WICC The Voice of Connecticut

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)

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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 Acsadi is a pediatric neurologist and Division Head of Neurology at Connecticut Children’s Hospital.

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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 more information: https://cthousingpartners.org/

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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 body exposed to lead and uranium. Plus, we kicked off May with Lyme Disease Awareness Month talking to our tick expert about tick bites. But what about other parasites out there? We asked Dr. Fred Browne about this.

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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 supporting peaceful protests while condemning violence? We asked Senator Richard Blumenthal about this.

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Wednesday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli wondered about who the so-called "external actors" are that are allegedly causing much of the current unrest on college campuses across the U.S. (00:35). Stonington GOP State Rep. Greg Howard - an active-duty police officer - talked about key votes earlier this week at the Capitol regarding marijuana law enforcement policy (11:20). Hearst Connecticut Media editor and columnist Dan Haar joined us live from the State Capitol with the latest legislative update (23:59)

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According to national statistics, about 40-million US adults have dyslexia but only about 2-million people have been diagnosed. More and more kids are struggling in school with learning challenges, but we are delaying intervention for a lot of them. Why?! We tackled the issue at hand with our education consultant, Liz Englander, and found out what to look for in order to better advocate for your kids.

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May 5-11 is National Hurricane Preparedness Week and here in Connecticut, we get our fair share of these disastrous storms. That’s why the American Red Cross Connecticut chapter wants you to be ready before the hurricane season starts in June. Longtime Red Cross volunteer, John Godin, shared tips to be prepared and recommendations on resources to start using now for peace of mind. To learn more: RedCross.org/CT or call 1-877-287-3327.

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May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month and did you know, there’s no such thing as a “tick season” anymore in Connecticut. It’s a 365-day a year problem now with milder winters. But most people don’t realize that. We had our tick expert, Jessica Snajder, back on the show to talk about the reality of tick populations in our state and the burden of Lyme Disease diagnoses. She created the non-profit Partner in Lyme to help financially and emotionally support Connecticut families touched by Lyme. Find out what you should be doing every time you head outdoors and come back inside. For more information: https://www.partnerinlyme.org/

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Host Paul Pacelli opened Tuesday's "Connecticut Today" by asking why President Biden hasn't made any specific public comments regarding college protests across the U.S. tinged with anti-Semitism (00:27). Connecticut Energy Marketers Association head Chris Herb updated us on a bill pushing state consumers toward electric heating (13:22). Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio detailed some the dual roles held by some state lawmakers (22:15)

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