WICC The Voice of Connecticut

Friday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli wrapped up a busy week analyzing the latest Bridgeport election news with former Bridgeport Democratic State Rep Chris Caruso. (00:23) We also welcomed Peter J. Lapp, author of, "Queen of Cuba: An FBI Agent's Insider Account of the Spy Who Evaded Detection for 17 Years." (10:29)

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Beware of imposter scams regarding your energy provider. Jared Lawrence with Eversource shared what fraudsters are doing, what you need to be aware of and the purpose of Utilities United Against Scams. For more information: www.utilitiesunited.org (0:00)

Were there bullying tactics used in the Fairfield first selectman race? We spoke about the division that seems deep in Fairfield with newly elected Bill Gerber and whether alleged nasty campaigning was going leading up to Election Day. (9:35)

Bird lovers will be excited about this story! According to the Connecticut Audubon Society, the oldest black-bellied plover in the Western Hemisphere on record, was found in Milford! Tom Anderson shares the story in depth and what it means for bird populations in Connecticut. (31:08).

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Thursday's "Connecticut Today" with Paul Pacelli featured the latest from "Only In Bridgeport" blogger Lennie Grimaldi on the city's continuing election controversy (00:20). University of New Haven Senior lecturer of National Security Prof. Robert Sanders analyzed the current Israel-Hamas war (12:51)

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Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim and his challenger John Gomes have agreed on a January 23rd date for a new Democratic primary. Bill Bloss, the attorney representing John Gomes in the absentee ballot fraud case, shares if this date works for his client and what to expect in the new year. (0:00)

The parents who own the home where a Fairfield Prep student was stabbed to death during a house party in Shelton, faced a judge in Derby. Former Fairfield Police Chief Gary MacNamara shared perspective on the importance of never allowing underage drinking at home. (7:47)

New FEMA PSAs are helping older adults be better prepared for natural disasters. We spoke with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell about making a plan, assessing your needs and creating a solid support network in the event of an emergency. (16:31)

Our Zoo Minute goes to the birds with stories on eagles and turkeys. (25:07)

 

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Dr. Browne of Griffin Health called into Melissa in the Morning to talk about a variety of topics, starting off with the effects that the Canadian Wild Fires from earlier this year have had on some people, both short term and long term.

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Wednesday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli featured a chat with GOP State Senate Leader Kevin Kelly of Stratford on a key vote connected to a plan that would stop the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles in the state by 2035 (00:31). Hearst Connecticut Media editor and columnist Dan Haar chatted with us about election turnout in the state (14:54), while Paul had a few thoughts regarding possible new laws after the current Bridgeport absentee ballot controversy (28:43)

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Scam Alert: scams targeting young adults have surpassed the ones targeting older adults. The Better Business Bureau explains how 18–24-year-olds are losing more money to scams compared to 65+ year olds and what to do to better protect yourself from fraudsters. (0:00)

An estimated 6 million children in the U.S. will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18. Dealing with grief is hard, even for adults, but one author created a book to help kids understand grief and move forward from loss in a healthy way. (8:41)

The Bridgeport Police Department has been increasing efforts to maintain public safety despite lower officer numbers. We asked Chief Roderick Porter how that is happening and if anything with security has changed since the absentee ballot fraud case in the city. (22:03)

Science you may not know: a group of Connecticut fifth graders created air filtration systems that will significantly improve air quality! David shares what they did and how you can make your own system for just $60: https://indoorairquality.initiative.uconn.edu/build-your-own/ (31:39)

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Renee Dobos from the Connecticut Housing Partners called into Melissa in the Morning to talk about the latest with the organization and what's going on with one complex in Stamford.

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National statistics prove we are way too reliant on our phones. Data shows: Americans check their phones 144 times per day -- 89% of Americans say they check their phones within the first 10 minutes of waking up -- 75% of Americans feel uneasy leaving their phone at home…you get the point! Counselor, Julius Dudics, talks about phone addiction and how to create boundaries for kids AND adults. (0:00)

Ahead of the cold months and gift giving season, we focused on animal cruelty. Do people know how to handle pets in the cold? And do you know how to detect puppy mill purchases? Virginia Maxwell from UNH shares her professional insight on this. (14:20)

It is World Diabetes Day and we wanted to focus especially on detecting pre-diabetes. More than 1 in 3 people are pre-diabetic, but most have no idea. We spoke with Dr. Christopher Holliday from the CDC about testing for pre-diabetes and how to reverse the problem. (29:45)

AAA projects 55.4 million travelers will journey 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday, defined as Wednesday November 22 to Sunday the 26th. The travel volume this year reflects an increase of 2.3% over last year and marks the third-highest Thanksgiving travel since AAA began tracking in 2000. We spoke with Alec Slatky of AAA about the findings and what people should know ahead of next week. (38:30).

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A global poll was conducted by Gallup and it showed that out of the world's one billion full-time workers, only 15% of people are engaged at work. That means a significant 85% of people are unhappy at their jobs. We did a four-week series called “Get Career Happy Connecticut” with career strategist, Julie Bauke. What are the steps to finding a job that’s better fit for your life and what expectations should you have on your next career? Catch up on the entire conversation here.

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