The Full Story

There have been fewer hate crimes in Connecticut and New York this year, according to the FBI. But state and local officials are still concerned about intolerance. A local Holocaust survivor is worried, too. She explains why. Our guests: Agnes Vertes, Weston resident, Holocaust survivor from Budapest, and president, Child Holocaust Survivors of Connecticut Steven Markowitz, chairman, Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County Steve Ginsburg, director, Connecticut Regional Office,

A recent survey found 70% of millennials say they would vote for a socialist. How do young people in our region feel about this political shift, and what does it mean for the 2020 election? Our guests: Jeni Dhodary, student, Stony Brook University; advocate member, NYC Fair Trade Coalition Skyler Johnson, 19, Democratic candidate for New York State Senate Mike LiPetri, New York state assemblymember, R-Massapequa Chrissy Oddo, president, Huntington Young Republicans Matteo Menta, president,

Hospital bills can be tough to decipher. This year hospitals had to show details of treatment costs up front. We’ll discuss why many patients are still shocked when the bill comes in, Connecticut’s new deal with hospitals, and the cost of lifesaving drugs, with guests: Mark Pazniokas, capitol bureau chief, Connecticut Mirror Sean Scanlon, Connecticut state representative, D-Guilford Kevin Lembo, Connecticut comptroller Walter Markowitz, Ed.D., assistant professor of health professions, Hofstra

Bridgeport looks to become a hub for offshore wind in Connecticut, with its Park City Wind project expected to deliver 14% of the state’s electricity supply. That is, if the offshore wind farm can get federal approval. Our guests: Jan Ellen Spiegel, energy and environmental reporter, Connecticut Mirror David Arconti, representative, D-Danbury, and chair, Energy and Technology Committee, Connecticut House of Representatives Debra Donovan, senior policy advocate and Massachusetts director, Acadia

New York has released new guidelines for how hemp and CBD products will be cultivated, processed and sold. The real trouble for farmers are new temporary federal guidelines that could classify the lion’s share of their product as illegal. Also, a scallop die-off on Long Island may receive help from the federal government. And the burgeoning kelp industry in Connecticut might be a bust. Our guests: David Falkowski, owner, Open Minded Organics Stephen Tettelbach, Ph.D., shellfish ecologist, and

New York faces a $6 billion budget deficit. Seven years of mourning for families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Long Island could save the national potato market. We’ll talk about these stories and more with guests: Karen DeWitt, capitol bureau chief, New York State Public Radio Chris Keating, capitol bureau chief, Hartford Courant Ana Radelat, Washington correspondent, Connecticut Mirror Davis Dunavin, reporter, WSHU Paul Schott, business reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media J.D.

High school students are encouraged to go off to college to start their futures, but manufacturers and trade groups have well-paying jobs, too. Is too much pressure put on students to bypass trade school? Our guests: Joie Tyrrell, education reporter, Newsday Sean Teehan, staff writer, Hartford Business Journal Todd Berch, apprenticeship manager, Connecticut Department of Labor Keith Norton, chief strategic planning officer, Connecticut Department of Education Alan Singer, Ph.D., professor of

Many Americans are shopping online or going to big box stores to find deals. It’s no wonder independent stores on Main Street struggle to survive. What can be done to save mom-and-pop shops and revitalize downtowns? Our guests: Alex Soule, business and retail reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media Andrew Markowski, Connecticut state director, National Federation of Independent Businesses Paul Pontieri Jr, village mayor, Patchogue Jesse Warren, village mayor, S outhampton Sheri Cote, president,

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says he wants to review a wrongful conviction in Suffolk County, one of the longest-running wrongful prosecutions in U.S. history. New York also has the largest state police force without body cameras in the country. Connecticut rolled out a body camera program for its state police last year. Our guests: Thomas Maier, author and investigative journalist, Newsday J.D. Allen, news editor and producer, WSHU Tyler Weerden, state trooper, Governor's Security Unit, and

A new Long Island contamination hot spot was found near cleanup efforts for the toxic Bethpage plume. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont wants a special legislative session before Christmas to settle on a transportation plan. Also, Connecticut’s treasurer plans to divest from gunmakers. And turkeys are invading the suburbs. Our guests: David Schwartz, environmental reporter, Newsday Ebong Udoma, senior political reporter, WSHU Ken Dixon, state capitol reporter and columnist, and Dan Haar, columnist

Independent pharmacies say they’re being squeezed to the brink of closing by the sharp rise in prescription drug prices. We’ll discuss how pharmacy benefit managers affect the flow of customers to big and small drugstores, with guests: David Reich-Hale, business of health care reporter, Newsday Christopher Hoffman, reporter, Connecticut Health I-Team Bob Grisnik, Pharm.D., pharmacist and owner, Southrifty Drugs Alok Bhatt, R.Ph., pharmacist, and Charul Bhatt, owners, Trumbull Pharmacy Janice D

The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters recently graded Connecticut lawmakers on their environmental policy work. Scores fell largely along party lines, but the group says they need all lawmakers to be on board for the state to make aggressive changes. Our guests: Amanda Schoen, deputy director, Connecticut League of Conservation Voters Mary Mushinsky, Connecticut state representative, D-Wallingford Ann Gadwah, chapter chair and political chair, Sierra Club - Connecticut Chapter Tony Hwang

New York ranks among the top five worst states for economic insecurity among seniors. Connecticut is in the top 10. But there are agencies working to help seniors, including two in New York that seek to prevent isolation and loneliness. Our guests: Kristen McManus, senior program specialist, AARP New York Nora Duncan, state director, AARP Connecticut Greg Olsen, acting director, New York State Office for the Aging Mara Manus, executive director, New York State Council on the Arts

Undocumented immigrants in New York will be able to legally get a driver’s license starting this month. Connecticut has had this law on the books for several years now, and some say it has made the roads safer. Meanwhile, a new Long Island cybersecurity center needs workers qualified to take on cybersecurity jobs. We'll discuss both topics with guests: Yancey Roy, Albany bureau chief, Newsday Charles Grasso, retired police sergeant; crash data liaison and accident reconstructionist, Connecticut

Retail experts predict big box stores will be inundated by Black Friday shoppers this week, but will shoppers choose online stores instead? We’ll discuss what brick-and-mortar stores and malls are doing to get people in the door, with guests: Alex Soule, business reporter, Hearst Connecticut Media Tory Parrish, business reporter, Newsday Martin Cantor, Ed.D., director, Long Island Center for Socio-Economic Policy , former Suffolk County economic development commissioner David Cadden, Ph.D.,