Where We Live Connecticut Public

During the last fiscal year, the army alone missed their recruiting goal by 25%. All branches of the military are struggling to recruit new cadets.

With an all-volunteer service, the military relies on recruitment efforts to get more people to serve. But fewer Americans than ever are eligible to do so. And attracting the next generation of cadets has been a challenge.

Today, we talk about the military recruiting crisis. We will hear from Captain Benjamin Keffer, Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Recruiting Command.

Later, we hear how some extremist groups are working to get veterans and others with tactical experience into their organizations.

GUESTS:



Dr. Nora Bensahel: Professor of the Practice at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a Contributing Editor, War on the Rocks



Captain Benjamin Keffer: Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Recruiting Command



Sonner Kehrt: Investigative Reporter at the War Horse and Coast Guard Veteran



Where We Live 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.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally aired on October 6, 2023.
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Nearly one in four adults who contracted COVID-19 have developed long COVID symptoms, according to the latest Census report.

This hour, Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, an immunobiology expert at Yale who is focused on researching long COVID, joins us to share what we know and don't know about the illness, and the many ways it can manifest.

The Patient-Led Research Collaborative has authored several seminal surveys and studies. We also hear from co-founder Lisa McCorkell about this bank of patient-led research. She says, "We need a moonshot for long COVID: at least a billion dollars a year in research funding to adequately address this crisis."

Plus, Yale American Studies professor Dr. Daniel HoSang has written about the “twin pandemics” of COVID-19 and racism. He joins us to reflect on the four-year mark of the virus, and the links he sees to the long COVID response.

GUESTS:



Dr. Daniel HoSang: Professor of American Studies, Yale University; Co-Author, Under the Blacklight: The Intersectional Vulnerabilities that the Twin Pandemics Lay Bare



Dr. Akiko Iwasaki: Co-Lead Investigator, Yale COVID-19 Recovery Study; Sterling Professor of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute



Lisa McCorkell: Co-Founder, Patient-Led Research Collaborative


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Although church attendance has dwindled across all faiths, 39% of Catholics say they attend services at least once a week.

The Archdiocese of Hartford includes over 400,000 Catholics across the state of Connecticut, and is now being overseen by a new Archbishop.

After years of service, Archbishop Leonard Paul Blair will be succeeded by the newly appointedCoadjutor Archbishop Christopher Coyne, who recently served as a Bishop in Burlington, Vermont.

Today, we talk about the future of the Catholic Church, serving the Catholic population in Connecticut and a recent document published by the Vatican and its statements on gender identity and gender affirming surgery, surrogacy, and human dignity.

GUESTS:


Coadjutor Archbishop Christopher Coyne: Archdiocese of Hartford
Joshua McElwee: News Editor of National Catholic Reporter

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Throughout history, our state has made some big contributions to aviation technology. Today, we’re talking about the history and future of aviation in our state. We hear from some aviation enthusiasts who’s love of all things plane is going to make you soar.

The New England Air Museum houses some unbelievable vintage aircrafts. We hear from them. And we hear from someone with experience flying in some of these vintage aircrafts.

If flying in a vintage plane is not your speed, there are more ways you can tap into your inner pilot. There are many model plane clubs here in all four corners of Connecticut. We learn how you can get involved.

GUESTS:



Stephanie Abrams: President & CEO of the New England Air Museum



Mike Thornton: Curator of the New England Air Museum



Edward Deming: President of the RC Propbusters of Salem, CT



Bob Creter: crew chief and docent for D-Day Squadron in Oxford, Connecticut



Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally aired on February 2.
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For adults on the autism spectrum, getting services can be a challenging task to navigate.

A new bill passed last year means that more autistic adults could receive services from the state from the Connecticut Autism Waiver.

But services still remain limited. There is currently a ten year waiting list to receive the waiver leaving thousands scrambling for services. Today, we talk about the Connecticut Autism Waiver program.

Later, we hear about businesses working to make their establishments more accommodating to neurodiverse clientele.

GUESTS:



Jimna Miller: Co-Chair of Autism Advisory Council and Volunteer



Jennifer Twachtman-Bassett: Autism Clinical Specialist and Research Coordinator at Connecticut Children's Hospital



Emma McKeever (left): resident of Glastonbury who is currently on the Autism Waiver Waitlist



Pam McKeever: resident of Glastonbury and parent of autistic adult



Sarah Spear: CEO and Founder of Empowered Together



Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Connecticut, the Asian American and Pacific Islander community is vast and varied, with more than 170,000 AAPI people in the state.

And with a diversity of AAPI cultures, there is also a diversity of New Year traditions and celebrations that span across months. We’re just days away from the Laotian New Year and Thai New Year, as well as a Khmer New Year event hosted by the Cambodian Buddhist Society of Connecticut in Bristol.

This hour, we’ll discuss the diversity of Lunar New Year celebrations where we live, and unpack some of the debate around terminology.

GUESTS:



Quan Tran: Co-chair, Asian Pacific American Coalition of Connecticut; Senior Lecturer on Race, Ethnicity and Migration, Yale University



Sounthaly Thammavong: Board Member, Asian Pacific American Coalition of Connecticut



Mike Keo: Senior Communication Officer, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving; Founder, #IAMNOTAVIRUS



Connecticut Public intern Sajina Shrestha contributed to this report.
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