The state is reopening four Department of Motor Vehicles photo license centers next week that were closed so employees could move to assist amid backlogs after a multi-million computer system upgrade.

The four centers reopening are at 12 Main St. in Derby, 386 Main St. in in Middletown, 70 West River St. in Milford, and 137 Henry St. in Stamford.

The Derby location is open on Wednesdays and Fridays, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Middletown location is open Wednesdays and Fridays, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Milford office is open Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Stamford office hours are by appointment only.

In August, state officials granted extensions for people who needed to renew licenses, registrations and identifications, but that extension ends on Oct. 10.

The DMV urges residents to act early to renew, go online, or visit AAA offices.

Those with registration renewals can go online at ct.gov/dmv/online to avoid visiting a DMV office.
Customers renewing registrations can check online for tax delinquencies, reports on overdue emissions tests or failure to have state-required vehicle insurance. These often hold up registration renewals.

The new online services DMV offers are:

• Improved online registration renewal program.
• Online checks for items, such as unpaid property taxes, lack of insurance, delinquent parking violations, which can hold up a registration renewal and cause repeat trips to DMV.
• Reprints of registration certificates from home or other computers.
• Registration cancelations online.
• Online ordering of special plates, such as vanity plates.
• Online ordering of replacements for damaged plates.
• Electronic notification by providing customers with an option for DMV to contact them either by mail or e-mail.
• Streamline efficiency of technology in the agency to with services in branch offices.

Congressional leaders are asking Department of Justice to investigate the detention and arrest of Ahmed Mohamed, the teenager who was arrested after teachers thought his homemade clock resembled a bomb.

In a letter to Attorney General Lorretta Lynch, Congressman Mike Honda (D-Silicon Valley), Representative Keith Ellison, and Representative Andre Carson urged Lynch to look at any discriminatory practices that might have been a factor in Mohamed’s arrest.

“Profiling and mistreatment of an individual based on presumed or actual faith or ethnicity has no place in the World, let alone in the United States of America,” Honda wrote in the letter, which was signed by 29 members of Congress.

The letter goes on to say that Mohamed was denied his civil rights when his requests to speak to his father were rejected by police at MacArthur High School and later at the juvenile detention center where he was held.

In Texas, a child is entitled to be accompanied by a parent or guardian during a police interrogation or questioning.

“His arrest should serve as a wake-up call for everyone to step back and reflect on our fears and our rushes to judgment,
said Carson.

“No matter what their background, our children do not deserve to face the suspicion that so many of us have faced.”

In addition to congressional leaders, Mohamed has also received the support of leaders in the tech industry since news of his arrest broke.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg invited the young teen to visit the company headquarters, and, earlier this week, Mohamed attended the Google Science Fair in the Bay Area where he met Google co-founder Sergey Brin.

His next stop appears to be the White House, and it appears he’s taking his clock with him.

“I cant wait to get my clock back & take it to the #WhiteHouse,” Mohamed tweeted Tuesday evening. “@BarackObama the invite is an honor, looking forward to meeting you!”

Martin Shkreli, the Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO who was lambasted for raising the price of a 62-year-old drug by more than 5,000 percent, was pressured to reverse course, striking fears into the heart of biotech investors over increased scrutiny of drug prices.

But Bernstein analyst Ronny Gal pointed out many companies ratchet up drug prices when the market presents an opportunity, NBC News reported. H.P. Acthar Gel, which treats infantile spasms and exacerbations of multiple sclerosis in adults, hopped from $1,650 to $23,000 a vial on a single day in 2007, he cited as an example.

Mylan’s EpiPen, used in emergency treatment for life-threatening allergic reactions, also saw prices soar in recent years, increasing an average of 27 percent a year from 2011 to 2015, to more than $300 each dose.
 

A young boy is being hailed a hero after he saved his mother from a house fire in New Jersey.

Bradley, 7, spotted the flames outside his bedroom window and immediately screamed “fire” to wake his mother up. They then both escaped from the home unharmed.

“I think it’s amazing,” said Bradley’s grandmother Deb Beloin. “He’s a hero. If it wasn’t for him I don’t know what would have happened.”

The fire started in Bradley Bianchino’s home on Meadow Creek Drive in Dennis Township early Tuesday morning. 

Bradley says the power of prayer allowed him to save his mother. 

“I prayed right before I went to bed,” he said. “Just somehow I must’ve woke up. I got lucky because I prayed.”

The fire caused extensive damage to the home. A GoFundMe page was set up to help with repair costs. 

Officials continue to investigate the cause of the fire. 

Republicans in the General Assembly are pushing Gov. Dannel Malloy to call a Special Session aimed to keep the corporate headquarters of General Electric and its 800 employees in Fairfield.

"We can't wait until January," said State Sen. Len Fasano, the top member of the minority party in the state senate.

GE made its displeasure with Connecticut's recent corporate tax hikes public last June.

Earlier this month, GE chief Jeff Immelt said the company would make a decision in the fourth quarter of 2015 on the location of its future headquarters.

In a statement, GE spokesman Seth Martin said the company is still looking at its options.

"We have formed an exploratory team to assess the company's options to relocate corporate headquarters. The team is currently engaged in the process and is taking many factors into consideration. When there is a final decision on relocation, we will communicate it publicly," Martin said.

State Sen. Tony Hwang, a Republican from Fairfield, said a special session should focus on luring GE, as well as on making changes to the state budget to make it more sustainable in future years.

"There is no vision, no end road," Hwang said. "We are simply putting our finger in the dyke to prevent the dam from overflowing. We have to have a mission in how we have to lead and that means controlling our fiscal house."

A spokesman for Malloy said the administration is always in talks with current and future employers and how the state could improve its business climate.

Connecticut saw some of the best and strongest job growth in 10 years during the month of August. More than 3,200 people found work in the state during that time.

Two men have been arrested following a fight that involved a sword which was caught on camera in Providence, Rhode Island, according to police.

In the video, one man is seen wielding the sword, one man is laying on the ground and two women are also involved in a scuffle.

According to necn affiliate WJAR, the fight happened on Sept. 12 on Balcom Street.

The man holding the sword, David Thomas, 45, was arrested with disorderly conduct.

Another man allegedly involved, Luis Ruiz, turned himself in Tuesday.

A Chinese military unit is accused of being behind the "Naikon" hacking group, which carried out a cyberspying campaign against countries tussling with the nation for control of the South China Sea as well as international groups including the United Nations, according to a report released Thursday by two cybersecurity firms.

ThreatConnect and Defense Group Inc. said the Chinese hackers sent email attachments with malicious software embedded to the targets of the cyber-espionage program, which they dubbed "Project Camerashy," NBC News reported.

"[It] documents Chinese efforts to gain the upper hand in a geopolitical stand-off by capturing information on regional rivals' negotiating postures, economies and military capabilities," the firms said in a statement. The campaign ran for almost five years, according to the groups' report.

The weather has been nothing but calm in Connecticut, but newsrooms across the state received an alert on Thursday morning that a tsunami warning had been issued for parts of the state. It was pretty clear that it was a mistake and the National Weather Service said that what was supposed to be a test was accidentally transmitted as a warning.

“As part of a routine monthly test issued by the National Weather Service/NWS National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer Alaska...the NWS New York NY office sent a tsunami test warning message over NOAA weather radio all hazards. This transmission was sent to local emergency alert systems for possible redistribution,” a statement from The National Weather service says. “There is no tsunami threat at this time.”

The accidental alert mentioned Fairfield County; Long Island Sound, east of New Haven; New Haven County; Middlesex County and New London County.

The actual forecast is for nothing but a beautiful fall day, with highs between 75 and 80 and a light breeze.

Tsunami are rare, but they can happen along the East Coast. Read more anout tsunamis here.
 

A Bristol landlord arrested twice over the blighted condition of his buildings and again for allegedly stealing a tenant's identity has handed over his properties and agreed to leave the city, according to city officials.

Anthony Cammariere relinquished his properties Wednesday, according to Bristol City Councilwoman Ellen Zoppo-Sassu, who said she's "cautiously optimistic" that the change in management will be good for the city.

Police said Cammariere, who has been at the center of controversy since one of his properties was condemned in May, stole a tenant's identity and used it to set up a T-Mobile account, racking up $1,300 in charges.

Cammariere turned over his properties to a former employee, Jesus Soto, who said he plans to fix up the buildings and prevent them from falling into disrepair going forward.

Soto said he filed to change the name of his company, Home Improvements by J, to Home Improvements and Property Management by J.

The son of a missing Easton, Connecticut couple who sources said is a person of interest in his parents' disappearance has pleaded not guilty to a federal gun charge.

Kyle Navin, 27, of Bridgeport, has been charged with possession of a firearm by someone who is illegally using or addicted to a controlled substance, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

State, local and federal authorities searched Kyle Navin's home last month as part of the investigation into the disappearance of his parents, Jeffrey Navin, 56, and Jeanette Navin, 55. 

During the search, investigators found two guns and several rounds of ammunition in his bedroom, along with evidence of heroin use, empty bottles of oxycodone and other prescription drugs, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

A search of his cellphone revealed text messages discussing Navin's use of heroin, oxycodone and Xanax.

Investigators said they also found a receipt from a shooting range dated Aug. 5, the day after his parents, Jeffrey and Jeanette Navin, disappeared from their Easton home.

Jeffrey Navin serves as president of the J&J Refuse sanitation company in Westport, while Jeanette Navin works as a school library aide in Weston. Police said they had recently moved to Easton from Westport.

Kyle Navin works as operations manager of J&J Refuse and told police the family was in the process of selling the company, according to search warrants obtained by NBC Connecticut.

Police records indicate he saw his parents the morning they vanished. According to the warrants, Jeffrey and Jeanette Navin visited their son and asked to take him out to dinner, but Kyle Navin said he had a broken back and declined.

That was the last anyone heard from Jeffrey and Jeanette Navin.

A judge ordered an extension on the detention of Kyle Navin. 

Jury selection for a trial could begin on Nov. 9.

A man at the Howard Street CTA station was assaulted by someone who knocked him out, took his keys and drove off with his car last Tuesday, according to police.

Police said they received a call from a CTA worker who said a man was bleeding from the head at the 7500 block of North Paulina.

When police arrived at the scene, the 69-year-old told them he was walking down stairs of the station’s attached Park and Ride garage when a person hit him in the face and knocked him out in the stairwell, police said.

When he woke up, he discovered his keys, money and phone were missing, police said. He also discovered that his 2001 Green 4 door Mitsubishi Gallant was also missing.

The man was taken to St. Francis Hospital and treated for head and face injuries and release, police said.

Police said surveillance cameras caught the assailant waiting for the victim before the attack. Nobody is in custody in the incident, according to police

"I'm devastated, because that's not something that I normally hear that takes place here at the Howard station because it's so heavily secured with the CTA," said Mary Baily, a CTA rider.

Pope Francis landed in New York City on Thursday to start the second leg of his six-day visit to the United States. The biggest events of his trip are still to come. Here’s what’s on the agenda Friday for Pope Francis' first full day in New York City. 

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said Francis' New York stop is going to be "the largest security challenge the department and this city have ever faced." But police, working with federal law enforcement and other agencies are up to the challenge, he said. 

Here’s what’s on the agenda Friday for Pope Francis' first full day in New York City. 

United Nations, 10:20 a.m.

Expect a half-hour speech when Pope Francis becomes the fourth pontiff to address the United Nations General Assembly. On the 70th anniversary of the annual session, Francis is also expected to meet with the U.N's secretary general, president of the General Assembly and Russian President Vladimir Putin.   

9/11 Memorial and Museum, World Trade Center, 11:30 a.m.

After leaving the U.N., Francis will attend a multi-religious service at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the site of the 2001 terror attacks in Lower Manhattan that killed nearly 3,000 people. Victims' families and first responders have been invited to the event.

Our Lady Queen of Angels School, East Harlem, 4 p.m.

Next up is a visit to a group of third- and fourth-grade students at a school run by a partnership trying innovative ways to revitalize Catholic education. Francis will also bless 150 immigrant New Yorkers, including children who fled violence in Central America.

Procession Through Central Park, Around 5:15 p.m.

A late addition to Francis' itinerary is sure to be one of the most spectacular of his visit — 80,000 people who won a ticketed lottery will witness Francis' progression along Central Park West Drive. Scalpers were selling the tickets for as much as $100 a pop. 

Madison Square Garden, 6 p.m.

Twenty-thousand people are expected at MSG -- the home of the Knicks, Rangers and Liberty -- when Francis wraps up his New York visit by celebrating Mass. His chair for the service was constructed by immigrant day laborers, chosen to illustrate the pope’s concern for those who are marginalized.

Want to Watch the Events?

We will cover all the day's biggest events live with live streams on our website and in our app. Click here for full coverage of the papal visit. 

New York City Forecast

Partly cloudy skies and turning breezy. Highs around 75 degrees, according to Storm Team 4.  

If You're in Town: Check This Traffic, Transit Guide

Dozens of streets will be closed at times and officials are urging drivers to say off the roads. Here's what else you should expect. And just like D.C., leave those selfie sticks at home. 

In Case You Missed It

• Full Itinerary for Francis' Historic 6-Day Trip
• Pope Francis' Top Moments in America So Far
• Watch: Moments From Past Papal Visits
• 'Buon Appetito': Pope Francis Blesses Meal for the Poor at Lunch
• No Surprise: Boehner Cries

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A former superintendent accused of stealing thousands from the Hebron school district has pleaded guilty to a larceny charge.

Eleanor Cruz, of Essex, pleaded guilty in court Thursday to facts involving larceny of $2,000 or more, but not $10,000, according to defense attorney John Gesmonde.

"I expect to have a great deal to say on December 3rd when Judge Bright decides her penalty," Gesmonde wrote in an email to NBC Connecticut Thursday.

Cruz, who served as superintendent in Plymouth and Hebron, is accused of stealing $15,000 from the town of Hebron during her tenure.

She was arrested on larceny charges last August after an internal audit found that Cruz allegedly used district credit cards for personal purchases. She resigned a month later.

Cruz will be sentenced Dec. 3.

An Irving daycare center is the target of a Texas Child Care Licensing investigation after a mom said her 1-year-old child was bitten six times on his first day there.

Nicki Farina said she took her son Lucas to Above and Beyond Center for Children in the 500 block of East 6th Street Monday.

She said the day care center director, Deborah Bailey, called that day and said the boy had been bitten and sent a text photo. That night at home she found six bites on his back, arm and cheek.

"It doesn't make sense to me my kid could get that injured in the course of one day at a daycare," Farina said. "It's really hard as a mom to come home and see that when you left your kid in the care of someone else."

Farina said she took her child to an emergency room for treatment that night and complained to Texas Child Care Licensing.

When contacted Thursday, Bailey told NBC 5 investigators had already been to the location and results could be obtained from the state. She declined further comment. 

Marissa Gonzales with Child Care Licensing said the investigation is not finished and the agency takes the complaint seriously.

"Investigations can take up to 30 days to complete and that’s because the investigator will make sure to talk to everybody we could need to talk to, including maybe medical experts, law enforcement if necessary, and get a really good complete picture of what happened."

Gonzales said past infractions at the location were not serious and all have been corrected.

Parents picking kids up Thursday evening defended Above and Beyond Center for Children.
"Awesome, the best there is, the best customer service, I mean they respect my kid," said parent Paloma Gandera. "I think this is all unfair."

Parent Zetta Ruise said the daycare center successfully potty trained her 2-year-old child and handles another with attention deficit disorder who was turned away from other providers.

"I have three children that come here during the summer and two during the school year," she said.

 Click here to search Records on licensing history for all Texas child care locations

The state's largest water company is urging residents to be judicious about their water use in light of dry conditions caused by a lack of rainfall.

Aquarion, which serves 625,000 people in 51 Connecticut communities, is asked customers to stop "non-essential outdoor water use" and conserve water whenever possible.

Conditions in Connecticut range from "abnormally dry" to "moderate drought," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Aquarion said its wells and reservoirs are below capacity because of less rainfall and a higher demand for water than this time last year.

The company is asking customers to take the following steps to save water:

• Shut off outdoor irrigation systems or cut back use to twice per week
• Allow grass to grow longer (taller grass needs less water)
• Avoid using water to clean decks, driveways and sidewalks
• Avoid using a hose to wash cars and boats
• Shut off fountains and other decorative water displays
• Turn the water off while brushing teeth, shaving and washing hands and dishes
• Take shorter showers
• Fix plumbing leaks

"It is important for all of our customers to assist in this effort, to ensure everyone in our entire at-large community has the water they need, when they need it," Aquarion president and CEO Charles V. Firlotte said in a statement Thursday.

More conservation tips are available on the Aquarion website.

A multi-million dollar plan to improve Silver Sands State Park in Milford has become a source of controversy.

The plans means the park, which is currently free, would begin charging admission.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection held a public hearing Thursday, where dozens of people packed into Milford Town Hall to learn about the proposal.

Staff from DEEP explained their ideas for the shoreline destination, which include new restrooms, a snack bar and expanded parking.

"It’s just going to be so crowded. It’s not going to be the same place that it is now," said Milford resident Debi Fasanella.

People said they're also concerned about the project’s effect on traffic, the environment and its cost.

"I’m not in favor of it. I’m concerned about the wildlife. I’m concerned about the parking," said Maryann Glynn, of Milford.

DEEP defended the plan and said it’s already invested $10 million into the park over the years.

"We think these improvements will make for a much better beach and outdoor experience for people who go there," said DEEP spokesman Dennis Schain.

This project has a long way to go. More public hearings are ahead, and the proposal needs money and permitting before it can be finalized.

China will anounce Friday that it will launch a national carbon emissions trading market in 2017 as part of the joint climate change statement with the United States meant to boost prospects for a global climate pact, U.S. officials said.

The policy announcements Chinese President Xi Jinping's meetings with U.S. President Barack Obama Friday. The two leaders are meeting amid tensions over alleged Chinese cyber spying, Beijing's economic policies and China's regional territorial disputes. 

The market will cover key sectors including power generation, iron and steel, chemicals and cement. It will be designed based on what was learned from the seven regional pilot exchanges that are in operation in China.

Multiple schools in the northwest will not have class again Friday after higher than normal levels of Legionella bacteria were detected in their cooling towers.

Police said bacteria found Wednesday morning was detected in an HVAC system during the district's annual air quality testing.

"The district has followed and exceeded the required cleaning protocol for their cooling towers and will continue the cleaning process Friday," the District announced late Thursday.

“We have gone above and beyond industry standards and guidelines to ensure the safety of our staff and students,” said District U-46's CEO Tony Sanders. “We have absolutely no evidence that anyone was exposed to anything harmful but we will always err on the side of caution in the face of a risk to staff and students. We will keep these schools closed Friday while we take additional safety measures as discussed today with our water management consultant and state health officials.”

The elevated levels of bacteria were found at Eastview Middle, Larkin High and at the Central Office and Gifford Street High School.

“We are keeping these three buildings closed in an abundance of caution,” Sanders said in a news release late Wednesday. “We have absolutely no evidence that our students have been exposed to anything harmful.”

All other U-46 schools and facilities will remain open.

“We have all 19 of these types of cooling systems being sanitized right now," Sanders said. "The guidelines from OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) say if you have a level of 1-thousand parts per million or higher that you should take emergency action two of them came in above 1000 and Larkin came in at 940.”

Students and staff at the schools were evacuated just before 11 a.m. Wednesday. All of the buildings were closed immediately.

“We got an announcement from our principal and he told us to evacuate the school because there was some environmental hazard but we were told what the hazard was,” said Larkin High School senior Sabbat Sattar.

One parent said she was disappointed by the way the school released information about the incident.

"The information by the school district was not appropriately put out in a timely manner,” said Christine Romanenko, a mother of five. “I think it caused a lot of panic and worry and chaos in a school day.”

Eastview Middle School students were being transported to Bartlett High until parents could pick them up. Gifford Street School and Central Schools program students were being moved to Elgin High School until they could be taken home. And Larkin students were dismissed from the school if they could walk home while others were being bussed home. Special needs students were also being transported home.

Central office staff members were asked to assist with students at Bartlett High or Elgin High.

Check back for details on this developing story.

As part of National Child Passenger Safety Seat month, AAA Northeast launched a campaign to better protect children on roadways by getting rid of unsafe car seats.

"We asked the public to turn in old, expired, recalled and secondhand used car seats," explained AAA Northeast spokesperson Frances Mayo, at a press event Thursday in Hamden.

During the two-week roundup, AAA Northeast collected more than 2,000 old and damaged car seats. More than 300 came from the Connecticut region covering Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven counties.

"These seats that you see here, this has made thousands of people safer across Connecticut and AAA's other areas," said Hamden Mayor Curt Leng.

Both Leng and Hamden Police Chief Thomas Wydra thanked AAA for its efforts to educate parents on car seat safety.

Hamden police are taking their own steps to help parents who are unsure how to safely secure children in cars.

"We've had two officers certified in car seat installations," Wydra said. "They are available by appointment. And if there is a person who can't get to us during normal business hours, we'll do it any time during the week."

Experts say car crashes are the leading cause of death for children nationwide.

A school bus crashed in Norwich, sending one elementary school student to the hospital Thursday afternoon, according to fire officials.

The Yantic Fire Engine Company in Norwich said a school bus carrying 11 elementary school students struck an object on Rogers Road around 4:30 p.m.

One student was taken to Backus Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, and the other 10 were transferred to another bus to continue the trip home, fire officials said.

Police are investigating to determine the cause of the crash.