Where We Live

This hour, we sit down with Republican gubernatorial contender Steve Obsitnik . What drove the Westport-based veteran and businessman to enter the race? What kind of future does he envision for the state and its residents? We find out and we also hear from you.  Later, political experts Ben Mallet and Bilal Sekou provide analysis of our interview and tell us what they will be watching for in...

Rhode Island’s new toll program made more than half a million dollars in one month.  But only tolling tractor-trailers has led to a lawsuit by the trucking industry not to mention criticisms from some Rhode Island politicians.   Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Type the word "diet" into a search engine and... bam... you’ll unlock a goldmine of results: diet books, diet blogs, diet pills, and other evidence of a diet-crazed world. But what drove society to become so obsessed with food restriction? How did something as simple as eating become so complicated? This hour, we take a bite out of... diets and diet trends... with guest host David DesRoches. We al...

Inside our genomes, we carry information about our recent ancestors as well as ancient human history. This hour, we sit down with science writer Carl Zimmer to talk about his new book,  She Has Her Mother's Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity . We ask him what our DNA can—and can’t—tell us about where we’re from and who we are. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/dona...

Public trust in the media is at historic lows. Today, Americans believe that the majority of news they encounter is biased, according to recent polling by Gallup . This hour, guest host David DesRoches asks--why are journalists losing ground and what can they do to regain trust? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sure, you’ve heard the words “midlife crisis.” It’s possible you’ve even used them... you know, to justify that flashy new car you purchased at age 50? But what exactly is a midlife crisis? Is it truly a crisis? Or something else? This hour, we take a closer look with Jonathan Rauch, author of the new book The Happiness Curve .  Plus: too old to work? We wade through some of the challenges pr...

Check out some of the titles recommended during this episode  here . Now that it’s summer, it’s time to head to the beach with a good book! For many of us, vacation is one of the few times we get to read for fun. Don’t know what book to pick up? Where We Live has got you covered. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ned Lamont is a familiar name in Connecticut politics. The Greenwich businessman has run for the U.S. Senate and for governor. And now he’s trying again. In May, Lamont easily won enough delegate votes to become the Democratic nominee for governor in 2018. This hour, we sit down with the candidate. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pregnancy is lifechanging, but for some women, that may come at the cost of their career. This hour: A  New York Times investigation looked at thousands of lawsuits by women and found that pregnancy discrimination is widespread in many American companies. We find out more from reporter Natalie Kitroeff. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

This hour, we learn about a new online series about " extreme inequality " in Connecticut. We also look at trends in white shark activity off the coast of Cape Cod. But first, an update on hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico . How well-equipped are the island and its residents to face a possible next storm? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s usually historians and scholars who get excited when a university acquires an ancient document. But in the 1960s, a map acquired by Yale University caused such a stir it divided the country. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we take you on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Monrovia Nursery Company in Granby, Connecticut. We meet up with self-proclaimed 'plant geek' and Connecticut Garden Journal host Charlie Nardozzi, and get a lesson on the company's history and cultivation techniques. Later, we listen back to our interview with Mark Richardson and Dan Jaffe, co-authors of the book Native Plants for N...

This hour, we give an overview of the NAACP's  newly-announced prison gerrymandering lawsuit  against Connecticut. Why did the organization choose to target our state? And why now? Plus, a breakdown of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of Janus v. AFSCME . What does the justices’ decision mean for the future of Connecticut’s public-sector unions ? But first, the timeline f...

A new Connecticut Public Radio series spotlights autism spectrum disorder -- with insight into the lives and experiences of young children and their families. This hour, we speak with the series' creator, Dr. Thyde Dumont-Mathieu, and hear from a Connecticut mother whose son is on the spectrum. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut's primaries are drawing near and, well, you may have noticed there are a lot of candidates to keep track of. This hour, we introduce you to two of them: 5th Congressional District hopefuls Mary Glassman (D) and Jahana Hayes (D). Who are they? And why did they decide to run? We find out and we also hear from you.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener...

The cost of milk has fallen and, with it, the spirit of Connecticut’s dairy industry. This hour: disheartened and distressed. We look at why some local farmers are opting to leave the dairy business. We also find out what supports are available to those who remain in it. Plus: next-gen agriculture. We learn how up-and-coming farmers are reshaping the landscape of food production . And finally: tra...

When Americans think about Canada, hockey or maple syrup or Canadian politeness may come to mind. Yet tensions are running high between the U.S. administration and our friendly neighbor and longtime ally over a trade dispute that has included personal insults against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by the Trump Administration. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/list...

The Board of Regents for the Connecticut State College and University system has unanimously approved a new plan to consolidate the state’s community colleges. This comes after an accrediting body rejected a previous proposal to merge the 12 community colleges into one “Community College of Connecticut”.   The newly approved plan would eventually create a single accredited institution in...

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday halting the at-the-border separation of immigrant children and families. Coming up, we wade through the details of the decision and consider its significance moving forward.  Later, we talk about chronic pain and its impact on young children. We hear from a Connecticut mother whose son was diagnosed with amplified musculoskeletal...

The USDA recently proposed recommendations that would require foodmakers to label their products if they contain genetically modified ingredients. Genetically modified crops have been portrayed as everything from a dangerous health risk to a miracle solution to tackle world food shortages. But among all this debate, many of us may not really know what a “genetically modified organism” (GMO) even i...

Next Tuesday is “Juneteenth”, a holiday that marks the day that slavery finally ended in Texas--two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This hour, we learn more about Juneteenth and how the holiday came to be commemorated nationwide. The Amistad Center will explain why this day is still relevant today. Many people think of American slavery as a Southern problem, but there were in fact ensla...

The Affordable Care Act’s protection for people with preexisting conditions is one of the most important provisions in the law. But that may be in jeopardy after a decision by the Department of Justice to not defend the ACA in a lawsuit filed by 20 states. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid the high-profile deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain came news of a new CDC report outlining a rise in U.S. suicide rates. This hour, we take an in-depth look at the numbers with Dr. Jill Harkavy-Friedman of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention . Plus: On the heels of last month’s violent storms, we hear about efforts underway to restore one of the state’s most damaged -- and...

Inside our genomes, we carry information about our recent ancestors as well as ancient human history. This hour, we sit down with science writer Carl Zimmer to talk about his new book,  She Has Her Mother's Laugh: The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity . We ask him what our DNA can—and can’t—tell us about where we’re from and who we are. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/dona...

Sure, you’ve heard the words “midlife crisis.” It’s possible you’ve even used them... you know, to justify that flashy new car you purchased at age 50? But what exactly is a midlife crisis? Is it truly a crisis? Or something else? This hour, we take a closer look with Jonathan Rauch, author of the new book The Happiness Curve .  Plus: too old to work? We wade through some of the challenges pr...