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Beloved Bridgeport Fire Marshal Dies Suddenly Beloved Bridgeport Fire Marshal Dies Suddenly
Beloved Bridgeport Fire Marshal Dies Suddenly A much beloved Fairfield County fire marshal has died suddenly, just a year before he planned to retire. Bridgeport Fire Marshal Alberto Hernandez, age 63, of Bridgeport, died on Monday, April 22.  “I want to extend my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Alberto Hernandez," said Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim. "We are all very grateful to have lived in a community where we could be under Hernandez’s protection as a Fire Marshal for the City of Bridgeport. He was a widely loved member of our community, and he will truly be missed by all who knew him." City officials said Herna…

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by Kathy Reakes
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New Haven Pharmacy Filled Illegitimate Prescriptions For Controlled Substances: Feds New Haven Pharmacy Filled Illegitimate Prescriptions For Controlled Substances: Feds
New Haven Pharmacy Filled Illegitimate Prescriptions For Controlled Substances: Feds A Connecticut pharmacy business and its owner have paid $120,000 as part of a settlement after issuing illegitimate prescriptions for controlled substances to people displaying red flags of addiction, federal officials announced.  Cornerstone Pharmacy, Inc., which did business in New Haven as Whalley Drug, and its owner, Yong Kwon, entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal government to resolve allegations that they violated the Controlled Substances Act, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced on Monday, April 22.  According to fed…

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by Ben Crnic
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CT Gas Prices Jump 20 Cents In Week: Here Are Most Expensive Areas CT Gas Prices Jump 20 Cents In Week: Here Are Most Expensive Areas
CT Gas Prices Jump 20 Cents In Week: Here Are Most Expensive Areas Thanks to a switch to summer blend fuel, the price of a gallon of gas in Connecticut has surged rapidly over a week. A gallon of self-service regular gas in Connecticut is currently averaging $3.70, up 20 cents from the week before, AAA Northeast officials said on Monday, April 22.  The new average is also 28 cents more expensive than prices in March, officials added, attributing the rapid rise to a switchover to summer blend fuel.  Here are the current average prices of a regular gallon of gas in Connecticut's six largest metropolitan regions, according to AAA: Greater Bridgep…

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by Ben Crnic
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Medicaid Fraud Scheme: CT Man Sentenced For Stealing $900K Medicaid Fraud Scheme: CT Man Sentenced For Stealing $900K
Medicaid Fraud Scheme: CT Man Sentenced For Stealing $900K A Connecticut man who posed as a counselor was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay back more than $900,000 after pleading no contest to a large Medicaid fraud scheme.  Hartford County resident Ramon Apellaniz, 39, of East Hartford, will serve 15 months in prison for submitting thousands of fraudulent claims to Medicaid for services provided by unlicensed personnel and services not provided, as well as for stealing the identity of a licensed professional to submit the fraudulent claims.  Apellaniz, who has paid $156,000 in restitution, was also ordered to repay with the remainin…

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by Kathy Reakes
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Fairfield County Man Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In NY Fairfield County Man Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In NY
Fairfield County Man Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In NY The identity has been released of a man who was killed after being struck by a Metro-North train in the Hudson Valley.  The incident happened on the railroad's Harlem Line in Dutchess County at around 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, at the Appalachian Trail station in Pawling, according to the MTA. On Sunday morning, April 21, MTA Deputy Communications Director Aaron Donovan identified the man who was struck as being from Connecticut: Fairfield County resident James Hare, age 62, of Newtown. Original report - Person Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train In Hudson Valle…

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by Joe Lombardi
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'420 Day' Brings Warning From CT Officials About Driving High '420 Day' Brings Warning From CT Officials About Driving High
'420 Day' Brings Warning From CT Officials About Driving High The day of April 20 might not mean much to the average Joe, but for marijuana fans, it's a day to celebrate and, well, get high.  The term 420 refers to 4:20 p.m., or the end of the work or school day, and time to smoke some pot to relax and kick back.  When April 20 -- 4/20 -- rolls around, it's a whole day to celebrate. Although pot is legal in Connecticut, officials with the state Department of Transportation (CTDOT) are joining state and local law enforcement agencies to remind the public about the dangers of driving impaired.  "April 20 is often rec…

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by Kathy Reakes
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New Update: ID Released For Man Who Set Self On Fire Outside Trump Trial In NY Court New Update: ID Released For Man Who Set Self On Fire Outside Trump Trial In NY Court
New Update: ID Released For Man Who Set Self On Fire Outside Trump Trial In NY Court This story has been updated. A man survived after lighting himself on fire just steps away from the Manhattan courthouse where former President Trump’s alleged hush money trial was underway. The incident, which was broadcast live to a national audience on CNN, happened at around 1:40 p.m. Friday, April 19, right outside the New York Supreme Court near Foley Square. NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said the man walked into the park before reaching into a backpack and throwing several pamphlets onto the ground. He then doused himself with an accelerant and lit himself on fire. Flames could be s…

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by Michael Mashburn
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Take Action To Save Local News In Connecticut Take Action To Save Local News In Connecticut
Take Action To Save Local News In Connecticut As in the rest of the country, Connecticut-based news companies are facing difficult times as ad revenues (the typical source of income) fall. Local, ethnic and community news organizations find themselves competing with regional and national media conglomerates—which may not put their newsroom focus on local happenings—for advertising revenue. And with the loss of advertising dollars in an unbalanced industry, Connecticut news organizations are forced to close offices, decrease the scope of their reporting, and lose staff. An Act Concerning the Purchase of Print and Digital Advertising by t…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
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27-Year-Old Bridgeport Resident ID'd As Victim In Massachusetts Suspicious Death Investigation 27-Year-Old Bridgeport Resident ID'd As Victim In Massachusetts Suspicious Death Investigation
27-Year-Old Bridgeport Resident ID'd As Victim In Massachusetts Suspicious Death Investigation A 27-year-old Connecticut man has been identified as a victim of a suspicious death in Massachusetts after his body was found in a home with "apparent trauma." Fairfield County resident Brooks Hood, of Bridgeport, was found dead inside a Middlesex County home on Wednesday, April 10, on Fenwick Street in Framingham. Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said Hood was found after the Framingham Police Department received an anonymous 911 call.  On Thursday, April 18, Ryan said the case was referred to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, who would determine the cause and manner o…

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by Kathy Reakes
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$248K Scheme: Wilton Man Gets Prison Time For Selling Fake Paintings $248K Scheme: Wilton Man Gets Prison Time For Selling Fake Paintings
$248K Scheme: Wilton Man Gets Prison Time For Selling Fake Paintings A 29-year-old Connecticut man will spend more than a year in prison for selling hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of counterfeit paintings, federal officials said. Fairfield County resident Nicholas Hatch of Wilton was sentenced to 14 months in prison for selling counterfeit works of art purported to have been painted by artist Peter Max, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut announced on Wednesday, April 17. Earlier Report - $248K Scheme: Wilton Man Admits Selling 145 Fraudulent Paintings To Victims According to federal officials, Hatch had been the owner of N…

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by Ben Crnic
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Ford Recalls Over 450K Of Some Of Its Most Popular Models Over Safety Concerns Ford Recalls Over 450K Of Some Of Its Most Popular Models Over Safety Concerns
Ford Recalls Over 450K Of Some Of Its Most Popular Models Over Safety Concerns Ford announced that it would recall over 450,000 Bronco Sport SUVs and Maverick vehicles because of an issue with the battery that can cause the drive train to lose power and increase the likelihood of wrecks.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a report on Friday, April 12, saying sensors in the car could fail to notice a change in the battery's power. If the power drops too low, the vehicle could turn off or lose important components such as hazard lights if the car breaks down.  The Broncos were produced from February 2020 until March 2024. Ford Maveric…

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by Josh Lanier
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$3M Fraud: NY Theme Park Owner Stole COVID-19 Federal Aid $3M Fraud: NY Theme Park Owner Stole COVID-19 Federal Aid
$3M Fraud: NY Theme Park Owner Stole Covid-19 Federal Aid A man who owns a now-defunct Manhattan restaurant and a local theme park will spend time behind bars for stealing COVID-19 funds and putting it towards, among other things, a home in Nantucket. Long Island resident Donald Finley, age 61 of Locust Valley, faced his 24-month sentence on Tuesday, April 16, according to the United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York. Original Story - COVID-19: Bayville Adventure Park Owner Admits To Stealing $3.2M In Federal Aid Finley, who owns Bayville Adventure Park and used to own a now-shuttered Jekyll & Hyde-themed restaura…

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by Sophie Grieser