For the People

This week John Voket visits with Operation Fuel to focus on the thousands of families and seniors facing challenges staying warm this winter, and how to help. We'll touch base with a couple of guests about the 2016 Zero Energy Challenge, including the developer of one of the state's newest homes with near zero-energy output. Then saddle up and take a radio tour of the New England Carousel Museum in Bristol - and make plans to visit.

This week host John Voket visits with two representatives of Connecticut's Everyday Hero program - which is working to fortify local volunteer fire companies whose memberships are dwindling. And as we approach the 4th anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy, we'll visit Sandy Hook Promise to hear about the immense success the nonprofit is having with a recently released video designed to raise awareness about those who may be seeking to do others harm.

This week host John Voket brings you a Special Report featuring three perspectives from the recent AAA Drugged Driving Summit. With voters in Massachusetts making marijuana available for recreational use, AAA convened the summit to help get law enforcement officials, prosecutors, lawmakers and traffic safety experts together to examine how our state will deal with the inevitable increase in drugged drivers heading back from Massachusettes in the near future. We're also replaying a segment with Connecticut's Teen Legal Advocacy Project focusing on how the agency's Mobile Legal Clinic is helping more than 3,000 state youths who are homeless or living without permanent parental support.

This week host John Voket brings you a Special Report, live from the Waterbury Regional Chamber’s 6th annual STEM/Advanced Manufacturing & Technology Expo in the Technology Hall of Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC). Learn why hundreds of hand-picked students, educators, and parents came out to chat with manufacturing and technology executives about job and career opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields. We'll talk with a number of stakeholders including the Chamber's CEO, The President of the college, the director of the Smaller Manufacturers' Assoc, and folks from a number of companies involved.

This week host John Voket opens and closes the program with two different agencies engaged in the custodianship of Long Island Sound, learning about 25 new grants totaling $1.3 million going to to local government and community groups in New York and Connecticut through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund. Then it's time for our quarterly visit with Connecticut BBB, to get clued in on holiday season scams, concerns about e-receipts, spying billboards, utility imposters, and more.

This week host John Voket visits Spooner House - serving the greater Naugatuck Valley region's hungry and homeless this holiday season and year-round. Then we'll introduce Golden Opportunities, which is looking to boost its ranks of very special volunteers who provide seniors with critical social interactions. Then we'll return to the issue of hunger, and try to explain why so many state residents are going hungry everyday with a representative of Foodshare.

This week host John Voket encores three segments starting with the Governor's Prevention Partnership talking about chronic absenteeism and the need for mentors to help at-risk students graduate.

This week on the award-winning For the People, host John Voket talks with Connecticut's largest business association about its 2017 legislative agenda, a series of policy proposals designed to put Connecticut on the path to a stronger, more competitive economy.

This week on the award-winning For the People, host John Voket touches base with New England Young at Heart, a grassroots Service Network for seniors and their caregivers to review a few free events being planned - including the agency's first-ever Senior Prom.

This week on the award-winning For the People, host John Voket talks with MADD CT, along with two surviving victims whose lives and families were shattered by drunk drivers - and we'll invite everyone to support the cause at next Saturday's Walk Like MADD.