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'We Don't Serve Cops Here': Dunkin' Donuts Worker Tells Cop

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A Dunkin' Donuts employee is apologizing after telling a police officer waiting to buy coffee that a Connecticut location doesn't serve cops, police said.

A West Hartford police officer was waiting at the back of the line in the Dunkin' Donuts at 1234 Farmington Ave. to buy a cup of coffee at the coffee franchise when one of the employees said loudly before a room of several customers, "He didn't get the message. We don't serve cops here," police said.

The officer immediately left without another word from any workers. On his way to his cruiser, the franchise manager brought the employee outside to apologize to the officer for the comment. The employee told the policeman the statement was a joke, according to the police report.

The officer told the employee to apologize to the customers who appeared offended instead of to him, so the employee went inside with him and did so. The worker offered the officer a free cup of coffee to make up for it, but he declined and said he would get one elsewhere, police reported.

The manager apologized for her employee's behavior and notified the regional manager, telling the officer she would handle the situation. Dunkin' Donuts corporate office was also notified.

"We are aware of the situation at the Dunkin’ Donuts at 1234 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford," Michelle King, senior director of global public relations for Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. said in a statement released to NBC Connecticut. "The crew member exhibited poor judgment and apologized immediately to the police officer. The franchise owner, a long-time supporter of local police, has also reached out to apologize on behalf of the restaurant. Dunkin’ Donuts and our franchisees share a commitment to the well-being and fair treatment of all guests."


Parents of Sandy Hook Victims Address Oregon Shooting

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The parents of two young children killed in the Sandy Hook tragedy speaking out about doing more nationwide to prevent future school shootings after another deadly mass shooting at an Oregon community college and they're offering words of comfort for the victims' families.

At least nine people were killed and nine others injured when a gunman opened fire in a classroom at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon. The shooter, Christopher Sean Harper-Mercer, 26, a student enrolled in the writing class where the mass shooting happened, died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Sandy Hook parents Mark Barden and Nicole Hockley empathize with the families of the victims in Oregon. They experienced similar losses when their children, Daniel Barden, 7, and Dylan Hockley, 6, were killed in a school shooting massacre along with 24 others at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown on Dec. 14, 2012. The shooter also shot and killed his mother before ultimately taking his own life.

"Our hearts break for the shattered families and community of Umpqua Community College after yesterday’s horror," Mark Barden and Nicole Hockley said in a statement Friday. "We understand their pain now and in the days and years to come and we promise to support them in any way possible. Our thoughts remain with them, the loved ones killed, those injured, and the countless traumatized."

Barden and Hockley are managing directors of Sandy Hook Promise, a national movement of parents, schools and community organizations engaged and empowered to deliver gun violence prevention programs and mobilize for the passage of sensible state and national policy," according to the website.

"While our hearts continue to break, our spirit never will. Nor will our anger in knowing that this was yet another preventable tragedy," Barden and Hockley said. "We know that as we learn facts about this tragedy, our nation will once again enter the endless debate around gun control and gun freedom. The debate goes on, but our children need us now. What saddens us is that we also know that, as usual, facts will come to light about the warning signs and signals the shooter gave to others, who then took no action to intervene."

Since the fatal Sandy Hook shooting, 483 people have signed the Sandy Hook Promise, which states "I promise to do all I can to protect children from gun violence by encouraging and supporting solutions that create safer, healthier homes, schools and communities."

"While we at Sandy Hook Promise believe our country needs to make progress on policies for appropriate firearm access, we also believe that we must change our attitudes and behaviors on passively accepting daily threats and violence, believing ourselves immune to having this sort of tragedy in our own community and believing we are helpless to prevent it in any case. None of us are immune and none of us are helpless," Barden and Hockley said.

Click here to read the full statement from Barden and Hockley.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

2 People Hit by Vehicle in Killingly Supermarket Parking Lot

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Two people were struck by a vehicle in the parking lot of a Stop & Shop in Killingly and have been transported to Day Kimball Hospital as a precaution, according to state police.

Police said the scene is clear.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Russian-Made Missile Downed MH17: Investigators

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Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was destroyed by a Russian-made Buk surface-to-air missile over eastern Ukraine, the Dutch Safety Board concluded in their final report Tuesday, NBC News reported. 

Tjibbe Joustra, chairman of the Dutch Safety Board said the crash was caused by "the detonation of a warhead" less than a yard from the MH17 cockpit, killing three crew and breaking off the front of the plane.

The warhead was a BUK surface-to-air missile — which is made in Russia, according to Reuters.

The missile's Russian maker, however, presented its own report hours earlier, trying to clear Russia-backed separatists who controlled the area or Ukraine of any involvement in the crash on July 17, 2014, that killed all 298 people aboard the plane.

The board said the plane should never have been flying there as Ukraine should have closed its airspace to civil aviation, adding that nobody gave a thought to the dangers to passenger planes.



Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images

Donald Trump to Host 'Saturday Night Live'

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Live from New York, it's presidential hopeful Donald Trump!

Republican candidate Trump will make his second appearance in NBC's studio 8H as host for "Saturday Night Live" on Nov. 7. The outspoken real estate developer previously hosted the sketch comedy show on April 3, 2004.

Sia will be the musical guest.

Trump is the fourth host announced for "Saturday Night Live's" 41st season. Miley Cyrus opened the season on Oct. 3, followed by Amy Schumer this past weekend. Former "SNL" player Tracy Morgan will return to his old comedy stomping ground to host this weekend alongside musical guest Demi Lovato. 

The series has a long history of featuring major political names on the program, including Barack Obama, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Jesse Jackson, Sarah Palin and Al Gore. Most political candidates play themselves, often for a cameo in a sketch in which they meet their "SNL" counterpart or to declare the show's famous opening tag line.

Trump will become the second presidential candidate of the 2016 cycle to appear on the show.

Democratic contender Hillary Clinton took her Oct. 3 guest spot to another level when she appeared on the season opener as a wise bartender named Val, serving Hillary Clinton played by Kate McKinnon. 

"Donald Trump? Isn't he the one that's like 'Ugh, you're all losers,'" Clinton said while playing Val.

Taran Killam recently took on the role of Trump on "SNL." Darrell Hammond, who serves as "Saturday Night Live's" announcer now, previously played Trump.



Photo Credit: EFE
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Burglary Suspects Found in Camp in Woods

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State police have arrested two homeless people suspected of committing several burglaries in Thompson, Woodstock, Putnam and Killingly.

Police have spent several weeks investigating a string of thefts from homes, including those of disabled and elderly residents; sheds; and cars and obtained several arrest warrants.

At 6 p.m. on Monday, police began an extensive search for the culprits and two search teams head into the woods, where they found a campsite, several items that had been stolen and heroin, police said.
Police arrested Douglas Tracy, 48, and Catherine Edwards, 29.

Both were charged with heroin possession, third-degree burglary, first-degree forgery, and several counts of larceny.

Bond for Tracy was set at $43,000, while bond for Edwards was set at $18,000.

Both are due in Danielson Superior Court on Oct. 13.
 



Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police

MH17 Report: Shocking Details About Final Moments

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Investigators who concluded that Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was brought down by a Russian-made missile also revealed harrowing details of the final moments of the doomed flight, NBC News reported. 

The 298 passengers and crew had no warning that the flight was about to turn into one of the worst air disasters for almost 20 years, according to investigators. 

There was no mayday call or attempt to maneuver before the warhead exploded less than one yard from the aircraft's cockpit, the Dutch report said. 

The explosion caused the cockpit to instantly separate from the rest of the aircraft but the rest of the plane continued to fly for more than five miles before breaking into further pieces, according to the report. The passengers and remaining crew members would have been exposed to some extreme conditions inside the cabin. Some people suffered "probably fatal" injuries and others would have had little idea what was going on, experiencing "reduced awareness or unconsciousness within a very short time," the report said.



Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images

Viewers' Guide to 1st Democratic Debate of 2016 Race

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Five Democrats vying to be President Barack Obama's successor meet Tuesday night for their first televised debate of the 2016 election, a confrontation between one of the best-known women on the planet and four men seeking to unseat her as the party's front-runner.

But that quartet of rivals may not be Hillary Rodham Clinton's most immediate challenge. Instead, it's whether she can change the focus from emails she sent and received over a private server as secretary of state to the policies she's proposed to close the gap between rich Americans and everyone else.

Her chief rival for the Democratic nomination, Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, isn't likely to let her stand out on that point. Look for him to insist he's the authentic liberal, far ahead of Clinton on the issue of income inequality, as well as education and trade.

Here are some things to watch for in the debate at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel and casino, with coverage beginning at 8:30 p.m. EDT on CNN.

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CLINTON VS CLINTON

If the emails come up — or, more likely, when they come up — look for Clinton to try to pivot from defending herself to explaining why she's running for president and what she would do as Obama's successor. She'll likely try to name issues on which she agrees with Obama, such as health care, while carefully noting where the two part ways, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Two recent developments could help Clinton deflect the email issue.

The first is House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy's recent suggestion that the House committee investigating the deadly 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which has focused in recent months on Clinton's email, has paid off by damaging Clinton in the polls.

While McCarthy apologized, his comment has fed Democratic arguments that the investigation was never truly about the deaths of four Americans. So, too, has the second development: accusations made this past weekend by a fired committee staff member that the panel is improperly focused on a partisan investigation of Clinton, rather than a definitive accounting of the attack.

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SANDERS VS CLINTON

Sanders has passion, while Clinton has experience in presidential primary debates. But don't look for the two to go after each other in dramatic fashion. Each needs the supporters of the other to win in a general election, and they're not likely to risk alienating them with open hostility.

Yet distinctions will be drawn.

Sanders has broadcast that he's not bothering with formal preparation for the debate. As a self-described democratic socialist, he's been advocating for middle- and lower-income Americans for years in the legislative arena.

He's likely to cast Clinton as a late-comer to efforts to make college more affordable, for example, and a flip-flopper on such issues as the Iraq War and trade. As a senator from New York, Clinton voted for the war, which she's since said she regrets. Last week, she reversed her support as secretary of state for the Pacific trade deal backed by Obama.

Clinton, meanwhile, is sure to suggest her proposals are more realistic than those offered by Sanders, including his call to make college tuition free for all Americans.

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THE FRONT-RUNNERS VS THE REST

Clinton and Sanders are the unquestioned front-runners, but there will be three other candidates on stage — each sure to be searching for a breakout moment.

Expect former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley to be the most aggressive. "It's a very, very important opportunity for me to not only present my vision for where the country should head, but also 15 years of executive experience, actually accomplishing the progressive things some of the other candidates can only talk about," he said ahead of the debate.

It's a little bit of a mystery how former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, a decorated Vietnam veteran, and Lincoln Chafee, a former governor and senator from Rhode Island, will engage with the rest of the field.

Neither has campaigned as much as Clinton, Sanders and O'Malley up to this point, although both are critics of Clinton's vote for the Iraq War.

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THE FIELD VS JOE BIDEN

Will he or won't he?

Hovering over the debate will be Vice President Joe Biden, grieving father of son Beau, who is expected to announce within days whether he will make a late entry into the race.

If asked about the potential candidate who isn't at the debate, look for the candidates to offer up familiar responses about giving Biden time to mourn his son's death.

While Biden's advisers have been talking to potential staff and donors, those familiar with his thinking say they don't expect him to upend the debate by revealing his plans before the candidates take the stage.

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TRUMP VS THE DEMOCRATS

Never one to miss a chance at the spotlight, Republican front-runner Donald Trump said Tuesday that he planned to watch the debate and offer color commentary.

"At the request of many, and even though I expect it to be a very boring two hours, I will be covering the Democrat Debate live on twitter!" Trump wrote in a tweet.
 



Photo Credit: Illustration/Photos: AP

Vandals Did “Donuts” on Southington Playing Fields

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Vandals damaged some playing fields in Southington, forcing the town park and recreation department to cancel all adult softball league games scheduled for Tuesday night.

Police and officials from the town said someone did “donuts” on the field and crews from the parks and recreation department are working on the fields so games can continue on Wednesday.

No surveillance video is available.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Man Charged in Beating, Robbery of Bristol Man

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Bristol police have arrested a man in connection with the beating and robbery of a 67-year-old man last month.

Dezsman Robinson, 19, of Hartford, is accused of being involved in the attack just after 10 p.m. on Sept. 1 at Summer and Federal streets.

Officers who responded to the scene to investigate a disturbance learned that several people, described as youths, had beaten the victim and stolen his wallet, police said. How many people were involved was not clear.

Robinson was arrested on a warrant on Friday and charged with first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree, first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit assault in the first degree, second-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny in the second degree and risk of injury to a minor.

He was held on a $ 500,000 cash/surety bond.

Police are still investigating and expect to make more arrests.



Photo Credit: Bristol Police

Elderly Briton Facing 350 Lashes Punishment in Saudi Arabia

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British Prime Minister David Cameron will intervene in the case of an elderly Briton facing 350 lashes in Saudi Arabia after being caught with homemade wine — a punishment which his family said could kill him, NBC News reported.

Karl Andree, 74, was jailed for 12 months in August last year but remains in prison awaiting further punishment for breaking strict Saudi laws prohibiting alcohol after police found the wine in his car, his family said. 

"This is an extremely concerning case," Cameron's spokeswoman told reporters on Tuesday. "Given the ongoing concerns and the fact we would like to see more progress, the PM is writing today to the Saudis to further raise the case."

The move underlines diplomatic tensions over human rights in Saudi Arabia, which is considered one of Britain's closest military allies in the Middle East.

The move underlines diplomatic tensions over human rights in Saudi Arabia, which is considered one of Britain's closest military allies in the Middle East.
 



Photo Credit: File--Getty Images

Police ID Couple Killed in Apparent Murder-Suicide in Hartford

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A 48-year-old man and his 38-year-old wife are dead in an apparent murder-suicide on Broad Street in Hartford on Monday.

Police identified the deceased as Ramon Villa and Reyna Villa. 

While police have not identified them as husband and wife, relatives told NBC Connecticut through an interpreter that the man and woman found dead were married and owned a bodega below their home.

Police responded to 1020 Broad Street at 12:50 p.m. on Monday after receiving 911 calls and found the couple in a bedroom in the third-floor apartment. Both had been shot in the head and medics pronounced them dead at the scene at 1:04 p.m.

Police said they also found a shotgun at the scene.

Based on the preliminary investigation, police do not believe anyone else was home at the time of the shooting.

Investigators are working to confirm who fired the weapon, but said it appears to be a murder-suicide and the man likely shot the woman. Police are still working to confirm that.

Police said on Monday that they notified two children “associated with the victims” while they were at school.

Hartford Public Schools were also notified and Hartford police special investigative detectives, the victims advocate and state crisis workers are working to help the surviving children, Hartford Deputy Chief Brian Foley said.

Friends and family describe the couple as well-liked and loved.

"They were nice people,” said Yolanda Rodriguez, of Hartford, who never saw the couple fight.

"They were popular. They had been here for years at this store and another store," Kenny Lalamohme, a relative, said.

Police ask anyone with information to call the Major Crimes Division at 860-757-4248.

Police Investigate Attempted Bank Robbery in Manchester

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Manchester Police are investigating an attempted bank robbery at the First Niagara.

Police said the man handed a note to a teller at 344 West Middle Turnpike at 2:30 p.m., demanding money but fled the area a short time later without getting any cash.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at (860) 645-5500



Photo Credit: Manchester Police

Woman Approached Children in Southington: Police

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Police are investigating reports of a driver approaching two children as they walked down a street in Southington on Sunday night.

The report police received at 7:11 p.m. on Sunday was of a suspicious person and vehicle near Deckert Drive.

The driver of a black BMW drove onto the street and approached two children as they walked on down Silo Drive, according to police.

The driver then got out of the vehicle, around 80 feet from the children, and followed them, saying "come here, don't be afraid, please," police said, then, opened the car door.

The children walked away and went to a friend's house.

The initial description of the driver was of a skinny woman, around 5-feet-tall, with curly white or blond hair. She was wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans.

Police searched the area and could not find a car matching the description and have added extra patrols in the area.

Anyone with any information about this case should call the Southington Police Dept. at 860-378-1600.
 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Volkswagen to Overhaul Diesel Technology

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Volkswagen plans a complete makeover of its diesel technology in the wake its emissions cheating scandal. The new versions of its high-mileage engines should go into production "as soon as possible," according to VW brand chief Herbert Diess, NBC News reported. 

The maker's current 2.0-liter diesel was surreptitiously programmed to produce low levels of smog-causing nitrogen oxides (NOx) during emissions tests, but in a trade-off apparently meant to improve performance and mileage, those TDI engines were allowed to produce significantly higher levels of pollutants in real-world use. VW has confirmed it used the so-called "defeat device" technology in 11 million vehicles sold worldwide over the past seven years, including 482,000 in the U.S.

Even as VW moves ahead on developing a new version of its small EA 189 diesel engine, the maker will cut about $1.1 billion in annual investment spending, Diess confirmed Tuesday. VW has so far set aside $7.3 billion to cover the cost of the scandal, but many analysts believe that figure is far too low.



Photo Credit: File--AFP/Getty Images

Slain Teacher Trail Halted

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Jury selection in the trial of a Massachusetts teen accused of raping and killing his high-school teacher has been halted amid concerns about his mental competency.

Philip Chism, 16, is accused of raping and murdering Danvers High School math teacher Colleen Ritzer in 2013. Ritzer, 24, was found dead in the woods near the school. Prosecutors said her throat had been slit with a box cutter.

Chism was 14 at the time but will be tried as an adult.

Jury selection began last week in Essex Superior Court in Salem. A psychiatrist brought in to examine Chism in court Tuesday tried twice to speak with him, and both times he refused to acknowledge her.

Court officers reported Chism banged his head on the floor of a padded room where he was held. The psychiatrist will examine Chism again briefly on Wednesday, according to the judge's ruling.

Defense attorneys have said they plan to use a mental health defense but haven't revealed specifics.

Necn legal analyst Randy Chapman said it's possible jury selection will continue Wednesday morning.

"Competency is a fluid concept. A person can be competent one day and incompetent the next. The determination the court has to make is whether the person is truly incompetent from some kind of mental disease or illness or they're feigning lack of competency in order to avoid the trial that is ongoing," he explained.

If Chism continues to ignore the psychiatrist, he will likely be taken to a psychiatric facility for extended evaluation before the judge determines whether the trial can continue.



Photo Credit: AP

Civil Rights Groups Oppose MLK Monument at Stone Mountain

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A proposal to erect a monument to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. atop Georgia's Stone Mountain is getting a chilly reception from some of the civil rights groups that King worked with.

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which King co-founded, and the Atlanta and DeKalb branches of the NAACP say they oppose placing a tribute to King near the figures of three Confederate leaders engraved on the mountain outside Atlanta.

SCLC President Charles Steele said Tuesday that a reference to King doesn't belong near the carving of "three traitors."

Officials with the groups say they will meet Wednesday with Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal to discuss the issue.

A Confederate heritage group also has opposed the King monument at Stone Mountain.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported on the proposal Sunday. 



Photo Credit: File--Getty Images

No Criminal Aspect in Death of Man Found Dead Along Franklin Road

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State police have ruled that "there was no criminal aspect" in the death of a man found dead on the side of the road in Franklin last month.

Police found the body lying next to a mailbox at 796 Windham Road, which is also Route 32, around 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 17 after receiving reports of an untimely death.

A medical examiner responded to determine the person's cause and manner of death.

Police have not released the man's name or further details on the situation surrounding his death.

Eastern District Major Crime detectives investigated and closed the case, state police said.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Attempted Abduction Suspect Tells Police Why She Invited Teen Into Car

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A woman suspected in the attempted kidnapping and sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl who jumped out of a moving car in Bridgeport, Connecticut last week to escape was arraigned in court on Tuesday.

The victim told police that Towana Randall, 38, of New Haven, reached across her when she was in the car and touched her breasts over her sweater before the teen dove out of the car, according to court documents. The victim told police she heard the driver laugh at her and yell "haaah" when she turned around on the road and drove past her, the court documents say.  Randall had told the victim she was 18, according to the court documents.

But Randall called police and told them "what's being said in the media is not true." She told police she offered the victim a ride because she looked cold, according to court documents. Shortly after the victim got in the car, Randall claims she noticed "maybe two or three" $1 bills "missing from a cup holder," according to court documents. So, she grabbed her hair and yelled "yo, where's my (expletive) money," which spooked the girl and then she jumped out of the car, police said.

"I grabbed her hair because I wanted my money back," Randall told police. "That's just a normal reaction from anybody."

The victim identified Randall when shown a photo lineup, writing "she was 50 percent sure that the person she chose was involved" and telling police "she kind of looked like her in the way her face looks with the black dots in her face."

Bridgeport police began investigating after responding to the corner of Boston and Palisade avenues in Bridgeport at 7:15 a.m. Oct. 5 to investigate reports of an attempted abduction and found the teenage girl.

The victim told police she had been walking to school on Boston Avenue when a charcoal-gray Toyota Corolla approached her and the driver lured her into the car, then attacked her, police said.

Police later released video surveillance of the incident, which has aired on television news reports nationwide. It shows what appears to be a teenage girl open the door of a moving four-door sedan and tumble out.

It also shows the driver make a U-turn, double back on the opposite side of the road, then keep going.

The video was captured by the city's Safe Corridors program, which was established by the Bridgeport school board and police department.

Someone who said he had a "romantic relationship" with Randall 13 years ago contacted police to give them the tip that she is a frequent PCP user, however police have not confirmed that.

Police got at least three tips from the suspect, including one reporting a car with a missing bumper was parked at Chapel Street and Sherman Avenue.

Tips led investigators to find the car believed to be involved on Thursday, police said during a news conference. The car belonged to Randall's mother and police seized it.

Officers charged Randall with third-degree sexual assault, first-degree unlawful restraint and second-degree reckless endangerment.

Randall's bond was set at $100,000. She appeared in court on Tuesday, where the judge increased her bond to $125,000 because she was previously arrested 15 times, including four felony arrests.

Randall was due to be on probation for four more years for a burglary conviction.

Police said this is not Randall's first brush with the law.

She has "an extensive criminal record that includes robbery, larceny, and selling hallucinogenic narcotics," according to police.

Randall is using a public defender, who said she just graduated from Gateway Community College.

She is due back in court on Nov. 3.



Photo Credit: Bridgeport PD

Why Democrats Chose Las Vegas for 1st Debate

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Ah Las Vegas, home of Celine Dion, the soft 17 in blackjack and … labor unions. Often lost in all the glamour and the flashing lights on the strip is the fact that about 20% of the workforce in Las Vegas is covered by organized labor. That's a big reason why the Democrats will be holding their first debate there Tuesday night.

Las Vegas' union number is higher than the figures for Boston, Boulder, Denver or even Detroit. Las Vegas and, in a larger sense, Nevada are in many ways the capitals of the new labor movement, full of construction and service jobs covered by unions. And that makes Nevada prime real estate for the Democratic Party, NBC News reported.

Over the last 10 years, as organized labor has been in retreat in the United States as a whole, the Silver State has been a notable exception. In 2004, Nevada looked a lot like the nation - 14.3% of the employed were represented by unions in the state versus 13.8% nationally. But since then, there has been separation. By 2014, the number was 16.4% in the state versus 12.3% nationally.



Photo Credit: File--AP
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