Governor Malloy Loves February 29th

Photo by Chion Wolf (January 11, 2012)

Tomorrow is one of those rare days that only comes around every four years. Yes, of course I’m talking about February 29…or as Governor Malloy calls it: an extra work day.

In January, he joined us in-studio to discuss his first year in office. Towards the end of the show, John from Kensington called in and asked Malloy, “Where do you get your energy?”

In response, Malloy shared a story:

I remembered that this was a leap year so I quickly went to my calendar and I looked at the calendar and I realized that February 29th is a workday so I actually get to work an extra day and everybody else does this year as well. So I’m very happy because to have a leap year fall on a Saturday or Sunday just isn’t the right thing to do. I like to work and I don’t complain about it. I’m happy when I’m working, thank you!

If Malloy isn’t friends with James Franco yet, I think they’d get along well:

Coming Up! February 27 to March 2, 2012

Check out Tuesday’s show – the first in a monthly series of Election “Double Headers” featuring John and Colin co-hosting the 9AM and 1PM shows – all about politics and the 2012 elections.  Followed by an intentional-unintentional series on Skyskrapers, Bridges, and maybe Roads. Or parking lots.

And if you missed the WNPR/PRX special BULLIED: Teen Stories from Generation PRX that aired this morning, it will re-air tonight at 7PM and then during our Essential Radio slot on Sunday at 2PM.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

Tuesday 2/28 at 7PM WWL producer Tucker Ives will be sharing some of his favorite radio at *the ear cave* at La Paloma Sabanera. BYOB. BYOE.

Thursday 3/1 at 5PM we’ll be taping a show at the Connecticut Historical Society  - all about TREES! It’s called “Imagine Your Town Without Trees” and we’ll be talking to environmentalists, urban foresters, and artists.

Friday 3/2 at 6PM John Dankosky will be hosting a Boggle Party! No joke. Be there, with your boggle goggles. There will be some WNPR celebs and all proceeds go to the YMCA literacy program.

Enough news items.. here’s what we have on the schedule for next week:

MONDAY: Magazine
Artist Alix Lambert is exploring the nature of crime – and how it affects people and the places they inhabit. Her new multi-media work at Real Art Ways includes a portrait of Hartford, drawn through interviews with residents about their experience with crime in their city. We’ll also talk to a leading expert on Historic Preservation about the economic benefits of preserving our past, and get the latest on the state’s $22 million dollar marketing campaign.

TUESDAY: Election 2012 Double Header
Today starts the beginning of a monthly series of WNPR election “double headers” in which John Dankosky and Colin McEnroe will co-host WWL and CMS.

At 9AM John and Colin will talk about how difficult it is for new people to break into the political system. For people who aren’t in politics – it seems like an awful business. Raising money, cashing in favors, countless meetings and handshakes. So why do people want to do it? And what does it take to actually be successful? We’ll talk to people who tried to get in the political game but just couldn’t make it? What were they thinking? Does the system keep out fresh ideas and voices?

And at 1PM they’ll tackle the strangeness of Connecticut politics. We’ve been home to (and given comfort to) mavericks and outsiders of all kinds (long before John McCain and Sarah Palin changed the way we think of mavericks). Jerry Brown was our idea of a Democratic presidential candidate in 1992. And Joe Lieberman has somehow gently landed his career on the tarmac after being reviled by both major parties. So, are there rules and mores that apply here that don’t apply elsewhere? Is our reputation for valuing party-jumping mavericks really deserved? And is it evaporating here in 2012?

WEDNESDAY: Skyscrapers and Otherwise Tall Buildings
Tall buildings define today’s urban landscapes, creating memorable skylines and iconic images defining place. These skyscrapers are getting bigger – no longer just “tall” but mega-tall and super-tall! What goes into the design and maintenance of these buildings, and what impact do they have on the city at ground level? Are we reaching an outer limit on how tall buildings can be? When CésarPelli designed the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, they were the tallest skyscrapers in the world. Since it opened in 1997, Tapei and Dubai have constructed even taller buildings. We talk with Pelli about designing these towers and try to get a sense of just how high we can go. We’ll also hear from Kate Ascher – she wrote The Heights: Anatomy of a Skyscraper about living and working in vertical structures — and eVolo magazine editor Carlo Aiello, who runs an annual conceptual skyscraper competition. What is a skyscraper in the 21st century?

THURSDAY: Bridges
Connecticut’s bridges have an average age of just over 47 years, five years above the national average. One report found that Connecticut has over 380 structurally deficient bridges and some lawmakers are calling for federal funding of renovating them. What makes a bridge “structurally deficient” and what danger are drivers actually in?

FRIDAY: TBA (this may possibly be a show about Roads.)

 

Coming Up! February 20 to 24, 2012

Catie has been hard at work on her latest project for PRX called BULLIED: Teen Stories from Generation PRX. It will be premiering on Monday so when you’re lounging around on your day off, check it out. The hour-long special will be hosted by Council Brandon and Peython Echelson-Russell.

Make sure you mark your calendars for the Boggle Party hosted by our John Dankosky on March 2 from 6-8pm (more info at that link). I’ve never played Boggle before so I’m going to be leaning heavily on the skills of Patrick Skahill.

We’re taking the day off on Monday to rejuvenate our ears and voices (and of course to honor the great President William Henry Harrison). But here’s what we’ve got on tap…

MONDAY: Presidents’ Day Special – After Kim Jong-Il: America and the Two Koreas

We’ll air a documentary from America Abroad Media on the future of a post-Kim Jong-Il North Korea. Speaking to the Australian Parliament in November, President Obama said, “In the Asia Pacific in the 21st century, the United States of America is all in.” The United States refocuses its foreign policy and sets its sights on Asia, a drama is unfolding in North Korea. The sudden death of Kim Jong-Il and the succession to power of his young and inexperienced son has raised questions about Korea’s future and put the world on edge. What will the leadership change in North Korea mean for the future of America’s relationship with the two Koreas, for denuclearization or the reunification of the Korean peninsula?

TUESDAY: Magazine

The Connecticut Association for Human Services is releasing a new paper studying the intersection of poverty, race and education in Connecticut. We’ll talk with the CAHS about their recommendations for how to alleviate the unemployment rate across the state. We’ll also hear from the Connecticut Council of Small Towns – they’re having a “town meeting” on Wednesday to discuss this legislative session from the small town perspective.

WEDNESDAY: Arts Funding

The last few weeks have been difficult for arts organizations in Connecticut. It was originally reported that Governor Malloy’s budget called for competitive funding of cultural institutions from arts centers to zoos. Budget Secretary Ben Barnes said these institutions should compete for funding based on their management and worth to Connecticut taxpayers, but clarified that funding would not be eliminated. How are these organizations planning ahead for changing funding?

THURSDAY: Governor Malloy

Governor Malloy’s State of the State address earlier this month outlined his agenda for this legislative session. He joins us in-studio to go through his speech, which covered teacher tenure, last October’s jobs package and his vision for an economic revival. We’ll also hear about the state’s new tourism campaign, which will soon be unveiling a new slogan.

Friday: TBA

Oh, it’ll be good.

STEM Education Series on Where We Live

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM): Connecticut’s strengths? Many of the state’s employers don’t think so anymore.

Where We Live concludes WNPR’s weeklong series on STEM education today. Here are links to the other stories in the series.

• STEM Series: Unfilled Jobs In CT Due To Lack Of Qualified Workers
• STEM Series: A Look At K-12 STEM Education
  
• STEM Series: Improving STEM Education in College
• STEM Series: Employers Promote STEM Learning

ICYMI: “Bronze Radio Return” Web Extra

Here’s the quick story behind this video.

During soundcheck, BRR played a few seconds of Ryan Adams’ “A Kiss Before I Go.” John Dankosky heard this from his desk down the hall and said he loves the original version of this song. After we recorded the interview and performance for Friday’s Where We Live, John asked the guys if they’d play the Ryan Adams song again…for a web extra. Lead singer Chris Henderson said he had not memorized all of the lyrics but if he could have the lyrics in front of him, he’d be happy to. So JD pulled up the lyrics on his iPad (which is what Chris is looking at during this performance) and the result was a song that (in my opinion) is better than the original.

On Friday night, they played a hometown show at the Great Hall at Union Station in Hartford. I really hope more shows are held here…it’s a very cool smaller venue that is perfect for shows like these. In the near future though, that venue might be too small for BRR.

Coming Up! February 13 to 17, 2012

We’re back from a *(FUN)d DRIVE WEEK*, Dankosky is back from hosting NPR’s Science Friday, Tucker finally passed his kidney stone, and Catie had a Twix for lunch today.

All this week, WNPR reporters Diane Orson, Harriet Jones and Neena Satija are covering STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) issues and the series will culminate with Friday’s Where We Live. Other than that, here is what we have in-store for you this week from 9-10am (and 7-8pm) on the WNPR airwaves:

MONDAY: Norwich

Due to technical issues during our Norwich remote show, we were unable to air it live. But if you weren’t able to make it to the Norwich Arts Center for the recording, you can hear the show today! We talk about the history of Norwich (featuring the infamous Benedict Arnold), downtown development and we’ll hear a song or two from the first “Official State Troubadour.” Norwich holds a special place in our heart since it’s the home to our WPKT transmitter. Our guests include the Norwich Bulletin’s Ray Hackett, Norwich municipal historian Dale Plummer and Executive Director of the Norwich Community Development Corporation Bob Mills.

TUESDAY: Housing and the Achievement Gap

As we head into the legislature’s “education session,” one challenge will be tackling the state’s high achievement gap. One thing lawmakers might want to look at is the impact of affordable and quality housing and how that influences the achievement gap. Teachers can work with students during the day, but what can be done when they go home? What are the effects of a lack of affordable housing options on education?

WEDNESDAY: Sports in Connecticut

Connecticut has a complicated relationship with the sports industry. We have ESPN and NBC Sports. We don’t have the Hartford Whalers or the New England Patriots. We have the Connecticut Sun the PGA Travelers Championship…and of course, the UConn Huskies. We’ll discuss the impact of the sports industry on Connecticut with Chairman and CEO of Whalers Sports & Entertainment Howard Baldwin. We’ll also be joined by ESPN’s longtime sportscaster Linda Cohn, who is moderating the CT Forum’s World of Sports conversation.

THURSDAY: TBA

Sometimes the TBA shows turn into our greatest shows.

FRIDAY: STEM

Despite an unemployment rate of over eight percent, there are many industries in Connecticut that can’t fill vacant jobs. Why? There’s a lack of competence in the STEM areas: science, technology, engineering and math. Today, Where We Live wraps up WNPR’s weeklong coverage of the issue by reporters Diane Orson, Harriet Jones and Neena Satija. How do we prepare students to make them more appealing in today’s workforce? Be sure to listen to WNPR newscasts all this week to hear coverage of STEM in Connecticut?

Coming Up! February 6 to 10, 2012

In addition to our regular programming this week, John Dankosky will be joining Colin McEnroe for an extended broadcast on Wednesday 2/8 to cover Governor Malloy’s State of the State address. Tune in from 12-2PM.  ALSO John will be guest-hosting Science Friday again on 2/10 – so make sure you tune in from 2-3PM. And call in.

Oh yeah, and it’s *FUN(d) DRIVE WEEK*… we appreciate your support <3 Roses, cookbooks, mugs… ?

MONDAY: Locavesting
Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, generating 80% of jobs and 50% of our GDP, yet too often, the mom and pop stores of our youth have been run out of town. On Monday we’ll talk with author Amy Cortese about the grassroots revolution known as locavesting that’s bringing mom and pop back home. In dozens of towns and cities across the country, residents are banding together to save their small businesses and Main Streets from extinction–and keeping the profits closer to home. We’ll also hear how locavesting has come home to Connecticut.

TUESDAY: Freakonomics with Stephen Dubner
Stephen Dubner has been exploring “the hidden side of everything” since he wrote Freakonomics back in 2005 with economist Steven Levitt. This exploration has expanded into a follow-up book, a film and a radio series. The current season of Freakonomics Radio – airing on WNPR – looks at wine tasting, booing and lottery loopholes. Dubner joins us to discuss adapting the bestselling book into a radio show and he takes us through the current season of Freakonomics Radio.

WEDNESDAY: Improv Everywhere
Today we’ll explore how improvisation is part of our everyday lives – with a panel of expert improv-ers. Musician Stephen Haynes is a master of musical improvisation – and he is taking his craft to Real Art Ways with a concert series. We’ll hear from an improvisational actress, as well as a dancer and a chef. And how about you? How does improv play into your life?

THURSDAY: Labeling Race
SCSU Journalism professor Frank Harris joins us today to talk about his latest research, exploring how blacks are referred to in the media. He looked at old editions of the Hartford Courant and found an evolution of labels from “Negro” to “Colored” and “Afro-American”. We’ll talk about how the media perception of blacks has shifted from the 18^th century to today.

FRIDAY: Politics and Music
Marc Grossman, U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, joins us to talk about his latest trip to the Middle East. He was in town for an event with the World Affairs Council. And we’ll check back in with our friends from Bronze Radio Return about their new album SHAKE! SHAKE! SHAKE!