Fair 35°
Lifestyle
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…

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by Michael Mashburn
Police & Fire
Man Found Dead Near Mall In New England Man Found Dead Near Mall In New England
Man Found Dead Near Mall In New England 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…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
New England Couple Accused Of $1M Lululemon Theft Spree Across 4 States New England Couple Accused Of $1M Lululemon Theft Spree Across 4 States
New England Couple Accused Of $1M Lululemon Theft Spree Across 4 States 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…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
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…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
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…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Newly Identified Chemical In Drinking Water Could Be Toxic, Study Says Newly Identified Chemical In Drinking Water Could Be Toxic, Study Says
Newly Identified Chemical In Drinking Water Could Be Toxic, Study Says A newly discovered compound in drinking water has raised questions about its potential health risks.  The chemical, known as chloronitramide anion (Cl–N–NO₂⁻), was found in all samples from 10 US drinking water systems that use chloramines, according to a study published in the journal Science on Thursday, Nov. 21. The research, led by Julian L. Fairey, an associate professor at the University of Arkansas,  identified chloronitramide anion as a decomposition product of inorganic chloramines, which are commonly used to disinfect municipal water supplies.  The study estimates …

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by Joe Lombardi
Weather
New Update: Thanksgiving Storm Will Dampen Travel With Mix Of Rain, Sleet, Snow New Update: Thanksgiving Storm Will Dampen Travel With Mix Of Rain, Sleet, Snow
New Update: Thanksgiving Storm Will Dampen Travel With Mix Of Rain, Sleet, Snow A new storm will bring a mix of snow, sleet, and rain on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, causing widespread disruptions for travel and holiday festivities. A pair of scenarios will be at play as the holiday week progresses, one of which could produce accumulating snow across portions of the Ohio Valley and Northeast, AccuWeather meteorologists say. "The first scenario involves a slow-moving storm, meaning potentially longer-lasting impacts from the Tennessee and Ohio valleys through the Northeast," says AccuWeather. "The second scenario sends the same storm farther south and off the Ca…

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Supermarket Game Changer? Grocery Store Chain Rolling Out Smart Carts Along East Coast Supermarket Game Changer? Grocery Store Chain Rolling Out Smart Carts Along East Coast
Supermarket Game Changer? Grocery Store Chain Rolling Out Smart Carts Along East Coast Imagine strolling through your local supermarket, scanning items, calculating your total, and then, skipping the checkout line? Thanks to an AI-powered "smart cart," that's now possible. This futuristic shopping experience is now a reality in select ShopRite locations in the East Coast as the supermarket chain introduces technology designed by Instacart to save shoppers time and make grocery runs smoother than ever. The so-called "Caper Carts" are designed to make grocery shopping faster, smarter, and more interactive. To date, about a dozen ShopRite stores have added the carts as another…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Alex Jones Sues Sandy Hook Families In Fight To Keep Control of Media Empire: Report Alex Jones Sues Sandy Hook Families In Fight To Keep Control of Media Empire: Report
Alex Jones Sues Sandy Hook Families In Fight To Keep Control of Media Empire: Report In a case that reads like dark satire itself, Alex Jones is suing the comedy website The Onion and the families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre claiming they colluded to buy his right-wing conspiracy theory show "InfoWars" in a bankruptcy auction, reports said. Lawyers for Jones, who owes a $1.5 billion judgment to Sandy Hook families after spreading false claims that the 2012 school shooting was a hoax, argued in court documents that The Onion's winning $1.75 million bid was "flagrantly non-compliant" and designed to "rig the process," according to NPR. Earlier Report: Back…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Man Who Gunned Down Ex-Springfield Mom, Infant In. CT Drive-By Busted In Puerto Rico: Police Man Who Gunned Down Ex-Springfield Mom, Infant In. CT Drive-By Busted In Puerto Rico: Police
Man Who Gunned Down Ex-Springfield Mom, Infant In. CT Drive-By Busted In Puerto Rico: Police A 23-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a young mother and her infant son in Connecticut was arrested in Puerto Rico, authorities announced. Lance Morales, the suspect in the drive-by shooting that killed 20-year-old Jessiah Mercado and her 4-month-old son, Messiah Diaz, was taken into custody Saturday, Nov. 23, by the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force, the Marshal Service said.  He was found at a home in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, and is being held on a $3 million bond. The incident unfolded earlier this week when officers responded to Hartford Hospital after a vehicle arriv…

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by Josh Lanier
News
Infant Dies, 10 Others Sickened In Listeria Outbreak Involving Meat, Poultry Products Infant Dies, 10 Others Sickened In Listeria Outbreak Involving Meat, Poultry Products
Infant Dies, 10 Others Sickened In Listeria Outbreak Involving Meat, Poultry Products A multi-state Listeria outbreak linked to meat and poultry products has killed an infant and sickened at least 10 others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health officials are investigating infections linked to recalled Yu Shang Food ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. The illnesses were in New York, New Jersey, California, and Illinois between Wednesday, July 31 and Thursday, Oct. 24, the agency said. Of 11 people with information available, nine have been hospitalized. In California, one pregnant woman and her twins were sick and both infants died. But …

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by Joe Lombardi
Business
Recall Involving Bagged Carrots Expanded: See List Of Supermarkets, Products Recall Involving Bagged Carrots Expanded: See List Of Supermarkets, Products
Recall Involving Bagged Carrots Expanded: See List Of Supermarkets, Products An E. coli outbreak linked to bagged organic carrots has prompted an expanded recall as the number of cases grows. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 39 people across 18 states have been sickened.  Click here for a new, updated story - Here's What To Know Now About Food Illness Outbreaks, Recalls Ahead Of Thanksgiving The outbreak has resulted in 15 hospitalizations and one death. The recall initially began earlier this month when reports of illnesses linked to Grimmway Farms’ bagged carrots surfaced. The recall now covers multiple brands of orga…

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by Joe Lombardi