Melissa in the Morning: Proposed Sweetened Beverage Tax

Melissa in the Morning: Proposed Sweetened Beverage Tax

State lawmakers are considering a bill that would add a new tax on sweetened beverages to raise enough money to cover the 110-million-dollars a year needed to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. State Representative Moira Rader explained the proposal and addressed concerns people have surrounding the need for consistent revenue. Rep. Rader…

Melissa in the Morning: Premiums going up?

Melissa in the Morning: Premiums going up?

Access Health is sounding the alarm about federal subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. It could mean Connecticut residents on exchange plans see their premiums skyrocket more than a thousand dollars than their prices now! We talked to Congressman Himes about the likelihood of extending the subsidies. Image Credit: Getty Images

Melissa in the Morning: Walk Out

Melissa in the Morning: Walk Out

Marissa Gillett has been confirmed by the state Senate to continue as chair of the Public Utility Regulatory Authority. All eleven Republican state senators walked out of the chamber before yesterday’s vote, claiming the process is corrupt. We got the scoop from Senator Steve Harding about what happened and why. Image Courtesy of Senator Steve…

Melissa in the Morning: Drug Take Back Day

Melissa in the Morning: Drug Take Back Day

Prescription Take Back Day is coming up on Saturday April 26th. What is “Drug Take Back Day” and how can people participate? We asked Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli of the CT Department of Consumer Protection about the upcoming event. We also talked about a recent jury duty scam detected last month. Image Credit: Getty Images

Melissa In The Morning: Soda Tax

Melissa In The Morning: Soda Tax

State lawmakers are considering a bill that would add a new tax on soda and juice to pay for free meals in schools.  The proposal would add the tax on sweetened beverages, syrups and powders to fund free breakfasts and lunches for all public school students in Connecticut. What is the likelihood of this bill…

Melissa in the Morning: Proactive about Cancer

Melissa in the Morning: Proactive about Cancer

There’s a new cancer prevention program for hundreds of firefighters across Connecticut. Starting May 1, career firefighters who are enrolled on the state employee health plan or Partnership Plan will be eligible for a free preventative scan every two years. We got more details on this new program and its purpose from Comptroller Sean Scanlon.…

Melissa in the Morning: Helicopter Crash Perspective

Melissa in the Morning: Helicopter Crash Perspective

The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded the New York helicopter tour company that operated the sightseeing tour that crashed into the Hudson River last week, killing all six people aboard. And as the investigation into the crash continues, we wanted to get perspective on what went wrong in this situation. We spoke with former FBI…

Melissa in the Morning: Bridgeport School Cuts

Melissa in the Morning: Bridgeport School Cuts

Bridgeport may eliminate up to 40 teacher positions to close a projected 28-million-dollar budget shortfall. The city may also furlough all school employees for a week without pay to help address the massive budget deficit among other proposed cuts. We spoke about what we can expect next from Vice Chair of the city’s Board of…

MADE Conversations – Ep. 1: Live at Talent MADE

MADE Conversations – Ep. 1: Live at Talent MADE

What happens when you put CEOs, state leaders, rising talent, and two seasoned reporters together at a football stadium? You get a jam-packed kickoff to MADE Conversations, the official podcast of the MADE Leadership Series. In this premiere episode, Melissa Sheketoff (WICC) and Mike Cerulli (WTNH) go live from the floor of Talent MADE at…

Melissa in the Morning: Autism Double Checked Certification

Melissa in the Morning: Autism Double Checked Certification

In the United States, an estimated 1 in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults are diagnosed with autism. Bradley International Airport is the first airport in the United States to become ‘Autism Double-Checked’ certified. Brian Spyros with the Connecticut Airport Authority which oversees Bradley explained why this certification is essential to have and what…