Where We Live

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 us.

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.

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 planning to end most COVID-19 restrictions next month?    

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.

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.

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 War II.

Snyder tells us why it’s especially important for Black families to document their own family history.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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 steps to put all residents on an equal footing when it comes to internet access?

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.

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, 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.

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.

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.

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. 

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 media companies survive?

We look at the career of Ella Grasso. Known as the first woman in the country to be elected governor who did not follow her husband, and the person who led the state through the Blizzard of 1978.

She was also a state lawmaker, secretary of the state, and member of Congress from Connecticut, at a time when politics was mostly a man’s world.  

One of the harshest punishments you can receive in prison is solitary confinement. Advocates say solitary confinement does more harm than good - leaving the incarcerated with lasting mental health problems that go beyond the duration of their served sentence. 

Do you see bats where you live? These flying creatures play important roles in ecosystems around the world, from pest control to pollination.

This hour, how will we remember a year in this pandemic? Grief can often leave us feeling incredibly alone. Especially when haven't been able to gather and commemorate our loss. How will we memorialize the lives and time lost this year?

If you have spent anytime journaling, or reflecting on this year either alone or with family.

Some countries and companies have looked into creating vaccine passports to allow those vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel more freely and attend public events. Others say limiting access to vaccinated people is unfair.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on his push to reopen and to vaccinate Connecticut. With variants of the disease appearing in the state, is this the time to loosen restrictions?

Plus, a gambling expansion deal was reached between the state and Connecticut’s two casino-owning tribes. What hurdles are left to clear?

When the preview for musical artist Sia’s debut film Music was released---- it received backlash from individuals on the autism spectrum. But it also sparked a conversation about neurodiversity.

A recent shooting in the Atlanta area killed eight people. Six of them were women of Asian descent.

It's one of the nearly 4000 hate incidents against this group over the last year.

Roya Hakakian came to the US as a refugee from Iran when she was just a teenager.

Now, the Connecticut author and poet has drawn on her life story to create a “guidebook” about the immigrant experience.

This hour, Hakakian joins us to talk about her new book, A Beginner’s Guide To America.

We want to hear from you, too. How has the history and experience of immigration in your family shaped your experience as an American?

The Connecticut Supreme Court wants to ensure that jury pools are diverse and representative of our communities. That could mean striking restrictions of who is allowed to serve on a jury. This hour, Chief Justice Richard Robinson joins us to answer our questions and yours about jury duty in our state.

A recent Connecticut Mirror report found a big drop in the number of students enrolled in school in Connecticut.  How has the pandemic hurt students, and how can state lawmakers help?  One of the leaders of the General Assembly Education Committee joins us.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Legislative Black and Puerto Rican Caucus says he is trying to dispel vaccination myths and get more Black and Hispanic residents interested in getting COVID-19 shots.  

What will you do once you’re vaccinated? The CDC says people who’ve been vaccinated can gather together.  And grandparents who got the shots can visit with grandchildren.

Connecticut residents may soon be able to return to some type of “normal” now that Gov Lamont has just announced all residents over 16 are eligible for the vaccine starting April 5th, 2021.

We want to hear from you. How will these latest guidelines affect your interactions with relatives/friends?

  An unprecedented year; how many times have you heard that one? Did you anticipate that masks would become a staple part of our wardrobe?

Last Saturday marked the anniversary of the Connecticut pandemic lockdown. This hour, Yale Health epidemiologist Dr. Albert Ko joins us to reflect on one year in the coronavirus pandemic. 

We want to hear from you. What has this last year been like for you and your family? 

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