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5 Unexpected Stars Could Be Super Bowl MVP

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In Super Bowl V, the Cowboys' Chuck Howley was voted the game’s Most Valuable Player – even though his team lost.

In Super Bowl XII, Dallas defensive linemen Harvey Martin and Randy White shared MVP honors, despite the presence of such Hall of Fame teammates as Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett.

And in last year’s Super Bowl victory by the Seahawks, under-the-radar linebacker Malcolm Smith shined brighter than Legion of Boomers Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas – by returning an interception for a touchdown and getting a fumble recovery – to be named MVP in the victory over Denver.

While usually the Super Bowl MVP winds up in the hands of a star quarterback, running back or wide receiver, occasionally the MVP goes to a surprise contributor or defender.

Given the matchup of the Seahawks and Patriots in Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIX, here are five players who – under the right circumstances – might join the list of surprise MVPs:

Doug Baldwin, Seahawks wide receiver

When the Patriots and Seahawks last played in 2012, Baldwin had a big impact. He caught just two passes, but one was a 24-yarder for a touchdown, and the other went for 50 yards. Obviously, he’s not intimidated by the Patriots (though the personnel has changed some over two seasons). Plus, Baldwin is coming off a big NFC Championship Game performance, with six catches for 106 yards.

Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots kicker

No kicker ever has won game MVP, but Gostkowski could be just the man. The Seattle defense was the best in the NFL this season, so TD opportunities could be limited for New England. Even if Tom Brady & Co. move the ball up and down the field, Seattle is strong in the red zone. That could mean a lot of field-goal attempts for the reliable Gostkowski, in his ninth season with the Pats. This season he was 35-of-37 on field goals with a long of 53 yards.

Julian Edelman, Patriots wide receiver

The Seahawks defense will be acutely aware of tight end Rob Gronkowski, and containing him will be its No. 1 goal in the passing game. Edelman, however, is a consistent, elusive receiver who often seems to be effective even when defenses are well aware of him. After 92 regular-season catches, he’s had 25 in two playoff games. Plus, Edelman is a dangerous punt returner, with four taken all the way back for TDs in six seasons.

Bruce Irvin, Seahawks outside linebacker

This week, Irvin called Seattle one of the “top defenses to ever play” in the NFL because of its depth and talent. While Irvin is a big contributor, he’s overshadowed by some of the bigger names on defense. At 6-foot-3 and 248 pounds, Irvin – in just his third season – has long arms, an ability to get to the passer and a knack for making big plays. This season he had 6½ sacks and two interceptions, scored two TDs and was in on 37 tackles. He could be a focal point of whatever scheme defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has to put pressure on Brady.

Jonas Gray, Patriots running back

In recent games, LeGarrette Blount has been New England’s go-to back, and he’s been exceptional. But the Patriots believe in going with matchups, hot hands (or feet) and a committee approach. Gray is one of three Pats backs with more carries this season than Blount, and he averaged 4.6 yards per attempt this season. At 5-foot-10 and 225 pounds, he’s a rugged back, a bit like Blount, and could keep getting the ball if he gets off to a good start. Earlier this season, Gray rushed for 201 yards in a win over the Colts.

 

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

2nd Sex Assault Suit Filed Against Lakeville Boarding School

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A federal lawsuit filed Thursday accuses two teachers and the headmaster at the Indian Mountain School in Lakeville of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy between 1982 and 1984, and says that school officials who knew what was happening did nothing to stop it.

It’s the second lawsuit filed against the school in three months alleging that the Indian Mountain School “failed and refused to stop teachers and the school’s Headmaster from ‘predatory sexual assaults and pedophilia’ inflicted on minor boys,” according to the plaintiff's attorney.

The abuse so traumatized the teen that at one point he tried to slit his wrists and kill himself, according to the suit.

The lawsuit alleges that “the school employed known pedophiles, and allowed those pedophiles free reign to gratify their perverse sexual desires by molesting young vulnerable boys in the school’s care and custody,” adding that officials “refused” to discipline or fire teachers they knew were abusing students.

According to the lawsuit, English teacher Christopher Simonds "manipulated, groomed, and sexually abused, assaulted, molested, fondled, sodomized and sometimes raped" dozens of boys during his nine years at the Indian Mountain School and abused the plaintiff more than two dozen times.

Simonds also took lewd pictures of the students to "blackmail" them and gave the boys cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and LSD, the suit alleges.

Despite although they found Simonds with child pornography and even discovered a young boy in his apartment late at night in violation of school policy, school officials turned a blind eye, the lawsuit says.

According to the suit, then-headmaster Peter Carleton and other staff members were aware of the assaults but failed to comply with mandatory reporting laws.

The suit says that school officials, administrators and teachers "actually conspired to prevent others from learning about or preventing or remedying the ongoing, rampant, serial molestations being perpetrated by school employees on the boys in the school's care and custody."

Carleton himself would watch the boys shower and visit their rooms late night, "sitting on their beds, and touching them in inappropriate and sexual ways," the lawsuit alleges.

“'Carleton was very definitely kinky,'” the suit quotes Board of Trustees chairman Paul Levin as saying. “We used to kind of wince and think he was trying to be funny. There’s a certain kind of person who gets away with murder through charm.”

When the plaintiff approached teacher Windsor Copeland for help, Copeland himself began sexually abusing the teen and one of his classmates, according to the lawsuit. 

“[The plaintiff] has suffered from the abuse his entire life. But he has chosen to come forward now with the courage and conviction to confront those responsible and to obtain the justice he deserves,” the plaintiff's attorney Antonio Ponvert III said in a statement Thursday.

Indian Mountain School's current headmaster Mark A. Devey responded to the new suit publicly Thursday with a statement promising to support its former students.

"Recently we notified our school community that we were conducting an investigation in order to identify any alumni who may have been victimized while a student at Indian Mountain School in the past. We believe that it is best for both the school and its alumni to deal with these issues now," Devey said in a statement. "It is heart wrenching to hear these allegations, and we are saddened by them. We will take the allegations very seriously, and we will support our alumni."

Another former student filed a similar lawsuit in federal court in October.

“This school was supposed to keep its students safe from harm,” Ponvert said in a statement. “These were little, vulnerable boys, totally unable to defend themselves. Instead of protecting the children, Indian Mountain School faculty and officials at all levels either closed their eyes to obvious criminal acts or participated in these horrific acts themselves.”

The lawsuit says the plaintiff suffers from permanent "mental, psychiatric, and emotional injuries" as a result of the abuse he endured, including anxiety, sexual dysfunction, PTSD, depression and low self-esteem.

Craft Brewers Tackle Super Bowl, Beer's Marquee Event

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New Yorkers packing the Roebling Sporting Club on Super Bowl Sunday will be watching the Brooklyn bar’s eight TVs to see whether the Patriots or Seahawks reign supreme.

Ryan McLaughlin, the bar’s manager, will follow a different contest — one played out at the beer taps.

“Bud Light will outsell any other beer that day, except maybe Budweiser,” said McLaughlin, who has worked the taps there for about a year and a half. But he’s “absolutely” seeing more people ordering craft beers like Great Divide’s Nomad or Coney Island’s Mermaid Pilsner, even during the Super Bowl, he said.

Craft beers — defined as beers from independently-owned, traditionally styled brewers making less than 6 million barrels a year — are more popular than ever across the U.S. But Super Bowl Sunday has traditionally been home turf for big American brewers like Anheuser-Busch and Miller-Coors, which can compound their worldwide cultural status with titanic advertising budgets.

Rather than try to compete on the grand scale, craft brewers say they’ll celebrate in their own small ways — unveiling a specialty beer, hosting a brewpub game-watch or simply posting a timely reminder on Facebook.

“We prefer word-of-mouth, social media and more organic advertising,” said Hilary Coalis, the director of marketing for San Diego’s Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits, which is growing rapidly and now distributes on both coasts. “We know it’s a big beer-drinking holiday, and we rely on our fans to make their choices.”

Stone Brewing Co., one of America’s largest independent craft brewers, has sworn off advertising altogether, said Nickie Peña. The brewery in Escondido, California, instead hosts what Peña calls "anti-Super Bowl" events. On the morning of the game, Stone invites its fans — national sales director Jason Armstrong calls them “true beer geeks” — to sample vintage or archived beers.

In 2013, American craft brewers collectively dethroned America’s biggest brand, Budweiser, shipping 16.1 million barrels to Budweiser’s 16 million, according to industry analyst Beer Insights. Craft beers have steadily grown by 10.9 percent over the past decade, said Julia Herz of the Craft Brewers Association, even as overall domestic beer sales have fallen.

“[Our fans] understand that instead of spending money on ads, we’re spending money on the product that we’re pushing out,” Peña said. “We’d rather create a product that’s locally made with high-quality ingredients, that isn’t watered-down, and put our money in that place, rather than putting our money on ads.”

At Top Hops Beer Co., a beer shop and tasting bar in New York specializing in craft beers, patrons said they prefer craft beers for the Super Bowl but are also picking up familiar brands for their friends.

“I like craft beers, Ommegang especially, but I think the general population is drinking Bud Light, Coors Light, and the other light stuff,” said Jonathan Spinner, a builder and designer. His friend Mike Warshaw, a plumber who was hosting his own Super Bowl party, said, “I’m probably going to buy a case of Corona, and Newcastle, but I’m into different-flavored beers.”

Ted Kenny, the owner of Top Hops, says he expects Budweiser and Stella Artois to sell well on the fourth Super Bowl he’s been in business. But he also expects to sell more craft beers than any other day of the year.

“I expect to sell more New England beers for people who want more themed parties — Sam Adams, Smuttynose,” Kenny said.

This year’s game has also provoked some friendly bets between brewers in Seahawks and Patriots country. Harpoon Brewery, with plants in Boston and Windsor, Vermont, and Elysian Brewing Company of Seattle (although recently acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev) have each staked three kegs on the outcome. The loser will serve the winner’s beer.

That’s another trend lifting small brewers: Drinking local. Small, independent brewers celebrate their hometowns, they say, and local fans respond by celebrating with their beer.

“More people are looking to buy local products and support businesses that are made or grown closer to home,” said Eugene Simor, the president of San Antonio’s Alamo Brewing Company. “That’s what’s driving craft, and the big guys can’t compete with it. It’s not an advertising or marketing thing. It’s people going back to the roots of what the beer industry used to be about.”

Simor has leaned heavily on local support to drum up Super Bowl business. Alamo partnered with Texas Public Radio, local academics and several local businesses to host a panel discussion of Super Bowl advertising and marketing. The panel will be hosted at the beer hall in Alamo’s newly-opened brewery in in downtown San Antonio. Simor expects a capacity crowd: 125 people.

Tim Miller, a craft brewer from Maryland, is hoping a sense of local pride can also restore some luster to old brands. In 2011, Miller resurrected National Premium Beer, an old Baltimore brand, with an eye on Baby Boomers nostalgic for a local favorite.

“Our market is male, 50-plus, from the mid-Atlantic, really loves the beer, loves the story, remembers it fondly,” Miller said. “Our plan is that during, say, the Super Bowl or Father’s Day, a father will tell his son about this beer he used to drink, their special beer.”

Craft brewers still face an uphill battle against the entrenched American heavyweights, however, especially during the Super Bowl.

“Over the course of 2014, 30 percent of the case volume sold nationwide was premium light beers: Coors Light, Miller Lite,” said MillerCoors spokeswoman Cat Corrigan, citing a Nielsen statistic. “We know that those beers will be the prominent choice for sports fans who are sitting down to watch the Super Bowl.”

Bartenders at sports bars know it, too.

“I predict Bud Light, Miller Light, and Coors Light,” said Pete Fecht, a manager at St. Mark’s Ale House, a Manhattan sports bar. “A football crowd always drinks the cheapest beer in the biggest quantity.”

Big brewers are paying handsomely for that attention. Anheuser-Bush is the Super Bowl’s exclusive beer advertiser, ensuring that spectators will get their fix of the brand’s iconic Clydesdales (and, now, golden retriever puppies). MillerCoors, on the other hand, is promoting its brands through live events likely to drum up outside media coverage. Coors Light is sponsoring ESPN’s Super Bowl party, Corrigan said. Miller Lite is sponsoring a Super Bowl party co-hosted by Rolling Stone magazine and featuring Aerosmith.

Back at the bar at Roebling Sporting Club, McLaughlin will have Bud Light on hand. But craft beers will be on tap.

“People ask for what’s local,” he said. “I’m a staunch craft beer supporter. It’s the beer renaissance here in the United States.”
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Hartford House Explodes After Gas Leak

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A house in Hartford exploded after a suspected gas leak early Friday morning.

The front and sides of the house at 42 Winchester St. were blown off.

No one was inside the abandoned house when the explosion occurred and no one was injured.

The gas company is at the scene and the road is closed while the fire marshal investigates.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Schools Delayed as More Snow Falls

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Residents across Connecticut are still digging out from the Blizzard of 2015, but already more snow is falling, which is causing school delays and a tricky Friday morning commute. 

A burst of snow between late Thursday night and Friday morning will bring an inch or two to most of the state and up to 4 inches to the northern hills, according to Chief First Alert Meteorologist Brad Field.

Many schools are delayed this morning, while others are closed.

Flurries are expected to continue through lunchtime on Friday and will taper off by the afternoon. Temperatures are starting out in the upper-20s through mid-30s around the state tomorrow but are expected to drop as the afternoon wears on.

Saturday will be cold and mostly sunny, with strong winds and highs around 17 degrees. Another storm system will be moving in on Sunday night into Monday and we could see more snow developing on Thursday.

New London Public Schools will be closed again Friday as the southeast corner continues to clean up from the Blizzard of 2015. U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy will be traveling to this part of the stat on Friday to discuss snow removal efforts, preparation for future storms and federal assistance programs. The senators head to Norwich on Friday morning and then to New London in the afternoon.

Other school systems have also altered their schedules on Friday.

You can also sign up to receive text or email alerts when your business school district announces a cancellation or delay.

To receive weather updates on your phone, download the NBC Connecticut weather app.


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Police ID Victim of Bristol Shooting

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A 33-year-old Bristol man is hospitalized after being shot several times in Bristol early Friday morning.

Authorities received a 911 call from employees of the West End Cafe at 12:54 a.m. who said a man who'd been shot in the area went into the bar looking for help.

The victim, Emanuel “Manny” Maldonado, of Bristol, had been shot several times during an altercation at Divinity and Landry streets, according to police.

Seeking help, he went into the West End Cafe at 8 Divinity Street and employees called 911.

Maldonado was then taken to the hospital, where he is in stable condition. 

Police are asking witnesses to call the Bristol Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 860-314-4561.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Suspect in 2009 Norwich Sex Assault Arrested

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Police have arrested a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in an alley behind a Norwich business in 2009 and breaking bones in her face.

Police said the victim was walking in the area of Central Avenue on April 29, 2009 when a stranger called to her, then grabbed her while she was walking toward him, pulled her into an alley behind a business, attacked her and sexually assaulted her.

When investigators met with the woman, she was distraught. She said the attacker told her he had a gun, but she never saw one, police said.

She was able to provide police a vague description of the man, who ran away after the attack, and police searched the area, but did not find anyone.

More than five and a half years later, on Jan. 12, Norwich Police Department got a break in the case when the State of Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory linked DNA evidence from the crime scene to profiles in the national and state DNA databases, police said.

On Thursday, police found the suspect, Alexander S. Perry, 24, of Central Avenue in Norwich, walking on Central Avenue.

He has been charged with first-degree sexual assault, second-degree assault, first-degree threatening and first-degree unlawful restraint.

Perry was held on a court-set $500,000 and will be arraigned at Norwich Superior Court.



Photo Credit: Norwich Police

WATCH: Seahawks Coach on What Richard Sherman Should Name His Baby

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Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll joked that cornerback Richard Sherman should name his baby "Petey." Carroll was asked about the possibility of Sherman's pregnant girlfriend going into labor before the Super Bowl. The lighthearted moment came during a press conference with New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick on Friday, Jan. 30.

Water Main Break Repaired in West Hartford

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A water main break in West Hartford has been repaired after 20 homes lost service in the area of Rockledge Drive and Webster Hill Boulevard late Friday morning.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan District Commission said the 8-inch water main, which was shut down at 11:15 a.m., has been fixed and service was restored as of 1:40 p.m.



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Shot Fired Into Hamden Woman’s Bedroom

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A Hamden woman had quite a shock on Wednesday afternoon when she heard a loud bang near her Wilmot Road home on Wednesday afternoon and later noticed that a bullet had gone right through her bedroom wall.

Police said the woman heard the loud noise at 12:30 p.m. and found the bullet several hours later. It had gone straight through the wall of a second-floor bedroom and landed on the floor, police said.

When Hamden police began investigating, they spoke with a witness who reported hearing two gunshots around that same time that were fired on West Helen Street, which is close to West Helen Street.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective William Onofrio of the Hamden Police Department Major Crimes Division at (203) 230-4040.
 

Gunman Holds Up Southington Liquor Store

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Police are looking for the masked man who held up a Southington liquor store at gunpoint in Thursday and stole between $500 and $600.

The clerk of Queen Street Liquor at 1079 Queen Street said a man with a gun robbed the store at 6:46 p.m. and ran off, heading behind the building.

The robber was slender, appeared to be between 5-feet-8 and 5-feet-10 and was wearing blue jeans, a black zip-up hooded sweatshirt and black gloves.

His face was covered with a white mask or a bandana that covered his nose, mouth and neck and the hood of a sweatshirt covered his head.

A K-9 Unit searched the area , but the track ended in the College and Butler avenues neighborhood.

Anyone who has information or who witnessed anything suspicious should call Det. Mark Beal at 860-378-1645 or email mbeal@southingtonpolice.org.

Woman Robs Greenwich Bank at Gunpoint

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Police are investigating after a woman with a gun robbed a bank in Greenwich around noontime on Friday.

Police said a woman pulled a gun at Greenwich Bank and Trust at 1103 East Putnam Avenue around noon on Friday, demanded cash and fled after the teller handed over money.

No one was hurt, during the robbery and police are looking for a short woman, around 40 years old, who weighs around 100 pounds.

She has dark hair in a pixie cut and was wearing sunglasses and a dark peacoat.

Anyone with any information or who might have been in the area between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. is asked to call the police department’s tipline at 203-622-3333 or 1 800-3720-1176.

You could also email a tip to tips@greenwichct.org



Photo Credit: Greenwich Police Department

2 Dead in Apartment Fire at East Brooklyn Mill Site

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Two men were killed Friday afternoon when fire tore through the old Tiffany Mill site in East Brooklyn, ravaging apartments and forcing nearly a dozen residents from their homes.

"I heard a loud bang and then I heard another bang. I came outside and I looked and saw smoke billowing out the window," said witness Mike Sarette. "It sounded like gunshots, and I came out to see what was going on, and that's when I noticed the building was on fire."

Building owner Jim Dandeneau said earlier Friday afternoon that two residents remained unaccounted for after another tenant went door-to-door to rouse neighbors and get everyone out.

"There are two tenants still missing. We haven't heard yet from the fire department, haven't gotten official word, but we're not sure they made it out," Dandeneau said, adding that one of the missing residents had worked the third shift for him Thursday night.

State police said crews from the Brooklyn Fire Department searched the building just after 1:45 p.m. and found the bodies. According to Major Michael Darcy, the men died in the area where the fire broke out. They have not been publicly identified.

According to emergency dispatchers, flames had already engulfed the building by the time firefighters arrived. It was already too late to save the victims.

"I saw flames shooting maybe 20 feet in the air, maybe more, smoke going everywhere," said Kelly Mahan, who has lived in the building since September."I feel so sorry for the friends and family and everybody. They tried to save them, but they couldn't do it, they couldn't make it, the flames were that high."

Dandeneau said the historic structure, built in 1820, contains seven apartments and houses 10 or 11 residents. A spokesperson for the American Red Cross, which is helping tenants who lost their homes, said at least 14 people have been displaced.

The facility suffered major damage. Dandeneau said smoke detectors sounded but the building is not equipped with sprinklers due to its age. He employs a full-time maintenance worker and added that the apartments are newly renovated and the building is up to code.

Karl Kuhn Jr., of Kuhn Builders in North Grosvenordale, said he saw smoke pouring from the windows and rushed to rescue two tenants in a basement apartment who didn't even realize the building was on fire.

"I'm just glad to get the people out that we did," he said. "Maybe if I was five minutes earlier, I could have done something."

Six fire departments from Brooklyn and Killingly responded to the scene, along with state police troopers, who have shut down Route 6 in the area of 182 South Main Street.

The Connecticut State Police Fire & Explosion Investigative Unit and Eastern District Major Crime Squad are investigating, along with the local fire marshal.

It's not yet clear if the fire is accidental or will be deemed suspicious.

Check back for updates on this developing story.



Photo Credit: Karl Kuhn Jr.

Orange Police Ask for Help Finding Wanted Man

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Orange police are asking for the public's help in finding a man involved in a hit-and-run crash and leading police on a car chase earlier this month.

According to police, David Dileonardo, 29, is accused of leading police on a chase onto Interstate 95 after he left the scene of a collision on Jan. 9. He crashed his car on Saw Mill Road in West Haven, got out and ran.

It's not clear what he might be driving now. Police said he's known to frequent the Waterbury and Naugatuck areas.

Dileonardo is wanted on charges of sixth-degree larceny for allegedly driving a car with a stolen license plate, engaging police in pursuit, evading responsibility and other motor vehicle offenses.

His court-set bond will be $15,000.

Anyone with information on Dileonardo's whereabouts is urged to call Orange police Det. Mike Morrin of the Investigative Services Unit at 203-891-2138.



Photo Credit: Orange Police Department

Man Stole from 1 Church, Vandalized Another: Cops

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Hamden police have arrested a man accused of burglarizing one church in town, smashing stained glass windows in another, then burglarizing an art school and leaving Satanic symbols.

On Wednesday, police arrested Jaquan Beal, 18, of New Haven, who is suspected of committing the three crimes in November.

Beal is suspected of forcing his way into the Hamden Plains Methodist Church, at 15 Church Street, on Nov. 3 and stealing an envelope containing several hundred dollars, police said.

He is also suspected of smashing two stained glass windows at Blessed Sacrament Church, located as 321 Circular Avenue, on Nov. 9. Nothing was reported missing.

Beal is also suspected of vandalism on Nov. 17 at Paier School of Art, at 20 Gorham Avenue.

Police said Beal broke in and vandalized the interior of the building.

When police responded, they found broken windows throughout the school, as well as damaged vending and gumball machines. A fire extinguisher was removed and sprayed throughout the building. Police also found “666” and a pentagram painted in several locations. School administration estimated the damage at nearly $2,000.00.

Beal was charged with three counts of third-degree burglary, three counts of larceny in the sixth degree and three counts of second-degree criminal. He was arraigned on January 28.


Scammers Demand Money, Threaten to Kill CT Residents

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Police are investigating after scammers mailed death threats to Farmington families, demanding money in exchange for sparing their lives.

According to Farmington police, the FBI is investigating 14 similar complaints from homes in Fairfield County.

Farmington police said they have received two complaints within the past week from residents who received threatening letters addressed to their homes. According to police, the notes were postmarked in Austin, Texas, and Jacksonville, Florida.

The letters identify the recipients by name and explain how to make a $2,000 payment using Bitcoin, according to police. The senders set a payment deadline of noon on Feb. 13.

The notes begin as follows:

"XXX you do not know who we are, but we have been tracking you and your loved ones for a while now. We know your schedules. We know where you all live and spend your time. We also know how to kill any one of you without being caught. Now XXX, don't panic. This isn't personal. You did nothing to deserve this. You were just one of a handful of families unfortunate enough to draw our attention."

They continue on to say, "However, nobody has to die," then instruct the recipients to create an account through any online Bitcoin exchange and deposit $2,000.

"Withdrawal [sic] all Bitcoin you purchased to the following Bitcoin address: 19vcdWcV4J8bhH7j3igHZ5q4WGT2UX5V2S," the letters instruct. "Be sure to type all 34 characters of that Bitcoin address in EXACTLY."

The mailings also include a "Note to Law Enforcement" explaining that police will never be able to catch or identify the culprits.

The Farmington Police Department is investigating along with the Postal Inspector and FBI. Police are imploring anyone who receives a similar letter to contact authorities immediately and refrain from handing over the money.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

College Students Will Have a Harder Time Cutting Class

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College students will have a much harder time trying to skip class now that parents and professors can track if they're in class or not.

3 Hurt in Berlin House Fire

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Two people were rescued and three were hospitalized after fire ripped through a three-story home in Berlin around 4 p.m. Friday, according to firefighters at the scene.

Firefighters said the homeowner made it out safely when flames spread through the house at 38 Highview Terrace, then went back inside to help two family members out of the burning building.

"He was outside and he had actually gone in to get the son-in-law and the child out of the house," explained Berlin Deputy Fire Marshal Matt Odishoo. "They had what looks like some smoke inhalation and he might have sustained some minor burns on his neck."

The three residents were rushed to the hospital for treatment. Odishoo said none of their injuries appear to be life-threatening.

A total of four or five people lived in the home, which sustained heavy damage. Firefighters said flames spread to all three floors.

Highview Terrace has been closed at Renee Drive while crews respond to the blaze.

The Cromwell Fire Department sent mutual aid, and the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department said a task force was called in.

Check back for updates on this developing story.



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Shelters, Warming Centers Open

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With wind chills below zero coming this weekend, several cities and towns have warming centers opens.

Hartford: The city will open warming centers if frigid temperatures expected this weekend continue into next week. Anyone in need of shelter is urged to call 211. If temperatures remain below 25 degrees on Monday, the following warming centers will be open:

  • North End Senior Center: 80 Coventry St., 9:30a.m. To 3 p.m., (860)757-0801
  • South End Wellness Center: 830 Maple Ave., 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., (860)757-0840
  • Parkville Senior Center: 11 New Park Ave., 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., (860)232-7867
  • Hispanic Senior Center: 45 Wadsworth St., 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., (860)493-6566
  • Hispanic Health Council: 175 Main St., 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., (860)527-0856


The following permanent shelters will be open 24 hours a day during the inclement weather:  

  • McKinney Shelter: 34 Huyshope Ave., (860) 722-6922
  • Immaculate Conception Shelter: 560 Park St., (860) 724-4823
  • South Park Inn: 75 Main St., (860) 724-0071
  • pen Hearth: 437 Sheldon St., (860)525-3447


Simsbury: The town has extended two warming centers through Feb. 9.

The Simsbury Public Library at 725 Hopmeadow Street will be open as a warming center from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on  Sunday. Eno Memorial Hall, where the senior center is located at 754 Hopmeadow Street, will also be open as a warming center 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Tuesday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday. Call the Simsbury Social Services Department at 860-658-3283 for more information.

Other municipalities have said shelters and warming centers will open up as needed. Anyone in need of shelter is urged to call 211.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Dangerous Cold, Then More Snow

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Wind chill advisories and winter storm watches have been issued for most of the state ahead of dangerous cold and up to another foot of snow that's expected to blanket the state Monday.

By mid-morning Sunday, temperatures will dip down into the single digits in most communities. Gusts of up to 40 mph will create wind chills of between -15 and -25 degrees statewide, according to Chief First Alert Meteorologist Brad Field.

Wind chill advisories have been issued for most of the state, with the exception of the far eastern counties, and the wintry pattern isn’t going anywhere in the coming week.

Confidence is increasing for moderate to heavy snowfall late Sunday night through Monday afternoon. Most of the state will receive up to 12 inches of accumulation, but the shoreline will likely see 4-8 inches of snow, in addition to sleet and freezing rain along the immediate Interstate 95 corridor.

The heaviest snow will fall between 3 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday, peaking between the hours of 6 a.m. and noon, Field said. The Monday morning commute will be heavily impacted.

Check for school delays and closings ahead Monday's storm, and sign up for school closing alerts to stay in the know.


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