The Full Story

What makes a savvy consumer? "Consumer Reports" says it has the answer. For more than 80 years the nonprofit group has been devoted to offering unbiased product testing and research. The Full Story talks to the CEO of the nonprofit and the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, to find out what makes a well-informed consumer. Our guests: Michelle Seagull, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Marta Tellado, CEO, Consumer Reports

Are people in LGBT communities getting the services they need in Connecticut and on Long Island? Today Ron speaks with openly gay elected officials and activists about the challenges LGBT youth and adults face in our area. Our guests: David Kilmnick, Ph.D., president and CEO, LGBT Network Raven Matherne, member, Stamford board of representatives , Connecticut's first openly transgender lawmaker Jeff Currey, Conn. state representative, D-East Hartford Conor Pfeifer, development officer, Triangle

Losing someone you love to addiction will rip your world apart. It can also be a call to action. Today on The Full Story , Ron speaks with two parents who each lost children to drugs – and created organizations to help other families dealing with addiction. Our guests: Ginger Katz, founder and CEO, Courage to Speak Foundation Drew Scott, anchor and reporter, 1010 WINS; anti-addiction activist

Professional sports venues can be a boon to local economies, but should taxpayers be subsidizing sports teams? A new arena being built on Long Island and some past venues in the Connecticut area have been controversial. Are they building fields of dreams or the stuff of nightmares? Does having a sense of pride and team spirit outweigh the costs? Our guests: Frank Boulton, president, Long Island Ducks ; founder and CEO, Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Tammie Williams, The Belmont Park

The flu is still widespread. Cases of measles have turned up in Connecticut and New York. And what's the current state of vaccinations in our area? What about you? How are you feeling? Next time on The Full Story , we check up on the health of our region. Our guests: Bonni Hopkins, Ph.D., chief program and innovation officer, Liberation Programs Arti Barnes, M.D., medical director of infectious diseases, Cornell Scott Hill Health Center Melody Butler, R.N., Good Samaritan Medical Center ;

Amazon bids goodbye to Long Island City. The mega online superstore says it would no longer build one of its new headquarters in New York. A town on Long Island bans plastic straws and restaurant containers. And in Connecticut progressives and GOP lawmakers reveal their legislative agenda. Meanwhile, Governor Ned Lamont says he’s putting the state on a debt diet. Host Rebecca Surran brings us this week’s News Highlights on The Full Story . Our guests: Alina Selyukh, business correspondent, NPR

Should Connecticut consolidate smaller school districts, or consider regionalizing services, in order to save money and help close the budget gap? Last week Democrats in the state Senate introduced bills to do just that. And it sparked a heated debate on both sides of the aisle. Are school consolidation and regional sharing good ideas? Ron speaks to lawmakers, a superintendent and the leader of the Connecticut Council of Small Towns to find out. Today's guests: William Lalor, co-founder, Hands

What are lawmakers doing to improve transportation in the region? Poor public transit and clogged roads slow down commutes, hurt businesses and cause endless amounts of frustration. Ron speaks with transportation reporters and advocates about how to fix our roads and rails. Today's guests: Jim Cameron, founder, Commuter Action Group Joe Sculley, director, Motor Transport Association of Connecticut Jim Gildea, chair, Connecticut Commuter Rail Council Carlo Leone, Connecticut state senator, D

Sports can be a lucrative venture, bringing in billions of dollars a year. How can Connecticut and New York benefit from the windfall? Ron speaks with sports professionals and business experts to examine the impact sports can have on local and state economies, including our own. Today's guests: Bobby Valentine, executive director of athletics, Sacred Heart University ; former professional baseball player and manager Jeff Jacobs, sports columnist, Hearst Connecticut Media Group Fred McKinney, Ph

How did the federal shutdown impact Connecticut and Long Island? Will Amazon pull out of the New York deal? And what about Governor Ned Lamont’s idea about taxing groceries? Ron holds a news roundup examining these stories and more. Our guests: Ken Dixon, state capitol reporter and columnist for Hearst CT Media Scott McLean, professor of political science and chair of philosophy and political science, Quinnipiac University Joe Shaw, executive editor, Press News Group Larry Levy, executive dean,

Opioids have made the biggest substance abuse headlines in recent years, but a much older form of addiction and abuse continues to be a major problem for many people and their families...binge drinking and alcohol-use disorder. Today Ron speaks with survivors and professionals about the world of addiction and recovery. Our guests: Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., commissioner, Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Bill Mitchell, vice chairman, Mitchell Family Stores ;

Many homeowners are worried about the new cap on state and local tax deductions that was passed last year in the federal tax reform bill. Ron speaks with several guests to find out how the SALT cap could hit households in Connecticut and on Long Island. On today's show: Ana Radelat, Washington correspondent for the Connecticut Mirror Matthew Dayton, tax attorney, Connecticut Department of Revenue Services Tom Suozzi, U.S. representative, D-Glen Cove Michael Knight, certified public accountant,

How will newly seated Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont take on the state's budget crisis? Local business owners have a few ideas. Ron speaks with them about what they’d like to see lawmakers do to jumpstart the state's economy. Today’s guests: Cindi Bigelow, president and CEO, Bigelow Tea Joe McGee, vice president of public policy and programs, Business Council of Fairfield County Eric Gjede, vice president of government affairs, Connecticut Business & Industry Association Nora Vaivads, owner

Should we stop springing forward and falling back? What’s the future of Daylight Saving Time in our region? Also, how are local food banks helping workers who were affected by the recent government shutdown? And meteorologists say we’re about to get hit with a fierce polar vortex. Ron explores all these issues on The Full Story . Our guests: Kurt Vail, Connecticut state representative, R-Stafford Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO, Island Harvest Craig Breverman, president, Southeastern

Has the growth of virtual books and purchasing books online led to the demise of the brick and mortar store? In Connecticut and on Long Island, independent bookstores are still in business. Ron speaks to bookstore owners and our own journalists to discuss the magic of bookstores and find out how some local ones are keeping their doors open. Today's guests: Davis Dunavin, WSHU reporter and creator of the podcast Off the Path from New York to Boston Roxanne Coady, owner of R.J. Julia Booksellers