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Connecticut
Person dies in Connecticut after reportedly eating mislabeled cookies, recall issued
Health
Stew Leonard’s is recalling its Vanilla Florentine Cookies after they were found to be mislabeled and contained peanuts.
A person has died after reportedly consuming mislabeled cookies that contained peanuts, the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) said Tuesday.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health and DCP are warning the public about cookies sold at Stew Leonard’s grocery stores that contain undeclared peanuts. Stew Leonard’s issued a recall Tuesday for their Vanilla Florentine Cookies, which were sold in Stew Leonard’s Danbury and Newington stores.
One death that was initially reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may be associated with the cookies, the DCP said. The person was a resident of New York and in their 20s, the department said, and reportedly consumed the cookies at a social gathering in Connecticut.
The cookies were a seasonal product sold only at the Danbury and Newington stores from Nov. 6 to Dec. 31, Stew Leonard said in a statement recalling the cookies on Tuesday.
The cookies were produced by Cookies United, a wholesaler in New York, but labeled with Stew Leonard’s brand name. DCP said it worked with the supermarket chain to remove all baked items produced by the wholesaler in Stew Leonard’s Connecticut locations.
DCP investigators are working with public health officials in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, the FDA, and Stew Leonard’s to determine what caused the error and if other products were affected, the department said.
Stew Leonard’s is a regional chain that has locations in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey.
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy that should never have happened,” said DCP Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli in a statement. “Our condolences go out to the family affected by this incident.”
See the moment a husky shields child from bear
A husky jumped into action to protect a child as a bear charged at them through the yard in Connecticut.
If you’re looking for the best barbecue restaurant in the state, you may have to drive to the state’s capital.
Business Insider identified the most beloved barbecue spot in each state, including Connecticut.
“Our list includes barbecue destinations with historical or regional significance and devoted national or local followings,” Business Insider said. “Many of the spots or their pitmasters have won major accolades, and some have appeared on mainstream TV shows.”
Business Insider’s choice for the most iconic place for barbecue in Connecticut is a specific location of a chain restaurant that has multiple stores in the Constitution State.
Here’s what Business Insider had to say about Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue, and why it might be worth the extra trip to Hartford, Connecticut.
Bear’s Smokehouse — Hartford, Connecticut
Business Insider said the Hartford location is the most iconic Bear’s Smokehouse in Connecticut. However, Bear’s has locations in Windsor, New Haven, South Windsor, and Storrs (although that one is in a University of Connecticut Student Union).
“Local outlet Hartford Courant named Bear’s Smokehouse the best ribs and best food truck in the state,” Business Insider said. “USA Today also named it one of the best restaurants in the country in 2026 (albeit, one of the North Carolina locations).”
Chain restaurant or not, this location’s menu appears to have all the goods that make a barbecue restaurant great: beef brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, and turkey breast, all done up in a Kansas-City style of barbecue that would make Ted Lasso proud.
They also offer some innovative takes on hearty dishes like poutine with Bear Style Poutine, which comes with fries, spicy cheese curds, brisket gravy, and your choice of meat.
You can find Bear’s Smokehouse at 25 Front St, Hartford, Connecticut.
They open at 11 a.m. on weekdays and weekends but their closing hours vary depending on the day.
Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@usatodayco.com.
Connecticut
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System under investigation by U.S. Department of Education
(WFSB) – The Connecticut Technical Education and Career System is under investigation by the United States Department of Education.
In a letter sent to the superintendent obtained by Channel 3, the nature of the investigation centers around the district’s handling of rape and/or sexual assault cases by school staff.
“Due to the District’s inaccurate responses to the rape and/or sexual assault data elements involving allegations against school staff of OCR’s 2023–24 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), the directed investigation will examine whether the District has policies and procedures in place to ensure accurate data collection and reporting and that its handling of the sexual harassment, including sexual assault, of students by District teachers, administrators, and/or staff members is consistent with the requirements of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and its implementing regulation,” said the letter in part.
Read it in full below:
The school system issued a statement in response to the investigation.
Copyright 2026 WFSB. All rights reserved.
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