Where We Live

The 2011 consolidation of Connecticut’s regional and community colleges hasn’t worked out so well. Administrative costs have gone up, it’s still hard for students to transfer credits from community to four-year colleges, and the system faces budget deficits that will require painful cuts. But a new proposal calling for give backs from employees has unleashed a furious backlash. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Connecticut, youth unemployment rates are at historic highs, with teenagers being disproportionately affected. This hour, we take a closer look at some of the latest trends and find out what’s being done to help young people find jobs. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you wondering whether to buy or rent a home? Or how much to save for your child’s education? How much should you set aside for retirement, depending on your age? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a special edition of our weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse, we are joined by reporters from Vermont Public Radio to discuss their new radio documentary Becoming Bernie, which will air on WNPR. We discuss the rise of Bernie Sanders and how the Democratic party is responding to his popularity in the 2016 race for president.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State Republicans have long been asking to be "at the table" in budget negotiations. Now, with a massive deficit, they are finally getting what they wished for and they announced their proposed fixes. "We not only fix the problem we’re in now because that’s our statutory obligation, but we make structural changes so this state can sustain itself not for the next month, not the next six months, but for generations to come," said House minority leader Themis Klarides. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Young people coming out of college today have a strong desire to do good in the world, but it’s not easy to find jobs with a social purpose. Instead, many are starting their own businesses, combining an entrepreneurial spirit with a social mission.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we hear three stories that all converge around the topic of China. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been more than a decade since a unit of Boston Globe reporters known as the “Spotlight" team exposed child sex abuse in one of Boston’s most powerful institutions: the Catholic Church. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was one moment in Tuesday's Republican presidential debate that reminded us of all those other unwieldy, freewheeling and circus-like debates that came before: Rand Paul getting cut off by Carly Fiorina, and then Donald Trump drawing boos for being Trump. For the most part, though, last night’s debate was much more orderly. It was so orderly that rarely did the candidates, who had complained so loudly about previous moderators, get challenged on any of their statements.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday is November 11, a date originally designated by President Woodrow Wilson as Armistice Day to mark the end of World War I. After World War II, however, it was renamed Veterans Day to honor all Americans who have served. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Green Revolution of the mid-twentieth century revolutionized the way the world fed itself.  It introduced new fertilizers, pesticides, and hybrid seeds. At the same time, it also placed an enormous burden on the world’s environmental and ecological systems.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Wednesday marks the beginning of the Latino & Iberian Film Festival at Yale. This hour, we learn more about it with festival director Margherita Tortora. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Obama spoke with frustration last month at a press conference after the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon.He asked if anybody really still believes we need more guns and fewer gun safety laws.Mass shootings are a big problem, but the majority of gun deaths are from homicide, accidental shootings, and suicide. The common denominator in all of them is easy access to guns.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Municipal election day has come and gone in Connecticut. This hour, our weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse checks in on three of the state's big races: Hartford, Bridgeport, and New London. We chat with reporters, hear from Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, and take your comments and observations. Did you vote? If so, what was your experience like at the polls? Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Across America, low-income, first generation college students are not graduating at the same rate as some of their wealthier peers. Coming up, we take a closer look at this trend with WAMU reporter Kavitha Cardoza. Her documentary is called “Lower Income, Higher Ed."  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Raouf Mama is a beloved storyteller by children and adults familiar with his books Why Goats Smell Bad and Why Monkeys Live in Trees. His love of storytelling stems from a long and honorable oral tradition that goes back to the ancient empire of Mali, when people preserved the lessons of life in memory instead of on the written page.Raouf says we each have a story of belonging and identity. He uses his stories to entertain, comfort, and most of all as a tool to enlighten students.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neanderthals have long been recognized as humans’ closest relatives. They were highly intelligent, skilled hunters, with a rugged build, and a knack for toolmaking.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy is making another push for mental health reform in Congress that he hopes will overhaul and strengthen the mental health care system. He joins us from Washington, D.C. to explain the legislation and to discuss some recent news on the U.S. policy on Syria and use of drones. We also talk to U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal about an Obama administration proposal to help address Puerto Rico's fiscal challenges. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, legislative leaders met with Governor Dannel Malloy to talk about the state's budget deficit. This hour, we review those talks with a panel of Capitol reporters. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we take a look at how women’s funds are helping to advance women’s rights and break down gender barriers.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.