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Willimantic, CT

Police & Fire
11-Year-Old, Teen Crash Stolen Jeep In CT 11-Year-Old, Teen Crash Stolen Jeep In CT
11-Year-Old, Teen Crash Stolen Jeep In CT An 11-year-old and a 16-year-old were charged with stealing a Jeep Compass in Connecticut and then fleeing after being spotted by State Police before crashing into another vehicle head-on. The incident began in Windham County on Tuesday, July 30, around 7 a.m. in Willimantic. According to Connecticut State Police, the Willimantic Police Department contacted them to advise that the stolen 2019 Jeep was last seen heading north on Route 32 in Tolland County near Mansfield. Troopers spotted the vehicle traveling northbound on Route 32 through Mansfield and into Willington. At that point, a tro…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Drunk, Machete-Carrying Driver Among Duo Nabbed In CT Traffic Stop, Police Say Drunk, Machete-Carrying Driver Among Duo Nabbed In CT Traffic Stop, Police Say
Drunk, Machete-Carrying Driver Among Duo Nabbed In CT Traffic Stop, Police Say A suspected drunk driver was among two men reportedly carrying machetes who were arrested following a highway traffic stop in Connecticut, police said. Connecticut State Police said parkgoers in Tolland County called 911 at around 3 p.m. Monday, July 15, about two men seen carrying machetes and stumbling in a wooded area in Columbia, near Recreation Fields on Hennequin Road. The men then drove off and witnesses provided troopers with a description of their vehicle. Police spotted them a short time later allegedly driving recklessly on Middletown Road (Route 66) and pulled them over. Durin…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Fatal Crash: 35-Year-Old CT Woman ID'd As Victim After Car Slams Into Pole, Down Embankment Fatal Crash: 35-Year-Old CT Woman ID'd As Victim After Car Slams Into Pole, Down Embankment
Fatal Crash: 35-Year-Old CT Woman ID'd As Victim After Car Slams Into Pole, Down Embankment A woman was killed after a single-vehicle car crash in Connecticut. It happened in Windham County at around 10:15 a.m. Friday, July 12, in the town of Woodstock. A 2011 Toyota Camry was traveling northbound on Roseland Park Road just south of Arvidson Road at an unknown speed when it veered off the roadway to the right, striking approximately 40 inches of wooden fence, Connecticut State Police said. The Camry continued traveling north, striking a utility pole on the northbound shoulder before crashing down an embankment, where it came to a final rest against a stan…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Tree Falls, Kills Man In CT During Sudden Storm Tree Falls, Kills Man In CT During Sudden Storm
Tree Falls, Kills Man In CT During Sudden Storm A 53-year-old man was killed after a tree fell on him in Connecticut during a sudden thunderstorm.  The incident happened in Windham County just after 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, when a man walking in the area of Union Street and Jackson Avenue in Willimantic was hit by a fallen tree during a storm, according to Willimantic Fire Chief Marc Scrivener.  According to Scrivener, the man had been in "the wrong place at the wrong time." It is not known why he had been walking.  Arriving firefighters within minutes and found the man under the tree. They then used cr…

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by Ben Crnic
Business
‘I’m Not Playing’: Customer Threatens CT Staples Workers Over Denied Return, Police Say ‘I’m Not Playing’: Customer Threatens CT Staples Workers Over Denied Return, Police Say
‘I’m Not Playing’: Customer Threatens CT Staples Workers Over Denied Return, Police Say A disgruntled customer is facing charges after allegedly threatening violence against employees at a Staples store. The Windham County incident happened in Willimantic, at the Staples store on Storrs Road. Connecticut State Police said a store supervisor contacted the agency on Thursday, April 11, after discovering a concerning post from a customer on the social media platform, X. In the post, which was directed at Staples corporate, the customer said they wanted their money in the next two days “or the managers of the Willimantic CT Staples better Google ‘Family Guy Stewie where’s my mon…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
UConn Student Dies After Falling From Campus Parking Garage UConn Student Dies After Falling From Campus Parking Garage
UConn Student Dies After Falling From Campus Parking Garage A UConn student died after falling from a high level of the south garage onto the pavement below. The incident occurred in Tolland County around 9:30 a.m., Thursday, March 7 at the college in Storrs. According to Stephanie Reitz, director of communications for the college, UConn police and fire personnel responded following reports of a person falling from a high level of the south garage onto the pavement. The man, an undergraduate student whose identity has not yet been released, was taken to Windham Hospital in Willimantic with serious injuries, she said. The student later died at the …

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
CT Officer On Leave After His Vehicle Was Involved In Wreck CT Officer On Leave After His Vehicle Was Involved In Wreck
CT Officer On Leave After His Vehicle Was Involved In Wreck A Connecticut police officer is on paid administrative leave after a vehicle he owned hit six parked vehicles and fled the scene. The incident took place in Windham County around 2 a.m., Sunday, March 3 in the vicinity of 480 Main St., in Willimantic. According to the Willimantic Police Assistant Chief Douglas Glode, an investigation determined that a white Jeep traveling eastbound on Main Street collided with a parked vehicle which led to a chain reaction that damaged six other parked vehicles. All of the parked vehicles were unoccupied. The driver of the Jeep that caused the co…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Man Uses 'Implied Weapon' To Rob CT Gas Station: Suspect At Large Man Uses 'Implied Weapon' To Rob CT Gas Station: Suspect At Large
Man Uses 'Implied Weapon' To Rob CT Gas Station: Suspect At Large Authorities are looking for a man who robbed a Connecticut gas station of cash and food.  The robbery happened in Tolland County on Thursday, Feb. 22 just before 8:30 p.m., when a man walked into the Citgo gas station at 205 Merrow Rd. (Route 195) in Tolland and confronted the cashier with an "implied weapon" according to Connecticut State Police. The man demanded that the cashier open the drawer and withdraw money. He then grabbed the cash and several food items before leaving the store and fleeing in a black four-door sedan believed to be a Honda Accord. This car sped south on Route …

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
Beloved Nurse Remembered After Being Found Dead In CT Basement: 'Always Went Extra Step' Beloved Nurse Remembered After Being Found Dead In CT Basement: 'Always Went Extra Step'
Beloved Nurse Remembered After Being Found Dead In CT Basement: 'Always Went Extra Step' A beloved mother, grandmother, and wife who dedicated her life to doing everything she could for her patients as a visiting nurse is being remembered following her murder in a Connecticut residence.  Joyce Grayson, age 63, died on Saturday, Oct. 28 after going missing while she was performing her duties as a visiting nurse at a residence in the Windham County municipality of Willimantic. Grayson was reported missing by her family around 2 p.m. on Saturday, prompting Willimantic Police to search the area of Chapman Street. After finding her vehicle, officers tracked her to a nearby resi…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Missing Woman Found Dead In CT Basement: 'One Of Worst Cases I Have Seen,' Police Chief Says Missing Woman Found Dead In CT Basement: 'One Of Worst Cases I Have Seen,' Police Chief Says
Missing Woman Found Dead In CT Basement: 'One Of Worst Cases I Have Seen,' Police Chief Says Authorities are investigating after a woman reported missing was found dead in a Connecticut basement, police said.  The events leading up to the discovery began in Windham County on Saturday, Oct. 28 around 2 p.m., when Willimantic Police were contacted by the family of a woman who had been missing since mid-morning.  New, updated report: Beloved Nurse Remembered After Being Found Dead In Willimantic Home: 'Always Went Extra Step' According to the department, police responded to the area of Chapman Street to investigate the disappearance and determined that the woman's vehi…

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Witnesses Wanted: 28-Year-Old CT Man Killed After Hitting Back Of Tractor-Trailer Witnesses Wanted: 28-Year-Old CT Man Killed After Hitting Back Of Tractor-Trailer
Witnesses Wanted: 28-Year-Old CT Man Killed After Hitting Back Of Tractor-Trailer Connecticut State Poice are asking for witnesses to a fatal crash that killed a 28-year-old Connecticut man and injured his passenger. The crash took place in New Haven County around 2 a.m., Sunday, July 23 on I-91 near Exit 14 in Wallingford. Windham County resident Jessie Barbosa-Santiago, age 28, of Willimantic, was driving a Suzuki GSXR1 motorcycle in the center lane when he hit the rear of a tractor-trailer in the area of Exit 14, according to state police.  Barbosa-Santiago and a rider on the motorcycle, identified as a 22-year-old woman, were thrown from the motorcycle followin…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Man Charged In Crash That Kills 22-Year-Old Hanging Out Of Sunroof In Bridgeport Man Charged In Crash That Kills 22-Year-Old Hanging Out Of Sunroof In Bridgeport
Man Charged In Crash That Kills 22-Year-Old Hanging Out Of Sunroof In Bridgeport A 22-year-old Connecticut man has died following a crash while he was hanging out of the sunroof while standing in the backseat of the car. Windham County resident Miguel Angel Rodriguez, of Willimantic, died on Sunday, June 25, hours after the crash in New Haven County on Derby Avenue in Orange. According to the Orange Police, an investigation found that a white 1995 Honda Civic being driven by Fairfield County resident Jeremie Rodriguez, age 19, of Bridgeport was traveling eastbound on Derby Avenue when he disregarded the traffic control signal and collided with a silver 2021 Do…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
New Update: ID Discovered Of 22-Year-Old Struck, Killed By Car, CT State Police Say New Update: ID Discovered Of 22-Year-Old Struck, Killed By Car, CT State Police Say
New Update: ID Discovered Of 22-Year-Old Struck, Killed By Car, CT State Police Say This story has been updated.  Police have determined the identity of a man who was fatally struck by a car while walking on a busy road in Connecticut. The incident happened in Middlesex County on Sunday, April 30 around 3:45 p.m. on Route 9 in Middletown in the area of Exit 10, according to Connecticut State Police.  A vehicle had been traveling southbound on Route 9 just before old Exit 10 (Exit 19) when it hit a pedestrian in the right lane, police said.  The pedestrian was then taken to Hartford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.  The victim, whose identity …

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by Ben Crnic
Obituaries
CT 10-Year-Old Dies After Serious Illness: 'Had Many Adventures' CT 10-Year-Old Dies After Serious Illness: 'Had Many Adventures'
CT 10-Year-Old Dies After Serious Illness: 'Had Many Adventures' Friends and family members are remembering a 10-year-old boy from Connecticut who lived a life full of adventure and fun despite his battle with a serious illness.  New London County resident Jeremy Amberg, who lived in Lebanon and was born in Willimantic, died on Saturday, March 18 at the age of 10 after a severe illness, according to his obituary.  Although his life was short, it was certainly spent well, as Amberg went on many fun trips to places such as Disney World, Universal Studios, and Seaworld in Orlando, Florida. He also spent much time enjoying outings with his fam…

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by Ben Crnic
Business
Visitors 'Really Impressed' By New Wood-Fired Pizza Place In Willimantic Visitors 'Really Impressed' By New Wood-Fired Pizza Place In Willimantic
Visitors 'Really Impressed' By New Wood-Fired Pizza Place In Willimantic Visitors are already singing praises of a new wood-fired pizza place in eastern Connecticut that prides itself on using fresh local ingredients.  Windham County's Trigo Wood-Fired Pizza, located in Willimantic at 744 Main St., is an all-new "Harvest-to-Hearth" restaurant that held a grand opening celebration on Friday, Feb. 17, and has already seen plenty of patrons.  The celebration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony and also featured speeches from Connecticut Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Windham Mayor Tom DiVivo, Mansfield Mayor Toni Moran, and other restaurant owners in the area.  The…

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by Ben Crnic
Business
Restaurant Closing Soon In CT: 'Great Relief', Owner Says Restaurant Closing Soon In CT: 'Great Relief', Owner Says
Restaurant Closing Soon In CT: 'Great Relief', Owner Says A restaurant in Windham County known for its unique vegan options will soon be taking a sabbatical.  Not Only Juice Marketplace and Kitchen, located in Willimantic at 790 Main St. (Route 66), will be closing at the end of March after eight years, according to a Facebook post from the business.  The restaurant's owner said that after going through personal hardships for more than a year, they came to the conclusion that they had completed what they set out to achieve through the eatery.  "That conclusion has been such a great relief and has allowed me to acknowledge that I am simply done wi…

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by Ben Crnic
News
'Untimely Death' Under Investigation After Body Found Inside Windham County Home 'Untimely Death' Under Investigation After Body Found Inside Windham County Home
'Untimely Death' Under Investigation After Body Found Inside Windham County Home State police are investigating after a man was found dead inside a Windham County home. The man was found around 11 a.m. in Willimantic on Monday, Jan. 23 by the Willimantic Police who responded to a report of an "untimely death," at a home on Aspen Place, state police said. The Willimantic Fire Department and paramedics from Windham Hospital also responded to the residence, where the adult male was located and pronounced dead at the scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office was notified of the death and responded to the scene to investigate.  At the request of the Sta…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
CT's First Adult-Use Recreational Marijuana Sales To Begin In January At These Dispensaries CT's First Adult-Use Recreational Marijuana Sales To Begin In January At These Dispensaries
CT's First Adult-Use Recreational Marijuana Sales To Begin In January At These Dispensaries The first recreational-use, hybrid marijuana dispensaries are set to open in Connecticut in January. The state Department of Consumer Protection said on Friday, Dec. 9, that eight licensed hybrid retailers will be allowed to open their doors at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2023, depending on local zoning hours. “I am proud of the hard work our team has done to meet the goal of opening adult-use sales in a safe, well-regulated market,” said DCP Commissioner Michelle Seagull.  Hybrid retailers were previously allowed to sell medical marijuana and now will be permitted to sell recreation…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Fairfield County Resident Wins $50K In CT State Lottery Fairfield County Resident Wins $50K In CT State Lottery
Fairfield County Resident Wins $50K In CT State Lottery A Connecticut resident claimed a $390,000 lottery prize. New London County resident Gary Beaulieu, of Colchester, won a "Lucky For Life" prize from a ticket purchased at Gibbs, located at 299 South Main St. in Colchester, Connecticut Lottery announced on Monday, Nov. 14. Other notable winners announced on Monday include: Brian Echard, of Ellington, who won a $200,000 Powerball prize from a ticket purchased at Big Y Ellington Express #115, located at 140 West Road in Ellington Angela Echard, of Ellington, who won a $200,000 Powerball prize from a ticket purchased at Big…

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by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
CT School Officials Share Details After Firearm Threat Prompts Early Dismissal, Lockdown CT School Officials Share Details After Firearm Threat Prompts Early Dismissal, Lockdown
CT School Officials Share Details After Firearm Threat Prompts Early Dismissal, Lockdown A Connecticut school district has shared new details about a firearm investigation that prompted a high school to be dismissed early and the other schools to be placed on lockdown. Windham Public Schools Superintendent Tracy Youngberg announced that at about 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21, the Willimantic Police Department received a report about an armed intruder at Windham High School. Earlier report - Firearm Threat Leads To Shelter-In-Place, Early Dismissal For Schools In Windham Willimantic Police officers and officers from the Eastern Connecticut State University searched the …

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by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
Two Killed In Connecticut Crash Two Killed In Connecticut Crash
Two Killed In Connecticut Crash Police are searching for witnesses after two people were killed in a crash in Connecticut. The crash happened at about 7:50 p.m. on Monday, May 30, on Route 32 near Meeting House Hill Road in the New London County town of Franklin, according to Connecticut State Police. A 2010 Honda Accord EX-L was traveling north on Route 32 when it failed to maintain its lane and traveled into the southbound lane, striking a southbound 2017 Lexus NX2, police said.  The driver of the Honda, identified as 24-year-old Jullian Raul Parrilla, of Windham, was pronounced dead at the hospital, police said. …

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by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
CT Man Saved From Fire By Jumping Into Dump Truck CT Man Saved From Fire By Jumping Into Dump Truck
CT Man Saved From Fire By Jumping Into Dump Truck A Connecticut man who was struck on the second floor of a burning building was saved by jumping into the back of a construction dump truck that happened to be driving by. The incident took place in Windham County around 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 22 in Willimantic. According to the Willimantic Fire Department, firefighters responded to a fire at 1163 Main St., for a structure fire on the second floor of a building. When they arrived, they found multiple occupants had sustained injuries, including a man who jumped from a second-floor window into the back of a quick-thinking Town of Griswold …

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Winning $2.2M Lottery Ticket Sold At CT Convenience Store Winning $2.2M Lottery Ticket Sold At CT Convenience Store
Winning $2.2M Lottery Ticket Sold At CT Convenience Store A CT Lottery player in Connecticut may be a millionaire and not even know it after hitting the top prize on a scratch-off ticket.  In Hartford County, a winning $2,200,000 "$100,000 A Year For Life" ticket was sold to a Bloomfield resident - who chose not to disclose a name - at the D-Mart on Lexington Avenue in Hartford that was cashed in on Thursday, Jan. 27.  CT Lottery said that the overall odds of winning on a "$100,000 A Year For Life" ticket is 1 in 4.06. "$100,000 A Year For Life” top prizes will be paid as $100,000 a year for life, with a guaranteed minimum total payout …

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Popular CT Restaurant Offers 'Homegrown' Meals, Unique Cocktail Menu Popular CT Restaurant Offers 'Homegrown' Meals, Unique Cocktail Menu
Popular CT Restaurant Offers 'Homegrown' Meals, Unique Cocktail Menu A popular, tradition-rich northern Connecticut restaurant seeks to offer its guests "homegrown" meals through its seasonal menu.  Stone Row Kitchen + Bar is a Windham County staple located at 948 Main St. in Willimantic.  The restaurant opened in 2009 and was formerly known as Cafémantic, before relaunching as Stone Row in 2020. Owners said the restaurant has become a community cornerstone "both as a gathering place for the neighborhood and as a showcase for regional farmers, foragers, and fishers." Stone Row's menu includes main courses such as its grass-fed burg…

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by Nicole Valinote
Business
BJ's Wholesale Club To Hold Hiring Event At All CT Stores BJ's Wholesale Club To Hold Hiring Event At All CT Stores
BJ's Wholesale Club To Hold Hiring Event At All CT Stores BJ’s Wholesale Club is hosting a statewide hiring event this weekend in Connecticut. The company is looking to hire roughly 140 open positions and is offering a $500 sign-on bonus and a $500 referral bonus for employees who are in good standing for 90 days. The hiring events will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 15, at all BJ's Wholesale Club including: Brookfield Derby Fairfield Manchester North Haven Southington Stratford Torrington Wallingford Waterbury Waterford West Hartford Willimantic BJ’s offers training opportunities, a competitive pay rate, and a benefits packa…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Man, Woman Charged In Connection To Fatal I-84 Crash Man, Woman Charged In Connection To Fatal I-84 Crash
Man, Woman Charged In Connection To Fatal I-84 Crash Two Connecticut residents have been arrested in connection with a fatal crash that took place in 2020. Marissa Christiana Santiago, age 26, of Stafford Springs, and Miguel Angel Berrios, 54, of Willimantic, were arrested on warrants on Thursday, April 29, for the crash which took place on I-84 in East Hartford on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020, said the Connecticut State Police. Santiago, who was the driver of a Jeep that rear-ended a motorcycle in which two people were riding, and one of the occupants died, has been charged with a host of charges, including manslaughter, state police said. Berri…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Websites Show Current Wait-Times To Take COVID-19 Tests In Connecticut Websites Show Current Wait-Times To Take COVID-19 Tests In Connecticut
Websites Show Current Wait-Times To Take Covid-19 Tests In Connecticut Hartford HealthCare has two websites offering current wait-times for people seeking to take a COVID-19 test. The information comes at a time when long lines to get tested have been reported across Connecticut.  According to Hartford HealthCare's websites, on Thursday, around 1:30 p.m., nearly all of its testing sites had wait times of 1-2 hours or more. The lone standout was the urgent care center in Wethersfield on Silas Deane Highway where the wait was about 15 minutes for walk-ins. Hartford HealthCare operates a network of hospitals, urgent care centers, and other health care facil…

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by Kristin Palpini
Schools
COVID-19: These CT Universities Cancel Spring Break COVID-19: These CT Universities Cancel Spring Break
Covid-19: These CT Universities Cancel Spring Break State universities in Connecticut will be calling off spring break due to concerns about spreading or contracting COVID-19. A spokesperson for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system announced this week that spring break - originally scheduled between March 15 and Sunday, March 21 has been called off due to the pandemic. Schools impacted include Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, and Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic. Instead, those univer…

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by Zak Failla