WICC The Voice of Connecticut

Host Paul Pacelli welcomed Connecticut Conference of Municipalities head Joe DeLong to Friday's "Connecticut Today" to chat about a new upcoming "Citizens' Assembly" slated to look at local property tax issues around the state and possible solutions (00:38). Sixteenth District GOP State Sen. Rob Sampson dropped by to update pending bills at the State Capitol (09:13). Paul also talked about some surprising poll numbers from a new survey of Connecticut voters regarding the use of photo ID's at polling places (19:03)

77% of Americans report experiencing stress that affects their physical health, while 73% of adults say stress negatively impacts their mental health. Additionally, 43% of Americans struggle with stress-related sleep disorders. During National Stress Awareness Month, we spoke with Dr. Rashma Jhunja at Stamford Health about the impacts of stress and how to better manage it. Dr. Jhunja is a board-certified physician specializing in stress management and behavioral health at Stamford Health.

There is a group of bipartisan lawmakers in the U.S. Senate calls for hot rotisserie chicken to be covered under the government food assistance program known as SNAP. Why does this matter for people needing SNAP? We asked Jason Jakubowski, President & CEO of Connecticut Foodshare, the official Feeding America food bank serving the entire state of Connecticut.

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

Image Credit: Eric Urbanowicz

A recent investigative report from WFSB questions what exactly Terrence Cheng is doing. He is the former Connecticut State Colleges and Universities chancellor but is now a special advisor to the Board of Regents. No one is quite sure what that role entails but it does earn him $442,000. We talked about this investigative report and questions that follow with Senate Minority Leader, Steve Harding.

Here’s a link to the original I-Team report: I-Team: former chancellor Terrence Cheng’s emails reveal he’s searching for next job while students wait for his report

We discussed Connecticut House Bill 5283: “An Act Authorizing Municipalities To Prohibit the Sale of Dogs, Cats and Rabbits in Pet Shops. Right now, the bill is being discussed in Hartford with a section of the bill grandfathering current shops already selling puppies, kittens and rabbits. We discussed all of this with Annie Hornish, Connecticut State Director of Humane World for Animals.

To read HB 5283: https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/CGABillStatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=HB5283

A recent article highlighted the millions of dollars our towns and cities are losing on property taxes because people are registering their cars out of state. How is this being policed and why are some towns more aggressive than others in stopping these scofflaws? Jim Cameron who writes the "Talking Transportation" column for CTMirror tackled this story.

Jim’s article: Opinion: License plate fraud is costing CT towns a lot of money

This week, New Canaan was the latest Connecticut town impacted by a hoax threat online. Police found recent posts on TikTok targeting New Canaan High School were not credible. But the situation led to a conversation surrounding swatting calls and hoax online posts. We spoke to Evan Allard, Director of the Connecticut Intelligence Center.

Experts say new studies show the abuse of animals increases the likelihood of child abuse in the same household, and crimes against animals are showing a direct correlation to people. We spoke with Our Companions CEO Susan Linker about the importance of cross-reporting.

The Connecticut House is passing a bill requiring vaccinations for public school students.  Right now, the state Department of Public Health must consider guidance from the CDC when setting vaccine recommendations, but this bill would allow DPH to take recommendations from different medical associations. We spoke with State Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, the leading Democratic representative on the Public Health Committee.

Host Paul Pacelli got Thursday's "Connecticut Today" underway with an update on a proposed state gun regulation targeting a certain make and model of handgun (00:31). Former state Senate GOP Leader John McKinney stopped by for his weekly update on a couple of major bills in Hartford targeting homeschooling and future, statewide absentee ballot use (15:00)

Today marks the 39th anniversary of the L’Ambiance Plaza collapse in Bridgeport. It involved a 16-story apartment building that was still under construction. The structure used an experimental technique called lift-slab construction, which failed, causing the structure to crumble. We lost 28 construction workers that day, and it remains one of the deadliest construction accidents in US history. We spoke with Dan McInerney of IBEW Local Union 488 about the anniversary and what has changed since the tragedy to better protect construction workers.

Image Credit: Eric Urbanowicz

The American Lung Association released its 27th annual “State of the Air” report, which finds that nearly half of the children in the U.S. are breathing unhealthy levels of air pollution, including more than 700,000 kids in Connecticut. We spoke with Ruth Canovy, Director of Advocacy of the American Lung Association, about the specific findings in our state and learned why Fairfield County is still getting a failing grade.

For more information: State of the Air | American Lung Association

Drug Take Back Day is coming up this weekend, but do people actually participate and understand the significance of discarding old medications? We talked about that with Bryan Cafferelli, commissioner of the CT Department of Consumer Protection.

For more information: https://www.dea.gov/takebackday

Wondering how you could lower your energy bills? Anne Weisberg, candidate for the State Rep. seat in the 108th district has some bright ideas! Listen to the podcast and check out Anne's article in the Ct Mirror.

https://ctmirror.org/2026/04/20/more-solar-not-gas-will-bring-down-your-electric-bill/

Host Paul Pacelli kicked off Wednesday's "Connecticut Today" talking about more controversy in Hartford over state vaccine mandates. Is this a lasting by-product of dishonesty during the COVID pandemic? (00:30). Hearst Connecticut Media's Dan Haar dropped by to chat about the major stories around the state, including the ongoing controversy over former New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart (17:21)

A proposal to lift some THC levels for legal marijuana products sold in Connecticut was the prime issue on Tuesday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli (00:37). New Canaan / Darien / Stamford GOP State Rep. Tom O'Dea dropped by to chat about his opposition to that proposal (14:18). In her regular Tuesday update, Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio took a look at the impact of recent state minimum wage increases (21:42)

The 14th annual Walk a Mile in her Shoes event is back in Fairfield Saturday April 25th. It's all run and benefitting The Center for Family Justice. We spoke with interim executive director, Mark Antonini about the center and upcoming event. 

For more information: https://centerforfamilyjustice.org/
To register for the walk: https://secure.qgiv.com/event/walkamile2026

The sixth annual Fashionably Westport event showcases locally-owned retailers while raising money for a Westport-based non-profit, Homes for Hope.

Helen, President and CEO of Homes for Hope, shared the mission of this organization addressing homelessness and food insecurity in Fairfield County. We also spoke with Annette, owner of Savvy + Grace, one of the stores being highlighted during the fashion show Saturday April 25th. 

For tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fashionably-westport-2026-tickets-1984196220308?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile
To support Homes for Hope: https://www.hwhct.org/

There is an important pesticide bill this year: House Bill 51-55 An Act Concerning Pesticide Reporting Modernization. What is it all about and what would the impact be on Connecticut if it doesn’t pass this session? We asked Joyce Leiz, executive director of The Connecticut Audubon Society.

To see the full context of the bill: AN ACT CONCERNING PESTICIDE REPORTING MODERNIZATION.

Can we just look at this headline: Connecticut lawmakers target AI-generated deepfakes in elections. Sounds alarming, doesn’t it? We spoke with our cybersecurity and artificial intelligence expert, Dr. Vahid Behzadan, about what deepfakes are and how this generated content can destroy people, especially politicians.

You do an interview…then a follow up…and then crickets. How do you handle the interview process for perspective jobs? We asked career strategist, Julie Bauke.

Host Paul Pacelli started a new week on "Connecticut Today" highlighting some controversial comments made by Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy at a recent gathering of progressive activists in Spain (00:33). Connecticut State Republican Party Chairman Ben Proto offered his comments on those remarks (14:42). Finally, GOP State Sen. Eric Berthel gave us an update on a controversial homeschooling reform bill at the State Capitol (22:55)

Another legislative session, another year of debating how to handle bears in our state. This year's "bear bill" is now on the Senate floor, Senate Bill 146: “An Act Concerning the Protection of Crops and Livestock from Certain Wildlife.” What is this version of bear legislation in Connecticut and what would it mean for homeowners, specifically farmers in the state? We spoke with Annie Hornish, Connecticut State Director for the Humane World for Animals.

To read the bill: https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/CGABillStatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB146

A change of plea hearing has been scheduled in the second corruption trial of former Connecticut school construction chief Konstantinos Diamantis. It comes months after Diamantis was convicted of bribery and extortion in a separate case. We spoke to our legal expert on the show, Attorney Bill Bloss, who is not connected to this case but can give us predictions as to what will happen next.

A heads-up world travelers: the BBB is warning people about passport scams. Apparently, the scam tracker has received more than 750 cases this year – including ones from Connecticut. We spoke with Kristen Johnson of the Better Business Bureau CT to learn how this scam works and how to avoid it!

A Louisiana father fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, in an attack on his family Sunday morning that stretched across two houses. It is considered one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent years, and it stemmed from a domestic disturbance. What can we take away from this case and how do we combat domestic violence in America? We spoke with former chief of police, Gary MacNamara, who is also on the board for the Center for Family Justice, advocating and helping families in Connecticut impacted by domestic violence.

According to a new survey just conducted, the number 1 reason people call in sick to work is conflicts with colleagues. Here in Connecticut, what are the primary complaints from workers and are there any legal claims people can make? We spoke with Gary Phelan, employment attorney with Hurwitz Sagarin & Slossberg, LLC in Milford and law professor at Quinnipiac University.

You've heard of 'stranger danger' but maybe in your mind, that sounds like the classic boogey man in the woods. However, that's not really the person your kids should be aware of in abduction or sexual assault cases today. We do a deeper dive into what a 'kinda-know' really means, how to identify kinda-know's and then discuss them with your children. 

Host Paul Pacelli kicked off Friday's "Connecticut Today" talking about a new Blue-Ribbon Commission announced by Gov. Ned Lamont to look at how the state's public education is funded (00:29). Blogger and columnist Chris Powell joined us to chat about the Governor's proposal (15:31), while CBS News White House reporter Linda Kenyon dropped by with the latest news regarding the U.S. and Iran (25:58)

'She Cries Murder' is a new murder mystery film with a lot of ties to Connecticut. It premieres tonight at The Strand in Seymour. We spoke with the director, Tony Capes, and actor, Joey Ambrosini, about the film and what viewers can expect. 
Photo credit: Joey Ambrosini

MLB reporter, author, and Fairfield native Mike Clair spoke with Jon about his first hand experience with one of the greatest underdog stories in the history of sports...

The Beat and The Badge will air Sundays at noon, hosted by weekday morning personality Melissa Sheketoff of Melissa in the Morning alongside retired Fairfield Police Chief Gary MacNamara.

The show will cover both local and national crime stories, while also giving listeners practical information on how to stay informed, prevent crime, and make a difference in their own communities.

Learn why the pair decided to launch this show and what you can expect each week from the show. 

Governor Lamont signed an executive order (Executive Order No. 26-3) calling for the development of a strategic plan to reform the funding streams used to support the operations of Connecticut’s K-12 public schools. While there’s bipartisan support for this, is the effort too little too late and delaying a financial crisis we’re facing? We spoke more about this with Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association.

Picture Courtesy of the Connecticut Education Association

It is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and we checked in with DMV Commissioner Tony Guererra. We spoke about issues with the phones, technology advancements in cars and different envelope programs available to Connecticut residents.
For more information:

Get the blue envelope for autism awareness | CT.gov

Get the green envelope | CT.gov

Get the yellow envelope for empowering safe interactions for individuals with cognitive impairments and physical disabilities | CT.gov

Recent federal data confirms that 71% of schools are currently overwhelmed by a record-breaking spike in "acting out" and student anxiety. One author is addressing this issue after completing her career as an educator. We spoke with Joy Berry, known as “The Inventor of Self Help Books for Kids,” with more than 200 titles and over 85 million copies sold worldwide.  

For more information: https://joyberryenterprises.com/

Allegations aimed at the administration of former New Britain Mayor and current GOP Gubernatorial candidate Erin Stewart were at the top of host Paul Pacelli's mind on Thursday's "Connecticut Today" - wondering about possible political damage to her campaign (00:37). Former State Senate GOP Leader John McKinney commented on that report and more (15:17), while Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Council Executive Director Chris Healy discussed a pair of pending bills at the State Capitol (26:03)

Last week, a proposed expansion of a program that treats Connecticut veterans suffering from PTSD received bi-partisan support. That program uses psilocybin, the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms", and Dr. Craig Allen from Hartford Healthcare spoke with Jon about how this staple of the psychedelic movement can help improve lives.

We checked in with Dr. Browne about top health stories from measles outbreaks, to superbugs and even illnesses that could travel back from outer space! 

Image Courtesy of Griffin Health and Dr. Fred Browne

The FAA is working to address the ongoing critical shortage of air traffic controllers across the country. And apparently, the agency is considering video gamers to fill jobs. We talked more about this with Mark Kilpatrick, co-founder of Affinity Esports. We also talked generally about misconceptions surrounding gaming.

For more information: https://www.affinityesports.gg/

Image Credit: Eric Urbanowicz