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Gadgets Aim for Spring Break Safety

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Spring break season is finally here, and thousands of college students are swapping their down jackets for bikinis and heading to resort spots.

Amid the crush of alcohol-fueled beach parties, it might be easy to forget about staying safe. Here's a list of easy-to-use gadgets and apps that aim to help you have fun and be safe.

1. Drinking responsibly.
College students can unfortunately be pretty immune to the idea of doing anything responsibly or in moderation, especially when alcohol is involved. But a high blood alcohol content (BAC) level could result in a DUI or worse.

Super tech-savvy drinkers may want to check out Breathometer, the world's first smartphone breathalyzer. (CEO and founder Charles Yim got over $1 million in funding from his appearance on the show Shark Tank and from an Indiegogo campaign.) The breathalyzer plugs straight into your iPhone or Android's headphone jack, and is priced at $49.

Other options that don't require a separate device are smartphone apps. If you're an Android user, AlcoDroid can help you keep track of all the drinks you've consumed – if you choose to log them, that is. iPhone users can download Last Call, a blood alcohol level calculator that also lets you call a taxi, or a local lawyer if you need one.

Although the results from BAC calculators are only estimates, they'll be able to help you pace your drinking and figure out whether or not you should get behind the wheel. (You probably shouldn't.)

2. Buddy system apps.
Whether it's checking out a bar or even hitting the restrooms, it's great to have someone with you to watch your back.

Cyber buddies are better than none: Circle of 6 is an app for iPhone and Android users that lets you message your six close friends if you feel like you're in trouble. You can send your GPS location with just a tap, ask a friend to pick you up or send a text that says "Call and pretend you need me. I need an interruption."

Another good app to check out is SafeKidZone, which features include a panic button and a GPS tracking system for everyone in your family.

3. Testing for drugs in your drink.
It's a lot easier for someone to slip a drug into your drink than you might think.

To combat that possibility, several companies have crafted pocket-sized coasters that can test for the presence of incapacitating drugs in your drink. Just a drop of your drink on these coasters will tell you if your drink has been drugged. Texas State Technical College recently handed out 10,000 of these coasters to its students, just in time for spring break.

DrinkSavvy's drug-detecting cups and straws are also starting to make their presence known, starting in Massachusetts. These special cups and straws look and function just like normal drinkware, but they'll instantly change color if they detect such a drug in your drink.

4. Drunk text prevention.
Waking up to a slew of drunken texts after a night you can't remember is embarrassing and all too common. Good thing there are a bunch of self-censoring apps we can use.

Drunk Text Savior for iPhones will analyze your text message for spelling mistakes and swear words. A warning meter will let you know if you should click send, and a save option will let you save the message for later.

Stupid Phonecalls Blocker for Android users will only block one number, but it will block all incoming and outgoing calls, and incoming texts.

5. Getting home safe.
If you're looking for a designated driver, look no further than your smartphone.

StearClear (for iPhone and Android) and BeMyDD (for Android only) both provide pickup services: if you've already driven your car out that night, the app will dispatch two drivers to take you and your car home. BeMyDD also offers personal driver services that will drive you wherever you want, in your own car, at an hourly rate.

You can also rely on Uber to connect with drivers in the area. It's an on-demand service, which means you don't need to make a reservation, and you get picked up within minutes. Depending on which city you're in, you'll have different options for rates and vehicles.



Photo Credit: Getty Images/Vetta

Driver in Critical Condition After Crash on I-84 in Tolland

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A truck driver is in critical condition after a crash on Interstate 84 West in Tolland this morning.

The Thurston Foods tractor-trailer rolled over a jersey barrier on Interstate 84 East between exits 69 and 70, officials said.

The driver was trapped and had to be extricated.

Public safety officials said they called for Lifestar, but the medical transport helicopter could not fly because of weather.

The driver is in critical, but stable condition at Saint Francis Hospital according to local officials.

Willington #1 Fire Department, Town of Manchester Fire Department, ASM and an off-duty West Hartford firefighter provided mutual aid.

There are lane closures on Interstate 84 West in Tolland due to the crash. Only the right lane is open.

Crews said the cleanup from the crash will be extensive because of a diesel and oil spill and food from trailer.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is at the scene, as are Connecticut State Police and the state Department of Transportation.

A hazmat cleanup company is also responding.

Whether the crash is weather-related is not known.

Trees Fall on Homes in Trumbull

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Two houses in Trumbull were damaged this morning when trees came down, but there were fortunately no injuries.

At 1:30 a.m., a large tree fell through the roof of the master bedroom of a home on Cottage Street, where a couple and small child were sleeping.

The 70-foot tree broke through the rafters and the ceiling and limbs landed just to the side of the bed where the family was sleeping.

Some small debris fell right on the family, officials said.

The ordeal was frightening, but there were no injuries.

Then, around 3 a.m., a 100-foot-tall pine tree fell through a home on Wildwood Drive and damaged the breezeway and a portion of the kitchen, officials said.

A woman was in her bed in the home when it happened and thought there was an explosion.

This was the second time in about a year that the house was damaged by a falling tree, officials said.
No injuries were reported and officials determined that both houses are still habitable and stable.



 



Photo Credit: Trumbull Fire Department

US Airways Jet Evacuated on Runway

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Passengers ran from a US Airways flight that was forced to abort takeoff on its way from Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Thursday evening.

"There was a lot of screaming and crying," passenger Dennis Fee said as he described the chaos that ensued in the moments following an emergency aboard US Airways Flight 1702.

As quickly as the A320 Airbus lifted off around 6:25, it came crashing back down.

"As we first hit the ground, flight attendants were yelling to keep our heads down," said Fee.

The aircraft was leaving from Philadelphia International Airport when it experienced a mechanical failure that forced the nose of the plane into the ground, according to airline officials.

I just sort of held onto the seat and tried not to panic," Fee said.

Airport officials say the front wheel of the aircraft blew out, causing the front of the plane to crash into the runway.

Rachel Silverman described the scary ordeal to her mother.

"She smelled gas and was very nervous," said the mom of the 23-year-old passenger. "She thought the plane was going to explode."

Emergency crews were able to evacuate the plane safely through traditional and emergency exits.

One person on the grounded flight suffered minor injuries in the emergency. That person has been treated and released.

At the time of the emergency evacuation, 149 passengers were aboard, according to airport officials.


Silverman, who was flying solo to a wedding in Florida, is unsure if she feels comfortable flying out right now, but Fee is looking forward to making his way to the Sunshine State with friends.

"I think as we make our way down the runway, I'll be a little worried, but once we're up, I'll be fine. I'm just excited to get to Florida."

Flights at Philly International were temporarily grounded, but resumed shortly after all passenger were safe inside the terminal.



Photo Credit: Facebook/Dennis Fee

RAW: Plane Evacuated in Philly

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Passengers were forced to flee a US Airways flight at Philadelphia International Airport after a mechanical failure.

Tweets Threatened Shooting: Police

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A 20-year-old man was arrested for allegedly using Twitter to make shooting threats, police said.

Dakkari Mcanuff, of Los Angeles, was arrested after police found his alleged Twitter account. The account showed the suspect allegedly displaying an unknown type of rifle pointing in the direction of various Los Angles city streets, police said.

It had captions with the quote, "100 RT's (Re-Tweets) and i'll shoot someone walking."

Police learned of the case on Wednesday.

Officers said they were able to determine the location of the pictures and the identity of the Twitter account user.

Police arrested Mcanuff at his home and recovered an air rifle.

He was booked into jail on a charge of criminal threats.

The suspect's account has since been removed.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to contact LAPD Central Division Detectives at (213) 972-1203. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247).

Another Round of Near-Record Cold

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Gov. Dannel Malloy activated the state's Severe Cold Weather Protocol as the mercury dipped to near-record low temperatures on Thursday night.

Single-digit temperatures were forecast for Thursday night and Friday morning, especially in northern Connecticut, according to NBC Chief Meteorologist Brad Field.

The record at Bradley Airport for this date is 7 degrees and the record for Sikorsky Airport is 16. Temperatures at Sikorsky could fall below that late Thursday or early Friday, according to Field.

Wind chills dropped near zero Thursday evening, but winds were expected to diminish later at night.

Activating the Severe Cold Weather Protocol directs several state agencies to coordinate with 211 and a network of shelters to ensure those who need a warm place to stay can find one.

The protocol will remain in effect through Friday morning.

Temperatures on Friday are expected to be between 35-40 degrees.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

10-Year-Old School Van Crash Victim in ICU

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A 10-year-old girl remains in intensive care a day after her school van crashed into a tree in Enfield.

Jadyn Feigenbaum underwent surgery at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield after the crash, according to Capital Region Education Council officials.

Jadyn was one of four students from CREC Museum Academy in Bloomfield who were injured when the Dattco van they were in crashed into a tree on Moody Road in Enfield on Wednesday. Three other students and the van's driver suffered minor injuries, police said.

Dattco officials identified the driver as Timothy Reliford.  He will not drive for the company again until the investigation into the crash is complete, the official said.

A Facebook page supporting Jadyn was created shortly after the accident. According to a post on the page by Jadyn's mother, Jennifer Feigenbaum, her daughter suffered skull fractures and broken bones in her face.

The van crashed into a tree on Moody Road around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday after the driver swerved to avoid a pedestrian, according to police and school officials. The crash happened near the Somers line. Jadyn lives in Somers.

The 10-year-old is active with the USA Wildcats Cheerleading in Enfield and her teammates wore purple shirts at a practice session in Windsor on Thursday to show support for their friend. Coaches said Jadyn's younger sister was also involved in the crash, but was not seriously hurt.

A GoFundMe donation page set up for Jadyn and her family had raised more than $4,300 by Thursday afternoon.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut/Facebook

Vernon Man Charged with Sexual Assault

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A 46-year-old Vernon man accused of allegedly abusing a young girl over several years has turned himself in to police Thursday after learning there was a warrant for his arrest.

Authorities began investigating Burton Wheeler in December 2013 when Vernon police were contacted by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families about sex assaults involving a 11-12 year-old girl. 

The abuse took place during the time frame of 2006 to 2009, police said.

Wheeler has been charged with sex assault in the first degree and risk of injury to a minor.

Bond was set at $500,000 and Wheeler is scheduled to appear at Rockville Superior Court on Friday.

 

 



Photo Credit: Vernon Police Department

Military Fugitive Nabbed in SoFla

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One of the U.S. Army’s “15 Most Wanted” fugitives – on the run since he escaped from a military prison in Kansas in 1977 – was arrested Thursday when he showed up for work in Pompano Beach, authorities said.

James Robert Jones, 59, had been using a fake Florida driver’s license since 1981 and had been living in Deerfield Beach under the alias Bruce Walter Keith since at least 2005, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Jones, who used his mother's birthdate, but with his actual birth year, even shielded his true identity to his wife.

But after 37 years on the run, the gig was up when the Marshals Service found him by running an old prison picture through their facial recognition database.

"He stated that he knew this would catch up with him one day... After all these years, the first words out of his mouth was, 'I knew this would catch up with me one day,'" Barry Golden of the Marshals Service, said.

Jones appeared in Broward bond court Friday, where he was ordered held without bond.

The U.S. Army private was convicted of premeditated murder and aggravated assault in 1974, the Marshals Service said in a news release.

He was serving a 23-year sentence when he escaped from a maximum-security federal prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in 1977.

In January the Army asked for the Marshals Service' help finding Jones. Investigators used a facial recognition database and found a positive match for Jones, living under his alias in Florida.

Members of the U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force surveilled Jones' residence Thursday morning and followed him to Pompano Beach, where they arrested him without incident when he arrived for work, the Marshals Service said.

A positive fingerprint match was taken from Jones at the Broward Sheriff's Office, according to the Marshals Service.

Jones has been booked into the Broward County Main Jail on a military hold, online jail records show. He will be held there until the U.S. Army takes custody, authorities said.

It wasn’t immediately known whether he has an attorney.

Jones changed his birth date on official documents, but used his actual birth year of 1954 and his real address in Deerfield Beach, the Marshals Service said.



Photo Credit: NBC 6 South Florida

No More Missing After NYC Collapse

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Police said Friday that no one else is missing in the rubble of two buildings that were destroyed by a deadly gas explosion in upper Manhattan two days ago, but the FDNY said it is still clearing debris with painstaking care in case there are more victims.

The FDNY said it was about 60 to 70 percent through the wreckage of the two five-story buildings that collapsed Wednesday morning and killed eight people at 116th Street and Park Avenue; authorities hoped to finish removing the ruins Saturday. Crews brought in a backhoe and a bulldozer for the search and used sound-detecting devices to check for signs of survivors, while searchers poked telescopic video cameras into small voids in to see if anyone was buried alive in the rubble.

The final walls left standing from one of the two buildings were demolished Friday. 

The FDNY said it would continue to use heavy equipment and high-tech gear to sift through the rubble as firefighters search for any potential victims who may not have been reported missing.

"We're still going to treat the site like there may have been somebody in there," FDNY Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said.

Cassano said the debris is being removed, laid out on the sidewalk and combed through for remains. From there, it is taken to Randall's Island for forensic study as part of the collapse investigation. A gas leak is the suspected cause, but authorities have not found the source.

FDNY Chief of Department Edward Kilduff said most of the victims were found about 20 feet into the pile, on the left side. The medical examiner said the cause of death in at least two cases was blunt impact injury.

The NTSB, which probes pipeline explosions as well as transportation disasters, says the pipe in question is still intact. The agency said Friday it was planning pressure tests on the gas lines along 116th Street and along Park Avenue in coming days, in hopes of finding the source of the leak.

NTSB says its investigation will also include an examination of Con Edison's handling of customer complaints, the oversight of Con Edison by federal and state officials, and any evidence of possible third-party damage from digging, among other things.

President Clinton visited the ruins Friday and met with recovery workers.

The Red Cross said nearly 70 people, half of them children, are displaced. Mayor de Blasio announced Friday the city was working to provide temporary housing, including arranging for apartments near the explosion zone to be made available temporarily while long-term housing arrangements can be made.

Seven of the eight victims killed in the explosion have been identified as Griselde Camacho, 44, Carmen Tanco, 67, Rosaura Hernandez, 22, Andreas Panagopoulos, 43, Rosaura Barrios Vazquez, 43, Alexis Salas, 22, and George Amadeo, 44. The eighth victim has not been identified. 

More than 70 people were hurt.

The Department of Environmental Protection is monitoring air quality in the area. As high winds kicked up more debris and smoke Thursday, the mayor said the Health Department is recommending residents in the immediate area limit time outside and keep their windows closed.

The Department of Education said 40 students with asthma returned home Thursday morning from a school located about two blocks away. The school was working with families and handling each student on a case-by-case basis.

 

Suspect in South Windsor Gas Station Armed Robbed Arrested

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Police have arrested a suspect in an armed robbery at a South Windsor gas station in January.

Police said they were searching for two men after a robbery around 10 p.m. on Jan. 22 at a gas station located at Sullivan Avenue and Rye Street.

The robbers had a knife, police said, but no one was injured.

Police have arrested Ryan Grzesiak, 19, of South Windsor.  

He has been charged with robbery in the first degree, larceny in the sixth degree, conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree and conspiracy to commit larceny in the sixth degree. 

Grzesiak was held at Manchester Superior Court on $100,000 surety bond and was arraigned later that morning.

 

 

 


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Skyscraper to Offer "Tilted" View

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The city that produced the first skyscraper is again breaking new ground in elevated innovation.

Chicago residents and tourists alike will have a new way to get a fresh perspective on the city this spring when an attraction called TILT debuts at 360 CHICAGO (formerly John Hancock Observatory).

Up to eight people can fit inside the glass and steel moveable platform that slowly tilts outward on an angle, providing downward-facing views of the city from 1,000 feet.

"We believe this is the first in the world," 360 general manager Nichole Williamson said. "The movement in and out of the building is very controlled. We want it to be memorable and thrilling, but we don't want to terrify anybody."

Officials aren't yet sure how long the experience is going to last, possibly from 30-40 seconds.

In a news release announcing the project, Mayor Rahm Emanuel says the project will have a profound affect on tourism, with the ability to "attract thrill seekers from around the world to our city."

TILT will first be unveiled to the more than 500 visitors at the U.S. Travel Association's IPW convention on April 5-9, and to the public afterward.

It will cost $5 to experience TILT, plus the cost of general admission to the observatory.

Costco Recalls Sliced Fruit

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Costco has recalled 59,780 cases of Kirkland Signature Real Sliced Fruit from shelves after the company behind the product, Oregon Freeze Dry Inc., determined that it could be contaminated with Salmonella.

Customers who could have purchased the sliced fruit were contacted by phone or mail and news of the recall was posted on the Costco website. The remaining Kirkland Signature Real Sliced Fruit has been tested and is safe for consumers, according to Food Safety News. No illnesses related to the sliced fruit have been reported, but Food Safety News warned that it is too early to tell.

 
Consumers who purchased the product with “best before” dates of February 14, 2015 to March 11, 2015 are encouraged to return the product to Costco for a refund.
 
Salmonella can cause infections in young children, the elderly and people with sensitive immune systems. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Some people could develop Reiter’s syndrome, a disease that can lead to chronic arthritis.
 
Those with questions or concerns can call 1-888-641-2933 or email recall@ofd.com

 



Photo Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Blue Angels Ready to Fly After Sequestration

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It's before dawn at Naval Air Facility El Centro, and most of the Blue Angels 100-person support team is already on the flight line.

They are inspecting every inch of the familiar blue F/A-18 Hornet jets, which the elite squadron of pilots will fly in this weekend's air show.

There seems to be urgency and anticipation among the team this year as it prepares for the air show at its winter training headquarters.

Not only is it their first performance of the season, it's also the first show since the automatic federal budget cuts known as sequestration grounded the planes for much of 2013, cancelling most of the Blue's performances.

"It’s exciting for us to get back," Pilot Ryan Chamberlain told NBC 7. "We missed the opportunity to connect with the American public. The Department of Defense saw that Americans like their military. They like to know what their military is doing and connect with their military. We lost that in 2013".

The Navy and Marine Corps have used the Blue Angels as its most glamorous recruiting tool since 1946. But it is pricey public relations. So in 2013 when sequestration kicked in, mandatory cuts required the Navy to slash $4 billion from its budget.

The Blue Angels air shows became a casualty, though the team stayed together. Pilots and support staff continued to practice to remain proficient. Also, team members showed up at 500 public appearances trying to maintain the PR mission.

But it wasn't the same as flying for those who are hand-picked to serve on this elite team for a limited time. Enlisted team members stay with the Blues only three years. Officers must rotate out typically after two.

That is another reason everyone is glad to get back into the air for the public this weekend.

On the tarmac of El Centro’s military airfield, Crew Chief Jared Mann stood next to the aircraft he oversees saying, "To be out here, doing this. We are all ramped up ready to go"

The Naval Air Facility El Centro Air Show 2014 featuring the Blue Angels will take place Saturday, March 15. General admission and parking are free.


Dustin Hoffman Films at Yale

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A Hollywood movie starring Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates and Debra Winger has been filming in Connecticut and filming is underway at Yale today.

The film is Boychoir.

According to IMDB, it’s about an 11-year-old orphan from Texas who winds up with a boy choir on the east coast after his mother dies.  It follows his battle with a demanding choir master, played by Hoffman, who pushes the boy to discover his creativity through music.

NJ.com reports that the story was inspired by American Boychoir School, a school founded in Columbus, Ohio in 1937, which has been located in Princeton, New Jersey since 1950. http://www.americanboychoir.org/

Bates plays the school’s headmistress, according to NJ.com.

The movie is filming at Yale for two days and much of the movie is being shot in Connecticut.

The American Boychoir’s Facebook page says they are participating in the filming and have shot in two locations in Greenwich.

One represents a school gym in Texas. The other represents a rehearsal room at a New York City cathedral and a social club in Philadelphia.

 


Hoffman was filming at the Greenwich Civic Center earlier this week,

according to The Greenwich Time

. A photo posted shows Debra Winger with him.

She plays the principal of the Texas school the boy attended,

according to Hollywood Reporter.

 

Joe West, who played Kurt in “The Sound of Music Live!” on NBC

is also in the film,

It appears that there was also filming at Fairfield University.

Filming on the feature film started in Connecticut in February and goes through March.

 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Four People Injured in Manchester Crash

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Four people were injured in a crash on Route 83 in Manchester this morning.

Officials have not released any information about the extent of the injuries sustained.

Two cars were involved and the road was closed at Gleason Street, It has since reopened.



Photo Credit: NBC 5 News

Salem Man Killed in Salem Crash

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A 21-year-old Salem man is dead after a crash in Salem this morning.

Police said Philip Gaudette III's car went off Route 354 at the Colchester line and hit a tree at 7:14 a.m.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

Gaudette was alone in the car, police said.

The road was closed this morning, but has since reopened.



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Colin Powell's Vintage Selfie

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We now have proof that selfies existed 60 years ago.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell posted a vintage photo of himself on Facebook to celebrate "Throwback Thursday," also known as #tbt.

"I was doing selfies 60 years before you Facebook folks," Powell wrote. "Eat your heart out Ellen!"

As of Friday morning, Powell's selfie had over 100,000 likes and 25,000 shares. DeGeneres' viral Oscars selfie set a Twitter record with more than 3.3 million retweets.

Sam Adams Pulls Out of Parade

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The Boston Beer Company, which produces Samuel Adams, said it was bowing out as sponsor of South Boston’s St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday because of the parade’s exclusion of gays.

“We were hopeful an agreement could be reached to allow everyone, regardless of orientation, to participate in this parade,” the company said in a statement on Friday. “However, given the current status of the negotiations, this may not be possible.”

The parade’s organizers, the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, have excluded gays from the parade for years. MassEquality, a statewide gay rights group, has been lobbying for a group of gay veterans to be allowed to march. Parade organizers said this year that gays could march but not openly, an offer that MassEquality turned down.

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Massachusetts Rep. Stephen Lynch, and other community leaders earlier said they would not march in his year’s parade unless gays could participate too.

“We share these sentiments,” the Boston Beer company said in its statement announcing it had pulled its participation in the parade in the wake of the controversy.

The brewing company said that it still planned to participate in Boston’s traditional St. Patrick’s Day breakfast. State Sen. Linda Dorcena Forryhosted, who is Haitian-American, will host the breakfast. She will become the first non Irish-American host of the event, according to the Boston Globe.

Boston Beer’s decision comes a day after a Boston restaurant, Club Café, yanked Sam Adams from their menu over the issue.

Club Café said in an open letter on its Facebook page that they were "disappointed that Sam Adams does not understand that the organizers of the St. Patrick's Day Parade continue to demonstrate that they do not respect LGBT Irish Americans by excluding LGBT members of this community from openly marching in the St. Patrick's Day Parade."

The restaurant said Friday it would start serving Sam Adams again.

“They have acted responsibly,” Frank Ribaudo of Club Café Boston told NECN. “I don’t think it’s right for any group to be discriminated against by any other group and I say kudos to Boston Beer Company for coming to the realization that their sponsorship of the parade was the wrong thing to do.”

In New York City, activists have also called for gays to be allowed to participate openly in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Among the prominent local politicians boycotting the parade down Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue is new Mayor Bill de Blasio. He is believed to be the city’s first mayor to have boycotted the event.



Photo Credit: PR NEWSWIRE
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