Connections Podcast

The future of the local economy will strongly feature the tech sector. So what does it look like in Rochester and the Finger Lakes? The Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce has put together a regional tech conference , and it will include the following themes: clean technology; diversity in the workforce; millennials in tech; making a start-up successful; and more. We preview the conference with our guests: Justin Copie, owner and CEO of Innovative Solutions Kevin Schulte, CEO of GreenSpark

The Green Party candidate for State Comptroller is in Rochester. Mark Dunlea is an environmental and anti-poverty activist. His platform focuses on divesting the state pension fund from fossil fuels. This hour, we talk to him about his candidacy and his priorities for the state.

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: The Sankofa Theatre Festival, and a question about America's "greatness;" The Boy Scouts inviting girls to join their organization; Toxic masculinity in football culture.

It’s our annual Fringe Festival preview. The 11-day festival includes more than 500 performances. We sit down with the festival’s producer and artists from a range of acts to talk about what’s on stage at this year’s event. In studio: Erica Fee, producer of the KeyBank Rochester Fringe Festival Abby DeVuyst, co-creator of “Bushwhacked Backyard” Tokeya Graham, member of We All Write and its performance, “BirthWrite” Corrine Fallone, artist performing in “The Painter” Penny Sterling, storyteller

The Summer of Food conversation examines two new local businesses whose owners have come from very different places. Steadfast opened in Rochester's East End when owner Nick Garofoli decided to move from New York City, where he was working in the same kind of restaurant and bar scene. Living Roots is a wine company and bar with ties to both Rochester and Australia. So why did the owners envision a future in Rochester, instead of bigger markets? We talk about their efforts to grow and thrive in

While Republicans scramble to figure out if they can replace Rep. Chris Collins on the November ballot, another Republican is already in the race. Local businessman Larry Piegza is running on the Reform Party line, and is a Republican who was calling for Collins' ouster as early as last year. We talk to Piegza about his views on Congress, his goals for changing how government communicates with citizens, and more.

The film, “2001: A Space Odyssey” turns 50 this year. In honor of the anniversary, we discuss the film and how it portrayed artificial intelligence. Was Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 interpretation of what AI would look like in 2001 accurate? What does the computer, HAL, teach us about ethics and technology? We discuss those questions and the current state of AI with our guests: Christopher Kanan , Ph.D., assistant professor in the Carlson Center for Imaging Science at RIT Hayley Clatterbuck ,

Governor Cuomo recently announced 13 projects he says will transform the Genesee River waterfront. The projects are part of the ROC the Riverway initiative, which aims to revitalize Rochester’s underutilized waterfront space. This hour, we get an update on the initiative and its potential impact on tourism and economic investment in our area. We also take a deep dive into the projects the governor selected for state funding. In studio: Anne Kress , co-chair of the ROC the Riverway Advisory Panel

The Boy Scouts are making some changes to their organization, and the move has led to a debate. Starting in February, the Boy Scouts will welcome older girls and will drop the word “boy” from its namesake program. This summer, the Cub Scouts began welcoming girls. Spokespeople for the organization say the changes are being made to foster more inclusivity; they are part of the new Scout Me In campaign, which welcomes scouts of both genders. This hour, we discuss the changes, what parents need to

11 th annual Sankofa Theatre Festival celebrates the bicentennial observance of Frederick Douglass’ birthday. We discuss an upcoming play based on his ideals, and get a preview of other works that highlight African American voices. In studio: Richard Kendrick, actor in "The Green Book Chronicles" at the Sankofa Theatre Festival Reuben J. Tapp, director of "The Green Book Chronicles" at the Sankofa Theatre Festival Kevin Hicks, public relations manager for the annual Sankofa Theatre Festival