WICC The Voice of Connecticut

On Friday's "Connecticut Today," both host Paul Pacelli (00:38) and GOP State Senate leader Steve Harding (14:18) both discussed the State of Connecticut possibly buying a minority stake in the WNBA's Connecticut Sun to prevent the team from relocating to another market. Former Bridgeport State Rep. Chris Caruso dropped by with his weekly wrap-up (21:56). We also welcomed Alice Lovejoy, author of, "Tales of Militant Chemistry: The Film Factory in a Century of War" (31:47) Image Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Host Paul Pacelli opened Thursday's "Connecticut Today" wondering if the latest announced minimum wage increase in Connecticut is too onerous for many businesses to deal with (00:40). Greenwich GOP State Sen. Ryan Fazio dropped by to talk about big endorsements he's received for the 2026 Governor's race (14:44). CBS News legal analyst Thane Rosenbaum detailed a lawsuit filed by Washington, D.C., trying to stop the use of National Guard troops there by the Trump White House (20:07) Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

Not even a week into the new school year – and a new report shows Connecticut is getting some better grades! New data was just released by the Connecticut State Department of Education looking at academic performance and chronic absenteeism. To break down the numbers and share key takeaways, we spoke with Ajit Gopalakrishnan, Chief Performance Officer of the Connecticut State Department of Education. For the full report: https://portal.ct.gov/sde/press-room/press-releases/2025/connecticut-students-see-gains-in-test-scores-and-attendance Image Credit: Getty Images

It sure is expensive to do business in Connecticut! But don’t just take my word for it…a new survey co-produced by CBIA found that costs are rising for more than 90% of firms. And that’s on top of workforce challenges and general uncertainty. CBIA Foundation Director, Dustin Nord, did a breakdown of the 2025 Survey of Connecticut Businesses and shared key takeaways. For the full report: https://www.cbia.com/economy/2025-survey-of-connecticut-businesses/?_cldee=-b0T7O7slSGzzAlOzxnXRbUsTULQyxkApUTJOpN7kRU56g2jMfxnA7tAYhVmECeICFITjZU1iLVtRF3-Inc1uA&recipientid=contact-e850fef8fdedea1180e8005056a9116f-8d8a065f9d6b4606ba687335108ef18e&esid=e6e450b7-1588-f011-b4cc-000d3a364952 Image Credit: Getty Images

It’s no secret, Connecticut’s non-profit organizations need support. We also have grassroots programs and ideas to better communities but a lot of times, those ideas need money to happen. Have you ever heard of the Connecticut Neighborhood Assistance Act Tax Credit Program? It’s a type of corporation business tax credit that can really help! Commissioner Mark Boughton of the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services explains. For more information: https://portal.ct.gov/drs/credit-programs/neighborhood-assistance/neighborhood-assistance-act-tax-credit-program Image Credit: Getty Images

Newly appointed Fairfield First Selectman, Christine Vitale, joined the show. We got to know her better, her perspective on a possible special election and the shocking reversal decision on a monopoles proposal made by the Connecticut Siting Council. Image Courtesy of Christine Vitale

A controversial decision made by Governor Lamont is still not sitting well with many. Governor Lamont vetoed House Bill 5002 and is planning a special session in the next few weeks to create a better piece of legislation that works better for all of the state with potentially more bi-partisan support. But regardless of the pause on signing the bill, Governor Lamont was uninvited from a national conference taking place in our state this month focused on creating housing. We spoke with Pete Harrison, Connecticut Director for the Regional Plan Association about this year’s YIMBYtown conference and why the governor is off the guest list. Image Credit: Reuters

Florida officials say they plan to eliminate all vaccine mandates, including those for diseases like measles, polio, and whooping cough. The Florida Department of Health will move to repeal its vaccine rules, while lawmakers are expected to consider changes to state law. We spoke to Dr. Fred Browne about the dangers of a decision like this anywhere and how extreme moves can make a real impact nationally. IMAGE CREDIT: Dr. Fred Browne / Griffin Health

More than a quarter of the adult population in America use the internet to find love. New data shows that most dating apps still have a long way to go to reach A-grade cybersecurity. The Business Digital Index team analyzed the 24 largest dating platforms and found that 75% received a grade of D or F for their digital security. We spoke with our cybersecurity expert, Dr. Vahid Behzadan, about the findings. Image Credit: Getty Images

A home in Killingly is getting a lot of attention for posting political signs posted on the property. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen signs draw controversy in a municipality. We spoke with Trish Crouse, an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of New Haven, about balancing free speech with respect to neighbors. Image Credit: Getty Images

It's official: the closing for the purchase of the former Holiday Inn in downtown Bridgeport happened this week. The former hotel is set to be converted to housing, some of which will be affordable for Bridgeport residents. Connecticut Housing Partners was a key role in making this happen. Renee Dobos, President of CHP, explains the deal with help from the Connecticut Department of Housing. For more information: https://cthousingpartners.org/v Image Credit: Getty Images

Host Paul Pacelli welcomed Connecticut Business and Industry Association President and CEO Chris DiPentima to Wednesday's edition of "Connecticut Today" regarding a new CBIA survey of Connecticut business owners (00:39). Hearst Connecticut Media Senior Editor and Columnist Dan Haar talked about the state's ongoing standoff with the Trump White House, and how Gov. Ned Lamont might delicately navigate that situation (10:59). Earlier in the show, Paul wondered if Connecticut should eventually move towards "open" primaries as a way to bolster turnout (22:05) Image Credit: Getty Images / OJO Images

We are getting calls from seniors who have been evicted and end up living in their cars and losing their belongings because they have nowhere to store items. What are people's rights or resources when an eviction notice happens? We asked Angela Schlingheyde, Executive Director of the Connecticut Bar Foundation. Image Credit: Getty Images

There are a lot of rumors about the Connecticut Sun. Is the team headed to Boston? Do we have a shot at keeping the team but moving it to Hartford? Will the WNBA just do what it wants with the team? We got clarity on this from Comptroller Sean Scanlon. IMAGE CREDIT: Eric Urbanowicz

September is National Preparedness Month, a time to focus on how we can be ready for emergencies. With hurricane season at its peak, it's important to know what steps your family can take to stay safe. We spoke with Becky Johnson, Regional Disaster Officer for the American Red Cross Connecticut chapter, about how to be proactive ahead of a disaster. For more information: https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2025/get-ready-for-hurricane-season.html Image Credit: Getty Images

A 75-page-long report released by UConn investigated use of force by police officers and state troopers in Connecticut. We got a better understanding of the findings and key takeaways from Ken Barone, one of the people at the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy at UConn, who helped put the report together. To read the full report: https://imrp-dpp.media.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3351/2025/08/2022-2023-CT-Police-Use-of-Force-Report-Final.pdf Image Credit: Getty Images

Host Paul Pacelli opened Tuesday's "Connecticut Today" talking about the dearth of reaction from prominent Democrats to another deadly weekend in Chicago (00:41). CBS News reporter Linda Kenyon joined us from the White House to chat about the possible use of National Guard troops in another U.S. city (14:59). Connecticut Mirror reporter Mark Pazniokas detailed his piece on the lasting effects of COVID-19 relief money flowing into Connecticut (17:31). Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio looked at some numbers on just how efficient state lawmakers use their limited time in the General Assembly (28:07) Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

Statistics for aviation instruction reveal a growing interest, with the FAA issuing a 24% increase in student pilot certificates in 2023, but a significant dropout rate of about 70-80% before completing higher certificates. It’s no secret, we need mor pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers. But we need to motivate and support the next generation to take those jobs. Tango Flight is now up and running at 2 schools in Connecticut. A mentor in the program and retired commercial pilot, Paul Zielinski, shared more about the program and why mentoring is key. If you’re interested in mentoring, email jkarageorge@firstaviation.com Image Credit: Getty Images

We invited Jason Jakubowski in studio, president and CEO of Connecticut Foodshare. What are the latest statistics for food insecurity in our state and how are we addressing the crisis? For more information: https://www.ctfoodshare.org/ Image Credit: Getty Images

For its 100th anniversary, the Darien Police Department is hosting an open house event, featuring K9 demonstrations, SWAT demos, department tours and so much more. We got the details from Joseph Licari, records officer for the town of Darien. For more information: www.darienpolice.org Image Credit: Getty Images