May 19 / 11:15 pm
One dead, Eleven injured in explosion at package store
(Danbury-WTNH) _ One person was killed and 11 others were injured in an explosion in Danbury.
 The explosion happened at a liquor store Wildman Street near Route 6 around 5:00 pm. 10 people were treated for injuries at Danbury Hospital, and hospital officials say 5 of them will be admitted at least overnight. The liquor store occupies the lower half of the building, and apartments are on the upper floors.
 News Channel 8's Kristen Cusato reports.
The explosion knocked out Metro North rail service in the Danbury area for about three hours. Service is now running again. Northeast utilities says more than 1,000 customers, including Danbury Hospital, lost power because of the explosion.
New investigation underway into murder case
(New Haven-WTNH) _ A big development Wednesday in the murder investigation of 2 new haven men trying to prove they were framed.
An investigation is now underway looking into whether a corrupt former police detective set-up Scott Lewis and Stefan Morant. The two men are are serving 120 year sentences for the 1990 shooting deaths of former alderman Ricardo Turner, and his friend Lamont Field. Detective Vincent Raucci left the New Haven Police Department in 1996, and has since skipped town on unrelated larceny charges.
News Channel 8's Judy Chong reports.
Mayor, Chamber president want both mall and downtown development
(New Haven-WTNH) _ The company fighting the proposed Long Wharf mall in New Haven says it's ready to pay big to squash it.
Westfield America claims it's ready to spend up to $50 million to strengthen downtown, but only if the mall is not built.
Westfield owns the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, Trumbull Shopping Park, Meriden Square and Enfield Square malls. New Haven's mayor and the president of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce wants to have it both ways.
News Channel 8's Christina Hager has the latest.
Long Wharf mall opponents step-up efforts to block project
(WTNH) _ With just three weeks remaining in the general assembly session, mall opponents are turning up the heat. A saturation TV ad campaign, funded mostly by the owner of the malls in Milford, Trumbull and Meriden, is attempting to rachet up public reaction, and put pressure on legislators.
Chief capitol correspondent Mark Davis reports.
Pill Bill approved, Partial-birth abortion ban defeated
(Hartford-WTNH) _ The 'pill bill' is on the way to the governor.
The state senate passed the bill 32-3 Wednesday evening. It will require insurance companies to pay for prescription birth control. The pill bill passed the house of representatives last week, and Governor John Rowland is expected to sign it.
Earlier the senate has followed the house of representatives in voting down a proposed ban on partial-birth abortions. The vote was 26 'No' to 10 'Yes'.
Lake bill changed
 (WTNH) _ The Connecticut house of representatives has passed an amended version of that lake legislation we told you about Tuesday night. It strips a provision that would have allowed abutting towns to dictate the activities at a lake. Some campers are concerned the bill is aimed at keeping boats out of Lake Wararmaug. The amended bill must now go back to the senate.
House passes bill to bar use of Internet to lure children into sex
(Hartford-AP) _ The state House of Representatives passes a bill to crack down on adults who use the Internet or e-mail to lure children into sex. The bill would make it clear that this kind of activity is a crime. First-time offenders would be punished with a year in jail or a $1,000 fine. Repeat offenders could receive as much as ten years in prison and $10,000 fines.
Any actual sexual assault of a child already is illegal under state law. The bill passed the House on a vote of 142-1. It already passed the Senate and now goes to the governor.
House approves bills to give consumers more power
(Hartford-AP) _ Consumers would get more rights under a bill passed by the state House of Representatives. One part of the bill would require stores that use barcodes to scan in prices to display the price of each scanned item on a screen the consumer can see. The bill is meant to help consumers who buy something on sale, only to find out after they get home that they were charged full price. Representative Jim Abrams of Meriden says the bill would allow consumers to detect and fix any pricing errors on the spot. Opponents say the bill would cost small retailers money and would hurt small businesses. Another part of the bill requires retailers to offer returns or exchanges on demand, if the return or exchange is done according to the store's policy. The bill is meant to help consumers who've been told they cannot exchange merchandise until they want to buy something else at the store. The bill passed 92-51 and was sent to the Senate.
Coast Guard intercepting more drugs than ever before, says drug czar
(New London-AP) _ If the first seven months of the fiscal year are any indication, the US Coast Guard will seize more drugs, money, and vessels on the high seas than ever before. That from White House drug policy chief Barry McCaffrey, who spoke today to the 135 graduates of the US Coast Guard Academy.
McCaffrey says that officers so far have made 189 arrests and seized $1.7 billion in drug money. They also have intercepted 50 trafficking vessels, more than 52,000 pounds of marijuana and 43,000 pounds of cocaine.
He says the burden of addressing the threat of drugs is falling more and more on the Coast Guard.
Group prepares for arrival of Kosovo Refugees
(WTNH) _ NATO attacks continued in parts of Yugoslavia. Reports indicate NATO missiles hit a number of targets in Kosovo and Serbia.
Meantime, Albanian refugees continue their fight to survive in that country. Here in Connecticut, preparations are underway to house refugees already taking shelter in America.
News Channel 8's Jocelyn Sigue reports.
Bank merger means sale of hundreds of branches
(Boston-AP) _ 33 BankBoston offices in Connecticut are being sold as part of the merger of Fleet and BankBoston. The two banks plan to sell 292 branches throughout New England to comply with federal antitrust requirements in closing their $16 billion merger. More than 195 of the branches are in Massachusetts. None of the BankBoston branches in Massachusetts will be sold, but 33 in Connecticut and 46 in Rhode Island will be divested. The new entity created from the merger between Fleet and BankBoston, which was announced in March. The plans call for the branches to be sold in three lots allowing for one buyer.
Fired vo-tech official faces criminal charges
(Danielson-AP) _ A former Danielson vocational school official is facing criminal charges over a controversy involving the use of student to help build a relative's home. Richard Mailloux was fired earlier this month a business manger of the Ellis Regional Vocational Technical School. School officials say he allowed students to help build a home for one of his relatives, forged documents and hiring several family members without properly advertising the positions. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has outlined how the vo-tech students did masonry and electrical work on a two-story home in Brooklyn for Jason Provost, the nephew of Mailloux and son of school custodian Leo Provost.
Eavesdropping charges dropped against Hartford firefighter
(Hartford-AP) _ Prosecutors have dropped an eavesdropping charge against a Hartford firefighter. James McLoughlin had been accused of secretly, electronically listening in on private firehouse telephone conversations in 1997. McLoughlin had been mentioned by police as one of three people suspected of taping and disclosing phone conversations in which former Assistant Fire Chief Billy Smith made racist, sexist and anti-gay remarks. However, McLoughlin has never been charged in the Smith case. Transcripts of the Smith phone call were distributed to the media anonymously. McLoughlin had been suspended after his arrest but was later reinstated after an arbitration fight.
Connecticut company testing potential cold cure
(Ridgefield-WTNH) _ Researchers may be one step closer in their search for a cure for the common cold. It's a remedy made right here in Connecticut, and it significantly reduces symptoms like sneezing and wheezing.
Health Team 8's Susan Hiland reports.
Fast food restaurant to be cyber-cafe
(Hartford-AP) _ Would you like Internet access with that burger and fries?
Fast food giant Burger King is opening a new franchise in Hartford with a high-tech twist. Along with the Whoppers, the downtown store will offer customers the World Wide Web.
Here's the full story.
|
