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The Rochester Beacon
The therapeutic benefits of community gardening
Around eight years ago, the urban outreach community center, Cameron (in Rochester) was granted permission to use an empty lot to beautify the local area for horticultural purposes. These citizens began by planting a few plants, but such was the success of the project that around three years later, three adjoining lots were purchased, a Teen Center was built, and the garden project, now called The Peace Garden, was expanded. Today, it is a lush oasis filled with produce, flowers, trees, herbs, and more. For those who head to this garden to get their hands dirty, till the soil, and provide extra love and care to the myriad of plants that grow there, there are many benefits beyond entertainment. Read on to discover some of the most therapeutic effects of community gardening for Rochester residents.
A new affordable housing tool
Olivia Ildefenso believes New York is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. A data and analytics consultant to ERASE Racism, she says the crisis is powered by various factors that can be difficult to untangle and visualize. ERASE Racism, a Syosset-based advocacy group focused on fair housing and...
An indie debut fueled by collaboration
Kelley’s Heroes founding member John Kelley has never seen the 1970 movie “Kelly’s Heroes.”. The indie rock band’s name reflects Kelley’s desire for a musical project that he had more control over. After a decades-long experience in the Austin music scene, the rise and fall of groups had started to take its toll.
A hard harvest for fruit growers
Erratic weather made 2023 a difficult year for some upstate fruit growers. “We literally thought by the end of May that the year might be a tragedy,” says Amy Machamer, co-owner of Hurd Orchards, a 120-acre farm that’s just outside the Orleans County village of Holley. The chief...
NY aims to boost high-speed, affordable broadband
As many as 100,000 affordable housing units across New York will gain access to broadband infrastructure under a new state initiative. Applications for the $100 million Affordable Housing Connectivity Program opened in early December. In Monroe County, roughly 7 percent of households do not have a computer and 12 percent...
SEIU members poised for walkout at UR
Barring a settlement after a round of talks that were slated for Dec. 11 between University of Rochester and Service Employees International Union negotiators, some 1,800 union members plan a one-day walkout at UR’s River Campus and UR Medical Center facilities tomorrow. SEIU Local 200 United and 1199SEIU put...
Lilac Festival promoter withdraws from event
Longtime Lilac Festival promoter Jeff Springut has withdrawn from the event, the Rochester Beacon has learned. Organizer of the spring festival for more than a decade, Springut says his event-production company, the Springut Group Inc., still plans to produce Party in the Park and other events in Monroe County, but is done with the Lilac Festival. He cites no specific reasons for deciding to withdraw.
Tunes for Tanks
Last December, a large portion of Rochester was issued a boil water advisory when a main line broke on Favor Street. The advisory stayed in place for about two days until the water line could be fixed. As trying as that experience might have been for residents, it was a...
A detailed vision for downtown
Real estate developer Andrew Gallina believes he knows downtown Rochester well. His passion for reinvigorating the center city is palpable. Gallina fondly recalls acquiring the One East Avenue building in 2012, the first of many purchases downtown. “Why did I invest in downtown at first? Because I saw opportunity and...
U.S. Trustee urges court to reject competing plans in diocese bankruptcy
In a move that could further complicate the already contentious final chapter in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester’s bankruptcy, the U.S. Trustee is urging the court to reject competing plans of reorganization filed by the diocese and the Continental Insurance Co. The Trustee’s Dec. 5 filing comes on...
SJNC to celebrate 30 years with community health fair
St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center will mark three decades of serving the underserved with a community health fair. The center, which opened doors in 1993, will also invite visitors to tour the facility. St. Joseph’s offers health care, counseling, and supportive services to the uninsured and those who are unable...
Nursing institute receives $5M gift to extend impact
The Golisano Institute for Developmental Disability Nursing, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary, has received a $5 million gift to expand its reach and impact. Paychex founder Thomas Golisano donated $4 million and the Golisano Foundation gave $1 million to the institute at the St. John Fisher University Wegmans School of Nursing. It builds on a $5.8 million investment from both donors in 2018, officials say.
Final chapter in diocese bankruptcy draws closer
Hearings this month promise to set the stage for a long-awaited final settlement of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester’s bankruptcy. The diocese sought Chapter 11 protection in September 2019, a month after New York’s Child Victims Act went into effect. The CVA opened a temporary window for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to pursue abusers who otherwise would be protected by a statute of limitations.
Why marshlands are extremely important
A marsh is a wetland where grasses, rushes, or sedges predominate. Along the edge, little bushes frequently develop as a transition to drier ground. Usually, marshes form near the river and lake’s shallow borders. Marshes and other wetlands replenish groundwater resources, serving as many communities’ primary drinking water supply....
A quarter-century fighting violence on our streets
Project Exile is a joint initiative between local, state, and federal law enforcement as well as various community organizations that strive to decrease the possession of illegal guns and create a safer Rochester community. It was brought to Rochester in 1998 when the community was desperately searching for a way to combat the crime and violence plaguing the community. Rochester’s homicide rate was hovering around 70 homicides per year, giving Rochester the distinction of having the highest per capita homicide rate of any city in New York State.
A story-driven dance-theater premiere
“Trifactor,” an evening of story-driven dance-theater, will premiere this weekend at the Multi-use Community Cultural Center. The performance features work by three local choreographers and dance companies: Hanlon Dance + Company, Laurie MacFarlane and Ruben Ornelas. “We are a tri-factory of creativity, churning out three times the fun, excitement,...
Clean-energy crunch
Beginning in early 2020, a series of high-profile announcements by a trio of companies appeared to put the Rochester area at the forefront of the emerging clean-energy sector. With government loans and incentives lined up to help fuel their growth, Li-Cycle Holdings Corp., Plug Power Inc. and Hyzon Motors Inc. together promised to generate thousands of jobs in this region.
Nazareth receives $2.2 million grant
Nazareth University is embarking on a journey to assist underprivileged, low-income and first-generation college students. The institution, one of 170 schools nationwide, recently received $2.2 million from the U.S. Department of Education to put its plans into action. “When the RFP came out, I really felt a calling institutionally to...
Holocaust survivors’ story links past with present
“Moses Man: Finding Home” follows the story of Holocaust survivors Lily and Kalman Haber and their nine-year journey from Vienna in 1938 through Europe, Cyprus, Palestine, and Africa to find home and freedom in America. The team behind the musical is filming at locations on the journey—most recently in Vienna, Austria, and Krakow, Poland.
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