Connections Podcast

Polls continue to show a united Republican Party behind President Trump. For the Democrats, the primary season brought a record number of candidates. We talk to a panel of Democrats who worked to elect candidates other than Joe Biden. We discuss whether the party has been able to align its values enough to win next week. Our guests: Robin Wilt , former supporter of Bernie Sanders David Zavac , former supporter of Amy Klobuchar Jay Levine, former supporter of Elizabeth Warren

We hear from Shauna O'Toole, who is running for the 54th State Senate District. Her opponent, Senator Pamela Helming, declined to join the conversation. Our guest: Shauna O'Toole , Democratic candidate for the 54th State Senate District

We're joined by Judge Christopher Ciaccio, who is running for Surrogate Court. His opponent, Elena Cariola, declined to join us. We talk to Ciaccio about his work on the bench. Our guest: Judge Christopher Ciaccio , candidate for Surrogate Court

The death of Daniel Prude in police custody has led to conversations about police training. What are officers trained to do in specific situations? Should that training be changed? We talk with a retired Rochester Police Department sergeant and a retired Rochester Police Department lieutenant about the state of police training. Our guests: Marvin Stepherson , retired sergeant with the Rochester Police Department, and adjunct professor in the Adult Pathway Program at Roberts Wesleyan College

Plastic usage, and plastic waste, has risen during the pandemic. Part of that is because we're in the world of takeout dining, and plastic packaging is everywhere. Our guests discuss how we can find ways to reduce our own contribution to landfills - plastic and otherwise. They bring thoughtful ideas to everyday living. Our guests: Harshita Sood , assistant director for campus sustainability at RIT Fenna Mandolang, MRF operations manager for Modern Corporation Gary Carrel , solid waste recycling

Two of the three candidates on the ballot for the 27th Congressional district join us. It's the final chance for many listeners to hear these candidates at length before voting. This was a seat held previously by Chris Collins, who was sentenced to prison for insider trading. Republican Chris Jacobs won the special election earlier this year; he is running for a full term in this race, but he did not respond to invitations to join us. Our guests: Nate McMurray , Democratic candidate for Congress

We discuss the latest in breast cancer screening, research, and treatment. Local doctors say there are misconceptions and confusion about who should be screened and when. They help us understand the guidelines, the role of breast density and genetics in diagnosis, and more. We also hear from a breast cancer patient who shares her story. Our guests: Avice O’Connell , M.D., director of women’s imaging and professor in the Department of Imaging Sciences at the University of Rochester Medical Center

We talk with the two candidates for Monroe County Court Judge. Democrat Meredith Vacca and Republican Derek Harnsberger are both assistant district attorneys. They discuss why they're seeking the judgeship and explain their work on the bench. Our guests: Meredith Vacca Derek Harnsberger

On Wednesday, Monroe County Executive Adam Bello announced a new set of grants to help small businesses during the pandemic. The county will use $15 million in federal relief funding to provide support for personal services businesses, including retail and dining. We talk about the program, who is eligible, and we take questions from business owners who want to apply. Our guests: Rachel Barnhart , Monroe County Legislator Ana Liss , director of the Monroe County Department of Planning and

We're joined by candidates for the 134th Assembly District. The district covers the towns of Greece, Hilton, Spencerport, Ogden, and Parma. Current Assemblyman Peter Lawrence is not seeking reelection. We talk to the candidates about their platforms and priorities. Our guests: Dylan Dailor (WF) Josh Jensen (R) Ericka Jones (G) *Note: Carolyn Carrol, the Democratic candidate, is unable to join the conversation.