economy

Gov. Ned Lamont clarified his work ban on non-essential services late Sunday, carving out dozens of exemptions centered on key areas like child and health care, food, law enforcement, utilities and transportation, finances and insurance.

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Connecticut and across the US, many Americans are staying home to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. But not everyone can work remotely and many people have lost their jobs. This hour, we take a look at the pandemic’s economic impact .

We hear from Connecticut workers in the gig economy—people who drive for Lyft or deliver for Uber Eats. And we talk with an economist about what policies can ease the economic burden on Americans.

We want to hear from you. How is the coronavirus affecting your family—and your pocketbook?

Standardized tests, application forms, campus visits. The path to college can be a daunting one, especially when you add tuition to the mix. Then, of course, there is the cost of room and board, meal plans, textbooks...feeling stressed yet?

This hour, we tackle the realities of affording a college education, and we also hear from you. Are you the parent of a college-age student? Are you, yourself, working toward a college degree? How has this impacted you financially...emotionally? 

Can the states agree to mutually disarm when it comes to the billions of dollars in economic incentives that are spent annually coaxing companies to move, expand or sometimes merely stay put?

State lawmakers said Tuesday it is worth trying to find out. They are filing legislation directing Connecticut to join a nascent effort to develop an interstate compact banning company-specific incentives that are essential to corporate border wars.

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act introduced a new initiative, the Opportunity Zones Program, to spur investment in the nation’s most distressed communities. The state of Connecticut is home to 72 Opportunity Zones. What efforts are being made to attract investors to these regions? This hour, we find out, and we also hear from you. Do you live in or near an Opportunity Zone? 

On the need for new affordable housing, some Connecticut municipalities say "not in my backyard." But why this NIMBY approach?

This hour, we take an in-depth look with the author of a ProPublica-Connecticut Mirror investigation into local housing policies. We also check in with a town in southwest Connecticut, and with the policy director for the nonprofit Partnership for Strong Communities. 

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act introduced a new initiative, the Opportunity Zones Program, to spur investment in the nation’s most distressed communities. The state of Connecticut is home to 72 Opportunity Zones. What efforts are being made to attract investors to these regions? This hour, we find out, and we also hear from you. Do you live in or near an Opportunity Zone? 

Venture into any of Connecticut's municipal centers and you will likely notice an empty storefront … or two or three or, well, you get the point.

This hour, we ask: What impact do these vacancies have on the vitality of local communities? And what resources are available to help these communities attract and retain more retail businesses?

As fires burn in the Amazon rainforest, we ask: To what extent is deforestation responsible for the flames? Coming up, we check in with climate scientist Dr. Carlos Nobre.

But first, we talk to Scott Wallace about his reporting on illegal logging in the Amazon. What impact does it have on the rainforest? And what is being done to stop it? 

Standardized tests, application forms, campus visits. The path to college can be a daunting one, especially when you add tuition to the mix. Then, of course, there is the cost of room and board, meal plans, textbooks...feeling stressed yet?

This hour, we tackle the realities of affording a college education, and we also hear from you. Are you the parent of a college-age student? Are you, yourself, working toward a college degree? How has this impacted you financially...emotionally? 

When Rep. Rosa DeLauro and some of her congressional colleagues tried to visit a Goodyear plant in Mexico this summer, she was surprised to be denied entry into the facility. 

You responded so enthusiastically to our all-call show last Monday, we decided to try it again this week.

What's on your mind? The world is you oyster, at least from 1-2 pm this afternoon.

We've got no guests today. So much of the burden of making today's show any good at all rests with, well: you.

We can talk about pretty much whatever you want. The economy. Plastic bags. Greenland. The Little League Classic. 2020. Or 2020. Or 2020. Or 2020.

Connecticut’s unemployment rate dropped by slightly to 3.6 percent in July despite the loss of 100 jobs, the Department of Labor reported Thursday. That’s because the labor department also revised June job losses from 1,400 positions lost to just 800. 

Yale University has a $29 billion endowment, one of the largest in the world. The endowment invests in many things including fossil fuel companies.

This doesn’t sit well with some Yale students and faculty who are concerned about climate change. They’ve called on the school to divest that money from oil, coal, and gas companies. 

Yale University is offering a voluntary wellness program to some employees. The catch? You have to share your health data and there’s a financial penalty if you don’t participate. Now, Yale is now being sued by some of it workers over this program. This hour, we take a look at the legal questions surrounding employer-sponsored wellness programs. Does your job offer one?

Later, we take a look at the cost of childcare in Connecticut. Paying for daycare can be as much or more than in-state tuition in this state. We hear from an economist and the Commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood.

In the Farmington Valley, a nonprofit organization aims to break down silos and build bridges in the community through apartment housing. This hour, we learn about Favarh and its unique initiative to build a more integrated living experience for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Plus, at Quinnipiac University, students can apply to live not in a dorm but with residents at a Masonicare assisted living facility. We learn about the Students in Residence program, and we also hear from you. 

Last fall, after United Technologies Corp. announced it would spin off its Otis Elevator and Carrier divisions, then Governor-elect Ned Lamont vowed he would watch the Farmington-based conglomerate "like a hawk" to retain its workforce in Connecticut.

But this weekend's news that UTC would merge with Raytheon Co., and move its headquarters to Waltham, MA., came with little advanced notice to the Lamont administration.