Education

Being Poor: Poverty on the Edge

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The Fulton/Oswego area is often covered in the news for their issues related to their struggling business and economic challenges.  But, why?  What is the story behind these once thriving communities with strong agricultural, industrial and power producing potential?  In this beautiful area, located in the northern, central area of the state, many struggle to find jobs where they can sustain a lifestyle above the poverty level.  Skilled employees travel hours to find part time work, and many others have fled the area altogether. Connect: NY spoke with the Mayor of Fulton, two Oswego County Councilmen, the historians for Oswego and Fulton as well as workforce development participants to understand the struggling economy in this once prosperous region. Panelists joining the show:

Karla DiGirolamo – NYS Community Action Executive Director 
Joseph Rotella, Oswego County Workforce Development Executive Director 
Lindy Glennon, Cortland County Community Action Executive Director
David Kay, Senior Extension Associate – Community and Regional Development Institute (CARDI), Department of Development Sociology Fellow, Atkinson Center for Sustainable Future Affiliate, Program on Infrastructure Policy
Ken Pokalsky, Vice President of Government Relations, NYS Business Council
Watch this new episode on Monday, April 17, 2017 at 9:00pm. 
Join us as we uncover compelling and unexpected stories throughout New York State and the history and systemic forces influencing current realities. Connect: NY is produced by WCNY (Syracuse, NY) and aired in partnership with WSKG.

Education

'Being Poor: Dope, but no Hope'

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The Connect: NY series explores statewide issues of critical importance with monthly, one-hour panel discussions. This episode, ‘Being Poor: Dope, but no Hope’, continues to focus on poverty by looking at those with drug addictions and continuous illegal drug usage and how their situations often spiral into a circumstance where they are living in poverty.  While much of New York State, and much of the nation has been dealing with an opiod crisis, young people in the Southern Tier face the additional burden of a stagnant economy.  Many attribute the staggering rise in opioid addiction and deaths to a lack of hope about the future. Panelists joining the show:

Dr. Indu Gupta, Onondaga County Health Director/co-chair of the Onondaga County Opioid Taskforce

Professor Dessa Bergen-Cico, Fellow of the American Academy of Health Care Providers in the Addictive Disorders, Associate Professor Department of Public Health, Syracuse University

Alexis Pleus, Mother who lost her son to drug addiction/Founder of TruthPharm, Inc., a national advocacy 501c3 non-profit organization. Truth Pharm, based in Broome County, is working to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with substance use disorders, and advocating for policy change to improve treatment options

Stephanie Campbell, Acting Executive Director, Friends of Recovery – Albany, New York. Watch this new episode on Monday, March 27, 2017 at 9:00pm. 
Join us as we uncover compelling and unexpected stories throughout New York State and the history and systemic forces influencing current realities. Connect: NY is produced by WCNY (Syracuse, NY) and aired in partnership with WSKG.

Education

'Being Poor: Real Stories of Poverty in 2017'

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The Connect: NY series explores statewide issues of critical importance with monthly, one-hour panel discussions. This episode, ‘Being Poor: Real Stories of Poverty in 2017’, takes the viewer into the world of poverty to look at the choices both the urban and rural poor must make every single day. Watch this new episode on Monday, January 30, 2017 at 9:00pm. 
Join us as we uncover compelling and unexpected stories throughout New York State and the history and systemic forces influencing current realities. Connect: NY is produced by WCNY (Syracuse, NY) and aired in partnership with WSKG.