- Fans of all ages flocked to see the highly anticipated "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." In a Daily Voice poll asking how the new Star Wars movie will compare to previous films, top response was 'It will be good, but not as good as the original trilogy' with nearly 50 percent of the vote. But 25 percent said they don't plan to see it.
- State Rep. Terry Backer of Stratford, who grew up in Norwalk, died of complications from brain cancer. He was best known for his work as the Soundkeeper to improve Long Island Sound.
- A New Jersey man was charged with beating another man — who was with his wife — with a baseball bat in the parking lot of the Hyatt House Hotel in Shelton in an ongoing domestic dispute.
- Cynthia Tanner, 54, of Darien, pleaded guilty to embezzling nearly $800,000 from a veterans services organization where she worked.
- Federal gun charges were dropped against Bridgeport resident Kyle Navin, 27, who is charged with murder in the deaths of his parents, Jeffrey and Jeanette Navin of Easton. Friends and family gathered to celebrate the lives of the couple in a memorial service at the United Methodist Church of Westport-Weston.
- Several Fairfield residents are busy with new brewing ventures. Peter Cowles and his wife, Tara, are officially opening Aspetuck Brew Lab in Bridgeport’s Black Rock neighborhood. Robert Schulten and his business partner Neil Doocy are preparing to open Asylum Distillery in Bridgeport in 2016.
- Weston Superintendent Colleen Palmer has been named the finalist for the position of superintendent of Westport schools.
- A 30-year-old Norwalk man was charged with attacking his ex-girlfriend and holding her against her will during a home invasion in Stamford.
- Carlos Reinoso Jr., who has long been involved in working with at-risk youth, has been appointed to the Monroe Board of Education.
- The Rev. Dan Haugh, who joined Round Hill Community Church in Greenwich as pastor in August, wants to create a safe, nurturing place where young people “can come and feel as if they are part of a family.”
- Howard Lasser has brought new life to the Brookfield Craft Center, where he serves as executive director.
- The Bacon family, who lost their 6-year-old daughter Charlotte in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, has written two books on therapy dogs that helped get them through difficult times.
- An armed standoff in Southeast, N.Y., between police and a man who barricaded himself inside his home ended with his apparent suicide with a gun.
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