A 21-year-old alleged car club president has been charged in connection with a street takeover event that blocked a busy Connecticut intersection, police announced. Hartford County resident Jaki Haynes of East Hartford turned himself in to authorities on Thursday, April 18 on charges connected to a street takeover event in Tolland County in May 2023, Connecticut State Police announced on Friday, April 19.  According to Haynes' arrest warrant, the investigation leading to the arrest began in May 2023, when several street takeovers occurred throughout Connecticut. These events involved gro ..read more

Fred Neulander, the Cherry Hill rabbi who was convicted in a murder-for-hire plot to kill his wife, has died in New Jersey State Prison, the DOC website says. Neulander, 82, was observed unresponsive by correctional officers inside a prison infirmary unit on Wednesday, April 17, according to NBCPhiladelphia.com and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Prison officials have not released a cause of death, however, he was listed as "deceased" on the state's Department of Corrections website. Neulander — the founding rabbi of Congregation M’kor Shalom of Cherry Hill, a Reform Jewish synagogue — had been se ..read more

A man lit himself on fire just steps away from the Manhattan courthouse where former President Trump’s alleged hush money trial was underway. The incident, which was broadcast live to a national audience on CNN, happened at around 1:40 p.m. Friday, April 19, right outside the New York Supreme Court near Foley Square. Flames could be seen shooting 10 to 15 feet into the air as the man’s body was fully engulfed in flames. CNN anchor Laura Coates, who was broadcasting just feet away from the man, provided viewers with a first-hand account. “A man has now lit himself on fire outside of the courth ..read more

The day of April 20 might not mean much to the average Joe, but for marijuana fans, it's a day to celebrate and, well, get high.  The term 420 refers to 4:20 p.m., or the end of the work or school day, and time to smoke some pot to relax and kick back.  When April 20 -- 4/20 -- rolls around, it's a whole day to celebrate. Although pot is legal in Connecticut, officials with the state Department of Transportation (CTDOT) are joining state and local law enforcement agencies to remind the public about the dangers of driving impaired.  "April 20 is often recogni ..read more

Police nabbed a 46-year-old man who allegedly attempted to open an account at a Fairfield County bank with a fraudulent identification.  The incident occurred in Darien on Friday, April 12, at the TD Bank at 55 Post Road.  According to Sgt. Dan Skoumbros of the Darien Police, New York City resident Wesley Gabriel, age 46, of Brooklyn, was attempting to open a bank account with a current customer's identification and then attempted to leave the bank.  When officers spoke with Gabriel, he refused to identify himself and refused to answer any questions, Skoumbros said. G ..read more

Three masked thieves stole several thousand dollars worth of jewelry from Kay’s Jewelry store at a Fairfield County mall. The incident occurred in Trumbull around 1:45 p.m., Wednesday, April 17, at the Trumbull Mall. According to Trumbull Police, the department received several calls reporting the theft, and shoppers were alarmed by the loud noise of the shattering glass that was mistakenly thought to be a gunshot.  It was later determined that no weapons were involved. The thieves made off with the jewelry by smashing the glass display case with a hammer, police said.  Police said ..read more

An unsettled weather pattern will bring a new round of rain and showers to the region. Friday, April 19, will be mostly cloudy throughout the day and not as cool, with a high temperature in the mid-50s to lower 60s. But it will stay dry until Friday evening when a season moves in, bringing precipitation that will last on and off until around midday on Saturday, April 20. About a quarter of an inch of rainfall is expected. Skies will become mostly sunny Saturday afternoon, helping the high temperature climb into the mid-60s. It will remain clear overnight, leading to a bright and sunny day on ..read more

A Connecticut man has been arrested after he allegedly sent inappropriate messages to a 13-year-old boy for months over Instagram. The New Haven County man, 27-year-old Michael Bernaud of Astonia, was arrested on Wednesday, April 17, according to Connecticut State Police. Bernaud met his victim at a grand re-opening event at a restaurant (which the boy’s parents took him to) in December 2023, police said. The young teen then joined an Instagram group for fans of said restaurant, the name of which was not released by police to protect the victim’s identity. It was then that the victim and Bern ..read more

As in the rest of the country, Connecticut-based news companies are facing difficult times as ad revenues (the typical source of income) fall. Local, ethnic and community news organizations find themselves competing with regional and national media conglomerates—which may not put their newsroom focus on local happenings—for advertising revenue. And with the loss of advertising dollars in an unbalanced industry, Connecticut news organizations are forced to close offices, decrease the scope of their reporting, and lose staff. An Act Concerning the Purchase of Print and Digital Advertising by th ..read more

Two people were killed, and another was seriously injured during a fast-moving apartment fire. The incident occurred in New Haven County around 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 17, at 25 Geneva Ave., in Wallingford. According to Chief John Ventura of the Wallingford Police, the Communications Center received a call reporting smoke from a residence on Geneva Avenue.  When police and fire arrived, they found a man outside suffering from severe burns, Ventura said. The individual was airlifted to a local burn center for treatment and remains in critical condition, the chief said ..read more