WICC The Voice of Connecticut

Host Paul Pacelli started a new week on "Connecticut Today" highlighting some controversial comments made by Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy at a recent gathering of progressive activists in Spain (00:33). Connecticut State Republican Party Chairman Ben Proto offered his comments on those remarks (14:42). Finally, GOP State Sen. Eric Berthel gave us an update on a controversial homeschooling reform bill at the State Capitol (22:55)

Another legislative session, another year of debating how to handle bears in our state. This year's "bear bill" is now on the Senate floor, Senate Bill 146: “An Act Concerning the Protection of Crops and Livestock from Certain Wildlife.” What is this version of bear legislation in Connecticut and what would it mean for homeowners, specifically farmers in the state? We spoke with Annie Hornish, Connecticut State Director for the Humane World for Animals. To read the bill: https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/CGABillStatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB146

A change of plea hearing has been scheduled in the second corruption trial of former Connecticut school construction chief Konstantinos Diamantis. It comes months after Diamantis was convicted of bribery and extortion in a separate case. We spoke to our legal expert on the show, Attorney Bill Bloss, who is not connected to this case but can give us predictions as to what will happen next.

A heads-up world travelers: the BBB is warning people about passport scams. Apparently, the scam tracker has received more than 750 cases this year – including ones from Connecticut. We spoke with Kristen Johnson of the Better Business Bureau CT to learn how this scam works and how to avoid it!

A Louisiana father fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, in an attack on his family Sunday morning that stretched across two houses. It is considered one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent years, and it stemmed from a domestic disturbance. What can we take away from this case and how do we combat domestic violence in America? We spoke with former chief of police, Gary MacNamara, who is also on the board for the Center for Family Justice, advocating and helping families in Connecticut impacted by domestic violence.

According to a new survey just conducted, the number 1 reason people call in sick to work is conflicts with colleagues. Here in Connecticut, what are the primary complaints from workers and are there any legal claims people can make? We spoke with Gary Phelan, employment attorney with Hurwitz Sagarin & Slossberg, LLC in Milford and law professor at Quinnipiac University.

You've heard of 'stranger danger' but maybe in your mind, that sounds like the classic boogey man in the woods. However, that's not really the person your kids should be aware of in abduction or sexual assault cases today. We do a deeper dive into what a 'kinda-know' really means, how to identify kinda-know's and then discuss them with your children.

Host Paul Pacelli kicked off Friday's "Connecticut Today" talking about a new Blue-Ribbon Commission announced by Gov. Ned Lamont to look at how the state's public education is funded (00:29). Blogger and columnist Chris Powell joined us to chat about the Governor's proposal (15:31), while CBS News White House reporter Linda Kenyon dropped by with the latest news regarding the U.S. and Iran (25:58)

'She Cries Murder' is a new murder mystery film with a lot of ties to Connecticut. It premieres tonight at The Strand in Seymour. We spoke with the director, Tony Capes, and actor, Joey Ambrosini, about the film and what viewers can expect. Photo credit: Joey Ambrosini

MLB reporter, author, and Fairfield native Mike Clair spoke with Jon about his first hand experience with one of the greatest underdog stories in the history of sports...

The Beat and The Badge will air Sundays at noon, hosted by weekday morning personality Melissa Sheketoff of Melissa in the Morning alongside retired Fairfield Police Chief Gary MacNamara. The show will cover both local and national crime stories, while also giving listeners practical information on how to stay informed, prevent crime, and make a difference in their own communities. Learn why the pair decided to launch this show and what you can expect each week from the show.

Governor Lamont signed an executive order (Executive Order No. 26-3) calling for the development of a strategic plan to reform the funding streams used to support the operations of Connecticut’s K-12 public schools. While there’s bipartisan support for this, is the effort too little too late and delaying a financial crisis we’re facing? We spoke more about this with Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association. Picture Courtesy of the Connecticut Education Association

It is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and we checked in with DMV Commissioner Tony Guererra. We spoke about issues with the phones, technology advancements in cars and different envelope programs available to Connecticut residents. For more information: Get the blue envelope for autism awareness | CT.gov Get the green envelope | CT.gov Get the yellow envelope for empowering safe interactions for individuals with cognitive impairments and physical disabilities | CT.gov

Recent federal data confirms that 71% of schools are currently overwhelmed by a record-breaking spike in "acting out" and student anxiety. One author is addressing this issue after completing her career as an educator. We spoke with Joy Berry, known as “The Inventor of Self Help Books for Kids,” with more than 200 titles and over 85 million copies sold worldwide. For more information: https://joyberryenterprises.com/

Allegations aimed at the administration of former New Britain Mayor and current GOP Gubernatorial candidate Erin Stewart were at the top of host Paul Pacelli's mind on Thursday's "Connecticut Today" - wondering about possible political damage to her campaign (00:37). Former State Senate GOP Leader John McKinney commented on that report and more (15:17), while Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Council Executive Director Chris Healy discussed a pair of pending bills at the State Capitol (26:03)

Last week, a proposed expansion of a program that treats Connecticut veterans suffering from PTSD received bi-partisan support. That program uses psilocybin, the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms", and Dr. Craig Allen from Hartford Healthcare spoke with Jon about how this staple of the psychedelic movement can help improve lives.

We checked in with Dr. Browne about top health stories from measles outbreaks, to superbugs and even illnesses that could travel back from outer space!

The FAA is working to address the ongoing critical shortage of air traffic controllers across the country. And apparently, the agency is considering video gamers to fill jobs. We talked more about this with Mark Kilpatrick, co-founder of Affinity Esports. We also talked generally about misconceptions surrounding gaming. For more information: https://www.affinityesports.gg/ Image Credit: Eric Urbanowicz

A New Britain city employee who was on administrative leave has been fired after an investigation into her conduct and alleged backdating of taxes. Ironically, the announcement came as former New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart announced her running mate for the gubernatorial race. We spoke with Mayor Stewart about all of this. Image Courtesy of Erin Stewart