Where We Live

Are you finally reading that bestseller that’s been collecting dust on your nightstand? Are you revisiting a dog-eared old favorite? If you're reading poolside, beachside or from your favorite park bench, we want to hear from you because today is Where We Live's Summer Reading Show! If you don't know what to read this summer, we've got you covered. Whether you’re looking for a new fiction to thril...

Across Connecticut's thousands of farms, spanning nearly 400,000 acres, the average age of farmers just under the national average at 58. Over 90% of senior Connecticut farmers don’t have a younger person tapped to take the reins, according to  an American Farmland Trust study. This hour, we dig into local and federal efforts to support new and young farmers with New Connecticut Farmers Alliance P...

Extreme heat can leave us feeling exhausted after doing the most basic activities of daily living like getting groceries or commuting to work. Low air quality can leave many with sore throats and runny eyes. And researchers say the  health side effects can be much more dire, worsening respiratory and cardiac health.  Today, we explore the real health impacts of climate change and  how you should p...

Virtually all Connecticut residents engage in the arts, culture and humanities, either formally or informally, a recent survey found . But attendance rates at many cultural organizations haven't quite returned to pre-pandemic levels. This hour, we get the latest from Connecticut Humanities executive director Jason Mancini, and hear about a recent push for a "roadmap" that would better fund and lin...

For some, gardening can act as a love letter to our family history. The act of cultivating the same plants and herbs that your grandmother, or great grandmother might have grown, can keep us connected to our roots. It can also serve as a reminder of what people needed to do in order to survive - through history and the present. The act of gardening goes beyond working with the soil in our own back...

It has been one week since the Supreme Court  struck down affirmative action and “race-conscious” college admissions programs . The decision has roiled Connecticut colleges and universities. Hearst Connecticut reported  that every school that replied to their request for comment “expressed frustration with the decisions.” This hour, we hear from current and prospective students where we live, as w...

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently lifted the COVID-19 "emergency," but the pandemic isn't over. The Connecticut Department of Public Health issued guidance in light of the end of the federal Public Health Emergency on May 11, clarifying that "Ending the COVID-19 emergency declarations does not mean the virus has been eradicated." This...

Connecticut is one of only a few states that has a  State Troubadour - an ambassador of music and song.  And the state troubadour is also tasked with promoting cultural literacy, creative arts and wellness in the community. Today, we talk to  Kala Farnham, Connecticut’s Troubadour  and hear about her creative process and the power of healing through music. Later, we touch base with theaters around...

Earlier this month, the Human Rights Campaign declared a  national state of emergency  for LGBTQ people, following "the worst year on record" for the number of anti-LGBTQ legislative proposals and wins. The ACLU mapped and tracked  491 bills  this session, including two in Connecticut. Many of those proposals are aimed at gender-affirming health care. There are several protections for trans and no...

R.F. Kuang's works of historical fantasy, including The Poppy War series, have been racking up awards since she began publishing in 2018. Her novel Babel won the prestigious Nebula Award for science fiction and fantasy writers this week. The same day, her latest book Yellowface debuted. It is Kuang's fifth novel, and a shift from fantasy to literary fiction. The satirical thriller takes on the com...

Of the millions of people working in STEM fields in the U.S., only 9% are Black,  according to the Pew Research Center.  Those numbers are "unchanged" since 2016. How can efforts around “inclusivity” in these fields go farther? Environmental scientist Dr. Nyeema Harris has written about the importance of Blackology. “Blackologists are not simply scholars that are Black but, rather, are scholars wh...

While contestants with Connecticut ties have appeared on the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race in the past, the Season 15 premiere on MTV marks the first time more than one Connecticut drag queen has been represented. Robin Fierce from Hartford, Loosey LaDuca from Ansonia, Amethyst from West Hartford and Jax from the Bronx, raised in Connecticut, comprised this season's Connecticut con...

Connecticut rolled out a  Black and Latino history elective  this past school year, the first of several recent curricular updates and mandates to go live statewide. This hour, we hear from social studies teachers Daisha Brabham and Julian Shafer about how they worked with the curriculum offered by the state. Plus, their students share their experiences. Students in Windsor recently led a push to...

John Ondrasik, better known as Five for Fighting, has been performing since childhood. And after several hit singles, he hasn’t slowed down. He’s currently touring with the Barenaked Ladies and Del Amitri. They’ll be performing at the Mohegan Sun in July.  In 2001, Ondrasik became a sensation after his single “Superman” was released and became a token tribute song to those lost in the September 11...

Parents in Granby, Connecticut, are deeply divided over  a 45-second video shown to students . The short video featured kids talking about Pride Month.  Today, we unpack this conversation  and what LGBTQ studies at the secondary and elementary school level might look like. Irene Parisi, Chief Academic Officer at the Connecticut State Department of Education, joins us to talk about this debate. And...

Aisha Harris is a cultural critic and co-host for NPR’s  Pop Culture Hour , and she’s out with a new book, titled  Wannabe: Reckonings With The Pop Culture That Shapes Me. Today, she joins us for the hour, discussing the ways early influences shape her role today as critic, including her upbringing in Connecticut. What popular song, movie or TV show marks a moment in your life, or stuck with you?...

Earlier this spring, horticulturist  Charlie Nardozzi joined us on Where We Live to answer all your gardening questions  and we got this comment from listener on Facebook saying “loving this episode! You should do it weekly or monthly!” We hear you listeners, so we are back with another hour on Connecticut gardening. But today, we’re exploring some of the state’s most remarkable public and histori...

Anticoagulant rodenticide, a quick fix for controlling the rat and mice population, is now having an effect on birds of prey. Today, we talk to A Place Called Hope, a local raptor rehabilitator here in Connecticut, about how it’s impacting birds across our state. After ingesting this poison, there is little that can be done to save the life of these birds. We’ll hear about legislation to limit the...

Toys are occasionally marketed to "children of all ages." In recent years, market research has shown the number of toy-buyers over 12 years old is growing. The demographic, sometimes called "kidults," now comprises a quarter of the annual toy retail market, and an impressive 60% of the market’s growth in the last year, according to market research company NPD Group . Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a profe...

Connecticut residents have the highest average credit card in the nation. Although personal finance courses are offered in high schools, they aren’t mandated to graduate. And often, these courses don’t address the complex financial challenges of their students. Today, on Where We Live, we talk about giving more students access to financial literacy, and making that curriculum more inclusive. We wa...

Danielle Capalbo is the lead singer of Connecticut local band DaniProbably.  She recently recorded her song "Cowboy" with Grammy-winning producer Peter Katis.  But she didn't lay down tracks at at a recording studio. She recorded at  a library. The Westport Library in Connecticut is the first library to record, produce and release a vinyl record.  Today, we talk to members of this library and how...

After collecting oral histories from generations of women in her family in "My Little Red Book," Rachel Kauder Nalebuff created Our Red Book , an extended project reflecting the experience of people of all races, ages and genders around the world. But there’s so much stigma and misinformation around periods. This hour, three Connecticut-based contributors featured in her book join us, breaking dow...

We talk to a lot of interesting people on the show. Today, we’re revisiting three memorable conversations we’ve had this year. Eric Jacobsen just completed his final season as the conductor at the Greater Bridgeport Symphony. We spoke with Eric about his work as a conductor and also heard about the search for the next orchestra leader. The State Department of Education and Connecticut’s five sover...

For months, Republicans and Democrats have clashed over the national debt limit. But over the weekend, President Joe Biden and House Republicans reached a deal. Now, it goes to both the House and Senate before the June 5th deadline. This hour, we break down what debt negotiations in Washington D.C. mean up here in Connecticut. Plus,  according to a new report , Connecticut has aggressive probation...

With so many outdoor spaces to explore in New England, we forget that some of the best hikes, and parks are right here in our backyard. Today, we’re talking about trails and efforts to conserve Connecticut’s state parks. We hear from the couple behind efforts to refurbish Batterson Park and officially make it a state park. We also hear about some efforts to make parks and greenspaces more inclusiv...