Connections With Evan Dawson

Volunteering is at its lowest level in decades in the United States. In some communities, this marks a possible crisis: rural hospitals are struggling and could close, and emergency relief dollars are harder to come by. Volunteer firefighting is a lifeline for many small towns. We check in on the efforts to increase volunteerism — especially where it's needed most. Our guests: Bill DiFabio, 3rd assistant chief of the Branchport Keuka Park Fire Department   Matt Kelly, EMS captain of the Branchport Keuka Park Fire Department and EMT for Yates County Ambulance   Rebecca Case, firefighter/EMT with the Branchport Keuka Park Fire Department and junior at Keuka College Alvin Leid, firefighter with the Branchport Keuka Park Fire Department   Lily Stewart, firefighter/EMT with the Branchport Keuka Park Fire Department and sophomore at Keuka College  ---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 res

The former president of the Islamic Center of Rochester says New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's victory is a seismic event for the Muslim community. Some of the ads late in the campaign depicted Mamdani as anti-American, and one ad declared that electing Mamdani would bring the next 9/11. We discuss the significance of Mamdani's victory and the themes that surfaced in the campaign. Our guest:Sareer A. Fazili, past president of the Islamic Center of Rochester and the Monroe County Bar Association, and practicing lawyer---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.---Connections airs 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 epi

The number of American adults consuming alcohol fell recently to 54% — the lowest number Gallup has ever recorded since it began tracking alcohol consumption in 1939. Driving the shift away from alcohol is the 18-34 group. As a result, more restaurants and bars are offering alcohol-free drink options. And there are more "third places" that feature menus without alcohol. In a recent piece for CITY Magazine, arts reporter Patrick Hosken wrote about how third places are emerging in Rochester. We discuss the ongoing shift in the local scene with our guests: Patrick Hosken, arts reporter for CITY Magazine Bob Hartman, co-owner of AltBar Shelley Elkovich, founder and "Flavor Maven" of For Bitter For Worse ---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.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-

A new survey finds that more than six in ten American physicians reported that their patients have been influenced by misinformation or disinformation in the past year. The problem is particularly acute in rural health care settings, according to the Physicians Foundation. The Rochester Academy of Medicine is launching a new series of public presentations called "Demystifying Misinformation." We talk to some of the people involved in crafting a program meant to provide clarity and understanding. In studio: Daniel Taramasco, M.D., hospitalist with Rochester Regional Health Laura Whitebell, Ph.D., associate professor of writing at the University of Rochester ---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.---Connections airs 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, Face

You may know her from her work on the CBS sitcom "Mom" and films like "Midnight in Paris," but you may not know that actress Mimi Kennedy got her start in Rochester. Kennedy is a Rochester native who performed with the Rochester Community Players (RCP) in Agatha Christie’s “Spider’s Web" when she was 12 years old. She'll be back in her hometown this weekend for an event marking 100 years of the RCP, but first, she joins us to discuss her path from home to Hollywood. Our guests: Mimi Kennedy, actor, author, and activist  Karen Olson, historian for the Rochester Community Players Michael Krickmire, president of the Rochester Community Players ---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.---Connections airs 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.

The Trump administration ended the White House Department of Environmental Justice, which was launched under the Biden administration. The new administration said that the concept of “environmental justice” falls under the umbrella of DEI initiatives, which it seeks to abolish. The former chief environmental justice officer for the Biden White House is in Rochester on Friday. We’re joined by Jalonne White-Newsome to discuss her views on what environmental justice is — and is not — and why she still thinks it matters. In studio: Jalonne White-Newsome, Ph.D., former federal chief environmental justice officer for the Biden White House, associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Environment and Sustainability, and CEO and founder of Empowering A Green Environment and Economy, LLC Katrina Korfmacher, Ph.D., faculty member in the UR Institute for Human Health and Environment ---Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show

Research shows young people are reading less — both in their English classes and for pleasure. According to a study from the University of Florida and University College London, daily reading for pleasure among kids is down 40% over the last 20 years. Experts point to an increase in screen time, overscheduling, and poor literacy education as some of the reasons. So how can we get kids interested in reading again? We discuss it with our guests, and we preview the upcoming Rochester Children and Teens Book Festival. Our guests: Pamela Bailie, co-owner of Hipocampo Children's Books Julie Berry, New York Times best-selling author and owner of Author's Note Kathleen Blasi, author of children's books Sarah Bonczyk, owner of Lift Bridge Book Shop ---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.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with

AI political videos are already here — as Pittsford residents saw over the last month. An anti-Democrats ad featured AI "actors” warning against losing the character of Pittsford if Democrats won the election. So why not use real people? And how common will AI “actors” be in the future? What should be done about it? Jeffrey Allan, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Responsible Technology at Nazareth University  Timothy Kneeland, Ph.D., professor and director of history, politics, and law at Nazareth University Kevin Spencer Beckford, managing partner of Finding Your Cup, LLC; operations executive; speaker; business turnaround strategist; and AI humanist ---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.---Connections airs 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, Faceb

Astrophysicist Adam Frank is known as one of the best science communicators in the country. He joins us with some of his students, who are learning what it takes to become a scientist. They talk about the scientific method and why they think everyone can benefit from learning about it. Our guests: Adam Frank, Ph.D., author and Helen F. and Fred H. Gowen Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester Kyla de Villa, Ph.D. candidate in the Earth and Planetary Science Department at UC Berkeley Matthew Signor, Ph.D. candidate in experimental physics at the University of Rochester Ethan Smith, Ph.D. candidate in physics at the University of Rochester ---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.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or

Running a slate of moderate candidates in the Monroe County suburbs and rural areas, Democrats won in places where they previously hadn’t won in decades or even longer. It reflects a big night for the party in other states as well. Our WXXI News team breaks down the results and discusses what they mean. Our guests: Gino Fanelli, investigations and City Hall reporter for WXXI News Jeremy Moule, deputy editor for WXXI News Brian Sharp, investigations and enterprise editor for WXXI News Stephen DeVay, chair of the Monroe County Democratic Committee ---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.---Connections airs 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 o

Authoritarian governments are harnessing artificial intelligence to undermine democracies. That's according to Bret Schafer, head of the Alliance for Securing Democracy’s information manipulation team. Schafer studies how state and non-state actors use AI to create and spread propaganda, and how those efforts affect public opinion. He's in Rochester as a guest of the World Affairs Council, but first, he joins us on "Connections" to discuss how to recognize AI-generated disinformation and what can be done to stop it. In studio:Bret Schafer, senior fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy---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.---Connections airs 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

Have you thought about planning for your future — especially when it comes to aging? While 63% of adults say they have had conversations with loved ones about end-of-life issues, fewer than half have translated those thoughts into actions or even plan to make those preparations. That's according to a 2024 survey from AARP. Too often, older adults feel unprepared for these issues until there’s a crisis. Assemblymember Sarah Clark is helping to lead the upcoming Empowered Aging Forum. The goal is to assist older adults in making better plans when it comes to handling money, estate plans, health care decisions, and more. We explore all the thorny topics with our guests: Assemblymember Sarah Clark, District 136 Anna Stetzel, director of training and education at Lifespan ---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.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m

Recently on this program, we discussed what can save moviegoing, as studios and theaters struggle to attract audiences. In the first segment of this hour, we discuss what all of that means at the independent level. Rochester natives Devin Lawrence and Matthew Mourgides will screen their new film, "The Disinvited," at the Little Theatre on November 11. They join us to discuss the challenges — and benefits — of independent filmmaking in the current environment. Then in our second half hour, we sit down with the team from the Anomaly Film Festival to preview this year's celebration of genre films. Our guests for part one: Devin Lawrence, writer/director of "The Disinvited"  Matthew Mourgides, producer of "The Disinvited" Scott Pukos, director of communications for The Little Theatre Our guests for part two: Magnus Champlin, artist and organizer for the Anomaly Film Festival Adam Lubitow, director of programming for Anomaly Film Festival and programmer for The Little Theatre Meghan Murphy, co-founder and social m

Wondering what's hot in the food and beverage scene in Rochester and the Finger Lakes? The team at CITY Magazine has you covered. The November issue explores the latest from downtown bars and restaurants and the Finger Lakes wine scene, a grassroots movement to feed the hungry, and...cabbage and donuts (don't worry; those are two separate stories). The CITY team joins us for the hour. Our guests: Leah Stacy, editor of CITY Magazine Patrick Hosken, arts reporter for CITY Magazine Roberto Lagares. multimedia reporter for CITY Magazine Jacob Walsh, art director for CITY Magazine Vas, core member of Roc Food Not Bombs Gino Fanelli, investigations and City Hall reporter for WXXI News and contributor to CITY Magazine Maiah Johnson Dunn, contributor to CITY Magazine, wine writer and educator, and beverage education manager at New York Kitchen ---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 rescissio

For months, Rochester teachers have had to wonder whether their next paycheck would be the full amount — or if it would contain mistakes. They say the district's new system has been a disaster. According to members of the teachers union, some teachers have had to sell plasma to pay their bills because their checks have been so small. They say that teachers are struggling to pay their rent. We talk about the issues with the system and what can be done about it. In studio: Doriy Jackson, vice president of Rochester Association of Paraprofessionals  Angelo Palmerini, president of BENTE Local 2419 Adam Urbanski, president of the Rochester Teachers Association ---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.---Connections airs 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, Faceb

Local college Republicans are reacting to a highly publicized national group chat. Politico broke the story about a text thread that included numerous leaders of Young Republican groups in multiple states; the thread featured hundreds of racist and bigoted comments. Vice President JD Vance has downplayed the significance of the chat. Our guests talk about what it means within the culture of young conservative politics. Our guests: Austin DeLorme, vice president of the University of Rochester College Republicans, and parliamentarian of the New York State Federation of College Republicans Jack Shea, executive director of the New York State Federation of College Republicans  ---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.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9

How can we help students learn empathy? The new Mobile Museum of Tolerance is a traveling classroom that uses immersive technology to help students confront hate. It will make its debut during an event next week, where organizers of a “state of hate” survey will share what they learned. We discuss how people in the region are experiencing hate, bias, and antisemitism, and what we can do to counter it. In studio: Monica Gebell, executive director of the Levine Center to End Hate at Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester Rabbi Peter Stein, senior rabbi at Temple B'rith Kodesh ---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.---Connections airs 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 e

What questions do you have about the future of AI and how it could affect your life? An upcoming conference explores AI from a number of angles – from how it could impact jobs to what it can mean for the future of health care. As we’ve learned throughout different conversations on this program, what we think of AI can be nuanced. This hour, the founder of the upcoming Flower City AI conference helps us explore some of the good, the bad, and the ugly of artificial intelligence. Our guest:Max Irwin, founder of Max.io and Flower City AI ---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.---Connections airs 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 pre

“The well has run dry,” says the USDA. If the government shutdown continues into November 1, some 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP will not receive their benefits. As reported by WXXI's Jeremy Moule, that number includes more than 104,000 people in Monroe County. This hour, we discuss the future of food assistance payments — from possible short-term relief, to new work requirements, and more. In studio: Julia Tedesco, president and CEO of Foodlink Mitch Gruber, senior vice president and chief impact officer at Foodlink, and member of Rochester City Council Debbie Evans, founder, president, and executive director of the Irondequoit Community Cupboard ---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.---Connections airs 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, Facebo

New York State is being sued for failing to fully support early intervention services for children. The lawsuit is new, but the issue is not. A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers has been saying for years that the state is falling short in this area. We talk about what the lawsuit might accomplish, and how many kids are being affected. Our guests: Brigit Hurley, chief program officer at The Children's Agenda Rachel Bonsignore, director of Liftoff WNY Zareen Kamal, policy specialist at Start Early Illinois ---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.---Connections airs 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.---Do you