Where We Live

Neil Berro, a local amateur historian, is building a massive manuscript on the history of Connecticut oystering titled Oyster Haven Lost . This hour, he previews this trove of information, spotlighting the state's once-booming oyster industry. Plus, the Sound School in New Haven was founded with a mission of centering hands-on curriculum, incorporating the harbor, marine science and oceanography i...

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 Brooklyn, raised in Connecticut, comprise this season's Connecticut conti...

The State Department of Education and five Connecticut tribal nations are  working together  to meet a legislative mandate calling for Native American curriculum for K-12 social studies classes. Resources with localized information from the tribal nations themselves – Eastern Pequot, Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan, Schaghticoke and Golden Hill Paugussett – are expected to be available in January 202...

One of the biggest focuses for the 2023 legislative session is housing. Rent has gone up for many Connecticut residents at a time when inflation limits what they can afford to pay. They face a lack of affordable housing in Connecticut – and eviction. Today, we talk about the housing market in our state, and what legislative action we might see in the future. We hear from those covering housing acr...

State Sen. Dr. Saud Anwar, co-chair of the Public Health Committee, joined Sen. Richard Blumenthal  on Monday to announce legislation  that would "address unsafe staffing" by establishing "safe patient limits," or nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, among other protections. This hour, we discuss the proposal with Sen. Anwar, the "patient care crisis" in Connecticut, and renewed efforts to address it...

This hour on Where We Live, we hear from two survivors of genocide. Theanvy Kuoch fled Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge in 1981, having lost 19 family members. Reena Aurora left India in 1989 five years after her brother was burned to death in the wave of anti-Sikh violence. Both women struggled to find culturally fluent psychiatric care for themselves and their families, leading Theanvy and Reena to...

Whether it's reading more books or eating out less, January is the month of goals and challenges. Veganuary is no exception. The 30-day plant-based challenge originated nearly a decade ago, and has since taken on a life of its own. We’ll hear from three different vegans working in the plant-based space about their journey to becoming vegan, and what it means to them. What do you want to know about...

Wrong way driving is  on the rise in Connecticut . Today, we discuss what’s being done to prevent wrong-way collisions in our state. Reckless and aggressive driving has also become more apparent since the start of the pandemic. We’ll hear from the Department of Transportation in Connecticut and learn what can be done to ensure safer Connecticut roads for all its residents. Have you seen more aggre...

Some 44,000 Connecticut residents have had low-level cannabis possession charges  "fully or partially erased" from their records this month , as promised within the state's recreational marijuana legislation. Later this year, after facing delays since its passage in 2021, the Clean Slate Law is set to do the same for  five-times as many locals  with other low-level offenses.  Fox 61 reports lawmak...

Known as the seventh continent, Antarctica is much more than a home to penguins! Today, we explore the least inhabited continent in the world. We hear about how climate change impacts wildlife in Antarctica and what life looks like for those who live and work there. GUESTS: David W. Brown:  contributor to  the New Yorker  and author to the forthcoming book  The Outside Cats Matt Jordan :  Project...

Conley Monk Jr. came home to Hamden in 1970 after serving in the Vietnam War. His discharge was prompted by a PTSD-induced altercation in Okinawa, and categorized within the military as "other-than-honorable." Mr. Monk spent decades trying to access basic benefits like disability coverage, until  his appeal in 2015  ultimately changed how these kinds of cases are heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals...

The pandemic led to a decline in the incarcerated population, and many states have been re-evaluating the purpose of prisons. In this hour, Bill Keller, Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Marshall Project, joins us to talk about his new book,  What’s Prison For? Punishment and Rehabilitation in the Age of Mass Incarceration. Keller details how the United States prison population became so massive and...

State Representative Quentin “Q” Williams died last week after a collision with a wrong-way driver. Today, we remember his legacy, his time in office and how he served his constituents. State Representatives Bobby Gibson and Christopher Rosario join us to share their experience working with the late politician. Later, we talk about what can be done to prevent wrong-way driving and how we might see...

Connecticut’s waste management crisis is already a top-ticket item for lawmakers. Before the latest legislative session began, newly-appointed Environmental Committee Chair State Sen. Rick Lopes  told the CT Examiner  he was focused on finding solutions. The State Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has been sounding the alarm  since 2020 , when Commissioner Katie Dykes said the dw...

Retailers can start selling adult-use cannabis on January 10th. Today, we breakdown what dispensaries might look like in our state and hear what retailers are doing to prepare opening up to the public. We hear from Skyler Frazer of the Hartford Business Journal who has been covering all things cannabis in our state. Have you seen any dispensaries pop up in your town? GUESTS: Jeffrey Marrero: Marre...

Emily Wicks with UConn's Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry noticed the pandemic-era disruptions to kids' social-emotional learning and development, and reached out to Sandy Chafouleas at the university's Neag School of Education. Together they developed  Feel Your Best Self , a puppet-centered program aimed at helping "strengthen the emotional well-being of elementary-aged children." This h...

The WNBA kicks off on May 19th. Today, on Where We Live, we’re talking about all things women’s basketball including and hear about what players to watch in 2023. We’ll also discuss how Brittney Griner’s imprisonment and subsequent release has impacted interest in the game and spurred more activism in the league. And later, we talk about the pay gap between men and women’s sports, and what can be...

With  spiking health insurance premiums ,  energy costs  and general "inflation" top-of-mind for many Connecticut residents, what are the top priorities for state lawmakers at the start of this legislative session? And what's most likely to be met with consensus? We'll discuss with a roundtable of experts. Plus, we hear from ACLU of Connecticut about their plan to renew a push for the Connecticut...

What are some issues with homestay services like Airbnb ? And what’s being done to address them? This hour, we hear from travelers about their experiences with short-term rentals. We'll hear from an attorney representing clients with complaints about Airbnb. And later, we learn how these short-term rentals impact the housing and rental markets in our state. What questions do you have about the saf...

Alexandra Horowitz is a dog cognition researcher, professor and the head scientist at Barnard College's Dog Cognition Lab. Her latest book,  The Year of the Puppy , follows her first experience raising a puppy. "Instead of following an instruction manual for a puppy, I wanted to follow the puppy," she writes. "By slowing down to observe the changes in our new charge from week to week, I hoped to m...

There are several protections for trans and nonbinary people in our state, including insurance coverage for health care services and, as part of Connecticut's new "safe harbor" law, legal protections for those seeking gender-affirming care from out of state. Still, an increase in anti-trans rhetoric has led to a troubling trend of legislation and litigation nationally. How does this affect trans a...

In his new book,  The Storm is Here: An American Crucible ,  longtime war correspondent Luke Mogelson explores the rise of right wing extremism in the U.S. Today, Mogelson joins us to talk about the events leading up to the Jan 6 insurrection and what he saw firsthand at the U.S Capitol that day. The Oath Keepers have been accused of having a large role in the Capitol riots, and are one of the far...

Dr. Randall Horton is a Professor of English at the University of New Haven. His new memoir,  Dead Weight  details the time he was incarcerated more than two decades ago. Today, we talk about his time on the inside, what led him to write, and the challenges he faced establishing a career in academia.  Horton says the “weight of felony convictions never dissipates.”  We want to hear from you. Have...

When we hear about the climate crisis, it can often be framed as a future or somehow distant dilemma. But environmental justice advocates point to the many ways present-day discriminatory practices and policies have resulted in stark instances of environmental racism here in the U.S. One acclaimed Connecticut author is using his latest work of science fiction to reframe the climate crisis as inher...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but the holidays can be a difficult time for a number of reasons. The pressure to buy presents, fear of missing out, and spending time with difficult relatives can make enjoying this time of year challenging. Today, we discuss navigating the holiday blues. Rabbi Debra Cantor and Pastor Shawn Fisher join us to discuss ways to maximize your self care during...