Where We Live

What can town and city leaders do to help people afford the increasing cost of housing, and to help students catch up after so much distance learning?

This hour, we speak with two candidates in the Democratic primary for mayor in New Britain.

Guests:

• Bobby Sanchez — State Representative and Co-chair of the General Assembly Education Committee
• Alicia Hernandez Strong — Community Activist and organizer of the New Britain Racial Justice Coalition

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The Connecticut Department of Health has extended its contact tracing program ContaCT to May 2022, after which the program will transition entirely to local health departments, a move originally planned for Aug 27, 2021.

The department’s move comes at a time when the state’s positivity rate is at 3.10%, and is expected to climb during the coming winter months. Connecticut has reported 372,069 positive cases since the start of the pandemic, with 380 hospitalizations currently. COVID-19 deaths rose to 8,355 as of Aug 30, 2021.

Today on Where We Live, we talk about State and town health departments using people and data to keep us safe from the delta and other variants. How well is it working?

GUESTS:

• Michael Luongo -Investigative reporter and former contact tracer, New York City
• Lea Zimany - Contact tracer, Connecticut Department of Public Health.
• Hemi Tewarson - Executive Director, the National Academy for State Health Policy.
• Emily DiSalvo - Reporter, CT News Junkie
• Kevin Elak: Acting Director, Middletown Department of Health

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In 1985, Robert Ballard discovered the Titanic wreckage off the coast of Newfoundland. But his explorations didn’t stop there!

This hour, Robert Ballard joins us to discuss his new book Into The Deep: A Memoir From The Man Who Found Titanic. We talk about the Titanic and all of Ballard’s amazing adventures including discovering the Bismarck, a German battleship.

We’ll also talk about his recent exploration to try to find Amelia Earhart’s airplane.

What questions do you have for this great explorer?

GUEST:
Robert Ballard - Author of Into The Deep: A Memoir From The Man Who Found the Titanic

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The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified health disparities in the U.S., from high blood pressure in under-resourced communities to sharp declines in breast and cervical cancer screenings among Hispanic, American Indian, Black, and Asian Pacific Islander women through the CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.

The deeply-entrenched inequities have continued to persist over the last two decades, with Black and Latino/Hispanic people persistently reporting the highest rates of poor or fair health, a new Yale study shows.

This hour on Where We Live, we look at cancer disparities among communities of color: Incidence and mortality rates, barriers to screening, and access to treatment.

We also discuss how hospitals and nonprofits are reducing the gap, and enabling access to affordable, farm-grown food in high-risk communities below the federal poverty line.

GUESTS 

• Shelly Hicks - Breast cancer survivor; Charter school advocate; Advocate, Sisters' Journey, a breast cancer support group in New Haven for Black women
• Dr. Kristen Zarfos - Senior breast surgeon and Medical Director, Comprehensive Women's Health Center at St. Francis Hospital
• Elizabeth Heubeck - Reporter at the Connecticut Health Investigative Team
• Xóchitl Garcia - Assistant Program Manager, Farm-based Wellness Youth Program, Gather New Haven

Cat Pastor contributed to this show.

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Restaurants struggled to afloat during Covid and were able to survive in part because of creative solutions like dining areas in empty parking spaces.

Now, even though vaccination is widespread, residents’ interest in outdoor dining hasn’t slowed down. And our streets feel more lively because of it.

This hour, we take a look at the way our streets have changed during the pandemic. Could some of these innovations be here to stay?

And Covid has been costly in so many ways. The pandemic has led to a sharp rise in pedestrian deaths over the last year.

Do you worry about safety when walking or biking in your neighborhood?

GUESTS:

• Beth Osborne - Vice President for Transportation and Thriving Communities at Smart Growth America
• Garrett Eucalitto - Deputy Commissioner of Connecticut State Department of Transportation
• Gary Anderson - Director of Planning and Economic Development for the town of Manchester, Connecticut
• Michael Marquetti - Owner of Columbus Park Trattoria in Stamford, Tarantino Restaurant in Westport, and Applausi in Old Greenwich
• Andres Cordido - Co-owner of Somos Handcrafted Arepas in New Haven

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The kids are going back to school. It’s a busy week in the US House of Representatives. And have you been hassled by political trackers?

This hour, we check in with Western Connecticut Congresswoman Jahana Hayes.

Also, political analysis from Connecticut Mirror State Capitol Bureau Chief Mark Pazniokas.

Guests:

• Jahana Hayes — Fifth District Congresswoman from Western Connecticut.
• Mark Pazniokas — Connecticut Mirror State Capitol Bureau Chief

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Gov. Ned Lamont’s nominee Dr. Manisha Juthani, an infectious disease specialist at the Yale School of Medicine, will assume the role of Commissioner of the state Department of Public Health on September 20. Dr. Juthani’s appointment comes at a time when the COVID-19 positivity rate is at 3.5% statewide, with some towns crossing as high as 9%.

In this hour of Where We Live, we discuss the implications of a full FDA approval of the first ever COVID-19 vaccine – from Pfizer-BioNTech - and what this implies for vaccine uptake as children return to school this fall amidst the Delta, Lambda and other variants. The vaccination rate stands at 64.9% in Connecticut, and is lower for Black and Hispanic residents.

We hear in detail about the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ plans to begin offering COVID-19 booster shots in the fall, and address commonly discussed concerns and fears on social media. We also weigh in people’s demands for freedom to not mask up or vaccinate in the face of mandates.

GUEST:

• Dr. Manisha Juthani - Associate professor of medicine (infectious diseases) at Yale School of Medicine, and of epidemiology (microbial diseases) at Yale School of Public Health. Dr. Jutani is Governor Ned Lamont’s appointee to become the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, effective September 20th.

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Although we were spared the worst case scenario, Tropical storm Henri brought heavy rain and power outages to Connecticut residents. This hour on Where We Live, we talk about the storm’s impact in the state.

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Some birds in the Eastern United States have been dying of a new disease with strange symptoms, including crusty, swollen eyes.
Most of the affected birds so far are in the mid-Atlantic, but scientists and wildlife enthusiasts are concerned this disease could show up in Connecticut. This hour, we find out more about this mysterious illness and what you can do about it.

And later, we get an update on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. An interpretation change by the Trump administration weakened the government’s ability to punish corporations that harm birds; we learn what’s happening now under the Biden Administration.

If you observe a bird in distress, you should contact a wildlife rehabilitator in your area. List of rehabilitators from Connecticut DEEP here.

If you find a dead bird in Connecticut, you can report it to the Wild Bird Mortality Database.

GUESTS:

• Brian Hess - Wildlife Biologist at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• Margaret Rubega - Connecticut state ornithologist and professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at UConn
• Juliet Eilperin - Senior national affairs correspondent for the Washington Post

Cat Pastor contributed to this show.

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Digital downloads for mental health needs surged nearly 200 percent during the pandemic. Now, it seems this trend is here to stay. The market for mental health apps is projected to reach 3.3 billion dollars in the next six years. This hour, experts discuss how digital products are changing the way people care for their mental wellbeing, and the scientific rigor required from app developers to ensure successful outcomes. 

Coming up, we talk to industry experts on the future of apps in mental healthcare. Anecdotes versus evidence: What works, and what doesn't? 

GUESTS: 

• Briana Benn-Mirandi - therapist at Art and Soul Art Therapy in Madison, CT.

• Dr. Paul Weigle - psychiatrist and Associate Medical Director of Ambulatory Programs at Natchaug Hospital, part of HartfordHealthCare’s Behavioral Health Services.

• Dr. Doug Nemecek -  Chief Medical Officer for Behavioral Health, Cigna.

• Karen Brown - Health Reporter at New England Public Radio.

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