Connections Podcast

Monroe County Board of Elections commissioners join us to explain the options for voting during the pandemic. After a chaotic primary in June, the commissioners have been working to make sure that everyone who wants to vote understands their options. We discuss voting by mail, voting in person, and we answer any questions that listeners have. Our guests: Jackie Ortiz, Democratic commissioner for the Monroe County Board of Elections Lisa Nicolay, Republican commissioner for the Monroe County

The Black Healers Network of Greater Rochester is a newly organized group of Black health providers whose mission is to provide culturally competent care for Black patients. The group released a statement following the death of Daniel Prude, calling on local, state, and federal governments to adapt several recommendations for addressing mental health crisis intervention. This hour, we talk with members of the network about their goals, their recommendations, and the impact that culturally

We continue our series of conversations with candidates for office. This hour, we hear from the two candidates vying for the 133rd Assembly District seat. Republican incumbent Marjorie Byrnes is running for her second term. Her opponent, Democrat ChaRon Sattler-Leblanc is a first-time candidate known for her work with the group Moms Demand Action. We talk with the candidates about their platforms and their priorities for the district. Our guests: Marjorie Byrnes , Republican candidate for the

In an op-ed for the Atlantic , writer David Graham is calling for the next two presidential debates to be canceled. He writes, "The event was a shambolic shout fest, with scarcely a single morsel of substance to be found." The Commission on Presidential Debates says it plans to make changes to the format for the next two debates, and Thursday morning, is said it is considering one of the changes to be cutting off microphones if candidates break the rules. Should the debates be canceled? Will

CITY News editor David Andreatta joins us to discuss CITY'S newest cover story on Mayor Lovely Warren. We talk about how CITY sees the Daniel Prude controversy, as well as changes to CITY's publishing schedule. Our guest: David Andreatta , editor of CITY News

The sharp one-day rise in COVID-19 cases in New York City sparked concern across the state. NYC saw its infection rate move from 1.93% to 3% in just 24 hours. Other regions, including Rochester/Finger Lakes, remain around 1%. Should we expect numbers to start moving upward? Our guests discuss the state of the pandemic locally. What do we know about community spread in our region? What do the demographics look like? How effective are we at containing and treating the disease? Our guests: Dr. Emil

Is it time to change the voting age to 16? This week NPR profiled the man who is leading a national movement on lowering the voting age. He argues that young Americans will have to live longer with the consequences of policy making, so they should be able to join the voting process sooner. Critics argue that adults age 18-29 barely vote as it is. Our guests debate the merits of changing the voting age: Paul Hypolite , public affairs strategist Allison Bourgeois, high school junior Gary Pudup,

We're looking at a potential United States after Roe v Wade. For conservatives, a long-held dream could finally become reality: with the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the court could soon have a conservative super-majority, and Roe v Wade could be overturned. For progressives, it's a nightmare: the end of abortion rights at the federal level, and a 50-state patchwork of different laws. Our guests discuss what could happen, and what to expect: Sharon Stiller , J.D.,

The New York Times has obtained Donald Trump's tax information, which journalists have been seeking for many years now. They report that the president paid exactly $750 in total taxes in 2016, the same in 2017, and zero in most other years. That's because the president reported massive business losses, and he wrote off a number of other expensive items -- like haircuts. Critics say the president is bound to be in trouble with the IRS for fudging the books. Supporters say that he simply did what

The recent summer-like weather won’t stick around too long, and with the cold months approaching – and no end to the pandemic in sight – the way we live and socialize will change. In March, when the pandemic began, we had a conversation on this program about how to help people who may feel isolated or lonely. Those issues are still a concern for many people, and especially individuals who struggle with mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders. Research from July shows that more