Where We Live

Does this year's back-to-school mean "back to normal"? This hour, we sit down with Connecticut State Department of Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker to discuss top priorities for the agency. We touch on COVID-19 and monkeypox guidance, teacher shortages, and more. What are your questions for the Commissioner? GUESTS: Charlene M. Russell-Tucker:  Commissioner, Connecticut State Departm...

Connecticut is home to many architectural sites, but what about the ones that occur just off the coast? Today, Dr. Nicholas Bellantoni takes us through the many shipwrecks along Connecticut’s shoreline. We hear about what happened to these shipwrecks and how they’re being preserved so that divers will always have an opportunity to explore this piece of Connecticut history. First up, we hear from J...

There’s been heavy emphasis put on computer programming education in recent years. Tech moguls like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg have all predicted that "learning to code" will be as ubiquitous as learning algebra. What opportunities are there to learn to code in Connecticut? This hour, we hear from the owner of three  Coder Schools  in our state, Vaishali Shah.  Hartford Business Jo...

106,000 Americans are waiting for an organ transplant, yet federal officials have raised serious questions about the national transplant system, known UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing. This hour, we learn about a  confidential government report  and  Senate investigation , both finding serious weaknesses in the transplant system. Washington Post health and medicine reporter Lenny Bernste...

Microbeads were banned in the U.S. in 2015, but tiny bits of plastic known as microplastics, and another manmade family of chemicals called PFAS, are turning up in our environment and in our bodies. A recent survey conducted by Connecticut Sea Grant identified both materials as "top" contaminants of emerging concern this year. This hour, we hear about efforts to track PFAS and microplastics in Con...

Brother Carl Hardrick has been a leader in violence prevention in Hartford for decades. Now there is an  Institute for Violence Prevention and Community Engagement  in his name. This hour, we sit down with Hardrick to reflect on his impact and his hopes for the Institute. "Interrupters" and "interveners" will train to take local action, working with youth and families and mediating conflict. "We'r...

A  new study examining "news deserts" in the U.S.  finds an average of two newspapers are closing per week, and estimates that by 2025, "one-third of American newspapers that existed roughly two decades ago will be out of business." This hour, we hear from lead author Penny Abernathy, plus, a researcher with Oxford’s Reuters Institute who found that at the same time,  digital news is failing to fi...

A new study examining "news deserts" in the U.S. finds an average of two newspapers are closing per week, and estimates that by 2025, "one-third of American newspapers that existed roughly two decades ago will be out of business." This hour, we hear from lead author Penny Abernathy, plus, a researcher with Oxford’s Reuters Institute who found that at the same time, digital news is failing to fill...

In 2018, New London was designated a "site of memory" on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization's  slave route project , an effort launched in 1994 to "break the silence" around the history of slavery. New London Landmarks held a ceremony in July to recognize the designation, installing a plaque at Amistad Pier. The site is considered the sixteenth stop on the  New Lon...

The recent monkeypox outbreak started in May, and the virus continues to spread. Today, we learn more including how monkeypox is transmitted to who’s eligible for vaccination. We hear from Dr. Celine Gounder Senior Fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Editor-at-Large for Public Health at Kaiser Health News. What questions do you have about monkeypox? But first up, Wesley Renfro, Professor o...

New research from multiple studies – yet to be published – was highlighted at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in San Diego, August. This hour on Where We Live, we discuss studies that show high blood pressure during pregnancy; consumption of highly processed foods; and the loss of smell and taste are all predictors of cognitive decline later on. We hear from an Alzheimer’s pat...

How are the deep racial disparities in reproductive health care being addressed in light of Roe v. Wade’s overturning? Connecticut nurse-midwife, nurse educator and historian Dr. Lucinda Canty recently launched Lucinda's House, to help local women of color "become an active part in eliminating structural barriers to improve their overall health and well-being." This hour, we hear from Dr. Canty ab...

Tuesday is the Connecticut primary, will you be voting? The races to watch include four candidates competing in the Democratic and Republican primaries for Secretary of the State, and the Treasurer’s race where three candidates are vying for the Democratic vote. And which Republican candidate has the best chance to go up against US Senator Richard Blumenthal in November? Mark Pazniokas from the Co...

As non-profit, tax-exempt institutions, colleges and universities are often seen as a source of public good. For example, a  recent New York Times Magazine article  celebrated a bustling New Haven arts scene that has arisen "both because of and despite Yale." Author and historian Davarian L. Baldwin describes a "public good paradox," calling for a "broad examination of higher education's growing f...

Journalist Erik Hesselberg has covered Connecticut’s waterways for decades. This hour, we preview his new book about the vibrant history of steamboats in our state, taking a trip on  Night Boat to New York . "For more than a century, overnight and day-excursion steamers had plied the route between Hartford and New York," writes Hesselberg, "carrying passengers, mail, and goods on regularly-schedul...

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects a shortage of up to 48,000 primary care physicians by 2034. This hour on Where We Live, we take a deep dive into why primary care is the barometer of the healthcare system, and how the practice landscape — including hospital acquisitions of physician practices, low reimbursements to primary care physicians, and the proliferation of urgen...

Statistically, more than 98% of Connecticut’s farmers are white. Today, we’ll talk with BIPOC farmers and hear from a grower about her journey, and the challenges facing farmers of color. Gaby Pereyra, a Co-Director at Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust joins us. We’ll also talk about how working in agriculture impacts mental health and hear from Joan Nichols. She’s executive director of the Co...

Half of the world’s population is made up of women. And by 2025, the number of postmenopausal women is expected to rise to 1 billion, according to the  North American Menopause Society . Despite the  $600 billion global market , menopause is still a taboo topic. But  new scientific research  on menopause on the heels of previous studies show how and where we  must invest  in women’s health. This h...

This hour, we explore the "mysterious Internet phenomenon" known as ASMR, autonomous sensory meridian response. According to physiologist and ASMR researcher Dr. Craig Richard, it's a relaxing reaction to various "triggers," including whispers. Hear from Dr. Richard about how "brain tingles" became a scientific term, and what he's observed in his ongoing ASMR study . Plus, we meet Olivia, a local...

What are some issues with homestay services like AirBnB? And what’s being done to address them? Today, 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 safet...

South Asians have the highest death rate from heart disease in the U.S. compared to other ethnic groups. Globally, 60% of patients with heart disease are South Asians. Cardiovascular risk in South Asian Americans – Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi immigrant populations – leads to the early onset of plaque in arteries, compared to other groups. That’s what the 12-year long Mediators of Atheroscle...

The number of homeschoolers in Connecticut has increased since the start of the pandemic. The Connecticut State Department of Education reported a "slight decrease" in students returning to public school in 2020, "attributed to an increase in homeschooling. "Families are asked to log their "exit" from public school with the state agency. There were 550 exits reported in 2019, and that number rose...

In light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on abortion, some companies are announcing their commitment to cover abortion care and travel costs for employees. But what other changes can we expect? Mike Golden, a corporate law expert, says we could start to see employers covering the cost of abortion care and provide childcare benefits as a competitive talent acquisition tool. Today,   we explore...

Several projects are underway aiming to connect Connecticut residents to revitalized riverfronts. This hour, we hear from planners on the Naugatuck River Greenway Trail, getting the latest on the effort to connect 11 municipalities from Derby to Torrington along 44 miles of trail. We'll check in on the next phase of construction planned through the center of Waterbury. But first, Middletown Mayor...

Sy Montgomery has authored over 30 books about animals. Today, she joins us to talk about her latest book, The Hawk’s Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty . We learn about Sy’s lessons in falconry and what it takes to handle these incredible creatures. Later, we hear from A Place Called Hope Rehabilitation Center, a raptor rehabilitator located in Killingworth. If you’re a lover of birds of prey, we...