WICC The Voice of Connecticut

Connecticut is making $19.5 million available to help nonprofits upgrade their facilities and equipment. The state announced the ninth round of grants to support improvements in safety, accessibility, technology, and energy efficiency. Nonprofits can apply through January fifth, with awards expected next spring. The program has provided more than $166 million for over 700 projects statewide. We got more insight into this from Melissa Morton, planning specialist for the Office of Policy and Management.

For the application: https://portal.ct.gov/das/procurement-programs-and-services/ctsource?language=en_US
https://portal.ct.gov/opm/health-human-services/hhs-grants-and-block-funding-homepage/nonprofit-grant-program-homepage?language=en_US

It’s arguably the biggest hot button topics in Connecticut: public safety surveillance cameras. There may be bi-partisan support to slow the roll out of these cameras and include the public in understanding the need for them. But what isn’t being discussed enough: the vendor of the cameras. We asked our surveillance camera expert, Nick Santarsiero of Property Protection Consulting.

Connecticut towns are facing mounting pressure from special education costs. A new Citizens’ Assembly proposal would shift the entire $3.3 billion annual cost of special education statewide to the state, instead of leaving most of the burden on local communities. Right now, towns pay about two-thirds of that bill. We asked Fran Rabinowitz, Executive Director at the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, about this concept.

A new proposal could bring highway tolls back to Connecticut. The state’s Citizens’ Assembly says tolls on interstate highways could generate up to $950 million a year, helping eliminate local car taxes and ease property tax burdens. We went back to the residents who fought many years to stop lawmakers from passing this. We spoke with Patrick Sasser, founder of the group No Tolls CT.

Two gubernatorial debates took place featuring incumbent Governor Ned Lamont and challenger Senator Ryan Fazio. How effective were they? Is the timing too little too late to change votes? For a debate recap we checked in with Sacred Heart University political professor, Dr. Gary Rose.

For all your voting information: https://portal.ct.gov/sots/election-services/voter-information/voter-fact-sheet

Several national articles have highlighted the struggles workers face taking time off to raise children or to care for aging loved ones and then returning to the workforce. We got perspective and advice from career strategist, Julie Bauke.

To pre-order Julie’s book: https://www.amazon.com/checkpoint/continue?token=v1.MtMkrNldqEdkc5M4I-ilEqvebPtu8j0SX8lHHwrxnmlxe7lU0frn9y-23aX-274Zx0d5R6_wiejejtHavxUOmZqy6J9cUfMe9DrrcttW2tS1HtcJongvBob6lcqzUmDS4f2TsyUWBm_fgtO6cB8Fc9qf0UW7JpZaRAtKXPJUcw2Cj91HWh9ieUrxj3NZi1VE7Qk3gWMoPlSKxlPSJYm3OvmgD60pjn5jgdRiUwQrL8j5t4rHcGgfdZUe8HjqARDod4rfjiHrQcF2zTQuEm5ZGRV0F8-u...

Milford residents are weighing in on the future of surveillance cameras across the city. At a special meeting, community members raised concerns about privacy and how technology is used. City officials are reviewing the cameras following public pushback with the goal: balancing public safety with residents’ rights, as leaders consider what happens next. Sarah Wood is part of the Milford Tech Review Committee and joined us for more details on key takeaways from the latest meeting.

From an illegitimate education deficit in Derby to a redevelopment lawsuit in Ansonia, we got the latest valley news from Eugene Driscoll, founder and editor of Valley Independent Sentinel.

To stay in the know for Valley news: https://valley.newhavenindependent.org/

A Connecticut citizens’ assembly is proposing a sweeping plan to lower property taxes. Recommendations include highway tolls, a tax surcharge on millionaires, shifting special education costs from towns to the state and eliminating local car taxes. We spoke with Joe Delong, Executive Director & CEO of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, about the proposals and the likelihood of any recommendations passing.

In 13 years, Keeping Milford Warm experienced a first...delivering oil to three households in need of heating in October. It's nothing to celebrate; it proves the need to support neighbors heating their homes this winter. We spoke with Kevin McGrath of Keeping Milford Warm to learn more. 

For more information: https://www.keepingmilfordwarm.com/

Image Credit: Eric Urbanowicz

A major step forward for Norwalk’s Manresa Wilds project. The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved a special zoning district for the planned 125-acre waterfront park on the site of a former power plant. We checked in with Jessica Vonashek, the Executive Director of the Manresa Island Corporation, the non-profit organization leading the transformation of Manresa Island.

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

Stratford homeowners may qualify for property tax relief under a new homestead exemption. The program reduces the taxable assessment of eligible owner-occupied homes by 35 percent. We wanted to make sure Stratford residents understood why to fill out the application, who qualifies and how Stratford even pulled this off. We got the information from Mayor David Chess.

For more information: Homestead Property Tax Exemption Information | Town of Stratford

Image Credit: Eric Urbanowicz

We are in the second week of early voting in Connecticut, and we checked in with the Secretary of the State, Stephanie Thomas. We talked about voting options, voter education, election security and misinformation.

For more information: https://portal.ct.gov/sots/election-services/voter-information/voter-fact-sheet

Image Credit: Eric Urbanowicz

UConn is phasing out most of its blue emergency phones, citing low usage and rising costs. The university says the phones received just 166 calls over the past five years, with only two requiring a public safety response. Maintaining the system costs at least 70-thousand dollars annually. But a lot of UConn parents are unhappy with the move. We got perspective on this from Gary MacNamara, who was formally in charge of public safety at Sacred Heart University and debated getting rid of the blue lights a couple years ago.

Image Credit: Nicole Perelli

Actress Christina Applegate says she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Applegate revealed the news on her podcast, more than five years after going public with the diagnosis. She says her debilitating symptoms continue to worsen, and her medical team is now working to find out what’s really causing them. We wanted to understand how this could happen. We spoke with Multiple Sclerosis Specialist, Dr. Mary Bailey, from Hartford HealthCare St. Vincent’s Medical Center.

Image Credit: Reuters

New court documents are shedding more light on the Kimberly Sullivan captivity case in Waterbury. Sullivan is accused of holding her stepson captive for more than 20 years. Now, her defense is seeking access to her daughter’s confidential medical and counseling records, questioning her ability to accurately recall past events. Sullivan has pleaded not guilty. We spoke with our legal expert, Attorney Bill Bloss, who has no connection to the Sullivan, about what this new information could mean for witnesses in the captivity case and more potential charges for Sullivan.

In an update, Trumbull’s Planning and Zoning addressed resident concerns about an AI data center in town. The town has approved a two-year moratorium on new data centers, but it doesn’t cover upgrades to an existing facility planned for AI operations. Residents are demanding stronger protections as town officials weigh the project’s impact. So, what happened at last night’s meeting? We spoke with Richard White, a Trumbull resident and member of the Facebook group, Trumbull AI Data Center Watch, about the concerns surrounding this center.

Image Credit: Eric Urbanowicz

Philip Morris International, headquartered in downtown Stamford, employs 500 people and focuses on smoke-free alternatives for adults who smoke. PMI also supports efforts to prevent youth access to tobacco and nicotine. The FDA’s 2025 survey found youth nicotine pouch use remains low, at 1.7 percent. In Connecticut, continued vigilance matters: strict ID checks, responsible retailing, and enforcement are essential to keeping nicotine products out of the hands of anyone under 21. We spoke with Lauren Millar Vlasic, Head of Underage Prevention Engagement & Policy at Philip Morris International U.S.

For more information: https://gppct.org/

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the NFL season after doctors discovered multiple blood clots in his lungs. Hurts is stable and being treated with blood thinners. What can we learn about this diagnosis? How common is this especially for athletes? And are there ways we can lower our risk for pulmonary embolism? We spoke Hartford HealthCare’s Dr. Seth Blattman, Chair of Vascular Surgery at St. Vincent’s Medical Center.

Image Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Connecticut nursing homes are facing increased scrutiny after state officials reported 35 cases of “immediate jeopardy” over the past year. That’s up from 26 the previous year. The findings involve threats to residents’ health and safety, with five of the eight most recent cases involving medication errors. Meanwhile, nursing home occupancy has reached a ten-year high, as the state continues to lose beds and facilities. We talked about the findings with Mag Morelli, President of Leading Age Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Here in Connecticut, we were rocked by the death of Darik Pearson of Darik and the Funbags. He was so young and just died this month after a 6-year battle with prostate cancer. We spoke with Dr. Phil Gilbo of Nuvance Health about why prostate cancer is being detected in more people 45 years old and younger. Meanwhile, another cancer is also impacting more younger men: colon cancer. We spoke with colorectal surgeon, Dr. Marc Casasanta, from Northwell Health about this too.

From costumes to candy, we want to make sure people have a safe and happy Halloween, especially with it landing on a weekend this year. We got safety tips from Bryan Cafferelli, commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection.

Image Credit: Eric Urbanowicz

Before the election, we had one final on-air chat with Senator Ryan Fazio, Republican and Independent candidate for governor in Connecticut. we have reached out to Governor Lamont numerous times ahead of this interview and have not heard back.

Picture Credit: Dee Ortiz

It’s no secret; the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System has been in the spotlight since 2024...and not for good reason. From misspending of the p-card to sexual assault allegations, leadership failures, and quite frankly, ignoring too many red flags, CSCU is constantly being scrutinized with every scandal that pops up. And that’s a shame considering CSCU is Connecticut's largest public higher education system serving over 100,000 students across the state. We had the opportunity to speak with CSCU Interim Chancellor, Natalie Braswell, about the status of CSCU and what’s being done to clean up the mess.

Why is Connecticut so expensive to do business in? A new opinion piece in CT Mirror points to the state’s 169 towns, arguing that fragmented local government and duplicated services drive up costs. The proposal? Share more services, cut waste, and potentially lower property taxes — without eliminating local control. Paul Lavoie wrote that op-ed; he is the University of New Haven’s first vice president of innovation and applied technology – and previously the state of Connecticut’s chief manufacturing officer.

To read Paul’s article: https://ctmirror.org/2026/10/14/the-169-problem-why-connecticut-is-more-expensive-than-it-needs-to-be/

October is SIDS and Safe Sleep Awareness Month. Here in Connecticut, health officials are reminding parents and caregivers that safe sleep practices can help reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths. We are chatting with Dr. Kirsten Bechtel, pediatric emergency medicine specialist at Yale.

For more information: https://www.ctoec.org/safe-sleep/ & https://firstcandle.org/

There are new developments in the death of 12-year-old Eve Rogers of Enfield. Connecticut’s medical examiner says the girl died from an overdose involving three drugs, but could not determine whether her death was accidental, intentional, or homicide. Police say the investigation remains ongoing. We are asking our law enforcement expert on the show, Gary MacNamara his take on this latest information and what happens in the investigation now.

Picture Credit: Nicole Perelli

A new AAA survey finds a dangerous gap between what drivers say and what they do when approaching vehicles on the roadside. While more than 90 percent say they slow down or move over, real-world footage shows 36 percent do neither. We spoke with Jillian Young, Director of Public Relations at AAA Northeast.

To read the full AAA survey: https://aaafoundation.org/research/slow-down-move-over-laws-national-survey-of-drivers-knowledge-attitudes-and-behaviors-2025/

Amazon’s plan to deliver packages by drone in Connecticut is facing turbulence. The company’s proposal to launch up to a thousand flights a day from North Haven has sparked concerns over noise, wildlife and safety. Amazon has agreed to pause the plan while officials and residents get a chance to weigh in. The FAA still has to approve the project. But before that happens, Jim Cameron of Talking Transportation had thoughts on this in CT Mirror.

To read Jim’s article: https://ctmirror.org/2026/10/18/the-ups-and-downs-of-amazon-drone-deliveries/

The University of New Haven hockey community is mourning the loss of team captain Ryan O’Shea. The 21-year-old was killed in a wrong-way crash on I-91 in North Haven. We spoke with Trooper Stefanie Gurski with Connecticut State Police about the case and what has generally been done to curb wrong way crashes in Connecticut.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation and local groups like the Easton Democratic Town Committee are reminding residents that political signs are strictly prohibited on state-owned rights-of-way. The reminder comes as pictures of political signs were spotted on an elementary school property in town insulting the Democratic party. The town’s Republican party already condemned it, but does this story lead to a bigger story: have we crossed into a territory where we know no boundaries of political ads inundating our kids? We asked Sacred Heart University political professor, Dr. Gary Rose.

Early voting starts today in Connecticut, giving voters 14 days to cast their ballots ahead of the November 3rd election. But voting rights are also in the spotlight, as the Trump Administration pushes new federal election restrictions. We spoke with State Representative Matt Blumenthal is the House Chair for the Government Administration & Elections Committee.

For more information on CT Elections: https://portal.ct.gov/sots/election-services/voter-information/voter-fact-sheet

Following the most recent deadly school shooting in America, we talked about the response to these types of criminal events. Gary gives perspective on police response to a school after the initial 9-1-1 call. 

A new audit questioned how much Connecticut examines poor driving of state vehicles. We spoke with Len Besthoff, Chief Investigative Reporter at NBC & Telemundo Connecticut, about the findings and what it means for accountability for state workers with taxpayer funded cars.

A new report highlights the ongoing crisis of domestic violence in Connecticut. Nearly one-third of the state’s homicides are tied to domestic violence, while advocates warn funding cuts could threaten critical support services. We connected with Meghan Scanlon, President & CEO of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, about the latest data and how the state is responding to the findings.

For more information: https://www.ctcadv.org/ CTSafeConnect.org; call or text (888) 774-2900

An estimated 3,940 people in Connecticut are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and roughly 420 to 430 lives are lost to the disease annually. What if your mammogram could tell you more about your future breast cancer risk? Everlywell’s Clairity Breast uses FDA-authorized artificial intelligence to analyze your mammogram and estimate your five-year risk. We spoke about this potential breakthrough tool with Dr. Susan Boolbol, System Chief for Breast Surgery and Director of Breast Oncology, Northwell Health Cancer Institute.

Lace up for a cause that honors America’s heroes! The Tunnel to Towers 5K Run and Walk is coming to Bridgeport on Saturday, October 17th. Join the community to remember the sacrifice of 9/11 hero Stephen Siller and support our nation’s fallen and injured first responders, military members, and their families. We spoke with Brian Turco of Port Five to get all the details for the upcoming event. 
For more information: https://www.portfiveusa.com/

Get ready for a night of glitz, glamour, and dancing with a purpose! Join Adam’s House for Dancing with the Stars: First Responder Edition, Friday, October 23rd, at the Fairfield Theatre Company. Watch local heroes take the dance floor to support grieving children and families. Every dollar raised helps keep Adam’s House grief support programs completely free. We spoke with Allison Wysota and Ann O'Leary from Adam's House about the non-profit's work and the upcoming event this month.
For more information: https://adamshousect.org/dancing-with-the-stars/

Stamford-based non-profit, Soundwaters, teaches the science of Long Island Sound to 30,000 students every year through hands-on experiences on the water and on the shoreline. Now, that instruction is expanding beyond the two coastal facilities in Stamford with the R/V Brewer. We spoke with Leigh Shemitz, President of Soundwaters, about the new vessel under construction and set to make its way to more school districts starting in 2027.

For more information: https://soundwaters.org/brewer/

Netflix is cutting roughly one-thousand jobs, about six percent of its global workforce, in its largest round of layoffs since 2022. The cuts will primarily affect product, technology, legal, and human resources teams. The move leads to questions about the broader implications of workforce reductions across the entertainment industry, including similar cuts at Disney and NBCUniversal. We spoke with Julie Buck, assistant professor of film, television and media arts at Quinnipiac University.