News

Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks touched on some familiar themes in Thursday night’s  state of the county address.  One of those themes was related to where the speech was delivered.

The county exec gave her speech in the Theatre on the Ridge building at the Eastman Business Park. Brooks says  that she picked that venue for a specific reason...

"Eastman Business Park to me represents our community's ongoing transformation form a big box image capital to a hub for innovation and technology."

Read the entire State of the County 2013 address from Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks, delivered Thursday, May 23.

(CNN) Openly gay youths will be allowed to join scouting, delegates to the annual meeting of the Boy Scouts of America voted Thursday. The organization's 1,400-member national council voted for the historic policy change, which will take effect January 1.

The resolution was adopted with more than 60% of the vote. "No youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone," says the approved resolution.

The BSA will maintain its ban on gay adult leaders.

Startups and expanding companies that set up shop on community and SUNY College campuses wouldn't have to pay state taxes for up to 10 years.

That’s under the governor's proposed "Tax Free NY" initiative to spur economic and business growth.

To talk about the tax break incentive, Lt. Bob Duffy visited The College at Brockport's Rochester Educational Opportunity Center in downtown Rochester Thursday. City, business and education leaders attended the event.

New York Education Commissioner John King met with Rochester-area business leaders and educators Thursday. The goal of King’s visit was to garner support for the implementation of the Common Core Standards. New York is one of 46 states implementing the Common Core which is a set guidelines to help ensure students are prepared for college and the work-force. King said the business community can play a key role in assisting this effort.

 A local museum that promotes the display of vintage aircraft is changing its name.  The 1941 Historical Aircraft Group in Geneseo is going back to its original name, the National Warplane Museum. That name had been used by a museum in Elmira, but they are no longer using that title since their mission is changing.

President of the Geneseo group, Austin Wadsworth, says the name change will help them market themselves better.  The Geneseo museum has about 15 vintage warplanes.

Sarah Perkins, a long-time volunteer with The Greater Rochester Chapter of the American Red Cross says the sight in Oklahoma is "complete devastation and destruction."

Perkins is responsible for collecting data on the magnitude of the disaster. From the information gathered, the Red Cross can better determine how to respond to those in need. Perkins says she's telling each resident she meets, "We'll get through this together."

Rochester officials have announced the lineup for two events coming up at the Public Market.

One of them is the free Bands on the Bricks concert series which debuts on July 12th, and continues each Friday night from 5:30 to 10 p.m. through August 9th.

The bands appearing include Donna the Buffalo, Los Lonely Boys and Felice Brothers.

Coming up this week on Need to Know Rochester we examine what could soon be a charter school boom in Monroe County. Also on the show, a look into the local private school Hope Hall. It caters to a special group of students who say it’s a place where everybody knows your name. And we continue our behind-the-scenes coverage of world-renowned sculptor Albert Paley’s latest work. Tune in this Friday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV Channel 21 and Cable 11 or 1011.

Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks  delivers her annual  State of the County  address Thursday evening  at the Eastman Business Park, and we’ll have live coverage on AM 1370 WXXI and www.wxxi.org

Brooks  will  be talking about the key role the business park is playing in the effort to revitalize the local economy, and she’s also expected to discuss other job growth efforts.