12:00 Puerto Rican Festival
1:00 The 2025 'Dirty Dozen' and other recycling tips
Every summer, thousands of people gather in Rochester for one of the city’s most beloved celebrations: the Puerto Rican Festival. It's music and food, dancing and community, but it’s also something deeper. For many people, the festival is a symbol of heritage and pride. A space to be fully seen and heard. And a reminder that Puerto Rican history is Rochester history. Our guests discuss the 55th annual Puerto Rican festival.
In studio:
- Adrián Franco, host of the Puerto Rican Festival
- Orlando Ortiz, president of the Puerto Rican Festival
- Angelica Perez-Delgado, president and CEO of the Ibero-American Action League
Then in our second hour, a rebroadcast of one of our favorite conversations. Can you name the 2025 "Dirty Dozen?" In the Monroe County Department of Environmental Services (DES), the term refers to the 12 items that cannot be thrown in your curbside recycling. While county recycling leaders say Monroe County has been ranked among the best municipalities for recycling in the U.S., one in ten items placed in residents' recycling bins shouldn't be there. This hour, we're joined by the DES team to explore the state of county recycling efforts and what you need to know.
Our guests:
- Mike Garland, director of the Monroe County Department of Environmental Services
- Tina Stevens, education coordinator for the Monroe County Department of Environmental Services
"Connections" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
