The Wheelhouse

Natural gas and nuclear energy may not be the cleanest and greenest methods of power generation. Yet with energy bills being so high for Connecticut residents and an administration in Washington that’s  prioritizing fossil fuel production , state officials may have to punt on their net zero-carbon goals in order to produce more juice. Today on the Wheelhouse, the pursuit of climate resi...

Outside the State Capitol, Connecticut residents recently protested against the federal government.“Hey, hey. Ho, ho. Trump and Musk have got to go,” they shouted as they huddled in the rain. There were 2,085 protests like this in the U.S. in February alone, according to the Guardian. Today on the Wheelhouse, why Americans are speaking out against the Trump administration – and t...

Public health officials are sounding the alarm. In Connecticut, they say the Trump administration is cuttinge $150 million in federal grants allocated to the state –for disease surveillance, childhood immunizations, and more. Those funds were allocated at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. But COVID is still with us. And there’s also cases of  bird flu ,  measles , and othe...

There’s a lot at stake as the clock ticks on Trump’s tax program. The 2017 Trump tax cuts expire at the end of this year. Top Republicans are pushing to extend the program. But, experts from the liberal think tank The Center for American Progress, meanwhile, say the tax cuts  actually hurt the economy over the long haul . This week on the Wheelhouse, why 2025 is a watershed year f...

The state budget may be headed for a “ world of pain .” That’s according to our friends at the Connecticut Mirror. State lawmakers are tasked with funding their priorities while anticipating cuts coming from the federal government. Medicaid costs are one line item the state may have to adjust on the fly. Today on the Wheelhouse, how the state could step in to support vulnerable c...

There was a 13% increase in Connecticut’s unhoused population from 2023 to 2024. That’s according to an annual report by the state . Connecticut is seeing decreases in housing availability, the price of rent skyrocketing, and more. Today on the Wheelhouse, proposals state lawmakers are considering to make more affordable housing a reality in Connecticut. Plus, Congressman John Larson h...

Thousands of U.S. Government employees could be out of a job, according to a “best guess” from a  Wells Fargo economist . This has big-time ramifications for Connecticut…and the roughly 19,000 federal workers living here. Many recently laid off people are speaking out,  including a Marine Corps veteran from Vernon  named Gabriel D’Alatri. This hour, how fede...

Even as state officials work to reform criminal justice in Connecticut, complaints roll in regarding the treatment of incarcerated individuals . Also, many people are still awaiting automatic erasure of their criminal convictions. What’s the hold up? Finally, data that could shed light on racial disparities in prosecution rates, isn’t being collected , according to Hearst Connecticut M...

In May 1969, Black Panther Alex Rackley was murdered by fellow revolutionaries in Connecticut. Rackley’s murder eventually led to what some call “one of the most significant political trials of the century.” In 1970, the New Haven Black Panther trials became the focus of national attention — and what happened then reverberates loudly into the present. This hour, we’ll...

President Donald Trump froze all federal grant spending a few weeks back. The freeze has since been rescinded. But it’s still having a real impact, including here in Connecticut. This hour, we’ll hear how local nonprofits are providing services amid the uncertainty. And later, Governor Ned Lamont wants to bring free preschool to many families across the state. But how many children and...

Connecticut residents pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country. The governor of Connecticut wants local lawmakers to do something about it. He’s said “cosmetic changes”, like shifting payments from energy customers to taxpayers, won’t solve the problem of using more electricity than the state can muster. Today on the Wheelhouse, we’ll check in with rep...

ICE agents are popping up in local communities like East Hartford and Willimantic as the Trump administration calls on federal law enforcement to amp up arrests and detentions. New federal Department of Homeland Security Secretary says Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump are “ making our streets safe .” At the same ti...

This hour, we examine the intersection of big tech and politics. AI is growing  rapidly  and lawmakers in Connecticut and beyond are attempting to regulate the harmful impacts of artificial intelligence without stymieing innovation. Meanwhile, billionaire CEOs were front and center at the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Tesla Motors CEO and X executive chairman, Elon Musk, even h...

Earlier in January, prior to the inauguration of President Donald Trump, listeners were invited to a taping of The Wheelhouse in Hartford. A shortened version of the event aired on Connecticut Public Radio on January 22. This bonus from the live event features two surprise guests. You'll hear conversations with 2025's Connecticut Teacher of the Year, Julia Miller, and personal injury attorney Broo...

Donald Trump is going back to the White House at the same time Connecticut lawmakers return to work at the State Capitol. Following a tense election cycle, what’s in store for America – and Connecticut – in 2025? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden’s final day in office is January 20. In the weeks since Vice President Kamala Harris lost the election to Donald Trump, President Biden has focused on criminal justice, foreign policy, and clean energy. This hour, we look at what’s left for Biden to tackle on his way out of the White House, and what legacy he leaves behind. GUESTS : Brakkton Booker : National political corres...

Connecticut’s 2025 legislative session is underway. Over the next six months, lawmakers will convene to address some of the state’s most pressing issues. This hour, we’ll explore the top priorities for this session, including affordable housing, funding for public education and more. We’ll walk through the bills you should be following and how they may impact you and your p...

When stressful conversations about politics are “on the table” this holiday season, how can we stay engaged with family members who have totally different views from our own? This week on The Wheelhouse, Professor Irshad Manji talks with us about how people can apply her " Five Skills of Moral Courage " to build trust and respect with people we want to have positive relationships with,...

Health insurance is expensive. The average American spent $13,493 per person in 2022, according to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services . And according to national health policy researcher KFF , most insured Americans have experienced a problem using their insurance. That may explain the complete lack of empathy some people showed online in reaction to the targeted killing of Bri...

In the past few years, lawmakers in Connecticut have gotten closer to meaningful legislation that would lower a vehicle’s carbon footprint. They’ve also introduced a pilot program targeting food scraps in an effort to reduce waste. Their job may get harder. President-elect Donald Trump's record on climate change is already forcing state lawmakers to re-think local policy changes. A wee...

Prior to Election Day, advocates were worried about a national abortion ban and further local restrictions on reproductive care. And then, Donald Trump was elected president, with Republicans alongside him taking over the U.S. Congress. Reporters covering reproductive rights are analyzing what comes next under Trump , someone who’s taken credit for the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Today on the Whee...

When stressful conversations about politics are “on the table” this holiday season, how can we stay engaged with family members who have totally different views from our own? This week on The Wheelhouse, Professor Irshad Manji talks with us about how people can apply her " Five Skills of Moral Courage " to build trust and respect with people we want to have positive relationships with, regardless...

Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election marked a better showing for the former president than the last time he ran back in 2020. So far in Connecticut–even though he didn’t capture the state’s seven electoral votes–Trump has collected 21,253 more votes than he did four years ago. That’s according to the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s office . Today on the Wheelhouse, a panel...

Last year, 46,728 people were killed in firearm deaths . For parents and families grieving children lost to the Sandy Hook School shooting, there’s no escaping the trauma associated with that loss, and the rhetoric surrounding gun violence. Today on the Wheelhouse, how the national gun policy discourse affects survivors of gun violence. It’s a timely conversation, given the recent election of Dona...

The polls have closed and votes are still being counted. As the 2024 elections come and go, a powerhouse panel of experts will be there for Connecticut residents to take stock in what’s left to determine our political future. Today on the Wheelhouse, analysis of what we know so far. Plus, hear from some winners in races that were already decided. GUESTS : Mark Pazniokas , Capitol bureau chief and...