Podcasts about capitol watch

We covered a lot of ground in 2019. The government shutdown. The seemingly endless toll debate. The Stop and Shop strike, opioid epidemic, the hottest month in Connecticut history, PFAS chemical spills ... on and on. Along the way, we set up microphones in bars, restaurants, breweries and markets, places like Tangiers International Market, Story and Soil Coffee, Spectra Wired, the Bushnell Park Beer Garden, Know Good Market, Hanging Hill Brewing Company and the short-lived Royal nightclub, and interviewed as many people as we could find. For the final podcast of the year, we put together clips featuring some of the folks we interviewed. Thanks for listening to Capitol Watch.

Connecticut’s defense industry will likely receive a sizable chunk of the $738 billion defense spending bill winding its way through Congress, and that means high-paying jobs. Reporter Stephen Singer talks helicopters, jet engines and submarines on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

Should I leave Connecticut? Should I stay in Connecticut? It's the conversation that never quits. Arianna Basche wrote her own take on it for the Courant's opinion pages a few weeks ago. On this week's Capitol Watch podcast, Basche and opinion editor Leslie Cory dive deeper into Basche's decision to stay put (for now) and what that means for her life and career going forward.

October was anti-bullying month, but there's really no bad time to talk about the dangers of bullying. Stamford teacher Danielle Waring's life was forever changed by it. And when one of her tormentors later tried to apologize, Waring found it hard to forgive and forget. How would you respond? On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, opinion editor Leslie Cory explores that topic in a conversation with Waring, who reads an essay published in the Courant back in October.

Eco-anxiety is real. Harry Zehner, a junior at the University of Connecticut, feels the effects of climate-related dread every day. It's mixed with anger at older generations for what he perceives as complacency. If the number of environmental protests in recent months is any indication, he's not alone. Zehner sits down with Opinion editor Leslie Cory to talk climate change, eco-anxiety and generational differences on a special Capitol Watch podcast.

Gov. Ned Lamont's revised transportation plan still relies on tolls for part of its funding. Not surprisingly, Republican lawmakers (and some Democrats) are still less than enthused about supporting it. Of course, there's lots more in there besides tolls -- fixing bridges and adding commuter rail cars, for example -- and most of the work would be funded by borrowing from the federal government. Courant Capitol bureau chief Christopher Keating goes off the rails on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

Tuesday was Election Day. There are new mayors in New Haven and Middletown. Hartford, Bridgeport and Danbury reelected their mayors. All across the state, Dems flipped seats, Republicans flipped seats, and both sides rejoiced. Was there a Trump Factor? A generational divide? How to make sense of it all? Courant reporter Daniela Altimari recaps Election Day 2019 in Connecticut on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

Connecticut recently pledged $500,000 to boost participation in the 2020 Census. Philanthropic foundations, including the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, will tack on more than $900,000 in additional funding. “Today, this is not a question about whether Connecticut can afford to invest,” Melissa McCaw, Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, said at an Oct. 31 press conference. “We cannot afford to not invest to ensure that the important work we do for the taxpayers and the residents of Connecticut can continue next year and the years beyond.” What exactly is at stake for Connecticut -- or any state -- in getting its population count right, and what happens to all that data? Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and Courant reporter Stephen Singer discuss the 2020 Census -- what information is collected, how it’s used, and where it ends up -- on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

In the life of a train commuter, what difference does 15 minutes make? Rosanna Karabetsos, a graduate of the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, is a Brooklynette -- a professional dancer for the Brooklyn Nets NBA basketball team. It’s a dream job. Still, she says, a faster train ride from Hartford to New York might have made her career goals attainable even sooner. “I wouldn’t change any part of my journey,” says Karabetsos. “But I do know that if there was an express train from Union Station to Grand Central that got me there in an hour and a half for a decent amount of money, it would have changed everything.” Ridership is steady on the Hartford Line, a commuter rail service linking New Haven with Springfield that debuted in 2018. Maybe too steady. “We’re victims of our own success,” says DOT commissioner Joseph Giulietti. “We don’t have enough cars to handle all the demand that’s coming at us. We’re desperate to go get some more cars. … It’s one of the healthiest complaints you can get, that people are not only asking but demanding for more service." Giulietti and Karabetsos, along with musician Bill Carbone (Max Creek, Rock and Roll Forever Foundation) and William Thomsen (Urban Engineers, Inc., APTA), talk Metro-North and the value of 15 minutes on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

The Mixmaster in Waterbury. The Hartford viaduct. I-95 in Stamford. Anyone who frequently drives on Connecticut highways knows these spots as the stuff of traffic nightmares. A 2019 study by the American Transportation Research Institute shows six Connecticut “chokepoints” ranking among the 100 worst in the entire country. How does Gov. Ned Lamont plan to address them? Courant Capitol bureau chief (and resident traffic expert) Chris Keating talks bottlenecks and chokepoints on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

All Connecticut residents, regardless of political affiliation, have one thing in common: death. When the fateful day comes (waaaay in the distant future, hopefully), some choose 'green' burials and cremation options that don't hurt the environment. "It's a pretty popular concept," says Katie S. Gagnon, a board member at the Connecticut Green Burial Grounds. "Really, it's just for there to be an option for people like me who don't want to be embalmed, who don't want to go into an exotic hardwood casket." The Green Burial Council, a national organization, estimates that 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluids, 64,500 tons of steel, 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete, 17,000 tons of copper and bronze, and 20 million feet of wood enter the ground in the U.S. every year. Greenwich resident Tessa Pascarella, who passed away in 2018, opted for a green burial on her family's 1000-acre forest in Sherman. It took more than a year, but it finally happened. "It's always fun to see the way humanity grows more human, or more civilized, from generation to generation," says Tessa's son, Aldo Pascarella, a Greenwich lawyer, "and I see this green burial movement as one such iteration." Gagnon, Pascarella and Courant reporter Greg Hladky dig deep into green burials on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

Median sales prices for Connecticut single-family homes peaked in 2007 -- more than a decade ago. That's not good. "I drive around, and I'm amazed to see new construction in Connecticut," says Fred Carstensen, director of the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis at UConn. "Who's buying houses?" Courant reporter Ken Gosselin recently read data provided by The Warren Group, a New England real estate watchdog, and crunched the numbers: median prices in only 10 towns and cities exceeded or matched pre-recession values. Gosselin, Carstensen and West Hartford realtor Carl Lantz (RE/MAX Premier) talk over Connecticut's glacial housing recovery on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

Most of us see video games as harmless, inter-generational fun: play Fortnite with the kids (or parents) for a few hours, have some laughs, and get ready for bed. Others can't seem to break away. "For some gamers, they develop this excessive pattern of uncontrollable behavior," says Dr. Paul Weigle, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and the Associate Medical Director of Outpatient Programs at Natchaug Hospital. "They really lose control over their use. That ends up causing big problems in their lives." Earlier this year, the World Health Organization included "gaming disorder" in its International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). For some in the video game industry, including Kenneth Thompson, an assistant professor-in-residence of game design at the University of Connecticut, the WHO classification is premature. "Research is ongoing for video games as classification as disorder or addiction," Thompson says. "I think it does a real disservice to people who are going through substance abuse issues and are going through addiction programs to use the same terminology for something that isn't the same." Weigle, Thompson and UConn Gaming Club member Ryan Marsh discuss video games and addiction on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

The vaping illness outbreak has exploded over the last few months, with 1,299 cases and 29 deaths reported nationwide (and counting). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly three quarters of patients reported using THC-containing products. Unlike Massachusetts, Connecticut has not yet enacted a ban on the sale of all vaping products. Still, some adult vapers are wondering: is there any safe and responsible way to vape? "I think we are really not able to answer that question at this time until we are able to identify exactly which substance, what combination it is that's causing this illness," says Barbara Walsh, Tobacco Control Program manager. "We really can't give a statement on what is safe versus what's not safe." Walsh, Yale University School of Medicine research postdoctoral fellow Jonas Schupp and Courant reporter Josh Kovner discuss (un)safe vaping on the latest Capitol Watch podcast. (Bonus content: what exactly is "fire breather's pneumonia?")

Imagine, late in your career, creating a LinkedIn profile, chopping your extensive resume down to two pages, and peppering your cover letter with algorithm-friendly keywords. After months of trying, you finally land the elusive phone or in-person interview with a hiring manager. And then: crickets. Computer programmer Mark Kirschblum has been looking for work since December 2018. "It's more of a science, almost an art," Kirschblum says. "I'm somewhat introverted, so to do the networking gets me out of my comfort zone. But you do what you have to do." Kirschblum met former Manchester Historical Society executive director Eileen Jacobs Sweeney and Michael Renaud, a personalized marketing solutions expert, at Pathways to Employment, a five-week job-search training program. "To be part of the program with other people who are in the same general age category," Renaud says, "we can all say, 'You know what? We're not the only ones.'" All three job seekers, along with Courant reporter Stephen Singer, discuss what it's like to be older and unemployed in Connecticut on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

Much has happened since our last PFAS podcast (July 11). The Home Depot, a chain of more than 2,000 home improvement stores in North America, announced it would stop selling rugs and carpets containing per- and poly-fluorinated (aka PFAS) chemicals, which are commonly added to resist stains. A 62-year-old Ellington man's drinking water well tested positive for PFAS chemicals, prompting the state to start sending bottled water to his house. And the Connecticut Interagency PFAS Task Force, formed shortly after a huge June 8 firefighting foam spill at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, is expected to deliver its initial recommendations to Gov. Ned Lamont on Oct. 1. Courant reporter Gregory Hladky pours over the latest PFAS findings on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

Hemp farming in Connecticut is kind of a hot new thing. Fueled by demand for CBD oil, CBD inhalers, CBD gummies -- essentially anything with the letters C, B and D -- licensed hemp growers like Luis Vega are turning their first outdoor plants over to processors and manufacturers, before quickly gearing up for indoor growing season. Earlier this year, Vega obtained a permit to grow hemp under Connecticut's new pilot program. He now looks after roughly 5,000 plants spread across five acres of land on four different sites. Today, Capitol Watch visits one of Vega's hemp hoop-houses -- it's sort of like a greenhouse -- located on O'Hara's Nursery in Monroe.

A race that grew more contentious over time came to a close on Tuesday, as incumbent Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin won the Hartford Democratic primary. He won handily, defeating former Mayor Eddie Perez and State Rep. Brandon McGee Jr. by a comfortable margin. How do we make sense of the numbers? And if Bronin wins re-election in November, how does he take the city out of what he’s referred to as “fragile stability?” Hartford metro reporter Rebecca Lurye gives us the lowdown on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin is seeking a second term. He faces challengers Brandon McGee Jr. and Eddie Perez in the Sept. 10 Democratic primary. Last week, Bronin sat down with Courant publisher/editor in chief Andrew Julien, content director Rick Green, senior content editor Leslie Cory and editorial writer Stephen Busemeyer. Over the course of an hour, he discussed downtown development, city finances, education, crime, and much more. Capitol Watch was there, with a ton of microphones. We hope to present similar extended interviews with Mr. McGee and Mr. Perez in the near future. The editorial board has already invited both candidates to 285 Broad Street.

It sold out. Many of us went. It felt historic. Farm Aid stalwarts Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews. Rising superstars Kacey Musgraves, Margo Price, Sturgill Simpson and Chris Stapleton. A talented undercard -- Lukas Nelson, Particle Kid, Jamey Johnson -- of Americana up-and-comers. Farm Aid, which landed in Connecticut a year ago, raised awareness of the many hardships facing family farmers nationwide. But one year later, things are just as bad -- if not worse -- for dairy farmers. On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, dairy farmer Jim Smith (Cushman Farms, Franklin, Conn.), CT Farm Bureau executive director Joan Nichols and reporter Greg Hladky discuss rising input costs, shifting consumer tastes, and the legacy of Farm Aid 2018.

On the first day of the fall semester, new UConn president Thomas Katsouleas sat down to talk about funding for new research, affordability, athletics, and much more, with Courant publisher/editor-in-chief Andrew Julien, audience engagement director Megan Merrigan, content director Rick Green, senior content editor Leslie Cory, editorial writer Stephen Busemeyer, metro content editor Russell Blair, and reporter Amanda Blanco. Capitol Watch was there to capture the conversation.

As Democratic candidates running for president are being asked to weigh in on reparations for slavery -- the idea that the United States would give restitution, in some form or another, to African-American descendants of slaves -- a few questions keep popping up. Why now? How would it work? Who thinks it's appropriate, and who doesn't? Thomas Craemer, an associate professor of public policy at UConn, stops by Capitol Watch to talk about his research into reparations and how growing up in Germany shaped his thinking.

Connecticut, West Virginia and Wyoming are the only three states in the U.S. that haven't regained the number of jobs lost during the Great Recession. Massachusetts and New York, meanwhile, are growing jobs left and right. Nationally, the workforce increased by 9%. How does that happen? On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, Courant reporter Stephen Singer, economist Don Klepper-Smith (Datacore Partners LLC) and job-seeker Carolyn Martin-Taylor weigh in on Connecticut's workforce woes.

PFAS chemicals have people across Connecticut spooked, after a June 8 malfunction at Bradley Airport released thousands of gallons of firefighting foam into the Farmington River. So what exactly are PFAS compounds? What do they do to people, to fish, and to drinking water, and what is the state doing to help? On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, reporter Greg Hladky and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) analyst Shannon Pociu tackle those questions and more.

Connecticut isn't called "Corrupticut" for nothing. Older residents recall brushing up against members of the T. Frank Hayes ring in the Waterbury area. Even some millennials vividly recall the rise and fall of a corrupt governor. In between, we've had years of investigations, court cases and convictions, all of which begs the question: is Connecticut inherently more politically corrupt than anywhere else? On the next few episodes of Capitol Watch, we dive into political misconduct, Connecticut style, with input from investigative reporters, FBI agents, scholars and regular citizens.

We had so much fun talking to Democratic State Sen. Will Haskell about being a freshman lawmaker in the General Assembly, we decided to to flip parties and do it again today. Republican State Rep. Leslee Hill (R-Canton) was a First Selectwoman and had served on the board of education for more than a decade. But nothing truly prepared her for walking onto the House floor in January to be sworn in as a legislator. On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, State Rep. Hill talks about learning the ropes, working across party lines and (of course) tolls.

Six months ago, 22-year-old Will Haskell was a newly-elected Connecticut state senator from the town of Westport, which is where Capitol Watch caught up with him at the time. On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, we sit down with Haskell, the youngest member of the general assembly, to see what (if anything) the 2019 legislative session taught him about compromise, cooperation and politics.

Included in the budget that passed this legislative session were a few new taxes, like a fee on plastic bags, sales tax on dry cleaning and an increase in tax on digital downloads. Is this Gov. Ned Lamont’s way of working around his campaign promise not to raise tax rates? On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, guest host Abigail Brone delves into the impacts of these new taxes, why the legislature chose these items and services to tax, and what it will mean for the state in the long run.

United Technologies announced on Sunday it was moving its headquarters -- along with 100 or so high-paying jobs -- from Connecticut to Massachusetts. It's all part of a merger with military contractor Raytheon, one that may not reflect that well on Connecticut's new governor. On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, Courant reporters Daniela Altimari and Stephen Singer discuss UTC's role in the aerospace and aviation industry, and what the partial move to Boston says about Connecticut's business climate. Commencing countdown, engines on...

It's not over yet. But until recently, recreational cannabis seemed like a possible -- maybe even probable -- addition to the Land of Steady Habits. Now, it'll likely take a special session or ballot initiative to push it through. What happened? Cannabis activist Jason Ortiz (Minority Cannabis Business Association / CURE-CT) returns to Capitol Watch to put the legalization fight in perspective. We also talk to Nathan Tinker, Ph.D. (Connecticut Pharmacists Association / Academy of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries) about the potential impact of recreational pot on Connecticut's medical marijuana industry.

When China decided to stop importing all of our kombucha bottles and plastic straws, Connecticut recycling programs went from generating revenue to sucking a lot of money out of local budgets. Will legislators do something about it before the session ends? Reporter Greg Hladky and CT League of Conservation Voters deputy director Amanda Schoen school Capitol Watch listeners on the impacts of recycling programs on our wallets and the environment.

There's a tax battle brewing in Connecticut. One one side, some progressive Democrats are pushing for a 2 percent capital gains surcharge that would squeeze more revenue from the state's wealthiest residents. On the other stands Gov. Ned Lamont (also a Democrat) and state Republicans, who worry about driving away those same rich people. Capitol bureau chief Chris Keating returns to Capitol Watch for a broad look at taxes: who pays what, when do they pay, and (of course) why.

Can a Connecticut candidate for office use public campaign funds to pay for child care? In the run-up to the 2018 election, Caitlin Clarkson Pereira dared to ask that question. And earlier this month, the five-member, all-male State Elections Enforcement Commission answered: no. Pereira and Courant reporter Neil Vigdor join Capitol Watch to talk about child care costs, publicly funded campaign tchotchkes and Hillary Clinton retweets.

The 11-day Stop & Shop strike came to an end on Sunday. What does the whole situation teach us about the evolution of the supermarket industry? With the rise of automation, low-overhead players getting into the game, changing consumer tastes and the rise of the on-demand economy, will customers return to the brick-and-mortar supermarket? Reporter Steve Singer returns to Capitol Watch for a rundown of the strike and what it could mean going forward.

We're back. What did we miss? More toll protests? A strike by Stop and Shop workers? The two U.S. senators from Connecticut (gasp) disagreeing with each other? On the latest podcast, metro content editor Russell Blair brings us up to speed with an audio tour of his revamped, must-read Capitol Watch newsletter.

Last week, Hartford Courant reporter Neil Vigdor broke a story about a Connecticut woman named Amy Lappos, who accused Joe Biden of touching her inappropriately during a 2009 Greenwich fundraiser. The story, which came out after a similar allegation by Nevada legislator Lucy Flores, went viral. On a bonus Spring Break episode of Capitol Watch, Neil takes us step-by-step through his reporting process.

Capitol Watch is going on vacation. (Just for a week: don't panic!) Before we leave, however, we felt we needed a roundup of what's going on in the General Assembly, a thorough update on tolls, marijuana, sports betting, casinos, school regionalization and more. Who better to fill us in than Capitol bureau chief Chris Keating? Strap in.

Last week, with March Madness already in full swing, Sen. Chris Murphy released "Madness, Inc.," a report that argues college athletes really should get a chunk of the roughly $14 billion collected annually across the NCAA landscape. How to do it? That's even madder. On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, reporter Alex Putterman goes deep on compensating college athletes in the era of Duke's Zion Williamson and other unpaid NCAA superstars.

From single-use plastic bag bans to trash-to-energy plants to broad, existential questions about child-rearing in the age of global warming, there's nothing single-use about this podcast. On the latest episode of Capitol Watch, reporter Greg Hladky reviews current legislation related to environmental issues in Connecticut. We then head to the Royal, a new music venue in Hartford, to check in on how everyone's dealing with climate change fears and concerns in 2019.

Connecticut lawmakers are pushing hard for paid family leave and to raise the minimum wage from $10.10 to $15 an hour, but businesses are pushing back. On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, reporter Steve Singer explores the business community’s response to paid family and medical leave and minimum wage legislation. We'll also head to Beer30, a networking event for startups (hosted by reSET), to gauge the reaction from young entrepreneurs.

Earlier this week, a bill allowing physicians to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to terminally ill patients drew dozens of supporters and opponents to the Capitol. On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, we talk to actor James Naughton, disability rights activist Cathy Ludlum (Second Thoughts Connecticut), Father Ted Tumicki (St. Mary Church in Jewett City) and Kim Callinan (Compassion and Choices) about proposed House Bill 5898, and we rely on Courant metro editor Russell Blair for some much-needed clarity.

Allowing owners to re-sell assault-style weapons and large capacity magazines purchased before the Sandy Hook tragedy. Banning ghost guns. Permitting firearms in state parks. These and other gun-related issues are among seven bills raised by Connecticut lawmakers this session. On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, reporter Daniela Altimari breaks down seven bills that could affect Connecticut residents and gun enthusiasts.

Marijuana is becoming legal for recreational use in more and more states, including Connecticut's neighbor to the north. So how has corporate drug testing in Connecticut evolved, if at all, to accommodate out-of-state employees and job applicants? On the latest Capitol Watch podcast, Mark Soycher (CBIA) and Kebra Smith-Bolden (CannaHealth, CURE) discuss the evolution of drug testing in the era of legal, recreational pot.

Welcome to Connecticut, out-of-state drivers! A few words of advice: avoid some of our highway rest areas after 3:30 p.m. You might not like what you see and/or smell. Here's the good news: two lawmakers -- Sen. Heather Somers (R-Groton) and Sen. Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) -- want to get Connecticut's rest areas up and running again, and that might keep people from running into the bushes. Reporter Jon Lender joins Capitol Watch to talk rest areas, portable toilets and angry motorists. Lucky him.

Talk of consolidating school districts always gets a huge response in Connecticut. Recently, when democratic lawmakers introduced a trio of bills related to consolidating schools, hundreds of people -- many from the small town of Wilton -- showed up in Hartford to voice their opposition. What's all the fuss about? Reporter (and Wilton native) Katie McWilliams returns to Capitol Watch to explain the pros and cons of regionalization.

Gov. Ned Lamont released his budget a week ago, and there's a lot to digest. You can wash it all down with a large, sugary beverage if you want -- before that beverage gets taxed. Or listen to this podcast while cruising along one of Connecticut's many toll-free roads -- toll-free for now, of course. We'll do the heavy lifting for you, and you don't even need to buy a newspaper -- which might also get taxed. Capitol Bureau Chief Chris Keating returns to steer Capitol Watch listeners through reams and reams of paperwork.

Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz floated the idea of free community college tuition as a way to retain young people. You had ideas of your own. A college-to-job pipeline. Lower taxes. Affordable housing. Vibrant urban centers. Jobs. A few others. On a special pop-up newsroom episode of Capitol Watch, we asked hungry customers at Hartford's Tangiers International Market a simple question: how do we keep young people from leaving Connecticut?

Most parents want to protect their kids, and that means getting them vaccinated against, say, the measles. Wait, doesn't it? For some parents, it's not that simple. And will a proposed bill removing school nurses from the religious exemption process ultimately lead to "legislative creep?" Courant reporter Josh Kovner returns to Capitol Watch to talk about school nurses, measles and herd immunity. We also check in with pediatrician Sandra Carbonari, M.D. (American Academy of Pediatrics, Connecticut Chapter) and Portland, Conn. resident Jennifer Shafer Wood, who recently testified in opposition of Raised Bill 7005.

Right now, if you're older than 48, you can't file a civil lawsuit in Connecticut alleging you were sexually abused as a minor. State lawmakers want to change that. Success could mean hundreds of costly new lawsuits against the Catholic Church. Capitol Watch sits down with reporter Dave Altimari, whose coverage of priest abuse prompted lawmakers to take action. We also talk to sexual abuse survivor Gail Howard, who now co-leads the peer network SNAP.

When Gov. Ned Lamont unveils his budget on Feb. 20, it’s only the beginning of a long process, one that ultimately affects everyone living in Connecticut. But how many of us really understand the function of a state budget? What are the main components, and how is the overall picture likely to reflect Lamont’s values? Capitol bureau chief Christopher Keating, who’s been covering the state budget since 1995, returns to Capitol Watch for a ground-up tutorial.

Hey, how's it going? Why are people leaving Connecticut, and how will you get them to stay? Can you fix the roads? What about homelessness? Can I hold the door for you? We asked, you answered: if you got into an elevator with Gov. Ned Lamont, what would you say? Capitol Watch heads to Story and Soil Coffee in Hartford for some crowd-sourced elevator pitches. And strong coffee.

Tap rooms, package stores, distributors, wholesalers, retailers: the beer industry in Connecticut is a delicate ecosystem, and all sides are learning how to get along. But when two bills were quickly introduced and pulled last week, nerves got triple-hopped (sorry). Reporter Steven Goode talks suds and strained relationships on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

As the debate over legalizing cannabis for recreational purposes picks up steam in Connecticut, where does the issue of drugged driving fit in? How is cannabis intoxication different than alcohol intoxication? Can police officers really tell if someone is high during a roadside stop? Reporter Rebecca Lurye returns to Capitol Watch, along with retired psychology professor Michael Milburn, Ph.D., the inventor of a public health app that measures cannabis impairment called DRUID (“DRiving Under the Influence of Drugs”).

Why do the NBA, Uber and MGM spend so much money in Connecticut? What are lawmakers allowed to accept as gifts? Last year alone, special interests spent $97 million peddling influence at the Capitol. Was it worth it? Capitol Watch talks money and influence with reporters Josh Kovner and Chris Keating, Office of State Ethics education director Nancy Nicolescu and Hartford lobbyist Linda Kowalski (the Kowalski Group).

In this crossover episode featuring Capitol Watch podcast host Mike Hamad, The Courant's Alex Putterman stops by to share his findings on the UConn athletic department's finances. Can UConn survive many more seasons outside the NCAA's Power Five conferences? Do extreme measures need to be taken with regards to the football program? Mike and Alex tackle that and more in this special hybrid episode of Capitol Watch.

Keeping right except to pass on the highways? Too many satellite dishes? Banning helium balloon launches? While the debate over the state budget takes center stage, this year's legislative session in Connecticut features a number of small, somewhat offbeat bills. Metro content editor Russell Blair joins Capitol Watch to discuss open containers, bear hunts, year-round Daylight Saving Time and more.

A visit to a retail pot shop in Massachusetts means lining up with mostly upper-middle class white suburbanites to purchase upscale extracts, edibles and cannabis flowers. The University of Connecticut offers its first horticulture of cannabis class this spring. Meanwhile, Connecticut offenders, many of whom are people of color, sit in prison for the sale and distribution of marijuana. Jason Ortiz, vice president of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, joins Capitol Watch to discuss racial equity in the Connecticut's burgeoning cannabis industry.

The federal shutdown is now officially the longest in U.S. history, which means a number of our Connecticut neighbors -- air traffic controllers, Coast Guard officers, Housing and Urban Development employees and many others -- head to work each morning not knowing when they'll see their next paychecks. Today, Capitol Watch hears their stories.

"Let's get Connecticut growing again. ... History has its eye on all of us." Shortly after being sworn in as Connecticut's 89th governor, Ned Lamont spoke of optimism and shared responsibility. We'll walk you through Inauguration Day in Connecticut, as Capitol Watch hears from politics reporters Daniela Altimari, Neil Vigdor and Chris Keating, new state senator Will Haskell and others. (Oh, and yeah, a few howitzers.)

Get ready: Connecticut's 2019 legislative session convenes on Jan. 9, and doesn't adjourn until June 5. What will lawmakers propose? Metro content editor Russell Blair talks tolls, sports betting, recreational marijuana, paid leave and other hot topics on the latest Capitol Watch podcast. We also spoke to Connecticut residents about they want to see happen within the first 100 days of the Lamont administration.

We don’t often get to hear the parting thoughts of a Connecticut governor. So when the opportunity arose to ask outgoing Governor Dannel P. Malloy about his two terms in office, Courant reporter Neil Vigdor and I grabbed a couple of microphones and headed over to the Capitol. Neil asked questions -- about popularity, regrets, the Sandy Hook tragedy, and much more -- while I tweaked the knobs, snapped a few pictures and admired the Revolutionary War imagery hanging on virtually every wall of his office. Here it is: our exit interview with Governor Dannel P. Malloy. Capitol Watch returns in 2019.

Leafing through the University of Connecticut’s extensive spring offerings, one course jumps out: “Horticulture of Cannabis: From Seed to Harvest,” taught by Professor Gerald A. Berkowitz and former graduate student Matt DeBacco. It might be the first class in the country to teach students how to grow marijuana for college credit. That’s not all: Berkowitz says the class will prepare UConn students for careers in the expanding cannabis industry. "There's going to be more students taught in this one class than in my department, all the professors, all the classes they teach, both semesters,” Berkowitz said. “We're teaching the course in the largest lecture hall at the university, with over 400 seats. We ran out of seats before half of the university could register for the course." Berkowitz takes Capitol Watch inside the coursework, and graduate student Peter Apicella brings us on a tour of a campus grow house.

Rhode Island has it. So do Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and four other states. But if legal sports betting comes to Connecticut — and it seems likely — what will it look like? Sports reporter Alex Putterman joins Capitol Watch to clarify. We also visit with Diana Goode and Kaitlin Foshay-Brown of the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling for insight into how mobile sports betting could impact young people.

Five years ago, Hartford educator/performer Joey Batts got the sense that some of his students might be couch surfing, or worse. Batts took action: he launched Hip Hop for the Homeless, a multi-city concert series, designed to raise funds and supplies for Connecticut's homeless communities. Batts, New Britain musical artist Andres “Mugsy” Arroyo and Mary Ann Haley, deputy director of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, trace the evolution of the series on the latest Capitol Watch.

The launch of recreational marijuana sales in Massachusetts has local lawmakers, taxpayers and cannabis enthusiasts wondering: what's going to happen here in Connecticut? Courant reporter Rebecca Lurye gives Capitol Watch an inside look at opening day in Northampton, Mass., where long lines greeted one of the state's two pot shops on Nov. 20.

"My age is not a liability. It's an asset." That's according to 22-year-old democrat Will Haskell, who defeated longtime GOP incumbent Toni Boucher on election night to become the next state senator representing Connecticut's 26th district. Haskell spoke to Capitol Watch from Westport Town Hall about gun violence, the opioid crisis, recreational marijuana, Barack Obama's endorsement and more.

You don't have to be a politics professor to predict the cost of living in Connecticut will likely rise in 2019 with the incoming statewide Blue Wave. We spoke to one anyway: Dr. Gary L. Rose, Professor and Chair in the Department of Government, Politics and Global Studies at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. Dr. Rose tells Capitol Watch why Democratic gains in both the house and senate, and with Democrat Ned Lamont winning the race for governor, could mean higher taxes, highway tolls and other factors that might affect your bottom line.

Just a week after the most hyped-up midterm election in recent memory, some may be wondering: where do we go from here? Also, how did a 22-year-old democrat unseat a popular republican in Fairfield County? Reporter Katie McWilliams returns to Capitol Watch for an election-day recap. Plus, we spoke to a handful of Connecticut voters in Hartford at the final Know Good Market of the season about hopes and expectations in the wake of the 2018 midterm election.

On Tuesday, former National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes became the first African-American woman to represent Connecticut in Congress. How did she get there? Political reporter Daniela Altimari traces her path on the latest Capitol Watch podcast.

Millennials and first-time voters could make a big difference on Tuesday. Who are they? What do they care about? Reporter Katie McWilliams visits Capitol Watch to explain. We also spoke to a collective of local DJs that hosts voter registration events, including a recent gathering in Hartford.

Nine days before the election, publisher and editor-in-chief Andrew Julien tells Capitol Watch who the Courant endorses for governor and why. We’ll also talk about the process: how the Courant editorial board gets to this point, the criteria, the players and the special circumstances surrounding political endorsements in 2018.