It’s been about 2½ weeks since the federal government made a second wave of Paycheck Protection Program funding available to small businesses that promise to keep their employees on the payroll. But there is growing concern that the program is failing to serve minority-owned businesses. To learn more about the issue in this state, Connecticut Public Radio’s John Henry Smith spoke with state Sen. Douglas McCrory on All Things Considered.

The coronavirus has swiftly led to dramatic changes in our daily lives. And that, in turn, has meant new levels of stress for many people. Unlike other singular traumatic events, the pandemic is ongoing. And as Connecticut begins to reopen its economy, people will have to find ways to continually adapt to unpredictable and changing conditions.

Spring is usually a busy time for bird enthusiasts since it’s peak season for bird traffic. But since the pandemic , interest in bird-watching seems to be soaring.

Essential workers throughout the state who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 say they are being denied workers' compensation benefits. Four women recovering from the virus spoke out during a news conference hosted by the Connecticut chapter of the AFL-CIO.

State officials have released a set of guidelines for arts and cultural organizations to follow when considering reopening. The guidelines were compiled by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development along with arts advocacy groups from around the state.

New London native and 26-year Coast Guard veteran Capt. W. Russell Webster is FEMA’s New England regional administrator. And he’s in charge of the agency’s response in this region to the slow-moving disaster that is the coronavirus pandemic. He spoke with our All Things Considered host, John Henry Smith, about federal aid, PPE supplies, decontamination facilities and his relationship with the Lamont administration.

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference canceled its spring sports season this week after news that public schools will remain closed for the remainder of the academic year. Executive director Glen Lungarini talked with All Things Considered host John Henry Smith about this decision and the criticism he faced when he canceled the winter sports playoff schedule back in March.

Growing up in an Italian-American household, one of the treats of spring was eating raw bulbs of Florence fennel. My mother would prepare it with a simple dressing of olive oil, salt, pepper and a dash of balsamic vinegar. I grew up loving this anise flavored vegetable.

Gov. Ned Lamont’s strategy to open certain businesses on May 20 is welcome news to the Mystic Seaport Museum. The maritime museum closed its doors March 13, and made the tough decision to layoff most of its staff on April 1st. But at Thursday’s coronavirus briefing , Lamont listed outdoor museums as being the first type of business that could reopen on May 20.

Ilana Usiskin said when she picks up the phone to call someone infected with coronavirus, she’ll often ask them to think back over the past few days.