We have breaking news right now at six.
One man is dead after the
home he was in caught fire.
And tell you what police are saying
more bear issues facing residents in
one town. What just happened that has
police there warning residents? Also
Internet safety is getting the attention
of lawmakers on the federal level.
Will tell you the local push that's getting
right now at six. All local,
all morning. This is FOX 61,
Connecticut's news station. Good
morning. Thanks so much for starting
off your day here with us
at FOX 61 America areas.
And I'm Tim Lammers.
Good morning. Happy Tuesday
on what seems to be Umbrella
Week 2023 as we get over to
meteorologist Matt Scott right now.
Some rain was coming down,
at least in Hartford
earlier. A couple downpours out there now.
But listen, the rain doesn't last.
We get a break and then the little sun maybe.
And then the rain comes
back and then it'll break.
Well, at least we get some sun.
Yeah, just keep this up for
the foreseeable future.
We really don't see much in the way it
changes another wave of morning rain.
The sun rain pattern will
continue indefinitely,
at least till the end of the week.
We have a wet streak in the seven
day and then a warm streak and
we'll talk about it all coming up.
Here's a live look at the Doppler.
And again, you've got a couple of year dry.
You got a couple of pockets of
some decent rains of downpours.
Nothing serious.
And this is all moving southwest
to northeast.
So you've got what I say has an updates
here is Plainville to New Britain.
You've got some moderate
rain pushing into Farmington.
Newington next on the list.
Let me take you over to Windham County
that's an impressive sell just off 395
Griswold Sprague approaching Plainfield.
So stand by for they may
hear rumble of Thunder.
I wouldn't rule that out but this
leaves and then you get a break.
And then more comes later on.
And this is the pattern thanks to
this upper level low that's just
kind of sitting and spinning up
over the Great Lakes and really not
moving as fast as we'd like it to.
Temperatures in the 40s and 50s,
fifty two in New Haven,
50 in Hartford right now on the way.
Really. That's it. Yeah.
Temperatures aren't moving much today.
So a little cooler than yesterday
because I think it'll be a little less.
In a way of sun something.
You got some decent sunshine yesterday
and that's the unsettledness of the pattern.
We'll shake it out for you and
the seven day tell you when to
expect a much quieter scene.
I think you're gonna like the second-half.
Of the seven day we have that coming up.
Let's go to traffic right now
at 6:02 we say good morning.
I get say good morning for the first time.
So Warren's NZ.
Good morning,
good morning to you Matt.
Scott. Good morning everyone.
We are following some breaking
news out on the roadways.
Let's bring you right out into the East
Hartford Glastonbury area Route 2.
We're hearing that it was completely
shut down for just a little while.
It has since reopened.
Only one lane is operating at this time.
This is right near exit 5A otherwise
known as High Street Fox 60 ones Lindsay.
Is actually stuck in this traffic right now.
She was saying that she saw a white box,
truck, 8 or 9 police vehicles.
When we called Connecticut
State Police Troop H,
they did not say that there was a crash.
They said that there was
an investigation going on.
So as soon as we hear anymore
information about this,
we'll be sure to bring it to you here on air,
online on our FOX 61 News app as well.
But it is causing a huge backup at
this point on that westbound side.
So if you're able to go I-84.
Or if you can just avoid this
route at all costs at this point,
because we don't know the extent
of what this investigation is.
Of course, as soon as we hear anything,
we'll keep you up to date here.
We also have some road work going on
in the Waterbury area, Southington,
even the Cheshire area as well some
heavier volume out in Waterbury.
As those lanes continue to reopen
here in the capital city,
ID 4 east and westbound.
Smooth sailing At this point,
taking a look at our Harper Drive times,
like I said, 91 and 84 looking good.
Route 2,
it's going to take you quite some
time to get where you need to go.
20 miles an hour is probably
being generous at this point.
So as soon as we hear anything
else about this investigation,
we'll bring it to you here on air,
online,
but also right handy on that Fox
61 news app. Tim.
Hi Lauren, thank you. It is 604 right now.
We got breaking news out of
Bristol where one man is dead
after a late night house fire.
It happened just before 10:00
o'clock last night on Steele Rd.
Firefighters said they found the
man in the basement of the home
and they did get him out of the
house but he died at the scene.
However, one person did get out of
the home safely and there's still no
word yet on how the fire started.
Well, this morning, Children's
Safety Online is top of mind for
lawmakers in Washington. The FOX
Sixty wins. Brooke Griffin is
joining us right here to talk more
about the role that a lawmaker
from our state is playing.
Brooke, good morning.
Oh, good morning to you both.
That discussion today focuses
on the Kids Online Safety Act.
Now, this piece of reintroduced
legislation would hold tech companies
accountable for their platforms and
make safe spaces online for kids.
Blumenthal has partnered with
Tennessee Republican Marsha Blackburn
and gained the bipartisan support
of 20 other senators on this bill.
Blumenthal tells us this bill aims to
empower young people when it comes to
social media and their online presence,
including giving them the resources
and tools they and their parents both
need to protect themselves online.
He says big tech companies are
on the line and responsible for
their actions as well,
saying that the bill will hold
them accountable for what is
allowed on those platforms now.
Just last week,
Blumenthal met with students to hear
their concerns about social media.
After hearing how many of them have been
bullied and torn down on those platforms,
He says he's even more passionate
about making online spaces safer.
Now the bullying can follow you
in a way that it couldn't before.
We don't want to shut you out.
We want to empower you
to have more control.
This discussion today is happening
at 10:30 this morning in Washington,
DC, and includes parents, students,
lawmakers, advocates and more.
Now, Blumenthal told us last
week that he believes this bill
does have the potential to pass
since it almost did last session.
Now we will be sitting in on that
virtual session later today and
we're going to have more on that
discussion for you later this evening.
Tim and Erica, back to you.
Thank you, it is 606 in Avon.
Police said a bear tried to break
into a home on Deepwood Drive.
They said the bear tried to
get through a screen door.
Thankfully it couldn't and it
eventually made its way back into
the woods before an officer arrived.
But this home is only a 6 minute
drive away from where a woman
was attacked by a bear in Avon.
About a week and a half ago.
A 74 year old woman was walking
her dog in Berkshire Crossing when
she was attacked by a female bear.
Thankfully, that woman only had
minor injuries and the bear was put
down because it was so aggressive.
Well, the state has some tips
should you encounter a bear.
First of all, get its attention.
Be loud, wave your arms,
although do it from a safe distance.
Don't feed bears either.
Put bird feeders away and
keep your trash cans closed.
And lastly,
please keep a close eye on your pets as well.
And that over a nearby Simsbury,
residents are asking the town's Planning
Commission some very serious questions
about a proposed new apartment building.
And that building would
be built on Hot Meadow St.
and have 60 units.
More than 1/4 of them would
be affordable housing.
According to the Connecticut Department of
Housing 2019 Affordable Housing Appeals List,
Simsbury has nearly 5% affordable housing.
A state law requires that every community in
Connecticut would provide no less than 10%.
Of total housing stock as affordable housing.
People fear change in a certain degree,
but this is a project that has gone
through the necessary process. Let's
not pretend that this is
about affordable housing.
This is about trying to maximize the amount,
the most amount of money
out of a certain space.
Well, the Commission is expected
to vote on whether to move forward
on this proposal in its next
meeting that is set for May 15th.
All right, Samaritan,
Our city lawmakers and residents
are speaking out after the DUI
arrest of City Manager Tim ****.
**** crashed his car while
driving the wrong way last night.
The City Council held a vote and
agreed to graft an agreement between
the city and **** saying that he will
take personal leave until Friday.
He must complete the Employee
Assistance Program along with any
treatments recommended to him.
Some residents say that he
should just step down,
while others spoke out in his
defense that he should keep his job
as leaders. You are entrusted
to be our representatives,
the very best Meriden has to offer,
and you must hold yourselves
to a higher standard.
It's been a very positive
working relationship.
We may not always agree,
but we always had a have had
principal discussions.
So I certainly support any
support that you can give him.
According to state police,
**** was driving the wrong way
on Route 3 in Wethersfield last
week and eventually entered
Route 2 and crashed his car.
Now he wasn't hurt and
no one else was either.
But **** is now facing several charges,
including driving under the influence
in New Haven. Officials are trying
to crack down on illegal dirt
bike and ATV riders in the city.
Mayor Justin Elliker said New Haven police
are catching people illegally riding
and even drag racing every single week.
As a result, the city plans to
invest in things like speed bumps
and other technology to try to
slow people down and if they don't,
then to catch them in the act. The
message here is don't do this activity
in New Haven if you've done it
before and you haven't gotten caught.
Our goal is to catch you.
It takes a lot of officers.
I mean, to do it safely,
it's got to be over ten officers,
which is very, very personal intensive.
That was chief of police Call Jacobson,
who said they also are using drones
to follow and identify drivers.
Those who are caught will face a
$1000 fine for the first offense
and get their vehicles taken away.
Meantime, lawmakers said they're
introducing a bill to create
a task force. Need to
do something. You know, we can't continue
to let this go on because I know
someone's going to eventually get hurt.
The bill being proposed would
bring together state and local
police focused solely on this
issue in the greater Hartford area.
Lawmakers say if it passes,
the task force would cost
hundreds of thousands of dollars.