Connections Podcast

More than 88,000 homeless families are living in shelters across New York State. That’s according to a new housing activism campaign called Housing Justice for All . The coalition of state advocacy groups is dedicated to helping low-income tenants and homeless New Yorkers secure affordable, safe, and warm housing. The movement was launched in early January, coming just days before tenants in two Rochester apartment complexes exposed inadequate heating and additional problems in their buildings.

We begin 2018's Dialogue on Disability Week with a conversation about autism. New research published in JAMA indicates that the rates of autism spectrum disorder among U.S. children remained stable from 2014 to 2016. That's a change from earlier studies, which suggested that autism rates rose steadily over the past 20 years. The authors of the recent study pointed to changes in diagnostic criteria, more public awareness, and more children being referred to doctors as among the principle reasons

When the iconic film Broadcast News was released in 1987, director James L. Brooks gave audiences a well-researched and honest look at how network news was changing. Some say it served as a warning of how an increasing emphasis on attractive anchors and entertainment-driven ideas were growing at the expense of quality journalism. Did the film predict the future of the news industry? In a recent interview published in The Ringer, Brooks said he doesn't think his film created a lens for the future

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 debate over police officers' body-worn cameras; How to improve access to healthy food in all communities; Finding a balance between all modes of transportation.

Whatever happened to Obama-era pop music? According to the New Yorker, it's already dated, even embarrassing. Matthew Trammell argues that music reflects the cultural and political mood, and already pop music has moved on from the buoyant, fizzy hits like Katy Perry's "Firework." Is that fair? Our guests discuss the ways music does, and does not, capture the current mood. In studio: Mona Seghatoleslami , host and producer for Classical 91.5 Saby Reyes-Kulkarni , music journalist Irene Kannyo ,

It's Buffalo Bills mania in Western New York. The Bills are back in the NFL playoffs for the first time in 17 years. But as fans celebrate, something ominous is happening for the league. Ratings are down. More parents are refusing to allow their kids to play football. We have some fun toasting the Bills, but we ask some serious questions, starting with this: if you won't allow your children to get on the field, should you be supporting the NFL at all? And what is causing the ratings decline? Our

There has been a lot of talk in recent weeks about food deserts, and now so-called food swamps, and what's really going on with food access in America's cities. That's been a strong focus of Foodlink , whose chief program officer was just sworn in as one of Rochester's new members of City Council. We discuss how to make good food available for more people -- what works, what doesn't, from corner stores to SNAP to the farm bill. Our guests: Mitch Gruber , chief program officer for Foodlink and

Administrators at some large, private colleges and universities are speaking out against the tax plan recently passed by Congress. The plan would tax large endowments at some institutions, and administrators say that will hinder their ability to provide financial aid to students and cut back on faculty salaries and research. Supporters of the plan say the tax will push universities to invest more in education instead of stashing funds in large endowments. The issue has sparked discussion about

In his 2018 State of the State address, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a proposed series of reforms to help relieve loan debt for college and university students in New York State. Student loan debt accounts for 10 percent of debt balance in the U.S., making it the second highest category of loan debt after mortgage debt. In New York, the average student loan debt total is more than $30,000. This hour, we discuss the governor’s proposed reforms and their potential impact on students. We also

What is going on with CHIP? The Children's Health Insurance Program has been widely discussed as a potential victim of budget cuts in Washington. What exactly is CHIP, and whom does it serve? What kind of impact should we expect if the program is cut? The Washington Post and NPR have tried to lay out the particulars, dispel myths, and explain what kind of timeline the program is on. Meanwhile, celebrities like Jimmy Kimmel have taken up the cause, saying that millions of special-needs children