The Full Story

Housing in Connecticut is expensive. That’s one thing almost all residents of the Nutmeg state can agree on. Developing affordable housing in the state has always been a challenge, and the demand for it has grown during the pandemic. Now a change may be on the horizon.

Before COVID-19 transformed all of our lives, one of the main public health concerns was the opioid crisis. In Connecticut, overdoses from opioid use went up in 2020. And the Health Department says they’re still rising. This week on The Full Story, we begin a two-part series on the opioid crisis in our region. First, we check up on the state of opioid addiction in Connecticut and New York and find out what local health officials and lawmakers are going to decrease the number of overdoses. A

For the last 5 years, former President Donald Trump redefined the Republican Party on a national level. Now, after a tumultuous 2020 election and an insurrection on the US Capitol, the nation is heading in a different direction. So how have all these events defined the Republican Party on a local level? How did Republican leaders in Connecticut and on Long Island shape the GOP during the Trump era and where will they take the party under President Joe Biden? A conversation with guests: Jonathan

Should prisons be abolished? If they are, what would replace them? On the next Full Story, we conclude our two-part series on transforming criminal justice in our region by examining how people are incarcerated. Movements for racial and social equity are challenging conventional concepts of the prison system. And their efforts are having an impact. Transforming the prison system, a conversation with guests: Rahisha Bivens, LCSW, Justice Advocate and Digital Organizer at Stop Solitary Connecticut

Just seven months ago, people filled the streets of cities throughout the US and the world calling for racial justice. Now it’s a new year, and we’ve gone through an election, an insurrection and an inauguration of a new President and an historic Vice President. How does this national transformation impact the work Black Lives Matter groups are pushing for in Connecticut and Long Island? A conversation with guests: Chivona Renee Newsome , the Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter Greater NY Dr.

How do you preserve African American history? Connecticut author Jill Snyder started with her own family. Her book: "Dear Mary, Dear Luther" is a rare collection of 1930's love letters written by her parents. While researching the book, Snyder discovered a unique story of a Black family's journey through American history. On Long Island, the Town of Huntington is working to save the Crippen House, a significant relic of African American history. A conversation with guests: Jill Snyder, author

The moratoriums on rent and mortgages In Connecticut and New York set to end in December have been extended into the New Year. Does that help homeowners and renters and landlords, or does it just delay the impending evictions? What are lawmakers doing to keep people in their homes? And last year, local food banks struggled to meet the growing demand for their services. What are they doing this year to keep people fed? Housing and food security. A conversation with guests: Paule Pachter, CEO Long

2020 is behind us. And the new year has just begun. So what will 2021 bring us? First up, the state legislatures for Connecticut and New York started their sessions this week. Lawmakers have a lot of ground to cover, including distributing vaccines, balancing budgets, and legalizing recreational marijuana. We speak with reporters covering Hartford and Albany to get their take on the opening day. The Suffolk County Police Department members head to Ferguson, Missouri, to lead a training on

It’s our final show of the year. So we’re saying goodbye to 2020 with music and literature. But be warned, the culture we’re sharing is gritty. We’ll go on a song catching journey with a Connecticut based musician searching for a medieval European ballad in Appalachia. Then we head to Bridgeport, where a science fiction author imagines a world without guns or technology. Old European ballads and Urban Science Fiction, that’s next on The Full Story. A conversation with guests: Derek Pitor ,

While many businesses were forced to close their doors during the pandemic shut down earlier this year, farmers markets stayed open. Their produce was in demand, and they helped to keep the food supply chain flowing. Today on The Full Story, we’re checking in with farmers markets in Connecticut and New York to find out how they’re making it through the COVID-19 pandemic. A Conversation with Guests: Bryan P. Hurlburt - Connecticut’s Commissioner of Agriculture Jiff Martin - Sustainable Food