Where We Live

The state legislature heads into overtime to discuss (and hopefully pass) a budget that was partially unveiled nearly a week after the regular session ended. This hour, our weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse will discuss how things operated during this legislative session. We also recap the Democratic and Republican state conventions where (eventually) all reporters were credentialed to cover t...

Ten years ago, Democratic political newcomer Ned Lamont launched a bid to unseat his party’s incumbent U.S. senator. He defeated Joe Lieberman in the primary and brought national political attention to Connecticut. But 2006 was also the year that our show launched. This hour, we look back at that campaign with Lamont and talk about what has happened in the state and country since then.  Suppo...

Dr. Gail Christopher has been a crusader for better health outcomes in America, championing an idea that “place matters,” finding that the way people live in some communities puts them at a much higher risk for disease.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kate Callahan has been a fixture of the Connecticut music scene for years -- and now she's got a title to prove it. Earlier this year the singer-songwriter was named Connecticut’s 16th State Troubadour .  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you feeling overburdened by student loan payments or the growing stack of credit card bills on your kitchen table? If you answered "yes" to either of those questions, you're not alone (especially if you're a young American). Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In his State of the State address, Governor Dan Malloy asked legislators not to wait until the last day of the session to pass a budget. At the time, lawmakers gave him a standing ovation. Flash forward a few months to the waning hours of the regular session, and what still needs to be passed? The state budget. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

New York's Indian Point nuclear facility has faced a number of recent incidents including fires, blown transformers, and most recently detection of radioactive water near the facility. This hour, an update on the situation there and in Florida where the Turkey Point nuclear facility is under scrutiny. We also hear from WNPR’s David DesRoches, who has been following the story of PCBs in Connec...

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader spent the better part of two decades dreaming up a museum with a highly specific, slightly bizarre theme: tort law. In late 2015, that dream became a reality with the opening of the American Museum of Tort Law in downtown Winsted, Connecticut. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2013, the unexpected departure of NPR CEO Gary Knell left the network, once again , in desperate need of a leader. So the board tapped Jarl Mohn -- a long-time philanthropist and media executive -- to step in and take the reins. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the United States, the 20th century marked a period of vast and unparalleled prosperity thanks -- in large part -- to an economic model known as the “mixed economy.” Under that model, the nation's government and markets operated in tandem, creating a robust coalition from which health, wealth, and well-being not only grew, but flourished.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/...

"Acela" primary day has come and gone for five Northeast states, including Connecticut . This hour, we recap the results with a panel of reporters and political experts. Which candidates picked up momentum? And, on the Republican side, was it enough to avoid a contested convention?  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As presidential candidates crisscross the United States, they have to learn how to win in open primaries, closed primaries, and caucuses. If they want their party's nomination, they need support from average voters and the more high-profile superdelegates. Candidates also must navigate the unique and varying rules of each state's contest. We haven't even gotten to the general election and the...

For a state that doesn't usually get much attention from presidential candidates, we’ve had a barrage of visits from Democrats and Republicans in the last few weeks, talking about issues that resonate with voters here: guns. Like Hillary Clinton, who brought Sandy Hook families and community members together for a forum in downtown Hartford.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnys...

The current legislative impasse over the state budget is less between political parties and more between branches of government. Gov. Dannel Malloy received plenty of criticism from members of his own party after releasing his revised budget proposal that makes widespread cuts to services and aid. Connecticut also hasn't completely put the lid on  this year's budget. This hour, we're joined i...

Tax liens might not sound like the "sexiest" topic. But for some property owners, they can mean the difference between keeping or losing a home. This hour, we take a look at how these liens -- and, more specifically, the sales of these liens -- are affecting some of Connecticut’s most financially vulnerable residents. It’s the latest in our ongoing series with WNPR contributor Susan Campbell.&nbsp...

Just a few weeks ago, Connecticut started to write-off its importance in the presidential nomination process. But then Bernie Sanders picked up steam and Donald Trump's campaign faltered. With less than a week before Connecticut residents cast their ballots, the candidates are making public stops across the state. Trump was in Hartford last week, and Hillary Clinton and John Kasich have visits sch...

Remember Hartford's Six Pillars ? Gov. John Rowland’s plan to revitalize Hartford -- begun almost 20 years ago -- included a convention center and sports megaplex, a downtown higher education center, up to 1,000 housing units, Civic Center renovations, expanded downtown parking, and riverfront improvements.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

President Obama’s visit to Cuba last month was historic for that country, and for relations between Cuba and the U.S. For many Cuban Americans living in the U.S., this trip, and the warming relationship between the countries, doesn’t wipe away those barriers of pain and separation.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barbara Bradley Hagerty is an award-winning journalist and former NPR correspondent. She's also the author of Life Reimagined ​ , a new book aimed at helping readers navigate the trials and opportunities of midlife. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spring has sprung, and with that comes gardening season! Are you thinking about how to get your garden ready?  This hour, we talk garden trends, soil prep, pruning, pest management, managing invasives, supporting pollinators, and so much more. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a sitting governor running for re-election in 2014, Dannel Malloy gave himself a nickname on  Where We Live . "You don't have to love me," said Malloy. "I'm a porcupine." The public is being reminded of Malloy's prickly side as he moves forwards with state employee layoffs. This hour, our weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse discusses the jobs cuts and what impact they will have on the st...

America’s elderly population is growing, and so is the number of older adults with mental health needs.  According to the American Psychological Association , between 20 and 25 percent of adults aged 65 and older have a mental health disorder. Yet reports show only a small fraction are receiving the kind of specialized professional care they need.   Support the show: http://wnpr.org/dona...

The U.S. and world economies were revolutionized by globalization and later by the digital revolution. What's coming next? This hour, we sit down with someone who has an idea of what's to come. Alec Ross served as Senior Advisor for Innovation to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He tells us how emerging fields like robotics and genomics are changing the way we live and work. Support the sh...

Later this month, Yale Cabaret will cast its spotlight on a unique "troupe" of New Haven performers: veterans and refugees who experienced the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from very different places. This hour, we hear their stories and learn about their play "Voices from the Long War."  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few of us remember Hurricane Ike as vividly as we remember Katrina and Sandy. But for people down in Houston, Texas, the 2008 storm was a major wake-up call.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.