WICC The Voice of Connecticut

Earlier this year, we learned Branford is the first Connecticut school district trading in its gas-powered school bus fleet into electric. The district signed off on a $60-million dollar deal with Zum. We spoke with COO of Zum, Vivek Garg, to learn about the shift to electric for buses, why the model is gaining popularity nationwide, and the perks beyond going green. To learn more, check out: https://www.ridezum.com/

Image Credit: Getty Images

According to Pew Research, most parents pass along their religious and political beliefs. In a 2023 survey indicated that most parents with teens have passed along their political loyalties. Roughly eight-in-ten parents who were Republican had teens who also identified as leaning right. And about nine-in-ten parents who were Democratic had teens typically leaning left. How do we help our kids navigate their political identity without pushing our beliefs on them? We had a conversation with political science Professor, Scott McLean, with Quinnipiac University.

Image Credit: Getty Images

Friday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli took a look at the continuing nip bottle litter problem in the state and whether or not they should be outlawed (00:24). We welcomed Scott Walter, author of, "ARABELLA: The Dark Money Network of Leftist Billionaires Secretly Transforming America" (11:48), while former Bridgeport State Rep. Chris Caruso dropped by with his weekly commentary (24:43)

Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

For kids who deal with learning disabilities, it can feel isolating or defeating when they don’t learn like everyone else in the classroom. Connecticut native, Jake Sussman, created a solution for families wanting to support and help their kids to build confidence in themselves and the way they think. We learned about Super Power Mentors and how it’s helping children starting as young as 7 ahead of his public chat in Westport on May 7th.

Image Credit: Melissa Sheketoff

We are down to just weeks left in the 2024 legislative session and lawmakers are racing to the finish to pass legislation they believe is good for Connecticut. From street takeovers to beach takeovers and absentee ballot fraud, we dive into the biggest conversations in Hartford right now with Senator Steve Harding.

Image Courtesy of Stephen Harding

There are now two new clinical trials happening through Nuvance Health and enrollment is open for people interested in taking part. One looks at prostate cancer, the other is breast cancer. We spoke with Dr. Philip Gilbo, chief of radiation oncology at Norwalk Hospital and Dr. Christine Chin, a radiation oncologist at Norwalk Hospital about the purpose of the trials, ideal candidates for the trials and how to enroll. If you’re interested in enrolling, email [email protected]

Image Credit: Getty Images

Earlier this week, Colonel Daniel Loughman was sworn in as the new Commanding Officer for the Connecticut State Police. We learned about his law enforcement background, his journey to the top spot for state police and his goals for trooper recruitment.

Image Courtesy of Connecticut State Police

Thursday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli checked-in with "Only In Bridgeport" blogger Lennie Grimaldi (00:21). Paul also had a few thoughts on possibly lowering Connecticut's legal blood alcohol content limit for drivers from .08-percent to .05-percent (11:30)

Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

Boeing's safety culture came under scrutiny during a U.S. Senate hearing this week in Washington DC. Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour was one of several whistleblowers who testified against Boeing in regard to their lacking manufacturing safety and the toxic work environment following his effort to voice concerns. Senator Richard Blumenthal was in the room for that hearing and shared his feedback with us about the problem at hand and what needs to happen next.

Image Credit: Reuters

Social media platforms are "not inherently suitable for youth," say top psychologists, and tech companies and lawmakers need to do more to protect kids' mental health. The American Psychological Association said Tuesday that endless scrolling and push notifications are particularly risky for young people whose brains are still developing. We asked Dr. Browne about this. Plus, we tackled seafood woes in New England. People who eat a lot of seafood may be at a higher risk of exposure to so-called "forever chemicals."  A new study published last week in the journal Exposure and Health tested several species in a New Hampshire seafood market.  It found very high levels of these toxic chemicals, known as PFAS in shrimp and lobster.   

Image Credit: Getty Images