Connections Podcast

Donald Trump won the votes of small business owners by a comfortable margin, according to exit polls. Many of those business owners expect Trump to protect existing jobs and create conditions for them to expand hiring. We talk to a local small business owner about why he supported the next president, and what he wants him to do for small business owners. Our guest: Tim Schiefen

Our ongoing coverage of President-elect Trump focuses on his foreign policy, starting with his relationship with Russia. Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov says that yes, the Russian government was in contact with the Trump campaign throughout the election process. Trump has denied this. Should it be investigated? What does it portend for a Trump/Putin relationship? And beyond Russia, what can we expect in the early days of a Trump administration? Our guest: Randall Stone, director

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: How members of underrepresented groups are fearful about their future after President-elect Trump's win;The future of American journalism under the Trump administration;The City of Rochester's draft Climate Action Plan;The Finger Lakes Land Trust's conservation agenda, and recommendations for how to develop the region.

This Veterans Day, we're discussing a new drama written by a man who has spent years helping veterans readjust to post-war life in America. Tom Bird is the playwright of Bearing Witness, which opened Thursday at the Downstairs Cabaret Theatre. The show includes reference to Tom's father, a doctor who helped liberate the Mauthausen Concentration Camp near the end of WWII. Bird is a Vietnam veteran who recalls his own wartime experience. We sit down with him for this timely discussion.

Assemblyman Joe Errigo recently said that he wouldn't visit parts of Rochester even if he were in an armored car. He also said that he thinks African Americans are being told to "kill the whites." We discuss Errigo's comments, and the potential harm they cause to a city trying to get beyond stereotypes. Our guests: Deputy Chief Mark Simmons, Rochester Police DepartmentCaptain Korey Brown, Rochester Police DepartmentJackie Campbell, alliance director for The Children’s AgendaDana K. Miller, vice

The Finger Lakes Land Trust has priorities for the Finger Lakes region. We discuss the organization's regional conservation agenda. Our guests: Andrew Zepp, executive director of the Finger Lakes Land TrustLisa Cleckner, director of the Finger Lakes InstituteMarti Macinski, board member for the Finger Lakes Land Trust, and owner of Standing Stone Vineyards

Donald Trump has said he wants libel laws to be loosened, making it easier for politicians to be able to sue journalists when they write what he calls "hit pieces." What would it mean for journalists if Trump gets his way? How could it impact a free press? Investigative journalist David Cay Johnston is the author of the book, The Making of Donald Trump. He joins us to discuss the future of American journalism, and he answers your questions about what we can expect in terms of healthcare, trade,

Millions of people across the country, especially members of underrepresented groups, are expressing shock, frustration, and fear over the outcome of the presidential election. With a country so sharply divided, how do we, as Americans, come together? How do we move forward? And how do we begin to heal? We try to answer those questions, and we discuss the futures of both the Democratic and Republican Parties. Our guests: Eve Elzenga, member of the Rochester chapter of the National Organization

The City of Rochester's draft Climate Action Plan is now available for public comment. We dive into the plan and what it covers, including energy use and supply, transportation, waste and materials management, clean water, and land use. How does it all weave together? We put the draft plan under the microscope. Our guests: Anne Spaulding, energy and environmental sustainability manager for the City of RochesterSusan Hopkins, project planner for Bergmann Associates and member of the consultant

Election Day has arrived and a Gallup poll finds that six in ten Americans want to abolish the Electoral College; they want the popular vote to determine the presidency. How do you feel? In Washington state, two designated electors say they will not vote for Clinton in the Electoral College, even though Clinton is expected to win the state. What does that mean? One scenario has Clinton and Trump tied with 269 electoral votes each, but if those two electors stay true to their word, they face only