Alex Crichton

Members of Alliance for Quality Education joined hundreds of students, teachers and other advocates in Albany today, urging lawmakers to restore funding to the classroom.

Nikki Jones, AQE communications director says the group applauds the budget proposals from the Senate and Assembly that redirected school aid that the governor included in competitive grants in his executive budget. AQE’s contends that neither the governor's plan nor the “one house” budgets are enough after $2.7 billion in cuts to education the past two years.

Leaders at the ESL Federal Credit Union hope the company's $500,000 donation to the United Way will spur other gifts from local companies and individuals.

ESL President and CEO Dave Fiedler announced the gift Tuesday morning. It’s the largest challenge grant in the United Way's history.

Fiedler says the "Bridge to the Future" grant will support United Way's Community Fund.

He says United Way supports evidenced-based programs that produce results as promised.

Fiedler calls it a high yield way of meeting community needs.

Republicans are gearing up for the GOP State Convention this Friday here in Rochester. The event will be held at the Riverside Convention Center.

State GOP Chair Ed Cox says upstate New York is home to strong Republican parties and committees, and they will designate their candidate to take on U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

He says the non-partisan National Journal has designated Gillibrand as the most far-left, liberal senator in the United States Senate.

The April 15th income tax filing deadline is just around the corner, and a public-private alliance is encouraging people to take advantage of a free tax filing service.

Tim Hugo, Executive Director of the Free File Alliance, says 70 percent of Americans are eligible for the comprehensive online tax service at IRS.gov, called the Free File program.

Taxpayers who make less than $57,000 a year are eligible to use tax software and e-mail federal funds at no charge.

Hugo says in many cases, people can also file their state tax return at no cost.

Members of the Rochester Community Coalition are back home after spending Monday in Albany seeking support for their 2012 agenda.

Coalition leaders, including Mayor Tom Richards, RIT President Bill Destler and Rochester Business Alliance President and CEO Sandy Parker met with members of the Governor's staff, Empire State Development, Lt. Governor Bob Duffy, and legislative leaders.

Proposed congressional redistricting maps by Assembly Democrats and Senate Republicans would take Representative Louise Slaughter out of Buffalo and Niagara Falls, and put her district predominately in Monroe County.

But Slaughter says she's reserving comment on congressional redistricting in New York until the process is finalized.

Meanwhile, government watchdog Common Cause New York has reviewed the plans, and

Union leaders are calling on the state reconsider plans to close the Monroe Developmental Center. New York State plans to close the facility as a cost-cutting measure.

The facility houses about 125 people with disabilities, and has a staff of about 400.

65 of them are members of the Public Employees Federation.

PEF’s Randi DiAntonio says residents at Monroe Developmental Center have specialized needs for their behavioral issues and some would be discharged to live on their own should the center close.

Consumer confidence in New York State held steady in February, according to researchers at Siena Research Institute.

SRI founder Dr. Doug Lonnstrom says for the first time since August and September of 2007, the index has hovered just below the break-even point where optimism equals pessimism for two months in a row.

He adds downstaters see the glass as "half full," while upstate New Yorkers continue to say it's "half empty."

The United Way of Greater Rochester has set a goal of $25.5 million dollars for its annual campaign. That's less than last year's goal of $28 million.

United Way is calling on Rochesterians to support the Community Fund, which supports about 80 local programs.

Last year, $17.8 million was allocated from that fund to local programs.

Organizers say since the goal was announced on a Leap Day, the community has one extra day to rally together to support the United Way and the 500,000 people it serves.

The Hall of Justice in downtown Rochester is closed for the rest of the day because of a power outage.

A contractor struck a high-voltage line while working on a Civic Center project this morning, knocking out power. No one was injured.

Jurors are asked to call 251-1360 or 234-1294 after 5pm Tuesday for more information about court schedules.

Officials say Emergency applications to Family Court can be made at Rochester City Court in the Public Safety Building today.