Connections Podcast

Rochester City Council sent a letter to the mayor Thursday asking that protesters be allowed to peacefully demonstrate following the death of Daniel Prude. Thursday night, Rochester police fired many rounds of pepper balls, and a New York Times reporter described RPD as behaving more aggressively than police in other cities where protests have taken place. We talk to members of Council about their oversight powers and what they expect to happen next. Our guests: Malik Evans Mary Lupien

We continue our conversation issues surrounding Daniel Prude, who died , We welcome members of the Rochester Police Accountability Board to discuss policing in Rochester and possible reforms. We're also joined by Rochester CITY Newspaper reporter Gino Fanelli, who discusses his recent piece examining 50 years of police reform in Rochester. Our guests: Shani Wilson, chair of the Rochester Police Accountability Board Danielle Tucker, member of the Rochester Police Accountability Board Drorah Setel

The death of Daniel Prude in Rochester police custody has sparked local demonstrations and outreach across the country. Connections is devoting both hours to this story. In our first hour, we hear from community leaders who have been calling for various reforms. They respond to the mayor's claims that she had to keep this case quiet, along with her claims that Rochester does not have the problems that other cities have when it comes to policing. We also discuss other possible reforms. Our guests

The Rochester Teachers Association advocated for a full remote learning schedule to open the school year. That's exactly what the district decided to do. It makes Rochester the only district in Monroe County without any in-person learning this fall. There have been mixed reactions, with some parents saying that this puts predominantly Black and brown children at a disadvantage. Our guests discuss the decision and the plans for the fall: Adam Urbanski, president of the Rochester Teachers

It's the time of year for political yard signs and flags, but this election season feels different. Neighbors tell us that political signs elicit powerful emotions, sometimes anger. And some listeners tell us they are afraid to put up political signs because they don’t know how their neighbors will react. We talk about the psychology of political signs and why they feel so divisive this time around. Our guests: Seth Steinehour, Rochester resident Andrea Holland, Rochester resident Eric,

September 8 marks the first day of school for students in the Pittsford Central School District. Administrators, teachers, and families have spent the summer preparing for students to be back in the classroom – either in-person or remotely. This hour, we continue our series of conversations with local superintendents about reopening schools. We’re joined by Pittsford Central School District Superintendent Mike Pero, who shares his district’s plans for learning models, masking, testing, and more.

We talk to students about going back to school. The students range in age from elementary level to high school. Some are returning to the physical classrooms; others are not. We talk to the students about what they feel like they need most in this new pandemic school year. Our guests: Gwen, rising fourth grader at Klem Road South Elementary School in Webster Randell Warren, rising freshman at UPrep Rochester Paige O’Malley, rising freshman at Minerva DeLand 9th Grade School in Fairport Oscar

Is the United States a country focused on rugged individualism or community spirit? Can it be both? Libertarians tend to advocate for the rights of individuals, and our guest is a Libertarian running for Congress. We talk about what rugged individualism means during a crisis; how to build community; the role of the federal government in assisting businesses and local governments; and more. Our guest: Kevin Wilson , Libertarian running for Congress

A new project called “In This Moment” is highlighting Black leaders, writers, and photographers in our community. The work will result in a series of chat books, where essays and photos tell the remarkable stories of local leaders – stories the project’s organizers say are historically undervalued. We talk to the team behind “In This Moment” about their work, their goals for the series of books, and the value of highlighting Black voices through art. Our guests: Amanda Chestnut , curator of “In

The debate over the challenges faced by the United States Postal Service and how to solve them roils on. From funding cuts to concerns over mail-in voting options, there’s much at stake for the future of the service. This hour, our guests discuss the history of the USPS, the sources of its financial trouble, its role in American democracy, and what’s next. Our guests: Richard John , professor of history and communications at Columbia University, and author of “Spreading the News: The American