WICC The Voice of Connecticut

Connecticut Insider highlighted what’s been happening behind closed doors with the Freedom of Information Act and many residents have no idea what it means for you when it comes to accessing public information. Colleen Murphy is the Executive Director and General Counsel for Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Commission. She shared the Freedom of Information Act, what it means for Connecticut residents and how lawmakers are slowly chipping away at the laws on the books. 

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Thursday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli welcomed Quinnipiac University Interim Associate School of Communications Dean Professor Ben Bogardus to chat about the death of O.J. Simpson and the lasting effect that coverage of his murder trial had on TV news (00:26). "Only In Bridgeport" blogger Lennie Grimaldi also stopped by with the latest news and buzz from the Park City (08:23)

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A new study suggests that teenagers who spend too much on computers and video games may turn psychotic. A new paper published in JAMA Psychiatry says researchers studied over 12-hundred participants who spent a lot of time online as teenagers and found they were up to seven percent more likely than their peers to have a psychotic experience, such as delusions or hallucinations, before age 23. We did a deeper dive into the specifics of this and highlighting some key points to the study that make it less scary, with Dr. Fred Browne of Griffin Health.

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For the first time, we had Comptroller Sean Scanlon in studio and we wanted to do a check-in on some major programs his office has been working on. First, we tackled MyCTSavings to see how many businesses are now offering retirement plans for their employees. Learn more at: https://myctsavings.com/ We also talked about ArrayRX and people’s access to a discount card for prescription drugs at their pharmacies. Learn more at: https://arrayrxcard.com/ And finally, we recognize the importance of financial literacy during April’s awareness month. Find out how Comptroller Scanlon is tackling the misconceptions young people have about saving for retirement.

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According to reports, there is strong bi-partisan support for House Bill 5321: An Act Requiring Newborn Screening for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. If passed, the law would require every newborn in Connecticut to get screened for this starting in July of 2027. We asked Senator Jeff Gordon about the significance of this for families. We also asked about the concerns around hospital consolidations in the state. Sen. Gordon serves on the Public Health Committee and has spent decades of his life as a physician.

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This weekend, Stratford High School’s gymnasium will be transformed into a Vegas-style boxing arena. On Saturday, April 13, 2024, a regulation-sized boxing ring will allow competitors to take center stage for the Chick Rosnick Boxing Club’s first Next Level Champion Boxing Show. What is the Chick Rosnick Boxing Club and what does the sport do for local youth? We spoke with Martin Chisholm, the lead coach and mentor of the club.

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There’s a common misconception that when your kids graduate from high school, the next step is college. But that’s actually not be true for all. In fact, more and more studies show kids go to college without a vision of their future, leave with a lot of school debt, and get a degree that doesn’t connect with the jobs they end up getting. So, we are exploring other opportunities for kids when it comes to their futures. We learned about working outdoors and arboriculture, from Vicky McCarthy from SavATree.  To learn more: https://www.savatreecareers.com

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Wednesday's "Connecticut Today" kicked-off with host Paul Pacelli's thoughts on Education Secretary Miguel Cardona's handling of two key issues (00:24). We also got a perspective on the biggest stories around the state with Hearst Connecticut Media columnist and editor Dan Haar (13:16)

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A proposal in Hartford would allow students in 16 underserving districts across Connecticut to ride public transit for free for afterschool jobs and activities. Bridgeport is one of the districts that would benefit IF the bill gets approved. But would it make much of a difference? We asked Mayor Joe Ganim and he shares specific examples of entities who have requested inexpensive transportation options recently and why he feels it’s a “no-brainer” idea.

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Cannabis company, Budr, is not giving up its effort to land a permanent spot at the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater in Bridgeport. After the city council rejected its initial bid last year, Budr came back with a call for zoning changes. We wanted to get some business perspective on this story from Dan Onofrio of The Bridgeport Regional Business Council. We also asked him what the future holds for Sikorsky Airport going commercial now that front-runner bidder, CAA, learned their executive director is set to retire.

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