Coming Up! May 20 to 24, 2013

Monday: A Slower Than Usual Commute

The derailment of a Metro-North train on Friday evening resulted in dozens of injuries and threw this week’s commute into disarray. We’ll check in with reporters who are covering the state’s response to this accident, talk to a passenger involved in the collision and Jim Cameron, chairman of the Metro-North Commuter Council. Do you normally get to work by train? How did Friday’s events affect your commute this morning?

(Note: our originally scheduled show with Dan Kennedy about his new book, “The Wired City: Reimagining Journalism and Civic Life in the Post-Newspaper Age” has been rescheduled for a later date.)

Tuesday: Suburban Poverty
It’s common to associate city life with poverty. But a new study suggests otherwise. Is poverty spreading faster in suburban communities? We’ll talk to several authors about their findings and hear from the executive director of the Connecticut Commission on Children about what’s happening in our state.

 Wednesday: Daphne Lee Martin (rebroadcast)
Today, a memento from our yearly pilgrimage to our favorite little seaport town: New London, Connecticut.  It’s home to a DIY art and music scene that seems to grow every year.  We’re revisiting our program from February, where we broadcast live from The Telegraph – It’s a record shop, used bookstore and performance space owned by Daphne Lee Martin and her husband, Rich Martin.  Daphne has been a fixture on the Connecticut music scene for years with her bands Raise the Rent and Roadside Attractions.  She was voted “Best Country Artist” at last year’s Connecticut Music Awards.  Her brand new record, Moxie is an altogether different affair. Less a collection of songs – more a soundtrack to a wild burlesque show.  Underwater, dreamy vocals, you hear reggae beats under New Orleans horns, bossa nova, honky tonk, gypsy and swing – all in a late-night cabaret.  We’ll be hearing this new music played live, and talking more about the music scene in New London, about the “vinyl  revival.”

 Thursday: Sexual Assault in the Military
Earlier this month the Pentagon released a report estimating that 26,000 people in the military were sexually assaulted in 2012 – that’s up from 19,000 in 2010. Also in the news, officers in charge of sexual assault prevention programs for the Air Force and the Army have been arrested for alleged sexual assaults.  Today, WNPR’s Lucy Nalpathanchil guest-hosts a conversation about the push to reform the U. S military in addressing this epidemic. We’ll also check in with advocates in Connecticut to find out how local veterans are finding support. And U.S Senator Richard Blumenthal will update us on legislation he’s co-sponsoring to eliminate sexual assaults in the military.

 Friday: The Water Dilemma
In Connecticut, many of us take our clean drinking water for granted. Turn on the faucet and the water pours out for drinking, cooking, bathing, watering our lawns…but will that always be the case? Other parts of the world and even this country are not as lucky. The droughts throughout much of the U.S. are decimating agriculture out there. Today, Connecticut Mirror and WNPR reporter Neena Satija guest-hosts a show on Connecticut’s need for a water strategy. We’ll also check-in with other states who are preparing for potential water shortages and those who already have a problem.

Coming Up! May 13 to 17, 2013

Monday:  Skills Gap, LIVE from the Hartford Public Library
“Middle skills” jobs – which require more than a high school diploma, but less than a 4-year degree – could be key to our economic growth. Does Connecticut have the workforce to fill them? Or do we have a “skills gap” between workers trained for jobs, and employers looking to fill them? 52 percent of American employers surveyed by staffing company ManpowerGroup say they’re finding “talent shortages.” But the problem may come down to being able to pay those workers a living wage – and offer a little bit of training. The Connecticut Department of Labor predicts that by 2018, two thirds of jobs in the state will be middle or low skill. Whose problem is it if the workers who could fill those jobs aren’t quite ready for them – and what are we doing in Connecticut to try to close the skills gap? Today we air a previously taped show from the Hartford Public Library, in partnership with the Connecticut News Project.

Tuesday: Labeling GMOs and Toxic Chemicals
We’ll hear about current legislation that would require labeling of “genetically engineered foods.” Grassroots organization GMO Free CT is pushing the bill, while some in the farm industry see this as unnecessary regulation. Also, Connecticut has been on the forefront of banning toxic chemicals from baby bottles, children’s jewelry and receipt paper. Now the Coalition for a Safe and Healthy CT is pushing further laws to require manufacturers of children’s products to provide notice to the public health commissioner if products contain chemicals that might harm children. Bills would also ban toxic fire retardants in children’s products, and label food and drink packaging that contains BPA. And CT Mirror reporter Mark Pazniokas joins us to talk about former House Speaker Chris Donovan’s campaign finance director’s corruption trial starting this week.

Wednesday: Paving Paradise
The retail landscape of Connecticut is…repetitive. It’s evident just by John Dankosky’s drive to work down Route 44. We took a drive down that stretch of road with the Hartford Courant’s Tom Condon and took note of the numerous shopping plazas that now line the road. On 44, why does just 1.4 miles separate CVS pharmacies? And why are there so many darn Dunkin’ Donuts? We’ll talk about the landscape and retail sprawl of Connecticut and America.

Thursday: Government: Why Bother?
Why do we bother with government? The influence of money and power can seem to get in the way of democracy. Compromise might water down our ideals to no real change at all. How big a problem is apathy among young voters? What can we do to get people engaged – and will it make a difference? Join us for a conversation along with special guests in studio – a civics class from Bulkeley High School in Hartford.

Friday: Back to the Present
What does it mean to be human right now? Big thinker Douglas Rushkoff joins us to talk about “presentism” and his new book, Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now. We’re now living in the future but we just don’t have time to live in it. Instead, we’re playing the endless game of “catch-up” on email and social media. Block off your calendars and join the conversation live – you won’t want to listen to the podcast later.

Coming Up! May 6 to 10, 2013

Monday: Monthly Malloy
Keith Phaneuf of the Connecticut Mirror, the state “budget guru” has been pulling apart the budget problems the Malloy administration faces in an epic, three-part series. He says there are lots of reasons why Connecticut residents should be worried. As Malloy often points out, he inherited this mess from the previous administration, but his “fixes” have raised plenty of questions – including a promise of no more tax increases, and a reliance on an economic rebound which may or may not be coming. Today, where we live, Governor Dannel Malloy and his budget chief Ben Barnes join us in studio.

 Tuesday: Syria and Chemical Weapons, and More on the State Budget
The situation in Syria gets more confusing by the day. The Obama Administration is treading very cautiously around conflicting reports of who actually staged a sarin gas attack, the government of besieged President Bashar al Assad, or the rebels fighting to take over the country. The US backed Israel’s decision to make military strikes by air in Damascus – but there are questions over whether this might mean an escalation of tensions in the region. Senator John McCain, and others, have called for arming the rebels…but Senator Chris Murphy, who just returned from the region, has doubts. Today, where we live, Murphy will join us…and we’ll talk about the spectre of chemical weapons in Syria. We’ll also debrief with Keith Phaneuf…our budget guru from the Connecticut Mirror. Governor Malloy took him to task for his three-part series on the state budget yesterday on the show…we’ll hear Keith’s response.

Wednesday: Evolution, and Green Chemistry
In a follow-up to our recent Science show, we’ll revisit the topic of teaching science. This time, our focus is on evolution. Are some schools refusing to teach evolution? BrownUniversity professor Ken Miller, co-author of one of the most widely used high school biology text books, will discuss the topic. We’ll also be joined by  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette science reporter David Templeton and a retired Connecticut teacher who wasn’t allowed to mention Charles Darwin’s name in class. And, is it possible to design chemicals that aren’t hazardous to the environment? YaleUniversity’s Paul Anastas thinks so. He’ll join us to talk about “Green Chemistry.”

Thursday: Suicide and Mental Health
In a report released last week, the CDC says that more people aged 35-64 die from suicide than from car accidents, and they have been since 2009. Suicide rates have risen dramatically for middle-aged Americans in the last 10 years, and the highest jump is for men aged 50-54. But, while suicide prevention efforts in America have focused primarily on adolescents and older adults, we’ve not placed as much emphasis on the more settled middle-aged group of mostly baby-boomers. Today we talk about what might be causing this rise, and look at how Connecticut lags behind in mental health screening for children.

 Friday: What’s Up With Stuff?
Go to your local big-box retailer and you can buy a t-shirt for a few bucks. In today’s economic climate, it’s not surprising that it was probably made in China. But think about that – an item that was touched by dozens of hands (or machines) from around the world can be yours for next-to-nothing. NPR’s Planet Money team is reporting on apparel manufacturing by following the story of their Planet Money t-shirt. We’ll be joined by NPR’s Alex Blumberg to talk about this project and about what it tells us about where our “stuff” comes from.

 

Coming Up! April 29 to May 3, 2013

MONDAY: Covering Trauma in the News
The mass murder in Newtown Connecticut raised many questions about how the media covers traumatic events – and how those same events may traumatize reporters.  In early April, before the Boston Marathon bombings, John Dankosky brought together a conversation with journalists who’ve covered violence at Central Connecticut State University.  Bruce Shapiro, executive director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma was joined by Tina Susman, national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, who has covered war in Iraq, Somalia and Rwanda; and WNPR reporter Jeff Cohen, who covered the Newtown shooting and its aftermath for NPR.  Listen as they discuss the media’s role and its boundaries when reporting on tragic events. And, we will assess the impact of this work on the journalists themselves.

 TUESDAY: Connecticut Library Association
Today we broadcast LIVE from Cromwell at the 122^nd annual Connecticut Library Association Conference. We’ll talk about how libraries create community, and how they are keeping up with today’s changing world. It’s a library party!

 WEDNESDAY: Learning Disabilities
For a parent with a child who has a learning disability, it can be hard to navigate the “minefield” of services, programming and placement. There are ongoing disputes between parents and teachers, and a push to integrate special education students into “regular” classrooms. Today, we talk about how schools are taking care of students with learning disabilities, and how parents can better know their rights.

 THURSDAY: Brazil
This Saturday is the seventh annual Samba Fest, a Brazilian music festival on the Riverfront Plaza in Hartford. Today, we will be talking about the importance of Samba music in Brazilian culture as well as Capoeira, the Brazilian dance and martial art form. We will also be speaking with the Ambassador from the Brazilian Consulate here in Hartford, to talk about the issues facing Brazilian communities in Connecticut.

 FRIDAY: Magazine
As the United States brings two Middle Eastern wars to a close, we’ll talk with Ryan Crocker. He served in Iraq before becoming ambassador to Afghanistan – a job he wrapped up last year. He’s speaking at a World Affairs Council event about his experiences and what the future looks like in that tumultuous region. We’ll preview that conversation. And New York state medical director and chief psychiatrist Lloyd Sederer joins us to talk about his new book The Family Guide to Mental Health Care: Advice on Helping Your Loved Ones. We’ll also talk to Baratunde Thurson. The former Director of Digital for The Onion is at the CT Forum this weekend for a panel of Funny Smart People.

 

Coming Up! April 22 to 26, 2013

Monday: Reflecting on Boston
What a week it was. Today at 2:50, Boston and all of New England will observe a moment of silence for the lives lost in the Boston Marathon bombing one week ago. A shocking event that terrorized a city during one of its greatest celebrations. The week that followed was filled with tension as the FBI and local law enforcement searched for suspects, motives, some answers. Then, the first real break with the release of pictures, showing two brothers – Cambridge residents, ethnic Chechens as the suspects. We woke up Friday morning to stories of gun battles with police – another cop dead, one suspect dead, and terror and explosions in the streets of Watertown. A city shut down – silent for a day. Then, the dramatic capture of 19-year old Dzhokar Tsarnaev. Today, where we live, Colin Mc Enroe joins us to try to make sense of what we learned, and what’s next.

 Tuesday: Psyched About Science
How is science serving us? And how do we keep kids interested in the field? Those are the big questions we’re tackling today on the program with a panel of scientists and educators. Arturo Casadevall joins us to preview his upcoming talk about the role of science in our society. We’ll talk to a high school science teacher-of-the-year, as well as  “science evangelist”   Ainissa Ramirez, author of Save Our Science: How to Inspire a New Generation of Scientists.

 Wednesday: State Budget and Pensions
While some states prioritized the funding of public pensions to a level able to withstand the financial crisis of 2008, most states will have trouble covering the long-term costs of employee pensions and health care for public sector retirees as baby boomers retire. While states like Connecticut are slowly enacting reforms to meet these demands, questions remain over how we got to this point, and how best to move forward. Are pension benefits too generous or are states not adequately funding pension promises made long ago. Is there really a crisis and if so, why are some states faring better than others?

Thursday: What’s in a Brand?
In the last few weeks, UConn has announced a new branding initiative, including a revamped Husky logo. This new Jonathan is meaner and fiercer looking than previous incarnations. So this got us thinking: what is a logo or brand supposed to do? What does it say about the organization it represents? We’ll look at some examples – both successes and failures. What are some of your favorite logos?

 Friday: U.S. History Through our “Tapestry” (rebroadcast)
The presidency of Barack Obama has been a milestone in America’s history of race: from a country whose Founding Fathers owned slaves to a black man in the White House.But while the Obama’s are seen as the first African American “first family” – their own racial history is much more complex.NY Times reporter Rachel Swarns details the complexity of the first lady’s ancestral history in her book, American Tapestry: The Story of the Black, White and Multiracial Ancestors of Michelle Obama.Swarns told NPR about reaching out to the distant white relatives of Mrs. Obama.“You can imagine what it might be like if someone were to knock on your door and say, hi, I think your family owned the first lady’s family,” she said.We’ll talk with Swarns about her book and with NPR’s Michele Norris. She’s written a book about her own ancestry called The Grace of Silence. She also curates The Race Card Project, which gathers six-word submissions from people on race.The project started during the book tour for The Grace of Silence. “I knew that people are often uncomfortable with this subject, so I thought I would make it easier by quite literally playing the race card,” Norris said. She printed off postcards and asked people to share whatever they wanted about race. But they could only use six words.

Coming up! April 15 to 19, 2013

MONDAY: Health Equity
Connecticut – and the rest of the country – suffers from big disparities in health outcomes based on race and income level.  That was the topic of our first Health Equity Forum. We’ll listen to our conversation about inequalities in how health care is distributed in Connecticut, what can be done to resolve the imbalance in access and treatment – and why should this matter to us all?

TUESDAY: Tragedy at the Boston Marathon
Patriot’s Day in Boston is a regional holiday and a citywide celebration. Thousands line the streets between Hopkinton and the Back Bay….The Red Sox play a morning game at Fenway…and the Boston Marathon becomes the center of the sporting world. Today, it’s the center of a massive investigation into two bombings that took place only seconds apart – around 2:50 yesterday afternoon. What we do know is that more than 100 people were hurt – many very badly – by powerful explosions and shrapnel in the form of metal ball bearings. Some lost limbs…as of right now, 3 have lost their lives, including Martin Richard, an 8 year old from Dorchester. His mother and sister are among those wounded. Blocks of the city are a crime scene – The FBI is investigating and treating this as a case of terrorism. Right now, there are no suspects…no arrests.

WEDNESDAY: Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery
Human trafficking is a 32 billion dollar a year industry, and it’s prevalent all over the world. Today, we’ll look at trafficking abroad with the director of the new documentary Not My Life, which will be screened Tuesday night at the Mark Twain House.  We’ll also preview an upcoming talk at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center on how to recognize and report human trafficking in our communities. And we’ll talk to the Hartbeat Ensemble about their upcoming play Riding the Turnpike, based on interviews with victims of sexual trafficking on the Berlin Turnpike.

THURSAY: Roz Savage
Roz Savage was a successful management consultant, when she stepped back, took stock of her life and decided she needed a change. Now, she’s the only woman to have rowed – solo – across all the major oceans. She’s also a prominent advocate for global sustainability. We’ll talk with her about the environment, and her daring adventures, and we’ll meet other future global leaders from the Yale World Fellows Program.

FRIDAY: Boston Marathon Bombing, Continued Coverage
WNPR ongoing coverage of the investigation and manhunt for Boston marathon bombing suspect Dzhokar Tsarnaev. As the search takes over the greater Boston area, it also has implications for Connecticut residents.

Coming Up! April 8 to 12, 2012

MONDAY: Let’s Get Creative (rebroadcast)
We talk about creativity here on Where We Live every so often… it’s one of our favorite subjects. In fact, this year we’ll be partnering with Connecticut Creates – a consortium of creative people around the state – to have more of these conversations. Today’s “creative conversation” is thanks to two dozen high school students from Watkinson School in Hartford, who are all pursuing a creative arts diploma in music, film, theater, dance, visual arts, or writing. They wanted to come by WNPR for a visit, and we invited them to do more than that… we asked them to be a part of a conversation that focuses on the questions that interest them the most. They want to know how they can use creativity in their lives, and how they might be able to make successful artistic careers. They also want to talk about what makes good art, and how to hone their skills. So we’ve assembled a panel of “creative experts” to talk about just that. This year, we’ll be partnering with Connecticut Creates, a new collective of thinkers and doers, who are striving to spread creative thought across our state. So, where do you think creativity comes from? How do you tap into it in your own life?

 TUESDAY: Magazine Show: A Look At Pool Safety / A New CT Office of Early Childhood? / Exploring X and the City
Legislation is in the works to change safety standards for swim classes after two high school students drowned last year. Today we’ll look back on the drownings and talk with the state representative sponsoring the bill. Also, leading up to the Week of the Young Child, we will be joined by state officials to discuss the Governor’s proposed Office of Early Childhood. And we’ll talk with the author of “X and the City,” John A. Adam, about how we can understand cities through mathematical modeling.

 WEDNESDAY: College Ready
About 2/3 of students entering our community colleges and 1/5 of those entering state universities are placed in remedial and developmental math and English courses. Last year Gov. Malloy signed a new law into effect, “An Act Concerning College Readiness and Completion.” Among other things, it will give support to graduating high school seniors, to help them better prepare for college or the workforce. Coming up, we’ll talk remediation and look at the ways students are falling behind when it comes to college prep. And we’ll look at some programs that have been working in schools for years, getting students interested early.

 THURSDAY: Health Care Losses
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s budget proposal would eliminate Medicaid coverage for thousands of poor parents through the HUSKY A program, eliminate the state-run Charter Oak Health Plan and slash payments to hospitals, largely in response to implementation of new federal health reform provisions scheduled to start on Jan. 1, 2014. While the Malloy administration says that fewer patients will be uninsured once health reform rolls out, hospitals say they will still face financial challenges because many of the newly insured will be covered by Medicaid, which tends to pay less than treatment costs. And, the Connecticut Hospital Association warns that implementation of these cuts will result in job loss and “immediate and lasting damage.” At the same time, Consumer Reports just came out with their updated hospital safety ratings and found that while some hospitals are doing a really good job, some still aren’t safe enough. And guess what, Connecticut is home to one of the best, and one of the worst.

FRIDAY: Religion Roundtable
Today we talk about the new Pope and the future of the Catholic Church with a panel of theological thinkers. Chris Doucot joins us from the Hartford Catholic Worker. We’ll hear from the Knights of Columbus, and Yale Divinity School feminist Teresa Berger.

Coming Up! April 1 to 5, 2013

MONDAY: Small Business After Hours: Workforce Training
President Obama in his State of the Union address challenged us to come up with new ways to educate people in high school so they’re ready for the workforce. Is Connecticut ready, or poised to fall behind? Coming up on the next Where We Live, we broadcast our live small business project event about workforce training.

TUESDAY: Mayor Segarra // Egypt
Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra joins us to talk about Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and how he’s working to advocate for gun restrictions. Also, Egyptian-American journalist Sharif Abdel-Kouddous sits down to talk about his reporting on political unrest in Egypt. He’s in town to speak at Trinity College.

WEDNESDAY: Gun Legislation Finally?
Connecticut lawmakers have been slowly trying to gain bi-partisan agreement on a series of gun control measures in response to the Newtown shootings. This comes despite a strong push from Governor Malloy, and the fact that other states have already passed gun laws. Now, with the release of more information about shooter Adam Lanza, the legislature is finally about ready to vote. We’ll look at what gun control will look like – and how it compares with plans in other states and in Washington.

THURSDAY: Redefining Disability
The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, and it’s gone a long way to ensure that those with disabilities have equal accessibility and are not discriminated against. But what’s emerged is a new community of disabled people who want to see a more inclusive society that doesn’t discriminate – but also doesn’t single people out as disabled. We’ll look at changing perceptions, how media and news coverage affect our views, and what’s next in the way we think about disabilities.

FRIDAY: HartFolk Festival Preview
We’ll preview this weekend’s HartFolk Festival being held at the University of Saint Joseph. It will feature 10 artists and groups from the region and we’ll hear from a few of them, including The Sea, The Sea, André Balazs, and Zoë Sundra. We’ll talk about their music and hear a few songs. In addition to musical performances, HartFolk will feature workshops on everything from finger-style guitar to yoga!

Coming Up! March 25 to 29, 2013

This week on Where We Live: 

Monday: Gideon at 50
Gideon v. Wainwright is arguably one of the most influential cases in law history. 50 years ago this month, it changed American law by providing counsel to those who could not afford it on their own. Today, Where We Live, we reflect with Connecticut public defenders on this landmark verdict. The anniversary comes in the midst of funding troubles for public defenders – and following up on a previous show – concerns about overzealous and overreaching prosecutions. We’ll also talk about work being done in the state to free those who have been wrongfully convicted. Later, we’ll talk to the brother of Timothy Cole, who was wrongfully convicted and died in a Texas prison. He was that state’s first posthumous exoneration.

Tuesday: The Silver Tsunami is on its Way! 
America is getting older and Connecticut is growing grayer faster than almost every other state. But don’t expect this new group of seniors to just retire all at once; they’ll be working longer, in part because they want to, but also to rebuild those nest eggs smashed during the recession. We’ll be exploring the coming “Silver Tsunami” coming up on the next Where We Live.

Wednesday: Freeing the Chimps
For a long time, scientists and the public believed that we needed to hold chimps captive for the sake of research and scientific progress. But those beliefs are changing. In 2011 the Institute of Medicine issued a report that found that most chimp research is actually unnecessary. This led to the National Institutes of Health recently announcing that nearly all of the 451 chimpanzees it owns or supports in research labs will be permanently retired and moved to a sanctuary. Coming up, a conversation on the ethics of animal research and what this new shift means for our scientific communities. Wesleyan professor and author Lori Gruen joins us. She runs a website tracking the last 1000 chimps being held in captivity for research. We’ll also talk to author Chip Walter about human evolution and his book Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived.

Thursday: SCSU President Mary Papazian
Mary Papazian just finished up her first year at SCSU at a tough time for the state’s public universities. Many are taking issue with Governor Malloy’s budget and unfair support to the University of Connecticut. In a letter to state officials, http://ctmirror.org/story/19375/top-faculty-state-colleges-dangerous-signs-we-are-being-downgraded<br /><br />
http://ctmirror.org/story/19375/top-faculty-state-colleges-dangerous-signs-we-are-being-downgraded&#8221; href=”http://ctmirror.org/story/19375/top-faculty-state-colleges-dangerous-signs-we-are-being-downgraded&#8221;>CSU professors complained of unequal funding and see their universities being “downgraded.” We’ll talk with Papazian about state support and her university’s changing role in higher education. We’ll be broadcasting live from our New Haven studios on the next Where We Live.

 Friday: Newtown Check-in // Traumatic Brain Injuries 
Traumatic brain injury has gained attention because of the effect on war veterans and football players. But it’s much more widespread. With your severe brain injuries – those that happened in the 60s – most people didn’t survive. So we are dealing with a whole new population as medical advances have saved many more lives then these individuals now have many more challenges. Today, where we live, understanding brain injury. We’ll also hear what police found in the home of Newtown shooter Adam Lanza.  After search warrants were released yesterday, we learned new information detailing the guns and ammo the Lanzas had at home.

 

Coming Up! March 11 to 15, 2013

MONDAY: Mass Incarceration
The United States puts more people behind bars than any other country. A new report released by the Sentencing Project, a prison research and advocacy group, says that incarceration rates for black Americans dropped significantly between 2000 and 2009. That may be good news, but the report also found the rate of imprisonment rose for whites and Hispanics over the same decade.  So how did we get here? Today, we explore mass incarceration – from its beginnings in the 1970s with Governor Nelson Rockefeller. The “zero tolerance approach” of the Rockefeller Drug Laws spread throughout the US, and the prison population rose from 330,000 in 1973 to a peak of 2.3 million.  Today we’ll talk to reporter Brian Mann to get some of this history, and a researcher who says that mass incarceration is an epidemic. Also, Yale Law Students will take us into Connecticut’s only supermax prison.

TUESDAY: Marriage in the movies
Today we talk about the institute of marriage, how it’s changed over time, and more specifically how it’s changed in pop culture and movies. Wesleyan professor Jeanine Basinger will talk about her new book I Do and I Don’t: History of Marriage in the Movies.

 WEDNESDAY: Governor Malloy and DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith
It’s our monthly check-in with Governor Dannel Malloy. We’ll also be joined by the commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, Catherine Smith. We’ll talk about the state’s economy and check-in on the “First Five” program, which gives incentives to companies moving to or expanding in Connecticut. As always, you can join the conversation and ask questions, email wherewelive@wnpr.org.

 THURSDAY: Mentors
Mentorship programs are seen as an effective way to solve the problems of urban violence, bullying and low test scores. They can also part of a business plan to groom young workers for a successful career. We’ll look at mentoring programs that work – lining up adults with time, skill and patience with young people eager to learn.

FRIDAY: Drowning in Health Care Costs
Today we talk to Steven Brill about his recent TIME magazine feature “Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills are Killing Us.”  And those buying into Connecticut’s health insurance exchange might be surprised by the high pricetag.  We’ll try to understand the complex world of health care costs.