Where We Live

Applying for financial aid is no easy task. Whether you’re the parent or the incoming student.  And a new FAFSA form hasn’t made things any easier. The online FAFSA form - or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid was recently updated.  But it’s come with a lot of glitches causing headaches for students and parents alike. Today on Where We Live, we talk about what’s happening with this form...

Beloved Muppet Elmo recently asked social media a simple question,  "How is everybody doing?"  The answers ranged from incredulous to raging. The trauma-dumping on Elmo begged the question: Are we burnt out? Burnout has been reported in many industries: Connecticut Public has previously covered  burnout in health care , and among  early child care educators and teachers , for example. When  Where...

Two years ago,  Russia invaded Ukraine and launched a full scale attack on the country.  This hour, we hear what life looks like in Ukraine today and how Ukrainian refugees are adjusting to life in the United States. Since the recent invasion, many Ukrainians have made the difficult decision to leave the region, while others have stayed behind. Americares, a humanitarian aid organization based her...

Quantum mechanics is a theory that even some scientists have trouble wrapping their heads around. But this industry is booming, and some physicists here in Connecticut are hoping to make our state the “Quantum Corridor” for research, workforce development and education. In May 2023, “the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $1 million federal planning grant to Yale University and the U...

Paula Poundstone has had a nearly 45 year career in standup comedy. She’s the host of the comedy podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone. And we would be remiss not to say, She is also a regular panelist on NPR's comedy news quiz show, Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me! Today, she joins us for the hour. And like her comedy, we kind of touched on everything! We get into her signature stand up style , nev...

This hour, we sit down with Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani to tackle a range of topics and questions, including what's on your mind. How have you fared this flu season? What questions about COVID-19, or long COVID, do you have? According to  data from the Census Bureau , 23% of adults in Connecticut who tested positive for COVID-19 have experienced symptoms la...

For a Connecticut family of four, it costs over $126,000 just to meet their basic needs, according to a recent United Way report . That’s more than four times the federal poverty level. Food insecurity is a big part of the problem, affecting more than 1 in 10 Connecticut residents, according to Connecticut Foodshare. A new report from the United States Department of Agriculture found the national...

Dating in 2024 can be tough. There are no shortage of stories about dating in the age of Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and more! But today, we're going to talk about dating, and falling in love, when you're an older adult. Last fall, the spinoff show “The Golden Bachelor” started a national conversation about falling in love in midlife and beyond. Today we hear from experts about dating in this age range...

Disability rights advocates in Connecticut are demanding better medical access. And this legislative session, they’re pushing lawmakers to pass two bills. Both aim to improve medical equipment and training, and access to better care when examining, diagnosing and treating patients with disabilities. We hear from one advocacy group involved in this effort, the Citizens Coalition for Equal Access, o...

Approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing loneliness, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The issue recently moved U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to issue an advisory around the "loneliness epidemic" in America. Soon after, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy introduced a bill that would launch an Office of Social Connection Policy, and fund CDC research to "better understand the ep...

Maurice Sendak is often celebrated for his contributions to children’s book art. You’re likely familiar with Where The Wild Things Are, or even Higglety Pigglety Pop . But in the late artist’s own words, "I do not believe that I have ever written a children's book. I do not know how to write a children’s book. How do you set out to write a children’s book?" This hour, we’re exploring the Maurice S...

February is Black History Month. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday was in January. Around this time, we often see his quotes circulate on social media. And we also hear about his legacy as an activist and a minister, and his fight for civil rights in the U.S. Today, we’re going to listen back to a recent interview with Clarence B. Jones.  Clarence B. Jones was one of the many giants of the civi...

For decades, there were cities and towns that were all-white on purpose. These communities are known as "sundown towns." Because this practice was both formal and informal, researchers put together a database of these laws, customs and firsthand accounts, under the leadership of the late sociologist and civil rights champion James Loewen. At the peak of the exclusionary practice in 1970, an estima...

Around the globe, artists are using their mediums to show  how climate change is impacting our planet. Today, we’re exploring the  convergence of art and science.  We'll be talking with artists using their craft to have conversations about the environment. Earlier this year,  Where We Live talked about how snow loss is impacting our ecosystems and community here in Connecticut.  Today, we hear fro...

In 2023, more than 6 million animals entered shelters and rescues in the U.S., according to a  recent report  from Shelter Animals Count. Believe it or not, those numbers are down from pre-pandemic reports. Over the summer, Connecticut news outlets reported that animal shelters in our state were  "bursting at the seams,"  and unable to keep up with calls from people trying to surrender pets. This...

Throughout history, our state has made some big contributions to aviation technology.  Today, we’re talking about the history and  future of aviation in our state.  We hear from some aviation enthusiasts who’s love of all things plane is going to make you soar. The New England Air Museum houses some unbelievable vintage aircrafts.  We hear from them. And we hear from someone with experience flying...

Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for decades, putting much of the focus squarely and rightly on cardiovascular disease. But what about congenital heart conditions, something affecting your heart since birth? There are 13 million adults living with congenital heart disease, and that number has grown as treatments advance; survival rates have improved by 75% sin...

During the last fiscal year, the army alone missed their recruiting goal by 25%. All branches of the military are struggling to recruit new cadets. With an all-volunteer service, the military relies on recruitment efforts to get more people to serve. But fewer Americans than ever are eligible to do so. And attracting the next generation of cadets has been a challenge. Today, we talk about the mili...

This hour, photo and video journalist Yehyun Kim joins us to discuss  A Diaspora in Focus,  a three-part project she launched for the Connecticut Mirror in 2023. The project was in response to landmark legislation passed in the state that will require public schools to offer Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI, history. Yehyun interviewed and photographed one resident from each of the 21...

As journalists, it’s been challenging for us to watch what is happening to our fellow members of the press in Gaza. 83 journalist casualties have occurred in this region.  The blue press vest and helmet is a heavy weight to carry, for so many still trying to report what’s happening. This week,  we spoke with Plestia Alaqad. She is a 22 year old journalist from Gaza.  She recently made the difficul...

Tri-state area or New England? Nutmeg or Constitution State?  "Stuffy, preppy, sleepy" ? What really makes Connecticut Connecticut, and what stereotypes can we stand to shake off? After the state's recent rebranding effort, it's a debate that has found its way to the national stage. This hour, Catherine Shen is joined by a roundtable of Connecticut Public hosts, as we debate what defines Connectic...

Depending on where you live, warmer winters could mean less and less snow.  In some places, it’s only one or two degrees that could make a difference. Joining us today are two scientists looking at the data around snow in our region and beyond to start to calculate how much snow loss is impacting us, and what it means for our environment. Less snow can mean a lot of things,  including a big impact...

2023 was the sixth rainiest year on record for Connecticut, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In July alone, more than 1,500 acres of Connecticut farmland flooded over, representing  $21 million in lost sales revenue . This hour, we hear from Chris Bassette of Killam & Bassette Farmstead in South Glastonbury, who says she is still holding out hope for relief for...

In our newsroom, we’ve been having a lot of conversations about how we cover the Israel-Hamas War.  And sometimes, we find ourselves conflicted about who to talk to, what stories to cover, what language we use, and what we can do to make our coverage as fair and truthful as possible. Where are you getting your information on the Israel-Hamas War? Odds are you're probably following the war through...

You’ve heard of Bigfoot and Nessie, but did you know Connecticut is home to a host of creatures, or "cryptids"? Cryptozoology is the study of animals whose existence is a matter of debate. While Bigfoot sightings have been reported where we live, sea serpents, the Glastonbury Glawackus, and plenty of others call Connecticut home. This hour, we hear from Patrick Scalisi and Valerie Ruby-Omen, the a...