May 5 / 11:00 pm
Lawmakers want business to help fund Hartford development projects
(Hartford-WTNH) _ The leadership of the general assembly and the governor are asking private investors to "show them the money." State leaders say their next step in the wake of the Patriots collapse will keep up their end of the deal to redevelop the capitol city, but city business leaders have to make up the difference.
 Chief capitol correspondent Mark Davis reports.
Refugees arrive in US, Chopper crash victims identified
(WTNH) _ The Pentagon has identified the two Army airmen killed when their Apache Helicopter crashed in Albania Tuesday night. They are David Gibbs of Ohio and Kevin Reichert of Wisconsin. There's no evidence the crash was the result of enemy fire.
President Clinton met with the three released American POW's at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. He also thanked all the troops taking part in the NATO mission for their dedication to duty.
Meantime, the flight to freedom for hundreds of ethnic Albanian refugees from Kosovo has landed in New Jersey. The first wave of refugees arrived late Wednesday afternoon at McGuire Air Force Base, and some of them will eventually be coming to Connecticut.
News Channel 8's Jocelyn Sigue reports.
Connecticut opinion on Kosovo action mixed
(Hamden-WTNH) _ How do people in Connecticut feel about the crisis in Kosovo? We know they're very divided over the idea of sending in ground troops.
A Quinnipiac College poll shows it's a 47 to 46 percent split when people are asked if they support sending in ground troops. And just over half -- 52 percent -- approve of the way the President's handling the situation in Yugoslavia.
School bans backpacks in favor of clear bags as to guard against violence
(Waterbury-WTNH) _ Imagine not being allowed to use your locker in school. Drastic steps like that are being taken to make schools safer in Waterbury.
Students now have to use clear plastic bags so the staff can see what's inside. Lockers were also emptied and secured. The fear is that weapons or bombs can be hidden in book bags and lockers.
City leaders implemented the changes Wednesday.
Mayor Phillip Giordano, D-Waterbury: "I think the the public safety issue is far overriding and much too compelling to actually look at the inconvenience
of students, teachers and parents."
Student: "I got baseball stuff. Where am I supposed to put my baseball stuff?"
In addition to this, detectives are out front, and teachers are checking classrooms twice a day to look for suspicious packages.
More than half a dozen bomb threats have been called in to into each of Waterbury's three high schools recently. Police say they have arrested four students for the bomb threats, including a 12-year-old.
Poll shows concern for school violence
(Hamden-WTNH) _ A new Quinnipiac College poll says a lot about a growing concern in Connecticut: school violence. A lot of parents are worried that what happened at Columbine High could happen here, and they feel there's plenty of blame to go around for teen violence.
News Channel 8's Leon Collins reports.
Scientists look for cause behind frog deformities
(Sterling-WTNH) _ Deformed frogs -- they're turning up everywhere.
So far there are few answers from a new report which studied the problem in a Connecticut pond. The natural mystery that's baffling scientists: What's causing the mutations, and how widespread is the problem? A high percentage of the deformed frogs were found last summer at porter pond in Sterling, and scientists spent the year gathering information. Researchers are still trying to figure out the cause to this mystery.
News Channel 8's Jayne Saffer reports.
Board looks into death of teen by officer
(Hartford-WTNH) _ The state's Child Fatality Review Panel is looking into the police shooting of 14-year-old Aquan Salmon. He was shot and killed by a Hartford police officer following a chase last month. Police were responding to a mugging call that morning. The panel will look at whether the system failed, resulting in the death of the 14-year-old. Panel members plan to talk with members of the boy's family, people in the neighborhood and representatives from state agencies.
Linda Peace Prestley, Child Advocate: "The question is was everything done. Some child fatalities aren't preventable, but was everything done in this case to safeguard this child?"
Their findings will be released by June 15th.
Judge rejects challenge to fed fishing limits
 (Stonington-WTNH) _ The ongoing fish fight in Connecticut may be heating up in the wake of a federal judge's ruling. According to the ruling the state's commercial fishermen are going to have to put up with strict federal fishing limits. For years there's been a quota on how much summer flounder the fisherman can catch, and for years they've been battling it. Despite this setback they insist the system is unfair.
News Channel 8's Peter Standring has the story from our Southeastern Newsroom at The Day.
Closeout chain files for bankruptcy protection
(Meriden-AP) _ The Railroad Salvage stores have filed for bankruptcy protection. Store founder Ruby Vine says chain lawyers filed for Chapter Eleven bankruptcy on Monday. Vine, who has been in the business for about 50 years, says the filing is the best way to take care of his creditors. Vine says he has closed the Meriden store and will change the format at the other stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts, but remain in the closeout business.
Man ordered to stay away from Simsbury schools
(Hartford-AP) _ A Massachusetts man accused of threatening students at two Simsbury schools has been ordered to stay at least two miles away from both schools. Robi Fortier has also been banned from carrying a weapon and ordered to continue taking his anti-psychotic drugs. Fortier remains free on $100,000 bond since he was charged earlier this month with threatening and breach of peace. According to court documents, Fortier had said during a worker's compensation hearing in Hartford that he wanted to kill the students. Fortier said in court yesterday he made the statements during a period when he was having bizarre dreams and not taking medication.
Phone sex lawsuit filed against Hartford businessman
(Hartford-AP)_ A woman who claims a prominent Hartford business and civic leader made her his telephone sex slave is suing. Doris Ford details a 21-year relationship with Arthur Anderson in her lawsuit and is demanding payment from Anderson while the legal action is pending. Previously Anderson had been accused of allowing the woman to go without repaying $600,000 in housing loans.
He was also accused of providing her with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash over the past 21 years. Last year Governor Rowland named Anderson as chairman of the Capital City Economic Development Authority, which oversees $300 million in state aid to revitalize Hartford's downtown. Anderson calls the allegations outrageous, preposterous and without merit.
Wolcott woman arrested for allegedly trying to hire man to kill ex-husband
(Stamford-AP) _ A Wolcott woman faces charges after allegedly trying to hire a hit man to kill her ex-husband. Police say 34-year-old Fidarigo Nieva met with a man in a Bridgeport parking lot Monday night. She allegedly gave him a gun, a mask and information about her former husband, who lives in Stamford. Police say she told the man she could pay him $5,000.
Nieva was arrested as she drove away from the meeting. She is charged with criminal attempt at murder, carrying a pistol without a permit and carrying a weapon in a motor vehicle. Authorities would not say how they learned about the murder contract. They did not identify the man Nieva was meeting with or say if he would face charges. Nieva was released on $500,000 bond and is due back in court May 18th. Police say Nieva has landed in jail in the past after fights with her ex-husband.
Prison term for old murder of Norwich man
(New London-AP)_ A Franklin man is going to prison for 40 years for killing his sister's boyfriend 14 years ago. The murder of 23-year-old John Avery of Norwich wasn't even discovered until a few years ago. James Darrow was convicted last month of murdering Avery, in May 1985. Avery died from a blow to the head. Avery's family had never reported him missing, assuming he had simply left town. Darrow lived in Maine for 12 years before he was arrested for murder in 1997. Darrow eventually led police to a swamp where Avery's remains were found. He told police he had found Avery robbing his home.
Darrow said he beat Avery, tied him up and then forced him to walk along railroad tracks to a swamp, where he knocked him into the water with a tree branch.
Wild Card being dumped
(New Britain-AP)_ State lottery officials are dumping the Wild Card Lotto game and bringing back the old Lotto game. The Wild Card Lotto was introduced over the summer, but will disappear by late this month. Sales have not been good and lottery players apparently want the old game back. Monthly sales dropped from $6 million dollars to $4 million after the Wild Card game was started. Then the lotto game went six months with a jackpot winner. The old game will be dusted off and renamed Classic Lotto.
Megan's Law Real Estate bill passes
(Hartford-AP) _ Representatives today passed a bill which would exempt real estate agents from telling homebuyers if any sex offenders live in the neighborhood. Agents are not required to disclose that information now, but the bill intends to protect them from any liability. Although the bill passed with no opposition, Representative Michael Lawlor warned against making laws that exempt too many people from reporting the whereabouts of sex offenders.
The East Haven Democrat says if too many people are exempted, the purpose of notification gets watered down. The bill now moves to the Senate.
House passes bail bond reporting bill
(Hartford-AP) _ Representatives this afternoon passed a bill meant to make it harder for criminals to post high bails. The bill, which passed 149-0, would require court clerks to report whenever a cash bail in excess of $10,000 is posted by anyone other than a bail bondsman. That report would be subject to federal investigation. The bill now moves on to the Senate.
Bill on wrongful death lawsuits heads to Governor
(Hartford-AP) _ The state Senate is trying to help the family of a New Britain teenager who was murdered. A bill passing unanimously today would end the statute of limitations on wrongful death lawsuits. It also would apply retroactively, so that a family that had not sued a killer because the deadline had passed now could do so. The situation came to light in the case of Patricia Urbanski, a 15-year-old babysitter who was raped and killed. Kevin King was convicted in her death and is serving life in prison. The family did not bring a wrongful death lawsuit because King had no money. But later, he won a $2 million court judgment in a prison brutality case. The bill already passed the House. It now goes to the governor.
Polish Day celebrated at Capitol
(Hartford-WTNH) _ Hundreds of Polish-Americans, wearing red, descended on the state capitol Wednesday for a special celebration. Polish-American Day commemorates the 208th anniversary of the Polish constitution, and the continuing memory of the late state representative Stanley Krawiec of New Britain. The celebration was capped off with kielbasa, perogis and other polish delicacies.
Base dedicates new barracks
(Groton-WTNH) _ Some of the Navy's most junior sailors at the Groton base will soon have a new place to call home. They'll be moving into Bishop Hall, the most modern barracks on the base.
The $10 million facility, which was dedicated Wednesday, will be home to 160 single, enlisted sailors.
Each will have his own room with cable TV, kitchenette, carpeting, and other comforts.
Capt. Ray Lincoln, Navy Sub Base:
"We work them tremendously hard down on the waterfront and these are our most junior people who do the toughest jobs and to provide them with a respectable, decent place to live is important."
Bishop Hall is named in honor of late Navy hero Walter Bishop.
New exhibit opens at Aquarium
(WTNH) _ There's a new Alaskan Adventure in Mystic providing thrills for the aquarium's whales and visitors. It's the $9 million Alaskan Coast exhibit, which has been under construction for the last 18-months.
It's now home for the aquarium's three beluga whales who moved-in Tuesday.
Surrounded by rocky cliffs it's designed to look like a section of the Alaskan shoreline, the whales' natural habitat.
Tim Binder, Mystic Aquarium: "This is our first real exhibit that's an immersion exhibit, we've brought the visitors into the animals' environment, by taking the decor and habitat and bringing it into the visitors' space."
There's a state of the art 'life support' system for the new exhibit which keeps the water in the giant pool clean and safe.
It's the largest outdoor beluga whale exhibit in all of North America.
Anxiety screening
(WTNH) _
All of us have felt anxious or nervous about something, but some people live their whole lives feeling on edge. This is National Anxiety Screening Day, a chance to find out if you need help and how to get it.
Health Team 8's Susan Hiland reports.
|
