Where We Live

For students and teachers around the state, snow means one thing: maybe it'll be a snow day? This hour we celebrate the snow day. We talk about snow day rituals and superstitions. And we look at the past, present, and future of snowfall in our state.

GUESTS:

• Stephen Young: Professor Emeritus in the Geography and Sustainability Department at Salem State University
• Frankie Graziano: Host and Producer of "The Wheelhouse...

Nearly 300,000 Connecticut residents are of Puerto Rican heritage. That’s according to Census Bureau data.

Today, we take a look at what’s being done to raise the next generation of Puerto Ricans here in the diaspora.

From getting children books on Puerto Rican history, to celebrating holidays like Dia de los Reyes, there are many ways to celebrate Puerto Rican culture and history.

GUESTS:

• Charles Venator Sant...

One out of every four Americans is a caregiver, caring for partners, parents, grandparents or children. They juggle living their own lives while taking loved ones to the doctor, dispensing medication and even managing insurance.

The struggles of these caregivers are often invisible. Many face negative financial impacts, isolation and anxiety.

On this episode, we'll hear from caregivers as they share their hardships and hopes. We'll...

The Appalachian Trail spans 52.2 miles in Connecticut and climbs over Bear Mountain, the tallest point in the state.

Today, we listen to an episode of "Common Land" podcast, which follows producer Matt Podolsky’s hike of the trail with his mother. We’ll hear about the history of the trail here in Connecticut, along with some major obstacles that he encountered.

Podolsky will join us later to gi...

Last year, the National Institutes of Health drastically cut funding for medical research. This disrupted the work of academics and researchers across the country.

Clinical trials and scientific projects were cancelled, and funding for ongoing research was revoked.

This meant big cuts in funding to research institutions here in Connecticut.

UConn lost $41 million from research grant terminations and unexpected non-renewals.

To...

This episode originally aired in 2025.

Dry January is a month-long campaign that revolves around cutting out alcohol or reducing alcohol intake for the month of January.

Today’s guests say that life without alcohol can be joyous, and they’re creating spaces for the sober and sober curious to try it out.

We talk to two owners of sober spaces in our state, and try out some mocktails they’ll...

Black holes aren’t just the stuff of science fiction; they’re real astronomical objects so dense, so massive, that nothing, not even light, escapes from them.

Today, we’re getting lost in the void. Yale Astrophysicist Priya Natarajan joins us for an hour to talk about her research on these extraordinary objects. Last year, she was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2024 fo...

If you’ve ever stared at the ceiling wondering why sleep won’t come, you’re not alone.

In fact, six out of 10 adults in the United States don’t get enough sleep. That’s according to the National Sleep Foundation.

This hour, we hear from someone diagnosed with insomnia and a sleep expert. They'll help us understand why rest feels so out of reach, and what might help us drift of...

When tough times hit, do you hit the pause button, or do you just barrel through?

Nearly six years ago, amid the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, author Katherine May released “Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times.”

Her memoir explores her own experience finding peace in times of both spiritual and seasonal difficulty. It inspired readers throughout the world to greet challenging times with so...

It’s been nearly five years since recreational cannabis was legalized in Connecticut. Since then dozens of dispensaries have opened across the state, making purchasing products easier than ever.

But new research says cannabis use among teens is rising, and that evidence doesn't support using cannabis as a medical cure-all.

Today, an update on cannabis use and regulation in our state.

GUESTS:

• Lila McKinkley:&nbs...

The U.S. produces over a billion pounds of cheese monthly, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Connecticut is a small, but mighty, part of that. Today, we’ll hear about all steps of the cheesemaking process from nationally-recognized experts producing Connecticut cheese.

They’ll share the stories behind their products and what keeps customers coming back to that special Connecticut cheese.

GUESTS:

• Jaso...

Fever, chills, fatigue, cough, headache and a sore throat. A new variant of the flu means more people are suffering from the virus this season. But the flu can be more than just a nuisance illness — it can be deadly.

Today, Connecticut physicians join us to answer questions about what to do to protect yourself and your family from the virus.

Flu-related hospitalizations are rising in Connecticut. We hear from o...

Success isn’t just about talent or intelligence – it’s about how we handle our emotions.

Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, says emotional regulation is a skill, one that can be taught and practiced like any other.

This hour, he joins us to talk about why our feelings matter, what happens when we ignore them, and how adults can get better at managing them.

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There’s an old saying that goes “you are what you eat.” You might take that phrase with a grain of salt, but doctors agree: what we eat affects our blood pressure, blood sugar, cardiovascular health and more.

It's knowledge that's generations old — food as a source of nourishment and healing. Essentially, food can act as medicine. From Ayurveda and Chinese herbs to modern-day food pharmacies — what we ...

It all started with a typo.

Anelise Chen was going through a difficult divorce. Her career and job security was tenuous. She just got into a bike accident leaving her with bruised ribs, and she received a text from her mom: “Clam down! Just clam down.” 

This typo inspired a journey of healing: a journey that included retreating, diving into her family history and learning everything she could about the life of a cl...

Here at Where We Live, this was a big year for books. Not only did we get the chance to speak with some terrific authors, we also launched our Where We Read newsletter, a destination for die-hard book lovers and the literary curious alike.

Today, we are going to listen back to a few of our favorite author conversations. We hear from Connecticut natives Ocean Vuong and Wally Lamb.

Listen back to their full ...

Cat Shen has been hosting Where We Live long enough for the show to use a fork, and yet very little is known about her. In this hour, technical producer and partner-in-mischief Dylan Reyes sits down with Cat to get the inside scoop on the reporter turned host.

The pair discuss some of their favorite songs, defining life moments and what it means to be the face of a show that's celebrating 20 years on Connecticut Public Radio i...