Connecticut news

• Harrison Ford’s close call with passenger plane prompts FAA investigation

  14-02-2017 23:50
  
  SANTA ANA, Calif. – Actor Harrison Ford flew over the top of a commercial airplane while landing his private aircraft after being instructed to use another location at John Wayne Airport on Monday, a source confirmed to KTLA. The incident at the Santa Ana airport was first reported by NBC News and the source confirmed the information is accurate. The mixup could result in the actor losing his pilot license, the news agency reported.  Air traffic controllers cleared
  
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• Youth basketball team forfeits rather than play without girl teammates

  14-02-2017 23:20
  
  CLARK, N.J. — Parents raise their children hoping they will grow to stand up for what is right, and players on a fifth-grade coed basketball team in New Jersey made their parents proud this past weekend. Teammates decided unanimously they would rather forfeit the rest of their season than continue playing without the girls who were part of the team. Many of the players on the St. John the Apostle Parish School team had been playing together since second grade, […]
  
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• Simsbury boy who met Tom Brady loses fight against brain cancer

  14-02-2017 22:35
  
  SIMSBURY — Logan Schoenhardt, a 10-year-old boy whose battle with brain cancer touched New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, died Monday. We're saddened to share that after a lengthy battle with brain cancer, Patriots fan Logan Schoenhardt died yesterday. He was 10 years old. pic.twitter.com/QUrMEziURo — E:60 (@E60) February 14, 2017 Schoenhardt was a student at The Masters School in Simsbury and a huge Patriots fan. Brady made a video early last year for Schoenhardt and met hi
  
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• A mild night; chance for rain and snow showers Wednesday

  14-02-2017 22:31
  
  We have a stretch of quiet weather setting up for the next several days. A few snow and rain showers for Wednesday, and then quiet weather emerges for a few days, with warming highs into the 40s by the weekend. Be sure to download the FOX 61 Weather app for the latest. Forecast Details:  Tuesday night: Mild. High 20-30s Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, chance for snow showers. High: 30s Thursday: Partly sunny, brisk and chilly. High: 25-35 Friday: Mostly sunny, cold. High: […]
  
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• Social media campaign honors Good Samaritan shot and killed outside Groton bar

  14-02-2017 22:25
  
  GROTON — It’s been just over two months since Joey Gingerella was shot to death outside of Ryan’s Pub in Groton, as he came to the aid of the woman, who was allegedly being beaten by her boyfriend. But, his spirit lives on thanks to a friend. “Joey was a person that I called when things were really good or really bad,” said Ashley Shaw Giorodano. She and Gingerella were friends through addiction recovery. She saw a way to keep his memory alive&nb
  
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• Bloomfield-based Cigna Rejects $48 Billion Anthem Takeover, Sues For Damages

  14-02-2017 21:47
  
  (Associated Press) — Bloomfield-based Cigna says it is rejecting Anthem’s proposed $48 billion acquisition bid and suing the Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurer.
  The announcement comes hours after another major insurer, Hartford-based Aetna, said it was abandoning its planned $34 billion purchase of Medicare Advantage provider Humana.
  The Department of Justice sued last summer to stop the deals due to concerns about how they would affect prices and consumer choices. Federal judges reject
  
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• Where To Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Connecticut

  14-02-2017 21:46
  
  Whether you prefer a relaxing weekend away at a spa or an exciting fire and ice festival, Connecticut has many options to offer you this February. Here are a few fun ways to spread the Valentine's Day love.
  Photo Credit: Getty Images
  
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• West Haven man charged with riding a scooter on drugs, injuring police officer directing traffic

  14-02-2017 21:01
  
  NEW HAVEN —  A West Haven man who was riding a scooter is facing criminal charges after injuring a New Haven Police officer in November. On November 28, police say Detective Juan Ingles was directing traffic on Kimberly Avenue when he was hit by 70-year-old Thomas Greatsinger. Officers say Greatsinger failed to acknowledge work zone signs and a police car who had activated his warning lights ahead of the work zone. Police say during their month-long investigation, a toxicolo
  
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• Katherine Heigl Battles “Doubt” In CBS’ Newest Drama

  14-02-2017 21:00
  
  Get ready to be turned onto CBS’ newest drama, Doubt, starting February 15th at 10/9c. The attorneys at New York’s top defense firm are working up a sweat. As the stakes get higher, this group of legal warriors prepare for war. No one is safe when lives are on the line. Ready to risk it all, “Isaiah Roth And Associates” will fight injustice at every corner with evidence, probable cause and heart. Only time will tell who will walk away victorious and who will be left with
  
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• Driver Who Hit New Haven Cop Had Cocaine in System: Police

  14-02-2017 20:50
  
  A 70-year-old West Haven man has been arrested in connection with a crash that seriously injured a New Haven police officer in November and police said the suspect was under the influence of cocaine and...Photo Credit: New Haven Police
  
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• Suspected Beer Shoplifter Dragged Cop: Police

  14-02-2017 20:48
  
  The search is on for a man police said stole almost $200 worth of beer from a Newington market, then dragged a police officer with his car for nearly 500 feet.Photo Credit: Newington PoliceThis story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
  
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• Construction Halted On New Haven Mosque With Too-tall Minarets

  14-02-2017 20:38
  
  MICHAEL MELIAAssociated PressNEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — After exceeding a city height limit, builders of a mosque on New Haven’s outskirts are wrestling with how to cut 24 feet from its soaring, crescent-topped minarets.
  The city has halted all construction on the building until the mosque figures out what to do about the 81-foot towers sent from Turkey.
  The steel and fiberglass minarets came in prefabricated sections and were assembled last year. A building permit was issued
  
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• Pedro Hernandez found guilty of murder, kidnapping in Etan Patz case

  14-02-2017 20:28
  
  NEW YORK — A New York state court jury found Pedro Hernandez guilty Tuesday in the 1979 kidnapping and murder of Etan Patz, a 6-year-old boy whose disappearance sparked an era of heightened awareness of crimes against children, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said. The conviction brought to a close what Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. called one of New York‘s “oldest and most painful unsolved crimes.” Patz disappeared on May 25, 1979, as he wal
  
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• Where you can see the FOX 61 team in the community

  14-02-2017 20:09
  
  As part of FOX 61’s commitment to HOPE, we’re heading out into the community to make a difference! To request a FOX 61 anchor or reporter participate in your event, fill out this form. We will do our best to honor all requests that compliment FOX 61’s Expect More HOPE initiative. If you know someone bringing HOPE to your school or community and would like to share their story, please submit it here. February Hartford’s Camp Courant – Arch Street Event Febr
  
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• Truck Driver Says She Fell Asleep Before Crash That Closed I-91 in New Haven: Police

  14-02-2017 20:08
  
  The truck driver who got into a crash that closed part of Interstate 91 South in New Haven this morning told police she thought she might have fallen asleep and drifted into the right shoulder before going over...Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com
  
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• Facebook videos will soon autoplay with sound on; here’s how to disable

  14-02-2017 19:56
  
  Facebook made several video announcements on Tuesday, including a change to how videos will autoplay in the News Feed. Previously, videos in the News Feed have played without sound and required the user to tap the video to enable sound. Soon, all videos will play with sound enabled unless your phone is set to silent. “With this update, sound fades in and out as you scroll through videos in News Feed,” Facebook said in a news release. The company said they are […]
  
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• Haitian man admits role in scheme to stage dozens of crashes

  14-02-2017 19:47
  
  NEW HAVEN — A Haitian man has admitted in federal court he was involved in a scheme to stage dozens of car crashes in Connecticut and collected up to $30,000 per wreck by submitting bogus insurance claims. Jacques Fleurijeune, also known as “Magic,” pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He faces up to two decades in prison. The 27-year-old Fleurijeune, who last resided in New London, admitted he was personally involved in a staged crash [&he
  
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• Zoo Names Cockroach After Patriots QB Tom Brady

  14-02-2017 19:45
  
  ATLANTA (AP) — More than a week after the Falcons fell victim to the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, an Atlanta zoo has named a cockroach after Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
  Zoo Atlanta says on its Facebook page that it had a bet with Rhode Island’s Roger Williams Park Zoo that called for the loser to name a baby animal after the winning team’s star quarterback. Both zoos figured the loser would be pretty bitter about the game, so they agreed the animal in question wo
  
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• Pennsylvania Man Found With 4 Kilos of Cocaine on I-84: State Police

  14-02-2017 19:37
  
  State police said they found four kilos of cocaine when they stopped a driver on Interstate 84 who was not wearing a seatbelt and drove over the solid line.Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police
  
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• Man convicted of stealing $500K in cigarettes from Wethersfield warehouse

  14-02-2017 19:37
  
  NEW HAVEN — A New Jersey man has been convicted in federal court of breaking into a Connecticut warehouse and stealing more than 8,000 cartons of cigarettes worth about $500,000. Andrew Oreckinto, of Matawan, New Jersey, was convicted on Monday of theft from an interstate shipment. He faces up to a decade in prison. Prosecutors say surveillance cameras recorded the 52-year-old Oreckinto breaking into New Britain Candy in Wethersfield, Connecticut in March 2011. A glue-like substance was us
  
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• Norwalk offers free STD testing on Valentine’s Day

  14-02-2017 19:20
  
  NORWALK — Nothing says love like a free STD test. Norwalk is celebrating Valentine’s Day by offering free testing for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. The Norwalk Health Department normally charges $10 for the service, but is waiving the fee on Tuesday. Theresa Argondezzi, a health educator with the department, tells The Hour that Valentine’s Day is a great time to be open and honest about sexual health with loved ones. She said there were four new cases of HIV in [&
  
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• Charging Cell Phone Suspected Of Starting West Hartford Fire

  14-02-2017 18:26
  
  WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (CBS Connecticut) – An early-morning house fire in West Hartford was apparently caused by a cell phone charging on a bed, say police.
  A call about a mattress fire drew firefighters to the home at 8 Rosemary Court around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, said a fire official.
  A woman who lived in the home, identified by police as Lillia Burnett, was taken to Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford to be treated for smoke inhalation; she was later released. In addition, a
  
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• 2017 GRAMMYs Recap

  14-02-2017 18:24
  
  By Brian Ives for radio.com
  For those who think pop stars should “shut up and sing,” last night’s GRAMMY Awards only gave them half of what they wanted.
  Political statements—mainly of the anti-Trump variety—popped up throughout the night, as did a few sound problems. And, as always, the passing of recently departed icons was addressed as well. But really, the night belonged to Adele.
  The British singer-songwriter won five GRAMMYs for he
  
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• 4 Kilos Of Cocaine Found During Waterbury Traffic Stop

  14-02-2017 18:20
  
  (CBS Connecticut) — State Police say four kilos of cocaine were found in a traffic stop in Waterbury last night.
  Luis Palacios Ortiz of Mount Joy, Pennsylvania faces drug dealing charges.
  A state trooper’s attention was drawn to the 15-year-old Dodge Durango Ortiz was driving, because Ortiz was not wearing his seat belt.
  The trooper reported that he pulled the vehicle over after it pulled onto I-84 and swerved into the right shoulder.
  State Police say Ortiz allowed a search of the SU
  
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• Truck Driver Says She Fell Asleep Before Crash That Closed I-91 in New Haven:Police

  14-02-2017 18:18
  
  The truck driver who got into a crash that closed part of Interstate 91 South in New Haven this morning told police she thought she might have fallen asleep and drifted into the right shoulder before going over...Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com
  
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• Bridgeport Police Officer Involved In Crash

  14-02-2017 18:11
  
  A Bridgeport police officer was involved in a two-car crash on Fairfield Avenue and State Street extension.Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com
  
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• Senate Confirms Former Wrestling Exec McMahon To Lead SBA

  14-02-2017 18:09
  
  KEVIN FREKINGAssociated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — In a rare display of bipartisanship, the Senate on Tuesday confirmed former wrestling entertainment executive Linda McMahon to lead the Small Business Administration as part of President Donald Trump’s cabinet.
  The Senate voted 81-19 to confirm McMahon, who helped start and grow World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.
  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said McMahon will “prioritize growing jobs over growing government bureau
  
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• A Quiet and Mild Stretch of Weather

  14-02-2017 18:06
  
  Pleasant weather is expected today with sunny skies and temperatures in the low to middle 30s.This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
  
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• Moe’s Offers $5 Burritos to Celebrate UConn 100th Straight Win

  14-02-2017 17:54
  
  Moe’s Southwest Grill is celebrating the 100th consecutive win for the UConn women’s basketball team by offering $5 burritos in Connecticut Wednesday.
  
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• Burger King selling ‘Adults Meal’ for Valentine’s Day

  14-02-2017 17:46
  
  Who says Burger King isn’t an innovator? Burger King in Israel is offering an “Adults Meal” Tuesday to celebrate Valentine’s Day, according to Mashable. The deal, which will be available from 6 p.m. to closing, includes two Whoppers, two packs of French fries, two beers and a romantic “adult toy.” The toys include a blindfold, a feather duster, or a scalp massager, according to AdWeek. “Kid’s Meal? That’s for kids,”
  
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• Crews race weather to avoid disaster at California dam

  14-02-2017 17:20
  
  OROVILLE, California — There’s no word yet when the 188,000 people who evacuated their homes near Northern California’s Oroville Dam can return. Authorities are scrambling to drain Lake Oroville by 50 feet and repair damage to an emergency spillway before an imminent rainstorm threatens to push billions of gallons of water back into the lake. A flash flood warning is in effect Tuesday after the spillway — which lets excess water out when the level gets too high — su
  
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• Senate confirms Linda McMahon to lead Small Business Administration

  14-02-2017 17:07
  
  WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate has confirmed Linda McMahon to head the Small Business Administration. The Senate split mostly along party lines on most of President Donald Trump‘s Cabinet choices. McMahon faced little resistance after assuring lawmakers that she believes the SBA should continue as a Cabinet-level, stand-alone agency and she would be a strong advocate for small business within the new administration. A Senate panel recently approved her nomination by a vote of
  
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• State police make 2 separate drug busts on I-84, both stemming from traffic violations

  14-02-2017 16:46
  
  HARTFORD — Connecticut State Police said they seized 46 grams of heroin after a driver crashed in West Hartford Saturday night and four kilos of cocaine during a motor stop in Waterbury Monday night. Police said they tried to stop a 2000 Toyota Avalon XL heading east in I-84 just before midnight, after they saw improper registration plates on the car. State police said the car took off, then crashed on the exit 40 off-ramp. State police said the driver, […]
  
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• Wind Gusts Cause Extensive Damage in Woodbridge Monday

  14-02-2017 16:36
  
  It was a brisk and blustery night after a wildly windy day in Woodbridge Monday and the fire department responded to more than 30 wind-related incidents in town. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
  Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com
  
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• Pet of the Week – Fluffers

  14-02-2017 16:09
  
  HARTFORD — Fluffers is a female rabbit that is one a half years old, whose owner couldn’t take care of her anymore. She is white with a gray/brown snout and ears, with red eyes. She LOVES to snuggle and sat on the lap of a volunteer last week for a good half-hour, just soaking up all the love! She definitely needs someone who can spend a lot of time with her. Rabbits can live with buddies, but those who live solo need […]
  
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• This Morning With Ray Dunaway February 14, 2017

  14-02-2017 16:03
  
  Here’s what’s coming up this morning with Ray Dunaway.
  6:50- Tom Condon writes about urban and regional issues for the Mirror, including planning, transportation, land use, development and historic preservation.  He says the plan for the XL Center will test the value of entertainment. Find out why.
  7:20- Chris Powell, managing editor of the Journal Inquirer in Manchester, looks into Governor Malloy’s state budget proposal, and why it has raised some interesting questions a
  
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• Jury selection to begin in ex-NFL star Aaron Hernandez’s latest murder trial

  14-02-2017 15:42
  
  BOSTON — Jury selection is set to get underway in ex-NFL star Aaron Hernandez‘s second murder trial. The former New England Patriots tight end already is serving a life sentence with no possibility of parole for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd. Lloyd was a semi-professional football player who was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancee. Hernandez is being tried in the slayings of two other men — both of them fatally shot in 2012 after they left a Boston […]
  
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• Connecticut City Offers Free STD Testing On Valentine’s Day

  14-02-2017 15:41
  
  NORWALK, Conn. (CBS Connecticut and AP) – Nothing says love like a free STD test.
  One Connecticut city is celebrating Valentine’s Day by offering free testing for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.
  The Norwalk Health Department normally charges $10 for the service, but is waiving the fee on Tuesday.
  Theresa Argondezzi, a health educator with the department, tells The Hour that Valentine’s Day is a great time to be open and honest about sexual health with loved ones.
  She say
  
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• Route 63 in Bethany Reopens

  14-02-2017 15:37
  
  Route 63 was closed in Bethany after a minor crash involving a car and a tractor-trailer near Pleasant Drive, but it has reopened.Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com
  
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• Artificial sweeteners and their impact on bacteria

  14-02-2017 15:37
  
  HARTFORD — Zero calorie sweeteners are consumed by almost every American, in soft drinks, processed foods, sugar free gum and candy, mouthwashes, and sweetener packets. Over the past several years, these sweeteners have been shown to do more than satisfy our sweet tooth but also to impact both good and bad bacteria in our bodies. There are two different kinds of zero calorie sweeteners, artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharine, and sucralose; and natural extract sweeteners lik
  
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• Ask the Attorney – Filing for bankruptcy

  14-02-2017 15:33
  
  Dear Atty. Albert D’Antonio I just finished doing my taxes and I owe the IRS about $4,000. Is it possible to file bankruptcy and add the taxes to the rest of my debt, which includes over $20,000 in credit card debt and a student loan? I’m single and make about $45,000 a year. Will this work? Also, how long after I file bankruptcy will I be able to buy a house? Sam M.
  
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• Woman Says Phone Started Fire at West Hartford Home

  14-02-2017 15:21
  
  A West Hartford resident was taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation after fire broke out in her home at 8 Rosemary Court and she said the phone that was plugged in on her bed caught fire.Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com
  
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• Snowmobile Catches Fire, Rider Jumps, Suffers Leg Burns

  14-02-2017 15:15
  
  STRATFORD, N.H. (CBS Connecticut and AP) – A snowmobile rider from Connecticut is recovering after she jumped to safety from a burning snowmobile in Stratford, New Hampshire.
  Conservation officers say 17-year-old Cecelia Giuffrida, of Connecticut, was operating a snowmobile on Saturday when the machine started to catch on fire near her right foot. She immediately started her way to the edge of the trail and jumped off the machine. The machine became fully engulfed in flames as it coasted a
  
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• UK government rebuffs petition to downgrade Trump’s visit

  14-02-2017 15:09
  
  LONDON — The British government has formally rejected the online petition calling for President Donald Trump‘s state visit to the UK to be canceled or downgraded. In a statement from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office posted Tuesday on the petition’s web page, the government said it “recognizes the strong views expressed by the many signatories of this petition, but does not support this petition.” The statement added that the invitation, which Prime Minister There
  
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• Hugh Jackman reveals another skin cancer treatment

  14-02-2017 14:46
  
  Hugh Jackman’s defense against skin cancer continues as the actor posted his latest warning Monday about wearing sunscreen. With a bandage over his nose, the star checked in with his fans on Twitter and Instagram to reveal that he’s undergoing treatment for basal cell carcinoma, again. It’s the most common form of skin cancer, but it is rarely fatal. Another basal cell carcinoma. Thanks to frequent checks & amazing doctors, all's well. Looks worse w the dressing on then off
  
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• Joe D & Gresh: Doris Burke On UConn’s Quest For 100

  14-02-2017 14:45
  
  Joe D and Gresh talk to ESPN sports reporter and analyst Doris Burke about the UConn Women’s quest for 100 straight victories, the future of Geno’s program, and also Drake.
  Listen now:
  
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• Rachel Lindsay will be the first black ‘Bachelorette’

  14-02-2017 14:38
  
  ABC is finally delivering on its long-held promise to bring a diverse lead to its Bachelor franchise. The network on Monday night announced its new bachelorette will be Rachel Lindsay, a 31-year-old attorney from Dallas who will be the first black lead in the history of “The Bachelor” or spin-off “The Bachelorette.” “The Bachelor” is in the midst of airing Season 21, with suitor Nick Viall. Lindsay will star in Season 13 of “The Bachelorette.” The
  
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• Kim Jong Un’s half-brother assassinated in Malaysia

  14-02-2017 14:02
  
  FOX News said South Korean news agency Yonhap was reporting early Tuesday that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s half-brother was assassinated Monday in Malaysia. They cited a government source in their report. Kim Jong Nam was attacked by two unidentified women who stabbed him with “poisoned needles” at a Malaysian airport before fleeing, according to Cable TV broadcaster TV Chosun. Malaysian police reportedly suspect Jong Nam was targeted by North Korea. The 45-year-old Jon
  
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