Where We Live

It’s back-to-school week for many students in Connecticut. Parents — are you ready for the upcoming school year?

The Connecticut State Board of Education is urging all schools to implement cellphone restrictions. We hear how school districts are tackling this and how it will be enforced.

Do you want to see a cellphone ban in your school district? Email us at [email protected].

Plus, confusion around childhood vaccines continues. The Trump administration has issued an executive order calling for fewer vaccines. We learn what parents need to know.

Guests:

• Dr. Melissa Held: Infectious Diseases physician at Connecticut Children's; professor of pediatric infectious diseases and senior associate dean of medical student education at UConn School of Medicine
• Theo Peck-Suzuki: education reporter at the Connecticut Mirror
• Joslyn DeLancey: Vice President of the Connecticut Education Association
• Rachel Besharat Mann: Assistant Professor of Education Studies at Wesleyan University

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School is back in session! That means calendars are filling up, and suddenly there’s always somewhere to be and something to do.

But what if the problem isn’t that there isn’t enough time — it’s that we’ve become a little too good at filling every minute of it?

This hour, we explore what our chronically hurried culture is doing to our minds, bodies, families and children.

We’re joined by a psychotherapist, a neuroscientist and a Zen Buddhist monk priest. They teach us how to step off the treadmill – even when life won’t slow down.

Guests:

• Bryan Robinson: Psychotherapist, author of “Chained to the Desk in a Hybrid World: A Guide to Work-Life Balance”
• Rajita Sinja: Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry and Professor in the Child Study Center and of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine
• Venerable Shim Bo: Zen Buddhist Monk-Priest who serves as the Abbot and Spiritual Director of White Lotus Haven Zen of Connecticut, Inc. 

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Chris Bohjalian is the author of over twenty books, but his latest novel “The Amateur” pulls on his own lived experience working as a golf caddy.

The story follows Mira, an 18-year-old golf prodigy. One afternoon, while practicing at her prestigious country club, she hits a stray ball right into the temple of her classmate’s head, killing him almost instantly.

Where We Live host Catherine Shen recently hosted a conversation with Bohjalian at the Westport Library. We spoke about his new book, his writing routines and "exercising his demons" through writing this highly autobiographical novel.

Where We Live is available 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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Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic: Do those words ring any bells? Maybe from that old earth science class? Don’t lose your marbles! Today, we’re talking about rocks.

Did you know that Connecticut now has a new state rock? Housatonic marble has officially received this prestigious title of Connecticut’s state rock. Today, we learn how it all happened.

Later, science educators talk about using the earth sciences as a foundation for science literacy.

Guests:

• Robert Thorson: Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Connecticut
• Louis Goffinet: STEM Enrichment Teacher at Mansfield Middle School
• Todd Campbell: Department Head of Science Education at the Neag School of Education at UConn
• Violet Andrews: recent UConn graduate

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What makes someone willingly leave the safety of shore and head into the unknown?

Connecticut adventurer, Elizabeth Fry, has swum some of the world’s most challenging open-water routes, while Guilford-native, Brec Morgan, spent four and a half years sailing around the globe alone.

This hour, they talk about the fear, solitude and exhilaration of their journeys – and the emotional experience of finally coming home.

Plus, they explore why it’s worth doing things that scare us, and what the ocean has given them in return.

Guests:

• Elizabeth Fry: marathon open-water swimmer from Westport, Connecticut
• Brec Morgan: marine artist and sailor from Connecticut who completed a solo, unassisted-style circumnavigation of the globe

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You’ve probably heard of the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

But the stages of grief aren’t always linear. The grieving is almost always a little messy.

And when a child dies, navigating grief can become a lifelong journey.

Today, two parents who have experienced the death of a child join us and share their experience, and how they’ve channeled their grief into advocacy and awareness.

GUESTS:

• Carolyn Fletcher: Organ donor advocate and New England Donor Services volunteer
• Brianna Garrison: Associate Professor in the Social Work Program at Southern Connecticut State University 
• Jay Rivera: founder of Always 65, a local organization dedicated to preventing sudden cardiac arrest in children and young athletes

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Dementia is one of the leading causes of disability among older adults. For caregivers of people with the disease, the role is filled with a variety of emotions like worry, sadness and grief. But it’s also a role often filled with connection and love.

In June, Connecticut Public’s Daniela Doncel moderated a conversation about dementia caregiving at the Webb Deane Stevens Museum in Wethersfield. Today, we’ll hear that discussion.

Panelists spoke about the logistics of care, the importance of speaking openly about the disease, and the experience of losing someone who is still physically present.
This conversation is part of Connecticut Public’s ongoing coverage focused on caregiving and aging. You can learn more here.

Guests:

• Tonya Maurer: caregiver to her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2017 and now lives in a memory care facility in Connecticut.
• Maria Canales: a volunteer educator with the Alzheimer’s Association Connecticut chapter who helps Spanish-speaking communities in the state learn about the disease.
• Colby McCaskill: a writer and reporter living in New York City. His radio story, “Dear Papa,” explores his fear about his grandmother’s escalating dementia, and was selected as the grand prize winner for this year’s NPR College Podcast Challenge.

Where We Live is available 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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Summer may be winding down, but there's still plenty of time for ice cream.

We go behind the scenes to learn how one of Connecticut's most beloved frozen treats is made, revisit the nostalgia of the neighborhood ice cream truck, and hear from local experts about what makes a truly great scoop.

We'll also explore creative flavors – including vegan options – and get recommendations for some of the best ice cream destinations around the state.

Whether you're loyal to vanilla or always chasing the next unique flavor, this episode is for you.

Guests:

• Chris Casiello: plant Manager of Arethusa Farm Dairy in Litchfield
• Reinaldo Sánchez: co-owner and chief operations officer of Vía Láctea
• Lorivie Alicea: co-owner of Vía Láctea
• Craig Behun: teacher and owner of the CT Ice Cream Tour food truck

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You check the local weather, but do you ever check space weather? Storms are always occurring in space and sometimes, we’re impacted by them here on Earth.

Today, we’re talking about geomagnetic storms — how they affect Earth, how we’re able to predict them, and how someday, we might even be able to prevent their effects.

Also, we discuss what causes the magic of the Aurora borealis, or the northern lights, and how you might better your chances of seeing them here in Connecticut.

GUESTS:

• Dr. C Alex Young: Associate Director of Science Communication in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
• Dr. Brian Walsh: Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Boston University

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If you discovered a note from a loved one marked “burn without opening,” would you read it?

Author and former journalist Paul T. O'Connor did. He joins us to discuss the decision that sent him on a years-long search for the truth about his mother's past, chronicled in his new book, “The Missing Child.”

And later, we learn how Connecticut residents can begin uncovering their own family stories.

Guests:

• Paul T. O’Connor: Author of “The Missing Child” 
• Sierra Dixon: Director of research center, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History

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