The director of homeland security said that protestors can’t carry firearms — even in states that allow concealed carry. The director of the FBI said that engaging in Second Amendment rights is akin to breaking the law if a public protest is happening. And an administration lawyer said the deadly shooting of a protestor in Minneapolis Saturday morning will be justified because the man had a gun on his person. If the administration does not walk these positions back, it will represent a massive attack on gun rights. The NRA is making that clear. We talk about gun rights and whether this moment is a turning point. Our guest:

• Gary Pudup, retired command officer with the Monroe County Sheriff's Police Bureau, NRA-certified firearms range safety officer, former chapter director of the local ACLU affiliate, and former regional representative and law enforcement consultant for New Yorkers Against Gun Violence

*Note: There are no YouTube broadcasts of "Connections" today.

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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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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.

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Governor Kathy Hochul issued a state of emergency on Friday in anticipation of the massive winter storm. The entire state is experiencing heavy snowfall and dangerously cold temperatures. We discuss the state of the storm, safety tips, and the way the storm is impacting our region and other parts of the country. Our guests:

• Eric Snitil, chief meteorologist for WROC
• Glenn Johnson, meteorologist for WHEC
• Luke Schulte, snowboarder
• Steven Fuller, vice president of Bristol Mountain
• Anna Valeria, executive director of the Open Door Mission
• Rebecca Fronheiser, DDS, dentist in Aberdeen, North Carolina
• Erin Vasicek, Ph.D., research scientist in Columbus, Ohio

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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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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.

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We're joined by public media reporter colleagues to explore some of the top stories in our region this week. First, new data shows most, if not all, categories of crime fell in the city of Rochester in 2025. WXXI News' Gino Fanelli explains what the data means. Then, there are fewer beds available in nursing homes across the nation, and as WXXI News' Racquel Stephen reports, the decrease has been more striking in the Finger Lakes region. She joins us to discuss what this means for patients and families, nursing home staff, and hospital systems in our area. We end the week with a phrase..."Go Bills!" Bills fans have been up in arms since Saturday's loss against the Broncos. From a controversial call to owner Terry Pegula's decision to fire head coach Sean McDermott, fans have thoughts. We break it all down with longtime sports journalist Scott Pitoniak and multimedia reporter Alex Simone from Buffalo Toronto Public Media. Our guests:

• Gino Fanelli, investigations and City Hall reporter for WXXI News
• Racquel Stephen, health, equity, and community reporter and producer for WXXI News
• Scott Pitoniak, best-selling author, nationally honored journalist, and longtime sportswriter
• Alex Simone, multimedia reporter for Buffalo Toronto Public Media

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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.

---

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.

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

We continue our discussions with lawmakers about Governor Kathy Hochul's State of the State address. This hour, Assemblymember Josh Jensen joins us in the studio. He explains his legislative priorities, as well as his take on the governor's proposals related to child care funding, affordability, local economic development investments, and more. In studio:

• Assemblymember Josh Jensen, District 134

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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.

---

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.

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White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller recently lashed out at Pope Leo XIV over the pope's remarks about immigration. Miller said that the pope is betraying his Catholic obligations. But a number of American Catholics are expressing pride in the first American pope. According to Pew Research in September, 84% of U.S. Catholics surveyed said they have a favorable view of the church's new leader. Our guests discuss what they are seeing so far from Pope Leo XIV. In studio:

• Nora Bradbury-Haehl, Catholic writer and pastoral associate at Queen of Peace and St. Thomas More Churches
• Andrew Cirillo, university chaplain and associate director for the Center for Campus Life at RIT

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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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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.

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New York State Senator Jeremy Cooney joins us in the studio. It's our first in a series of conversations with lawmakers about Governor Kathy Hochul's State of the State address. According to the New York Public News Network's Samuel King, Cooney has expressed both gratitude and concern regarding a potential $300 million in funding for economic development in Rochester. The senator has said "it's Rochester's turn" to receive this kind of investment, but it could be a tough sell for some of his colleagues in the Legislature. This hour, Cooney explains his take on that proposal and a range of issues covered in the address — from affordability to transportation-related legislation and more. In studio:

• Senator Jeremy Cooney, District 56

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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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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.

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The Special Olympics New York winter games are returning to Rochester next month, and so is a local photojournalism collaboration. RIT students are teaming up with athletes and organizers — and as we learn this hour, they are covering more than just sports. Accessible health care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is one of the nonprofit's priorities. Its Healthy Athletes event at the games helps competitors access routine screenings and other resources, while also providing an opportunity for health care professionals to learn best practices for caring for patients in the IDD community. We explore it all with our guests:

• Cori Piels, Special Olympics athlete and health messenger
• Jess Dauvergne, director of health programs for Unified Sports at Special Olympics New York
• Furqan Alwaely, B.D.S., dental provider and faculty member at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health
• Josh Meltzer, associate professor in the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at RIT
• Natasha Kaiser, photojournalism major at RIT and former intern for WXXI News

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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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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.

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The Trump administration has been exploring the possibility of 50-year mortgages as a way of lowering home costs for Americans. Most industry professionals think it's a bad idea. The administration is also pursuing other possibilities to affect the cost for buyers. We talk about how these proposals might work, and we take an updated look at the regional housing market. In studio:

• Lanie Bittner, associate real estate broker with RE/MAX Plus
• Jason Mancuso, real estate salesperson with the Anthony Butera Team at Keller Williams Realty
• Mark Siwiec, broker and owner of Elysian Homes by Mark Siwiec and Associates

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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.

---

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.

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