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Get up to speed on the stories you may have missed by subscribing to Ear Shot, the podcast that brings you on-demand stories, interviews, and other tidbits of what's happening around Rochester and the Finger Lakes, all from the WXXI News team.

WXXI News


    • Feb 3, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 8m AVG DURATION
    • 202 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Ear Shot

    Rochester Museum & Science Center is recruiting ambassadors for total eclipse outreach, and more

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2023 6:59


    The Rochester Museum & Science Center is recruiting ambassadors to get the word out about next year's total eclipse. Local town supervisors are concerned about Gov. Kathy Hochul's housing initiative. And a recent graduate of the Rochester City School District says he plans to run for elected office this year.

    Local organizations are helping people with disabilities enter the workforce

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2023 7:47


    Local organizations are helping people with disabilities enter the workforce by connecting them to potential employers.

    Meet the songwriter-heavy local alt-country group that's putting out bangers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2023 4:59


    Catchy, compelling songwriting is a precious resource, and one Rochester band is hoarding songwriters like the well's about to go dry.

    Barack and Michelle Obama lend their names to a new Teen Empowerment center in Rochester

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2023 6:39


    A center for teens in Rochester is to be named after two of the most prominent community organizers.

    A run-in with RSV left this toddler's mom grateful – and scared – for her child

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2022 5:57


    RSV cases have surged this season, including here in Rochester, and some parents are experiencing the worst of it firsthand.

    College students need more mental health resources, speakers stress at state hearing

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2022 11:45


    An ongoing mental health crisis affecting college students has only been exacerbated by the pandemic. And the largest class of New York State Forest Rangers just graduated, ready to fight fires, patrol state land, and conduct search and rescues.

    Building up Beechwood

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2022 6:20


    Developers have begun construction on an ambitious, multi-year plan to build up a challenged Rochester neighborhood.

    Doctors in URMC class learn how to better connect with patients who have disabilities

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2022 6:27


    Some people with disabilities report a lack of trust and comfort in relationships with their primary care physicians. One program hopes that training doctors can make a difference.

    Rochester librarians are finding rare treasures in their downtown collection

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2022 7:18


    Rochester's Central Library is brimming with books and other items that people check out each day, but we look deeper and find some real treasures.

    As more kids' books come under fire, access to information at risk

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2022 7:52


    There have been a lot of local debates around library books recently, specifically books that address sexuality and sex education for young kids. It reflects a national trend of book banning efforts in schools and children's libraries. We talk to a local librarian about some of the books being labeled as problematic.

    Rochester dads get help through local fatherhood program that offers support, community

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2022 6:28


    In this podcast, Racquel Stephen reports on a fatherhood program that offers community and support for dads in Rochester.

    Childhood dreams come to life in Brighton's spookiest Halloween House

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2022 5:48


    For more than a decade, children of all ages have made a point each Halloween of visiting a particularly decked-out house in the 12 Corners area of Brighton.

    Greater Rochester is moving toward recreation that is inclusive to all, but some city residents are getting left behind

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2022 12:05


    Rochester and the Finger Lakes are becoming a hub for all kinds of inclusive activities – like biking and kayaking. But some people with disabilities, particularly those in the city, are still being left behind.

    Meet the married couple covering high school games all around Rochester

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2022 13:32


    An unlikely duo uses their platform to cover local high school sports. Plus, for decades, a volunteer user has welcomed music lovers to the Eastman Theatre, and now she's being ushered into the spotlight herself.

    With a new name, this Indigenous team is honoring the sacred origin of lacrosse

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2022 6:47


    For 30 years, this lacrosse team has been called the Iroquois Nationals. Now they're playing as the Haudenosaunee, in a symbolic move toward rejecting colonialism, and honoring the indigenous origins of the game.

    A new neighborhood in Rochester emerges from the rubble of the Inner Loop

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2022 11:36


    Development projects underway in the Neighborhood of Play include retail space and apartment buildings, but also, dragons. Plus, Danielle Ponder's star continues to rise with the release of her debut solo album, "Some of us are brave."

    To help people with sickle cell disease, blood banks are looking for more African American donors

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2022 10:34


    People with blood disorders are at risk amid an ongoing blood shortage. And the Rochester Fringe Festival is taking a cue from Las Vegas casinos and high-end spas by adding a scent to its Spiegeltent.

    A Garth Fagan documentary airs this September. Here's one story from his legendary dance company

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2022 14:04


    Garth Fagan is a household name in Rochester. This week we peek behind the curtain and hear a story about his influence through the perspective of two of his dancers.

    Kids are going back to school. But some of their teachers aren't returning - why not?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2022 12:59


    Kids across Monroe County are gearing up for the first day of school, but there will be less teachers in the building. And a growing movement to cancel late fees at the library grows momentum, but not everyone is on board.

    People who want electric cars are hitting roadblocks in Monroe County

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2022 6:22


    Electric vehicles are in high demand, but support from local governments is lagging.

    StoryCorps: Rochesterians share 3 stories that show the complexity of our community

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2022 14:52


    A collection of stories and interviews from Rochester gathered through a project aimed at preserving oral histories about one man learning about his roots, one small business and its lasting impact on the community, and one family processing the loss of their loved one to the AIDS virus.

    Snow geese symbolizing strength, discipline memorialize 3 guardsmen who died in '21 helicopter crash

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2022 11:10


    An artist pays tribute to three national guardsmen who died in a helicopter crash last year. And we meet the newest member of the Adirondack Park Agency board, and hear what she wants for one of New York's most treasured regions.

    These Rochester women are Ultimate Frisbee world champions. They say the game means everything

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2022 7:24


    This summer, in Ireland, two Rochester women were crowned World Champions in ultimate frisbee. We meet them and learn more about the sport that prides itself on Spirit of the Game.

    Graffiti on the rise as officials work to erase, embrace its painted landscape

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2022 12:11


    Graffiti is on the rise, and some established artists are seeing their murals tagged over by novice teenagers. What separates art from vandalism?And a sixteen-year-old is fighting to make active shooter drills and emergency plans more accessible for kids with disabilities.

    These barbers and hairstylists are helping their clients access valuable health care resources

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2022 6:55


    For a lot of people, getting a haircut is also a time to socialize and connect with someone they trust. That's why barbers and hairstylists are being recruited to help people access health screenings and other important information.

    The secret Devil's Cove Park: A hellish name, a heavenly place

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2022 11:05


    We take a trip out to the secret, secluded Devil's Cove Park.

    Rochester kids are living in the middle of serious violence. One afterschool program tries to help

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2022 15:12


    An afterschool program in Rochester helps kids process the gun violence in their neighborhood, and hopefully prevent it in the future. Plus, New Yorkers who were once criminalized for selling and possessing marijuana may be among the first to benefit from the state's emerging recreational market.

    Pummeled by the economy and COVID, farmers at the Rochester Public Market say they're holding on

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2022 12:50


    During the pandemic, Rochester's Public Market has endured the same disruptions as many other businesses: supply chain issues, labor shortages and high gas prices. But it's adapting in its own way.Plus: A mural on East High School depicts local and national leaders of the civil rights movement. We take a closer look at one man in the photo, the Rev. Franklin Florence.

    Nail salon workers face unhealthy conditions, wage theft and unstable hours. Some are speaking up

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2022 6:50


    Workers at many nail salons face some serious health and financial risks.

    Far from home, young Afghan refugees find community in skateboarding

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2022 10:39


    A new program in Rochester seeks to empower and enrich recent refugees through skating.

    The formula shortage has Rochester parents worried about how they'll feed their children

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2022 11:25


    A shortage of baby formula is causing local parents to panic. Plus, a new historical marker attempts to re-address the complicated history of white European settlement in the area.

    Indian boarding schools tried to eradicate their language. Now, the Seneca are bringing it back

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2022 10:00


    A group of Seneca Nation people are working to reclaim a language that was almost completely lost to them.

    Success coaches help workers with problems outside the workplace. That helps their employers, too

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2022 11:12


    A local agency is trying a new approach to retaining their employees – they're supporting them at work and at home. Plus, a local ballerina is retiring, but not before breaking some ballerina stereotypes.

    Who's planting all those daffodils at Mount Hope Cemetery?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2022 13:44


    Meet the man who has planted 15,000 daffodils in Mount Hope Cemetery. Plus: A welding class geared toward young women aims to create a boom of female tradespeople.

    Stop cutting your lawn

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2022 10:01


    A local environmentalist is trying to convince people to let go of their perfectly manicured lawns. And plans are in the works for a large pavilion in Highland Park. Plus, A particularly deadly strain of bird flu is spreading through New York, from wild birds to chicken farms.

    Pay transparency: How ending the secrecy could erase inequities and change the workplace

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2022 13:49


    For many years, people seeking jobs have been at a disadvantage when it comes to negotiating pay. Now more places, including New York, are considering requiring employers to divulge pay ranges. And in Monroe County, Black mothers and their babies are at a higher risk of complications and mortality.

    Should there be an age limit on teaching LGBTQ acceptance? Some Pittsford parents seem to think so

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2022 13:25


    An afterschool club for elementary school students focused on LGBTQ education is at the center of a heated debate in the Pittsford Central School District. And in the North Country, one local doughnut shop/laundromat has endured for decades. What is their recipe for success?

    Nuclear warfare is back in the headlines. We revisit Rochester's forgotten fall out shelters

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2022 11:24


    At the height of the Cold War, Rochester residents built their own fallout shelters. Some of them are still scattered around town. Plus: More people are choosing the sober life, and more organizations are catering to them.

    How to heat your home without killing the planet

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2022 11:58


    A Rochester couple wants to be an example for affordable eco-friendly living. Plus: As more New Yorkers wait for trial at home, few communities are paying for services to support them.

    The giant spiders aren't going to hurt you

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 11:38


    Will giant parachuting spiders spread through Rochester? Plus: Warmer winters mean a shorter season for ice fishing. And Public Health Commissioner Doctor Michael Mendoza reflects on two years of COVID.

    A shortage of home aides is keeping this man from living in his own house

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2022 10:53


    New York's home aide shortage is keeping some people with disabilities from living independently. And world-class speed skating is back in Lake Placid.

    To get even more out of exercise, make it fun

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2022 13:20


    Getting exercise is important for your health, but that doesn't mean it can't be fun. Plus: we hear from Rochester native Maia Chaka, the first Black woman officiant in the NFL.

    When does 'healthy eating' become an eating disorder?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2022 11:24


    Recently retired football star Tom Brady is said to have followed an incredibly strict diet, but there's a fine line between focus and fixation. And a school play in recognition of Black History Month took a different approach this year.

    As moratoriums end, this program aims to help homeowners avoid foreclosure

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2022 16:13


    Many homeowners have been left out of COVID-19 relief, and they hope a new state program will help. Plus: Worker shortages have been particularly hard on residents of group homes.

    It's time to prioritize play

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2022 13:10


    You don't have to be a kid to enjoy playtime, but why do we do it? And Valentine's Day is typically about love, but it wasn't always.

    Easing Parkinson's symptoms with rock and roll

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2022 13:42


    Music therapy can help Parkinson's patients move around.Plus: A local group has made it their mission to pray for every homicide victim in Rochester

    Veterinary workers fight to unionize -- and win

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2022 16:40


    Employees at a local veterinary hospital are among the first in the nation to unionize. And a family sues to get their son with disabilities back in school with a mask exemption.

    The influence of Rochester's deaf population

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2022 12:40


    A small population of Rochesterians has a big influence. Plus: Sports betting companies have taken over social media, making life harder for gambling addicts.

    Bunny owners beware: fatal virus detected in New York State

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2022 11:16


    A highly contagious and fatal virus has sparked a push for widespread vaccination in rabbits. And nursing home staff are hopeful about the governor's health care spending plan.

    Unlocking Parkinson's, one selfie at a time

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2022 10:50


    Selfies aren't just for social media anymore. They could be used as a diagnostic tool in medicine. And New York Governor Kathy Hochul lays out her 2022 priorities, amid a winter surge of the coronavirus.

    Assassins, flames, and hats: the history behind Rochester's Liberty Pole

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2021 14:13


    Rochester's Liberty Pole is more than a piece of art downtown. It has a long — and surprising — history. And inside a first-grade classroom, we hear how teachers are coping with our new normal.

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