Senator Richard Blumenthal joins Lisa Wexler to talk about his findings on DOGE’s spending and firing that cost billions with no accountability.
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Melissa in the Morning: Mr. Bridgeport
Connecticut lost a man who brought so much food to his community and left a major legacy behind. The “Iceman,” Jay Piccirillo’s life was cut far too short and left so many people devastated. But Jay’s son and childhood friend are making something so special to honor Jay’s legacy. We spoke with Jay’s son, Gennaro Piccirillo, and Joey Ambrosini, the director of Mr. Bridgeport: The Legacy of Jay Piccirillo.
IMAGE CREDIT: Eric Urbanowicz
Melissa in the Morning: Letters for Life
According to national statistics, around 42% of Gen Z have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, with anxiety and depression being the most common. A local rabbi wants to help bring those numbers down. 27-year-old Rabbi Levi Shmotkin from Stamford recently published best-seller Letters for Life and shared more about it with us.
To learn more: https://www.chabad.org/generic_cdo/aid/6474056/jewish/Letters-for-Life.htm
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Melissa in the Morning: The Bridgeport Election Saga
As we reported this week, charges have been filed against four more people linked to an absentee ballot scandal in the 2023 Bridgeport Democratic mayoral primary election. A new report from CT Mirror revealed that three of the four people facing charges claim they were paid by the Ganim campaign. We spoke with the investigative reporter, Andrew Brown, about the findings.
For Andrew’s latest story: https://ctmirror.org/2025/07/31/bridgeport-ballot-fraud-case-arrest-warrants/
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Melissa in the Morning: Investing in Daycare
Months before a 2-year-old choked at a New Britain day care and later died, the facility reportedly received seven violations during an inspection, according to data from 211 Connecticut. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is investigating to determine if the death is a case of abuse or neglect. This story is a reminder that our state needs to continue to focus on investing in early childhood education, creating more reliable daycare facilities and hiring more daycare workers. We spoke about this with Fran Rabinowitz, Executive Director at the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents.
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Melissa in the Morning: Feeding Families Foundation
Imagine your child being stuck in the hospital for long periods of time and all you want to do is stay by their bedside. But a lot of times, that means parents go without eating. That’s why Feeding Families Foundation was created. We spoke with co-founder of the non-profit, Jeff Dorman, and shared updates on how the foundation is making a difference since its inception in September of 2023.
IMAGE CREDIT: Eric Urbanowicz
For more information: https://feedingfamiliesfoundation.org/
CT Today With Paul Pacelli – More Absentee Ballot Allegations In Bridgeport
Host Paul Pacelli kicked off Thursday’s “Connecticut Today” with news of more absentee ballot funny business in Bridgeport and wondering, “When will it all end?” (00:40). U.S. Border Patrol Union head Paul Perez, representing about 18,000 men and women securing America’s borders, joined us to talk about border security (14:31). NewsNation Senior Story Editor and Gossip Maven Paula Froelich joined us to talk about the current controversy regarding an advertising campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney (22:14)
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The Lisa Wexler Show – How The “Big Beautiful Bill” Affects You
Comptroller Sean Scanlon joins Lisa Wexler to talk about his report on the specific and general impacts of the Big Beautiful Bill, giving basic facts so everyone can understand them and how they affect you.
Melissa in the Morning: Little League Drama
There’s a lot of buzz around the Little League World Series. But one story did not sit well with many, regardless of political affiliation. A team from Venezuela had their visas denied and they could not play in the tournament this year. Is this a bad implication for other big sports events like the FIFA World Cup in 2026? We asked UNH Professor and attorney, Dr. Brian Marks.
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Melissa in the Morning: Rising Costs of Prescription Drugs
Connecticut has become a leader when it comes to attacking the ongoing, ridiculous rising costs of prescription drugs. There was a bipartisan bill signing ceremony that involves transparency on Rx drug rebates, ramping up drug manufacturing, and addressing drug shortages in future. We spoke with doctor and senator, Jeff Gordon, about the law.
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