Connections Podcast

New York State is getting ready to raise the minimum wage to $12.50 per hour. That increase will take effect at the end of this year. Business groups are asking the state to delay the minimum wage increase. They argue that the pandemic is a bad time to increase costs for businesses. Workers respond that the increase is long overdue. Our guests debate it: Justin Wilcox , Unshackle Upstate Executive Director Greg Biryla , New York State Director for the National Federation of Independent

The Monroe County Jail has seen more than 100 COVID-19 infections. Sheriff Todd Baxter says his department is doing everything it can to make sure the inmate population is protected. We discuss the challenge of running a jail during a pandemic. Our guests: Captain James McGowan, Monroe County Jail Julie Cianca, special assistant public defender for the Monroe County Public Defender's Office

"Great music at a bad time." That's the title of a new playlist put together by CITY Magazine. As written by arts editor Daniel Kushner , the playlist is a "non-comprehensive but varied collection of some of Rochester’s best new audio creations. From the country rock of Benton Sillick’s project The Heavy Love Trust to the big-band feel of up-and-coming pop bands such as The Sideways and Nancy, from the gritty, impassioned hip-hop of artists including Capital Cee and Young, Black, and Gifted to

Healthcare workers and COVID-19 vaccine trial participants in Rochester began receiving their first dose of the vaccine on Tuesday. Experts say the side effects are mild and relatively common, but there are growing calls for employers to be flexible with employees in the 24-48 hours after vaccination. We talk about what to expect with side effects and how it has been going for early vaccine recipients. Our guests: Deborah Pierce , M.D., clinical associate professor of family medicine at the

Historic abuse of communities of color through medical research has many Black Americans hesitant about getting a COVID vaccine. Dr. Angela Branche is working to address those concerns. She joins us along with community activist Justin Morris and vaccine trial participant Jackie Dozier to discuss a number of issues and questions surrounding the vaccines, and how to ensure communities of color feel informed. Our guests: Angela Branche , M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Medicine

We're joined by Fred Guttenberg, an anti-gun violence activist whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was killed in the Parkland school shooting in 2018. Her death came just four months after the loss of his brother Michael, an emergency medical worker who died of a 9/11-related cancer. Since his daughter's murder, Guttenberg has dedicated his life to advocating for gun safety legislation and, in his words, "break up the gun lobby." His new book, "Find the Helpers," chronicles his work and highlights

Gaming and tech experts say the video game industry is thriving during the pandemic. The games are serving as a way for people to stay connected while being physically distanced. Rochester has a growing community of game developers. This hour, we talk to local experts about the current and future state of the gaming industry and its impact on the local economy. Our guests: Rob Mostyn , director and co-founder of ROC Game Dev , and coordinator of the digital games hub at the RIT MAGIC Center Tory

Monroe County's Republican Committee has a new leader. Bernie Iacovangelo has stepped in as acting chair, replacing Bill Napier. Napier held the position since June 2019. Iacovangelo served as leader of Chili's Republican Committee since 2004. He joins us to share his goals for his new role, and his ideas for how Republicans can win more support in urban areas. Our guests: Bernie Iacovangelo, acting chair of the Monroe County Republican Committee David Dunning, secretary of the Monroe County

For the first time in years, the Monroe County Legislature engaged in a heated debate over the budget, with the county executive criticizing some members of his own party. The budget passed and survived a veto, with some Democrats joining with Republicans to override. Now the Democratic leadership is alleging that the legislature is wasting tax dollars on a so-called "slush fund," all to allow incumbents to pass out cash during an election year. Our guests discuss the budget and the sources of

Two political parties survived Governor Cuomo's rules changes this year: the Working Families Party, and the Conservative Party. Both parties want candidates to run for office on their lines next year. But these are not third parties that have traditionally fielded their own candidates, trying to knock off Republicans and Democrats. Will the changes hurt the choices for voters? What can third parties accomplish in New York State? Our guest discusses these questions and how potential candidates