Connections Podcast

Students across the country walked out of their schools Wednesday morning in an organized protest against gun violence and to remember the 17 victims of the mass school schooling in Parkland, Florida last month. WXXI News reached out to every school district in Monroe County to ask how districts were handling and responding to the walkouts. Most districts supported students; one required parental permission for students to participate, and without it, students were disciplined. This hour, we

Officers from New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) are in Rochester. They join us to discuss a range of issues, including school safety; testing; a feared teacher shortage; the New York State budget; and the Janus vs. AFSCME case, which could impact union member and worker rights. In studio: Andy Pallotta, president of NYSUT Jolene DiBrango, executive vice president of NYSUT

World renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking died early Wednesday morning in Cambridge at age 76. The visionary scientist is best known for his work with black holes, general relativity, and quantum mechanics, but as physicist Adam Frank says, Hawking’s story is about more than the science. At age 22, Hawking was diagnosed with ALS and given only a few years to live. He used a wheelchair and a voice synthesizer to speak. As Frank says, Hawking’s story is about the triumph of the human spirit

The Black Cinema Series at The Little Theatre continues this month with the documentary, The Rape of Recy Taylor . Oprah recently mentioned Taylor’s name during her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, saying Taylor never got justice after she was raped by six white men. Taylor’s case – and others like hers – helped spark the civil rights movement. We discuss Taylor’s legacy, race relations in 2018, and issues surrounding sexual assault. In studio: Kevin Hicks , journalist and vice president

Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and Berkshire Hathaway are joining together to launch a new healthcare company. They may seem like strange bedfellows in the healthcare industry, but they think their partnership and ideas could help drive down the cost of care for their employees – about 950,000 people worldwide. How will they do it? One option is offering telemedicine technology to providers. It’s a growing service that is already widely used in our area. So what will the future of healthcare look like

Two of the best players in the NBA recently went public about their struggles with mental health. Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers wrote a piece for the Players Tribune in which he opened up about an anxiety attack during a recent game. DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors tweeted and then gave interviews about his long-standing battle with depression. Within days, each player had heard from thousands of fans who decided to finally open up about their own challenges with mental health. We

President Trump is moving forward with plans for a national military parade this coming November. The parade, estimated to cost between $3 million and $50 million, will celebrate the American military and its achievements throughout history. Our panel consists of veterans who discuss the meaning of such a parade, and whether they think it should happen. In studio: Todd Baxter , Monroe County Sheriff who has 22 years of service with the U.S. Army Dominick Annese, U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam

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: Immigration policy and whether Latinos are considered "real Americans;" The film, Get Out , and commentary on race in film; Eating disorders in athletes.

A state judge on Wednesday ruled in favor of the Towns of Pittsford, Perinton and Brighton in their effort to halt the clear cutting of trees along the Erie Canal, at least until the Canal Corporation and the New York Power Authority comply with the State Environmental Quality Review Act. It is, for now, a victory for residents and community members who have argued the project is wrong-headed, and potentially unsafe. We hear from the Power Authority, and our guests in studio: Ginny Maier and

Rochester's Parcel 5 got a fresh launch this week with the introduction of a re-worked design plan. It maintains the plan for a performing arts center while adding more open space to allow for community use, including concerts during the jazz festival. There are other tweaks as well. Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren enthusiastically endorsed the vision. Our guests discuss it: Sandy Parker, former CEO of the Rochester Business Alliance, and new leader of the project team for Parcel 5 Willie Joe