State officials are closely monitoring Hurricane Earl's path as the National Weather Service has issued a tropical storm watch for the state shoreline. The storm is only expected to deliver a glancing blow to Connecticut, but the uncertainty of its path means they must pay close attention. Even if the storm misses Connecticut, Governor Jodi Rell says it will create a hazardous situation for boaters because of high winds and waves. Boaters are urged to be mindful of small craft advisories and wind warnings if they decide to set sail this weekend.

Connecticut Light and Power says they're prepared to respond in case Hurricane Earl impacts Connecticut. CL-and-P officials say they are already coordinating with their sister companies in New Hampshire and Massachusetts to make sure they have the necessary resources. People are urged to be proactive and prepare a storm kit, and to closely monitor the storm's path.

A woman in West Haven is forced to hand over her cats after police deemed her home uninhabitable. Police were called to a house on Center Street early Wednesday after they received a health complaint. When officers went inside, they say they found not only more than a dozen cats, but a “sea of belongings” from floor to ceiling covering the entire house. West Haven Animal Control took the dozen or so cats out of the home, as 66-year-old Helen Kennealy sat outside. Authorities say they believe Helen is an animal hoarder. Police are charging Helen with cruelty to animals. The reason for this is so police can get her to a judge who can order a psychiatric evaluation. Since authorities have deemed Helen's house uninhabitable, the city is putting her up in a hotel for a short stay until she can get the help she needs.

State Comptroller Nancy Wyman says the state has closed the books on the 2009-2010 fiscal year with a surplus of 449-million-dollars. Wyman says the surplus was created largely with federal economic stimulus funding and by nearly emptying the state rainy day fund. While the surplus overall is good news, Wyman is expressing concern about the state's fiscal future, as these one time funding shots in the arm will not always be available. The surplus dollars will be counted as revenue in the current fiscal year that runs through next June.

The New Haven police union is expected to take a no confidence vote on Police Chief Frank Limon. Union President Sergeant Louis Cavaliere says the complaint is a basic lack of leadership and management skills he says are needed to run a major police department. The union board is set to meet Friday to discuss complaints with Limon and his two assistant chiefs, all of whom recently came to the city from Chicago to run the department. A city spokesperson tells the "New Haven Register" that Limon has no comment, because there has been no action, so there is nothing to respond to.

A New Haven Superior Court judge has denied a request by Cheshire triple homicide suspect Steven Hayes for more information about the state's case. Attorneys for Hayes were seeking specific information about how the state believes each of the three victims were killed. The state charges say that Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters were killed in an "especially heinous, cruel and depraved manner." The defense was seeking evidence to back up those claims. Judge Jon Blue ruled that information would not be relevant until the penalty phase of the trial if Hayes is convicted. The trial is scheduled to begin September 15th.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is questioning the planned sale of New Haven based New Alliance bank to First Niagara, a New York regional bank. Blumenthal says state law only allows the Department of Banking to approve bank mergers that benefit Connecticut's economy and the public. Blumenthal has written to both NewAlliance and First Niagara, seeking information and justification for the proposed merger. He says he is concerned about possible job losses in Connecticut because of the merger, and whether the bank will continue to provide mortgages in the state.

The discovery of a possible pipe bomb has caused a scare yesterday in New Haven. New Haven Police say the discovery was made at Orchard and Elm Streets in the city's Dwight neighborhood, and several surrounding streets were evacuated as a precaution. Police were able to remove the device to a secure location in nearby Edgewood Park avenues to be detonated. It was then determined that it was not a bomb, just a few items tied together. Several streets in the area were closed as police dealt with the situation.

New research shows a common diabetes drug could keep lung cancer from developing in smokers. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute say the drug, metformin, prevented lung tumors from growing in mice. Researchers report mice given the metformin by injection had 72-percent fewer tumors. The mice given the drug orally had 40 to 50 percent fewer tumors. Those positive results now have researchers urging for the drug to be tested in smokers.

Bridgeport's top arson investigator has been arrested on charges accusing her of hiring a man to torch her Mercedes for the insurance money. Police in Waterbury have arrested 41-year-old Kimberly Biehn on charges of conspiracy to commit first degree arson, fraud and insurance fraud. Police say Biehn reported her 2003 Mercedes stolen in December of 2008, and it was later found burning in Bridgeport. Police say 35-year-old Samuel Encarnacion set the car on fire for Biehn. She has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of an investigation by the city office of internal affairs.

State officials are preparing for the possibility that Hurricane Earl could make landfall in Connecticut. Most forecasts show Earl tracking to the east of Connecticut, but Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Commissioner Peter Boynton says they need to be ready in case Earl makes a quick turn and hits the state. Governor Jodi Rell gathered with other key state officials at the state Armory Tuesday to discuss the storm. They also held a conference call with municipal leaders to coordinate preparations and answer questions.

Mosquitoes infected with the deadly eastern equine encephalitis virus have been located in North Stonington. The state Department of Public Health reports that mosquitoes trapped in the town between August 20th and 25th tested positive for Triple-E. It's the first positive test for Triple-E in Connecticut this year, although positive tests have been reported in neighboring Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Also, mosquitoes infected with West Nile Virus have been detected in New Haven, which is the 19th municipality in Connecticut where infected mosquitoes have been found.

The hot and humid conditions are expected to create unhealthy air quality in Connecticut today and tomorrow. The state Department of Environmental Protection is forecasting elevated concentrations of ground level ozone in six of Connecticut's eight counties. The air quality is expected to improve on Friday with the arrival of the approaching tropical system associated with Hurricane Earl. Residents are urged to take steps to improve air quality, and for people with respiratory disease or asthma to remain indoors in air conditioning.

New haven Police are looking to the public for help in solving a fatal hit and run that occurred August 22nd. Lonnie Chatman was struck and killed by a car in the area of Whalley Avenue and Carmel Street. Police say they need help in identifying the driver of the vehicle that struck and killed Chatman. Anyone with information is asked to contact the accident reconstruction unit at 203-946-6577.

A 40-year-old man is recovering after being shot Monday night in New Haven. Police say Kirk Young was found on George Street in the city's Dwight neighborhood at around 8 p.m. Monday with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Police say Young has a long criminal history with numerous drug arrests, and he is not cooperating with the investigation. Young is hospitalized in stable condition. Police believe he was targeted, and the shooting was not random.

A local chapter of the International Association of Machinists is challenging the layoffs of 38 workers at a Pratt & Whitney plant in Connecticut, in a complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board. District 26 of the union filed the complaint saying the layoffs at the Cheshire plant were retaliation for a union lawsuit that stopped Pratt from closing the facility and another plant in East Hartford. A company spokeswoman says the job cuts were needed because of declining work volume in Cheshire. Another 91 workers in Cheshire will leave through voluntary separation packages or transfers to other plants.

This week marks the release of a box set that celebrates the fortieth anniversary of "Soul Train." Time-Life released the three-DVD set, called "The Best of Soul Train," on Tuesday. The collection features highlights from the long-running variety show that introduced new music, fashions, and dances to the world. "The Best Of Soul Train" features historic performances from acts like Marvin Gaye, The O'Jays, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and the Jackson Five. A total of 50 performances are featured on the DVDs along with three additional hours of bonus features. The bonus features include interviews with "Soul Train" guests and with some of the show's dancers, along with "vintage" commercials that aired in the 1970s.

The former Chief Financial Officers for Danbury Hospital is headed to federal court following his arrest on charges he defrauded the hospital out of more than 100-thousand dollars. William Roe, who hospital officials say no longer works at the facility, faces a slew of charges including wire fraud, harassment and witness tampering. Prosecutors say Roe used his position to transfer money from the hospital's parent company to a private business. Roe also is accused of trying to call and e-mail Danbury Hospital President and CEO Dr. John Murphy numerous times in an attempt to keep his job after federal authorities had ordered him not to contact anyone at the hospital.

The state is getting ready for the possibility that Hurricane Earl could strike in Connecticut. The state Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security is closely monitoring the storm, which will likely arrive in the Northeast Friday or Saturday. If it appears that Earl will directly strike Connecticut, the department will begin positioning critical supplies such as water and medical equipment in strategic locations around the state. The last time a major coastal hurricane struck the New England shore was in 1985, when Hurricane Gloria caused eight deaths and over 900-million-dollars in damage.

Fire continues to smolder at the former Remington Arms industrial complex in Bridgeport. City officials say fire crews will remain on the scene to monitor the situation, and that no asbestos has been detected in the air because of the blaze. The fire broke out Saturday morning and destroyed three buildings at the former ammunition factory. City health officials are urging residents who live around the complex to keep their doors and windows closed again Tuesday as firefighters continue to work on getting the fire completely out.

Over the next two weeks, over 550-thousand children will be going back to class in public schools across the state. Connecticut Commission on Educational Achievement Chairman Steve Simmons says they are returning to a system that has the largest achievement gap in the nation between low income and non low income students. Studies show that low income students are an average of three grade levels below those who are not classified as low income residents in reading and math. Simmons says this will have a dramatic impact on the future welfare of the state. He says the problem is statewide, not just in urban areas, and even affects some of Connecticut's wealthier towns.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has named Connecticut as one of three states on their list of 50 national Green Power Partners. The distinction recognizes Connecticut state government for purchasing over 100-million kilowatt hours of electricity from green sources. That amounts to 17-percent of Connecticut's total purchased electricity use. Connecticut is 36th on the list of 50 national green power partners. Governor Jodi Rell says the state is well on the way to the goal of reaching 20-percent of state government's power coming from clean or renewable sources.

An attorney for one of two Connecticut men charged with a deadly 2007 home invasion criticized the sole survivor of the crime, saying he was trying to sway the jury with frequent comments to the news media. Thomas Ullmann, public defender for Steven Hayes, said Monday that Dr. William Petit was making comments to the media, while he himself was not allowed to talk about the case outside of court. Petit said he is not bound by the gag order.

A coalition of Connecticut education leaders is protesting the Obama administration's practice of making states or school systems compete for federal education grants. The Connecticut Coalition for Public Education says the federal policy of Race to the Top fails to serve the state's poorest students. The group sent a letter to Obama and Connecticut's congressional delegation this week objecting to the U.S. Department of Education's policy of using competitive grants to foster innovation and change. The coalition, which represents associations of teachers, school administrators, boards of education and parent-teacher groups, says the policy is not based on student need. The letter was sent shortly after Connecticut learned it failed for the second time to win as much as $175 million in federal funding.

Heavy drinkers tend to live longer than nondrinkers. That's the surprising conclusion of a paper published in the journal "Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research." The study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin notes the reasons for the findings are not entirely clear. However, the research suggests abstaining from alcohol tends to increase a person's risk of dying prematurely. The study of more than 18-hundred participants, between the ages of 55 and 65, over a 20-year period, found higher mortality rates among abstainers than among heavy drinkers. Moderate drinkers had the lowest overall mortality rates. Despite the findings, the authors of the paper cautioned that many serious risks are associated with addiction to alcohol.

School buses in dozens of Connecticut towns are about to start rolling again as more than 585,000 students begin the 2010-2011 academic year. The state Department of Education says most of Connecticut's 166 local school districts, charter schools and the state's technical high schools reopen this week. Most resume classes today or tomorrow. Seven school districts reopened last week. East Haven, Enfield and Norwich will be the latest to open, each resuming classes Sept. 7. The state requires all public schools to hold at least 180 days of classes, but gives them the authority to set their own schedules and vacation dates.

Funeral services will be held today for a Glastonbury soldier who was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 this morning at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church in Glastonbury for Army Sergeant Steven DeLuzio. The 25-year-old member of the Vermont National Guard died August 22nd when his unit was attacked by insurgents.

Three buildings at the former Remington Arms complex in Bridgeport were destroyed by fire over the weekend. Fire crews responded to the scene at around eleven Saturday morning, and needed several hours to bring the huge blaze under control. Demolition crews moved in late Saturday afternoon to begin knocking down the largest structure because of concern that it would collapse. The cause is under investigation and is suspicious. The fire has reignited concerns among residents about the dangers on the crumbling property. Mayor Bill Finch is again urging the property owner to tear down the old buildings on the site.

The man wanted in connection with a fatal shooting August 15th in Bristol has been arrested in Providence, Rhode Island. Police say 26-year-old Gilberto Marrero-Alejandro is being held on five-million dollars pending his extradition to Connecticut. Marrero Alejandro is accused of shooting 22-year-old Jose Cruz-Diaz to death on Locust Street.

New figures on birth rates are raising questions about whether women are holding off on having kids due to the economy. Estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show just over four-point-one-million children were born last year. That's a drop of more than two-and-a-half percent from the previous year, which saw a similar drop from the year before that. The CDC noted that the birth rates in 2008 and 2009 seem to show that they're being affected by the recession, which started in late 2007.

Emergency rooms across the country have been seeing more young children with sports-related concussions. Researchers in Rhode Island found that the number of kids seeking emergency medical care for concussions they got playing competitive sports more than doubled between 2001 and 2005. Much of that increase came from athletes in elementary and middle school. Researchers combing through hospital records found about 250-thousand cases where ERs treated pediatric patients for sports-related concussions in the first half of the decade. A full 40-percent of those patients were between the ages of eight and 13.

A Missouri boy has become the first in the country to receive an artificial lung. The groundbreaking surgery took place at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Doctors say two-year-old Owen Stark is the youngest patient in the world to receive this type of lung. He was in full heart failure when he was transferred to Children's in June and doctors were given permission by the FDA to use the device in him until a lung donor could be found. However, after 23 days on the machine, they say Owen's lungs are strong enough to function on their own for now.

The nation's pediatricians are calling for television networks to pull erectile dysfunction ads out of prime time. A policy statement published by the American Academy of Pediatrics Sunday said children are being bombarded with an increasing number of sexually explicit messages in the media while messages about things like abstinence and safe sex remain rare. The paper notes that networks regularly allow ads about erectile dysfunction during family TV hours, but are hesitant to run ads about birth control. The AAP says that could be confusing to children. It recommends airing ED ads only after 10 p.m.

It looks like more people would rather change their finances than their physique. A new Adweek Media/Harris Poll asks folks whether they want to be "richer," "thinner," "smarter," or "younger," and most are saying "richer." Nearly 45-percent note they would like to see the number in their bank accounts go up, while just 21-percent would prefer to see the number on the scale go down. Fourteen-percent say the number they'd pick for an increase is their IQ, while 12-percent wish they could make the number of candles on their birthday cake shrink. Nine-percent note they wouldn't change these aspects of their lives. More men would rather be rich while more women would like to be thinner. Just over 45-percent of guys say they desire more money compared to 41-percent of women, while 29-percent of the ladies but just 14-percent of the guys would like to be thinner. But the survey shows more men than women would rather be younger. Sixteen-percent of the guys wish they could shave off a few years, while just eight-percent of the women feel the same. There's no gender discrepancy among those who want to be more intelligent.