Coming Up! July 2-6, 2012

Happy 4th! Dankosky is out all week, so we have some special broadcasts for you, including a in-depth look at the issue of youth violence (and the prison system) guest-hosted on Monday by Jeff Cohen and on Tuesday by Susan Campbell.

Here’s what’s happening:

MONDAY: Kids in Prison
What’s an adult? And, when it comes to crime, should a teenager be treated like one?Last week the U-S Supreme Court said it was unconstitutional to sentence juveniles to life in prison without parole for murder. In a split decision, the court’s majority said sentences like that were cruel and unusual.And did you know that, up until 2010, 16-year-olds charged with most crimes in Connecticut were handled in the adult judicial system? And did you know that until July 1, the same could be said for 17-year-olds? The changes are at the heart of what was called the “raise the age” effort — and today we’ll talk to lawmakers and legal experts about how the new law has played out. Coming up, WNPR reporter Jeff Cohen guest hosts a program looking at these issues, and what we should do with young people who commit terrible crimes.

TUESDAY: Violence and Youth
When a rash of shootings occurs — as it did last month in Hartford — you have to ask two questions: Why? And: How can we stop this, particularly when the shooters and/or victims are young people. Coming up, Susan Campbell guest hosts a conversation on the effects of violence on young people. We’ll look at the latest research on the developing brain, and find out how cities are dealing with the problem in creative ways.

WEDNESDAY: Fourth of July Special
Groundwork: Democracy Close to Home
At a time of political gridlick and polarization at the national level, Groundwork explores the tone and flavor of democratic action in towns and cities, where one’s antagonist is not an opposing talking head or a politician from a state of a different “color,” but a neighbor.

THURSDAY: Independent Voters, Lincoln and Water
We keep hearing how independent voters are the key to this year’s election. But who are these independents anyway? Journalist Linda Killian has them split into groups: NPR Republicans, America First Democrats, Starbucks Moms & Dads…and the Facebook Generation. See yourself in there? We’ll also talk to Lee Epstein who wrote a piece for the Atlantic Cities blog on water quality. He says healthy watersheds and sustainable in-town development are directly linked. “What happens on the land affects the water downstream” across a wide area. And this year marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, and a new book examines the deliberation that President Lincoln went through as he made this nation-altering decision.

FRIDAY: Search Engines (rebroadcast)
Remember when we used to have to do “research?” You know, go into dusty library backrooms? Spool through microfilm of old newspapers? Save important information in overloaded file drawers? Of course, the internet changed all that, with the advent of the “search engine.” The more that went up on the web, the more there was to search – and the better the search engines got, the more stuff went up on the web. Now, it seems we have an endless amount of human knowledge, easily accessble in that little Google search box. But how does it get there? And why do most of us “Google” something, and not “Bing” it? Why not Lycos or AltaVista? Today, we’ll search for the answers to these questions: So how do these search engines work? What are they looking for? And how do I know they’ll actually find the results I need? And, we’ll talk to the founder of a startup search engine…ever heard of “Blekko?” It’s cool…you should…Google it.

The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart

Last weekend, we took a trip to the International Festival of Arts & Ideas to see a performance by the National Theatre of Scotland called The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart. I think the most common adjective we used to describe the production was fun. It was fun, immersive theater at the Wicked Wolf Tavern featuring a quirky story with GREAT music.

We made this trip to New Haven for research (best research ever!). Three cast members joined us yesterday on Where We Live as we broadcast live from The Study at Yale, which has become an annual event for us. In addition to being great performers, the Prudencia Hart crew were some of the nicest people we could have met.

The Arts & Ideas team made this short video with a snippet of that great Scottish music at the end:

If you’d like to see The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart, they only have a few more performances in New Haven!

Coming Up! June 25 to 29, 2012

Whew! Not only does it feel like Friday, but it’s actually Friday!

As the storms are moving in and hopefully breaking up some of this heat, it’s time to bring you up to speed on our schedule for next week. Be sure to join us on Tuesday from the International Festival of Arts & Ideas at The Study at Yale Hotel. It’s turned into an annual tradition for WNPR to do some live broadcasts from down there and it’s one of our favorite days of the year.

Just a quick note, JD will be at a conference at the end of the week so we’ll be bringing some of our favorite recent episodes – including DIY Cable!

MONDAY: ESPN’s Pam Ward and the Pirate Steve Blass

ESPN’s Pam Ward blazed a trail as an announcer for college football. She joins us to consider women and sports on the 40th anniversary of Title IX. We’ll also talk to a Major League pitcher from Caanan, Connecticut. He grew up to win a World Series, befriend baseball icon Roberto Clemente and have a mysterious malady named after him.

TUESDAY: Live from the International Festival of Arts & Ideas!

We’re broadcasting live from New Haven for the International Festival of Arts & Ideas.We’ll talk to a few of the festival’s artists, performers and thinkers including the high flying Australian circus troupe Circa. The National Theatre of Scotland will also be there doing a performance from inside New Haven’s Wicked Wolf Tavern. And we’ll check-in with cultural critic Siddhartha Mitter about music that inspires change. You can join us live at The Study at Yale Hotel for a live edition of Where We Live.

WEDNESDAY: Global Education

The Connecticut World Affairs Council says our students are “competitive” but not “competent” – they are not being trained in a global context. An effort to give them the STEM basics is worthwhile but ignores language training, geography, and education about global financial markets. Schools should consider an international curriculum more, some say, where global issues are considered and students can meet people from different backgrounds, expanding their understanding of the whole world and their possible place in it as they join the workforce.

THURSDAY: Community Courts (rerun)

When young adults commit minor crimes, the punishment can derail opportunities chance for success. It doesn’t have to be this way. Join Judge Raymond Norko of the Hartford Community Court as we explore the concept of neighborhood-focused courts that harness the power of the justice system to address local problems, and Debra Barrows of Community Partners in Action, who works with outside stakeholders such as residents, merchants, churches and schools to help offenders form more positive relationships within their communities. We’ll also examine how a community’s perception of the legal system influences future behaviors.

FRIDAY: DIY Cable (rerun)

It’s a follow-up on our last conversation about cable TV. We learned that the average cable subscriber pays nearly three times as much now as they did in 2001. The average household now spends $86 a month, and that cost is expected to climb to $200 by 2020! Some TV enthusiasts are taking matters into their own hands – using Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, Hulu and Roku to watch their favorite shows and movies. But does that really take the place of cable? And how much money can you actually save? Today we’ll talk to some industry folks, and media consumers who will give us tips on DIY.

Coming Up! June 18 to 22, 2012

Thanks again to those of you who have pledged during this mini campaign. Maybe it’s time to pick yourself up a John Dankosky Where We Live mug?! Awesome!

Here’s what we have next week:

MONDAY: Sports Economics
The cost of this summer’s London Olympics is estimated to be $15 BILLION! That’s a lot of money for an event only lasting three weeks. Meanwhile, the PGA has made the Travelers Championship an annual event in Connecticut, using an existing golf course. Coming up on the next Where We Live, we’ll talk about the economics surrounding sporting events from the Olympics to the Travelers Championship.

TUESDAY: Revitalizing Neighborhoods in New Haven
Last week New Haven acquired its first vacant property under an anti-blight ordinance. The ordinance has been in effect since 2009, and it allows the city to fine absentee owners, perform necessary maintenance work, bill the property owner and place a lien on the property. As the city is finally acting on this legislation to get rid of blight, some residents are getting involved too. Ben Berkowitz heads up See Click Fix – a website where people log in and report issues like pot holes, to hopefully see them get fixed. He’s behind a new public art project, Inside Out New Haven, that covers underpasses with portraits of people who live in the surrounding neighborhoods. Today we’ll explore the issue of blight and look at some urban renewal projects working to revitalize New Haven.

WEDNESDAY: Susan Herbst
UConn’s president Susan Herbst has been busy. She’s pushed for a major expansion of its faculty – part of a plan to get more students into the classes they need and get their degrees in four years; she’s just broken ground on the new genomics collaboration with Jackson Labs; and she’s taking the university’s athletics department into new territory – a New York-based cable home for its women’s basketball program. We’ll get updates on this and more from President Herbst, as she enters her second year on the job.

THURSDAY: Mascots
We’ve got the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Hall High Warriors. So what’s in a name? Hall High School in West Hartford has decided to change their logo, which previously depicted a profile view of a Native American. They will still be known as the “Warriors,” but without the Native American connection. For years now, schools across the country have been transitioning away from Native American references. The St. John’s Redmen became the Red Storm. And just this week, voters gave the University of North Dakota permission to move away from the “Fighting Sioux” name. Opponents of this change say that we’re becoming too politically correct and if anything, these names are honoring Native Americans. Today, Where We Live, we’ll talk to some of the Hall High School students who pushed for this change. We’ll also hear from those in the Native American community about what these mascots mean to them.

FRIDAY: The Future of Obamacare
Any day now, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to make a decision on the 2010 Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare”. The Court could reject parts of the law – like the individual mandate, insurance market reforms, and expansion of Medicaid to low-income adults. What would it mean if the Court invalidates the ACA altogether? Coming up, we’ll look at what this big decision will mean for health care coverage in the nation and in Connecticut.

Dankosky’s Mug on a Mug

As you may have heard, our fiscal year is wrapping up so we’re doing a short fund drive. Your contribution will help keep your favorite public radio programs on the air.

But that’s not all!

We’re now offering a special Where We Live mug! It was designed by our friend Constanza Gowen-Segovia and we’re pretty darn happy with it. The white mug features our relatively new logo that was designed by Cummings & Good and it has a sketch of our fearless leader on the other side, which was done up by Constanza. We’re offering this for a contribution to WNPR at the $65 level.

We’re offering this mug for a $65 contribution to WNPR.

We’re looking forward to drinking out of this mug while in meetings with JD in real life. You can drink out of it too by calling 1-800-584-2788 or visiting WNPR.org.

Coming Up! June 11 to 15, 2012

Happy Weekend! We have a short fund drive next week as we wrap up our fiscal year. Thanks to all who have donated to WNPR, and if you haven’t now’s your chance!! Also, Happy Flag Day.

HarshLight, Creative Commons

MONDAY: Insuring the City
In the 1950s and 60s many northeastern cities transformed from being industrial hubs to being anchored by the financial sector. This change shaped the workforce – the culture and the skylines of these cities. Think the Prudential building in Boston, or the Traveler’s tower in Hartford. We’ll consider the impact of the insurance industry – and see what the future holds for this once rock-solid sector.

TUESDAY: Job Creators
Politicians are quick to promise lots of job growth in this down economy but who really creates jobs? Does government create jobs or is job creation in the realm of the private sector? Adam Davidson, from WNPR’s Planet Money will join us along with Hartford Courant’s Dan Haar as we take a nuanced look at the drivers of job growth and what it means to invest in growing our economy.

WEDNESDAY: Special Session and Mike Hyde
Early this morning the state senate approved the 469 page budget bill, but the session was not without some drama. Yeah, there was lots of excitement around this special session, with the FBI investigation of Chris Donovan’s campaign staff – leading him to recuse himself as speaker. Then there was the “mixed bag” of non-budget related “concepts” added to the bills – many without any sort of public hearing.  Republicans cried “foul” Democrats said “hey, at least we’re getting something done.”  We’ll find out what did get done with Ken Dixon of The Connecticut Post – and two legislative leaders. Also, Jackson Labratories has broken ground on a…well, a groundbreaking new facility in Farmington.  In collaboration with UConn and the state, they hope to pioneer genomic medicine and incubate new startup biotechs in the state.  We’ll talk with one of the men behind Jackson Labs  about what this might mean for Connecticut.

THURSDAY: The Aging Brain (rebroadcast)
We know that music, pets, and exercise make us feel good – but did you know they can also make our aging brains stronger? It used to be that getting older meant forgetting more, slowing down, and acting more and more like our grandparents. But no more. We can add years to our lives and boost our brain power by learning to play an instrument, jog around the block, or even bond with our dog. Science shows that the best thing we can do to keep our brains healthy is to stay active – both physically and mentally. And the best news is that we don’t have to begin when we’re young. It is never too late to start. And we don’t just keep our brains strong when we play an instrument or exercise. We grow new brain cells that build a more flexible brain that resists shrinkage. Today, we’ll talk to three doctors who’ll convince us to re-think how we think about aging.

FRIDAY: The Soil Show
Last week we talked about big rocks, and Connecticut’s glacial history. Today we’re tackling the tiniest rocks and sediment beneath our feet. We’ll find out about why the soil in the Northeast is rocky and shallow, and explore what it means for your lawn, your septic system, your garden, and Connecticut’s Wine Trail.

Remembering Greg Tate

We wanted to take a moment this morning to pay tribute to a dear friend and important member of our community, Gregory Tate.  He lost his battle with cancer on Sunday. Tate was co-founder, co-artistic director and production manager for the Hartbeat Ensemble, a Hartford based theater company that creates performances that deal with tough social issues, and use the words and stories of people from in and around the capital city. We aired this remembrance on Where We Live:

You can hear the audio from the full April interview here.

More tributes to Tate: 

Greg Tate Updates blog

“The Last Time” by Julia Pistel

“Gregarious Tate” by Helder Mira

“Tate Flies” by River Brandon

Coming Up! June 4 to 8, 2012

The title of this post made me jump a little. It’s June already? But regardless of what month it is, we will still be filling your ears with Where We Live from 9-10am and 7-8pm, Monday-Friday (some holidays excluded). With that being said, we have a whole new set of shows coming your way. We also have our quarterly small business breakfast on Thursday. More info down below…hope to see you there!

Other than that, have a good weekend and enjoy the rain…

MONDAY: Paved Paradise

Parking lots have been around for decades, but their design hasn’t been seriously reconsidered since the 1950s. Our guest Eran Ben-Joseph joins us to talk about his new book ReThinking a Lot and how parking lots can be done better – designed more sustainably, and even with community-building in mind. We’ll discuss examples of parking lots done a little differently where we live, and we’ll hear from the director of The Parking Lot Movie. What do you think about parking lots?

TUESDAY: Justin Bernier

It’s another edition of Where We Vote as we talk to 5^th district congressional candidate Justin Bernier. He’s a Republican running in a crowded field as the August primary approaches. He finished in third place at the state Republican convention but he’s moving ahead to the primary because as he said, “Why not?” We’ll talk with Bernier about the economy, foreign policy and we’re taking your questions. Email wherewelive@wnpr.org or tweet us @wherewelive.

WEDNESDAY: Reporter Roundtable

The legislature is heading into a special legislative session to work on the state budget. Controversy surrounds House Speaker Chris Donovan’s congressional campaign. We’ll talk with a team of ace reporters about the latest from the Capitol and around the state on our reporter roundtable.

THURSDAY: Small Business Breakfast

It’s our quarterly “Small Business Breakfast” – live from the CT Business Expo at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.  And we’ve decided to focus on Hartford itself as our topic. As the new Capital Region Development Authority is tasked with revitalizing the city’s economy, what approach will it take? Will it be focused only on the big venues that are its headline responsibility, or will it also work with smaller, neighborhood efforts to stimulate small business development? Previous efforts to revive the city have taken the approach of the “big bang” — building the Convention Center and Science Center and the still-empty Front Street. But is there something to be said for taking an “economic gardening” approach — working with the small businesses and entrepreneurs that already exist in the city to foster organic growth? Join us for a lively panel discussion with small business owners from Hartford, as well as civic leaders and others in our audience.  Want to join us? Go to wnpr.org – keyword “small biz.”

FRIDAY: Rock Solid Show

If you live in one place long enough, you can take certain things for granted….like that boulder on the side of the road on your way to work; the mountain you hike every summer. But what makes Connecticut look the way it looks today? We’ll talk with geologists about the geographic landscape of Connecticut and how it’s impacted state history. We’ll also talk with a photographer who focused on a special kind of boulder that can be found in places like Stonington.