Connections Podcast

It's a spotlight on mothers. An upcoming production called Listen to Your Mother will feature local women sharing their stories of motherhood – from loss, addiction, immigration, complicated relationships, and more. We talk to some of the cast members. In studio: Miriam Zinter, 2017 cast member Robin Flanigan, 2016 cast member Sarah Fitzgibbons, production team member 2015-2017, and clinical director at the Society for the Protection & Care of Children Sally Bittner Bonn, 2017 production

We preview the final event of the Community Design Center's 2017 Reshaping Rochester Series . This time, the focus is on riverfront revitalization, specifically in Chattanooga, Tennessee. A private non-profit called the River City Company has served as an economic development engine for downtown Chattanooga. Its efforts have led to real estate and retail projects, entertainment venues, and community initiatives that have brought new life to the city center. So what can Rochester learn from

When it comes to literacy, we're number... seven? A new world ranking has Finland leading the way, and western hemisphere nations are struggling. It's national Children's Book Week, and we're focusing on what kids are reading. We discuss the vital nature of literacy, along with efforts to identify the great books for kids. Our guests: Adrienne Furness, director of the Henrietta Public Library Laura Lintz, children's librarian at Henrietta Public Library Amy Holland, children's librarian at

There's a Republican in the race for mayor of Rochester. It's county legislator Tony Micciche . We talk about his goals for the city: why he's running, what his vision is, and what he would change compared to the current administration.

"Finger Lakin' Good?" Yes, that's the name for a new resort near Canandaigua Lake chosen by local businessman Brian Mastrosimone. But Kentucky Fried Chicken is suing to block the name, saying it infringes on their popular slogan, "Finger lickin' good." Mastrosimone says this is a case of corporate bullying. KFC says they wish him well, but he can't rip off its brand. Who's right? KFC provided a statement to WXXI. Our guests: Brian Mastrosimone, owner of businesses under the umbrella name of

Local police chiefs have been pushing for tougher parole standards, and this year, they might finally get what they want. The chiefs point to a number of high-profile crimes committed by parolees as evidence that the system is either too lenient or has too many holes. They detail the changes they want. In studio: Dan Varrenti, Brockport Police Chief and president of the Monroe County Chiefs of Police Association Jim VanBrederode, Gates Police Chief Mark Assini , Gates Town Supervisor

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 March for Science; Heroin addiction and recovery; Teaching in the Rochester City School District, with mayoral candidate Lori Thomas; Reforming the foster care system.

We close the week with two songwriters who have been bringing their live performances to Rochester stages: Bat McGrath and Connie Deming. We discuss the art of songwriting; the difference between studio and live shows; and how to write original songs with meaning.

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow nearly broke Twitter when she announced last month that she had Donald Trump's tax returns. It turns out that investigative journalist David Cay Johnston had received several pages from a single year's return. What did we learn? This week, treasury secretary Mnuchin said that Trump had already released enough and would not ever release his full tax returns. Johnston has covered both Trump and the tax code extensively; he's our guest for the hour, discussing what we know,

An old army base about 70 miles from Rochester was the only site in the United States to welcome refugees from Europe during the Holocaust. Fort Ontario in Oswego, an internment camp, became home to 982 refugees in 1944, but many people don't know its story or the history and politics behind the refugees' arrival. Now, Fort Ontario is back in the news: there's proposed legislation to make the site a national park. In 1987, WXXI produced a documentary about the camp. It's called Safe Haven . We