Some moms spent Mother’s Day at brunch with family, others enjoyed breakfast in bed, but Velinda Ortiz spent Mother’s Day becoming a mom for the second time.

Velinda gave birth to her second child, a baby girl named Malayshia Ellis, on Sunday.

Malayshia Ellis, born at 9:22 a.m., was the first infant born on Sunday at The Hospital of Central Connecticut New Britain General.

She’s photographed here, from left to right, with big sister, Alayshia Ellis, 13, mom and dad, Dorian Ellis.

A Labrador retriever recently trained in detecting illegally caught fish helped Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Environmental Conservation police catch two Bridgeport men violating state fishing regulations on the Housatonic River in Milford Friday, DEEP said.

Saydee is one of three EnCon dogs specially trained to detect certain sport fish like trout and striped bass regularly caught in Connecticut and search for places illegally caught fish may be hidden like vessels, shorelines and beneath rocks, DEEP said.

She helped find two striped bass that were smaller than regulation length, leading EnCon police to two men, Ronaldo Oliviera, 30, and Eber Macario, 60, both of Bridgeport who violated state fishing laws, DEEP said.

EnCon officers did a compliance check on the two men fishing on the Housatonic River in Milford on Friday night. While the men told them they didn't catch any fish, Saydee scoured the shoreline and found a black trash bag hidden in an embankment of rock, DEEP said.

The bag contained two striped bass 15 to 19 inches in length, which is smaller than the 28-inch minimum mandated in state law. Each angler is also only allowed to have on striped bass "to protect the resource."

EnCon police issued Oliviera a misdemeanor summons on charges of possession of a striped base and fishing without a license, according to DEEP. Macario was cited with an infraction of fishing without a license and given an $87 fine, DEEP said.

Oliviera was released on a written promise to appear in Milford Superior Court on May 21.

An Enfield family accepted two service medals, including a Purple Heart, Monday on behalf of a relative who died while fighting for the U.S. Army in World World I.

Congressman Joe Courtney (D-2) presented presented the medals to Mary Knapp, the niece of Private Patrick O'Brien, who fought in the Army with the Company M, Third Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, American Expeditionary Forces during World I in France, according to a news release from Courtney's office.

O'Brien was born in County Kerry, Ireland in 1896 and moved to the U.S. in 1914.

He was wounded on Oct. 1, 1918 during World War I and earned a Purple Heart, returning to his unit after he was treated for injuries, according to Courtney's office. He was killed in action later on Oct. 6, 1918 during the war.

One of the medals was the Purple Heart, decorated with a "bronze oak leaf cluster," and the other was a World War I Victory Medal, as well as the France Service Clasp, the Meuse-Argonne Battle Clasp and St. Miheiel Battle Clasp, according to Courtney's office.

“I am honored to present these World War I service medals to Private O’Brien’s survivors. The commitment to serve our nation is evident throughout the family lineage that Mary Knapp represents here today, and these medals will be a significant contribution to their family history for generations to come,” Courtney said in a statement. “Though the last U.S. veterans of World War I have passed, stories like that of Patrick O’Brien, who fought and died for our country just a few years after he arrived on its shores, are kept alive through family members like Mary.”

Knapp herself is a veteran and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, according to a news release from Courtney's office. She is also on Courtney's Enfield Veterans Advisory Board.

State police arrested a judicial marshal who is accused of committing a larceny at the Derby Superior Courthouse while he was on duty last month.

Michael Healy, 56, of Naugatuck, turned himself in to state police on May 9 at 8:15 a.m. on a warrant charging him with sixth-degree larceny.

Police said the charges are tied to an incident on April 24 while he was working as a judicial marshal at the courthouse located at 106 Elizabeth Street.

It's unclear what he is accused of stealing and whether he's still employed as a judicial marshal.

State police handled the case and processed the arrest, releasing Healy on a $500 non-surety bond.

He is scheduled to appear in Waterbury Superior Court on May 15 at 9 a.m.

A bus that departed New York City bound for Boston Monday afternoon exploded into flames on the side of a highway but no injuries were reported, authorities said.

The Bolt Bus ignited on the eastbound side of the Massachusetts Turnpike at about 5 p.m., east of the Weston toll booth. The driver noticed smoke, pulled over and evacuated the bus, the company said in a statement.

All 47 passengers retrieved their belongings and were put on another bus, the company said.

The fire was knocked down around 5:15 p.m., but the Newton Fire Department deemed the incident a two-alarm for water supply concerns and to assist the occupants of the bus.

A passenger told NECN that the bus stopped in Connecticut for a mechanical issue, but continued after a mechanic worked on the bus for two hours.

Dozens of business owners and their associations voiced concerns and frustrations about the Democrats' proposed $2 billion in tax increases to GOP members of the General Assembly on Monday.

House and Senate Republican leaders called the meeting last week as a way for Connecticut residents to publicize their feelings about the proposal.

Paul Miller, who owns a dairy farm in Woodstock, said proposed sales taxes on veterinary services could mean much more out of his pocket and hurt his bottom line.

"This is a fee that we can’t recover by adding to the price of milk," Miller said.

He said veterinarians come to his farm to check on his cattle as many as three times per week, and they charge by the hour.

"We’re budgeted for about $5,000 a month in veterinary fees so that’s going to run roughly $300 per month in additional sales tax or service fees. While it doesn’t sound like a lot, over the course of a year it adds up," Miller explained.

Democrats proposed expanding the services that impose sales taxes.

"Connecticut is already losing businesses and this will cause more to leave," said interior designer Lisa Davenport.

She describes charging sales taxes as a way to take money out of the pockets of residents who would otherwise use the money on her services. Davenport also said businesses like hers that are active in communities won't have money to spend there.

"We’re where the kids go for their little league sponsorships and where they go for the Girl Scout events and where the schools go for help," Davenport said.

House Speaker Brendan Sharkey said during an interview last week that the tax package is mainly aimed at raising revenues from Connecticut's wealthy residents. He and other top Democrats have said the package that includes property tax relief will "restructure" Connecticut's tax system.

"This is the day that we’re actually going to change this by asking billionaires and millionaires to do a little bit more but predominantly give relief to working families in the state," he said.

Senate Bill 1 would create a statewide mill rate that would lead to decreased payments in car taxes totaling hundreds of dollars for many Connecticut residents. With that in mind, Sharkey warned against looking at sales tax increases as the be-all-end-all for dealing with the budget.

"There will be sales tax imposed on some things that aren’t currently but compared to the savings that you’re going to get by your car tax dropping by hundreds of dollars per year, in most cases, that’s a trade off I think most tax payers will understand and accept," Sharkey said.

When asked about the proposed budget with the tax hikes, Gov. Dannel Malloy backed off the possibility of a veto threat.

"I don’t need to threaten to veto things. That sometimes can be viewed a little incendiary, especially when you’re talking about something so big and important as the budget," he said.

The governor maintains that his proposal to cut spending for programs like mental health, autism and care for the elderly are better ideas than tax hikes.

"This is not the time to reverse our path or our trajectory, so I think hard decisions are going to have to be made, but somehow we’re going to find a way to make them," he said.

The deadline for the legislature to pass a budget and avoid a special session is June 3.

If the sunny days aren’t enough to keep you outside, maybe a beach will change your mind.

The extra warm weather at Rocky Neck State Park in Old Lyme is bringing people in early to enjoy the beach.

"“It’s a great time to get my tan started!" said Megan Batchelder from East Hartford.

The nice weather has also opened up the park’s restroom facilities every day.

Park officials say about 7,000 people enjoyed the beach over the weekend, so they opened the concession stands early before one of the park’s most popular beach weekends: Memorial Day Weekend.

Meanwhile, Batchelder took advantage of the 80-degree weather.

"It’s a good day to be here, there’s not a lot of people, Memorial Day is going to be packed. Holidays are always a mess," she said.

Park officials say they’re expecting about 25,000 people for Memorial Day Weekend. If you’re planning to come to the park, parking could be an issue.

"Sometimes you wouldn’t even find parking spots. You’d have to walk from the entrance to the beach," said Chelsea Boutwell, who’s experienced the holiday chaos.

"We have capacity for about 2,000 cars, but often, the amount of people that come here could exceed 25,000 people with other avenues that they come into the park besides the cars," explained park supervisor Gary Nasiatka.

Once the spots fill up, the park closes. Park officials suggest beach-goers arrive early. The park opens at 8 a.m. each day.

It’s $9 for Connecticut licensed cars to enter the park over the weekend and $15-dollars for out-of-state cars.

Prices will go up on Memorial day weekend: $13 for Connecticut licensed cars and $22 for out-of-state cars.

The city of Hartford sold the Church Street Parking Garage to the state of Connecticut for $14 million on Monday.

The state will finance the purchase using bonds.

Mayor Pedro Segarra had said previously that proceeds from the sale would help to balance the city's budget for the next fiscal year and added that the purchase will help him attain his goal of avoiding a mill rate increase for Hartford residents.

"Our budget is balanced with this now. This was counted in as revenue so we will balance this in for this year," Segarra said Monday.

The mayor initially announced plans to sell the garage as an asset for his FY2014 budget. Segarra and members of his staff negotiated the deal over the past year and carried it over the finish line Monday.

Gov. Dannel Malloy said following the meeting of the Bond Commission that he and his administration viewed the acquisition of the parking garage as the first step toward a revitalization of the XL Center.

"At some point, we’re going to have to make a decision and I believe there should be an XL Center or its equivalent in the capital city," said Malloy.

The commission also approved $500,000 in funding for renovations at the XL Center but Malloy indicated that he is on board with a much grander plan for the entertainment and sports venue in downtown Hartford.

A study published several months ago estimated it would cost around $500 million to renovate the XL Center to make it competitive with other similar venues around the country. However, the same study estimated that demolishing the existing structure and build a new facility from scratch would come in at roughly half the cost.

Malloy said he thinks developers and Connecticut residents need to take those figures seriously and added that the parking garage is part of that. He said making a purchase from a municipality will only happen when it makes sense.

"Only when it’s in our best interest and it’s in our best interest to acquire that parking facility because it is a lynchpin to the development of the XL Center or the replacement of the XL Center," Malloy said.

Police arrested a mother after she left her 4-year-old behind in a Newington Walmart for at least an hour on Friday, police said.

Hilda Barbuena, 24, of New Britain, finished her shopping at Walmart without her child by her side and then left the store without her kid, police said. Store employees found the child walking through the store alone and notified police.

Newington police responded to 3164 Berlin Turnpike in Newington on Friday, May 8 to investigate the report.

Store employees took care of the 4-year-old in the meantime and Barbuena returned to the Walmart about an hour later as police investigated.

Police charged her with risk of injury to a minor and released her in lieu of a $10,000 non-surety bond.

She is scheduled to appear in New Britain Superior Court on May 22.

Police turned the child over to the care of another family member.

A bus caught fire in West Newton, Massachusetts, on Monday.

The Boltbus ignited around 4:45 p.m. on the eastbound side of the Massachusetts Turnpike, east of the Weston toll booth.

"A car that was in front of us, a man gets out and starts screaming, 'you're on fire, you're on fire.' So we're all on the bus and starting to panic," said passenger Madeline Halimi.

From back to front, a BoltBus on fire, pulled off to the side of the Mass. Pike, and then, an explosion.

Windows launched into the road in the middle of rush hour traffic, as firefighters eventually put out the flames.

Fortunately, all 46 passengers and the driver got off the bus in time.

"Being on the back of the bus, during the situation I would say I was a little bit more worried than say someone in the first row. So having never been in a life threatening experience it kind of seemed like that. I was panicking a little and there was definitely a little worry," said passenger Jake Freeman.

"I tried to make it to South Station but it was impossible," said the driver, Nora Pacheco, who says the bus was overheating and she stopped in Milldale, Connecticut.

After a mechanic worked for two hours, it continued on its way.

"But there was still this noise in the bus, tick, tick, tick. And she said don't worry about it, and (the driver) kept going," said passenger Grace Metri.

"People are concerned. Another half hour passes. It's still beeping. We start to smell the smoke or gas or whatever it was," Halimi said.

There were flames in the back of the bus, but before the explosion, passengers grabbed their bags and waited on the side of the road.

Two other buses took them to the rest of the way to South Station.

"I use BoltBus all the time. Don't know if I'm going to use it anymore though," Halimi added.

To be fair, each passenger we spoke with said they had been satisfied with BoltBus, and had no negative experiences until today.

Preliminary results of the investigation indicate that the fire began in the bus' engine, and the cause was mechanical. The investigation into the explosion, which blew out the bus' windows, is ongoing. 

When the Bridgeport City Council votes on the city budget Monday night, it will also take up the issue of whether to provide all residents with identification cards and implement police body cameras.

The identification program would be similar to one that New Haven adopted a few years ago that allows every resident, even those who are undocumented citizens, to have an ID card. Hartford has also proposed such a program.

"We want everyone to have equal access to city resources and a fair shot at making their way in the United States," said Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch.

The city council's Hispanic caucus brought up the idea, which seems to have many supporters in Bridgeport, even after the backlash it received in New Haven.

"I think everybody should have identification on themselves because you never know what will happen," said Bridgeport resident Haydee Carrasquillo.

Another part of the budget includes funding to bring body cameras to the Bridgeport Police Department. City Council President Thomas McCarthy said the cameras gained support after questions about policing across the country.

"We’ve put money in the budget to allow for a pilot program at the very minimum, so we can really start looking to see if that’s something that would be effective here in the city of Bridgeport," said McCarthy.

He said community members have expressed interest in the program. Some believe it will protect citizens and officers alike.

"With everything that’s been happening with the police, you know, they have to defend themselves too. I think with them having cameras, it’s their point of view of what’s happening as well," said Melissa Carrasquillo, of Bridgeport.

Even if the city council votes on the budget and approves it, the two initiatives won’t go into effect right away. There’s still a long process ahead before either can be implemented.

Police have arrested the 45-year-old man accused of stealing a shoes from a store in Hamden and pushing the loss prevention officer who confronted him, then forcing his way into a senior citizen's car last week.

According to police, Daniel Mallory, of Meriden, shoplifted a pair of sneakers from the Bob's store at 2300 Dixwell Avenue last Tuesday, May 5. He pushed a loss prevention officer on his way out and threatened to assault him.

Police said Mallory then forced his way into the car of a 75-year-old man. He made the elderly driver get out in the area of Dixwell Avenue and Connolly Parkway and drove the man's car from the scene, according to police.

Officers took Mallory into custody in North Haven two days later after receiving a tip that he was walking on State Street, police said.

Mallory was charged with third-degree robbery and sixth-degree larceny. He was released after posting $1 million bond and is due in court May 21.
 

A man ran a massive, fully-operational drug lab in a northwest Miami-Dade, Florida, home, which resembled a set up out of “Breaking Bad" series, police said Monday, as the suspect appeared before a judge. 

Raul Puig, 29, who was arrested Saturday morning, appeared in bond court facing a long list of charges, including armed trafficking, possession of a controlled substance, and manufacturing with intent to deliver.

"Have you ever watched "Breaking Bad?" the detective asked the judge. "There's, the whole entire house was full of beakers, cooking supplies."

Officers serving an eviction notice at the house on Northwest 200th street and 82nd Avenue discovered methamphetamine, LSD, MDMA, acetone, thousands of empty pill capsules and drug paraphernalia.

"I went to meth school and I cooked meth. I walked in the house, I walked upstairs, I said this place is used as a clandestine laboratory," the detective said. "They had all the precursor such as acetone, butane and a bunch of other chemicals that I can't even pronounce."

Detectives said the amount of chemicals in the house was so large that they had to call in a HazMat Team. It also posed a high risk to the community as it was a volatile environment.

"First thing that come to mind is 'Breaking Bad'. I said I got Walter White living across the street," neighbor Ariel Perera said on Saturday."

Officers said they also found an AR-15, a semi-automatic assault rifle, and two handguns in the home. Puig was the only person in the house.

Puig will stay in jail on no bond and will return to court to be arraigned on the charges in June.

A California judge ruled Monday that "pillowcase rapist" Christopher Hubbart does not have to go back to prison.

Prosecutors wanted him sent back after his ankle bracelet battery ran too low twice at his home near Palmdale. Hubbart said he forgot to charge it.

A judge in Santa Clara County rejected a request by Los Angeles County prosecutors to revoke his release. He has been living in an unincorporated area near Palmdale since last summer.

Hubbart was released from Coalinga State Hospital in July 2014 and was assigned to live at a home in the 20300 block of East Avenue R.

In April, Judge Richard Loftus in Santa Clara agreed to hold a hearing at the request of Los Angeles County prosecutors to consider revoking Hubbart's release.

District Attorney Jackie Lacey said she believes "this violent predator continues to pose a serious danger to our community."

Loftus rejected the request to have Hubbart's release revoked, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Details of the ruling were not immediately available.

Hubbart was designated a sexually violent predator in Santa Clara County in 1996.

His lawyers argued last year that Hubbart's continuing detention violated his rights to due process, sparking a battle over where he should live.

Hubbart was sent to Atascadero State Hospital in 1972 after the court deemed him a "mentally disordered sex offender."

Seven years later, doctors said he posed no threat and released him.

Over the next two years, he raped another 15 women in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to court documents. Hubbart was again imprisoned, then paroled in 1990. After accosting a woman in Santa Clara County, he was sent back to prison and then to Coalinga State Hospital.

As a condition of his release, Hubbart was required to wear an ankle monitor and attend regular therapy sessions and make quarterly reports to a judge.

Former New England Patriot and convicted killer Aaron Hernandez has been indicted on a new charge in connection to a 2012 double murder.

Hernandez has been charged with witness intimidation for allegedlly shooting a witness to the 2012 homicides of Daniel de Abreu and Safrio Furtado in Boston's South End.

On the morning of Feb. 13, 2013, Hernandez allegedly shot this former associate in the face and left him to die in Rivera Beach, Florida. The victim survived the shooting.

While the Suffolk District Attorney's Office did not identify the victim of the shooting, Hernandez's former friend Alexander Bradley filed a lawsuit against him in Florida, saying Hernandez had shot him in the face following an argument at a Miami strip club. 

Although this shooting took place outside of Massachusetts, the Suffolk District Attorney's Office says Hernandez can be prosecuted in the Bay State because he willfully caused physical injury with intent to impede a criminal investigation. The charge carries a maximum sentence of ten years in state prison. 

In connection to the double murder, Hernandez was previously indicted on several charges including two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of armed assault with intent to murder, and single counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Hernandez is currently serving a life sentence for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd. 

Police have identified four of the seven people whose remains were uncovered behind a New Britain shopping center and said one of the bodies found this month is that of a Seymour mother who vanished in 2003.

Melanie Ruth Camilini, 29, disappeared on Jan. 1, 2003. Police said her body was buried behind the shopping plaza on Hartford Road in New Britain that houses a Subway restaurant, liquor store and hair salon.

"Melanie is the mother of two children. Today is Melanie's birthday," New Britain Police Chief James Wardwell said while announcing her identity at a news conference Monday afternoon. "It's appropriate we remember Melanie today and begin the process of bringing her home."

She would have turned 42 on Monday.

Camilini had been living in the Waterbury area when she disappeared and was last seen in Waterbury with two men, according to Lostnmissing.org. Her mother reported her missing in April of that year.

According to the North American Missing Persons Network, Camilini had a substance abuse problem and would leave for periods of time, but had always stayed in the area.

Seymour police read a statement from Camilini's family Monday afternoon, thanking the agencies that worked together to bring them closure.

"The family also wishes to extend their heartfelt condolences to all the family members of the other victims," said Seymour Police Det. Scott Nihill.

Investigators have been searching the marshy area in New Britain since human remains were first uncovered in 2007. The spot, thick with trees and brush, is inaccessible by car.

With help from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, police previously named three other victims: Diane Cusack, Joyvaline Martinez and Mary Jane Menard.

Police identified the remains of Cusack, a New Britain resident who was born on April 1, 1955, in December 2010. The last time anyone Cusack her alive was in the late summer or early fall of 2003.

The body of Joyvaline "Joy" Martinez, of East Hartford, was identified in August 2013. She disappeared on Oct. 10, 2003, at the age of 24.

Police identified the remains of Mary Jane Menard, born on May 7, 1963, in 2014. Menard was 40 years old when she disappeared in October 2003. At the time, her daughter was serving overseas in the armed forces.

The deaths of Cusack, Martinez and Menard were classified as homicides, and the investigation has revealed that the crimes were committed by the same offender at different times.

Four people, including two students and two alleged gunman, were in the hospital Tuesday after a shooting and assault in Isla Vista near the UC Santa Barbara campus one night earlier, nearly a year after a deadly rampage rocked the seaside community.

Gunfire was reported just before 7:30 p.m. Monday at a home in the 6500 block of Sabado Tarde Road (map), blocks from the campus, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators said 19-year-old Jose Guadalupe Gutierrez, of Goleta, and 22-year-old James Joshua Taylor, of Lompoc, went to the residence of two UCSB students who knew Gutierrez.

Authorities said an altercation or fight occurred inside the home, and officers who came to the home were responding to a "domestic disturbance."

The students, men in their early 20s, were hurt by gunfire, including one with a gunshot wound to his abdomen, and the other with a gunshot wound in his chest, authorities said.

Both students were taken to the hospital and are expected to the survive. 

After the altercation, residents in the area held Taylor until authorities arrived and took him to the hospital, where he was treated for head wounds, officials said.

Deputies said Gutierrez fled the scene in a white sedan and was being sought by law enforcement overnight.

But Tuesday morning, deputies said Gutierrez checked himself into the hospital with injuries he said he got during a car crash on the UCSB campus.

The sheriff's department said investigators believe his injuries may be from Monday night's altercation.

UCSB had asked students to shelter in place Monday night until a lockdown was lifted about 9:30 p.m.

Both Taylor and Gutierrez were arrested and will be booked after they can be released from the hospital, officials said. Neither of them are students, and it was not clear whether they had lawyers.

Taylor is being accused of attempted murder, robbery, discharge of a firearm in the commission of a felony causing great bodily injury, and participation in a criminal street gang.

Gutierrez is being accused of attempted murder, robbery, possession of a stolen firearm, discharge of a firearm in the commission of a felony causing great bodily injury, and participating in a criminal street gang, officials said.

"We had a string of armed robberies last week in Isla Vista, several of them occurred in the same apartment complex and then one occurred randomly in the street," said Santa Barbara sheriff's spokeswoman Kelly Hoover. "That definitely had everyone concerned, and we're also heading into the anniversary of the Isla Vista mass murders, which everyone is already on edge thinking about the emotion of the loss that this community endured."

Monday's shooting comes nearly a year after Elliot Rodger killed three UC Santa Barbara students in the apartment he shared with two of them, before he began a rampage that left three other students dead and over a dozen hurt in Isla Vista on May 23, 2014.

The victims' families are suing the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department for negligence and violation of due process over several incidents, including when deputies didn't search Rodger's apartment during an April 30, 2014, wellness check after being flagged by a health worker about a series of disturbing videos he posted on YouTube.

On May 23, 2014, Rodger emailed his family and therapist his manifesto, and uploaded a video to YouTube titled "Elliot Rodger's Retribution" that outlined his attack plan.

Rodger then stabbed to death his two roommates and their friend, then opened fire on the busy college town of Isla Vista where he killed three more students and himself.

Students and others immediately took to Twitter expression their frustrations about a second reported shooting in the area in less than a year.

"So saddened to hear about another shooting at my alma mater almost a year after last year's disaster. Stay safe UCSB," tweeted @whatthekey.

Cynthia Ayon ‏wrote: "Makes me sick to my stomach that there's another shooting around this time ..."

Twitter user @iravery15 wrote: "Everyone keep UC Santa Barbara students in your thoughts. There has been another shooting & my sister is up there right now."

NBC4's Jason Kandel, Beverly White and Annette Arreola contributed to this report.

It's official: Barack Obama's presidential library is coming to the South Side of Chicago.

The Barack Obama Foundation made the announcement early Tuesday that the city would be home to the future Barack Obama Presidential Center, capping an intense campaign for the library.

Officials are expected to discuss the decision at an event Tuesday afternoon. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the chairman of the foundation's board are expected to attend.

Both the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago had placed bids for the library, and while the University of Chicago will collaborate with the foundation on the center, the final site has not yet been revealed. The foundation said it will look to enter into an agreement with the city in the coming months to develop the center — which will include a library, museum and office and activity space for the foundation — in either Washington Park or Jackson Park.

“The city of Chicago was instrumental in demonstrating to the President and First Lady the advantages of locating the future Obama Presidential Center in the city, and the University of Chicago brought to life the broad potential and vital energy of the South Side,” foundation chairman Martin Nesbitt said in a statement.

The University of Chicago had long been seen as the front-runner and the foundation signaled its interest in the school's South Side proposal last month by commissioning a poll of area residents.

"We are deeply appreciative that President Obama, Mrs. Obama, and the Barack Obama Foundation selected Chicago’s South Side as the home for the Obama Presidential Center, a decision that creates major opportunities for the South Side and the city of Chicago,” University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer said in a statement. "We believe opening the Presidential Center will mark a watershed moment for the South Side and the city, serving as a catalyst for economic and cultural opportunities as well as community programming.”

NBC News confirmed last month that the library would be built in Chicago, but Tuesday marked the official announcement. Columbia University in New York and the University of Hawaii in Honolulu had also offered bids.

"With a library and a foundation on the South Side of Chicago not only will we be able to encourage and effect change locally but what we can also do is attract the world to Chicago," the president said in a video announcement.

"I’m thrilled to be able to put this resource in the heart of the neighborhood that means the world to me," First Lady Michelle Obama said.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel called the project a "unique opportunity" for Chicago and advocated aggressively for the selection.

"It can be on the South Side. It can be on the West Side, but it cannot be on the Upper West Side of Manhattan," Emanuel, Obama's former White House Chief of Staff, said while campaigning for a second term at City Hall.

The site selection was expected to have been done earlier in the year but Obama delayed his decision in an effort to avoid politicizing his legacy project. He didn't want to inject the library announcement into Emanuel's challenge with Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia or be seen as giving Emanuel an unfair advantage, the Associated Press, citing sources, reported in early March.

After Obama's foundation divulged concerns that the University of Chicago couldn't assure access to the park land where it wants to build, Emanuel orchestrated a plan to have the Chicago Parks District board transfer 20 acres to the city for the library's use.

Gov. Bruce Rauner signed legislation earlier this month strengthening the city's legal ability to build the project on public park land.

The 12-year-old girl pulled from the Naugatuck River this evening has died, according to police.

Rescuers spent nearly two hours searching for Jada Ivory, of Naugatuck, who lost her balance and slipped into the water around 4:30 p.m. Monday while perched on a rock with some friends at Linden Park, police said. Friends watched as she was swept away by the current and tried to save her.

"Keep your eyes on your babies and grandbabies," Karen Smith, Ivory's grandmother, said.

A spokesperson for the Naugatuck Police Department said the child was unresponsive when she was loaded into an ambulance around 6 p.m. Jada was pronounced dead at Waterbury Hospital.

"She wasn't supposed to be in that water," said Karen Smith, who identified herself as the child's grandmother. "[A friend] tried to grab her, and the water took her from her."

The Republican-American reported that Ivory was a seventh-grade student at City Hill Middle School in Naugatuck and that school leaders worked Monday to put together a team of grief counselors to help students cope with the loss of one of their own.

No adults were present with the children, according to police. Officials said rescuers pulled the girl from the water about a half mile from where she fell in.

"Whenever there's kids and water, it's a dangerous combination," explained Naugatuck police spokesman Lt. Bryan Cammarata. "We always want to make sure there's someone there, that they're supervised."

Smith said none of the other children went into the water after Jada slipped and that the girl had only been swimming for about a year, so she wasn't a strong swimmer. At this point, it's unclear how long she was underwater before emergency personnel were called to the scene.

Smith initially told NBC Connecticut that Jada was 11 years old, but Naugatuck police said the girl was born on Nov. 13, 2002, which would make her 12.

Firefighters from Naugatuck, Beacon Falls and Oxford helped with the search, along with the police department and Thomaston Dive Team, according to police.

There is no word yet on funeral arrangements.

A 24-year-old man sustained a head wound when gunfire erupted on Main Street in Hartford overnight, according to police, and four vehicles, a house and the back of 3281 Main Street were damaged in the gunfire.

Police were patrolling the area near the Sunset Cafe in Hartford when they heard several rounds of gunfire behind 3281 Main Street and officers encountered a chaotic scene, with people running and cars fleeing the area, police said.

The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.

One person who was possibly grazed by a bullet walked into a local hospital and was treated for a non-life-threatening head wound. Police did not release the victim's name.

Police recovered 29 shell casings at three different caliber levels -- .9 millimeter, .380 caliber and 40 caliber, according to Hartford Deputy Chief Brian Foley. Projectiles were also seized.

Major crimes investigators responded and the shooting is under investigation.

No arrests have been made.