Where We Live

What does live theater look like for the rest of the 2021 season and going forward? Today, we talk with people making theater in our state. How have the last 15 months changed the way they engage with art and their audiences? Live theater  is  coming back, but what does back mean?   If you’ve seen a live show recently — or you’re counting the minutes until you...

This hour, Governor Ned Lamont has signed a bill allowing recreational use of cannabis. We speak with Connecticut State Representative Robyn Porter about her role in the debate over the pot bill. She pushed the Lamont administration to accept more provisions she said would help communities harmed by the war on drugs, but some of her efforts resulted in special session drama during the vote on the...

They are giants who live their whole lives underwater. In many ways, a whale’s life is completely alien to the human experience. Yet these ocean giants share some surprising similarities with us. This hour, we talk with National Geographic underwater photographer Brian Skerry. His newest  cover story for the magazine  looks at the growing body of research on whale culture.  An...

We all communicate in our daily lives, but how do languages actually work? This hour, we talk with linguist Nicole Holliday about the science behind language. We learn about the socio-linguistic cues that we all rely on everyday. And we talk about how much of what we learned about “good grammar” is actually wrong. Are you a stickler for grammar? If so, have you thought about why?...

In 2018 , Connecticut announced it would be part of an ambitious multi-state program to cut carbon emissions from transportation. In December 2020,  Governor Lamont signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and D.C. , committing to launch a regional transportation "cap and invest" program. But now, the regional program has suffered a setback: the Connecticut state...

We look at the career of Ella Grasso. Known as the first woman in the country to be elected governor who did not follow her husband, and the person who led the state through the Blizzard of 1978. She was also a state lawmaker, secretary of the state, and member of Congress from Connecticut, at a time when politics was mostly a man’s world.   Guests: Jon Purmont --   A history...

From 24-hour-long zoom public hearings to a Capitol closed to the public, 2021’s legislative session was like no other. This hour, we recap what happened in the Connecticut General Assembly, and find out what legislation passed and what didn’t. And later, one of the bills that made it through expands HUSKY health care coverage to some undocumented children. We talk with advocates about...

When you think back to your childhood, what was your favorite thing to do? Did you have a favorite stuffed animal or did you spend a lot of time outside? Today, we talk about the importance of play. There are lots of conversations about learning loss in the pandemic but learning through play is as important as classroom learning. What does playtime look like in your household?  We want to hea...

One hundred years ago, a Connecticut-born forester came up with a wild idea, creating a trail that stretched through the Appalachian Mountains, from Georgia to Maine. Now--thousands of hikers attempt to through-hike the Appalachian trail each year. Millions more use parts of the trail for recreation. This hour, we talk about the history and legacy of the more than two thousand mile trail. We want...

Bicycles helped inspire modern cars, paved roads...even airplanes! But did you know they were also an inspiration for the women's movement? This hour we take a look back in time at the origins of the bicycle, including innovation that happened right here in Connecticut. We find out the history of how this vehicle spurred social change and helped empower women to break through gender barriers a lit...

This hour, on the last day of the legislative session we speak with a Connecticut state senator who has played a key role in issues of race and criminal justice, including a proposal to legalize recreational cannabis. Did this session bring more fairness to people of color involved in the justice system? Guests: Connecticut State Senator Gary Winfield --  General Assembly Judiciary Committee...

Did you know 75 percent of animals in the ocean glow? From single-celled organisms to terrifying creatures like the anglerfish in the Pixar movie “Finding Nemo ,” living things bring light to the darkest depths of our world. This hour—why do so many creatures create their own light? We’ll learn the differences between bioluminescence and biofluorescence. And what happens wh...

Dogs are man’s best friend, but what’s really going on inside of their heads? This hour, we talk with canine cognition researcher Brian Hare. Hare runs Duke University’s Canine Cognition Center, and is the co-author of the new book:  Survival of the Friendliest: Understanding Our Origins and Rediscovering Our Common Humanity . Hare’s research says what makes our furry...

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s  The Great Gatsby  has dazzled readers for nearly a century. This year, 96 years after publication,  The Great Gatsby  has entered the public domain. This hour, we talk with  Gatsby  expert Maureen Corrigan about the novel’s legacy. The Great Gatsby  entering the public domain has opened a world of possibilities for adaptations a...

Love is what most people are looking for in a spouse or life partner. But this hour, we take a look at marriage, an institution that for much of history had very little to do with love at all. We also talk about the right to end a marriage by divorce. And we want to hear from you, too. Join the conversation on  Facebook  and  Twitter . GUESTS: Stephanie Coontz - Author of Marriage,...

This hour, a member of Congress from Connecticut now holds a key post as House Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee.  Rosa DeLauro will play a significant role in approving a federal budget, released by the president Friday. And she oversees earmarks. Those are spending perks for lawmakers that some see as wasteful, but that others see as necessary to the legislative process.  DeLa...

Some see State Senator Dennis Bradley as a rising star in Bridgeport-area politics. Now,  he faces federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges . Several politicians from Bridgeport have faced corruption charges in recent years. We talk with a community leader about the political culture in Connecticut’s ’s largest city. We want to hear from you. Are you a Bridgeport resident? What&r...

The world of craft beer is having its own #MeToo moment. A wave of women working in the beer industry have shared stories of misogyny and sexual harassment in the workplace .  This hour, we talk with women working in Connecticut’s craft beer industry and hear about the systemic changes needed to address these issues. Do you work at or own a brewery in our state? We want to hear from you...

When the preview for musical artist Sia’s debut film Music was released---- it received backlash from individuals on the autism spectrum. But it also sparked a conversation about neurodiversity. This hour, we talk about how the mainstream portrays autism. In the film Music, the central character “Music” is played by Maddie Ziegler, a neurotypical actress leading many to ask, why...

This hour, State Senator Dennis Bradley is indicted in a campaign finance case and removed from his leadership post on the Public Safety Committee.  That committee had handled a major proposal to allow online gambling and sports betting. The bill was approved by the state senate last night. It heads to the governor's desk. Meanwhile, negotiations are underway on a 2-year state budget. With De...

In 1884, a young Hartford woman named Ada Brown was murdered in her home.  It made national news, but Ada’s story faded into obscurity. This hour, we learn why a history class at University of Saint Joseph spent the past semester digging into her story, 136 years later. And we learn what it meant to one of Ada’s descendants.   GUESTS: Jennifer Cote -  Associate Professor...

Have you spotted a coyote in your neighborhood? These carnivores can live just about everywhere, from Canada to Central America, from California to -- just recently -- Long Island. This hour, we talk with two researchers that study coyotes. We learn about how coyotes have expanded their range over the last 200 years to cover much of North America. As other species have struggled to survive amidst...

How should we remember painful events in our history? There are more than 70 Witness Stones installed throughout our state. The markers commemorate the lives of the enslaved people that lived in Connecticut.  This hour, we talk to the founder of this project and hear about a potential Witness Stone to remember an enslaved woman who spent 18 years of her life in Suffield, Connecticut. Her name...

They are giants who live their whole lives underwater. In many ways, a whale’s life is completely alien to the human experience. Yet these ocean giants share some surprising similarities with us. This hour, we talk with National Geographic underwater photographer Brian Skerry. His newest  cover story for the magazine  looks at the growing body of research on whale culture.  An...

The General Assembly's Public Health Committee has handled some of the most emotional and hotly contested issues of the session.  Lawmakers held a 24-hour public hearing filled by parents opposed to vaccines.  Some of those same parents rallied outside the state capitol as lawmakers voted to end religious exemptions to school vaccine requirements . Some legislators on the panel choked up...