The Air Force is investigating allegations that a mortuary worker at its base in Delaware made Defense Department inspectors an offer they refused — a peek at John Glenn's body before the astronaut and American hero was buried, NBC News reported.

It allegedly happened while Glenn's remains were at the Dover Air Force Base "pending his interment at Arlington National Cemetery on April 6, 2017," Air Force spokesman Col. Patrick Ryder said in a statement on Friday.

The worker was not identified.

Glenn died in December at age 95 in his home state of Ohio. Thousands of people filed into the Ohio Statehouse rotunda to pay their respects before Glenn's body was flown to Delaware.

Both Republicans and Democrats in the Connecticut General Assembly want to see a new $10 surcharge on each two-year vehicle registration, and then use that money to fund the state’s parks system. 

The proposal is backed by members of both the budget writing and taxing and finance committees and they said such a move is needed as the state deals with sagging revenues. 

“I was at Rocky Neck State Park on Friday and it was kind of chilling to see every single campsite with grass knee-high and that is a fear that I have for every campground if we don’t make a concerted effort to have a funding source,” said Rep. Melissa Ziobron, (R–East Haddam), who’s pushed for a “State Parks Passport” all session. 

The $10 over two years would be used to fund the maintenance and upkeep of all state parks, campgrounds and beaches. Those who pay the new fee would not owe anything in the form of admission or parking fees when they arrive at a state park. 

Republicans think the idea is creative and one that won’t break the bank for many Connecticut households. 

“People want confidence in the government. They don’t want to have another fee that doesn’t work,” said Sen. Paul Formica, (R – East Lyme), co-chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

Gov. Dannel Malloy didn’t completely shut down the idea during a news conference Thursday. He said his administration has, “examined and studied the concept,” of a one-time fee that would provide funds for state parks, but was non-committal on whether he would support such a proposal. 

He did say the estimated $10 million to $14 million that would be generated by the surcharge would cover only half of the budget needed to maintain the parks. 

Democrats are more optimistic and think the new fee could be used to widen the appeal and even access to the parks, perhaps even keep some facilities open year-round. 

Sen. Cathy Osten, (D – Sprague), the other co-chair of the Appropriations Committee, said that’s her goal. 

“Ultimately my goal would be to see our parks and campgrounds open at least all spring and all summer and all fall and having done some winter camping myself, I wouldn’t mind that either.” 

A Watertown man is accused of beating his Chihuahua to death in March, police said. 

Carmelo Feliciano faces one felony charge of cruelty to animals after his dog was taken to an emergency veterinarian's office. Police said the dog was already dead by the time it arrived on March 26. 

A necropsy conducted found the dog died of blunt force trauma. Rib fractures, external bruising and bruising to an internal organ were also noted, according to police.

Watertown Police said the Chihuahua had been treated of chest bruising, difficulty breathing, eye injuries and hemorrhages over several months before its death. 

Feliciano was arrested on Friday and his bond was set at $25,000. 

Members of the military and veterans already get discounts at stores, but as we pay respect to their service on Memorial Day, there are even more (to go along with all the other sales you'll find in stores).

Check out some of what's out there in Connecticut and beyond below:

Hooters: All members of the military, current and former, can get a free entree on Monday at the chain restaurant if they present their military ID. Read more.

General Motors: Eligible service members can get $500 in a purchase bonus when they buy new Chevrolet vehicles, the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 or the 2017 Buick Encore.

McCormick and Schmick's Seafood & Steakhouse: Members of the military and National Guard, veterans and Gold Star honorees can get a free entree from the high-end chain's Memorial Day menu, with military ID. Read more.

Outback Steakhouse: Military personnel and their families can get 15 percent off their meal, excluding alcohol, through July 4 if they present military ID, wear their uniform or otherwise identify themselves. Find locations here.

Walgreens: The drug store chain is offering a 20 percent discount on eligible items to veterans and active-duty military personnel and their families who have a Walgreens Balance Rewards card and military ID or proof of service. "Memorial Day is an opportunity to pay tribute in this small way to their service, commitment and sacrifice, for which we at Walgreens are deeply grateful," Walgreens executive Richard Ashworth said in a statement.

Wethersfield Dental Group: Wethersfield Dental Group will offer free teeth cleanings to veterans on Tuesday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Read more.

Connecticut's Safe Haven laws have been pushed into the spotlight after an hours-old baby was abandoned behind a grocery store in Danbury this week. 

"This case really drives home the point that we all need to do more to raise awareness that no parent needs to take such drastic risk with the life of a newborn," Governor Dannel Malloy said in a statement on Friday.  "Connecticut has a safe, no-questions-asked option for parents who feels overwhelmed and unable to provide care to a baby."

The governor's office said the Danbury incident is the fifth time a baby has been "dangerously abandoned" since the state's Safe Haven law took effect in 2000. Since the law has been enacted, 31 babies have been safely brought to hospital emergency rooms and have since been adopted, except in one case where a family member came forward to care for the infant. 

"This law works. The babies are protected and are safely and permanently cared for in a loving family. We are asking everyone – the media, hospital officials, and others – to help spread the word that this law exists. No baby should ever be abandoned. There is an option available for parents to do the right thing," Malloy said. 

The governor's office provided information on how Connecticut's Safe Haven law works:

• The law enables a parent to bring an infant 30 days or younger to a hospital emergency room and avoid prosecution for abandonment.
• A nurse will ask the parent for their name and for medical information on the infant and parent. The parent does not have to provide that information.
• DCF will obtain custody and place the baby with a family who is already licensed and intends to adopt the baby.
• Safe Haven babies are placed into homes with families that adopt the child. In one instance, a Safe Haven baby was placed into a permanent home of a relative.
• DCF will provide support to the baby’s new family while terminating the biological parent’s parental rights so that the adoption can become final.
• Connecticut law requires that a child can only be placed by DCF with a person licensed to provide foster or adoptive care.

To learn about becoming a foster or adoptive parent, please call (888) KID-HERO or visit the state's website.

The White House is preparing to establish a "war room" to combat questions about ties between Russia and President Donald Trump's campaign, Reuters reported.

The news agency cited administration officials and people close to Trump.

When Trump returns from an overseas trip, the administration will add experienced political professionals and possibly lawyers to handle the Russia probe, which has gained new urgency since the Justice Department appointed a special counsel to head the investigation, the sources told Reuters.

All day long Friday RV’s rolled into the campground at Hammonasset Beach State Park for the start of the busy Memorial Day weekend.

State campgrounds are opening a week later than normal because of budget cuts. State lawmakers are proposing a new way to generate more money to keep state parks open and in good condition.

"It’s always great to come back to Hammonasset," said Christine Koster, who is spending the holiday weekend with her husband in their RV.

Koster is the president of the 300 member organization called Friends of Hammonasset. She wants state lawmakers to pass a bill that would tack on a ten dollar fee on two year vehicle registrations in exchange for free access to state parks and beaches.

"The way this bill is going to be written, is that all of the money will go back into the state parks," she said. "Every $10 that everyone pays every two years is money that is going to come back into the state parks."

Park visitors could save money if the proposal passes, Koster said.

"So instead if you’re a day use person at Hammonasset instead of paying $13 to park you would just drive through the gate and get in for free," she explained. "And you can do that multiple times, as many times in any state park that you want."

At the Rocky Neck State Park campground, longtime camper Bill Stamper said his family members made their reservations almost a year ago.

"Eleven months out you have to book it," Stamper said. "And if you don’t book it, you ain’t getting it."

Stamper said he isn’t completely sold on the idea of paying more for vehicle registration in exchange for unlimited access to state parks.

"I guess it would be OK," he said. "Another ten dollars, it’s getting bad where they’re just taxing us out of here."

Christine Monroe fro Montville is spending her weekend at the Hammonasset campground.

"My aunt actually made it for us and it was probably three months ago," she said.

Monroe said she supports paying ten dollars more on vehicle registration to keep the parks in good condition.

"Absolutely," she said. "It’s totally worth it. All the lawns are maintained, and the park is really clean, and it’s important to come to a park where it’s clean, especially with young children."

Four state park campgrounds are not opening this weekend because of budget cuts: Devils Hopyard State Park in East Haddam, Green Falls in Voluntown, Macedonia Brook State Park in Kent and Salt Rock State Park in Baltic.

The Department of Environmental Protection, which runs the parks, is bracing for another budget cut of up to $6.5 million for the next fiscal year starting on July 1. It is too early to tell how exactly that will affect this 2017 camping season.

Budget cuts for the current fiscal year resulted in 30 fewer seasonal hires at state parks.

Several members of the United States military were granted citizenship in Groton at the Submarine Force Museum on Friday.

The 16 people granted American citizenship were either active duty, a member of the reserves, retired or have a family member who serves or has severed.

The group represented Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jamaica, Phillippines, Poland, Russia and Trinidad and Tobago.

"As a U.S. citizen, I can truly feel those words (of the Pledge of Allegiance) and what they actually mean," said Rudra Mootoor, who became a U.S. citizen Friday and then led the room in the Pledge.

Mootoor is originally from Trinidad and Tobago and said ever since he was a kid, he wanted to be a sailor.

"It’s the world’s greatest Navy! Who doesn’t want to be a part of that?" Mootoor said.

Robert Ouellette, of Canada, served in the U.S. Army for a couple of years in the early 1950s. He wanted to be an American citizen for decades and now at 87 years old, he is one.

"It’s unbelievable," Ouellette said while fighting back tears. "I can’t express myself — to the extent that I really appreciate it."

Rep. Joe Courtney was the keynote speaker for the ceremony.

"We are a nation of immigrants and that’s one of the real strengths of our country," Courtney said.

Some of the new citizens at Friday’s ceremony represented the Marines, Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Army National Guard, according to Wayne Seagrave, an immigration services officer with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Depending on the roll, it is possible to be part of the United States military without being a citizen.

"I’m just thanking God for it. I’m feeling so good," said Johnoi Mitchell, a Jamacian native, who’s part of the Connecticut Army National Guard. 

"In my opinion, it’s truly the home of the brave, it’s the land of the free and that’s what we want," Mootoor said.

Hundreds of customers were overcharged or undercharged while parking at Bradley International Airport.

On Friday, the company that operates parking, SP Plus, sent notification emails to the 856 impacted customers.

All of them are members of the airport’s Frequent Parker Program. Brian Garrity from Manchester considers himself a regular at Bradley.

"I'm typically here about once a week for work,” Garrity said.

He usually parks in Lot 1, where the rate is $12 a day plus Connecticut sales tax. That’s been the case as long as Garrity has been parking there.

But at the end of March, he said his expense report was flagged because his parking bill was higher than usual. It was a small difference, less than two dollars. Garrity said he called the airport, which put him in touch with SP Plus.

"And when I contacted them, they said thanks for letting us know and they would reimburse me the difference between what it should be and what they charged me," Garrity said.

Garrity said he was overcharged about six times. He reported each instance to the parking operator, SP Plus, and each time he was reimbursed.

But neither the airport nor SP Plus notified customers about the discrepancy, and that didn’t sit well with Garrity.

“I wanted to let them know that it was still happening. And they should probably let their customers know," he said.

When no notice went out, Garrity contacted NBC Connecticut Responds.

"I felt bad for probably a lot of folks that do this and don't notice that they're being overcharged," he said.

A look at Garrity’s statements showed us something unusual: he was only overcharged when he parked for three days at a time.

The correct amount, including tax, should be $38.29. But Garrity’s bill consistently read $39.90.

Responds reached out to Bradley International Airport and SP Plus for answers on May 11. Both said they would look into it.

On May 23, SP Plus told us in an email that the glitch happened during a software upgrade, resulting in “sporadic undercharges and overcharges” to members of the airport’s Frequent Parker Program. SP Plus said the average amounts were less than two dollars. The company confirmed the mistake only happened to customers who parked for a “specific duration.”

SP Plus added its equipment provider worked on the issue for several weeks and indicated the problem is fixed.

When asked why customers weren’t notified sooner, a representative for SP Plus said. “With the amount of transactions handled each day (averaging over 1400 per day), it took time to identify the problem and the specific transactions.”

Kevin Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, told NBC Connecticut in a written statement, "We were notified by SP Plus of the erroneous undercharges and overcharges that have taken place and we immediately asked them to take the appropriate steps to resolve the issue."

“We're pleased that they are in the process of reimbursing individuals who have been overcharged," Dillon said.

SP Plus said it is working quickly to refund anyone who was overcharged. Customers who were undercharged will not have to pay the difference. Each of the impacted customers will also get bonus points added to their accounts, which can be put toward free parking in the future.

SP Plus said it will continue to monitor transactions to make sure everything is working properly.

There was a fiery car accident on Bolton Road in Vernon on Friday.

Vernon Police said one car went off the roadway on Bolton Road. 

The road was closed between Bread and Milk Road and Reservoir Road. 

"I was just driving up the road way on the way to my house," a neighbor, Frankie Zanin, told NBC Connecticut. "I saw flames coming up and i saw how much traffic and i ran up to see what happened."

Zanin said the woman in the car was already out of it when he showed up. 

"I don't know how she got out," Zanin said. "It was very lucky. I don't know how she wasn't more injured or got out of the car. it was pretty serious."

No other information was immediately available. 

A FedEx truck and motorcycle were in a serious crash on Friday. 

Police said the crash happened on Windham Avenue near Jurach Road. 

Windham Avenue was shut down.

No injuries have been reported at the time of post. 

The two Democrats that represent the state of Connecticut in the US Senate said the healthcare reform is as bad for Connecticut as they thought it would be, after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office's report revealed that 23 million could lose coverage under the proposal.

In the Nutmeg State, that figure includes hundreds of thousands of residents.

"It's like the dog caught the car, and they don't know what to do," said Sen. Chris Murphy.

One of those people who could see spikes in the costs of her coverage and prescription drugs is Pamela Johnson from Ellington. She and her son both live with hereditary angioedema, a condition that leads to serious bouts with swelling.

She said without access to affordable drug and health coverage, she would be crippled financially.

“The medicine that I’m on is so expensive that a one month supply currently costs my insurance approximately $70,000 a month. I can’t afford that without access to affordable care," Johnson said during a press conference at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal said it's stories like Johnson's, and other similar ones, as to why he said the Republican healthcare plan won't muster enough votes for even consideration.

“They are skyrocketing financial costs, catastrophic human costs, and unconscionable moral costs," Blumenthal said. "That’s the CBO score."

Murphy added that he anticipates the Senate GOP caucus to craft its own measure, but will use the House version as its template.

“Our Senate Republican colleagues are writing their own bill behind closed doors and let me guarantee you that they are using the House bill as the foundation for their discussions. Senate Republicans are not going to write a radically different bill," Murphy said.

The process could be a long one for any health reform to pass. If the Senate makes substantial changes to the House bill and it passes, it would then have to return for a House vote, and then it would need to pass the Senate again before reaching the president's desk.

Murphy said the Senate is still a long way from those discussions even starting.

"There aren't fifty votes for any healthcare bill," Murphy said.

Aetna has called Hartford home for more than 160 years, dating back to the years before the Civil War.

Its office along Interstate 84 a stone’s throw from the State Capitol, is a part of the city’s corporate and professional fabric.

For the better part of a year, Aetna executives haven’t denied that the company’s CEO and executives have been looking at a possible new location for its corporate headquarters, and with that information in hand, Shirley Leung, Business Editor and Columnist at the Boston Globe, pounced.

She wrote her Friday column in the form of a letter to Aetna executives and said bluntly, “It has been the worst kept secret in New England. You want to get the hell out of Hartford.”

Leung goes on to cite all of the reasons Aetna would find a great fit not just in Boston, but in Massachusetts as a whole: access to graduates and researchers at institutions like MIT and Harvard, being surrounded by established and emerging tech firms, a younger workforce, and the list goes on and on.

Leung describes Boston as the “capital of healthcare,” saying, “We discover drugs. We cure cancer. We incubate health care reform.”

But Leung’s column didn’t go unanswered. Dan Haar with the Hartford Courant penned his own letter, telling CEO Mark Bertolini and President Karen Lynch that Hartford is a good long-term bet. He acknowledges the state’s and city’s financial struggles, but maintains that in the end, Hartford isn’t a bad place to be.

“This area has always been a fantastic place to live and raise a family, and as Connecticut economist Patrick Flaherty likes to say, today's millennials are tomorrow's thirty-somethings,” Haar writes.

Haar points out Aetna’s commitment to provide the city of Hartford with funds to help it out of its fiscal malaise, how it has so much in common with UConn Health and Jackson Labs that are nearby, and how the tax climate in Massachusetts isn’t much better than the one in Connecticut.

The General Electric comparison is an apt one, because that company’s executives directly cited exactly what Leung points out in her column, as the rationale for leaving scenic Fairfield for the urban Boston. Jeff Immelt wanted talent, and a vibrant ecosystem for conducting business and research. Even Haar acknowledged that much in an interview with NBC Connecticut.

Haar said, “I think right now what these companies are looking at is what GE was looking at. Where are we going to get the hot college graduates, where do they want to be now? And right now that’s Brooklyn, that’s Boston, that’s Seattle, that’s Washington DC, that’s San Francisco, Hartford is starting is starting to get some of that, but it’s a long way to go.”

Joe Brennan, with the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, says the talk about General Electric leaving Connecticut is salt in the wound for the state’s economy.

“You still hear conversations about GE, why they left, even though GE still has thousands of employees here, but the fact that the headquarters left gets so much attention, but yeah, the more attention it gets the bigger they become sometimes,” Brennan said.

He thinks the state can get on a path where such columns don’t even get written.

“We’re trying to fight against that by making the hard choices we need to make in Connecticut so companies want to be here so when you get recruited by another state you say, ‘not interested.’”

A dead whale that washed ashore at Agate Beach in Bolinas earlier this week has been identified as an endangered blue whale, according to officials.

Scientists from the Marine Mammal Center identified the whale as a sub-adult female measuring at about 79 feet in length. The scientists on Friday collected skin and blubber samples for testing, and a full necropsy to determine the animal's cause of death is scheduled for Saturday.

This is just the ninth time in the Marine Mammal Center's 42-year history that their scientists have responded to a blue whale discovery.

"We rarely have the opportunity to examine blue whales due to their endangered status," Barbie Halaska, a research assistant at the Marine Mammal Center, said in a statement. "The opportunity to perform a necropsy on a carcass in this good of condition will help contribute to our baseline data on the species."

The deceased whale was first identified while swimming off California in 1999, according to the Marine Mammal Center. It typically spent its time near the Santa Barbara Channel area.

Roughly 2,800 blue whales currently call water off the California coast home, according to the Marine Mammal Center. The species is listed as endangered according to the Endangered Species Act.

A man was injured in a shooting near Woodlawn Circle and Cannon Road in East Hartford early Saturday morning.

Police said they responded to the area around 1 a.m. and found an adult male suffering a single gunshot wound to the leg. Police said the injury appears non-life threatening.

More details were not immediately released. The investigation is underway.

Putting service before self, dozens of volunteers rolled up their sleeves Saturday, to help a former Milford police officer facing a life-altering illness.

Collin Walsh was diagnosed with an aggressive form of multiple sclerosis that left him paralyzed.

“They basically told me here’s a drug you’re going to take. It’s not gonna make you better, you will get worse. You’ll never walk anymore,” said Collin Walsh.

The diagnosis came two days into his training to be a special agent for the federal government, a position he spent two years working toward, going to law school, studying internationally, and learning new languages, in addition to joining the police force.

“I had done every possible thing I think I could have done to get to that very point. That was my absolute dream, my absolute goal.”

The position involved counter-terrorism, and Walsh expected to be placed overseas when he completed training. Instead, his promising future was put on pause.

Walsh spoke with us from Kolkata, India, where he’s seeking alternative treatments. When he returns to Connecticut this summer, his home will be different from the way he left it. He’ll find new doors and ramps, wider doorways, and other additions to make the home more handicap accessible.

The improvements were made possible by 40 volunteers whose moto is “make a difference in a day.”

“Just to see the support network of people who don’t even know me are willing to offer is enormous. I know quite a few people that I do know are going to be there today, and that’s touching,” said Walsh.

House of Heroes Connecticut has helped make home repairs for 80 military veterans with physical and financial challenges.

“When I started, I had no idea about the personal reward you would get from giving a helping hand to someone who needs help,” said House of Heroes Executive Director Dennis Buden.

Now, they’re turning those efforts to public servants like police officers.

“It’s just so heartwarming to see the neighbors and the community coming together. It’s just a great feeling,” said Walsh’s uncle Pete Bolash.

“It means everything to us because they have so much else that they’re trying to work on. They’re just putting all of the energy into Collin getting better and walking again. So for them not to have to worry about doing all these upgrades and the expense….” added Linda Mongillo, Walsh’s aunt.

Among the volunteers were fellow police officers from Milford and Hamden.

“We’re kind of like a brotherhood, watching each other’s back,” said Bill May of Hamden.

May ran track with Collin in school. He says it’s tough to see the star athlete whose college records still stand, no longer be able to walk let alone run.

“He got a bad deck of cards handed to him, and we decided to come out here make his house handicap accessible and just improve his quality of life,” said May.

Walsh is determined to be out of his wheelchair for good one day. He reached a milestone this weekend, walking up a flight of stairs. He says that’s only the beginning.

Slow down and move over.

Connecticut State Police are yet again putting that message out to drivers after arresting a driver accused of striking a state police cruiser on Interstate 395 south early Saturday morning.

State police said a state trooper was pulled over in the left of three lanes on I-395 at exit 43 in Killingly to help the Department of Transportation with traffic service.

Police said the cruiser did have its emergency lights activated when a Dodge Caravan, driven by Stephanie Credit of Plainfield, struck the cruiser. There was heavy damage to the cruiser and to the Dodge.

Credit and the trooper in the cruiser were taken to Day Kimball Hospital with minor injuries.

Credit was arrested and charged with operating under the influence of alcohol/drugs, operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance, and following too close. She was released on a promise to appear and is due on court on June 13.

Connecticut State Police remind drivers that Connecticut has a Move Over Law, which states “any operator of a motor vehicle on a highway when approaching one or more stationary emergency vehicles located on the shoulder, lane or breakdown lane of such highway shall (1) immediately reduce speed to a reasonable level below the posted speed limit, and (2) if traveling in the lane adjacent to the shoulder, lane or breakdown lane containing such emergency vehicle, move such motor vehicle over one lane, unless such movement would be unreasonable or unsafe.”

Two Middletown men were killed in an accident on Interstate 91 in Rocky Hill Friday night.

According to state police, 25-year-old Jose Diana and his passenger, 21-year-old Mark Nunez, were both killed when they were involved in a crash on I-91 south near exit 24 around 10:30 p.m.

Witnesses reported to police that a Volkswagen Golf GLS, driven by Diana, was speeding and struck the back of a tractor trailer. The Volkswagen spun out from the force of the impact and stopped in the right shoulder.

Diana and Nunez were declared dead on scene. A passenger in the tractor trailer was taken to Hartford Hospital for treatment of a minor injury. The driver did not report any injuries.

The highway was closed for around four hours for investigation.

This accident remains under investigation and anyone who witnessed it is asked to contact State Police Troop H at 860-534-1000.

A 27-year-old man was killed and a second man seriously injured in a double shooting in New Haven Saturday afternoon, according to New Haven police.

Police said they responded to a ShotSpotter activation on Dickerman Street between Sperry and Orchard streets around 1:21 p.m. When they arrived they found two men suffering from gunshot wounds. Both victims were taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital for treatment.

One victim, identified as Norman Boone of New Haven, was pronounced dead at the hospital. The second victim, who was not identified, is listed in serious condition, police said.

Anyone with information on this case should contact New Haven police at 203-946-6304. Tips can remain anonymous.