The Wheelhouse

At least 1,000 people lost access to gender-affirming care in Connecticut in the wake of a federal threat to strip health care providers of benefits. Pressure from the Trump administration resulted in several Connecticut hospitals winding down programs for youth gender-affirming care  last summer . But in March, Connecticut and 20 other states successfully sued to  block  a declarat...

We’re in the final days of the 2025-26 academic year. A lot has happened since the fall, including the  assassination  of a conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk, the  rise  of Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, and  another  U.S. conflict in the Persian Gulf. Today on The Wheelhouse, we hear how students at the University of Hartford are keeping up with the pol...

Recent redactions to the Epstein files have raised renewed questions about what the government does –  and does not  – strike from highly sensitive documents. The black pen has been used on classified materials for decades. But amid renewed calls for disclosure, more Americans are raising questions about the politics behind what stays in and what gets taken out. Today on the...

President Donald Trump says the U.S. conflict with Iran is “ nearing completion .” He’s addressed the American people after gas prices soared and markets panicked. It’s a story America knows all too well, with a reliance on fossil fuels causing many crises including in  1973 ,  1979 ,  1999 , and  2022 . Today on the Wheelhouse, we’re looking at oi...

What you see on the internet could influence how you see one side of a political debate. Whether it was  the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by a federal law enforcement,  – or what  NPR is calling “America’s first AI-fueled war”  in Iran, images generated online may distort what’s actually happening. Today on The Wheelhouse, as trust in news...

Connecticut has sued the federal government to keep colleges and universities from  releasing race-based admissions data  to the White House. Ahead of “ Ivy Day ,” when students will learn if they’ve gotten into some of the country’s most prestigious schools, we’re re-visiting a 2023 Supreme Court decision that  effectively banned affirmative action &nb...

The White House and the U.S. Department of Defense are incorporating “maximum lethality” into their rhetoric about the war in Iran. It’s hyper-masculine language, tied to a misogynistic and fringe internet culture known to target women. At a time when administration officials are  selling Iran airstrikes  with montages of popular moments in American culture, the line be...

Election results from 2024 have necessitated deep dives into the manosphere. These podcasts often don’t focus on political horse races – and many of the people on them say they’re not political. But,  according to one data firm , 54% of votes from men aged 18 to 29 were cast for Donald Trump. And his campaign did a lot of outreach to appear on the podcasts, courting an audie...

Across Connecticut, some students are joining  a national movement to protest federal immigration crackdowns . Students from Classical Magnet School in Hartford poured out of the classroom and onto the streets in February,  holding up signs  like “ICE OUT” to passing cars. The demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement are happening in places like Hartfor...

A  plan  sponsored by President Donald Trump to overhaul national voting laws ahead of the 2026 midterms is back in Congress. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) called the  SAVE America Act  and its recent passage in the U.S. House a “ critical step toward restoring election integrity .” But detractors, like U.S. Rep.  John Larson  (D-Conn.), said the plan would ma...

A panel of civic-minded individuals answer questions at the University of Connecticut’s Hartford campus about engagement and the connective tissue of politics. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut lawmakers want to reduce kids’ screentime in 2026, arguing that it  protects  children. Gov. Ned Lamont has proposed banning cell phones from “bell to bell” in Connecticut classrooms. But not all lawmakers are onboard with the idea, including a Republican lawmaker who’s accusing members of her legislative chamber of trying to “ co-parent ”...

State lawmakers return to Hartford Wednesday for the opening of the 2026 legislative session. They meet as federal lawmakers  argue over expiring health care subsidies and immigration enforcement operations across the country. In Connecticut, how will these federal cuts and controversies impact the work lawmakers do this session? And with soaring energy costs continuing to hammer Connecticut...

“Suffs,” the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical about history-making women, is coming to Hartford. From Jan. 27 to Feb. 1, the people behind “Suffs” say they’ll highlight themes of the past that are still relevant today including grassroots activism, race, gender and class dynamics. Producers of "Suffs" say it isn’t some “dry history lesson,” but a...

Civilians and federal ICE agents are clashing from  Hartford  to  Minneapolis . Federal officials are amping up enforcement efforts – and rhetoric – in the wake of  several  shootings in Minnesota at the hands of federal ICE agents. How are protesters and journalists responding? Today on The Wheelhouse, government accountability and transparency in 2026. GUESTS...

Visitors to U.S. national parks get in free on certain holidays. But two days honoring Black history, Martin Luther King’s birthday – and Juneteenth – are no longer free. As America marks 40 years of observing MLK Day, today on the Wheelhouse we’ll look at how the current Republican administration in Washington is marking King’s birthday and what that means for Black...

2026 grads seeking professional degrees face capped loans thanks to funding cuts in the federal Republican tax and spending plan Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Connecticut earn the moniker “Constitution State”? Hint – it’s not the  Constitution  you learned about in history class! We’ll travel back to the 1600s to explore how history, conflict and big aspirations helped shape the state’s identity. GUESTS : Thomas Balcerski , professor of history at Eastern Connecticut State University and director of...

Free speech is in focus at this year’s Wheelhouse LIVE event amid significant shifts in the world of broadcast media. If free press is the cornerstone of American Democracy, what do the Trump administration’s attacks on late night TV hosts – and Congress’ claw back of funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting – tell us about the future of American politics a...

Trad wives, short for “traditional wives,” are taking social media by storm. Clips of women, dressing up in 1950s-style dresses, homesteading and making food from scratch, are receiving a lot of likes and lots of criticism on the web. This hour, we peek behind the apron and ask: What does social media's trad wife phenomenon tell us about politics today? Guests : Jessica Grose , opinion...

From toys to turkeys, holiday purchases and their price tags are being shaped by politics. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and years of persistent inflation are leaving many Americans with sticker shock. Higher prices are hitting not just for big importers, but also at your favorite local shops and restaurants. Many Americans tell Consumer Reports that they’re “very or extremely...

Connecticut lawmakers had a lot to do during the latest special session. On top of  unfinished  housing business, lawmakers had only two days to authorize a $500 million dollar relief package to address federal cuts. They also voted on the purchase of a major hospital and worked to curb increased federal law enforcement efforts in Connecticut. And what about the spectre of rising health...

A recent  NPR/PBS News/Marist University  poll indicated Americans’ displeasure with their government. It found 62% of Americans surveyed believed the country is heading in the wrong direction, while 79 % say the country is going too far to restrict free speech. So, what are people doing with their frustrations? Today on The Wheelhouse, we’re talking with community organizers...

It’s the morning after Election Day 2025 in Connecticut and we’re breaking down the latest results from municipal races across the state. How did an election to name a new mayor in New Britain turn out? What races commanded local attention in your community? And what issues – from education to zoning – motivated you to get out to the polls? Secretary of the State Stephanie...

More Americans now think violence is necessary to “right” the country than they did 18 months ago. That’s according to polling from NPR, PBS News and Marist University. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has federalized and deployed national guard troops to American cities, sparking a flurry of court challenges and an outbreak of panic. Today on The Wheelhouse, how political vio...