12:00: Why Rochester City Council chose housing
1:00: ICE detains local advocate; erosion of the Chimney Bluffs; plant trees!
Everyone agrees that the city of Rochester needs more housing. But an open parcel recently sparked debate in the community and on Rochester City Council. Should it be housing? Open green space? Something else? We've invited members of Council to discuss their votes on the project and their views on what the city needs. In studio:
- Miguel Meléndez Jr., president of Rochester City Council
- Mitch Gruber, Ph.D., member of Rochester City Council
Then in our second hour, it's our weekly news roundup. We begin with the latest on a local farmworker rights advocate who has been detained by ICE and faces deportation to her native Mexico. WXXI's Brian Sharp and Veronica Volk explain. Then, a conversation about climate and change. As Veronica Volk reports, erosion at the Chimney Bluffs in Wayne County is expected, but the formations have seen a remarkable amount of change in recent years. We discuss what the instability means — both for the bluffs and for similar local landscapes. We end the week with a question: can planting trees truly save the planet? A variety of programs in the last number of years have called on Americans to plant trees. We explore what the science says and how the local chapter of the Sierra Club is helping people in our region contribute to New York state's goal of planting 25 million trees by 2033.
- Brian Sharp, investigations and enterprise editor for WXXI News
- Veronica Volk, executive producer and director of podcast strategy for WXXI Public Media
- John Kastner, board member and event chair for the Rochester Regional Group of the Sierra Club
- Daryl Odhner, Monroe County master gardener and board member for the Rochester Regional Group of the Sierra Club
This conversation is part of WXXI's celebration of Earth Month. To learn more, please click here.
"Connections" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
