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Connecticut Today - Oct. 7, 2026 · Connecticut Today

• 0:05
  P>Good morning. It's Wednesday, October 7th, 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 chilly start with some inland frost, sunshine and
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  milder temperatures are expected across the state today. We'll have the full
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  weather update at the end of the briefing. In today's headlines, a
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  University of Connecticut history professor is under investigation for allegedly sexually harassing
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  a student through text messages. Ricardo Saluzar Ray, who teaches at UConn's
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  Stanford campus, was accused in April of sending inappropriate texts to a
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  student, including calling her his soulmate and expressing a desire to have
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  children together. This marks the third time Salazar Rey has faced allegations,
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  with previous investigations in 2019-2023 finding policy violations. Yukon spokesperson Stefan
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  T. Reitz confirmed Salazar Rey is on administrative leave pending the outcome
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  of the investigation. Internal documents show the student reported feeling uncomfortable attending
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  his classes due to the nature of the messages and the professor's
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  influence over her academic standing. Across Connecticut, parents are raising concerns
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  about the amount of time students spend on school-issued devices. In New
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  Canaan, Anne Emson began questioning the district after her daughter experienced headaches
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  from extent screen use during standardized testing. The State Board of Education
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  recently passed guidelines urging districts to create screen time policies, noting that
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  increased digital device use has not led to the Academy gains once
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  expected. Some districts, like Norwalk and Greenwich, have already limited device use
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  for younger students. Research cited by the American Academy of Pediatrics links
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  excessive screen time to mental health issues and lower academic performance. New
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  Canaan schools plan to survey families and review technology used this fall
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  to help shape future policies. The cost of electric is a major
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  issue in the Connecticut governor's race. Governor Ned Lamont claims in a
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  new TV ad that his administration has lowered household electric bills by
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  400 a year, based on estimates from state utility regulators. Meanwhile, Republican
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  nominee Ryan Fazio says electric rates have increased by 38 since Lamont
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  took office, citing federal statistics. Both figures are supported by official data,
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  though the 2025 rate increase is provisional. The Lamont campaign points to
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  recent rate reductions for Eversource and United Illuminating Customers, while Fasio's plan
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  calls for reducing bills by 20 through policy changes and expanded energy
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  sources. Connecticut officials are highlighting efforts to improve roadside safety after several
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  recent deaths of emergency responders and workers. Fran Mako of Flagman Inc.
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  And U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal spoke in Hartford about a new Senate
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  resolution supporting a national move over law day. The resolution encourages awareness
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  of laws requiring drivers to slow down and move over for roadside
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  workers. Blumenthal also introduced a bill that would require federal agencies to
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  collect and analyze crash data involving roadside and work zone incidents, aiming
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  to develop strategies to prevent future tragedies. At Connecticut Colleges, nursing has
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  become the most popular major surpassing long-standing favorites like business and biology.
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  Federal data shows more than 1,500 students earn nursing degrees in 2025,
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  up from its position as the tenth most popular major in 1985.
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  Sacred Heart University and Quinai Piak University have seen significant increases in
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  nursing enrollment, reflecting both demand for skilled nurses and expanded program offerings.
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  Meanwhile, majors in the humanities such as English have declined in popularity
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  following a national trend. Many Connecticut households are bracing for higher heating
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  oil costs this winter. The average price of heating oil reached 5.88
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  per gallon in late September, which could mean an extra 1,540 in
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  annual costs for a typical household. Rural communities like Durham, where oil
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  is the primary heating source, are expected to be hit hardest. Nonprofit
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  groups are calling for emergency assistance and additional state support as more
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  residents seek help to cover rising fuel bills. State grants and federal
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  programs may not be enough to meet the increased need, especially as
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  other forms of assistance are also being reduced. And now for The
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  full weather forecast. After a frosty start in some inland areas, Connecticut
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  will see plenty of sunshine today, with highs reaching the lower to
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  middle 60s and a noticeable southwest breeze breeze. The mild weather continues
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  into Thursday and Friday, with temperatures climbing into the upper 60s and
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  low 70s before settling back into the 60s for the weekend. Thanks
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  for listening. For more local news, visit ctinsider.com. This digest was partially
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  generated by AI and then reviewed and edited by our newsroom staff.