Melissa in the Morning: The Sterling Opera House

Melissa in the Morning: The Sterling Opera House

Earlier this month, a Connecticut treasure was highlighted on a national platform. The Sterling Opera House in Derby was Connecticut’s first building listed on the National Register of Historical Places and it was at the center of a Discovery Channel episode. We spoke with Kellie Santiago, the executive director of The Derby Historical Society of Derby, CT.…

Melissa in the Morning: Food Insecurity in CT

Melissa in the Morning: Food Insecurity in CT

According to estimates from Feeding America, more than 460,000 (1 in 8) Connecticut residents struggle with hunger. At a closer look at the recent data, more than 112,000 children are considered food insecure in our state. We spoke with Jason Jakubowski, President and CEO Connecticut Foodshare, about the updated data and resources available for kids…

Melissa in the Morning: Police Recruitment

Melissa in the Morning: Police Recruitment

Police departments across the country are desperately looking for officers. Recruitment and retainment have been major challenges, especially since the pandemic, for departments across Connecticut, including the Park City. Bridgeport Police are offering something no other department in the state is during the month of June. We spoke with Lt. Angelo Collazo about conditioning camp happening every…

Melissa in the Morning: How to Tackle Fear

Melissa in the Morning: How to Tackle Fear

An estimated 19 million Americans have at least one phobia, and studies show phobias illustrate the negative effects can have on people’s mental and physical health. So, how do we overcome fear and prevent it from crippling our lives? It’s not easy, but counselor, Julius Dudics says the best way to overcome fear is giving…

Melissa in the Morning: Four-Day Work Week

Melissa in the Morning: Four-Day Work Week

Wellness company, Exos, launched a four-day work week pilot program last year and decided to keep it after fantastic results six months later. Many want to know why more companies don’t adopt four-day work week models. But the bigger question should be: why don’t managers trust their team more to try new programs? We looked…

Melissa in the Morning: Connecticut Farm Numbers

Melissa in the Morning: Connecticut Farm Numbers

According to recent Census data, the number of farms in Connecticut is slowly shrinking. Farmers have cited a labor shortage, especially when it comes to young people in the profession, as a reason for the dwindling numbers. We asked the Department of Agriculture Commissioner, Bryan Hurlburt, about the findings. We also got a better idea…

Melissa in the Morning: Sun Exposure

Melissa in the Morning: Sun Exposure

We saw it over Memorial Day weekend, more and more people went outside getting exposed to the sun. Unfortunately, most people hear the messages about sun exposure damage but don’t acknowledge the importance of sunscreen. We welcomed Dr. Jim Clune, Melanoma Surgeon at Smilow Cancer Hospital (member of Yale Cancer Center) to the show. He…

Melissa in the Morning: Attacking Anti-Semitism at K-12 Campuses

Melissa in the Morning: Attacking Anti-Semitism at K-12 Campuses

Earlier this month, superintendents from across the country testified on antisemitism to Congress. With this testimony, the spotlight is now on what role, if any, superintendents play in addressing antisemitism in schools. Also, how can superintendents work with K-12 stakeholders to address antisemitism? We spoke with the Institute for Education Innovation (IEI) Founder and CEO,…

Melissa in the Morning: Five Years Later

Melissa in the Morning: Five Years Later

Today marks five years since Connecticut mom Jennifer Farber Dulos was reported missing. She is presumed dead but her body was never found. Awarding-winning anchor from WTNH News 8, Dennis House, had the opportunity to do an exclusive interview with Gloria Farber, Jennifer’s mom. He went to her Manhattan home and heard more insight about…

Melissa in the Morning: Troopers during Memorial Day Weekend

Melissa in the Morning: Troopers during Memorial Day Weekend

We have had a rough go in recent years when it comes to safety on our highways during Memorial Day weekend. When you look at the statistics from 2022 and 2023, we’ve had a lot of speeding, drinking and driving and reckless driving incidents breaking records in Connecticut. What have troopers done to best monitor…