Where We Live

When you head to New York, do you ever take a break from the city and get lost on a trail in Central Park? This hour, we take a look at the life of the man behind that beloved and iconic city park: Connecticut native Frederick Law Olmsted. Although best known for his work designing New York’s Central Park, Olmsted was also a journalist and abolitionist. And he shaped landscapes here in Conne...

If you experience headaches, fatigue or gastrointestinal issues during difficult times, you’re not alone. Today, we explore the link between our physical and mental health. Doctors typically treat these areas of health separately, but there is a lot more connecting these two areas of health than you might think. Dr. Julian Ford, clinical psychologist and professor in the department of psychi...

Warmer winters in Connecticut are helping to welcome invasive ticks, and the diseases they can carry. Nearly half of the ticks in Connecticut are carrying one pathogen, according to Dr. Goudarz Molaei, head of the state's tick surveillance program; and at least three invasive tick species are being tracked. Mary Beth Pfeiffer joins to touch more on the link between climate change and the spread of...

Connecticut lawmakers  passed legislation  strengthening reproductive rights, making the state a “place of refuge” for people seeking abortions. This hour on Where We Live, we talk about this measure – which has become more important in light of the  leaked Supreme Court documents  — indicating a decision to overturn Roe. V. Wade. The Guttmacher Institute  reports  that nine states have enacted a...

The journey to comprehensive content moderation on Twitter has been a long one, but the tech giant might be changing course. Today, we're talking about what Twitter might look like under Elon Musk and if free speech and content moderation can coexist together. Georgia Wells, Tech Reporter from Wall Street Journal, breaks down what we’re seeing and hearing from Elon Musk. Later, we hear from...

Union election petitions are up 57% over the last year, and "Starbucks petitions account for  nearly a quarter of all petitions filed since January ," reports NPR labor and workplace correspondent Andrea Hsu. This hour, we hear from Hsu about this momentum, and from one Starbucks employee and union organizer in West Hartford. The Corbin's Corner location was the first in our state to file for...

Weight loss surgery has become more accessible, but there are still concerns and stigma around these procedures. Today, we talk to surgeons in our state, about the pros and cons of bariatric surgery. We hear from a local Connecticut resident who had bariatric surgery in 2021. Did you know minors starting at age 10 are eligible for bariatric surgery? Drs. Melissa Santos and Christine Finck at Conne...

How does craft deepen your understanding of your history, your community, or yourself? And how can predominantly-white craft spaces better welcome diverse experiences? Textile artist and printmaker Jen Hewett threads the needle on these questions in her latest book,  This Long Thread: Women of Color on Craft, Community and Connection .  The book includes interviews with 19 fiber artists,...

Stanley Black & Decker, Xerox, and  Otis Elevator  are among a  growing list of Connecticut companies  exiting or reducing ties with Russia, as a result of its war in Ukraine. This hour on Where We Live, we hear from a Yale School of Management researcher who is compiling the  global list , on whether and how the corporate exodus – as well as  pull backs by...

Last week, President Biden announced a new program for Ukrainian refugees. United States citizens can now apply to sponsor Ukrainian refugees seeking asylum. Today, we learn more and talk to immigration lawyer Dana Bucin about her work aiding Ukrainian refugees. Later, we hear from, Gaye Hyre, a resident of West Haven who is currently hosting a Ukrainian family. Will we soon see more Ukrainian ref...

As Connecticut’s short legislative session winds down, the  "budget battle"  is heating up. We’ll get the latest from CT News Junkie editor-in-chief Christine Stuart, along with House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, and House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora. Plus, we learn more about the recently-approved SEBAC agreement, promising pay increases for  some 46,000 state emp...

There are many ways to shrink your carbon footprint, but it’s not always accessible to everyone. Green and eco-friendly products are more expensive. Today, we talk about sustainability, privilege and environmental justice. We hear from Leticia Colon de Mejias, President of Connecticut nonprofit Green Eco Warriors. Later, we learn how  “green gentrification”  has changed...

"Maintaining and bolstering trust in science has never been more critical," writes Connecticut College chemistry professor Marc Zimmer. His latest book,  Science and the Skeptic: Discerning Fact from Fiction,  explores the impact and "origins of fake science." Written to help young readers "distinguish between science and fake science," Zimmer offers tips and tricks to help "detect scien...

Indian immigrant Indra Nooyi led PepsiCo as chairman and CEO for more than a decade, making her one of the most powerful women in corporate America. Nooyi is also on the board of Amazon, a Dean's Advisory Council member at MIT's School of Engineering, and advisor on economic development to Gov. Ned Lamont. When the pandemic hit, she led the reopening committee with  Dr. Albert Ko , who is the...

Most of the advocacy around autism has been centered around parents of autistic children, but now there ’s  more advocacy and involvement by individuals who are autistic. Autism Acceptance Month brings an extended sense of awareness that the autistic community doesn’t need to be cured, but accepted and included. Today, we hear from Carol Greenburg, who was diagnosed with autism la...

Numerous reports have said obesity in adults rose in the pandemic. Childhood obesity has risen starkly too, but for different reasons than you may think. Today, we explore how stress impacts childhood obesity. We hear from Julia A. Snethen, co author of article, “ When Pandemics Collide: The Impact of COVID-19 on Childhood Obesity. ” And later, we’ll learn how to have sensitive conversations about...

Here in Connecticut, twice as many tenants faced evictions during the pandemic – not for falling behind on rent, but because their lease was up. They’re called no-fault evictions. And some believe the uptick is due to a loophole in an executive order. Today on Where We Live, we’ll explore what these no-fault evictions could mean to renters and how lawmakers are responding to it....

The history of flooding along the 400-mile Connecticut River runs deep, and disaster management expert Josh Shanley says one flood should be instructive. In his new book,  Connecticut River Valley Flood of 1936,  Shanley examines that devastating event, and warns that “past is prologue," calling for "a coordinated effort by many agencies on all fronts" to prepare for future floodin...

What better way to get to know a country and its people than through literature? Today, we talk about Ukrainian writers and what we can learn about this country through its poetry and prose. University of Massachusetts professor, novelist and poet  Askold Melnyczuk  joins us. His parents were Ukrainian refugees. He also works as a Ukrainian translator and he’ll talk to us about mak...

This hour on  Where We Live , we look into strategies that build resilience in local bookstores and discuss pandemic book launches. Long-time indie bookshops continue to stay afloat and even thrive despite the ongoing pandemic. Amazon  controls  more than half of the market for print books and at least three-quarters of publishers’ ebook sales. We also talk to booksellers abou...

Bloomberg reported that a shorter work week experiment in Iceland found that workers maintained productivity and had improved well-being. Today, Alex Pang, author of  Shorter: Work Better, Smarter and Less - Here’s How,  about how some companies are navigating a shorter work week, while paying workers the same salaries. And later, we hear from Mike Melillo founder and CEO of the Wa...

Tennis star Naomi Osaka and swimmer Michael Phelps are among a growing number of professional athletes who’ve been open about their mental health. Collegiate athletes are stepping up too, to say they need more support. Today, we hear from Fairfield University Division I swimmer Will Robinson, who has become an ambassador for mental health awareness. And Quinnipiac University rugby coach Beck...

Six in ten Americans  say they’re feeling the effects of climate change where they live, and that the federal response thus far has fallen short. Meteorologists are shown to be trusted messengers on climate change, and one non-profit news outlet is driven to help broadcasters connect the local weather conditions to the science of climate change. This hour, we hear from Bernadette Woods...

The National Women’s Law Center finds women in the U.S  lost more than 5.4 million net jobs in 2020 . But women are heading back to work now – there are nearly 600,000 more female workers in trade, transport and utilities; 200,000 more in transportation and warehousing, and 100,000 more in manufacturing. That’s from last March to this March (projected),  according to th...

Replacing your car with a bicycle might not sound possible, but would you change your mind if it was an electric bike? Today, we hear about a bill that could make E-Bikes more affordable and accessible in our state. State Senator WIll Haskell joins us to talk about the proposal, part of legislation to create a greener, more energy efficient Connecticut. And later, we hear why cyclists love these b...