How do issues in the nursing workforce affect patients in our local hospital systems? A nursing shortage, higher visa fees for international nurses, and questions about recognizing nursing as a professional degree have been top of mind for industry professionals in the region. We sit down with the experts to discuss what they are seeing and efforts to expand the workforce and access to care. In studio:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you feel truly loved? In their new book, psychology professors Harry Reis and Sonja Lyubomirsky explore the connection between love and happiness. According to their research, a key to happiness is feeling loved. They argue that the actions we usually associate with being loved, loving someone, or falling in love differ from truly feeling loved. So how can you nurture that feeling? This hour, we sit down with Reis and his University of Rochester colleague, psychology professor Bonnie Le, to explore the science of love and happiness and what it takes to feel more of both. In studio:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Assemblymember Stephen Hawley is our guest. This is the latest in our series of conversations with local state lawmakers about the State of the State address. Hawley answers our questions and yours about taxes, affordability, energy issues, the role of ICE, and more. Our guest:

• Assemblymember Stephen Hawley,  District 139

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Puerto Ricans in Western New York took in Bad Bunny's Super Bowl set with a unique perspective. They didn't just see elaborate set pieces; they saw sugar cane fields and an island's history. They saw utility poles and flickering lights, referencing Puerto Rico's notoriously shaky energy grid. They heard the sounds of family and community and positivity and resilience. Our guests discuss what it meant to them. We also talk about Bad Bunny's visit to Rochester years ago. In studio:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Judge Richard Dollinger writes about the history of birthright citizenship, and a little-known Rochester connection that goes back to the late 1800s. A Rochester native and lawyer named John Norton Pomeroy argued the first birthright case in California. He contended that a Chinese man, born in California, could not qualify for citizenship because his parents (as non-citizens) were not "subject to the jurisdiction of the United States." Pomeroy lost, and the matter was assumed to be settled for decades. But now the Trump administration wants the current Court to decide that Pomeroy was right all along — and flip birthright citizenship on its head. We discuss it with our guests.

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Across the country, film professors have been shocked to find that many students — even students studying the craft of filmmaking — can't get through a movie anymore. They say students are having a hard time watching both the classics and newer releases. From "The Godfather" to recent films, students are distracted by their phones and unable to keep their focus. What does this mean for our collective future? Our guests discuss what they're experiencing. Our guests:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Government can serve its citizens, or it can serve itself and its friends. No government is immune to insiders exerting their influence to subvert the public interest. When does it become truly corrupt? How can we create conditions to prevent insiders from enriching themselves at our expense? From Venezuela to Eastern Europe and yes, to the United States, we review what we know about government insiders. The World Affairs Council of Rochester is tackling this subject this month with Alfred University President Mark Zupan. He joins us for the hour. Our guest:

• Mark Zupan, Ph.D., president of Alfred University

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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In advance of World Radio Day, we take a hard look at the future of radio: from its role in building public trust; its value to underrepresented communities; and its unique power as one of the last free, accessible news platforms. We also explore radio’s role in music discoverability and a shared space for storytelling and performance. As audiences move to digital and private platforms, does terrestrial radio still matter? And what can radio’s greatest moments teach us about the future of the medium? Guest host Veronica Volk leads a discussion with industry experts:

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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We bring you the top local stories of the week with WXXI News staff. First, the University of Rochester and RIT are seeing a significant drop in international student enrollment. Investigations and enterprise editor Brian Sharp discusses the impact of Trump administration policies on college campuses. Then, reporter Gino Fanelli has been investigating the price tag for Rochester Police Department overtime shifts. He explains what he learned and what it means for the community. And finally, from "Mean" Joe Green sharing a Coke, to Apple's "1984" computer, to the Budweiser Clydesdales, what are the Super Bowl commercials that stand out in your mind? A local sociology researcher explains why certain ads stick, what to look for when it comes to trends, and the cultural significance of Super Bowl commercials.

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Assemblymember Andrea Bailey is our guest this hour as we continue our series of conversations with local lawmakers about the State of the State. Bailey has said that her priorities for this legislative session are public safety, reliable and affordable energy, tax relief, and protecting farmland. She joins us to share her takeaways from Governor Kathy Hochul's address and what she hopes to see accomplished in Albany this year. In studio:

• Assemblymember Andrea Bailey, District 133

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. 

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.