Obama: Consensus Is For More Checks For Gun Buyers

President Barack Obama is emphasizing the need for more background checks for gun buyers in his State of the Union address, saying that overwhelming majorities of Americans favor the proposal as a way to keep firearms from criminals. Obama said Tuesday night that senators from both parties are working on legislation to prevent people from legally buying guns and then giving them to criminals. He said police chiefs want lawmakers to ban "weapons of war" and magazines carrying large amounts of ammunition so law enforcement officers won't be outgunned. The president proposed all those ideas after the December killings of 20 first-graders in Connecticut. But expanded background checks is the only one he described as having vast support — a description that matches public polling and reflects congressional sentiment too.

Green Ribbons Honor Connecticut Shooting Victims

Green ribbons dotting the lapels of Democrats and Republicans attending President Barack Obama's State of the Union address were in honor of the 26 students and educators killed at a Connecticut elementary school in December. Vice President Joe Biden's ribbon was most visible to TV viewers as he sat on the dais immediately behind Obama. Sharing the dais with Biden was GOP House Speaker John Boehner, who wore nothing pinned to either lapel. Obama wore a small American flag pin, no green ribbon. Obama put Biden in charge of developing gun control proposals in response to the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The proposals before Congress include a ban on assault weapons and ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds, and background checks for all firearms purchases.

Malloy Says Progress Being Made With Snow

Governor  Malloy says life in much of Connecticut is getting back to normal after the weekend blizzard, but acknowledges it's going to take more time in congested, urban areas. Private contractors used by the state, the Connecticut National Guard and out-of-state National Guard members are assisting municipalities with the snow removal. Malloy said the commuter rail system is expected to be fully operational today.

Massive Snow Takes Toll On Connecticut Farm Buildings

Connecticut agriculture officials say more than 120 farm buildings have been partly or entirely destroyed because of the massive snow that struck New England. Agriculture Commissioner Steven Reviczky on Tuesday called it a "significant loss." He says many of the buildings were hoop houses, which are structures of sheet plastic stretched over bent metal hoops. They are used to protect bedding plants and vegetables. Reviczky says many of the hoop buildings are not insured and financial help from Washington is limited to low-interest loans to farmers who don't qualify for commercial loans. The destruction is reminiscent of widespread roof collapses in the winter of 2011. Reviczky says 511 buildings were damaged or destroyed two years ago, but that was due to several storms during the season. The damage now is from one storm.

Connecticut Legislation Targets MetroNorth Fare Rules

An organized commuters group is lobbying for legislation in Connecticut requiring MetroNorth Railroad to make good on prepaid fares made useless when monster storms shut the rail line into New York City. The Connecticut Rail Commuter Council is backing legislation that would force MetroNorth to allow commuters to use tickets if service is canceled for more than 48 hours. The group says MetroNorth should be required to replace lost time as airlines make up for canceled flights. Republican Rep. Gail Lavielle, who introduced the legislation, says commuters should not be forced to pay for service they did not receive. A spokesman says the Connecticut Department of Transportation will not comment. A spokeswoman for MetroNorth says the Metropolitan Transportation Agency, which runs MetroNorth, is not subject to Connecticut laws.

Comcast To Buy GE's 49 pct Stake In NBCUniversal

Comcast says it's buying General Electric's 49 percent stake in the NBCUniversal joint venture for $16.7 billion. It comes several years early, as Comcast takes advantage of low borrowing costs and what CEO Brian Roberts calls a "very attractive price." Comcast Corp. had bought a majority stake in the television and movie company in 2011. It had planned to take a larger stake in it over seven years, paying for it from operating cash. But Roberts told The Associated Press that the sale of its stake in pay TV network A&E and some wireless spectrum gave it plenty of cash on hand. He also says Comcast got a good deal given that the stock price of media conglomerates has been rising.

GE To Boost Share Buybacks After NBC Stake Sale

General Electric plans to boost share buybacks to about $10 billion in 2013, thanks to the early sale of its stake in NBCUniversal. GE announced Tuesday that it is selling its remaining 49 percent stake in the NBCUniversal joint venture to cable operator Comcast for $16.7 billion. GE's board voted to increase its overall share repurchase authorization from the current $23 billion to $35 billion. "This transaction allows us to significantly increase the cash we plan to return to shareholders in 2013, to approximately $18 billion, and to continue to invest in our industrial business," GE CEO Jeff Immelt said in a statement. GE will book a $1 billion pretax gain from the sale, but says that will be offset by restructuring costs.

Man Charged With Biting Off Ear Lobe Due In Court

A Connecticut man is set to face a state judge on charges he bit off his cousin's ear lobe and swallowed it during a fight over loud music. Twenty-seven-year-old Emilio Mendoza is scheduled to be arraigned on assault and other charges Wednesday in Stamford Superior Court. Police in Stamford say Mendoza got upset early Monday morning when his cousin, 29-year-old Ruiz Clemente-Perez, asked him to turn down his music. Officers say Mendoza started a brawl by punching Clemente-Perez in the head and then bit off and swallowed his cousin's left ear lobe. Officers say Clemente-Perez was bleeding and missing part of his ear when they arrived. He also suffered a broken nose and fractured eye socket. Mendoza is detained on $100,000 bail.

Officials Launch Annual Crandall Recognition

Connecticut officials are launching an annual recognition of Prudence Crandall, a 19th century educator who opened her academy in Canterbury to young black women. Crandall faced outrage from the community, which persuaded the General Assembly to pass the "Black Law" that made it illegal for her to operate the school. She was arrested, spent a night in jail and faced three court trials. Her case was dismissed in July 1834. Crandall was named the State Heroine in 1995. On Wednesday, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, Senate President Donald Williams, other lawmakers and friends of the Prudence Crandall Museum will hold the first annual recognition of Crandall. A morning ceremony is planned in front of her statue on the first floor of the state Capitol.