Where We Live

Democratic State Senator Will Haskell started his 2018 campaign from his college dorm room, putting plans for law school on hold. Now nearly two terms later, and on the heels of a new book, Haskell has announced he will not seek reelection.

This hour, hear about the memoir 100,000 First Bosses: My Unlikely Path as a 22-Year-Old Lawmaker, and why he hopes it will inspire more “ordinary people” to run for office.

Plus, preview the newest Cutline deep-dive with Jacqueline Rabe-Thomas, investigative reporter for The Accountability Project at Connecticut Public Radio. The episode is about "How the Pandemic is Reshaping Education."

GUESTS:

• Will Haskell - Democratic state Senator; Author, 100,000 Bosses: My Unlikely Path as a 22-Year-Old Lawmaker
• Jacqueline Rabe-Thomas - Investigative Reporter, The Accountability Project at Connecticut Public Radio

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year’s National Defense Authorization Act includes major reforms to the military justice system, shifting the power of prosecuting reports of sexual assault outside the chain of command to independent military lawyers. But what still needs to be done to encourage survivors to come forward?

Hear from Maureen Friedly, a Marine Corps veteran and survivor of sexual assault who has advocated for prosecutorial reforms; and Chelsea Donaldson, a lawyer with the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center representing local veterans.

GUESTS:

• Peggy McCarthy - Reporter, Connecticut Health Investigative Team
• Maureen Friedly - Marine Corps Veteran
• Chelsea Donaldson - Staff Attorney, Connecticut Veterans Legal Center
• Col. Don Christensen - President, Protect Our Defenders

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Numerous reports have said obesity in adults rose in the pandemic.

Childhood obesity has risen starkly too, but for different reasons than you may think.

Today, we explore how stress impacts childhood obesity.

We hear from Julia A. Snethen, co author of article, “When Pandemics Collide: The Impact of COVID-19 on Childhood Obesity.” And later, we’ll learn how to have sensitive conversations about health and weight.

What questions do you have about improving your family’s health?

GUESTS:

• Julia A. Snethen - Professor and Director of the PhD program at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee College of Nursing
• Dr. Melissa Santos - Chief of Pediatric Psychology and Clinical Director for Pediatric Obesity at Connecticut Children's Medical Center

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut saw a 32.7% decline in its homeless population between 2010 and 2020, compared to a decline of 9% nationally.

The latest point-in-time data shows 2,594 people (of whom 429 are unsheltered) are experiencing homelessness in Connecticut on a given night, a 34% drop from 3,902 in 2016.

But advocates say there’s work to be done in reducing unsheltered homelessness – which has climbed since the pandemic broke – and ending chronic homelessness for all. A goal which the state met for homeless veterans. 

This hour WWL, we hear from Evonne Klein, the state’s former housing commissioner and newly-appointed CEO of the Hartford-based nonprofit Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. Klein and other experts discuss ways to expand affordable housing, reduce unsheltered homelessness, and address the tension between the state and towns over the new zoning law that scrapped transit oriented development and fair share language.

GUESTS: 

Evonne Klein: CEO, Connecticut Coalition to End Homelesness

Camila Vallejo: Housing Reporter, Connecticut Public Radio

Jennifer Paradis: Executive Director, Beth-El Center in Milford

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can history education help to heal hatred? And what’s the latest on Asian-American education initiatives where we live?

This hour, we hear from Khamla Vorasane, co-owner of Avon's BouNom Bakery, and the sponsor of a unique scholarship opportunity for future educators at UConn's Asian American Studies Institute. Plus, one student organization at Amity Regional High School is pushing for curricular change at their school. Hear from the co-founders of Amity Asian Activism.

New social studies "standards" are in the works, according to State Department of Education social studies consultant Steve Armstrong. Connecticut Public education reporter Catherine Shen has the latest on the planned updates, including a focus on Asian-American history.

GUESTS:

• Khamla Vorasane - Co-owner, BouNom Bakery; Sponsor, UConn's Nom and Boulieng Vorasane Scholarship
• Mingyue Zha - Student, Amity Regional High School; Founder, Amity Asian Activism
• Melinda Liu - Student, Amity Regional High School; Founder, Amity Asian Activism
• Catherine Shen - Education Reporter, Connecticut Public

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Connecticut, like many states, minors cannot be vaccinated without parental consent.

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation Poll, 3 out of 10 parents surveyed say they would not get their child vaccinated against COVID.

Today, Dr. Holly Taylor, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health, joins us to talk about her recent paper “Adolescents, Parents, and Covid-19 Vaccination — Who Should Decide?”

We want to hear from you. Should adolescents be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine without their parents permission?

GUESTS:

• Dr. Holly Taylor - member of faculty at the Department of Bioethics at the Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health
• Susanna McGrew - Fellow at the Department of Bioethics at the Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health
• Dr. Sharon Ostfeld-Johns - Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at Yale
• Dr. Asha Shah - Director of Infectious Diseases Stamford Health

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we hear from newly elected West Haven state Rep. Treneé McGee, touching on her efforts to win over public trust in the context of a city scandal, and her plans for the future.

Plus, we’ll look ahead to election season with The Campaign School at Yale. How has the art of campaigning changed in recent years?

GUESTS:

• Treneé McGee - Democratic state Representative, West Haven
• Patricia Russo - Executive Director, The Campaign School at Yale

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What makes life worth living? And, what does data from happiness research tell us?

Data shows Connecticut is the second happiest state in the country, after Hawaii, with a poverty rate that’s under 10 percent, a life expectancy of 80.4 years, and median household income of more than $100,000, according to research by NiceRx – which also took into account adult depression levels. In another study by WalletHub, Connecticut tied third with California for the lowest adult depression.

But researchers who study happiness say variation across places — the happiness levels between states or even countries with similar socio-economic variables – is far less than the variation between happiness levels from one person to the other.

So, what makes us happy? And what does data show to help us become happier?

This hour WWL, we hear from happiness experts, including Laurie Santos of Yale University and the Happiness Lab podcast, and Cassie Mogilner Holmes of UCLA.

GUESTS:

Matthew Killingsworth: Director of trackyourhappiness.org and Senior Fellow, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

Maggie Downie: Owner of Personal Euphoria Pilates & Fitness, Health & Wellness Expert on NBC CT Live, Author of Keep Moving: Take Steps to Relieve Pain & Improve Your Life 

Dr. Hansa Bhargava: Chief Medical Officer, Medscape, Forbes Columnist, and Author of Building Happier Kids – Stress-busting tools for Parents, American Academy of Pediatrics  

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Connecticut schools reopen amid a COVID-19 surge, administrators are working to prevent staffing shortages and closures, and to respond to concerns from parents and students. Hear from the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents and local districts. How did the recent change in CDC guidance on isolation time impact reopening?

Plus, epidemiologist Dr. Saad Omer offers clarity amid changing public health messaging; and Dr. Mark Siegel shares his perspective from the critical care setting, explaining what he's asking Governor Lamont to do.

GUESTS:

• Fran Rabinowitz - Executive Director, Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents
• Jan Perruccio - Superintendent of Public Schools, Old Saybrook
• Dr. Saad Omer - Epidemiologist; Director, Yale Institute for Global Health
• Dr. Mark Siegel - Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician; Residency Program Director, Yale School of Medicine

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New England winters are a good time to lean into our favorite winter activities or get more sleep!

Author, Katherine May writes the act of wintering goes beyond the season. It can be a period of reflection and down time when life throws the worst at us.  

Before we close out the year, we listen back to my conversation with May about her book Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times.

She writes we “must learn to invite the winter in. We may never choose winter, but we can choose how.” 

How are you wintering?

GUEST:

• Katherine May - author of Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times 

Cat Pastor contributed to this program which originally aired February 19, 2021.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.