Shows / Where We Live
Where We Live
Produced by Connecticut Public, 'Where We Live' puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines. We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.
Episodes
Where We LiveRep. Joe Courtney on the Heroin Epidemic and Economy of His District
Rep. Joe Courtney joins us to talk about what he's working on in Washington, D.C. for his constituents in eastern Connecticut. One national issue hitting his…
Where We LiveLive From Ralph Nader's American Museum of Tort Law
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…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: Drowning in Deficits
In his February budget address, Gov. Dannel Malloy outlined the challenges facing the state government. "Connecticut state government must reset our…
Where We LivePolitical Scientist Jacob Hacker Explains the Crisis of America's Mixed Economy
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…
Where We LiveFor Students, Two Breakfasts Better Than None; Food Labor Expert Saru Jayaraman
They say it's important to eat breakfast every day. But what if you eat two breakfasts? According to a new study, students who eat two breakfasts -- one at…
Where We LiveUniversity Foundations and the Public's Right to Know
Universities didn’t always have power-house fundraising foundations supporting them - they came into popularity in the Reagan-era economy when government…
Where We LiveAmerican Fascism: From the 1920s to Trump
During his speech in Cuba, President Barack Obama described just how different this year's presidential race is from those in previous generations. "You had…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: Capitol Conflicts Abound
Time in the legislative session is starting to run down and the list of things to do remains long. This week on our weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse…
Where We LiveConnecticut High-Speed Internet: Public or Private Utility?
An effort is underway to bring high-speed internet to residents across Connecticut and create competition for the existing cable and broadband companies. The…
Where We LiveTunnels: the Plans, the Pitfalls, and the Promises
What if commuting between Connecticut and Long Island meant hopping into a car and driving through a tunnel deep below Long Island Sound? Sounds far-fetched…
Where We LiveNavigating Midlife With Journalist Barbara Bradley Hagerty
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…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: Another Tuesday, Another Big Primary
It's that time of the political season when just about every Tuesday seems like a "Super Tuesday." More voters head to the polls, and on our weekly news…
Where We LiveHow Safe and Vital is the Indian Point Nuclear Plant?
New York's Indian Point nuclear facility has faced a number of recent incidents including fires, blown transformers, and most recently detection of radioactive…
Where We LiveConversations With Photojournalist Iason Athanasiadis and Writer D. Watkins
Iason Athanasiadis is a writer, photojournalist, and documentary filmmaker who has spent years covering the Middle East and Mediterranean Europe. He was in…
Where We LiveNigeria: Stories From the Coast of West Africa
This hour, we feature stories and sounds from the West African country of Nigeria. First, WSHU reporter Ebong Udoma checks in from Abuja, Nigeria, where he's…
Where We LiveOne Professor's "Journey to the Bottom of the n-Word"
In his new documentary, Connecticut journalism professor and newspaper columnist Frank Harris III spotlights what is unarguably one of the most controversial…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse and the Case of the Mysterious Bill Provision
This hour, our news roundtable The Wheelhouse tackles some of the biggest political stories of the week. We discuss everything from state budget cuts, to…
Where We LiveRegional Roundtable: Reporters Discuss State Efforts to Combat Opioid Crisis
This hour -- from Maine to New Hampshire; Vermont to Massachusetts -- we learn how some of our New England neighbors are working to stem opioid addiction and…
Where We LiveGetting Ready for the Garden
Spring is just around the corner, and with that comes gardening season! Are you thinking about how to get your garden ready? Support the show…
Where We LivePublic Television on the Public Airwaves is Changing
Like most of the media landscape, public television is changing. The massive hit Downton Abbey wraps up this weekend, and Sesame Street is now premiering new…
Where We LiveAre We Ready for the Next Big Hurricane?
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…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: Political Games and Campaigns
The future of some presidential campaigns may be decided on Super Tuesday, further slimming the field of candidates by the time Connecticut votes next month…
Where We LiveRethinking Care for Addicted Moms; Sen. Richard Blumenthal; Remembering Activist Butch Lewis
When a woman addicted to opioids gives birth, she usually leaves her baby behind to be cared for by nurses. However, one Connecticut hospital is rethinking…
Where We LiveConnecticut High-Speed Internet: Public or Private Utility?
An effort is underway to bring high-speed internet to residents across Connecticut and create competition for the existing cable and broadband companies. The…
Where We LiveThe Unfamiliar History of Abolition; Erika Christakis on Early Childhood
In The Slave's Cause, author and scholar Manisha Sinha writes a history of abolition -- a history more complex than the one taught in most American classrooms…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: Brave New Political World
In Nevada, Donald Trump cruised to an easy victory in the state’s caucuses. This hour, our weekly news roundtable, The Wheelhouse spends some time wondering…
Where We LiveA Conversation With NPR President and CEO Jarl Mohn
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…
Where We LiveBeyond Policy, When the Mental Health System Becomes Personal
Paul Gionfriddo leads Mental Health America but he has deep roots in Connecticut. He’s a former state representative and mayor of Middletown who now advocates…
Where We LiveChecking in With Connecticut's Director of Culture; Avoiding Family Homelessness in Hartford
This hour, Kristina Newman-Scott sits down with us for the first time since becoming Connecticut's director of culture in 2015. We find out how things are…
Where We LiveGov. Dan Malloy Live In Studio to Discuss Connecticut's Budget, Economy
Before delivering his "State of the State Address" two weeks ago, Gov. Dan Malloy said his budget proposal would be "austere" and that's what he delivered. His…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: Supreme Court and Budget Puzzles
The political ramifications of Antonin Scalia's death became immediately apparent on Saturday. President Barack Obama said he will make his Supreme Court…
Where We LiveH. Joseph Gerber and "The Inventor's Dilemma"; an Urbanist's Take on GE
This hour -- from Holocaust survivor to iconic twentieth-century inventor -- we hear about the life and career of Hartford's own H. Joseph Gerber. His story is…
Where We LiveThe Meaning Behind "Caliph" and "Caliphate"; New Book Ventures Into "Europe's Shadow"
The 2016 presidential race has been loaded with rhetoric about a so-called “ISIS caliphate." But what exactly is a caliphate? And what does it mean to say that…
Where We LiveIn Print and on Air With David Remnick; the Making of WNPR's Radius Project
This hour, New Yorker editor David Remnick takes us for a behind-the-scenes look at his new radio show and podcast The New Yorker Radio Hour. We also chat with…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: New Hampshire in the Books
As the electoral circus leaves New Hampshire, our weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse will recap the results and news from the first primary of 2016. This…
Where We LivePresidential Primaries Get Underway In New Hampshire
The eyes of the political world are on New Hampshire as candidates, supporters, and reporters descend upon the Granite State for Primary Day. Do Democratic…
Where We LivePreserving Our History One Letter at a Time; Gloria Steinem Discusses "Life on the Road"
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…
Where We LiveBuses, Trains, and Automobiles: Connecticut's Transportation Plan for the Future
More trains! Wider roads! Fixed bridges! The governor’s big plan to fix our transportation system has a lot in it but the state is still figuring out how to…
Where We LiveBeyond Policy, When the Mental Health System Becomes Personal
Paul Gionfriddo leads Mental Health America but he has deep roots in Connecticut. He’s a former state representative and mayor of Middletown who now advocates…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: Lawmakers Start Working With Budget Woes Looming
Governor Dan Malloy delivers his "State of the State" address Wednesday as the legislature reconvenes for this year's regular session. The state budget deficit…
Where We LiveSearching for "The Lost White Tribe"; Trombone Shorty Talks Music and Mardi Gras
For his latest book, Michael Robinson journeyed to the mountains of East Africa with a particular mission in mind: to search for explorer Henry Morton…
Where We LiveAmid Crisis, Questions About Environmental Injustice; Zika Virus; Niagara's Plans for Bloomfield
The Michigan Civil Rights Commission announced it will hold hearings to see whether discrimination played a role in the handling of Flint’s water crisis. The…
Where We LiveHow "Perfect" Is The U.S. Constitution?
From a land use standoff in Oregon, to a gun rights standoff looming in Washington, the U.S. constitution is under daily scrutiny in American life. This hour…
Where We LiveHas Society Become Too "Food Foolish"?
This hour, Food Foolish co-author John Mandyck tells us how reducing global food waste could help mitigate the stresses of hunger, water shortages, and climate…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: New DMV Leader; Old State Budget Problems
Despite an effort the eliminate the state budget deficit late last year, the numbers remain in the red just a week before this year's regular session begins…
Where We LiveIn Immigration Reform Debate, Sanctuary Policies Take Center Stage
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…
Where We LiveRed Light, Green Light: The Science Behind Traffic Signal Systems
Here's a riddle for you: What's green and yellow, but most often red? Give up? It's a traffic light -- you know, those things you hit on your way into the…
Where We LiveBehind Bob Boilen's Tiny Desk Contest; New Music from Hartford's Wise Old Moon
Wise Old Moon is a Hartford-based Americana band, made up of members Connor Millican, Dan Liparini, Stephen Cusano, and Sean Rubin. This hour, the quartet…
Where We LiveNortheast Drought Conditions: Temporary, or Here to Stay?
When you think of drought, what place comes to mind? California? Texas? How about... Connecticut? According to the United States Drought Monitor, more than 90…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: What Happened to State Senator Andrew Maynard?
Questions continue to swirl around a car crash involving a state senator. Andrew Maynard, a Democrat from Stonington, was already recovering from a fall at his…
Where We LiveConnecticut's Civic Health; Curing Cancer; a Look at GE's Big Move
A new report on Connecticut's civic health was released Tuesday. This hour, we discuss its findings with Secretary of the State Denise Merrill. Support the…
Where We LiveCombating Sexual Assault and Child Abuse
What happens when you change "no means no" to "yes means yes"? Connecticut joins a handful of states that are pushing for new legislation in an effort to…
Where We LiveUnderstanding Puerto Rico Defaults, Diaspora; Zoned Examines Cuomo Proposal for Penn Station
Last week, Puerto Rico defaulted on millions of dollars in debt payments, spurring legal action from bond insurers. This hour, we get the latest on the…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: What's the State of the Union?
What is the state of the union? It's probably strong, as the previous five presidents have said. This hour, our weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse will…
Where We LiveNigeria: Stories From the Coast of West Africa
This hour, we feature stories and sounds from the West African country of Nigeria. First, WSHU reporter Ebong Udoma checks in from Abuja, Nigeria, where he's…
Where We LiveChecking In With Rep. Elizabeth Esty During Renewed Debate on Guns
U.S. Representative Elizabeth Esty joins us ahead of President Barack Obama's final State of the Union address. One of the big issues being pushed by the…
Where We LiveOne-on-One With Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin
It's been one week since Luke Bronin was sworn in as Hartford's 67th mayor. This hour, he stops by to discuss his plans for the city. We talk about ballparks…
Where We LivePURA Chairman Discusses Utility Merger, Energy Infrastructure; an Update on the Flint Water Crisis
In December, Connecticut regulators approved the $3 billion merger of Spanish firm Iberdrola and New Haven-based UIL Holdings. The news came just two weeks…
Where We LiveThe Wheelhouse: White House Issues Executive Actions on Guns
Connecticut lawmakers were given advance notice of President Obama’s executive orders on guns. The Newtown school shooting was referenced several times during…
Where We LiveHow "Perfect" Is The U.S. Constitution?
From a land use standoff in Oregon, to a gun rights standoff looming in Washington, the U.S. constitution is under daily scrutiny in American life. This hour…