Where We Live

This hour, we speak with Connecticut Comptroller Kevin Lembo on his public option proposal to give more people the chance to join a health insurance program overseen by the state. The Connecticut Partnership Plan is already offered to municipal workers and school employees.  But how would he pay for it? And how would he avoid frightening away insurance companies that are big employers in the...

Ever wonder why you were required to learn algebra, but not how to balance a checkbook and file your taxes? Although personal finance and accounting are offered as an elective in many high schools, they're not often required for graduation. This hour, we talk to Nan Morrison - President and CEO,  Council for Economic Education  about teaching our children to be more financially literate....

Another school year in a pandemic is winding down. That means parents have been thinking about summer plans like summer camps. The Lamont administration has said it will invest COVID-19 relief money to make summer camp experiences accessible to all Connecticut students. This hour, we talk with a camp director and hear from state agencies that serve kids. What’s in store for summer 2021? GUES...

With no commute to work and no gathering with friends, how have you been spending time during this pandemic? This hour, we talk about pandemic hobbies and the lifelong benefits of having a hobby.  Whether you are baking sourdough bread, or learning a new language - we want to hear from you! What’s your pandemic hobby?  Don’t feel like you have time to pick up a new hobby? It...

How many days were  you  out of power last summer after Tropical Storm Isaias? The outages last August impacted hundreds of thousands of residents. Some lasted more than a week. This hour, we talk with Marissa Gillett, Chairman of PURA, Connecticut’s utility regulator. The agency investigated how the state’s two major electric companies dealt with the storm and issued a final...

This hour, it affects virtually everyone in the state of Connecticut in one way or another, but it can be difficult to understand.   The state budget decides how much we pay in taxes, and it helps determine the level of resources for important services like education, care for elderly people, and public health.   We dive into the politics and process of funding state government...

Insects are the most abundant group of animals on the planet. There are an estimated 10 quintillion of them on Earth. But in recent years, scientists have found disturbing evidence that  insect populations are on the decline around the world . The environmental threats to insects are numerous: deforestation, pesticides, and climate change all seem to play a part in declining populations, a ph...

Rebecca F. Kuang started writing her first novel,  The Poppy War , when she was just 19 years old. The final installment in the author’s dark military fantasy series, The Burning God , came out last November . Now, The Poppy War trilogy has been nominated for the 2021 Hugo Award for best series. This hour we talk with Kuang, who will also be starting a PhD program at Yale Univ...

Almost two weeks ago today, two children in Hartford were shot and killed within hours of each other. This week, on the heels of the Derek Chauvin verdict, a sixteen year old black girl was shot and killed by the police in Columbus, Ohio.  This hour, we discuss what happens after gun violence. Representative Brandon McGee and Kelvin Lovejoy from Hartford Communities That Care join u...

Telehealth, Google Classrooms, and Zoom have become essential for daily life in the pandemic. This hour, we learn about the role of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to make sure all Americans have access to broadband internet. We talk with the FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, a West Hartford native. And later, we get perspective from a Wall Street Journal technology policy rep...

This hour, we speak with the top Republican in the state house the next steps after a fight in the state House over a vaccine bill. The proposal would end the practice of allowing parents to avoid vaccination for their children by claiming religious objections. The house approved the measure, but it has yet to come up for a vote in the senate. Also, is the governor doing the right thing, by p...

The term global warming makes it clear that climate change is raising temperatures around the world. But climate change and a melting Arctic will shape our weather in New England in a whole host of other ways as well. This hour: from extreme storms to “weather whiplash”, we look at the science behind why climate change is making our weather...weirder. And later: leaders around the glob...

Nearly 2000 children are arrested each day in the United States. That's according to the  Children's Defense Fund . This hour, we check in with the Connecticut Justice Alliance which works to keep children and youth out of the justice system. Although Connecticut is seeing an overall decline in its prison population, the vast majority of incarcerated youth are children of color.  Ho...

Jill Snyder’s parents carried on a long-distance courtship through letters. After her mother’s death, Snyder found these letters, and compiled them into a book, called  Dear Mary, Dear Luther: A Courtship in Letters . This hour, Snyder joins us to talk about her family’s story. It’s a lens into the lives of African Americans in the Northeast before the start of World W...

It has been over eight years since Sheryl Sandberg’s breakthrough book Lean In hit the shelfs and started a conversation about women leading in the workplace. But sexism is far from obsolete in today’s job market.  The good news is, skills to thrive in the workplace can be taught long before a woman accepts her first job offer. This hour, what can we do to teach young girls confid...

This hour, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman Rodney Butler discusses  the ongoing debate over a major expansion to legalized gambling in Connecticut, and the impact of COVID-19 on tribal members.    Guests:   Rodney Butler -- Chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Mark Pazniokas -- Capitol Bureau Chief with the Connecticut Mirror Support the show: http://wnp...

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...