The New Britain Rock Cats have paid back more than $164,000 in taxes owed on their stadium lease, securing the team’s ability to play there in the 2015 season, according to a news release from the mayor's office.

According to the release, team owner Josh Solomon sent New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart a check for $164,569.26 owed to Berlin. The team had until Sept. 1 to pay up or face the possibility of eviction.

Now the team will continue to play in New Britain through next season and will has avoid an additional $5,000 penalty, the release says.

New Britain had been paying Berlin $30,000 per year in lieu of stadium taxes, but the team's lease called for the Rock Cats to begin paying taxes July 1.

According to a statement sent from Solomon to the Hartford mayor's office, the Rock Cats have never been required to pay property taxes on the stadium until this summer.

Solomon wrote that the Rock Cats were placed on the Berlin tax roll in 2013 and were asked to pay more than $320,000 in annual property taxes, but that New Britain appealed and requested that the stadium be exempt since the building is municipally owned.

After the Rock Cats' plan to move to Hartford was publicized, New Britain settled with Berlin and agreed to a $160,000 real estate tax "without the Rock Cats' consultation or participation," according to Solomon.

"We continue to believe that Berlin's tax assessment of $160,000 on the Rock Cats and the City of New Britain [is] entirely unfair, representing an approximate 1000% increase over what the team had previously paid each year," Solomon said in the statement.

"Because this also represents an especially undue burden on the taxpayers of New Britain, the Rock Cats today met with Mayor Steawrt and provided the City with a $160,000 payment. We will continue to pursue the appropriate steps necessary to appeal and reverse this unfair decision and we're pleased that the City of New Britain has no objection to our course of action," Solomon said.

The team’s parent company, New Britain Double Play, has filed a lawsuit against Berlin in an effort to reduce the bill. The suit is still pending.

“As long as they have paid what they owe to New Britain, I wish them well in their pending litigation with Berlin. My goal was protecting our taxpayers and our relationship with our neighbor, and that has been accomplished,” Stewart said in a statement Wednesday.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC Connecticut

The first day of school is just around the corner and Middletown's Board of Education took a big step toward last-minute, back-to-school shopping last night – shopping for teachers, that is.

The board voted to ask city government officials for more than $200,000 to make additional hires, following a petition drive led by the PTA at the Moody School.

"We were very, very happy with what happened last night," said PTA president Carolyn May. "We really feel like we made a change and our voices have been heard."

She and other parents jumped into action when Moody prepared two first grade classes instead of three.

"It's so important for my child to get that attention from the teacher, one on one, and have the smaller groups with 15 children versus the 23-24 children," May said. "It means the world."

She warned that there is no done deal, and the $200,000 not spent on the schools last year that was returned to the city government may no longer be available.

But she hopes there will be more teachers hired at schools throughout Middletown.

The city's finance and government commission meets next Wednesday, the day before the first day of school.

More mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile Virus, this time in Stamford.

The Stamford Department of Health and Social Services says mosquitoes trapped Aug. 14 are carrying the virus.

Mosquitoes with West Nile have also been identified this year in Hartford, Bridgeport, Danbury, New Britain, East Haven and Stratford. No human cases of West Nile have been reported this summer.

Symptoms of the disease include vomiting, fever, headaches, body aches and a rash. Severe cases may include neck stiffness, loss of consciousness, confusion, tremors, weakness and paralysis, according to the Health Department.

Residents are urged to take the following precautions when spending time outdoors:

• Use bug spray containing DEEP, Picaridin, lemon of eucalyptus oil
• Wear shoes, socks and long, tightly-woven clothing, especially at dawn and dusk
• Remove standing water around your home
• Drill holes in containers kept outdoors, such as those used for recycling
• Clean clogged roof gutters
• Store water-collecting objects upside down (such as wading pools and wheelbarrows)
• Regularly change water in bird baths
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools and cover pools not in use
• Make sure door and window screens are tight fitting
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outside

More information is available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The California Highway Patrol officer seen in a widely distributed video punching a woman on the side of a Southern California freeway last month was relieved of duty and sent home with pay while prosecutors weigh possible criminal charges, officials said Wednesday.

Officials have stripped CHP Officer Daniel Andrew of his badge and gun, effective immediately, CHP officials said.

He has been moved from desk duty to paid time off while prosecutors review his case, said CHP Sgt. Melissa Hammond, a department spokeswoman.

CHP officials forwarded the results of a criminal investigation to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office outlining what they said were "potentially serious charges for the officer."

Civil rights activist Earl Ofari Hutchinson believes the decision to relieve Andrew from duty was a partial victory.

"The officer should be fired. And the officer should be prosecuted. One without the other is not justice," Hutchinson said.

Andrew repeatedly punched Marlene Pinnock on July 1 on the Santa Monica (10) Freeway on-ramp in Los Angeles. She was hospitalized for several weeks. She was treated for head injuries and continues to have slurred speech, according to her attorney, Caree Harper.

Pinnock's attorney, Caree Harper, said Wednesday it was about time.

"Finally," she said. "This is something that could have occurred the first week of July. There was a felonious battery that occurred with videotaped evidence. There's not much investigation that needs to be done to show that someone was rendered defenseless and this officer went beyond attempting to detain her."

In an interview after the attack, Pinnock, 51, said she feared for her life.

"He was trying to kill me," she said. "He was trying to beat me to death. He wouldn’t stop."

Pinnock filed a federal civil rights lawsuit last month. She believes Andrew should face charges.

"It does bother me cause if it had been me, I would have been charged. I would have gone to jail had it been the other way around," Pinnock said.

An investigation was launched by the CHP and the District Attorney’s Office to prepare a "thorough assessment" of what occurred that evening.

An NBC4 I-Team investigation revealed details on how the confrontation went down. According to CHP service logs, the first call to 911 came in around 7:11 p.m. According to the logs, Pinnock was on the freeway for at least 29 minutes.

"Everyone asks 'why was she on the freeway?' Why the hell did he kick her ass? Someone ask him 'why did you kick Marlene Pinnock's ass,'" Harper said.

The District Attorney’s Office will review the investigation and decide on the filing of criminal charges against Andrew, the CHP said.

District Attorney's spokeswoman Jane Robison confirmed the office received the case, but declined further comment.

Separately, the CHP will also complete an ongoing internal administrative investigation into incident.

"The CHP understands the public’s interest in this case, and it is our desire to be as transparent as possible while adhering to the laws and due process that govern any investigation," Hammond said in a statement. "We value the public’s trust and appreciate the community’s patience as we complete this important process."

Patrick Healy and Beverly White contributed to this report.

Some hard-hitting Las Vegas batters may have gotten the better of Philadelphia's Taney Dragons at the Little League World Series on Wednesday, but Taney fans' confidence in their team, led by pitching phenom Mo'ne Davis, didn't flag on Twitter.

Taney lost to their Nevadan rivals 8-1, despite plenty of impressive plays — including a hit from Mo'ne in the fourth inning that helped give the Dragons their first run of the game, and an impressive sliding catch by Zion Spearman. Fortunately Taney isn't out yet. They play Chicago Thursday night for a shot at the U.S. Final.

Wednesday night, supporters from their hometown and far beyond took to Twitter to cheer on Taney with the hashtag #BelieveInDragons.

• How Star Little League Team Taney Dragons Got Their Start

#TaneyDragons are the truth no matter if they win or lose tonight

— Brian Patt (@BPatt215) August 21, 2014

Play ball! Mo'ne on the mound and already throwing heat. #TaneyDragons #LLWS

— NewsWorks (@NewsWorksWHYY) August 20, 2014

Those boys from Vegas can hit, but Mo’Ne Davis is the truth! Composure on 10, girl has ice in her veins when she’s on that mound. #LLWS

— J.D. (@iownjd) August 21, 2014

Biggest lawn crowd I've seen for a #LLWS game this year. #MoNepic.twitter.com/ZMQQwFxrUL

Lipson is doing great. Crowd is loving him. #taneydragons And that was a great catch! Taney up to bat! pic.twitter.com/eTUNTPM8e8

— Stephanie Farr (@FarFarrAway) August 21, 2014

Defense is the name of the game and Zion snow cones one in right for #TaneyDragons

— Timothy Patterson (@Patters7Timothy) August 21, 2014

Can I draft Mo'ne for my fantasy team? #TaneyDragons

— Tara Gordon (@ihatefloss) August 21, 2014

That, my friends, is how you bunt. #TaneyDragons #LLWS

— Amy Doonan Cronin (@AmyDCronin) August 21, 2014

For me, it's now Little League over MLB any day. These kids are the real deal. True spirit! #TaneyDragons #PhillyPride #girlpower #MoNe

— Julia (@littlesparroh) August 21, 2014

Before the game, Philly's big-league, grown-up teams had offered their support, too:

Good luck tonight to our very own @taneybaseball! #Flyers Nation is with you. #BelieveInDragons pic.twitter.com/medGzBRLsj

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) August 20, 2014 

Let's go @taneybaseball! Good luck tonight against Las Vegas! #BelieveInDragons pic.twitter.com/p7OZLVZsjg

— Phillies (@Phillies) August 20, 2014

We #BelieveInDragons! Philly is with you, @taneybaseball. #BrotherlyANDSisterlyLove pic.twitter.com/t9hN2JHLq0

— Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) August 20, 2014

 So did state-wide leaders:

Good luck @TaneyBaseball! The governor asked for Mo'Ne Davis and entire team's autograph last Friday. #LLWS pic.twitter.com/7wCy9xmILc

— Governor Tom Corbett (@GovernorCorbett) August 20, 2014

Let's go @taneybaseball, it's game time! I #BelieveInDragons and Mo'ne Davis! #LLWS

— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) August 20, 2014

Remember, America: this is the #LLWS. Root for ALL the kids. And UMPS ARE STILL FAIR GAME. #TaneyDragons

— Brendon Shank (@bshank) August 21, 2014

Have you taken the Ice Bucket Challenge? The ALS awareness campaign has taken social media by storm, Cumberland Farms is getting involved.

Have you taken the Ice Bucket Challenge? The ALS awareness campaign has taken social media by storm, Cumberland Farms is getting involved.

The challenge, which began with ALS survivor Pete Frates, a former baseball player at Boston College, has raised millions of dollars and brought the degenerative condition, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Dieases, to the forefront.

“The company is nominating its customers to #StrikeOutALS by purchasing ice to take part in the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness and funds for the ALS Association. All of the brand's nearly 600 stores will be participating in the fundraiser,” Cumberland Farms announced on PRNewswire earlier this week.

It started with a Cumberland Farms employee, who urged the retailer to donate after completing the challenge, according to the site.

Public figures such as George W. Bush, Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey have dumped icy waters over their heads in the name of a good cause. Others, such as President Obama and Charlie Sheen, have opted to donate instead.

Donations have skyrocketed since the challenge caught on. NBC News reported last week that the ALS Association received some $1.35 million between July 29 and Aug. 11, as opposed to $22,000 during the same time frame last year.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC Connecticut

Route 34 is closed near Punkup Road in Oxford after a fallen tree limb brought down power lines around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to state police.

Connecticut Light & Power crews are heading to the scene.

It's not clear how long the road will remain closed.

No additional information was immediately available.

Vernon police have found 62-year-old John Roman, who walked away from his group home in Rockville on Tuesday morning.

Roman was found in Farmington and is safe, according to Vernon police.

Roman left the Massick Memorial Home on Davis Avenue around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday and police issued an alert because he is mentally disabled and requires medication.

A Hartford teen taken to the hospital after police shot him with a Taser Tuesday afternoon has been charged with interfering with police and second-degree breach of peace.

Eighteen-year-old Luis Anglero was stunned while police were breaking up an unruly crowd at Garden Street and Albany Avenue around 2 p.m. Tuesday, a scene that was captured on surveillance video.

Hartford police spokesman Deputy Chief Brian Foley said Anglero “was a clear aggressor and agitator” who ignored officers’ commands to leave the area, but family members are fighting the accusations.

His sister, Zakyrah Negron, claims police provoked Anglero and that one officer challenged him, “Run up on me if you want to.” She said Anglero dropped his hands and “didn’t disrespect him” but was stunned regardless.

Surveillance footage shows the officer approaching Anglero. The teen stops, is stunned and falls to the ground.

Negron said her brother suffered seizures and and was taken to the hospital, where he was alert and listed in stable condition. Anglero was released from the hospital Thursday.

According to police, the electronic record generated by the Taser shows it was only fired once. Foley said the jolt lasted five seconds, “the minimum amount.”

Anglero’s mother, Maryann Yearwood, said she plans to take action against the police department.

“They hit him near his heart,” she said.

Police promise to investigate any complaints that are filed.

The state’s first medical marijuana dispensary has opened its doors in South Windsor.

Prime Wellness of Connecticut, the first of six dispensaries in Connecticut, held its grand opening Wednesday evening at its new facility on John Fitch Boulevard in South Windsor.

Jodie DeFord was one of dozens of people in line for treatment information Wednesday night.

"You don't want to be on painkillers all day. You want to function and be part of society," said DeForde, who has multiple sclerosis and hopes medical marijuana can ease the pain. "It's very challenging. Just by watching me walk, you can see how challenging it is."

Many people diagnonsed with serious health conditions are searching for relief. Pharmacists at the South Windsor dispensary said roughly 150 patients have signed up for consultation with doctor approval.

“This is just like a pharmacy, we are dispensing medicine for people,” said dispensary manager Al Domeika.

• WATCH: A Look Inside a Possible Medical Marijuana Facility

Critics are concerned the cannabis from the facility will end up in the wrong hands, but state regulators say it's not an issue.

The facility can only dispense Connecticut-produced marijuana products to seriously ill patients who have registered with the state’s Medical Marijuana Program.

“We have very detailed and strict rules and regulations,” said Bill Rubenstein, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection.

Facility owners say security is tight. The doors remain locked and visitors must be buzzed in to access the building. Medical marijuana is stored in a secure room with limited access.

Four marijuana producers received licenses in January. In April, state officials released information on the first six dispensary facilities, including Prime Wellness.

These six facilities will be able to legally dispense Connecticut-produced marijuana products to seriously ill patients who have registered with the state’s Medical Marijuana Program. 

• Arrow Alternative Care, Inc., at 92 Weston Street in Hartford
• Bluepoint Apothecary, LLC, at 469 East Main Street in Branford
• D & B Wellness, LLC, at 2181 Main Street in Bethel
• Prime Wellness of Connecticut, LLC, at 75 John Fitch Boulevard in South Windsor,
• Thames Valley Apothecary, LLC, at 1100 Norwich-New London Turnpike (Route 32), in Uncasville
• The Healing Corner, Inc., at 159 East Main Street in Bristol

Arrow Alternative Care will open soon, according to its Web site and Facebook page.
 

Police have arrested a 21-year-old Hartford woman accused of punching a water company worker after a minor car accident Tuesday and are searching for two men who dragged him out of the truck and assaulted him.

According to the incident report, Metropolitan District Commission employee Aldo Godenzi was turning right from Blue Hills Avenue onto Tower Avenue around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday when he was cut off and pulled over behind a Nissan Maxima parked on the curb.

Chambriell Strickland, who was on the lawn outside her home on Blue Hills Avenue, told police the MDC truck struck the Nissan's back bumper. She said her young niece was inside with her brother, who was driving.

Strickland approached Godenzi and his shirt, then punched him in the face, according to the incident report.

Two men in the Maxima then dragged Godenzi out of his truck and into the street, punching and kicking him repeatedly, the incident report says.

They fled the scene when two bystanders approached to break up the fight, according to the  report. Police arrived to find Godenzi sitting on the ground, bleeding from his forehead.

Medical personnel took Godenzi to Saint Francis Hospital for treatment of bruises and cuts on his upper body and face, according to the report. Family members said he's still in the hospital but is expected to make a full recovery.

According to the incident report, Shelton admitted to grabbing and punching the water company worker and told officers her brother Tyrone Shelton was driving the car.

Authorities have not been able to identify anyone by that name and are still looking for the driver and male passenger.

Strickland was also served two outstanding arrested warrants. She was charged with second-degree assault for allegedly using a butcher knife to stab her boyfriend in the arm during an argument in February.

She was also charged with second-degree inciting a riot, third-degree assault and second-degree failure to appear in connection with two incidents in Enfield that happened in 2012, according to court documents.

Strickland appeared before a judge Aug. 20 and was appointed a public defender. She's being held on a total of $85,000 bond and is due back in court Sept. 16.

“Swatters” struck in Norwalk overnight, calling police to a home on Kendall Court, where they claimed a suicidal person had a gun.

But when officers arrived on scene, they found the residents sleeping and unaware.

Police said they received a 911 call around 3:45 a.m. Wednesday from someone who claimed to be distraught and suicidal. The caller told police there were guns in the house, so officers rushed to the scene and secured a perimeter.

When efforts to contact the caller failed, police brought in 25 officers from the Norwalk Emergency Services Unit. Detectives, negotiators and patrol officers were also on scene.

Police said residents of the home had no idea what was happening outside their front door and said no one inside had called 911.

It turned out to be a hoax.

“It did tax the resources of the police department at that time,” said Sgt. Terry Blake.

Mike Niedzwiecki, who lives nearby, said he woke up “with a whole street full of cops” and saw at least half a dozen police cruisers and a SWAT truck on scene.

“In the old days people used to call in a pizza delivery to the wrong address as a prank, and now people do something like this, so it’s a bit alarming,” said Audrey Cozzarin, who has lived in the area for 12 years.

She said neighbors were told to stay indoors until police cleared the scene around 7 a.m.

So far, police have not tracked down the caller. Detectives are investigating the case.

A new group calling itself the Huey P. Newton Gun Club launched armed self-defense patrols Wednesday with one stated purpose: to protect Dallas neighbors from police.

Group leader Charles Goodson said recent unrest in Ferguson, Missouri over the killing of an unarmed black teen named Michael Brown by a white police officer is only part of the reason for the new Dallas patrols.

The group is named after Huey P. Newton, a founder of the Black Panther Party in the 1960s who was killed by a rival militant in 1989.

"We don't think that what happened to Michael Brown in St. Louis is an isolated incident. We have so many Michael Browns here in the city of Dallas," Goodson said.

Another leader, Huby Freeman, said the group wants to educate neighbors about the right to bear arms and the need for it.

"We believe we can police ourselves and bring security to our community, ridding our community of black-on-black crime, violence, police terror, etc., etc.," Freeman said.

Freeman and more than two dozen other people, many carrying rifles, marched Wednesday afternoon along Martin Luther King Boulevard and Malcolm X Boulevard, streets named for civil rights leaders.

David Harrison, whose mentally disabled brother was killed by Dallas police two months ago, attended the march in support. Harrison said an autopsy showed his brother was shot six times, twice in the back.

"When you have to plant your loved ones, it's rough. And it's forever," Harrison said.

At one point, the march went to Elaine's Restaurant on Martin Luther King Boulevard, where demonstrators piled rifles on tables as they ordered cold drinks and food.

A Dallas police lieutenant and deputy chief were eating lunch in the restaurant at the time. They politely spoke to the demonstrators as they paid their bills.

Owner Elaine Campbell said police officers look out for her and she is not worried about them.

"No, I'm here over 25 years and I'm not afraid of them," she said.

Campbell also welcomed the extra business from the armed demonstrators.

"I just happen to go with the flow and don't let them bother me," she said.

Watching the march go by on Malcolm X Boulevard, tire store owner George Rogers said he was not ready to join.

"If you're not doing anything wrong, you don't have to worry about the police," he said. "As long as you're abiding by the law, I think you're all right."

Huey P. Newton Gun Club organizers hope neighbors will take up arms and join future patrols.

"We think we can lead by example, so hopefully they will see that they have the ability to do this and they will exercise this pertaining to the issues that we're dealing with in this city," Goodson said.

In response to a request to Dallas police for comment about the Huey P. Newton Gun Club patrols, Chief David Brown issued a statement saying, "the Dallas Police Department supports the constitutional rights of all."

Some Orange County pool owners may not be able to fill their pools if a strict water-saving ordinance goes into effect in response to California's drought concerns.

Officials estimate it takes 20,000 gallons of water to reach the top of most swimming pools. The ban would prevent new pools from being filled, refilled or even topped off if they drop a foot of water.

"The major concern is that we don’t know if we’re in the third year of a drought, or we’re in the third year of a 10-year drought,” Santa Margarita Water District official Daniel Ferons said. “And so we do have to really plan ahead what is efficient use of water.”

The ban on water for new pools applies to the city of Rancho Santa Margarita and other cities served by that water district. The new ordinance is considered one of the strictest in the state.

Pool builder Cecil Fraser builds about 100 pools a year. In some ways, pools are no more of a water guzzler than a backyard sprinkler, he said, adding that if pools are covered most of the surface evaporation is eliminated.

"I'm saying that the water loss is half what it was with grass and that half, we can solve that problem…by covering," Fraser said.

The district has 56,000 water connections in Orange County, including community pools. District officials said that about four feet of water disappears annually from both pools and lawns.

Some pool builders are concerned that the cost on conservation could run into the millions if jobs are lost and supplies aren’t needed.

"I think it’s responsible for us to look at all these issues and figure out a smart solution," John Shippy of Geoscape Landscape said.

Pool builders and homeowners who hope to change the ordinance are expected to be in attendance at a district meeting Friday morning.

A state lawmaker who is pushing for change after two fatal crashes in the same stretch of Interstate 84 East in West Hartford last week is meeting today with officials from the state Department of

Transportation to discuss what can be done to improve safety.

A man was killed in a crash early on the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 12 and Brenda Goodwin, 43, of New Hampshire, was killed in a crash on Thursday, Aug. 14. 

State Rep. Joe Verrengia said he thinks something can be done to make a winding part of the highway safer.

However, a spokesperson for the DOT said speeding drivers, not the highway, are to blame and  that there is no pattern or trend that indicates an infrastructure change would make any difference, he said.

But Verrengia argues that the same was said about Avon Mountain before a tragic fatal crash.

“Unfortunately, it took that type of incident to get the attention and the financial resources to get something done. I am trying to prevent that from happening here,” Verrengia said.

The mayor and town manager of West Hartford also plan to attend the meeting.

The meeting begins at 10:30 a.m.
.

The UPS Store is issuing a warning about a possible data breach that could include 51 locations in 24 states, including two stores in Connecticut.

The issue is malware and some customer information might have been exposed, including names, addresses, email addresses and payment card information.

One Connecticut location affected is at 35 East Main Street in Avon. The malware intrusion happened on March 28 and data was secure as of Aug. 8, according to the UPS Store.

The other local site is 1131 Tolland Turnpike, Suite O, in Manchester. The malware intrusion happened on July 1 and transactions were secure as of Aug. 11, according to the UPS Web site.

The UPS Store posted online that it, as well as many other U.S. retailers, received a government bulletin about a broad-based malware intrusion that was not identified by anti-virus software.

After receiving that memo, UPS hired an IT security firm to review its systems, as well as the systems at franchises and that revealed that 51 locations of 4,470 franchised center locations throughout the United States were affected.

"I understand this type of incident can be disruptive and cause frustration. I apologize for any anxiety this may have caused our customers. At The UPS Store the trust of our customers is of utmost importance," Tim Davis, president of The UPS Store, Inc., said in a statement. "As soon as we became aware of the potential malware intrusion, we deployed extensive resources to quickly address and eliminate this issue. Our customers can be assured that we have identified and fully contained the incident."

The company is offering identity protection and credit monitoring services to impacted customers. Visit https://theupsstore.allclearid.com. 

Customers are also encouraged to closely monitor their card account activity and take other steps to help protect themselves outlined in the customer letter below.  The UPS Store representatives are available at 1-855-731-6016 for additional assistance.

See the full list of affected locations here.

A University of New Haven student is the victim of an armed robbery a week before classes begin and police are investigating.

The victim told police that a man with a gun confronted him as he was walking home at 9:50 p.m. on Wednesday, and stole his iPhone, along with a backpack that held a laptop and a wallet, according to police. 

The robbery happened behind 1199 Campbell Avenue, an apartment building that appears to be right off the West Haven campus.

The robber ran off and police said they are looking for a tall, thin man who appears to be between 25 and 35 years old. He is between 6-feet tall and 6-feet-5.

Detectives are investigating. 

Campus officials did not comment and referred calls to police.

College students are heading back to school and that’s good news for empty stomachs at four Connecticut colleges and universities.

Daily Meal ranked the 75 best colleges for food in the United States and Yale, Connecticut College, UConn and Wesleyan all made the list.

Wesleyan was number 39 of 75. The Daily Meal highlighted the vegan menu, as well as meal options that include the tandoori chicken with basmati rice and stewed chickpeas. There is also a biweekly Chef’s Table, where the school community takes part in continuing to improve dining options.

UConn comes in at 36th. Its Farm Fresh Market uses produce from two student-run gardens. How much fresher can you get? You can also take part in the Scooby Doo Halloween dinner, a New England clambake and eat at a s’mores bar. If you want to do your own cooking, dining services has a YouTube channel.

Coming in at 34 is Connecticut College, where you can get New England clam chowder and dinners with themes such as the Happy Halloween Celebration, international dinners, and the Festivus (love the Seinfeld reference) in December.

"“We strive to provide the best experience possible,” Ingrid Bushwack, director of Dining Services, said in a statement on the Connecticut College Web site. “It begins the moment diners step through the door and see smiling faces of all our staff, from our cashiers to the cooks creating great food and continues with the people behind the scenes, washing dishes and cleaning up.”

Connecticut College also has Sprout, a 100-percent organic dining program.

Number 20 is Yale, with its impressive menu selection and the dining series, “Reality Bites,” as well as the Sustainable Food Project, which manages two on-campus farms.

How does/did your college’s food rank? Comment on the article and let us know.

One person has died and three more were injured in a crash at the three-way intersection of Main Street, Stoddard Avenue and Hartford Avenue in Newington early Thursday afternoon, according to police.

Police said three cars collided around 1:10 p.m. Thursday. Five people were involved in the crash, four of whom were rushed to Hartford Hospital for medical treamtent.

One of the victims was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly before 2 p.m., according to police. That person has not been publicly identified.

Stoddard Avenue was closed between Main Street and Walredge Road while an accident reconstruction crew investigated.

Anyone with information on the crash is urged to call Newington police at 860-666-8445.

Pieces of those cars are scattered across the intersection pic.twitter.com/SIXKSCQPfR

— ilana gold (@ilanagoldNBC) August 21, 2014

Police are investigating after a backpack was found unattended outside the Danbury Department of Motor Vehicles on Lee Mac Avenue Thursday afternoon, according to the DMV.

DMV employees were advised not to touch the backpack. They evacuated the building and called 911, according to the DMV.

Police responded to the scene, unzipped the backpack and removed it from the building, DMV officials said. It's not clear what was inside.

Employees will be returning to the building soon.