Melissa in the Morning: Laken Riley Act

Melissa in the Morning: Laken Riley Act

President Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act Wednesday afternoon, which requires that federal authorities detain immigrants who lack legal status and are accused of crimes even before they are convicted. We got a better understanding about the act and how it can lead to immediate deportation for people illegally living in Connecticut from Attorney…

Melissa in the Morning: Smartphones and Aggression

Melissa in the Morning: Smartphones and Aggression

Do smartphones lead to more aggression in teenagers? A new study says yes, they do! And not only aggression; the study published in the New York Post also highlighted more hallucinations and detachment from reality for teens as young as 13 using their smartphones too much. But how accurate is this new research? We spoke…

Melissa in the Morning: The Freeze

Melissa in the Morning: The Freeze

Connecticut and 21 other states are suing to stop the implementation of a new Trump administration directive to freeze federal assistance. While there is still some confusion around the directive, what programs or people are truly impacted by this if the freeze goes forward? We spoke with CBS legal analyst, Thane Rosenbaum. Image Credit: Reuters

Melissa in the Morning: Pesticides in CT Waters

Melissa in the Morning: Pesticides in CT Waters

‘Widely used insecticides found in Connecticut waters can kill our ecosystems and even impact human health.’ It’s a jarring headline from the Connecticut Pesticideoalition following a recent UConn report. We spoke with the head of the coalition, Louise Washer, to learn more about these harmful pesticides, “neonics.” For the initial article: CT Pesticide Reform News Release:…

Melissa in the Morning: ‘Panic’ Buttons

Melissa in the Morning: ‘Panic’ Buttons

Starbucks chains are testing out ‘panic buttons’ across the nation to address people who linger around and become a nuisance to workers. Law enforcement expert, Gary MacNamara talked about the effectiveness of these buttons and why they are different from what you’d expect in places like banks. Image Credit: Getty Images

Melissa in the Morning: Texts from a Teacher

Melissa in the Morning: Texts from a Teacher

A substitute teacher for Norwalk Public Schools faces charges for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages to middle school students. Police Chief James Walsh talked briefly about the case but also shared advice for families to protect their kids from being on the receiving end of these incidents. But also, how do we better detect a…

Melissa in the Morning: Commissioner Gifford

Melissa in the Morning: Commissioner Gifford

Connecticut residents deserve high quality, accessible, and affordable care. That’s why financial stability and transparency of Connecticut hospitals, health systems, and medical practices is a focus for Governor Lamont. A new legislative proposal looks at more oversight from the Office of Health Strategy. We spoke with Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford about the governor’s proposals and…

Melissa in the Morning: Religion in the Workplace

Melissa in the Morning: Religion in the Workplace

A New Britain teacher was allegedly placed on leave after refusing to remove a small crucifix from the wall near her desk. According to the report, the school demanded she remove the cross back in December, or she would be disciplined for insubordination. The veteran teacher is now on administrative leave and the school is…

Melissa in the Morning: Health Insurance in CT

Melissa in the Morning: Health Insurance in CT

It’s no secret; health insurance is so expensive that some Connecticut residents would rather risk going uninsured than to foot the bill for coverage. How can lawmakers bring some relief and more insurance options for residents? We spoke with Senator Tony Hwang, Ranking Republican on the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. Image Credit: Getty Images

Melissa in the Morning: Virtual Reality Training

Melissa in the Morning: Virtual Reality Training

Virtual reality isn’t just for video games anymore. How do you feel about VR being used to train our future doctors? Dr. Samreen Vora from the Yale Center for Healthcare Simulation shared more details about the type of training happening, who is benefiting from VR training and whether it’s comparable to simulation rooms with dummies.…