Carlet Cleare

A higher rate of children living in poverty-stricken neighborhoods has mental illnesses. That's according to the president and CEO of the Mental Health Association, Patricia Woods. She says 2 in 5 kids in urban communities have mental health problems, compared to 1 in 5 in non-urban areas.

"The poverty, then you add in the violence that's been going on, especially if you look at Rochester in recent years,” Woods says. “That all adds and increases the prevalence of mental illness."

An annual Rochester film series - aiming to dispel the stigmas of mental illness - expands this year including artwork by artists suffering from mental health problems.

The Reel Mind Film Series at the Memorial Art Gallery will feature 50 pieces of artwork from the Mental Health Association's Creative Wellness Coalition. Veronica Weider is the director of the coalition. She says melding the art exhibit with the film series would help eliminate misconceptions and fears about mental illnesses.

Local court officials are working to get more African Americans in the jury box.

Judicial leaders say nearly 19% of the qualification questionnaires sent out in urban communities - for citizens to serve as potential jurors - are non-deliverable or not responded to. City Court Judge Theresa Johnson is co-chairing a task force to tackle that problem. She says minority representation in the judicial system is important.

"That's what we're trying to get, somebody in the room, in the jury room, [so] when the doors are closed to say 'OK, this is not important, that's not important or don't  interpret that into something that's it’s not,'" Johnson says. "And if we can't get that our communities are never going to feel that they're getting a fair shake."

A youth leadership workshop aims to help Rochester youth overcome past failures, low self-esteem while building good character.

It’s called YouthMAX.  A new initiative launched by leadership author, speaker and pastor John C. Maxwell.  Sandra Fink is part of the Maxwell team, who'll be talking with teens about how to navigate through life positively.

Hundreds of baseball fans lined up outside the Frontier Field box office Friday morning to buy tickets to see Yankee great Andy Pettitte. The five-time World Champion will pitch at Frontier Field Sunday for the Empire State Yankees. After standing in a long line for more than an hour, Dan Minchen purchased 6 tickets to Sunday's game.

"It's fantastic that you got a world class pitcher like Andy Pettitte making an appearance here in Rochester," Minchen says. "I had to see it. My wife is ecstatic. And I really think I gained points [with her]."

The Empire State Yankees are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees who are playing the bulk of their home games in Rochester this year. Pettitte starts against the Pawtucket Red Sox at 2 p.m. on Sunday at Frontier Field.

Greece Athena High School senior Michael Leadbetter is being honored with the 2012 Presidential Scholar of the Arts award.

The program recognizes high school students for their grades, artistic achievement as well as community involvement and leadership among other criteria.

“It was honestly very surprising but it feels great. It's just surreal to be recognized on a national level,” Leadbetter said.

He was selected from 3,300 applicants nationwide and he's the only recipient from the Rochester area.

Leadbetter says he hopes to pursue a career in acting or musical theater. He says he’s auditioned for several colleges including Ithaca, Nazareth, and the University of Cincinnati.

Rochester Police have charged the husband of Rochester city councilwoman Loretta Scott with assault for attacking her at their home on Friday.

Police say Scott suffered minor cuts from a knife to her hands and shoulder. According to court documents, Scott says her husband, Tim Scott, pinned her to the floor while holding a butcher knife over her and threatening to kill her.

Loretta Scott also says her husband tried choking her with his hands. And then put a garden hose with running water in her mouth. She received treatment for those injuries at a local clinic.

Tim Scott, 52, is charged with assault in the third, criminal obstruction of breathing and menacing in the second. He was arraigned over the weekend and was released on bail. 

North American Breweries has begun construction on its $2.6 million Brew House Project.

Company engineer Mark Minunni says workers knocked out windows and removed wooden planks from the ceiling and floor of 25 Cataract Street.

The work is in preparation for a museum, microbrewery, restaurant and souvenir shop.

Thirteen Cataract Street is currently undergoing asbestos removal before being torn down.

Earlier this month, the City Planning Commission rejected requests by preservation groups to designate the building as a landmark. 

The Brew House is expected to open in August.

A Connecticut-based leadership training program empowering parents to get involved in the community and their child’s education - is coming to the Greater Rochester area this fall.

The Parent Leadership Training Institute teaches families city, state and federal law as well as breaking down policy and municipal budgets. 

Demond Meeks is one parent who'll serve on the Institutions local advisory board.

“These skill sets will allow parents to better maneuver through the system and affect positive change for their children and the Rochester community at large,” Meeks says. “The skill sets allotted the parents will allow them to effectively work better at PTOs, PTAs and other existing programs in the community."