Where We Live

For months, Cape Town, South Africa was on the brink of disaster. After severe droughts, the city warned that “Day Zero” was coming--the day the city would run out of water entirely. Now, the date for Day Zero, originally predicted to be in April or May 2018, has been pushed indefinitely to 2019. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the U.S., an estimated 100,000 Americans live with sickle cell disease, or SCD. Yet, despite its impact, the disease and its patients remain largely out of the public eye. This hour, C-HIT reporter Peggy McCarthy helps us understand why . We discuss the realities of SCD awareness and hear from a New Haven resident living with the disease. Plus: inside U.S. drug courts. What approach do these pr...

Fruit flies. You may have seen one or two dancing above your fruit bowl. But what about under a microscope? Believe it or not these seemingly insignificant insects have had a long and (dare we say) fruitful history in advancing scientific research. This hour, First in Fly author Dr. Stephanie Mohr joins us to explain why. Later, we also take a deeper look into the realm of so-called “true flies” w...

In March 2003, the U.S. invaded Iraq--in what turned out to be a baseless search for hidden “weapons of mass destruction.” Fifteen years later, we are still dealing with the deadly fallout of the decision to go to war. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Samite Mulondo went from a refugee camp in Kenya to collaborating with Paul Simon. This hour, the musician and Uganda native joins us to share his story and his music. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do goldenrod, milkweed, and wild bergamot have in common? All are plants that are native to the New England region. This hour, we talk about the beauty and value of native plant gardening with Mark Richardson and Dan Jaffe, co-authors the new book Native Plants for New England Gardens . What native plants are best suited for your backyard plot or porch pots? We take your questions. Plus: sowi...

Should streets be designed for cars? Some urban planners think we should be making our streets less efficient for automobiles, not more. This hour, can reimagining our streets create better communities? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Memorial Day weekend , Connecticut residents will flock to the shoreline, raising umbrellas and spreading towels along the state's beaches. Yet, behind this sunny imagery hides a somber history -- a story of coastal ownership and exclusivity. This hour, University of Virginia professor and  Free the Beaches author Andrew Kahrl joins us. We reflect on the impact of Connecticut’s private a...

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has announced that anyone who enters the United States illegally will be prosecuted, even if they are seeking asylum. This hour, we get the details on current immigration policies, and we ask: what has “legal immigration" really meant throughout our country’s history? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut delegates assembled in Hartford over the weekend for the state’s 2018 Democratic convention . This hour, we wade through the results of their meeting and consider what lies ahead between now and the August primaries. Plus, the Great Recession may be over, but trends in local home prices  remain… well, pretty bleak. We find out why and take your comments and questions. When was the...

This hour, Save the Children U.S. President and CEO  Carolyn Miles  joins us. We talk about her decades-long career and learn about the unconventional journey that led her to the Fairfield-based NGO. It’s the latest conversation in Connecticut Public Radio's “ Making Her Story ” series, featuring prominent women with ties to the state.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See o...

Black children are three times more likely to drown in the United States than white children. This hour, we learn the history behind this deadly disparity. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Drug-resistant typhoid is sweeping Pakistan, while drug resistant gonorrhea has shown up in England. They’re the latest in a growing list of superbugs that are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Which Republican candidates are heading to primaries or the general election? We talk with Christine Stuart, editor of CTNewsJunkie.com about the state GOP convention. And she tells us what state lawmakers did—and didn’t—accomplish during this legislative session. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour: the deadly reality of  counterfeit drugs . We discuss the history and proliferation of fake pharmaceuticals with Dr. Muhammad Zaman, author of  Bitter Pills: The Global War on Counterfeit Drugs ,  and consider their impact both internationally and at home.  Also: a  new report  from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines an a...

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...

North and South Korean leaders Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un met last month in what was deemed an " historic summit " -- spurring reports of a possible peace treaty between the fraught nations. Coming up, we take an in-depth look at this and other news out of the Korean Peninsula. We also talk about plans for President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un to meet . What issues top the agenda of th...

Tunisia was the catalyst for the Arab Spring seven years ago. After historic municipal elections in this North African country, we ask—why has Tunisia succeeded in achieving democracy when others have failed? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona. Across the country, teachers have been striking for better wages. This hour, we talk about the challenges facing public school teachers nationwide and here in Connecticut. Have we invested enough in the professionals who educate the next generation? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

After a deadly van attack in Toronto, attention has been drawn to an extremist online group that is virulently, and sometimes violently, anti-woman. This hour, we look at the ways misogyny manifests itself in our society, from the extreme to the everyday. And we ask: what role do men have to play in combating this problem? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

This hour: we sit-down with Connecticut Department of Correction Commissioner Scott Semple. In recent months, Semple’s agency has garnered statewide attention -- specifically with regard to reports involving prison health care and security. We take a closer look at those issues and talk more broadly about trends within Connecticut's prison system. Do you have a question or comment for Commissioner...

It finally feels like spring, and that means you may be seeing some visitors around your home because peak bird migration season is almost here! This hour, we ask the State Ornithologist what to be on the look for. And we talk with the Connecticut Audubon Society about ways you can get involved in bird conservation here in our state. UConn and DEEP have teamed up to create a new Connecticut Bird A...

Guilt. Ah, yes, that awful, anxiety-ridden five-letter word. Most of us have experienced it. All of us have learned to dread it. But is a little guilt really such a bad thing? This hour, we consider that question and more with a series of guilt (note we did not say “guilty”) experts. We check in with a researcher at the University of Virginia and with a psychologist based in New York . And we want...

A new movie revisits the battle behind Kelo v. City of New London . We’ll take a look back at this eminent domain case that unfolded right here in Connecticut. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.