The Full Story

Amazon bids goodbye to Long Island City. The mega online superstore says it would no longer build one of its new headquarters in New York. A town on Long Island bans plastic straws and restaurant containers. And in Connecticut progressives and GOP lawmakers reveal their legislative agenda. Meanwhile, Governor Ned Lamont says he’s putting the state on a debt diet. Host Rebecca Surran brings us this week’s News Highlights on The Full Story . Our guests: Alina Selyukh, business correspondent, NPR

The flu is still widespread. Cases of measles have turned up in Connecticut and New York. And what's the current state of vaccinations in our area? What about you? How are you feeling? Next time on The Full Story , we check up on the health of our region. Our guests: Bonni Hopkins, Ph.D., chief program and innovation officer, Liberation Programs Arti Barnes, M.D., medical director of infectious diseases, Cornell Scott Hill Health Center Melody Butler, R.N., Good Samaritan Medical Center ;

Professional sports venues can be a boon to local economies, but should taxpayers be subsidizing sports teams? A new arena being built on Long Island and some past venues in the Connecticut area have been controversial. Are they building fields of dreams or the stuff of nightmares? Does having a sense of pride and team spirit outweigh the costs? Our guests: Frank Boulton, president, Long Island Ducks ; founder and CEO, Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Tammie Williams, The Belmont Park

Losing someone you love to addiction will rip your world apart. It can also be a call to action. Today on The Full Story , Ron speaks with two parents who each lost children to drugs – and created organizations to help other families dealing with addiction. Our guests: Ginger Katz, founder and CEO, Courage to Speak Foundation Drew Scott, anchor and reporter, 1010 WINS; anti-addiction activist

Are people in LGBT communities getting the services they need in Connecticut and on Long Island? Today Ron speaks with openly gay elected officials and activists about the challenges LGBT youth and adults face in our area. Our guests: David Kilmnick, Ph.D., president and CEO, LGBT Network Raven Matherne, member, Stamford board of representatives , Connecticut's first openly transgender lawmaker Jeff Currey, Conn. state representative, D-East Hartford Conor Pfeifer, development officer, Triangle

What makes a savvy consumer? "Consumer Reports" says it has the answer. For more than 80 years the nonprofit group has been devoted to offering unbiased product testing and research. The Full Story talks to the CEO of the nonprofit and the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, to find out what makes a well-informed consumer. Our guests: Michelle Seagull, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Marta Tellado, CEO, Consumer Reports

Faith in the two party system has eroded over the years. Some say there should be more parties and independent candidates. But two Yale professors say more parties are part of the problem. They say efforts should be put to restoring faith in the established parties to help heal our democracy. The Full Story speaks with one of the authors, as well as a former independent candidate and a representative of a third party. Our guests: Ian Shapiro, Ph.D., Sterling Professor of Political Science, Yale

How would coastal towns in Connecticut and Long Island hold up to tidal floods or a hurricane? A new online map shows how a major weather event could put tens of thousands of shoreline homes at risk. The Full Story finds out what’s being done to protect residents and businesses from this threat. Our guests: James Albis, senior advisor to Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes Steven McAlpine, head of data science, First Street Foundation Adrienne Esposito,

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont speaks with The Full Story about his budget proposals. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle offer their take on the Governor’s plan. And we check in with commuter advocates in New York about a possible congestion surcharge. Our guests: Ned Lamont, Connecticut governor Tony Hwang, Connecticut state senator, R-Fairfield Josh Elliott, Connecticut state representative, D-Hamden Jaqi Cohen, campaign coordinator, Straphangers Campaign/New York Public Interest Research

Officials investigate a deadly crash on the Long Island Rail Road. Connecticut’s Governor is pushing his plan to close the billion-dollar state budget gap. And New York City is talking about a congestion tax. Ron talks to journalists covering these and more on The Full Story . Our guests: Alfonso Casillo, transportation reporter, Newsday Karen DeWitt, capitol bureau chief, New York State Public Radio Dan Haar, columnist and associate editor, Hearst Connecticut Media Susan Haigh, state capitol