When Peter Vazquez handed over the mic, Dom Genova brought his trademark authenticity and no-nonsense charm to The Next Steps Show. This powerful episode blends heart, humor, and hard truth—from veteran broadcaster Don Alhart on service and gratitude, to rock legend Gene Cornish on America’s musical soul, and lawmen Sheriff Grady Judd and Jim VanBrederode on the collapse of law and order. Dom Genova reminds listeners that faith, freedom, and common sense are not relics—they are the backbone of a nation still worth fighting for.
When the Keys Changed Hands
The morning began with a handoff—Peter on assignment, and Dom Genova sliding into the driver’s seat of The Next Steps Show. The familiar hum of WYSL carried something different that day: not just talk, but the kind of conversation that reminds you what America used to sound like—real, direct, and grounded in gratitude.
First up, broadcasting icon Don Alhart, a man whose calm voice has carried Rochester through decades of triumph and tragedy. Don spoke about service and discipline—how a few years in the Army Reserve shaped a lifetime of purpose. He talked about that fifth-grade classroom where a teacher built a fake radio booth and unknowingly built a broadcaster. It was a reminder that greatness rarely starts on a stage. It starts in small rooms where kids are taught that hard work and creativity still matter.
Then came Gene Cornish, Rochester’s own Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. From It’s a Beautiful Morning to the halls of Shea Stadium, Gene’s story was pure Americana. A local boy who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Beatles, who went from playing school dances to shaping a generation’s sound. Yet what stuck wasn’t fame—it was loyalty. A man who still calls old friends, still loves his city, still lights up when talking about his father and the taste of a hometown burger. That is the kind of success worth celebrating—the kind that remembers where it came from.
But the tone shifted fast. A clip rolled from Sheriff Grady Judd, the straight-talking lawman from Polk County, Florida. His voice cut through the static like a warning flare: “When you have a breakdown of the rule of law, that’s a slippery slope.” He was talking about Chicago cops ordered not to help their own. Unthinkable once—routine now. Former Monroe County Police Chiefs Association president Jim VanBrederode joined in, frustrated and blunt: politics has no business in patrol cars. Law enforcement is family. You never let family fall. It was a gut check for every listener who’s watched the headlines and wondered how far we’ve fallen.
The show lightened, but never lost its edge. Talk turned to car buying, fine print, and truth in advertising. Dom’s new book—Don’t Be Taken for a Ride—is not just about dealerships; it’s about life. Read the small print. Question what you’re told. Demand honesty. America could use more of that these days.
There were laughs too—“Raccoon Man” tales, ketchup debates, and gentle ribbing between old friends. But even the humor felt like home. The kind of laughter you hear in garages, diners, and back porches—where people still believe in work, faith, and country.
By the end, the mics faded but the message stuck. Veterans, musicians, sheriffs, mechanics—it did not matter who took the mic. They all spoke the same truth: character counts, freedom demands backbone, and America works best when ordinary men refuse to bow to nonsense.
Peter may have handed off the keys, but the engine never stopped running. This was radio the way it was meant to be—honest, human, and wide awake.
Promote your brand on the Next Steps Show, airing on WYSL1040.com's AM 1040, FM 92.1, and FM 95.5 West stations. Discover more at nextstepsroc.com/advertise-with-us or dial (585) 346-3000 to get in touch with the WYSL team.
Have you ever dreamt of sharing your unique voice, stories, or expertise with the world through a podcast? Perhaps you're bubbling with ideas but uncertain about where to begin? The journey from idea to launch can be daunting, but that's where we come in. Dive Into the World of Podcasting with Next Steps Radio PODCAST Network! Visit NextStepsRoc.com or call Peter at (585) 880-7580.
### The Next Steps Show: When the Keys Changed Hands
**Guest Host:** Dom Genova
**Guests:** Mike Whittemore, Don Alhart, Gene Cornish, Sheriff Grady Judd, and Jim VanBrederode
**Originally aired on WYSL/WLEA – The Voice of Liberty**
---
**Peter Vazquez:**
In a world that seems to change daily, what will you do next? Welcome to *The Next Steps Show* with Peter Vazquez — your starting point for discussion *y un poco de dirección.*
Well, surprise, surprise — if you are looking for Peter Vazquez, he is off on assignment today and has turned the keys of the show over to me, **Dom Genova**. I have had a talk show on another station for years — *The No-Nonsense Roundtable* — and now, I am proud to bring that same no-nonsense spirit here to WYSL and WLEA, the Voice of Liberty.
Joining me is my longtime friend and partner in broadcasting crime, **Mike Whittemore**.
---
**Mike Whittemore:**
Hello, everybody! Proud to be on the Voice of Liberty for the first time. My voice has been on this station for years through commercials, but never live — until now.
---
**Dom Genova:**
Mike and I go way back. We met when I started my car dealership in Avon in the ‘90s. We did commercials together, we made fun of bad ads, and we had a blast doing it. I learned from him how to act on air — and how to have fun with it.
Today, though, we’re doing more than reminiscing. We’re bringing you conversations that matter — real stories from real people who make a difference.
---
### Segment 1 – Don Alhart: A Legacy of Service and Storytelling
**Dom Genova:**
We have someone very special on the line — Rochester broadcasting legend **Don Alhart**, who also happens to be a veteran. Don, thank you for joining us.
---
**Don Alhart:**
Great to be here, Dom. You know, I served six years between active duty and reserve in the U.S. Army. Some people say that does not make you a veteran, but I believe service is service. It shaped me — the discipline, the structure, the teamwork. Those lessons never leave you.
---
**Dom Genova:**
You have interviewed thousands of people over the years, but you are one of those rare ones who has remained grounded. Ninety-seven thousand people watched your short interview clip on *The No-Nonsense Roundtable.* That tells me folks still respond to humility, honesty, and gratitude.
---
**Don Alhart:**
That means a lot. I think giving back is what keeps us going. I learned that early in life. I actually built my first “radio station” in fifth grade — our teacher, Mr. Nutsker, set up a small booth in the corner of the classroom with microphones and turntables. That experience lit the spark, and here we are decades later.
---
**Dom Genova:**
A straight path from a classroom microphone to broadcasting history. Don, thank you for your service and your voice. You’ve always represented the best of what media can be — steady, decent, and good-hearted.
---
### Segment 2 – Gene Cornish: Rock & Roll and Rochester Roots
**Dom Genova:**
Now we turn from broadcasting to rock and roll royalty. Joining us is **Gene Cornish**, co-founder of *The Rascals* — yes, *those* Rascals — one of the great American bands of the 1960s.
Gene, my friend, welcome.
---
**Gene Cornish:**
Dom, good to be with you. You know, we had three number-one hits, seven top-ten singles, and five appearances on *The Ed Sullivan Show.* It was an incredible time.
---
**Dom Genova:**
You tell a great story in your book *Good Lovin’* — about being at Shea Stadium when the Beatles performed, and how the scoreboard flashed “The Rascals are coming.” Brian Epstein was *not* happy about that one!
---
**Gene Cornish:**
(Laughs) Yeah, he was furious. Sid Bernstein, our promoter, put that up without warning. Epstein said the Beatles would not go on until it was taken down! But it all worked out — he became a fan and a friend.
---
**Dom Genova:**
That’s what I love — the mix of humor and history. You were part of the soundtrack of America. And you’re still performing today.
---
**Gene Cornish:**
I am. The joy is still there. I grew up near Red Wings Stadium in Rochester — I could hear the cheers from my bedroom. I still keep in touch with childhood friends, talk Yankees baseball, and remember where I came from. You cannot forget your roots.
---
**Dom Genova:**
That’s what makes you special, Gene. Fame never erased your Rochester heart. Thanks for joining us — and for keeping the music alive.
---
### Segment 3 – Law, Order, and Leadership
**Dom Genova:**
We have a clip now from Sheriff **Grady Judd** of Polk County, Florida — a man known for telling it straight. Listen to this.
---
**Sheriff Grady Judd (recording):**
I have never heard of one law enforcement agency refusing to help another — until now. When politics stops cops from helping cops, that is not leadership. That is the collapse of the rule of law. When you let anarchists run wild, people die.
---
**Dom Genova:**
That is about as plain as it gets. And joining me to respond is **Jim VanBrederode**, retired police chief and former president of the Monroe County Police Chiefs Association.
---
**Jim VanBrederode:**
Dom, that was spot on. What we are seeing in places like Rochester — officers told not to respond, politics calling the shots — it is dangerous. When you tell a cop not to back up another cop, you are telling the public their safety is negotiable. It is shameful.
---
**Dom Genova:**
It is a family thing — law enforcement always was. You do not let family down.
---
**Jim VanBrederode:**
Exactly. When politics interferes, it is not about safety anymore. It is about control. And that is what we have to stand up against.
---
**Dom Genova:**
Jim, you have always spoken common sense to power. Thank you for your leadership and for joining us again today.
---
### Segment 4 – Cars, Common Sense, and Raccoon Man
**Dom Genova:**
Now, for a little fun before we close. Mike, you wanted to talk about my new book, *Don’t Be Taken for a Ride.*
---
**Mike Whittemore:**
Yes, because this book is pure gold for anyone buying a car — or trying not to get ripped off.
---
**Dom Genova:**
That’s right. I wrote it because I have seen every trick in the book — the fake “zero down” deals, the hidden “doc fees,” the “all rebates applied” nonsense. I decided to write the truth. If you know the rules, you will not get played.
And yes, there is even a story in there about a naked parts manager. Long story, but it proves the point — car dealerships can be wild.
---
**Mike Whittemore:**
And do not forget “Raccoon Man.”
---
**Dom Genova:**
Ah yes, my new nickname. A lady at a service shop mistook me for the guy who catches raccoons. I just went with it. You learn to laugh at yourself.
---
**Mike Whittemore:**
That’s what makes you you, Dom — self-deprecating humor and straight talk.
---
**Dom Genova:**
If God did not want us to eat animals, He would not have made them out of meat. That is my philosophy on hamburgers. And life, really.
---
### Closing Segment
**Dom Genova:**
It has been a great ride today — stories of faith, service, music, leadership, and a little common sense along the way. My thanks to **Don Alhart**, **Gene Cornish**, **Sheriff Grady Judd**, **Jim VanBrederode**, and my friend **Mike Whittemore** for being here.
This is what radio should be — honest conversation, grounded in gratitude, humor, and truth.
You are listening to *The Next Steps Show* on **WYSL** — *The Voice of Liberty.*
---
**[End of Transcript]**
