City Newspaper

Concert Review: Nikki Hill at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Frank DeBlase — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:16:00 -0400

Wednesday night the sky looked like one big black eye as I moseyed the grey ghost downtown. I had heard word from my buddy Jason (he's the one who turned me onto Morphine) that North Carolina knockout Nikki Hill simply had to be seen.…

Sheppard, Warren events stress dire need

Christine Carrie Fien — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:06:00 -0400

Corrected version.…
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Senate Dems push for fracking moratorium

Jeremy Moule — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:27:00 -0400

Democrats in the New York State Senate are pushing for legislation to enact a moratorium on shale gas drilling in the state. The Assembly has already passed moratorium legislation, which would ban drilling through May 2015.…
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Richards' campaign off to a slow start

Christine Carrie Fien — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:45:05 -0400

When is Mayor Tom Richards going to join this campaign? Lovely Warren, City Council president and Richards’ likely opponent in a September primary, is active on Twitter at #lovelyformayor, and Facebook.…
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Good government groups take aim at soft money

Jeremy Moule — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:41:00 -0400

A new report says that between 2006 and 2012, the Monroe County Republican Party took in more so-called soft money contributions than any other county-level political committee in New York State.

According to the report, which was put together by Common Cause/NY and NYPIRG, the party's housekeeping committee took in $4.4 million in contributions.…
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Vargas wants to bus more city students

Tim Louis Macaluso — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:36:00 -0400

Rochester school district officials have asked the State Education Department for permission to change the district's transportation policy guidelines. Superintendent Bolgen Vargas says he wants to provide elementary students who live a half mile or more from their school with bus transportation.…
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RCSD: Longer days for an out-of-school culture?

Tim Louis Macaluso — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:48:00 -0400

More than a year ago, Rochester schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas launched a major campaign to improve abysmally low student attendance in the city school district. Now teachers are in the hot seat.…
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Dems protest funding cut, Republicans pass it

Jeremy Moule — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:27:00 -0400

Last night, a committee of the Monroe County Legislature passed legislation to cut funding for the Democratic office and increase it for the Republican office. The legislation now goes to the full Legislature for a vote.…
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Confirmed: Spider-Man crew member beaten, robbed while in Rochester

Christine Carrie Fien — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:12:00 -0400

I told you a week or so ago that the grapevine was reporting an incident involving a member of the Spider-Man film crew, which was shooting scenes for the franchise's next installment a few weeks ago in downtown Rochester. Now, the Rochester Police Department has confirmed the buzz.…
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Concert Review: The Slackers, Mikaela Davis, The Smithereens, Big Sandy

Frank DeBlase — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:46:00 -0400

UPDATE 5/21/13 to correct the spelling of Pat DiNizio's name.

The Slackers are just so cool.…
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"Game of Thrones" Season 3, Episode 8: An Imp-ulsive wedding

Eric Rezsnyak — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:54:00 -0400

The final act of Season 3 kicked off with several major plot points and some wonderful dialogue, making for another terrific episode in - I think - the strongest season of the show yet.
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WEEK AHEAD: County Lej debates funding cut for Democrats

Jeremy Moule — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:46:00 -0400

A Monroe County Legislature committee will debate tonight Republican-sponsored legislation to cut funding for the Lej’s Democratic office.

The Agenda-Charter Committee, which meets at 6 p.m., will probably vote on the legislation.…
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Report notes changes in Lake Ontario, other Great Lakes

Jeremy Moule — Sat, 18 May 2013 11:00:00 -0400

Warmer surface water temperatures and declining winter ice cover suggest that climate change is affecting the Great Lakes, including Lake Ontario, says a report released this week by the International Joint Commission.

The report evaluates 16 indicators of the Great Lakes' health and water quality.…
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"American Idol" 2013 Finale: And the winner is...

Eric Rezsnyak — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:08:00 -0400

And finally, the finale. The show opened with the Top 10 all dressed in white, lipsynching to “Glad You Came” by The Wanted.…
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Clash between Legislature Dems, GOP continues

Jeremy Moule — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:20:00 -0400

[UPDATED 6 p.m.] Legislature Republicans sent out this statement by Majority Leader Steve Tucciarello:

"The Republican Majority is honored that the voters in the last election chose to increase the size of our caucus," says the statement. "The size of each legislative office budget should be a direct reflection of each caucus’s representation in the overall legislature. The current outdated practice thwarts the intent of the electorate and this proposal honors the will of the voter."

In November, Democrats lost a seat in the Legislature when Joe Carbone defeated Stephanie Aldersley — the incumbent — in a special election.…
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Spider-Man crew member robbed in Rochester?

Christine Carrie Fien — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:14:00 -0400

Seriously, what good is having Spider-Man around if he can’t stop a common street mugging?

According to the minutes of the May 13 NBN Sector 6 meeting — and confirmed by someone who was at the meeting — a member of the Spider-Man film crew was the victim of an alleged street robbery while the crew was shooting recently in downtown Rochester.…
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"American Idol" 2013: Final 2, Candice vs. Kree Sing-Off!

Eric Rezsnyak — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:13:00 -0400

Finally, the Final 2! Candice Glover vs. Kree Harrison.…
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Vargas foresees a smaller Rochester school district

Tim Louis Macaluso — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:10:00 -0400

It’s difficult to create stability in a system whirling from change, but that's where the Rochester school district is today. Historically speaking, the district is facing an unprecedented drop in student enrollment, says Superintendent Bolgen Vargas.…
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Tiresome antics at the County Legislature

Jeremy Moule — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:56:00 -0400

This post has been updated to better differentiate between Democratic Legislators John Lightfoot and Willie Joe Lightfoot.

We have complained for years about the bickering, partisanship, and posturing that takes place regularly in the Monroe County Legislature. But last night surprised even us — a new, embarrassing low.…
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CityGate plans include a Costco

Jeremy Moule — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:12:00 -0400

This post has been corrected and clarified.

Developers Anthony and Brett Costello are rebooting their proposed CityGate project in Rochester, revealing at a press conference this morning that Costco will be CityGate's anchor tenant. CityGate would be located at the former Iola Campus at the intersection of East Henrietta and Westfall roads.…
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How do parents feel about the Rochester school district?

Tim Louis Macaluso — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:39:00 -0400

The Rochester school district has had a tenuous relationship with parents for years. Almost every superintendent in recent memory has made some kind of an effort to improve relations between parents, teachers, and school administrators.…
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Citizen budget ideas include closing Durand beach, cutting Mounted Patrol

Christine Carrie Fien — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:20:00 -0400

The suggestions made during the City of Rochester’s Voice of the Citizen budget meetings aren’t really surprising. It’s also not clear how these relatively small adjustments would help the city close its $28 million gap.…
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Concert Review: David Mayfield Parade, Jeremy Laurson, Teressa Wilcox Band

Frank DeBlase — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:40:00 -0400

Friday night marked the first part of The David Mayfield Parade's two-night stand at Abilene. By the time I made the scene the place was packed and sufficiently lubricated on Genny, Jim, and Jack, and show openers The Tarbox Ramblers' opening set was full of lowdown, drop-tune, and swampy Beantown voodoo.…
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Week Ahead: MCDC convention, Bike Week continues

City news staff — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:42:00 -0400

UPDATE, Monday, May 13, 1:20 p.m.: Hearing from a couple of sources that the race for City Council endorsements will be less exciting than we thought. Two Democratic insiders say all five City Council incumbents have locked up the endorsement of the party by winning a majority of the citywide weighted vote.…
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Beebe will challenge Reilich for Greece supervisor job

Jeremy Moule — Sat, 11 May 2013 13:05:00 -0400

Former Monroe County Legislator Dick Beebe is stepping into the race for Greece town supervisor.

Beebe, a Democrat, announced his candidacy at a press conference this afternoon.…
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