Vernon-Rockville, CT
News
CT Construction Company Owner, Employee Charged In Trench Collapse Death CT Construction Company Owner, Employee Charged In Trench Collapse Death
CT Construction Company Owner, Employee Charged In Trench Collapse Death The owner of a Connecticut construction company and an equipment operator has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of a worker who was buried in a collapsed trench. The incident took place in Tolland County on Friday, July 22, 2022, at a construction site in Vernon that killed Hartford County resident, Dennis Slater, age 56, of East Windsor. Hartford County resident Dennis Botticello, age 67, of Suffield, and Tolland County resident Glen Locke, age 65, of Somers, were charged on Friday, March 3 in connection with a fatal trench collapse, said Lt. Robert Marr…

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by Kathy Reakes
Vernon-Rockville, CT
Police & Fire
Jackknifed Tractor-Trailer Spills Fuel On Snow-Covered I-84 Stretch Jackknifed Tractor-Trailer Spills Fuel On Snow-Covered I-84 Stretch
Jackknifed Tractor-Trailer Spills Fuel On Snow-Covered I-84 Stretch Fuel had to be cleaned from a snow-covered stretch of Interstate 84  in Connecticut following a crash involving a tractor-trailer.  The crash happened in Tolland County on Tuesday morning, Feb. 28, when an Amazon tractor-trailer crashed on Interstate 84 westbound in Willington between Exit 71 and Exit 72, according to state police.  The tractor-trailer became jackknifed and spilled fuel as a result of the crash, police said. Officials from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Environmental Services, Inc. then responded to the scene and were able to clean up the s…

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by Ben Crnic
White Plains, NY
Weather
How Much Snow Did You Get? A Look At Totals From Throughout Region How Much Snow Did You Get? A Look At Totals From Throughout Region
How Much Snow Did You Get? A Look At Totals From Throughout Region The most potent winter storm of the season has resulted in scores of school closures and slippery travel conditions. Here's a look at some snowfall totals reported to the National Weather Service and other sources on Tuesday morning, Feb. 28. If you don't see your town listed, post the total in a comment. New York Manhattan Central Park, 1.8  inches Nassau County Manhasset Hills, 3.5 inches Herricks, 3.5 inches Suffolk County Commack, 5 inches Centereach, 4.5 inches Mattituck, 4.5 inches Mount Sina, 4.5 inches Bridgehampton, 4.4 inches Rockland County Stony Point, 6.1 inc…

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by Joe Lombardi
Hartford, CT
News
Thousands Without Power In CT From Strong Wind Gusts, Ice On Trees In Some Spots Thousands Without Power In CT From Strong Wind Gusts, Ice On Trees In Some Spots
Thousands Without Power In CT From Strong Wind Gusts, Ice On Trees In Some Spots Thousands of customers have found themselves without power in Connecticut as a result of high wind gusts that have downed tree branches and wires.  The outages came following a winter storm that brought freezing rain during the night of Thursday, Feb. 23, leaving trees and branches covered in a layer of ice on Friday morning, Feb. 24.  Related Story - Separate Snow Chances Coming As Drop In Temps Follows Potent Storm To make matters worse, the ice-covered branches were then battered by wind gusts of up to 46 mph, toppling branches and knocking down wires.  The combination of heavy wind a…

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by Ben Crnic
Vernon-Rockville, CT
Obituaries
CT Little League Administrator Dies At 49: 'Would Drop What He Was Doing To Help' CT Little League Administrator Dies At 49: 'Would Drop What He Was Doing To Help'
CT Little League Administrator Dies At 49: 'Would Drop What He Was Doing To Help' A Massachusetts native who was heavily involved in the Connecticut State Little League organization has died at the age of 49.  Tolland County resident Everett Demers of Coventry died on Friday, Feb. 17 at the age of 49, according to his obituary.  Born in Worcester in 1974, Demers spent much of his childhood in Daytona Beach, Florida before coming back to New England in his late twenties where he worked for Abel Womack as a forklift manager and customer service manager.  After meeting his wife, Julie, in 2011 and marrying her in 2014, he then relocated to Coventry. It …

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by Ben Crnic
Vernon-Rockville, CT
Lifestyle
Man Scores $3.3M From Scratch-Off Ticket Purchased At CT Convenience Store Man Scores $3.3M From Scratch-Off Ticket Purchased At CT Convenience Store
Man Scores $3.3M From Scratch-Off Ticket Purchased At CT Convenience Store A $10 scratch-off ticket bought at a convenience store in Connecticut proved worth the investment when it racked up millions of dollars in winnings.  Tolland County resident Adam Lobaugh, of Ellington, bought a "$150,000 A Year For Life" ticket and won the top prize, choosing the one-time gross cash option of $3.3 million, on Thursday, Feb. 2, according to the Connecticut State Lottery.  The winning ticket was purchased at the Fas Mart located in Ellington at 1 Main Street.  The overall odds of winning a "$150,000 A Year For Life" game is currently 1 in 4.16

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by Morgan Gonzales
Vernon-Rockville, CT
Lifestyle
Jackpot Winner: $260K Lottery Ticket Bought At Storrs Gas Station Jackpot Winner: $260K Lottery Ticket Bought At Storrs Gas Station
Jackpot Winner: $260K Lottery Ticket Bought At Storrs Gas Station One lucky person claimed a more than $260,000 jackpot after buying a lottery ticket at a gas station in Storrs.  The $264,552 Fast Play EXTREME GREEN $10 ticket was sold on Saturday, Jan. 28 in Tolland County at the Mobil Xtra Mart located at 2103 Storrs Rd., Connecticut Lottery announced.  The lucky winner took home 100 percent of the jackpot.  Connecticut Lottery did not reveal any details about who bought the winning ticket. 

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by Ben Crnic
Vernon-Rockville, CT
Police & Fire
Super Sniffer K9 Noses Out Intoxicated CT Car Thief, State Police Say Super Sniffer K9 Noses Out Intoxicated CT Car Thief, State Police Say
Super Sniffer K9 Noses Out Intoxicated CT Car Thief, State Police Say A Connecticut State Police dog earned a few extra treats by aiding in the arrest of a car thief, officials say. Police responded to a report of a stolen pickup truck at an address in Tolland County on West Road in Ellington around 9:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24, according to state police.  The pickup truck, a red Chevrolet CK1500, was last seen heading west on Route 83 towards the area of Rockville and Vernon. State troopers shared information about the report to the Vernon Police Department, who soon received a report of a suspicious red pickup parked at an apartment complex on Rega…

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by Morgan Gonzales
Vernon-Rockville, CT
Business
Connecticut Restaurant To Close After 26 Years As Owner Focuses On Family Connecticut Restaurant To Close After 26 Years As Owner Focuses On Family
Connecticut Restaurant To Close After 26 Years As Owner Focuses On Family After serving customers for more than two decades, a Connecticut restaurant will soon close its doors. Pancho Loco, located in the Tolland County town of Vernon, will close on Friday, Feb. 24, the owner announced on Friday, Jan. 20. He said he made the decision to close the eatery as his wife undergoes chemotherapy. "The last year has been a challenge for my family as my wife is currently fighting breast cancer," the announcement reads. "Her prognosis is good, and she amazes me how strong she is battling the side effects of chemo. Her treatments continue to be ongoing for most of this year…

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by Nicole Valinote
Norwalk, CT
News
COVID-19: Indoor Mask-Wearing Recommended In 6 CT Counties By CDC COVID-19: Indoor Mask-Wearing Recommended In 6 CT Counties By CDC
Covid-19: Indoor Mask-Wearing Recommended In 6 CT Counties By CDC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending indoor mask-wearing in six of Connecticut's eight counties in its latest COVID-19 data tracker report. The CDC displays counties in orange, yellow, or green on a color-coded map shown in the image above to guide local residents and authorities: Counties shown in orange are where the CDC advises wearing masks indoors.  Counties shown in yellow are places in which those at high risk for severe disease should be cautious. In green counties, indoor masking is not necessary. As of Friday, Jan. 20, these Connecticut counti…

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by Joe Lombardi
Vernon-Rockville, CT
Business
Try A 'Nutella Latte' At This Coffee Shop In Vernon Try A 'Nutella Latte' At This Coffee Shop In Vernon
Try A 'Nutella Latte' At This Coffee Shop In Vernon A "Nutella latte" is just one of the creative espresso drinks offered by an independent Connecticut coffee shop.  Tolland County-based Vernon Coffee Roasters, located in Vernon at 520 Hartford Turnpike (Route 30), started selling the drink on Saturday, Jan. 7 and has already seen it explode in popularity, according to manager Ray Gregorie.  The independent coffee shop, owned by Ayman Harby, opened in March 2022 and has seen good business since then, especially through the holiday season, Gregorie said.  The business prides itself on roasting its own coffee beans and providin…

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by Ben Crnic
Vernon-Rockville, CT
Police & Fire
Man Charged With Arson After Blaze At Masonic Lodge In CT Man Charged With Arson After Blaze At Masonic Lodge In CT
Man Charged With Arson After Blaze At Masonic Lodge In CT A 23-year-old man is facing an arson charge after investigators reported that he set a masonic lodge on fire in Connecticut. Tolland County resident Gino DeGrandis, of Vernon, was arrested on Friday, Jan. 13, and charged with third-degree arson and first-degree criminal mischief, Connecticut State Police reported. A witness called police at about 9:40 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7, to report a fire at the Fayette Masonic Lodge, located at 141 Orchard St. in Ellington, police said.  Police obtained security footage that showed a man, later identified as DeGrandis, walking around t…

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by Nicole Valinote