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Jackie Kennedy’s Iconic Pink Suit

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NBC News looks at the history behind the iconic suit worn by Jackie Kennedy before and shortly after the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy.


Who's Who: JFK's Assassination

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Nov. 22, 1963 remains a day of infamy for many Americans. It is the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas at 12:30 CT while on a trip to help ease tensions between liberals in the Democratic Party. Who exactly killed Kennedy remains disputed to this day.

Photo Credit: AP

Special Letter of Intent for 7-Year-Old

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A 7-year-old Windsor boy’s dream came true this weekend when he signed a special kind of letter of intent with the Hartford Hawks baseball team.

Thomas Hastings has muscular dystrophy and he has a deep bond with the University of Hartford baseball team, thanks to Team IMPACT, a non-profit that brought the little baseball fan and the college team together.

Thomas was all smiles as he took his seat at the table this weekend and the baseball team filed in to the room for his big signing day.

Thomas proudly placed the Hartford Hawks hat on his head.

“It is a pleasure for us to issue a University of Hartford letter of intent. This letter indicates your intent to be a devoted, passionate and proud participant in the baseball program here,” Coach Justin Blood said.

Last month, the team made Thomas an honorary manager in a touching ceremony.

“In signing this document, you can be assured that our program will make the following promise to you and your family: our program vows to be active and fully invested friends, brothers and teammates in your life. We’re proud and excited to welcome you into our family,” Blood said.

See the video of from last month here.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

LAX Shooter Released from Hospital

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A 23-year-old man accused of killing a security officer inside Los Angeles International Airport has been released from the hospital, after being critically wounded in a shootout with police inside the airport, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Paul Anthony Ciancia was released Tuesday from UCLA Medical Center and into the custody of the United States Marshals Service, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.

More: Timeline | TSA Agents Across U.S. Hold Moment of Silence | Full Coverage

He had been hospitalized in critical condition and under cosntant police surveillance since Nov. 1, when he allegedly entered the nation’s third-busiest airport armed with a Smith & Wesson M&P-15 semi-automatic rifle and up to 100 rounds of ammo, according to a federal complaint.

Photos: Inside the LAX Mayhem

Ciancia is accused of spraying LAX Terminal 3 with bullets, killing Gerardo Hernandez, a 39-year-old Transportation Security Agency officer and father of two.

A second security officer and a teacher from Calabasas were also struck by gunfire in the rampage, and have been released from the hospital.

A court date for Ciancia had not yet been scheduled by late Monday morning.

More Southern California Stories:



Photo Credit: FBI

Graffiti Mecca Quietly Painted Over

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5Pointz, the Queens building known for more than 15 years as a mecca for graffiti art that was featured in films and music videos, was painted over during the night as the building faces demolition to make room for two apartment towers.

The art "is gone," @5PointzNYC tweeted Tuesday. The building's owner, Jerry Wolkoff, told NBC 4 New York: "I know they're upset but it's over with."

The 200,000-square-foot former factory building, which stands five stories and one block long, is covered in hundreds of murals. Wolkoff bought the building 40 years ago for $1 million and never did anything with it.

In the 1990s, he was approached by a group that cleaned graffiti from city buildings and was asked if the vacant structure could be used as a safe place for graffiti artists to display their work. He agreed, and graffiti began to flourish there, eventually drawing attention from artists around the world.

It has been featured in music videos, including Jadakiss' "Hold You Down," and films, like the recent "Now You See Me."

But Wolkoff and his sons now aim to demolish the building and build two apartment towers that will house 1,000 rental units, 200 of them affordable housing. The plan has been approved by the City Council.

Wolkoff told NBC 4 New York that he had the building painted over at about 3 a.m. Tuesday to avoid a daytime confrontation with artists and because he wanted to spare them the pain of seeing their paintings demolished bit by bit over time. The demolition, he said, will begin in January and could take as long as three months.

"I can imagine going one piece, one piece, and going through hell, torture to everybody," he said. "So I said, 'Let me do it one time and end this torture one time.'"

Marie Flageul, an artist with 5Pointz, was in tears at the building Tuesday, where artists showed up throughout the day, gazing in stunned silence at the new face of the structure.

"My heart is broken," said Flageul. "What's ironic is we're supposed to be the vandals and we did everything by the book, and he's the biggest vandal of all. He disrespected everything we've done for this community in a lawful manner."

Wolkoff likened the move to forcing a child to take medicine, and said he is surprised the artists are upset, pointing out that the new building will have a 60-foot wraparound wall for graffiti. 

"In the new building we're going to let them come back, and it's going to be similar and better," he said. "They're upset with me now but it's the right thing for both of us."

A federal judge this month denied an effort by graffiti artists to stop the building from being destroyed. On Saturday, supporters rallied at the building in Long Island City to try and save it. 

Some New Yorkers who ride the 7 train lamented the whitewashing of the once-colorful building, which could be seen from the above-ground train in that part of Queens.

"Going to miss seeing this from the 7 train!" Joshua Pondicanno commented on NBC New York's Facebook page.

The building was "my fav thing to look at on my work commute," said Jess Freijo Vanderbilt.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission said in August that 5Pointz didn't meet landmark status, clearing the way for the residential development.

 

Suspect in Shelton David Hasselhoff Sign Case Pleads Not Guilty

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A 19-year-old Connecticut man accused of critically injuring an employee at a Shelton Cumberland Farms while stealing a David Hasselhoff sign in August has pleaded not guilty.

Adam Holter, 19, of Milford, turned himself in to police on Thursday, Oct. 10. He appeared in court today and is due back in court on Dec. 16.

Holter is suspected of being the driver and police has an active arrest warrant charging him with assault in the second degree and reckless endangerment in the second degree.

The convenience store chain's ads featuring the former "Baywatch" and "Knight Rider" star have proved to be a hot commodity among thieves. More than 500 cutouts were stolen across the country in the summer of 2012, the Associated Press reported.

The popular prank made headlines again this August, when the Shelton incident took a violent turn. It began on Tuesday, Aug. 20, when Cumberland Farms employee, Jason Crowley, 36, saw a man get out of a vehicle, cut two ‘David Hasseloff’ advertisement signs off of a light pole and put the signs in the back, police said.

Crowley approached the vehicle to try and get the signs back, but the driver sped away and Crowley was dragged.

He spun around and flipped backward, landing on his head, police said.

Police started receiving 911 calls from the scene at 1:15 a.m. that morning, reporting that the employee had been struck by a black SUV in the parking lot of Cumberland Farms at 819 River Road and was having seizures.

Crowley was taken to Bridgeport Hospital. He was listed in critical condition and is still recovering from his injuries. Police said no other arrests are expected in this case.

Holter was released on a $10,000 bond.
 

Naugatuck Gas Station Robbed at Gunpoint

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Naugatuck police are searching for the people who robbed a gas station at gunpoint Monday night.

Police said two men walked into the Indtur Gas Station 531 North Main Street around 8 p.m. Monday and demanded cash. One suspect pointed a handgun at the head of the store clerk, who was the only person in the building at the time. The robbers took money from the cash register and fled, according to police.

The suspects are described as being two black males. Police said the suspect who pointed the handgun stands around 6’5” tall and was wearing black gloves, dark-framed sunglasses and a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled up.

The second suspect is described as standing about 5’8” tall.

Police said the store clerk wasn’t hurt during the encounter.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Naugatuck police at 203-729-7106 or submit a confidential tip by calling 203-720-1010.



Photo Credit: NBC San Diego

Orange Resident Chosen as SNF Fan of the Week

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An Orange resident has been selected as Denver Broncos Fan of the Week for the upcoming game against the New England Patriots.

 

Andrew Mushin, a music major at Southern Connecticut University, will be the Connecticut representative for the Broncos at Gillette Stadium this Sunday. Mushin will be one of four fans chosen this week; two representing the Broncos and two representing the Patriots.

Fans of the Week receive access to the Sunday Night Football bus, will at activities leading up to the game, and will take part in the Follow SNF tailgate party on Sunday before attending the game.

Fans of the Week are encouraged to share their experiences on social media.

NBC Sunday Night Football Follow SNF Fan Experience felt

Mushin was chosen as Fan of the Week because of his passion for the Broncos and his knowledge of the NFL, according to Mark Mushin of radio station WPKN in Bridgeport.
 



Photo Credit: Rob Marmion

Berlin Turnpike Reopens in Berlin

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The Berlin Turnpike was closed this afternoon after a driver hit a pole near Woodlawn Road in Berlin.

The driver was not injured. Police said wires were down and they asked drivers to avoid the area.

The entire road had reopened as of 12:30 p.m. 


 


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Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Suspect in Hasselhoff Sign Case Pleads Not Guilty

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The 19-year-old accused of injuring a Shelton Cumberland Farms employee while stealing a David Hasselhoff sign in August has pleaded not guilty to second-degree assault and second-degree reckless endangerment, according to the court.

Adam Holter of Milford turned himself in to police Thursday, Oct. 10 and admitted to driving the car that struck 36-year-old Jason Crowley in the parking lot of the Cumberland Farms at 819 River Road, police said. The incident happened Aug. 20 around 1:15 a.m.

Police said Crowley noticed a man get out of a black SUV and cut two Hasselhoff ads off a light pole in the parking lot. Crowley was attempting to stop the theft when the car sped away, dragging Crowley behind it.

Crowley flipped backward and landed on his head, according to police. Witnesses called 911 to report that Crowley was having seizures. He was taken to Bridgeport Hospital and was listed in critical condition.

This wasn't the only theft of its kind – the Associated Press reports that about 550 Hasselhoff cutouts were stolen across the country during the summer of 2012.

No additional arrests have been made in this case.

UTC Donates $10 Million to UConn Engineering Program

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UConn is about to receive one of the “largest corporate gifts” in university history, and it’s all going to benefit the engineers.

In a new partnership, the UConn School of Engineering and United Technologies will launch the Institute of Advanced Systems Engineering, designed to fund research and train engineers. UTC will provide $7.5 million over five years and $2.5 million to fund research, according to the university.

The new facility will focus on education, research and the development of STEM programs, and will bring in additional students and faculty.

“The UTC Institute for Advanced Systems Engineering will provide our students exciting opportunities for research and training in one of the fastest growing fields in engineering today,” said UConn President Susan Herbst, in a statement on Tuesday. “This investment demonstrates UConn’s highly ambitious commitment to promoting education and research in critical disciplines across the board that will benefit our students and our state.”

The two have a longstanding partnership – UTC has hired thousands of recent UConn grads to fill entry-level positions.



Photo Credit: Mike Dunn/Flickr

Torrington Sex Assault Suspect to Serve Prison Time

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One of the four Torrington High School football players arrested in connection with a sexual assault case has pleaded guilty and will serve nine months in prison.

Joan Toribio, 18, was sentenced Nov. 19 to 10 years in prison, suspended after nine months, and will serve 10 years' probation. He does not have to register as a sex offender, according to the Litchfield judicial district.

Toribio, a former high school football player, and teammate Edgar Gonzalez were charged with the sex assaults of two 13-year-old Torrington Middle School students.

Toribio was banned from having any contact with the victim or her family. He pleaded guilty in September.

Four teens were charged in the case, which rocked the community. A 17-year-old Torrington High School student and a 17-year-old football player were also charged.

One victim was threatened through social media, which forced school administrators to send out a letter to parents warning that students could be suspended, or even expelled, for cyber-bullying.

In the wake of the arrests, there were allegations of cyber-bullying aimed at a victim. The superintendent warned that inappropriate comments made against a student or staff member could lead to punishment, including possible expulsion.

Gonzalez, also 18, is also accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in January and appeared in court in September. His lawyer, J. Patten Brown III, has said the allegations against his client appear to involve consensual, but statutorily illegal, sex.

Gonzalez will serve 10 years in jail suspended after six years with 10 years' probation.

Police Identify Victim of Fatal Crash on I-84

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Gabriel N. Miller of Durham has been identified as the victim of a fatal crash on Interstate 84 in Tolland.

The crash happened around 7 a.m. Tuesday near exit 68 on I-84 westbound, according to police.

Miller, 24, was traveling eastbound on I-84 in Tolland when his car veered off the road and into the center median. Police said the car went down an embankment and crossed the concrete barrier onto the westbound side of the highway, colliding with two other cars. Miller was pronounced dead at the scene.

The drivers of the two other cars have been identified as 60-year-old New Hampshire resident Robert C. Holmes and 57-year-old Laurent B. St. Hilaire, of Maine. Holmes received a non-capacitating injury and St. Hilaire was not injured, according to police.

The highway was closed this morning between exits 68 and 67. Traffic was diverted at exit 68.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact State Police Trooper Loftis at 860-896-3200.

Disabled Manchester Veteran Fights Eviction

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A disabled veteran is fighting to stay in his apartment after the Manchester Housing Authority served him with an eviction notice.

Richard Brown received the notice to vacate his Case Drive apartment last month from the authority's executive director, Patrick Barder. Brown has been fighting the move ever since.

Both sides attended a hearing on the issue Tuesday morning at the housing authority headquarters on Bluefield Drive. The issue remains unresolved.

"I was absolutely devastated," Brown said. "I've been here nearly eight years in this community. This community's a strong one. We care about each other."

Barder declined to comment on why he's trying to evict Brown. Brown and other residents say it's because Brown is so outspoken and often advocates for better living conditions for tenants who live in public housing.

"He's a help around here. He's not a hindrance. He helps everybody," said Manchester Housing Authority tenant Priscilla Dorsey.

"He has been against Mr. Barder, as many of us have, but [Barder] was waiting for a reason," said Evelyn Babella, another tenant. "That's the way I feel. He was waiting for a reason."

The eviction notice arrived just days after Brown stepped in to stop a fellow tenant's car from being improperly towed.  It also came just days after the authority's board voted not to renew Barder's contract, which expires at the end of the year, according to residents.

Again, Barder declined an interview.

While a search is underway for a new executive director, Brown says he's optimistic a deal to keep him in his unit will be worked out this week.

"We're hopefully moving towards a solution," said Brown.

If no deal is reached, both sides will meet again next week.

New Britain School to Receive Grant From Ronald McDonald House

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The Pope John Paul III School in New Britain is receiving a several-thousand dollar donation thanks to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts.

This grant, which will be awarded Wednesday, will allow the school to update computer equipment and purchase computers, software and hardware.

School officials will accept the grant at an assembly Wednesday Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. New Britain mayor Erin Stewart will attend, and Ronald McDonald himself plans to make a surprise appearance.

The school was established as Holy Cross School in 1954 and now serves students in grades Pre-K through 8. According to the school’s website, its mission is to empower students to meet the challenges of an ever-changing global society through prayer, service and faithfulness.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Food Photos Kill Appetites: Study

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Hungry? Better not turn to scouring Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest for delicious-looking food photos, researchers say.

Looking at too many pictures of food can make eating less enjoyable, a recent study by Brigham Young University published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology found.

Scouring "food porn" on Instagram can oversaturate your cravings, reducing how much pleasure you feel when you actually fulfill your desire for, say, an ice cream sundae, the study found.

"In a way, you're becoming tired of that taste without even eating the food," said study coauthor and BYU professor Ryan Elder in a press release. "It's sensory boredom – you've kind of moved on. You don't want that taste experience anymore."

In other words, looking at ice cream sundaes all day is going to make the next time you eat one less enjoyable; eating your third, fourth or fifth bite of sundae is going to be less enjoyable than the first.

Elder and coauthor Jeff Larson studied how repeated exposure to food pictures effects the eating experience by asking 232 people to look at and rate pictures of food. Half the participants viewed 60 pictures of sweets like cake and chocolate, and the others looked at pictures of salty foods like chips.

Participants were then asked to eat peanuts and rate how much they enjoyed them. People who viewed the salty food pictures said they had enjoyed eating the salty peanuts less than those who had viewed pictures of sweets.

Even though those people hadn’t actually seen pictures of peanuts, the researchers said, the overexposure to pictures of salty foods had diminished the peanut-munching experience.

Police Search for Clues About Remains Found in New Britain

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New Britain police headed back out at 593 Hartford Road canvassing the area in search for more clues as to who killed the three women whose remains were discovered there in 2007 and what happened to them.

The partial remains of three women who had gone missing were discovered behind a Subway restaurant there in a wooded area near the intersection of Route 9 and Hartford Road. It’s not clear what happened to those women, but police have said they’re treating the cases as homicides.

It’s the fourth time police have conducted a search since the remains were discovered. Officers, detectives and the department’s entire Police Academy recruit class will have spent the day doing line searches in the woods. They headed out around 8 a.m. and stayed on scene until 3 or 3:30 p.m., according to Police Chief Jim Wardwell.

No additional remains or evidence was recovered during today's search, said Police Captain Thomas Steck.

Last month, one of the victims was identified as Joyvaline “Joy” Martinez, who had been previously referred to as Jane Doe Number One. Martinez went missing from East Hartford in October 2003. She was 24 at the time.

Jane Doe Number Two was identified in 2011 as Diane Cusack of New Britain. Jane Doe Number Three is now the only victim yet to be identified. In 2010, police said they couldn’t find the woman’s skull but could tell form her leg bones that she was between 20 and 30 years old when she died and was probably athletic.

Police are asking for the public's help in solving the cold case.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the New Britain Police Dept. Criminal Investigation Division at 860-826-3120.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Religious Groups Encourage Health Care Enrollment

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On any given Sunday, you'll hear a sermon, a prayer and a message about health care at the Buckingham Congregational Church in Glastonbury.

"Trying to get people involved in the conversation, educated, and now it's in outreach mode," said Pastor Lindsey Levenson.
 
Buckingham Congregational is one of several churches and religious groups around Connecticut working to get people to enroll in health care plans under the Affordable Care Act.
 
Even the church's secretary, who had been uninsured for decades, signed up. 
 
Last week, Betz signed up for a health insurance plan through the state health exchange with the help of Michele Mudrick. She she's relieved.
 
"I haven't had health insurance in over 20 years," Betz said.
 
Mudrick is with the Christian Activities Council based in Hartford. She's been going to churches around the state, including her own, helping people sign up for health insurance.
 
"We have folks in our church who are under-insured; who don't have health insurance," said Mudrick.
 
It's not just about reaching the parishioners in church, it's also about reaching those in the broader faith-based community.
 
"Spreading the word to their cousins, aunts, nieces and nephews," said Mudrick.
 
She adds that parishioners seem less intimidated in an atmosphere that they're familiar with.
 
Rev. Levenson said it's also about a higher calling and helping neighbors who are in need.
 
"Beyond just reaching out to realize in doing that you realize how connected you are," said Rev. Levenson.


Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Man Accused of Sexually Assaulting and Choking Teen

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Middletown police have arrested a West Haven man accused of sexually assaulting and brutally choking a 15-year-old girl.

When medical staff evaluated the teen, they said they were shocked that she was still alive because of the severity of her injuries, according to the arraignment report.

The victim called police around 5:30 p.m. on Sunday to report the assault.

When police responded to interview her, they noticed a red mark around the victim’s neck and blood around her mouth and teeth. Her face was red, swollen and appeared to be freckled, but doctors later determined that those injuries were consistent with being choked.

She told police that Robert Andrews, 34, of West Haven, had sexually assaulted her and left her in the wooded area near the former Riverview Hospital.

The victim, who is in Department of Children and Families custody, told officers that she called Andrews because she wanted to be in West Haven for her birthday.

He had picked her up at a Manchester convenience store and drove her to the psychiatric hospital for children, where he had been when he was younger, the girl told police.

Then, they drove to a nearby tree farm and Andrews asked the girl for sex, according to police.

She said no, got out of the car and started to walk away, but he grabbed her, she told police.
The girl said Andrews held her in a headlock and restricted her breathing until she passed out.

When she came to, she was in the woods, with her pants around her ankles, according to police. When she was finally able to move, she managed to get down Silver Mine Road and to Bow Lane, where she banged on the door of the first house she saw, asked to be let in and called police. 

Police picked Andrews up at his house and brought him to the police station for questioning.

He admitted to police that he had known the teen for a couple years and said that she had previously babysat for his son but had been neglectful.

Andrews told officers that the victim had been in touch with him over the last couple weeks. She had called him crying on Saturday night and it bothered him to hear her like that.

At first, Andrews denied bringing the girl to Middletown and insisted that she knew his history with Riverview because she knew “his story” of being in institutions, but the police said they would obtain cell phone tower information on his whereabouts and he admitted to bringing the girl to the area, police said.

Then, he denied hurting the girl.

When police told him the girl had medically examined, he admitted to choking the girl during sex, but claimed the sex was consensual and that she was fine when he left her.

Andrews was charged with first-degree assault, aggravated sexual assault, strangulation, risk of injury to a minor and reckless endangerment. He is being held on $500,000 bond and is due in court on Dec. 3.



Photo Credit: Middletown Police

Stratford Police Warn of Home Delivery Thiefs

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It's that time of year again – the time when an increase in deliveries means an increase in the number of packages sitting on empty doorsteps and an increased opportunity for thieves.

“I think in today's day and age, and people being as desperate as they are, it's very, very difficult. You really need to be home when you're going to get a package,” said Pat Iannucci of Stratford.

Just last week, Stratford police arrested three people and charged them with stealing a package from a home on Cutspring Road. Iannucci says she's now home to receive any deliveries that come to her house, but when she was working, she'd do everything possible to keep packages from coming to an empty home.

“I would try to make arrangements, leave an hour early, if they would tell me late afternoon or something like that,” she said.

Police say there are things you can do to safeguard deliveries if you're not going to be home. For example, have packages delivered to work instead and use the tracking systems that many carriers offer to keep track of your purchase. You can also have a neighbor pick up your package or require a signature on the delivery so the package isn't left outside.

Residents of one Stratford neighborhood say they haven't had any problems so far, but there are people watching the neighborhood every day.

“Anybody that comes down, everybody knows. My neighbor works from home and my neighbor across the street is in and out, and my neighbor over here works from home, so people are always watching out, too,” said Susan Connolly of Stratford.

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