WICC The Voice of Connecticut

Today, Mike Cerulli covers the week that was with Connecticut State Representative Corey Paris (0:00), Republican Strategist Liz Kurantowicz (45:31), and the National Review’s Zach Kessel.

Host Paul Pacelli had some fun wrapping up another week on "Connecticut Today" with artificial intelligence expert Professor Pedro Domingos, author of, "2040: A Silicon Valley Satire," in a discussion about whether Americans would ever elect an "A.I." president (00:31). Former Bridgeport State Rep. Chris Caruso dropped by for his regular update (12:28), while Paul offered his thoughts on the process that formally nominated Vice-President Kamala Harris to be the Democrats' November White House nominee (19:51)

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We spoke with Athletic Brewing, one of the featured brew vendors of the annual Connecticut Pizza and Brew Fest. 

To buy tickets: https://www.ctpizzaandbrewfest.com/

This week, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy introduced a bipartisan bill that seeks to limit how much time children spend on their smartphones in school. The Smart Kids, Not Smartphones Act would create a competitive, non-monetary program recognizing schools that enforce bans on smartphone use during instruction time. Social media consultant, Krista Carnes, weighs in on the debate around handing over phones during the school day and the impact of cell phones on children’s development. 

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Senator Richard Blumenthal is celebrating the U.S. Senate's passage of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act.  The bill was introduced by the Connecticut Democrat and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee.  Blumenthal says the measure is the first serious effort to reform the tech industry since 1998, and is a major win for the nation's children.  

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Last November, it was announced that Connecticut saw a dramatic population increase between 2021 and 2022. However, U.S. Census numbers reflect that it is more likely there was a net loss of 13,000 people to other states. Senator Eric Berthel, Ranking Senator on the Appropriations Committee, discussed how this inaccuracy could have occurred and the expensive bills sent out by Eversource. 

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Host Paul Pacelli started Thursday's "Connecticut Today" with a look at an unexpected spike in some electric bills currently hitting state consumers (00:26). Greenwich GOP State Sen. Ryan Fazio stopped by to comment on the same issue (13:22). "Only In Bridgeport" blogger Lennie Grimaldi dropped by with the latest buzz from the Park City (21:33)

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Commissioner Ron Welch of the CT Department of Veterans Affairs shared the legacy of Captain Paul Bucha. Commissioner Welch also talked about the CT Veterans Hall of Fame. Applications are being accepted through September 15th. 

How to Apply: https://portal.ct.gov/dva/pages/ct-veterans-hall-of-fame/how-to?language=en_US

Nomination Package (needed for application): https://portal.ct.gov/dva/pages/ct-veterans-hall-of-fame/nomination-package?language=en_US

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A viral video surfaced on Instagram of a woman sharing her terrifying story of taking a stranger’s photo on a cell phone only to learn she had allegedly been drugged. We talked about this instance with former police chief, Gary McNamara. He spoke about the importance of recognizing signs of a bad situation and getting comfortable with saying “no.”

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34% of Connecticut’s population are renters, but despite the arrival of more housing options, a small percentage of those options are considered affordable. Renee Dobos of Connecticut Housing Partners discusses the concerns about uneducated views on “affordable housing,” the push-back from towns regarding overpopulation and the need for an equal tax base.

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