WICC The Voice of Connecticut

A proposed 84-unit apartment complex in Monroe is raising concerns among neighbors in nearby Trumbull. The plan calls for two three-story buildings along Main Street, just steps from a quiet residential neighborhood. Residents worry about increased traffic, noise, privacy and overcrowded schools. The developer is expected to revise the proposal ahead of another public hearing on November fifth. We got the scoop on the potential zoning change problem from Justin and Laura Sime. *We have reached out to the town of Monroe Planning and Zoning and have not heard back yet*

For more information: Mainstreetneighbors.net

We got our hands on the bodycam footage from Easton Police Department regarding a political sign crime in town. As we reported, incumbent state representative Anne Hughes is facing a misdemeanor larceny charge after her Republican opponent says his campaign signs were stolen. An Airtag attached to one of the signs revealed Hughes had them stored on her property. We dug into the police exchanges with Hughes.

To watch the bodycam footage: https://youtu.be/3iX5uIYmnU8?is=Bf5XaP1Ox9JOjyuw

Microsoft is offering buyouts to roughly 60-thousand employees in what the company says is its largest voluntary exit program ever. The move could affect about a quarter of its workforce, as the tech giant looks to cut costs while pouring billions into artificial intelligence. We spoke about reshaping the workforce as the AI race accelerates — without calling it layoffs, with our career strategist, Julie Bauke.

A deadly incident on the Merritt Parkway in Woodbridge shut down the roadway Saturday morning, as state police launched an investigation. Forty-three-year-old Todd Atkins died after suffering serious injuries near the Route 114 overpass. We spoke loosely about the case with Connecticut State Police Trooper Stephanie Gurski.

For any anonymous tips please email: [email protected]

How much screen time is too much? New district data from Milford Public Schools shows Chromebook use increases with each grade, from an average of 16 minutes a day in first and second grade to 63 minutes in fifth grade. Now, Milford schools are looking to balance technology and AI with traditional, screen-free learning. We spoke to Milford Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Anna Cutaia, about the new data and how the district wants to strike a balance.

A little-known story of courage and survival during World War Two is getting new attention in a new book. “Tidal Wave,” by Adam Makos, revisits the deadly 1943 Allied bombing raid over Romania and the remarkable story of American airmen rescued by Romanian citizens, including a princess and an enemy fighter ace. We spoke with author, Adam Makos, to learn more.

Connecticut drivers are facing a more dangerous evening commute as daylight saving time ends and darkness arrives earlier. We spoke with Jim Cameron of Talking Transportation in CTMirror, about how to mentally adjust to a different driving experience.

TO read Jim’s article: https://ctmirror.org/2026/11/01/your-most-dangerous-drive-home/

Connecticut State Representative Anne Hughes has been charged with sixth-degree larceny after police say campaign signs belonging to her Republican opponent were found on her property. An AirTag hidden in one of the signs led investigators to the Easton property. Hughes returned several signs and issued an apology, saying she takes full responsibility for her actions. To get law enforcement perspective on this, we spoke with our law enforcement expert on the show, retired police chief Gary MacNamara.

Image Credit: Nicole Perelli

As voters head to the polls, the FBI plays an important role in protecting the integrity of elections. While states and local officials oversee voting and count ballots, the FBI investigates potential federal election crimes, including voter intimidation, ballot fraud, threats against election workers and foreign interference. We got more insight on this from Special Agent In-Charge, PJ O’Brien, and Public Affairs Specialist, Christine Jeltema, both from the FBI New Haven office.

Image Credit:  Eric Urbanowicz

Human trafficking remains a concern in Connecticut, putting a spotlight on oversight at hotels and motels. State law requires lodging operators to train employees to recognize potential trafficking and suspicious activity, maintain guest records, and post notices with victim assistance information. A new Connecticut law will add annual registration requirements and give the Department of Consumer Protection greater authority to inspect records and enforce compliance, beginning in January 2027. We spoke with Jamie Manirakiza, Chief Executive Officer at Partnership to End Human Trafficking (PEHT), about these new changes to combat human trafficking in our state.

For more information...

Federal investigators are looking into a deadly plane crash in South Florida that killed all nine people on board. The Learjet 60 went down Sunday afternoon in a residential neighborhood in Palm Beach County, erupting into a massive fireball. The plane was traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. The pilot reported icing and turbulence before declaring an emergency. The NTSB and FAA are investigating. We spoke with retired commercial airline pilot, Paul Zielisnski, about the case.

Image Credit: Reuters

Ever heard of people watching? Besides it being a fun activity to pass the time, it's actual a crime prevention skill we should all be focused on. Find out why little moments in time could lead to significant events if we catch them.

We did a break down of the deadly Oregon school shooting and highlighted key takeaways from the case. We also reiterated what Connecticut has done since Sandy Hook to improve our responses to threats at schools. 

A case out of Dallas, TX sounds eerily familiar to issues we've seen here in Connecticut. We talked about a recent case of an inappropriate teacher who was able to bounce from different districts putting more kids at risk. What does this case show when it comes to leadership and workplace culture?

Are you ready to fall back? This weekend the clocks roll back an hour. The change happens early Sunday morning, giving most of us an extra hour of sleep. But the time shift can also affect your sleep schedule. We spoke with Hartford Healthcare’s Dr. Steven Thau, sleep medicine specialist with St. Vincent’s Medical Center.

Before you reach into that Halloween candy bowl, a dietitian says not all treats are created equal. We spoke with Hartford Healthcare’s Cody (crau-wick) Krawec, Registered Dietitian with St. Vincent’s Medical Center to get more details before we indulge this weekend.

To read Cody’s article: What a Dietitian Wants You to Know About Your Favorite Halloween Candy - Health News Hub

A federal judge says a lawsuit over Yale New Haven Hospital's cognitive testing of older doctors must go to trial. The EEOC claims requiring physicians 70 and older to undergo testing amounts to age and disability discrimination. Yale says the screenings are necessary to protect patient safety. The judge says there are too many disputed facts to decide the case without a trial. No trial date has been set. We did a follow-up on this case with employment attorney, Gary Phelan. Phelan is with Hurwitz Sagarin & Slossberg in Milford and is also a law professor at Quinnipiac University.

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month, shining a light on the barriers people with disabilities still face in the workplace. In Connecticut, advocates say closing the gap means more than awareness — it means getting employers to hire inclusively. We asked Elizabeth Navarro, Deputy Director of Jobs at Best Buddies International, what the state has done well but can still improve upon when it comes to hiring people with disabilities.

For more information: https://www.bestbuddies.org/connecticut/

A holiday tradition in New Haven is going dark this year. Goodwill of Southern New England has canceled its annual Fantasy of Lights at Lighthouse Point Park because of severe storm damage that left the grounds unsafe for the drive-through display. We spoke to Rich Borer, the President and CEO of Goodwill of Southern New England, about the tough decision to cancel and the financial impact now that their biggest fundraiser isn’t happening.

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

There’s been a shake-up in Stamford high school football. The head coach resigned after a heated first half against Fairfield Warde last Friday. The school says the coach had confrontational exchanges with players and showed poor judgment. He later expressed remorse, but officials say he will not return. We asked Glenn Lungarini about coaching conduct but also fans conduct at games. Glenn is the Executive Director of the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC), the governing body for interscholastic sports in 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.