Steady Habits: A CT Mirror Podcast

In The Room is a monthly, in-person interview series with top elected officials at locations throughout the state. In this series, host John Dankosky bring a new approach to political interviews — exploring both the policy and the people behind the policy. This episode, Senator Chris Murphy spoke with John at the Mark Twain House & Museum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Community Editorial Board Editor Mercy Quaye hosts an in-depth conversation on probation, parole and commutations with State Sen. Heather Somers, Community Editorial Board member Marisol Garcia and victims advocate Audrey Carlson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Linda Greenhouse joins CT Mirror's John Dankosky to discuss the end of another consequential U.S. Supreme Court term. Greenhouse, who has covered the Court for nearly three decades at The New York Times, offers her unique perspective on what the court's recent major decisions mean, their impact across the country, and their impact on the court itself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CT Mirror Capitol Bureau Chief Mark Pazniokas sits down with Steady Habits host John Dankosky to review the Connecticut General Assembly's 2023 legislative session and answer audience questions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gov. Ned Lamont sits down with CT Mirror Capitol Bureau Chief Mark Pazniokas to talk about the current budget process and his vision for his second term. Lamont won a convincing reelection last year as a defender of the fiscal guardrails that have capped spending and pushed the state to use its historic run of budget surpluses to fill the rainy day fund and begin paying down Connecticut's considerable pension debt. Is that what the governor sees as his mandate and mission for the next four years, imposing fiscal discipline on a state that has the second-highest per-capita debt in the U.S. and has struggled through much of the past three decades to grow jobs and the economy?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Break down Gov. Ned Lamont's proposed biennial budget with CT Mirror's budget guru Keith Phaneuf, and look ahead to how those priorities might inform the ongoing 2023 legislative session. Hosted by John Dankosky.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the 2023 Connecticut legislative session gets underway, John Dankosky sits down with a group of CT Mirror reporters to talk about potential bills to look out for this year. Guests on this episode: Jaden Edison, CT Mirror Justice Reporter Ginny Monk, CT Mirror Housing & Children's Issues Reporter Erica Phillips, CT Mirror Economic Development Reporter    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What can we expect from the upcoming Connecticut legislative session and Gov. Ned Lamont's second term? CT Mirror Capitol Bureau Chief Mark Pazniokas joins host John Dankosky to break it down. This special event was recorded live at the University of Hartford's Wilde Auditorium. It's the first of a three-part series discussing the legislative session now underway. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business leaders, policy-makers and research organizations are exploring innovative economic development strategies rooted in Connecticut's strength in science and technology.   Hear an outstanding panel of thinkers debate how the state should move forward in the post-pandemic economy. Guests in this episode: Margaret Keane, Synchrony, Co-Chair, Advance CTJim Smith, JCSmithAdvisors, former Co-Chair, CT Econ Growth CommissionJeff Sonnenfeld, Yale, Co-Chair, Advance CTGlendowlyn Thames, former Dep. Commissioner, DECD Moderated by John DankoskySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are 95,000 housekeepers working in hospitals across the country -- greater than the number of doctors. Housekeepers are among the health care workers who spend the most time with patients and their families, often talking to and forming relationships with people as they clean.  Despite the crucial role they played, housekeepers reported feeling unseen and undervalued throughout the pandemic. Investigative reporter Katy Golvala tells host Ebong Udoma housekeepers feel they're being left out of essential worker benefits. You can read her story here.  Katy's story is also the first in a new initiative by the CT Mirror to be published in simultaneously in Spanish. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut is home to tens of thousands of three-unit dwellings, many of which are three-story homes in cities. The state mandates they be inspected for fire safety each year, but chronic understaffing at fire marshals' offices means some of the oldest and potentially most dangerous houses are not getting timely inspections. Two fatal blazes in Waterbury this year highlighted the problem. CT Mirror's investigative reporter Dave Altimari joined host Ebong Udoma to explain what he found when he examined inspection records. You can read his story, written with Andrew Brown and Katy Golvala, here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite rising rents, skyrocketing home prices and pleas from the Biden administration, Connecticut towns have budgeted just $15 million in federal ARPA funds for housing-related projects. That represents only around 1% of the $1.5 billion in federal stimulus funding they've received over the past year to help people recover from the pandemic and to allow local leaders to make transformational investments in their communities. Investigative reporter Andrew Brown joins host Ebong Udoma to explain why housing is so low on the spending list. You can read his story, co-reported with Ginny Monk, here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut's Republican primary voters heeded former President Donald Trump's call to nominate Leora Levy to run for U.S. Senate, and rejected their party's convention-endorsed candidate, former house minority leader Themis Klarides. In the aftermath of that vote, CT GOP Chairman Ben Proto's response to questions about Trump's influence on the GOP's identity was to ignore them, repeatedly. Proto declined to acknowledge even the slightest complication of a win that puts Levy on the same ticket with a gubernatorial nominee, Bob Stefanowski, who has labored to avoid any discussion of the former president. CT MIrror's capitol bureau chief Mark Pazniokas spoke to host Ebong Udoma about what Levy's win means for her party. You can read his story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the states that has scrapped cash bail is New Jersey. The legislature, with the backing of then-Republican Gov. Chris Christie, passed a bill in 2014 that largely eliminated the state's money bail system. The result: thousands fewer people are held in jail who otherwise might not have been able to purchase their freedom. Connecticut has been touted as a leader in criminal justice reform, but unlike in New Jersey and several other states, Connecticut has not eliminated its cash bail system — and key members of the criminal justice community are not in favor of uprooting it. Reporter Kelan Lyons joins host Ebong Udoma to discuss the second in his series of stories on Connecticut's cash bail system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to a CT Mirror analysis, people who are accused but not yet convicted made up about a quarter of those behind bars in June 2013. In January 2022, they made up 42% of those locked up. Many are only awaiting trial in prison because they couldn't afford bail. Research suggests being jailed pretrial makes people more likely to be convicted and receive harsher sentences than those who remain free until their case is resolved in court. Reporter Kelan Lyons joins host Ebong Udoma to describe the case of one man left in prison for two months awaiting trial, and how that affected his life. You can read the first of Kelan's three-part series on cash bail here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A televised debate Tuesday night will provide the first and only opportunity for a broad audience to see Themis Klarides, the CT GOP's socially moderate convention choice, engage two Trump loyalists, Leora Levy and Peter Lumaj. But Republicans say they see little evidence their voters are closely following the mid-summer fight for a spot on the November ballot opposing Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat seeking a third term. The primary is Aug. 9. Capitol Bureau Chief and CT Mirror co-founder Mark Pazniokas gave host Ebong Udoma the run down on the race so far. You can read his story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In April, when Connecticut's free fare program began, bus ridership was back to 70-75% of pre-COVID levels in Hartford, New Haven and Stamford. By the end of May, weekday ridership in the three cities reached nearly 90% of pre-COVID levels, with weekend numbers even higher, in part due to additional weekend service. CT Transit officials hope that means more people are now leaving their cars at home, as reporter Tom Condon tells host Ebong Udoma. You can read Tom's story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Linda Greenhouse in conversation with CT Mirror's John Dankosky as they review an historic and consequential U.S. Supreme Court term. Greenhouse, who covered the Court for nearly three decades at The New York Times, weighs in on the ramifications of the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, as well as cases on gun rights and the environment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As of January, hospitals owned 26% of physician practices nationwide, up from 14% a decade ago. An additional 27% of practices were owned by a corporation, such as a health insurer or a private equity firm, leaving fewer than half of physician practices under independent ownership. As the health care industry becomes more and more concentrated, some small private practices find it difficult to compete with big health care systems. So, instead, they're joining them. And research shows, that leads to rising healthcare prices. CT Mirror's Katy Golvala tells host Ebong Udoma why consolidation is concerning for patients. You can read her story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the fledgling cannabis industry, large companies have quickly risen to dominate the market in states where pot is now legal.  But as regulators begin awarding licenses to select adult-use operators and businesses scramble to build out capacity, cannabis entrepreneurs, customers and communities are increasingly concerned about equity — whether there really is room for everyone. Massachusetts is ahead of Connecticut -- retail sales began in 2018. CT Mirror's economic development reporter Erica Phillips tells host Ebong Udoma what we can learn from the Bay State's experience. You can read her story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut lawmakers have agreed to provide a legal “safe harbor” to women from states with restrictive abortion laws who get abortions in Connecticut, as well as the clinicians who provide them. The law was passed earlier this year, before the Supreme Court voted to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. CT Mirror's Mark Pazniokas spoke with host Ebong Udoma about the reaction to the Roe decision in a strongly pro-choice state like Connecticut. You can read his stories here and here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If state officials order tax cuts, campaign on them, then repeal them after Election Day but before taxpayers ever benefit, is that a tax hike? Is it merely annoying but not harmful? That's the debate underway in this year's state elections. CT Mirror budget guru Keith Phaneuf joins host Ebong Udoma to explain what's at stake in the Connecticut governor's race. You can read his story here,See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public records show that at least five municipalities in Connecticut have allocated millions of dollars provided through the American Rescue Plan Act to equip local police departments with a variety of surveillance technology, which has raised concerns about privacy and civil liberties in the past. Investigative reporter Dave Altimari tells host Ebong Udoma what supporters and detractors are saying about the tactic. You can read his story, co-reported with Andrew Brown, here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the pandemic, mid-career and older nurses have experienced burnout, left emergency departments and intensive care units for less stressful positions or retired early. Many younger nurses opted for lucrative traveling assignments. Nurses periodically fell ill with COVID and had to stay home, placing further stress on health care facilities. The approximately 2,000 nurses graduating from Connecticut institutions this year can't fill those gaps in the workforce. CT MIrror's economic development reporter Erica Phillips talks to host Ebong Udoma about what's being done to plan for the future. You can read her story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Killingworth, environmentalists and public officials are trying to stop the Boy Scouts of America from selling its wooded 252-acre Deer Lake Scout Reservation to a developer. The situation, including a lawsuit, is another example of the whack-a-mole approach conservationists are often forced to take to save some of the state’s dwindling supply of open land. CT Mirror's Tom Condon explains the issues to host Ebong Udoma. You can read his story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CT Mirror has a new podcast! If you're a fan of Steady Habits, we'd love for you to check out John's new project which he's co-hosting with Mercy Quaye, CT Mirror's Sightlines op ed columnist. So as a bonus for our Steady Habits subscribers, here's the first episode of Untold. Like what you hear? You can subscribe to get all four episodes of the first season of Untold here. Or find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. We hope you enjoy! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CT Mirror Capitol Bureau Chief Mark Pazniokas joins host John Dankosky to recap a busy, election-year legislative session and preview what's ahead between now and November. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Connecticut, 88% of white parents start off breastfeeding their newborns, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For Black parents, that number is 84%, and for Hispanic parents, it’s 85%. That means those communities face a disparate impact from the recent baby formula shortage. Low-income families have also been harder hit. Parents who rely on the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition assistance program face limits on brands and types of formula and the retailers where they can purchase those products. CT Mirror's health reporter Jenna Carlesso explains what we know about the data to host Ebong Udoma. You can read her story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting food waste — more euphemistically, organics — out of the waste stream won’t solve the state’s waste disposal problems, but it’s widely recognized those problems won’t be solved without doing that. In reality, many communities and waste operations have been at this for years — some for decades. But they have faced an absence of state policy and little-to-no coordination. CT Mirror's energy and environment reporter Jan Ellen Spiegel talks to host Ebong Udoma about the logistics of food waste. You can read her story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Connecticut really “coming out” of COVID? Is this a “post-pandemic” era? Last week, amid steadily climbing case rates, Connecticut’s seven-day rolling average topped 13% – a substantial upswing from the end of February, when the first omicron wave subsided and the state’s daily positivity rate hovered around 2% to 3%. CT Mirror's Jenna Carlesso speaks with host J.D. Allen about how difficult it is for many state residents to adapt to the new "normal." You can read her story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Across the country, hospital mergers are changing the ways in which people access health care. Most hospitals are no longer independent but instead part of larger health systems that own multiple facilities. When hospitals merge, they decrease costs by cutting duplicative services. Connecticut's Office of Health Strategy currently has three pending proposals to cut services, including psychiatric services and labor and delivery wards. Investigative fellow Katy Golvala spoke to host JD Allen about the effect that has on patients. You can read her story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many small businesses and nonprofits in Connecticut must weigh the solvency of their business against how generous they’d like to be with employee health benefits. Health insurance premiums are going up largely because health care costs are rising. Over the past two decades, the cost of hospital and medical care has risen faster than inflation. Academic researchers have also attributed much of the steep rise in hospital costs in recent years to poorly functioning markets; the consolidation of hospital systems through mergers and acquisitions is reducing competition. CT MIrror's Economic Development reporter Erica Phillips tells host Ebong Udoma what's being done to curb the costs. You can read her story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Russia waging war in Ukraine, statewide political campaigns heating up, and Congressional mid-term elections soon to follow, there is a lot of news to consume. But who do we trust to tell it the way it is? And how is the news business faring in today's resource-starved journalism landscape?  CT Mirror Executive Editor Elizabeth Hamilton, former Hartford Courant Political Reporter Daniela Altimari, and UConn Assistant Journalism Professor Amanda Crawford join John Dankosky to tackle these and other questions about The Future of News. Presented by the University of Hartford and CT Mirror. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For nearly four decades, Malcolm and Margaret Winkley have run a pair of nonprofits in Connecticut that serve individuals with developmental disabilities. And over the course of those 40 years, the husband and wife used their authority over the two organizations — and the taxpayer money they received — to amass millions of dollars’ worth of real estate. Now, as Margaret Winkley prepares for retirement, she is looking to cash in on those taxpayer-funded investments by selling off the homes and other related properties. Reporter Andrew Brown outlines his investigation of the Winkley's finances to host Ebong Udoma. You can read the story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first of a series sponsored by CTrides, we look at the impact of COVID-19 on businesses, their employees, and Connecticut's roadways and transit systems. Are Connecticut employees returning to the workplace in person? How can our transportation infrastructure accommodate and facilitate that process? John is joined by Chris DiPentima of the CBIA, Orlena Cowan-Bailey of the Connecticut SHRM state council, and Rich Andreski of the CT DOT, to explore the latest developments as the state tries to achieve a new normal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Konstantinos Diamantis, the former state official under federal investigation, showed a special interest in his daughter’s quest for state employment on a number of occasions in early 2020, according to documents released Friday. The documents, obtained by The Connecticut Mirror through a Freedom of Information Act request, were compiled in response to a federal subpoena issued in October. Investigative reporter Dave Altimari tells host Ebong Udoma what the emails reveal. You can read the story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Activists trying to open Connecticut’s municipal beaches to non-residents have been caught for years in a game of rock-paper-scissors. Every time they employ a new strategy, the opposition counters. And while the latest effort — tied to a study of parking rates and local beach budgets — appears to have bogged down, reformers are adjusting again, preparing to make fair beach access a statewide campaign issue this summer. Reporter Keith Phaneuf joins host Ebong Udoma to explain the ins and outs of a decades-long fight. You can read Keith's story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut’s labor force — the portion of the adult population employed or looking for work — contracted sharply at the beginning of the pandemic and has failed to recover to its pre-COVID scale. Economists have attributed much of the persistent workforce deficit to a child care shortage. The need for investment has only grown more acute over the last two years. About one in four working households in Connecticut have children under the age of 6, and the state was already short 50,000 infant and toddler care slots before the pandemic. That deficiency has since gotten worse. CT Mirror's economic development reporter Erica Phillips tells host Ebong Udoma what's being done to look for a fix to this foundational problem for Connecticut's economy. You can read Erica's story here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In September, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that the White House would ask Connecticut to accept “as many as 310 Afghan refugees for resettlement in Connecticut.” The effort has gone better than expected. As of March 18, more than 700 Afghans had come to live in the state, more than double the original target, thanks to a well-coordinated public-private partnership created by Lamont and strong public support. Tom talks to Ebong Udoma about meeting some of the refugees who now call CT home. Read Tom's story hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simply put, is state government too flush with cash? And after two years of a coronavirus pandemic that battered educational and health care systems, businesses and households, should the state be spending more to help? CT Mirror's fiscal expert Keith Phaneuf joins host Ebong Udoma to find out where the extra money may go this election year. Read Keith's story hereSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After walking a budget tightrope with no safety net for most of the past two decades, Connecticut state government has socked away almost $4.8 billion since 2018 and could nearly double that by mid-2023. But while that’s three-and-half times what Connecticut saved in the prior 25 years combined, the state’s debt has somehow gotten worse — by a lot. CT Mirror budget guru Keith Phaneuf breaks it down.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last fall Margaret Miner was skimming a New York Times article about how the University of Wisconsin had changed the names of two university theaters, in Madison and Oshkosh, because they had been named for an alumnus associated with the Ku Klux Klan. The name that had been removed from the theaters brought her up short: the renowned actor Fredric March. Reporter Tom Condon tells WSHU's Ebong Udoma what happened next.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two companies named in a federal grand jury subpoena investigating former state official Konstantinos Diamantis were the primary beneficiaries of millions of dollars’ worth of hazardous waste abatement work on state buildings since 2017, records show. An analysis by the CT Mirror shows that the two, AAIS and Bestech, got all but 15 of the 284 purchase orders issued by the state for hazardous waste disposal and demolition from fiscal year 2017 through 2022 — contracts that are paid for by the state and not tied to school construction jobs. After receiving questions about the arrangement from the Connecticut Mirror, the state abruptly canceled the contract, even though it was supposed to run until April. Reporter Dave Altimari talks to Ebong Udoma about this CT Mirror investigation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For as long as Connecticut's subsidized solar programs have been in place, caps on the number of applicants have frustrated not only businesses and towns that want solar power, but also the state’s solar industry, environmental advocates and many lawmakers. As this legislative session gets underway, a serious effort to raise or even eliminate the caps is emerging. But there is already disagreement over which program caps to alter, how they should be altered, and what, if any, other rules should be overhauled. Reporter Jan Ellen Spiegel talks to host Ebong Udoma to explain what might be on the cards this session.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As state after state issued lockdown orders, roads across the country emptied. Major highways were eerily deserted, and traffic fell to new lows. But something else started to happen, too. Even though there were fewer cars on the road, more people were dying in car crashes. In 2020, 301 people died in car crashes in Connecticut, according to data tracked by the DOT, a 21% increase over the previous year. Reporter Katy Golvala talks to host Ebong Udoma about why.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research over the last few years has helped reduce racial disparities in traffic stops in several communities in Connecticut -- while also improving police effectiveness. That has been accomplished by encouraging police to focus almost entirely on roadway safety and not use traffic stops as a pretext to address other issues. In addition to reducing racial disparities, the system now could lead legislators to consider a significantly different approach to traffic stops. Reporter Tom Condon outlines the proposed changes to host Ebong Udoma. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enlisting the help of contractors and his former boss at the state Department of Administrative Services, Konstantinos Diamantis mounted a fast and furious defense in the summer of 2020 against an accusatory memo produced by the building trade unions ahead of a meeting with Gov. Ned Lamont. The unsigned memo accused Diamantis of using “fear mongering and threats” to engineer an emergency declaration that fast-tracked the replacement of a structurally unsound school in Tolland without competitive bidding — then provided the town with bid specs, a contract and a suggested construction manager. Reporter Mark Pazniokas talks to host Ebong Udoma about the impact of the memo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Dankosky sits down with Southern Connecticut State University professor Jonathan Wharton, CT News Junkie columnist Susan Bigelow and Hearst Connecticut associate editor Dan Haar to discuss the legislative session, and this year's big races. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CT Mirror State Budget Reporter Keith Phaneuf joins host John Dankosky to discuss the budget battles expected during the 2022 legislative session. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CT Mirror Capitol Bureau Chief Mark Pazniokas joins host John Dankosky to discuss the upcoming legislative session and statewide elections in November. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many of the biggest questions surrounding this year's Supreme Court term don't have to do with the cases they decided. They're more about the people who are deciding them. What's the dynamic on the 6-3 majority conservative court? What role does Chief Justice John Roberts play? And what will happen with liberal justice Stephen Breyer, who turns 83 in August? Many progressive voices are calling on him to step down now so that President Biden can get a replacement through a majority Democratic Senate.  Supreme Court reporter and columnist Linda Greenhouse says those calls may have backfired, with Breyer not wanting to make a “political” decision. But Greenhouse, who has covered the Court for decades for the New York Times, says the Court's days of being above politics are largely over. In part two of our conversation, Greenhouse considers whether a smaller, even-numbered future Court might help build more consensus, and gives us some of her ideas about the possibility of changing the size of the Supreme Court. She also looks ahead to the next Court term, which is shaping up to be momentous.  Linda Greenhouse has a new book coming out this fall, titled: Justice on the Brink: The Death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Rise of Amy Coney Barrett, and Twelve Months That Transformed the Supreme Court.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.