Where We Live

Faculty at Connecticut's state universities are negotiating with the Board of Regents over a new three-year contract. Last month the new president of the Board, Mark Ojakian joined us to discuss the negotiations from his perspective. This hour, we hear from several of the professors  pushing back against cuts and other changes in the public higher education system. Support the show: http...

When was the last time you sent a letter? Not an email, but a real, tangible piece of mail? If your answer is "not recently," you’re not alone. Except for the occasional birthday or holiday card, most of us haven’t sent -- or received -- good, old-fashioned snail mail in a very long time.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been three years since saxophonist Jimmy Greene lost his six-year-old daughter, Ana, in the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. On his album, Beautiful Life , Greene memorializes his little girl. It was recently nominated for two Grammy Awards. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The national political conversation has shifted to a focus on security, guns, and terrorism. Our weekly political news roundtable The Wheelhouse will discuss the shift and the role Connecticut's congressional delegation has played in the national dialogue. How does this resonate among Connecticut voters, and how might it affect next year's elections? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See om...

Violent crime in America has been dropping for years, reaching a point in 2012 that was roughly half of what it was in 1993. But that may be changing. While there are a lot of reasons why violence is spiking, police officers note a growing willingness to use violence to settle minor disputes. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Access to health care has improved significantly since Obamacare, with big gains for previously uninsured minorities who were unable to gain access before the law took effect. But insurance isn’t the only barrier to overcome. Entrenched cultural beliefs and the way we deliver care can also limit access. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

Sanctuary cities have become a focus in the national debate on immigration reform. But what are they? Where are they? And how do they affect communities around the country?  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Monday, the first police officer went to trial for the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. Just a few days earlier, video was released of a white police officer in Chicago shooting a black man 16 times. This hour, we talk about race and racism with three people including Hartford resident Gareth Weston, a black man whose own daughter thought he looked like a "bad guy" when wearing a dark hooded...

Lawmakers are gearing up for a special session later this month as leaders continue to discuss a new budget agreement. The whole process is plagued by uncertainty though. How much is the budget shortfall? What corporations will have a presence in the state? Our weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse will have its own budget talk. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener...

It’s been twenty-two years since The New York Times lost Jeffrey Schmalz -- a young, fearless journalist who pushed the boundaries of AIDS reporting in twentieth-century America.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you think of drought, what place comes to mind? California? Texas?  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will state lawmakers have a budget deal in place to be thankful for on Thursday? Our weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse will bring you updates from the state capitol where time ticks away for an agreement on how to fix the state budget.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a 289 to 137 vote last Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would tighten the vetting process for refugees from Syria and Iraq. The measure passed despite a veto threat from President Barack Obama -- a threat Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan says "baffles" him . Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The  2011 consolidation of Connecticut’s regional and community colleges  hasn’t worked out so well. Administrative costs have gone up, it’s still hard for students to transfer credits from community to four-year colleges, and the system faces budget deficits that will require painful cuts. But  a new proposal  calling for give backs from employees has unleashed a furious backl...

In Connecticut, youth unemployment rates are at historic highs, with teenagers being disproportionately affected. This hour, we take a closer look at some of the latest trends and find out what’s being done to help young people find jobs.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you wondering whether to buy or rent a home? Or how much to save for your child’s education? How much should you set aside for retirement, depending on your age?  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a special edition of our weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse, we are joined by reporters from Vermont Public Radio to discuss their new radio documentary  Becoming Bernie , which will air on WNPR. We discuss the rise of Bernie Sanders and how the Democratic party is responding to his popularity in the 2016 race for president. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/li...

State Republicans have long been asking to be "at the table" in budget negotiations. Now, with a massive deficit, they are finally getting what they wished for and they announced their proposed fixes. "We not only fix the problem we’re in now because that’s our statutory obligation, but we make structural changes so this state can sustain itself not for the next month, not the next six months, but...

Young people coming out of college today have a strong desire to do good in the world, but it’s not easy to find jobs with a social purpose. Instead, many are starting their own businesses, combining an entrepreneurial spirit with a social mission. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we hear three stories that all converge around the topic of China.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been more than a decade since a unit of Boston Globe reporters known as the “Spotlight" team exposed child sex abuse in one of Boston’s most powerful institutions: the Catholic Church.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was one moment in Tuesday's Republican presidential debate that reminded us of all those other unwieldy, freewheeling and circus-like debates that came before: Rand Paul getting cut off by Carly Fiorina, and then Donald Trump drawing boos for being Trump. For the most part, though, last night’s debate was much more orderly. It was so orderly that rarely did the candidates, who had complained...

Wednesday is November 11, a date originally designated by President Woodrow Wilson as Armistice Day to mark the end of World War I. After World War II, however, it was renamed Veterans Day to honor all Americans who have served.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Green Revolution of the mid-twentieth century revolutionized the way the world fed itself.  It introduced new fertilizers, pesticides, and hybrid seeds. At the same time, it also placed an enormous burden on the world’s environmental and ecological systems. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Wednesday marks the beginning of the Latino & Iberian Film Festival at Yale . This hour, we learn more about it with festival director Margherita Tortora.  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.