Voice of CT

Melissa In The Morning: A Look At What Killed Jimmy Buffett

Significant changes in FDA eligibility officially started at the Red Cross has recently implemented. John Godin with the Connecticut chapter explains the major changes and what it could mean for donations nationwide. He also touched on national preparedness month and what to have in your hurricane kit. (0:00)

Adam’s House is a non-profit organization in Shelton providing support to families grieving the loss of a loved one. We learned about its purpose, the programming and upcoming events meant to support their work. (12:54)

Singer Jimmy Buffett, died last week at the age of 76 after reportedly battling a rare form of skin cancer. We spoke to Dr. Jill Rubinstein with Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute St. Vincent’s Medical Center. She explained merkel cell carcinoma and how rare it is compared to melanoma. (26:06)

The Bridgeport Film Festival is returning this weekend. It got us thinking about the arts in the Park City. Dan Onofrio from the Bridgeport Regional Business Council talked about integrating the arts with business. We also talked about the latest with the Barnum Museum since it was designated a National Historic Landmark. (34:27)

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CT Humane Society Pet of the Week

We don’t have these critters at our shelter that often so I am pleased to introduce you to Pepper! Our 4 year old Male Chinchilla.

Chinchillas are social creatures that require lots of attention from an owner or another chinchilla companion. They can live up to 20 years! So please keep that in mind when considering them as pets. They require routine exercise and a large enough cage space to accommodate their exercise requirements. They also need a specialized “dust bath” to maintain their soft coat. Chinchillas have comical personalities and love to play with chew proof toys. They tend to be nocturnal So something else in mind when planning for your new pet! If you have more questions, we would love to speak to you about chinchillas and how to care for them.

Visit us at CThumane.org/adopt and view all our available pets. We are open for in person adoptions from 12-4!

CT Today With Paul Pacelli – Undue Criticism for Chris Murphy?

Tuesday’s “Connecticut Today” with Paul Pacelli featured a discussion about a rather pointed Hearst Connecticut Media editorial criticizing U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (0:30). Quinnipiac University Professor of Interactive Media John Powers talked about the latest social media challenge that turned deadly for a Massachusetts boy (11:30). Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio stopped by for her weekly update (21:33)

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The Lisa Wexler Show – Georgia’s Conservative Political Pundit, Martha Zoller

WDUN’s Martha Zoller joins Lisa Wexler to discuss current political moods.

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Melissa In The Morning: One New Message

With crime on the rise in Connecticut news, cities are debating taking law enforcement into their own hands. Hartford announced last month that a group of gunowners want to bring back neighborhood watches while armed. We spoke with crime prevention expert, Lt. Jim Perez, about the dangers of this and why community policing programs need to be part of the solution. (0:00)
A new study says most cancer screenings don’t actually end up extending life. But experts still say you should have them. We spoke with Dr. Vipra Sharma with the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute at St. Vincent’s Medical Center. She explained the new study and why screenings are still essential for people. (14:22)
According to national statistics, nine out of ten fears reportedly amount to nothing happening. So, how do we handle fears that we have? Counselor Julius Dudics gave us tips on how to better control fear. (22:17)
Julie on the Job: passive-aggressive messaging. A new report revealed roughly 83% of workers say they’ve received a passive-aggressive email or message at work, while 44% admit to being passive-aggressive. Julie Bauke talked about what phrases to avoid in your next work email. (35:50)

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Connecticut Today with Paul Pacelli: More Absentee Ballot Debate

Friday’s “Connecticut Today” with Paul Pacelli featured more discussion about a 2019 Bridgeport absentee ballot controversy with GOP State Sen. Rob Sampson (0:33) and Rowena White, communication director for Mayor Joe Ganim’s 2023 re-election campaign (12:51). We heard from former Bridgeport Democratic State Rep. Chris Caruso with his weekly update (21:50), while Paul had a few thoughts on a statement from State Attorney General William Tong on Connecticut’s gun laws (33:47).

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Melissa in the Morning: A Fish Tale

Northford resident, Eddie Carroll, was hoping to catch the biggest blue in our annual Greatest Bluefish Tournament. But she caught something much bigger! Hear his story about catching a brown shark on a paddleboard! ((00:00))

One of the biggest stories this summer in Connecticut is the audit exposing falsified tickets filed by state troopers. We heard from the co-author of the audit, Ken Barone, about the audit process and what happens now. ((08:30))

How do teachers manage artificial intelligence when it comes to student homework assignments? Matt Mervis of EdAdvance weighs in on the conversation. He calls AI a “crisi-tunity” in the classroom. ((27:29))

Like most theaters across the country, Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport has struggled to stay afloat with ticket sales after the pandemic. We spoke with executive producer of the theater, Hugh Hallinan, about the history of the venue and why it remains a gem in the city. ((42:47))

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Connecticut Today with Paul Pacelli: A Case of Suspicious Timing?

Thursday’s “Connecticut Today” with Paul Pacelli featured the “Only in Bridgeport” blogger Lennie Grimaldi, who raised his concerns about a Hearst Connecticut Media story regarding a Bridgeport absentee ballot issue (0:20). We also had our monthly check-in with columnist Chris Powell (13:16).

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The Lisa Wexler Show – Reduce Temps Of Hot Paved Surfaces

Jeff Terry, VP, Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability at GAF, North America’s largest roofing manufacturer, joins Lisa Wexler to discuss GAF’s innovative StreetBond pavement coatings that can reduce temperatures of hot paved surfaces, named by TIME magazine as one of its Best Inventions of 2022.

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Melissa in the Morning: Guess Who’s Back?

COVID-19 Hospitalizations are up by another 19-percent. According to the CDC, deaths also saw a large jump by 21-percent in one week. More than half of US states saw a “substantial” jump. South Dakota had the biggest spike, with hospitalizations surging more than 127-percent in one week. A new booster shot targeting the newest strain of the omicron variant is on its way, but isn’t expected to be approved until the end of September.

We spoke all about the latest on covid with Dr. Browne.

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