We met Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner, Ronnell Higgins, about the state of our highways and making them safer. We especially did a deep dive about wrong-way drivers. IMAGE CREDIT: Eric Urbanowicz
Melissa in the Morning: Crashes Involving Buses
A new report from the Hartford Courant, highlighted the alarming amount of crashes involving school buses in our state. According to UConn Connecticut Crash Data Repository, there have already been more than 570 of these crashes in 2024. That data does not include the near misses! Senator Jeff Gordon, who serves on the Public Safety and…
Melissa in the Morning: Fighting the Opioid Crisis
Seven million dollars in federal grant money is being invested into opioid response strategies in Connecticut. We noticed four of the seven municipalities getting in on this money, are right here in Fairfield County (Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford and Greenwich.) We spoke with Luiza Barnat is the Opioid Services Director at the state Department of Mental…
Melissa in the Morning: Teacher Burnout
Teacher burnout is still a big problem in Connecticut. The Connecticut Education Association (CEA), the state’s largest teachers’ union, released results from its latest statewide survey, highlighting an ongoing crisis in the teaching profession and the urgent need for greater support for public education. CEA President, Kate Dias, did a deeper dive into the challenges…
Melissa in the Morning: The *Cringe* Job Question
How do you connect to the young people around the Thanksgiving table without being shut down in conversation immediately? We spoke with career strategist, Julie Bauke, about alternative conversation starters instead of work-related topics. Image Credit: Getty Images
Melissa in the Morning: AI on School Buses
AI Technology has come to Bridgeport as the first city to bring these cameras online in a widespread way. Investigative reporter, Jeff Derderian, took a closer look at this new technology helping catch violators bypassing school buses illegally. For Jeff’s full story: https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/fairfield/bridgeport-buses-use-ai-cameras-to-catch-violators/ Image Credit: Melissa Sheketoff
Melissa in the Morning: Slow Down, Move Over
Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s bipartisan Slow Down Move Over resolution was passed by the US Senate last week. We spoke with Fran Mayko of Flagman Inc. about the recent national attention and its significance to Thanksgiving week. Image Credit: Getty Images
Melissa in the Morning: CT Unemployment Rates
A recent report showed Connecticut Unemployment Rates are the lowest they’ve been in 23 years. How is that happening and is that a good thing? We did a deeper dive into the data with Patrick Flaherty, Director of Research at Connecticut’s Department of Labor. For more information for job seekers: https://portal.ct.gov/cthires Image Credit: Getty Images
Melissa in the Morning: Lithium-Ion Battery Fires
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety, lithium-ion batteries have caused 25,000 fires in the last five years. What people don’t realize is lithium-ion batteries are in a lot of children’s toys, almost every handheld device, and everyday household items. We spoke with PACT President Rodger Mort, who has created solutions to avoid and fight…
Melissa in the Morning: Avoid Crime this Thanksgiving
You may be planning to enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday travel plans, but you can’t forget about criminals hoping to target your property. Crime prevention expert, Jim Perez, shared advice on how to protect your homes and cars while you’re away. Image Credit: Getty Images