Seems okay now - maybe it was a fluke, though I'm still checking into it. Safari recently changed some viewing permission rules related to other sites, which require users to manually set permissions to automatically hear and see certain things when they visit a website. For instance, under Safari "Preferences/Websites", I needed to select "Auto-Play" next to the Cookie Connection site in order to be able to hear the normal sounds our chat room makes when comments get posted.
I adjusted some of my other personal settings last night, which may have helped me. If anyone else experiences the same issue, you may need to look at your own personal Safari permissions. Some permissions on Safari (like Auto-Play) have to be controlled now at a local level.