Do two people need to be aligned politically to have a deep connection and strong romantic bond? Can one truly be considered liberal if they habitually swipe left on conservatives?

Today, we're sharing an episode from the podcast "Dating While Gray." Host Laura Stassi talks to older Americans and experts about ideological differences and their role in making and maintaining romantic connections. 

To hear more from "Dating While Gray" visit: www.datingwhilegray.com/

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Last week, floodwaters devastated several communities in Connecticut washing out over two dozen state roads. There have been nearly 200 people killed on Connecticut roads this year alone.

Labor Day weekend is coming up. According to the National Safety Council, there were 455 traffic fatalities nationally over the holiday weekend in 2023.

Today, we’re talking about all things roads, highway and transit, and how you can stay safe when driving throughout our state. Joining us this morning is Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto.

And if you have a question or comment about highways, buses and all things transit, we want to hear from you! What the roads look like where you live?

GUESTS:

• Garrett Eucalitto: Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner
• Jim Cameron: commuter advocate and author of the weekly opinion column "Talking Transportation" in the Connecticut Mirror

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It’s been a summer with all sorts of weather. We’ve seen flooding, and high heat putting our gardens through all sorts of chaos. Today, horticulturist Charlie Nardozzi join us to talk about this hot, cold, wet, dry, stormy, sunny chaotic gardening year!

It’s not too late to start planting your fall crops. We hear what plants could thrive this season as autumn rapidly approaches.

August is Tree Check Month. We learn what you can do to preserve the trees where you live. Although spring gardening might feel ages away, it’s also a good time to think about starting a community garden!

GUESTS:

• Charlie Nardozzi: horticulturist and host of the Connecticut Garden Journal

• Cordalie Benoit: member of the Connecticut Community Gardening Association and Board Member and VP of the American Community Gardening Association

• Cameron Pierce: Arborist and District Manager for Davey Tree Expert Company

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Every presidential election, campaigns flood our TVs with political ads. Back in 1952, “Ike for President” became the very first political advertisement on TV. Dwight Eisenhower's campaign may have been the first to use television like this. But it’s certainly not the last.

Today, more than 70 years later, political ads are everywhere. In recent weeks, both the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigns have ramped up their advertising. And it’s no longer just on our TV screens; it’s on social media platforms, too.

This hour, we’re looking at political advertising during the 2024 election cycle from the messages we’re seeing to how that impacts what we do at the ballot box.

What kinds of messages are you seeing?

GUEST:

• Erika Franklin Fowler: Professor of Government at Wesleyan University and co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Getting a doctor’s appointment is hard. But for the incarcerated population in Connecticut, it’s nearly impossible. An internal review showed that many incarcerated persons were denied medical care leading to severe consequences including medical emergencies and even death.

Today, we get an update on what we’re seeing in Connecticut prison systems, and hear from those who had loved ones in the system.

The U.S. The District Court recently ruled that transgender people who are incarcerated in Connecticut prisons are now entitled to gender-affirming health care.  

But as we’ve learned this morning, receiving any type of health care when in the prison system is challenging.

GUESTS:

• Jacqueline Rabe Thomas: reporter with Connecticut Insider

• Elana Bildner: Senior Staff Attorney at the ACLU Connecticut

• Tanisha Hill
• Beth Ann Rovelli

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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This past weekend floodwaters devastated several communities in Connecticut washing out over two dozen state roads. It also took the lives of two Connecticut residents.

Nearly ten inches of rain fell in a matter of hours in certain parts of the state. This is equivalent to three months of rainfall. That’s according to Connecticut Insider.

Today, we talk about what we saw in our state. With several roads destroyed and businesses impacted by flooding, many are thinking about how to prepare for future severe storms.

This hurricane season is set to be more active and more severe, so what does that mean for our infrastructure and our roads?

GUESTS:

• Abby Brone: Housing Reporter for Connecticut Public

• Michayla Savitt: State Government Reporter for Connecticut Public

• Michael Dietz: Extension Educator at UConn and Director of the CT Institute of Water Resources

• Alec Slatky: Director of Public Affairs at AAA Northeast

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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More workers than ever are working a hybrid work schedule - part time in the office and part time at home. According to a Gallup Poll, nearly 40% of hybrid workers can set their own schedule.

Yet burnout feels more apparent than ever before.

Many offices are searching to find solutions to provide better work-life balance including the four day work week. Today, we revisit this topic and explore others that claim to give employees more of their time back.

And we want to hear from you. What’s your schedule like in the office these days? Would you rather work a four day week?

GUESTS:

• Alex Soojung-Kim Pang: Director of Research and Innovation at 4-Day Week Global

• Lynne C Vincent: Associate Professor of Management, Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University

• Robert C. Bird: Professor of Business Law, School of Business at University of Connecticut

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally aired April 30, 2024.

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It's an hour for puzzle lovers! Everdeen Mason, Editorial Director of Games for The New York Times and Joel Fagliano, Digital Puzzles Editor and Creator of The Mini Crossword talk about The Crossword, Spelling Bee, Connections and more. Plus, we’re celebrating 10 years of the Mini!

GUESTS:

• Everdeen Mason: Editorial Director for Games for The New York Times

• Joel Fagliano: Digital Puzzles Editor and Creator of The Mini Crossword for The New York Times

This episode of Where We Live was produced by Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Catherine Shen, Meg Dalton, Tess Terrible, and Meg Fitzgerald.

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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Today on Where We Live, states across New England are investing in offshore wind turbines – a renewable energy source that is relatively new to the United States.

But while offshore wind has a proven track record in other countries, critics worry their costs outweigh their benefits.

Reporters covering the battle over offshore wind, Luther Turmelle and Jan Ellen Spiegel, join us. And UConn political science professor, Luther Scruggs, helps us understand why offshore wind has become a political issue.

GUESTS:

• Jan Ellen Spiegel, freelance Environment and Energy Reporter 
• Luther Turmelle, Business Reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media Group
• Lyle Scruggs, Political Science Professor, University of Connecticut

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Poet laureates do a lot more than write poetry.

Since 1985, Connecticut state poet laureates have worked to promote the literary arts and poetry throughout the Nutmeg state, visiting schools, performing spoken word and passing on poetry to the next generation of writers.

There is no straight path to this position. Some of our guests today have been writing poetry all their lives. Others got bitten by the poetry bug a little later.

Today, three poet laureates from around our state join us in the studio.

GUESTS:

• Antoinette Brim Bell: Connecticut State Poet Laureate

• Nadia Sims: Manchester Poet Laureate

• Frederick-Douglass Knowles II: Hartford Poet laureate

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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