News & Opinion, City Newspaper

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.…

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.…

City budget cuts Mounted Patrol, 311 hours

Christine Carrie Fien — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:30:00 -0400

But more would be invested in youth and recreation and the library system. by Christine Carrie Fien Rochester Mayor Tom Richards has proposed a $482 million budget for 2013 to 2014 that cuts the city's Mounted Patrol, closes the 311 service during the overnight hours, and defers a chunk of the city's pension obligation. The property tax rate would not go up, but most homeowners would see an increase in their tax bill due to increased service fees and state-mandated tax shift.…

2013 ELECTIONS: Monroe County Dems pick slate

Christine Carrie Fien — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:55:00 -0400

Incumbents have a big night, with one exception. by Christine Carrie Fien and Tim Louis Macaluso Tonight's Monroe County Democratic convention yielded few surprises. All city incumbents won the designation of the party, with the exception of Rochester school board member Cynthia Elliott.…

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 The current outdated practice thwarts the intent of the electorate and this proposal honors the will of the voter."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.…

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.…

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.…

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.…

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.…

Rochester's poisoned past

Jeremy Moule — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

by Jeremy Moule A graffiti-covered building hulks over the end of Flint Street — a dilapidated monument on a blighted landscape in southwest Rochester's Plymouth-Exchange neighborhood. The building is part of the Vacuum Oil site, a 24-acre property along the Genesee River waterfront that once held an oil refinery (it shut down in the 1930's).…

Urban Action 5/15

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

This week's calls to action include the following events and activities. (All are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.)…

Remmereit named new Rochester Chamber Orchestra music director

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Arild Remmereit, former music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, has been named artistic director of the Rochester Chamber Orchestra. This follows a February benefit concert for the RCO led by Remmereit after his split with the RPO in late 2012.…

Feedback 5/15

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

We welcome your comments. Send them to themail@rochester-citynews.com, or post them on our website, rochestercitynewspaper.com, our Facebook page, or our Twitter feed, @roccitynews.…

National security and the problem with Syria

Mary Anna Towler — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

by Mary Anna Towler As we leave Afghanistan, will we jump into Syria? Should we?…

New role for Rochester's Red Shirts?

Christine Carrie Fien — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

by Christine Carrie Fien The guy hit the gas instead of the brake, sending his car smashing through the garage wall of his home in Rochester's Grove Place neighborhood, and rupturing a gas line. He tried to call Rochester Gas and Electric — you know how much fun that can be — but then the Red Shirts showed up.…

Hands of help for rape survivors

Tim Louis Macaluso — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

by Tim Louis Macaluso This is a corrected version of this story. Survivors of rape and sexual assault often have trouble healing emotionally because talking about the experience is difficult.…

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.…

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.…

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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A new CO2 record

Jeremy Moule — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:26:00 -0400

Yesterday, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels either broke 400 parts per million for the first time in recorded history, or came incredibly close to doing so.

The figure depends on who's doing the reporting, but either way, it's not a good milestone.…
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Possible delay in controversial University Ave. apartment application

Tim Louis Macaluso — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:53:00 -0400
Updated Monday, May 13, at 3:20 p.m. The Planning Commission will not be taking up the application for the proposed University Avenue complex during its May 20 meeting.…
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Rochester school board passes $734 million budget

Tim Louis Macaluso — Fri, 10 May 2013 10:16:00 -0400

Last night, the Rochester school board unanimously approved a $734 million budget for the coming school year. The budget is about $6 million more than what Superintendent Bolgen Vargas proposed several months ago, and it will fund longer school days in as many as 10 schools this fall.

The budget closes a $50.2 million gap through a combination of attrition — more than 100 teaching positions will not be filled — and by using a plan proposed by Governor Cuomo that offers municipalities and school districts some flexibility for funding pensions.…
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Irondequoit Republicans come out swinging

Jeremy Moule — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:57:00 -0400

Two years can be a lifetime in politics: just look at the way Irondequoit's elections are shaping up, especially the tone of the races.

In 2011, Republicans and Democrats cross-endorsed a slate of candidates for the Town Board.…
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School board and Vargas have last-minute budget fight

Tim Louis Macaluso — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:44:00 -0400

Obtaining reliable data has become a flashpoint of tension between Rochester schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas and some city school board members. At an often tense board meeting last night for a final review of Vargas’s 2013 to 2014 proposed budget, some members complained about a lack of general information.

With a vote to adopt the budget scheduled for tomorrow night at 6 p.m., board member Van White said last night that the board is being asked to approve a budget while questions remain unanswered at the 11th hour.

For example, when White asked about a program that supports teen mothers and whether school officials knew how many pregnant students don’t participate in the program, school officials didn’t know.…
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