Daily Voice Readers’ Choice

Accepting Votes Now Through Friday, December 20th

Idina Menzel Had One Stipulation Before Agreeing To Showstopping 'Wicked' Cameo Idina Menzel Had One Stipulation Before Agreeing To Showstopping 'Wicked' Cameo
Idina Menzel Had One Stipulation Before Agreeing To Showstopping 'Wicked' Cameo Thank goodness it all worked out. While it may be true that no one mourns the wicked, fans certainly would have mourned the absence of New York native Idina Menzel had she not made her scene-stealing cameo in the spellbinding new “Wicked” movie. The musical fantasy film – a two-part adaptation of the Broadway stage musical that was loosely based on the 1995 novel – tells the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West from L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” Menzel, who grew on Long Island in Syosset, was the first actress to portray its protagonist, Elphaba, a role for which sh…
Fugitive Caught After Well-Being Check In CT Commuter Lot Fugitive Caught After Well-Being Check In CT Commuter Lot
Fugitive Caught After Well-Being Check In CT Commuter Lot A well-being check at a commuter lot in Connecticut led to the arrest of a woman wanted as a fugitive in Colorado. Troopers patrolling a commuter lot in Tolland County, along Route 44 in Bolton, around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, observed a vehicle with blankets covering the windows and a sunshade on the windshield.  Concerned for the occupant’s well-being, they made contact and spoke with a woman identified as Hartford County resident Cynthia Conant, age 26, of Newington, according to police. Conant, who told troopers she had been parked there since 8 p.m. Saturday, provided her C…
Speeding Woman Accused Of Drunk Driving After Route 7 Stop In Wilton: Police Speeding Woman Accused Of Drunk Driving After Route 7 Stop In Wilton: Police
Speeding Woman Accused Of Drunk Driving After Route 7 Stop In Wilton: Police A Fairfield County woman is facing charges after police say she was driving under the influence on a major roadway. The incident occurred in Wilton on Saturday, Nov. 23, when police stopped a 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 traveling north on Danbury Road (Route 7) just after 3 a.m. Officers reported the vehicle was speeding and having difficulty staying in its lane. According to Wilton Police, the driver, 38-year-old Jessica Melo, of Bethel, appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  Melo failed to meet the standards of a field sobriety test and was arrested for driving un…
Boat Fire Sends Up Smoke At CT Marina Boat Fire Sends Up Smoke At CT Marina
Boat Fire Sends Up Smoke At CT Marina Firefighters raced to a Connecticut marina after a blaze began inside a boat. The fire began in Middlesex County on Monday, Nov. 25 just before 12:30 p.m., when a boat was seen on fire at a marina in Old Saybrook, according to the Old Saybrook Fire Department. The boat had been on land while being stored for the off-season, firefighters said. The department's fireboat quickly responded to the scene and began fighting the blaze. A video of the incident was posted on the department's Facebook page.  At 12:20 the Old Saybrook Fire Dept was dispatched to a report of a boat on f…
Manhattan's Top Federal Prosecutor To Resign Before Trump Presidency Manhattan's Top Federal Prosecutor To Resign Before Trump Presidency
Manhattan's Top Federal Prosecutor To Resign Before Trump Presidency US Attorney Damian Williams, who has overseen high-profile cases in the Southern District of New York, has announced his resignation, a move that comes ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term and the expected nomination of his successor.  Williams’ resignation will take effect at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, according to a statement from his office on Monday, Nov. 25.  The resignation comes as President-elect Trump has announced plans to nominate Jay Clayton, a former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman under Trump’s first administration, to lead the of…
Man Found Dead Near Mall In Connecticut Man Found Dead Near Mall In Connecticut
Man Found Dead Near Mall In Connecticut A man was found dead in a secluded outdoor area near a Connecticut mall. Police in in New Haven County said the discovery occurred at about 2:25 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Brass Mill Center Mall in Waterbury.  Officers responding to reports of an unresponsive person located the body of the person in a remote area near the mall’s parking lot. The case is being treated as an untimely death.  Authorities are working with the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the official cause and manner of death. The identity of the person has not yet been release…
Danbury Couple Accused Of $1M Lululemon Theft Spree Across 5 States, Including CT Danbury Couple Accused Of $1M Lululemon Theft Spree Across 5 States, Including CT
Danbury Couple Accused Of $1M Lululemon Theft Spree Across 5 States, Including CT A Connecticut couple has been accused of orchestrating a multi-state theft operation targeting Lululemon stores, resulting in approximately $1 million in stolen merchandise. Jadion Anthony Richards, age 44, and Akwele Nickeisha Lawes-Richards, age 45, both from Danbury, were charged in in Minnesota on Friday, Nov. 22, at Ramsey County District Court with organized retail theft, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.  Their alleged activities spanned over two months and involved thefts in several states, including New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, Colorado, and Utah, the Star Tri…
Macy's Employee Hid Up To $154M In Expenses Since 2021, Company Says Macy's Employee Hid Up To $154M In Expenses Since 2021, Company Says
Macy's Employee Hid Up To $154M In Expenses Since 2021, Company Says A Macy’s employee misstated up to $154 million in delivery expenses over several years, the company just said. The development forced the retailer to delay its third-quarter earnings report. The employee, whose name has not been released, has been fired. According to the company, the employee responsible for accounting small package delivery expenses made erroneous accrual entries to conceal the costs from the fourth quarter of 2021 through the most recent quarter. During that time, Macy’s reported a total of $4.36 billion in delivery expenses. The company conducted an independent investi…
CT Woman Leads Wrong-Way I-84 Pursuit Before Arrest 18 Miles Away: Police CT Woman Leads Wrong-Way I-84 Pursuit Before Arrest 18 Miles Away: Police
CT Woman Leads Wrong-Way I-84 Pursuit Before Arrest 18 Miles Away: Police A 24-year-old woman is facing multiple charges after allegedly turning around and driving the wrong way on I-84 before leading police on a pursuit in Connecticut, authorities said. The incident began on Sunday, Nov. 24, just before 1:30 p.m., when a vehicle driven by Tierra Turner was seen traveling erratically and in the wrong direction near Exit 62 on I-84 East in Manchester, according to Connecticut State Police.  The vehicle, a white 2012 Honda Accord, was first reported to have stopped on the left shoulder before it continued east in the right lane erratically, State Police said. …
CT Man Struck By SUV On Jersey Shore Dies From Injuries, Police Say CT Man Struck By SUV On Jersey Shore Dies From Injuries, Police Say
CT Man Struck By SUV On Jersey Shore Dies From Injuries, Police Say A southeastern Connecticut man died more than a week after he was hit by an SUV while crossing a busy Jersey Shore road, authorities said. Michael Losacano of Niantic, CT, died from his injuries on Monday, Nov. 18, the Wall Township Police Department said in a news release. The 64-year-old was injured in a crash on Saturday, Nov. 9. Wall Township police responded to the scene on Route 35 near the intersection with Wall Church Road at around 6:42 p.m. Investigators said Losacano was struck by a southbound Ford Explorer driven by a 72-year-old man from Farmingdale. Losacano was rushed t…
34-Year-Old Seriously Injured In Crash After Eluding Cops, CT State Police Say 34-Year-Old Seriously Injured In Crash After Eluding Cops, CT State Police Say
34-Year-Old Seriously Injured In Crash After Eluding Cops, CT State Police Say A motorist suffered serious injuries in a crash after eluding police in Connecticut. Connecticut State Police said the incident occurred in New London County at about 7:40 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, in Colchester. Tolland County resident David Justin Carnein, age 34, of the town of Tolland, was riding a 2001 Triumph motorcycle recklessly on Lebanon Avenue. Police had previously attempted to stop Carnein, but he fled at a high speed, said state police. As Carnein approached a Y-shaped intersection with Windham Avenue, he lost control of the motorcycle, police said.  The vehicle continue…
McDonald's Launching Revamped Value Menu In New Year: Here's When McDonald's Launching Revamped Value Menu In New Year: Here's When
McDonald's Launching Revamped Value Menu In New Year: Here's When McDonald’s will ring in the new year by serving more for less. The fast food giant will unveil its new “McValue” menu nationwide starting on Tuesday, Jan. 7. McValue will include current fan-favorites, like the $5 Meal Deal, and a new “Buy One, Add One for $1” offer, allowing customers to mix and match their order. Breakfast options include classics like the sausage McMuffin and hash browns, while lunch offerings feature the 6-piece chicken McNuggets and double cheeseburger. McDonald’s is also extending through next summer its $5 Meal Deal, a combination of a McDouble or McChicken sandwi…