Where We Live

A fatal hit-and-run by a teen allegedly driving a stolen vehicle has led to more debate about Connecticut’s juvenile justice reforms. State Republican lawmakers blame policy changes in Connecticut for a rise in car thefts by teens. This hour, we take a closer look at the data with the investigative editor of Connecticut Public’s new Accountability Project. And later, we hear what a rec...

Scientists have found  that our brains contain what’s called ‘grandmother neurons,’ which light up when we see a familiar face, like grandmother’s face. The discovery was made  using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)  that showed a select set of neurons located in the temporal pole of rhesus monkeys lit up each time the monkeys saw photos of their...

Nearly a month ago, the Surfside Condominium partially collapsed. A 2018 inspection found “major structural damage” to the building leading many to ask, what more could have been done to prevent this tragedy? This hour, we’re asking, what are landlords and building owners obligated to do here in Connecticut to keep residents safe? If you live in a condominium, or rent an apartmen...

Some birds in the Eastern United States have been dying of a new disease with strange symptoms, including crusty, swollen eyes. Most of the affected birds so far are in the mid-Atlantic, but scientists and wildlife enthusiasts are concerned this disease could show up in Connecticut. This hour, we find out more about this mysterious illness and what you can do about it. And later, we get an update...

This hour, a conversation with the two leading candidates for mayor of New Haven. Who has the best ideas to lead the city's recovery from the pandemic, and to help support students who have had two school years interupted by COVID-19? Guests: Justin Elicker --  Mayor of New Haven seeking re-election, former New Haven alder and teacher Karen DuBois-Walton --  Challenger for the position o...

This week, British billionaire, Richard Branson, launched himself into space on his company’s spacecraft. The Virgin Atlantic founder beat out fellow billionaire, Jeff Bezos, who is scheduled to travel to space on July 20, 2021 in his company’s spacecraft. This hour, we take a look at the billionaire space race and the era of space tourism for the ultra-wealthy. With powerful private i...

This hour, voting is one of our most basic rights as Americans. But since the 2020 presidential election, it has become a hot-button issue nation-wide. We speak with Connecticut Secretary of the State  Denise Merrill .  She deals with voting issues on the state level. Merrill recently announced that her current term will be her last.   Also, New York Times Politics Reporter&nbs...

What happens to women’s bodies during menopause? This hour, a frank conversation with OB/GYN Jen Gunter about what your mother probably called “The Change.” Dr. Gunter is the bestselling author of  The Vagina Bible  and most recently,  The Menopause Manifesto . Why is menopause such a mystery? As a culture, we don’t talk about menopause. In fact, women get th...

Digital downloads for mental health needs  surged  nearly 200 percent during the pandemic. Now, it seems this trend is here to stay. The  market  for mental health apps is projected to reach 3.3 billion dollars in the next six years. This hour, experts discuss how digital products are changing the way people care for their mental wellbeing, and the scientific rigor required fro...

This hour, we discuss Baby Bonds. The program promises to make $50-million per year available for accounts for children born in poor families. The $3,200 deposits grow until the child becomes an adult. Also, we review the next steps in the recreational cannabis program, and the governor's recent veto of a bill putting limits on solitary confinement.   Guests: Connecticut State Representative...

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 of His...

We’re reaching the middle of the summer here in Connecticut. Although many of our favorite summer activities aren’t feasible this year, there are lots of ways to get outside. Connecticut has plenty of public gardens to explore. This hour, we talk with New England gardeners about places to explore here in our home state, and ways to make your backyard an oasis.  How is your backyar...

More than two thirds of Connecticut residents have received at least one shot of the covid vaccine. At the same time, a new and fast-spreading “delta variant” of covid has spread around the globe and has become an ever-growing portion of new covid cases in the United States. This hour, we wade into all of this with public health experts. Will the delta variant impact our behaviors this...

The recreational use of marijuana becomes legal in Connecticut tomorrow, July 1. But much work is left to be done surrounding legal pot, including the creation of regulations for cannabis sale and production, and filling in the details of racial and social equity provisions.   Plus, the governor has signed dozens of bills so far, but the fate of other proposals remain unresolved. Will th...

For years, Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones have hoped for new medical treatments for an incurable disease. This hour, we talk about the FDA’s approval of a new drug aducanumab to treat Alzheimer’s Disease, and we learn why  some in the scientific and medical community have concerns . We want to hear from you. Does Alzheimer’s disease affect your family? GUEST...

After more than a year of restrictions, Connecticut – now 59 percent fully vaccinated –is moving toward a post-pandemic society. Beaches are filling up, restaurants are getting booked, and students have signed off Zoom school. But one group has been left behind – COVID long-haulers. This hour, we talk with physicians about new treatment and therapies at COVID recovery clinics. We...

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...