Connecticut’s aging population is growing. Lawmakers are looking for solutions as complaints from elder care residents and advocates increase in the state. On the next Wheelhouse, how is the state addressing this problem?

Connecticut’s aging population is growing. Lawmakers are looking for solutions as complaints from elder care residents and advocates increase in the state. On the next Wheelhouse, how is the state addressing this problem?

If you’re a news junkie — or maybe just news curious, we’ve got your weekly dose of Connecticut politics, tackling everything from tax cuts to human composting. Amplifying important local and national voices, The Wheelhouse walks listeners through the most important political stories of the week.  You’ll hear from well-known political reporters, academics, and local journalists across Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns.

If you’re a news junkie — or maybe just news curious, we’ve got your weekly dose of Connecticut politics, tackling everything from tax cuts to human composting. Amplifying important local and national voices, The Wheelhouse walks listeners through the most important political stories of the week.  You’ll hear from well-known political reporters, academics, and local journalists across Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns.

Connecticut's best journalists come out of the political trenches every Wednesday to join us on WNPR's weekly news roundtable The Wheelhouse.

The Wheelhouse

How will Connecticut care for its aging population?

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Reproductive rights aren’t just at stake in states like Louisiana and Texas. They’re targeted—even in a so-called safe harbor Connecticut–by some lawmakers.

Today on The Wheelhouse, what might the landscape surrounding reproductive care look like after November’s elections?

And looking back, we’ll examine Connecticut’s complicated history with reproductive rights.

GUESTS:
Sonali Chakravarti: Professor of government, Wesleyan University
Amanda Becker: Washington correspondent, The 19th

The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Reproductive rights aren’t just at stake in states like Louisiana and Texas. They’re targeted—<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2022-05-11/were-going-to-protect-you-connecticut-officials-applaud-law-that-expands-abortion-protections" data-cms-ai="0">even in a so-called safe harbor Connecticut</a>–by some lawmakers.
Today on The Wheelhouse, what might the landscape surrounding reproductive care look like after November’s elections?
And looking back, we’ll examine Connecticut’s complicated history with reproductive rights.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.wesleyan.edu/academics/faculty/schakravarti/profile.html" data-cms-ai="0">Sonali Chakravarti</a>: Professor of government, Wesleyan University</li>
<li><a href="https://19thnews.org/author/amanda-becker/" data-cms-ai="0">Amanda Becker</a>: Washington correspondent, The 19th</li>
</ul>
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-wheelhouse/id1123069986" data-cms-ai="0">Apple Podcasts,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0rdTqFfVu8e6TKMa5lWXsI" data-cms-ai="0">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub21ueWNvbnRlbnQuY29tL2QvcGxheWxpc3QvYWMwYmU5NjktZDdkZi00NjBjLWE2NmMtYTZmOTAwZTFlYmQxLzI1M2YwNjY4LTA0NjMtNGFiNC04ZWIzLWE5ZmIwMDRjOTdlNy8wOTUwNDBkZS1hZjMyLTQ1Y2UtOTkwZi1hOWZiMDA0Yzk3ZjUvcG9kY2FzdC5yc3M" data-cms-ai="0">Google Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/dd73c297-450d-4ea5-bb0b-64131d617ee0/the-wheelhouse" data-cms-ai="0">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Government/The-Wheelhouse-p1207903/?topicId=264709829" data-cms-ai="0">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-wheelhouse-connecticut-public-radio-mxksbjc_iJI/" data-cms-ai="0">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Moving in reverse: restrictions on reproductive care mirror bygone era

More and more states are restricting access to gender-affirming care. It’s an issue that some politicians are centering in their political campaigns.

But a 19th News/SurveyMonkey poll from 2023 found that only 17 percent of Americans believe politicians should focus on restrictions to gender-affirming care.



So, today on the Wheelhouse, we’ll wade through misinformation to examine anti-trans rhetoric.



GUESTS:
Joanna Wuest, Assistant professor of politics, Mount Holyoke College
TJ Billard, Assistant professor, Northwestern University School of Communication
Katelyn Burns, Columnist, MSNBC

The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

More and more states are restricting access to gender-affirming care. It’s an issue that some politicians are centering in their political campaigns.
But a <a href="https://19thnews.org/2023/09/poll-gender-affirming-care-transgender-personal-relationships/" data-cms-ai="0">19th News/SurveyMonkey poll from 2023</a> found that only 17 percent of Americans believe politicians should focus on restrictions to gender-affirming care.
 
So, today on the Wheelhouse, we’ll wade through misinformation to examine anti-trans rhetoric.
 
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.mtholyoke.edu/directory/faculty-staff/joanna-wuest" data-cms-ai="0">Joanna Wuest</a>, Assistant professor of politics, Mount Holyoke College</li>
<li><a href="https://communication.northwestern.edu/faculty/thomas-billard.html" data-cms-ai="0">TJ Billard</a>, Assistant professor, Northwestern University School of Communication</li>
<li><a href="https://www.msnbc.com/author/katelyn-burns-ncpn1036176" data-cms-ai="0">Katelyn Burns</a>, Columnist, MSNBC</li>
</ul>
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-wheelhouse/id1123069986" data-cms-ai="0">Apple Podcasts,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0rdTqFfVu8e6TKMa5lWXsI" data-cms-ai="0">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub21ueWNvbnRlbnQuY29tL2QvcGxheWxpc3QvYWMwYmU5NjktZDdkZi00NjBjLWE2NmMtYTZmOTAwZTFlYmQxLzI1M2YwNjY4LTA0NjMtNGFiNC04ZWIzLWE5ZmIwMDRjOTdlNy8wOTUwNDBkZS1hZjMyLTQ1Y2UtOTkwZi1hOWZiMDA0Yzk3ZjUvcG9kY2FzdC5yc3M" data-cms-ai="0">Google Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/dd73c297-450d-4ea5-bb0b-64131d617ee0/the-wheelhouse" data-cms-ai="0">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Government/The-Wheelhouse-p1207903/?topicId=264709829" data-cms-ai="0">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-wheelhouse-connecticut-public-radio-mxksbjc_iJI/" data-cms-ai="0">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Misinformation about gender-affirming care is in the political playbook for elections in 2024

The way we view cannabis has changed, particularly since states began decriminalizing its use and allowing residents to buy it.

Most Americans now live in a state where cannabis for recreational use is legal. As jurisdictions embrace the cannabis industry, communities are addressing people disproportionately impacted by the “war on drugs” and cracking down on the distribution of illicit cannabis.

Today on The Wheelhouse, how is the regulation of cannabis for recreational use going?

Also on this episode, a check-in with radio host Jeremy Hobson ahead of his appearance in Waterbury, Connecticut on June 3. His live call-in show “The Middle” is coming to the Palace Theater. We’ll ask Hobson what the geographical–and philosophical–middle of America thinks about widespread legalization of cannabis.

GUESTS:
Natalie Fertig, Federal Cannabis Policy Reporter, POLITICO
Jordan Nathaniel Fenster, Senior enterprise reporter, CT Insider
Jeremy Hobson, Host, “The Middle”

The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

The way we view cannabis has changed, particularly since states began decriminalizing its use and allowing residents to buy it.
<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/02/29/most-americans-now-live-in-a-legal-marijuana-state-and-most-have-at-least-one-dispensary-in-their-county/" data-cms-ai="0">Most Americans now live in a state</a> where cannabis for recreational use is legal. As jurisdictions embrace the cannabis industry, communities are addressing people disproportionately impacted by the “<a href="https://ctmirror.org/2021/06/17/on-50th-anniversary-of-war-on-drugs-connecticut-legalizes-marijuana/" data-cms-ai="0">war on drugs</a>” and <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2024-03-21/ct-launches-new-campaign-to-warn-kids-and-parents-about-illegally-packaged-cannabis-edibles" data-cms-ai="0">cracking down</a> on the distribution of illicit cannabis.
Today on The Wheelhouse, how is the regulation of cannabis for recreational use going?
Also on this episode, a check-in with radio host Jeremy Hobson ahead of his appearance in <a href="https://www.palacetheaterct.org/shows-and-events/main-stage/jeremy-hobson?utm_medium=display&amp;utm_source=mobile_app" data-cms-ai="0">Waterbury, Connecticut on June 3</a>. His live call-in show “<a href="https://www.listentothemiddle.com/" data-cms-ai="0">The Middle</a>” is coming to the Palace Theater. We’ll ask Hobson what the geographical–and philosophical–middle of America thinks about widespread legalization of cannabis.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.politico.com/staff/natalie-fertig" data-cms-ai="0">Natalie Fertig</a>, Federal Cannabis Policy Reporter, POLITICO</li>
<li><a href="https://www.ctinsider.com/author/jordan-fenster/" data-cms-ai="0">Jordan Nathaniel Fenster</a>, Senior enterprise reporter, CT Insider</li>
<li><a href="https://www.listentothemiddle.com/" data-cms-ai="0">Jeremy Hobson</a>, Host, “The Middle”</li>
</ul>
The Wheelhouse is available as a podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-wheelhouse/id1123069986" data-cms-ai="0">Apple Podcasts,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0rdTqFfVu8e6TKMa5lWXsI" data-cms-ai="0">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub21ueWNvbnRlbnQuY29tL2QvcGxheWxpc3QvYWMwYmU5NjktZDdkZi00NjBjLWE2NmMtYTZmOTAwZTFlYmQxLzI1M2YwNjY4LTA0NjMtNGFiNC04ZWIzLWE5ZmIwMDRjOTdlNy8wOTUwNDBkZS1hZjMyLTQ1Y2UtOTkwZi1hOWZiMDA0Yzk3ZjUvcG9kY2FzdC5yc3M" data-cms-ai="0">Google Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/dd73c297-450d-4ea5-bb0b-64131d617ee0/the-wheelhouse" data-cms-ai="0">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Government/The-Wheelhouse-p1207903/?topicId=264709829" data-cms-ai="0">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-wheelhouse-connecticut-public-radio-mxksbjc_iJI/" data-cms-ai="0">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

How will Connecticut care for its aging population?

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