Quantcast
Channel: NBC Connecticut
Viewing all 57608 articles
Browse latest View live

Icy Roads Cause Problems for Monday Commute

$
0
0

After a sunny close to the weekend, where temperatures rose into the 40s, wind chills have brought brutal cold on Monday and caused icy roads. 

A rollover crash on Tolland Turnpike in Willington between Route 32 and Glass Factory Road was one of many crashes this morning. Injuries are reported after a car crashed into a snowbank at Randall Drive and Route 75 in Enfield.

Temperatures will be in the teens inland and high teens to 20s on the shoreline by mid-afternoon on Monday, and black ice due to melting and refreezing has created slippery roads.

With several instances of subzero temperatures reported over the past few weeks, February is on track to become the coldest month on record and wind chills will make it feel sub-zero or in the low single digits in some areas in the evening.

It will be sunny on Tuesday, at about 18 degrees, and Wednesday will likely be partly sunny and in the 20s, but temperatures are expected to drop sub-zero on Tuesday night.

Stay up to date with the latest forecast by downloading our weather app and send your weather photos to shareit@nbcconnecticut.com.


Girl Scout Cookie Cash Theft Arrest

$
0
0

A 23-year-old San Jose man is expected to be arraigned Wednesday after he was arrested after police say he had a tug-of-war with a Girl Scout, yanking her cash box full of profits she and her troop reaped from selling Thin Mints and Samoas.

Cody Phillip Gintz is being held on $50,000 bail after being arrested Sunday on charges of strong arm robbery and taken to the San Jose Main Jail. Attempts to speak to him in jail and an attempt to find an attorney representing him were not immediately successful on Monday.

San Jose police were eventually able to recover the box – a camouflage lunch box with a silver star in the middle used to hold their sales money that Gintz allegedly threw in a creek. All the $600 was returned to the troop.

In fact, the Scouts made even more money after the robbery.

Police officers bought the troops' $240 worth of remaining cookies, and threw in an extra $60. The girls had planned to use the money for a water conservation project, as NBC Bay Area first reported in a story that's getting national attention.

Sophia Contos, 10, and her 601-60 troop leader leader were outside the Safeway on Branham Lane in San Jose when Gintz came by and allegedly snatched the box full of cash, they told NBC Bay Area on Sunday. He had been eyeing the box, Sophia said, and was too strong for her to protect her cash.

“He’s looking around, and I started to keep my hand on the box, and he goes for it,” Sophia said.

He ran off but returned to the grocery store parking lot ten minutes later, police say. Sophia’s mother, Michelle Contos, spotted him getting into his car.

“I just kept reading the license plate over and over again,” Contos said.

Her excellent Girl Scout mothering skills helped police quickly track him down. Police said they found $300 on him, and a K-9 officer helped find the box of cash in a nearby creek.

“To steal from a kid working so hard, it’s horrible,” Girl Scout troop leader Marita Beard said.

“I didn’t know a guy would do that,” Sophia said, obviously shaken by what had happened to her and her troop. “I didn’t know people would do such a thing.”
 

NBC Bay Area's Vince Cestone, Ingrid Almaz and Shawn Murphy contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story on our mobile site.

Back9Network Suspends Operations

$
0
0

The Hartford-based Back9Network golf lifestyle network has suspended operations "due to a temporary shortfall in capital," according to a statement from the network Monday.

"Management and the board of directors are planning next steps and will continue their efforts to secure long-term, operating capital," the network said in a statement.

The network plans to update the public with "any new developments," the network said.

The state gave financial assistance to Back9Network, Inc., helping create 10 jobs and to retain 40, according to the state's business assistance website. The Back9Network was given $5,000,000 worth of loans in 2013 to start up in Downtown Hartford last year by the state and is supposed to be geared towards the sport of golf, but the video has nothing to with sports.

The media company was under fire in November 2013 after a video full of profanity and sexual references was posted on its website for the network’s show called “What She Said” in which the host answers viewer questions about their personal issues and her responses are vulgar. Taxpayers complained about the content because state money was used to help start the business. The President of the Back 9 Network, Carlos Silva pulled the video from the website, and previously  told NBC Connecticut, managers did not approve it and he disciplined the workers involved. The state agency that helped fund the network said the content of the video was inappropriate and offensive, and was glad the company apologized.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Gas Tanker Erupts Into Flames in Jersey

$
0
0

A tanker truck, filled to the brim with gasoline, erupted in flames after overturning on a busy Camden County, New Jersey roadway Monday morning.

The TK Transport truck was carrying 8,900 gallons of fuel when it ignited on the Route 90 eastbound on-ramp to US 130 north in Pennsauken, police said.

Pennsauken Police Captain Michael Probasco told NBC10 the truck overturned around 11 a.m. while its driver, 43-year-old Brian Ervin, navigated the ramp. For some reason, he lost control sending the truck into a guardrail before landing on Delaware River Port Authority land. The impact ruptured the tractor-trailer's tank and the gasoline began to burn.

Flaming fuel poured out of the truck, running across the graded ramp, down an embankment and perilously close to the backyards of homes. A second fire started in a small wooded area behind homes.

"I was in my kitchen with my dog and I hear, 'Boom, boom, boom,'" recalled resident Marisa Clements, who lives across the street from the ramp. At first, she thought someone was banging on her front door.

"It looked like the sky was falling. I just went out I knocked on my neighbor’s door and I said 'C’mon get out, get out, something’s blowing up,'" she said. "I was scared to death."

Greg Wicker, who lives across the street from Clements, heard six explosions before seeing a ball of flames.

"I didn’t know what to make of it, so got out of bed and saw this inferno in the backyard and the house across the street," he said.

Strong northwest winds kept the thick smoke from rising, forcing it to stay close to the street. Still, the plume could be seen from miles away in Cherry Hill and across the river in Center City Philadelphia.

"It’s just jet black smoke. I’ve never seen so much smoke," resident Florence Panto said, panting while describing the scene. The woman suffering from emphysema was concerned about being able to smell the acrid chemical through her closed doors and windows.

"It scratches your throat and like I said I’m about six houses down, she said. "So I mean I believe we’re in a good spot, but I’m sure the people right up the street, they have to be evacuated."

Health officials warn that breathing in fumes or smoke from fuel fires is extremely dangerous. Smoke irritates eyes, nose and throat, which can make breathing much more difficult. It can also lead to chronic health issues.

Fire officials did not say how many people were evacuated as a precaution, but they did say students and staff at three schools nearby were safe.

A staff member at Crescent Hill Academy — less than half a mile from the scene, but the closest school — said while they were not in danger, a few parents had come to pick up their kids.

Concerned the burning gasoline could be washed into storm drains, firefighters waited for a hazmat crew to arrive with special flame-retardant foam to smother the fire.

By 12:20 p.m., the fire was knocked back. All that remained was a shell of charred steel and rubber.

Capt. Probasco said Ervin, the tanker's driver, was rescued from the burning vehicle by police arriving on scene. He was not injured in the fiery crash nor was anyone else from the resulting blaze.

Both Route 90 and US 130 ramps were closed and traffic on the Betsy Ross Bridge into Philadelphia was stopped for some time because of the trouble.

The Delaware River Port Authority is currently investigating the crash. Officials did not have further details about what happened.



Photo Credit: NBC10 - Viewer Submission

Train Derails in Windham

$
0
0

A train derailed in Windham on Monday, according to Windham fire dispatchers.

The train went off the tracks near 700 Route 32 in Windham, where the Rogers Corporation is, due to ice on the tracks.

No one was injured and there is no word on what type of train it was.

As of 12:11 p.m., no police, fire or first responders were on scene.

More information will be provided when it becomes available.



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News

Teacher Will Donate Kidney To First Grade Student

$
0
0

The top item on Matthew Parker’s wish list for Christmas last year was a new kidney. He's about to be granted his wish.

The 6-year-old’s first grade teacher, Lindsey Painter, of the Hoffmann Lane Elementary in the Comal Independent School District in New Braunfels, Texas, agreed to step-in to save her student's life, San Antonio-based NBC affiliate News 4 reported.

Painter, who has a 10-year-old and 6-year-old of her own, said she couldn't "imagine having a child who is going through what Matt has gone through.”

Matthew’s mother Lisa, told News 4 that she was "shocked"  by the gesture.

Days after being born as the smallest triplet, Matthew’s kidneys began to fail him, News 4 reported. He was placed in dialysis to filter the toxins in his blood, according to a page set up on the hospital’s website. Two and a half years after his first kidney transplant, Matthew’s body failed to respond to the treatment, putting him back on the waiting list.

Matthew reportedly goes to school part-time in order to accommodate the four-hour long dialysis appointments that have been keeping him alive. He will undergo his second transplant next month.

"Once he found out that he's getting a transplant, he's been so giddy every day,” the boy's mother told News 4. “He's been so excited. It will be a story to tell when he gets older.”

Gas Leak Reported in Meriden

$
0
0

Crews have responded to a gas leak at 1064 East Main Street in Meriden, according to Meriden police dispatchers.

Traffic is being rerouted, dispatchers said.

No additional information was immediately available.

Check back for updates.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

3rd Arrest Made in 2013 New Haven Homicide

$
0
0

Police have made a third arrest in the shooting death of Nathaniel “Playboy” Bradley in New Haven in October 2013.

Bradley, 36, was shot and killed on Oct. 14, 2013 on the Ella T. Grasso Boulevard near Goffe Street during a robbery gone afoul.

Police said the robbery was set up. Three people arranged to meet Bradley, under the premise that they would be buying drugs from him when they really planned to rob him of the large amount of cash he would be carrying, police said.

On October 20, 2013, police arrested Bobby Griffin Jr., 22, of New Haven, who soon confessed to shooting and killing Bradley, police said. He was charged with weapons crimes, murder, first degree robbery, felony murder and conspiracy to commit felony murder and first degree robbery. He pleaded not guilty and is due in court on March 5.

On Nov. 25, 2015, Ebony Wright, 27, of New Haven, was arrested and charged with first degree robbery, felony murder and conspiracy to commit felony murder and first degree robbery.

On Sunday, police received word that a warrant had been signed for Nathan Johnson, 24, and they saw him sitting in a car as they passed his home at 370 Sherman Avenue.

Johnson had drugs on him at the time he was detained, police said. He was charged with first-degree robbery, felony murder and conspiracy to commit felony murder and first-degree robbery. He was also charged with possession of marijuana.
 

Bradley, 36, was shot and killed on Oct. 14, 2013 on the Ella T. Grasso Boulevard near Goffe Street during a robbery gone afoul.

Police said the robbery was set up. Three people arranged to meet Bradley, under the premise that they would be buying drugs from him when they really planned to rob him of the large amount of cash he would be carrying, police said.

On October 20, 2013, police arrested Bobby Griffin Jr., 22, of New Haven, who soon confessed to shooting and killing Bradley, police said. He was charged with weapons crimes, murder, first degree robbery, felony murder and conspiracy to commit felony murder and first degree robbery. He pleaded not guilty and is due in court on March 5.

On Nov. 25, 2015, Ebony Wright, 27, of New Haven, was arrested and charged with first degree robbery, felony murder and conspiracy to commit felony murder and first degree robbery.

On Sunday, police received word that a warrant had been signed for Nathan Johnson, 24, and they saw him sitting in a car as they passed his home at 370 Sherman Avenue.

Johnson had drugs on him at the time he was detained, police said. He was charged with first-degree robbery, felony murder and conspiracy to commit felony murder and first-degree robbery. He was also charged with possession of marijuana.
 



Photo Credit: New Haven Police

Fire Engulfs East Haven Garage

$
0
0

Flames ripped through a garage on Tyler Street in East Haven on Monday afternoon.

The fire broke out at a detached garage at 34 Tyler Street. It's not clear what sparked the flames. Officials said no one was hurt.

Footage from the scene shows two burned-out cars and heavy damage to the detached garage.

No additional information was immediately available.

Check back for updates on this developing story.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Farmington, Bristol, Plainville Schools Locked Down Over Bank Incident

$
0
0

Schools in Bristol, Plainville Farmington are on lockdown in connection to an incident at a bank in New Britain on Monday morning.

FBI and police had Achieve Financial Credit Union, on West Main Street in New Britain, surrounded for hours after an incident at the bank that prompted the closure of Route 72 in New Britain, which has since reopened.

Miss Porter's School, in Farmington is on a "soft lockdown" and Farmington police advised all Farmington public schools to go on a "soft lockdown" or "lockout." Afternoon kindergarten is canceled and morning kindergarten students will stay in the school until the lockdown is over, according to the superintendent's office.

"This type of lockdown allows school to proceed as normal," Superintendent Kathleen Greider told parents in a letter Monday afternoon. "There is no entry or exit from our school buildings as the Farmington Police deal with this matter."

She wrote that Farmington officials "don’t have specific details at this time, but we have been assured by Farmington Police that there is no danger to our students or faculty."

"We will send a communication as soon as we hear from the Farmington Police Department on the status of the 'soft lockdown,'" Greider said. "Police presence will occur at all of our schools as an additional measure." 

All public schools in Planville are following "code yellow" procedures, which means all students and staff will remain inside, with the entrance doors locked. The only people allowed to enter are parents and employees and Plainville police will monitor all schools from the outside until the incident is resolved. 

"We have no indication that there is any threat to our schools in Plainville, but we will take the necessary and reasonable precaution described above," Plainville Superintendent Jeff Kitching said in a statement.

There are also lockdowns at Northeast Middle School and Ivy Drive Elementary in Bristol.

There are no school lockdowns in New Britain because there are no schools in the area.

Check back for updates on this developing story.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Bristol Home Invasion Connected to Attempted Bank Robbery in New Britain

$
0
0

Police are investigating an overnight home invasion in Bristol that they said is connected to a bomb threat at a New Britain bank on Monday morning.

Investigators said both incidents are tied to an attempt to steal money from a bank and they are looking for more than one person.

At 8 a.m., police responded to reports of an overnight home invasion at 133 Lufkin Leane that was linked to an alleged plot to steal money from Achieve Financial Credit Union, at 450 West Main Street in New Britain, police said. 

When police responded to the bank, they found a man in a car, who appeared to have explosives strapped to him. He's believed to be a bank employee, police said during a news conference.

Investigators and the bomb squad swarmed Achieve Financial Credit Union, on West Main Street and surrounded the bank for hours. Officers also evacuated residents and nearby roads, including a busy four-mile stretch of Route 72.

Shortly after noon, New Britain Police Chief James Wardwell held a brief news conference and said the situation at the bank was under control, no one was hurt and they are still investigating.

In a news release, police said the device strapped to the man was rendered safe around noon. He man was not injured and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has the device, which they will analyze in a lab.  

"In my opinion, the threat is over and now it's a matter for us to all work together .. to apprehend those responsible," Wardwell said during a news conference.

An NBC Connecticut crew at the bank saw a man, handcuffed and covered in a jacket, being placed in an ambulance, but police said no one is in custody.

The investigation is active and police are asking for anyone with information to call 860-826-3131.

School Lockdown

During the massive police investigation, lockdowns were issued at schools in Farmington, Bristol and Plainville. Police said during a news conference on Monday afternoon that the lockdowns were precautionary.

Lock downs were also issued at Northeast Middle School and Ivy Drive Elementary in Bristol.


Police Response

Connecticut State Police, Farmington Police, Bristol Police, Berlin Police and the FBI were all involved in the investigation and the bomb squad responded to Achieve Financial, where the blinds were drawn and phone calls were ringing to a recorded message that said the bank's closed due to "unforeseen circumstances."

Road Closures

Drivers were stopped on Route 72 for much of the morning because the four-mile stretch between Route 9 and Interstate 84, were closed until around noon, when police reopened it.

New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart also said some local New Britain streets were closed, including  Lincoln and West Main streets, as a precaution for "resident safety as we assess the situation," but there were no evacuations.

New Britain Police Chief James Wardwell held a brief news conference just after noon and said officers started investigating an incident at Lincoln Street and West Main Street -- where Achieve Financial Credit Union is located -- and a news conference will be held at the New Britain Police Department at 3 p.m.

Sign up for breaking news alerts.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story on our mobile site.

Men Rob Hamden Wendy's at Gunpoint

$
0
0

Police are searching for the two men who robbed a Wendy's restaurant at gunpoint in Hamden late Sunday night.

According to police, the suspects entered the fast food restaurant at 2195 Dixwell Avenue around 11 p.m. Sunday brandishing handguns. They stole an undisclosed amount of money and ran off.

A police K-9 followed their scent to the area of Connolly Parkway, where the trail ended, according to police.

The robbers are described as two men standing between 5 feet 9 and 5 feet 11 inches tall. Both were wearing black clothing and face masks, police said.

Anyone with information is urged to call Hamden police Major Crimes Det. William Onofrio at 203-230-4040.

Assault Suspect Cited "50 Shades"

$
0
0

A University of Illinois Chicago student faces charges after he was accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old female student during what he said was a “50 Shades of Grey” re-enactment.

A judge set 19-year-old Mohammad Hossain’s bail at $500,000 Monday after he was charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault stemming from an incident over the weekend.

Prosecutors say that around 5:30 p.m. Saturday Hossain went to his dorm room in the 900 block of West Harrison Street with a woman. Once inside, he allegedly asked her to remove her clothing, which she did, keeping on her bra and underwear before Hossain bound her hands and feet with belts and stuffed a necktie in her mouth. Prosecutors also say he put a knit hat on her head, covering her eyes before he removed the rest of her clothing and started striking her with a belt.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office said the victim told Hossain he was hurting her and asked him to stop. She eventually got one arm free but officials allege he held it behind her back as he sexually assaulted her.

Prosecutors said the victim requested he stop multiple times before Hossain’s roommate came home. Prosecutors say Hossain held the door shut to prevent him from entering until the victim left. The woman told someone what happened and police were notified, officials said.

Prosecutors say Hossain told detectives after he was arrested that he was re-enacting scenes from the popular movie “50 Shades of Grey.”

Hossain's lawyer, assistant Cook County public defender Sandra Bennewitz, told a judge Monday that Hossain was in several UIC leadership programs, was a student ambassador to the alumni association and was on the triathlon team, the Chicago Tribune reports. She also reportedly argued that Hossain claims the act was consensual.



Photo Credit: Chicago Police

Teachers' Union Wants Changes to Standardized Tests

$
0
0

Citing the results of a survey of likely voters, the Connecticut Education Association presented its proposals Monday to replace and revise a standardized test taken by third- through eighth-grade students.

The test under fire is known as the Smarter Balance Assessmen Consortium, which came into existence following the "No Child Left Behind" legislation that passed Congress in 2001.

Connecticut Education Association Executive Director Mark Waxenberg said the test is “nothing more than a one-time snapshot” and doesn’t accurately reflect the progress that has been made in many classrooms across the state.

The CEA cites the survey as part of its political push to scrap the test.

“The results are clear,” said CEA president Sheila Cohen.

According to the survey, which the CEA funded, 67 percent of likely Connecticut voters said students are required to take too many standardized tests.

The CEA seeks to phase out the SBAC and replace it with “progress tests” that would track a student’s academic success based on classroom information rather than a national standard.

“Today it should come as no surprise that we have better, more meaningful tools at our disposal than high stakes tests that are not directly related to classroom instruction,” said Waxenberg.

Cohen said tests should be aligned with the Connecticut’s state standards.

"It’s making sure they’re age- and grade-level appropriate, and making sure that the test that is being developed is actually showing immediate results to the teacher, so that that professional educator can determine whether a subject needs review, reteaching or whether it’s OK to move on," Cohen explained.

A spokesperson for the state Department of Education said the agency has been working to reduce what it refers to as "burdensome testing," but cautions that some of what the CEA wants to do is outside the state’s control.

"These are federally-mandated exams," said spokesperson Kelly Donnelly, "and we believe in being smart about how we reduce anxiety associated with the tests, increase learning time, and ensure that we’re getting the job done in preparing students for success in college and careers."

She added that the state has been working for years to improve the emphasis of work inside the classroom.

According to Donnelly, more than $400,000 has been awarded in grants to "help districts comprehensively analyze their tests to ensure that they reflect district priorities; alignment to new state standards; provide maximum value; are not redundant with other assessments, including statewide assessments; and reduce testing time wherever possible."

The CEA wants lawmakers to act on its proposals, which include establishing a new board to look at assessments that would be best for individual districts.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Wethersfield DMV Closed Tuesday Over Water Main Break

$
0
0

The Wethersfield Department of Motor Vehicles will be closed Tuesday after a water main break flooded part of the building Monday afternoon, according to DMV spokesman Bill Seymour.

Administrative offices in the DMV were evacuated around 2:45 p.m. Monday as utility companies, police and firefighters arrived at the scene. Employees were sent home just before 3 p.m. so utility crews could cut the power to the facility.

Seymour said extreme cold sparked the break and water seeped into the building, coating the floor in various places. Crews will need to pump out the water, and the DMV will be closed Tuesday so repairs can continue.

All road and knowledge tests and administrative hearings scheduled for tomorrow in Wethersfield are canceled. The DMV offices in Enfield and New Britain, which were originally slated to be closed Tuesday, will open to handle Wethersfield customers who need to conduct license and registration transactions, Seymour said.

Residents can also visit AAA locations to renew or duplicate their licenses or identification cards.

The closest AAA offices are located at 70 East Main Street in Avon, 34 Shunpike Road in Cromwell, 109 Elm Street in Enfield, 1500G Pleasant Valley Road in Manchester, 17 Farmington Avenue in Plainville and 815 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford.

"We apologize to our customers for this inconvenience and we are working as quickly as possible with our contractors to restore service and customer operations," DMV Commissioner Andres Ayala Jr. said in a statement Monday night. "We ask for customers' understanding as we deal with this problem that cold weather can bring."

Customers are encouraged to check for updates on the DMV website.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Wesleyan University Reeling in Wake of MDMA Overdoses

$
0
0

Students at Wesleyan University are reeling after MDMA, or "Molly," overdoses sent nearly a dozen of their peers to the hospital Sunday night, some with serious injuries, and school officials are urging the campus community to stay away from potentially life-threatening drugs.

Four students remain at Hartford Hospital, two in critical condition. University officials said one will be discharged Monday night. A fifth students remains inpatient at Middlesex Hospital.

"I have not heard of any bad drugs like this before," said student Emily Pfoutz. "Students go out and party, and there's substance abuse on any college campus, but I haven't heard of something like this happening before."

It's not clear exactly how many people overdosed Sunday. Police said 11 Wesleyan students were hospitalized, while university officials have reported that 10 students and two visitors received medical treatment.

Two of the young people were airlifted to the hospital for treatment.

Medical personnel responded to two campus dormitories and a home on High Street in Middletown known as the "Eclectic Society House." A student who lives there would only describe those affected as "sweet people."

Doctors are warning of the dangers of MDMA, which stands for methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, because it's impossible to determine exactly what the refined form of Ecstacy contains – and every batch can be different.

"When you’re buying a drug in a little baggie, you have no idea what’s inside that baggie, regardless of whether it’s called a nice name like Molly or something else, you really don’t know what you’re getting," said Dr. Mark Naevyn, of the Hartford Hospital Toxicology Department.

There's also no way to predict how each individual will react to the drug, which can lead to increased heart rates, hallucinations and other serious side effects. Two of the students at Hartford Hospital remain in critical condition.

University officials sent emails to the student body Monday imploring them to avoid MDMA and other risky drugs that can pose real health hazards.

"We've gotten another two emails today, one from the dean of students for my year and the other from the president telling students to stay away from MDMA and other illegal substances," said Wesleyan student Noam Radcliff.

The letters also urged students with information on the overdoses to call in confidential tips to 860-685-2345.

Fire Tears Through Prospect Home

$
0
0

Firefighters braved brutal cold Monday night to douse flames at a home on Williams Drive in Prospect.

Crews arrived to find flames emanating from the house at 14 Williams Drive. Everyone made it out safely and no emergency responders were hurt, but fire officials said the extreme cold posed a problem. Water has been freezing on firefighters' clothing, limiting mobility.

"The cold has absolutely made this difficult. It made it difficult for us to just move around; the water's freezing on everybody and the ground, so it's hard to walk around the house and on the roadway," explained Prospect Fire Chief Jason Kolodziej. "So everything's freezing up on us making it that much more difficult."

Kolodziej said the home is "pretty much a total loss," and the American Red Cross has been called out to help the family.

Firefighters were still working to put out hot spots as of about 8:30 p.m.

It's not clear what sparked the flames.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Lake Compounce to Hire for Summer Season

$
0
0

Even though there’s still snow on the ground, Lake Compounce is beginning its summer hiring push.

The Bristol amusement park is working to fill 1,500 positions for the summer season, including ride operators, concessions staff and food service personnel.

Park leaders say they have to start hiring now in order to be ready for the summer. Some of the jobs begin in April and typically run through the end of the park season.

“A lot of our jobs, there’s no experience required. So we have a lot of entry level, very junior type positions then that goes all the way up to supervisors,” said Sara Frias, Director of Marketing at Lake Compounce.

Residents can learn more and apply online.

Plane Slides Off Taxiway at DFW

$
0
0

An American Airlines plane taxiing to Terminal A at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport slid off the taxiway and got stuck in the grass Monday night.

Lynn Lunsford, with the Federal Aviation Administration, confirmed to NBC 5 the front nose gear slipped off the taxiway as the airplane turned a corner and became stuck in the grass.

Airline officials said there were 63 passengers and a crew of five onboard Flight 296 from San Antonio. All of the passengers were deplaned safely and taken by bus to the terminal.  The plane, an MD-80, had to be dislodged and towed.

No injuries have been reported.

"As soon as we hit the ground, we slid to the left," said passenger Danelle Canales, of Dallas.

Canales said she was reading a book and didn't at first realize what had happened. Then the pilot came on over the public address speaker, explained the situation and said, "We tested the brakes and they were fine, but when we landed, we had no control over the brakes."

Canales said another passengers told her they could see the front wheel turned to the side.

Airline officials have not confirmed what caused the plane to slip off the taxiway, however, up to an inch of sleet fell on North Texas overnight Monday, covering much of the Metroplex in ice.  Since that time, DFW Airport's Airfield Operations crew has been working to keep runways open and taxiways clear of ice.

The airline canceled more than 1,000 flights Monday due to weather.

A man who said his friend was a passsnger on the flight tweeted a photo of passengers exiting the aircraft through the emergency exit at the back of the plane.

We will update this story with more information as soon as it's available. As this story is developing, elements may change.



Photo Credit: Braxton Bragg/Twitter
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story on our mobile site.

Glastonbury Fire Prompts Power Outages

$
0
0

Homes in the area of Dogwood Lane in Glastonbury lost power for a brief period Monday night while emergency crews responded to a fire in the neighborhood, according to police dispatchers.

Everyone made it out safely and power has been restored.

It's not clear what sparked the fire.

No additional information was immediately available.



Photo Credit: Monica Garske
Viewing all 57608 articles
Browse latest View live


Latest Images