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Groton Firehouse In Danger Of Closing

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Groton's Poquonock Bridge Fire Station is in a bad spot – the board that oversees the firehouse says it's in the middle of a financial crisis and may have to shut down.

Residents are apprehensive and say the firehouse's closure could have a ripple effect.

"That could be disastrous," said Floretta Sheffield of Mystic. "It would leave people without any kind of protection."

It's the largest of Groton's nine fire districts and most centrally located, serving a number of residential and commercial properties in the area.

"It is strategically located so really, any fire district that needs any assistance, one of the first folks they're going to call is PB because their physical location," said Groton Town Manager Mark Oefing.

Poquonock Bridge Fire District President Alan Ackley sent a letter to the state Office of Policy and Management two days ago, seeking advice and asking for help.

Ackley's letter says "the district will not have sufficient funds to meet operating expenses, including payroll, beyond February 1st."

Trouble started in July, when funding was cut and a significantly lower budget approved.

Historically, the department has operated on about $4.6 million, but now it's working with $3.5 million.

The station can't afford to fix a ladder truck that stopped working about two years ago. It has to rely on other departments to help out.

An Office of Policy and Management spokesperson says there are plans to schedule a meeting with the fire district board to work toward establishing a balanced budget.

But time is of the essence, because if a new budget doesn't come through by February, the department could have no choice but to close its doors.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Rapper Pays for Slain 6-Year-Old's Funeral

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An LA-born hip-hop artist has offered to pay for the funeral of a 6-year-old girl who was gunned down in a Moreno Valley garage.

The Game, pictured below, posted the news on his Instagram account Tuesday.

“This very sad story hit me in a place nothing ever has,” he wrote.

Tiana Ricks, of Victorville, was holding her father's leg when men approached the garage and opened fire, relative LeShawn Cook said. They were at a relative’s home to celebrate a cousin going away to college.

Tiana apparently didn't realize she had been shot. The little girl kept asking if her father was OK, Cook said.

The Game, whose birth name is Jayceon Terrell Taylor, said he read about the family’s tragedy while in Australia and “immediately tracked down her mother.”

The Game referenced the Robin Hood Project, an initiative of his to give away $1 million of his money "just because I feel like it." Tiana is among seven people helped by the project so far.

I “noticed her & the family trying to raise $10,000 for funeral costs.... So I got her on a 3 way with my accountant & now I'm in the process of transferring $10,000 from my account to hers !!!!!” he wrote.

Police are still searching Wednesday for the shooters who killed Tiana and wounded her father.

And the shooting is especially mysterious for the 26-year-old father who recently moved to California from the Midwest.

Tyrell Ricks said he had no gang ties, and didn't know anyone outside of his family in Moreno Valley.

"I could care less about my well-being," he said. "I loved her so much, and now she's gone."

Anyone with information is urged to call the sheriff's homicide unit at 951-955-2777 or the sheriff's Moreno Valley station at 951-486-6700

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Threat of Rising Bus Fares has CT Riders Sounding Off

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CT Transit is considering a proposal that could increase the cost of a bus ticket, but before the Department of Transportation makes a decision, riders have a chance to voice their opinions.

This month, the Dept. of Transportation is holding several public hearings to allow Connecticut residents to express questions, comments and concerns.

So far, two hearings have been held, and many riders say they just can't afford higher fares.

“I really have to depend on these buses,” said Angela Fraylon of Hartford, at a public hearing in Hartford. “I rely on them and so does my family.”

Fraylon traveled 40 minutes on two buses to get to the hearing tonight. The mother of two doesn't have a car and says she can't afford to pay 15 cents more for every trip.

The average ride could go up from $1.30 to $1.50.

“I’m hoping that they will think about it, and think about the people who have been riding the bus for a very long time,” Fraylon said.

Officials from the Department of Transportation say the money has to come from somewhere, and that this could be the best solution.

“Health insurance costs, employee costs, fuel costs, the costs of parts and new technology, all of those have an impact on our budget,” said Michael Sanders of the DOT.

The fare hike would not only come down on riders here at the bus stop, but also on paratransit riders.

Paratransit rides are already double the price of a regular fare, and the proposed increase would bring tickets to $3 apiece.

“This is being put on the backs of the disabled people,” said East Hartford resident Lydia Mele.

Confined to a wheelchair, Mele relies on door-to-door service. She said most riders can't afford another hike after last year's fare increase.

“Everything is rising rapidly, groceries, everything. But the seniors and the disabled people have incomes that are not rising to meet that,” Mele said.

Voices like Mele’s are being heard at hearings across the state.

DOT officials said they'll take everyone’s thoughts and perspectives into account before making a decision in October.

A list of this month's public hearings is posted on the DOT website.

Clinton Teenager Uses Music to Address the Crisis in Syria

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A teenager from Clinton is doing what he does best and using music to address the mounting tensions in Syria.

Danny Khalifa lived in Syria for nearly seven years before moving to Connecticut. He's a freshman at Morgan High School, a long way from Damascus, where he was living just a year and half ago.

Khalifa said he's praying for Syria through song.

“Everyone back in Syria now doesn't have what they used to,” said Khalifa. “Back in my time, I thought it was a ghost town when I was there a year and a half ago, and now it's really a ghost town."

His rap song starts out, “I left the country that literally six years raised me even though I was born in the states but living in Syria changed me to a better man, a wiser guy grown enough to handle my life.”

He moved from Brooklyn, N.Y. to Damascus after his mother died in 2005.

“What I've witnessed, like right at the moment, and I lived it; it was horrible,” Khalifa said.

It was so horrible that in 2012, he left for Clinton. Here he stocks shelves at a gas station and goes to school.

He’s trying to make sense of his emotions by channeling them into rap music.

“I want to send out a message to everyone to stop what they're doing because we're not going anywhere in this way,” said Khalifa, while putting together a video on Guilford's town green. It's part of Up 2 Something, a local nonprofit that gives kids a venue to showcase their skills.

Some more lyrics go like this, “Wake up on your own, go to work and straight back home. Live on your own, study by yourself, spend your day on stocking shelves.”

Khalifa said the crisis in Syria is an emotional topic for him.

“I have a lot of friends that are with, a lot of friends that are against. I'm not with either of them. Because if I'm on either side, I'm asking for blood,” he said.

Khalifa said it gives him a little peace to know that the rest of his family—including his father and little sister—came from Syria to Connecticut three months ago and are out of harm's way.

Police Lt. Reprimanded for Sandy Hook Response

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A Newtown police lieutenant is under fire for his response to Sandy Hook Elementary School on the morning of Dec. 14, police sources said.

The Newtown Police Union learned this week that Lt. George Sinko received a written reprimand from Chief Michael Kehoe, according to the police union.

However, police sources said officers are upset and believe Sinko’s punishment has been too lenient.

Sources said Sinko was directing traffic at a construction site when the first emergency calls came through for shots fired at Sandy Hook Elementary.

While police officers rushed to the scene, Sinko stayed at the construction site, then stopped at the police department on his way to the school, police sources said. 

Sources said Sinko arrived at the school at least an hour after Adam Lanza opened fire, killing 20 students and six educators before turning the gun on himself.

NBC Connecticut left several phone messages and sent emails to Kehoe but did not hear back.

Kehoe told the Danbury News Times that Sinko was off duty during the shooting and was being disciplined for “failure to carry his radio and failure to keep it on.”

"He was not going to be a first responder, Kehoe told the paper. "He was not on duty at that moment. When he did arrive, he was immediately given responsibilities that would have overwhelmed most officers, and he performed admirably."

Frog Blasted Into Air During Rocket Launch

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A rocket wasn't the only thing blasted into the air during last week's NASA launch on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

A frog went, too -- and the bizarre moment was captured in a photograph taken by a remote NASA camera.

Granted, that frog only went a few feet into the air, while the unmanned LADEE spacecraft is going all 238,850 miles to the moon.

Wallops Island spokesperson Jeremy Eggers confirmed to NBC Washington that the image is legitimate and was not altered in any way.

The image was taken by a still camera triggered by sound.

"It's an authentic photo -- there were about eight or nine frames in the sequence; however, this is the only one showing the image of a frog," Eggers said via email.

Still skeptical? The frog appears larger than viewers might expect because it was closer to the camera than the rocket.

Chris Perry, who set up the camera, estimates it was about 150 feet from the rocket. The frog was probably only about 50 feet from the camera, he said.

But the one question everyone wants to know is: What was the fate of that frog?

"LADEE is doing well right now, but we are not certain of the frog's fate," Eggers said.

The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) -- which lifted off at 11:27 p.m. Friday aboard a Minotaur V rocket -- is set to reach the moon Oct. 6.

Once there, the spacecraft will orbit for a few months, analyzing lunar dust and the atmosphere, according to the Associated Press.

While this wasn't the first time NASA caught something like this on camera, it's the first time at Wallops Island.

"Our photo archive contains launch sequence photos from every launch, and none that I’ve seen so far has shown us anything like this before," Perry said via email. "Definitely a surprise to us (and a little sad)."

The image garnered plenty of reaction on NBC Washington's Facebook page.

"Ground Control to Major Frog," quipped Michael Kuzniar.

Full image courtesy of NASA below:

ALSO SEE:

 



Photo Credit: NASA/Chris Perry

Principal Admits to Changing Students' Grades

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A Southern California school is forgiving its principal after he admitted to deleting and changing students’ grades, including those of his own daughter, the Ventura County Star reported.

John Hynes, principal of private Christian school Grace Brethren High School in Simi Valley, will keep his job despite changing the grades within the last academic year because he asked his superiors for forgiveness on Wednesday, the paper reported.

"I made a human mistake. Thank God the school didn’t fire me like another organization would have," Hynes told the Star.

School records obtained by the Star showed Hynes deleted the test grades of four students -- including his own daughter, whose history class grade he changed from a C to a B.

Anke Saldarriaga, a former Spanish teacher at Grace Brethren, told the Star that Hynes changed her students' letter grades to one higher without telling her.

Hynes admitted to changing the grades but said he did so because the two students were not in class the day the test date was announced. He also claimed Saldarriaga violated school policy by assigning "too much weight" to the test.

Hynes has worked for Grace Brethren since 2005.

The school has not responded to requests for comment from NBC4.

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Photo Credit: Ventura County Star

Man Falls Four Stories at MIT Frat House

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A man fell four stories through a skylight on the roof of an MIT fraternity house on Wednesday, officials said.

The 18-year-old man suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to Boston Fire Department officials. The man fell through the skylight shortly after 11:30 p.m. ET and landed on the first floor staircase of the building located near Kenmore Square, a busy area at the heart of Boston's nightlife, according to Boston.com.

The building is home to the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, but officials have not confirmed whether the victim is a student at the school or a resident of the house, according to Boston.com.

The man was taken to Brigham and Women's Hospital, officials said.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Three Charged With Stealing from Cars in West Haven

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West Haven police arrested three men this morning when someone reported seeing them using a flashlight and looking into cars, police said.

Police responded to the call around 4 a.m. and found Marcal Gholston, 27, Chaz Gray, 24, and Raheem Kelly, 22, all of New Haven, in the area, according to a news release from police.

Officers recovered GPS units, as well as several other items that were stolen out of unlocked vehicles, according to police.

Police said they also found what they called “burglary tools” on the suspects.

Gholston and Kelly were charged with larceny in the sixth degree, interfering with an officer, tampering with a motor vehicle and possession of burglary tools. They were held on a $5,000 bond.  

Gray was charged with larceny in the sixth degree and  was held on a $500 bond.
 



Photo Credit: West Haven police

Principal Arrested on Drugs, Stolen Weapon Charges

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The principal of a San Diego elementary school has been placed on leave after being arrested on possession of drugs and a stolen weapon, the San Diego Police Department confirmed.

Rachel Escobedo, 45, is the principal at Lee Elementary School in Paradise Hills. Officials say she was arrested over the weekend on charges of possessing drugs and a loaded, stolen firearm.

On Wednesday, the San Diego Unified School District confirmed that Escobedo is on leave from Lee Elementary. In the meantime, the district said they’ve hired a retired principal as interim principal.

District officials said they will not comment on any details regarding Escobedo’s arrest.

According to police, Escobedo was arrested around 8:20 p.m. Saturday on Missy Court in San Diego’s Redwood Village neighborhood.

Police say a resident in the area called authorities to report two people – one of those being Escobedo – possibly using drugs inside a parked car.

When an officer arrived at the scene, he approached the vehicle and made contact with Escobedo and a 60-year-old male passenger.

The officer searched the car and found an open vodka bottle and marijuana in the center console, officials said.

In the trunk, police say the officer found a loaded pistol, which had been reported stolen, and more drugs, including baggies containing 22 pills and a narcotic-like substance.

Escobedo was released from jail Sunday after posting a $25,000 bail. She’s set to appear in court on Sept. 17 for her arraignment.

Va. Libraries Vow to Stop Throwing Away Books

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After more than 250,000 unwanted books were trashed by Fairfax County, hundreds of Virginians gathered Wednesday, asking libraries to halt the seemingly wasteful act.

A fired-up crowd gathered at George Mason Library in Annandale, Va., some carrying protest signs, expressing outrage at the county for allowing the tossing of thousands of "unwanted" books, found inside a dumpster.

The move was all part of a cost-cutting attempt, which also called for lowering education requirements and salaries for library staff.

"Many people feel that because of the internet, anyone can research anything. You need a librarian to guide you through these databases and you need someone who's qualified," former college professor Mary Zimmerman told Washington's News4.

After Wednesday's Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees meeting, the board decided send the entire "cost-cutting" plan back to the drawing board.

The board vowed to donate or sell any unwanted books in the future.

 

 

Jets Head to New England to Take on Wounded Patriots

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If there’s such a thing as an opportune time to play on the road against the New England Patriots (1-0), Thursday night's nationally televised matchup could be it for the Jets (1-0).  

New England was bitten hard by the injury bug during their Week 1 win over the Buffalo Bills and could be without a handful of their top players this evening. 

Tight end Rob Gronkowski and wide receiver Danny Amendola, quarterback Tom Brady’s primary targets, are listed as doubtful for their meeting with the Jets and are not expected to play. Pats running back Shane Vereen will not play following wrist surgery, and special teams captain Matthew Slater also showed up on the injury report Wednesday, listed as questionable. 

Amendola led the team in receiving last week (10 receptions, 104 yards) while Vereen was their leading rusher (14 carries, 101 yards).

The Patriots, perhaps fearful of risking further injury, opted not to practice this week with such a quick turnaround time between games. Head coach Bill Belichick, notoriously tight-lipped, downplayed any challenges on preparing for a short week.

“It’s the same for both teams,” he stated. “We both have the same amount of time to get ready for the game. We’ll do the best we can with it to be ready to go Thursday night.”

New England isn’t alone though in dealing with health issues as the Jets have problems of their own. Wide receiver and punt returner Jeremy Kerley is out with a concussion and linebacker Quinton Coples remains sidelined with an ankle injury. 

Should rookie quarterback Geno Smith struggle in his first test away from home, the team won't have Mark Sanchez to fall back on. Sanchez will miss his second straight game with a bad right shoulder.

Playing off the strength of their defensive line, New York has a chance to make the most of New England's limited arsenal. Pressure from the front four, combined with a lack of offensive weapons, could make it a long night for the Pats quarterback. 

Brady, when asked what he can expect from the Jets defense, acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead.

“They’re getting a lot of pressure with just their front,” said the three-time Super Bowl winning quarterback as he addressed the Jets media. “They get a lot of pressure on the quarterback. They’ve had a great defensive line, a lot of depth, it seems. They’re all big and physical, just really good football players. That’s what I’ve seen throughout the preseason and certainly into the Bucs game.”

Setting the tone early and continuing to establish their defensive identity is key if the Jets want to seize the opportunity. 

“We have a lot of confidence going into this game,” Jets linebacker Demario Davis told the Daily News. “It’s very important for us to get off to a fast start and continue to build. I feel like we’ve been able to build all the way through training camp, all the way through the preseason up to this point.”

It’s never wise to count out Brady and the Patriots but injuries have rendered them mortal. For a Jets team with high hopes and low expectations, the stars have at least aligned in their favor to pull off a previously unthinkable road win over a division rival and one of the elite teams in the NFL. 



Photo Credit: AP

Top Daredevil Stunts

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Click through to see photos of humans performing death-defying stunts.

Photo Credit: AP Images for Discovery Communic

Brandon Myers Is the "X" Factor for Giants This Week

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In the end, tight end Brandon Myers had more passes thrown his way in the season-opening loss at Dallas on Sunday than any other Giants player.

In this case, “in the end” is the operative term. 

Of the nine passes quarterback Eli Manning threw to Myers in Week One, five were on New York’s final drive. At that point, the Giants were down 12 points with less than two minutes to go, and Dallas was more than happy to let the Giants work the middle of the field as time ran off the clock. 

In a three-play sequence taking less than a minute, Manning found Myers for receptions of 10, nine and 19 yards on consecutive plays. The Giants’ last drive would end with Manning hitting Myers for a four-yard score with 11 seconds left. 

While the touchdown would cut the Cowboys’ lead to 36-31, the Giants could not recover the ensuing onsides kick, and Dallas secured the victory. 

Overall, Myers caught seven passes for 66 yards against the Cowboys, with the bulk of that production coming on that last-ditch drive. For much of the contest, Myers was a complementary part of the Giants’ passing game, with Manning preferring to target wide receivers Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle. That was a perfectly sound and smashingly successful strategy. All three receivers exceeded 100 yards receiving, and all proved problematic for the Cowboys to stop.

As the Broncos prepare for the Giants’ attack, trying to limit Nicks, Cruz and Randle should be a primary concern. 

Stopping Myers is probably down the Broncos’ lists of priorities — which could make the Giants’ tight end a player to watch on Sunday as New York tries to notch its first win of the season. 

The Broncos are familiar with Myers, the Raiders’ leading receiver a season ago. Myers didn’t have much of an impact in two games against the Broncos in 2012, catching just one pass in each game. 

It’s possible Myers won’t be particularly active in this matchup against Denver, either. The Giants should be looking to get the ball to their top three wideouts as much as possible. 

However, Myers could be a solid fourth option for New York on Sunday working the middle of the field and the flats, particularly if matched up against a linebacker. Note that the Broncos surrendered seven catches for 87 yards to Ravens tight end Dallas Clark in Week One — and Clark dropped what looked to be a touchdown in the second quarter. 

The Giants’ top tight end, Myers played 59-of-60 offensive snaps in the opener. He’s likely to play a lot against Denver, too. On most plays, he will do his job, and the ball will go somewhere else. 

However, in what could be a high-scoring affair, he’s probably going to occasionally factor into whether the Giants can keep a drive going — or whether it’s time to punt the ball back to Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ offense. 



Photo Credit: AP

Fierce Fire Displaces Eight from Avon Condos

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At least eight people are displaced after an intense fire ripped through a building within the Farmington Woods condominium complex on Heritage Drive in Avon this morning. 

It’s unclear how many people were home when the fire broke out at 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, but no one was hurt.

“We have no injuries. Everyone got out safely,” Chief Michael Trick, of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department, said.

It took more than four dozen firefighters from five departments to put the fire out. Still, three units within the five-unit building were destroyed.

“The devastation is just so unbelievable,” said Phyllis Butler, a neighbor. “I’m just so relieved no one was hurt and that it was contained.”

The flames did not spread to nearby homes and the fire department said that’s thanks to fire walls.

“This kept it from getting even further. Because of the fire stopping and the fire walls in the units,” Trick said.

Despite the heavy damage the fire left behind, Butler is grateful no lives were taken.

“This is my community, my family. We just all live close by and it could’ve been anybody,” she said.  
The cause of the fire is under investigation.



Photo Credit: Dave the bondsman 24-7 Bailbonds.

Two Children Hurt in DUI Crash: Police

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A Meriden man was charged with driving under the influence after getting into a crash in Southington with two young children in the car, police said. 

Just before 5 p.m. on July 30, Rafly Santiago, 24 of Meriden, veered off the road near 743 Meriden Avenue and hit a utility pole, police said.

Two children, ages 4 and 6, were in the back seats of the car.  Santiago and the children were hurt and transported to Hartford Hospital.     

Police said Santiago gave police a different first name and investigators learned his driver’s license was suspended at the time of the crash.

Police said they also developed probable cause to show that he was driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at the time of the crash.

Santiago was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol/drugs, risk of injury to a minor, interfering with officers, operating under suspension and failure to maintain lane.

Santiago was held on a $10,000 surety bond and due in Bristol Court on Sept. 11.

 



Photo Credit: Southington Police

Owner of Monitor Lizard in Ledyard Charged

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Weeks after police shot and killed a monitor lizard that was apparently attacking chickens in Ledyard, police have arrested the lizard's owner.

Anthony String, 36, of Spicer Hill Road in Ledyard, was charged with possession of an illegal reptile yesterday.

Police said they received several reports of monitor lizard sightings at various locations in the eastern part of Ledyard since July, including one on Spicer Hill Road on July 14.

After more than a month of searching, police found the Nile Monitor Lizard on Sunday, August 25 when a Shewville Road resident called 911 at 3:30 p.m. that afternoon and said she thought an alligator was in the chicken coop at her house.

Ledyard police officers and the Ledyard Animal Control Officer responded and found the monitor lizard.

Police shot it because of the “further risk” to livestock, domestic animals and human life, according to a news release from police.

Monitor lizards are illegal in the State of Connecticut and can be extremely dangerous, police said.

Sting was issued a summons and is due in court in New London on September 25. Police said he indicated that the lizard escaped.



Photo Credit: Submitted to Ledyard Police

Men Threw Drugs from Car During Police Chase: Cops

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Three men have been arrested on drug charges in New London and police said they threw drugs from the car as they fled from police during a two-town chase yesterday.

New London Police said members of the New London Police Department's VIS and Narcotic Section and the Patrol division were conducting a drug investigation when they tried to stop a driver just before 5 p.m. yesterday.

The car fled toward Waterford and the chase went briefly through Waterford and back into New London, police said.

Along the way, drugs were thrown from the car near Willetts Avenue and Sound View Drive in Waterford, police said.

Police seized the drugs and stopped the car about half a mile away, in the area of Bank and Beckwith streets in New London.

Police seized 29.2 grams of cocaine, 12.2 grams of heroin, a small amount of marijuana and $875 in cash.

Carlos Vazquez, 26, of New London, was charged with two counts possession of narcotics, two counts possession of narcotics with intent to sell, tampering with evidence and refusal to be fingerprinted.

Bond was set at $100,000. He is custody for a parole violation and was transported to Corrigan Correctional Facility.

Andre Strong, 29, who police said is homeless, was charge with two counts of possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell, tampering with evidence and criminal impersonation. He is being held on $100,000 bond.

Marvin Jones, 22, of New London, was charged with reckless driving, reckless endangerment, engaging an officer in pursuit and criminal attempt at assault on a police officer. He is being held on $100,000 bond.
 



Photo Credit: New London Police

Severe Thunderstorms Move Through State

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Storms moved through the state today, bringing torrential rains, cloud-to-ground lightning and winds of up to 60 mph.

Flash flood watches remain in effect for Hartford, Tolland and Windham counties until midnight. A flood advisory issued for Fairfield and New Haven counties expired at 8:45 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm watch was in effect statewide until 10 p.m. A severe thunderstorm warning for Middlesex and New Haven counties expired at 8:30.

Cromwell, East Hampton, Meriden and Middletown were most heavily affected. The storms headed northeast across the state.

Strong storms were also brewing in Fairfield and Litchfield counties.

Thunderstorms began to pop up in Litchfield county around 1:30 p.m. and have since weakened. Another wave of storms moved through this evening.

Earlier today, more than 2,000 households lost power in Goshen, Cornwall, Litchfield and Torrington due to an equipment issue in West Goshen. It's not clear if the outages were weather-related. 

Track the storms using our interactive radar. Send your weather photos to shareit@nbcconnecticut.com



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Ex-Animal Control Officer Has No Comment on Animal Cruelty Charges

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Former Wolcott, Conn., Municipal Animal Control Officer Joseph Ouimet appeared in court on Thursday to answer to animal cruelty charges and his case has been continued until next month.

Police arrested Ouimet, 41, of Wolcott, on August 23 after investigating incidents at the town’s dog pound. They said hidden camera video revealed dogs being slammed and sprayed with chemicals, police said.

Protesters were at court today as Ouimet appeared to answer to four counts of animal cruelty. 

"I have no comment," he said today as he left court, holding his friend's service dog.

His case has been continued to Oct. 17.

Police started investigating in May after receiving complaints about conditions, including violations dealing with cleaning and sanitizing floors, grates, beds and bowls.

Hidden camera were set up inside the kennel area from May 5 until July 10 and the video revealed Ouimet slamming a dog between a kennel door several times and spraying two dogs with a hose, according to police.

The footage also showed a dog being sprayed in the face with a cleaning substance, police said.

Police said Ouimet was placed on administrative leave and given the opportunity to resign, police said. If he was found guilty, that could have resulted in termination.

Ouimet resigned from his animal control position on July 16.


 



Photo Credit: Wolcott Police
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