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The Rochester Beacon
In Buffalo Bills vino, veritas
Whether one views the commitment of $600,000,000 of scarce state tax dollars to subsidize the building and maintaining of a new football stadium for the Buffalo Bills to be an investment in the future of Western New York, or a waste of money which could be far better spent on rebuilding the state’s crumbling infrastructure, we can all agree that the Bills’ owners should meet us half way on the deal. But in at least one instance, it appears that the Pegulas have been stiffing the taxpayers, as well as one of New York’s leading industries.
The year of stolen wheels
On July 3, 2023, a total of 33 motor vehicle thefts were reported in the city of Rochester–its highest daily count ever. The thefts, which started with three in the early hours at Green Knolls Drive, near Monroe Community Hospital, and included seven downtown from Goodman Street to the Genesee River, spread throughout the day. Other car-related crimes also surged that day, including a smash-and-grab spree of nearly 20 cars in the Werner Park neighborhood in the southeast.
Roman elected Monroe County Legislature president
Yversha Roman believes it is time to rebuild, restructure and re-energize Monroe County. Roman was elected president of the Legislature last night, bringing a fractious process to an end. “I am honored to take that charge as we move Monroe County forward, working alongside each legislator, the county executive, and...
How deep is the corruption & cover-up?
By the time this letter is published, the Monroe County Legislature MIGHT have new leadership. It appears that primarily, two predominantly local, well-connected, Hispanic factions are battling it out over whose turn it is. If I was part of the decision-making in this particular case, I would have to go...
The best of the Beacon in 2023
On Sunday, the Rochester Beacon completed its fifth full calendar year of publication, and measured by our most-important metric—readership—2023 was our best year so far. Over the 12-month period, RochesterBeacon.com drew more than 265,000 users, up nearly 10 percent compared with the year before. We also saw a double-digit increase in pageviews.
An uncertain start in 2024 for the Monroe County Legislature
Heading into the first meeting of the 2024 Monroe County Legislature, the position of president is uncertain. Even with Democrats holding a 16-13 majority, it is unclear who will be voted in as president today. “Generally, I’m just proud of the work we’ve done (as a minority party). I have...
Let’s start the New Year with cow magnets
It’s New Year’s, so let’s talk about cow magnets. Recently, I was sorting through boxes of old papers and came across one filled with things I’d collected while writing a book, “Portrait of a Burger as a Young Calf” (Harmony Books, 2002) about the life of a dairy cow. In the bottom of the box, under notebooks, photos, and farm hats, were two cow magnets.
Empowering women in need
For Myra Henry, the YWCA’s mission is clear. “We will not stop until everyone sees women, girls and people of color the way we do: Equal. Powerful. Unstoppable,” says the CEO of YWCA Rochester & Monroe County. Henry was among 70 elected officials and community leaders from New...
SEIU locals at UR ratify contracts
Rank-and-file Service Employee International Union workers at the University of Rochester voted Wednesday to ratify a three-year contract. Two SEIU locals together represent some 1,800 workers at the university. SEIU Local 200United, which represents River Campus workers, and 1199SEIU, which represents UR Medical Center patient-care and other workers, had jointly negotiated terms with UR.
Thumbs up for Rochester
A positive view of our region’s future prevails among Rochester Beacon readers, with two-thirds saying they are optimistic about its prospects through the end of this decade. A plurality of readers who took part in the Beacon’s year-end survey—41 percent—said the overall state of the Rochester region is better...
Is income inequality in the U.S. really rising?
When it comes to income inequality in Rochester, many of us have come to terms with what sometimes seems like unrelenting bad news. In 2018, for instance, the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program pointed out that Monroe County ranked fifth-worst in the nation in the median household income gap between white residents and residents of color. Another study found that for the 2017-2021 time period, the median income of African Americans in Monroe County was only $36,168 even though the corresponding number for New York was $53,697. Similarly, even though the median income of Asians—the highest earners—in Monroe County was $64,700, the corresponding number for Asians in the Empire State was $83,399.
Are non-compete agreements on the way out?
Requiring new employees to sign non-compete agreements is a common practice. Often lasting at least a year, non-competes prevent employees from working for competing businesses after leaving their current jobs. Workers who violate non-competes risk lawsuits for money damages and injunctions—binding court orders—forcing them out of their new jobs. About 30 million Americans, or one in five workers, has signed a non-compete. In New York, approximately 44 percent of employers impose some form of non-compete.
Diocese bankruptcy resolution remains elusive
Bankruptcy Judge Paul Warren has postponed his consideration of whether ballots on plan and disclosure statements might be ready to be mailed to abuse survivors in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy. He set another hearing for the end of January. A vote by abuse survivors...
Union, UR reach tentative agreement
Service Employee International Union officials say they have reached a tentative agreement with the University of Rochester. The announcement comes after several months of talks and a one-day walkout last week staged by the union. Two SEIU units representing some 1,800 River Campus and UR Medical Center workers have been...
A ‘Fresh Legend’ for a wine label
This week, Laura Lopez was announced as the winner of Finger Lakes Community College’s annual wine label competition with her brand design “Fresca Leyenda,” Spanish for “Fresh Legend.”. A second-semester graphic design student from Colombia, Lopez created the abstract design with connections to both the region’s...
Rocking Realtors’ world
From airline tickets to stocks and bonds, the internet and related technologies have transformed traditional markets and driven down prices for consumers. The residential housing market followed suit, adopting technology that dramatically improves transparency. Detailed information on the supply and price of existing homes is only a few clicks away.
Linehan to succeed Taubman as URMC CEO
After conducting a yearlong, nationwide search for a new University of Rochester Medical Center CEO and School of Medicine and Dentistry dean, the university’s Board of Trustees has chosen an internal candidate to assume both posts. Surgical oncologist David Linehan M.D. is slated to succeed current URMC CEO and...
The great debate: protect our lakes
It’s no secret that fresh water is one of the most valuable resources on Earth. Beyond its role as a key source of hydration, it also provides a clean alternative to fossil fuel based energies. Currently, 1 in 3 people don’t have access to clean water—a statistic that is expected to get worse as the population grows. To make matters even more desperate, the fresh water we do have access to is jeopardized by rapidly climbing global temperatures. As the planet heats up and climate change threatens to lower our water supply, who is allowed to draw from sources of freshwater like the Great Lakes will soon become even more contested.
UR Medicine opens acute brain injury rehab unit
UR Medicine’s new $7 million Acute Brain Injury NeuroRehabilitation Unit meets a regional need for services aimed at recovery and independence. The 11-bed unit opened Tuesday at Strong Memorial Hospital. Designed to serve patients recovering from strokes, traumatic brain injuries, and other types of acute acquired brain injuries, the...
Grad students are an issue in UR contract talks
As talks between the University of Rochester and two Service Employee International Union units resumed this week, SEIU Local 200United’s hope of bringing some 1,500 UR graduate students into the union’s fold remain a sticking point. In the talks, SEIU 200United and 1999SEIU, separate units that now collectively...
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