The first full week of competition begins in Sochi Monday with medals in women's super combined downhill skiing, men's moguls and speed skating.

American Julia Mancuso, the silver medalist in Vancouver, will aim for the podium again in super combined -- a two-part event that includes downhill and slalom. On the moguls course,  Patrick Deneen will be America's best hope for a medal, though heavy favorites going into the final are Canadians Alex Bilodeau and Michael Kingsbury.  

Meanwhile, curling makes its colorful debut with the reigning Olympic silver medal team — the Norwegians, famed for their chaotic curling pants — taking on underdog USA. Scroll down for highlights from Monday's schedule and information on where to watch:

12:00 a.m. ET: Men's curling kicks off the first full week of competition in Sochi. The Canadians, reining Olympic champs, take on the Germans at midnight ET. Watch the game live online or on NBC Sports at 3 a.m. 

Eleven other round-robin curling games are on tap for the day, at midnight, 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET. Tune in to the USA-Norway match-up at 10 to get a first look at skipper John Shuster's team in action — and to see which pants the Norwegians have picked out. (Click here for a complete schedule of Monday's curling games.)

12:30 a.m.: If you missed Sunday's action, tune into NBC for highlights from the day's skiing, snowboarding, figure skating and ski jumping competitions.

2:00 a.m.: The only Alpine skiing event of the day — Women's super combined — begins on the downhill course. Watch live online.

5:00 a.m.: Women's hockey preliminary round continues with Team USA taking on Switzerland live online and on NBC Sports Network.

6:00 a.m. Slalom is the second and final event in the women's supercombined. Follow it here. 

7:05 a.m.: Men's 1500m short track finals begin at 7:05 a.m. Heats beginning at 4:45 a.m. are followed by a semi-final round, while women's semi-final 3000m relay gets underway at 6:35 a.m. Follow the men's 1500m races here and other short track events here.

10:00 a.m.: Women's hockey continues with the Canadians playing the Finns. Watch live online and on NBC Sports Network. Also, watch the men's 12.5 km biathlon pursuit live on NBCOlympics.com.

11:15 a.m.: The first of two women's luge runs (singles) begins at 9:45 a.m. The second and final run begins at 11:15. Watch both live online or on NBC Sports Network.

2:10 p.m.: Men's freestyle skiers compete for the moguls gold. The first of two qualifier rounds gets underway at 9 a.m. Follow the whole competition live on NBCOlympics.com.

8:00 p.m. NBC replays the best of the day from men's 1500m speed skating, Alpine skiing and men's moguls. 

A proud moment for Russian speed skater Olga Graf was nearly marred by mortification when she unzipped her skating suit, not thinking about what she had on underneath — nothing.

"I totally forgot," Graf told The Associated Press. "We have very good suits and they are very tight. ... You just want to breathe and you want to take off your suit."

The incident happened at Adler Arena after Graf notched Russia's first medal — a bronze — in the women's 3000m, which President Vladimir Putin took a moment to acknowledge.

"You brought an unforgettable moment of triumph and utter joy to millions of fans by taking the first medal for our team," he said.

The moment became unforgettable for spectators as well when Graf unzipped the suit during a cool down lap, revealing a triangle of skin from neck to belly button.

Photographers captured the moment and when she realized the problem, Graf quickly zipped back up.

"Only afterward did I realize that maybe this video will appear on YouTube," she told the AP. "But I don't think it will be so bad." 

Her slip-up is far from the first athletic wardrobe malfunction to attract Internet buzz. At the Summer Games in London, a player on Spain's women's water polo team got unwanted attention after an underwater camera captured a bathing suit grab by an opponent that exposed more than she would have wanted. And in 2009 swimmer Ricky Berens split the back of his swimsuit during a dive at a world championships.

Graf's slip-up leaves her little to be embarrassed about, by comparison. The 30-year-old realized her error before too much skin was visible, notched the bronze and beat her previous personal best with a time of 4 minutes 3.47 seconds. Irene Wust from the Netherlands won the gold, while Martina Sablikova from the Czech Republic took silver. 

It's back.

For the next week, more than 10 curling games a day will be jammed into the Olympic schedule, giving viewers ample time to figure out the ins and outs of this underdog event.

Still a relative newbie on the Olympic stage, the sport has only consistently appeared in the last four Winter Games. (It was played as a demonstration sport at the '88 and '92 Games and made a one-off appearance in the '24 Games.) Each year, however, the event attracts more and more attention as the outfits get wilder and the competition more intense.  

Here's what you need to know as Olympic curling gets underway:

WHAT IS IT?

The International Olympic Committee, Sochi organizers and the World Curling Federation call it a sport, while critics disagree. Whatever it is, it is played on a long sheet of textured ice with two giant bullseyes, or houses, on either end. Teams consisting of four players — a lead, second, vice skip and skip — launch heavy stones across the ice to the center of the opposite "house." Each team member gets two tries per period, or end, of which there are 10, to get as close to the bullseye as possible. The team that manages to do that wins points for that end. Losers get nothing.

BROOMS

As a player launches a stone, two teammates furiously rub brushes or brooms on the ice just inches in front of it, in an attempt to create friction and influence the stone's trajectory. The skip watches from the other end, shouting directions at the sweepers. As the stone approaches the target, the skip will also brush the ice, giving it one final steer before it stops. (When it's the skip's turn to launch, the vice skip takes his place.)

PANTS

There was nothing interesting about curling pants until the Norwegians came along. Back in Vancouver, they showed up to play red, white and blue (their flag's colors) bottoms so outrageous they inspired a Facebook page.

This year the team has brought more party pants to Sochi for the curling competition. Larry Jackson, the CEO of Loudmouth, the company behind the designs, told The Associated Press that this year's batch will be "considered even more loud" than any pants they've worn before.

The Norwegians' fashion sense doesn't appear to have influenced other teams, though. They continue to wear the standard uniform of no-slip shoes, dark pants and collared athletic tops.

TEAM PRIMER

Canada has been on the men's curling podium for every Olympic Games since 1998. This year, the country sends a strong team — which include three cousins and a longtime friend — to Sochi in the hopes of notching its third consecutive Olympic gold.

Norway and Switzerland are right behind them, with three men's medals in the last four Games. On the women's side, Sweden is a powerhouse, too. 

The U.S. men's team won bronze in 2006 and is looking to medal again, while Russia will make its Olympic debut. The Norwegians, for all the silliness of their pants, are expected to be serious competitors this year as well.

BEER

A popular curling tradition calls for the winning team to buy drinks for the losers at the end of the game. But according to team Canada's E.J. Harnden, who spoke with the Wall Street Journal, that tradition is fading fast as fitness creeps into what was once a smokers' sport. 

"It's gotten to the point where it's actually rare, when you're at a high-level event, for two teams to go for a drink afterwards," Harnden told the Journal. "The two teams will still sit down, but they'll be sipping a water or having a protein shake."

TEMPERS

Keep an eye on Niklas Edin, Sweden's skip, who earned the nickname "The John McEnroe of Curling" for his early career tendencies to go nuts during games. He recently told The Associated Press that his days of throwing things and screaming are over but that he has a "hot temper when it matters. So you might see some of that this week."

YELLING

Generally, there's lots of yelling in curling. The skip yells instructions to his or her teammates as they release the stone or scrub the ice.

As in any other game, there is often yelling after victories, and yelling after disappointments. What sets curling apart from other sports, however, is that its players wear live mics, adding another dimension to the entertainment. 

WHEN TO WATCH 

The action begins Monday with a dozen games in the first round of the event.

Watch every single one on NBCOlympics.com and look for highlights on NBC.

First Sochi, now dates. That's what Dad hopes for Team USA's first-time Olympic luger Tucker West, at least.

When Brett West built an enormous luge track in the family's backyard, Olympic medals may not have been all he had in mind for his son. His son's love life is also a priority, his dad admits — in comments sure to make anybody who remembers being a teenager cringe. Watch them at NBC Olympics.

"I just want to say to all the young ladies out there: Tucker is very single!" Brett West told the "Today" show on Sunday, just as his 18-year-old son was getting ready to compete in the final runs in the men's Olympic individual luge competition in Sochi.

Dad's embarrassing appeal to any eligible, luge-loving bachelorettes of America didn't end there.

"Now, he's a little shy, so you have to reach out to him. And you can do that through, on Facebook, his page 'Team Tucker.' And the neat part is, he's such a good kid, everyone who posts there he always gives back a personal response," Brett West told "Today."

West didn't win a medal in the competitive individual luge competition that wrapped up in Sochi on Sunday. Germany's defending Olympic champion Felix Loch again took the gold, while Russian and Italian veteran lugers earned the silver and bronze, respectively.

MDC crews have repaired water main breaks in Windsor and West Hartford.

but they are still dealing with one on South Highland Street in West Hartford.

An 8-inch water main broke on South Highland Street in West Hartford this morning and was shut down at 6:50 a.m. Service was restored just before 2:30 p.m., according to a spokesperson for MDC.

The break affected 10 multi-family homes on South Highland Street from Farmington Avenue to Fennway.

"It was just flooding down the street. It was just gushing," said Frank Portal, of West Hartford. "It's the cold and the warm. ... You get the frost, the cold and this is what happens."

David Garewski of the West Hartford Public Works Department said it was difficult to find the catch basins on the side of the road because of the snow.

The main was installed in 1927.

MDC said the road is still being repaired and that restoration should be complete between 4 and 5 p.m.

Earlier today, Kellogg Street was closed at Preston Street in Windsor after a water main break there.

Twenty-three homes were affected on Kellogg Street from Preston Street to the dead end.

The 8-inch water main was installed in 1935, according to MDC.

The water main was shut down at 2:40 a.m. and has since been repaired.  

Bridgeport police are asking for the public’s help to find a missing man.

Davin Paulk, 23, was last seen in Stamford on Feb. 5.

He is 5-feet-10 inches tall and weighs around 230 pounds.

He has a tattoo with the word “Davin” on his right forearm and a tattoo with the words “Death before Dishonor” on his left forearm.

Police said Davin has a disability due to a gunshot wound and needs medical attention for a seizure disorder.

Anyone with information on Davin’s whereabouts is asked to call the police department at 203-576-7671.
 

Judging by Julia Mancuso's exuberant finish line celebrations, you would have thought the American Alpine skier had won gold in Monday's super combined instead of bronze.

Beaming and breathlessly cheering, laughing and hugging competitors (and even confessing her run didn't feel that good), the 29-year-old seemed stunned to be on the Olympic podium after struggling all season with lackluster results.

The medal, Mancuso's fourth (she took gold in Torino and a pair of silvers in Vancouver), makes her the first American Alpine skier to medal in three consecutive Olympics, and once again proves she can deliver the goods when it counts.

Despite the superlative streak, however, her recent results — or lack thereof — didn't exactly portend big things for these Games. Then again, Mancuso — a skier who spends most of her summer in Hawaii instead of on snow — has never been one to stick to the script.

On day three of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, the Lake Tahoe, Calif., resident stormed to a first run lead in the downhill portion of the race, blitzing the treacherous Rosa Khutor course with a stunning performance down its steep slopes.

But it was her ability to hold on in the second leg that secured her a medal.

With a bevy of slalom specialists nipping at her heels, Mancuso — who hadn't competed in the discipline all season — had her work cut out for her going into run number two. Considering the heavy competition, a medal of any color would be an accomplishment.

Skiing last among the favorites (racers start in reverse order based on their finishing position in the downhill portion), Mancuso watched as the course deteriorated under warmer, snow-softening conditions, tripping up skier after skier.

When fellow speed specialist Lara Gut of Switzerland (the second fastest woman in the downhill) failed to complete the second leg, Mancuso's fate seemed all but sealed: this would be a day for the slalom skiers. Three of them — Germany's Maria Hoefl-Riesch, Austria's Nicole Hosp and Slovenia's Tina Maze — stood on the provisional podium below, their eyes nervously trained on Mancuso in the start house.

Mancuso looked even more nervous standing in the starting gate. With Bode Miller's failure to live up to his favorite status in Sunday's downhill and teammate Lindsey Vonn's absence from these games, all pressure stood squarely on Mancuso's petite shoulders.

But just as she's done time and time again when the stakes are raised, Mancuso didn't let nerves or a lack of practice stand in the way of her skiing. Using the soft snow conditions to her advantage (the Nevada native grew up skiing in Squaw Valley, where spring-like conditions are the norm), she found her rhythm early in the twisty course, carrying speed from top to bottom with nary a bobble. She hit the finish line with the 13th best slalom leg, giving her an aggregate time that was good enough for bronze.

That was all it took for the vivacious Mancuso (she owns a lingerie line named Kiss My Tiara, after all) to hoot and holler, freshen up with some makeup and break out the American flag for the cameras. Her unabashed reaction made for a feel good, light-hearted moment, especially in comparison to winner Hoefl-Riesch, who merely looked relieved.

Mancuso's bronze puts the American Alpine team on the boards with its first medal of these Games. And with the women's downhill on the docket for Wednesday, an on-form Mancuso has a good chance of adding to that haul, not to mention her own Olympic legend.

Call Canada the masters of moguls.

For the second time in the Sochi Games, Canadian skiers finished first and second in a freestyle moguls competition, cementing their position atop the sport.

Canadian skier Alex Bilodeau won his second straight Olympic gold medal in the men’s event in Sochi on Monday, soundly defeating his closest rival and teammate, Mikael Kingsbury, who won the silver.

Russian Alexandr Smyshlyaev won bronze, with American Patrick Deneen, a former world champion who is ranked third in the world, finishing sixth.

The one-two finish for Bilodeau and Kingsbury came two days after Canadian sisters Justine and Chloe Dufour-Lapointe did the same in the women’s moguls final.

Skiing on slushy snow, Bilodeau scored a 26.31 in his final run, marked by a 1080-degree jump. Kingsbury, the reigning world champion, stumbled while landing one of his jumps, and ended up with a 24.71.

The two Canadian men have been leapfrogging each other in the world cup circuit for years.

Bilodeau, 26, has won the last three events, but Kingsbury, 21, is the reigning world champion. This is Kingsbury’s first Olympics.

Their rivalry is one of the sport’s most intense, pitting two teammates who are friendly but not friends.

Getty Images and LeanIn.org, the nonprofit organization founded by Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg, have teamed up to create a new collection of 2,500 stock images depicting women.

The current library of images on Getty portraying women includes several stereotypes, critics say, such as a power-suited pregnant businesswomen holding files and smiling broadly, a work-from-home mother doing her best to attend to both her computer and her child, and a woman wearing kitten heels and holding a briefcase while taking her son to school.

Such images, according to Sandberg, are hurtful to women because they propagate certain generalizations about women in the workplace that she urges people to avoid.

“You can’t be what you can’t see,” Sandberg said in a press release, “ In an age where media are all around us, it is critical that images provide examples that both women and men can emulate.”

In an effort to change society’s perception of women, LeanIn has worked with Getty to curate a collection of images showing women in different professional positions. According to The New York Times, which first reported the partnership Monday, the images show women working as soldiers, bakers, hunters and surgeons, among other careers, while wearing modern clothing and working in modern settings.

The change could have a widespread impact on the depiction of women in media thanks to a big appetite for these kinds of images; the three-most searched terms in Getty are “women,” “business” and “family," the Times reported.

Jonathan Klein, co-founder and CEO of Getty Images stressed the significance of the search trends.

“Imagery is the universal language through which the world communicates,” he said in a press release. “The Lean In collection has the power to lead the visual conversation and effect real change.”

Sandberg launched her nonprofit after publishing “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead.” The book, praised by some for promoting strong female leadership, also came under fire for putting pressure on individual women to break the glass ceiling, rather than on society and companies. The partnership with Getty could allow Sandberg to reach a wider base of women and dispel criticisms of her message’s relevance only to women in corporate environments.

Ten percent of the revenue from the joint collection will go to Sandberg’s LeanIn.org and another portion of the proceeds will go towards Getty Images photography grants for images that showcase female empowerment.

A night laughter will help a New Britain police officer who was badly injured in the line of duty last month. 

“Chaz & AJ In The Morning” are hosting a benefit comedy show for recovering Officer Brett Morgan, who was run over by a stolen car last month.

Morgan has had several surgical procedures and intensive rehabilitation therapy. He was recently released from the hospital, but continues to go through therapy and rehabilitation as he works to recover from his injuries. 

“Stand Up For Brett,” the Chaz & AJ Benefit Comedy Show for Officer Brett Morgan, will be held on Friday Feb. 21 at Trinity On Main at 69 Main Street in New Britain.

The doors open at 7 p.m. and the show is at 8 p.m.

Dave Reilly, from MTV and Fox, and Gary Pettinella, the “Bad Boy of Comedy,” will perform.

Joey Mitchell will host the event and Fairfield Police Chief Gary MacNamara will also make an appearance.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at www.wplr.com and www.959thefox.com. All proceeds will benefit The Brett Morgan Benefit Fund, which will help Officer Morgan and his family to deal with the medical expenses.

“Everyday officers and firefighters put themselves at risk for complete strangers,” morning show co-host Chaz said in a statement. “When we heard about this, how could we not help?”

Another fundraiser will be held on Feb. 23,

Bolo Bakery & Café, at 33 Whiting St in Plainville, will host a fundraiser on Feb. 23, from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The shop will donate 25 percent of all sales to Officer Morgan’s Benefit Fund at the New Britain Police Department. Donations will also be accepted.

The Fund:

The New Britain Police Department and New Britain Police Union have set up the Brett Morgan Benefit Fund at TD Bank.

To donate to the fund, go to any TD Bank branch and ask to make a contribution to the Brett Morgan Benefit Fund c/o Robert Martin New Britain Police Department.

You can also donate by mailing checks to the New Britain Police Department, Brett Morgan Benefit Fund, 10 Chestnut Street, New Britain CT, 06051. Checks should be made payable to the “Brett Morgan Benefit Fund.”
 

Hamden police have arrested a 24-year-old New Haven man accused of breaking into a car parked at a gym and stealing several credit cards.

Police responded to the parking lot of Edge Fitness at 2300 Dixwell Avenue Hamden on Jan. 26 to investigate a theft from a motor vehicle.

Someone had forced his way into a gym member’s car and stolen personal belongings as well as several credit cards that were used to make several hundred dollars worth of purchases, police said.

Days later, members of the Derby Police Department arrested Luis Martinez Jr., who they said was trying to burglarize a car that was parked in the parking lot of Edge Fitness in Derby.

Hamden Police later learned that Martinez Jr. was responsible for the Jan. 26 theft, police said.

Detective John Marks then obtained an arrest warrant for Martinez Jr.

Around 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 8, Officer Joseph Venditto of the Hamden Police Department arrested Martinez Jr. after conducting a motor vehicle stop and he was brought to police headquarters.

Martinez Jr., 24, of South Orange Street in New Haven, has been charged with third-degree identity theft, conspiracy to commit identity theft in the third degree, credit card theft by Transfer, conspiracy to commit credit card theft by transfer, illegal use of a credit card, conspiracy to commit illegal use of a credit card, larceny in the sixth degree and conspiracy to commit larceny in the sixth degree.

Martinez Jr., was detained on a $30,000 bond and is due to appear in court in Meriden on February 21.
 

Team USA bobsledder Johnny Quinn, recently famous for breaking through a jammed bathroom door in the Olympic Village Saturday, had to break out of yet another one Monday morning - an elevator door.

We're not kidding.

Quinn and bobsled teammate Nick Cunningham were in an elevator in Sochi when the elevator stopped and the door refused to open. It had to be pried open.

Cunningham was the first to tweet the bizarrely coincidental imprisonment, writing, "Of course I'm with @JohnnyQuinnUSA when the elevator door breaks and we get stuck! Good thing I'm with him!"

The tweet was accompanied by a photo of Quinn trying to pry the door open.

Not long after they freed themselves, Quinn tweeted out, "No one is going to believe this but we just got stuck in an elevator."

In response to people's disbelief and the question of whether or not he was kidding, Cunningham tweeted another photo of Quinn struggling with the door, writing: "Not at all!"

Quinn's bathroom breakout Saturday earned him quite a few fans, including the actor William Shatner. Shatner tweeted Quinn Sunday, saying, "You've certainly made your mark. As I told Mr. Cunningham, take a piece of the door to tell your kids."

On Monday morning, not long before Quinn tore open yet another door, Shatner gave him these instructions: "No more shenanigans until you win a medal ;) Bill."

No word yet if Shatner approved of the most recent "shananigans."

UPDATE: Shatner tweets reaction to the most recent door debacle:

Walter “Doc” Hurley, a local legend who started a scholarship fund that helped hundreds of students with college expenses, has passed away at 91, according to statements from the governor’s office and Hartford schools.

The Hartford Courant reports that he was 91 years old.

“There are hundreds of people from throughout the Hartford area whose lives were transformed because of the higher education opportunities that Doc Hurley brought to their lives over the past several decades.  He was one of the most passionate voices for Hartford and its residents, respected by all, and brought such positive energy to generations of residents.  Both students and adults admired his spirit and enthusiasm, and he brought hope to many.  He truly is a Hartford legend and is proof that one person can make a lasting, positive impact,” Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a statement.

Hurley attended Weaver High School in the late 1930s, lettered in football, basketball, baseball and track, graduated from Virginia State University and went on to become a teacher and basketball coach in the Portsmouth, Virginia school system.

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In 1959, he returned to Hartford.

n 1975, Hurley organized the "Doc" Hurley Scholarship Basketball Classic as a way to encourage Hartford's young men and women to stay in high school and then go on to college with the help of scholarships.

In 1984, he retired as vice principal of Weaver High School, after nearly 20 years of service, but remained as involved.

“The Hartford Public Schools community is deeply saddened by the loss of Walter “Doc” Hurley and shares in his family’s grief during this difficult period. At the same time, we want to honor the memory of a larger-than-life Hartford icon who embodied all that is good about Weaver High School,” Hartford Supt. Christina Kishimoto said in a statement.

“’Doc’ Hurley WAS Weaver High School. He valued education every bit as much as he valued athletics,” Kishimoto said. “Although we will miss “Doc” Hurley, we are comforted by the legacy of service to our students that he leaves behind.”

 

Anti-smoking activists will be meeting at a CVS pharmacy in Hartford this afternoon to call upon drug stores to follow CVS’ plan and stop selling tobacco products.

CVS announced last week that the chain will phase out cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco at its 7,600 stores nationwide by Oct. 1.

CVS said tobacco should not be sold where pharmacists and nurses work every day to help patients get well. 

U.S. Senators Blumenthal. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have also sent letters requesting Walgreen Co., Rite Aid and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores to stop selling tobacco.

“We write to urge [you], as a company committed to the health and wellness of its customers, to follow CVS Caremark’s plan to stop selling tobacco products and promote cessation efforts in all stores. We recognize the legality of selling and profiting from tobacco products, however we also believe that you are in a position to have a major positive impact on public health. By reducing the availability of cigarettes and other tobacco products and increasing access to tobacco cessation products, [you have] the power to further foster the health and wellness of [your] customers and send a critical message to all Americans—and especially children—about the dangers of tobacco use,” the senators wrote.

CVS' decision has received mixed reviews. Some have applauded the decision, while others are against it because cigarettes are legal. 

Mobilize Against Tobacco for Connecticut's Health, also called MATCH and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal will hold a news conference at noon.

MATCH included the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.
 
 “Good health and tobacco simply can't be sold in the same store. Pharmacy companies cannot honestly promote health products and profit from death and addiction. We're urging all pharmacies to follow CVS in stopping cigarette sales  – sacrificing some profits but saving lives. Customers will thank and reward pharmacies that help halt tobacco addiction, disease and death  –  so horribly costly in dollars and lives to all Americans,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “Put your stores truly at the corner of happy and healthy, not death and addiction. Instead of spreading the scourge of smoking, promote cessation. Selling cigarettes may be legal, but it’s not right.”

The news conference will be held at 750 Main Street in Hartford.

A Stratford woman is facing charges after reportedly burglarizing a home on Evelyn Street last spring.

According to police, Melissa Gonzalez allegedly broke into a stole from the house at 132 Evelyn Street on May 30, 2013.

Gonzalez was arrested Feb. 6. She’s charged with third-degree burglary and sixth-degree larceny and was held on bond.

The City of San Diego announced Monday it has reached a $250,000 settlement in one of three civil cases involving former Mayor Bob Filner. 

The lawsuit, brought by Irene McCormack Jackson, alleges that Filner harassed her several times while she worked as his communications director, once asking her to come to work without underwear on.

City Attorney Jan Goldsmith and McCormack Jackson's attorney Gloria Allred negotiated the settlement, and it holds the city as an employer strictly liable for Filner's actions.

Goldsmith said Filner signed off on the agreement on Friday, which releases him and the city from further liability.

"Nothing will come out of [Filner's] pocket," said Goldsmith. "This is the city's responsibility under the settlement."

The terms of the settlement were unanimously approved by the San Diego City Council Monday. The $250,000 covers all claims -- including attorney fees and claims against Filner -- and will be paid in one lump sum from the city treasury, as well as possibly insurance coverage.

"Both sides won because we resolved it early, before a year of very expensive litigation plus a trial at the end. I think this is an example of good lawyering on both sides," said Goldsmith.

The case had been scheduled to go to trial on Feb. 2015, and Goldsmith expected it would have gone for weeks, costing both sides more than the settlement amount.

McCormack Jackson, who is currently on unpaid leave, will leave city employment effective April 1, 2014, on her own will. She is expected to hold her own news conference Tuesday with Allred, her attorney.

Two other lawsuits are still pending against the city: one by a Parks and Recreation employee, and another by a Marine veteran and nurse based on a single incident.

When asked about his reaction to the settlement, Interim San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria released this statement:

I am pleased that a settlement has been reached in this case and that our City can continue to move forward beyond the actions of our previous mayor. I thank City Attorney Jan Goldsmith for working diligently to resolve this matter. Further, Irene McCormack-Jackson deserves the gratitude of our City for standing up courageously against treatment no one should ever endure.

On Tuesday, San Diegans will vote to elect a new mayor. Either Democrat David Alvarez or Republican Kevin Faulconer will fill the spot left by Filner.

"We're in a better place now. We are all moving on," Alvarez said in response to the settlement. "Tomorrow, we'll have a new mayor, and that will determine the future of our city."

Faulconer did not respond to NBC 7's requests for comment.

Special Section: Race for Mayor

McCormick Jackson’s allegations in July led to a number of different women coming forward and eventually led to Filner stepping down from office. McCormack Jackson was the first to publicly identify herself as a victim by name.

"It’s really a very difficult situation for her," said Goldsmith. "She handled it with dignity and I wish her well."

Former City Councilmember Donna Frye, who was the first to accuse the mayor of sexually harassing women, said she's glad McCormack Jackson is getting "some long overdue justice."

"“For Irene, it was never about the money," said Frye. "But there still have to be consequences for people’s bad behavior.”

In October, 2013, Filner pleaded guilty to felony false imprisonment and two misdemeanor charges of battery.

He was ordered in December to 90 days home confinement as punishment for the three charges that ended his term as San Diego mayor.

Under the terms, Filner was put on probation for three years with six months of custody stayed.

He must agree not to seek or hold public office, undergo treatment as recommended by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist and surrender his city retirement.

For the first 18 months he has to report periodically to a probation officer. If there aren't any problems, he will be unsupervised though still on probation.

Frye said while the outcome of the settlement is good for McCormack Jackson, it’s bad for the San Diego taxpayers, who will essentially be footing the bill. She referred to other recent city settlements involving former police officer Anthony Arevalos. 

"If a sworn police officer or the mayor of the city does not have the common sense and needs training to know you don’t put your hands up a woman’s pants or you don’t grab her breast or grope her, if they need training to understand that is wrong, they have no business being in office or working as a police officer and in any other capacity in this city," said Frye.

She said the public needs to let their elected officials know that this type of behavior is unacceptable. 

Stratford police arrested a Bridgeport man who is accused of having a gun in the lobby of Stratford Hotel and Conference Center after being jumped earlier in the evening, police said.

Patrons of the hotel at 225 Lordship Boulevard on Sunday alerted officers that someone in the lobby had a gun, police said.

As officers approached, they saw Willie F. Rogers, 26, of Bridgeport, approaching the rear door, police said.

Rogers dropped the gun and started to walk away. Then they took him into custody and recovered the gun.

Rogers told police that he was at the hotel with the weapon because several men had jumped him earlier in the evening and he returned to “handle” the situation by himself, police said. 

Rogers was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, weapon in a motor vehicle, breach of peace and violation of a protective order from an earlier incident in Bridgeport. 

Rogers was held on bond.
 

Police have arrested a woman accused of burglarizing a Stratford home in May.

On Feb. 6. police arrested Melissa Gonzalez in connection with a burglary at 132 Evelyn Street on May 30.

Gonzalez was charged her with burglary in the third degree and larceny in the sixth degree.

Gonzalez was held on bond.

Police have arrested a Hartford man accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl from Glastonbury.

Police arrested Mijael Fabian, 24, after investigating allegations that he communicated with the girl via KIK.com, a phone messaging system that allowed him to remain anonymous.

"It's really unsettling," said Glastonbury resident Jessica Orr, a mom. "It's pretty scary that it's a social media website. Parents want to think their kids are safe online."

Fabian is accused of sharing pictures with the preteen, then meeting with her and having inappropriate sexual contact.

Detectives said the victim's mother called police after finding explicit photos on her daughter's cellphone.

Fabian was charged with three counts of risk of injury to a minor, fourth-degree sexual assault and two counts of enticing a minor into sexual activity.

The arrest stems from an investigation launched in November.

Fabian was released on $150,000 bond.

He could not be reached for comment.