Melissa in the Morning: Grant Money to Local Nonprofits

Melissa in the Morning: Grant Money to Local Nonprofits

An Inside Investigator report revealed a state senator, a non-profit startup and several other Hartford-area organizations now at the center of a grand jury investigation. It begs several questions: how could this happen; is this conflict of interest; why do some nonprofits get preferential treatment over others? We spoke with Senator Steve Harding about this.

Image Courtesy of Senator Steve Harding

Melissa in the Morning: Blood Donations

Melissa in the Morning: Blood Donations

In August, the American Red Cross is urging donors to make an appointment to give blood or platelets now to maintain a healthy blood supply and prevent a further drop in donor turnout. What’s the latest on our blood donation crisis? Joining us now is Richard Branigan, CEO of Red Cross Connecticut.

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Melissa in the Morning: Overtime Costs

Melissa in the Morning: Overtime Costs

A new report this month revealed that Connecticut spent 5% more on worker overtime this year than the prior year. And this is apparently an upward trend which started in 2018. In this CT Insider article, CBIA’s president called this trend a quote disservice to taxpayers end quote. And taxpayers are glad it’s not just them seeing through the smoke. We spoke with Chris Davis, CBIA VP of public policy about this.

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Melissa in the Morning: Latest BOE Meeting

Melissa in the Morning: Latest BOE Meeting

This week, there was an in-person special meeting of the Board of Education in Bridgeport. It comes after the recent release of an audit conducted by the State Board of Education. What came out of the special meeting and did the audit miss key items for the city? We asked Vice Chair of the Bridgeport BOE, Joe Sokolovic.

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CT Today With Paul Pacelli – A “War” On The Homeless?

CT Today With Paul Pacelli – A “War” On The Homeless?

Host Paul Pacelli opened Tuesday’s “Connecticut Today” criticizing some state Democrats for their response to a new Trump White House Executive Order regarding policy changes around the nation’s homeless problem (00:37). Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio talked about where some of the money from the “Passport to Parks” fee ends up (15:08). Quinnipiac University Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice Dr. Kimbery Przeszlowski talked about Tuesday night’s observance of this year’s “National Night Out” (23:28)

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The Lisa Wexler Show – Adger Cowans’ Remarkable Career

The Lisa Wexler Show – Adger Cowans’ Remarkable Career

World renowned photographer/visual artist, Adger Cowans, joins Lisa Wexler to talk about his incredible career (still going strong at age 89) including his time at Life Magazine with Gordon Parks, and his latest CT exhibit at the Fairfield Museum and History Center opening Thursday, 8/7/25.

Image Credit: Narathip12 / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Melissa in the Morning: Bad News for Benadryl

Melissa in the Morning: Bad News for Benadryl

It’s been a go-to over-the-counter medication for decades: Benadryl. But do the risks outweigh the usefulness when using Benadryl? New reports say the drug can be harmful if people take it after having an allergic reaction and potentially miss signs that their symptoms are getting worse. We spoke with Dr. Katelyn Wong with Yale Medicine, specifically working in Allergy & Clinical Immunology as well as Pediatric Allergy & Immunology.

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Melissa in the Morning: Train Fares Going Up

Melissa in the Morning: Train Fares Going Up

It’s official: Metro North train ticket prices are going up in September and again in July 2026. How much will it cost you to take the train? We asked Josh Morgan of the Department of Transportation. We also talked about the use of automated flagging to push for more road worker safety in the state.

For more information: https://portal.ct.gov/dot?language=en_US

IMAGE CREDIT: Melissa Sheketoff

Melissa in the Morning: Teen Trauma

Melissa in the Morning: Teen Trauma

A 13-year-old Stamford resident was taken in an instant; his life cut far too short. We learned the victim of a deadly hit and run was a Dolan Middle School student. How do we help our children deal with this kind of trauma; the sudden loss of a teenager? We spoke with Ellen Brezovsky, Director of Outreach and Community Initiatives at Kids in Crisis in Fairfield County. She also is the supervisor of all TeenTalk counselors.

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

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Melissa in the Morning: Tree Trouble

Melissa in the Morning: Tree Trouble

At the start of the month, several Connecticut news outlets began reporting on tree troubles. One local arborist was quoted saying ‘Connecticut trees are in crisis.’ But we want to know if our trees across the state are in real danger and if so, how do we save them? We spoke with Rick Garner from K & J Tree Service.

Image Credit: Getty Images