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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Report: Waterbury, Conn. ranked No. 1 city for worst drivers in the country
A new report from The ConsumerAffairs Journal of Consumer Research ranks Waterbury as the city with the worst drivers in the country. The report’s criteria for “worst drivers” include aggressive, careless, and wrong-way driving, among other factors. According to the report’s methodology, the research team uses crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System....
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Human remains found inside Connecticut home purchased at foreclosure auction
An investigation is underway after the skeletal remains of three people were found inside of a home in Burlington over the weekend, according to state police.
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Connecticut town warns beachgoers about a sassy seagull
A seagull named Cecil has been the center of attention — and many food-snatching incidents — in Waterford.
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Where's Marshmallow? NY animal rescue says CT woman never returned their dog
A judge ordered Sarah Smolak to return a dog named Marshmallow to Angels for Mistreated Animals, a New York based shelter, on Monday. But police and the rescue say she never showed up, and Marshmallow is still missing and has been for months. “Now I really worry for his safety, I worry where he is,” Caroline Plank, a volunteer with...
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5 people hospitalized, person of interest in custody after shooting at Connecticut mall
Five people have been transported to the hospital with gunshot wounds, but officials tell NBC Connecticut that there are no fatalities.
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Connecticut woman accused of holding stepson captive for 20 years pleads not guilty
Judge Joseph Schwartz said he decided that GPS monitoring was appropriate given her mental health conditions and the lack of a permanent residence since she is living with her children. This appearance came after Sullivan made a brief court appearance on Wednesday morning that lasted only 50 seconds. After that court appearance, the state filed a motion to request a...
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Woman accused of holding stepson captive in Connecticut makes brief court appearance
A Connecticut woman who is accused of locking her emaciated stepson in a room and holding him captive for nearly 20 years will face a judge on Wednesday.
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‘He put a lot of trust in us': Waterbury FD speaks out about rescuing man held captive
NBC Connecticut spoke to the Waterbury Fire Department about a call that changed the course of one man’s life. Police say a Waterbury man intentionally set his house on fire to escape 20 years of captivity his stepmother is accused of creating. It’s a call Waterbury Fire Department Captain Jon Paul Oldham said will now always stick out in his...
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Former Connecticut principal says he raised many concerns about malnourished boy
A Waterbury woman allegedly held her stepson captive for 20 years, providing little food and water, and a former school principal is speaking out and said the school reported concerns. “We knew it. We reported it. Not a damn thing was done. That’s the tragedy of the whole thing,” Tom Pannone, the former principal of the now-closed Barnard Elementary School in Waterbury,...
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How IRS layoffs could impact your tax filing process and speed of your return
The IRS is poised to lay off thousands of “probationary” employees this week, meaning those with two years or less on the job.
