The Debrief Podcast

The Paycheck Protection Program was launched as part of the federal CARES Act, intended to keep people employed as the nation dealt with a devastating pandemic. The Coronavirus has wreaked havoc on companies of all sizes - but small businesses - who don't have access to large lines of credit, or the existing capital to survive weeks or months of economic inactivity were particularly devastated. St...

Is the Cayuga Nation on the brink of reaching an agreement with Cayuga County? In a FingerLakes1.com exclusive, Mayor Bud Shattuck from the Village of Union Springs shares that conversations which points to negotiations being rekindled with the Cayuga Nation after being put on hold since the pandemic began. County officials are planning to reconnect with Cayuga Nation leadership this upcoming Frid...

Keeping the lights on is tricky business, especially during a pandemic. To get the inside look at the the work, and plans that had been in place to keep NYSEG and RG&E running during the Coronavirus Pandemic, we caught up with President Carl Taylor. He talked about the types of plans a company like his has for various types of events, the changes in energy consumption during lockdown, and how...

Are virtual courts held accountable? In the absence of watchdogs and public oversight during hearings, can virtual courts amid the COVID-19 pandemic unhinge judges, public defenders or privately retained attorneys. Judith McKinney, a volunteer with the Geneva Court Watch Committee weighs the possibilities of such behavioral changes occurring online as she gets set to publish the latest edition of...

Josh Durso, Todd Elzey, and Ted Baker break down the week's biggest headlines and answer YOUR questions

Earlier this week we sat down with Dr. Jonathan Gibralter, president of Wells College in Aurora, New York. Last week, he made headlines with a letter plainly stating that if the College cannot welcome back students in the fall that they will be forced to close. The economic fallout and realities brought on by the Coronavirus Pandemic have put every organization on alert. Today, part of our convers...

Students at the New York Chiropractic College were informed last week that they would not be able to take a crucial portion of their licensing exam at the campus in Seneca Falls. It's unclear what options are in front of them, and while the cancellation appears to be COVID-19 related, an already strained relationship between students and administration has complicated things. Today on the Daily De...

Today, Gabe Galanda, the managing lawyer at Galanda Broadman stationed out of Seattle, Washington weighs in on the fallout from Seneca County's decision to deny the Cayuga Nation building permits to clear debris - due to owing more than $6 million delinquent taxes, interests, and penalties on total properties. Even though the delinquent tax amount is less than that on the individual properties in...

Communication is key, especially when combatting a pandemic. How are immigrant farmworkers remaining educated on the facts about COVID-19 here in New York state? Libby Eiholzer, a bilingual dairy specialist at the Cornell Cooperative Extension explains how her staff created resource sheets to keep laborers healthy and safe while working on the farms.

Right around the time the Coronavirus Pandemic was gaining steam here in the U.S. two local co-working organizations joined forces. Metro CoWorking, located in Rochester, and Port 100, located in Geneva. Just a few months after the announcement that Port 100 had secured funding through Ontario County to continue operation in downtown Geneva - the partnership would test the skillset of all parties...

On this edition of The Weekend Debrief - the panel discusses a series of interesting headlines, as the state and region navigates its way toward reopening. Ted Baker and Josh Durso break down the biggest headlines of the week.

Childcare is costly, certainly not a commodity, and yet the City of Geneva is coming together to offer coverage to essential workers through the ConnectGeneva COVID-19 Task Force. Hear from some of the voices who are educating and nurturing the city's children, free of charge and their concerns about the viability of the childcare industry in the aftermath of the pandemic.

What will public hearings and local meetings look like in the post-pandemic world? Today we talk with Peter Mantius, a local reporter who was at the region's last heavily-attended meeting. It happened in Butler, Wayne County, and points out exactly why state and local leaders will likely have to find alternative solutions. But that likely can't just mean jumping onto a Zoom or WebEx call virtually...

If you were carried away with bruised ribs, a bloodied face and broken nose, you too would be wanting to get answers.  Charles Bowman, a Fayette born and raised resident filed a report on March 1st, after being detained by the Cayuga Nation Police for an hour.  Bowman, who is pressing charges against and seeking an investigation still hasn't heard any updates from Seneca County District...

Cows still need to be milked, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dairy farms across New York state are financially suffering with the unprecedented dropping of milk prices, which has prompted co-ops dump milk - and even considered an early indicator of a looming global recession.  On this edition, Manager Kim Skellie speaks about the financial consequences of the pandemic on El-Vi Farms in Ne...

Last month Leadership Ontario was announced as a new, innovative way to get the next generation of local leaders on the road to changing the community for the better. Then, the Coronavirus Pandemic turned life upside down. While the academy plans to go forward, today on the show - we catch up with Leadership Ontario Executive Director Katie Panara to talk about what's happened, what's coming, and...

This year the Rural & Migrant Ministry is celebrating essential workers on the frontlines, who haven't received the benefits that many of us have enjoyed to date. Today, a conversation about May Day efforts to highlight an important group of the workforce.

What does the future of journalism look like? To Steve Keeler, who leads the school of media and arts at Cayuga Community College - it's going to take quite a bit to save local journalism. While he's optimistic it can happen - he's realistic enough to see the business for what it is now. A place of great uncertainty. Today on the show, part of our full-conversation with Keeler about the future of...

Over the last two weeks, leaders in Cayuga County have stepped up voicing concern over a rash of overdose deaths. For Sheriff Brian Schenck, the challenge lies in maintaining vital connections between those who are in recovery and the resources that keep them on that road. Throughout the Coronavirus Pandemic the County has stepped up to provide resources for those battling addiction, or simply con...

As New York begins the re-launch of the economy-at-large, workforce development professionals are trying to figure out what's next. Specifically, they're trying to serve as assistant to businesses that need information about available resources during the economic shutdown - and helping those employees and workers out of a job. There's opportunity in the market, as was made clear by an announcemen...

As momentum built following another successfully rally and march in Seneca Falls in January, this year was set to be a landmark occasion for the National Women's Hall of Fame. Then, a pandemic struck, throwing everything in the air. Liza Kiernan, the social media coordinator for the National Women's Hall of Fame talks about how they are handling the delayed grand opening of the Seneca Falls Knitti...

The Weekend Debrief is back with another edition, focusing on the potential outcomes of the Coronavirus Pandemic. Josh Durso and Ted Baker will break down some of the biggest stories of the week with long-term implications. https://youtu.be/JGXGJ_51pKg

In this historic region - it's not difficult to find organizations, or even buildings - that have stood through a lot. While the Finger Lakes region is rich with history, the Smith Center embodies that entirely. Standing mightily in historic, downtown Geneva - the Smith has stood through wars, the Influenza Pandemic of the last century, and so much more. Today on the show, a conversation about art...

Documenting these unusual moments in history will be something appreciated - even if not in the moment. It's a strange time we're living in now, and one person is working to help document that locally. Jan Regan is a photographer, and serves as city councilor in Geneva. She has been documenting the city throughout the pandemic with her camera. Today on the show, a conversation with Regan, who talk...

How are schools going to function moving forward? Stephen Parker Zielinski is the superintendent of schools at South Seneca. It's a smaller, rural district, and we wanted to catch up to ask him about potential budget cuts, navigating a pandemic on limited staffing, and what some of his expectations were moving forward. While he said the plans in place right now, to not only educate - but feed stud...