Josh Lanier

Assistant Managing Editor

[email protected]

Josh Lanier started his reporting career in high school for his local newspaper. Many — many — years later, he’s still chasing leads for compelling stories. During his time writing for newspapers, magazines, and online publications, he’s covered everything from murderers to mommy bloggers, but his most interesting story is always the next one.


Josh Lanier's Contributions

Westport, CT
News
Craig Melvin Thanks Supporters After 'Today' Intruder, Roker Backs 'Brother'; Guard Loses Job Craig Melvin Thanks Supporters After 'Today' Intruder, Roker Backs 'Brother'; Guard Loses Job
Craig Melvin Thanks Supporters After 'Today' Intruder, Roker Backs 'Brother'; Guard Loses Job A day after a man allegedly sneaked into the NBC studios during the "Today" show and yelled a racial slur at co-host Craig Melvin, the Weston, Connecticut, resident thanked viewers for their outpouring of support. But as his colleagues rallied around him, one security guard was left without a job. In a brief remark on the Friday, July 17, episode of "Today," Melvin said he was rattled but thankful for his co-hosts and colleagues, who were quick to come to his aid. "Thankfully, he was apprehended quickly. He was placed under arrest," the anchor said, adding that the show is "cooperating full…

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by Josh Lanier
Fairfield, CT
News
'Amy' Wants To Trim Your Trees, Wash Your House, Fix Your Roof — And Empty Your Wallet 'Amy' Wants To Trim Your Trees, Wash Your House, Fix Your Roof — And Empty Your Wallet
'Amy' Wants To Trim Your Trees, Wash Your House, Fix Your Roof — And Empty Your Wallet If you live in Connecticut, there's a good chance you know Amy. Maybe she's texted you about her tree-trimming service. Got a dirty driveway? Amy has a pressure-washing business that will fix it right up. Are your gutters in shambles? Amy's got you. From roofing to leaky pipes, Amy has what you need. But there's one hiccup: Amy isn't real. Neither is Dave. Or James. Or Michael. They're part of a growing wave of scam texts hoping to catch homeowners in need, and they are everywhere. There are dozens of Reddit threads featuring hundreds of these nearly identical messages, including one …

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by Josh Lanier
Southington, CT
Police & Fire
Ex-State Trooper Accused Of Drunk Crash In Southington Gets Chance To Avoid Conviction: Report Ex-State Trooper Accused Of Drunk Crash In Southington Gets Chance To Avoid Conviction: Report
Ex-State Trooper Accused Of Drunk Crash In Southington Gets Chance To Avoid Conviction: Report A former Connecticut State Police trooper accused of crashing his cruiser while off duty with a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit has been granted a special diversionary program, according to CT Insider. Jacob Drechsler, 24, of Southington, was granted Accelerated Rehabilitation, a two-year diversionary program, on Wednesday at state Superior Court in New Britain, the report said. The decision stems from a Halloween night crash on Flanders Road on Oct. 31 in Southington. The program provides Drechsler the opportunity to avoid a criminal conviction if he completes its…

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by Josh Lanier
Worcester, MA
Police & Fire
Tire-Slashing Confrontation Turns Deadly: Worcester Man Convicted In 2020 Murder Tire-Slashing Confrontation Turns Deadly: Worcester Man Convicted In 2020 Murder
Tire-Slashing Confrontation Turns Deadly: Worcester Man Convicted In 2020 Murder A confrontation over slashed tires in a Worcester neighborhood ended in a deadly stabbing, and a jury has now convicted the man responsible. Benjamin Willie, 26, was found guilty Friday, July 17, of second-degree murder in the 2020 killing of 29-year-old Josue Rios, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. announced. The fatal stabbing happened on June 30, 2020, in Worcester's Grafton Hill neighborhood. Prosecutors said Rios confronted Willie after catching him slashing the tires of vehicles parked in the area. During the confrontation, Willie stabbed Rios. Rios was taken to…

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by Josh Lanier
East Hampton, CT
News
Connecticut Community Rallies For Cassie Munson With Cupcake Fundraiser, East Hampton Vigil Connecticut Community Rallies For Cassie Munson With Cupcake Fundraiser, East Hampton Vigil
Connecticut Community Rallies For Cassie Munson With Cupcake Fundraiser, East Hampton Vigil A Connecticut baker is stepping up to help the family of a 15-year-old East Hampton girl who died after a medical emergency while paddleboarding in Eastford. Cassandra "Cassie" Munson died Sunday, July 12, after falling into Crystal Pond. Witnesses said she appeared to have a medical emergency before she entered the water. As her family grieves, community members have rallied around them. A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $57,000 as of Friday afternoon. The money will help pay for Munson's funeral expenses and cover other costs to allow her family time to grieve. Others have wanted …

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by Josh Lanier
Springfield, MA
Police & Fire
Police ID Springfield Man Who Died After Being Found Shot In Wooded Area Police ID Springfield Man Who Died After Being Found Shot In Wooded Area
Police ID Springfield Man Who Died After Being Found Shot In Wooded Area A man found with a gunshot wound in a wooded area in Springfield earlier this week has been identified as police continue searching for answers. Sean Pendergrast, 49, of Springfield, was found around 2:40 a.m. Monday, July 13, in the 200 block of Parker Street after officers responded to a report of shots fired, the Hampden District Attorney's Office said Friday. Paramedics took Pendergrast to Baystate Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries. The Springfield Police Homicide Unit, under the direction of Captain Trent Duda, is investigating the killing alongside the Hampden Dis…

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by Josh Lanier
Fairfield, CT
News
WATCH: Fairfield Firefighters Save Bird Hooked, Tangled In Fishing Line In Dramatic Rescue WATCH: Fairfield Firefighters Save Bird Hooked, Tangled In Fishing Line In Dramatic Rescue
Watch: Fairfield Firefighters Save Bird Hooked, Tangled In Fishing Line In Dramatic Rescue Firefighters are famous for saving cats stuck in trees, but sometimes they rescue birds from ponds. A bird trapped by fishing line and pinned by a fish hook was saved after Fairfield firefighters and animal control officers carried out a difficult water rescue. The rescue happened Thursday morning, July 16, after the Fairfield County Regional Dispatch Center received a call from a resident reporting a bird in distress. Firefighters assigned to Rescue 1 teamed up with Fairfield animal control officers and used water rescue equipment to reach the bird. When they got to it, they found fis…

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by Josh Lanier
Southbridge, MA
Police & Fire
Man Asleep In Uber Wakes Up To Multiple Criminal Charges In Southbridge: Police Man Asleep In Uber Wakes Up To Multiple Criminal Charges In Southbridge: Police
Man Asleep In Uber Wakes Up To Multiple Criminal Charges In Southbridge: Police A routine Uber disturbance ended with the seizure of dozens of grams of suspected fentanyl and the arrest of a Southbridge man wanted on serious criminal warrants, police said. Giovanni Taboado, 28, of Southbridge, was identified as the passenger after officers responded around 2:46 a.m. Tuesday, July 7, to Cohasse Street for a report of an Uber rider who refused to get out of the vehicle. When officers arrived, they found Taboado unconscious in the back seat. Officers safely removed him from the vehicle. During the encounter, police said they found a large amount of suspected drugs package…

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by Josh Lanier
Dorchester, MA
News
Mass-Native Journalist Says Phones Seized After Iran Trip, Emergency Court Fight Begins Mass-Native Journalist Says Phones Seized After Iran Trip, Emergency Court Fight Begins
Mass-Native Journalist Says Phones Seized After Iran Trip, Emergency Court Fight Begins A Boston-born journalist Max Blumenthal is asking a federal court to order the return of two smartphones seized by US Customs and Border Protection, arguing the government violated his constitutional rights and put confidential sources at risk. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee filed the emergency motion in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on Blumenthal's behalf. The filing seeks the return of both phones and any information copied from them. Blumenthal was detained for about two and a half hours after returning to the United States on July 10 from a…

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by Josh Lanier
Stratford, CT
Obituaries
Stratford Woman Killed By Rogue Truck Tire On I-95 'Said Yes To Life,' Family Says Stratford Woman Killed By Rogue Truck Tire On I-95 'Said Yes To Life,' Family Says
Stratford Woman Killed By Rogue Truck Tire On I-95 'Said Yes To Life,' Family Says A 24-year-old Connecticut marine biologist remembered for her love of adventure, the ocean, and helping protect marine life was killed in a freak I-95 accident earlier this week when a detached truck tire crashed through the windshield of her SUV in Milford, police said. Catherine "Cate" Margaret Palaia, of Stratford, was killed around 10:23 p.m. Sunday, July 13, while driving south on I-95, according to Connecticut State Police, who identified her the following day. Investigators said Palaia was driving a 2020 Toyota RAV4 when the front left tire of a northbound 2012 Ford F-250 came off the…

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by Josh Lanier
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