Connections Podcast

In a recent op-ed for the New York Times, writer Charlie Warzel says, "Heading into our pandemic summer, my biggest worry is that in the effort to get Americans to flatten the coronavirus curve, nobody prepared the country for what comes next." He makes a case for how to build public trust and prepare Americans for the months ahead as parts of the country reopen. Our guest: Charlie Warzel , New York Times opinion writer at large

“Plandemic” – the debunked film about COVID-19, featuring a discredited researcher – went viral before platforms did their best to remove it. More than eight million people watched the movie, which pushes conspiracy theories and misinformation about the origins of and treatments for COVD-19. While news sources have reported on the hoax, many people have shared points and clips from the film, saying they believe the information that has been proven false. How do you have conversations with people

Local realtors say Rochester’s housing market is still hot, despite the pandemic. While the number of newly listed homes has decreased sharply, buyers are taking tours over Zoom, waiving inspections, and putting in offers well over asking price. This hour, we’re joined by four real estate brokers who give us an inside look at the housing market during this unprecedented time. They also discuss how they anticipate the pandemic could change the market and the buying/selling process in the future.

Governor Andrew Cuomo recently said that the pandemic should change the way we approach schools. He said that with technology, and our new experience with remote learning, some things should not go back to the way they were before. The governor is not suggesting that all learning happen remotely; he wants to take the good aspects of remote learning and apply them going forward. But many parents and teachers are apprehensive about that; they are struggling to find much good to take from this

Many parents across the country have had to make major adjustments to their home and work lives in order to balance child care and their careers during the pandemic. Some single parents in particular say they’ve struggled. The New York Times recently profiled four women who decided to become single mothers on their own. The women describe why they chose their paths, the joys of motherhood, and the unexpected challenges they’ve come to face -- especially during the pandemic. One of those women is

Authorities in Georgia say there were no burglaries, no reported thefts in the two months before the stalking and killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery in February. Two white men, a father and son, tracked and then killed Arbery in the residential street of their mostly white neighborhood. Our guests discuss what it's like to be an African American man just wanting to go for a jog in public or to exercise without provoking fear. We also discuss what it might take to build a society in which the

Quarantine fatigue is real, says Julia Marcus of the Harvard Medical School. Writing for The Atlantic, she argues that shaming people for disobeying guidelines is a bad idea. She writes, "Public-health experts have known for decades that an abstinence-only message doesn’t work for sex. It doesn’t work for substance use, either. Likewise, asking Americans to abstain from nearly all in-person social contact will not hold the coronavirus at bay—at least not forever." So what should we do about it?

We welcome three guests who have had COVID-19. They share their experiences: the symptoms, the hospitalization, the lingering effects. They come from different age brackets, with different backgrounds. Our guests: Sara Matteson Anita Spoor Madelein Smith

Can we hold reliable elections during a pandemic? In June, New York State will hold primary and special elections. November is, of course, the general election. The pandemic means there will be voting from home, voting by mail, and new ways of trying to get out the vote. But will voting be truly accessible to all? Our guests discuss this vital issue: Susan Lerner , executive director of Common Cause New York Dustin Czarny, commissioner of the Onondaga County Board of Elections Jesse Lenney ,

A recent op-ed for the New York Times criticized the federal government’s approach to emergency food aid during the pandemic. The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program includes $3 billion for purchasing fresh food for food banks and other organizations serving people in need, but the piece argues that those organizations don’t have the infrastructure to handle the volume currently required. Instead, the article’s authors say the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)’s existing structure