The Full Story

Recreational marijuana is now legal for adults in Connecticut and New York. The new laws also allow for the sale of weed. But don’t expect pot shops to start popping up immediately on a corner near you. Both states are still crafting the framework for a legal marijuana industry. And lawmakers designed the rules to make sure people targeted by the War on Drugs get in on the ground floor. So what will it take to create these shops and who will benefit most?

Changing the zoning rules in Connecticut was a heated issue for lawmakers this year. The proposed bills ignited a fierce debate over the development of more affordable housing in the state. Now the legislative session is over. Some bills didn’t make the cut. Others were approved, but not before heavy amendments. So will these new laws actually create more affordable housing units in the state?

It was more than 10 years in the making. And now its moment has arrived. Pot will be legal in Connecticut. New York passed a similar bill earlier this year. So what does this dramatic change for our region mean? We’ll talk to lawmakers and advocates to find out what living with legal weed looks like.

The 2021 Hurricane season is underway. And federal officials predict this year we’ll see above-normal storm activity along the Atlantic coast. Again! Between now and November, officials estimate there will be 13 to 20 named storms, and half of them will become hurricanes. Officials advise communities living near the coastline to prepare. So are we ready? This week on The Full Story, host Tom Kuser speaks with key people who are already working to keep our region safe from a major weather event. Getting ready for hurricane season, a conversation with:

Remote learning, in-class sessions, student pods, hybrids. Last year students in our region were faced with a spectrum of options to continue their studies during the pandemic. So how did the students, and the educational system for that matter, survive COVID-19? Today on The Full Story, we speak with educators in Connecticut and New York about how schools and students managed the last school year. We’ll also find out if school districts have what they need to help students stay on track to complete their schoolwork and advance to the next level.

Ridership on public transportation plunged to new lows during the pandemic. Now that Connecticut and New York are fully re-opening, will people go back to using buses and trains in the same numbers? Some experts say don’t count on it. This week on The Full Story we explore how the pandemic transformed public transportation in our region and what plans are in play to expand and improve the systems we use to get around.

This week on The Full Story, we profile an emerging newsmaker in our region. We begin with the newest member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, Corey Paris. He’s also one of the youngest members and is poised to shape policyng an for education, housing voting. Here's a deep-dive interview with Paris.

Vaccination rates are climbing in Connecticut and New York. COVID-19 restrictions are easing up. And summer is approaching. These are good signs for many local business owners. They anticipate the summer of 2021 will be dramatically better than last year. This week on The Full Story we check on local businesses in our region to find out how they’re recovering from the COVID economy and if the pandemic may have transformed how they do business in the future.

Zoning! You can’t talk about affordable housing in Connecticut without it. Zoning laws set the rules for new housing development in the state. Some residents want to keep local control over zoning.

In the first days of his new administration, President Joe Biden committed to expanding clean, renewable energy. His first move is to give a boost to offshore wind projects along the East Coast. That puts our region right at the heart of his plan. This week on The Full Story, we take a closer look at the wind power projects in Connecticut and on Long Island and how they can transform how we all get our energy for generations to come.