Monday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli looked at the continued controversy surrounding graduation ceremony remarks from Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker earlier in May (00:34). Quinnipiac University Assistant Professor of Film, Television and Media Art and Director of the Graduate Cinematic Production Management Program Blythe…

Governor Ned Lamont is expected to sign a piece of legislation approved during the 2024 session that directly impacts in-home care for seniors. Senator Kevin Kelly is the former co-chair of the legislature’s Aging Committee and an elder law attorney. He co-sponsored the bill giving our aging population more support in the state. IMAGE CREDIT: Adam …

Last week, The Fairfield Board of Education reportedly announced the news about not renewing the lease for A Child’s Garden after one more academic year. The childcare center has been operating on town-owned property for over 40 years and the owners say THEY weren’t even told about the decision. We spoke with Mike Miklus, the owner of ACG, who addr…

Host Paul Pacelli wrapped up another week on "Connecticut Today" with a look at the controversy over comments made at a recent commencement ceremony by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker (00:29). Former Bridgeport Democratic State Rep. Chris Caruso dropped by with his weekly wrap-up (13:31), while Westport Masonic Lodge No. 65 Master Richard…

The Trumbull Early Childhood Education Center Parent Teacher Organization announced a major funding award of $10,000 from the Rotary Club of Trumbull to the TECEC PTO in support of their multi-year initiative to fund and replace the playground at the school. We spoke with Kayla Seeley, president of the TECEC PTO and Rotary Club of Trumbull Presiden…

For the first time in American history, an American gymnastics competition is expected to see three U.S. Olympic All-Around Gold medalists (Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles and Sunisa Lee) compete head-to-head. Two sessions will be held in Hartford. We spoke with General Manager of the XL Center, Ben Weiss, about the event, what went into bringing it he…

I think we hit a record high for listener inquiries regarding the same topic: no lease renewal for a longstanding early childcare center in Fairfield. We learned the lease for A Child’s Garden is being extended one more year before closing after 43 years in the Mona Terrace space. We asked First Selectman Bill Gerber why this decision was made, was…

We continue addressing the early childcare crisis in Connecticut. According to state data, we still have about 4,000 staffing vacancies for early childhood, a waitlist of more than 1,500 kids needing Care 4 Kids and school districts are juggling families trying to test their kids into Kindergarten despite not being five years old by September 1st. …

We had a busy Thursday on "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli updating listeners on how the state's U.S. House delegation voted on a key immigration bill (00:28). "Only In Bridgeport" blogger Lennie Grimaldi stopped by to talk about the coming November battle for the 22nd State Senate District (13:31). Connecticut Inside Investigator reporte…

We are living in a childcare crisis in Connecticut and across the country. There are not enough reputable, affordable centers and our staffing levels are too low, mostly because we can’t pay them. Compound that with a new state law changing the kindergarten age requirement in the fall; families and school districts are scrambling! Does the federal …

We continue to look at the aftermath of the 2024 legislative session; this time we focused on healthcare legislation. Senator Jeff Gordon talked about the ongoing drama surrounding Prospect Medical Holdings impacting three Connecticut hospitals and a call from the governor for lawmakers to return to the table. We also discussed the big winner: Sena…

Bridgeport has officially rolled out a new interactive crime map for residents to keep track of crime statistics in and around their neighborhoods. We spoke with Police Chief Roderick Porter about the LexisNexis technology, how it works, and why he feels it needed to be a priority for city residents. To view that map, click on this website and zoom…

Wednesday's "Connecticut Today" with Paul Pacelli discussed news of two debates tentatively scheduled between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump (00:20). Hearst Connecticut Media editor and columnist Dan Haar dropped by for his regular update on the biggest stories around Connecticut (13:29) Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Pl…

We had our monthly check-in with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli gave us some legislative updates impacting businesses and consumers in the state following the 2024 legislative session. He spoke about THC-infused beverages, House Bill 5236 concerning professional licensing, and improvements on the “p…

Earlier this month, a super rare geomagnetic storm happened making the Aurora visible even here in Connecticut! David Mestre of Science You May Not Know talked about the May 10th Northern Lights event seen across the northeast. We also compared it to the "Carrington Event" of September 1 to 2, 1859 when the Aurora was so intense that it could be se…

For about a week now, Melissa has been inundated with calls from WICC listeners who live in Success Village. This is a 900+ unit apartment complex with aging boilers impacting heat and hot water. Residents have reported having no hot water for 10 days despite news outlets reporting the problem would be resolved earlier this week. We talked about th…

Tuesday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli talked about a growing debate over the reasons for Caitlin Clark's anticipated influence in the WNBA (00:29). Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio stopped by with further commentary on a controversial bill passed as the General Assembly wrapped up this year's session (11:58). We also checked…

Wrong-way crashes, click it or ticket and more motorcycles on our roadways. We talked with Connecticut State Police in studio about driver behavior and statistics for our highway incidents. Sgt. Christine Jeltema and Sgt. Luke Davis stopped in studio to share what they are seeing in recent years and what drivers need to know once they get behind th…

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we wanted to focus specifically on our kids and grandchildren. What can parents and grandparents do to ensure that our kids and grandkids develop healthy mental health. What are the signs and symptoms that indicate our children are at risk? Counselor, Julius Dudics, weighs in on the conversation and reiterat…

Wrong-way crashes are becoming more and more of a normality on our state highways. While the Department of Transportation continues to address the problem with updated detection systems on highway exit ramps, is there more we could do right now? We got perspective from Gary MacNamara, who talked about signage along the highway, not just on and off …

So, you passed the interview, landed the job and are an official member of the team at work. That doesn’t mean your attitude and reputation around the office means nothing. Career strategist, Julie Bauke, shares the fifth and final mistake the average worker makes and helps us become more socially aware at work. Image Credit: Getty Images…

We introduced a new veterinarian to our morning show audience: Dr. Barbara Mangold of Mt. Pleasant Hospital for Animals in Newtown. As we get into the warmer months and summer season, vets get busier with pet inquiries. We talked about noise/fireworks, ticks and fleas, overheating dangers, toxicity outdoors and keeping dogs hydrated. IMAGE CREDIT: …

Monday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli featured Quinnipiac University Department of Journalism Chair and Director of the Graduate Sports Journalism Program Professor Molly Yanity on Caitlin Clark's WNBA regular season debut against the Connecticut Sun (00:31). CTNewsJunkie columnist and Substack.com blogger Terry Cowgill stopped by for…

May is Women’s Health Month and recently, new guidelines for breast cancer screenings were released dropping the recommended age from 50 to 40 to get a mammogram. We talked about the change with Dr. Susan Boolbol. She works in Breast Surgical Oncology for Nuvance Health which operates Norwalk and Danbury hospitals. For more information: https://www…

We continue to look at the aftermath of the 2024 legislative session. We spoke with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities to discuss what did and DID NOT pass impacting the average Connecticut resident. Mike Roberts outlined the service dogs and hairdresser bills that passed as well as the bills surrounding artificial intelligence and ev…

One of the most controversial bills to get passed and signed into law this year was the expansion of the paid sick leave program. It now mandates all Connecticut employers to offer five paid sick days to all employees, regardless of company size. We wanted to understand the legalities around this change and how employers should proceed. Our employm…

Westport is begin highlighted by local law enforcement for its decision to crack down on dog walkers and other visitors on school properties during school hours. Retired Lt. Jim Perez is praising the decision by town police, parks and rec and the superintendent to hold the line on this decision. Crime on the Mind focuses on school security risks an…

Recently, we got word about a warning to pet parents that missing dogs were being found with altered appearances. The alert came from the Connecticut Dog Gone Recovery Volunteer Network, which has been helping local dog owners find their pups for over a decade. We wanted to get to know this group and how they help families find their missing dogs. …

We had some fun on Friday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli, as we welcomed Eric Jay Dolin, author of, "Left for Dead: Shipwreck, Treachery, and Survival at the Edge of the World" (00:24). Former Bridgeport State Rep. Chris Caruso stopped by with his weekly wrap-up, looking at the just-concluded General Assembly session (13:08) Image Cre…

Maternal mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder are the most prominent complications for expecting mothers, affecting 1 in 5 women. According to the CDC, 1 in 8 women experience postpartum depression, and 50% of them are untreated. This week is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, and we used the opportu…

Summer storm and hurricane season is approaching in June. Meteorologists say this year’s hurricane season in the Atlantic is expected to be the busiest on record. Now, health officials are putting the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) back in the spotlight. We spoke with Bridgeport Fire Chief Lance Edwards about the invisible killer, the dangers of p…

This week is the 10th annual Turquoise Takeover with a focus on ending lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths. About every two minutes someone is diagnosed with lung cancer. We spoke with Pulmonologist, Dr. Steven Thau, about an increase in survival rates, new advancements in early detection and the importance of testing for…

The 2024 legislative session may be over, but the aftermath continues this morning. Even though the clock struck 12 and a bill around a slush fund helping striking workers passed, the Governor plans to veto it. We spoke with Senate Minority Leader, Senator Steve Harding, about the major takeaways from this session, including handling absentee ballo…

The Connecticut legislature has ended its 2024 regular session. The gavel fell at midnight to end a short session of the legislature where no budget adjustments were passed. There were some small bills that had big impact on Connecticut residents, that got approval that we wanted to highlight. But there were also some big misses, despite bipartisan…

Thursday's "Connecticut Today" with Paul Pacelli featured Governor Ned Lamont's remarks on a controversial bill that would set aside state assistance for striking private sector workers (00:29). We welcomed back Southern Connecticut State University Professor of Biology Dr. Sarah Crawford with the latest news on a possible Bird Flu pandemic (12:39)…

A lot of mothers want to dedicate their time to raising kids. But they also miss their identities in the workforce. FoundHer is a recruiting focuses on connecting today's generation of moms to job opportunities balancing both goals of being with their kids while remaining passionate about a workplace culture. We spoke with the co-founder of FoundHe…

It seemed like an easy way to make some extra cash, but a Connecticut woman discovered an ad posted on Instagram to rate clothing from major brands online was not only a waste of time but money. Our latest scam alert from the BBB focuses on this "too good to be true" scam and ways to avoid becoming the next victim of this. For more information: htt…

We had a couple major health news stories this week all surrounding smells. New research shows the smell of food cooking is a sign of air pollution. A new study from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration measured what they called "underappreciated sources" of urban air pollution. Researchers found that cooking accounts for a nearly a …

Eversource announced a cut of 500-million-dollars in spending in Connecticut over the next five years. The company says it will no longer be investing 100-million-dollars in each of the next five years on infrastructure and other projects in Connecticut. The cuts will only involve capital projects, not day to day operations. We wanted to get a bett…

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we want to talk about the teacher shortage we are still dealing with in Connecticut. And now with the 2024 legislative session behind us, what’s the latest on recruiting and retaining educators in Connecticut? We did a deep dive with Fran Rabinowitz, executive director of the Connecticut Association of Pu…

Wednesday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli featured a live update from the Capitol on the final day of the legislative session with Hearst Connecticut Media editor and columnist Dan Haar (00:29). Quinnipiac University Graduate Interactive Media and Communications Program Director Prof. John Powers joined us to talk about TikTok's legal …

Do you remember going to prom? It’s like a right of passage. It’s a milestone moment for highschoolers but a lot of students can’t go because it’s too expensive to buy that special gown or pay for a ticket to attend. That’s why Norwalk Public Schools Family Center is hosting its first “Say Yes to a Prom Dress” event for Norwalk Public Schools’ high…

For the first time on air, we welcomed newly elected Monroe First Selectman Terry Rooney. This week, he passed the town budget, and it reflected his law enforcement knowledge from being a former Bridgeport police officer. We found out how the budget included a lot of focus on cybersecurity for homeowners and public town offices. To see the full bud…

This week is National Nurses Week and it’s no secret, we NEED more nurses in our state. We wanted to look at the initiatives our state has started to recruit and retain more nurses to Connecticut and also found out about some other avenues we could look at to continue improving the problem at hand. Marcia Proto, executive director of The CT Center …

Did you know Connecticut was voted the number one state for hiking in the US? That’s according to the Office of Tourism. So, it’s no surprise that each year, the state hosts Connecticut Trails Day. It’s a two-day event across the state offering more than 185 different opportunities to get out and explore the Nutmeg State. We spoke with Trails Day C…

Tuesday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli talked about another last-minute, so-called "rat" found in a wide-ranging budget bill at the State Capitol (00:28). We welcomed the new Independent Party of Connecticut Executive Director Chip Beckett to discuss the party's future heading into the 2024 election cycle (12:52). Yankee Institute blo…

We had our monthly check-in with the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Josh Morgan joined the show for the latest information following the I-95 fiasco this month in Norwalk. Plus, we looked at legislation during the 2024 session that could have major impacts on our roads in Connecticut. Image Credit: Getty Images…

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, about 1 in 4 adults suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder each year and many people suffer from more than one mental health issue at a given time. We talked about the variety of mental health challenges people face, how we can identify a mental health need in ourselves and how to approach that need in a hea…

As we continue our series The Top Five Mistakes the Average Person Makes in the Workplace, let’s tackle #4: failing the “Tell Me About Yourself” challenge. Why are we naturally so bad at this? How do we prepare better for this question? What should be the focus in our answers to potential employers and what should we avoid sharing? Career strategis…

The Senate unanimously passed a bill that would tackle wheelchair repairs for Connecticut residents who rely on the chairs to get around. If it passes, it would be the first state in the nation to have protocols in place. Senator Lisa Seminara, Ranking Senator on the Human Services Committee, explained the legislation and what was discovered on a s…