May 26 / 11:00 pm
Pedestrian killed by Metro North train
(Waterbury-AP) _ A Metro North train struck and killed a man Wednesday night, just a half-mile from the Waterbury station, a railroad spokesman said. The man was apparently walking on the tracks just after 9 p.m. when he was struck by a northbound train, said Dan Brucker, a Metro North spokesman.
 Here's more of the story.
Questions still unanswered in Fairfield train accident, Victim misidentified
 (Fairfield-WTNH) _ The lone survivor of the train accident that killed a mother and her three children was misidentified. The survivor is 10-year-old Jose Francisco Urgiles. He remains in a coma. He had been originally identified as 6-year old Angel Urgiles Toledo. Angel died in the accident.
Meantime the accident investigation reveals some new information about what happened on the tracks that night, but other questions remain unanswered.
News Channel 8's Ned Berkowitz reports.
Doctors: Survivor's death only a matter of time
(Bridgeport-WTNH) _ Doctors treating the 10-year-old boy who survived being hit by an Amtrak train say he will not survive. Jose Francisco Urgiles lost a leg, and suffered severe head injuries in Tuesday's accident on the train tracks in Fairfield. He is in a coma, and on life-support. Doctors say he will be kept on life support until he is declared brain-dead. At that time his organs will be harvested for transplant. Urgiles' mother and brothers died at the scene.
SNET reports phone problems
(WTNH) _ Are you having trouble making long distance calls?
Southern New England Telephone says there is a computer problem at its central office in New Haven.
Anyone from the greater New Haven area trying to call numbers beginning with a zero or a one may have trouble.
That includes 800 numbers and long distance numbers.
SNET says most calls are going through, so the best solution is to hang up and try again. Service should be fully restored later tonight.
Governor's Council Discusses Uses of Deadly Force by Police
(Rocky Hill-WTNH) _
'It's time to step into the shoes of cops'. That's among the first decisions made by the governor's so-called crime cabinet investigating the use of deadly force by police. The investigation was called by the governor following the fatal shooting by Hartford police of Aquan Salmon, a 14-year old mugging suspect.
Chief capitol correspondent Mark Davis reports.
Democrats: Budget negotiations get "difficult"
(Hartford-AP) _ Negotiations on the state budget are getting down to hard numbers. Senate President Kevin Sullivan says it's been a day of difficult bargaining, and accuses Republicans of stubbornly drawing lines in the sand rather than cooperating on working through their differences. But Governor Rowland says the Democrats want to spend too much money, including some political, pork-barrel items. A lot of debate is about how to avoid hitting the state spending cap. Both Democrats and Republicans say they want a budget to be under the cap, but Republicans say the budget needs to be about $100 million under. Democrats in turn are asking where the cuts would come from. Sullivan says he senses that the Republicans are looking to cut education, college aid and other things that affect kids.
Expanded nuisance law to be used to cleanup neighborhoods
(Hartford-WTNH) _ Getting rid of neighborhood nuisances is the goal of expanding a law currently on the books.
Many establishments would be affected by this attempt at crime control, including a strip club in Hartford. The crackdown includes a 'three-times and you're out' rule.
News Channel 8's Jayne Saffer reports.
Rep. Johnson's foster kids bill moving through house
(Washington-AP) _ Thousands of foster children who turn 18 would get job training, education benefits and counseling in how to live independently, under legislation approved Wednesday by the House Ways and Means Committee.
The bill, which has bipartisan support in Congress and is backed by President Clinton, would double current federal grants to states for foster programs to a total of $140 million a year to help former foster children make the transition into adulthood.
Here's more of the story.
Workers suspended as employee drug testing begins at Foxwoods
(Mashantucket-WTNH) _ The folks who run Foxwoods are going to great lengths to keep their employees clean and sober. The Mashantucket Pequots have just begun a new program at the casino that calls for random drug testing.
With about 12,000 employees there it's already having an effect.
News Channel 8's Peter Standring reports from our southeastern newsroom at The Day.
Waterbury development announced
(WTNH) _ A $50 million development plan is underway in Waterbury.
Planners broke ground for the North Square gateway project Wednesday.
The project begins in the North Square neighborhood and reaches to the central downtown district. It's designed to add jobs along with boosting community service.
Mayor Philip Giordano, Waterbury: "It's about neighborhoods. It's about putting your faith and your stock back in your neighborhoods."
The project is the final phase of a 15-year revitalization plan for Waterbury's north end.
Refugee family arrives in Connecticut
(WTNH) _ A group of Kosovar refugees have been reunited with family members in Fairfield. It's anew beginning for one family who fled after the atrocities in their home country.
News Channel 8's Judy Chong reports.
Authorities Arrest 28 In Tri-State Drug Ring Bust
(Norwalk-AP) _ 28 people have been arrested on charges of operating a drug distribution ring in southeastern Connecticut. The 28, which include four men from New York and New Jersey, were arrested Tuesday after a raid conducted by more than two hundred law enforcement officers. Investigators from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency and state and local police executed four federal search warrants in Norwalk and Trumbull early this morning. They found about $50,000 in cash, eight firearms, a large cache of ammunition, drugs including cocaine and marijuana, and drug-making paraphernalia. All are being held for arraignment later this week.
Man Charged With Flashing Pellet Gun
(Danielson-AP)_ A Danielson man has been charged after police say he flashed a gun at high school baseball players. Frank Butash was arrested on a charge of breach of peace after he got upset that balls had hit his home.
Police says Butash exchanged angry words with a coach during a junior varsity game at Killingly High School after foul balls struck his house and truck. Police say Butash had the pellet gun stuck in the waistband of his pants as he walked his dog along the fence. The game against Plainfield High School was cut short by the incident.
Power Company's Report On Pollution Criticized
(Berlin-AP)_ Critics say that Northeast Utilities has not been completely above board on a report it has filed on its environmental, safety and ethics performance. In its report, NU has tallied pollutants produced from the electricity it generated and purchased, but does not include the amount of waste produced at plants that have been shut down.
Here's more on the report
State Kids to Benefit From Toys 'R Us Settlement
(Hartford-AP) _ The nationwide anti-trust settlement with Toys 'R US will mean something more than just some stocking stuffers for Connecticut kids.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says the settlement will translate into nearly $556,000 in toys and educational materials for needy children over a three year period. The toys will be distributed by the Marine Corps' Toys For Tots campaign. Blumenthal says the cash portion of the settlement, which totals nearly $159,000, will be used to buy educational toys and books that Toys For Tots will also distribute. The lawsuit stemmed from allegations that Toys R' Us pressured toymakers Mattel and Little Tikes to stop them from selling their most popular toys to discounters and warehouse clubs.
Does 'cellulite pill' really work?
(WTNH) _ Can a pill get rid of cellulite? Cellasene claims to get rid of cellulite. Now the Italian company says it has scientific proof for trimming the fat.
Health Team 8's Susan Hiland reports.
Mural commemorates watershed
(WTNH) _ The West River watershed has come to life thanks to some artistic students.
 About 100 third and fourth graders from Barnard Elementary School in New Haven and the Forest School in West Haven painted a giant colorful mural that covers the hallways and walls of Barnard Elementary. A documentary about the mural project will air on our sister station, WBNE-59 on May 30 at 10:30 pm.
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