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Demitria Lawton-Greggs On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I talked over the phone with Demitria Lawton-Greggs, principal of Flower City School No. 54, to talk about legacy, not as abstraction or slogan, but as something lived daily in classrooms, hallways, and hard conversations. For Lawton-Greggs, King’s legacy is not simply remembered; it is practiced. “King opened doors,” she told me. “The fact that we can have all types of people sit in one room, not worry about status, not

Rochester Police Chief David Smith and Mayor Malik Evans at a press conference, highlighted progress in public safety in 2025 City of Rochester public safety leaders on Tuesday provided an overview of crime statistics for 2025, highlighting significant declines in violent crime while urging continued efforts to address persistent challenges. In a year-end briefing, Rochester Police Chief David Smith and Mayor Malik Evans said nearly all major gun violence metrics fell to thei

As tensions escalate over a massive federal immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota that has included the fatal shooting of a resident by a Border Patrol agent, the Trump administration is demanding access to the state’s voter registration database — drawing sharp criticism from Minnesota officials and civil liberties advocates. At the center of the dispute is a Jan. 24 letter from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. In that letter, Bondi tied c

A French textile recycling company plans to invest $390 million to build its first North American textile regeneration facility at Eastman Business Park, a project expected to create about 70 jobs and position Rochester as a hub for circular manufacturing, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday. The company, Reju, will develop an 18.9-acre vacant site at the former Kodak campus, where it plans to construct a 145,000-square-foot facility to recycle discarded polyester textiles i

Ongoing payroll problems within the Rochester City School District are again drawing criticism from employees and union leaders, after district officials acknowledged that recently issued W-2 tax forms contained errors, prompting workers to delay filing their taxes. Demonstrators march at RCSD Headquarters District administrators notified staff earlier this week that inaccuracies were discovered in some W-2 statements generated by the district’s payroll system. Employees were

Our Voices Project LLC, in collaboration with Legacy Drama House, presented Being Black in America: Discussion and Collective Action on Monday, January 19, 2026, at the Legacy Drama House, located at 112 Webster Avenue in Rochester, NY. Dr. Mary Tina, the owner of Legacy Drama House, has operated the space for more than eight years. The event was well attended, filling the venue. Our Voices Project Founder, Director, and Co-Producer Jackie McGriff, along with Outreach Facili

AI created image of President Donald Trump When Donald Trump has mused publicly about serving a third term as president, the response from many allies and critics has been familiar: dismiss it as a joke, provocation, or “Trump banter.” Supporters often frame the comments as sarcasm meant to irritate opponents or excite crowds, while even some Republican lawmakers insist the Constitution makes such speculation moot. But Trump’s political history complicates that dismissal. Aga

Margaret “Midge” Thomas, a beloved leader, mentor, and tireless advocate for community empowerment in Rochester, New York, died on Jan. 8, 2026, at Rochester General Hospital. She was 99 years old and had been hospitalized for several weeks with respiratory complications, her goddaughter, Beverly Randall, said. Margaret "Midge" Thomas For more than five decades, Thomas’s life was defined by service, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to lifting others — especially youth a

Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans and County Executive Adam J. Bello recognized the service of local law enforcement officers Friday during a private ceremony marking National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. The event, held at the Public Safety Building, brought together leaders and officers from the Rochester Police Department and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. Evans and Bello presented a joint proclamation to Todd Baxter, David Smith, and attending officers and deputies

Mayor Malik D. Evans has extended the City of Rochester’s Gun Violence State of Emergency for another 30 days, signaling that city officials believe extraordinary measures are still necessary to address ongoing public safety concerns. The extension, issued Tuesday, continues an emergency proclamation first enacted amid persistent gun violence and renewed regularly by the Evans administration. While the move does not create new laws or restrictions, it carries important legal,

The Rochester Police Department has released additional information as investigators continue to examine a violent incident involving both a stabbing and a shooting at a home on Coventry Street. Police said officers responded to the residence after receiving reports of a disturbance that escalated into serious violence. Upon arrival, officers discovered multiple victims suffering from traumatic injuries, including at least one person with stab wounds and another with gunshot

Malik D. Evans opened the New Year with a message of unity, perseverance, and action during his inaugural address on Jan. 1, 2026, at the Eastman School of Music. Mayor Malik Evans gets sworn in for his second term by his wife Shawanda and his son Cameron. Photo by Rev. Julius Jackson Emceed by Narada Campbell, the ceremony brought together local leaders, community members, and residents to mark the start of Mayor Evans’ new term. Adam Bello, Monroe County executive, thanked