Gino Fanelli
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ginofanelli.bsky.social
Gino Fanelli
@ginofanelli.bsky.social
670 followers 6 following 150 posts
Investigative journalist at WXXI News. Got news tips? Send them to gfanelli@wxxi.org
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ginofanelli.bsky.social
In the 2025 fiscal year, Rochester police overtime shot up by about $2 million. But a staffing shortage wasn't the driver. Rather, the cost of manning festivals, parades, and parking lots surged. www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Rochester police cash in on surge of special event overtime
Special event overtime rose by 31% from the previous year. While often reimbursed, that variety of overtime is given first dibs by senior officers, and a chance to boost pensions.
www.wxxinews.org
February 2, 2026 at 8:35 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
The city intends to seek a dismissal of a federal complaint brought by the Trump administration over its Sanctuary City policy. That complaint was already dismissed once, in November, and was refiled last month.

www.wxxinews.org/2026-01-28/r...
Rochester to ask federal judge to throw out Trump administration’s sanctuary city lawsuit
The city intends to use the same arguments of Tenth Amendment protections in its defense. The Department of Justice has argued the city's policy obstructs federal immigration enforcement.
www.wxxinews.org
January 28, 2026 at 8:10 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Virtually every category of crime fell in Rochester in 2025, with some types hitting 10-year lows. People still don't feel safe.

www.wxxinews.org/2026-01-21/e...
Every category of crime down in Rochester in 2025
All categories of crime dropped in Rochester between 2024 and 2025, with some hitting 10 year lows. But a gun violence state of emergency continues on.
www.wxxinews.org
January 21, 2026 at 8:12 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
President Donald Trump has threatened again to pull funds from sanctuary cities and jurisdictions, in defiance of court orders and without a clear path to legally do so.
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Trump appears to flout courts with new threat to halt aid to sanctuary cities
For the third time, and after twice being blocked by federal courts, President Donald Trump has threatened to withhold funds from sanctuary cities and locales. He set a start date of Feb. 1.
www.wxxinews.org
January 14, 2026 at 6:47 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
In a last minute amendment, which did not see public review, City Council voted to increase its own pay from the proposed 3% to by nearly 25%.
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
In last minute switch, Rochester City Council gives itself a big raise
The pay increase was originally slated to be 3%. But a last minute amendment increased the amount to nearly 25%, with no justification given for the change in amount.
www.wxxinews.org
December 17, 2025 at 7:59 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
It's been two-and-a-half years since the city of Rochester's last cobblestone house was saved from demolition, and nearly a year since it's been placed under city ownership.

So what's changed for the long-neglected building? Turns out, not very much yet.
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Fate of the last cobblestone house in Rochester still up in the air
The city officially acquired the Lockwood-Alhart house on Culver Road in January. But its future has still yet to be determined, and a costly restoration need.
www.wxxinews.org
December 15, 2025 at 9:35 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Proponents of building the registry see political machines and corporate interest guiding the vote to opt out of building the system, mainly from the son of Congressman Joe Morelle, a close ally to County Executive Adam Bello.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Monroe County votes to not track AirBnbs and other short-term rentals
By a vote of 21-8, Monroe County became the only major county in upstate New York to vote to not create a registry for short-term rentals.
www.wxxinews.org
December 10, 2025 at 6:16 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Omar Ramos Jimenez is currently appealing a determination for asylum status. On Wednesday, he went to the ICE Buffalo field office, under the guise of getting a new app for reporting to ICE installed on his phone. He was immediately detained without any hearing.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
ICE detains local businessman and La Casa founder in alleged sting
Omar Ramos Jimenez, 50, is originally from Mexico and has lived in Rochester since 2004. He and his wife founded and ran La Casa on Alexander Street and, before that, operated La Placita at the Public...
www.wxxinews.org
December 5, 2025 at 5:35 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
The proposed HUD funding changes radically reduce support for permanent housing placements, and specifically target programs which support transgender people, or in areas that aren't harsh enough in punishing street homelessness.
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Federal lawsuit challenges Trump cuts to housing funds, targeting of transgender people
The proposed funding changes aim to radically reduce support for permanent housing, and target programs which acknowledge transgender people, show a racial preference, or are in areas that do not have...
www.wxxinews.org
November 25, 2025 at 8:24 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Sister Grace Miller, a Rochester legend, among the fiercest advocates for the homeless who has ever lived, has died. She was 90.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Sister Grace Miller, a relentless champion for the homeless, dies at 90
Miller founded the House of Mercy in 1985. At the time, it was a fledgling operation in a one-bedroom house on Central Park funded by $20,000 from the Sisters of Mercy, the progressive Catholic congre...
www.wxxinews.org
November 20, 2025 at 9:38 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
In September, Black Button Distilling was promised new life by a nascent liquor firm, Blackstar. A few weeks later, all staff, including founder Jason Barrett, were called into a conference room and fired. The firm is now moving to liquidate the remaining spirits.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Black Button Distilling New Owner Fires All Staff And Founder, Moves To Liquidate Its Spirits
A few weeks after promising a new life for Rochester's first distillery since Prohibition, Blackstar fired all staff and founder Jason Barrett. It is now moving to sell off its remaining product.
www.wxxinews.org
November 19, 2025 at 8:48 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
On the heels of New York's 500th dispensary opening on South Clinton Avenue, I sat down with the acting director of the state Office of Cannabis Management to talk about the early hurdles of legal weed, its social equity goals, and how the agency has moved forward.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
New York now has 500 cannabis dispensaries. Its top weed official sees that number quadrupling.
Felicia Reid, the state's acting director of the Office of Cannabis Management, sat down with WXXI News for a wide-ranging interview on the successes, and hurdles, to legal weed in New York.
www.wxxinews.org
November 17, 2025 at 9:19 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
The planned health insurance coverage for lower-income workers at RRH could go up by over 500%, prompting outrage among staffers, and a shift from the hospital system that many workers say still isn't enough.
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Soaring health insurance costs spark outrage, tweaks, and a petition at Rochester Regional
The updated health plan for 2026 sees some health system employees receiving a 500% increase in their payments.
www.wxxinews.org
November 14, 2025 at 2:13 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Council will vote next week on funding a series of immigrant rights training sessions and a hotline for community and legal resources.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
City Council aims to put $125k into immigrant rights training, hotline
The partnership with Enlace would offer up to 500 people access to immigrant rights training, and fund a hotline for questions and connections to resources for immigrants.
www.wxxinews.org
November 12, 2025 at 8:21 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Democrats dominated Tuesday night in Monroe County, taking all but one of the supervisor seats they ran for, including flipping Greece, which has been Republican run for over a century.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Democrats flip Monroe County suburbs as voters upend status quo
Democrats flipped the town supervisor seats in Perinton, Penfield, Mendon, Rush and Greece. And they held onto top posts in Irondequoit and Henrietta, while reliably sweeping all city races.
www.wxxinews.org
November 5, 2025 at 1:00 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
The city made the so-called "entertainment district" as a salve to violent crime in the area. But its taken a toll on local businesses. This story explores the balance between public safety and nightlife, and how its tipped far enough to drive some to close.

www.roccitymag.com/arts-enterta...
A barricaded ‘entertainment district’ in the East and Alexander neighborhood is driving popular businesses to close - CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture.
It’s a clear early autumn night as crowds of revelers make their way down East Avenue to the slew of watering holes and eateries that dot the strip. Before the weekend party begins, each must make a p...
www.roccitymag.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:28 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Jeff McCann nearly tripled the fundraising of his opponent, and totals more than half of the amount raised by the 17 other candidates running in contested supervisor races combined. www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
In Greece, a chance for Democrats to flip a supervisor seat brings in big bucks
Jeff McCann's bid for town supervisor in the long-held Republican stronghold has raised him more funds than any other supervisor candidate—by a wide margin.
www.wxxinews.org
October 30, 2025 at 7:06 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
In Irondequoit, the race for supervisor pits an embattled former assessor facing corruption charges and a longtime town boardmember against each other. With a hefty dash of finger-pointing.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
A corruption charge and finger-pointing underpin Irondequoit supervisor race
Longtime Democratic Town Board member John Perticone will face off against former assessor Anthony Costanza, who is accused of misusing his office for personal gain, in the November election.
www.wxxinews.org
October 27, 2025 at 7:24 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
The popular East End bar and eatery is eyeing a closure at year's end, citing a barricaded district on Saturday nights and a changing industry in East End.

This story is a preview of a longer exploration of the downtown "entertainment district," in CITY next month.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Swan Dive eyes closure, as police barricades and a changing industry take a toll
The staple of the East End has faced challenges, from post-COVID changes in the industry to a Saturday "entertainment district" barricading the street.
www.wxxinews.org
October 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
The acting District Attorney will have to recuse himself from hundreds of cases due to his prior role as Irondequoit judge. How much that will cost taxpayers is anyone's guess: the DA's office deferred to the county, the county deferred to the DA's office. www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Monroe County’s new DA will have to recuse himself from hundreds of cases
Brian Green's previous job as a Irondequoit Town Judge means he will be unable to prosecute any cases that previously appeared before his bench.
www.wxxinews.org
October 20, 2025 at 6:08 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
From her hospice bed, House of Mercy founder Sister Grace Miller watched via video chat as the ribbon was cut on her new homeless shelter, La Madonna Della Strada. The low-barrier shelter will house up to 25 men.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
From her hospice bed, Sister Grace Miller watches her new homeless shelter come to life
La Madonna Della Strada will serve as a new, low-barrier shelter on West Main Street. A dream of the House of Mercy founder, the project is being made possible through a partnership with the Open Door...
www.wxxinews.org
October 15, 2025 at 5:44 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
City Council will vote this month on $1.1 million in loans to Cain Properties LLC, the final piece in getting the Hotel Cadillac renovated into an affordable housing project.
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Developer set to secure final funds for Hotel Cadillac affordable housing project
The building is planned to be turned into 42 apartments, fit with a community room, laundry, and an artist residency space.
www.wxxinews.org
October 8, 2025 at 5:53 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Over the summer, 11 people were killed in the city of Rochester, the lowest since before the pandemic, and second lowest in the past decade. Shootings have also fallen dramatically. But the deep issues which contribute to violent crime are ever present.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Violent crime is falling in Rochester. Its underlying causes persist.
The summer of 2025 saw the second lowest number of homicides in the past decade. But the issues of blight, addiction, and divestment that lead to violent crime are still ever-present.
www.wxxinews.org
October 7, 2025 at 1:09 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
As the government shutdown begins, the Rochester Housing Authority has begun planning on just what to do if its flow of federal housing dollars to over 26,000 recipients runs dry. www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Rochester Housing Authority braces as government shutdown begins
RHA, which oversees about $60 million in payments for over 26,000 tenants, is advising staff to conserve office supplies as the shutdown threatens federal housing funds.
www.wxxinews.org
October 1, 2025 at 7:58 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Other journos out there: has PACER also been irreparably broken for you too? It's been almost impossible to actually go from searching for a case, getting into it, and downloading a document for the past couple weeks.
September 29, 2025 at 6:39 PM