WEEK AHEAD: Police conduct speakout; RCSD budget hearing; county charter changes; Earth Day events; hunger forum

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A panel of six Rochester residents will share stories of their encounters with police. The panel will run about an hour and will be followed by a “Know Your Rights” workshop conducted by the Genesee Valley chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

The event is from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 25, at Inner Faith Gospel Tabernacle, 32 York Street.

The event is part of the Flying Squirrel’s “Springing into Action Against Police Brutality and Misconduct” series. A community speakout and a march are also planned. BY CHRISTINE CARRIE FIEN


The Rochester school board will hold a second public hearing on the superintendent’s proposed budget for the 2014-2015 school year at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22.

This is an opportunity for students, teachers, parents, and residents to comment on the budget or to raise questions before the budget is approved next month. The meeting will be held at the district’s central office, at 131 West Broad Street.

The school board will also hold “Commissioners and Cookies,” a meet and greet with the members of the board at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 24. The event will be followed by the school board’s monthly business meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the district’s central office. BY TIM LOUIS MACALUSO


The Monroe County Legislature’s Agenda/Charter committee meets Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. to begin discussing a package of proposed changes to the county’s charter and administrative code. Those laws spell out the organization and operation of county government.

The Monroe County Charter and Administrative Code Reform Act of 2014 is based on recommendations from a committee established by the Legislature to review the charter and administrative code. Much of the legislation modernizes sections of the charter and code and changes position titles. The packet containing the legislation is available here.

One section of the code establishes a compensation review commission, which under certain circumstances will review proposed pay raises for elected officials.

The Agenda/Charter Committee meets at 6 p.m. today at the County Office Building, 39 West Main Street.

The committee will likely pass the legislation, which means the full Legislature will take it up during its next meeting, on May 13. But before the Legislature can pass the proposal, it has to set a public hearing.

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Tuesday is Earth Day, and Friday is Arbor Day, and local groups are planning a variety of events around each day.

City has compiled a list of select Earth Day happenings, which is available here. But more Earth Day and Arbor Day events can be found in the listings section.


At 6 p.m. Thursday, two of the region’s League of Women Voters chapters, Foodlink, and First Unitarian Church will hold a forum on hunger at First Unitarian Church, 220 South Winton Road.

The forum is meant for League members and the public to learn about hunger, as well as the government and community programs that exist to assist people in need. The moderator will be Edward Doherty, the Rochester Area Community Foundation’s vice president for community programs.

Panelists include Congress member Louise Slaughter; Julia Tedesco, co-executive director and chief development and communications officer for Foodlink; and Lori O’Brien, supervising attorney of the Nutrition and Outreach Program for Legal Assistance of Western New York’s Rochester office.

Organizers want anybody who plans to attend to register in advance. BY JEREMY MOULE