The 2015 Monroe County budget is a done deal. Last night, the County Legislature passed County Executive Maggie Brooks’ $1.2 billion plan as-is, without so much as a technical amendment. The Republican majority defeated the few amendments proposed by Democrats, which included efforts to restore child day care funds and to halt plans for outsourcing […]
Jeremy Moule
Covers county government and whatever else comes my way. Greyhound dad; vegetarian; attempted photographer with a love for film and fixer; sometimes cyclist.
Posted inNews & Opinion
Henrietta Dems resurrected
When then Henrietta Supervisor Mike Yudelson announced last year that he was switching from Republican to Democrat, it was a big deal. As the town’s top elected leader and, before that, a longtime Town Board member, Yudelson was an important “get” for the Dems. County party leaders called a press conference and then-chair Joe Morelle […]
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Plan 2014 supporters speak out
A coalition of environmental groups is urging the federal government to approve a new plan for regulating Lake Ontario’s water levels. On Monday, the coalition, which includes the Nature Conservancy of Central and Western New York and Citizens Campaign for the Environment, held a press conference to show community support for Plan 2014. The plan would […]
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LDC scandal may have a small silver lining
For the past six months, Monroe County has been handling some administrative work for two quasi-governmental local development corporations it created: Upstate Telecommunications Corporation and Monroe Safety and Security Systems. The county took over the duties from a subcontractor after four key players in the LDC’s were hit with criminal charges related to alleged bid-rigging. The […]
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Penfield board poised to approve fracking ban
By the end of the month, Penfield could be the fifth Monroe County community to ban fracking. And the second with an all-Republican town board to do so. The Town Board is holding a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. today on a law that would prohibit natural gas and petroleum extraction within Penfield. Barring any […]
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Destructive beetle in county parks
The emerald ash borer has been detected in Oatka Creek, Black Creek, and Genesee Valley parks. It’s a serious situation, officials say, because 20 percent of the trees in Monroe County’s parks are ash trees. The invasive beetle is deadly to New York’s native ashes. The county wants to get ahead of the bugs and […]
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At home on the canal
It’s a safe assumption that few government leaders or canal-community residents could have foreseen the canal’s banks becoming a sought-after location for high-end housing.
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Democrat and Chronicle newsroom changes begin, with some losses
The Democrat and Chronicle’s new newsroom is taking shape, but there have been casualties. Executive Editor Karen Magnuson laid out some of the changes in a column on Sunday. She listed some new members of the “leadership team,” and said that most of the company’s journalists have been given new roles, which will start this month.But […]
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Everything we have on the Ferguson grand jury decision
A grand jury has decided that Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson should not face any charges for shooting and killing Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager.
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Frankel weighing second county exec bid
A few names have been circulating as potential Democratic county executive candidates for the 2015 election: former Brighton Supervisor Sandra Frankel, former District Attorney Mike Green, and Lieutenant Governor Bob Duffy. Yesterday, Duffy was tapped to serve as the new CEO of the Rochester Business Alliance — a job he’ll start in January. If Duffy […]
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RG&E must negotiate with Ginna
Rochester Gas and Electric customers will likely prop up the struggling R.E. Ginna nuclear power plant. The state Public Service Commission has directed RG&E to negotiate a temporary electricity purchase contract with Ginna. Earlier this year, the plant’s owner, Exelon subsidiary Constellation Nuclear Energy Group, filed a petition with the PSC requesting that action. In […]
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[UPDATED] Keystone XL bill fails in Senate
UPDATED November 19 — The bill that would have approved the Keystone XL pipeline, S2280, didn’t reach the 60-vote threshold it needed to pass. The bill failed with 59 yes votes and 41 no votes. Original post: The US Senate is about to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, a project that climate change activists have […]
