Melissa in the Morning: Outraged with President Biden
The man convicted in the 1999 Bridgeport killing of an eight-year-old boy and his mother was granted clemency by former President Biden. Adrian Peeler was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in the killing of Leroy BJ Brown and Karen Clarke. Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim was outraged to learn about the President’s decision and reacted immediately on WICC. Image Courtesy of Melissa Sheketoff
15m Jan 22, 2025
15m
Jon Kamal - The Real Dangers Of Red Dye #3
Dr. Beau Greer from Sacred Heart spoke to Jon about how much the recently banned dye could affect your health!
2m Jan 22, 2025
2m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - A Commutation For A Convicted Killer?
Host Paul Pacelli heard from a lot of outraged callers on Wednesday's "Connecticut Today" regarding a White House commutation for a convicted Connecticut killer (00:32). GOP State Senator Dr. Jeff Gordon offered his thoughts on that controversial clemency ok'd by former President Joe Biden (15:22). Hearst Connecticut Media columnist and senior editor Dan Haar dropped by to chat about covering t...
30m Jan 22, 2025
30m
Melissa in the Morning: Anthony Afriyie
The candidates are set for next month's special election in the state Senate's 21st district.  The four-town district covering Shelton and parts of Stratford, Monroe and Seymour had been represented by Senator Kevin Kelly, but he stepped down this month to become a state judge. We met Democratic candidate, Anthony Afriyie, a member of the Stratford Town Council and press secretary for Congressw...
14m Jan 23, 2025
14m
Melissa in the Morning: Pull Back the Curtain on Pardons
Between President Biden’s decision on Adrian Peeler’s clemency and President Trumps’ sweeping pardons for January sixth rioters, there is outrage in America over pardons. Senator Richard Blumenthal has proposed new legislation to get a better handle on presidents pardoning power, including new guardrails and a better heads up to victims impacted by someone else’s pardon. Image Credit: Reuters
14m Jan 23, 2025
14m
Melissa in the Morning: Education Funding in CT
Does the state invest enough money in our education? A new study shows an overwhelming amount of Connecticut residents are screaming NO, the state doesn’t spend enough! CCM dropped a new study after surveying hundreds of Connecticut residents and the majority of them want public education funding prioritized by the state. We spoke more about this with Kate Dias, President of the Connecticut Edu...
17m Jan 23, 2025
17m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - The First Wave For ICE
Host Paul Pacelli wondered on Thursday's edition of "Connecticut Today" if the Biden White House was as aggressive as the Trump White House presently is regarding the removal of criminal aliens. Why or why not? Image Credit: REUTERS
11m Jan 23, 2025
11m
Melissa in the Morning: Dementia Cases
A recent study projects dementia diagnoses will double in the U.S. by 2060. Why the huge jump in cases and is there a way to lower the risk? We asked Yale Dr. Stephanie Towns. Image Credit: Getty Images
10m Jan 24, 2025
10m
Melissa in the Morning: Betting on CT Teams
Online betting and sports betting may be legal in Connecticut but boy is it controversial – especially when we hear that more and more college students in Connecticut are falling victim to a gambling addiction. We spoke with State Representative Tony Scott from Monroe who is aiming to bring in-state college wagering to the state with a new proposal. Image Credit: Getty Images
9m Jan 24, 2025
9m
Melissa in the Morning: Declassify Investigation Files
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to declassify any remaining files from the investigation into President John F. Kennedy's assassination. The executive order also will declassify more records on the 1968 assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. We talked about the major development in  a longtime effort with CBS Legal analyst Thane Rosenbaum. Image Cr...
9m Jan 24, 2025
9m
Melissa in the Morning: Utility Costs
Are you sick of paying astronomical utility bills? Connecticut’s Republican party says there is a way to get some relief now. Senator Ryan Fazio, Ranking Senator on the Energy and Technology Committee, explained the importance of removing the Public Benefits section from electric bills and more. Image Credit: Getty Images
10m Jan 24, 2025
10m
The Mike Cerulli Show - January 25, 2025
This week, Mike broke down the latest on electricity costs with State Sen. Ryan Fazio, reflected on the 2024 election former State Senate candidate Nick Simmons, and previewed the year ahead with CT GOP Chairman Ben Proto.
2hr 2m Jan 25, 2025
2hr 2m
Wake Up With Bill Finch - January 26, 2025
Connecticut State Representative Christopher Rosario speaks out about immigration solutions and Bridgeport Schools and Vicki Woodard reviews a book people tried to ban in Connecticut.
41m Jan 26, 2025
41m
Melissa in the Morning: Investigate Without Exposure
Online, over the phone, at ATM machines…it’s no secret; scammers are out in full force, and we have to constantly be on alert. But how do we investigate scams without compromising our safety? Crime prevention expert, Jim Perez, shared tips to dig into a potential scam without exposing you to a con-artist. Image Credit: Getty Images
9m Jan 27, 2025
9m
Melissa in the Morning: Holocaust Remembrance Day
Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day; between 1941 and 1945, six million Jewish men, women and children were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. Attacks on the Jewish people here and across the globe have not stopped. We spoke with CBS Correspondent, Linda Gradstein, to talk about Holocaust Remembrance Day. Image Credit: Getty Images
8m Jan 27, 2025
8m
Melissa in the Morning: What is DeepSeek?
Artificial intelligence is already considered unknown territory for the average person. But hearing that China has created a startup that beats out our OpenAI and ChatGPT, makes you wonder if it’s something to be excited about or terrified. Cybersecurity expert, Dr. Vahid Behzadone, explained what DeepSeek is and how it compares to our AI programs in the United States. Image Credit: Reuters
14m Jan 27, 2025
14m
Melissa in the Morning: Virtual Reality Training
Virtual reality isn’t just for video games anymore. How do you feel about VR being used to train our future doctors? Dr. Samreen Vora from the Yale Center for Healthcare Simulation shared more details about the type of training happening, who is benefiting from VR training and whether it’s comparable to simulation rooms with dummies. Image Credit: Getty Images
10m Jan 27, 2025
10m
Melissa in the Morning: Bridgeport Power Hour
We sat down with Bridgeport Police Chief Roderick Porter, Fire Chief Lance Edwards and Director of Management Scott Appleby to discuss safety and crime concerns during the wintertime. IMAGE CREDIT: Eric Urbanowicz
28m Jan 27, 2025
28m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - Are State Lawmakers Hampering Local Police?
Host Paul Pacelli welcomed GOP State Rep. Greg Howard - an active-duty police officer - on Monday's "Connecticut Today" to discuss a proposal to further strengthen the state's "TRUST Act" (00:43), while Paul also offered a few of his own thoughts on President Trump's undocumented migrant crackdown (10:47). CBS News Politics Reporter Olivia Rinaldi joined us regarding the ongoing ICE raids and D...
34m Jan 27, 2025
34m
Melissa in the Morning: Health Insurance in CT
It’s no secret; health insurance is so expensive that some Connecticut residents would rather risk going uninsured than to foot the bill for coverage. How can lawmakers bring some relief and more insurance options for residents? We spoke with Senator Tony Hwang, Ranking Republican on the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. Image Credit: Getty Images
12m Jan 28, 2025
12m
Melissa in the Morning: Religion in the Workplace
A New Britain teacher was allegedly placed on leave after refusing to remove a small crucifix from the wall near her desk. According to the report, the school demanded she remove the cross back in December, or she would be disciplined for insubordination. The veteran teacher is now on administrative leave and the school is considering whether to terminate her. This story leads to a bigger conve...
17m Jan 28, 2025
17m
Melissa in the Morning: Commissioner Gifford
Connecticut residents deserve high quality, accessible, and affordable care. That’s why financial stability and transparency of Connecticut hospitals, health systems, and medical practices is a focus for Governor Lamont. A new legislative proposal looks at more oversight from the Office of Health Strategy. We spoke with Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford about the governor’s proposals and the stat...
12m Jan 28, 2025
12m
Melissa in the Morning: Texts from a Teacher
A substitute teacher for Norwalk Public Schools faces charges for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages to middle school students. Police Chief James Walsh talked briefly about the case but also shared advice for families to protect their kids from being on the receiving end of these incidents. But also, how do we better detect a potential threat in our schools like a predatory teacher ...
10m Jan 28, 2025
10m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - Are You O.K. With Another $250 Million For Migrants?
Tuesday's "Connecticut Today" opened with host Paul Pacelli looking at a new study pinning a possible expansion of the HUSKY healthcare program for migrants at up to $250 million (00:25). Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio stopped by to chat about state employee union negotiations for a 2027 contract renewal (14:45) Image Credit: Getty Images / DigitalVision
24m Jan 28, 2025
24m
Melissa in the Morning: ‘Panic’ Buttons
Starbucks chains are testing out ‘panic buttons’ across the nation to address people who linger around and become a nuisance to workers. Law enforcement expert, Gary MacNamara talked about the effectiveness of these buttons and why they are different from what you’d expect in places like banks. Image Credit: Getty Images
12m Jan 29, 2025
12m
Melissa in the Morning: Pesticides in CT Waters
‘Widely used insecticides found in Connecticut waters can kill our ecosystems and even impact human health.’ It’s a jarring headline from the Connecticut Pesticideoalition following a recent UConn report. We spoke with the head of the coalition, Louise Washer, to learn more about these harmful pesticides, “neonics.” For the initial article: CT Pesticide Reform News Release: Widely Used Insecti...
9m Jan 29, 2025
9m
Melissa in the Morning: The Freeze
Connecticut and 21 other states are suing to stop the implementation of a new Trump administration directive to freeze federal assistance. While there is still some confusion around the directive, what programs or people are truly impacted by this if the freeze goes forward? We spoke with CBS legal analyst, Thane Rosenbaum. Image Credit: Reuters
9m Jan 29, 2025
9m
Melissa in the Morning: Smartphones and Aggression
Do smartphones lead to more aggression in teenagers? A new study says yes, they do! And not only aggression; the study published in the New York Post also highlighted more hallucinations and detachment from reality for teens as young as 13 using their smartphones too much. But how accurate is this new research? We spoke with Melissa Whitson, a professor of psychology at UNH, who says look beyon...
12m Jan 29, 2025
12m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - Please Stop With The Irresponsible ICE Hysterics!
Host Paul Pacelli opened Wednesday's "Connecticut Today" begging state officials to back off on some of the irresponsible rhetoric about ICE agents and the Trump White House crackdown (00:36). Hearst Connecticut Media columnist and senior editor Dan Haar discussed possible GOP gubernatorial candidates and the reported presence of some ICE agents in the state (14:55). CBS News Digital Reporter A...
27m Jan 29, 2025
27m
Melissa in the Morning: Laken Riley Act
President Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act Wednesday afternoon, which requires that federal authorities detain immigrants who lack legal status and are accused of crimes even before they are convicted. We got a better understanding about the act and how it can lead to immediate deportation for people illegally living in Connecticut from Attorney Bill Bloss. Image Credit: Reuters
10m Jan 30, 2025
10m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - More Bridgeport Dysfunction
Host Paul Pacelli welcomed "Only In Bridgeport" blogger Lennie Grimaldi back to the Thursday show to chat about the latest controversies with the Bridgeport Board of Education and the city's school system (00:42). CT Inside Investigator reporter Marc Fitch joined us to talk about the latest legal action being taken by Eversource and Avangrid against the state's Public Utilities Regulatory Autho...
31m Jan 30, 2025
31m
Melissa in the Morning: Bird Flu
A dozen birds at Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport have been euthanized after the avian influenza was detected at the facility.  The deadly bird flu was detected on zoo grounds Tuesday, when a goose that was found dead tested positive for the disease. How likely is it for humans to get the bird flu and is this a common issue among bird populations in Connecticut? We asked our infectious disease exper...
16m Jan 31, 2025
16m
Melissa in the Morning: We Don’t Know Yet
There is a lot of speculation around the cause of Wednesday’s deadly mid-air collision in Washington DC. At this point, nothing has been confirmed by FAA and NTSB officials about what led up to the collision between an American Airlines plane and a Blackhawk helicopter. But there have been recorded issues for years impacting the aviation industry. We spoke about those issues with Congressman Ji...
10m Jan 31, 2025
10m
Melissa in the Morning: Police Pursuits
How do police pursuits work? Recently, Connecticut State Police highlighted a pursuit that was started by a convicted felon in Willimantic. We got perspective from Connecticut State Police Sgt. Luke Davis. Image Credit: Getty Images
10m Jan 31, 2025
10m
Melissa in the Morning: Butterfly Valentine
There's a unique way to honor your valentine this year, thanks to the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation. Melissa spoke with Jenny Hubbard, founder of CVH Foundation and proud mother to Catherine Violet, about the beautiful butterfly valentine opportunity this year. She also updated us on milestones for the foundation. For more information: https://www.cvhfoundation.org/ IMAGE CREDIT: Melissa...
10m Jan 31, 2025
10m
Wake Up With Bill Finch - February 2, 2025
It's all about the economy this week as Bill is joined by CNBC contributor Mark Smith.
37m Feb 02, 2025
37m
Melissa in the Morning: EMS Support
When you are experiencing an emergency; they are there to support you and care for you. EMS workers are essential and yet, more and more recent studies have highlighted a significant EMS worker shortage and a need to invest in EMS facilities and equipment. We head checked in Volunteer EMS Chief Jon Arnold and First Selectman David Bindelglass to hear about a new facility that’s well overdue! F...
10m Feb 03, 2025
10m
Melissa in the Morning: ICE Raids in Schools
Are you worried about ICE raids in your kids’ school district? Many school districts have released statements reassuring parents that they will protect kids who could be targeted. We got some perspective on this thanks to officials in Bridgeport. We spoke with Carli Rocha-Reaes with the district, Susan Schnitzer with CIRI and immigration attorney Alicia Kinsman. Image Credit: Reuters
10m Feb 03, 2025
10m
Melissa in the Morning: Human Trafficking in CT
The average Connecticut resident doesn’t expect human or sex trafficking to be a problem in our state. But it is! We got concrete data highlighting the problem from Jamie Manirakiza from PEHT and Stamford Lt. Jerry Junes. Image Credit: Getty Images
7m Feb 03, 2025
7m
Melissa in the Morning: Pig Butchering Scams
Have you ever heard of ‘pig butchering’ scams? It’s a type of investment fraud that’s apparently impacting our senior population. Crime Prevention Expert, Jim Perez, shared ways to spot this scam and how to avoid becoming victim to it. Image Credit: Getty Images
10m Feb 03, 2025
10m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - Connecticut's Ongoing Utility Battles
Monday's "Connecticut Today" with Paul Pacelli welcomed State House GOP leader Vin Candelora to chat about the current legal fight involving big utilities and the state's PURA's leadership (00:38). University of New Haven Associate Professor of Accounting and Taxation Dr. James Mohs updated us on President Trump's use of tariffs as political tools (08:45). Paul also had a few more thoughts on t...
31m Feb 03, 2025
31m
Melissa In The Morning: Police Academy Graduation
While filling in for Melissa, Paul Pacelli welcomed Lt. Angelo Collazo from the Bridgeport Police Academy to talk about the upcoming graduation of the most recent class from the academy. Image Courtesy of the Bridgeport Police Academy
7m Feb 04, 2025
7m
Melissa In The Morning: The Latest On Pura
Paul Pacelli welcomed Senator Ryan Fazio to the show to talk about what's going on in Hartford, including the lastest with Pura. Image Courtesy of Senator Ryan Fazio
9m Feb 04, 2025
9m
Melissa In The Morning: Heart Month
Dr. Fabio Ramponi, a thoracic surgeon at Bridgeport Hospital joined Paul Pacelli while filling in on Melissa in the Morning to talk Heart Month, which goes on through the month of February. Image Credit: Getty Images
9m Feb 04, 2025
9m
Melissa in the Morning: Red Cross in CA
The two massive fires that destroyed more than 16,000 structures in California are almost out, but for those impacted, recovery is just beginning. The American Red Cross Connecticut chapter sent seven volunteers to California to respond, including Kierstin Seiser. We spoke with Kierstin about her experience. Image Credit: Reuters
9m Feb 05, 2025
9m
Melissa in the Morning: Special Education Funding
The governor has said he plans to prioritize special education funding during his budget address today. Ahead of that speech, we spoke with Kate Dias, President of the Connecticut Education Association (CEA) about the need for funding sooner rather than later. Image Credit: Getty Images
13m Feb 05, 2025
13m
Melissa in the Morning: State Involvement
It’s not a state takeover but it is possibly the first time the state board of education has needed to get involved helping out the Bridgeport school district. We spoke with interim superintendent of schools, Dr. Royce Avery, about the measures being taken right now. Image Credit: Getty Images
10m Feb 05, 2025
10m
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - Will There Be More State Spending?
Host Paul Pacelli welcomed Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio to Thursday's "Connecticut Today" to chat about Govenor Ned Lamont's budget address, along with rumors of a possible carbon tax targeting the state's energy consumers (00:42). Hearst Connecticut Media senior editor and columnist Dan Haar talked about his company's purchase of the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper (08:30)...
34m Feb 05, 2025
34m
Melissa in the Morning: Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a skill that takes daily practice and intention. But what is mindfulness? We spoke with Theresa Crisci of Total Balance Life Choice. For more information: www.totalbalancelifechoice.com (http://www.totalbalancelifechoice.com/) IMAGE CREDIT: Melissa Sheketoff
12m Feb 06, 2025
12m
Melissa in the Morning: Opening Pandora’s Box?
Following the governor’s budget address, his call to loosen the fiscal guardrails slightly for childcare was a big sticking point for lawmakers. We spoke about it with Comptroller Sean Scanlon, our state fiscal watchdog and someone who has pushed to never touch the guardrails. IMAGE CREDIT: Melissa Sheketoff
9m Feb 06, 2025
9m