircraft.

A preliminary report is expected to be released by the NTSB in two weeks.



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News
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Moped Driver Killed in Hartford Crash

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Hartford police are investigating a fatal crash involving a vehicle and a moped on New Britain Avenue.

The driver of the moped was killed in the crash and police said the driver of the other vehicle remained at the scene.  

New Britain Avenue was closed between Broad Street and Washington Street for several hours but has since reopened.

The crash is under investigation.

Grower's Express Recalls Green Giant, Trader Joe's Veggies

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Growers Express is recalling a number of its fresh vegetable products sold under the Trader Joe's, Green Giant Fresh and Signature Farms brands after one of their products tested positive for listeria.

The California-based produce company said in notice posted Monday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that the recalled products originated from a Growers Express production facility in Biddeford, Maine, and were distributed to dozens of states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Florida and Illinois.

The recalled vegetable products include packaged varieties of butternut squash, cauliflower, zucchini and a butternut squashed based veggie bowl sold under the three brands. For a full list of the recalled products, click here.

Customers who purchased any of the products listed in the recall or with an unreadable date code are urged not to consume them and to throw the products away. Growers Express said customers should refer to the toll-free number listed on each package with any questions or to request a refund.

Growers Express said state inspectors with the Massachusetts Department of Health notified the company of a single positive sample, prompting them to "immediately" stop production and sanitize the entire facility and equipment. It was not clear when state inspectors notified the company.

The company said no illnesses have been reported and the voluntary recall is "in an abundance of caution and in the interest of protecting its customers and end consumers."

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn.

Healthy people may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.



Photo Credit: Growers Express

Woman Rescued From Car Wedged Between 2 Buildings in Pa.

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A woman was rescued after her car ended up wedged between two buildings at a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, retirement community over the weekend.

The woman was driving near the Brittany Pointe Estates in Upper Gwynedd Township Saturday, shortly after noon when she lost control of her vehicle.

“The vehicle had actually gone over a masonry set of steps, broke through a wall, went over the steps and was kind of sticking up in the air at a 45-degree angle,” Upper Gwynedd Police Officer Matthew Toro told NBC10.

Responding officers found the car dangling above a terrace that was 15-feet below. That’s when Officer Toro jumped into action.

“I ran up to the top of the steps and looked to see how far it was pitched over to one side,” Officer Toro said. “Once we figured out that it was tilted a little bit, there was a minor concern for it tipping over. But at that point we just decided that we could get her out pretty safely.”

Toro said the woman was awake and appeared to be unharmed. Toro told her to trust him as officers pulled her seat back. Another officer took her leg and put it over the center console. Toro then told the woman to fall onto his shoulder. Once she did, he carried her away from the car.

Fire crews then managed to get the car out and onto a tow truck.
NBC10 reached out to Brittany Pointe for comment and information on the woman’s condition. We have not yet heard back from them.

“I never had a chance to talk to her,” Officer Toro said. “But hope she’s well.”


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Hartford Man Killed in Motorcycle Crash in Wethersfield

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A 31-year-old Hartford man died after his motorcycle and another crashed on Route 5/15 North in Wethersfield early Tuesday morning, according to state police.

Police said Julio Rodriguez, 31, of Hartford, and another motorcyclist were traveling north on Route 5/15 in Wethersfield when they lost control just after 1 a.m. Tuesday and a hit a guardrail

Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene, according to state police.

They said the other motorcyclist’s injuries are not life-threatening. He was taken to Hartford Hospital.

Route 15 northbound was closed at exit 85 but has reopened.

An accident reconstruction team was called in to investigate.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut
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