WICC 600 AM and 107.3 FM

WICC

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A heritage radio station covering Bridgeport and greater Fairfield County. This podcast will focus on the communities, people and news for your neighborhood.

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2608 episodes

CT Today With Paul Pacelli - Not Good Enough?

* Wednesday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli started off with Paul's thoughts (00:27) on a key election reform bill being discussed at the State Capitol by many legislators, including Wolcott GOP State Sen. Rob Sampson (13:51) Hearst Connecticut Media editor and columnist Dan Haar talked about the hottest stories around the state, including Connecticut's latest population loss (26:58) Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

39m
Mar 27
Melissa in the Morning: My Pets are Doing What?!

* As we count down to the April 8 solar eclipse, biologists are asking the public for their help to document the behavior of animals during the event. David Mestre says for major events in the sky, often times, even your pets will act differently. This is YOUR chance to add to a national science project. Find out what you need to do! Biologists are asking for the public's help in adding their animal observations and reporting them to the website: observinganimals.org http://observinganimals.org/ Image Credit: Getty Images

12m
Mar 27
Melissa in the Morning: It’s Not Dead After All?

* The March 20th deadline was reached for the Insurance and Real Estate Committee with not a single piece of legislation voted on or passed through. One of the bills would have created more affordable health insurance plans for Connecticut families. But at the CBIA Business Day this week, we learned that legislation and other health-related measures may be resurrected during this session once again! State Senator Tony Hwang, the ranking member of the committee, explained the change of heart and the likelihood of legislation passage. Image Credit: Getty Images

11m
Mar 27
Melissa in the Morning: 3 Lifestyle Changes

* For this week’s , Amy Llinas shared three easy lifestyle changes you can make today that will have a huge impact on your overall health goals. Find out why hydration in the morning, protein for breakfast, and getting steps in daily will make the difference for all people. Image Credit: Getty Images

8m
Mar 27
Melissa in the Morning: The Future of Six Bridgeport Schools

* Earlier this month, Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Carmela Levy-David, recommended closing down six city schools due to poor conditions and academic performance. Since then, a study is being conducted and a consulting firm is helping out with the process. We got a better understanding of what Dr. Levy-David found in these schools prompting the proposal, how many students and teachers will be impacted and what happens when people are shuffled elsewhere after schools shutdown. Image Credit: Getty Images

18m
Mar 27
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - The Feds Screw Up ... Again!

* Connecticut mom and media personality Shelly Sindland talked about the difficulties she's facing - like many families all over the country - in trying to deal with a new online federal college financial aid "FAFSA" portal (00:29). Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio updated us on some key pieces of legislation facing the General Assembly (14:01), while Paul had some initial thoughts about how we've apparently devalued the concept of citizenship (23:22) Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

34m
Mar 26
Melissa in the Morning: “I Am Different”

* A local author shares her latest children’s book addressing inclusion. Find out about Michelle Artis, her inspiration behind the book and the connection to her son, Aydin. Image Courtesy Of Eric Urbanowicz

13m
Mar 26
Melissa in the Morning: Ever Heard of VFO?

* You’ve heard of PTO…but what about V-TO? Crunchbase, a private company data provider, has been offering “volunteering time off” (VTO) to its employees since 2018. They say it’s a major benefit for workers and some studies are backing that up. Recently, a study from Oxford University found volunteering is a major benefit for workers with a lot of positive outcomes. So, why don’t more people offer this and is this a no-brainer for companies to begin offering? We asked our career strategist, Julie Bauke, about this during . Image Credit: Getty Images

17m
Mar 26
Melissa in the Morning: Pulling Back on Compulsive Gambling

* The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that about five million Americans struggle with compulsive gambling. However, only around 8 percent of these individuals will ever seek help for their problem. Connecticut made online gambling and sports betting legal in 2021 and the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling has reported a huge spike in calls ever since. How do you know if gambling is running your life and how do you begin to pull back on addictive habits? We got advice from morning show counselor, Julius Dudics. ((00:00)) We also see from recent CT Council on Problem Gambling data that the largest number of calls needing help with gambling addiction in the state comes from college aged students. We spoke with Brian Dolan, Director of Sacred Heart University’s collegiate recovery program, how to responsibly gamble during March Madness. (( 13:26 )). Image Credit: Getty Images

27m
Mar 26
Melissa in the Morning: Road Safety Bills

* We are in the midst of the legislative session and several road safety bills have been voted out of committee and could see the light of day by May. We get the details from Alec Slatky from AAA about these pieces of legislation including work zone speed cameras and lowering the blood alcohol limit to .05. Image Credit: Getty Images 

17m
Mar 26
Melissa in the Morning: Early Voting in CT

* For the first time in Connecticut history, we have rolled out early voting starting today ahead of the primaries April second. Secretary of the State, Stephanie Thomas, joined us for everything you need to know ahead of casting your vote at the polls. Plus, we touched on legislation surrounding elections being debated in Hartford including absentee ballot reform, election monitoring and potentially rebranding Connecticut’s Independent Party. Image Courtesy of Stephanie Thomas

15m
Mar 26
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - EV Owners Need To Pay Up

* Host Paul Pacelli started a new week on "Connecticut Today" wondering why Connecticut allows EV drivers to get away with not contributing to the state's transportation fund (00:33). Sacred Heart University Political Science Professor/Scholar in Residence Dr. Gary Rose commented on the current news surrounding former President Donald Trump (12:54), while CT NewsJunkie columnist and Substack.com http://Substack.com blogger Terry Cowgill dropped by for his weekly check-in (27:38) Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

40m
Mar 25
Melissa in the Morning: Marriages in America are Looking Up

* A new CNN report revealed that marriage rates have been up, and divorce rates are down. Why is that the case and are we seeing that locally with couples in Connecticut? We got perspective from our marriage coach, Bob Donovan. Image Credit: Getty Images

15m
Mar 25
Melissa in the Morning: Hotel Key Card Hack

* There is a new warning for travelers after researchers, posed as hackers, expose a security flaw that could open millions of hotel-room doors. Wired Magazine shared the findings this month outlining the impact on people here and across the globe checking into a hotel. What can we do to better protect ourselves from intruders when we are staying in a hotel? We got advice from our crime prevention expert, Jim Perez. Image Credit: Getty Images

14m
Mar 25
Melissa in the Morning: Criminal License Renewal Fees

* Connecticut’s license renewal fees are insanely high, and a new proposal is looking to cap costs. According to a recent report, physicians in New York and Massachusetts must pay $600 every two years to renew their licenses. However, here in Connecticut, physicians and surgeons pay $575 annually or $1,150 every two years. Right now, 83 professions in our state require these astronomical costs and one Senator is looking to fix it permanently. Senator Ryan Fazio of the 36th District (Greenwich, Stamford, parts of New Canaan) shares the three bills he has presented this session, why there is bi-partisan support and why he’s hopeful something will pass! Image Credit: Getty Images

14m
Mar 25
Melissa in the Morning: A Longer Allergy Season

* Grab the tissues; you’re going to need them! A new report is sounding the alarm about allergy season. Several national studies revealed as a result of weather patterns and trends, AccuWeather meteorologists anticipate three different peaks in pollen levels that should make allergy season last longer in 2024. We learned about ways to best cope with allergies and remedies we can use to battle a longer season from Dr. Andrew Wong. Dr. Wong is a primary care physician and the Medical Director of Hartford HealthCare Medical group in the Fairfield region. Image Credit: Getty Images

15m
Mar 25
Melissa in the Morning: Advertising Peer Pressure

* For the first time, we had the Commissioner for Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Nancy Navarretta. After last week’s conversation on the show about alcohol expectations in today’s society and many listeners joining the conversation, we talked about it further with Commissioner Navarretta. We did a deeper dive into the broken societal norms around drinking, how the state is addressing peer pressure and whether venues will begin incentivizing people to have dry events in future. Image Credit: Getty Images

13m
Mar 25
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - A Case Of Political Payback?

* Host Paul Pacelli wrapped up another busy week on "Connecticut Today" looking at a proposed ballot change that could affect a major third party (00:28) and we also heard from former Bridgeport State Rep. Chris Caruso on those possible changes (12:55). Glastonbury GOP State Rep. Steve Weir stopped by to chat about a possible expansion of the state's paid medical leave program (26:00) Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

38m
Mar 22
Melissa in the Morning: State Street Debating Scholarships

* State Street Debating Society has named the 2024 high school scholarship award winners. Seven Stamford high school seniors will receive $70K in college scholarship money. State Street Debating Society has offered scholarships to high school students for nearly 60 years awarding more than $1.1 million during that time. Additionally, State Street supports all Stamford High School Debating programs year-round.  We had the opportunity to talk to the Scholarship Committee Chair State Street Debating Society, Ed Tatro and one of the scholarship recipients, Emily Jean Urda, a senior at Westhill High School. For more information: https://statestreetdebating.org/ Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus 

11m
Mar 22
Melissa in the Morning: No Votes

* It’s no secret; health insurance coverage is so unaffordable, many Connecticut families take the risk not investing in coverage. Once again, comprehensive bills were proposed during the legislative session. We learned the Insurance and Real Estate Committee ran out of time to take up any of the measures and not one piece of legislation was voted on. We did a deeper dive into this with State Senator Kevin Kelly. Image Credit: Getty Images

17m
Mar 22
Melissa in the Morning: Declassify TikTok Info?

* While a strong bi-partisan vote passed a bill through the House demanding the sale of TikTok with a threat to ban the platform in the US otherwise. Congressman Jim Himes voted against it. What’s interesting, is the supporters of this bill are most concerned with TikTok hurting our national security. Congressman Himes is the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and has a vested interest in national security. So, why would he vote against this? And after a briefing with US Intelligence apparently proved that TikTok is dangerous remaining in the hands of the Chinese, should that information be declassified and shared with the American people? We got all those answers from Congressman Himes. Image Credit: Reuters

10m
Mar 22
Melissa in the Morning: Light at the End of the Tunnel

* After seven years of effort to create a new veterans and first responders center in Trumbull, the final amount of money came in this month to put shovels in the ground. Find out about a recent federal grant supporting the center and what this property will do for thousands in our listening area. Ray Baldwin Jr. who has been leading this effort gives us the details and a tentative timeline of what comes next. And for more information, check out https://www.trumbullvfrc.org/ Image Credit: Getty Images

15m
Mar 22
Melissa in the Morning: RISE at UB

* An annual event highlights Research, Innovation, Scholarship, and Entrepreneurship opportunities at the University of Bridgeport. It started back in 2011 and has grown so much since then. We got the scoop on this upcoming event, how it ties into National Public Health Week and who will benefit from attending (including high school students!) And for more information on the April 5th RISE event: https://www.bridgeport.edu/rise/

11m
Mar 22
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - A Spotlight On Tipping At Connecticut Restaurants

* Thursday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli welcomed Connecticut Restaurant Association head Scott Dolch to talk about a proposed move to eliminate the "tipped wage" provision for state restaurant workers (00:26). "Only In Bridgeport" blogger Lennie Grimaldi also stopped by with more details about a reported warning issued to some Bridgeport municipal employees (12:30) Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

24m
Mar 21
Melissa in the Morning: Kids in Crisis

* Kids in Crisis has been helping tens of thousands of children in Fairfield County since it was founded in 1978. TeenTalk is a program that Kids in Crisis provides to more than a dozen middle and high schools in Fairfield County right now. A recent TeenTalk report outlines some stark realities including the huge uptick in counseling requests and WHO makes the majority of counseling requests. Shari Shapiro is the executive director of Kids in Crisis. She gave us the background on Kids in Crisis, the TeenTalk program and a deep dive into this recent TeenTalk report. Image Credit: Getty Image

13m
Mar 21
Melissa in the Morning: More Equitable Healthcare

* Currently, 1 billion people, or 15% of the world’s population https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disability, experience some form of disability. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are more likely to experience adverse socioeconomic outcomes only making it harder to afford and access good health care options. March marks Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and leading disability advocates are coming together to call fora more inclusive healthcare system.  Patrick Cokley https://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/staff-and-trustees/staff/c/patrick-cokley.html, Senior Program Officer, Equity and Social Justice Partnerships at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, shared the national call to action and how the pandemic only made a bad situation, worse. Image Credit: Getty Images

10m
Mar 21
Melissa in the Morning: His Next Political Venture

* Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti announced he is throwing his hat in the race for a state representative seat. Find out why the six-term mayor wants to make the trips to Hartford for the 104th House District and his issues wit the current incumbent. He also shares whether he will remain mayor if he gets elected in November. Catch up here! Image Credit: Getty Images

8m
Mar 21
Melissa in the Morning: Paranoia for Children

* This week, we highlighted a new PSA statewide sounding the alarm about illegal cannabis products impacting Connecticut youth. Nationally, a survey funded by the National Institute of Health, alerted the public about more teens experimenting with the psychoactive substance, Delta-8.  We wanted to understand the medical impact on a young body and why these products are so dangerous. Dr. Browne shared his insight on this. Plus, he addressed another alarming health story claiming intermittent fasting can put people at a much higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Image Courtesy of Dr. Fred Browne

15m
Mar 21
Melissa in the Morning: “A Gun to Americans’ Heads”

* That was a direct quote from Senator Richard Blumenthal following a classified briefing by U.S intelligence and law enforcement officials on the dangers of TikTok. Earlier this month, the House overwhelmingly approved and passed a bill that forces the Chinese company, ByteDance, to sell the social media platform to the United States or risk a TikTok ban. Find out why Senator Blumenthal says the information shared in that briefing NEEDS to be declassified and shared with the American people. He also responds to Congressman Himes’ vote against the bill. Image Credit: Reuters

13m
Mar 21
CT Today With Paul Pacelli - A Big Change For Connecticut Restaurants?

* Wednesday's "Connecticut Today" with host Paul Pacelli opened with an update about a possible major change in a state labor law affecting bars and restaurants (00:28). Commuter advocate Jim Cameron stopped by to talk about the brewing controversy over the use of license plate scanners (12:34). Hearst Connecticut Media editor and columnist Dan Haar updated us a few stories, including the state's ongoing film and TV tax credit (22:52) Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

33m
Mar 20