Melissa in the Morning: Where is the President?
You’ve seen the news in the last couple of weeks and it seems like the top story is the constant unrest on college campuses across the country. But the chaos on college campuses surrounding the Israel-Hamas war has been stirring since the fall. What seems to bother most Americans today, regardless of party affiliation, is the lack of leadership. Where is President Biden to unite the country by ...
15m May 02, 2024
15m
Melissa in the Morning: Vaping Study
A new study found vaping is tied to an increased risk of lead and uranium exposure in teens ages 13 to 17 who used e-cigarette over a 20-day period. Researchers recommended stronger regulations on vaping.  Another recent study found people who vape are 19-percent more likely to develop heart failure. We got Dr. Browne’s take on this including a better understanding of the impact on the human bo...
15m May 02, 2024
15m
Melissa in the Morning: Housing Update in CT
We continue to face a housing crisis in Connecticut and last month, Renee Dobos, CEO of CT Housing Partners, took those concerns to Washington DC. We find out what she voiced in front of lawmakers at our nation’s capital and the impact it could have on our state. Plus, we got her take on any legislative movement on housing bills during the 2024 legislative session wrapping up next week. For mo...
16m May 02, 2024
16m
Melissa in the Morning: DMD Screening
Connecticut lawmakers are debating a bill to bring earlier intervention to children diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. House Bill 5321 would require all newborns in the state be tested for DMD as part of the Department of Public Health’s newborn screening program. If approved, it would begin in July 2027. We got a medical perspective on the impact of this bill if it passes. Dr. Gyula A...
9m May 02, 2024
9m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - The White House Confronts Campus Violence
Thursday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli welcomed Sacred Heart University Political Science Scholar in Residence Dr. Gary Rose on the current protests at many U.S. colleges and the White House response (00:22). "Only In Bridgeport" blogger Lennie Grimaldi also stopped by with the latest Park City buzz (11:06) Image Credit: REUTERS/Nathan Howard
20m May 02, 2024
20m
Melissa in the Morning: CCSU Chancellor Terrence Cheng
As the legislative session winds down, we know there’s a big push for funding public higher education in our state. CSCU serves 85,000 students and 96% of those students are from Connecticut. The more than a dozen institutions in the system reportedly make an $11 billion annual impact on the state’s economy. CSCU Chancellor Terrence Cheng helps us understand the Connecticut State Colleges and U...
15m May 03, 2024
15m
Melissa in the Morning: New Face for CT Girl Scouts
More than 50 million American women have participated in the sisterhood of Girl Scouts throughout the years and one of these exceptional women is the new CEO of The Girl Scouts of Connecticut. We met Elicia Pegues Spearman, a Chesire attorney and new leader of the #1 girls’ non-profit, to hear her plans for the organization going forward. IMAGE CREDIT: Alisa Picerno / Girl Scouts of Connecticut
12m May 03, 2024
12m
Melissa in the Morning: Team Conquer Cancer
According to The leukemia and lymphoma Society, approximately every three minutes, one person is diagnosed with blood cancer. The organization has been focusing for years on raising money for research and better supporting blood cancer patients and their families. We spoke with Michele Terra, who continues to partner with the organization after caring for her mom who battled and miraculously su...
10m May 03, 2024
10m
Melissa in the Morning: Cybersecurity and Seniors
A new report out this week says elder fraud reports to FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center rose by 14 percent in 2023. Fred Scholl talked about elder fraud. He is an associate teaching professor and director of the graduate cybersecurity program at Quinnipiac University. Plus, he weighed in on the discovery made regarding United Health NOT using multifactor authentication to avoid a recent na...
15m May 03, 2024
15m
Melissa in the Morning: Walks with Buddy
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and did you know getting outside and moving your body can do a whole lot of good for your mental health? Wellness Coach, Joan Smeland, lives by this truth after losing her father years ago. She says getting out to walk with her dog changed her life and launched the creation of Walks with Buddy. We spoke to her about her organization and an upcoming event hig...
15m May 03, 2024
15m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - A Post-Fire Update
Friday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli featured Quinnipiac University Associate Professor of Civil Engineering Ari Perez on the demolition and planned reconstruction of Norwalk's Fairfield Avenue Bridge after an accident and tanker truck fire on I-95 (00:30). Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling also called in to chat about Thursday morning's I-95 accident and fire (10:04). Former Bridgepor...
28m May 03, 2024
28m
Melissa in the Morning: Stroke 101
May is American Stroke Month and according to the CDC, every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. But more often than not, people will bypass stroke symptoms or calling 9-1-1, taking matters into their own hands. Dr. Joshua Marcus with Nuvance Health highlighted the importance of getting an ambulance in the event of a stroke. He also wrote an article called ‘Stroke 101’ to tac...
10m May 06, 2024
10m
Melissa in the Morning: Nurses Week
Only 50 percent of current licensed registered nurses in Connecticut are working as a nurse. So, while Connecticut has almost 90,000 RNs, there is still an acute shortage as many are no longer practicing. This week is National Nurses Week and Larry Slater joined the show to share some of the complex issues facing the nursing profession. Slater is the dean of the School of Nursing at Quinnipiac ...
12m May 06, 2024
12m
Melissa in the Morning: Don’t Be Fooled
Despite the many reports saying the Connecticut is one of the safest states in the country, crime prevention should still be a top priority for residents. What are some non-negotiables when it comes to training your brain with crime prevention knowledge? We asked our crime prevention expert, Jim Perez, about the importance of situational awareness and why being “the safest” can put a target on ...
16m May 06, 2024
16m
Melissa in the Morning: The Good, Bad and Ugly with Housing Bills
We are just a couple of days away from wrapping up the 2024 legislative session. Before the weekend, a couple of house bills passed and now head to the Senate for votes. We got the scoop on good changes made and bad language still in place for current legislation from CT169Strong. Maria Weingarten explains what’s being discussed in Hartford and what it would mean for you and your town. Learn mo...
16m May 06, 2024
16m
Melissa in the Morning: What “History” are you Making?
Some studies have highlighted that children of divorce are less enthusiastic about the idea of marriage or less hesitant to end an unhealthy marriage. Other studies have indicated that children have more honest appraisals of what might go wrong in a romantic relationship and focus more on the importance of selecting a partner because of their parents’ union. What these studies tell me is that t...
17m May 06, 2024
17m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - An Update From The State Capitol
Monday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli featured a chat with Fairfield GOP State Sen. Tony Hwang from the Capitol as the current legislative session winds down (00:24). CTNewsJunkie columnist and Substack.com blogger Terry Cowgill joined us to voice his concerns about a possible weakening of the state's Freedom of Information laws (12:23) Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus
25m May 06, 2024
25m
Melissa in the Morning: Wheelchair Repairs Legislation
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 state Wheelchair Task Force she served on for mo...
13m May 07, 2024
13m
Melissa in the Morning: Failing the “Tell Me About Yourself” Challenge
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 strategist, Julie Bauke, shares insight about all of thi...
16m May 07, 2024
16m
Melissa in the Morning: Mental Health Wakeup Call
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 healthy way with counselor, Julius Dudics. Image ...
17m May 07, 2024
17m
Melissa in the Morning: Connecticut Road News
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
14m May 07, 2024
14m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - Where Did THIS Come From?
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 blogger Meghan Portfolio wrapped up the show with ...
35m May 07, 2024
35m
Melissa in the Morning: CT Trails Day Registration is OPEN!
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 Coordinator, Chuck Toal, to talk about the histo...
8m May 08, 2024
8m
Melissa in the Morning: A Snapshot at CT Nurse Workforce
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 for Nursing Workforce, Inc. joined the show to ...
19m May 08, 2024
19m
Melissa in the Morning: Meeting Mr. Monroe
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 budget: https://www.monroect.gov/ IMAGE CREDIT: ...
16m May 08, 2024
16m
Melissa in the Morning: Say ‘Yes’ to the Prom Dress
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 school seniors. Students will be able to find ...
15m May 08, 2024
15m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - Down The Home Stretch In Hartford
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 response to a possible ban in the U.S. (08:37) ...
18m May 08, 2024
18m
Melissa in the Morning: Recruit and Retain Teachers
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 Public School Superintendents. We also got Fran’s...
17m May 09, 2024
17m
Melissa in the Morning: Eversource Bombshell
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 better understanding about what led to the decisio...
18m May 09, 2024
18m
Melissa in the Morning: Oooh that smell…
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 quarter of volatile organic compounds in the ...
16m May 09, 2024
16m
Melissa in the Morning: Rate Clothing Scam
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: https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26976-bb...
7m May 09, 2024
7m
Melissa in the Morning: Getting Moms back to Work
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 FoundHer, Runa Knapp, about their “recruiting with pur...
10m May 09, 2024
10m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - A Possible Veto In Hartford?
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). "Only In Bridgeport" blogger Lennie Grimaldi ...
32m May 09, 2024
32m
Melissa in the Morning: 2024 Session Takeaways
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 interest and support on certain proposals. Se...
17m May 10, 2024
17m
Melissa in the Morning: The Session Aftermath
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 ballots, expanding paid sick leave and blocking “The...
16m May 10, 2024
16m
Melissa in the Morning: Turquoise Takeover
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 radon.  For more information: hartfordhealthc...
9m May 10, 2024
9m
Melissa in the Morning: CO Detection before Hurricane Season
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 portable generators and the importance of detect...
14m May 10, 2024
14m
Melissa in the Morning: Maternal Mental Health Awareness
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 opportunity to normalize the conversation around menta...
14m May 10, 2024
14m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - An Amazing Story
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 Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus
24m May 10, 2024
24m
Melissa in the Morning: CT Missing Dog Recovery Network
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 also got the details on this recent alert fr...
18m May 13, 2024
18m
Melissa in the Morning: Banning Visitors on Campus
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 and why more municipalities should mirror these r...
14m May 13, 2024
14m
Melissa in the Morning: Legality for New Paid Sick Time CT Law
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 employment attorney on the morning show, Gary Phelan, ...
14m May 13, 2024
14m
Melissa in the Morning: Human Rights and the 2024 Session
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 evictions that were denied. Image Credit: Getty ...
15m May 13, 2024
15m
Melissa in the Morning: Mammogram 101
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.nuvancehealth.org/health-tips-and-news/breast...
14m May 13, 2024
14m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - Basketball History In Connecticut
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 his weekly update (11:01), while Paul also had...
36m May 13, 2024
36m
Melissa in the Morning: Summer Safety for Fido
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: Melissa Sheketoff
18m May 14, 2024
18m
Melissa in the Morning: Don’t Assume the Interview is Over
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
13m May 14, 2024
13m
Melissa in the Morning: Can we do More?
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 ramps. MacNamara is the Chief/Executive Directo...
16m May 14, 2024
16m
Melissa in the Morning: The Next Generation’s Mental Health
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 reiterates the importance of “starting with the truth” ...
17m May 14, 2024
17m
Melissa in the Morning: State Police in Studio
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 the wheel. IMAGE CREDIT: Melissa Sheketoff
15m May 14, 2024
15m