Connections Podcast

It’s Dialogue on Disability Week at WXXI. Throughout the week on Connections, we’ll host a series of conversations about inclusion and disability rights. This hour, we discuss speech therapy with a local mother whose young son has benefited from services provided by a number of community agencies, including the Rochester Hearing & Speech Center . Cooper was diagnosed with several conditions, including Global Body Dyspraxia, Apraxia of Speech, and Sensory Processing Disorder. His mother,

The Trump administration is considering 100 percent tariffs for European wine and other goods. That could effectively double the price of many wines in stores and restaurants, while also doubling the price of olive oil and other goods. The administration says this is a retaliatory move. Thousands of jobs could be at stake. We examine the possible impact with our guests: Kent Gardner , chief economist with the Center for Governmental Research Dan George, wine and spirits representative for T.

Weekend Connections is a collection of some of the most noteworthy moments from the week on Connections with Evan Dawson. This episode includes conversations about: How the death of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani could affect the relationship between the United States and Iran; The future of high-speed rail in New York State; How Measures for Justice is using data to enforce countywide standards for criminal court cases. This edition of Weekend Connections was produced by Connections

Rochester City Court has a new housing section . Now, tenants can bring small claims actions against landlords to be heard by a judge. We talk about how the system will work, and we hear from a local tenant and a local landlord who share their perspectives and concerns. In studio: Mark Muoio , program director of the housing unit at the Legal Aid Society of Rochester Ryan Acuff , member of the City Wide Tenant Union of Rochester Pam Owens Dade, member of the City Wide Tenant Union of Rochester ,

We sit down with students from the University of Rochester who discuss recent controversies on campus related to China. The Hong Kong protests, the status of Taiwan and Tibet, democracy, and human rights were all at the subject of debates among different student groups. We explore the issues. In studio: Efua Agyare-Kumi, third-year student at the University of Rochester and contributing writer to CITY Newspaper Sampson Hao, president of the Chinese Students’ Association at the University of

The Children’s Agenda recently released a new report that shows there’s a growing shortage of affordable and available child care services, both locally and nationally. According to the report, Rochester has seen improvements in the availability of child care for children in pre-K, but options for infants and toddlers are increasingly difficult to find. The Children’s Agenda is calling on local, state, and federal partners to invest more in the child care system and in providers. This hour, we

Amy Bach, president and executive director of Measures for Justice , returns to Connections. Bach is a Rochester native whose work is aimed at facilitating fairness in the criminal justice system through data-driven initiatives. She’ll be giving a public presentation at the Harley School, but first, she joins us to discuss updates with Measures for Justice, legislative action in various states, and her thoughts on bail reform in New York. In studio: Amy Bach, president and executive director of

Inside Higher Ed reports that more institutions now have chief diversity officers than ever before. But what do those positions entail? How do colleges and universities make decisions about the roles and responsibilities of diversity offices, and how do they measure results when it comes to creating more diverse and inclusive campus communities? This hour, we’re joined by local chief diversity officers who share how their institutions are providing structural responses to cultural issues. In

We're joined by RIT professor Sarah Burns, who has written a new book called "The Politics of War Powers." She argues that the U.S. Constitution creates an invitation to struggle between the legislative and executive branches of government, but the president has little checks and balances when it comes to how he uses the U.S. military. She joins us to discuss her research, and how it relates to recent events in Iran. In studio: Sarah Burns , associate professor in the Department of Political

The team from “This Old House” is coming to Rochester. The show is celebrating its 40th season with a special event at the Hochstein School Monday night. We talk to host Kevin O’Connor and carpenter Nathan Gilbert about the show’s success, trends in the home improvement industry, and more. Then, we sit down with local contractors and architects who answer our questions and yours. Our guests: Kevin O’Connor , host of "This Old House" and "Ask This Old House TV" Nathan Gilbert , carpenter on "Ask