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3K Foreign Contraband Cigarettes Seized, Destroyed By USPS In CT, Other States: Officials 3K Foreign Contraband Cigarettes Seized, Destroyed By USPS In CT, Other States: Officials
3K Foreign Contraband Cigarettes Seized, Destroyed By USPS In CT, Other States: Officials Around 3,000 packages of foreign contraband cigarettes bound for Connecticut, New York, and other states have been found and destroyed by the US Postal Service since the beginning of the year, officials said.  According to Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, the seizures were a result of a settlement between the USPS and several states in August 2022 that forced the Postal Service to destroy untaxed foreign cigarettes instead of returning the illegally-mailed packages back to the sender.  Of the 3,000 cigarette packages destroyed since the beginning of 2023, 44 had bee…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Effort To Aid Ukraine Has Powerful Point Person In Redding Effort To Aid Ukraine Has Powerful Point Person In Redding
Effort To Aid Ukraine Has Powerful Point Person In Redding Facebook gets a lot of blame for various societal ills, but the social media network has been forefront and indispensable to Ulyana Bolgachenko and thousands—if not millions—of Ukrainians. On Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, everything changed for Bolgachenko, who came to the United States 22 years ago. She awoke that morning to news of Russia’s attack on Ukraine. “That day, we were all on our phones just watching Telegram (a social media platform) and following every explosion,” said the Redding resident. “I decided I had to do something.” That something was sending anything that could help the…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
News
'I Was Willing To Die There': RFK Grandson Conor Kennedy Joins Fight In Ukraine 'I Was Willing To Die There': RFK Grandson Conor Kennedy Joins Fight In Ukraine
'I Was Willing To Die There': RFK Grandson Conor Kennedy Joins Fight In Ukraine Robert F. Kennedy’s grandson, New York native Conor Kennedy spent time fighting in Ukraine, the 28-year-old revealed on Instagram. In the Friday, Oct. 14 post, Kennedy, a former resident of Bedford in Northern Westchester County, revealed that he secretly fought as part of Ukraine’s International Legion, a branch of foreign volunteers from around the world helping in the country’s ongoing war against Russia. Accompanying the post is a picture of a fellow fighter, whom Kennedy identified only as Nick. “Like many people, I was deeply moved by what I saw happening in Ukraine over the past ye…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
These US States Most At Risk For Blackouts This Summer, New Report Says These US States Most At Risk For Blackouts This Summer, New Report Says
These US States Most At Risk For Blackouts This Summer, New Report Says As temperatures climb, attention is turning toward the nation’s power grids and whether they can handle the added demand this summer. Though the Northeast should fare well, much of the US is facing an elevated risk of power blackouts between June and September, according to a report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). The risk assessment found that the entire western half of the US is in the “elevated” risk category, meaning the potential for insufficient operating reserves in above-normal conditions. Regulators said a number of factors could disrupt the power…

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by Michael Mashburn
Lifestyle
Popular CT Bar Changes Name To Support Ukraine Popular CT Bar Changes Name To Support Ukraine
Popular CT Bar Changes Name To Support Ukraine A Connecticut bar has changed its name to show support for Ukraine. The owners of The Russian Lady in Hartford announced in April that they have changed the bar's name to The Ukrainian Lady. The bar, located at 191 Ann Uccello St., announced a celebration of the name change for the night of Thursday, April 21. The owners previously expressed support of Ukraine in a Facebook post on Wednesday, March 9. "The Russian Lady, despite the name, embodies the vigilant pursuit of freedom, individual liberty and democracy," the post reads. "Founded in such ideals, The Russian Lady stands firmly…

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by Nicole Valinote
Business
CT Gas Prices Hit All-Time High; Here's What You Can Do To Save Fuel, Money CT Gas Prices Hit All-Time High; Here's What You Can Do To Save Fuel, Money
CT Gas Prices Hit All-Time High; Here's What You Can Do To Save Fuel, Money Connecticut continues to contend with the crisis in Ukraine as gas prices have hit a new record high amid the invasion by Russia, according to AAA. As of Wednesday, March 9 - the day after President Joe Biden announced he would no longer be accepting Russian oil - the average price per gallon in Connecticut rose to $4.41, eclipsing the previous record of $4.39 that was set on July 9, 2008. In the past 24 hours, the average price rose six cents in Connecticut, while gas costs 42 cents more than a week ago and is up from $3.60 a gallon a month ago. One year ago, on March 9, 2021, the averag…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Here's Breakdown By County On How Much Gas Prices Have Increased In CT Since Last Week Here's Breakdown By County On How Much Gas Prices Have Increased In CT Since Last Week
Here's Breakdown By County On How Much Gas Prices Have Increased In CT Since Last Week The ongoing conflict overseas between Ukraine and Russia has forced gas prices in Connecticut to dramatically spike to previously unseen highs. As of Monday, March 7, the average price of gas is up to $4.28 per gallon in Connecticut, according to AAA, ahead of the national average, which has risen to $4.07 as crude oil prices continue to soar during the Russian invasion. In Connecticut, the average price per gallon is up six cents in the past 24 hours, and 56 cents in the past week. The state average has not been this high since May 2012, according to AAA. The national average is also the…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Russia Bans College In Region It Calls 'Undesirable,' Report Says Russia Bans College In Region It Calls 'Undesirable,' Report Says
Russia Bans College In Region It Calls 'Undesirable,' Report Says Russia has prohibited academic ties with a college in New York, naming it an "undesirable nongovernmental organization." On Friday, Aug. 6, the Albany Times Union reported that activities at Bard College, located in Dutchess County, in Annandale-on-Hudson, were deemed "undesirable" by the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation in June. Russia did not cite a specific reason for the designation, but hundreds of millions of dollars in charitable gifts given to the college by Hungarian-born American billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros were cited by…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
Ransomware Group That Collected Millions From Meat Supplier Threatens Hundreds Of New Targets Ransomware Group That Collected Millions From Meat Supplier Threatens Hundreds Of New Targets
Ransomware Group That Collected Millions From Meat Supplier Threatens Hundreds Of New Targets A new ransomware attack linked to a Russian group that collected $11 million from a major meat supplier has reportedly paralyzed the networks of dozens of companies in the United States. The attack by the group known as REvil was focused on Kaseya VSA, a United States software company used by hundreds of tech-service providers and large companies. Kaseya said on Friday, July 2 that it's investigating what a cybersecurity expert said is a ransomware attack similar to the previous one attributed to the Russian hackers. The company said it shut down some of its servers and urged cus…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: CDC Issues New Travel Guidance For Americans COVID-19: CDC Issues New Travel Guidance For Americans
Covid-19: CDC Issues New Travel Guidance For Americans The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has issued new COVID-19 travel guidance for Americans. The guidance "better differentiate countries with severe outbreak situations" from those where the virus is "sustained, but controlled." The CDC has grouped countries into four levels, with those in Level 4, the highest threat level. In those countries, there have been 500 cases for every 100,000 residents in the last 28 days. Brazil and India are among the Level 4 countries. The CDC is advising Americans to avoid traveling to Level 4 countries. Those in Level 3, with a high…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
'That #$@&%*! Lunatic': New Book Reveals Obama's Real Thoughts On Trump 'That #$@&%*! Lunatic': New Book Reveals Obama's Real Thoughts On Trump
'That #$@&%*! Lunatic': New Book Reveals Obama's Real Thoughts On Trump Former President Barack Obama didn’t mince words about the man who succeeded him in the Oval Office according to a soon-to-be-released book. Obama called former President Donald Trump “a corrupt (expletive deleted)” a “mad man,” “that (expletive deleted) lunatic,” and a “racist, sexist pig,” among other things, according to reports citing author Edward-Isaac Dovere’s book “Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats’ Campaigns to Defeat Trump.” The book, which is scheduled to be published on Tuesday, May 25 by the Atlantic author, was first obtained by The Guardian. “He’s a madman,” Dover…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Lockdowns Reduced Pollution, Raised Global Temperature, New Research Reveals COVID-19: Lockdowns Reduced Pollution, Raised Global Temperature, New Research Reveals
Covid-19: Lockdowns Reduced Pollution, Raised Global Temperature, New Research Reveals Worldwide economic and social lockdowns due to COVID-19 resulted in cleaner air, but a warmer planet overall, according to new research. The findings by the National Center for Atmospheric Research are a bit counterintuitive. Most people are taught that pollution in the air leads to higher temperatures - which is accurate, but there is more than that going on in the skies. Researchers said that their work highlights the influence of airborne particles or aerosols that block incoming sunlight. When emissions in aerosols dropped last spring, more of the sun’s warmth reached the planet, especi…

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by Kristin Palpini
Lifestyle
COVID-19: Will You Get A Coronavirus Vaccine? Here's Percentage Who Said Yes In New Survey COVID-19: Will You Get A Coronavirus Vaccine? Here's Percentage Who Said Yes In New Survey
Covid-19: Will You Get A Coronavirus Vaccine? Here's Percentage Who Said Yes In New Survey Based on a survey of 20,000 worldwide conducted by the World Economic Forum, about three-quarters of people say they would get a COVID-19 vaccine if one was available.  Among that 74 percent, 37 percent "strongly agree" that they will get a vaccine, while 37 percent somewhat agree.  In the United States, 67 percent of those polled would get an inoculation against COVID-19 if one were available. The most common concern amongst those who had trepidations about a vaccine were possible side effects.  Except for the U.S., all of the countries most willing to take a vaccine are t…

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by Christina Coulter
Politics
Trump Confidant, Norwalk Native Roger Stone Sentenced Trump Confidant, Norwalk Native Roger Stone Sentenced
Trump Confidant, Norwalk Native Roger Stone Sentenced Roger Stone, a Fairfield County native who graduated from high school in Northern Westchester and has been a longtime adviser and confidant of President Donald Trump, was sentenced to prison for lying to lawmakers investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and other charges. The 67-year-old Stone was indicted in January 2019 as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into whether Russia colluded with the Trump's presidential campaign. Stone was sentenced to 40 months (three years, four months) in prison by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Thursday, Feb.…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
Norwalk Native Roger Stone Found Guilty Of Witness Tampering, Other Charges Norwalk Native Roger Stone Found Guilty Of Witness Tampering, Other Charges
Norwalk Native Roger Stone Found Guilty Of Witness Tampering, Other Charges Roger Stone, a Fairfield County native who graduated from high school in Northern Westchester and has been a longtime adviser and confidant of President Donald Trump, was found guilty of lying to lawmakers investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and other charges. The 67-year-old Stone was indicted in January 2019 as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into whether Russia colluded with the Trump's presidential campaign. A jury of nine women and three men deliberated starting on Thursday, Nov. 14 before announcing on late Friday morning, Nov. 15 t…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Should 'Pay Price' For Damaging Democracy, Hillary Clinton Says Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Should 'Pay Price' For Damaging Democracy, Hillary Clinton Says
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Should 'Pay Price' For Damaging Democracy, Hillary Clinton Says Chappaqua resident Hillary Clinton is targeting Westchester native Mark Zuckerberg, saying he should “pay a price” for his company’s role in damaging democracy stateside and throughout the world. The former Secretary of State, First Lady and US Senator from New York, speaking at a screening of the Netflix documentary, “The Great Hack” spoke about the role Facebook and its data sharing with Cambridge Analytica helped spread misinformation to undermine her during her run at the Oval Office in 2016. Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook - a White Plains native who grew up in Dobbs Ferry who atte…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
'He’s Calling Bette Middler A Psycho': Murphy Steps Up Twitter Attacks On Trump 'He’s Calling Bette Middler A Psycho': Murphy Steps Up Twitter Attacks On Trump
'He’s Calling Bette Middler A Psycho': Murphy Steps Up Twitter Attacks On Trump U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy ramped up his Twitter attacks against Donald Trump during the president's trip to England. Among other tweets, the Connecticut Democrat echoed singer-actress Bette Midler and other Twitter followers in mocking Trump's ill-fitting tuxedo.  Midler, later conceding the tirade had degraded into a '"Battle of the Bulge," called Trump's formal wear a "PROPORTION FAIL!!" President Trump was mocked on Twitter for his bulging formal wear during a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. Trump attended the lavish event hosted by Queen Elizabeth II with First Lady Melania Trum…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
Barr Assigns US Attorney In Connecticut To Review Origins Of Russia Inquiry Barr Assigns US Attorney In Connecticut To Review Origins Of Russia Inquiry
Barr Assigns US Attorney In Connecticut To Review Origins Of Russia Inquiry United States Attorney General William Barr has appointed John Durham, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, to review the origins of the Russia investigation into interference in the 2016 presidential election and the FBI’s surveillance activities. Durham has been assigned to conduct the inquiry into allegations of misconduct and improper surveillance of President Donald Trump’s campaign during the 2016 election. The concerns were first raised in congressional testimony following the release of Robert Mueller’s report on the Russia probe. "I am not saying that improper survei…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Michael Cohen Starts Sentence At Prison Described As 'Castle Behind Bars' Michael Cohen Starts Sentence At Prison Described As 'Castle Behind Bars'
Michael Cohen Starts Sentence At Prison Described As 'Castle Behind Bars' Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and so-called "fixer" for President Donald Trump, will be reporting to a facility on Monday, May 6 once named by Forbes as one of the "10 cushiest prisons" in America. The 52-year-old Cohen was sentenced in December, 2018 to three years after he admitted to lying to Congress about Trump’s business dealings in Russia, breaking campaign finance laws on behalf of Trump and evading $1.4 million in taxes related to his personal businesses.  The Otisville Federal Correctional Institution, where Cohen will begin his sentence, is located in O…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
Hillary Clinton Urges Dems Not To Rush To Impeach Trump, Saying 'This Is Personal For Me' Hillary Clinton Urges Dems Not To Rush To Impeach Trump, Saying 'This Is Personal For Me'
Hillary Clinton Urges Dems Not To Rush To Impeach Trump, Saying 'This Is Personal For Me' Northern Westchester resident Hillary Clinton is urging Democrats to proceed with caution when it comes to the potential of impeaching president Donald Trump following the long-awaited release of the Mueller Report. In an op-ed for the Washington Post, the former Secretary of State said that “our election was corrupted our democracy assaulted, our sovereignty and security violated. This is the definitive conclusion of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s report. It documents a serious crime against the American people.” However, Clinton, who lives in Chappaqua, went on to say that D…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Hillary Clinton On 2020 Run: ‘Look, I'm Not Closing The Doors To This' Hillary Clinton On 2020 Run: ‘Look, I'm Not Closing The Doors To This'
Hillary Clinton On 2020 Run: ‘Look, I'm Not Closing The Doors To This' Is the third time the charm? Following two failed attempts to make her way into the Oval Office, Chappaqua’s Hillary Clinton is reportedly mulling a third run at the White House. On Sunday, Jan. 27, CNN senior White House correspondent Jeff Zeleny said that Clinton has begun discussing a third potential presidential bid. Clinton previously ran against Barack Obama in 2008 and infamously lost to current President Donald Trump in 2016. “So Hillary Clinton is telling people that she's not closing the doors to the idea of running in 2020,” Zeleny said. “Let's just let that sink in. “I’m …

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Norwalk Native, Ex-Trump Adviser Roger Stone Arrested In Russia Probe Norwalk Native, Ex-Trump Adviser Roger Stone Arrested In Russia Probe
Norwalk Native, Ex-Trump Adviser Roger Stone Arrested In Russia Probe Roger Stone, an area native and former adviser and longtime confidant of President Donald Trump, was arrested in Florida early Friday morning, Jan. 25 on a seven-count indictment of witness tampering, obstruction, giving false statements and other crimes. The charges against Stone, who was born in Norwalk and grew up in Northern Westchester, were unsealed in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The grand jury indictment details allegations that the 66-year-old Stone was an intermediary between…

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by Joe Lombardi
Politics
Michael Cohen Sentenced To Prison Described As 'Castle Behind Bars' Michael Cohen Sentenced To Prison Described As 'Castle Behind Bars'
Michael Cohen Sentenced To Prison Described As 'Castle Behind Bars' Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and so-called "fixer" for President Donald Trump, is headed to a facility in the Hudson Valley once named by Forbes as one of the "10 cushiest prisons" in America. The 52-year-old Cohen was sentenced earlier this week to three years after he admitted to lying to Congress about Trump’s business dealings in Russia, breaking campaign finance laws on behalf of Trump and evading $1.4 million in taxes related to his personal businesses.  The Otisville Federal Correctional Institution, where Cohen will begin his sentence in March, is located…

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by Joe Lombardi
Lifestyle
Greenwich's Hope Hicks' Job At Fox Will Pay 10 Times What She Earned At White House Greenwich's Hope Hicks' Job At Fox Will Pay 10 Times What She Earned At White House
Greenwich's Hope Hicks' Job At Fox Will Pay 10 Times What She Earned At White House Hope Hicks has hit the big time -- again and again. This time, Hicks no longer needs President Donald Trump to support her communications career. The 2006 graduate of Greenwich High School, where she was a standout athlete, has landed a new top-level management job at Fox that will pay her at least 10 times what Hicks was making at the White House -- without the unending distractions of a special counsel probe, according to multiple media reports. But does this also spell bad news for the ongoing investigation of the Trump Administration and Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 presidenti…

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by Jon Craig
Politics
Trump Family's Biggest Legal Threat From SDNY Prosecutors, Not Mueller, Experts Say Trump Family's Biggest Legal Threat From SDNY Prosecutors, Not Mueller, Experts Say
Trump Family's Biggest Legal Threat From Sdny Prosecutors, Not Mueller, Experts Say Prosecutors from the Southern District of New York are set to take the Trump organization to task for various offenses, according to legal experts and multiple reports. In the past week, the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) has accepted a guilty plea from President Donald Trump's former longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen, and offered an immunity deal to Allen Weisselberg, chief financial officer of The Trump Organization. According to Bloomberg, Weisselberg, “will likely be required to provide information on all criminal activity he kn…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Greenwich Native, Ex-White House Comms Director Hope Hicks Spotted Boarding Air Force One Greenwich Native, Ex-White House Comms Director Hope Hicks Spotted Boarding Air Force One
Greenwich Native, Ex-White House Comms Director Hope Hicks Spotted Boarding Air Force One Former White House communications director Hope Hicks, a 2006 graduate of Greenwich High School, was spotted boarding Air Force One at a New Jersey airport on Saturday ahead of President Donald Trump's departure for a campaign rally in central Ohio. Hicks, who was one of the President's longest-serving aides during the presidential campaign and in the White House, boarded the plane at the Morristown, NJ, airport, which is near the Trump Bedminster resort where the President was staying, according to multiple news reports including CNN. Hicks resigned from her White House role on Feb. 28, as…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Sandy Hook Man Sentenced For Burglarizing Home, Fleeing To Russia Sandy Hook Man Sentenced For Burglarizing Home, Fleeing To Russia
Sandy Hook Man Sentenced For Burglarizing Home, Fleeing To Russia A Fairfield County man who fled the country to Russia in an attempt to avoid a burglary charge dating back to an incident in Putnam County in 2014 has been sentenced. Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy announced on Wednesday that Sandy Hook resident Anthony Magliocco, 29, has been sentenced to 14 years in state prison after being convicted of first-degree burglary and an additional one to four years for second-degree bail jumping after he broke into a family member’s home in Southeast and menaced his family. Tendy said that on Aug. 28, 2014, Magliocco arrived unannounced at his vi…

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by Zak Failla
News
Warning From Homeland Security, FBI: Russia Wants To Hack Your ISP Router Warning From Homeland Security, FBI: Russia Wants To Hack Your ISP Router
Warning From Homeland Security, FBI: Russia Wants To Hack Your ISP Router With the entire world watching what turn the international Russian conflict takes next, federal officials are warning area residents that a cyber strike could be the newest threat as hackers target routers and other network devices. The Department of Homeland Security, FBI and United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre issued a joint Technical Alert on the “worldwide cyber exploitation of network infrastructure devices (such as a) router, switch, firewall, Network-based Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) devices by Russian state-sponsored cyber actors.” Officials said that targets are p…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Ex-Fairfield County Resident James Comey Compares Trump To A Mob Boss Ex-Fairfield County Resident James Comey Compares Trump To A Mob Boss
Ex-Fairfield County Resident James Comey Compares Trump To A Mob Boss Westchester County native, former Fairfield County resident and ex-FBI Director James Comey compares the man who fired him, President Donald Trump, to a “mob boss” in an ABC promo for an upcoming interview with George Stephanopoulos. In his first public interview since being dismissed by Trump in May 2017, Comey will allegedly “shock the president and his team,” during the one-hour “20/20” special, which will air at 10 p.m. on Sunday, according to an Axios report, citing a source present at the taping. According to the report, the interview “will generate headlines and ‘certainly add more m…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Sandy Hook Man Convicted Of Burglarizing Home, Fleeing To Russia Sandy Hook Man Convicted Of Burglarizing Home, Fleeing To Russia
Sandy Hook Man Convicted Of Burglarizing Home, Fleeing To Russia A Fairfield County man who fled the country to Russia in an attempt to avoid a burglary charge has been convicted on multiple charges dating back to an incident in Putnam County in 2014. Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy announced this week that Sandy Hook resident Anthony Magliocco, 29, was found guilty at trial of first-degree burglary and bail jumping after he broke into a family member’s home in Southeast and menaced his female victim. Tendy said that on Aug. 28, 2014, Magliocco arrived unannounced at his victim’s home, entering without warning and attacking his victim, stati…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Greenwich's Hope Hicks To Resign From White House Post Greenwich's Hope Hicks To Resign From White House Post
Greenwich's Hope Hicks To Resign From White House Post A day after testifying that she told “white lies” for President Donald Trump in front of the House Intelligence Committee over Russian meddling in the 2016 election, White House Communications Director Hope Hicks has resigned from her position in a major surprise. The 29-year-old Greenwich native provided private testimony for nearly 10 hours on Tuesday, where she reportedly discussed her time on the campaign trail with Trump, though she declined to answer questions about other figures involved in the campaign or the current White House. On Wednesday, Hicks, one of the president’s longest-s…

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by Zak Failla