The Debrief Podcast

When Mark Pitifer Jr. left his job at Congressman Tom Reed's office, those close to him knew that it had to be the right opportunity. Now serving as Director of Community Relations at BonaDent, which is headquartered in Seneca Falls, he has been part of the response to COVID-19 locally- and beyond. Today on the show, a conversation with Pitifer, as he talks about transition, new job, and the commu...

How did a power plant along the shores of Seneca Lake in rural Upstate New York dramatically change its course of operation? And how has that shift managed to go almost completely unnoticed? Water Front Online Reporter Peter Mantius dug into that question - among several others. He covers the environment in Upstate New York, with a focus on the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier. His reporting is regu...

Remember vinyl records? There are a couple local radio stations on college campuses in the Finger Lakes, which will be putting those old school tracks on the airwaves this weekend, and again over the summer. Both Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Cayuga Community College - representing Geneva and Auburn respectively - will feature events in the coming months dedicated to vinyl. The first one i...

Phil Bredesen Jr. was born in 1943 and lived most of his childhood years in the small town of Shortsville in Ontario County. He graduated from Red Jacket in 1961, and served as mayor of Nashville, and governor of Tennessee in the 1990s and 2000s. He recently joined Brendan Harrington on his Across the Hall podcast. The full-interview is available here, but during part of that conversation — Bredes...

Working on the frontlines comes with challenges. Not just for healthcare workers, to which we are grateful, but for those who work in grocery stores. Today on The Daily Debrief an excerpt of a conversation that will be released in-full on Thursday right here on FingerLakes1.com with Matt Miller. He is running for New York State Assembly in the 131st District. He also works at a store that New York...

Last month college students across New York and the rest of the U.S. experienced something truly unique. They were sent home. Little warning, no time for debate, and often little more than a letter up-front to explain the situation. But that situation was evolving by the moment.  Here in the Finger Lakes and Upstate New York - colleges shut down campuses one-by-one, as they shifted to confron...

How do you feed a city that struggles with food access and insecurity? How do you accomplish that during a pandemic? Today on the show, FingerLakes1.com Reporter Gabriel Pietrorazio talks to a number of individuals on the frontline of the food access fight in Geneva. The Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic has reminded many how familiar and close to home these issues are.

What does the future of the economy look like? This week we look at reopening, and how it all breaks down as COVID response eases.

How do you feed a city that struggles with food access and insecurity? How do you accomplish that during a pandemic? Today on the show, FingerLakes1.com Reporter Gabriel Pietrorazio talks to the countless individuals who advocate for a better city, while advocating for those who need to be heard. The Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic has reminded many how familiar and close to home these issu...

While Theresa Parker, a Seneca Falls resident has preexisting conditions, she had no idea that the experience she'd have in our local healthcare system would shape her view of the coronavirus pandemic as much as it did. She was directed to a hospital with coronavirus symptoms - only to be turned away without a test, or diagnosis.

This year was always supposed to be a significant one. Not only is there a census happening, but a number of high-profile elections. Now, it's all been turned upside down by the Coronavirus. Today we take a look at how the virus has impacted political campaigns, which continue on whether people are isolated or not.

Today, reporter Gabriel Pietrorazio explores something you should know about happening in the city of Geneva. 

At this point it's almost impossible to find an area of life that hasn't been impacted by the coronavirus, or COVID-19. Here across New York, non-essential retail has been shut down for more than two weeks, restaurants and bars have been reduced to take-out only, and even grocery stores, which were deemed essential when it all began -- are enforcing new restrictions on how many can be inside a sto...

This week on The Debrief Podcast ... a little rebranding, some announcements, and of course, the headlines! Check it out as Josh Durso and Ted Baker broke down the week's biggest stories. Coronavirus, local government, and the future of some communities in the region as major shortfalls loom. Check it out on the FingerLakes1.com YouTube Channel, or listen back on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

This week on The Debrief Podcast, a breakdown of the most-asked questions we received in the newsroom since the Novel Coronavirus outbreak began in New York. Josh Durso and Ted Baker discuss, and look forward to a potentially permanently changed region. https://youtu.be/DDc9Iv7EOtY

This week on The Debrief Podcast the team breaks down the latest headlines including results from Super Tuesday, coverage of the leadership dispute within the Cayuga Nation, possible changes in the city of Geneva, as well as changes that one host believes should come to the town of Seneca Falls. https://youtu.be/Q31TflLD-9Y

This week it’s all about YOUR questions. We’ve been collecting reader and listener questions for the last two weeks on Facebook and Twitter. Now, those questions are being broken down on Episode #62 of the Debrief Podcast. Josh Durso and Ted Baker discuss.

What's up with enrollment declines at area community colleges ? What about the Wayne County Board of Supervisors' decision to hold a vacancy in the District Attorney's office because of a longtime, and often debated residency requirement ? This week on The Debrief Podcast both of those questions will be explored, as well as the future of economic development - as the region was dealt a blow after...

What were the biggest stories of the week in the Finger Lakes? There are several that have people talking, and this week on Episode #60 of The Debrief Podcast, Ted Baker, Jackie Augustine, and Josh Durso are in-studio breaking it all down. Watch the full episode below... Topics for discussion this week include: - A recent appointment by the Cuomo Administration to the Committee on Open Government...

This week on The Debrief Podcast: Governor Andrew Cuomo produces a list of agenda items for 2020, the latest reaction from Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb’s DWI arrest earlier in the week, and taking a closer look at the future of broadband in rural parts of the Finger Lakes. Josh Durso, Ted Baker, and Jackie Augustine are in-studio debating it all on The Debrief. Watch below, or listen to the...

This week on The Debrief Podcast a full-studio. Josh Durso, Jackie Augustine, Ted Baker, and Gabriel Pietrorazio debate the latest headlines and stories impacting the Finger Lakes as 2019 draws to a close. Topics discussed include criminal justice reforms that take hold in a couple weeks, the land sale along Seneca Lake in Geneva, and the future of a deal inked by City Council, which binds Hobart...

This week on The Debrief Podcast it's all about elections; and the decisions voters have before them next week. Josh Durso, Jackie Augustine, Ted Baker, and Gabe Pietrorazio are all in-studio for a deep dive into the biggest races, early voting, and the trends seen over the last few weeks.

This week on The Debrief Podcast host Josh Durso is joined by Ted Baker of Finger Lakes Morning News on Finger Lakes News Radio; and Peter Mantius of The Water Front Online. The trio discussed a number of topics and headlines, including the latest on a race for Schuyler County Court Judge; the future of economic development near Exit 41 in Seneca County; and the future of cashless tolling. They wi...

Summer is nearly over, but that only means that things are getting busier in the FL1 Studio. This week, Jackie Augustine, Ted Baker, and Josh Durso are in-studio breaking down the last two week's biggest headlines. Topics up for discussion on this week's podcast include: - The latest on the Huntington Building in Seneca Falls; - The Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center, which officials say wi...

This week on The Debrief Podcast, Josh Durso is joined by Jackie Augustine and Ted Baker to discuss the week's biggest headlines.  The trio will discuss the the future of a galvanizing plant at the former Seneca Army Depot; a recently-filled Geneva City Council seat; Gov. Andrew Cuomo's fight with Con Ed; and the future of the Musselman, which was sold to WTC.