Connections Podcast

This week, ethics reform crashed and burned before it could take off in Monroe County. Republicans pulled back from a bill that could have forced Monroe County Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Mendoza to resign. But what, exactly, is the kind of ethics reform that the county needs? Recently one legislator was accused of various kinds of harassment and sexual misconduct by roughly a dozen women, and there is no ethics standard that could trigger his removal. So, what's next? We discuss it with

How can nature play a role in fostering physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing? Lucienne Nicholson says the outdoors offer remarkable benefits in those areas. She founded an organization called Inclusive Woods & Us in 2019. The goal is to provide people from all backgrounds a chance to experience nature. Nicholson says race and income are the two most significant factors blocking equitable access to the outdoors. This hour, we talk about the mission of her organization, and about how

The Young Entrepreneur Marketplace is gearing up for its sixth event. All of the products at this “buy local” experience are made by Rochester-area kids and teens. It’s an opportunity for them to start or continue their entrepreneur journey. We talk with the young business owners and the program’s founder about their work. Our guests: Julius Davis, co-CEO of Kid Drip LLC Jayell Davis, co-CEO of Kid Drip LLC Jair Bell, co-CEO of Kid Drip LLC Silas Alvarez, CEO and creator of @Socially Silas and

From lockdowns to remote learning to wearing masks in public, experts say COVID-19 policies and procedures were effective in limiting exposure to the virus. But, more than a year later, those experts say that there’s a reason to be concerned about children’s immunological development being compromised. Writing for The Conversation, viral immunologist Byram Bridle says, “Raising children during the pandemic has largely occurred in isolated/sanitized environments that are unprecedented in extent

The City of Rochester has a new composting pilot program. We talk about what it entails, and our guests answer your questions about home composting. Our guests: Robert Putney , co-founder and CEO of Impact Earth Emily Pacifico , operations manager at Impact Earth John Hicks, president of Organix Green Industries

We continue our series of conversations with local teachers about what they've learned during the pandemic and how they think the education system should change in the long term. Our guests this hour share the challenges they’ve faced, the successes they’ve had, and how they could see their profession changing as a result of the pandemic. Our guests: Evvy Fanning, local high school English teacher Meagan Harris, special education teacher at the Rochester City School District Olivia Nieboer, 7th

The Puerto Rican Festival is back. The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic. This year’s festivities will be different than in previous years: events will be held over two separate days at two different locations, and admission is free. One of the goals is to bring the festival to different parts of the city. This hour, we preview this year’s events and talk about the festival’s past, present, and future. Our guests: Orlando Ortiz, president of the Puerto Rican Festival Jessica Del

Are COVID-19 vaccine booster shots needed? Government health officials say they aren't necessary right now, but Pfizer and other companies are trying to make the case. How will we know how viable the boosters might be and when we might need them? What are the ethical responsibilities of a country like the U.S. that’s considering boosters when many people in some nations don’t even have their first doses? We're joined by the experts to discuss these questions are more. Our guests: Angela Branche,

There are more women making wine in the Finger Lakes than ever before, and yet the industry remains largely run by men. Efforts to diversify have been slow. Julia Hoyle was a women's studies major at William Smith College when she entered the wine industry; now she's the winemaker at Hosmer, where she's occasionally told she "drives the forklift like a man." Nova Cadamatre is the first woman winemaker to become a Master of Wine in the entire country; previously it was all men. Cadamatre launched

The Biden administration has launched the biggest anti-poverty program in more than half a century in this country. The money started rolling out last Thursday: checks to households in every state, aimed at helping more than 60 million children. Who gets the money, and how far will it go? Our guests break down what we need to know about this ambitious plan. Our guests: Pete Nabozny , director of policy for The Children's Agenda Yversha Roman , director of CASH (Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope