Connections Podcast

Yet another mass shooting has happened at an American school. The shooting in Parkland, Florida on Wednesday is one of the deadliest school shootings in modern U.S. history. The 19-year-old gunman killed 17 students and staff members when he carried an AR-15 rifle into the building. What will it take to stop these shootings? And what will and should schools do in response? We’re joined by local superintendents who share the steps they’re taking in their districts, and how they talk to students

President Trump wants to reduce funding for food stamp programs and change the way the SNAP program works. Critics have called it the "Blue Apron of food stamps," arguing that people in poverty deserve choice, and can't always accommodate specific food preparation needs. The White House, and Republicans in Congress like Tom Reed, point to the need to crack down on fraud and waste. We explore his proposal and hear from people in the food access movement. Our guests: Mitch Gruber , chief program

Rochester is known for its work in optics and photonics, and now an accelerator program hopes to expand the next generation of technology in these areas. But what's happening with photonics specifically in the region? Who are the companies who have received state support to grow their businesses in Rochester? We have an update, and explore the Luminate NY initiative. Our guests: Vinnie Esposito , Finger Lakes Regional Director for Empire State Development Sujatha Ramanujan, managing director for

We’re talking about road diets. If you aren’t familiar with the term, it refers to reducing lanes or roads in order to minimize traffic accidents, reduce the amount of traffic, and create more space for all modes of transportation. Transit experts say road diets "can be seen as one of the transportation safety field's greatest success stories,” but, despite the research, critics say the best way to reduce traffic is to create more lanes. The state DOT says it is moving in a direction of road

A number of local groups are joining together to develop what they call a “united community response to Donald Trump’s hatred and racism.” The event will be led by Minister Franklin Florence Sr. We're joined by the event’s organizers to discuss their goals, and we also welcome comments from supporters of Donald Trump. Our guests: Minister Clifford Florence, president of the Faith Community Alliance Larry Knox, political and community engagement coordinator for 1199 SEIU Howard Eagle,

The Red Wings are staying in Rochester. The county and the team announced a ten-year deal at a news conference on Monday. This comes as a relief to fans who were worried about the team’s future in Rochester, and the possibility of having two empty stadiums in the city. We discuss the deal and how a team like the Red Wings impacts the community. Our guests: Naomi Silver , president and CEO/COO for Rochester Community Baseball Scott Pitoniak , longtime Rochester sports columnist and author Keith

A poll conducted in the aftermath of the Charlottesville rallies found that while few Americans will outwardly express support for white nationalism or racially-charged ideas, more than 30 percent say they think the country needs to “protect and preserve its White European heritage.” A local filmmaker is hoping to spark engaging conversations about multiculturalism and how homogenizing groups can lead to violence. Mara Ahmed has been outspoken about borders and nationalism, and about

New York is ranked 30th in the nation for the lowest maternal mortality rate, and Governor Cuomo is introducing efforts to drive down the number of maternal deaths. He's creating a Maternal Mortality Review Board to analyze every maternal death in the state. He's also pushing to require all health insurance policies to cover maternal depression screening. We talk to experts about how these efforts could help women, and we discuss how to combat the stigma of maternal depression. Our guests: Dr.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul could face a new challenger for her seat – and he’s from her own party. New York City Council member Jumaane Williams is exploring a possible campaign. The Democrat calls himself an "activist-elected official” and has been outspoken about a number of social justice issues. We talk to Williams about his possible run and how he would serve alongside a governor who might not agree with him.

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: Abuses faced by women in Hollywood; The Cadillac Hotel, and how to help Rochester's homeless population; The Magical Negro; The rock and roll scene in the 1970s and 1980s, with rock legend Eddie Money.