January 22 / 6:15 pm
Caldor Closing All 145 Stores
 (Norwalk-WTNH) _ It's the end of the line for Caldor. The retail chain announced Friday it's closing all 145 stores nationwide. The Norwalk-based company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in 1995, but Caldor has been unable to dig its way out of debt and come up with a solid plan for reorganization within the company. So what will the shutdown mean for workers and customers?
 Consumer Team 8's Anna Sava reports.
Byrd to Introduce Motion to Dismiss Impeachment; Question and Answer Session Underway
(Capitol Hill-AP) _ The lead House prosecutor in the Clinton impeachment trial is pleading with senators not to throw the case out. A leading Democratic senator, Robert Byrd, has said he's going to introduce a motion to dismiss. But Henry Hyde says that would send a "terrible message." He says senators would be telling the people that "perjury is OK if it's about sex" -- and that obstruction of justice is OK, even if it denies a citizen her right to pursue a claim in court. Hyde told senators that he knows he and his fellow House Judiciary Republicans are an "annoyance" in the Senate. But he says, "We are a Constitutional annoyance." Byrd's motion to dismiss could come as early as Monday.
 Lawyers for President Clinton, and House Republican prosecutors, are getting few tough challenges in the questions being submitted to them by senators today. Instead, senators are largely giving the two sides another chance to defend their ground -- and to respond to the comments made by the other side. For the most part, Republican senators are lobbing questions at the Republican prosecutors, while Democratic senators are giving the speaking opportunities to Clinton defenders. At one point, for example, several Republican senators gave the prosecutors a chance to respond to Clinton's claims that the impeachment articles are too vague. Prosecutor Charles Canady responded that Clinton and his lawyers clearly know exactly what he's charged with. He said the charges don't have to be as specific as they'd be in a criminal trial. And he accused Clinton of wanting all of the benefits of a criminal trial, but none of the burdens -- such as witness testimony. A question from two Democrats allowed Clinton lawyer Charles Ruff to assert again that the framers of the Constitution wanted impeachment to apply to acts of a political and public nature, not private ones.
Here's more on what happened at today's impeachment trial.
Cops Squabble with Motorola Over Radios
 (Hartford-WTNH) _ A snag has developed in an 12 year project to install a new radio communication system for the state police. A contract dispute between the state and Motorola is the result of the state's demand that the new system covers 98 percent of the state.
News Channel 8's Judy Chong reports.
Man Wanted in Boy's Murder Investigation Waives Extradition
(Bridgeport-WTNH) _ A fugitive wanted for questioning in the killings of an 8 year old witness and his mother will return to Connecticut early next week.
Adrian Peeler was arrested Thursday in North Carolina on weapons charges.
His older brother, Russell Peeler, Jr, is the suspect that Leroy Brown, Jr was going to testify against in an upcoming trial. Brown and his mother, Karen Clarke, were gunned down in their Bridgeport Apartment two weeks ago.
Officer Who Collided with Teen Ran Red Light
(New Milford-WTNH) _ New revelations are revealed about the fatal crash between a teenager and a New Milford Police officer. 17 year old Angela D'Aquila was killed when a car driven by Officer William Scribner smashed into her car at an intersection in June of 1998. The New Milford police chief tells us Scribner's lights and siren were on and that he ran a red light. Police are not saying how fast Scribner was going, but state law requires emergency vehicles to stop or slow down at red lights. The victim's mother, Evelyn LeCase, says she's frustrated the investigation is taking so long. Authorities say the reason it took so long is because state police handed the case over to the Litchfield State's Attorney, who then passed it along to the Chief State's Attorney's office. That office asked state police to re-interview witnesses and gather additional information. State police tell us they expect a report from the state's attorney in a week or two.
Bus, Truck Collide on Highway
 (Bridgeport-WTNH) _ Major delays on the northbound side of I-95 in Bridgeport Friday afternoon because of an accident involving a mini school bus and truck.
The right and center lanes were shut down near exit 27 at about 2:30. Details of how the accident happened are not available yet. The bus was knocked up and onto the guardrail, and was leaning against the tractor-trailer. There were no passengers on the bus. We're told injuries are minor. All three lanes reopened just before 4:00.
Car Runs into Donut Shop
(Guilford-WTNH) _ A Guilford donut shop had a drive-up visitor today, which wouldn't be a problem except Donut Village does not have a drive thru.
Police are still checking into what caused a car to crash into the shop, but they say a stuck accelerator may have been the cause. 73-year old Mary DeFalco was driving the car and sustained minor injuries. The store closed for the day.
Storm Still Causing Problems for Metro North
(WTNH) _ Trouble on the rails continues for Metro North commuters heading into New York. Last week's ice storm froze the arms that connect the train to the powerlines that run above the tracks. Tat is causing a higher number of trains out-of-service than usual. Metro North says that means overcrowding on the trains that are running and some passengers won't have a seat. They expect to have all trains back in service by early next week.
Man Charged with Producing Phony Birth Certificates for Illegal Aliens
(New Britain-AP) _ A Hartford man who prosecutors call the ring-leader of a scheme to produce phony US citizenship documents is being held on a 250-thousand dollar bond. Deowraj Buddhu was arrested this morning and charged with 140 counts, including racketeering, forgery and larceny. Prosecutors say they don't know how many fake birth certificates Buddhu manufactured, or how long he ran the scheme.
Chief State's Attorney John Bailey says Buddhu was working with an accomplice in Florida, and charged $1,300 for a US birth certificate. Bailey says the clients were mostly Guyanese nationals of Pakistani decent.
Man Arrested After Standoff
(Hartford-WTNH) _ A Hartford man is in custody today after a three hour standoff with police. 33 year old Willie Lee Womble is being questioned in connection with a bank robbery in the city. Police say he had barricaded himself inside a house on Marshall street and told officers he was armed. Eventually he surrendered. Womble is a suspect in a robbery at the Mechanics Saving Bank on Farmington ave. in Hartford Thursday afternoon. About $1,600 was taken.
Long-Time Tenant Leaves Civic Center Mall
(Hartford-WTNH) _ Another retail store is pulling out of the Hartford Civic Center Mall. For 20 years Eastern Mountain Sports has been a tenant in the mall. It's the 4th store to leave in several weeks, leaving many to wonder what can be done to bring life back to the mall.
News Channel 8's Jayne Saffer reports.
Civic Center Honors Vets
(Hartford-WTNH) _ The Hartford Civic Center honored veterans Friday as part of a rededication ceremony. Madison Square Garden, which manages the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, mounted newly constructed plaques honoring veterans outside the Civic Center main entrance. The coliseum was originally built in 1975.
Aetna Chief Promises Vigorous Appeal in $120 million Jury Award
(Hartford-AP) _ Aetna chief executive Richard L. Huber says the California jury's $120.5 million award to a widow in a lawsuit against an Aetna subsidiary was a "travesty of justice" that will be vigorously appealed. A jury Wednesday ordered Aetna U.S. Health Care of California to pay $120 million in damages to a woman whose husband fought until his death for coverage of experimental cancer treatment.
Teresa Goodrich was awarded $116 million Wednesday in punitive damages and $4.5 million last week for medical expenses and loss of companionship in the 1995 death of her husband, David Goodrich. Huber said Thursday that the sheer magnitude of the award could work in Aetna's favor by demonstrating the dangers of allowing such cases to be swept up in the courts.
Doctor Sentenced for Medicare Fraud
(Hartford-AP) _ It's six months in prison for an eye doctor who faking laser surgery on patients and submitting false insurance claims of more than $63,000. Peter Embriano pleaded guilty in June to federal charges he treated patients in Enfield and Rocky Hill with only a flashlight. The 46 year old Embriano's medical license was suspended in August. A US District judge yesterday could have sentenced Embriano to up to 15 years in prison. But the judge took into account Embriano's reimbursement to Medicare and his patients, and counseling he received for alcoholism and family problems. Embriano, who must also serve three years of probation, said he may go back to school to regain his license when he leaves prison.
Guilty Plea in Tainted Clam Case
(Bridgeport-AP) _ A Stratford man faces prison time and a hefty fine for harvesting contaminated clams from a polluted area of Long Island Sound. Michael Desmond, who is a commercial fisherman, pleaded guilty yesterday and is to be sentenced in federal court on April Ninth. Before pleading guilty, Desmond claimed he did not intend to sell the tainted clams. Prosecutors say that in October of 1997, Desmond dredged the clams from a restricted area of Long Island Sound near Greenwich. Desmond is accused of taking the clams to Port Chester, New York where he planned to sell them to a wholesale for about 13-hundred dollars. Desmond was arrested after he arrived on shore in Port Chester, as he was taking the clams off his boat and putting them into a refrigerated trailer. The clams were never sold.
Two Get Prison Sentences in Brutal Stabbing
(Waterbury-AP) _ Two Waterbury men have been sentenced to long prison terms in the death of a high school classmate who was stabbed 127 times. Police say Hector Nieves was attacked for reportedly saying something bad about the Latin Kings street gang. 20 year old Jose Colon was sentenced to 55 years in prison while 17 year old Kevin Soto received a 45-year sentence. They had been convicted of murdering Hector Nieves with a knife and sword in April 1996.
Lawyer Indicted
(New Haven-AP) _ An investigation into an alleged money-laundering scheme has led to the indictment of a Bristol lawyer. Theodore Wurz has been indicted by a grand jury in New Haven on charges he obstructed justice and lied to the FBI. Prosecutors claim Wurz tried to get a witness to lie to a federal grand jury and federal agents involved in an alleged money laundering and tax evasion case.
Town Celebrates Restoration of Lincoln Banner
 (Norwich-WTNH) _ It's been a banner day in Norwich, literally, as the the city unveiled a historic banner first used in the 1860s to welcome Abraham Lincoln to town. The fragile silk flag has been carefully restored and is ready to occupy a place of honor.
News Channel 8's Peter Standring has the story from our Southeastern Newsroom at The Day.
State Sex Offender Website Online
(Hartford-WTNH) _ The State of Connecticut's Sex Offender Registry went online at the first of the year. Residents can look to see if a convicted sex offender is living in their neighborhood by accessing the information through the Department of Public Safety's website at www.state.ct.us/dps/
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