Connections Podcast

ATVs and dirt bikes are all over the streets of Rochester, and sometimes the drivers are ignoring traffic laws and safety guidelines. Local government is preparing to crack down harder on such activity. But the riders say they have nowhere to go, and they just want a safe outlet for their passion. So what’s the most sensible way to approach this issue? Our guests: Rachel Barnhart , Monroe County Legislator Jose Peo , Rochester City Council Member Demond Meeks , New York State Assemblymember

Could you bike to work? What about to your favorite coffee shop or restaurant? The pandemic has created a "bike boom," and leaders at the Rochester Cycling Alliance want to keep that going. They are kicking off a new messaging campaign called "20 Minutes by Bike." The goal is to help community members use maps to visualize how quickly they can get to nearby destinations by bike. We talk with local bike bloggers about bike transit in Rochester. Our guests: Jesse Peers , Cycling Coordinator for

We talk with organizers and participants in the Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival . The event is in its 14th year. This year's virtual festival is set for Saturday, May 15. Participants will be able to hear from authors of young adult books, attend workshops, and visit virtual publisher booths. We talk with festival representatives about the program and the latest in reading trends among young adults. Our guests: Colleen Hernandez , co-director of the Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival, and

We continue our series of conversations with candidates for Rochester City Council in advance of Primary Day. We hear from Leticia Astacio. She's one of 16 candidates vying for five at-large seats. We talk with her about her platforms, her priorities, and about issues affecting Rochester. Our guest: Leticia Astacio *Note: Willie Lightfoot declined invitations to join these conversations. Patricia Williams-McGahee cancelled her appearance.

According to a new report for the Council on Criminal Justice, during lockdowns, rates of domestic violence rose by an average of about eight percent in the U.S. and across the globe. The data represents people who were able to seek help. In October, we were joined by representatives from RESOLVE of Greater Rochester and Willow Domestic Violence Center to discuss how social isolation, unemployment, and stay at home orders were impacting victims of violence and assault. We reexamine the issue now

In her new book, Heather McGhee argues that America will not reach its potential until white people understand that racism hurts everybody. McGhee uses historical examples to make her case -- from the subprime mortgage crisis to the filling and closing of formerly all-white public swimming pools. Her book is called "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together." She'll be a keynote speaker at Monroe Community College on May 19, but first, she joins us on Connections.

How can we make mental health services accessible to everyone? It's a question leaders at the Interdenominational Health Ministry Coalition have been considering. They've launched a pilot program called Community Counseling Circle , and it's aimed at providing counseling to underserved populations. We talk about the new program and about the value of culturally competent care. Our guests: Reverend Phyllis Jackson , RN, founder and executive director of the Interdenominational Health Ministry

Restaurants are struggling to convince employees to come back to work. Federal unemployment assistance runs through August, and many workers feel that if restaurants won't pay more, it's not worth giving up the benefits. Restaurant owners call it a crisis, but workers are organizing and calling it an opportunity to re-balance what all restaurant employees are paid. Our guests discuss it: Richard Bensinger, union organizer Andrea DePasquale, worker at Nani’s Kitchen Candace Doell, executive chef

What did Virginia Woolf, Oliver Sacks, and Emily Dickinson have in common? They all suffered from migraine, and wrote about their experiences. A new book collects the writing of migraine sufferers in an attempt to help the general public understand this disease. Our guest is the editor who collected these pieces of literature; she's also an author and migraine sufferer herself: Kathy O'Shea , professor of English at Monroe Community College, and author/editor of "So Much More than a Headache:

New Yorkers are losing a congressional seat. The U.S. Census Bureau announced this week that New York State fell 89 residents short of the threshold necessary for keeping its full allotment of House Representatives. As a result, the map will be redrawn... and the bizarre "earmuff district" could make a comeback. New York districts have long been oddly shaped, designed to favor one political party or another. The mechanisms designed to make the process transparent and equitable don't always do