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Fotis Dulos Appears For Deposition in Civil Case

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The estranged husband of missing New Canaan mother Jennifer Dulos was at a West Hartford law office on Tuesday morning to give a deposition in a civil case against him.

Fotis Dulos was accompanied by his attorney, William Murray, as he arrived.

Dulos was there to answer questions in a deposition in a case brought by Gloria Farber, the mother of Jennifer Dulos.

Farber, representing the estate of her late husband, claims Dulos and his company, the Fore Group, owe money that her husband lent to Dulos before his death.

The deposition comes nearly three months after the disappearance of Jennifer Dulos. She has not been found. Fotis Dulos and his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, are charged with tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution in that case.

Speaking prior to the deposition in the civil case, Dulos' attorney said there are many factors to consider about Farber's claim that his client owes her money.

"Those claims have no merit and the public should be mindful of the context in which those claims were asserted. In fact, it's telling that the claims were not asserted until after Mr. Farber's death and the commencement of the custody dispute between Mr. Dulos and his wife, Jennifer," Murray said.

He said he believes Farber is using the other cases against Dulos as leverage in this civil case.

"It's also clear that the intention of the civil matters is to destroy Mr. Dulos' reputation, alienate him from his children, and destroy his business," Murray said.

An attorney for Farber said he will not be making a comment on the matter.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Wayfair to Open First Permanent Store at Massachusetts Mall

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Massive online retailer Wayfair is about to make its first foray into permanent physical stores, opening its first lasting brick-and-mortar location Wednesday at the Natick Mall in Massachusetts.

Wayfair customers can buy products from the showroom at the store or schedule delivery. They can also order custom furniture.

The Boston-based company also opened pop-up shops this month in malls in Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia, but the Natick Mall location is Wayfair's first permanent store, according to a news release.

"Consumers can visit the Wayfair store for inspiration, select from hundreds of items available off-the-shelf, and shop Wayfair's full catalog of 14 million products across every style and price point, all with the helpful support of trusted design consultants at every step," said Ed Macri, Wayfair's chief product and marketing officer, in a statement.

The location will feature a "Home Bar" for design advice and ideas as well as a "Room Planner" to help shoppers visualize how products will look in their homes.

Wayfair isn't the only online retailer to begin opening stores as it grows. Mattress maker Casper is planning to roll out physical stores after becoming well known as digital-only company, and glasses maker Warby Parker now has about 100 locations, according to CNBC.

Wayfair reported $2.34 billion in quarterly sales earlier this month, though it also reported a larger-than-expected loss, causing its stock to drop, CNBC reported. Stocks have been down from their historic peak in March.

In June, hundreds of people participated in a protest at Copley Square, planned as an employee walkout from Wayfair headquarters in Boston, to protest the company's decision to furnish a detention camp for migrant children at the U.S.-Mexico border.



Photo Credit: John Horner Photography, Handout

Actually, Laws Do Apply to White Claw Drinkers, Police in Maine Say

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In response to the hard seltzer craze that has taken the nation by storm, police in Portland, Maine, "cleared the air" and issued a warning to drinkers of one particular brand.

The department took to Twitter Monday to address the phrase "ain't no laws when you're drinking claws," which people often say when drinking White Claw hard seltzer.

"Here in Portland, laws still apply even when you're drinking claws. Or drinking anything else. RT to keep your 'bros' out of trouble," the Portland Police tweeted.

The phrase was coined by comedian Trevor Wallace in a video he shared in June. The video has been viewed over 30 million times across social media platforms as of Tuesday. Wallace was forced to stop selling shirts with the phrase after he received a cease and desist from White Claw, according to VinePair.

Wallace addressed the controversy saying, "Apparently there r laws when you mess w/ the Cl*ws." This prompted White Claw's main competitor, Truly Hard Seltzer, to respond with the hashtag #NoRulysWhenYoureDrinkingTrulys.

Together, White Claw and Truly account for 85 percent of total hard seltzer sales in the United States, according to research firm Nielsen. However, White Claw is the clear number one, accounting for a whopping 55 percent of hard seltzer sales.

While spiked drinks aren't a new phenomenon — think of Mike's Hard Lemonade — hard seltzers shot to popularity this summer. White Claw rolled out in June 2016 but only became a popular Google search this May.



Photo Credit: Getty Images, File

More Mosquitoes Test Positive for EEE, West Nile Virus

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Mosquitoes trapped in Madison and Voluntown have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis and mosquitoes in several more towns have tested positive for West Nile virus, according to the state.

The mosquito in Madison was trapped on August 8 in Cedar Swamp along Route 80.

In Voluntown, three mosquitoes trapped at Mt. Misery in Pachaug State Forest on August 13 tested positive for EEE.

It is the second time mosquitoes trapped there tested positive for the disease.

The state closed two campgrounds in Pachaug State Forest last week after seven mosquitoes trapped there tested positive for EEE.

Scientists from the state Department of Agriculture Experiment Station also determined mosquitoes in nine towns tested positive for West Nile virus.

Those towns are:

 

  • Chester - Cockaponset State Forest
  • East Haven - Kenneth Street
  • Greenwich - Civic Center
  • Groton - U.S. Naval Base
  • New Haven - Beaver Pond Park
  • North Haven - Quinnipiac River Park
  • North Stonington - Pawcatuck River
  • South Windsor - Burgess Road
  • Wethersfield - Goff Road

NH Women Ask US Supreme Court to Toss Topless Ban

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Three New Hampshire women have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional a city ordinance banning women from going topless in public, NBC News reported.

Ginger Pierro was first arrested in 2016 for doing yoga topless at a lakeside beach in Laconia, followed by two other women protesting several days later.

The city has a law banning public nudity, including "the showing of the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering any part of the nipple." The New Hampshire Supreme Court rejected their appeal, acknowledging that the law treats men and women differently but saying the sexes "are not fungible" when it comes to the traditional understanding of nudity.

While most lower courts have ruled the same way, a federal appeals court struck down a topless ban in Colorado this February.



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Winsted Couple Embezzled $50K from Elderly Client: Police

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A Winsted couple is accused of embezzling money from an elderly woman while working for Companions and Homemakers.

According to Winsted Police, 45-year-old Terrance Sutherland and 43-year-old Mindy Sutherland turned themselves in on an active arrest warrant. Police say the pair embezzled around $50,000 from a 95-year-old client over a five-year period.

They area each charged with first-degree larceny and third-degree forgery.

No other details were immediately available.

RMV Official Loses Job Amid NH Motorcycle Crash Record Scandal

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Another Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles official is out of their job in the wake of the deadly motorcycle crash that killed seven people in June.

The director of the RMV's Merit Rating Board, Thomas Bowes, was let go during a meeting of the board on Tuesday by a unanimous vote. The board keeps traffic law violations, certain insurance claim records and out-of-state driving records.

"Clearly there needs to be some new leadership and a new path at the MRB going forward," board member Glenn Kaplan said.

Bowes' termination comes as lawmakers probe lapses at the RMV exposed by the deadly June 21 crash in Randolph, New Hampshire. Seven members of a New England motorcycle club were killed when a truck pulling a car hauler crashed into the group.

Registrar Erin Deveney resigned days later, after it became clear that the driver of the truck should have been suspended from driving but state officials failed to act on two notifications they received from Connecticut about him being arrested in May.

At Tuesday's hearing, Bowes acknowledged the lapses the state has found in the RMV's handling of a backlog of out-of-state notifications that should have flagged the driver's record.

"The tragedy that occurred on June 21 should never have happened. As the director of the Merit Rating Board, I take full responsibility for the role my department played in this event," Bowes said.

After the meeting finished, Bowes' lawyer called Bowes a scapegoat, saying, "You could select 22 people, 50 people, that weren't doing their jobs for years."

But he said Bowes wouldn't fight the termination.

Kaplan lamented that the board hadn't met in years.



Photo Credit: NBC10 Boston
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Hartford Police Seize Misused Disabled Parking Placards

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Hartford police say they seized 27 improperly used disabled parking placards at the two most recent concerts at Xfinity Theatre.

Hartford does not charge legitimate tag holders the parking fee at the venue. Those who misuse tags take spaces away from those who need them, so officers check placard numbers and IDs at the gate.

Misused tags may be seized and unauthorized use can lead to a fine of $150 for the first offense, and $250 for any additional offenses.

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Photo Credit: Hartford Police Department
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USDA: Washing Raw Chicken Puts You at Risk for Illness

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It's an age-old debate that has divided the culinary community and earlier this year sparked a lively debate on social media: To wash or not to wash raw poultry.

Legendary chef Julia Childs was a proponent of washing raw chicken, and often advised viewers of her cooking shows to do the same.

But, health experts have for years advised against washing raw poultry and on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued their strongest warning yet after a new study by the federal agency revealed just how easily bacteria can spread to other foods and surfaces.   

The USDA says any bacteria on raw chicken, like salmonella, ride misting water droplets out from the sink in a process known as "aerosolization," splattering the food-prep area in a 2-3 foot radius.  

The agency's study found that of the participants who washed their raw poultry, 60% had bacteria in their sink after rinsing the poultry and 14% still had bacteria after they attempted to sanitize it. Even more concerning, according to the USDA, 26% of participants that washed raw poultry transferred bacteria from that raw poultry to their ready to eat salad lettuce. 

"The public health implications of these findings should be of concern to everyone," said Dr. Mindy Brashears, the USDA’s Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety. "Even when consumers think they are effectively cleaning after washing poultry, this study shows that bacteria can easily spread to other surfaces and foods. The best practice is not to wash poultry."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, raw poultry is often contaminated with potentially harmful bacteria like Campylobacter, and, less frequently, salmonella and Clostridium perfringens.

Eating undercooked chicken, or anything contaminated by raw chicken and its juices can lead to food poisoning, the CDC warns. The USDA estimates that millions of Americans are sickened with foodborne illnesses each year, resulting in roughly 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths.

The USDA recommends three steps to take to help prevent illness when preparing poultry, or meat, at home.

 

  1. Significantly decrease your risk by preparing foods that will not be cooked, such as vegetables and salads, before handling and preparing raw meat and poultry.
  2. Thoroughly clean and sanitize any surface that has potentially touched or been contaminated from raw meat and poultry, or their juices. Clean sinks and countertops with hot soapy water and then apply a sanitizer. Wash hands immediately after handling raw meat and poultry. Wet your hands with water, lather with soap and then scrub your hands for 20 seconds.
  3. Destroy any illness causing bacteria by cooking meat and poultry to a safe internal temperature as measured by a food thermometer. Beef, pork, lamb and veal (steaks, roasts and chops) are safe to eat at 145°F. Ground meats (burgers) are safe to eat at 160°F. Poultry (whole or ground) are safe to eat at 165°F.

 

In May, the CDC sparked a debate on social media after advising people to not wash raw chicken.  In a tweet, the CDC urged consumers to avoid washing raw chicken saying that "During washing, chicken juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops."

Some users called the advice "terrible" and vowed to keep washing their chicken, hands and sink. However, the USDA notes in its report titled "Washing Raw Poultry: Our Science, Your Choice," that traces of bacteria were still found in sinks after participants attempted to clean them. The USDA says the debate in favor of washing raw poultry is not backed by science.

But if you've been rinsing your chicken your whole life, don't feel too bad: A Drexel University survey found 90 percent of Americans do the same, NBC News reported.

The CDC has more details on salmonella prevention on its website.



Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Bridgeport Fire Capt. Accused of Stealing $15K From Minority Organization

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A Bridgeport fire captain has been arrested, accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the department's minority organization.

The vice president of the organization, called the Firebirds, went to police last month to report the organization's former president, Captain Darrien Penix, had stolen $15,230.18 from the group using the Firebirds' checking account and debit card.

According to police, the complainant told them Penix used the debit card and a credit card on personal expenses ranging from car repairs to trips for himself.

The complainant told officers that Penix texted him that he "f***ed up royally," and wanted to know how much he owed back to the organization, police said. He also asked if charges were being pressed so that he could know how much his bond would be, according to police.

Penix was arrested on Monday on second-degree larceny charges.

"We are disappointed to hear of these allegations and will take any further appropriate actions if these charges are found to be true," Bridgeport Fire Chief Richard Thode said.

Penix has been placed on administrative leave with pay during the investigation.



Photo Credit: Bridgeport Police

Trump Says He's Considering Payroll Tax Cut to Boost Economy

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President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he’s considering a payroll tax cut as one of several possible ways to stimulate the economy — a comment that comes just a day after the White House dismissed reports that such a move was being considered. 

"Payroll tax is something that we think about, and a lot of people would like to see that, and that very much affects the workers of our country," Trump said at the White House.

He had been asked about reports that members of his administration were discussing such a tax cut to combat a possible economic slowdown.



Photo Credit: AP

Killingworth Man Accused of Sexually Assaulting Girl For Years

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A Killingworth man is accused of sexually assaulting a young girl in his care multiple times over the course of several years.

Connecticut State Police arrested 74-year-old Steven Azzaro Tuesday. He is charged with first-degree sexual assault, third-degree sexual assault, and risk of injury to a minor.

According to the arrest warrant, Azzaro and his wife often watched the victim and her brother at their home in Killingworth. In March, the victim and her mother reported the alleged abuse to police, saying it began as far back as 2007 and continued for years.

In an interview with police, the victim said Azzaro would touch her inappropriately and shower with her. She claimed Azzaro made her touch his penis, and that she saw him masturbating, according to the arrest warrant. The victim claimed Azzaro always told her not to tell anyone and she didn’t for years, but eventually told some friends and her mother.

The victim said her brother and Azzaro’s wife were in the home when the abuse happened, but in other areas and did not know what was happening.

According to the warrant, Azzaro denied the allegations and said the victim did not remember things accurately.

Azzaro was arrested and held on a $100,000 bond. He is due in court Wednesday.



Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police

Violin Passed Down for Generations Stolen From Windsor Home

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When burglars broke into a Windsor family’s home, they stole the obvious things of value - cash, credit cards, and jewelry - but they also walked away with something priceless - a late 1800s French violin passed down for generations.

Tim Lawrence hopes the public can help reunite him with his family’s prized possession

The violin is a family heirloom passed down for generations since it was gifted to his great-grandfather.

Lawrence came home from a Monday movie matinee when he knew something was wrong.

“Every drawer was open and things were on the floor and rifled through, and I looked into the music room over here and I realized my violin and its case were gone from the couch.”

Lawrence says the suspects used a crow bar to break the lock on his downstairs slider door.

“When the robbery happened and I realized it was gone, it hit the deepest. It’s like I lost a limb. It was like something was taken that’s a part of me.”

The thieves ignored many of Lawrence’s other instruments in his music room and just left with his favorite.

“I have no idea. Maybe they just took a shine to it because they saw it? It was out of the case, which I don’t normally do, but I left the house for a few hours, you don’t think about things like that.”

Now he’s hoping someone will find the fiddle, so he can continue his family’s tradition of passing his great-grandfather’s violin down to his kids.

“Gold pocket watch that my wife gave me on our first trip to Ireland together has meaning to me, but the memory of that, it’s not something that will go away, so I still feel that, but I want my fiddle back that’s a different story.”

If you happen to stumble upon the special violin at a pawn shop or perhaps for sale online, the Lawrence family would love it if you called Windsor Police.

Here are some defining details of their violin that Lawrence posted on his Facebook: : late 1800s French violin with "Conservatory Violin" carved into the back of the scroll (top part with pegs), with a small burn mark at top left f-hole (campfire ember, alas), lighter maple with striking striping on the back. One bow with "FP Brown" engraved on the frog (handle part). Another bow nondescript German. The case is distinctive: Calton flight case, burgundy color, heavy, rectangular. There are three red sea turtles on top middle of case. If the nameplate is still on it, it says T. Lawrence with a Maine 207 phone number.



Photo Credit: Family Photo

Alabama Man Travels Country Mowing Lawns for Those in Need

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A man from Alabama made it his mission to mow at least one lawn for the needy in every state. Tuesday, he stopped in Connecticut.

“I go around and mow free lawns for the elderly, disabled, sickly, the elderly and veterans,” Rodney Smith Jr. of Huntsville, Alabama. “I’m teaming up with police.”

Along with West Hartford Police, Smith cleaned up a yard for the owner. Police say he can’t do it himself.

“It feels great,” said Detective Jeremy Tangarone. “The guys are into it.“

Smith started the Raising Men Lawn Care Service in Huntsville, Alabama in 2015.

“I came across an elderly man outside mowing his lawn,” said Smith. “It looked like he was struggling so I pulled over and I helped him out. Ever since then I started mowing lawns for the elderly, disabled, Single parents and veterans.”

He’s on his sixth tour mowing lawns in all 50 states.

Rodney drives from state to state. His trip across the nation takes him about a month.

“Connecticut is one of my top five places to come too,” said Smith. “I would start a family here if I could. It's just a beautiful place.”



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

CT Father Charged in Island Resort Murder Speaks Out

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A father from Darien took his family on vacation earlier this year to the island of Anguilla, and their lives haven't been the same since. He has been charged in the murder of a resort employee who the family says tried to rob them. NBC 4 New York's Rana Novini reports.


Boats Crash on Bantam Lake in Litchfield

Farmington Company Ultimate Nutrition Closes Abruptly

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Employees with a Farmington-based nutritional supplement company Ultimate Nutrition are looking for answers after finding themselves out of work without warning.

Former workers have voiced their frustration online, including Chris Kingsbury. Kingsbury says he arrived ready to work at the Ultimate Nutrition headquarters but found a sign on the door telling him he had been terminated from the company.

“We didn’t receive any indication that this was happening,” said Kingsbury. “All of us were expecting that we would be able to continue our fruitful employment there and be able to do professional-level work and now there’s nothing.”

On Monday a sign posted on the front door read: “If you are reading this, please be informed that your employment has been terminated effective August 17, 2019. A packet of information will be sent to your mailing address within the next few days. If you do not receive the packet or have any questions you can contact us by writing to us at P.O. Box 643, Farmington CT 06034. If you have any company property please mail it back to P.O. Box 643, Farmington, CT 06034. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.”

Kingsbury says Ultimate Nutrition employs between 100 to 150 employees at three different locations.

“There are people that have been here for over 20 years and they were just let go without any notice,” said Kingsbury. “People who had just been brought on as department managers are now without jobs.”

The maker of nutritional supplements is registered with the Chamber of Commerce, which says they were unaware of the business closing. The Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce issued this statement to NBC Connecticut:

“We have not been contacted by Ultimate Nutrition and we are unaware of the closures. We hope Ultimate Nutrition reaches out to the Department of Labor Response Team to help any individual that has lost their jobs to get assistance and enrolled in the unemployment programs to find a new position.”

But according to the Department of Labor, Ultimate Nutrition reports that employers are required to file notice with the Department of Labor if they have more than 100 full-time employees.

NBC Connecticut has made several attempts since Monday morning to get any information or comment from Ultimate Nutrition but has yet to receive a response.

As for Kingsbury, he’s working to find employment to support his family including his 9-year-old son, Riley.

“If you had come to us a week before hand or a day before hand or six months before hand and says we’re going to produce as much as we can but the company just isn’t going to be in business at day x that would’ve been at least understandable,” said Kingsbury. “It would’ve been respectable but to let us go like that is really low class.”

The Department of Labor says they have received a few calls from employees and are working with them to apply for unemployment benefits, file a complaint about not receiving wages or to receive job-seeking counseling and other services.

Kingsbury says that he and other former employees are working together to find other long-term positions.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Man Accused of Stealing Co-Workers' Underwear

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A man accused of breaking into his co-workers’ homes and stealing their underwear was in court in New Britain Tuesday.

The alleged crime happened in August of last year, when police say they found a bag in the suspect’s car with 17 pairs of women’s underwear inside.

According to court documents obtained by NBC Connecticut, one of the women got a notification from her security system saying there was movement in her house. When she texted her husband asking him if he was home and he said no, she knew something was wrong. She watched remotely and recognized the man inside their home was her co-worker, Robert Brown.

Shortly after, Wethersfield Police arrested him near the home, later finding a shopping bag in his car containing the underwear as well as adult novelties and other items.

The woman, who was a longtime administrator at the Stew Leonard’s in Newington, identified some of the underwear as her own. A few days later, a female cashier who worked at the same store identified a few of the other pairs found as hers.

On Tuesday, Brown faced charges of burglary in the third-degree and larceny in the sixth-degree, but his case was continued to September 25, 2019. Brown pled not guilty to the charges back in February.

“The charges against my client are both overstated and exaggerated,” said Brown’s attorney, H Brian Dumeer, in an exclusive interview with NBC Connecticut.

Dumeer, who works at Carlson & Dumeer, LLC in Middletown, would not say whether his client knew the alleged victims outside of the workplace prior to the incidents.

“The allegations surrounding this matter are certainly not indicative of my client’s character,” Dumeer added.

NBC Connecticut reached out to the attorney representing the alleged victims and she did not want to comment.

Now, the women involved in the case also want to hold their employer accountable for what happened. They are suing Stew Leonard Holdings LLC, claiming they failed to protect them and their belongings.

In the civil lawsuit obtained by NBC Connecticut, the women claim Robert Brown took their keys from their locker and office—even going so far to take a picture of one of their drivers licenses to get an address. Wethersfield Police documents also describe said photo, which they found on the suspect’s cell phone.

Police say that’s how he was able to break into their homes and steal their underwear.

NBC Connecticut spoke to women in the area about the case.

“I think that is disgusting,” said one woman, “I think people have no respect for other people’s stuff.”

“If one of your employees feels unsafe, then you should probably do something about that,” another local woman said.

In a statement to NBC Connecticut on the matter, Stew Leonard Jr. said in part, “As the father of four daughters – all of whom have worked at stew’s – I’m very sensitive to creating a safe and friendly environment. I’m really saddened by these allegations.”

Man Critically Injured During Fight at Bristol Party

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Three people are accused of attacking a man during a party in Bristol Monday, causing severe head injuries.

Police said they responded to a 911 call for a fight at 76 Bartholomew St. around 11 p.m. Monday. When they arrived they found the victim with a serious head wound. He was taken to Bristol Hospital then transported to St. Francis where he is listed in critical condition.

Police identified three suspects involved in the attack, 43-year-old Gabor Cirok, 37-year-old Heather Duperry, and a 16-year-old who was not identified. The adult suspects were charged with first-degree assault and accessory to assault and held on $750,000 bonds.

The case remains under investigation and more arrests are expected. Anyone with information should contact Detective Dauphinais at 860-314-4566.

Funding Failures Prompt Early Exit of Foundation Program Leader

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The person overseeing the program helping so many suffering from concrete crumbling beneath their homes told NBC Connecticut Investigates he is stepping down earlier than planned.

He said the state’s inability to consistently fund the program to support homeowners with crumbling concrete is to blame.

Connecticut homes with crumbling foundations have to be lifted clear off their crumbling basements to replace the defective concrete, a costly repair that many simply cannot afford.

These efforts accelerated over the past year, when the Connecticut Foundation Solutions Indemnity Company, or CFSIC, began giving homeowners the money they need to help fix the problem.

Now, this progress may be in jeopardy, with the planned October departure of superintendent Mike Maglaras, the person who arguably played the largest role in setting it up.

Maglaras told NBC Connecticut Investigates, “My original intention was to stay on through the sunset date of June 30 of 2022, replace 800 single family dwellings, 150 to 175 condominiums, show real success, but the funding is defeating us.”

The plan was to fund CFSIC $100 million over five years, in five $20 million annual installments, each approved by the state bond commission.

Instead, CFSIC had to suspend signing new agreements to fix homes earlier this month, because the bond commission, overseen by Governor Ned Lamont, has failed to get the program its next $20 million, according to Maglaras.

“I can’t run a business if I don’t know when my cash will arrive. I can’t run a business if I don’t even know if it will arrive. The month. The year. I can’t make payroll, I can’t write checks to contractors, I can’t put deposits down. Those contractors in turn can’t hire staff, can’t buy new equipment. That’s the problem. The largest reason for me to make the decision I made to step down is funding. The predictability of funding.”

Maglaras said in many cases CFSIC, something called a “captive insurance company,” has not had a high degree of buy-in at the capital.

“I can’t tell you the number of meetings I’ve walked into at the state government, where I’ve introduced myself to someone, and they’ve introduced themselves to me, and they’re almost opening comment is, ‘You know Mike, I want to be clear, I was never a real fan of the formation of the captive insurance company. I was never a real fan of using taxpayer dollars to fix a problem that should be fixed by the commercial insurance industry’.”

Most insurers do not cover crumbling basements.

Lamont’s administration responded to Maglaras’ comments saying, “Governor Lamont is looking for creative solutions to this crisis. He is ready and willing to see this process through.”

The governor has participated in numerous briefings on other innovative approaches to this problem.

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