News

Two well known local companies are planning to develop 21 acres in Canandaigua. Morgan Management and LeChase Construction have formed a joint venture, called Morgan-LeChase Development to work on a mixed use project across from Kershaw Park.

It will be a mix of commercial and residential units, and George Hamlin, who heads up the Canandaigua Area Development Corporation, says this project will involve significant private investment. He says it could be a $100 million project.

On this edition of Need to Know Rochester:

• The changing landscape of international adoptions felt in the Greater Rochester Area
• A behind the scenes look at Albert Paley’s newest project
• The Business Section with Matt Daneman

Mayor Tom Richards says his proposed budget closes a 42-million dollar gap, maintains financial flexibility to cope with anticipated gaps in the future and invests in capital projects while the state works on new ways to finance its cities.
Richard's 481-million dollar plan is 2 percent leaner than this year's budget.
Among other things, Richards says the city will save 10.9-million dollars by amortizing pension payments, and save 17.3-million through reductions in its cash capital program.

Lt. Governor Bob Duffy has announced half-a-million dollars in tax credits for solar technology company Natcore. The credits come as an incentive for the company to expand its footprint at the Eastman Business Park in Rochester.

(AP)  New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says he'll go ahead with a planned vote to expel Assemblyman Vito Lopez from office despite Lopez's announcement that he's resigning at the end of the legislative session. 

Lopez says Friday he'll resign June 20 not because of a sexual harassment scandal, but to run for New York City Council. Lopez says he's gratified two investigations of his behavior found no basis to charge him with a crime. 

An earthquake in Canada lit up Twitter and telephones in the Rochester area on Friday morning.

The quake was a magnitude of around 5.1, and it was centered near Shawville, a village in Western Quebec, about 45 mils away from Ottawa.

There are no reports of any major damage in Canada, and just a slight tremor felt by some people in the Rochester area.

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

A local conductor involved in a recent controversy has a new job. 

The Rochester Chamber Orchestra has named Arild Remmereit as their artistic director. Remmereit previously was music director for the RPO.  He had been a guest conductor for the chamber orchestra in February, and he will take the new job on a regular basis in the next season.

David Fetler has been the music director and conductor for the chamber orchestra for  50 years and he will step down from those positions in the 2014-2015 season, which will allow Remmereit to take over those tasks.

New numbers from the New York State Labor Department show some modest job growth in the Rochester area in April. There was a gain of 1700 private sector jobs compared to April of last year. State Labor Analyst Tammy Marino says some of those gains came from the private education and health care sectors.

She also says seasonal hiring was stronger than it usually is for April. Marino says the employment level for the Rochester Metro in April was the highest it has been for that month since 2008.

The Landmark Society of Western New York is targeting historic buildings in critical need of revitalization through a new effort called "Five to Revive."