One man has died and three others were transported to the hospital after a boat capsized in Long Island Sound off Bridgeport on Sunday morning.

Coast Guard Long Island Sound announced over a marine frequency that there was a capsized boat near Middle Ground in Long Island Sound around 10:30 a.m. Officials said there was four people originally on board a 17-foot center counsel boat.

Coast Guard members found three men and took them onto their boat, authorities said. The three people were transported to Bridgeport Water Street Dock, where paramedics began treating them before transporting them to Bridgeport Hospital.

Members of the Bridgeport Police marine unit and Fairfield police marine unit found the fourth person from the boat in the water southwest of the Middle Ground lighthouse, according to police. The man was pulled onto the Bridgeport police boat, where first responders began quickly treating him.

The man was taken off the police boat and into an awaiting ambulance. He was then transported to Bridgeport Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, police said.

Police have not released the man's identity.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact USCG Eaton's Neck at 1-631-261-6959.

Wolcott Animal Control is reminding pet owners to be on alert after a small dog on a leash was grabbed by a coyote on Saturday.

The Wolcott Dog Pound put out a statement warning pet owners not to let their dogs and cats outside alone.

The incident happened on Idlewood Road.

The owner was able to scare the coyote away and the dog is expected to be OK.

Coyotes will attack and kill pets, especially small dogs and cats, but coyote attacks on humans are rare, according to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. If you encounter a coyote, experts suggest making loud noises and acting aggressively to scare the animal away.

Learn more about living with coyotes here.

One person was displaced after a fire at a residence in Norwalk Saturday night.

The incident took place at approximately 8:45 p.m. on Ravenwood Road.

When firefighters arrived, they saw the fire had reached the roof.

Crews entered through the garage to the first level and were able to perform a primary search before concerns of collapsing roof structure caused the evacuation of the building.

Crews then controlled the fire from the outside and entered once it was controlled.

There were no injuries reported in the fire.

The incident is under investigation.

Sleeping on public sidewalks or streets may soon not be an option for homeless people in Las Vegas, NBC News reports. On Nov. 6, the City Council is slated to vote on an ordinance that would make it illegal to camp or sleep on the streets in parts of the city. Drafted in September, the ordinance would make it a misdemeanor to rest, sleep or “lodge” in Las Vegas’ downtown district and other residential areas if shelter beds are available. Those found in violation could be fined up to $1,000 or jailed for up to six months.

If Las Vegas moves forward with the proposal, it would be among scores of cities to impose similar bans. Supporters say the proposed ordinance will help keep homeless people safe and connect them with services.

But the move has met with sharp criticism from advocates for the homeless, who say it will burden the homeless with fines and criminal records that will make it harder for them to find jobs, save up for rental payments and receive government assistance. Critics note that the measure does nothing to address the issues that contribute to homelessness, such as the affordable housing crisis, unemployment and a lack of services to treat mental illness and substance abuse.

After North Carolina's congressional district maps were thrown out by a court last week, Republicans are facing the prospect of having to draw new, fairer boundaries that could give Democrats a boost and put a handful of GOP-held seats in danger, according to experts.

Those existing maps cannot be used for the coming elections, including the March presidential primary, the three-judge panel said last Monday. Experts said that those maps are so favorable to Republicans, it would be hard for Democrats not to be helped by a court-mandated change, NBC News reports.

"Any remotely neutral map would likely result in Democrats' picking up at least two seats in the House," said David Wasserman, House editor for The Cook Political Report and an NBC News contributor and senior analyst with the NBC Election Unit.

A Republican House candidate and two voters have filed a lawsuit in federal court to try to stop the state court injunction, but barring a complete reversal, the boundaries are likely to be redrawn this year.

If you have not yet registered to vote, there are a few options you can take.

You can do Election Day registration at a designated location in each town from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Or, for people who become 18 years old, a U.S. Citizen, or have moved into town between Oct. 30 and Nov. 5, you can obtain and complete an application for voter registration and deliver the application in person to your local town hall no later 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 4.

To register in person, you will need to supply proof of identity and residence. Check with your town hall for details on where to go and what you need to bring.

Sample ballots of the races and candidates where you live are available here.

You can check your designated polling location here.

25 people chose to sleep outside this weekend in South Windsor, and they did it for a good cause reason: to raise awareness about homelessness.

The event was hosted by the charity Hartford Bags of Love.

Participants spent the night at a park and also donated things like sleeping bags and other items for those who deal with this everyday.

"Sleeping out in the cold for one night is nothing compared to what homeless have to deal with every single night. Really, it's not too much of a challenge. And I think the people who stepped up were brave but at the same time, I'm glad that they were here because it shows that there are people who understand and I'm hoping that people leave here with a new sense of empathy," Founder of Hartford Bags of Love Tiernan Cabot said.

Bags of Love is a charity that hands out bags full of basic essentials to the homeless. It was started by now-12-year-old Cabot when he was nine years old.

The battle to become the next mayor of Middletown could be one of the races to watch on Tuesday.

It’s anyone’s guess without any polling who will win and then lead at City Hall.

“I think where we again are moving in the right direction in many, many respects but have a lot of work to do,” said Ben Florsheim, Democratic Candidate for Middletown Mayor.

Florsheim is facing off against Republican Seb Giuliano.

“I love this city. This has been by home,” said Giuliano.

Giuliano, who served three terms as mayor, believes there hasn’t been enough growth in the city and long-term planning.

He’s an attorney and currently serves at the minority leader of the Middletown Common Council.

“Virtually everything I hear is we need you back. We need you back. You know how to run the city. You know what you’re doing. This kid doesn’t know anything,” said Giuliano.

Giuliano raises questions about his opponent’s experience and commitment to Middletown.

Florsheim moved here nine years ago to attend Wesleyan University and after graduation, he did community outreach for Senator Chris Murphy.

“I think the experience I bring to the table from my work all over the state with different local governments and here in Middletown is well suited to the current moment we face,” said Florsheim.

Florsheim believes that background could help with pressing issues.

He thinks voters are more focused on concerns such as education rather than what he calls negative attacks aimed at him from the other side.

Giuliano tells us his campaign brought up legitimate issues.

Soon it will be up to the voters.

“We’ve done everything we can right now,” said Giuliano.

“We’re feeling confidence heading into Tuesday,” said Florsheim.

There is also a write-in candidate, Valeka Clarke. She’s a local democratic activist.

Police are investigating after a man was shot in Groton Sunday afternoon.

The incident happened at approximately 3:08 p.m. in a heavily populated residential area in the Groton Bank section of the city.

The man who was shot is currently being treated at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London. His condition is unknown at this time.

Police are looking for a newer silver car, possibly a Volkswagen, occupied by three men, one with a whity hoodie, regarding their involvement in the incident.

No other information was immediately available.

Gone from the ranks of the unbeatens in 2019 are the New England Patriots.

In a game that’s been billed as the first real test for the team following eight weeks of uninspiring opponents, the Patriots did nothing to dispel the notion they’ve merely been taking advantage of weaker teams in a 37-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens which drops them to 8-1 on the season.

While New England should be commended for picking up the pieces following a disastrous first quarter, which saw Baltimore outgain it, 133-4, the team had numerous costly mistakes of its own in the midst of what at times was a spirited comeback attempt.

Trailing 17-0 following Gus Bradley’s 12-yard touchdown run less than a minute into the second quarter, the Patriots trimmed their deficit to 17-13 by halftime and were moving the ball with relative ease to begin the third quarter when Julian Edelman fumbled fighting for additional yardage. The loose ball was subsequently scooped up by Marlon Humphrey for a 70-yard touchdown.

New England continued moving the ball on its next series, which culminated in a James White 1-yard touchdown run, to get within 24-20.

Baltimore responded with a 14-play, 81-yard scoring drive, a 5-yard touchdown pass for Nick Boyle -- who said during the week “we'll see how good they are once we play them” in reference to the Patriots’ defense -- the capper.

Tom Brady chucked up a deep ball intended for Mohamed Sanu with New England back on offense that lingered up for Ravens safety Earl Thomas to settle under like a center fielder at nearby Camden Yards for an interception.

Penalties are a massive part of the story of New England’s demise on Sunday, too, particularly on the Ravens’ drive which followed the pick for Thomas. Dont’a Hightower was flagged for being off-sides and Jason McCourty for illegal hands to the face, each play coming on third down which only made matters worse. The Patriots were penalized seven times for 48 yards in all.

Lamar Jackson mostly lived up to the hype for Baltimore, completing 17 of 23 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown pass while rushing for 63 yards and two more touchdowns. He helped the Ravens possess the ball nearly twice as long as the Patriots did, orchestrating back-to-back scoring drives which lasted 8:09 and 9:35.

If there's any sort of good news from a Patriots perspective, it's that Sanu appears to be grasping the offense quickly. After having just two catches for 24 yards in his debut, the former Falcon matched his career high with 10 grabs on Sunday for 81 yards, including his first touchdown reception since joining the team less than two weeks ago. 

Brady, who received little to no help from the offensive line and running game, completed 30 of 46 passes for 285 yards with a touchdown and interception.

This loss will sting for awhile, as the Patriots enter their bye week. They'll next be in action on Sunday, Nov. 17 in Philadelphia for a rematch of Super Bowl LII (and XXXIX) at 4:25 p.m. They're next home on Sunday, Nov. 24 for a matchup with Dallas.

Crews are working to repair a water main break in Newington on Monday morning.

Metropolitan District officials said an eight-inch water main that was installed in 1976 broke near 90 Eagle Drive. 

The shut down is affecting about 15 houses from 122 Eagle Drive to Groveland Terrace, authorities said.

Repairs are expected to take between four to six hours and should be completed between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., officials added.

A woman was shot in an apartment in Bridgeport on Sunday night, according to police.

They said they received a 911 call around 10:39 p.m. indicating that a woman was shot in the arm inside one of the Greene Homes apartments.

Police said the woman’s injuries are not life-threatening.

Two men are recovering from injuries after a shooting in New Haven late Sunday night.

Officers were called to the St. Raphael campus of Yale-New Haven Hospital around 11 p.m. to investigate a report of two people who were shot.

Police said they identified a 27-year-old man and a 24-year-old man, both of New Haven, who were each suffering from one gunshot wound. Their injuries were determined to be non-life threatening.

Investigators are working to learn more about the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact New Haven Police Department at (203) 946-6304.

The Torrington Fire Department is warning of a potential financial scam on Monday.

Firefighters said they learned of a possible scam that was using information and implying that an unauthorized charge was made and attributed to the Torrington Fire Department.

According to the fire department, they do not process electronic money transfers of any kind.

Anyone that notices any unauthorized electronic debt or money transfers are asked to contact police, fire officials added.

While Congress heard closed-door testimony last week about President Donald Trump pushing Ukraine to investigate his opponents, Rudy Giuliani was holding his own private Ukraine meeting in his Manhattan office with former Ukrainian diplomat Andriy Telizhenko, who alleges that Ukraine's government conspired with the Democratic National Committee to hurt Trump in 2016, NBC News reported. 

"We discussed what's happening in Ukraine, political updates, what the new (Ukrainian presidential) team is up to, what are the reforms going to be," Telizhenko said in an interview with NBC News. Giuliani has interviewed him for hours about his Ukraine allegations, although Telizhenko said their most recent meeting wasn’t focused on investigations. "We're friends now. He respects our country." 

Far from keeping their heads down, those working in common cause with the president's and Giuliani's campaign to get Ukraine to investigate Trump's political opponents are moving ahead unabated, interviews in Kyiv and Washington with several of those involved reveal.  

Their efforts come despite intense scrutiny from Congress, law enforcement and the media. Under oath, a parade of current and former U.S. officials have testified that Trump and his envoys leveraged a coveted White House meeting and military aid to Ukraine to pressure new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to commit publicly to investigations into both the 2016 election and the Biden family. 

In Ukraine, a group of parliamentarians are even working to stand up a new investigative commission — the Ukrainian analogue to a congressional select committee — to probe what they say was a Ukrainian government campaign to smear former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort in a bid to take down Trump in 2016. They also want to investigate the Bidens. 

Read NBC News' full story here.

A South Windsor Parks and Recreation building is closed because of a natural gas issue over the weekend. 

On Sunday, firefighters were called to the old Wapping Elementary School, which is currently the parks and recreation building, for a "gas issue" in the basement boiler room and the building will remain closed for inspection and repairs. 

One person was in the room at the time of the incident and was evaluated but refused medical treatment. 

The preschool programs were canceled for Monday and parents were notified. 

Meetings and other programs scheduled for Monday evening have not been cancelled. Repairs are underway and a determination will be made later today on whether they will go on.

Town officials said the staff is working to notify people who are impacted.

The first four Democratic debates of the 2020 presidential election are in the bag and the fifth will take place on Nov. 20. 

When and How to Watch the 2020 Democratic Presidential Debates

The Democratic National Committee has approved up to 12 debates, with six scheduled for 2019 and six more set for 2020. 

The Next Debate
MSNBC and The Washington Post will co-host the fifth Democratic presidential primary debate in Atlanta, Georgia, on Nov. 20. It will be held at Tyler Perry Studios and all four debate moderators will be women, MSNBC announced. The debate will air from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. live on MSNBC and Radio One. It will also stream on MSNBC.com and the Post's website, as well as across mobile devices via NBC News and the Post's mobile apps and Urban One's digital platforms.

Previous Debates
The New York Times and CNN co-hosted the fourth presidential debatein Westerville, Ohio, at Otterbein University on Oct. 15, with 12 candidates sharing the stage over three hours. It was the second primary debate of the cycle hosted by CNN and the first for the Times in more than a decade, the newspaper reported. 

ABC News' hosted the third debate on Sept. 12 at Texas Southern University in Houston. The debate was harder to qualify for than the first two (more on that below), and that higher threshold combined with a winnowing candidate pool meant this was the first of the 2020 Democratic debates to feature all the highest polling candidates on stage at the same time.

CNN hosted its debate on July 30 and 31 from Detroit, Michigan. Qualifying rules were the same as for the first debate.

The first debate, sponsored by NBC News, MSNBC, and Telemundo, took place on June 26 and June 27 at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, Florida. Watch everything each candidate said on night one and night two. 

The Democrats Who Appear to Have Qualified for MSNBC's November Debate Are

• Former Vice President Joe Biden
• Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts
• Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont
• Sen. Kamala Harris of California
• South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg
• Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey
• Entrepreneur Andrew Yang
• Billionaire activist Tom Steyer
• Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
  

The 12 Democrats Who Qualified for the Fourth Presidential Primary Debate in Ohio Were

• Sen. Klobuchar
• Sen. Booker
• Mayor Buttigieg
• Sen. Sanders
• Former Vice President Biden
• Sen. Warren
• Sen. Harris
• Entrepreneur Yang
• Former Rep. O’Rourke 
• Former housing secretary Castro
• Billionaire activist Steyer
• Rep. Gabbard

The 10 Democrats Who Made the Third Presidential Primary Debate Lineup in Detroit Were

ABC News said the following podium order (left to right) was set by polling averages, with the highest polling candidates closest to the center of the debate stage:

• Sen. Klobuchar 
• Sen. Booker
• South Bend Mayor Buttigieg
• Sen. Sanders 
• Former Vice President Biden
• Sen. Warren
• Sen. Harris 
• Entrepreneur Yang
• Former Rep. O’Rourke
• Former HUD Secretary Castro

Here is a look at top moments from the debate, where the top leaders in the polls all shared the stage for the first time. 

The 20 Democrats Who Made the Second Presidential Primary Debate Lineup in Detroit Were

CNN held a live drawing on July 18 to determine the debate order for each night.

The first group of 10 on Tuesday, July 30, were:
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, Mayor Buttigieg, Rep. John Delaney of Maryland, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Sen. Klobuchar, former Rep. O’Rourke, Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, Sen. Sanders, Sen. Warren and Williamson, the author.

The second group of 10 on Wednesday, July 31, were:
Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, former Vice President Biden, Sen. Booker, former HUD Secretary Castro, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Rep. Gabbard, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Sen. Harris, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Yang.

Here are a few more things to know about the CNN debate.

• Night one included Sanders and Warren, who have each staked out aggressive, progressive policy positions. They did not go after each other as some predicted they might. 
• Night two featured a rematch of Harris and Biden. During the first debate, Harris went after Biden over his record on race, in a moment that led the news in the days afterward.
• Montana Gov. Steve Bullock made the debate stage for the first time, having secured his spot after Rep. Eric Swalwell of California exited the race.

The 20 Democrats Who Appeared in the First Presidential Primary Debate in Miami Were

The first group of 10 who appeared on Wednesday, June 26: Sen. Booker, Sen. Warren, former Rep. O’Rourke, Sen. Klobuchar, former Rep. Delaney, Rep. Gabbard, former HUD Secretary Castro, Rep. Ryan, New York City Mayor de Blasio and Washington Gov. Inslee.  

NBC News has a full transcript here.

More coverage from night one: 

The second group of 10 who appeared on Thursday, June 27: Sen. Harris, former Vice President Biden, South Bend Mayor Buttigieg, Sen. Sanders, Sen. Gillibrand, Sen. Bennet, Williamson, Rep. Swalwell, Yang and Gov. Hickenlooper of Colorado.

NBC News has a full transcript here.

More coverage from night two:

Three candidates who failed to make the cut for the first debate were Gov. Bullock, Rep. Moulton, and Miramar Mayor Messam. 

Here is more information about all the candidates.

How Candidates Qualified for the First Two Democratic Presidential Primary Debates

In February, the DNC published specific debate guidelines spelling out what  candidates have to do to participate. 

Democratic candidates could qualify for the first and second debates by meeting one of the two following sets of criteria:

Criteria 1- Polling Method: Participants must register 1% or more support in three polls (which may be national polls, or polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and/or Nevada) publicly released between Jan. 1, 2019, and 14 days prior to the date of the debate. Qualifying polls will be limited to those sponsored by one or more of the following organizations/institutions: Associated Press, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Des Moines Register, Fox News, Las Vegas Review Journal, Monmouth University, NBC News, New York Times, National Public Radio (NPR), Quinnipiac University, Reuters, University of New Hampshire, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, Winthrop University. Any candidate’s three qualifying polls must be conducted by different organizations, or if by the same organization, must be in different geographical areas.

Criteria 2 - Grassroots Fundraising Method: Candidates may qualify for the debate by demonstrating that the campaign has received donations from at least (1) 65,000 unique donors; and (2) a minimum of 200 unique donors per state in at least 20 U.S. states.  

If more than 20 candidates had qualified, here is how a tiebreaker would have worked, according to NBC News. Candidates who met both the polling and fundraising criteria would get preference. If that still didn't winnow the field, then preference would go to candidates with the highest polling average.    

How Candidates Were Selected for the Third and Fourth Debates

For the third and fourth debates, the DNC essentially doubled the polling and fundraising thresholds set for the first two debates — and required candidates to meet both standards, instead of just one or the other, NBC News reported.

Candidates needed to register at least 2 percent in four major polls conducted this summer and receive donations from at least 130,000 individual donors, including at least 400 in 20 states.

Since only 10 candidates qualified for ABC News' debate under the new standards, they all appeared on stage together for one night. The fourth debate will feature 12 canidates, also on one night. 

How Candidates Qualify for the Fifth Debate

The fifth Democratic presidential primary debate on Nov. 20, to be co-hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post in Georgia, will become a little tougher for candidates to qualify. 

Candidates must have 165,000 unique donors, with at least 600 of those each coming from at least 20 states. 

Poll requirements will inch up to 3% in at least four national or early state polls. Or, a candidate could hit 5% support in two early state polls. The change would reward a candidate's momentum in Iowa and New Hampshire, The Associated Press reported.

Who Is Moderating the Democratic Debates?

The fifth debate on Nov. 20 will be moderated by Rachel Maddow, host of "The Rachel Maddow Show" on MSNBC; Andrea Mitchell, host of "Andrea Mitchell Reports" on MSNBC and NBC News' chief foreign affairs correspondent; Kristen Welker, NBC News' White House correspondent; and Ashley Parker, a White House reporter for The Washington Post.

Previous Moderators
CNN anchors Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett co-moderated the fourth debate with The New York Times' national editor, Marc Lacey.

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, David Muir and Linsey Davis and Univision's Jorge Ramos moderated the third debate.

CNN's Dana Bash, Don Lemon and Jake Tapper moderated the second debate on July 30 and 31, the network reported.

There were five moderators for the first debate: "TODAY" co-anchor and NBC News chief legal analyst Savannah Guthrie, "NBC Nightly News" and "Dateline" anchor Lester Holt, "Meet the Press" moderator and NBC News political director Chuck Todd, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow and "Noticias Telemundo" and "NBC Nightly News Saturday" anchor José Diaz-Balart. 

Holt moderated for both hours. Guthrie and Diaz-Balart co-moderated for the first hour, while Todd and Maddow joined Holt for the second hour.

The DNC has said it will have at least one female and non-white moderator at each Democratic presidential debate.

"The DNC is committed to an inclusive and fair debate process," DNC senior adviser Mary Beth Cahill told Refinery29, which first reported the debates would have at least one female moderator. "That means that all 12 DNCsanctioned debates will feature a diverse group of moderators and panelists including women and people of color, ensuring that the conversations reflect the concerns of all Americans."

HuffPost later reported that the debates will also include at least one person of color as a moderator, who could also be the same person as the female moderator. 

Which 2020 Candidates Have Dropped Out of the Race So Far?

• Rep. Swalwell
• Former Sen. Mike Gravel
• Gov. Hickenlooper
• Gov. Inslee
• Rep. Moulton
• Sen. Gillibrand
• Mayor de Blasio
• Rep. Ryan
• Rep. O'Rourke

*Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz both considered running for president but decided against it.

Natalie’s Candy Jar, a self-serve candy store located at several airports throughout the country, has opened one in Connecticut and it’s at Bradley International Airport.  

“Natalie’s Candy Jar is a popular brand with a national footprint, making it a key addition to Bradley’s customer experience,” Kevin Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, said in a statement. “The store’s unique and fun atmosphere coupled with the high quality of candy, sugar-free treats and gifts will be well-received by travelers of all ages.” 

“We are excited and honored to become a part of the Bradley concession community and look forward to offering a large variety of merchandise unique to Natalie’s Candy Jar at Bradley International Airport,” Cielo Taub, managing partner of Natalie’s Candy Jar, said in a news release. 

The candy store will have more than 400 varieties of candies, chocolates and candy-related gift items, according to a news release from Bradley International Airport and the Connecticut Airport Authoritiy. 

The grand opening will be on Monday and travelers will be treated to complimentary, nostalgic candy while supplies last, according to a news release about the store opening. 

Natalie’s Candy Jar is located in the Gates 1 to 12 concourse, between Gates 1 and Gate 3. 

There are Natalie’s Candy Jar locations at the following airports: Dallas-Ft. Worth International, George Bush Intercontinental, Indianapolis International, Cincinnati/Northern KY International, Boston Logan International and Orlando International Airport.

A 45-foot Norway Spruce was cut down on Bristol Street in New Haven on Monday and transported to the New Haven Green. 

Over the next month, city crews will be working to decorate it in anticipation of the official tree lighting on Dec. 5. It will be broadcast live on NBC Connecticut at 7 p.m. 

The tree was donated by the Smith family. They bought their house 30 years ago in September 1989 and at the time the tree was about 6 feet tall. 

“It was great because when we first moved here it was just a little taller than me. I used to decorate it every Christmas,” said Samuel Smith, the homeowner. 

Smith and his neighbors watched over the last few days as crews worked to trim the tree back, wrap it up, shut off all the utilities around their home and cut it down. 

“I think it’s wonderful and I think it’s amazing. I think they couldn’t find a better one than my neighbor’s tree,” said Linda Cox, Smith’s neighbor. 

This year, the tree lighting at the New Haven Green will mean even more to the Smith family and the entire neighborhood. 

“The whole neighborhood has been anticipating the tree going downtown to be put on the green. There’s a lot of excitement. The grandkids are ready, everybody,” said Smith.  

A man arrested in connection with the death of a Meriden mom appeared in court Monday and he is due in court next on Dec. 16.

Jason Watson is accused of strangling his ex-girlfriend, Perrie Mason, just days before she disappeared and has been charged with strangulation, assault, unlawful restraint and disorderly conduct.

He has been named a suspect in her disappearance.

Mason was reported missing in August and her remains were found just days later in Waterbury. 

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled the cause of death as homicidal violence of unknown etiology and the manner of death a homicide.

Police are still investigating and nobody has been charged with her death.

Mason was a single mom of two boys and recently moved her family to Connecticut for a fresh start.