Connections

More than 28 million Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. Local professor of clinical nursing, Mary Tantillo, has written a new book that explores how to help young adults recover from eating disorders. She calls them diseases of disconnection.

We talk to her about that disconnection, as well as how family members can be part of the recovery process. Our guests:

• Mary Tantillo, professor of clinical nursing at the University of Rochester School of Nursing, clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, founder of The Healing Connection, and author of "Reconnecting for Recovery: Multifamily Therapy Group for Young Adults with Anorexia Nervosa”
• Alyssa Morales, young adult in recovery from an eating disorder, and private duty licensed practical nurse
• Michelle Morales, parent peer mentor for the Western NY Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders
  

Zero-waste initiatives in the U.S. gained momentum in 2019 and in early 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic abruptly halted that progress. Now, a year into the pandemic, some of those programs are getting back on track.

We talk about the state of food recycling initiatives, and about composting at the local level. If you've considered composting at home, our guests walk you through different ways to do it. Our guests:

• Robert Putney, CEO of Impact Earth
• Emily Pacifico, operations manager for Impact Earth

We're joined by local vaccine researchers to discuss the state of COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution in the U.S. Dr. Edward Walsh and Dr. Angela Branche have been involved in vaccine development and trials since the beginning of the pandemic. They join us to discuss vaccine effectiveness, Johnson and Johnson coming online, a Pfizer booster being tested locally, and they answer your questions about vaccines.

Our guests:

• Angela Branche, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Medicine (Infectious Diseases), and co-director of the Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit at the University of Rochester Medical Center
• Edward Walsh, M.D., professor in the Department of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and head of infectious diseases at Rochester General Hospital 
  

A local organization called Civic Genius is hosting panels aimed at dismantling polarization. The organizers say the conversations neighbors and elected officials have during their panels can create more common ground on issues that affect the entire country. How do they work? And how effective are they?

We discuss those questions with our guests:

• Howard Konar, founder of Civic Genius
• Jillian Youngblood, executive director of Civic Genius
• Steven Kull, founder and president of Voice of the People
  

Three women have come forward, alleging that Governor Andrew Cuomo subjected them to various forms of sexual harassment. The governor has apologized for what he describes as misunderstandings, but not harassment. Now some Democrats are calling on Cuomo to resign, and protesters demonstrated outside his office yesterday.

Our guests discuss what comes next:

• Lisa Nolan, director of prevention education at Willow Domestic Violence Center
• Nicole Hushla Re, longtime Western New York-based political consultant, currently serving as Assemblywoman Sarah Clark’s chief of staff
• Paul Keneally, partner at Underberg & Kessler LLP
  

How has the pandemic affected small farms? According to many local farmers and their customers, the past year has highlighted the importance of sourcing local food. The annual “CSA Day” expanded to “CSA Week.” It wrapped up last week. CSA stands for Community-Supported Agriculture.

This hour, we discuss how local farms have adapted to COVID-19 restrictions and challenges, and how CSAs have been impacted by the pandemic. Our guests:

• Ruth Blackwell, owner of Mud Creek Farm
• Eric Houppert, owner of Deep Root Farm
• Zac Holtz, CSA member
  

Here's something that would surprise many Americans: Rochester is one of the most reliable places to live if you want to avoid extreme weather. No hurricanes. No wildfires. No drought. Fresh water. Yes, snow, but manageable. As parts of the country deal with extreme weather and the effects of climate change, cities like Rochester and Buffalo are poised to become what Buffalo mayor Byron W. Brown called “climate refuges.” This hour, we talk with climate experts about Rochester as a destination for climate migrants. Our guests:

• Karen Berger, associate professor of instruction, earth and environmental sciences at the University of Rochester
• Brady Fergusson, director of public engagement for the Climate Solutions Accelerator of the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region, and member of Rochester's chapter of Citizens' Climate Lobby