Connections Podcast

Fresh off her run for mayor, Rochester City Councilmember Mary Lupien joins us to discuss the city budget and city business. We talk about how the city is addressing housing and new development, about the future of downtown, and the path to revitalizing neighborhoods. In studio: Take our audience survey to help us learn more about you, and make a better show for you.

In 2004, the Science Technology & Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) was developed to attract semiconductor manufacturing and other industries to Western New York. The site remains largely empty more than two decades later. This week, the Tonawanda Seneca Nation and the Sierra Club filed suit, seeking to halt the development of massive data centers at the tech park. We explore the complaint, the hold-up, and the history of the site. Our guests: *Note: We reached out to representatives from the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC), but they did not respond to multiple invitations to join the conversation. Take our audience survey to help us learn more about you, and make a better show for you.

We continue our series of conversations with local state lawmakers about the 2025-2026 state budget. This hour, we're joined by Assemblymember Josh Jensen. He shares his perspectives on the budget, from taxes to child care to economic development and more. In studio:

Andrew Cuomo has had a long and sometimes tumultuous relationship with organized labor. Cuomo might have thought his political name could carry him to victory in the New York City mayoral race, but he was soundly defeated by Zohran Mamdani, a young upstart with more union support. So what's the lesson that labor sees in this election? What will other candidates learn from it? Our guests discuss it:

How can patients and providers work together to improve the health care system? It's a question the Patient Clinician Alliance has been exploring for about five years. Most recently, the coalition of patients, physicians, and other health care professionals has created a survey designed to better understand the challenges patients face. This hour, we sit down with members of the Alliance to discuss their work, what they've learned so far, and what the future of the health care system could look like. Our guests: Take our audience survey to help us learn more about you, and make a better show for you.

A growing number of Iranian students studying in the United States are afraid to voice their opinions publicly. Some want regime change; others are concerned about the possible escalation of war. We discuss the future of Iranian society and the complex dynamics driving public opinion. Our guest: Take our audience survey to help us learn more about you, and make a better show for you.

Tiki-themed Easy Sailor recently opened in Rochester, with tropical vibes and tiki cocktails. Later this summer, Rochester Tiki Week puts tiki culture in the spotlight. As reported by CITY Magazine's Patrick Hosken, it's a culture that has inspired a lot of fans and plenty of debate over the years. We explore what it's about and what tiki means to our panel. Our guests: Take our audience survey to help us learn more about you, and make a better show for you.

New York State has a budget, and it addresses a range of issues: child care; taxes; economic development; nursing homes; the list is long. Assemblymember Jen Lunsford has said that New York State needs to guard against the Trump administration's policies in some ways. We discuss how, and we talk about what's in the budget and why. Our guest: Take our audience survey to help us learn more about you, and make a better show for you.

Veteran activist and Quaker author Eileen Flanagan believes that hope and unity are essential ingredients in any real climate solution. In her forthcoming book, Common Ground: How the Crisis of the Earth is Saving Us from Our Illusion of Separation, Flanagan shares stories of unlikely coalitions — from faith leaders and frontline organizers to Indigenous activists and investors — that are making a difference. She joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about fear, burnout, protest, and what it means to build power without losing compassion. Our guest: Eileen FlanaganTake our audience survey to help us learn more about you, and make a better show for you.

A Senate bill that would have banned the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer on New York farmland passed in the State Senate — but then quietly died in the Assembly. Supporters say the bill was a necessary response to research showing harmful levels of PFAS and other toxic compounds in treated human and industrial waste, which can contaminate crops, waterways and drinking water. Opponents, including the waste processing industry, say the science isn’t settled and that banning sludge could devastate rural economies. We look at how the bill unraveled — and what happens next. Our guests: Jeongyoon HanMurray McBrideKaren BergerTake our audience survey to help us learn more about you, and make a better show for you.

New studies show cannabis use is rising among older adults. Clinicians have been able to provide medical marijuana to eligible patients since 2016. But the legalization of cannabis in 2021 means increasing numbers of people are using it for a variety of symptoms and conditions including pain, anxiety, cancer symptoms and seizures. Guest host Racquel Stephen talks with local clinicians and a patient about this trend and about what patients should consider when requesting and using cannabis. Our guests:

June is Men's Mental Health Awareness Month. Our first hour focuses on the prevalence of mental health issues among men. Men die by suicide at a rate higher than women. But the American Association of Medical Colleges points out that men are diagnosed with depression at far lower rates than women. Guest host Racquel Stephen and our panel discuss why men are underdiagnosed and under supported. Our guests also talk about the stigma surrounding mental health for men and discuss unique ways that local practitioners are meeting men’s mental health needs. Our guests:

We continue our conversations with winners of Tuesday night’s Democratic primary. This hour, guest host Gino Fanelli sits down with winners of the race for Rochester City School Board: current school board president Camille Simmons; Kareem McCullough; and Heather Fienman. The district is set to welcome a new superintendent — Eric Jay Rosser — in less than a week. It’s one of the reasons the RCSD has made headlines in recent months. We talk with the primary winners about their goals for the district, the culture of the board, and what they hope to help students, families, and the district achieve if they are successful in November’s election. In studio:

The results are in from Tuesday night's Democratic primary. Incumbent Rochester Mayor Malik Evans advances to the November general election, as will five candidates for Rochester City Council: LaShunda Leslie-Smith; Chiara “Kee Kee” Smith; and incumbents Stanley Martin; current council president Miguel Melendez; and Mitch Gruber. This hour, we focus on the city council race. Guest host Gino Fanelli talks with the winners about their vision for the future of the city and the work they aim to do if they win in November. Our guests:

The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson died on June 11. He was 82, but as writer Sam Sodomsky wrote in a remembrance for Pitchfork, “‘immortal’ is still the word that comes to mind.” Wilson’s forward-thinking musical compositions helped redefine pop music in the 1960s — as well as what anyone thought was possible at the time. Tributes have poured in, including from local musicians. Submarine School of Music co-founder Ben Morey labeled Wilson “a guiding light to me for most of my life,” while psych-pop tinkerer Alex Northrup called for more Wilson-influenced sunshine “in a world that seems to be growing increasingly darker.” Both join musician and CITY magazine art director Jacob Walsh and guest host and CITY Magazine arts reporter Patrick Hosken to talk about Wilson’s influence on their lives as music makers. Our guests:

Since its inception in 2002, the Rochester International Jazz Festival has always been, as its name states, international. Performers from Canada, Europe and elsewhere regularly make the trek to play at 18 different venues around town for audiences that can total 200,000. But 2025 feels different, backdropped by the Trump administration’s trade war with Canada and rising fears about border crossings and detainments. Musicians also say the cost of securing work permits in the United States has increased dramatically in recent years. Is it still worth it? And what’s it like for local jazz players, whose gigs don’t require the same logistical red tape? This year's festival is already in full swing and runs through June 28. Guest host Patrick Hosken talks with performers about their experiences. Our guests:

Hollywood loves sequels and remakes. And here they come: "Jurassic World Rebirth;" "M3GAN 2.0;" "28 Years Later;" "Superman;" "Happy Gilmore;" "I Know What You Did Last Summer." Will our panel of cinephiles go for nostalgia, or do they want something new? What’s The Little bringing to screens? Guest host Scott Pukos and fellow film fanatics tell us what's hot and what's not this summer:

Why do we crave screams in the summer? Horror is a genre that is, by some measures, the hottest in theaters and streaming. Why do scary movies make such great summer flicks, and, in a world full of real-life stress, why do we still choose to be scared for fun? Guest host Scott Pukos and his panel explore all things spooky, slashy, and stabby. In studio:

President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” squeaked through the House of Representatives in late May. It would increase defense spending, cut Medicaid and SNAP, reduce health insurance coverage, and add trillions to the national debt, among other things. Congressman Joe Morelle joins us to work through the details. In studio:

An interview between Senator Ted Cruz and Tucker Carlson got nasty when Carlson accused Cruz of wanting to enter wars against countries he knows nothing about. Cruz countered that the United States has an obligation to work alongside Israel against Iran. Jose Peo served from 2000 to 2004 in the U.S. Army, and he says that experience has pushed him into the “no more wars” camp. He explains how this growing group sees American intervention. In studio: