March 18 / 6:30 pm
Suspected Campus Stalker Arrested
(Storrs-WTNH) _ A man suspected of stalking women at UConn was arrested Thursday afternoon. 38 year old John Urban was arrested in connection four criminal incidents of stalking on the Storrs campus. Urban came to the police station in Storrs to pick up his vehicle.
Police had arrest warrants waiting for him. 57 women have come forward to say they were approached on the UConn campus by Urban. He is a convicted sex offender and currently lives in Billerica, Massachusetts. He was later released on $100,000 bond, and will be arraigned next week.
Connecticut Man Missing in Colorado
 (WTNH) _ A prominent administrator of a nursing home here in Connecticut, is missing in Colorado Springs. 44 year old Rick Wallace of Hamden went to Colorado for a nursing home conference where he was scheduled as a key note speaker.
He went to dinner Sunday night with his daughter and other guests. Police say the daughter left him at about 10, but Wallace never returned to his hotel.
Wallace is an administrator of the Jewish Home of the Aged in New Haven.
His neighbors and co-workers say he's a devoted family man and dedicated professional.
Kathy Marone, Neighbor: "He's involved with work very strongly... It's very bizarre and very out of character."
Gary Caserta, Jewish Home for the Aged: "Rick knew every one of the residents here. He was very visible. He came three years ago, and the Jewish home is what is it today 'cause of Rick Wallace."
Colorado Springs police is treating this as a missing persons case. They say there has been no activity on his bank accounts. The FBI is
also on the case.
Feds Enter Buckley Investigation
(Hartford-AP) _ Former federal prosecutor F. Mac Buckley is now a federal fugitive. A federal magistrate in Hartford has issued a warrant for the well-known defense attorney who has been missing since March First. The federal warrant charges him with illegal flight to avoid prosecution. Hartford State's Attorney James Thomas last week obtained a state warrant accusing Buckley of embezzling about $145,000 from a Hebron client. On March Ninth, Buckley's law license was suspended as a result of other complaints against him.
CNG President Responds to Patriots Stadium Stalemate
(Hartford-WTNH) _ The gas company is firing back. The president of Connecticut Natural Gas says he resents being accused by political leaders of trying to gouge the state. The gas company headquarters is next to the steam plant that stands in the way of the New England Patriots stadium in Hartford. The company president said today that their estimate of $48 million to relocate the gas company headquarters has been the same since last November, and was established by a team of outside consultants.
Arthur Marquardt, Pres., CTG Resources, Inc.: "There was characterizations that the price has changed. I think if you go back to the public disclosure of the cost of relocating the facilities. They haven't changed materially."
Marquardt says that he has no idea where the state came up with the $25 million figure, and says the state is in trouble because it had no revenue source in place in the Patriots legislation.
 Chief capitol correspondent Mark Davis reports.
Mass. Gov. Ready to Pick Up Ball if Connecticut Fumbles Patriots Deal
(Boston-AP) _ Massachusetts Governor Paul Cellucci wants to take another shot at patching things up with the New England Patriots. The governor says he's kicking off new efforts keep the Patriots in Foxboro. Cellucci's comments come as plans to bring the team to Connecticut have hit a snag over a steam plant that sits on the site where a new stadium for the team is supposed to be built.
Mercury Spilled at School
(East Haven-WTNH) _ A mercury spill causes concerns an East Haven middle school. Authorities say a student brought a vile of mercury to one of his classes at the Joseph Melillo middle school. The student poured it onto a desk to show some friends. The DEP and fire department tested students who may have been exposed to the substance.
Luckily, no levels of mercury were found in the classrooms.
Rat Bites Little Boy
(New Haven-WTNH) _ A terrifying "rat attack" has one local family outraged.
The bite happened Sunday in a New Haven public housing complex.
Three year old Devon Coleman had been asleep in his bed when a rodent got under the sheets and bit his ankle.
News Channel 8's Ned Berkowitz reports.
First Presbyterian Members to Appeal Gay Elder Ruling
(Stamford-AP) _ Two members of the First Presbyterian Church of Stamford will appeal a decision upholding the election of a gay man to the governing board of the church. Earlier this month, an ecclesiastical court upheld the election of Wayne Osborne. But today, a representative of the complainants is saying they will appeal. The complainants say Osborne's election violates a recent amendment to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church that bans practicing homosexuals from holding church office.
Police Name Suspects in Shooting of Teenage Girl
(New Haven-AP) _ Arrest warrants have been issued for two New Haven teenagers in the wounding of a New Haven girl who was on her way to church.
The 14-year-old girl was shot in the leg last September as she and her grandmother were walking to church. Police say she was an innocent bystander and had been shot accidentally in a dispute between the two suspects and another man. Police are charging 18-year-old Matthew Spearman and 17-year-old Maurice Beverly with assault and reckless endangerment. Both are already jailed on unrelated charges.
Amtrak Plans Expansion, Not Replacement, for New London Station
(New London-WTNH) _ They talked about it for two-years, but now it seems Amtrak's plans for a new train station in New London are derailed for good.
Instead of relocating, Amtrak now says it will continue to operate out of the city's historic Union Station. Even though ultra-modern high-speed rail service is just months away, many passengers are applauding the decision.
News Channel 8's Peter Standring has the story.
Northeast Utilities says Millstone 2 ready for restart
(waterford-AP) _ After being idle for three years, the Millstone 2 nuclear reactor will be ready to generate power in mid-April, Northeast Utilities officials said Thursday. The announcement came in a meeting with Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspectors at the plant's training site. Company officials said that on April 14, they will ask the full commission for approval to restart the 870-megawatt reactor. "Our timetable says we'll be ready," said plant spokesman Terrence V. McIntosh. "We think things are going fairly well at Unit 2." NRC spokesman Neil A. Sheehan said the company's enthusiasm was met with some skepticism by federal inspectors. They noted that after restarting Millstone 3 last year NU had to shut that unit down several times because of problems.
Utility Warns of Phone Scam
(New Haven-AP) _ United Illuminating is warning about a phone scam involving somebody who is claiming to represent the electric utility. UI says it's gotten calls from people who say somebody has been calling them to warn about power surges and dangerously high meter readings. The caller tells people to check their meters to get readings. But customers have become suspicious of the caller and called the utility. UI is also working with police on the calls.
UI says if there's an electrical problem, it handles the matter in person and people have company IDs.
UConn expands four-year degree offerings at satellite campuses
(Hartford-AP) _ The University of Connecticut has been given the go-ahead to add four-year college degree programs at its satellite campuses.
The Board of Governors for Higher Education yesterday approved the so-called tri-campus plan, linking the Waterbury, Torrington and West Hartford branches.
The three branches will be offering a four-year urban studies degree.
The plan also allows graduate programs in business and social work offered at the West Hartford campus to be offered in Waterbury and Torrington perhaps electronically. Up until now the three campuses had been primarily feeder outlets, funnelling students to the main UConn campus in Storrs.
The changes also affects two other campuses. Avery Point in Groton will now offer bachelor's degrees in coastal studies and maritime studies. Stamford will now offer a bachelor's degree in business and a master's degree in computer science.
Two men charged in theft of dead girl's Beanie Babies collection
(Seymour-AP) _ Arrests have been made in the theft of the Beanie Babies collection stolen from a 12-year-old girl who died in a skiing accident.
Massimo Giardina, 23, of Ansonia, and Michael Magliochetti Jr., 23, of Stratford, turned themselves in at police headquarters Wednesday. Both suspects are charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit third- degree larceny. The theft drew much public attention, since the nearly 100 Beanie Babies were the Cournoyer family's mementos of their 12-year-old daughter.
Logger Pulls Himself to Safety After Tree Breaks his Leg
(Windham-WTNH) _ A Connecticut man has an incredible survival story to tell. Donald Berge was alone in the woods, cutting down trees in Windham on Tuesday when a tree trunk swung out and broke his leg. But, what happened right after is what's truly amazing.
News Channel 8's Jayne Saffer reports.
Report: Greek prince buys home in town of Washington
(Washington, CT-AP) _ This quiet, rural town is apparently getting a royal family. Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and his wife, Princess Marie-Chantal Miller, reportedly have bought a home and property in town, according to the Waterbury Republican-American. The property, located on Shearer Road, sold for about $3.3 million, according to records in Assessor Barbara Johnson's office.
The prince and princess are not listed on the two mortgage deeds associated with the purchase. Instead, Peck Realty Ltd., a real estate holding company, made the purchase. However, the newspaper said it was able to link ownership of the royal couple's Greenwich home to the holding company. The prince left Greece when he was an 8-month-old because of military strife in the country. He has only returned to Greece once, in 1993.
Hospital Uses Internet to Share Newborns with Families Worldwide
(Derby-WTNH) _ A Connecticut hospital is giving faraway relatives the chance to share in the joy of childbirth via the internet.
Griffin Hospital in Derby launched a new online birth announcement service.
Internet users can read information about newborns, and check out their picture, too. If you'd like to see the site for yourself the web address is www.griffinhealth.org/hospital. Click on the "childbirth center" and then "cradle views".
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/
|
|
