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Connections

What will help families most when it comes to affording basic necessities?

Children learn through play with magnetic letters and numbers at Fun Times With Titi Childcare on Monday, October 27, 2025.
Max Schulte
/
WXXI News

12:00: What will help families most when it comes to affording basic necessities?

1:00: 'Connections Summer Sessions:' Ithaca is more than gorges

Which expense is most difficult for your family to afford? That question was raised during a recent public hearing hosted by New York State's Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council. The goal was to hear from the public about the financial challenges they face, while also examining the council's anti-poverty efforts. What's working? What challenges still need to be addressed? And what kinds of support do families say they need? We discuss those questions with our guests, and we talk about how expected cuts at the federal level could affect local families. In studio:

  • Madison Byrne, policy and community advocate at the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative
  • Pete Nabozny, director of policy for The Children's Agenda
  • Tianna Johnson, parent advocate and community organizer

Then in our second hour, "Connections Summer Sessions" continues. Our last stop on our tour of the Finger Lakes is Ithaca, a city where natural wonder meets vibrant culture. Nestled at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, Ithaca is home to more than 100 waterfalls, two major universities, and a rich history that has shaped its creative spirit. In this special rebroadcast, we explore the gorges and the wineries, the stories and the legends, and we discuss why this small city makes such a big impression. Our guests:

  • Jose Molina, travel show host and filmmaker
  • Peggy Coleman, president, Tompkins Chamber
  • Carol Kammen, Tompkins County historian

"Connections" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.

Connections
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.

Connections with Evan Dawson

Connections is our daily, live talk show. It airs live weekdays, noon-2 p.m., and re-airs at 9 and 10 p.m. You can also find us wherever you find your podcasts.

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