GOP's McMahon Ad Targets Connecticut’s Obama Voters

Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon is urging Connecticut voters to cast their ballots for both her and Democratic President Barack Obama, who holds a double-digit lead in the state. Several people in the ad say they will vote for Obama and McMahon, who is in a tight race with Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy. Murphy tells the Associated Press that any suggestion that McMahon would work with Obama is a "lie." McMahon opposes Obama's health care legislation and has criticized him and Democrats for the weak economic recovery. A McMahon spokesman said that while McMahon supports Republican Mitt Romney, she is willing to work with anyone. McMahon's name appears on both the GOP and independent lines of the ballot.

Former Connecticut Higher Education Chief Returns $25,000

A Connecticut education official who resigned earlier this month amid an outcry over secret pay raises for his staff has paid back $25,000 from an expense account that was allowed as part of his contract.      Robert A. Kennedy stepped down as president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education after it was revealed that he awarded $250,000 in pay raises to staff without the board's permission or knowledge. He had been receiving a $340,000 salary in addition to other compensation including an un-vouchered expense account. Board spokeswoman Colleen Flanagan said Monday that Kennedy returned the $25,000 last week. She included a note in which he said he was returning the money because his employment had been terminated. Former UConn President Philip Austin has been named as an interim replacement for Kennedy.

New Canaan Teen Will Avoid Jail For Fatal Accident

  A state prosecutor has agreed to a plea deal with no prison time for a teenager who struck and killed a jogger in Norwalk last March while driving and surfing the Internet on her cell phone at the same time.  The Hour of Norwalk reports that prosecutor Suzanne Vieux  told a state judge Monday that the state and victim's family have agreed to a suspended prison sentence for 17-year-old Brianna McEwan of New Canaan under Connecticut's youthful offender program. The program for teenage, first-time offenders seals their cases from public view. Police said McEwan was viewing the New Canaan High School website on her phone when her SUV struck 44-year-old Kenneth Dorsey, who was jogging along New Canaan Avenue. Disposition in the case is set for Oct. 26.

New Jersey Police Seeking Witnesses To Man's Stadium Fall

New Jersey State Police are seeking witnesses who saw a man fall from an escalator at MetLife Stadium Sunday. Spokesman Sgt. Adam Grossman says 42-year-old David Chupcavich of Orange, Conn., was leaving the stadium in East Rutherford when he fell over the side of the escalator. Police are still investigating how it happened. Grossman says some witnesses have come forward but police want to talk to more people to corroborate their accounts. Police say Chupcavich fell about 21 feet and landed on a metal stage. He was airlifted to Hackensack University Hospital and was in critical condition Sunday night. A hospital spokeswoman on Monday said Chupcavich's family asked that his condition not be released. More than 80,000 fans watched the Giants beat the Washington Redskins.

Hanse Updates The Country Club Before '16 Olympics

When Gil Hanse was hired to update the golf course at The Country Club, he knew there were some corners of the historic property that were better left alone. For one: The Vardon Bunker. The large sand trap along the 17th fairway claimed its namesake victim in a 1913 U.S. Open playoff. Francis Ouimet birdied the hole to essentially clinch the victory that obliterated the notion that golf was a game for wealthy Europeans. But the bunker is only 180 yards from the tee, meaning it's not really in play for today's big hitters. That even includes the teens and 20-somethings who will play the course for next summer's U.S. Amateur. The club added more than 100 bunkers as it tried to modernize one of the most traditional courses in the country while still keeping its original character.

Young And Old Differ On e-book Preferences

A new survey says there's a generation gap among e-book fans.  Readers under 30 prefer cellphones and computers. Those over 30 like dedicated devices such as the Kindle. The Pew Research Center's latest study focuses on young readers. Among e-book users surveyed, between ages 16-29, more than half read one on a desktop or laptop and around 40 percent use a cellphone. Around 25 percent used an e-reader. Among respondents 30 and older, 46 percent preferred e-readers, just 25 percent cellphones.      According to the report released Tuesday, teen readers were less likely to read an e-book than those immediately older. Around 12 percent of respondents aged 16-17 read an e-book over the past year, compared to 21 percent for ages 18-24 and 25 percent for ages 30-39.

Drivers Told To Be Alert For Deer On Roads

It's that time of year again. Authorities are warning motorists to watch out for deer on the roads as the mating season heats up. Police sent out their annual "Antler Alert" on Monday, saying most collisions with deer happen from October through December.  With deer more active and on the move, drivers should keep their heads on a swivel, checking the shoulders of roads for the animals avoiding distractions to stay alert. Troopers say there were more than 2,200 collisions between vehicles and deer last year on the New York Thruway alone.  One of their tips: Don't swerve to avoid a deer. That can spook the animals onto the roadway and can lead to collisions with other vehicles or losing control. Just hit the brakes.