Officers were called to 5 Church Street around 6:30 p.m. for a report of a fight among neighbors. Police say they immediately arrested residents Gary Cote, 21, Joanina Sandone, 25, and Jerome Randolph, 23, on charges including assault and breach of peace. Cote and Randolph are also charged with interfering with an officer.

Police say Sandone and Randolph were among four people treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are possible. Investigators say officers have been called to the home before, though they couldn’t say what sparked this most recent quarrel.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano joined NFL and other officials in warning that security for Sunday’s game at Lucas Oil Stadium would be significantly heightened — a common precaution for such sports events since the 2001 terrorist attacks — though Napolitano cautioned there have been no credible threats involving the Super Bowl as of Wednesday.

That means metal detectors and pat-downs by security guards will be part of the routine before Sunday night’s kickoff between the New York Giants and New England Patriots, a game expected to draw about 67,000 people. Fans were told to leave camcorders, beach balls and other things behind. No vuvuzelas or other noisemakers.

The officials released the do-not-bring list to fans, knowing entry into the stadium beginning four and a half hours before kickoff could be slowed by the rigorous screening that will include X-rays and other inspections of bags officials cautioned should be no larger than a small purse.

Banned items include umbrellas, strollers, laser lights and pointers, along with coolers, bottles, cans and various electronic devices. Fans found with any of the items may return them to their vehicles or have them seized, authorities said.

Private aircraft, including blimps, also will be barred Sunday from flying near the stadium during the game.

Napolitano said some 8,000 workers and volunteers have undergone security training and 3,000 private security workers have been hired to complement thousands of Indianapolis police officers and firefighters that will be on overtime and at full staff on game day.

Vigorous security already has been evident for days around downtown Indianapolis, with bomb-sniffing dogs scrutinizing city buses. Napolitano said all cargo to the stadium was being checked for contraband or explosives.

Jeffrey Miller, the NFL’s security chief, and Napolitano asked everyone to be vigilant, touting an initiative launched last year during the Super Bowl in Dallas called, “If You See Something, Say Something.” That effort drew 110 texts from fans on game day about fan conduct and various, unspecified safety issues, Miller said.

“We have seen time and time again that the public itself is some of our best preventers,” Napolitano said.

Frank Straub, Indianapolis’ public-safety chief, said Motorola has helped quell issues with police radios since reports surfaced last week that officers in the Super Bowl Village — a fanfest area near the stadium — were unable to communicate with each other. Straub blamed part of the problem on “all kinds of interference out there” from electronic equipment used by various media outlets.

The problem “is kind of old news at this point,” Straub said.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Police say Mark Mills, 22, was found to be wanted on two failure to appear in court warrants, and a struggle ensued as Trooper Chris Toney and the Plainfield officer tried to take Mills out of the car.

Toney and the Plainfield officer suffered non-life threatening injuries. The car got away.

Police say the suspect vehicle has Connecticut registration plates 145-JCL. Anyone with information on the suspects or the car is urged to call State Police in Danielson at 860-779-7900.

Scholar/athlete Patrick Witt was the subject of media attention last fall when he seemingly faced a tough decision between a Rhodes Scholarship interview and a Yale-Harvard football game, both scheduled for Nov. 19. Witt chose the game and announced Nov. 13 that he had withdrawn his scholarship application.

But The New York Times reported last month that the allegation had already derailed Witt’s chance for the honor and that Rhodes Trust had suspended his application. Witt spokesman Mark Magazu insisted at the time that the application process was not linked to the unsubstantiated allegation and was not suspended. Magazu said Witt chose the game after learning that the Rhodes Committee would not reschedule his interview for the scholarship.

On its website Friday, the newspaper reported that Elliot Gerson, the trust’s American secretary, told Witt on Nov. 3 that the trust had learned of the allegation. The paper reported that Yale told Witt five days later that his finalist status was on hold unless the school provided another reference on his behalf by Nov. 15.

Gerson told the newspaper that the word “suspended” was “a very reasonable characterization of what happened” to Witt’s finalist status. Magazu said that Witt’s version of what happened was accurate.

The woman who accused Witt of sexual assault has chosen what Yale describes as a process that essentially amounts to mediation, the newspaper reported. Magazu has confirmed that the complaint was of a sexual assault but said that the encounter was consensual.

Witt set several records as Yale’s quarterback after transferring from Nebraska. He is on track to graduate this spring. He is not currently enrolled in Yale, but is participating in an invitation-only program in California for National Football League hopefuls.

Rhodes Scholars study with all expenses paid at Oxford University in England.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Michael J. Brandi, who also was chief administrative officer for the town of Hamden, was appointed Friday, days after the job offer to the former Republican mayor of Middletown was rescinded.
Commissioner Stephen F. Cashman said Brandi was selected following a nationwide search.

The panel had announced that Sebastian Guiliano, who lost a re-election bid last November, would be nominated to succeed the retired Albert Lenge. Democrats on the legislature’s Government Administration and Elections Committee said his nomination came too soon after serving a political office and urged the commission to make a different choice for the independent watchdog agency.

They argued that a nominee should be out of partisan politics for three years.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Hackers from the group “Anonymous” targeted the websites of law enforcement agencies in several countries Friday,  in some cases posting information on confidential informants and citizen complaints.  They also claimed responsibility for an attack on the website of the Virginia law firm Puckett and Faraj.

Attorney Neal Puckett represented Wuterich in his trial on charges resulting from the 2005 attack in which 24 unarmed civilians were killed.

By BRIAN SKOLOFF and DENISE LAVOIE,  Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) _ Saboteurs stole passwords and sensitive information on tipsters while hacking into the websites of several law enforcement agencies worldwide in attacks attributed to the collective known as Anonymous.

Breaches were reported this week in Boston, Syracuse, N.Y., Salt Lake City and Greece.

Hackers gained access to the Salt Lake City Police Department website that gathers citizen complaints about drug and other crimes, including phone numbers, addresses and other personal data of informants, police said.

The website remained down Friday as police worked to make it more secure.

Anonymous is a collection of Internet enthusiasts, pranksters and activists whose targets have included financial institutions such as Visa and MasterCard, the Church of Scientology and law enforcement agencies.

Following a spate of arrests across the world, the group and its various offshoots have focused their attention on law enforcement agencies in general and the FBI in particular.

The group also claimed responsibility for recently hacking the website of a Virginia law firm that represented a U.S. Marine involved in the deaths of civilians in Iraq in 2005.

Anonymous also published a recording on the internet Friday of a phone call between the FBI and Scotland Yard, gloating in a Twitter message that “the FBI might be curious how we’re able to continuously read their internal comms for some time now.”

In Greece, the Justice Ministry took down its site Friday after a video by activists claiming to be Greek and Cypriot members of Anonymous was displayed for at least two hours.

In Boston, a message posted on the police website before it was taken down Friday said, “Anonymous hacks Boston Police website in retaliation for police brutality at OWS,” an apparent reference to the Occupy Wall Street movement.

The message also promised “there is plenty more mayhem to deliver.”

A police spokesman would not confirm Anonymous was responsible.

Another message on the department’s website said a hack several months ago unearthed hundreds of passwords that were released in retaliation for what was called brutality against Occupy Boston.

In October, Boston police acknowledged that various websites used by members of the police department– including the website belonging to the police patrolmen’s association– had been hacked and possibly compromised. The department said it asked all police personnel to change their passwords on its network.

The Occupy movement in Boston set up camp in the city’s financial district for two months this fall. The first hack came about 10 days after Boston police arrested 141 Occupy demonstrators on Oct. 11.

Police dismantled the camp Dec. 10, citing public health and safety concerns.

“So you get your kicks beating protesters? That’s OK; we get kicks defacing … your websites– again,” the message on the department’s website said Friday.

Boston police called it unfortunate that the hacking has interrupted the department’s ability to inform the community about important safety matters.

Salt Lake City authorities continued their investigation and said criminal charges were being considered.
Police said the group Anonymous had taken credit for the attack through local media but hadn’t contacted the department directly.

The hackers claim to have targeted the site in opposition to an anti-graffiti paraphernalia bill that eventually failed in the state Senate. The bill would have made it illegal to possess any instrument, tool or device with the intent of vandalizing an area with graffiti.

Salt Lake City police Detective Josh Ashdown downplayed any danger to citizens.

He said the department’s website is used by residents to report crimes or suspicious activity, and that some submit the tips anonymously while others include personal information.

Ashdown said investigators believe the group is bluffing about the extent of the information it got from the website, and he noted authorities didn’t think any of the details would be widely distributed.

He said police don’t have any reason to believe that citizens who reported crimes on the website are going to be targeted specifically.

“Our main concern is for the public not to lose confidence in the department,” Ashdown said.
In New York, Syracuse police said the department website had also been hacked in an attack attributed to Anonymous.

Sgt. Tom Connellan said names and passwords of people authorized to alter the site were stolen earlier this week and posted on Twitter.

No private information about officers or citizens was accessed, he said, though the site remained down Friday while the FBI and state police continued to investigate. In an online post attributed to Anonymous, the group claims to have targeted the Syracuse site for failing to aggressively pursue child abuse allegations against a former assistant basketball coach.

Another incident struck the website of the Alexandria, Va., law firm of Puckett & Faraj, which represented a U.S. Marine convicted of negligent dereliction of duty in a 2005 attack in Iraq that resulted in the deaths of 24 unarmed civilians.

Attorney Neal Puckett did not immediately return a telephone message and email seeking comment Friday.
___
Lavoie reported from Boston. Associated Press writer Raphael Satter in London contributed to this report.

     (Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) _ Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says he has no plans to propose major cuts to next fiscal year’s state budget despite a decline in state revenues.

The Democratic governor said in an interview Friday with The Associated Press that he believes revenues will rebound, as originally projected in the two-year, $40.1 billion budget plan that passed last year. He said he’s “not seeing anything” that indicates revenues will not rise in the fiscal year that begins in July.

Malloy is scheduled to address a joint session of the General Assembly on Wednesday, the opening day of the new legislative session. He will also present changes to the second year of the two-year budget.

Malloy’s budget office recently cut spending to cover a $73.6 million deficit that emerged this fiscal year.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ MVP quarterbacks on marquee franchises. A
rematch of a nail-biter from four years ago, featuring many of the
same key characters. Madonna and plenty of Manning _ Eli, and
Peyton, too.

This Super Bowl certainly has all the makings of another
thriller, the perfect finish to a season that began in turmoil and
wound up the most successful in league history.

The NFL couldn’t have planned it any better.

“It’s actually been a very fun week here,” said Patriots
quarterback Tom Brady, seeking his fourth Super Bowl ring in 11
seasons, and doing it in the city where archrival Peyton Manning
has worked for 13 years _ if not for much longer, given his health
issues and disagreements with Colts management. “It’s a bit
surreal to be playing in Indy’s home stadium and to be practicing
at their facility.”

It’s been even weirder for Eli Manning to have led the Giants
here, only to find his superb season and chase for a second
championship overshadowed by big brother.

The most popular storyline this week has been Peyton’s pain in
his neck. Or, rather, his status following three neck surgeries in
19 months; whether the Colts will keep him around, at the cost of a
$28 million roster bonus due in March; and whether he’s truly
feuding with owner Jim Irsay’s rebuilding organization.

Eli, who will surpass his brother for NFL titles with a victory
Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium _ yes, Peyton’s Place _ claims his
sibling’s issues are irrelevant to this game, in which New York
(12-7) is a 3-point underdog.

“I’m proud of Peyton. I’ve talked to him this week. None of
that comes up,” Eli said. “When I talk to Peyton, he does a great
job of trying to keep me relaxed. (We) talk a little football and
talk about New England some. He’s supported me this week. I know
he’s just working hard trying to get healthy and I’m going to
support him on that.”

While Eli would own two championships with a victory, to one for
Peyton, Brady could tie his childhood quarterbacking hero, Joe
Montana, and Terry Bradshaw with four. Coach Bill Belichick would
equal Chuck Noll with the same number.

To get it, the Patriots (15-3) must protect their crown jewel.
Four years ago, Brady was banged around so much by New York that it
turned the Super Bowl in the Giants’ favor.

Yes, they needed David Tyree’s miracle
pin-the-ball-against-the-helmet catch, then Plaxico Burress’
touchdown reception to shatter New England’s perfect season. But
that victory was built on the relentless pressure applied to Brady.

The formula hasn’t changed.

“We feel that we certainly have a very strong group of men in
the front,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “It’s just the way we
play and prefer to play. It’s a pressure group, and we have played
better in the back end as well, probably as a result of the ball
having to come out faster than it has at certain times during the
year.”

Brady certainly remembers the pain, physically and emotionally,
from the beating he took on the field and the scoreboard.

“Any time you lose, it’s a tough thing,” Brady said. “We’ve
lost one Super Bowl. I remember waking up in Arizona the next
morning after an hour of sleep thinking, `That was a nightmare,
that didn’t happen.’ After time, you learn to move on and get over
it.”

The Giants got all over Brady again during their regular season
24-20 win at Foxborough, the last time the Patriots lost. That
victory preceded a four-game slide, and New York eventually slipped
to 7-7 before turning it around.

Adding to the juicy potential of a down-to-the-wire reprise of
2008, both teams barely made it to Indy. The Patriots needed backup
cornerback Sterling Moore stripping the ball from Baltimore
receiver Lee Evans in the end zone in the final seconds, then for
Billy Cundiff to miss a 32-yard field goal that would have forced
overtime.

The Giants went into overtime in San Francisco, using two
botched punt returns by the 49ers to advance.

“We feel very fortunate to be here, and I’m pretty sure they
do, too,” Patriots Pro Bowl nose tackle Vince Wilfork. “But we
also know we deserve to be here, and they know they deserve it. We
are two very good and very confident teams.”

Teams owned by two of the key figures in solving the 4 1/2-month
lockout of the players last year. New England’s Robert Kraft
shuttled back and forth from the meetings to his dying wife’s
bedside late in the negotiating process. Myra Kraft passed away
days before the lockout was resolved.

His players wore a patch with her initials MHK on the left side
of their jerseys this season.

“The fact that she was so dear to me and all of our players are
wearing her initials above their heart is an endearing thing,”
Kraft said. “What she represented is important and I hope that
special sense of spirit comes through.”

Giants owner John Mara played an equally important role in the
labor negotiations, and when both teams reached the Super Bowl,
Kraft mentioned “a certain karma” about the matchup.

“I’m not necessarily happy to be playing Bill Belichick and Tom
Brady, I’ll tell you that,” Mara joked. “But yeah, I’m very happy
for Bob because he put his heart and soul into those negotiations
during a very difficult time for him and his family, so I think the
success they’ve had is well-deserved.”

When they finally kick off Sunday, the two biggest stars will be
Brady and Manning _ yes, Eli. Not halftime performer Madonna, but
the quarterbacks on whose arms, wits and leadership this Super Bowl
will turn.

“They are both leaders on the field,” Wilfork said. “I think
that position you have to be smart, you have to be intelligent. I
think you have to understand what’s going on around you. I think
both those guys have that.”

On Sunday, we’ll see which one adds to his championship legacy
with another Super Bowl ring.

East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. said that firing his friend Chief Leonard Gallo would invite a costly lawsuit and that his retirement will let the town move forward.

“This decision is both legally prudent and financially sound and represents a swift resolution that will allow the town to focus on healing and moving forward,” Maturo said in a statement.
Gallo announced his retirement days after the FBI arrested four police officers on charges they violated Latinos’ rights through false arrests and unnecessary searches. The officers have pleaded not guilty.

The Police Commission, a town advisory board that oversees the operations of the police department, on Tuesday recommended Gallo’s firing. A long list of criticisms included “supervisory neglect” that commissioners said was evident in the indictment of the officers.

Fred Brow, who served as chairman of the commission until his term expired Tuesday, said he was not surprised by Maturo’s announcement.
“It’s just another continuation of his reckless and irresponsible behavior,” he said.
Brow has said the 64-year-old Gallo should not be allowed to retire and cash in on a retirement package he estimated at more than $100,000.
Gallo’s lawyer, Jon Einhorn, acknowledged that his client is the person characterized by authorities in the indictments as an unnamed co-conspirator, accused of turning away efforts to investigate the officers’ conduct. Einhorn disputes the amount of the severance package, and Gallo has denied the allegations.

Einhorn dismissed the recommendation by the Police Commission as politics.

Maturo signaled his intent to let Gallo retire when the mayor made the announcement Monday. He said the chief acted selflessly, performed admirably and was a devoted public servant.

A lengthy civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice concluded in December there was a pattern of biased policing in East Haven, where only one of the roughly 50 police officers speaks Spanish.

After taking office Nov. 19, Maturo reinstated Gallo as police chief. Gallo had been on paid administrative leave since federal authorities began investigating in 2010.

Maturo also faced heavy criticism after the arrests of the four police officers for saying that he “might have tacos” as a way to do something for the Latino community. He later apologized for the remark.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)