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Leaders call on TikTok to take action against viral vandalism videosHARTFORD, CT (WFSB) – A new TikTok challenge shows teenagers damaging parts of their schools, like bathrooms and locker rooms. The challenge has hit schools across the country, including in Connecticut, in towns like New Britain and East Hampton. On Monday, US Senator Richard Blumenthal is calling on TikTok to take action to combat the viral vandalism videos. Stream his news conference at 11:30 p.m. on the CH 3 app: Blumenthal wants TikTok to "ban users whose videos show them vandalizing school property as part of the “bathroom challenge,” which has grown in popularity and encourages students to clog toilets or damage soap and towel dispensers." TikTok said it is removing the content and redirecting the search results to its community standards.

FBI searches home of Gabby Petito's fiancé Brian Laundrie after her likely remains were found(CNN) - The FBI executed a search warrant at the Florida home of <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2021/09/19/us/gabby-petito-missing-sunday/index.html" target="_blank">Gabby Petito's fiancé</a> Brian Laundrie on Monday, a day after investigators across the country found what they believe to be her remains. On Monday morning, FBI investigators surrounded and entered Laundrie's home in North Port as part of a "court-authorized search warrant" related to the Petito case. The warrant comes as investigators are still searching for Laundrie, who returned home to Florida without Petito earlier this month, declined to talk to investigators and then went missing last week. The search for him had centered on a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/18/us/gabby-petito-missing-saturday/index.html" target="_blank">nature reserve near his home</a>, but North Port Police said Monday they have shifted their focus. "At this time, we currently believe we have exhausted all avenues in searching the grounds there," North Port Police spokesperson Josh Taylor said. On Sunday, human remains believed to be of Petito's were found in Wyoming, a tragic discovery that could nonetheless help answer questions about <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/16/us/gabby-petito-timeline-missing-case/index.html" target="_blank">what happened to the 22-year-old</a>. Petito and Laundrie had been road-tripping in a white van through the American West this summer, all while regularly posting photos and stories to their social media pages with the hashtag #vanlife. Those posts abruptly stopped in late August, though. Laundrie returned to his home in North Port, Florida, with their van but without Petito on September 1, according to police. Petito's family, unable to get in touch with her, reported her missing on September 11. In the days since, her story has become a national obsession for many, spurring <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/09/19/in-gabby-petito-case-digital-detectives-want-to-help.cnn" target="_blank">digital detectives to comb</a> through their online trail to try to solve the case. The story has also further highlighted the tens of thousands of missing persons stories that do not garner such intense interest; there were nearly 90,000 active missing person cases as of the end of 2020, according to the <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/2020-ncic-missing-person-and-unidentified-person-statistics.pdf/view" target="_blank">National Crime Information Center</a>. The discovery of human remains on Sunday came as authorities conducted a search around the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in Bridger-Teton National Forest on the eastern edge of Grand Teton National Park, officials said. Dr. Brent Blue, the coroner of Teton County, Wyoming, told CNN an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday. Petito's family has been notified of the discovery, though a full forensic identification will be needed to confirm it is her, said Charles Jones, FBI Denver's supervisory senior resident agent in Wyoming. Authorities also need to identify the cause of death, he said. Petito's father, Joseph Petito, <a href="https://twitter.com/josephpetito/status/1439716307268739072?s=11" target="_blank">tweeted a picture of her</a> Sunday evening, saying, "She touched the world." Richard Stafford, an attorney representing Joseph Petito and her mother, Nicole Schmidt, issued a statement obtained by <a href="https://abc7ny.com/gabby-petito-brian-laundrie-disappearance-search/11030913/" target="_blank">CNN affiliate WABC</a> asking that the family be given space. Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino called the discovery of remains in Wyoming "heartbreaking," adding: "The Laundrie family prays for Gabby and her family." Laundrie's sister also issued a statement to ABC News praising Petito for her relationship with Laundrie's nephews. "Gabby was a fun and loving influence to 'the boys' as she always referred to them. We will cherish the time we spent with her," Cassie Laundrie said in the statement. The search for Laundrie Laundrie, meanwhile, avoided authorities after returning home to Florida and has now gone missing. Police visited the Laundrie family home after Petito was reported missing, but Laundrie's family refused to talk and instead gave authorities their attorney's information, police said last week. Their home was searched Friday evening after Laundrie's family told police they had not seen him for days. He left home with his backpack Tuesday and told them he was going to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/18/us/gabby-petito-missing-saturday/index.html" target="_blank">a local nature reserve,</a> Taylor, the police spokesperson, said Saturday. Over the weekend, federal and local authorities conducted their search for Laundrie in the Carlton Reserve in Sarasota County, police said. The search was suspended Sunday evening and there was "nothing to report," North Port Police said <a href="https://twitter.com/NorthPortPolice/status/1439706111247011850" target="_blank">on Twitter</a>. The search effort included the use of drones and bloodhounds who used articles of Laundrie's clothing taken from his home to get his scent, Taylor said in a news conference at the scene of the search Saturday. Police initially focused their search on a nearby park which spans about 200 acres before expanding to the rest of the reserve. Laundrie is not wanted for a crime, officials have said. Petito and Laundrie were on a road trip to national parks Petito was believed to have been in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming when her family was last in contact with her, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NorthPortPD/posts/3041228662833153" target="_blank">North Port police said.</a> The two began their road trip in June with a plan to visit state national parks across the western United States, North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison said last week. She had been excited to share her journey with her family and others on social media, he said. "She maintained regular contact with her family members during her travels, however that communication abruptly stopped around the end of August," the police chief added. Police had an encounter with the couple in Moab, Utah, on August 12, where officers described them as having "engaged in some sort of altercation." Although the two are described as getting into a physical fight following an argument, "both the male and female reported they are in love and engaged to be married and desperately didn't wish to see anyone charged with a crime," a report from officer Eric Pratt said. At the suggestion by police, the couple separated for the night, the report said, which described Petito as "confused and emotional." "After evaluating the totality of the circumstances, I do not believe the situation escalated to the level of a domestic assault as much as that of a mental health crisis," officer Daniel Robbins wrote in the police report. No charges were filed. On August 24, Petito FaceTimed with her mother and told her she was leaving Utah and heading to the Teton range in Wyoming, Stafford said. Over the next three days, Petito and her mother exchanged texts, he said. They received one last message on August 30 that read, "No service in Yosemite," but her family doubts she wrote it, Stafford said. The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

Police officer struck by driver of stolen car; officers search for suspectsFARMINGTON, CT (WFSB) - A police officer was struck by the driver of a stolen car early Monday morning. If happened in Farmington. According to police, officers responded to a report of an active theft in the area of 1 Talcott Notch Rd. at approximately 12:50 a.m. Police said someone was after a catalytic converter. "We had a witness who believed there was a catalytic converter theft in progress," said Lt. Tim McKenzie, Farmington police. Upon arrival, officers said they located the suspect vehicle and attempted to contact its occupant. They also tried to block the suspect. However, the suspect managed to pin an officer between the officer's vehicle and the suspect's vehicle. The suspect was able to get away. Additional officers pursued the vehicle over a short distance and the driver crashed into the woods where the suspect or suspects fled on foot. Multiple K9 teams searched the area for whoever was in the vehicle but were unable to locate them. The officer who was struck was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford by ambulance. Police said he sustained serious non-life-threatening injuries. The officer was prepped for surgery, which was scheduled to happen later Monday. "It's really sad," said Anna Hance, a resident. "I don't know why they would have to take it as far as hurting someone. Like, it's just ridiculous especially around here. Everyone is so nice. And we just want to live and walk our dogs." Hance said she lives in a nearby condominium complex. She said she and her neighbors were left worried on Monday that the area would become a hotspot for theft. "I'm shocked," she said. "Because a lot of times I go out late a night to walk Chaz. And it's really quiet, really safe. And a little surprised that no one tried to steal the converters around here yet, but I was hoping it wouldn't happen." Police determined that the vehicle the suspect had been driving was stolen out of Middletown. However, it's unclear of the suspect was alone or if another person was involved. Any witnesses or anyone with any information was asked to contact the Farmington Police Department at 860-675-2400

These four words are helping spread vaccine misinformationFour little words — "do your own research" — are hurting the US pandemic response, CNN's chief media correspondent Brian Stelter said on "Reliable Sources" Sunday. And it is having real consequences as personalities from Nicki Minaj to Sean Hannity continue to promote the idea. Minaj helped raise doubts about Covid-19 vaccines on Twitter last week, claiming she would only get the shots once she'd "<a href="https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/1437526877808128000" target="_blank">done enough research</a>." It may seem like a reasonable, even positive, attitude, and it is a favored talking point echoed by many in the right-wing media. The problem is that most people simply don't know how to do their own research, especially when it comes to understanding the complexities of medical science. The concept has lately become associated with Covid-19 and QAnon, but the phrase "do your own research" dates back to the 1890s when it was associated with skepticism surrounding the smallpox vaccine, Renee DiResta, research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory, said on "Reliable Sources." The notion of doing your own research is not a bad idea in itself, DiResta said, as it's important to maintain a healthy level of skepticism about information being fed to you. But in today's media environment fueled by clicks and engagement, it's all too easy to come across misleading data that confirms biases. "Nobody's going to the library and looking up authoritative sources to do their own research," Yael Eisenstat, a Future of Democracy fellow at the Berggruen Institute, said. And although DiResta believes that Minaj didn't have ill intent, there are others who do, and they are pushing people away from credible sources for their own gain. Eisenstat said that to help combat this phenomenon, the media needs to be more transparent in its reporting, especially when it comes to Covid. That's because many of the subtle differences between understanding scientific research that is still theoretical versus that which has been tested and widely agreed upon are not well communicated to the public. As new information and new research comes out, the media needs to take that extra step to explain the changing landscape. "Science is a consensus building process," DiResta said. "Not something where we know the facts immediately, the moment that someone wants to be Googling for them." The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

Biden easing foreign travel restrictions, requiring vaccinesWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will ease foreign travel restrictions into the U.S. beginning in November, when his administration will require all foreign nationals flying into the country to be fully vaccinated. All foreign travelers flying to the U.S. will need to demonstrate proof of vaccination before boarding, as well as proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of flight, said White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients, who announced the new policy on Monday. Biden will also tighten testing rules for unvaccinated American citizens, who will need to be tested within a day before departure to the U.S., as well as on their return. Fully vaccinated passengers will not be required to quarantine, Zeints said. The new policy replaces a patchwork of travel restrictions first instituted by President Donald Trump last year and tightened by Biden last year that restricted travel by non-citizens to the United Kingdom, European Union, China, India and other countries. Biden will also require airlines to collect contact information from international travelers to facilitate contact tracing, Zients said.

New Haven officer arrested for deadly Las Vegas crash posts bondLAS VEGAS, NV (WFSB) - A New Haven officer arrested for a deadly DUI crash in Las Vegas that claimed the life of fellow officer posted bond. Robert Ferraro, 34, was charged with driving under the influence resulting in death and reckless driving. Investigators said Joshua Castellano died on Friday. They said Ferraro was behind the wheel. Two other officers, identified as Matthew Borges and John Truhart, were also in the vehicle with Castellano. Ferraro was said to have lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a couple of cars, utility poles and a fire hydrant. Over the weekend, Ferraro was fit with an electronic monitoring bracelet. Court records in Las Vegas showed that he posted his $100,000 bond on Monday.

State's attorney to make announcement about woman whose body was found in BurlingtonBURLINGTON, CT (WFSB) - State investigators are expected to reveal new information about the case of a woman whose body was found in Burlington more than three years ago. Kelsey Mazzamaro's body was found in a body of water in Burlington on May 6, 2018. New Britain State's Attorney Brian Preleski scheduled a news conference for 4 p.m. on Monday. The 26-year-old, who was from Litchfield, was found to have died from a "neck compression." Police initially needed help identifying her through a tattoo on her arm.

Best & Worst States for Teachers: Where CT ranksHARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - Connecticut ranks among the best states for teachers, according to the results of a new survey. The personal finance website WalletHub.com on Monday released its list of 2021's Best & Worst States for Teachers. Connecticut was the 10th best. WalletHub said it analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia across two dozen metrics, including teachers' income growth potential, pupil-teacher ratio, and whether or not the state has a digital learning plan. Here are the notable metric rankings that contributed to Connecticut's overall rank: 11th in average salary for teachers (adjusted for cost of living)2nd in quality of school system5th in pupil-teacher ratio6th in public school spending per student27th in 10-year change in teacher salaries1st in existence of digital learning plan (which can be viewed on the state's website <a href="https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTEdTech/Commission-for-Educational-Technology/Initiatives/Remote-Learning" target="_blank">here</a>) New York, Utah and Washington State were the top three states for teachers. The worst were Maine, the District of Columbia and New Hampshire. Source: <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-for-teachers/7159">WalletHub</a> For the complete results, check out WalletHub's website <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-for-teachers/7159" target="_blank">here</a>.

Hamden residents were warned of seeing, smelling smoke during transfer station fireHAMDEN, CT (WFSB) - Crews worked to put out a fire at a transfer station in Hamden early Monday morning. Hamden fire chief Gary Merwede said firefighters had been on the scene since dusk on Sunday. The transfer station is located on Winter Green Avenue. Merwede said a large brush and storm debris pile burned. "This is a labor intensive effort," he said. "Area residents may smell and see smoke for a while." There's no word on how the fire started.

Covid-19 vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds is safe and shows 'robust' antibody response, Pfizer says(CNN) - In a highly anticipated announcement, Pfizer said on Monday a Phase 2/3 trial showed its Covid-19 vaccine was safe and generated a "robust" antibody response in children ages 5 to 11. These are the first such results released for this age group for a US Covid-19 vaccine, and the data has not yet been peer-reviewed or published. Pfizer said it plans to submit to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization soon. The trial included 2,268 participants ages 5 to 11 and used a two-dose regimen of the vaccine administered 21 days apart. This trials used a 10-microgram dose -- smaller than the 30-microgram dose that has been used for those 12 and older. "The 10 microgram dose was carefully selected as the preferred dose for safety, tolerability and immunogenicity in children 5 to 11 years of age," Pfizer said. Participants' immune responses were measured by looking at neutralizing antibody levels in their blood and comparing those levels to a control group of 16- to 25-year-olds who were given a two-dose regimen with the larger 30-microgram dose. Pfizer said the levels compared well with older people who received the larger dose, demonstrating a "strong immune response in this cohort of children one month after the second dose." "Further, the COVID-19 vaccine was well tolerated, with side effects generally comparable to those observed in participants 16 to 25 years of age," the company said. A Pfizer spokesperson also confirmed that were no instances of myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation that has been linked with mRNA vaccines. Pfizer said these data will be included in a "near-term submission" for EUA and the companies will continue to accumulate the data needed to file for FDA approval for people ages 5 to 11. The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is currently approved for people age 16 and older, and authorized for use in people ages 12 to 15. Pfizer said it is expecting trial data for children as young as 6 months "as soon as the fourth quarter of this year." "Since July, pediatric cases of COVID-19 have risen by about 240 percent in the U.S. -- underscoring the public health need for vaccination. These trial results provide a strong foundation for seeking authorization of our vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old, and we plan to submit them to the FDA and other regulators with urgency," Albert Bourla, chairman and chief executive officer of Pfizer, said in the statement. Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock and Dr. Peter Marks, director of FDA's Center for Biologics Research and Evaluation, said in a statement this month that the agency would review data for a vaccine for younger children "as quickly as possible, likely in a matter of weeks rather than months," once it was submitted for authorization. "However, the agency's ability to review these submissions rapidly will depend in part on the quality and timeliness of the submissions by manufacturers," they wrote. Calls for a Covid-19 vaccine for younger children have grown louder in recent months as cases surged among children. Coronavirus infections have risen "exponentially" among children across the United States, and now account for nearly 29% of all cases reported nationwide, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported last week. Still, US health officials have emphasized that children are not just small adults, and even those approaching age 12 should not be given the larger vaccine dose available for older people. "We don't want children to have adverse effects. Granted, we want them to be able to get vaccinated as quickly as possible, but let's do it right," FDA's Marks said in a fireside chat hosted by the ResearchAmerica Alliance last week. "There is a difference here because they're not just getting the same-old, same-old dose as a 12 and up person will. They have to get a reduced dose. And that's why it's not a good idea for doctors to take things in their own hands at this point." The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

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