Caitlin Burchill

Hartford

Consumer Reporter at WVIT-TV (West Hartford, CT)

@NBCConnecticut Responds Consumer Reporter• Formerly @KSL5TV, @WABI_TV5, @necn & @ColbyCollege. Retired 🏐player now serving YOU, digging for answers 🎥 #BChill

Articles

'Little House on the Prairie' event organizer accused of bouncing $64k check

6 days ago | nbcconnecticut.com | Caitlin Burchill

A Little House on the Prairie 50th anniversary event in Farmington did not meet the mark for fans. Now, the event organizer is charged with first-degree larceny. Jack Bishop of Pittsfield, Illinois, is accused of writing a bad check for almost $64,000 to a Milford catering company he hired to feed 650 attendees for the two-day event. The owner of Forks and Fingers Catering said Bishop's check bounced twice.
Tariffs could drain almost $5,000 from average family's budget this year: study

1 week ago | nbcconnecticut.com | Caitlin Burchill

There's no question that tariffs are expected to impact our wallets. Economic analysts have been crunching the numbers. A study released Tuesday projects tariffs will cost the average American household almost $5,000 this year. The Yale report not only says tariffs will make things more expensive for consumers, but the taxes on imports will also hit lower-income families the hardest.
Stocking Up? Expert tips as food prices face new uncertainty

1 week ago | nbcconnecticut.com | Caitlin Burchill

Consumers are waking up every day to changes that could impact the price of what we eat. Our NBC CT Responds team is hearing questions about whether tariffs will stick, whether food prices will rise, and what items may no longer be on supermarket shelves. Food industry analyst and the editor of Supermarketguru.com, Phil Lempert, says, first and foremost, don't panic. He says he went to ten grocery stores this weekend and saw people stockpiling even perishable food items.
State takes action after NBC CT report, other complaints

2 weeks ago | nbcconnecticut.com | Caitlin Burchill

Our NBC CT Responds team shared a warning last month after a local woman was denied a rental car in Florida despite having a legal license. After our story aired, we heard from four other consumers who experienced the same thing. Now, our state's attorney general is taking action to prevent this from happening to other drivers, as his office has received similar complaints, too.
How are prices monitored to track inflation?

2 weeks ago | nbcconnecticut.com | Caitlin Burchill

We talk about inflation all the time. When the prices of goods and services increase or decrease, we feel it in our wallets. But how does our country track trends? NBC Responds got a behind-the-scenes look at the work community members do to collect this data. Every month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases updated Consumer Price Index data tracking the cost of a variety of goods and services from the past month. Federal workers canvass businesses across the country to gather this pricing.
More protection for fans after executive order targets ticketing industry

3 weeks ago | nbcconnecticut.com | Caitlin Burchill

More eyes will soon be monitoring the ticket sales industry after President Trump signed an executive order this week. Could this help provide some relief for music and sports fans? We all know that buying a ticket to a concert or a sporting event can be a really frustrating experience.
'I would have been stranded:' CT driver denied car rental in Florida

3 weeks ago | nbcconnecticut.com | Caitlin Burchill

Wendy Allshouse flew to Florida to visit her father but had to find a ride to get to his house after her rental car reservation was denied. "They asked me for my driver's license. I gave that to the person at the desk and he immediately told me that he could not rent me a car in the state of Florida," said Allshouse, of Winsted. "I was just shocked. Absolutely shocked," she said. Allshouse says she rented a car from the same company, Hertz, last year with no problem.
23andMe privacy fears during bankruptcy

4 weeks ago | nbcconnecticut.com | Caitlin Burchill

As genetic testing company 23andMe moves through bankruptcy proceedings, consumers and experts are concerned about whether users' genetic data will be kept safe during the potential sale. "You can change your password, you can change your credit card numbers, you can dispute fraud charges. Unfortunately, you cannot change your DNA," Aaron Rose with Check Point Software Technologies, a company that specializes in cybersecurity, said.
Jury awards $5.7 million to man who was wrongfully convicted

1 month ago | nbcconnecticut.com | Caitlin Burchill |Katherine Loy

A jury of eight men awarded $5.7 million to Ricky Birch, who spent nearly 30 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. The civil trial marks the end of Birch's lawsuit against the Town of New Milford and two former police detectives.
Jury awards $5.7 million to man who was wrongfully convicted

1 month ago | nbcconnecticut.com | Caitlin Burchill |Katherine Loy

A jury of eight men awarded $5.7 million dollars to Ricky Birch, who spent nearly 30 years in prison for a murder he didn't commit. The civil trial marks the end of Birch's lawsuit against the Town of New Milford and two former police detectives.