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Obituaries
CT Football Player Dies At Practice, Mom Pens Heartwrenching Post On Facebook: 'My Baby' CT Football Player Dies At Practice, Mom Pens Heartwrenching Post On Facebook: 'My Baby'
CT Football Player Dies At Practice, Mom Pens Heartwrenching Post On Facebook: 'My Baby' Two Connecticut communities have rallied around the family of a 14-year-old boy who collapsed and died while at a football practice last month. Jahkye Gayle, a freshman at Manchester High School who had transferred from Bloomfield High earlier in the school year, was known for his vibrant personality, love of football, and dedication to academics died on Wednesday, Nov. 27, after collapsing during a non-contact drill.  Jahkye's mother Stacey Haylett mourned him in a heartbreaking post on Facebook: 😞My baby my baby my babyyyy😢😢😢why you do this to mommy!🥺🥺🥺my heart is forever shattered!…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Retaliation Fears Quelled After Teen Friends Gunned Down Days Apart In CT Retaliation Fears Quelled After Teen Friends Gunned Down Days Apart In CT
Retaliation Fears Quelled After Teen Friends Gunned Down Days Apart In CT Two high school students in New Haven, both close friends, were fatally shot in targeted attacks just days apart, leaving a city and school community grappling with grief. Police are asking the victims' friends not to seek justice on their own and to allow authorities to find those responsible for the killings. The first victim, 16-year-old Uzziah Shell, was gunned down near Goffe Street on a Friday afternoon, Nov. 29. Daily Jackson, 17, was fatally shot 10 days later on Shelton Avenue, just blocks away. Both teens died at Yale New Haven Hospital. “The shootings of both these men do not ap…

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by Josh Lanier
News
CT Teen Killed in Shooting; School Bus Hit by Stray Bullet: Police CT Teen Killed in Shooting; School Bus Hit by Stray Bullet: Police
CT Teen Killed in Shooting; School Bus Hit by Stray Bullet: Police A 16-year-old Connecticut teen was fatally shot in broad daylight, and a stray bullet from the attack on him struck a school bus carrying children, police said. Officers responded to the scene following a ShotSpotter activation and 911 calls reporting the shooting just acter 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22., near Goffe and Hudson streets in New Haven, police said.  Paramedics rushed the victim to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he died from his injuries. Authorities have not released the boy's name.  While canvassing the area, police detained another 16-year-old found with a “ghost g…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
Gold Star Father ID'd As Victim In Fatal Western Mass Crash Gold Star Father ID'd As Victim In Fatal Western Mass Crash
Gold Star Father ID'd As Victim In Fatal Western Mass Crash The Massachusetts father of a soldier killed in Afghanistan died earlier this week after being hit by a car while on his way to deliver an award in his son's honor, his family said. Michael Demarsico, 63, of North Adams in Berkshire County, was crossing Route 8 to go to the Bounti-Fare restaurant in Adams on Sunday, Nov. 17, just after 5 p.m. when a car struck him, authorities said. Demarsico was pronounced dead in the back of an ambulance en route to Berkshire Medical Center, the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office said. The driver of the car that hit Demarsico remained at the sce…

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by Josh Lanier
Business
BBQ Food Truck Finds Permanent Home With New CT Restaurant BBQ Food Truck Finds Permanent Home With New CT Restaurant
BBQ Food Truck Finds Permanent Home With New CT Restaurant A food truck that has Northerners' mouths watering for Southern barbecue has opened a restaurant in New Haven County.  The Wright Way Burgers & BBQ held the grand opening on Saturday, Nov. 9, for its new restaurant in Hamden at 3835 Whitney Ave restaurant.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Wright Way Burgers & BBQ (@thewrightway.burgers.bbq) The owners posted on Instagram that they were overwhelmed by the community's support and the influx of customers on their first day of business. That love went …

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by Josh Lanier
News
These Are CT's Top 5 Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released These Are CT's Top 5 Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released
These Are CT's Top 5 Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released One school district in Connecticut scored three of the top five elementary schools in the state in a new ranking.  New Canaan Public Schools have clinched the top spots in Niche’s annual ranking of the best public elementary schools in Connecticut.  Leading the way is West School, ranked as the best elementary school in the state, with East School and South School following close behind in the second and third positions, respectively. These schools shine because of their student-to-teacher ratios, dedicated faculty, and community support. West School, which serves students from p…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Daughter 'Beyond Devastated' After Nurse Mom's Headstone Stolen From CT Cemetery Daughter 'Beyond Devastated' After Nurse Mom's Headstone Stolen From CT Cemetery
Daughter 'Beyond Devastated' After Nurse Mom's Headstone Stolen From CT Cemetery Tara Morgan is praying for a miracle. The 45-year-old Connecticut resident, of Waterbury in New Haven County, has done everything she can think of after thieves stole her late mother’s granite headstone from Fairfield County’s St. Mary’s Cemetery in Bethel over the summer, she said. “It happened sometime between Mother’s Day and, I’d say, the end of June,” Morgan told Daily Voice. Following several attempts to reach St. Mary Parish, which oversees the cemetery, she was finally assured by church leadership that the Diocese of Bridgeport’s insurance carrier had been notified “and everything …

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Asst. Fire Chief Killed Crossing Street; 2nd Firefighter's Death In 7 Days Asst. Fire Chief Killed Crossing Street; 2nd Firefighter's Death In 7 Days
Asst. Fire Chief Killed Crossing Street; 2nd Firefighter's Death In 7 Days Fewer than eight hours after the Connecticut firefighting community buried Robert Sharkevich Sr., another senior firefighter was killed in Fairfield County, officials said.  Peter Blomberg, age 72, was crossing Route 6 near Dayton Street in Newtown when a truck crashed into him around 6:15 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 29, authorities said.  Blomberg served as the assistant fire chief of the Botsford Fire Department and was walking to a fire commission meeting In Newtown when he was hit, police said. Paramedics rushed him to Danbury Hospital, but doctors could not save Blomberg's life.&nbs…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Massachusetts Eatery Reopens After Receiving Threats For Serving Couple Wearing Nazi Uniforms Massachusetts Eatery Reopens After Receiving Threats For Serving Couple Wearing Nazi Uniforms
Massachusetts Eatery Reopens After Receiving Threats For Serving Couple Wearing Nazi Uniforms A Massachusetts restaurant thanked its customers for their support during an "emotional week" after the owners received threats for serving World War II re-enactors wearing Nazi uniforms.  In a Facebook post on Friday, Oct. 18, the owners of Kith And Kin in Hudson, Massachusetts, said they were flooded with positive messages from customers and community members.  As you can imagine, it has been an emotional week for us. We have been greatly uplifted by the outpouring of love and support from the Hudson and surrounding communities. Our family and our staff cannot thank you enough f…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Teen Nearly Killed In Fatal Groton Crash Shows Signs Of 'Awareness': Fundraiser Teen Nearly Killed In Fatal Groton Crash Shows Signs Of 'Awareness': Fundraiser
Teen Nearly Killed In Fatal Groton Crash Shows Signs Of 'Awareness': Fundraiser A fundraiser for one of the four teenagers who crashed into a tree in New London County earlier this week said the 17-year-old showed moments of improvement on Wednesday, Oct. 16, but he has a "long, challenging road to recovery." Kais Shiman, of Mystic, was one of the four teens in a 2012 Toyota 4Runner that veered off the wrong side of Fishtown Road in Groton around 1:20 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 14, and collided with a tree near the intersection of Little Gull Lane, authorities said. Earlier Report: Fundraiser For Family Of Carson, Skyler Wilson Tops $85,000 Carson Wilson, age 14, of G…

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by Josh Lanier
Business
'Noooooooo': Popular Bar, Grill Shutting Down After 3 Years 'Noooooooo': Popular Bar, Grill Shutting Down After 3 Years
'Noooooooo': Popular Bar, Grill Shutting Down After 3 Years A Connecticut bar and grill that opened three years ago announced this week that it is closing its doors for good on Monday, Oct. 7, to the dismay of many of its loyal customers.  The owner of Scooters Bar & Grill at 507 Danbury Road in New Milford announced the decision to shutter the restaurant in a Facebook post.  It’s with a heavy heart that I announce the closing of Scooter’s this Monday Oct 7. I’ve made the difficult decision to step away in order to focus on other businesses and spend more time with my family. The support from this community over the years has mean…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Victim Killed In CT Shooting Mourned As 'Admirable Man With Aspirations' Victim Killed In CT Shooting Mourned As 'Admirable Man With Aspirations'
Victim Killed In CT Shooting Mourned As 'Admirable Man With Aspirations' Family and friends of a Connecticut man who was killed last week in a shooting have rallied to help pay for his funeral.  Dante Sprouse, 25, of East Hartford, was shot and killed following reports of a burglary on Kelsey Street and a crash on Thursday morning, Sept. 12, NBC Connecticut reports.  Calls to numbers linked to Sprouse's family were not immediately returned.  More than 130 people have given to a GoFundMe to pay for Sprouse's funeral created by Sprouse's father, Douglas Sprouse.  On September 12, 2024, Dante Sprouse also known as Dee to family and friends was killed by a sensele…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
New Update - Fatal CT House Fire: Elementary School Student ID'd As Victim New Update - Fatal CT House Fire: Elementary School Student ID'd As Victim
New Update - Fatal CT House Fire: Elementary School Student ID'd As Victim A student of a Connecticut elementary school has been identified as the victim of a house fire in a quiet neighborhood. Related: Person Found Dead After House Fire Breaks Out In Quiet Middlefield Neighborhood The incident occurred in Middlesex County around 1 a.m., Friday, Sept. 6, on Dwight Drive in Middlefield.  According to Doug Schuch, the superintendent of Regional School District 13, the child, whose name has not yet been released, attended John Lyman Elementary School. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of this child in this most difficult time, Schuch w…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Car Crashes Into Front Of Popular CT Cafe Car Crashes Into Front Of Popular CT Cafe
Car Crashes Into Front Of Popular CT Cafe Fans of a popular Fairfield cafe are coming to its rescue after a car crashed through the front of the restaurant. The incident occurred in Greenwich at the Makerie Cafe on Monday, Sept. 2, on Valley Road. According to Greenwich Police, the crash occurred when a driver in the parking lot pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake and plowed through the storefront. Thankfully, the owners said on Facebook that no one was injured because they were closed for Labor Day. The owners posted on Facebook that "our beloved deli was severely damaged due to a vehicle driving straight through the fron…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Accused Murderer Ranted About Pronouns, Trump Before Ex-Wife, Her BF Were Slain In NY Home Accused Murderer Ranted About Pronouns, Trump Before Ex-Wife, Her BF Were Slain In NY Home
Accused Murderer Ranted About Pronouns, Trump Before Ex-Wife, Her BF Were Slain In NY Home New details are offering insight into the mind of an accused murderer just hours before he allegedly gunned down his ex-wife and her boyfriend inside their New York home. The Long Island killings happened in St. James, at a residence on Brasswood Road, at around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28. Suffolk County Police said Daniel Coppola, age 50, put his 15-year-old daughter into his car before going inside and shooting his ex-wife, 50-year-old Kelly Coppola, and her boyfriend, 53-year-old Kenneth Pohlman. Earlier Report: Man Kills Ex-Wife, Her BF At St. James Home, Police Say Both vic…

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by Michael Mashburn
Lifestyle
Hundreds Showing Love For CT 4-Year-Old Facing Months Of Chemo Hundreds Showing Love For CT 4-Year-Old Facing Months Of Chemo
Hundreds Showing Love For CT 4-Year-Old Facing Months Of Chemo Friends, family, and strangers are donating and coming out in droves to show support for a 4-year-old Connecticut girl facing months of chemotherapy and radiation.  What started out as a fever and stomach ache for Mia Morse of New Haven County in Milford turned out to be every parent's worst nightmare -- cancer. Mia, usually dressed in full princess mode, is described as "hilariously imaginative, adorable, super sweet," according to a GoFundMe started to support the family so they can make it through these "trying" times. She is the oldest sibling to twins and loves her puppy, Lionel,…

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by Kathy Reakes
Neighbors
Fundraiser Reaches Goal For Funeral Of Stamford HS Student Found Dead In New Canaan Fundraiser Reaches Goal For Funeral Of Stamford HS Student Found Dead In New Canaan
Fundraiser Reaches Goal For Funeral Of Stamford HS Student Found Dead In New Canaan A fundraiser for a Fairfield County high school student who was found dead in a wooded area has reached its goal to pay for funeral expenses. Related: ID Released For Man Found Dead In New Canaan Woods Santos Eujedo Perez, exact age not provided, of Stamford, was found dead Tuesday, July 9, in New Canaan in a wooded area after working at a construction site. Perez, a quiet but friendly Westhill High School student, was reported missing by family on Monday, July 8, according to the New Cannan Police. "Everyone associated with Stamford Public Schools is devastated by the passing of S…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Massachusetts' Littlest Garbage Man Makes His Rounds Thanks To Make-A-Wish Massachusetts' Littlest Garbage Man Makes His Rounds Thanks To Make-A-Wish
Massachusetts' Littlest Garbage Man Makes His Rounds Thanks To Make-a-wish For four-year-old Alan, there was always something special about the garbage trucks that came through his Ashland neighborhood each week. He fell in love with the big green machines and wanted to be like the men and women who drove them.  He even dressed up as a garbage man for Halloween one year.  So, it was a no-brainer when Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island offered him the chance to make a wish that he would don the high-vis vest and hard hat and climb aboard a WM truck to put in a hard day's work. They even gave him a time card to punch in and out.   …

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
Autistic 4-Year-Old Central Mass Girl Drowns In Neighbor's Pool Autistic 4-Year-Old Central Mass Girl Drowns In Neighbor's Pool
Autistic 4-Year-Old Central Mass Girl Drowns In Neighbor's Pool A 4-year-old autistic girl named Eva was found unresponsive in her neighbor's pool in Worcester County on Thursday, July 11, after she went missing from her home. She was pronounced dead at an area hospital a short time later.  Police in Sutton received a 911 call around 3:50 p.m. that the girl had gone missing in the Peachtree Drive area, the Worcester County District Attorney said. Officers quickly began a search and found the girl in the pool. Responders rushed her to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, where doctors pronounced her dead, authorities said.  Police did n…

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by Josh Lanier
Obituaries
Support Floods In For Family Of Trooper Killed In CT Hit-Run Support Floods In For Family Of Trooper Killed In CT Hit-Run
Support Floods In For Family Of Trooper Killed In CT Hit-Run After the tragic death of a Connecticut State Police Trooper, the community has rallied together to support his wife and their two young children. Trooper Aaron Pelletier, age 34, was killed on Thursday, May 30, on I-84 in Hartford County. Aaron was near Exit 31 in Southington, standing at the driver’s side door of a vehicle he had just pulled over when he was struck and killed by a passing driver. Earlier Report: Arrest Made In Trooper's Hit-Run Death In Southington “The grief and sadness caused by Aaron’s sudden death cannot be properly expressed in words,” wrote Troop H, whom…

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by Sophie Grieser
Lifestyle
Hey Stamford, Shake Shack Is Now Open Hey Stamford, Shake Shack Is Now Open
Hey Stamford, Shake Shack Is Now Open The long-awaited arrival of upscale fast-food chain Shake Shack has opened its latest location in Fairfield County. The restaurant opened its Stamford location on Thursday, May 23, at 64 High Ridge Road. The Stamford Shake Shack location will offer guests in-Shack dining and will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.  On opening day, the first wave of guests can expect to receive custom Shake Shack keychains.  The menu offers Shake Shack burgers, fries, chicken, shakes, and much more. Guests will be able to order directly "in-Shack" and via digital pre-ordering ahead for picku…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Love, Support Pours In For Fairfield Family Of 8-Year-Old Fighting Battle Against Brain Tumor Love, Support Pours In For Fairfield Family Of 8-Year-Old Fighting Battle Against Brain Tumor
Love, Support Pours In For Fairfield Family Of 8-Year-Old Fighting Battle Against Brain Tumor A community has come together to raise tens of thousands of dollars to help support the Connecticut family of a courageous 8-year-old boy who has been waging a tough battle against a brain tumor for years.  Since the age of 2, Teddy Marchione of the town of Fairfield has been fighting a pediatric brain tumor that likely began growing in utero, according to his neurosurgeon. Following his original diagnosis in 2018, he underwent a 10-hour surgery to remove the tumor.  In the years since his first surgery, Marchione has gone through several rounds of chemotherapy and is no…

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by Ben Crnic