Cover Story
[UPDATED] Warren’s rough honeymoon
The press pack —a handful of reporters and photojournalists — decides it’s time for the big move: the breach of the third floor at City Hall, where Mayor Lovely Warren resides, fortified behind a wall of staffers and one laid-back security guard.
Officials give Congel an ultimatum on Medley Centre
East Irondequoit school district and Town of Irondequoit officials are starting to talk tough to Medley Centre developer Scott Congel. At issue is a past-due $3.5 million penalty payment that Congel — through his company, Bersin Properties — was supposed to make to the district, town, and Monroe County Industrial Development Agency. The payment was…
Warren forms Early Education Commission
Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren has formed an Early Education Commission to raise funding and support for universal pre-k. Warren announced the commission at the University of Rochester Presidential Symposium this morning. Education was the centerpiece of Warren’s winning mayoral campaign last fall. Citing decades of decline at the Rochester school district, she said she would…
Concert Announcement: 2014 Jazz Fest announces Steve Martin, Earth Wind & Fire
The Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival has announced the first two headliners for its 2014 edition. Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers return after a successful appearance at the 2012 XRIJF. This year’s concert will also feature special guest Edie Brickell. The show will take place on Saturday, June 21, at Kodak Hall at…
OBIT: George Grella on the work of Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014) The sudden death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, an honored son of Rochester, provoked an outpouring of grief and praise from friends, colleagues, critics, and of course his fans and admirers. The world of cinema lost a major talent, a man who excelled in his craft in large and small roles, in…
Film Review: 2014 Oscar-Nominated Shorts
One of the happiest developments in recent Academy Award history has been the decision to make available the entire slate of Oscar-nominated short films in an annual theatrical release, courtesy of Shorts HD and Magnolia Pictures. Whereas previously these films would only have been available to the lucky few who managed to catch them on…
Film Review: “Labor Day”
A love story about a brief and passionate romance between an escaped convict and a divorced single mother suffering a prolonged nervous breakdown hardly seems guaranteed box-office boffo, even for the weepie crowd. For reasons of his own, Jason Reitman, who previously directed some offbeat films like “Thank You for Smoking” and “Up in the…
Locals tell Obama to reject Keystone XL
During the evening commute hours today, a group of Rochesterians lined Culver Road at Cobbs Hill Park to show their disapproval of the Keystone pipeline expansion.
Concert Review: From The Skies, Aggressive Betty at Montage
From The Skies was laying it down with a fierce brutality as I made my way into the Montage Music Hall Saturday night. I’m not the biggest metal fan — I do like it, though — but the sound fit my mood perfectly: cold and pissed. The music blasted out and up thick and angry…
WEEK AHEAD: Keystone pipeline protest; protecting the water; Inner Loop plan
Some national progressive and environmental groups have organized a Keystone XL protest for this afternoon (Monday, February 3) to urge President Barack Obama to reject the proposed Canada-U.S. pipeline expansion. The vigil is from 4:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the Culver Road side of Cobbs Hill Park. A press release says that local activists…
“Looking” Episode 3: You Betta Work!
For its third episode, “Looking” shifted its focus from sex and relationships to the careers of its three core characters. But it did not shift its tone, as Patrick, Dom, and Agustin are about as successful in their work lives as they are in their personal lives. Which is to say, not very. Patrick’s video-game…
Fairport native Philip Seymour Hoffman found dead in NYC
On Sunday, February 2, major media outlets reported the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, a native of Fairport who had gone on to great success as an actor on both stage and screen. Although the official cause of death has yet to be announced, there are multiple reports of drug paraphernalia found at the scene…
Weingarten: Stop blaming teachers
Rochester’s teachers are not to blame for the city’s current economic problems, said Randi Weingarten this morning during a stop at the Children’s School of Rochester. Weingarten is president of the American Federation of Teachers, which at 1.5 million members, is one of the largest organized labor groups in the country. Weingarten arrived in Rochester…
“American Idol” 2014: High steaks
Auditions are already over! That was really fast. I am not complaining. Initial auditions are hands down my least-favorite part of this process (the sometimes interminable semi-finals are also right up there), so I’m glad that the show sped through them as quickly as possible this season. That said, of all the stops I say,…
Concert Review: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra “An Evening in Paris”
Thursday night’s performance by the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra was essentially two concerts in one: the Stravinsky and everything else. The Stravinsky was pure RPO. The rest? It was billed as an “Evening in Paris,” but a better headline would be an “Evening in Russia.” Let’s begin with the performance of the Suite from “The Firebird”…
Committee recommends mostly minor tweaks to county charter
The members of a committee reviewing the laws that specify Monroe County government’s organization and operations presented their initial recommendations this morning. The members of the Charter Review Committee seem primary concerned about modernizing the document. Each of the committee’s seven members were charged with reviewing specific areas of the county charter. For the most…
“American Idol” 2014: Sal Tlay Ka Siti
Wednesday night’s audition episode was an interesting blend of some great talent, some frustrating judging, and the benefits of the new approach to editing. All in all I do agree with whichever judge said that the performers they’re seeing suggest that this should be a great season of the show. However, as well all know,…
Kress shines and so does the rest of Rochester
If you were heading south on West Henrietta Road yesterday around 10 a.m., you probably saw the dozen or more squad cars belonging to state troopers, and the black, unmarked Silverados stationed in driveways and parking lots. A very alert police dog sniffed the arriving salt-rimmed cars at Monroe Community College’s Applied Technologies Center. The…
Staub staying put in Parks Department
Monroe County Parks Department director Larry Staub won’t join the County Legislature after all. Earlier this month, Legislature President Jeff Adair appointed Staub to fill a vacant Perinton-based seat in the Legislature. Staub’s appointment was supposed to be effective today. But yesterday, Staub sent a letter to Adair declining the job and Adair withdrew the…
Biden talks jobs preparation in Rochester stop
The VP spoke at Monroe Community College’s Applied Technology Center on Wednesday afternoon.
On climate, Obama’s in a difficult spot
President Barack Obama is in a tough spot. He has his agenda, his list of issues he wants to address and laws he wants passed, but he faces an uncooperative Congress. His State of the Union address last night reflected that reality; he laid out a few areas where he said he plans to take…
Vargas appeals to Albany for more money
When Rochester schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas testified before Albany lawmakers in the past, he didn’t press for an increase in funding for the school district. Instead, he stressed how the district was able to handle its budget challenges by allocating resources more efficiently. He told lawmakers that he reduced the number of teachers, revised the…
DANCE | “Ballet: RCB Style”
This week, the Rochester City Ballet will showcase the diverse facets of the company when it presents “Ballet: RCB Style,” a program in four parts, at Nazareth College Arts Center (4245 East Ave.). The performance includes pieces ranging from classical to contemporary to cutting-edge, including the pas de deux from “Cinderella,” the “Alpine Garden” section…
Urban Action 1/29
This week’s calls to action include the following events and activities. (All are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.) Tavis Smiley at RIT RIT will present a talk by author, talk-show host, and civil rights advocate Tavis Smiley on Thursday, January 30. Smiley will give the keynote address at the 2014 Expressions…
LECTURE | Science on the Edge: Great White Sharks
If the act of placing tracking tags on any wild animal involves a bit of risk, then having tagged almost 40 great white sharks places you firmly into badass territory. This week, meet a man who has done just that: Marine Fisheries scientist and author Gregory Skomal, will present “‘JAWS’ Revisited: New insights into the…
Slaughter’s foes
It looks like House Representative Louise Slaughter, who represents the 25th Congressional District, could face at least two opponents in her bid for re-election this year. Gates Supervisor Mark Assini, a Republican, and Marine Corps veteran Tim Dean, who plans to run as an independent, both say they plan to take on the well-known and…
THEATER | “Rock of Ages”
You have to wonder about how heavily our ideas about navigating love are influenced by pop culture. This week, Broadway smash hit “Rock of Ages” brings this concept to the stage in its most literal sense. This funny, feel-good love story is set in the Sunset Strip of 1987, where the story of a small-town…
City of the gun
An ATF agent gives a depressing account of guns in Rochester.
RECREATION | Y-Tri
If you need a little help with your fitness resolution, consider joining the 14th annual indoor triathlon, also known as the Y-Tri, held at the Carlson MetroCenter YMCA (444 E. Main St.) on Sunday, February 2, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The three-event race consists of a 15-minute pool swim, a 15-minute stationary bike ride, and a…
Vacancies rob voters
The sign still hangs above Bill Reilich’s former State Assembly office on West Ridge Road. But the lights are off and calls won’t be answered. Reilich, a Republican, resigned his Assembly seat after winning the race for Greece town supervisor last year. The seat will stay vacant until Governor Andrew Cuomo calls a special election…
THEATER | “That’s What Friends Are For”
The stars who popularize hit songs aren’t always the ones who penned them. For more than three decades, the powerhouse duo of composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David topped pop charts with dozens of hits, and won six Grammy awards and three Oscars along the way. Many of Bacharach’s 73 Top 40 hits were…
Budget gap grows for Rochester schools
A little over a month ago, Rochester schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas cautioned school board members about a budget gap for the 2014-2015 school year that could top $30 million. But he revised that projected gap to $42 million at a recent board meeting. Vargas said the increase became apparent after hearing Governor Andrew Cuomo’s state…
Folk | Kim and Reggie Harris
With an impressive concert lineup, Café Veritas is becoming a popular destination for music lovers in search of a laid-back vibe. Philly natives Kim and Reggie Harris will grace its stage for the venue’s February concert. The husband and wife duo produced numerous recordings, including “Steal Away: Songs of the Underground Railroad,” which explores, among…
Reggae | Spiritual Rez
Just when you figure Spiritual Rez is simply a straight-up reggae outfit, in comes the deep-dish groove. For close to 10 years now, this six-piece grooveasaurus has traversed the States bringing roots reggae, and detours into jazzy funk, to the people. The group is seriously talented, and you’ll smile with your feet. Spiritual Rez performs Friday,…
Pop/Rock | Goodbyemotel
Even when Melbourne, Australia’s Goodbyemotel unplugs there is still bristling electricity that comes off weightless, atmospheric, and ethereal. When things get plugged back in, it’s downright enchanting. And just as picturesque as this may sound, Goodbyemotel (currently residing in the Big Apple) is now presenting its 4D Experience, which, though visual onstage projections and lighting,…
Jazz | Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
Update: This concert has been reschedule for Friday, February 14, 9 p.m., at Bop Shop Records. When percussionist Kahil El’Zabar returned to Chicago from a trip to Ghana in 1972, he had a vision for a new sound: the fusion of American jazz with traditional African music. He realized that vision when he formed the…
Country | Jason Isbell
Jason Isbell is well known for being part of the popular country band Drive-By Truckers, where he was the lead singer and guitarist for six years. Not long after leaving the band, Isbell released his first solo album, “Sirens of the Ditch,” on which he explored a more blues-infused country sound. After the release of his…
Acoustic/Folk | Farewell Drifters
Farewell Drifters is a folk-rock quartet that combines a love for 60’s pop with a traditional folk sound. Rather than embracing a “stomp, strum, and sing” sound like popular bands such as Mumford & Sons and The Avett Brothers, the band has chosen to work with a structured, layered pop aesthetic in addition to the…
Classical | Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra: An Evening in Paris
“French music is a dream of the senses,” according to Claude Debussy, who wrote one of music’s dreamiest and most sensual pieces in his “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.” That very piece starts off this weekend’s “Evening in Paris” concert by the RPO, led by Fabien Gaubel, music director of the Quebec Symphony…
The Swooners
FANTASY: It was early one enchanted evening not too long ago, as I rolled the Caddy up to the razzle and dazzle of the supper club. I got out, straightened my tie, shot my cuffs, and tossed the keys to the valet. I ankled over to the door where music from the swingin’ band on…
ALBUM REVIEW: “Rev”
Reverend Horton Heat “Rev” Victory Records On this his 11th studio album, The Reverend Horton Heat further cements his position in the rockabilly/neo-rockabilly/psychobilly pantheon. The situation or small problem faced with this album is the fact that Heat’s style, energy, and lyrical humor are uniquely his own. Nobody plays like this cat. But the challenge…
“Shaman-isms”
Where do we end, and where does the world begin? What divides the past, present, and future, and what are the means by which we may access one position from another? Do such lines truly exist, or are they perceived for the sake of making some sense of it all? And from where do we…
CHOW HOUND: Setting the bar
So while the other suburbs seem to be busy opening a frozen-yogurt shop in every strip mall, the tiny village of Spencerport (population 3,601, according to the 2010 census) may be slowly morphing into a culinary mecca. You’ll encounter excellent barbecue, homey Italian, Mexican both classic and nuevo, a nifty new-American bistro, and most recently…
ART | “Fire & Ice”
It’s too easy for us to take our environment for granted. Regional artist Barbara McPhail’s drawings and prints celebrate the beauty of the Delaware River Valley, but her work also promotes the preservation of that region, and others across the country, that have been targeted by energy companies who want to use hydraulic fracturing —…
Feedback 1/29
We welcome your comments. Send them to themail@rochester-citynews.com, or post them on our website, rochestercitynewspaper.com, our Facebook page, or our Twitter feed, @roccitynews. For our print edition, we select comments from all three sources, and we edit those selections. Letters of 350 words or less have a greater chance of being published, and we don’t…
What We’re Spinning: January 28
Maybe it’s a New Year’s resolution. Maybe we want to dispel the myth that newspaper editors live in a bubble and aren’t living, breathing people like everyone else. Or maybe we just want to share more music with the world. Whatever it is, City is proud to launch a new weekly feature, “What We’re Spinning,”…
