Regional Roundup – 10/11/21

The first gubernatorial debate between current Governor Phil Murphy and Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli was a fiery one, with candidates sparring over Covid-19, taxes, abortion and police reform. This hour, Rutgers University’s Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling Director ASHLEY KONING joins us to explain key issues and predictions for the second match between the two. And, staffing hospitals with enough direct-care nurses has always been a struggle, but the pandemic thrust the issue into the spotlight, with a number of nursing staff exiting positions due to exhausting workloads and the trauma of witnessing thousands of Covid-19 related deaths. Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals President MAUREEN MAY joins us to discuss the reform her organization is pushing for, and what it’s like to be in her position as a full-time nurse at Temple University Hospital. Plus, SONIA MANZANO was beloved by generations in the role of Maria on Sesame Street, and broke new ground as one of the first Latino characters on national TV. She joins us to discuss her longstanding career and a new PBS show inspired by her own childhood, Alma’s Way, about a proud, confident Puerto Rican girl who lives in the Bronx with her family among a diverse group of close-knit friends and community members.