New Britain Police have arrested a man who is accused of abusing his dog and causing multiple fractures on the dog's body.

Officers were called to a home on Bassett Street in April after getting a report of a verbal domestic incident involving Christopher Vantull and another tenant, police said.

The tenant was upset that Vantull was allowing his dog, a pit bull named Socks, to urinate and defecate inside of the home, officers added.

Police at the scene said no action was taken at that time, however, they noticed the dog cowered when Vantull came near it.

The next week, a New Britain Animal Control Officer followed up on the case and said Vantull relinquished Socks to a rescue group in New Haven.

The New Haven rescue group told animal control that Socks was turned over with some visible injuries, police said. The rescue group scheduled an appointment with a veterinarian, who concluded that Socks had multiple fractures consistent with blunt force trauma.

When officers questioned Vantull about the injuries, he said he hit the dog once by accident and another time when he was disciplining him. The injuries were confirmed by two separate veterinarians to be consistent with abuse, authorities added.

On Friday, Vantull was arrested by warrant for cruelty to animals. He was held on a $100,000 bond.

He posted bond and is due in court for arraignment on July 25.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Tuesday responded to questions about President Donald Trump's attacks on four congresswomen of color by asking a reporter about his heritage, NBC News reported.

Andrew Feinberg, a White House reporter for Breakfast Media, a website about politics and technology, asked Conway, "If the president was not telling these four congresswomen to return to their supposed countries of origin, to which countries was he referring?" 

Conway paused and then asked him, "What's your ethnicity?"

"Why is that relevant?" Feinberg replied.

"Because I'm asking a question. My ancestors are from Ireland and Italy," Conway shot back.

An 87-year-old woman who was reported missing from Bloomfield on Tuesday has been found.

State police said Winifred Granger was missing and was believed to be operating a blue, 2018 Subaru Outback with a Connecticut license plate of AN70421.

A Silver Alert was issued for Granger, but has since been canceled.

Authorities did not release details about where she was found.

Planned Parenthood's president was removed from her post following a "secret meeting" of the board, NBC News reports.

Dr. Leana Wen tweeted the news of her ousting Tuesday, saying, "We were engaged in good faith negotiations about my departure based on philosophical differences over the direction and future of Planned Parenthood."

Wen took over as president in November 2018 after longtime president Cecile Richards stepped down.

The Connecticut Science Center is celebrating 50 years since man first walked on the moon.

In addition to showing a film showcasing the accomplishments of NASA and the crew of Apollo 11, the Center also unveiled a new permanent exhibit.

On hand to be honored for his work on STEM education and volunteering at the center was Ed O’Connor, a former United Technologies Engineer who worked on equipment for the Apollo missions and other space missions including the shuttle.

“Looking back, you’ve got to recognize and look at what’s going on and you look at what history was and you look back 50 years and when I think of it, I think of the fifty years since and look what it’s done for us,” said O’Conner, who spent 48 years in aerospace engineering, with most of that time at Hamilton Standard.

O’Connor said when he was designing systems to go into space, he never thought about how critical every decision he made was, considering it had to work perfectly in space.

“No, you’ve got a job to do. You realize what it is, you realize the excitement of it, but you’ve got a job to do,” he said. “When it hits is when they’re coming down, when they’re landing.”

The “Exploring Space,” Gallery at the Connecticut Science Center will receive a new exhibit, as well. A Connecticut state flag that was flown aboard the Shuttle Atlantis will also be on display permanently. It was brought to the Shuttle by a pair of Connecticut-born astronauts, Ken Burbank from Tolland and Richard Mastracchio from Waterbury.

The administration of President Donald Trump, who had been gaining support among some Hispanics for his stand on Venezuela, isn't willing yet to grant temporary protection from deportation to Venezuelans, NBC News reports.

The administration did not explicitly reject Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelans. But in response to a plea from 23 Democratic senators and Republican Sen. Marco Rubio for the protection for Venezuelans, the administration would only say it continues to monitor the situation in that country.

The decision means Venezuelans in the United States could be made to return to their home country, which is enduring political upheaval, starvation, crime, violence and a mass exodus of residents fleeing the crisis and the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

Some Venezuelans may already be in the country without legal authorization; others may be here on visas that may expire before conditions change.

The administration told the senators there may be other relief available for Venezuelans and pointed them to steps that can be taken when a “special situation” prevents timely departure from the country.

Salvatore Sutera is originally from Sicily. A warm climate but for even for him, this week has been hot.

“It’s crazy,” said Sutera. “It has been warm pretty much every day luckily air conditioning helps.”

Like many in Connecticut, Sutera said he’s been running his AC around the clock. A costly expense, pros say could be even more expensive without proper attention.

“You should be treating your system like you treat your car,” says air conditioning service technician, Patrick Murphy.

Like car maintenance, experts say, many costly repairs can be avoided by cleaning filters every three months. Dirty filters block air flow, reducing efficiency and making it harder to deliver the cool air.

“Filters are very important,” adds air conditioning technician, Michael Campbell. “This simple five or six dollar part can wreak havoc on your system and make it not work on those 100 degree nights.”

Campbell, who works for his family’s Campbell Cooling in Newington, also recommends cleaning coils and drain traps. Easy fixes which could save big money.

“Homeowners can do it themselves. Flushing, making sure the trap is clear, can save you thousands of dollars in repairs,” says Campbell.

You can save on electric bills too. Eversource recommends setting a consistent and moderate temperature throughout the day, which uses less energy than periodically cranking the unit up.

To help conserve energy, Eversource also recommends using appliances like clothes washers and dryers early in the morning or late in the evening, when there is less demand on the electric system.

“My best advice would be, turn the system on in the morning to a temp that you’re gonna want when you get home. And just let it run,” adds Air conditioning technician, Patrick Murphy.

Bottom line though, is homeowners just want their units to work and are something they’re just not willing to live without this week.

“It’s a necessity. You have to have it. It’s Impossible not to have it,” says Sutera.

Westport firefighters rescued a person and his or her dog from the mud in the Saugatuck River on Tuesday night.

Firefighters were called to the Saugatuck River after getting a report of a person stuck in the mud around 5:30 p.m.

Crews arrived on scene and reported one person and their dog were stuck in approximately one to two inches of mud.

Firefighters said they used an inflatable rapid deployment craft to enter the mud and reach the person.

The person and their dog were freed from the mud and were brought to safety by firefighters and police officers on shore, fire officials said.

Emergency medical personnel evaluated the person and the dog was evaluated by Westport Animal Control.

Twelve families who were displaced after a fire in Hartford on Friday, experienced another devastating loss on Monday.

Residents of an apartment building on Martin Street returned Monday to collect their things, only to discover many of the belongings they had left inside had been stolen.

The fire, which began on the third floor of the apartment, led to the displacement of the entire building. Apartment resident, Fernando Cuevas, raced out of his home after waking up to a neighbor screaming of the flames inside.

When Cuevas and other neighbors left the apartment, they were promised that their belongings would be kept safe. However, after returning yesterday, Cuevas quickly realized this assurance was broken.

“They said that beside the fire, it was going to be secure but they took everybody’s televisions, ac’s clothes. You name it, they took it,” Cuevas said.

Robberies occurred on all three floors of the apartment building. Yvette Thompson lived on the first floor of the apartment and said several of her belongings were stolen during the raid.

“They stole my grandson’s TV, a Playstation 3 and a Playstation 4," Thompson said.

The second floor windows were boarded up after the reported robbery.

Following this crime, several residents, including Tara Crowe whose children’s back to school supplies were stolen, are looking for justice.

“hopefully they would just turn themselves in because I mean it’s not right. I don’t understand what type of animals would do that. Our children. We already lost our homes why would you take the last bit of things that we have left” Crowe said.

The Hartford Police Department is investigating the crime.

In the meantime, without renters insurance Cuevas and Thompson have been told there’s nothing else they can do.

“the owners of the building said it wasn’t their responsibility. So we’re going to have to go to the state. To see if they can help us with some clothes or if there’s anybody else who can help us,” Cuevas said.

Plans for a new development in Mystic are off the table for now.

The developers of the controversial Smiler's Wharf announced on Tuesday that they withdrew their application for a zoning change.

Noank Shipyard wanted to revitalize its 11 acres by the Mystic River, which currently includes boat storage, a warehouse and a restaurant.

Noank Shipyard officials explained their vision for what was being called Smiler’s Wharf. It included building a new hotel, an apartment building, another restaurant and recreational facilities such as boat slips and a park.

Just steps from the heart of Mystic, neighbors were concerned about a plan to transform a property in an already bustling area.

On Monday, people packed a public meeting, where they spoke about the benefits including possible boosts to tourism, green space and tax dollars.

But there were worries including potential impacts to parking, traffic and the flood risk.

The owner had previously hoped to break ground in 2021.

Driving down Hillside Avenue in Naugatuck, you'll notice several pride flags. For neighbors, it's about sending a strong message of support and pushing back against hate.

"To know that someone had something so hurtful said to them was unacceptable to me," said neighbor Joan McCasland.

Neighbors are rallying around Chris Ritton-Stokes and his husband Michael. Chris tells NBC Connecticut that last week he was sitting on his back porch when someone driving by yelled a homophobic slur and continued to scream at him when he turned to look. The Stokes have a pride flag on their home.

"We live in this bubble of love and acceptance, and it pulls you back out of that. And all of a sudden I'm 15-years-old again getting picked on by the bully," said Chris.

"I said, 'What happened?' and he said, 'You won't believe what someone just said to me,'" said Michael. "I think that people often get something out of making or attempting to make other people feel less than."

After the initial shock, Chris posted on social media, calling out that driver. His neighbors noticed and came up with a plan.

"My friend Josh down the street said, 'Well let's get our own flags up in response,' said McCasland.

McCasland says her neighbor, Josh, bought several flags and handed them out so they could be displayed. Soon pride flags were up and waving along Hillside Avenue and spreading to other streets.

"Chris and Mike are great people. They do so much for this community," said neighbor John DeCampos. "We wanted to do our part, make sure we're supporting them and showing our kids, showing everyone that kindness and love will always win."

"We keep getting pictures and texts and phone calls from people all around Naugatuck saying, 'My flag is up!' 'My flag is coming!' So it's heartwarming," said Chris.

The Stokes say they know the hate speech directed at them is not how Naugatuck or their neighbors feel. They say they're not thinking about that driver. They're focused on the people around them who are reaching out.

“There are going to be people who may not like and accept you, and there are going to be people who are going to hurt you in your life. I think we can take an opportunity to acknowledge those people but not focus on them, that they don't have to have that much of an impact on your life. The people that rally around you in the time of need really are the people you should focus on," said Michael.

"You hope that people come in and know that this is a place that is loving and accepting of everyone, that this is the kind of street you want to live on," said McCasland.

The Stokes say they chose not to file a police report. They say the police chief did reach out to apologize on behalf of Naugatuck and encouraged them to contact police should they have any further issues.

An animal rescue organization that faced recent scrutiny in Danbury is now under-investigation by police in Wolcott after someone claimed their new puppy died just hours after it was adopted from “Tails of Courage.”

As of Tuesday evening, six puppies are fighting to live and two are dead, according to Wolcott Animal Control Officer Roslyn Nenninger.

She believes the litter-mates were shipped from Texas to “Tails of Courage” in Wolcott and at some point became sick with parvo.

State and local officials became suspicious of “Tails of Courage” after they got a call from an adopter last week. “We were told that she had the puppy for seven hours, had to rush the puppy to Cheshire VCA doing CPR on the puppy the entire route, only for the puppy to expire.”

Police say preliminary testing points to parvo, dehydration and emaciation.

Friday, state and local animal control officers checked in on the “Tails of Courage” facility in Wolcott.

Police didn’t see anything off-putting until, “And when they were going over paperwork and such is when Assistant Animal Control Officer (Dana) Natrillo heard a puppy screaming and went to research where the puppy was and found a back room that they consider their isolation room, as well as their food room, and that’s where they found the sick puppies,” said Officer Nenninger.

We’re told this was not proper isolation and care for a really contagious virus.

Police believe one puppy died in the care of “Tails of Courage.”

Two were rushed to a vet, but the officers say the nonprofit wouldn’t sign over another sick pup.

Adopted sick litter-mates continue to be discovered and cared for at other vets around the state.

“Parvo can kill a lot of puppies. When it is vomiting and diarrhea, they need care,” said Dr. Steven Price, co-owner of Watertown Animal Hospital.

He is currently treating three of the sick puppies in Watertown, quarantine video you’ll see only on NBC Connecticut, “These dogs from what I hear were just being given subcutaneous fluid which in my opinion is pretty inadequate care, substandard care.”

We've reached out to “Tails of Courage,” but a manager says they have no statement at this time.

Wolcott Animal Control Officer tells me there have been red flags when the animal rescue organization moved to town. The land owner of the property says “Tails of Courage” set up shop about two months ago. He says they told him they will be leaving his property by the end of the week.

Danbury filed a lawsuit for health and zoning violations in 2018. It was withdrawn this spring when they promised to no longer conduct business in Danbury.

The investigation into the Wolcott case continues.

A "major heat wave" is expected to bake two-thirds of the nation through this weekend, with forecasters calling for temperatures to soar across much of the central and eastern U.S., NBC News reported, citing the National Weather Service.

Many in those areas could see the hottest temperatures of the year, thanks to a large dome of high pressure that will send temperatures climbing in the coming days, the weather service said.

Already on Tuesday night, an estimated 34 million people were under heat advisories and another 21 million were under excessive heat warnings, according to the weather service. The affected areas stretched from Texas to much of the Plains. The East Coast is feeling the heat, too, with advisories issued from South Carolina to New Jersey.

Forecasts across the mid-Atlantic region predict highs in the 90s with feels-like temperatures soaring to over 100 degrees in some places, including New York City, Philadelphia and Connecticut. 

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, the National Air and Space Museum is recreating the historic moment with a life-sized projection of the Saturn V rocket on the Washington Monument.

The "once-in-a-lifetime" event is part of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.

From Tuesday to Thursday, the 363-foot Saturn V rocket will be projected on the east face of the Washington Monument — the side facing the Capitol Building — for two hours each night, from 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

The rocket was used for NASA space missions between 1967 and 1973, including the Apollo mission that put the first man on the moon.

On Friday and Saturday, the museum will also host a 17-minute show "Apollo 50: Go for the Moon," which combines "full-motion projection-mapping artwork on the monument and archival footage on screens on the National Mall to recreate the launch of Apollo 11," according to a press release from the Air and Space Museum.

The free show runs three times on both nights: 9:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.

You can check out the free show at the viewing areas on the National Mall in front of the Smithsonian Castle between 9th and 12th streets. The viewing area will be outfitted with full sound, projection screens and a 40-foot-wide recreation of the countdown clock that was at the Kennedy Space Center.

The "Apollo 50: Go for the Moon" presentation is a joint effort between the U.S. Department of the Interior, 59 Productions and the National Air and Space Museum.

Other parts of the Smithsonian's 50th anniversary celebration for Apollo 11 include a five-day festival on the National Mall, featuring tents from organizations like NASA and PBS. According to a news release from the LEGO Group, LEGO will be displaying a life-size astronaut model from Thursday through Saturday, and will invite visitors to help build a 20-foot SLS Rocket out of the plastic blocks.

The National Air and Space Museum will also be displaying Neil Armstrong’s suit for the first time in 13 years, beginning Tuesday, and will be hosting a late-night celebration in the museum Saturday.

Firefighters battled a two-alarm fire in a three-family house on Miller Street in Meriden and rescued a puppy.

The fire was reported around 5 a.m. Wednesday and crews found fire on all three floors and immediately called for a second alarm to bring in help from Berlin, Southington and Wallingford.

Officials said there is heavy damage to the second and third floors of the building and the first-floor sustained water and smoke damage. The intense fire also melted the siding of a residence next door.

All residents were able to make it out of the building, but it is unclear if anyone was injured. The American Red Cross was called in to help the displaced residents.

Mutual aid from surrounding towns was called to help.

Meriden Fire Chief Ken Morgan said the intense heat is difficult on the crews and the job is tougher in humid weather.

“Anytime the humidity’s up, it makes this job a lot tougher because you don’t shed the body heat that you usually do and just wearing the gear adds 10 to 12 degrees to your body temperature, so, in most of these guys are operating at full strength, but it doesn’t take long for them to start to wear down,” Morgan said.

Miller Street is closed between Center and Twiss streets.

It’s not clear where the fire started or what caused it.

Newly unearthed video from 1992 shows future President Donald Trump partying with financier Jeffrey Epstein at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, now a private club, more than a decade before Epstein pleaded guilty to felony prostitution charges in Florida, NBC News reported.

Footage from the November 1992 tape in the NBC archives shows the two wealthy men laughing and pointing as they appear to discuss young and beautiful women dancing at a party. At one point in the video, Trump is seen grabbing a woman toward him and patting her behind.

The footage was taken by NBC for Faith Daniels’ talk show, “A Closer Look,” in a profile of the newly divorced Trump’s lifestyle.

The president said earlier this month he'd had "a falling out" with Epstein and hadn't been in contact for about 15 years. "I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you," Trump said.

A 6-year-old Utah girl who went to a golf course with her father died after being hit on the neck by a ball that he hit, NBC News reported. 

NBC affiliate KSL reported that the girl, identified as Aria Hill, was sitting in a golf cart on a course in Orem, when she was struck. 

David Smith, Aria's uncle, told KSL that the girl's father often took her golfing. He said she was just directly adjacent to her father, who he called an experienced golfer. 

"She was his golfing buddy; she loved doing it and she would always be the one in the cart," he told the station. 

Police Lt. Trent Colledge told the Associated Press they have no plans to press charges over what appeared to be a tragic accident.

Water will be out in part of Berlin for a few hours as the water department works on the water main on Worthington Ridge between Hudson Street and Farmington Avenue.

Police said homes in the area will not have water for the next few hours.

Crews will be digging in the roadway, so police are asking drivers to avoid the area if possible.

This is not the only water issue crews are dealing with in Berlin. 

Police said there is a water main break in the plaza behind Home Depot in the 400 block of the Berlin Turnpike and part of the plaza has no water.

A 19-year-old from Lebanon has died after his motorcycle and a pickup collided in Colchester on Tuesday night.

State police said 19-year-old Joseph Bialczak, of Lebanon, was driving a Yamaha MT-07 east on Route 16 just before Bulkeley Hill Road in Colchester when the crash happened around 9:20 p.m.

The driver of a Chevy Silverado was trying to make a left turn from Bulkeley Hill Road to go west on Route 16 when Bialczak hit the side of the truck and sustained fatal injuries, state police said.

The other driver was not injured.

Three firefighters were taken to the hospital after responding to a two-alarm fire at a sushi restaurant on Elm Street in New Haven.

Firefighters were called to the Kumo sushi bar after getting a report of a fire there shortly before 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Two of the firefighters who were taken to the hospital suffered heat exhaustion and one sustained cuts. None of the injuries are life-threatening, according to officials.

Officials said the fire appears to have started in the basement of the restaurant and spread to the first floor.

There are apartments above the restaurant, according to firefighters, and a family was evacuated from the fourth floor. Officials said residents should be able to return to their homes after the fire marshal checks them.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.