Tom Kuser

Word for Word is a podcast written and narrated by Roger Rosenblatt. Rosenblatt is known for his work as an essayist for Time and the "PBS NewsHour," among the first essays on television. Perhaps you’ve read one or more of his 18 novels and memoirs. You may have been to an off-Broadway play he’s written. There are six of those. Then there’s his one-man show, "Free Speech in America," that got rave reviews from The New York Times.

Race plays a factor when doctors prescribe opioids to treat chronic pain. That’s the finding of a new study from Yale University. 

Researchers say black patients, who receive opioid painkillers such as Oxycontin and Percocet for long-term treatment, are more likely than whites to be tested for illicit drug use.  

The Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii has been actively erupting since May. Last week the U.S. Geological Survey reported Kilauea produced a steam plume that rose about 1,000 feet above the ground surface. The energy released by the event was equal to a magnitude 5.3 earthquake.

I’m going to share a baseball memory with you and I’ll explain why in just a moment. I can remember back in 8th grade, the 1967 World Series. It was the Red Sox vs. the Cardinals. And back then some of the games were played in the middle of the afternoon. It wasn’t always a primetime evening set-up for TV purposes. So the radios, the little transistor radios, well several of them were snuck into class. 

Connecticut’s economy is anything but boring. Revenue streams are fluctuating with a very volatile stock market. Last month the state was facing a $200 million deficit for this fiscal year. Now, state officials say, much to their surprise, there’s a $1 billion surplus.