FOUR PEOPLE ARE DEAD IN WATERBURY – THE RESULT OF A CAR CRASHING INTO A CORNER STORE IN WATERBURY OVERNIGHT. POLICE RESPONDED TO CHERRY STREET AROUND 12:45AM AFTER A B-M-W SEDAN SLAMMED INTO THE HERNANDEZ MARKET, PARTIALLY COLLAPSING THE STRUCTURE. POLICE SAY THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THEY SAID 3 OF THE 4 PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. THE 4TH WAS RUSHED TO A HOSPITAL AND DIED THERE. NO ONE WAS INSIDE THE BUSINESS WHEN IT WAS HIT. A NEARBY RESIDENT RECORDED FOOTAGE OF THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH. THE VIDEO, TAKEN JUST SECONDS AFTER THE CRASH, SHOWED THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED ON ITS ROOF AS FIREFIGHTERS WORKED TO REMOVE DEBRIS TO REACH ANYONE WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN TRAPPED INSIDE. CHIEF FERNANDO SPAGNOLO TOLD REPORTERS THE VEHICLE DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN STOLEN, AND HE WAS GRATEFUL THE CRASH HAPPENED WHEN IT DID, SAYING THAT HAVING NO ONE INSIDE THE BUILDING OR ON THE STREET AT THE TIME HELPED MITIGATE FURTHER DAMAGE OR INJURY, AND THAT AFTER REVIEWING SURVEILLANCE VIDEO, THE CHIEF ADDED THAT SPEED APPEARS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THE CRASH. AS POLICE DEAL WITH THESE HORRIFIC SITUATIONS AS PART OF THE JOB, THE CHIEF SAYS A PEER SUPPORT TEAM WILL REACH OUT TO THESE OFFICERS. POLICE WERE WORKING TO NOTIFY NEXT OF KIN BEFORE RELEASING VICTIM IDENTITIES.
NEW YORK (AP) — A DOZEN STATES, INCLUDING CONNECTICUT, HAVE SUED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IN THE U.S. COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE TO STOP ITS TARIFF POLICY, SAYING IT IS UNLAWFUL AND HAS BROUGHT CHAOS TO THE AMERICAN ECONOMY. THE LAWSUIT FILED WEDNESDAY SAYS THE POLICY PUT IN PLACE BY PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS LEFT THE NATIONAL TRADE POLICY SUBJECT TO TRUMP’S WHIMS RATHER THAN THE SOUND EXERCISE OF LAWFUL AUTHORITY. THE LAWSUIT CHALLENGES TRUMP’S CLAIM THAT HE COULD ARBITRARILY IMPOSE TARIFFS BASED ON THE INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY ECONOMIC POWERS ACT, AND THAT ONLY CONGRESS HAS THAT POWER. CONNECTICUT ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM TONG SAID “TRUMP’S LAWLESS AND CHAOTIC TARIFFS ARE A MASSIVE TAX ON CONNECTICUT FAMILIES AND A DISASTER FOR CONNECTICUT BUSINESSES AND JOBS.” ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL KRIS MAYES CALLED TRUMP’S TARIFF SCHEME “INSANE.” SHE SAID IT WAS “NOT ONLY ECONOMICALLY RECKLESS — IT IS ILLEGAL.”
APRIL IS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH, WITH NATIONAL STATISTICS SHOWING THAT 81% OF WOMEN AND 43% OF MEN REPORT EXPERIENCING SOME FORM OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND/OR ASSAULT IN THEIR LIFETIME. TORRINGTON’S SUSAN B. ANTHONY PROJECT HOSTS EVENTS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF, AND TO WORK TOWARD, STOPPING SEXUAL VIOLENCE. THEY INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY VIGIL TONIGHT AT 6 AT COE PARK, TO UPLIFT VICTIMS & SURVIVORS. THERE’S ALSO AN EXHIBIT TITLED “WHAT YOU WERE WEARING,” WHICH DISPLAYS CLOTHING FROM SURVIVORS TO DISPEL THE VICTIM-BLAMING BELIEF THAT WHAT A PERSON WAS WEARING WAS THE REASON THEY WERE ASSAULTED. FOR DETAILS ON ALL OF APRIL’S EVENTS, VISIT WWW.SBAPROJECT.ORG OR CALL (860)489-3798. THE AGENCY’S 24-HOUR CRISIS LINE IS (860)482-7133.
WE START THE FINAL WEEK OF APRIL TODAY WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES, HIGH POLLEN COUNT AND A HIGH BRUSH FIRE DANGER. METEOROLOGIST JOE FUREY SAYS IT’S ALL TO BE EXPECTED AS SPRING WEATHER – AND ALLERGY SEASON – KICKS INTO GEAR, THE LANDSCAPE EXPLODING WITH THESE EARLY SUMMER-LIKE TEMPERATURES, AND THE SNEEZING AND ITCHY EYES AND THROAT BRINGING MISERY TO MANY. AND JOE SAYS WE’LL LOOK SKYWARD TODAY TO SEE SOMETHING ELSE – THIS NOT EXPECTED – A SMOKY SKY FROM HUGE WILD FIRES IN NEW JERSEY MEANS A HAZY SUNSHINE HERE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. A SYSTEM ARRIVES FROM THE WEST SATURDAY TO BRING US THE ONLY RAIN EXPECTED FOR THIS FINAL WEEK OF APRIL. THE EARLY SUMMER FEEL CONTINUES AS WE HEAD FROM APRIL INTO MAY A WEEK FROM TODAY.
TORRINGTON ATTORNEY DEBRA BROWN IS ORGANIZING A ‘MAY DAY’ RALLY FOR NEXT SATURDAY, MAY 3RD. BROWN SAYS THE GOAL OF THE RALLY IS TO PROTEST THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S PROPOSED CUTS TO FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND GIVING TAX BREAKS TO THE SUPER RICH. BROWN SAYS SHE WANTS PEOPLE TO GATHER TO SHOW SUPPORT OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR HEALTH CARE, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND MEDICAID, AND TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY, THE ‘HEAD START’ PROGRAM, WORKERS’ RIGHTS, WOMENS RIGHTS AND FREE SPEECH. THE ‘MAY DAY’ RALLY, SATURDAY MAY 3RD, WILL LAST FROM 1 TO 2:30PM ON THE MAIN STREET SIDEWALK AT COE MEMORIAL PARK, ACROSS FROM THE DOWNTOWN PLAZA.
THE CITY OF TORRINGTON IS DEVELOPING PLANS TO BUILD A NEW MULTI-USE TRAIL FROM NORTH ELM STREET TO NEWFIELD ROAD, MOSTLY BEHIND THE OCEAN STATE JOB LOT PLAZA. THE PROJECT WILL BE COMPRISED OF STREET AND SIGNAL ENHANCEMENTS AND NEW TRAIL CONSTRUCTION, WHICH WILL PROVIDE FOR SAFER PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE TRAVEL. THE PROJECT IS FINANCED BY THE STATE’S CONSERVATION RECREATIONAL TRAILS GRANTS PROGRAM AND CITY OF TORRINGTON. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN THIS SUMMER. THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND A HYBRID PRESENTATION TO BE HELD IN PERSON AT TORRINGTON CITY HALL’S COUNCIL CHAMBERS TONIGHT AT 6. FOR MEETING ID AND PASSCODE, CALL DURING BUSINESS HOURS TODAY (860)489-2221.
ALDI SHOPPERS MAY WANT TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK INSIDE THEIR REFRIGERATORS. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE’S FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE HAS ANNOUNCED A RECALL FOR ALDI’S “PORK CARNITAS – SEASONED AND SEARED PORK WITH JUICES SLOW COOKED WITH CITRUS.” A NATIONAL RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR PORK PRODUCTS SOLD AT ALDI WHICH MAY HAVE METAL CONTAMINATION. OFFICIALS SAY THE PORK PRODUCT IN QUESTION MAY BE CONTAMINATED WITH SMALL METAL PIECES. THE PORK, WHICH IS FROM CARGILL MEAT SOLUTIONS, WAS SOLD AT ALDI STORES NATIONWIDE. THERE’S BEEN NO WORD OF ANY RELATED INJURIES.
EXPERTS SAY NOT TO FALL FOR FAKE TEXT MESSAGES ABOUT AN OVERDUE TOLL PAYMENT OR AN E-ZPASS FINAL REMINDER. C-N-N REPORTS THESE MESSAGES ARE ONE OF THE LATEST ATTEMPTS TO STEAL PERSONAL INFORMATION. FORD MERRILL, THE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION AT SECURITY ALLIANCE, SAID SCAMMERS ARE ALWAYS CRAFTING NEW WAYS TO TRY TO GET HOLD OF PERSONAL INFORMATION. THE SCAMS INVOLVING TEXT MESSAGES FOR UNPAID TOLLS OR OUTSTANDING E-ZPASS BALANCES ARE WHAT ARE CALLED SMISHING SCAMS. MERRILL SAYS “THEY’RE LOOKING TO STEAL YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION, FOLLOWED BY YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION. LEGITIMATE AGENCIES WILL NEVER TRY TO COLLECT PAYMENT VIA TEXT OR EMAIL. SIMPLY DELETE THESE MESSAGES IF YOU HAPPEN TO GET THEM.
GOSHEN’S RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS SIGNING UP PARTICIPANTS FOR THE 15TH ANNUAL ‘SHANE MOREHOUSE KINSELLA MEMORIAL RUN & WALK’ THIS SATURDAY APRIL 26TH, STARTING AND ENDING AT GOSHEN’S CAMP COCHIPIANEE ON BEACH STREET. IT’S A FAMILY-FRIENDLY 5-MILE ‘TIMED’ RUN & 2-MILE WALK TO BENEFIT THE ‘SMK FUND,’ WHICH SUPPORTS GOSHEN CHILDREN’S CAMPERSHIPS AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. REGISTER AT WWW.GOSHEN.REC.COM. YOU CAN ALSO REGISTER SATURDAY STARTING AT 9AM. A KIDS FUN-RUN STARTS AT 10:15. THE RUN AND WALK START AT 11.