Quantcast
Channel: NBC Connecticut
Viewing all 57608 articles
Browse latest View live

Suffield Pair Received Shipments of Marijuana: Cops

0
0

Two people have been charged with receiving shipments of marijuana in the mail.

Gabriel Austin, 38, and Lindsay Powell, 28, were arraigned in Enfield Superior Court on Thursday. The two were arrested on Wednesday.

Police searched their home at 41 Mayflower Lane in Suffield and found nearly 4 kilos of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, packaging materials and mailing labels, investigators said.

Suffield Police and the U.S. Postal Inspection service determined Austin and Powell were repeatedly ordering shipments of marijuana from a supplier in California from September 2012 through January 2013, according to authorities. The pair would then sell the pot, police said.

The street value of the marijuana seized from the home in Suffield was about $38,000.

Austin and Powell each face multiple drug charges. They were held on $100,000 each.



Photo Credit: Suffield Police

Police Search For Accused Cat Killer

0
0

Manchester police are looking for a man wanted on animal cruelty charges.

According to police, Johnen Velez, 19, is wanted on several outstanding warrants, including one for killing a cat.

Velez is described as being Hispanic, standing 5-feet 5-inches tall and about 150 pounds. He has brown hair, brown eyes, a small build and has several tattoos, police said.

He is known to frequent areas in Hartford.

Anyone with information about Velez's whereabouts is asked to call Manchester police at 860-645-5500.



Photo Credit: Manchester Police

Bacon Craze Grows with Condoms, "Mouthwash"

0
0

The bacon craze that has been sweeping the nation for over a year is not slowing down.

Recipes and products surrounding the sizzling meat are all over the Internet and in some of our favorite stores. The latest additions to the trend include bacon condoms, sunscreen, and maybe even bacon mouthwash (if Scope is not pulling an April Fools' Day gag).

The condoms and sunscreen are brought to you by J&D's Foods, the "bacontrepeneurs" that have based their livelihood off of "making everything taste like bacon." Their bounty includes: bacon salt, bacon lip balm, bacon envelopes and even bacon lube.

However, mouthwash maker Scope is "launching" its own bacon-flavored product a little too close to April Fools' Day for comfort. When asked about the product's existence, Proctor & Gamble representatives have given coy responses, according to the Huffington Post.

Whether Scope is joining the trend or not, there is plenty to feast your eyes on in the bacon business.

Check out a list of the greatest non-edible bacon products to hit the market, compiled by online magazine IAMTHETREND.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

DMV Offers New Vanity Plates

0
0

Vanity plates with a mixture of letters and numbers will be available at the Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) starting April 1.

Improved technology now permits the DMV to meet requests for plates without a dot separating the letters and numbers, according to Commissioner Melody Currey.

The use of the dot was consistent with a previous pattern for standard marker plates, Currey said.

“New technology allows us to improve services and we are working on that. These changes are part of a multi-million-dollar effort at DMV to better integrate and replace old technology, achieve taxpayer savings, and make government more responsive,” Currey said.

The rules for requesting the new plates are available at the Department of Motor Vehicle’s website.
 



Photo Credit: CT DMV

"Ruff" Accident: Dog Drives Car into Pedestrian, Truck

0
0

A canine-operated Dodge hit a Pennsylvania pedestrian on Tuesday, according to local police.

After being left unattended in a running vehicle, the dog pushed on the gear, propelling the car toward a stationary truck, The Associated Press reported. In an attempt to stop the accident, the pedestrian got caught between the two vehicles.

He fell to the ground and was knocked unconscious, police said.

The unidentified man later regained consciousness after being taken to York Hospital by the West York Ambulance for injury treatment, according to the York Daily Record.



Photo Credit: FILE-Getty Images

WATCH: Grandpas in Their 90s Compete in Race

0
0

A video showing two grandfathers in their 90s sprinting has gone viral.

Ilmari Koppinen, 95, from Finland and 94-year-old Belgian Emiel Pauwels competed against each other in the 100-meter dash at the 2013 Veteran Games in San Sebastian, Spain, Batangas Today reported.

A YouTube video shows Pauwels coming from behind for a narrow victory, raising his hands as gets closer to the finish line.

According Nieuwsblad.be, Pauwels, started to become an athlete at age 14. He said that he practiced sports including high jump, long jump and javelin, but never became a professional. He became a widower four years ago and said that a healthy breakfast is his “recipe for a long life.”

Pauwels told Nieuwsblad.be that he has competed against Koppinen on a dozen occasions, but “he always beat me.”

“But this time I have been acting like a cunning runner,” he said. 

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



Photo Credit: YouTube

Baseball Rivalries: Dodgers-Giants Could Usurp Yankees-Red Sox

0
0

The Giants are coming off their second World Series title in three years and the Dodgers recently signed a $7 billion TV deal that has them spending money like the Yankees. The Yankees, meanwhile, are reeling from injuries, and the Red Sox are coming off their worst season in 46 years.

Given the fortunes of the four franchises, one has to wonder if 2013 could represent a tectonic shift in the baseball landscape: Can Giants-Dodgers supplant Sox-Yanks as baseball's premiere rivalry?

Both rivalries have plenty of history. They've featured dozens of Hall of Famers, countless dramatic moments, bloody brawls, epic collapses, and a hatred among the fan bases fueled by provincial contempt.

Since 1995, Sox-Yankees have provided some of baseball's best moments. They finished 1-2 in the standings 11 times, won seven World Series, met in the playoffs three times and dominated sports media.

"I'm sure that L.A.-San Francisco thing is real," said Jason Rosenberg, founder of the blog "It's About the Money, Stupid," who was raised in the '70s when the Yankees owned the Red Sox. "But to compare anything to Red Sox–Yankees, in terms of intensity, regional bragging rights, just sheer disdain for one another... I can’t imagine anything being more fierce."

Jose Ramirez of the "Sox Therapy" blog on Baseball Think Factory thinks the rivalry was at its fiercest in the late '70s.

"In '76-'77-'78, you had not only a really intense rivalry in the standings, but the teams genuinely didn’t like each other," Ramirez said. "You had Fisk and Munson, Lee and Nettles — it was two teams that both on and off the field didn’t like each other. In '03 and '04, as intense as it was, I don’t think there was that true hatred, animosity. I don’t think Jeter and Nomar hated each other."

For all the history between the Sox and Yankees, the Dodgers and Giants rivalry is actually 18 years older. In 1958 the teams crossed the country together, from New York to California, to keep the fire alive. But in recent years, the teams were rarely good at the same time, which impacted the rivalry.

"Over the years, it dulled a little bit," said Craig Vaughn, a lifelong Giants fan and founder of THE San Francisco Giants Blog. "Partly because the Giants weren't very good. And so it wasn’t until more recently, especially this year with the Dodgers going on this unreal spending spree, that we're gonna finally start seeing two teams that are both good at the same time, and that's how real rivalries get going. "

Mike Petriello, founder of Dodgers blog Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness, thinks the recent lack of spark in SF vs. LA is due mostly to what a mess the Dodgers have been—both on and off the field. But he sees the renewal of the rivalry as a secondary concern.

"The Dodgers have huge expectations and even bigger payroll, and I think  fans are mostly focused on winning," Petriello said. "And if that means they knock the Giants out of first place, that's a pretty nice ancillary benefit. But I think Dodger fans just want their team to win, I think that's more important than anything else."

Vaughn tries to sounds a similar tune, but the longer he talks, the more it becomes clear that the new-look Dodgers have made this Giants fan eager for the season to start.

"I wouldn’t say it'll be getting better for me personally, but it's gonna be getting better for the fan bases," Vaughn said. "Hopefully starting to rival what the Yankee fans and Red Sox fans get to experience every year. When Hanley Ramirez was trotting around the bases last year after he hit a home run off Romo, doing that stupid eye goggle thing, I still don’t even know what that was, but I was offended by it. I'm looking forward to more feelings of, 'I don't like that guy,' and that's gonna make me want my team to beat them that much more."

It's early yet, but right now it seems likely that come September the steaks will be much higher when the Dodgers head to San Francisco than when the Sox host the Yankees.

Two other factors could lead to the demise of Sox-Yankees and the rise of West Coast baseball: the Toronto Blue Jays and Anaheim Angles. Both have added a ton of talent over the last off-season, and hte Blue Jays are a popular pick to win the A.L East, and many expect the Angeles to go to the World Series.

"Baseball ebbs and flows," Ramirez said. "The A's and the Royals back in the '70s were the pinnacle of baseball, the Dodgers the Orioles — they've all had their time. So right now you'd be naive not to think the way the Giants and Dodgers are doing things they have the means to be an absolute powerhouse out there. I think that has to be acknowledged." 

Baseball 2013: Booms and Busts

0
0

People like to wax poetic about how baseball blossoms in spring, bringing with it the promise of a new year, and winds down as the October chill portends winter's death grip. Similarly, each season hearkens the arrival of a great new talent, as well as the often ugly end of a storied career.

Last year Bryce Harper and Mike Trout emerged, performing at levels unheard of for 19- and 20-year-olds, and this year there are any number of young stars in the making. And we saw the curtain fall on a few, as well — rare is the ballplayer like Chipper Jones who walks away from the game while still playing at a high level.

Here's a look at five talented veterans for whom the end is nigh and five youngsters who should be keeping us glued to our seats for the next decade or so.

Carlos Beltran, St. Louis Cardinals
Following the 2012 regular season and playoffs, one could make a compelling argument that Beltran is one of the 10 best center fielders in the game's history, as well as one of the all-time great post-season hitters (2006 be damned), but the party's over in 2013. He's still got some pop, as witnessed by his 32 home runs in 2012, but that number feels flukey -- it represents a five-year high, and his third-best total ever. In the second half of 2012, he hit only .230, his speed is gone, his strikeout rate jumped 36%, his walk rate continues to wane, and even with his move from center to right in 2011, his defense ain't what it once was. 

Bartolo Colon, Oakland Athletics
This guy's been playing with house money and cutting-edge medical technology for some time now, but 2012 was likely the last hurrah. His strikeouts fell last year from 7.4 to 5.4 per nine innings, he's going to be 40 in May and he'll (probably) be pitching without the benefit of the PED's that helped fuel him last year. It's a testament to his durability, guts and guile that he's lasted this long.

Travis D'Arnaud, New York Mets
Just 24, D'Arnaud has already twice been traded for Cy Young Award winners, Roy Halladay in 2010 and R.A. Dickey this past off-season. Over the last three seasons, the catcher hit 43 home runs and batted .303 in 966 minor league at-bats — he's ready. Unfortunately, because of MLB's ridiculous service-time rules for rookies, Mets fans are probably going to have to wait until May or June to see him, but it should be worth it.

Josh Hamilton, Los Angeles Angels
Over the first six years of his career, Hamilton put up numbers reminiscent of Hall of Famers like Jim Rice, Orlando Cepeda and Eddie Murray. But that first season didn't come until he was 26, and at 32 he's nearing, if not already into, his decline phase. While we're rooting for the former crack addict to keep his impulsive demons under control, last year he drank so much Red Bull that it was affecting his eyesight, forcing him to miss 5 games in the heat of a pennant race. This contributed the Rangers having to play a one-game playoff with the Orioles, a game in which Hamilton went 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts. And he's going from hitter-happy Ballpark at Arlington to the Death Valley that is Anaheim. You also have to wonder if it's wise for a guy like Hamilton, a chiseled slab of muscle, to drop 20 pounds in the off-season.

Torii Hunter, Detroit Tigers
For 16 years, Hunter could reliably be counted on to hit 20 home runs with 90 RBIs while playing Gold Glove defense and being exceedingly likable. Last year, at the age of 36, he posted one of his best seasons, but it was an illusion. Heading into last season, Hunter got a hit on 30% of the balls he put into play, but in 2012 that jumped to 39%. Spikes like this from players Hunter's age are not the result of a new approach, a fountain of youth, steroids or any such tangible thing; they are instead the result of luck. If Hunter regresses to his career norm, he'll hit about .250 instead of .313. Throw in the fact that his home runs fell about 20%, his walks are down about 10%, his strikeouts are on the rise and he's about to turn 37, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
You could float the QE II in the ink that's been wasted predicting the demise of Derek Jeter, but it has to happen someday — doesn’t it? Jeter will be 39 in June, and only five shortstops in the game's history have managed to play a full season at 39+, most recently Omar Vizquel in 2006. Yes, Jeter led the league in hits last year, but even before breaking his ankle -- an injury that has not yet fully healed, and forced him to start the season on the DL — he couldn’t run like he used to. He'll be sharing the left side of the diamond with an aging and ailing Kevin Youkilis (or worse), and did we mention he's gonna be 39? Pre-order your gift baskets now.

Brett Lawrie, Toronto Blue Jays
In 2012, Lawrie's first full season, the 22-year-old third baseman put up offensive numbers reminiscent of Scott Rolen, Adrian Beltre and Evan Longoria, plus defense to match. It was at age 23 that Rolen and Longoria blossomed into 30 HR, 100 RBI guys, with Beltre blowing up at 24. Lawrie will need to curb the temper that earned him a 4-game suspension last season, and get his recently re-injured ribs healthy once and for all, but he's poised to make the leap.

Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles muddled through the first two-thirds of the season with a collection of five different guys playing nine or more games at 3rd. That changed on Aug. 9, when 19-year-old rookie Manny Machado got called up. Machado hit 7 home runs with 26 RBI and a .262 batting average, while flashing some nice leather at the hot corner, helping the O's go 33-17 down the stretch. Those numbers may seem modest, but consider that in a third of a season, Machado hit more homers than all but eight 19-year-olds ever, including Mickey Mantle, Mel Ott, Robin Yount, Ken Griffey Jr, Bryce Harper and Tony Conigliaro. The kid can rake.

Wil Meyers, Tampa Bay Rays
Last year in the minors, Meyers hit 37 home runs, posted a .387 OBP, and had Royal's fans salivating at the idea of him joining their lineup of young studs. But Kansas City management had other plans. Apparently feeling they were within shouting distance of playoff contention (they're not), they made a "win now" trade, shipping Meyers to Tampa for starter James Shields and reliever Wade Davis. Kansans will rue this trade, although he may get held back at the start of the season because of service time issues.

Jeff Samardzija, Chicago Cubs
At 28, he's a little old for a breakout season, but after four years coming out of the pen, the former Notre Dame star receiver played his first season in the Cubs rotation in 2012. On June 27, he got toasted by the Mets, surrendering 9 runs in 4.1 innings, and bringing his ERA to a beefy 5.05. But over his last 13 starts, Samardzija went 7-6 with 95 strikeouts and only 22 walks in 87.1 innings. According to Cubs manager Dale Sveum, it was his last start of 2012, a complete game against Pittsburgh, in which he recorded 9 strikeouts and gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk, that Samardzija earned this year's Opening Day start. The Cubs will likely stink in 2013, so it may not show up in his record, but Samardzija should have a nice year ahead of him.



Photo Credit: AP

Customer Pulled Gun in Crowded Diner: Cops

0
0

Customers at a Southport diner called police after a man pulled out a loaded gun Friday morning.

Officers responded the Athena Diner at 3350 Post Road after the man, who appeared to be drunk, got into an argument with a friend and pulled out the gun. Witnesses said the man placed the gun on the table, which alarmed customers.

Police approached Rahul Taylor, 29, of Westport and asked him if he was carrying a gun. Taylor told officers he was not carrying a weapon, but admitted to drinking alcohol. He was asked to stand and as he did, he reached for his right side, and officers noticed a gun in his waistband, according to police.

An officer grabbed Taylor's wrist and removed the loaded, .45-caliber pistol from Taylor waistband, police said.

Taylor was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree threatening, reckless endangerment, breach of peace and carrying a firearm under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was released after posting a $50,000 bond.

Taylor does have a valid pistol permit, which was seized for the Connecticut Firearms Review Board, according to police. He also owns two shotguns and police Friday were attempting to locate the weapons and seize them pending the review of Taylor's permit.



Photo Credit: Fairfield Police

NYC to Sift Construction Debris for More 9/11 Remains

0
0

The city has collected about 60 dump truck loads of debris from construction areas around the World Trade Center site over the past two and a half years that will be sifted for fragments of 9/11 victims' remains, New York City officials announced Friday. 

The debris has been collected from the World Financial Center, West Street and a lot near Liberty Street since the last sifting operation in mid-2010.

The material amounts to 590 cubic yards -- 38 from the WTC, 13 from the western edge of the southbound lanes of West Street and 539 from the Liberty Street area, where four pieces of possible human remains have already been found.

The material will be combed for about 10 weeks starting Monday at a mobile sifting unit set up on Staten Island, city officials said.

Any human remains will be analyzed by the medical examiner's office for possible matches to 9/11 victims. Of the 2,750 people killed at the trade center, 1,634 have had remains identified.

"We will continue DNA testing until all recovered remains that can be matched with a victim are identified," Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway wrote Friday in a memo to Mayor Bloomberg.

The city expanded its search for remains of trade center victims in 2006, when several bones were found in a manhole. 

Watch a time-lapse video of the 9/11 memorial being constructed from 2004 to 2011.

Since the discovery of the manhole bones, the city has sifted debris from various construction sites and subterranean areas surrounding the 16-acre trade center site. More than 1,800 pieces of potential human remains have been found. 

The office has made 34 new identifications since 2006, and hundreds of fragments of remains have been matched to people who were already identified.

 

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Patient Says Hospital Nurse Raped Him

0
0

A patient at a Philadelphia hospital says he was raped by a female nurse in the middle of the night.

Police told NBC 10 Philadelphia they are investigating these claims.

According to the police report, the 65-year-old man was staying at Temple University Hospital after a motorcycle accident. The alleged sexual assault happened on Feb. 27 at 3:30 a.m. inside a hospital bathroom.

The man says a nurse in her 20s entered his room and offered him to take a bath, according to the police report, which then details the graphic nature of the attack.

A Temple University spokesperson released this statement to NBC 10 Philadelphia:

"When we were made aware of the allegation, we promptly investigated the matter and found no basis to support the claim. We are cooperating fully with police."

No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing, police said.
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Girl Injured In Hamden Tree Accident

0
0

A 12-year-old girl is hospitalized with a serious head injury after an incident in Hamden.

Emergency crews responded to a home at 540 Gilbert Avenue around 1 p.m. on Friday. The girl may have been hit by a tree branch, according to police.

She was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital. Her condition was not known Friday evening.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

Woman Attacked in Vernon Shopping Plaza

0
0

A woman was attacked and stabbed in the face while walking to her car in a parking lot in Vernon Tuesday.

The victim had just left a business in the Tri-City Plaza at 35 Talcottville Road around 8:50 p.m. when a woman attacked her, according to police. She was walking to her car near Staples and Dress Barn when the incident happened, police said.

A man was with the attacker and both appeared to be in their 20s, the victim told police. The female suspect hit the victim in the face and stabbed her with a small screwdriver, before jumping in a car and taking off. The vehicle is described as a late 1990s black Honda Civic with a loud exhaust and possibly had a lowered suspension.

The pair were not able to steal anything from the victim.

The victim suffered a minor injury to her face. She was treated at the scene, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Mike Patrizz of the Vernon Police Department at 860-872-9126.



Photo Credit: NBC Connecticut

West Hartford Shooting Victim Sues Town

0
0

The Town of West Hartford is being sued by a shooting victim. Wilfredo Texidor blames the West Hartford Police Department for his injuries that happened during a highly publicized crime. 
 
Two years ago, the SWAT team showed up to a home on Abbotsford Avenue after Wilfredo Texidor was shot in the neck.

He filed a lawsuit against the Town of West Hartford and three members of the West Hartford Police Department, and cited negligence.
 
“I’m concerned about any lawsuit against the town because at the very least it costs the town money to defend,” said Joseph O’Brien, with the Town Corporation Counsel.  

He told NBC Connecticut the lawsuit was delivered to Town Hall on Thursday, and Wilfredo Texidor was asking for more than $15,000 for damages.
 
On March 29th, 20011, Wilfredo Texidor was at his aunt’s house, when she called police and said a group of teens from Conard High School showed up to bully her daughter, and they were gang members.

The report from that day showed the call was classified as a non-emergency.  When police didn’t show up an hour later, she called for help again. 

Wilfredo Texidor eventually walked outside before police arrived to confront the group, and that’s when he was shot.  The teen who pulled the trigger was sentenced to three years behind bars.
 
“It was absolutely not the fault of the West Hartford Police Department,” Joseph O’Brien added. 

The town reviewed the case a while back, and concluded the response should not have taken as long as it did.  West Hartford’s Corporation Counsel said that slow response had nothing to do with the shooting, and claimed the lawsuit had no merit.

“It's claiming negligence on part of the West Hartford Police Department and it’s claiming that the negligence caused Mr. Texidor to be shot,” O’Brien explained.

O’Brien told NBC Connecticut the Town of West Hartford would fight the lawsuit, and it could take 3 to 4 years to resolve.

Wilfredo Texidor and his attorney could not be reached for comment.

Two Women Carjacked in Downtown New Haven

0
0

Two young women were carjacked while out for a Thursday night in Downtown New Haven. One of the passengers bravely fought back.

"That's the last thing I was thinking. That I was going to get beat up," said Danielle, who's last name we're concealing. She has bruises across her face and a welt to show for this frightening attack.

"Everything just happened so fast. My adrenaline was going and I was scared for my life."

She and her friend had left a concert at Toad's Place around 11:30 Thursday night, then walked to the Broadway parking lot.

"We were in the car backing out of the lot. We were ready to pull out," said Danielle. But before they could pull out police tell us Kareem Forrester of Fairfield came up to them asking for a ride.

Danielle nudged her friend to leave but, "He reaches inside of her car and grabs her clutch, her bag and grabs it and I'm like is this happening."

The driver ran after Forrester who gave the bag back but then he ran for their car, got in and sped off with Danielle still in the passenger seat.

"I was freaked out and he was just driving and wailing on me with a closed fist. Just hitting me and I was defending myself," Danielle added.

While her friend had gone to get help, another car stopped, asking Forrester what was going on. Police tell us he then jumped in the back seat of that car and was later caught by Yale Police.

"I have no respect for somebody like that," Danielle said.

While this all happened at a busy hour, Danielle and her father say several minutes had passed before anyone offered to help. "That blows my mind. That's amazing to me. Do something. Go run around and yell," Danielle's father Mark said.

"I woke up this morning and was like did that really happen," said Danielle, adding that she's not going out to Toad's or out anywhere for a while.

Forrester was arrested and charged with car jacking, kidnapping, assault and interfering with police.
 


Putnam Bridge Project Starts Monday

0
0

The heavily traveled Route Three Putnam Bridge is about to get a major face lift and that could mean some traffic delays for drivers.

On Monday, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is starting a major rehabilitation project on the bridge, which connects Glastonbury to Wethersfield.

Workers will be repairing or replacing steel, concrete, bridge expansion joints, among other things, said Kevin Nursick, a spokesman for the state D.O.T.

They will also be constructing a bike and pedestrian path on the south side of the bridge, Nursick said.

"For most folks, it's not really going to be an inconvenience," said Nursick.

Traffic will not be affected during the morning and evening commutes as all lanes of the four-lane bridge will stay open. However, during other times of the day and night, people should expect lane closures and delays of about a quarter mile to a half mile, said Nursick.

"You're probably going to have a little bit more travel time, maybe five or ten more minutes at the most but aside from that it really shouldn't be a problem," said Nursick.

The $30 million project is expected to last for about two years.

 

 

 

Wounded Norwich Officer on the Road to Recovery

0
0

The long road to recovery has had its ups and downs, but Norwich Officer Jonathan Ley remains hopeful to one day return to the job.

The career military and police officer was shot four times during a standoff at apartments on Cedar Street on January 7th.

The veteran of 14 years in the Norwich police department  says he had gone on hundreds of calls like the one that night before, but this one turned out much different. As Ley approached the Cedar Glen apartment, Jason Razzino, 30, fired a semi-automatic weapon, hitting Ley in the neck, hand, shoulder and leg.

“Things progressed very quickly,” said Ley. “It’s unfortunate that the gentleman was in the state that he was in,  but i have no hatred towards him. Its part of my job.”

As chaos erupted around him, Ley stayed focused on his training.

“I just kept my sons face in my head. You can’t panic because you have to take care of yourself. You have to continue to fight but because of my wounds were pretty severe i just couldn’t. I was getting weak quickly.”

Ley credits the other officers on the scene for allowing him to tell this story today.

“They saved my life and then they went back up and continued to work thru everything they had experienced.”

It is with that in mind that Ley is hoping to give back. A benefit will be held to help him get through the recovery period. It will be on Saturday from 1-5 pm at Dodd Stadium. A portion of the proceeds will go to purchasing tactical gear for other Norwich officers.

Ley says his tactical gear helped protect him that day and he wants others to have the same protection.

Long days and even longer nights have followed the shooting, including several trips back to the hospital because of surgeries and complications. Through it all, the goal remains the same.

“There is no doubt in my mind that I’ll get back to work. It’s just a question of when.”

Michigan Stuns Top-Seeded Kansas in OT

0
0

Basketball is a team sport, but the Michigan Wolverines can thank point guard Trey Burke for overcoming top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks Friday night in what was perhaps the most exciting game of the NCAA tournament.

Burke shook off a scoreless first half and led fourth-seeded Michigan to a historic comeback that culminated when Burke launched a 30-foot jump shot from far beyond three-point range with 4.2 seconds left in regulation. The basket tied the game at 76 and sent the game into the tournament's first overtime.

Prior to that improbable surge, Michigan had spent most of the game fighting to avoid a rout. Kansas at one point led by 14 points, and by 10 late in the second half. Then came a 14-4 Michigan run in the final 2:52 of regulation. Burke had eight of those points, including two 3-pointers.

With victory snatched from their hands, the Jayhawks, the South Region's top-seeded team, seemed to lose their nerve in overtime. The lead changed five times, and a botched final play by Kansas gave the Wolverines an 87-85 win.

Burke finished with 23 points, and his freshman teammate Mitch McGary added 25.

The win sent Michigan to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1994. They'll play the winners of Friday night's final game between Florida and Florida Gulf Coast.

Earlier Friday, Louisville, the nation's No. 1 team, extended its win streak to 13, defeating Oregon 77-69. The Cardinals will play Duke, who advanced to the Elite Eight by beating Michigan State, 71-61.



Photo Credit: AP

FCGU's Magic Ends With Loss to Florida

0
0

Cinderella ran out of fairy dust.

The Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles, who entered the NCAA tournament as an obscure 15th seed and made a historic run to the Sweet Sixteen, lost to their cross-state opponent Florida on Friday, 62-50.

The Eagles, who electrified the tournament with their alley-oops and exuberant style of play, began the game in similar fashion, dunking their way to a 15-4 lead. But the team that coined the term Dunk City began to fall apart about midway through the first half, when third-seeded Florida ended a spate of poor shooting and spun the momentum around. The Gators embarked on a 16-2 run and ended the half with a 30-26 lead.

In the second half, Florida picked up where it left off, extending its lead. At the same time, FGCU went cold. The Eagles, who were only in their second year of Division 1 competition, fumbled possessions, tossed airballs, even missed a dunk or two. The magic that made them the only 15th seed to reach the Sweet Sixteen had expired. For the first time in the tournament, they looked spent.

Florida, meanwhile, won despite shooting only 37.5 percent from the field. They moved on to the Elite Eight for the third straight year. This time they'll play Michigan, who upset Kansas in overtime earlier in the evening.



Photo Credit: AP

NCAA: Michigan Wins Against Kansas, 87-85

0
0

Trey Burke made up for one of his worst starts with the best shot of his life.

Burke bounced back from a scoreless first half to score 23 points, including a long 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation, and Michigan rallied to beat Kansas 87-85 in the South Regional semifinals Friday night.

The fourth-seeded Wolverines wiped out a 10-point Kansas lead in the last 3 minutes of regulation, and Burke gave them their first lead since early in the game with another long 3 to open Michigan's scoring in overtime.

The Wolverines (29-7) reached the regional finals for the first time since the Fab Five era 19 years ago, the last time they were in the round of 16.

Ben McLemore had 20 points for the Jayhawks (31-6), who looked to be on their way to a third straight regional final before Michigan's improbable rally. Instead, they became the third No. 1 seed to fall in this tournament, joining Gonzaga and Indiana.

The Wolverines will play Florida in the regional final Sunday.

FLORIDA 62, FLORIDA GULF COAST 50

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mike Rosario had 15 points to help Florida to an NCAA regional final for the third year in a row and stop the run for Florida Gulf Coast, the No. 15 seed whose improbable tournament journey ended just before midnight Friday.

Florida Gulf Coast, the high-flying team from "Dunk City" few people knew before this NCAA tourney, jumped out to an early 11-point lead against the SEC regular-season champs.

But the No. 3 seed Gators (29-7), with a roster filled with NCAA tourney experience, were just too strong and too good.

Michael Frazier made a pair of 3-pointer to start a 16-0 run late in the first half. That came in a 4½-minute span when the Eagles (26-11) had four turnovers and missed their only shot. They trailed the rest of the game.

The Gators are trying to get to their first Final Four since consecutive national championships in 2006 and 2007.

Sherwood Brown led FGCU with 14 points, and Chase Fieler had 12.

___

MIDWEST REGIONAL

DUKE 71, MICHIGAN STATE 61

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Seth Curry shot Duke right into the regional finals — and put Mike Krzyzewski on the verge of another milestone.

Curry scored 29 points and the Blue Devils beat Michigan State 71-61 to advance to the regional final in the NCAA tournament.

If No. 2 seed Duke (30-5) beats top-seeded Louisville (32-5) in Sunday's regional final, Krzyzewski would tie John Wooden's record with 12 Final Four trips.

Third-seeded Michigan State (27-9) just couldn't keep up with Curry and Duke's shooters. Keith Appling had 16 points for the Spartans, and Adreian Payne finished with 14.

Curry's sixth 3-pointer of the game broke a 38-38 tie early in the second half, sending Duke on a 9-0 run. It also matched the school record for most 3s in an NCAA tourney game, most recently accomplished by Jason Williams on March 22, 2001, against UCLA.

The Blue Devils never trailed again.

Rasheed Sulaimon had 16 points and Mason Plumlee finished with 14 for Duke.

LOUISVILLE 77, OREGON 69

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Louisville survived its first test.

Russ Smith matched his career high with 31 points to lead three Cardinals in double figures, and top-seeded Louisville showed it can win close games, too, posting a narrow victory over Oregon.

Kevin Ware added 11 and Gorgui Dieng had 10 points and nine rebounds for Louisville (32-5), which has won 13 straight. Coach Rick Pitino improved to 11-0 in the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament.

The 12th-seeded Ducks (28-9) at least made a game of it late. After Louisville went up 66-48 with 9:01 left, Oregon made six straight field goals to close to 70-64 — the closest anyone's been to the Cardinals in a couple of weeks.

But Kevin Ware scored on a layup and Chane Behanan threw down a monstrous dunk to put the game out of reach. Still, Oregon is only the second team to be within single digits at the buzzer during Louisville's run.

E.J. Singler's 15 points led five Ducks in double figures, and the Ducks had only 12 turnovers — one fewer than the Cardinals.

 

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images
Viewing all 57608 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images