The Wheelhouse

May 20th. It’s the day that Governor Lamont’s closure orders run out. Will schools and nonessential businesses begin to open back up? That all depends on positive trends on COVID-19 hospitalizations, and access to testing.

Meanwhile, the 47-member “Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group” has been meeting behind closed doors to give recommendations to the governor on how the state might begin to get back to any sort of normal.

This hour we check in on what it might look like to reopen our state.

Also, we remember Hartford Courant journalist Josh Kovner who passed away on Friday.

GUESTS: 

• Mark Paziokas - Capitol bureau cheif at the Connecticut Mirror (@ctmirrorpaz)
• Daniela Altimari - covers state government and politics at the Hartford Courant (@capitolwatch)
• Colin McEnroe - Host of The Colin McEnroe Show, and a columnist for Hearst Connecticut (@ColinMcEnroe)

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 20th. It’s the day that Governor Lamont’s closure orders run out. Will schools and nonessential businesses begin to open back up? That all depends on positive trends on COVID-19 hospitalizations, and access to testing.

Meanwhile, the 47-member “Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group” has been meeting behind closed doors to give recommendations to the governor on how the state might begin to get back to any sort of normal.

This hour we check in on what it might look like to reopen our state.

Also, we remember Hartford Courant journalist Josh Kovner who passed away on Friday.

GUESTS: 

Mark Paziokas - Capitol bureau cheif at the Connecticut Mirror (@ctmirrorpaz)

Daniela Altimari - covers state government and politics at the Hartford Courant (@capitolwatch)

Colin McEnroe - Host of The Colin McEnroe Show, and a columnist for Hearst Connecticut (@ColinMcEnroe)

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some Connecticut residents including Trump supporters protested this week in their cars against the coronavirus shutdowns. The Connecticut General Assembly’s regular session is kaput, but lawmakers may return in a special session. Another GOP leader will say goodbye... But not forever. The state’s presidential primary has gotten delayed again, and now is the same day as the primaries for state offices. Connecticut US Senator Chris Murphy's foreign policy chops lands him a national profile.

Guests:

• Christine Stuart -- C-T News Junkie editor-in-chief (@ctnewsjunkie)  
• Dr. Jonathan Wharton -- Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs at  Southern Connecticut State University (@PreppyProf)
• Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe Show, and a columnist for Hearst Connecticut (@ColinMcEnroe)

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some Connecticut residents including Trump supporters protested this week in their cars against the coronavirus shutdowns. The Connecticut General Assembly’s regular session is kaput, but lawmakers may return in a special session. Another GOP leader will say goodbye... But not forever. The state’s presidential primary has gotten delayed again, and now is the same day as the primaries for state offices. Connecticut US Senator Chris Murphy's foreign policy chops lands him a national profile.

Guests:

Christine Stuart -- C-T News Junkie editor-in-chief (@ctnewsjunkie)  

Dr. Jonathan Wharton -- Professor of Political Science and Urban Affairs at  Southern Connecticut State University (@PreppyProf)

Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe Show, and a columnist for Hearst Connecticut (@ColinMcEnroe)

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yet again, President Donald Trump draws attention to himself with his comments.  This time the president claims to have "total authority" over decisions to re-open businesses and schools.  But governors actually make those decisions on a state level during a major public health crisis like coronavirus.  The president also says he will cut US funding for the World Health Organization, in the middle of a pandemic.

Has a partisan divide emerged over steps Governor Ned Lamont has taken to slow the spread of coronavirus? GOP state lawmakers have spoken out against some of the Democratic leader’s emergency orders.

We will also talk about the damage done to state finances by COVID-19 and efforts to slow the virus' spread.

Bernie Sanders has suspended his campaign and endorsed Joe Biden, but could Connecticut still have a presidential primary anyway?

Guests:

• Harriet Jones -- Connecticut Public Radio Managing Editor (@WNPRHarriet)
• Keith Phaneuf -- State Budget reporter for the Connecticut Mirror (@CTMirrorKeith)
• Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)

Join the conversation on Twitter @WNPRWheelhouse!

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yet again, President Donald Trump draws attention to himself with his comments.  This time the president claims to have "total authority" over decisions to re-open businesses and schools.  But governors actually make those decisions on a state level during a major public health crisis like coronavirus.  The president also says he will cut US funding for the World Health Organization, in the middle of a pandemic.

Has a partisan divide emerged over steps Governor Ned Lamont has taken to slow the spread of coronavirus? GOP state lawmakers have spoken out against some of the Democratic leader’s emergency orders.

We will also talk about the damage done to state finances by COVID-19 and efforts to slow the virus' spread.

Bernie Sanders has suspended his campaign and endorsed Joe Biden, but could Connecticut still have a presidential primary anyway?

Guests:

Harriet Jones -- Connecticut Public Radio Managing Editor (@WNPRHarriet)

Keith Phaneuf -- State Budget reporter for the Connecticut Mirror (@CTMirrorKeith)

Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@ColinMcEnroe)

Join the conversation on Twitter @WNPRWheelhouse!

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has COVID-19 ended Connecticut's General Assembly session? Lucy Nalpathanchil checks in with a lawmaker diagnosed with the disease.  How can voting go forward in Wisconsin while coronavirus is spreading? And why does it seem to be hitting black people harder than white people? 

 Guests:

• Khalilah Brown-Dean -- Quinnipiac University Political Science Professor and author of Identity Politics in the United States (@KBDPHD)
• Russell Blair – Hartford Courant Content Editor (@RussellBlairCT)
• Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@colinmcenroe)

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has COVID-19 ended Connecticut's General Assembly session? Lucy Nalpathanchil checks in with a lawmaker diagnosed with the disease.  How can voting go forward in Wisconsin while coronavirus is spreading? And why does it seem to be hitting black people harder than white people? 

 Guests:

Khalilah Brown-Dean -- Quinnipiac University Political Science Professor and author of Identity Politics in the United States (@KBDPHD)

Russell Blair – Hartford Courant Content Editor (@RussellBlairCT)

Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@colinmcenroe)

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coronavirus is spreading across the nation, and New York City has become a hot spot for the disease. With its ties to New York, nearby Fairfield County has  also been hard hit. But as some governors try to protect their residents by ordering quarantine for out-of-staters, does it tear at the fabric of our country? Was the president too quick to speculate about quarantining parts of Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey? We’ll also hear what our panelists are reading and watching now that we must all stay in.

GUESTS:

• Kevin Rennie -- Hartford Courant Columnist and former state lawmaker (@DailyRuctions)
• Kaitlyn Krasselt -- Political Reporter for Hearst Connecticut Media (@kaitlynkrasselt)
• Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@colinmcenroe)

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coronavirus is spreading across the nation, and New York City has become a hot spot for the disease. With its ties to New York, nearby Fairfield County has  also been hard hit. But as some governors try to protect their residents by ordering quarantine for out-of-staters, does it tear at the fabric of our country? Was the president too quick to speculate about quarantining parts of Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey? We’ll also hear what our panelists are reading and watching now that we must all stay in.

GUESTS:

Kevin Rennie -- Hartford Courant Columnist and former state lawmaker (@DailyRuctions)

Kaitlyn Krasselt -- Political Reporter for Hearst Connecticut Media (@kaitlynkrasselt)

Colin McEnroe -- Host of The Colin McEnroe show, and a columnist at Hearst Connecticut. (@colinmcenroe)

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.