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Boil Water Advisory Issued in Suffield

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 There is a precautionary boil water advisory in effect for some Connecticut Water customers in Suffield because of water main.

There is low or no water pressure after a break on Route 190 near Route 159.

About 1,000 customers are being asked to boil their water for one minute at rolling boil before drinking or using it in food preparation until lab tests can confirm the quality of the water.

Crews are working to repair the break and restore normal water pressure.

Connecticut Water alerted customers by the automated phone notification system.

The following streets are affected:

  • Alewife Lane
  • Burbank Ave.
  • Canal Road
  • Catherine Lane
  • Cohoe Lane
  • Countryside Lane
  • Cowan St.
  • Deep Brook Harbor
  • Douglas St.
  • Dusky Lane
  • E Bass Lane
  • E Grayling Lane
  • East Bluegill Lane
  • East St North
  • East St South
  • First St.
  • Fourth St.
  • Grassmere Pond Lane
  • Green Briar Drive
  • Greendale Drive
  • Harbourside Drive
  • Heather Lane
  • Juniper Lane
  • Mountain Laurel Way
  • Pebblestone Circle
  • Pleasant View Circle
  • Pleasant View Drive
  • Primrose Lane
  • Rawlins Brook Road
  • River Blvd.
  • River View Terrace
  • Riverview Drive
  • Salmon Way
  • Second St.
  • Shad Row
  • Suffield Meadow Drive
  • Suffield Meadow Extension
  • Sunny View Drive
  • Third St.
  • Thompsonville Road
  • Thrall Ave.
  • Valley View Drive
  • W Bass Lane
  • W Grayling Lane
  • Williams Circle
  • Woodland Terrace
  • Woodworth St.
     

 



Photo Credit: AP

Car Carrier Hits Overpass of I-395N in Griswold

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One lane of Interstate 395 North was closed in Griswold on Tuesday morning after a car carrier crashed between exits 85 and 86.

A Land Rover fell off the carrier after the truck carrying several cars hit a bridge overpass.

Three Range Rovers on the car carrier were damaged, according to state police.

Bridge inspectors were called to inspect damage to the overpass.

The scene has since cleared.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut/Audrey Washington

Storm Topples Trees, Knocks Out Power

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Residents are beginning to clean up after storm came through overnight and early Thursday morning, bringing wind gusts of up to 65 miles per hour.

Power is out for more than 68,000 Connecticut Light and power customers and more than 12,000 United Illuminating customers on Thursday morning as  a significant storm system rolls through the state, bringing 40- to 65-mile per hour winds and heavy rain. Transformer explosions have contributed to the problem.

High wind warnings are in effect until 9 a.m. and there will be more wind gusts, of up to 40 miles per hour, as a cold-front comes through.

There are several reports of wind damage and downed power lines and branches. On Fern Street in Hartford, a tree came down, damaging several cars.

More than 50 school delays are posted and there are several problems on the roads.

One was on Colt Street in East Hartford, where there are reports of wires on a school bus that is carrying children. The bus has since left the scene. An emergency crew is at the scene and traffic is being diverted.

As that scene was clearing, there were reports of wires on a school bus at Preston Street an Wethersfield Avenue. That bus has also left the scene.

MetroNorth is also experiencing problems. Upper New Haven Line customers traveling eastbound to Noroton Heights, Darien, Rowayton, South Norwalk, East Norwalk, Westport and Greens Farms must take a train to Southport, then get a westbound train to get access to these stations because of wire issues in the area. 

As the storm was coming through, there was a fire on Country Club Road in Ledyard and the American Red Cross is helping two adults and one child.

A quick inch of rain, combined with melting snow, might create some poor drainage and urban street and basement flooding. Being that the ground is frozen from last week’s cold temperatures, runoff will be enhanced, increasing the threat for some water issues.

The weather will calm down tomorrow with breezy weather, clearing skies and falling temperatures.
Advisories are posted through tomorrow morning.

You can watch the interactive radar here.

If you take weather photos. you can send them to us here.



 



Photo Credit: Alex Heinekin

Suspects in Naugatuck Fatal Fall Case Face Judge

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Two 20-year-old Naugatuck men were in court on Tuesday to face assault charges connected to a fall that killed  a 24-year-old Stratford man.

Salamon Martinez fell through a fourth-floor window of multifamily houseat 8 Pond Street at 2:27 a.m. on Jan. 16 during a fight over a game of beer pong.

Martinez jumped in to defend his friend, according to witnesses. He suffered severe brain damage from the fall and died at the hospital on Saturday.

On Jan. 17, police arrested Matthew Chandler and Kyle Gonzalez, both 20, in connection with Martinez's injuries.

Both men are charged with assault in the first-degree and conspiracy to a second assault at the house.

Naugatuck police continue to investigate and said charges could be upgraded because of Martinez's death. Both men are due in court on Feb. 27 to discuss the possibility of added or new charges.

Chandler and Gonzalez are being held on $500,000 bonds.

Martinez leaves behind a 4-year-old daughter. His funeral will be held on Wednesday in Bridgeport.

 



Photo Credit: Naugatuck Police

Van Crash Causes Backup in North Haven

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A van carrying about six adults has rolled over on Interstate 91 North at exit 10 in North Haven and the two right lanes of the highway are closed.

State police said this was a two-vehicle crash and no one inside the van was injured.

No additional information was immediately available.



Photo Credit: Connecticut Department of Transportation

Bomb Threat Puts Milner School in Hartford on Lock-In

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A lock-in issued for Jumoke Academy at Milner in Hartford after someone called in a bomb threat, according to police is over.

Police said officers and security personnel were sent to the elementary school, which is located at 104 Vine St.

The threat was not specific.

WATCH: Newtown Hearing on Guns

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The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School last month has led to a state and national debate about gun violence prevention and school safety initiatives.

Tonight, the state’s Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety, created in response to the school shooting that took the lives of 20 first graders and six staff members on Dec. 14, will hold a meeting at Newtown High School.

The informational public hearing begins at 6 p.m. and is expected to continue to midnight.

From 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., the task force will hear testimony from local officials, local first responders and families of the Sandy Hook Elementary system. Their time could go longer is necessary.

If testimony is over by midnight, the general public will be able to speak and the order will be determined by a lottery system.

Hundreds of people have attended meetings held earlier this week, including families of the shooting victims.

Lottery numbers will be drawn from 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. Names of those who show up later will be placed at the end of the speaker list.

The auditorium can hold 850 people. Once capacity is reached, the main entrance will be closed.

Speakers will be limited to three minutes of testimony.

Newtown High School is located at 12 Berkshire Road and there will be no access to the parking lot or the school until 4:30 p.m. because of ongoing school activities.

The task force requests that all testimony for the hearing be submitted electronically to asaferconnecticut@cga.ct.gov.   
 

Icy Roads Delay School Buses in Tolland

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School buses in Tolland are now operating but are delayed because of icy road conditions.


 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Gun Activists Question Lawmaker's Internet Activity

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A state senator is facing criticism for her actions during a hearing on possible changes to the state's gun laws. 

Gun rights activists claim a picture taken during Monday's hearing before a subcommittee on gun control issues shows Senator Beth Bye on Facebook. 

The picture is being circulated online and some posts claim the senator was on the Internet and ignoring testimony opposing her proposed gun control legislation.  Bye is a co-sponsor of a number of the bills the subcommittee is considering.

"If you don't have the respect for your own constituents and the people that you represent to pay full attention to them, then she shouldn't have that seat," said Todd Branche, a gun owner from Waterford who did not attend the 16-hour hearing.

Bye addressed the controversy in an interview while she attended Tuesday's hearing on mental health issues.

"I was in the room for 16 hours and I was listening, but I was also going back and forth with constituents. I mean, it's 2013. I think we're all trying to figure out the right balance of keeping constituents informed," said Bye.

Bye is a member of the Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children's Safety that was appointed after the Newtown shootings, and she is part of the subcommittee on school safety issues. 

She said she attended hearings before other subcommittees on gun control and mental health to get a broad understanding of all of the issues.

"I guess you have to expect this, that people are going to try to misconstrue your motives and make you look bad to help their cause and I think that they have the right to do that," said Bye. 

Not all gun rights advocates oppose Bye's internet activity.

"I applaud her for being here for all of those days and the fact that anyone is giving her garbage about it I think it's awful," said Brooke Cheney, a gun owner from Harwinton who attended the hearing.

The task force is holding public hearings before making recommendations to the full legislature on changes that should be made to state law in the hopes of preventing another tragedy like Newtown. 

 

Fund to Be Created for Farmer of Shot Cows

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Over the weekend, someone shot two cows in North Stonington and a state lawmaker who said she is sickened by the act of violence plans to establish a fund to help the teenage farmer who owns the cows and his family.

Asa Palmer’s cows were shot in a field on Pendelton Hill Road, near the family’s Palmer farm, sometime late Friday or early on Saturday morning, according to state police and State Rep. Diana Urban. One of the animals was so badly injured that it will have to be euthanized, according to state police.

Urban said in a statement that Asa has owned one of the cows, Angel, ever since she was born and the fund will be called the “Angel Fund.” Chelsea Groton Bank will be accepting financial donations.

Urban, House Chair of the Children’s Committee and a longtime animal advocate, said she was “sickened and angered” by the “deliberate act of senseless cruelty,” according to a statement.

“Asa Palmer is the future of farming in our state,” Urban said. “We need to reach out to Asa and his family at this time. This is an opportunity for North Stonington to show our true colors and let Asa know how much we care. I know how hard Asa works and I know how saddened he is by this senseless destructive act. I will be the first person making a donation to help hum put his herd back together.”

Urban said she agreed with Asa, who said whoever did this must be a degenerate or worse.

“The fact that the cows were shot in the face and basically maimed sends a disturbing message.  Yet again I feel compelled to point out that research indicates that animal cruelty is a big red flag for future violent behavior,” Urban said in a statement. “It is chilling that anyone could feel empowered to shoot these defenseless animals in such a barbaric fashion particularly when we are focused on the heartbreaking tragedy at Sandy Hook.”

Urban also issued a call for the courts to issue strong penalties for animal cruelty cases.

"Too many times I have seen these cases nolled or given accelerated rehabilitation and the connection to future violent behavior basically swept under the rug. In fact, before I became a legislator animal cruelty convictions were purged from court records,” Urban said. “Now we archive them and reference them if the violence escalates or in parole hearings. The research is irrefutable, there is a connection between animal cruelty and future violent behavior and it is usually against a child or a domestic partner. This time we need to take this offense seriously and when we find the perpetrators prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”

Legislation is moving through the General Assembly that

would set up an animal cruelty registry that would require animal abusers to register with the state. It would operate in a way similar to the sex offender registry. 

Gas Leak Closes Part of Route 6, Newtown

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Route 6 in Newtown is closed between Route 25 and the Bethel Town line because of a gas leak.

The gas leak is coming from an 8-inch line under the road and started around midnight.

The fire department is monitoring Maplewood Senior Living and Liberty, two assisted living facilities connected to the line.

Maplewood Senior Living issued a statement on Tuesday morning saying they were notified about the leak around 3:30 a.m. and Yankee Gas and the Newtown Fire Department responded and shut down gas to the building.  

Air quality tests indicated no immediate danger, so evacuations were not necessary, according to officials from the senior living center. Gas was restored a few hours later, but it will be shut down again for several hours.

Residents have eaten and are safe, officials said. The building is warm and the temperature is expected to rise into the 50s today.

When gas is again turned off, the facility will be able to serve hot food.

"Although Yankee Gas and Fire Department representatives have told us an evacuation is highly unlikely, we have secured hotel rooms in the event the situation changes," a statement from Maple says. "The safety of our resident and staff is our paramount concern and we will do whatever is necessary to ensure their well being. We have additional staff and senior management on site and will continue to do so until this situation is resolved."

Fire crews believe weather played a factor in causing the leak. 

Drivers who must travel in the area should use Interstate 84 exit 9 as an alternative.
 



Photo Credit: Liz Dahlem, NBC Connecticut

No Threat Found at Old Saybrook Middle School

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Old Saybrook Middle School was evacuated on Tuesday morning because of a non-specific threat, according to police, and nothing threatening was found during the search.

Police said the threat was written on a wall.

All students were brought from the middle school, located at 60 Sheffield St., to the high school, located at 1111 Boston Post Road. The students are continuing their school day at the high school and will have lunch there, according to police.

Parents are being told they can pick up their child if they feel the need to do so, but that students will be put on buses at their normal time for transportation home, police said.

Bomb experts were called to the middle school to investigate and determined that the school is clear.

The investigation continues and the school will be open after hours for people to pick up their belongings, according to police.



Photo Credit: Stephania Jimenez, NBC Connecticut

Dr. Phil: Hoax Mastermind Fell in Love with T'eo

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The 22-year-old man who posed as Manti Te'o's online gilfriend "fell deeply, romantically in love" with the Notre Dame linebacker, Dr. Phil McGraw said after interviewing the alleged hoaxer.

After the lengthy interview with Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, McGraw said he also believes that Te'o had no part in the hoax that made national headlines at the end of the team's undefeated season.

"Absolutely, unequivocally no," McGraw told NBC's Mike Taibbi in a segment on the "Today" show.

In a two-part interview that will air on the "Dr. Phil" show, Tuiasosopo said that he tried to end the ruse, but they kept getting back together. The two-year long masquerade was eventually brought to light by the blog Deadspin.com in a investigative story that detailed the timeline of their relationship.

"There were many times where Manti and Lennay had broken up, but something would bring them back together whether it was something going on in his life or in Lennay’s life, or in this case, my life,’’ he told McGraw in the interview, which will air on Thursday and Friday.

For full U.S. news coverage, visit NBCNews.com.

McGraw said Tuiasosopo fell victim to some life experiences that "damaged this young man."

“Here we have a young man that fell deeply, romantically in love,’’ McGraw said. “I asked him straight up, ‘Was this a romantic relationship with you?’ And he says yes. I said, ‘Are you then therefore gay?’ And he said, ‘When you put it that way, yes.’ And then he caught himself and said, ‘I am confused.’’’

Tuiasosopo created a fake Twitter profile under the name Lennay Kekua using Facebook photos from a high school classmate to foster a romantic relationship with Te'o.

The death of Te'o's grandmother and Kekua's supposed battle with leukemia and subsequent death added to the inspiring narrative of a football star who led his team to the BCS championship in December.

Te'o told Katie Couric on her talk show last week that he did not play a part in the hoax.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy



Photo Credit: AP

Pizza Truck Festival Planned for April

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You’ve probably seen food and catering trucks parked along city streets or in parking lots and foodies know they sometimes they have the best food.

That is also true of pizza and a local food truck hopes to get a pizza truck festival going in April in New Haven.

The owner of Big Green Pizza Truck, a pizza catering operation that does pizza parties at houses and businesses, is organizing the festival in honor of the truck’s 10th anniversary.

It will be held at the Sports Haven, 600 Long Wharf Drive in New Haven on April 10. The tentative schedule has the festival running from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and you will you be able to buy a slice or pie.
If you have a pizza truck and want to get involved, you can call Douglas Coffin, the owner of the Big Green Truck Pizza at (203) 710-8678.

 



Photo Credit: Big Green Pizza Truck

Niners Coach's "Saved by the Bell" Cameo Resurfaces

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If you're wondering what kind of inspirational oration the San Francisco 49ers might hear from Coach Jim Harbaugh during Sunday's Super Bowl, an old episode of "Saved by the Bell" may offer some clues.

In 1996, Harbaugh was coming off the best season of his career. Though he was only 7-5 as the Colts' starting QB that season, he led the league in passer rating, besting the likes of Brett Favre, Troy Aikman, Steve Young and Dan Marino, and was named to the Pro Bowl.

But perhaps the greatest honor conferred upon Harbaugh was a guest appearance as himself on "Saved by the Bell: The New Class." Watching the clip, one is awed by Harbaugh's perfect hair, the blazer over the mock turtleneck and the razor-sharp writing.

In it, Harbaugh is Screech's cousin, stopping by for lunch and to give Screech's friend Eric a pep talk and, ultimately, some help with a school project.

"Screech, is that you? I didn’t recognize you under all those muscles," Harbaugh says in greeting his cousin, eliciting a roar of laugh track.

Eric and his friends were supposed to do a project for Mr. Dewey about what it means to be a hero, but because of Eric, all three of them are facing an F. However, Harbaugh steps in at the 11th hour to explain to their class what heroism really is:

"Being a hero isn’t about what you do out there on the field. It's about who you are--in here," Harbaugh explained as he put his hand over his heart. "It's about helping your friends, your school and your community."

As luck would have, the teacher, Mr. Dewey, is an Indianapolis native, and Harbaugh is his hero. Dewey is so impressed with Harbaugh's speech he gives all the kids an A. It's a chain of events driven by a demented sense of morality, offering an utterly indecipherable lesson about who knows what.

Jim also had a cameo on the HBO series "Arli$$," and appeared alongside fellow NFL stars Terry Bradshaw, Carl Banks and Ken Norton Jr. in an episode of "The Adventures of Brisco County." Harbaugh's brother John, coach of the Baltimore Ravens, has never had an acting career.

Advantage: Niners.

The next time someone tries to tell you how terrible TV has gotten, let Harbaugh's "Saved by the Bell" appearance stand as a reminder of how far the medium has come.

 


Norwalk Seal to Pick Super Bowl Winner

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You can pay attention to the sports books, the point spread or the record of wins-losses when picking a team to win the Super Bowl on Sunday, or you can just flip a coin.

At Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, a harbor seal named Orange will do the honors.

She might not know a first down from a field goal, but she knows how to retrieve items placed in the seal exhibit, and that is how she will chose either the Baltimore Ravens or the  San Francisco 49ers to win the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Animals picking sports teams is usually just a fun moment for whoever is hosting the event, but an octopus named Paul became famous  for correctly picking several soccer matches correctly until his demise.

Here in Connecticut, 30-year-old Orange will make her pick on Friday.

She was stranded in New England, but has ties to Baltimore because she was rehabilitated at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, according to the aquarium. 

Orange is a seal, so we know her pick is about the object, not the team, but the aquarium reassures that her time spent in Baltimore will not affect her choice.

The Baltimore Colts left Baltimore for Indianapolis in 1983, when Orange was 1, and the Ravens’ first year was 1996, after Art Model moved his Browns from Cleveland.  She lived at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago from 1991 until 2005, when she came to The Maritime Aquarium, so Orange had been in Chicago for five years by the time of the Ravens’ first season.
 

Police Investigate Norwich Home Invasion

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Norwich police are investigating a home invasion on Lambert Drive that was reported early Tuesday morning.

Police received the report at 3:46 a.m. and the victims said the intruders had firearms and demanded money from the residents. 

One resident sustained minor injuries and has been released from the William W. Backus Hospital.

Police said the incident does not appear to be random. 

No further information has been released. Police said the investigation is ongoing.
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Charity Distributing Funds to Sandy Hook Victims’ Families

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The My Sandy Hook Family Fund is distributing the first round of funds to families of the victims of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

The 26 families who lost loved ones on Dec. 14 are each receiving $40,000, according to D. Robert Morris.

Parents in Sandy Hook created the fund to create immediate and continued support to victims’ families and they have raised between $1.1 million and $1.2 million so far. They hope to raise at least $2.6 million.

This is the first charitable fund set up after the shooting to provide funds directly to the family.

Morris said he had the opportunity to speak several people around the country and has been encouraged by the “genuine outpouring of support.”

You can make a donation through the Ever Ribbon Web site.
 



Photo Credit: AP

Chicken, Beer and Ads: Super Bowl XLVII by the Numbers

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On Sunday, there will be parties. There will be booze and salty snacks and barbecued poultry parts dipped in an assortment of dressings, which may vary by geographic region. There will be ticket scalpers and advertisements, betting and intoxication. There will be traffic accidents and vice as the most-watched game in football gets underway.

This weekend, the San Francisco 49ers take on the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII at the New Orleans Superdome. Here’s some game day context, by the numbers:

FOOD

1.23 billion:
The number of chicken wings Americans will consume on Super Bowl Sunday, according to the National Chicken Council. That’s almost four chicken wings for each man, woman and child in the United States. This actually reflects a decline in consumption from last Super Bowl Sunday when 12.3 million more wings were devoured. But America’s not going on a diet. The National Chicken Council’s chief economist and market analyst Bill Roenigk attributes the decline in wing consumption to record-high corn prices (thanks in large part to last year’s mega-drought and the federal government’s requirements that big chunks of the country’s corn crop be used for ethanol production). High corn prices drove up the cost of chicken feed, which meant costlier birds, fewer slaughters and a lighter platter of wings at your Super Bowl bash.

65: The percentage of Midwesterners who prefer dipping their wings into ranch dressing as opposed to bleu cheese dressing, which is apparently favored in the Northeast, according to a survey by the National Chicken Council.

9: Ranking of chicken wings on a Nielsen survey that found the top ten most popular foods Americans expect to serve or eat on Super Bowl Sunday. Salty snacks took first place, dips came in second, vegetables took third, followed by cheese and crackers, appetizers, fresh fruit or salad, pizza, candy or sweet desserts, wings and nuts.

15 million: Estimated number of pizzas sold on Super Bowl Sunday, according to Pizza Today.

BOOZE

$1.01 billion: Amount of money spent on beer in the two weeks surrounding last year's Super Bowl at grocery and convenience stores, according to Nielson. The number would be even larger when you include restaurants, bars, hotels and the stadium itself.

It sounds like a lot, but according to the Beer Institute, an industry group, beer sales during Super Bowl weekend won't be significantly different than any other sports weekend of the year—from NASCAR weekends to major NHL match-ups or summertime MLB games. They note that the real "beer holidays" that drive a noticeable national uptick in beer sales are Memorial Day and Independence Day—warm, three-day weekends that inspire lots of beach and barbecue time. 

40: Percentage of motor vehicle fatalities on Super Bowl Sunday in 2010 tied to drunk driving. That's about ten percentage points higher than the average portion of traffic deaths linked to DUIs for the year, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. Last year, 27 people were killed on Super Bowl Sunday in alcohol-related crashes.

COMMERCIALS

$3.7 million:
The average price paid by advertisers for a 30-second spot on CBS’s Super Bowl broadcast, according to Ad Age. Leslie Moonves, chief executive officer of CBS Corp. said that in some cases prices topped $4 million, AdAge reported. That exceeds last year’s going rate of about $3.4 million. As usual, cars, beer, movies, manufacturers and soft drinks will appear most frequently in game day ads.

47.1 minutes: Total time of all ads played after kickoff during the broadcast of Super Bowl XLVI, according to Nielsen data. That's pretty close to the amount of ad time in Super Bowl XLIV (44 minutes and 40 seconds, according to Philly.com's calculation). In fact, the Wall Street Journal's calculation in 2010 found, on average, an NFL game includes just 11 minutes of actual football. Ads took up about an hour of time, and the remaining minutes involved shots of players milling about, fans, and images of the stadium.  

111.3 million: Number of viewers who tuned in for last year's game, making it the most watched U.S. telecast ever.

NOLA

150,000: Number of football fans expected to pack the city for the game.

5,000: Number of media personnel expected in NOLA.

1,200:
Number of New Orleans police officers who will be working 12-hour shifts Super Bowl weekend. They will be joined by more than 300 officers from the state police and neighboring cities, as well as reinforcements from the FBI, Homeland Security and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

17,000:
Number of volunteers from the area that signed up to help with the massive preparation and clean-up.

350: Number of people on street-cleaning duty.

$432 million:
Estimated revenue hosting the game will bring to New Orleans.

$305 million:
Money spent renovating and spiffing up Louis Armstrong International Airport in preparation for all the eyeballs that will soon be upon it.

10:
 Number of times New Orleans will have hosted the Super Bowl. Only Miami has hosted as many games. 

OH, AND THE GAME

2,384: Number of tickets still available on Stubhub on Jan. 30. Tickets range in price from $1,475 to $264,713 for a seat in the 400-level suite. 

1st: Super Bowl XLVII will be the first time in NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL history that brothers (Raven's coach John Harbaugh and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh) will face off as head coaches in a postseason game.

5-0: San Francisco's Super Bowl record.

1-0:
Baltimore's Super Bowl record.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

49er Chris Culliver: Gays Not Welcome in Locker Room

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Days before the Super Bowl, San Francisco 49er Chris Culliver suggested that gay players would not be welcome in the locker room, prompting his team to do some damage control.

"I don't do the gay guys, man," Culliver said in a Media Day interview with radio host Artie Lange, who had asked if gay men ever hit on him, or if there were any gay players on the 49ers. "No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do. Can't be with that sweet stuff. Nah ... can't be ... in the locker room, man."

Lange pushed him and asked if gay players should keep their sexual orientation a secret.

"Yeah," Culliver said. "Come out 10 years later after that."

The radio host and comedian played the clip on his show and expressed surprise at Culliver's willingness to frankly express his views on the matter.

"No matter how politically correct the world gets, the NFL and certain cultures will always be homophobic in my eyes," Lange said. "And these guys don't even care about getting in trouble I think."

The team issued a statement after Culliver's comments were publicized, indicating that the 49ers "reject" his comments "and have addressed the matter with Chris. There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level. We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community."

The Sacramento Bee points out that in 2002 49er running back Garrison Hearst also said gays weren't welcome on his team after Esera Tuaolo came out of the closet. "Aw, hell no!" he said, adding that he didn't want any gay people on the 49ers. "I know that might not be what people want to hear, but that's a punk." He later apologized.

But there have been signs of growing acceptance. Earlier in the year Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo made headlines for his vocal support of gay marriage — and the negative response he got from a Maryland legislator. Emmett C. Burns Jr. sent a letter to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti asking that he "inhibit such expressions from your employee," prompting many football fans and players to come to Ayanbadejo's defense.

Ayanbadejo has said he would use the Super Bowl as a platform to promote gay rights, but chose not to address the issue at Media Day, according to the Bee.

"Actually, I talked about that so I don't want to keep touching on that subject, but obviously we're here at the Super Bowl, and it's the pinnacle of sports here in the United States so I just really want to focus," he said.



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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