March 19 / 6:30 pm
Group Begins Legal Process to Block Patriots Stadium
 (Hartford-WTNH) _ "Stop the Stadium" has finally made a move. The legal case against the New England Patriots stadium began Friday. A deputy from the Hartford County sheriff's office served a writ to an assistant attorney general. The writ names Governor John Rowland, Treasury secretary Denise Nappier, state budget director Marc Ryan and the Patriots football club. The case will contend that the deal to bring the Patriots to Connecticut violates the state constitution.
 Chief capitol correspondent Mark Davis reports.
Stadium Negotiations Profitable for Lawyers
(Hartford-AP) _ The proposed New England Patriots football stadium is already a money maker _ for lawyers. so far the legal bills for the state stand at more than $800,000, which are about double the legal costs state officials estimated when negotiations on the development and relocation agreement began in mid-November.
Man Critical After Plunge into River
 (Groton-WTNH) _ A Norwich man is in the hospital in critical condition after a fishing trip turns disastrous. Richard Cooley and his friend got into trouble Friday morning when their small boat capsized in the Pequonnock River near the Groton-New London airport. Several people attempted to rescue them from the frigid water but had to turn back. It took a heroic effort by fire fighters to pull them out.
News Channel 8's Peter Standring reports.
Divers Join Search for Missing Connecticut Man
(WTNH) _ Colorado police searched a lake today in hopes of finding any trace of missing Hamden man. 44 year old Rick Wallace was last seen at the Broadmoor Hotel on Sunday night in Colorado Springs.
Wallace is the administrator for the Jewish Home for the Aged in New Haven and was in Colorado for a conference. Divers searched the lake on the grounds of the hotel. Ground and helicopter searches of the area have also turned up nothing.
Additional Charges Possible Against Missing Lawyer
(Glastonbury-WTNH) _ More criminal charges could be filed against a high-profile attorney missing for almost three weeks.
F. Mac Buckley is already a federal fugitive accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from clients. His legal license was going to be taken away on the same day he disappeared without a trace. Now the Hartford state's attorney tells News Channel 8 he's looking into two more criminal complaints against Buckley. One stems from a former client, murder suspect David Messenger. he filed a greivance accusing Buckley of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from him. The prompted the state to suspend Buckley's license.
Tom Moriarty is an attorney who has been appointed to handle about 100 of Buckley's abandoned court cases.
Tom Moriarty, Attorney: "He had a fairly substantial practice, but we're really acting as an arm of the court and we're trying to make sure the clients are notified. So it's a little hectic...."
Buckley's picture and description remains posted on the Connecticut
Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force's "Most Wanted" webpage.
Protecting Children Topic of Symposium
(West Haven-WTNH) _ State law enforcers, prosecutors and child advocates from around the state met Friday to discuss how to better protect children from crime. The University of New Haven hosted this year's Arnold Markle Symposium. Crimes against children are the toughest to solve because they're reported late, leaving less evidence and contaminated crime scenes.
Dr. Henry Lee, Public Safety Commissioner:
"Much more difficult but not impossible. That's why as you can see so many able to work together. That's why so important - there's teamwork."
Dr. Lee says crimes against children are on the rise nationwide. 2,000 children are murdered every year.
New Troopers Graduate from Academy
(Storrs-WTNH) _ High honors for new state troopers.
42 troopers from the 108th state police training troop were honored at graduation ceremonies held on the UConn campus in Storrs.
They have been training at the Connecticut Police Academy in Meriden for more than six months. The graduates come from all over Connecticut. They increase the ranks to nearly 1,100 troopers.
CO Detectors Recalled
(WTNH) _ A North Carolina company is recalling several models of their carbon monoxide alarms, they may fail to detect dangerous conditions in homes. Carbon Monoxide poisoning can cause flu like symptoms, neurological damage and even death.
News Channel 8's Ned Berkowitz reports.
Daycare Worker To Face Trial on Abuse Charges
(New Britain-AP) _ A judge has ordered a former Newington daycare worker to stand trial on abuse charges. Nickiann Holt was originally arrested in September of 1996, accused of pulling children's hair, pinching, slapping hands, pushing and verbal abuse. Holt was an employee at the center located at the state Department of Transportation headquarters. A New Britain Superior Court judge yesterday rejected Holt's request for special probation and told her to get ready for trial on the ten charges of assault and risk of injury.
Holt was in charge of seven toddlers ranging in age from 12 to 19 months. In addition to allegations of physical abuse, police also accused her of neglecting the kids by not changing diapers, making them eat with dirty utensils and washing them with dirty cloths.
Man Found Injured Outside Casino
(WTNH) _ The Connecticut state police hope someone can help them figure out who assaulted a man in front of Foxwoods casino. It happened early Wednesday morning. An elderly man was found lying on Route 2 in front of the casino. He was critically injured and remains in the hospital today. police don't know what happened to the man. Troopers ask that you call the Montville barracks if you have any information on the attack.
Kenneth Curtis Competency Report Finished
(Bridgeport-AP/WTNH) _ A competency report in the so-called Killer in College case is ready. It's been more than a year since News Channel 8 found Kenneth Curtis earning A's and B's in college after being declared incompetent to stand trial in the 1987 shooting death of his ex-girlfriend. On Monday, the issue of Curtis' competency will be debated again during a hearing in Bridgeport Superior Court as prosecutors present a new report from doctors who recently examined him. The report, prepared by a state-appointed clinical team made up of a psychiatrist, psychologist and psychiatric social worker, was turned over to prosecutors and Curtis' defense lawyer yesterday. The report has been sealed by the court and neither side would talk about whether the team found Curtis competent to stand trial.
Woman Charged with Welfare Fraud
(Bridgeport-AP) _ A Bridgeport woman has been charged with first-degree larceny for allegedly stealing more than $4,700 in welfare benefits.
Prosecutors say 31 year old Carlene Walters was receiving benefits for her children from October 1997 to January 1998, even though the children were not living with her. Authorities say Walters' illegal benefits totaled $4,716. Walters has been released on a promise to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court April 1st.
Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Forged Autographed Books
(New Haven-AP) _ A Stafford Springs book store owner has pleaded guilty to mail fraud for forging autographed copies of first-edition books.
Prosecutors say 32 year old Kenneth Anderson defrauded customers of $20-40,000 in the scheme. The forgeries included such authors as Hemingway, TS Eliot, Rudyard Kipling and WB Yeats. Anderson, who owns the Old Nail Shop, pleaded guilty Friday in US District Court in New Haven. Anderson faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced June 29th.
First Union Cuts Thousands of Jobs
(Charlotte, North Carolina-AP) _ First Union plans to cut 58-hundred jobs, or about seven percent of its workforce, in a restructuring. The cost-cutting by the North Carolina-based bank is in the wake of a $16 billion merger last year with Philadelphia-based CoreStates Financial. Last month, the bank said it was considering as many as 7,000 workers. A spokeswoman says layoff notices were given to workers in recent weeks. First Union's belt-tightening is expected to result in pre-tax savings of about $400 million this year. The company has banking offices stretching along the East Coast from Connecticut to Florida.
Landfill Owner Faces Lawsuit
(Colchester-AP) _ The state has filed a lawsuit against the operator of a landfill in Colchester. The lawsuit against Angelo Squillante, president of Municipal Enterprises, seeks a restraining order to close Squillante's landfill. A judge ordered the landfill closed in 1984 for allegedly allowing waste to seep into the soil and ground water. It was closed for 15 years, but reopened on March Tenth.
Airports share $5 million in Federal Funds
(Hartford-AP) _ Five airports, including Bradley International, will share a $5 million federal grant intended to enhance safety, reduce noise and control wildlife, U.S. Sens. Christopher Dodd and Joseph Lieberman said.
"Increased safety and improvements ultimately mean greater mobility for Connecticut residents and new jobs down the road," Dodd said Thursday.
Bradley, in Windsor Locks, will get $3.2 million of the U.S. Department of Transportation grant to expand aircraft parking areas, install runway lighting, fix crumbling taxiways and study how to cut back on noise.
"Connecticut travelers want more than friendly skies to fly, they want friendly runways, terminals and parking terminals," Lieberman said. "This funding helps our airports meet those demands."
Other airports in line for the grant are:
- Windham: $720,000 to extend taxiway to meet safety standards.
- Hartford-Brainard: $660,000 to fix deteriorating taxiway and aircraft parking areas.
- Tweed-New Haven: $300,000 to update master plan and make safety improvements.
- Danbury Municipal: $150,000 to remove obstructions and erect fencing to keep out deer.
Insurance for Broken Water Pipes
(WTNH) _ You may think they're maintained by the regional water authority.
But, if a water pipe on your property breaks, you foot the bill and homeowner's insurance won't cover it. Now there's a new type of insurance you can buy to keep from paying big bucks if your pipes burst.
News Channel 8's Verna Collins reports.
Metro North Decides Against Special Cars for Cell Phone Users
(New York-AP) _ The Metro North rail commuter line has decided against setting up special phone cars for cell phone users. Metro North says the idea is impractical. The railroad had said earlier this week it might designate separate cars for telephone talkers because of complaints that they were shouting into their phones, disturbing other riders, And a phone company attorney sarcastically suggested separate cars for people with head colds, hair spray or cheap after-shave. One woman complained to the railroad after finding herself surrounded by five people on cell phones.
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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