Where We Live

Charlie Nardozzi, award-winning garden writer and host of Connecticut Garden Journal, joins us to answer your autumn gardening questions. What are the best bulbs to plant this time of year? How can you make better use of the leaves piling up in your backyard? Nardozzi answers these questions and more.

But first, Connecticut Public hosted a debate on Thursday between 4th District Congressional candidates, incumbent Democratic Representative Jim Himes and Republican Jayme Stevenson. Stamford Advocate reporter Brianna Gurciullo joins us for analysis.

GUESTS:

• Brianna Gurciullo: Reporter, Stamford Advocate
• Charlie Nardozzi: Horticulturist; Author; Host, Connecticut Garden Journal

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The war in Ukraine shows little chance of slowing down after the Crimean bridge was destroyed, and Russia launched massive missile strikes in Ukraine.

Today, we get an update from Washington Post National Security reporter Missy Ryan from Kyiv.

We also hear from an Ukrainian American who has committed to staying and working to aid the war effort in Ukraine.

And later we talk to a refugee who arrived in Connecticut after the war.

Has your local community welcomed Ukrainians in recent months? We want to hear from you.

GUESTS:

• Missy Ryan - National Security Correspondent at the Washington Post. She is currently reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine 
• Katy Bloss - resident of Gilford, Connecticut
• Nina Opanasenko - Ukrainian refugee living in Connecticut
• Dana Bucin - Immigration Attorney at Murtha Cullina and Honorary Consul of Romania to Connecticut 
• Larissa Babij - writer, translator and dancer living in Kyiv, Ukraine. Her newsletter is “A Kind of Refugee.”

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CT Public’s debate series continues in the lead up to Election Day November 8.

This hour on Where We Live, a Hearst politics reporter breaks down the issues at stake from a debate between Democratic incumbent John Larson and Dr. Larry Lazor, Republican, both candidates in the first congressional district. They debated each other at Manchester Community College, Tuesday, moderated by CT Public’s Ray Hardman.

Later, we learn about medicinal gardens, and the use of medicinal plants in pharmaceuticals to this day.

We also hear from a tea shop owner in Westport who practices traditional Chinese medicine. We learn about consuming medicinal foods from a home garden – like ginger, garlic, and scallion.

GUESTS: 

Dan Haar: Associate Editor, Hearst Connecticut

Greg Susla: ICU pharmacist (retired), National Institutes of Health, and Advisory Board Member, UConn School of Pharmacy. Also, Curator of a Civil War period medicinal garden at the Pry House Field Hospital Museum in Maryland.

Wei Bertram: Founder, Arogya Tea, Westport and Practitioner, Chinese Medicine

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"Maintaining and bolstering trust in science has never been more critical," writes Connecticut College chemistry professor Marc Zimmer.

His latest book, Science and the Skeptic: Discerning Fact from Fiction, explores the impact and "origins of fake science." Written to help young readers "distinguish between science and fake science," Zimmer offers tips and tricks to help "detect science misrepresented for political gain and quackery."

Plus, Mark Ruede is Curriculum Supervisor of Science for Tolland Public Schools and Tolland County Director with the Connecticut Science Teachers Association. He discusses how the tricky and the topical are still tackled in the classroom.

GUESTS:

• Marc Zimmer: Chemistry Professor, Connecticut College; Author, Science and the Skeptic
• Mark Ruede: Curriculum Supervisor of Science, Tolland Public Schools; Tolland County Director, Connecticut Science Teachers Association

Connecticut Public intern Michayla Savitt helped to produce this episode.

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The National Marine Fisheries Service says seaweed farming is the fastest-growing aquaculture in the U.S.

Suzie Flores and her husband Jay Douglass launched Stonington Kelp Co. in 2017, and now run the largest commercial kelp farm in Connecticut. Stonington Kelp Co. is also a "regenerative ocean farm.

"Kelp helps to absorb carbon and nitrogen from the water as it grows, "resulting in a nutrient-dense super food that helps clean the ocean."

This hour, we hear from Flores as well as Connecticut Sea Grant's Anoushka Concepcion to discuss the benefits of growing sugar kelp, and sustainable fishing and farming in the Long Island Sound.

Concepcion developed a food safety guide for Connecticut seaweed, and is focused on the broader seaweed aquaculture industry.

Plus, the Shipwright’s Daughter is one restaurant using its buying power to push for sustainable fishing and farming. Executive Chef David Standridge joins.

GUESTS:

• Anoushka Concepcion: Extension Educator in Marine Aquaculture, Connecticut Sea Grant and UConn Extension System
• Suzie Flores: Principal Owner, Stonington Kelp Co.
• David Standridge: Executive Chef, The Shipwright's Daughter Restaurant

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally aired June 10, 2022

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Beauty standards change with each generation, but today’s standards of beauty seem to be more unachievable than ever.Today, we talk about how the beauty industry and its influencers are causing a rise in cosmetic surgeries.Beauty reporter Jessica DeFino joins us. She writes the “Unpublishable," a beauty critical newsletter.Think about the type of beauty products you consume. What influences you?GUESTS:

• Jessica DeFino - Freelance Beauty Reporter and writer of the Unpublishable Newsletter
• Alka Menon - Assistant Professor of Sociology at Yale University

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally aired June 9, 2022.

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The road for Rob Hotaling to secure the Independent Party nomination for governor received some scrutiny leading to an unsuccessful court challenge by Republican candidate, Bob Stefanowki to keep Hotaling off the ballot.

Today, Hotaling joins us to explain why he’s running. We hear where he stands on the issues and key differences between him and the 2 other major party candidates.

Historically, Independent Party candidates have garnered just a small minority of votes here in Connecticut but the unaffiliated continue to be the largest and growing population of voters in our state.

What questions do you have for Independent gubernatorial candidate, Rob Hotaling?

GUESTS

• Rob Hotaling - Independent Party Gubernatorial Candidate
• Ken Dixon - Government and politics reporter for Hearst Connecticut Media including New Haven Register and the Connecticut Post

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Incumbent Congressman Joe Courtney (Democrat), and State Rep. Mike France (Republican), candidates in the second congressional district, faced each other in a debate hosted by Connecticut Public, and moderated by Connecticut Public’s education reporter Catherine Shen, at Eastern Connecticut State University, Tuesday.

This hour on Where We Live, Connecticut Public and CT Mirror’s Lisa Hagen, federal policy reporter in Washington, D.C., breaks down the debate and the issues at stake – from rising healthcare costs and inflationary pressures to reproductive rights.

Later, we hear about ways to address disparities in death rates from cancer, following the death of Bloomfield boys basketball coach Kevin Moses from colon cancer last month. Moses was the first Black head coach to lead Bloomfield High School’s basketball team to win a state championship.

We also learn about Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome or POTS – a condition that affects the autonomic nervous system, seen commonly in long-COVID patients.

The variety of topics covered in the hour makes this a magazine show.

GUESTS: 

Lisa Hagen: Federal Policy Reporter, Washington, D.C., CT Public and CT Mirror

Dr. Eric Winer: Director, Yale Cancer Center

Lauren Stiles: POTS patient and founder, Dysautonomia International. Research Assistant Professor of Neurology at Stony Brook University School of Medicine.

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Earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission launched a task force to target digital discrimination and "digital redlining."

This hour, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel joins us to discuss this effort. "Your zip code should not determine access to broadband," the Chairwoman has said. She tells us, "The pandemic made this issue crystal clear for everyone."

The Chairwoman explains how digital discrimination is "more nuanced" than urban-rural divides.

Plus, during Digital Inclusion Week, we discuss the important role local libraries play in bridging digital or informational divides? American Library Association executive director Tracie D. Hall joins us, along with Connecticut librarians and organizations like East Hartford Works.

To learn more about Wednesday's panel discussion featuring Hall and others, hosted by Hartford Public Library, click here.

GUESTS:

• Jessica Rosenworcel: Chairwoman, Federal Communications Commission
• Tracie D. Hall: Executive Director, American Library Association
• Melissa Canham-Clyne: Director, Hamden Public Library System
• Yadira Jeter: Career Navigator, East Hartford Works

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106,000 Americans are waiting for an organ transplant, yet federal officials have raised serious questions about the national transplant system, known UNOS, the United Network for Organ Sharing.

This hour, we learn about a confidential government report and Senate investigation, both finding serious weaknesses in the transplant system.Washington Post health and medicine reporter Lenny Bernstein, joins us and later, we hear from the Chief of Transplant Surgery at Hartford Hospital.

But first, a Connecticut couple shares their experience waiting for a liver transplant. Kevin Prue is a Madison resident searching for a living donor. His wife Amy manages their Facebook page, Kevin’s Journey to Liver Transplant, and is a volunteer with New England Donor Services.

Guests:

• Lenny Bernstein: Health and Medicine Reporter, The Washington Post
• Dr. Glyn Morgan: Chief of Transplant Surgery, Hartford Hospital
• Amy and Kevin Prue: Residents of Madison, CT

Catie Talarski contributed to this program which originally aired on August 18, 2022.

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