WICC The Voice of 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 a few thoughts about another new national poll on the 2024 White House race (23:55)

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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-screenings-and-imaging-tests

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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.

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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, gave us perspective. He teaches law at Quinnipiac University and represents Mitchell and Sheahan law firm in Stratford.

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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 rules.

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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 from volunteer, Melanie Heltke.

For more information: https://www.ctdgrv.org/

IMAGE CREDIT: Melanie Heltke / Connecticut Dog Gone Recovery Volunteer Network

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)

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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 mental health struggles throughout and after pregnancy. We spoke with Lauren Buckley, a perinatal and couples’ therapist from Wilton-based Quiet Light Counseling.

For more information: www.quietlightcounseling.com 

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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 detection placement in your home.

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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: hartfordhealthcare.org/lungcancerscreening

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