Connections Podcast

We continue an ongoing conversation about good cause eviction protections. Albany recently passed legislation, and activists in Rochester want to see a similar law here. Meanwhile, during her inaugural speech on Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said that tenants experiencing financial hardship during the pandemic can apply for rent relief. Those who are eligible will be protected from eviction for one year. Last week, we spoke with housing activists and a landlord about tenant protections. Now, we

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, more than one in ten adults have reported starting or increasing the use of alcohol or drugs to cope with the pandemic. For more than 20 years, Grace of God Recovery House , run by Spiritus Christi Church, has helped people struggling with addiction. The house had to close its doors during the pandemic, but now they are back open and accepting new residents. This hour, we discuss the programs and services the house provides, and we hear from program

On Monday, the FDA granted full approval to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 16 and up. It's the first COVID-19 vaccine to move beyond the emergency use category. Experts expect the news the lead to a wave of new vaccine mandates by hospitals, higher education institutions, businesses, and more. Meanwhile, according to Reuters, Israel's Health Ministry is reporting that a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine has significantly improved protection against infection and serious illness for

Weddings have been made more complicated by the delta variant of the coronavirus. Some couples are deciding to mandate vaccination -- both out of safety, and in hopes of convincing all family to get vaccinated. Others are waiting for more guidance. The strain on families has resulted in some ruptures. Our guests discuss their upcoming weddings, and how they're handling the changing pandemic. Our guests: Cathy Yount, Ph.D. student in epidemiology at the University of Rochester, who is getting

Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave his farewell address Monday afternoon. You'll hear that speech, and then our guests weigh in on his remarks and his time in office. Our guests: Karen DeWitt , Capitol Bureau Chief for New York State Public Radio Sandra Steingraber , senior scientist at the Science and Environmental Health Network

Images and videos of Afghans desperate to flee the country after the Taliban's takeover have been circulating the internet. Afghans now living in Rochester have family trapped in in Afghanistan. We hear from two Afghans who came to the U.S. on Special Immigrant Visas. They've been working with the local nonprofit organization, Keeping Our Promise, to try to help their family members escape. Our guests weigh in on the situation in Afghanistan: Ellen Smith, executive director of Keeping Our

The Biden administration has recommended some American adults get a COVID-19 booster shot. Adults who received Moderna or Pfizer vaccines will be eligible beginning in September. Meanwhile, some health experts say there's no definitive evidence that a booster is needed for all adults, and the focus should be on Americans and people across the globe who are unvaccinated. Dr. Angela Branche has done significant work on vaccine development. She joins us to answer our questions and yours about COVID

According 2018 data from the Prison Policy Initiative, more than half of people who are formerly incarcerated hold only a high school diploma or GED, and a quarter hold no credential at all. A program at the University of Rochester is hoping to change that. The Rochester Education Justice Initiative provides higher education opportunities for people who are currently or formerly incarcerated. While the short-term goals are centered on providing education, the broader mission includes addressing

Where’s the line between persuasion and coercion when governments ask businesses to regulation speech? Multiple countries are debating new laws that could target “problematic speech” on platforms like Facebook and more. Meanwhile, Twitter says the Taliban can continue to post as long as they continue to follow the guidelines. We discuss it with our guests: Mike Johansson , New Zealand-based social media strategist Scott Malouf , social media attorney

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a measure that would prevent evictions from taking place in New York State during the pandemic. The eviction moratorium barred cases from moving forward if a tenant declared pandemic-related economic hardship by filing a form, rather than providing evidence in court. Landlords pushed back on the moratorium, stating they had no legal recourse to challenge tenants’ claims. Meanwhile, new good cause eviction protections recently passed in Albany, and