Melissa in the Morning: New Face for CT Girl Scouts

Melissa in the Morning: New Face for CT Girl Scouts

More than 50 million American women have participated in the sisterhood of Girl Scouts throughout the years and one of these exceptional women is the new CEO of The Girl Scouts of Connecticut. We met Elicia Pegues Spearman, a Chesire attorney and new leader of the #1 girls’ non-profit, to hear her plans for the organization going forward.

IMAGE CREDIT: Alisa Picerno / Girl Scouts of Connecticut

Melissa in the Morning: CCSU Chancellor Terrance Cheng

Melissa in the Morning: CCSU Chancellor Terrance Cheng

As the legislative session winds down, we know there’s a big push for funding public higher education in our state. CSCU serves 85,000 students and 96% of those students are from Connecticut. The more than a dozen institutions in the system reportedly make an $11 billion annual impact on the state’s economy. CSCU Chancellor Terrance Cheng helps us understand the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system better and talk about the impact the state’s budget negotiations for local college students.

IMAGE CREDIT: Samantha Norton / Office of The chancellor of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system

CT Today With Paul Pacelli – The White House Confronts Campus Violence

CT Today With Paul Pacelli – The White House Confronts Campus Violence

Thursday’s “Connecticut Today” with host Paul Pacelli welcomed Sacred Heart University Political Science Scholar in Residence Dr. Gary Rose on the current protests at many U.S. colleges and the White House response (00:22). “Only In Bridgeport” blogger Lennie Grimaldi also stopped by with the latest Park City buzz (11:06)

Image Credit: REUTERS/Nathan Howard

Melissa in the Morning: DMD Screening

Melissa in the Morning: DMD Screening

Connecticut lawmakers are debating a bill to bring earlier intervention to children diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. House Bill 5321 would require all newborns in the state be tested for DMD as part of the Department of Public Health’s newborn screening program. If approved, it would begin in July 2027. We got a medical perspective on the impact of this bill if it passes. Dr. Gyula Acsadi is a pediatric neurologist and Division Head of Neurology at Connecticut Children’s Hospital.

Image Credit: Getty Images

Melissa in the Morning: Housing Update in CT

Melissa in the Morning: Housing Update in CT

We continue to face a housing crisis in Connecticut and last month, Renee Dobos, CEO of CT Housing Partners, took those concerns to Washington DC. We find out what she voiced in front of lawmakers at our nation’s capital and the impact it could have on our state. Plus, we got her take on any legislative movement on housing bills during the 2024 legislative session wrapping up next week.

For more information: https://cthousingpartners.org/

Image Credit: Getty Images

Melissa in the Morning: Vaping Study

Melissa in the Morning: Vaping Study

A new study found vaping is tied to an increased risk of lead and uranium exposure in teens ages 13 to 17 who used e-cigarette over a 20-day period. Researchers recommended stronger regulations on vaping.  Another recent study found people who vape are 19-percent more likely to develop heart failure. We got Dr. Browne’s take on this including a better understanding of the impact on the human body exposed to lead and uranium. Plus, we kicked off May with Lyme Disease Awareness Month talking to our tick expert about tick bites. But what about other parasites out there? We asked Dr. Fred Browne about this.

Image Credit: Getty Images

Melissa in the Morning: Where is the President?

Melissa in the Morning: Where is the President?

You’ve seen the news in the last couple of weeks and it seems like the top story is the constant unrest on college campuses across the country. But the chaos on college campuses surrounding the Israel-Hamas war has been stirring since the fall. What seems to bother most Americans today, regardless of party affiliation, is the lack of leadership. Where is President Biden to unite the country by supporting peaceful protests while condemning violence? We asked Senator Richard Blumenthal about this.

Image Credit: Reuters

CT Today With Paul Pacelli – So … Who Are The “External Actors?”

CT Today With Paul Pacelli – So … Who Are The “External Actors?”

Wednesday’s “Connecticut Today” with host Paul Pacelli wondered about who the so-called “external actors” are that are allegedly causing much of the current unrest on college campuses across the U.S. (00:35). Stonington GOP State Rep. Greg Howard – an active-duty police officer – talked about key votes earlier this week at the Capitol regarding marijuana law enforcement policy (11:20). Hearst Connecticut Media editor and columnist Dan Haar joined us live from the State Capitol with the latest legislative update (23:59)

Image Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

Melissa in the Morning: Early Detection is Key

Melissa in the Morning: Early Detection is Key

According to national statistics, about 40-million US adults have dyslexia but only about 2-million people have been diagnosed. More and more kids are struggling in school with learning challenges, but we are delaying intervention for a lot of them. Why?! We tackled the issue at hand with our education consultant, Liz Englander, and found out what to look for in order to better advocate for your kids.

Image Credit: Getty Images