The Full Story: Recent Episodes
Tom Kuser
The Full Story is a lively, thought-provoking news program that delivers intelligent conversation on what’s happening right now in our community. In a weekly show, WSHU’s long-time Morning Edition host Tom Kuser explores the news that is important in our region during these extraordinary times, including the Black Lives Matter movement, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the reopening of the economy following the shutdown.Catch The Full Story every Friday at 7 p.m. on all WSHU frequencies. Missed an episode? Subscribe to The Full Story podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google.
WSHU staff, past and present, reminisce about working with Tom Kuser and the impressive legacy he leaves. Thank you, Tom!
History is made up of stories. Family stories of the people who shaped Connecticut and the country.Some stories are celebrated while others are left to languish in the shadows. Here we share one family story that's not often told—the story of the Lathrops.
Quinnipiac! The name is well-known here in Connecticut: the river, the trail, the roads, the University, and of course the people. But how much is really known about the first people who settled along the southern Connecticut coastline? The Full Story host, Tom Kuser, spoke with historian and archeologist Jim Powers to learn more about the people of the Dawnland.
The minimum wage in Connecticut is now $15 an hour. But it doesn’t end there. The minimum wage law allows for yearly increases to keep up with inflation. Will this new adjustment help to workers in the state earn a living wage?
Smoke from the massive wildfires in Canada was a serious climate and health concern for our region this year. Right now the air has cleared, but concerns over the impact on public health and the environment remain.
The 29th Infantry in Connecticut made history. It was the state's first volunteer infantry regiment of color.
The Full Story Host Tom Kuser speaks with four women who are on the front line in the battle to end breast cancer.
Dr. Katherine Hermes has expanded the history of witch trials in Connecticut with her discovery of a civil case accusing a doctor of witchcraft.
In his new book Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy, Charles Busch, shares stories from his childhood and life as a writer, playwright, director, drag actor, and cabaret performer.
The novel, Between Two Moons, tells many stories all at once. The Full Story Host Tom Kuser explores all those narrative threads with author Aisha Abdel Gawad.
The Full Story host Tom Kuser takes a closer look at the human impact of the landmark Sheff vs. O'Neill settlement with Elizabeth Horton-Sheff, the name plaintiff in the lawsuit.
In a move to expand financial literacy in the state, Governor Ned Lamont has signed a bill that would make it mandatory for high school students to take a personal finance course to graduate.
Last year the Sheff versus O’Neill case was finally settled after 30 years of litigation. But the settlement had more hurdles to clear before it could go into effect.
Getting around in Connecticut can be dangerous. Especially for pedestrians. Last year 75 pedestrians were killed by vehicles in the state - the largest number in decades according to the Department of Transportation. The Full Story host Tom Kuser finds out what's behind this troubling trend and speaks with residents working to change it.
Chasten Buttigieg is sharing his story with young adults. This year he released a new version of his memoir, “I Have Something To Tell You,” for young readers.
The 2023 Connecticut and New York legislative sessions are over. We check in to see which bills will become laws and which didn't make it to the finish line.
We live with Artificial Intelligence every day. But now that technology is evolving fast. What's being done to manage and regulate AI in Connecticut and New York?
Can you stay healthy if you don’t have a permanent home?Pandemic moratoriums have ended in Connecticut, evictions are up and the number of people without a permanent residence is on the rise. With few affordable homes available, the struggle to find a stable place to live can cause a lot of stress. And that can affect people’s health.
Migratory Birds in the US are protected by law. And they have a Connecticut Yankee to thank. George Payne McLean served as Governor and a US Senator for Connecticut. This week on The Full Story we’ll speak with the author of a new biography detailing the life and work of Senator McLean, and it was written by his great-great nephew. Also we’ll speak with the Connecticut Audubon Society about their new program to get students excited about science.
Managing money well, takes training. There’s a lot to know. But where can people go to develop sound financial skills?
The Full Story takes a deep dive into the new green bills and laws going into effect in our region that could transform environmental policy in both states
Items that would often get tossed in the trash are being upcycled by artists, entrepreneurs and even activists.
Can you stay healthy if you don’t have a permanent home?Pandemic moratoriums have ended in Connecticut, evictions are up and the number of people without a permanent residence is on the rise. With few affordable homes available, the struggle to find a stable place to live can cause a lot of stress. And that can affect people’s health.
The war in Ukraine has raged on for more than a year and it has revealed unique connections with Connecticut. Two writers and educators in Connecticut decided to address the conflict by transforming their correspondence with friends in Ukraine and Russia into a multimedia play.
Sports are a way of life. But what happens when your ability to compete is different? This week on The Full Story we’re talking with people and athletes in our region who make sports accessible to everyone regardless of ability.
What happens to people in a community where violence is a common occurrence? It can lead to urban trauma.
Art can be more than an expression of beauty. Art can be more than an expression of beauty. It can challenge perspectives, change minds or even be a call to action. This week on The Full Story we feature 3 people who take art to the next level.
How does a community recover from a tragedy? The residents of Newtown, Connecticut have carried the burden of the Sandy Hook School shooting for 10 years. This week, The Full Story will feature an encore presentation of a conversation with WSHU’s Davis Dunavin about his podcast: Still Newtown.
Women are getting down to business in Connecticut. And there are funding programs ready to support their ventures.
Sports are a way of life. But what happens when your ability to compete is different? This week on The Full Story we’re talking with people and athletes in our region who make sports accessible to everyone regardless of ability.
We’re on a journey of scientific discovery. A discovery that will help deepen our understanding of pre-historic and modern life on earth.
Adults in Connecticut and New York can now legally buy recreational marijuana. But what will that mean for established cannabis-based businesses?
This holiday week, we’re sharing two conversations that take us on a journey filled with ghostly apparitions, time travel, family secrets, and regicide.
More than one million registered voters in Connecticut are not connected to any political party. The results of the 2022 midterm elections tell a different story.
More than one million registered voters in Connecticut are not connected to any political party. The results of the 2022 midterm elections tell a different story.
This December marks ten years since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. We look at how the residents have strived to recover from the tragedy.
Connecticut and Long Island are rich in the arts. Literature, museums, and giant murals. It’s all here.
Voters in Connecticut and New York not only chose candidates for federal and state office, but decided on major referendums as well.
Candidates are not the only reason to go vote this November. Both Connecticut and New York have statewide referendums voters will consider.
Election Day is less than two weeks away. And efforts to get people ready to vote are still going strong.
Election Day is less than two weeks away. And efforts to get people ready to vote are still going strong.
Local and midterm elections don't get a whole lot of love, but they have a direct impact on how we live.
In Connecticut and New York, workers have been organizing. And they’re challenging big companies to change how they treat their employees. Starbucks, Amazon, and Apple have all seen efforts to unionize.
Culture is alive. It evolves and changes as people evolve and change. But sometimes people want to hold onto a part of culture that's rich with meaning and memory.
Culture is alive. It evolves and changes as people evolve and change. But sometimes people want to hold onto a part of culture that's rich with meaning and memory.
A new school year has begun and it's the third year students are learning while living with COVID-19. In Connecticut, new data on test scores reveal how much learning students lost during the pandemic.
A new school year has begun and it's the third year students are learning while living with COVID-19. In Connecticut, new data on test scores reveal how much learning students lost during the pandemic.
How Social Media is transforming Racial Justice and uncovering the lives of people of color who were laid to rest in an ancient burial ground in Hartford.
In 1972 Title IX became law. And over the past 50 years, it has transformed sports and education for women and girls in the country. This week on The Full Story we explore Title IX in action.
Denise Merrill worked for 11 years to modernize the voting system in Connecticut as Secretary of the State. Now that she's stepped down from that office, Merrill is sharing her insights and experiences with The Full Story.
Sharks, urban wildlife, and invasive species. That's what we'll explore in Living With Wildlife - Part 2.
Gastrodiplomacy is using food as a conduit to transcend differences, bring people together, and reach marginalized communities. It can even help people heal, in body and spirit.
With an incinerator in Hartford that burns trash to generate energy set to close, what are the alternatives? And are there programs to develop safer, more environmentally friendly systems of managing waste?
Officially, they’re called "extreme risk protection orders." Most people know them as “red flag laws." And right now in Connecticut and New York, they’re evolving.
Connecticut and Long Island are rich in the arts. Literature, murals, and fine arts: it’s all here.
Connecticut has a mandate to teach Climate Change in schools. In May lawmakers approved a law that says the topic must be included in the science curriculum. But is it necessary?
This week on The Full Story we feature an encore presentation of our exploration into how local governments work in Connecticut.
This week lawmakers approved a $24.2 billion state funding package before the May 4 deadline.
The impact of COVID-19 left its mark on businesses in Connecticut and New York. Small businesses were especially hit hard by the shutdown.
Many salt marshes have been lost to dredging, drainage or landfills. But salt marshes are essential. They are a natural barrier to climate change. Efforts are now underway to research and restore these vital ecosystems.
With an incinerator in Hartford that burns trash to generate energy set to close, what are the alternatives? And are there programs to develop safer, more environmentally friendly systems of managing waste?
The number of pedestrians dying in car crashes is on the rise. At least 16 have been killed so far this year. And concern is growing that 2022 could be one of the deadliest years.
The state has struggled for years to keep educators. The problem is fueled by rising retirements and dropping rates of students entering teacher preparation programs.
Lead poisoning is preventable. And yet, in cities like New Haven, children continue to test positive for lead in their blood.
This week on the Full Story we take a closer look at the experience of people who have survived incarceration and thrived after doing time.
Now that COVID-19 restrictions are easing up all over our region, can the arts bounce back to their pre-pandemic structure?
A flood of retirements in the Connecticut State government could create a prime opportunity to diversify the workforce.
What do these new maps look like? Why was there so much drama around creating them? And ultimately, what will all this mean for voters?
We speak with the lawyers who have worked on this case to find out if the settlement achieves the original goals of the lawsuit.
The Connecticut 2022 legislative session will begin in less than two weeks. New York lawmakers have been in full swing since the first week of January. Buckle up! It’s an election year so the politicking will be fierce.
Pandemics, remote learning, isolation. Being a child in Connecticut these days has more challenges than usual. This week we’ll explore two major issues facing children and teens in our region: education and safety.
It’s 2022, and this year businesses selling legal marijuana are set to open in Connecticut. Will this transform public safety as we know it?
The adult recreational use of marijuana has now been legal in Connecticut for about six months. In February businesses in the state will be able to apply for a license to sell weed. How will this affect public health and safety in local communities?
Adult recreational use of marijuana has now been legal in Connecticut for about six months. Is it affecting public health and safety in local communities?
This week on The Full Story we conclude the podcast, Everytown: The Hamptons. The campaign to shut down the Bel Aire Cove Motel is a success.
In a third installment following the Everytown podcast, this episode explores school boards, taxes and lawsuits.
What would you do if your neighbors wanted to tear down your home? That’s exactly what happened to a group of people living in a decaying motel in the Hamptons on Long Island.
Previously we started a conversation about diversity in classical music. This week on The Full Story we conclude that discussion with three guests that are taking old music and diversity into the future.
Learn about the witch trials of Bridgeport, go on a spirit walk in Milford and speak with the state’s archaeologist about digging up and restoring old mausoleums.