Where We Live

Essential workers provide much needed services to the general public but at what cost to their physical and mental health? This hour, we continue our series on The Future of Work by talking to people who never stopped going to their jobs.   Essential workers aren’t just healthcare professionals. They’re frontline workers like grocery store staff, your local delivery person, a...

This is the first part in a series of shows from Where We Live about the future of work after the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Connecticut residents are used to spending a lot of time commuting, whether driving on a highway, riding on a train to the city or taking the bus across town. But the number of drivers and ridership across all modes of transportation have dropped dramatically with stay-at-home...

There’s a few popular phrases being passed around right now: “You’re not alone.” And, “we’re all in this together.” They’re necessary sentiments. With the recent death of George Floyd, and the continuing COVID-19 crisis, people are feeling lonely. And for those living alone amid the pandemic, the isolation can be really difficult. This hour, we discu...

Residents across Connecticut continue to protest and speak out in response to the police killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer. This hour, as residents demand police accountability, how should they also work towards dismantling systemic racism in our state? We talk with State Representative Robyn Porter, who has worked on police accountability legislation. We find out what more nee...

The beginning of the month means the rent is due. But what if you lost your job during the COVID-19 pandemic? This hour, we talk to a housing advocate about what protections exist for Connecticut residents who can’t afford housing costs right now. And we learn about the lasting consequences for residents who are at risk for eviction if the state and federal governments don’t provide ad...

May 20th marked the first phase of Re-open Connecticut. What conditions will need to be met before Phase 2 starts on June 20th? This hour, Governor Ned Lamont calls in to talk about what Phase 2 will look like.  Later in the hour, we talk to Rodney Butler, Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and executive for Foxwoods Resort Casino. Starting today, casinos in Connecticut are re-...

While swimming is a popular pastime for many Americans, a history of discrimination at pools nationwide in the 20th century has led to startling racial disparities in swimming abilities.  A 2017 USA Swimming Foundation report  found more than 6 in 10 African American children have low to no swimming skills. And that has deadly consequences:  Black and Latino children are statistical...

Last week marked the beginning of a phased reopening of Connecticut. Several businesses are permitted to reopen under Phase 1 of Connecticut’s reopening, including restaurants that are able to open for outdoor dining. This hour, we hear how restaurants have fared through the shutdown, and what reopening looks like.  Later, we hear how COVID-19 has disrupted the food supply chain and how...

As Connecticut and other states begin to reopen during the pandemic, data is more important than ever. Today, we talk about the role of statistics in shaping our understanding of the COVID-19. We hear from one of the researchers behind the How We Feel App, a volunteer system of symptom tracking. They plan to turn the symptoms users record into useful information about emerging hotspots. And l...

Last week we brought you a show about the New Haven’s Black Panther trials and the 1970 May Day rally, fifty years ago now this month, when tens of thousands of protestors gathered on the New Haven Green and the campus of Yale University--in  support of Black Panther Party leaders Bobby Seale and Ericka Huggins, who were on trial in New Haven. Many New Haven residents feared violence wo...

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance and a day to acknowledge those who serve our country. This hour, what is it like to serve in the military during the coronavirus? How are those deployed, and their families navigating the pandemic? Later, Commissioner Katie Dykes from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection joins us to discuss how to stay safe if you are heading to the...

Discrimination against Asian Americans has increased during the pandemic.  An Ipsos Poll in April found 6 out of 10 Asian Americans said they observed COVID-19-related bias against Asians . From rude comments to even violent assaults, anti-Asian racism is impacting many Asian Americans’ sense of safety, on top of the regular stresses of life during the pandemic. Today, Where We Live, we...

Donald Collins first told his mom he was transgender when he was a senior in high school. His mother wasn’t totally sure what the word transgender even meant. From there, they began a difficult emotional journey as Donald began his transition. This hour, we sit down with Donald and his mother, Mary Collins. They have written about their experience in the book At the Broken Places: A Mother a...

Daycares have continued to stay open throughout the quarantine, but many parents have opted to keep their children at home. When Connecticut starts to open up this week and more parents head back to work, many will need childcare. This hour, how are daycares taking care of kids in a pandemic? Later, going to camp can be the highlight of any child’s summer. How will Connecticut summer ca...

On May 1st, 1970, the eyes of the nation were on the Elm City. Students and others from around the country had gathered to protest the murder trial of Black Panther Party leaders Bobby Seale and Ericka Huggins. This hour, we take a look back at May Day in New Haven, 50 years ago. We talk with Huggins and hear from a former Baltimore mayor who was one of the Yale students who helped keep protests p...

As the school year winds down for students, universities and colleges across the state are starting to make a plan for the fall semester. This hour, we’re talking to college faculty and students about what their online learning experience has been like so far, and what their hopes are for the next academic year. How are universities preparing for an outbreak on campus? College isn’t ju...

Not only is Charles Ives a revered American composer, but he is also Connecticut's native son. This hour, we take an in-depth look at Ives’ life and profound musical output, and we ask: What is his legacy today?  Join the conversation on  Facebook  and  Twitter . GUESTS: Neely Bruce - John Spencer Camp Professor of Music at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut (...

What will Connecticut’s reopening look like?  The anticipated day is just a couple weeks away on May 20. In the lead up, the Governor’s administration has released a set of rules for businesses that will be allowed to reopen, including restaurants and hair salons. This hour, Governor Ned Lamont calls in to talk about the rules businesses will have to follow. We ask: is May 20 a fi...

At the start of this year, Jericho Brown addressed the graduates of the Bennington Writing Seminars Class of January 2020.  He said, “If you can't imagine these last few days without trees, I know you can't imagine life without poetry. Literature fills needs we did not know we had. Poems and stories plant seeds for things we did not know we needed." Jericho Brown is this year’s Pu...

Connecticut’s schools will stay closed for the rest of the academic year. This hour, we talk about what two more months of distance learning will look like and what needs to happen before students return to school in the fall. State Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona and Jeff Leake, the president of Connecticut’s largest teacher’s union, join us. Later: as we approach the end...

This hour, we take a look at bees. From the famous animals that make the honey we eat to lesser-known native “solitary bees” that nest in holes in the ground, there are thousands of species of bees, and hundreds of them have been found right here in Connecticut! We'll talk about the critical role these pollinators play in agriculture and learn about the threats they face. Later, we tal...

Stamford, Connecticut currently has the most residents diagnosed with coronavirus in the state. This hour, Mayor David Martin joins us to discuss the city’s recovery plan.  Later, who is eligible to vote by absentee ballot? Connecticut has the most restrictive absentee ballot laws in the country. The presidential primary has been pushed to August 11, 2020. Secretary of State Denise Merr...

Have you invited friends over virtually to visit your dream island home on Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons? Or maybe your weekly board game night has moved onto Zoom. This hour, we take a break from the heavy stuff and talk about the ways people are staying connected and having fun while isolated from friends and family. From multiplayer video games to Yahtzee over Skype, we le...

One day, we might view online learning as a normal part of any curriculum. But right now, it’s anything but that.  This hour, we discuss challenges faced with K-12 online learning, and homeschooling. What barriers are students running into when it comes to the Zoom classroom? Do school districts need to prepare for academic regression in the next school year?  We want to hear from...

Deaths related to alcohol have been rising over the past two decades, especially among women.  Today, we look at the impact of alcohol on public health. And in January 1920, Prohibition went into effect around the country, making it illegal to sell alcohol. One century after the beginning of this national experiment, we ask: what is a productive policy approach today to dealing with addiction...