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Connecticut Today - October 19, 2026 · Connecticut Today

• 0:05
  P>Good morning. It's Monday, October 19, and this is Connecticut Today, CT
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  Insider's daily audio briefing. Catch up on Connecticut. All news, no noise
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  in under 5 minutes. We're starting off with a quick look at
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  the weather. Connecticut begins the week with a chilly morning and plenty
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  of sunshine. Temperatures will climb back toward 60 degrees today, with lighter
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  winds and dry weather expected statewide. We'll have the full weather update
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  at the end of the briefing. In today's headlines, Connecticut has expanded
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  its wrong-way driving detection systems from a single pilot in Danbury in
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  2020 to at least 300 active systems across the state. These advanced
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  systems now alert both drivers and authorities when a wrong-way entry is
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  detected. Fatal wrongway crashes on divided highways have dropped since a spike
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  in 2022, but a recent crashes on Interstate 91 claimed the life
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  of a University of New Haven student. The Department of Transportation says
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  it is impossible to quantify exactly how many crashes have been prevented,
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  but the systems have recorded over 1,300 entries and more than 1,100
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  successful turnarounds. Plans to install about 1,300 more systems, aiming to cover
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  half of the state's ramps. The agency has received more than 80
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  million in funding for the program. P>Federal
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  energy regulators are warning that artificial intelligence is increasingly being used in
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  the computer networks that operate and protect the nation's electric grid, raising
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  new cybersecurity concerns. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission says AI tools can
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  improve efficiency but may also create new risks if not properly monitored.
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  In Connecticut, Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Counsel Claire Coleman have
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  asked the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to investigate how utilities are using
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  AI and what safeguards are mice. The review would cover everything from
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  storm response to customer systems and data security. Eversource has said it
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  supports a transparent evaluation of AI use to ensure safety and reliability
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  for Connecticut customers. An estimated
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  91,000 Connecticut residents with disabilities between ages 18 and 64 were employed
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  in 2024, representing about 46 of working-age people with disabilities in the
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  state. Advocates say there are more people who want to work than
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  there are jobs available. Some local employers, like ReRead Books and More
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  in Cheshire, are making efforts to hire people with disabilities, but advocates
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  note that many businesses need more support and education to do so.
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  The state Bureau of Rehabilitation Services works with about 10,000 people with
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  disabilities each year and is piloting a program to help people move
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  into more competitive, better-paying jobs. P>Most
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  Connecticut hospitals will lose federal money next year for failing to prevent
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  patients from being readmitted after treatment. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
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  Services penalized 22 of the state's 26 eligible acute care hospitals, reducing
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  their base payments for inpatient stays. Yale New Haven Health's Lawrence Plus
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  Memorial Hospitals in New London received the highest penalty in the state
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  at 1.69. Hospitals say they are working to improve care transitions and
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  reduce readmissions, with efforts including early identification of high-risk patients and better
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  coordination with outpatient providers. The penalties are based on data from July
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  2023 through June 2025 and reflect a national trend, with about 80
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  of hospitals across the country facing similar penalties. A new
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  Sacred Heart University, WFSB, and CT Insider poll shows Governor Ned Lamont
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  with a wide lead over state Senator Ryan Fazio in the race
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  for governor. The poll of 1,000 registered voters found Lamont leading Fazio
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  by 53 to 31 with likely voters favoring Lamont by an even
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  larger margin. The poll also found that 35 of respondents believe the
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  state is on the wrong track, and 48 say the economy has
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  worsened over the past year. Despite dissatisfaction with the economy, Lamont's favorability
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  rating stands at 59 The poll suggests that national political trends are
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  playing a significant role in the race. And now for the full
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  weather forecast. The weekend's deep chill is easing, and Monday will bring
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  mostly sunny skies with highs near sixty degrees across much of the
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  state. Inland areas will start off cold with some valleys near freezing,
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  but sunshine will help temperatures recover by afternoon. The next few days
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  will remain dry and mild, with rain chances returning later in The
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  week. Thanks for listening. For more local news, visit ctsinsider.com. This digest
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  was partially generated by AI and then reviewed and edited by our
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  newsroom staff.