New Haven County | featured news

NEW HAVEN >> A Middletown woman who was originally charged with murder in the death of a man at the Branford Motel pleaded guilty Monday to a reduced charge of first-degree manslaughter and has agreed to serve 25 years in prison.Lashanda Gregory, 30, also pleaded guilty to third-degree robbery for stealing the victim's money and cellphone.

BRANFORD >> A group of New Haven teens from the New Haven Police Department's Police Athletic League program spent Monday fishing and hiking at Lake Saltonstall."We would love to get as many kids who don't get these kinds of opportunities out here," said Kate Powell, a member of the South Central Connection Regional Water Authority recreation team.

A former New Haven woman is accused of fraudulently collecting almost $16,000 in Unemployment Compensation benefits when she was living in New Haven, according to a release from the state Division of Criminal Justice.Robyn N. Valentine, 40, formerly of 53 Blake St., New Haven, and now a resident of Charlotte, N.

Twice in July - at least - law-abiding Connecticut residents reported to federal immigration officials, as required, only to be slapped with electronic monitoring bracelets and told they had just weeks to buy one-way tickets to their native country and say goodbye to their families.The "crimes" that led to such harsh treatment of

NEW HAVEN >> The city said its renovation of Fort Nathan Hale Park pier is on schedule, with construction on the popular fishing spot likely to start in August. City Engineer Giovanni Zinn said Monday that Terry Contracting was the lowest bidder for the project. The Stratford-based company earned the bid in June and has been a regular contractor for the city, which also has hired the company for work on the Chapel Street bridge.

NEW HAVEN >> For the eighth year, the Connecticut State Police is organizing a back to school supply drive, encouraging state residents to donate backpacks, notebooks, pencils, binders, and other supplies that students would need for the new school year.The supplies are distributed by various social service organizations to families that "don't necessarily have the resources to go out and purchase everything that's on a school supply list given to them by the school," Trooper First Class Kelly Grant said, a CSP spokesperson.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, wants to ensure that vehicles with recalled or unsafe parts are repaired before they are sold or leased.Blumenthal recently introduced the Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act that requires used car dealers to repair any outstanding safety recalls in used automobiles prior to selling or leasing them.

Prospect >> A New Haven man has been charged with criminal possession of a firearm after police say he drove his car while under the influence and lost control of his car.Derrick Nelson, 45, of 5th Street, New Haven, was arrested early Saturday morning on Scott Road in Prospect. In addition to the weapons charge, he was charged with possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana, driving under the influence, failure to drive in the proper lane, driving with a suspended license and operating a motor vehicle without insurance, police said.

NEW HAVEN >> The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has identified the Milford man who died following a boating accident Saturday.Joseph Regan, 43, from Milford, died after being ejected from the boat he was driving in New Haven Harbor after it hit an object, DEEP said in a press release.

The fate of a politically divisive state employee union concession package could come down to the tie-breaking vote of Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, who has been keeping fellow Democrats guessing whether she will run for governor in her own right in 2018.