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Connecticut Today - September 16, 2026 · Connecticut Today

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  P>Good morning. It's Wednesday, September 16th, 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. After a cooler start to the week, Connecticut is warming
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  up today. Sunshine will be plentiful, and temperatures are expected to climb
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  to near 80 degrees for much of the state. We'll have the
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  full weather update at the end of the briefing.
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  In today's headlines, Connecticut commuters are feeling the impact of rising gas
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  prices. Since early July, the average commuter in Wolcott has spent an
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  extra 5.44 per week at the pump. Across state, these added costs
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  have totaled about 22 million since July, according to CT Insider's analysis
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  of gas prices and commuter data. The recent spike in prices is
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  linked to market tightening in the international oil shipping industry, including a
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  key pipeline shutdown in Saudi Arabia after a drone strike. As of
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  Monday, commuters are paying nearly 1 million a day in additional costs.
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  The total bill could rise further if oil prices continue to climb.
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  judge trial referee has dismissed a lawsuit challenging Connecticut’s 2021 repeal of
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  the religious exemption from school vaccination requirements. The lawsuit, filed by a
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  group of parents, argued that the repeal violated the state's Religious Freedom
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  and Restoration Act. Earlier this year, lawmakers passed a bill clarifying that
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  school vaccination rules are not subject to the religious freedom law. Judge
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  Trial Referee Edward Crewmeich granted the state's motion to dismiss the case
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  on Monday. Attorney General William Tong said the dismissal, quote, affirms what
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  we have said since day one Connecticut’s common sense school vaccine requirements
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  are life-saving and lawful. The parent's attorney did not immediately respond to
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  a request for comment. Connecticut residents are assessing property damage after flash
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  flooding from Sunday's heavy rainfall. Some communities received up to 7 inches
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  of rain with the worst flooding in southern Fairfield County. Jeffrey Saunders
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  of Fairfield reported that about 50 inches of floodwater filled his garage,
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  submerging his car and reaching electrical outlets. United Illuminating reported more than
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  1,000 power outages as of Sunday night. State Emergency Management Director William
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  Turner is encouraging residents with storm damage to participate in a state
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  survey to help identify affected areas. Residents say they hope for better
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  communication from city officials about future flood prediction efforts. Several prediction market
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  companies are responding to a cease-and-desist order from the State Department of
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  Consumer Protection. The order targets nine companies accused of allowing illegal gambling
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  on sports and other events in Connecticut. Four companies, including Novig and
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  ProfitEx, are in talks with state officials about possibly stopping their services.
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  Five others, such as Polymarket and Robin Hood, have not yet responded.
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  State officials say these companies are bypassing Connecticut's authorized sports betting partners
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  and may be violating underage betting laws. In Connecticut, it is illegal
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  to wager on election results. Connecticut is home to four highly selective
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  colleges and University according to recent rankings. Yale University in New Haven
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  has an acceptance rate of 4.2 and is known for its historic
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  campus and notable alumni. Wesleyan University in Middletown offers a flexible curriculum
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  and has a 16 acceptance rate Trinity College in Hartford, founded in
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  1823, has a 29 acceptance rate and offers more than 50 majors.
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  Connecticut College in New London, with a 38 acceptance rate, is known
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  for its arboretum campus and variety of student clubs. Tuition and fees
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  at these schools range from about 94,800 to over 101,000 per year.
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  And now for the full weather forecast, Connecticut will see mostly sunny
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  skies today, with highs in the mid-70s to near 80 degrees across
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  the state. Winds will stay light, and the day should remain dry
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  and comfortable. Overnight, temperatures will settle into the upper 50s and 60s,
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  with clouds increasing late. The warm trend continues Thursday, with a slight
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  chance of showers by Thursday night. Thanks for listening. For more local
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  news, visit ctsider.com. This digest was partially generated by AI and then
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  reviewed and edited by our newsroom staff.