Connecticut
Democratic lawmakers from Connecticut report Thanksgiving bomb threats against their homes
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Several Democratic members of Congress from Connecticut have been targeted by bomb threats on their homes, the lawmakers or their offices said Thursday.
Reps. Jim Himes, Joe Courtney and John Larson all reported that their homes were the subject of bomb threats. Police who responded said they found no evidence of a bomb on the lawmakers’ properties.
This happened a day after a number of President-elect Donald Trump’s most prominent Cabinet picks and appointees reported that they had received bomb threats and “swatting attacks,” in which perpetrators initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a victim under false pretenses.
Courtney’s Vernon home received a bomb threat while his wife and children were there, his office said.
Himes said Thursday morning he was notified of the threat against his home during a Thanksgiving celebration with his family. The U.S. Capitol Police and Greenwich and Stamford police departments responded.
Hines extended his family’s “utmost gratitude to our local law enforcement officers for their immediate action to ensure our safety.” He added: “There is no place for political violence in this country, and I hope that we may all continue through the holiday season with peace and civility.”
Larson also said Thursday that East Hartford Police responded to a bomb threat against his home.
The threats follow an election season marked by violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pa., grazing him in the ear and killing one of his supporters. The Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump’s West Palm Beach, Fla., golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing.
Among those who received threats Wednesday were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations; Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick to serve as attorney general; Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, whom Trump chose to lead the Department of Labor, and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
Hussein writes for the Associated Press. Associated Press writer Jill Colvin in New York contributed to this report.
Connecticut
11 DUIs, 164 crashes since the start of Thanksgiving weekend, state police say
Connecticut State Police have made 11 DUI arrests since the start of the holiday weekend as of Thanksgiving morning, they said.
The statistics reflect Wednesday, starting at midnight, until 8 a.m. Thursday, state police said. In addition, the statistics only reflect trooper patrolled roadways.
State police said that in addition to the nearly dozen DUI arrests made, there have been 164 car crashes. Twelve of those 164 crashes caused injury, but there have been no serious injuries thus far.
Motorists have made 1,927 calls requesting service and there have been 114 “traffic services” made, police said. “Traffic services” can be anything from helping with a disabled car or clearing debris off a roadway, police said.
Police also said that 451 motorists have been pulled over, but did not provide information on how many were given traffic citations.
Connecticut
Connecticut police officers looking out for drunk drivers on Thanksgiving Eve
CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — Thanksgiving Eve is a holiday right up there with New Years Eve and Super Bowl Sunday when it comes to drunk driving incidents.
State police officers are on the road looking for drunk drivers, trying to keep everyone safe with a strong message.
“The fire department had to use the jaws of life to cut the whole driver side door off because I couldn’t get out of the vehicle, I was wedged in,” Connecticut State Police Trooper Chandler Chasse said.
Chasse was hit by a driver on the job and has had to stop wrong way drivers on the highway. This year, he’s in the Hartford area looking for drunk drivers.
Watch the full video in the player above.
Connecticut
Connecticut businesses prepare for Black Friday
CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — For many shoppers it’s a tradition, and for many stores it’s one of their biggest sales days of the year. We’re talking Black Friday: which may not be exactly the same as what it used to be.
Many stores used to see long lines and shoppers sleeping out for Black Friday sales. Meriden resident Olek Wolski was one of those who braved the cold for a good deal.
“Back in the day I used to yeah,” Wolski said. “I was always the first guy in line.”
These days he does his holiday shopping from the comfort of his warm home.
“For getting deals I would mostly go online,” Wolski said.
And he’s not alone.
“I used to go there in person,” New London resident Anh Calhoun, who says she doesn’t do that anymore. “I do a lot of shopping online.”
“I think about it but I don’t usually do it,” Mystic resident Gregg Fedus said.
With Black Friday deals dropping weeks earlier and offered online at the same prices as in store, many are choosing to avoid the crowds which may be a little smaller these days.
“I tend to stay home on Black Friday,” East Lyme resident Lori Venditti said.
Still, she and her daughter Angie do prefer shopping in person rather than online.
“We’re trying to keep businesses in business,” Venditti said. “So the first thing we do is we go to the stores and if we can’t find it we ultimately have to get the item online unfortunately so.”
“It’s a crazy day for us. It’s one of our biggest day,” Candy Shapiro, who owns Grace in Niantic.
She does expect to be very busy on Black Friday. She offers free gifts to many Grace customers and 30% off the entire store, which allows the small but popular shop to compete with the big stores.
“We learned that all you have to do is have an event that gives back to the people and when you give you get,” Shapiro said.
Not only does Shapiro have to compete with the bigger stores but also with the trends of online shopping and sales which start long before Black Friday.
She says she offers some of her regulars and those who sign up for texts early access to sales like the ones on Black Friday.
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