Connections Podcast

WXXI News
  • 4.7 (146)
  • NEWS
  • UPDATED DAILY

Evan Dawson talks about what matters to you on Connections. Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections. For transcripts, please email our Move to Include team with a link to the episode.

  1. 17H AGO

    AI is moving fast; what do you need to know and how will it affect your life?

    OpenAI's Sam Altman recently said that artificial intelligence programs have become more energy efficient than human beings. Google's Larry Page said that it is absurd to think that AI can be stopped in any meaningful way. And Jack Clark of Anthropic said that new Claude models are developing characteristics that its designers do not understand. Artificial intelligence is moving very quickly, and we sit down with someone who works in that world to digest the changes. In studio: Max Irwin, president at Bonsai.io--- 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 have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

    51 min

  2. 18H AGO

    Reactions to the State of the Union address, part 2

    We continue the conversation about President Trump's State of the Union address. Our guests this hour are local Republicans who offer their perspectives on the president's message about a range of issues, including the state of the economy, immigration policies, health care, and more. In studio: Louis Sabo III, secretary of the Rochester City Republican Committee Marcus C. Williams, chairman of the Rochester City Republican 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 or access previous episodes here. --- Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

    51 min

  3. 1D AGO

    Local church leader on his impact as a pastor and "homie"

    We continue our spotlight on Black community members whose work may be under the radar but is making a big difference. This hour, we sit down with Pastor Jerrard Brown. Brown is the youngest-ever senior pastor at Holy Trinity Baptist Church on North Street. He's also the office and facilities manager for Teen Empowerment. Through both roles, Brown has built community and served as a role model, especially for young people. As he told WXXI's Racquel Stephen, "I think the pastor should be the homie." We talk with Brown and his Teen Empowerment colleagues about the impact of his work. Our guests: Jerrard Brown, senior pastor at Holy Trinity Baptist Church, and office and facilities manager for Teen Empowerment Sahiyra Dillard, program coordinator at Teen Empowerment --- 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 have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

    51 min

  4. 1D AGO

    Reactions to the State of the Union address, part 1

    We break down President Trump's State of the Union address. Our guests analyze his remarks on the economy, tariffs, immigration, foreign policy, and more. Our guests: Lauren Hall, Ph.D., professor of political science and associate dean at RIT, author, and co-host of the "We Made this Political" podcast Nayeliz Santiago, president of Monroe County Young Democrats --- 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 have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

    51 min

  5. 2D AGO

    Young professionals on redefining service in 2026

    What are the priorities for the next generation of community leaders? We sit down with members of Rochester Young Professionals (RYP). The grassroots, volunteer-led organization focuses on connecting young leaders dedicated to uplifting the community. The group is hosting a gala later this week to honor members who have gone above and beyond in their efforts to shape Rochester in positive ways. We talk with RYP representatives about their work and what service looks like in the current sociopolitical climate. Our guests: Jordynn Barnhart Sullivan, Rochester Young Professionals Excellence Award winner and vice president of marketing at Lilac Manor Rehabilitation And Nursing Center Maggie Coleman, Rochester Young Professionals Excellence Award winner and founder of Roc Girl Walks  Miranda Leo, Rochester Young Professionals Excellence Award winner and senior recruiter at Insero Talent Solutions Izzy Loughlin, co-chair of Rochester Young Professionals Rachel Yuhas, Rochester Young Professionals Excellence Award winner and event and program coordinator at Genesee Regional Bank  --- 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 have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

    51 min

  6. 2D AGO

    Solar energy: Fact versus fiction

    We've heard a lot of commentary about solar from elected leaders on this program in recent weeks. Some state leaders have been very outspoken about why they don't want to see more solar arrays, particularly on possible farmland. This hour, our guest helps us understand the facts about solar energy, while debunking solar myths and misconceptions. In studio: Kevin Schulte, CEO of GreenSpark Solar--- 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 have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

    51 min

  7. 3D AGO

    Finding the facts: How to avoid pseudoscience in health information

    You've likely seen health care-related headlines that confused you, raised questions, or even alarmed you. What happens when this kind of clickbait informs medical decisions? Our guests this hour are focused on media literacy in medicine. They help us understand how to spot pseudoscience and health care misinformation, and how to identify credible sources and the facts. Our guests: Gary Schwitzer, health care journalist for 50 years and adjunct associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health Christina Thompson, executive director of the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester Rae-Ellen Kavey, M.D., retired pediatric cardiologist and volunteer at the Rochester Academy of Medicine -- 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 have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

    51 min

  8. 3D AGO

    Supreme lessons on tariffs

    President Trump said that the decision by the Supreme Court on his tariffs was a disgrace. Some of the justices who opposed the president were appointed by Trump in his first term. The justices offered different opinions about why they decided what they did. We take a look at the lessons we can learn from this. What does it mean for the balance of power? We explore it with our guest: Richard A. Dollinger, retired New York Court of Claims judge--- 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 have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

    51 min
See All (52)

4.7
out of 5
146 Ratings

About

Evan Dawson talks about what matters to you on Connections. Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections. For transcripts, please email our Move to Include team with a link to the episode.

Information

  • Creator
    WXXI News
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2026
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 WXXI
  • Show Website
    Connections Podcast

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