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Man in Skirt & Wig Assaults Homeless Man: Cops

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A Waterbury man, dressed in a skirt and wearing a wig, is accused of assaulting a homeless man at a Torrington McDonald’s and hitting him in the head with a bottle.

Police responded to a fight at 693 Main St.in Torrington around 11:30 p.m. on Friday and found Alan Plocke, 47, in the road, bleeding from a head injury, police said.

Police investigated and determined that Plocke and Reinaldo Baez, 49, of Waterbury, had gotten into an argument in the parking lot of the restaurant and Baez assaulted Plocke, police said.

During the assault, Baez hit Plocke over the head with a bottle, police said.

Plocke, who told police he is homeless, was transported by ambulance to Waterbury Hospital and he has since been released.

Baez was charged with second-degree assault and breach of peace.

He was held on a $10,000 surety bond and is due to appear in Bantam Superior Court on Tuesday.
 



Photo Credit: Torrington Police

Six Injured in Bristol Fire

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Six people, including two firefighters, were injured when fire broke out at the multi-family home at 21 Reilly Place in Bristol  late Monday night.

All four of the apartments in the home were evacuated when the three-story building caught fire around 11 p.m., according to fire officials.

The building is inhabitable, officials determined. The second-floor porch collapsed onto the first floor.

Water pressure posed a problem for firefighters, fire officials said, and the water department was going to be checking hydrants to find out.

Some of the residents were sleeping in their cars, in front of the building, early Tuesday morning.

Two residents were transported to Hartford Hospital, and two were treated at Bristol Hospital. Two firefighters were also treated and released.

Officials at the scene said that the injuries mostly included minor burns. Two of the residents who were hurt said they were treated for third-degree burns, but are OK.

As of about 5 a.m., two residents had been released from the hospital. The condition of the two firefighters is unknown.

There was extensive damage to the home, especially in the back porch area. Firefighters said that the water pressure was an issue in battling the blaze. However, they were able to get the fire under control shortly before midnight.

 Fire officials are investigating the cause of the fire.
 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Officials to Inspect Walk Bridge in Norwalk

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It will be years before the 118-year-old Walk Bridge in Norwalk will be replaced, but a state task force is looking into some short-term possibilities after the bridge was stuck open, twice, halting Metro-North service  in southwestern Connecticut.

A Short Term Action Team that includes state Department of Transportation engineers and bridge inspectors,  Metro-North engineers, as well as consultant bridge inspectors and engineers met in Norwalk on Monday to inspect the bridge, which spans the Norwalk River in southwestern Connecticut.

The bridge was stuck open twice in about two weeks, causing major service disruptions.

When the bridge was stuck open for the Friday evening commute on June 6, many commuters waited hours for buses or walked more than a mile to reach the other side of the bridge.

DOT Commissioner James Redeker said in a statement that preliminary design has begun to replace the Walk Bridge, but immediate steps are necessary to ensure its reliability.  

“At Governor Malloy’s urging, I am empowering our STAT team to take whatever actions are necessary to make sure that we can count on the bridge to open and close as needed, without any glitches,” Redeker said.

Several residents were frustrated by the problems and the impact on their commute.

Cindy McConaghy, of Norwalk, commutes to New York City every day and said something has to be done to fix the bridge.
 
"For something that's nearly 120 years old, it's amazing it's lasted this long, so it has to be fixed," McConaghy said.
 
With the long-term goal of replacing the bridge still years away, DOT, Metro-North and MTA created the short-term action team to find short-term solutions to improve the bridge's reliability.

"Right now, Metro North is manually opening and closing the bridge, which gives them a greater degree of control over that bridge and gives an assurance that it will open and close correctly," DOT Assistant Rail Administrator John Bernick said.

Commuters said the fixes can't come soon enough.
 
"If there's consistent enough issues, you have to fix it at some point," James Gilchrist, of East Norwalk, said.
 
"They just have to decide what they're going to do and do it. Forge ahead. Don't prolong it because eventually it's just going to keep happening again. It has to be fixed," McConaghy said.

Officials emphasize that, despite the failures, the bridge is safe and structurally sound.

A report with recommendations is expected in about 30 days.

Woman Admits to Smoking Marijuana Before Hitting School Bus: Police

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A New Haven woman who told police she smoked marijuana and took at least four prescription medications before getting behind the wheel was arrested after hitting a school bus, police said.

A school bus was turning left from Orchard Street on to the Ella T. Grasso Boulevard just after 9 a.m. on Tuesday when Brenda Dasilva, 43, of New Haven hit the back of the bus, then a utility pole, police said.

Eight students between 6 and 14 years old from the King Robinson School were taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital to be evaluated.

Police said none of the students, nor the bus driver, had any apparent injuries and the damage to the bus was minor.

Dasilva told investigators she'd recently smoked marijuana and had taken several medications before getting behind the wheel, according to police.

Dasilva, who also goes by the last names LaClaire and Martinez, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, eight counts of risk of injury to a minor and operating with a suspended license.

Police said DaSilva was driving someone else’s car, which was registered and insured.
 



Photo Credit: New Haven Police

Former NY News Anchor Arrested Again

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A former New York City TV news anchor who was arrested after a domestic incident at his Darien home in February 2013, has been arrested again.

Darien police said Robert Morrison, 46, he violated a court order by placing more than 100 calls to his wife’s Darien home or cell phone over several days in May.

A judge issued a warrant out of the Superior Court in Stamford and Morrison, who is now living in Stamford, arrived voluntarily at Darien Police Headquarters around 6 p.m. on Monday.

He was charged with one count of criminal violation of a protective order and one count of harassment in the second degree. 

Morrison was released after posting a $50,000 bond.

Online court records say he is due in court on July 7 to answer to the charges filed in February.

After he appeared in court last year, a judge ordered him to stay away from his wife.

Morrison is a former NBC Connecticut employee.

 



Photo Credit: Darien Police

Three Arrested After Fight at Hammonasset

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Three people were arrested after a fight at Hammonasset Beach state Park in Madison on Tuesday.

State police, Madison police, state EnCon police and EMS crews responded to the Meigs Point area of the state park around 2:30 p.m. for reports of an altercation, according to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which has jurisdiction over state parks.

Police arrested Herson Gonzalez, 34, of Meriden, Nathaniel Gonzalez, 19, of Bristol and a 17-year-old minor from Bristol. Herson and Nathaniel Gonzalez are not related, the DEEP said.

All three were charged with third-degree assault and breach of peace. They were released on bond and are scheduled to appear in court on July 1.



Photo Credit: Amanda Raus, NBC Connecticut

Man Breaks Into Hartford Church During Bible Study

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A suspected burglar was caught on camera breaking into a Hartford church during Bible study to disable the alarm system, then returned the next morning and stole two television sets, police said.

Police are hoping surveillance video can help investigators track him down.

The video shows him ripping two flat screen televisions off the wall of the Family Worship Center on Blue Hills Avenue after breaking in early Thursday morning.

According to the footage, he hauled it across the parking lot, then doubled back minutes later and took off with another TV.

“At first, chills were all over my body,” said Pastor Cecil Hume, who arrived at the church a short time later to find the missing electronics and checked the footage when he realized something was wrong.

“It's like you're watching a movie,” Hume explained.

He said the suspect was strategic – the man walked in the night before and paced the hallways while a group was in the back room for Bible study.

“It hurts me to know we were in that room for 25 or so minutes this man was walking up and down the foyer out there,” Pastor Hume added.

Hume says the culprit disabled the alarm system and unlocked a back window so he could get in undetected the next day.

“For years, we have been doing this without any problem. This is the very first time we experienced anything like this,” Hume said. “It's a church. I was angry.”

Hume wants the public to take a close look at the video and help Hartford police identify the suspect.

“Seeing his face on television… that might scare him,” Hume said. “He thought he got away with him, but we got him.”



Photo Credit: Hartford Police Department/Family Worship Center

Police Searching for Man Who Attacked Woman in Plainville

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Plainville police are looking for the man who burglarized a home on May 19 and assaulted a 22-year-old woman who was in the residence.

The victim was in a home on Burnside Avenue around 6 p.m. on Monday, May 19 when she was attacked, police said. She does not live in the home.

The man police are looking for is around 6-feet tall, has an average build and “unkempt” brown and gray medium-length wavy hair that extends past his chin, according to police.

He is believed to be in his 50s and was wearing a baggy, over-sized green button-down shirt and khaki pants.

The victim’s injuries are not life-threatening, according to police. Anyone who can help police with the information should call Detective David Posadas or Sgt. Nicolas Mullins at 860-747-1616. 
 



Photo Credit: Plainville Police

Hartford Police Make Arrest in Craigslist Murder

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Hartford police have arrested in last year's murder of a man who was killed during a meeting to sell a tablet device he place on Craigslist.

Rashad Moon was arrested on Tuesday.

He is accused of shooting and killing Felix DeJesus III in May 2013 as DeJesus sat in his car on Allendale Road in Hartford.

DeJesus, of Cromwell, left his home in Cromwell on May 8, 2013 with to meet a man who was interested in buying a tablet he had offered for sale on Craigslist. According to DeJesus' father, the man had contacted DeJesus several times to set up a meeting to buy the device.

Police have not said how they tied Moon to DeJesus' murder.

Moon is charged with felony murder, first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery. He is being held on $1 million bond.



Photo Credit: Hartford Police

JetBlue to Begin Non-Stop Flights from CT to Washington, D.C.

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You will soon be able to fly nonstop from Bradley International to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. on JetBlue.

The new service begins on Thursday, June 19.

Officials from JetBlue said new routes will bring greater convenience to travelers in the D.C. area and surrounding suburbs.

JetBlue will also provide non-stop service to D.C. from Nassau, Bahamas and Charleston, South Carolina.

You can also get to the DC from Bradley on U.S. Airways. Southwest will get you to Baltimore.

Patent Office Cancels 6 "Disparaging" Redskins Trademarks

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The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has cancelled six Washington Redskins trademarks, ruling that the polarizing moniker is "disparaging to Native Americans."

While the decision does not require the Redskins to change their name, it could intensify the ever-increasing pressure on the team to do so.

The ruling means the Redskins would lose several legal benefits associated with the trademarks (including the use of the ® symbol) and the ability to register with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to ensure that counterfeit foreign goods are not imported.

Federal trademark law does not allow the registration of trademarks that are considered disparaging to individuals or groups.

"We decide, based on the evidence properly before us, that these registrations must be cancelled because they were disparaging to Native Americans at the respective times they were registered," the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board wrote in its opinion.

The Redskins, however, will be able to appeal to a federal court to have the ruling reversed.

Five Native Americans filed to have the trademarks cancelled in 2006 and the case was heard by the board in March 2013.

"The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board agreed with our clients that the team's name and trademarks disparage Native Americans," said Jesse Witten, the lead partner of Drinker Biddle & Reath, the law firm litigating the case. "The Board ruled that the Trademark Office should never have registered these trademarks in the first place."

Redskins owner Dan Snyder has vowed that he will never change the team's name. "NEVER -- you can use caps," he told USA Today last year.

When approached by reporters during Washington's minicamp practice Wednesday, Snyder declined to comment.

"This ruling -- which of course we will appeal -- simply addresses the team's federal trademark registrations, and the team will continue to own and be able to protect its marks without the registrations," Redskins trademark attorney Bob Raskopf said in a statement. "The registrations will remain effective while the case is on appeal."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a vocal critic of the team's name, took the Senate floor shortly after the patent office's cancellation was announced, applauding the decision.

"Daniel Snyder may be the last person in the world to realize this," Reid said, "but it's just a matter of time until he is forced to do the right thing and change the name."

This is the second time the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board has been presented with a petition to cancel these trademarks. That case took 17 years to go through the legal system before the Supreme Court declined to intervene.

In 1992, Suzan Harjo and six other Native Americans brought a case against Pro Football, Inc., the corporate entity that owns the Redskins, and in 1999, the board ruled to cancel the registrations.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia reversed that ruling in 2003 due to a technicality, Whitten explained. Under the doctrine of laches, the court found that Harjo and her fellow petitioners waited too long after turning 18 to file their complaint.

The petitioners appealed, and ultimately, in 2009, the D.C. Circuit Court affirmed the decision of the lower court.

“We’ve seen this story before," Raskopf said. "And just like last time, today’s ruling will have no effect at all on the team’s ownership of and right to use the Redskins name and logo.

"We are confident we will prevail once again, and that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s divided ruling will be overturned on appeal."


Follow Adam on Twitter @AdamVingan and e-mail your story ideas to adamvingan (at) gmail.com.



Photo Credit: YouTube

Armed Robbery in West Haven

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Police are investigating an armed robbery at a market in West Haven early Wednesday morning.

The robbery was reported at Great Way Food Store, 502 Saw Mill Road, around 3 a.m.

No additional information was immediately available.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Stamford Officials to Hold News Conference on Investigation Into City Animal Control Center

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Stamford city officials will reveal more information on Wednesday about the investigation into allegations of problems with the adoption of and handling of aggressive dogs at the Stamford Animal Control Center/

In May, dog adoptions were stopped on a temporary basis as the Stamford Police Department; Office of Public Safety, Health and Welfare; and the City of Stamford Human Resources Division began investigating allegations that the City Animal Control Center has "failed to follow state guidelines and proper procedures regarding the adoption of and the control of potentially aggressive dogs," according to a news release from Stamford Police.

Officials said in May that this was a personnel matter.

A news conference will be held in the mayor's office at 2:30 p.m. 




 



Photo Credit: AP

Van Dyken Ready to Move Hospitals, Says Prayers Helping Recovery

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Olympic swimming champion Amy Van Dyken-Rouen, who suffered traumatic spinal cord and brain injuries earlier this month, is smiling, talking, and trading her Arizona hospital bed for one in Colorado.

“I am now off to Denver, Colorado, to Craig Hospital to begin the next chapter in my life, doing some rehabilitation. So I will keep everyone updated on my Instagram and Twitter as always,” Van Dyken-Rouen, 41, told NBC's Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie in a brief video on Wednesday’s "Today" broadcast.

The six-time gold medalist has been keeping her Twitter and Instagram followers informed of her condition every step of the way. On Tuesday, she posted an Instagram photograph of the surgical incision on her back. “Healing fast! #PrayersAreWorking,” she wrote in the caption.

“I just want to thank you guys and everyone who watches the 'Today' show for all of your support, all of your prayers and your positive vibes. It’s definitely helping,” Van Dyken-Rouen said on "Today."

Van Dyken-Rouen suffered an ATV accident on June 6 that severed her spine and nearly ruptured her aorta. She has been in treatment at Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center in Arizona, but is transferring to Denver’s Craig Hospital, which specializes in spinal-cord injuries, The Washington Post reported.

Before departing Scottsdale, Van Dyken-Rouen brought the balloons she was given to patients in the Intensive Care Unit. She gave her surgeon’s daughter a special Hello Kitty balloon for the girl's birthday.

On Monday, Van Dyken-Rouen posted a photo to Instagram of her husband, former Denver Bronco's punter Tom Rouen, and her yellow labrador Kuma keeping her company in the hospital.

Van Dyken took home four Olympic gold medals in the 1996 Atlanta games, and two more at the Sydney games in 2000.
 

 



Photo Credit: "Today"

Shelton Man Sprays Fire Officials With Hose: Police

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A 77-year-old Shelton man was arrested on Tuesday when he turned the hose on firefighters who went to his house to investigate a fire, according to police.

A complaint about open burning sent the fire marshal and assistant fire chief to Mark Lilly’s home on Beardsley Road yesterday, but he refused to put out the fire, then became verbally abusive, police said.

According to police, Lilly did get a garden hose, but sprayed both fire officials instead of the fire.

Lilly was issued a misdemeanor summons for opening burning and breach of peace. 

He is scheduled to appear in Derby Court on July 1. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Man Charged With Indecent Exposure in West Hartford

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A 61-year-old man was arrested after a woman reported that he exposed himself in West Hartford.

The woman said a man who was walking on Farmington Avenue exposed his private parts and was holding them it in his hand, according to a news release from police.

Police located Gregory Schumm, of Hartford, in front of 831 Farmington Avenue. He denied exposing himself, but admitted that he might have been staring at women, police said.

Schumm was arrested and charged with public indecency and breach of peace. He is being held on a $5,000 bond.

It’s not clear if he has an attorney.
 



Photo Credit: West Hartford Police

Malloy to Receive Public Campaign Financing

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A state elections panel today released a fourth round of payments to candidates applying for public campaign financing.

Among the recipients, Gov. Dannel Malloy’s reelection team.

A potential roadblock to Malloy receiving almost $7 million was eliminated when the State Elections Enforcement Commission dismissed a complaint that Malloy had begun campaigning before announcing his plan to run agian.

Meanwhile, the commission said it has not yet released any funds to Malloy’s chief competitor, Republican challenger Tom Foley.

The commision's only public comment on the subject was that the Foley team has not yet raised at least $250,000 in qualified contributions, a requirement for receiving the public funding.

 



Photo Credit: Associated Press

Mark Boughton Calls Off Campaign for Governor

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Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton has suspended his campaign for governor, according to a release from his campaign committee.

"It's been my honor to seek Connecticut's highest statewide office," Boughton said in a statement Wednesday. "However, I now believe it is time to suspend my candidacy and call for party unity behind the endorsed Republican candidate, Tom Foley."

Boughton kicked off his campaign in January and received enough suppport to challenge Foley in a primary in August. He had recently teamed up with Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti to pull funds and qualify for public financing.

According to the release, Boughton will release the staff on his campaign committee, Team Boughton, within the next few weeks.

"You know, one of the tough things about this is literally thousands of donors, thousands of people have helped us across the state of Connecticut," Boughton told NBC Connecticut on Wednesday. "None of them got paid for what they did, but they did it because they believed in our candidacy. That's what hurts here, but we have a very specific path to get to where we needed to go and unfortunatley we got thrown off that path and just didn't have a good enough backup plan to make that work. But no question, it hurts and we're disappointed."

Republican-endorsed candidate Tom Foley and State Senate Minority Leader John McKinney will face off in the August primary. Former West Hartford Town Councilor Joe Visconti is also vying for a spot on the ticket.

McKinney said he was surprised by Boughton's decision, explaining that it's "important that Republicans in Connecticut have a choice about who should take on Gov. Malloy in November."



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Burglars Broke Into Bristol Homes as Residents Slept

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Bristol police are investigating after six homes were burglarized at night while the residents were sleeping, authorities said.

The break-ins happened between Monday and Wednesday in the area of Jerome Avenue and Mix Street.

Residents were home sleeping at the time, in two of the incidents, intruders actually went into the sleeping victims' bedrooms and stole items, according to police.

"I got hit twice," said one victim, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her identity and her home. "Sunday night they went right through the front door. ... The second night, which was last night, they got sneakier and went through the basement."

Police believe the same people are behind the break-ins because of window screens were cut or removed in each case. 

"It's this window right here," said Bristol resident Samantha Myers, showing the window where burglars tried to enter her home. "They had kind of tried to push it up and the wood, you can see, is broken."
 
So far, Dorothy Road, Vincent Road and Barbara Road, have all been hit. The thieves made off with money, pocketbooks and credit cards, according to police.

Neighbors say residents of the area are on high alert and will be extra vigilant until an arrest is made.

"It's a violation," said Bristol resident Kim Laurie. "Even if they only took 10 cents or something useless, it's still a stranger in your house going through your things, and it's a violation."



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

2 Charged in New Haven Shooting, Attempted Robbery

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Two New Haven men are facing charges after reportedly robbing and shooting a 41-year-old city man on Winthrop Avenue the night of June 6.

Kyle Jowers, 30, and Willie Garvin, 21, have been arrested in connection with the crime.

Police said Kendall Woodson was on Winthrop Avenue between Maple Street and Edgewood Avenue when he was approached by a man with a gun who demanded money. Woodson refused and the suspect shot him once with a long-barreled handgun.

Jowers was later identified as that suspect. The next day, he was charged with threatening and breach of peace in connection with a related crime, and when detectives interviewed him, Jowers confessed to the attempted robbery and shooting, police said.

He was charged with first-degree assault, criminal attempt to commit first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery and weapons violations.

Jowers said the gun fired by accident and implicated 21-year-old Willie Garvin in the robbery attempt.

Garvin was arrested the night of June 8. Police said officers shot him with a stun gun after Garvin reached for a .22-caliber long-barreled revolver in his waistband – the same gun used in the shooting of Woodson.

Police said Garvin also confessed to the crime. He was charged with first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, interfering with police and weapons violations.

Both suspects are convicted felons. Jowers has been previously convicted of first-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor, second-degree forgery and violation of probation. Garvin has been convicted of first-degree robbery, second-degree larceny, violation of probation and drug and weapons offenses, police said.

Woodson was alert and conscious at the scene and was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, police said.



Photo Credit: New Haven Police Department
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