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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation strengthening the state’s legal protections for reproductive health care and gender-affirming care, expanding safeguards against out-of-state investigations and penalties aimed at patients and providers. Assemblymember Harry Bronson The measure, known as Shield Law 2.0, builds on New York’s 2023 Trans Safe Haven Act and was sponsored by Assemblymember Harry Bronson, a Democrat representing Rochester. The law is designed to clo

UPDATED (Dec. 22, 2025):  This story has been updated to include the identification of the suspect, additional details about officer injuries, and information released by police regarding prior threats and an active arrest warrant. Three Rochester police officers were shot and wounded, and a suspect with a history of domestic violence threats was killed after a domestic disturbance call escalated into gunfire late Friday night, police said. The suspect was identified Monday a

State Senator Samra G. Brouk (D-55) and Assemblywoman Sarah Clark (D-136) issued a joint statement Thursday criticizing Governor Kathy Hochul’s veto of their bipartisan childcare ratio bill (A.4003/S.4929), calling the decision a setback in the fight to address New York’s ongoing childcare crisis. State Senator Samra G. Brouk (D-55) and Assemblywoman Sarah Clark (D-136) The legislation — approved by both legislative chambers earlier this year — would have standardized caregiv

Graduates and staff of the first cohort of the Real Life Rosies © Pre-Apprenticeship Program SPENCERPORT, N.Y. — Fourteen women have completed the first-ever cohort of the Real Life Rosies pre-apprenticeship program in the Rochester region, marking a milestone in efforts to expand women’s access to careers in advanced manufacturing. The six-week program, a partnership between the Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association and the Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES Center for Work

Rep. Joe Morelle said Wednesday he voted in favor of bipartisan legislation aimed at strengthening small businesses and expanding investment opportunities, a bill that has now passed the U.S. House of Representatives and awaits consideration in the Senate. Congressman Joe Morelle The measure, known as the Incentivizing New Ventures and Economic Strength Through Capital Formation Act, or INVEST Act, cleared the House on a bipartisan vote and is designed to modernize federal ca

Reconnect Rochester hosted a community event Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at the Little Theatre featuring a screening of the PBS documentary Walkable USA , followed by a panel discussion with local leaders about efforts to make Rochester a more walkable city. Panelists: Shawn Dunwoody of Dunwoode Design and vice president of Hinge Neighbors; Galin Brooks, president and CEO of the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation; and Erik Frisch, deputy commissioner of neighborhood and b

Monroe County Legislator Rachel Barnhart is demanding the release of all county records related to Airbnb’s lobbying efforts as lawmakers prepare to vote on whether the county will opt out of New York’s new statewide short-term rental registry — a system designed to track Airbnb and other vacation rentals, standardize tax collection, and enforce safety and licensing rules across the state. Monroe County Legislator Rachel Barnhart The registry, approved by lawmakers earlier th

ROCHESTER, N.Y.  — State Sen. Jeremy Cooney delivered the 100,000th book distributed through the Rochester chapter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library on Tuesday, using the milestone to announce $1 million in statewide funding for the early literacy program — and to launch an effort to secure $7 million next year. Sen. Jeremy Cooney (L) and RCSD Superintendent Eric J. Rosser visited a preschool class at Flower City School No. 54 to celebrate 100,000th book distributed throu

Four Rochester municipal unions are accusing the City of Rochester of improperly using money from a joint healthcare fund for retiree medical costs, saying the funds were contractually reserved for active employees. The city, however, says it has fully met—and will continue to meet—its healthcare obligations and that the joint committee overseeing the account has operated collaboratively for more than a decade. In a joint statement, the presidents of IAFF Local 1071, the Roch

Rochester, NY — November 24, 2025  — EDceptional, a Charter Sector Support Organization dedicated to helping Rochester charter schools thrive through innovative solutions and strategic partnerships, announces the appointment of Paul Miller as its first Chief Academic Officer. Dr Paul Miller Miller brings more than 25 years of experience as an educator, school leader, and nonprofit CEO dedicated to transforming educational systems for excellence and equity. He most recently se

Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation authorizing an additional $125 million for Phase III of the Rochester City School District’s long-delayed modernization program, state lawmakers announced Monday. Assemblymember Harry Bronson and Sen. Jeremy Cooney The measure (S7157B/A7385), sponsored by Sen. Jeremy Cooney and Assemblymember Harry Bronson, raises the total investment for the current phase to $600 million. The money will be used to modernize aging school buildings, exp

On a crisp Rochester morning, a teenage Anqesha Murray-Cody might have missed school if it weren’t for her high school bus driver, who knew she had a tendency to sleep in and would call with a friendly reminder to get up and go. Her mother, she recalls with a laugh, “didn’t make me go to school. She was kind of hippy-like in that way.” That quiet persistence from her community, paired with a freedom to explore, planted the seeds for a life defined by curiosity, resilience, an