Where We Live

We look at the career of Ella Grasso. Known as the first woman in the country to be elected governor who did not follow her husband, and the person who led the state through the Blizzard of 1978. She was also a state lawmaker, secretary of the state, and member of Congress from Connecticut, at a time when politics was mostly a man’s world.   Guests: Jon Purmont --   A history...

One of the harshest punishments you can receive in prison is solitary confinement. Advocates say solitary confinement does more harm than good - leaving the incarcerated with lasting mental health problems that go beyond the duration of their served sentence.  This hour, we talk with advocates in our state who are working to end solitary confinement. And we will hear from someone who exp...

Do you see bats where you live? These flying creatures play important roles in ecosystems around the world, from pest control to pollination. But bats in Connecticut are in big trouble. This hour: bats in our state have been devastated by White-Nose Syndrome. We learn more about this deadly disease and talk about why we should be concerned that populations in Connecticut have been so hard hit. Bat...

This hour, how will we remember a year in this pandemic? Grief can often leave us feeling incredibly alone. Especially when haven't been able to gather and commemorate our loss. How will we memorialize the lives and time lost this year? If you have spent anytime journaling, or reflecting on this year either alone or with family. Later, we will hear more about Conncticut Public's new series  C...

Some countries and companies have looked into creating vaccine passports to allow those vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel more freely and attend public events. Others say limiting access to vaccinated people is unfair. Governor Ned Lamont  told Where We Live  earlier this week that he thinks vaccine passports could potentially be implemented in Connecticut at some point in the future...

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on his push to reopen and to vaccinate Connecticut. With variants of the disease appearing in the state, is this the time to loosen restrictions? Plus, a gambling expansion deal was reached between the state and Connecticut’s two casino-owning tribes. What hurdles are left to clear? Guests: Governor Ned Lamont Hartford Courant Columnist Kevin Rennie Support the sh...

When the preview for musical artist Sia’s debut film Music was released---- it received backlash from individuals on the autism spectrum. But it also sparked a conversation about neurodiversity. This hour, we talk about how the mainstream portrays autism. In the film Music, the central character “Music” is played by Maddie Ziegler, a neurotypical actress leading many to ask, why...

A recent shooting in the Atlanta area killed eight people. Six of them were women of Asian descent. It's one of the  nearly 4000 hate incidents against this group over the last year . Today, we take a look at anti-Asian violence. We want to hear from you, too. Have you been targeted by racism or xenophobia during the pandemic? GUESTS: Na-Rae Kim -  Assistant Professor in residence and As...

Roya Hakakian came to the US as a refugee from Iran when she was just a teenager. Now, the Connecticut author and poet has drawn on her life story to create a “guidebook” about the immigrant experience. This hour, Hakakian joins us to talk about her new book, A Beginner’s Guide To America . We want to hear from you, too. How has the history and experience of immigration in your f...

The Connecticut Supreme Court wants to ensure that jury pools are diverse and representative of our communities. That could mean striking restrictions of who is allowed to serve on a jury. This hour, Chief Justice Richard Robinson joins us to answer our questions and yours about jury duty in our state. When jury trials resume, jury selection might look a bit different than before. Have you served...

A recent  Connecticut Mirror  report found a big drop in the number of students enrolled in school in Connecticut.  How has the pandemic hurt students, and how can state lawmakers help?  One of the leaders of the General Assembly Education Committee joins us. Meanwhile, the leader of the Legislative Black and Puerto Rican Caucus says he is trying to dispel vaccination myths and...

A recent  Connecticut Mirror  report found a big drop in the number of students enrolled in school in Connecticut.  How has the pandemic hurt students, and how can state lawmakers help?  One of the leaders of the General Assembly Education Committee joins us. Meanwhile, the leader of the Legislative Black and Puerto Rican Caucus says he is trying to dispel vaccination myths and...

What will you do once you’re vaccinated?  The CDC says people who’ve been vaccinated can gather together .  And grandparents who got the shots can visit with grandchildren. Connecticut residents may soon be able to return to some type of “normal” now that Gov Lamont has just announced  all residents over 16 are eligible for the vaccine starting April 5th, 202...

  An unprecedented year; how many times have you heard that one? Did you anticipate that masks would become a staple part of our wardrobe? Last Saturday marked the anniversary of the Connecticut pandemic lockdown. This hour, Yale Health epidemiologist Dr. Albert Ko joins us to reflect on one year in the coronavirus pandemic.  We want to hear from you. What has this last year been li...

Gardening can be really therapeutic. For the second year in the row, seed sellers are selling out of their stock early as more and more people prepare for another pandemic spring season at home.  This hour, Charlie Nardozzi from Connecticut Garden Journal is here to answer your questions on gardening.    Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you want to learn about an obscure topic, where do you turn? For many, it’s a free, online encyclopedia which now contains more than 55 million user-created articles. This hour, we talk about 20 years of Wikipedia. We get a behind the scenes look at the sites’ editing process, including the tools the Wikipedia community has developed to fight misinformation. And we talk about how...

Lawmakers are busy as public hearings are held on big issues at the General Assembly.  This hour, House Majority Leader Jason Rojas discusses racial justice and law enforcement issues at the General Assembly and in his district in Manchester, along with the significance of one legislator moving from the house to the senate, efforts to legalize marijuana, and more. Guests: Jason Rojas -- &nbsp...

Ridership on Metro North and the Hartford Line has plummeted as many residents suddenly stopped commuting by public transit during the pandemic. But as the federal government eyes infrastructure as a recovery priority, will Connecticut benefit? This hour, we talk to Senator Richard Blumenthal about what this could mean for our region’s rail system. And some proponents in our region see this...

In the pandemic, some residents have been working paycheck to paycheck to pay their bills, many have lost jobs and not everyone has a place to live. This hour, we talk about the state of homelessness in Connecticut and across the country. Many community organizations have been working on new and innovative solutions to reduce  homelessness.  How will leaders work to end homelessness in o...

Insects are the most abundant group of animals on the planet. There are an estimated 10 quintillion of them on Earth. But in recent years, scientists have found disturbing evidence that  insect populations are on the decline around the world . The environmental threats to insects are numerous: deforestation, pesticides, and climate change all seem to play a part in declining populations, a ph...

Our teachers have been teaching virtually for nearly a year. Starting this week, teachers and child care providers are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.  This hour, we speak with three teachers teaching in our state and hear about what this past year has looked like for them, and their students.  Teachers were already stretched thin before the COVID-19 pandemic, and now they are bei...

This hour, the expansion of State Pier in New London advanced with Friday's announcement of an agreement between the city and two companies taking part in the project. But at the same time, the quasi-public state agency overseeing the project faces ongoing scrutiny. The latest issue under investigation: the Connecticut Port Authority’s half-million-dollar payment to a company with ties to a...

The pandemic has put public health in the spotlight across the world. But in the United States local public health departments have been chronically underfunded, and Connecticut is no exception. This hour, we hear from a local health director about the challenges public health departments in Connecticut are facing, even as the state celebrates high vaccination rates compared with other states. And...

Venture Smith was enslaved when he was just a boy. He was eventually able to buy his freedom and the freedom of his family. His iconic story of will, perseverance and strength, is central to Connecticut’s history. This hour, we dive into to the biography of Venture Smith and the history of slavery here in Connecticut.   Connecticut Historian and  Connecticut Explored  pub...

The world of professional dance is competitive, ruthless and often reserved for a select few talented individuals.  But since the start of pandemic, many dancers and dance professionals are stuck at home turning to social media as a creative outlet. And this hour, we dance! Are you spending any time dancing at home? Are you or someone in your family addicted to the latest TikTok Dance Challen...