Melissa Cooney joined NBC Connecticut in July 2024 as a weekday dayside reporter.
She began her career at WCAX in Burlington, Vermont, where she covered the education beat on topics such as developments in the state surrounding standardized testing, restraint and seclusion, school safety, and COVID-19.
Melissa has also covered severe weather, including the historic July 2023 flooding that tore through Vermont and was on site to cover the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine.
Melissa is originally from Long Island, New York, and is a proud alumna of Wake Forest University. She holds a B.A. in communication media studies and has a strong foundation in journalism and studio art. Her academic background has equipped her with the skills and knowledge to excel in her reporting career.
She is thrilled to be in Connecticut and is eager to explore the state while indulging in her love for running and skiing.
The Latest
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Connecticut launches hotline for legal advice about abortions
Legal advice about access and providing legal abortions in Connecticut is now one phone call away. Connecticut Attorney General Tong announced a partnership with the organization Reproductive Equity Now. They’re launching a hotline in response to the election, which they say is creating uncertainty in the national abortion access landscape. The hotline is: 833-309-6301. “It’s our fight. It’s our shared responsibility. We...
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How well did local polling predict the 2024 presidential election?
Donald Trump is the 2024 president-elect, and he was declared the winner earlier than some expected. Many polls leading into Election Day rated the race too close to call, including Quinnipiac University. Their final election poll showed Trump receiving 48% of support, and Kamala Harris receiving 47%. It’s hard for anyone to predict the outcome of the presidential election. “We’re in...
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Connecticut voters react to Trump win
Donald Trump is the 2024 president-elect, defeating Democrat Kamala Harris with over 50% of the vote. NBC News projects 55.3% of Connecticut voters supported Harris, while 42.8% voted for Trump. “I’m very satisfied with the outcome of the president,” said Bill Baer of Wolcott, who voted for Trump. “Just very, very disappointed,” said Nancy Minardi of Waterbury, who voted for…
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Middlebury animal rescue temporarily waives adoption fees
Animal rescues are struggling statewide, with too many animals coming in and not enough people adopting. In Middlebury, Brass City Rescue Alliance is waiving adoption fees until Nov. 10, with the goal to incentivize more people to consider adopting. “It’s been a long time, nobody’s coming in, there’s no interest,” Lauren Tucker, a volunteer at Brass City Rescue Alliance,...
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Crews work to extinguish brush fire in Oxford
Crews are keeping an eye out on multiple brush fires in the state, including one at Seymour Reservoir #4 in the Naugatuck State Forest. “We’ve been pumping water on it all afternoon,” said Oxford Fire Chief Scott Pelletier. He says they arrived around 1 in the morning, left around 6:30 in the morning, and returned shortly after, when the fire…
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Almost 400 years of Hartford history on display at the Old State House
Calling all history buffs! You have the chance to take in almost 400 years of Hartford’s history right downtown in the capitol city. People are encouraged to take a walk and browse the new exhibit outside Connecticut’s Old State House, titled “389 Years in 389 Steps.” From witch trials in the 1600s to Whaler Mania in the 1980s, Hartford’s history…
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UConn looking to address low enrollment for 70 majors
The University of Connecticut is reviewing enrollment numbers for 70 programs, causing concern for the professors who teach them. UConn says they are not directing programs to end or end majors, but they are asking educators for ideas on how to address programs with low enrollment. “The majority of classes I’ve taken at UConn have been 20 people or less,”…
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Pride organization calls on North Haven schools to do more to support LGBTQ+ community
The organization North Haven Pride is calling on North Haven Public Schools to show more support for the LGBTQ+ community. It comes after a public comment session surrounding a gender non-conforming substitute teacher during a Board of Education meeting last week. A non-binary substitute teacher and a cisgender educator allegedly used the children’s restroom at Green Acres Elementary School...
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Former Hartford police officer seeks criminal protection order against 2018 attacker
Former Hartford police officer Jill Kidik was in court Thursday asking for a criminal protection order against the woman who attacked her on the job. In 2018, Chevoughn Augustin stabbed Kidik in the throat, striking her trachea, while she was responding to a routine call. Augustin was found not guilty by reason of mental disease in 2021. Once that was…
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Hikers encouraged to enjoy Connecticut parks and be safe while doing so
Fall foliage season is upon us. It’s a time many consider the perfect time of year to take in all Connecticut has to offer. “It’s like the best day of the year,” said Terry Reinhardt, of Bristol. He’s taking his kayak out in Satan’s Kingdom State Park in New Hartford. “It seems to have all of a sudden picked...
