Where We Live

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...

Last week,  homelessness was officially declared a public health crisis in Connecticut.  And the lack of affordable housing remains a major issue here in Connecticut. Today, we get an update on affordable housing and  hear how some towns are addressing it. We hear about a housing model known as  cohousing , and  hear from a co-housing collective based in Massachusetts. Later, New York Times global...

Where do our clothes come from? According to the Textile Exchange, 52% of our clothes are made from polyester. Fast fashion is an enormous industry, allowing us to purchase low cost clothing quickly and efficiently. But the toll these companies take on the environment is significant, and the workplace conditions for the factories that create these products are questionable at best. Building sustai...

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 mi...

New COVID boosters are available and recommended for everyone over six months of age, but pharmacies and providers in the state are slammed. The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) says that more than  46,000 residents  have gotten the latest COVID-19 vaccine. They also acknowledged delays, which the Hartford Courant has attributed to  "supply chain disruptions, insurance issues and work...

Turtles are among one of the oldest reptiles to walk the planet. Although turtles often  live long lifespans and are among some of the most resilient animals on the planet, human presence has meant a huge threat to their species.  In her new book  Of Time and Turtles,   Sy Montgomery says turtles live “slow.” She spent time  working with the people that have dedicated their lives to rehabilitating...

Researchers at Yale University are focused on the harrowing history of eugenics, the role the institution played in developing this psuedoscience, and its many lingering "afterlives." Professor Dan HoSang formed  the Anti-Eugenics Collective at Yale , and says this history is "integral to the story of the University." HoSang and the Collective also explore how the tenets of eugenics transformed an...

A content warning to our listeners: today we will be talking about suicide. September is  Suicide Prevention Month . United States saw  nearly 50,000 deaths by suicide in 2022, and suicide continues to be on the rise. Talking openly about suicide and mental health can be a critical part of deterring suicide deaths.  But having those discussions can be really challenging and experts say there are s...

Ashley Hamel discovered her love of music while growing up in Connecticut. The singer-songwriter eventually left New England behind to build her music career in Indonesia. This hour, she joins us from Jakarta to talk about her new single, "New England Baby…" Plus, earlier this year, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal introduced a bill that he hopes will rein in the role of online, third-party ticket...

Endometriosis is one of the most common diseases affecting those with uteruses. Despite its prevalence, proper diagnosis can take up to ten years, leaving many suffering without support or treatment. State Representative Jillian Gilchrest recently launched a  legislative working group  to advocate for better research and education policies across Connecticut. Arleigh Cole is a local public educato...

Esmeralda Santiago is out with a new book,  Las Madres , following five women as they survive – and are shaped by their experience of – Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. The novel explores themes of memory and home, faith and disaster. This hour, the acclaimed author joins us to discuss. Plus, we take a look at efforts to ready permanent relief resources in Hartford, given the increasing prevalence...

Fall is officially here, and the days are getting shorter, but hopefully you’re still finding some time to be outside. Fall gardening is well on its way.  This is a great season to harvest squash and other root vegetables,  and  prepare your garden for next year.  Whether you are expanding your gardening space or perhaps getting ready to plant bulbs for the first time,  there’s a lot of factors to...

Local advocates and experts in early childcare education say funding and staffing shortfalls were only deepened during the pandemic. With federal relief funding set to expire at the end of the month, posing another short-term hurdle, or "cliff," what are the long-term solutions? Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal is  pushing Congress for $16 billion  in federal funding through the Child Care S...

In 2015, journalist  Elise Hu  moved to South Korea to open the NPR Seoul bureau. During her time in South Korea, she witnessed the rise of K-beauty culture or “Korean beauty.” K-beauty encompasses a multitude of beauty treatments.  It doesn’t just include luxury skincare lines, and expensive facemasks; there's also LED light therapy, injections, fillers, and a myriad of options for plastic surger...

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 th...

There have been a lot of things that have revolutionized how educators teach in the classrooms. Things like  Wikipedia, Google and even calculators  have caused temporary panic in the education space.  Now that ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools are becoming a central part of our everyday lives,  some educators are scrambling to rethink their curriculum.  If you ask the artificial int...

Before baking powder became a kitchen staple, there was a state-level showdown over the rights to produce and sell it, and food historian Linda Civitello says Connecticut played a central role. This hour, she joins us to dig into her book,  Baking Powder Wars: The Cutthroat Food Fight that Revolutionized Cooking. Plus, Darien First Selectman Monica McNally previews the town’s $85 million purchase...

It’s Primary Day here in Connecticut . We have closed primaries here in Connecticut, meaning only voters registered in either political party can participate in this election. Historically, voter turnout tends to be pretty low on Primary Day, especially on years where we don’t have a big presidential election. According to the Associated Press, turnout for the  2019 Democratic mayoral primaries in...

The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found that  the majority of Americans  are either "alarmed" or "concerned" about climate change. They also  discovered links  between distress about climate change and a desire to take action. This hour, Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz digs into this study, and the Six Americas Super Short Survey (SASSY).  You can take the SASSY Survey here. Plus, NBC Conne...

There’s a stereotypical depiction of concussions in movies and TV shows: someone - often an athlete, gets hit in the head, falls down, and everyone crowds around them and asks them if they know what day it is. Then, the patient, spends the next two weeks lying alone in the dark. But in recent years we have developed a new understanding about concussions -- how they happen, their severity, and how...

The writers and actors strike has frozen film and TV productions across the country, and left many creatives to go back to their quote, "civilian jobs," as Mystic-based actress Callie Beaulieu  recently shared with Connecticut Public . "We're at a tipping point with the survival of our profession," she says. This hour, local studios, actors and crew members join us. Plus, NPR correspondent Mandali...

What do you think about getting older? Is it an exciting new chapter, or something you’re dreading? And when you think about seniors or elders, do you see reverence or irrelevance? Eventually, we all get older.  But one of the last acceptable forms of discrimination is ageism. Today on Where We Live, we talk about age discrimination. We hear from Jeff Hamaoui. He’s the Co-founder of the  Modern El...

Ashley Hamel discovered her love of music while growing up in Connecticut. The singer-songwriter eventually left New England behind to build her music career in Indonesia. This hour, she joins us from Jakarta to talk about her new single, "New England Baby…” Plus, earlier this year, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal introduced a bill that he hopes will rein in the role of online, third-party ticket...

Once, receiving an A meant that a student had excelled in their coursework. But now, receiving an A means access to advanced classes, scholarships and of course, college admissions. No two school districts, or even two teachers grade in the exact same way. Which means that grade bias is a real problem. So two students that might have the exact same academic performance, could receive two very diff...

When you don’t feel well, and don’t know why, the last thing you want to be is dismissed by your doctor. More and more patients are taking it on themselves to research their own symptoms, and looking for answers and diagnoses through online forums. What’s happening at the doctor’s office that is causing a disconnect and distrust between patients and their doctors? Today, we’re talking about the re...