Our focus on the issue of COVID-19 outbreaks in nursing homes and care facilities across Connecticut starts with a national expert from AARP talking about how that organization is pursuing legislation to better support and protect residents of those facilities.

Then we'll take a very personal look at a tragic COVID-19 nursing home experience that affected State Rep Michelle Cook of Torrington, and how her experience helped initiate a sweeping investigation into why so many seniors were being infected by and dying from it.

We'll follow touching base with Junior Achievement of Greater Fairfield County to learn how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the outlook of area high school seniors and their future educational or career plans.

Finally, we'll remind you about an important event coming up at the Burroughs Community Center July 9 - and how a regional nonprofit called Save a Suit is aiming to help veterans who may be more food insecure because of the virus health emergency.

We're kicking off 2021 with State Comptroller Kevin Lembo talking about a new “Network of Distinction” program designed to achieve the dual goals of lowering overall health costs and achieving better outcomes. Are you one of the roughly quarter million state residents benefiting - stay tuned and find out.

Then we'll circle back to chat with the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH) to find out how the agency did with its annual Be Homeful for the Holidays activities, what a difference it will make countering the state's homeless stats, and we'll hear about the agency's most recent collaborations with the CT Council of Municipalities and Sustainable CT. 

We're replaying a segment reminding residents about the lingering dangers of lead with an environmental sanitarian from Meriden - who plays a role in a larger statewide effort to remind residents about the dangers posed by lead. We'll learn all the places where lead could still be lurking in places where kids and others could still be exposed - and how that lead exposure can be remediated forever.

Then we'll catch a buzz with the Back Yard Beekeepers Association and learn why becoming even a simple backyard beekeeper could be one of the best holiday gifts you can give yourself, your family, your community and the environment - and why its the best time of year to get into beekeeping.

Finally, Have you ever had a bad experience with an uncaring medical professional? Then meet The Patient Is U Foundation - Helping medical practitioners enhance humanistic, compassionate patient care with unsurpassed "customer service" and sharing its philosophies with patients as well as institutional and non-institutional healthcare providers - anyone who comes into contact with patients or their families.