News

The Village of Brockport will have a new mayor. On Tuesday residents rejected incumbent Connie Castaneda’s bid for another term, instead electing challenger Margay Blackman by a wide margin. Blackman is currently a village trustee.

Also elected were Blackman’s running mates, trustee candidates Carol Hannan and Valerie Ciciotti.

Casteneda was recently cleared of criminal misconduct charges stemming from allegations she had an illegal apartment in her home.

(Reuters & WXXI) - Eastman Kodak Co on Tuesday said it will seek court approval for a $406 million rights offering that could give creditors a big equity stake in the company after it emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Kodak said creditors agreed to backstop an offering that would let the Rochester, New York-based company issue 34 million common shares at $11.94 each, equal to about 85 percent of the equity of a reorganized company.

Rochester City Council has approved a new budget, with just a few changes from the plan first proposed by Mayor Tom Richards in May.

The nearly 482 million dollar budget was approved unanimously by City Council, along with a change made by council members in what turned out to be one of the more controversial parts of the budget hearing process.  That amendment altered the original plan by the mayor to eliminate the mounted patrol unit. Richards had felt the seven officers involved could be better utilized elsewhere, such as fighting gang violence.

There were several arrests at the state Capitol Tuesday. Advocates took out their anger and frustration on Cuomo and leaders of the State Senate, after it became clear that a progressive agenda that includes abortion rights and public campaign financing are likely dead for the legislative session.

Government reform groups are angry at Governor Cuomo, saying he is giving up too soon on an anti corruption agenda that includes public financing of campaigns and greater prosecution powers for the state’s District Attorneys.   Susan Lerner is with Common Cause.

The Irondequoit Town Board meets tonight and it's likely they'll discuss the town's boating law which was struck down last week by a Supreme Court Justice.

A coalition of boaters and property owners had sued over the law which limited how close boaters could anchor to shore.

Town Supervisor Joyce D'Aurizio, who voted against the law, says she doubts the board will vote to appeal the ruling as legal costs will be very high.

She says changing the law would involve another State Environmental Quality Review and public hearing.

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has released the findings of his new "Fiscal Stress Monitoring System," and according to the report, Monroe County is the most fiscally stressed local government in New York.

The report evaluates 23 financial and environmental indicators to create an overall fiscal condition score.
DiNapoli says Monroe County's major challenges include its fund balance, operating deficit, cash position and short-term debt.

The WXXI news staff checks newspapers and websites to help keep tabs on what's happening in communities across New York state.

 A shift in policies has led to a significant drop in the number of youth confined in state and county facilities nationwide, and New York has been identified as one of nine states that has seen the largest decrease in juvenile detention.

A report released by the National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) and the Texas Public Policy Foundation shows that 43% fewer youth were detained in New York State facilities in the period from 2001-2010.  

Less than two months after Lakeside Hospital in Brockport closed, there's word of a new use for that facility.

Lakeside shut down in April due to financial problems. Now, the University of Rochester Medical Center is announcing that it is buying most of Lakeside’s assets and will re-establish urgent care and outpatient services at that location.

The Brockport hospital will soon house urgent care, orthopedic surgeons, urologists and other specialists along with lab, radiology and pharmacy services.

Officials at the University of Rochester have issued a statement following the release of  a memo which indicates a recent audit shows a “significant misappropriation” of university funds within one of the Medical Center departments.

The memo, sent to college officials last week from U of R President Joel Seligman and other university leaders, says that officials believe it was an isolated case.