Where We Live

Recovering from addiction is difficult in normal times, but managing recovery during a pandemic can be incredibly challenging. This hour, we talk about the challenges of navigating recovery during the pandemic.  Addiction thrives in isolation. Many addicts rely on support groups and peer sponsors to navigate recovery - how is this being managed during a pandemic?  If you or someone you l...

Broadband access is not just a convenience, it’s essential for life under COVID-19.  This hour, we take a look at Connecticut’s digital divide. We talk with a researcher whose  report highlights the stark racial and economic disparities in internet access in our state . Governor Lamont has proposed universal broadband by September 2022. But is the state taking strong enough s...

Astronaut Kayla Barron was one of the first women commissioned as a submarine warfare officer in the US Navy. Now, she’s part of another groundbreaking group,  NASA’s Artemis Team . This hour, we talk with Barron about her training for the next set of missions to return to the moon.  The Artemis Program aims to put the first woman on the moon in coming years. Later, we hear f...

If you feel like you might have tipped the scale a bit during this pandemic, you’re not alone. A recent study by the American Psychological Association says more than 61% of U.S. adults reported an undesired weight change in the pandemic. According to the CDC, 42% of adults in the United States are obese and that number is still climbing.  This hour, how can physicians have better conve...

This hour, we speak with Congressman Joe Courtney for the latest on political maneuvers in Washington, as the president seeks passage of a broad infrastructure bill. Should there be changes to security at the US Capitol, after another violent incident claimed the life of a capitol police officer?  And we get an update on the future of submarine work at Electric Boat in Groton. &nbsp...

Connecticut has been among the states leading the pack nationally on vaccinating its residents overall, but deep disparities remain. This hour, we get the latest from Connecticut Public Radio reporters about what’s driving the state’s racial inequities in vaccination rates. And later, some teaching programs are seeing drops in enrollment. After a challenging year for educators, will th...

10% of Americans are living with diabetes. Are you one of them? Managing a chronic illness can already be difficult, but managing it during a pandemic can be nearly impossible. This hour, we talk about the stigma and challenges that come with a diabetes diagnosis. We talk to Connecticut Public health care reporter Nicole Leonard, and physicians across our state to discuss this illness and what can...

Connecticut resident Martha Hall Kelly is back with a new book,  Sunflower Sisters.  This hour, she joins us to talk about the third and final installment following Caroline Ferriday’s family. This book centers on three women during the Civil War; Georgeanna Woolsey, Jemma and Anne-May.  Later, we’ll hear from a member of Connecticut Landmarks to talk about some of the i...

The  Hartford Courant  is America’s oldest continuously published newspaper.  But the proposed acquisition  of the paper’s parent company Tribune Publishing by hedge fund Alden Global Capital  has reporters worried about the newspaper’s future. This hour, we look at the future of the  Courant .  In a changing world, how will newspapers and other...

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...

One of the harshest punishments you can receive in prison is solitary confinement. Advocates say solitary confinement does more harm than good - leaving the incarcerated with lasting mental health problems that go beyond the duration of their served sentence.  This hour, we talk with advocates in our state who are working to end solitary confinement. And we will hear from someone who exp...

Do you see bats where you live? These flying creatures play important roles in ecosystems around the world, from pest control to pollination. But bats in Connecticut are in big trouble. This hour: bats in our state have been devastated by White-Nose Syndrome. We learn more about this deadly disease and talk about why we should be concerned that populations in Connecticut have been so hard hit. Bat...

This hour, how will we remember a year in this pandemic? Grief can often leave us feeling incredibly alone. Especially when haven't been able to gather and commemorate our loss. How will we memorialize the lives and time lost this year? If you have spent anytime journaling, or reflecting on this year either alone or with family. Later, we will hear more about Conncticut Public's new series  C...

Some countries and companies have looked into creating vaccine passports to allow those vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel more freely and attend public events. Others say limiting access to vaccinated people is unfair. Governor Ned Lamont  told Where We Live  earlier this week that he thinks vaccine passports could potentially be implemented in Connecticut at some point in the future...

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on his push to reopen and to vaccinate Connecticut. With variants of the disease appearing in the state, is this the time to loosen restrictions? Plus, a gambling expansion deal was reached between the state and Connecticut’s two casino-owning tribes. What hurdles are left to clear? Guests: Governor Ned Lamont Hartford Courant Columnist Kevin Rennie Support the sh...

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...

A recent shooting in the Atlanta area killed eight people. Six of them were women of Asian descent. It's one of the  nearly 4000 hate incidents against this group over the last year . Today, we take a look at anti-Asian violence. We want to hear from you, too. Have you been targeted by racism or xenophobia during the pandemic? GUESTS: Na-Rae Kim -  Assistant Professor in residence and As...

Roya Hakakian came to the US as a refugee from Iran when she was just a teenager. Now, the Connecticut author and poet has drawn on her life story to create a “guidebook” about the immigrant experience. This hour, Hakakian joins us to talk about her new book, A Beginner’s Guide To America . We want to hear from you, too. How has the history and experience of immigration in your f...

The Connecticut Supreme Court wants to ensure that jury pools are diverse and representative of our communities. That could mean striking restrictions of who is allowed to serve on a jury. This hour, Chief Justice Richard Robinson joins us to answer our questions and yours about jury duty in our state. When jury trials resume, jury selection might look a bit different than before. Have you served...

A recent  Connecticut Mirror  report found a big drop in the number of students enrolled in school in Connecticut.  How has the pandemic hurt students, and how can state lawmakers help?  One of the leaders of the General Assembly Education Committee joins us. Meanwhile, the leader of the Legislative Black and Puerto Rican Caucus says he is trying to dispel vaccination myths and...

A recent  Connecticut Mirror  report found a big drop in the number of students enrolled in school in Connecticut.  How has the pandemic hurt students, and how can state lawmakers help?  One of the leaders of the General Assembly Education Committee joins us. Meanwhile, the leader of the Legislative Black and Puerto Rican Caucus says he is trying to dispel vaccination myths and...

What will you do once you’re vaccinated?  The CDC says people who’ve been vaccinated can gather together .  And grandparents who got the shots can visit with grandchildren. Connecticut residents may soon be able to return to some type of “normal” now that Gov Lamont has just announced  all residents over 16 are eligible for the vaccine starting April 5th, 202...

  An unprecedented year; how many times have you heard that one? Did you anticipate that masks would become a staple part of our wardrobe? Last Saturday marked the anniversary of the Connecticut pandemic lockdown. This hour, Yale Health epidemiologist Dr. Albert Ko joins us to reflect on one year in the coronavirus pandemic.  We want to hear from you. What has this last year been li...

Gardening can be really therapeutic. For the second year in the row, seed sellers are selling out of their stock early as more and more people prepare for another pandemic spring season at home.  This hour, Charlie Nardozzi from Connecticut Garden Journal is here to answer your questions on gardening.    Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you want to learn about an obscure topic, where do you turn? For many, it’s a free, online encyclopedia which now contains more than 55 million user-created articles. This hour, we talk about 20 years of Wikipedia. We get a behind the scenes look at the sites’ editing process, including the tools the Wikipedia community has developed to fight misinformation. And we talk about how...