Local News

Community coalition works to eliminate transportation barriers as voters prepare for Nov. 3 election Monroe County residents who need transportation to vote can take advantage of free rides to polling locations through Election Day, Nov. 3, thanks to a collaborative effort involving local nonprofit and civic organizations. The initiative, organized through the Rochester Votes Coalition and Monroe County Rides to Polls, is designed to remove transportation barriers that can pr

Rochester City School District Superintendent Dr. Eric Jay Rosser will meet with community members Saturday, Oct. 17, for a public discussion about the future of Rochester schools. The meeting, organized in partnership with F.I.G.H.T. and the Green Party of Monroe County, will begin at noon at FIGHT Village, 186 Ward St. in Rochester. The event, promoted under the message “Your Voice Matters, Rochester,” is intended to provide residents with an opportunity to share their conc

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans Gun violence in Rochester has fallen to levels not seen in more than a decade, according to new data released by Mayor Malik Evans, continuing a downward trend that city officials say reflects a combination of policing, violence-prevention programs, community partnerships and targeted intervention strategies. At a recent public safety update, Evans announced that several key measures of gun violence are now substantially below their 10-year average

Rochester’s long-delayed effort to rebuild Peace Village is moving forward, but the plan to transform the city’s only sanctioned homeless encampment into a more structured transitional housing site is drawing concerns from advocates who say people experiencing homelessness should have a greater voice in how it operates. Rochester City Council had been expected to vote Sept. 22 on funding for the Industrial Street site but postponed action until Oct. 6 while details of the pro

New York state has agreed to pay $24 million to the family of Robert Brooks, the Rochester-area man who died after a brutal beating by correction officers at Marcy Correctional Facility in December 2024, bringing the civil litigation surrounding his death to a close while his family vows to continue pushing for changes in the state prison system. Steven Schwarz (Attorney), Robert Brooks Jr.(Son of Robert Brooks), Jared Ricks (Robert Brook's brother), Elizabeth Mazur (Attorney

You’ve probably heard about the human papillomavirus (HPV) and the vaccine that was approved in 2006 to prevent an HPV infection. What you might not know is that HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Katlyn Newberry, Cancer Services Program Most cases of HPV clear up on their own but in some cases, the virus can cause changes in the body that can lead to cancer. In fact, HPV can lead to 6 different types of cancer that affects both men

Rochester residents will have additional opportunities this fall to weigh in on a sweeping rewrite of the city's zoning rules that could influence where housing is built, what types of development are permitted and how neighborhoods change for years to come. The proposed new zoning code and map are part of the Zoning Alignment Project, or ZAP, an effort launched in 2020 to bring Rochester's land-use regulations into alignment with the Rochester 2034 comprehensive plan. Rather

Millions of New Yorkers will soon find an unexpected envelope in their mailboxes as the state begins distributing one-time energy rebate checks of up to $200, an effort state leaders say will provide some relief from rising utility and household energy costs. Governor Hochul Announces Energy Rebate Checks Going to 8.2 Million New York Households Starting Sept. 21 Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the state will begin mailing the checks Monday, Sept. 21, to approximately 8.2 mi

Monroe County health officials are urging residents to check their vaccination status and watch for symptoms of measles following multiple potential exposures in the Rochester area this month, including two involving travelers who passed through Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport. The Monroe County Department of Public Health announced Sept. 17 that individuals who later tested positive for measles traveled through the Rochester airport on Sept. 8 and

Rochester City School District is asking parents, families and community members to weigh in on improvement efforts at seven city schools operating under New York state's receivership program. The district is holding a series of public hearings during August and September where school leaders will discuss their progress, outline improvement efforts and gather feedback from stakeholders. The seven RCSD schools currently listed under receivership are Virgil I. Grissom School No

As Rochester-area residents grapple with rising utility costs, billing concerns and the threat of service shutoffs, two local organizations are calling for immediate state intervention while renewing a longer-term push to replace Rochester Gas & Electric with a publicly owned utility. Dave Atias (Green Party), Howard Eagle (F.I.G.H.T. organization), Senator Jeremy Cooney Civil rights organization F.I.G.H.T. and the Green Party of Monroe County will host a community conversati

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. Approximately 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. While the number of people diagnosed continues to rise, the importance of early detection remains. The Cancer Services Program of the Finger Lakes Region (CSP-FLR) provides free breast cancer screenings, including clinical breast exams and mammograms for uninsured and underinsured individuals 40 years of age and older. The N

Six Rochester City School District schools could be on their way out of state receivership by the end of the 2026-27 school year, potentially marking a significant turnaround for schools that have spent years under heightened state oversight. RCSD currently has seven schools in receivership: Dr. David and Ruth Anderson School No. 16, Henry Hudson School No. 28, Dr. Iris J. Banister School No. 33, East Lower School, Edison Career and Technology High School, James Monroe High S

A dispute over Monroe County's failure to investigate its jail medical provider has intensified after Legislature President Yversha Román acknowledged that she knew about a state directive calling for an inquiry in January but decided the Legislature should wait before acting. The 2023 death of 62-year-old Brian Harmon at the Monroe County Jail was deemed preventable by the NYS Commission of Correction County Legislator Rachel Barnhart says Román's written explanation confirm

The family of the late Jerome and Gloria Ward is continuing the Rochester couple’s longstanding commitment to education, community service and opportunity through the 2026 Jerome & Gloria Ward College Scholarship. The annual scholarship will provide two $500 awards to graduating high school seniors entering college as freshmen this fall. Applicants will be considered on factors including academic achievement, financial need, character, leadership and community service. The sc

With thousands of students preparing to return to classrooms, Monroe County officials are launching a new public awareness effort aimed at reminding motorists of one of the most important rules of the road: When a school bus stops with its red lights flashing, drivers must stop, too. The “Spot the Stop” campaign is being rolled out ahead of the 2026-27 school year as local officials seek to reduce the number of motorists illegally passing stopped school buses and putting chil