Happy New Year!
Join me and Kate Callahan on New Years Eve for a festive afternoon of radio storytelling and live music from 4-6PM at the Buttonwood Tree. It’s part of an exciting day full of of musicians, artists, fireworks and food – all part of Middnight on Main in Middletown.
Here’s what we have next week on the show:
MONDAY: History of New Haven (rebroadcast)
The Hartford Courant is – famously – the oldest continuously published newspaper in the US. But the New Haven Register has its long and storied history. This year is the200th anniversary of the paper – and today, where we live, we’ll talk about the history of the Register, and the city it covers. From the early days of the paper, to the Amistad case, from Abraham Lincoln’s election, to his death, and the role of New Haven’s longest-running institution, Yale University in the city’s history. Also, WNPR’s Diane Orson brings us the voices of New Haven musicians that played in the original productions of some of the great American musicals at the Shubert Theatre, and the old Oakdale Tent.
TUESDAY: North Korea // Jonathan Mitchell (rebroadcast)
The brutal North Korean regime gets attention in America when it seems like it’s in our national interest to do so. George W. Bush famously made it part of his “axis of evil” – but the attention was focused on its nuclear capabilities and the chance it could pose a military threat. Very little attention is paid to the human rights crisis faced by its 24 million people.Melanie Kirkpatrick is trying to change that with her new book, Escape from North Korea: The Untold Story of Asia’s Underground Railroad. She writes of the heroic efforts to escape and spread the word about what’s really going on behind the country’s walls. We’ll also talk to Jonathan Mitchell He’s a Peabody-award-winning radio producer who’s reviving the world of radio drama by completely changing it. He’s an experimental composer by training who uses sound and story to make “movies for your ears.”
WEDNESDAY: School Climate
Although the Newtown shooting has us focused on guns and mental health issues in our school systems, advocates for safe school climates have been working on the ground for years – forming committees and training teachers to create a safe, positive atmosphere for students. The focus is no longer on “anti-bullying,” but on “the quality and character of school life.” So what is the “safe school climate” all about – and how is it helping to keep our kids safe? How do we help students feel connected and engaged? Today we’ll look at school culture with Jo Ann Freiberg from the state Department of Education, teachers, administrators, and you.
THURSDAY: Hungry Kids
Hunger among Connecticut’s children is on the rise and is not expected to go down anytime soon. While hunger is an ongoing problem in many of Connecticut’s urban areas where poverty tends to be greater, there are also increasing numbers of hungry kids in wealthier suburban and rural towns, including those of Glastonbury, Avon, and Westport. In some areas of the state, such as Bridgeport, 99% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Poor nutrition leads to low weight and malnutrition but also to poor academic performance that can hinder future opportunities. And despite the efforts of child advocates to identify the kids most in need, schools are missing out on millions in federal funds–about $2.1 million in Hartford–by not participating in a federal breakfast program. School officials, activists, and a local journalist will talk about the state of childhood hunger in Connecticut.
FRIDAY: TBA
