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Off-Duty Cop Who Killed Beloved Bear In Newtown Won't Be Charged Off-Duty Cop Who Killed Beloved Bear In Newtown Won't Be Charged
Off-Duty Cop Who Killed Beloved Bear In Newtown Won't Be Charged An off-duty Fairfield County police officer who killed a beloved local bear will not be charged. Bobbi the black bear was killed on Thursday, May 12 in Newtown by Ridgefield police officer Lawrence Clarke. Last week, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection found that based on an investigation there is "insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against the homeowner." The incident, which left two bear cubs orphaned, began when Clarke reported to DEEP he shot the bear after numerous encounters with the same bear, known to the state as bear #217, over multiple d…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Sandy Hook Fire Chief Dies After Returning From Call Sandy Hook Fire Chief Dies After Returning From Call
Sandy Hook Fire Chief Dies After Returning From Call A longtime Fairfield County fire chief has died after responding to a fire call. Sandy Hook Fire Chief William "Bill" Halstead, age 72, a lifelong Newtown resident, who has served the department as chief for 44 years, died on Friday, July 8, after responding to a call, according to Sandy Hook Volunteer fire department officials. "Despite the efforts of SHVFR personnel, Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Newtown Police Department officers, the Newtown paramedic, and the Newtown Emergency Communications Center team, Chief Halstead passed shortly after the incident," the department said. …

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Body Of Missing Swimmer Found By Divers In Candlewood Lake Body Of Missing Swimmer Found By Divers In Candlewood Lake
Body Of Missing Swimmer Found By Divers In Candlewood Lake Divers have recovered the body of a man who went missing while swimming on Candlewood Lake in Fairfield County. The man, in his 20s, was found around 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 28 in the area of the lake in Brookfield  -- near "Chicken Rock,'' -- where he went missing on Friday, June 24. The office of the chief state medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death, said Will Healey, director of communication for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Identification is pending positive identification and notification, Healey said The investi…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Investigation Underway After Off-Duty Cop Kills Beloved Bear In Newtown Investigation Underway After Off-Duty Cop Kills Beloved Bear In Newtown
Investigation Underway After Off-Duty Cop Kills Beloved Bear In Newtown State officials are investigating after the fatal shooting of Bobbi the Bear by an off-duty police officer in Northern Fairfield County. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and local police are investigating after the bear, a mother to two cubs, was found shot and killed in Newtown on Thursday, May 12. Bobbi, who was beloved by the Newtown community, was shot by an off-duty Ridgefield Police Department officer who was reportedly protecting his chicken coop at his home in Newtown.  The Ridgefield PD issued the following statement: "We are aware that on…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Local, State Authorities Investigating Shooting Of Mother Bear In Newtown Local, State Authorities Investigating Shooting Of Mother Bear In Newtown
Local, State Authorities Investigating Shooting Of Mother Bear In Newtown Law enforcement authorities in Connecticut are investigating the fatal shooting of a mother bear in Fairfield County who left behind two cubs. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and local police in Newtown are investigating after the bear was found shot and killed on Thursday, May 12. According to Newtown First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, he and DEEP are working to obtain a permit to rehabilitate the bear cubs with a wildlife specialist. The bear, which had been dubbed “Bobbi the Bear” by its fans and neighbors on social media is being mourned online afte…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Fairfield County Man Wins $30K In CT State Lottery Fairfield County Man Wins $30K In CT State Lottery
Fairfield County Man Wins $30K In CT State Lottery Three Connecticut residents are feeling lucky after cashing in winning $30,000 CT Lottery tickets on the same day. First, on Tuesday, April 12, a Naugatuck resident - who chose not to disclose a name - won $30,000 on a “30X Cash 9th Edition” ticket sold at Road Runners on Rubber Avenue in Naugatuck. Later on April 12, Danbury resident Charles Lambiotte cashed in a winning scratch-off “Super Double Win” that was sold at Express Fuels & Food Mart on Mill Plain Road in his home city. Finally, Naugatuck resident Daryl McKernan completed the trifecta by winning $30,000 playing "30X Cash 6th…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Fairfield County Man Wins $30K In State Lottery Fairfield County Man Wins $30K In State Lottery
Fairfield County Man Wins $30K In State Lottery A Fairfield County man is feeling lucky after winning the top prize of a CT Lottery scratch-off ticket to the tune of five figures.  Danbury resident Charles Lambiotte turned $3 into $30,000 after cashing in a winning “Double Win” ticket on Tuesday, April 12 that was sold at Express Fuels & Food Mart on Mill Plain Road in his hometown. According to CT Lottery, Lambiotte's victory was the last of three top prize-winning tickets sold in Connecticut. There are still two $2,000 tickets that have been unclaimed, as well as 12 $400, and 25 $100 tickets. The overall odds of winning playi…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Newtown Carjacking Suspect Nabbed After Pursuit Newtown Carjacking Suspect Nabbed After Pursuit
Newtown Carjacking Suspect Nabbed After Pursuit A Fairfield County man was charged with armed carjacking after stealing a BMW sedan at gunpoint and then fleeing from state police. The incident began in Newtown around 10:55 a.m., Thursday, April 14, when state police were notified that an armed carjacking had just taken place. The vehicle was spotted by troopers traveling on I 84 east by Exit 14 in New Haven County in Southbury shortly after the incident occurred, Connecticut State Police said. The vehicle engaged troopers in pursuit and got off the highway at Exit 15 where it crashed, state police said. The driver was taken into custod…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
25-Year-Old From Newtown Seriously Injured In I-84 Crash, Police Say 25-Year-Old From Newtown Seriously Injured In I-84 Crash, Police Say
25-Year-Old From Newtown Seriously Injured In I-84 Crash, Police Say A 25-year-old Fairfield County man was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash on I-84. The crash happened in the New Haven County town of Middlebury at about 8:10 p.m. on Monday, March 14, according to Connecticut State Police. A 2003 International 4000 Series 4300 was driving slowly in the left lane on I-84 westbound near Exit 16 when a 2019 Ford Transit-150 struck the rear of the truck, police reported. Both vehicles came to an uncontrolled rest in the grassy median, police said.  The driver of the Ford, a 25-year-old Newtown man, was hospitalized with serious, possibly life-thre…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
Here's How Many Are Still Without Power In Connecticut Here's How Many Are Still Without Power In Connecticut
Here's How Many Are Still Without Power In Connecticut Thousands in Connecticut are without power following a fast-moving wind and ice storm that toppled trees, wires, and poles across the region. As of around 9:45 a.m. on Friday, Feb, 18, Eversource was still working to repair hundreds of outages that were impacting 9,867 of the company’s 1,288,808 Connecticut customers. United Illuminated was also reporting 10 outages affecting 41 of its 342,203 customers. Earlier story - Storm Knocks Out Power To Thousands In Connecticut The most outages are being reported in: East Hampton (Middlesex County): 591; Woodstock (Windham County): 577; East L…

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by Zak Failla
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Gun Manufacturer Settles With Sandy Hook Families For $73M, Marking Historic First Gun Manufacturer Settles With Sandy Hook Families For $73M, Marking Historic First
Gun Manufacturer Settles With Sandy Hook Families For $73M, Marking Historic First Families of five children and four adults killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting reached a historic $73 million settlement with gun manufacturer Remington, officials announced. Attorneys for the families who filed the suit against the now-bankrupt Remington and its four insurers, announced on Tuesday, Feb. 15 that they had reached the settlement, representing the first time a gun manufacturer has been held liable for a mass shooting in the US. As part of the settlement, lawyers for the families said that Remington agreed to release thousands of pages of internal company do…

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by Zak Failla
News
Power Outages Now Being Reported In Connecticut As Wintry Storm Sweeps Through Power Outages Now Being Reported In Connecticut As Wintry Storm Sweeps Through
Power Outages Now Being Reported In Connecticut As Wintry Storm Sweeps Through A storm bringing a mix of snow, freezing rain and sleet has already left some Connecticut residents without power with the worst of the wintry weather expected to hit later as the temperature plummets in the afternoon. As of around 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 4, Eversource was reporting multiple active outages that were impacting 349 of the company’s 1.29 million customers in Connecticut. Outages were being reported in: Guilford: 140; Wilton: 69; Salisbury: 57; Sharon: 17; Stamford: 15; Greenwich: 12; Canaan: 10; North Canaan: 10; Haddam: 9. There were fewer than three outages in Darien, …

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by Zak Failla