Comment Archives: stories
Re: “Richards' campaign off to a slow start”
Lovely Warren is exactly what the City of Rochester needs!
Re: “Sheppard, Warren events stress dire need”
I live in the area this article talks about. The parents of the children mentioned here are all out working two to three sup-par paying Mcjobs. Blaming the parents for "not taking responsibility" is an invalid argument. We are in an economic race to the bottom. Employment figures go up and so do the number of people on food stamps. That tells you that old jobs are being replaced by even worse jobs. So don't count on things getting better anytime soon.
Here's what the kids want. This is what they told the GRCC and Baptist ministers several years ago. The kids want safe spaces for respite open 24/7 so they don't have to be involved in chaotic situations outside of school and home. Disorganization at home often means absent parents out working all those sub-par jobs to keep the family going--a pressure imposed by society. Jobs pay less and what is left of the social safety net is under attack. Things will not get better and the young people will keep becoming vulnerable to gang activity. Don't blame the kids and their families. Look further.
These people, my neighbors, are under tremendous social and economic pressure. It's a powder keg. I found Shepard and Warren's responses shallow. But the reporting of the conversations may have ignored anything substantive either of these officials said.
Re: “Sheppard, Warren events stress dire need”
Unfortunately we're all responsible to one degree or another for the sorry state of Rochester. The suburbs provide too much of a buffer for whites to get it and the wealthy and well-educated in Brighton, Pittsford, Mendon, Rush, Webster and the East side of the city who are largely the power brokers in this community are too insular and self-interested to really care. Without the crippling concentration of crime, poverty, illiteracy in their communities, etc. to motivate people in Greece or Chili or Pittsford to action, the problem is largely going to stay the same. Likewise the citizens of Rochester are often too passive and/or submissive to the status quo, or thwarted by previously-mentioned elites who wish to maintain a certain community appearance. Rochester was called the Image Centre in the '50s and '60s. Unfortunately it is still the Image Center, for the Smugtown crowd.
Re: “Richards' campaign off to a slow start”
how about MOmentum?
Re: “Concert Review: Nikki Hill at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que”
Don't forget Little Ann!
Re: “Sheppard, Warren events stress dire need”
I'm sorry, but this article is too, too cute for words.
Sheppard trots out the fact that, several years after the rest of the country, the RPD has finally gotten around to monitoring social media to combat violence, and it’s hailed as an example of how he came “prepared” to this event with immediate responses to public concerns.
And likewise Ms. Warren’s concern for education seems more tardy than “immediate” given that she’s had over three years as city council president to focus her attention on the city school situation (and to convince her colleagues on the council that this area should be their first priority). But for some reason the subject never seems to have come up (nowhere in her biography and personal "mission statement” on the city council’s web site does she give the condition of Rochester’s schools even a passing mention) until she decided to run for mayor. Then it became the centerpiece of her campaign.
Isn’t it about time for City Newspaper to get back to reporting the news and stop acting as shills and press agents for their political pals?
Re: “Sheppard, Warren events stress dire need”
This story is heartbreaking because it is so real and the situation is truly dire. I am grateful to both Chief Sheppard and Lovely Warren for confronting these issues head on. And there is much for us all to do. Yes, parents need to be involved. Yes, everyone in the community needs to be involved, as well the police, the City schools, and community leaders. But I am concerned that no one is ever asking Maggie Brooks what her responsibility is for these children. These kids are the children of Monroe County, not just the city. In fact Brooks basically blames these kids and their families for Monroe County's high taxes. That is not at all constructive. Until we hold Brooks accountable for her pure neglect of these kids, we will never have a community-wide appreciation for the need for us to act collectively. We are all, especially the media, letting her off the hook for no good reason.
Re: “CHOW HOUND: The ol' College Town try”
Whenever I hear or read "Bunga" anywhere, I can't help but think of Italian politician/AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi's infamous "Bunga Bunga" parties. No need to even click on the link below, just read the end part.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/17/berlusconi-bunga-bunga-nun-stripper_n_3292359.html
Re: “Richards' campaign off to a slow start”
Who cares about either Lovely Warren or Tom Richards? Like I said a couple months ago, Democrats have had 40 years of control in this city. Has it improved? I'm looking elsewhere, and as of now, that's Alex White.
Re: “What if we're investing in the wrong education?”
And yet somehow, the beleaguered RCSD faculty is supposed to overcome this gap or we lose our jobs.
Lots and lots of hard-working educators spend hours and hours preparing, teaching and assessing. Yet we're told we're just not good enough.
I know this article isn't meant to tell us to stop or that our efforts are pointless. The point (which many have been arguing for a long time) is that the current reform efforts are aimed in the wrong direction. Over 95% of the people who teach in the district are fine, and are doing the best with the hand we've been dealt. Reforms must be targeted at the people who need the help - children and parents.
If we spent 1/3 of what we spend on Special Ed in early childhood care and educating parents, we would need less than the 2/3 remaining in the budget. (Not a study result, just some darn fine logical thinking.)
Why does the district spend so much? To try to play catch-up. If I were a race car driver and I started a 500 mile race when my competitors already had 150 miles done, I'd need to be spending way more on my car to even consider being competitive. If I could somehow start at the same time as all the others, I would not need to spend quite so much on my car. It's a clunky analogy, but it works.
Re: “Confirmed: Spider-Man crew member beaten, robbed while in Rochester”
So much for the pipe dream of Hollywood-on-the-Genesee.
Re: “Richards' campaign off to a slow start”
"Lovely Warren, City Council president and Richards’ likely opponent in a September primary, is active on Twitter at #lovelyformayor, and Facebook. "
So what? Anyone who thinks that social media is going to play a significant role in this local campaign is probably one of those who can't walk into a restaurant without slapping their I-Phone down on the table and playing with it throughout the meal. Or who can't drive without texting. Or who's missed the significance of the fact that the root word of "Twitter" is "twit".
Warren may have the MOjo (whatever the hell that means in the real world), but Richards has the MOney. Let's see which is the MOre important come Primary Day.
Re: “Tiresome antics at the County Legislature”
Does anyone actually need the County Lej?
Re: “Gay games during Pride celebration”
Not for nothing but you forgot to mention Roc City Roller Derby is also involved..
Re: “City budget cuts Mounted Patrol, 311 hours”
At our request, the city's spokesperson, Gary Walker, sent us this response to Alex White's comment:
I would advise Mr. White to watch the budget address on City 12 or to read it on line on the City’s website. The difference is the sun-setting of grant funded programs, that often saw DRYS as just a pass through to other organizations. (i.e. Teen Pregnancy, etc)
A simple call to this office would have cleared the matter up – would that it be a goal of his to clear the misconception up.
Here’ is the Mayor’s text from his budget address:
This year the City is making a significant investment in the Department of Recreation and Youth Services. While the overall DRYS budget is smaller than last year’s that is due to the decrease in grant funds in the amount of $738,700. However, the City investment in DRYS will increase by $437,200. These additional investments include:
· Additional Pathways to Peace staffing;
· The re-development of an after-school program at Edgerton;
· A new after-school program at School 17.
So the actual City supported investment is DRYS is $437,000.
Re: “City budget cuts Mounted Patrol, 311 hours”
Like many I was excited to hear increased finding for recreation and youth services as this has been shown to reduce crime, increase school results, and build neighborhoods. Unfortunately the budget decreases funding for the department not increases it as reported. On page 61 of the 2013-2014 budget it clearly shows
Budget Budget
2012-13 2013-14 Variance Percent
Recreation & Youth Services 11,416,100 11,114,600 -301,500 -2.6
Which is s decrease in funding for recreation. Meanwhile registration and use are both up 15%! Spray park attendance, beach attendance, and pool use are all up. The need for services like summer food, after school academy, and pregnancy services to youths are not decreasing.
Over the past 7 years the department has been trimmed dramatically. There has been closure of programs, cuts in staff at the remaining programs and reduction is services provided. This year seems more the same and cuts to recreation and youth services will never be part of a plan to improve our city.
Re: “Gay games during Pride celebration”
Fixed. Thanks!
Re: “Gay games during Pride celebration”
Typo: the URL should be www.rocpridegames.com .
Re: “RCSD: Longer days for an out-of-school culture?”
The same logic that has been in place (and failing miserably) for decades. If a child fails Math, give him two Math classes at the same time, If he fails these, make him go to summer school and then assign him two additional classes. None of which addresses the root problems, and results in the inability to take classes that might better suit the child's abilities and interests, such as Art, Technology and other "elective" courses. I can't tell you how many times I have been called to the office to explain my "poor attendance keeping records" because I was showing 100% or at least regular attendance for a child that was showing in school records as absent from school or missing classes. Only to walk the administrator to class and point out the student happily present and learning. The students would simply skip the classes they were failing and attend the classes they were successful and happy in. At the same time I would constantly hear from Math and English teachers that a student couldn't do basic math or write a coherent sentence, only to show the same student using applied algebraic skills to solve a hands-on technical problem and write the required lab write up. There are solutions, and there are failed practices. Extending a school day to address the issue of truancy is ridiculous. They already, by their absence, have told you what they think about attending school at all, never mind for a longer day!
Re: “What if we're investing in the wrong education?”
The "we" has to include black families themselves. What many liberals are unwilling to confront is that there are lots of people having children who aren't raising them - mothers and fathers. Poverty is part of the equation, but it's not necessarily the explanation for it.
"We" seem willing to assign blame to teachers, racism, capitalism, etc., but the bottom line is that "we" can only help people who help themselves. That means people who are struggling need to exercise self-control - not having children you can't or aren't willing to support. It means taking responsibility for parenting the children you bear, including taking an active role your kids' education and their well-being.
It's important to help people who are struggling. But "we" need to provide a safety net - not a safety hammock. When "we" assume responsibility for providing everyone with food, housing, education, health care, and child care, we'll get the same result every time. "We" may have good intentions, but ultimately we're enabling shiftlessness and accepting blame for outcomes that are not our responsibility.