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NTSB Issues Urgent Safety Recommendations

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The National Transportation Safety Board has issued urgent safety recommendations to Metro-North Railroad on the heels of a fatal accident last month.

On May 28th, a Metro-North track foreman was struck and killed by a passenger train that was traveling at 70 mph.

The foreman had requested the section of track be taken out of service for maintenance. Two controllers, one whom was a student controller, placed the take out of service.

The student controller reopened the track without approval, causing the fatal accident.

The NTSB is urging Metro North to require redundant signal protection. This would including shunting, a device that crews can attach to the rails in a work zone to alert the controller and give approaching trains a stop signal.

"The procedures currently in place are ineffective."  NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said in a statement. "Metro-North can take immediate action to ensure the safety of work crews on their tracks. Shunting tracks is simple, feasible and readily available."
 

Metro North quickly responded to the recommendations from the NTSB.

In a statement, Metro North said they would implement the safety improvements as quickly as possible.

"Safety is our first priority...In addition, the railroad already has begun working on a technological solution beyond the current system of verbal confirmations.  It will require mechanical input from the roadway worker to implement and relinquish all blocks. The details of this method are being developed," Metro North officials said in a statement.

 


Oxford English Dictionary Adds "Tweet" and "Big Data"

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The Oxford English Dictionary is catching up to the high-tech world.

The word "tweet," appearing both as a noun and a verb, was added to the dictionary despite the OED's own rule that "a new word needs to be current for ten years before consideration for inclusion," according to Chief Editor John Simpson, who made the announcement in a blog post.

The OED got on board with other tech lingo. The words "big data," "crowdsourcing," "e-reader," "mouseover," "stream" and "redirect" also made their debut in the century-old dictionary.

"Flash mob," 3D printer" and "live-blogging" made the cut as well.

Check out new additions to the OED here.



Photo Credit: AP

911 Caller Sentenced to Jail For Deadly Lie

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A man who admitted to lying to a 911 dispatcher that he was robbed at gunpoint, leading responding police to fatally shoot an unarmed man in Pasadena, Calif., took a plea deal for three months in jail, authorities said.

Oscar Carillo called police after his backpack was snatched from him near a taco truck on the street. He wanted police to respond quickly, so he called 911 and lied that the thief had pulled a gun on him.

Responding officers shot and killed unarmed 19-year-old Kendrec McDade, believing he had a gun.

Carillo, an immigrant from Mexico who faces the possibility of deportation upon his release, said he didn't feel as though it was his fault.

"I don't feel guilty about anything," Carillo said. "Only God knows, I don't do anything. I feel sorry. Nobody deserves to die."

Pasadena City Attorney Michelle Bagneris said Carillo's case should serve as an example for people who report false information to police.

"There are serious, potentially serious consequences when people make false reports," she said. "It's a threat to public safety, a drain to public resources."

The McDade family lawyer said prosecutors should have filed more serious, felony charges and tried to put Carillo away for longer.

"The recent slap on the wrist of Mr. Carrillo serves as yet another disappointment to the McDade family following the failure of the District Attorney's office to charge him with a felony."

Carillo might not be deported immediately, as he is named as a defendant in a lawsuit that McDade's family has filed against the city.

Carillo said the case has weighed on him heavily.

"Sometimes I feel sad," Carillo said. "But then I look at my kids. I feel better."

More Southern California Stories:

WATCH: 2008 Times Square Bike Bomber Plants Explosive

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The FBI released new surveillance video that tracks the bike-riding suspect in the 2008 Times Square military recruiting station bombing from 37th Street to the device drop-off point. The surveillance video also captures the moments before and after the explosion.

Texas Governor Hopes to "Rustle Up" CT Jobs

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Once makers of the gun that won the west, Colt's Manufacturing in West Hartford has plenty of firearms to lure the governor of Texas. Rick Perry wants to lure Colt's out of its home state.

"You're going to be most comfortable in a place where you get to keep more of what you work for," Gov. Perry told reporters after his visit to Colt's.

Gov. Dannel Malloy appeared at Max Downtown in Hartford to welcome Perry despite the Texan's declaration of competition.

"We want him to understand what good Yankee hospitality is," Malloy told reporters outside the restaurant.

Perry called Malloy "civil" and hoped he had been civil too. "Civility in Politics" is the subject of a lecture Perry is due to give in Stamford.

He said his visit is the "early stages" of a long process of luring businesses. Perry said in his view of the world, if Texas competes with Connecticut and captures business, it makes the whole country stronger.

Speaking of the whole country, Perry, whose 2012 presidential campaign ended before the Connecticut primary, said that "2016 will take care of itself."

Colt's called Perry's visit cordial and informal.

 

Pool of 40 Potential Jurors Reached in Zimmerman Trial

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A pool of 40 potential jurors has been reached in the George Zimmerman trial, Circuit Judge Debra Nelson announced in court Tuesday.

Those potential jurors went through the initial round of questioning, which was focused solely on pretrial publicity.

Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder in the February 2012 shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. He has pleaded not guilty, saying he acted in self-defense.

Jury selection had resumed earlier Tuesday as defense attorneys and prosecutors worked to build the pool of potential jurors. Five hundred people were summoned overall for the case.

On Monday, Judge Nelson granted a defense motion to extend the timeline for securing the anonymity of jurors in the trial.

Judge Nelson did not say for how long anonymity would be extended to jurors. She previously ruled that jurors’ names would be kept anonymous until after a jury reaches a verdict.

Judge Nelson said Monday that she would consider the length of the extension after the verdict is reached. Defense attorney Mark O’Mara has asked for a six-month extension.

The jury that will eventually be selected to hear the case will be sequestered for the duration of the trial, Judge Nelson said last week.

Vigil Held For Missing New Milford Photographer

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Friends and family hold a vigil for Eric Langlois at the Lover's Leap Bridge.

Man Arrested for Stealing Child's Bicycle

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Police arrested a 20-year-old West Haven man shortly after midnight for stealing a child's purple bicycle and throwing it at a witness, according to the West Haven Police Department.

Maurice Bacote, of 295 Elm Street, took the 20-inch bicycle from a Sam's Food Store at 665 Campbell Avenue. A witness attempted to stop him, at which point Bacote threw the bike, injuring the witness' hand, police said.

The witness alerted a nearby officer, who told Bacote to stop. Bacote turned and ran, leading the officer on a chase to his Elm Street address. Bacote was arrested outside his home, according to police.

Bacote was charged with sixth-degree larceny, second-degree breach of peace, third-degree assault and interfering with police.

He is being held at the West Haven Police Department pending a July 2 court date.


Windchester Man Engages in Police Standoff

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A police standoff in Winchester ended around 10:15 a.m. when the suspect surrendered, police said.

The suspect was barricaded in his home on Mundy Road this morning. He surrendered peacefully, according to police.

NBC Connecticut is at the scene. Check back for updates.

Body Found in Lake Lillinonah in Bridgewater

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Officials recovered a man's body from Lake Lillinonah in Bridgewater this morning, police said.

The Bridgewater Fire Department, state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, State Police and New Milford Police Department reported to 100 Lake Lillinonah Road after a homeowner reported a body floating in the lake.

A Bridgewater fire boat recovered the body and officials are working to identify it, police said.

"The clothing is hard to identify at this point because of the conditions of the dirt. The water was muddy and the clothing was rather stained at that point," said Camejo.

Family members of missing New Milford photographer Eric Langlois were gathered at the lake this morning hugging, and crying and praying. Officials said the family was out searching for Langlois when the body was found.

"They're heartbroken," said Environmental Conservation Police Capt. Raul Camejo, of Langlois' family. "They were hopeing that we were going to find him someplace along the shoreline just waiting for a rescue party to come and get him."

The body was located at the north end of the lake, not far from Lovers Leap State Park, near where Langlois, 33, was last seen. Langlois disappeared a week ago today.

The search began last Tuesday when a jogger called 911 after seeing a man fall into the lake in Lovers Leap State Park, police said. Langlois had returned to the area in search of a mountain bike he'd lost the previous day. He never returned, police said.

Search parties scavenged the area for days, pausing briefly to wait out Thursday's flood conditions. The state DEEP decided to scale back the search on Monday after finding no evidence of Langlois or his body. Friends and family members held a vigil for Langlois last night.

 The state medical examiner should make an official identification within the next day or two.

Severe Thunderstorm, Flash Flood Warnings Issued

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Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for Hartford, Tolland, Middlesex and New London Counties. 

Storms started to fire at 1:30 in Litchfield County and will become more widespread and sink southeast across the state this afternoon.

While the threat for damaging winds and hail is relatively low, the thunderstorms contain very heavy rainfall and pockets of flash flooding are possible.  A flash flood warning has been issued for parts of the state and a flash flood watch has been issued for Hartford, Tolland and Windham Counties through 9 p.m.

SEE THE RADAR HERE

The storms will begin to taper off this evening, but will be slow to leave the state.

Sunshine, a fresh breeze, and low humidity is in the forecast for Wednesday.

Download the NBC Connecticut Weather App here.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

New Video Shows Bike Bomber Riding to Times Square

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The FBI and NYPD released new video Tuesday of the suspect in the 2008 bombing of an armed forces recruiting station in Times Square, and announced a reward of up to $65,000 for information leading to the arrest.

The video shows a shadowy figure on a bicycle riding up to the recruiting station, moments before the bomb exploded on March 6, 2008. No one was injured in the attack.

“Someone, somewhere, knows something about a bomber who’s still on the run,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos. “Today we’re asking for the public’s assistance in finding those responsible and encouraging the public to look closely at these photos and video, which could be the key to breaking the case.”

Authorities say the suspect was riding a blue Ross bicycle, and came from the east. He is believed to have ridden west on 37th Street, up Sixth Avenue, west on 47th Street and then down Seventh Avenue to the station, and the video released Tuesday shows that path.

Authorities say he rode away south on Broadway after planting the bomb, and police later found a Ross 10-speed bicycle in a Dumpster on East 38th Street that they believe belonged to the bomber.

Although the suspect appears to be working alone, he or she may have had a lookout or surveillance team of as many as five other individuals in Times Square at the time of the attack.

At the bomb scene, investigators recovered a metal ammunition can filled halfway with black powder and detonated with a fuse.

The device is believed to be similar to two other unsolved bombings by a suspect on a bicycle in Manhattan -- one outside the British consulate on East 42nd Street in 2005 and another outside the Mexican consulate on East 37th Street in 2007.

The FBI tipline is 212-384-1000. 

Bacteria Sprayed to Eradicate Foul Bird Odor

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After months of complaints and debate, the smell at one of San Diego's most popular tourist destinations may be a bit more pleasant.

After an accumulation of bird droppings left an unwanted scent near the La Jolla shoreline, a cleanup process began Monday that will hopefully eliminate the unwanted odor.

The smell reduction involves spraying bacteria to eat away the bird poop. It's a 10-day, $50,000 process being run by a group called Blue Eagle. Crews will work to spread a certain kind of bacteria on the rocks, and biologists say the majority of the smell should be gone in a couple hours.

The long-awaited cleanup of the La Jolla Cove has locals ready for some fresh air. For months, the pervasive stench has been so bad, restaurants near the coast claimed it discouraged diners from eating there.

“The clean-up is an A+ on my list,” said Anton Marek from Goldfish Point Café.

It took many hurdles to get the plan in place. First, people had to wait for the bird’s nesting season to end. Then permits were obtained so that none of the product sprayed on the feces ends up in the water.

Mayor Bob Filner even called the problem a health and safety issue to get an exception from federal authorities.

“We’ve spent the last two weeks testing and we think it’s going to work,” he said.

But the big question ahead is: What happens when the birds come back? Filner said they’d have to look at a more long-term plan.

About a decade ago, the city put up a fence for safety reasons to get people off the rocks. Since then, birds took over, creating the mess.

If the fence stays, Filner said the city will have to look into another solution. He said the city can't keep spending money to clean the rocks every couple months.

“Unless there are people out there the way it has been for decades and decades, we’re going to have this problem,” he said.

Locals are happy to have the smell leave, but at the same time some said it’s only natural.

“I come to see the view. The smell comes with it… I ignore the smell,” said one visitor.

Woman Arrested After Attacking Dog and Owner

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A 29-year-old New Haven woman and her 17-year-old brother were arrested Monday after stealing a couple’s pit bull and attacking both the dog and its owner with a baseball bat, police said.

Jacqueline Carrasquillo and her brother were arrested after confronting a couple and their dog in the area of 197 Exchange Street, New Haven. Police said Carrasquillo approached the couple, took their dog and began beating it with a bat. When the boyfriend tried to intervene, Carrasquillo turned the bat on him, according to police.

The victim told officers that the conflict originated Sunday when the pit bull jumped on Carrasquillo, causing a bruise. He said Carrasquillo vowed to kill the dog the next time she saw it, police said.

Carrasquillo was charged with second-degree assault, cruelty to an animal and interfering with police. Her brother was charged with sixth-degree larceny, cruelty to an animal and interfering with police.

Routes 85 and 161 Closed Following Car Chase

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A stolen pickup truck being chased by police crashed into a truck carrying propane at the intersection of Route 161 and Route 85 in Montville Tuesday afternoon.

The force of the crash sent the propane truck and its driver into a nearby pond, according to police. Two state troopers and a police officer from East Lyme cut the driver out of his seatbelt, pulled him from the truck and dragged him to shore, police said. The unidentified driver was flown to the hospital by LifeStar. Details on his injuries were not released.

According to state police, troopers received a report of a stolen vehicle in Old Saybrook around 2:30 p.m. The troopers spotted the pickup truck and began chasing the vehicle up Route 161.

The truck reached Route 85 in Montville when it collided with the propane truck.

The intersection remained shut down for most of the afternoon.

The driver and a passenger in the stolen pickup were taken to William Backus Hospital in Norwich to be treated for injuries. Both people are expected to be released from the hospital shortly and will be facing numerous charges, police said.

Crews from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection responded to the scene of the accident to deal with the propane in the tank of the truck.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Lew Unveils Less Loopy Signature for Dollar Debut

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Treasury Secretary Jack "Lewpty" Lew has a new and improved signature – and it will soon be appearing on your dollar bills.

Some people, including President Barack Obama, thought Lew needed to improve his penmanship and worried about his illegibly loopy signature being showcased on U.S. currency.

"Jack assures me that he is going to work to make at least one letter legible in order not to debase our currency," Obama joked back in January.

Apparently Lew has done some work on his John Hancock. The Treasury Department tweeted a photo of his new signature Tuesday afternoon that is set to premiere on dollar bills this fall.

The new one is less loopy, but it still isn’t that legible.

It’s not the first time a Treasury Secretary has tried to change his signature before its dollar debut. Lew’s predecessor Timothy Geithner did the same, saying he wanted to make his name legible.



Photo Credit: Treasury Department

Drug Trafficking Ringleader Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

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The leader of a major New Haven drug trafficking ring was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison and five years of supervised released, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Joseph Jackson, also known as “M.I.” and “Mighty,” 37, was sentenced following his arrest on Oct. 28, 2010. On Feb. Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distributing 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, said the U.S. attorney’s office.

As part of his sentence, Jackson is required to turn over two cars, two motorcycles, and approximately $72,325.

Jackson’s arrest is the result of a major 2010 investigation headed up by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force, with help from New Haven Police, Hamden Police and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Investigators used court-authorized wire taps to identify and locate Jackson’s drug trafficking organization, centered in the Newhallville area of New Haven and Hamden.

Upon searching Jackson's New Haven home on Winchester Avenue, police found a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol, crack cocaine and a pile of cash. Investigators also discovered a kilogram of cocaine, 150 grams of packaged crack, cellphones, drug packaging materials and more money in a West Haven apartment Jackson used for packaging and distribution, the U.S. attorney's office said.

At the time of the investigation, Jackson was one of the region’s major crack distributors, the U.S. attorney’s office reported.

A total of 47 people have been arrested in connection to the investigation, the U.S. attorney’s office said. All have been convicted.

Jackson has a record of drug trafficking felonies.

 

Car Smashes into Plainville Building

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Officials are securing the area after a car plowed into the Peck Spring building at 89 Whiting Street in Plainville this afternoon, police said.

The car was leaving a Cumberland Farms at the corner of Broad Street and Whiting Street when the driver apparently lost control while accelerating and crashed into the Peck Spring building, according to a witness.

No injuries have been reported, but the collision left a giant hole in the building wall. Police are working to remove the car.

Montville Man Arrested After Armed Robbery

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A Montville man was arrested today following the six-month investigation of a gunpoint robbery in Norwich, police said.

Shaun Cooley, 35, of 986 Norwich-New London Turnpike, was arrested Tuesday morning following the December 2012 armed robbery of a Shell Food Mart.

During the robbery, Cooley showed a handgun and demanded money. He stole $450 and fled on foot.

Cooley, who is already in prison for other unrelated criminal charges, has been charged with first-degree robbery and sixth-degree larceny. He is being held on $200,000 bond and will be arraigned in Norwich Superior Court.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Norwich Police Department at 860-886-5561.

 

Man Missing in Farmington River

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Crews are searching for a man who went missing in the Farmington River after stormy conditions sent a tubing adventure awry, police said.

Seven people between the ages of 20 and 22 were tubing on the Farmington River this afternoon when a storm hit, capsizing the tube and sending them into the water, according to police. Crews responded to the scene after a neighbor heard the group shouting for help and called 911, police said.

According to police, six people have been found safely and one is still missing in the river.

Officials believe the missing man does not know how to swim. Crews have thus far been unable to search the water due to the rushing current and are looking along banks and bridges. Crew members say they'll search as long as they have to.

An NBC Connecticut crew is at the scene.

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