Connections Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The state of public health and what it means for our community Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Until the COVID -19 pandemic, public health was nearly invisible. Most of us did not think about the people who keep an eye on restaurants, public water supplies, air quality, vaccination rates, outbreaks of diseases like measles, and many other measures that contribute to a healthy community. That has changed. Public health is often in the headlines. It has become more political and less trusted. Guest host Julie Philipp discusses the current state of public health and how it affects you. In studio:

Anja Bottler, M.D., service line division head for infectious disease at Rochester Regional Health
Paul S. Graman, M.D., professor of medicine and senior associate hospital epidemiologist in the Infectious Diseases Division at the University of Rochester Medical Center
Michael Mendoza, M.D., MPH, senior medical director for Town Square Health
Laura Sugarwala, MBA, RD, director of community health partnerships at the Center for Community Health & Prevention, part of University of Rochester Medicine

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connectionsairs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter.

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Genesee River Watch: Keeping tabs on this natural resource Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

If you have been downtown lately, you’ve seen all the changes underway along Rochester’s riverfront. New and improved parks, public gathering spots, trails, and infrastructure. It’s all part of a multi-year, half-billion dollar investment to expand the use of the Genesee River, which has long been treated as our city’s backyard instead of its front. There’s a lot of excitement around this…but what about the main attraction itself? How healthy is the Genesee River? How is it being affected by climate change? Are pollution problems of the past still an issue? And why does it matter? Guest host Julie Philipp talks with our panelists from Genesee River Watch. Our guests:

Caroline Kilmer, assistant director of Genesee River Watch
Steve Orr, board president of Genesee River Watch
Mike Haugh, board member for Genesee River Watch
Don Zelazny, board member for Genesee River Watch

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

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Connectionsairs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter.

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Local brewers celebrate, despite challenging times Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

Brewers from around the state are gathering at the Rochester Public Market on Friday night for the Flour City Brewers Fest, an annual celebration of craft beers. But the festivities are taking place against a backdrop of increasingly tough times for the industry. Hundreds of craft breweries across the country closed over the past year, and many others are struggling. How are surviving brewers adjusting to the new reality of rising costs and shrinking demand? Guest host Julie Philipp talks about that with our panelists and finds out what they think the future holds. In studio:

Paul Leone, executive director of the New York State Brewers Association
Jeff Ching, managing partner at Strangebird Brewing
Andy Cook, owner and head brewer at Swiftwater Brewing

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connectionsairs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter.

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

What will help families most when it comes to affording basic necessities? Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

Which expense is most difficult for your family to afford? That question was raised during a recent public hearing hosted by New York State's Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council. The goal was to hear from the public about the financial challenges they face, while also examining the council's anti-poverty efforts. What's working? What challenges still need to be addressed? And what kinds of support do families say they need? We discuss those questions with our guests, and we talk about how expected cuts at the federal level could affect local families. In studio:

Madison Byrne, policy and community advocate at the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative
Pete Nabozny, director of policy for The Children's Agenda
Tianna Johnson, parent advocate and community organizer

Understanding patterns of abusers Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Ohio Congressman Max Miller has denied allegations that he abused his ex-wife and their young daughter. Evidence that he has tried to marshal in his own defense has sparked conversations about abuse: specifically, why victims might behave in a certain way and why abusers might behave in a certain way. Our guests explore it:

Lisa Nolan, director of prevention education at Willow Domestic Violence Center
Jerri Lynn Sparks, former congressional press secretary and author of "Surviving Madmen"

'Our work...must be brave:' Fashion Week Rochester and supporting local youth in crisis Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Fashion Week Rochester is back this fall, and it's being reimagined a bit this year. What hasn't changed is its mission: the event has always been about serving the Center for Youth. As the center's executive director, Elaine Spaull writes, "With threats from our federal government and the needs growing every day, our work with youth facing homelessness, despair, and abandonment must be brave." This hour, we talk with Spaull about that work. We also hear from local emerging designers who share their remarkable stories. In studio:

Elaine Spaull, executive director for the Center for Youth
Angela Monique, creative conceptualist, stylist, and owner of Brown Girls Too vintage reseller
Julia Sibley, personal stylist and founder of Storied
Marcel "¢el" McCollough, designer and owner of NoBlam!
NazMeir Lucas, youth leader and clothing designer

'Connections on the Road:' How to create healthier neighborhoods for everyone Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

We welcome a live audience as we bring the show to Ibero-American Action League's Community Resource Center, located in the El Camino neighborhood of Rochester. Residents say they have concerns about poverty, drug use, and homelessness, and some neighborhood children don't like to play outside anymore. We talk to a neighbor and local leaders about what it will take to change that, and about how neighborhoods thrive or suffer based on resources and funding. We welcome comments from the live audience as well. Our guests:

Angelica Perez-Delgado, president and CEO of Ibero-American Action League
Ramona Colon, resident of the El Camino neighborhood
Maria Garcia, marketplace bilingual facilitated enroller for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connectionsairs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter.

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

TikTok star and best-selling author Jonathan Graziano and his dog, Milton Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

This hour, we welcome a human guest and his canine co-panelist. You may know TikTok star Jonathan Graziano for his "Bones or No Bones" videos with his late dog, Noodle. The Rochester native is a best-selling author, and his newest book is about his adopted senior pug, Milton. "Milton Makes a Move" follows Milton's story as he finds his forever home. Graziano and Milton are in town for a series of events. We sit down with both of them to hear their story and to discuss animal rescue. In studio:

Jonathan Graziano, No. 1 New York Times best-selling author
Milton the pug

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connectionsairs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter.

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Understanding cuts to SNAP and more Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

Thousands of people in the Rochester region are losing SNAP benefits due to new federal guidelines. According to reporting by WXXI's Noelle Evans, the Monroe County Department of Human Services closed 3,900 cases at the end of May due to non-compliance or not verifying an exemption to new work requirements for some people without dependents. This hour, we're joined by Rochester City Councilmember Mitch Gruber. He discusses the changes and answers listener questions. He also addresses a summer meal program. In studio:

Mitch Gruber, Ph.D., member of Rochester City Council

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Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.

---

Connectionsairs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter.

Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.

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Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Community leaders address weekend violence in Rochester Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

What should local leaders do to prevent violence in the community?

Zahnia Barr, 14, and Shakara Green, 35, were killed last weekend in two separate incidents. In both cases, authorities say shots were fired into large groups of people.

We talk with community leaders about the tragedies and what it will take to stop future violence.

In studio:

Beatriz LeBron, executive director of the Father Tracy Advocacy Center
Miguel Meléndez Jr., president of Rochester City Council and member of the Northeast Safety Committee
Jerome Ward, CEO and owner of Chisel Collective LLC

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