A twenty-something armchair policy wonk born and raised in the Catskills is heading out into the world, and he's got a lot of questions. In this podcast from WJFF Radio Catskill, we'll take a deep dive into the institutions in upstate New York that are at the foundation of our community and explore how they work (and how they sometimes don't). We'll sit down with educators, farmers, public servants, artists, business owners, and all-around do-gooders to learn what it means to be a part of rural America today--and the part each of us can play in creating a brighter future tomorrow.

WJFF - Close to Home with Leif Johansen
Claim This Podcastby Leif Johansen
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Podcast Overview
A twenty-something armchair policy wonk born and raised in the Catskills is heading out into the world, and he's got a lot of questions. In this podcast from WJFF Radio Catskill, we'll take a deep dive into the institutions in upstate New York that are at the foundation of our community and explore how they work (and how they sometimes don't). We'll sit down with educators, farmers, public servants, artists, business owners, and all-around do-gooders to learn what it means to be a part of rural America today--and the part each of us can play in creating a brighter future tomorrow.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
2/11/2021
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Recent Episodes

January 16, 2025
Rural Housing
<p>So if our population isn't growing...why can't we find places to live? In this episode, Leif sits down with Adam Bosch, President and CEO of Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, and Vanessa McPhillips, the Director of Strategic Planning at the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development, to learn about why abundant and affordable housing feels just out of reach in our community and what's being done about it.</p><p>To learn more about Sullivan County's housing statistics and strategies, check out the 2022 Comprehensive Housing Strategy here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://sullivanny.gov/sites/default/files/departments/Planning/Housing%20Strategy/SullivanCountyComprehensiveHousingBook.pdf">https://sullivanny.gov/sites/default/files/departments/Planning/Housing%20Strategy/SullivanCountyComprehensiveHousingBook.pdf</a></p><p>Cover photo credit: Jonathan Fox, River Reporter Newspaper</p>

October 19, 2024
Water Works
<p>What exactly happens behind the scenes for clean, safe drinking water to come out of your kitchen faucet? It turns out, there are marvels of engineering and health science right under our feet, but much of our water and sewer infrastructure in the U.S. is outdated—sometimes dangerously so. In this episode, we hear from University of Rochester Professor Morris Pierce on the history of American water works and Town of Liberty Supervisor Frank DeMayo on how our local drinking water and wastewater systems work, and what the most pressing issues are with them that need to be addressed sooner rather than later.</p>

August 31, 2024
Breweries
<p>Name a multi billion-dollar New York State industry that has grown five-fold in the last decade. (Not much of a quiz question when you can see the title of the episode, but work with me here.) Craft brewing is in its prime across the U.S., and upstate New York is one of the great epicenters of it. In this episode, we talk to New York State Brewers' Association President Paul Leone and Big Eddy Brewing Co. owners Jacob and Alison Johnson about the state of the industry, and we learn from the experts about how to make beer and how to build a brewery from the ground up. (Spoiler: it takes more than a little elbow grease.)</p>
67 total episodes available
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- What is WJFF - Close to Home with Leif Johansen?
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This podcast updates bi-weekly.
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This podcast is available on 8 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
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Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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