Where We Live

It was a plague that came every summer and left thousands of American children paralyzed -- or dead -- in its wake. This hour we take a look at the legacy of polio. How did the development of the polio vaccine change the course of history? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Salvador Dali and Max Ernst are among the Surrealist artists whose works are on view in Monsters & Myths , an exhibit at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford. This hour, we go behind the scenes and take an in-depth look at Connecticut's place within the Surrealist movement.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Multiple lawsuits allege Connecticut’s prison system failed to properly diagnose and treat prisoners with serious illnesses. This hour we hear from a mother whose 19-year-old son died of an infection while incarcerated. Scott Semple, the outgoing prisons Commissioner, also joins us. What steps have been taken to improve health care behind bars? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystud...

Amid reports of consolidations and staffing crises, we ask: What is the future of the U.S. hospital industry? A team of experts joins us as we weigh this question and consider its implications for Connecticut.  Later, we discuss the role of crowdfunding platforms in helping alleviate the burden of medical expenses. Have you ever turned to GoFundMe or a similar site to finance the cost of trea...

Being a high school student isn't easy. There's pressure to get the grade, pile on the extracurriculars, and sleep enough to function. It's rare young people can do all three. This hour, we talk with child psychologists and counselors about adolescent stress and anxiety. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon’s getting billions of dollars in tax breaks and other incentives from New York and Virginia to build its two East Coast headquarters. This hour: has corporate welfare become the standard? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, Save the Children U.S. President and CEO  Carolyn Miles  joins us. We talk about her decades-long career and learn about the unconventional journey that led her to the Fairfield-based NGO. It’s the latest conversation in Connecticut Public Radio's “ Making Her Story ” series, featuring prominent women with ties to the state.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See o...

Massive wildfires are devastating California, with dozens dead and hundreds of thousands of residents evacuated. This hour we talk with author and environmental journalist Michael Kodas about why wildfires today are so much larger and more destructive than ever before. Do you have family or friends who’ve been affected by blazes across the west? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystu...

The National Council for Adoption has reported a decline in U.S. intercountry adoptions since the year 2004. This hour, we discuss the factors driving this downward shift and consider how it compares to trends in the adoption of children born domestically. We also hear from two Connecticut residents with unique adoption experiences -- one as an adoptive father, the other as an adopted son. If you...

This month marks 10 years since Connecticut first granted marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples. This hour we talk about the work that led up to a historic ruling from the state Supreme Court and we learn how LGBTQ rights have advanced in recent years. Were you one of the couples that finally got to tie the knot in 2008? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener f...

What are the short- and long-term benefits of receiving continuous health care? This hour, we talk with the medical director of the Washington, D.C.-based Robert Graham Center . We also hear from three Connecticut-based doctors, who tell us how technology and innovation are revolutionizing the way care is delivered.   Have you heard of telemedicine? What about subscription-based concierg...

A record number of residents voted on Tuesday -- electing, among others, Connecticut’s first African American woman to Congress. This hour we talk with Jahana Hayes about her historic win. We also break down what happened in other midterm races, where Democrats achieved major victories in the governorship and General Assembly. And we want to hear from you. What issues do you want our newest leader...

It's November 6, which means the wait for Election Day is finally over. As Connecticut voters head to the polls, we sit down with reporters and election officials to preview the day ahead. Do you plan on voting? We want to hear from you, too. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we sit down with Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario . We talk about her career and her new book, Of Love & War , and learn about her upbringing in Westport, Connecticut. Later, we discuss the effects of trauma on journalists and other members of the media. Bruce Shapiro of the Dart Center at Columbia University joins us, and we also hear from you.  Support th...

It's as somber as it is blissful; as old as it is contemporary. And it's more than just the Horah! This hour: the music of the Jewish klezmer tradition. We discuss its history and cultural significance, and we also hear from you.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For interview highlights from this show, click here.   It’s been fifteen years since the death of Fred Rogers -- a man who, for decades, served as the cardigan-donning host and creator of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood . Rogers’ life is now the focus of a new Maxwell King biography -- aptly titled  The Good Neighbor . This hour, we sit down with King for a special preview of the book. ...

This hour, we sit down with AMiGo Constitution Party candidate Mark Stewart . Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eleven are dead and six others injured after a gunman opened fire Saturday inside a Pittsburgh synagogue. What drove this violent act? And how have members of the interfaith community responded in its aftermath? This hour, we find out and we also hear from you.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we sit down with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont . What is Lamont's strategy for reaching Connecticut voters ahead of the November 6 election? We find out and we also hear from you.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this hour, we had booked Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski for an interview where he could take questions from us and listeners. But his campaign canceled saying it's priority is "getting Bob on the road."  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1996 landmark  Sheff v. O’Neill  case, the Connecticut Supreme Court found that minority students in Hartford's public schools “suffered daily” due to racial and economic segregation. Now, 22 years later -- Connecticut’s magnet school solution to Sheff ’s desegregation mandate has been held up as a model for integration around the country. Yet many minority students in Hartford st...

It's been two months since MGM opened its doors in downtown Springfield. So far, what has business been like for the $960 million casino? How are its operations expected to impact nearby competitors, such as Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun?   Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He was at the head of the Hartford-area economic development group, MetroHartford Alliance, from 2001 to last year. Now, he wants to be governor of Connecticut. This hour we sit down with Oz Griebel, who is running as an unaffiliated candidate for governor of Connecticut. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we sit down with Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Rod Hanscomb . What drove the Stamford, Connecticut resident to enter the race? And what issues would he prioritize if elected to lead the state? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a plague that came every summer and left thousands of American children paralyzed -- or dead -- in its wake. This hour we take a look at the legacy of polio. How did the development of the polio vaccine change the course of history? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.