Rochester, NY News Break With Ben VanDamme

Councilmen McFadden touts youth curfew
4/30/2006 11:00 PM

Councilmen Mcfadden says he wants to see his curfew law pass, to keep kids safe and to help reduce crime.

"It's unsafe for youth to be out at night," city councilmen for Rochester's South District Adam McFadden said.

McFadden's proposal is similar to a curfew used in Minneapolis.

The model breaks down curfew by ages groups, but requires that children under 18 be inside by 11 pm weekdays and 12 am on weekends.

"If we want this to be successful we have to stay close to that model," McFadden said.

McFadden and supporters say a curfew would cut back on crime, like the street brawl Friday night on Lyell and Lake Avenue, were hundreds of teens got into a fight after a night out at the club.

"We have to let the community know that there is some rules out there and we expect the youth at night to be inside," McFadden said.

"I just hope they go through with the curfew. Really get the curfew in. Cause at night, when I come home from work late at night there are kids everywhere," said one supporter of the curfew Wilber

Opponents of the curfew have argued a curfew would be impossible to enforce and take up too much police time, but Mcfadden believes the opposite.

"It decreases the officer's time. Because when you arrest a juvenile here in Rochester, an officer is with a juvenile for 2-3 hours. Under this new legislation it would take only 10-15 minutes," said McFadden.

Mcfadden says he'd like to see a new curfew law in place by the 2006-2007 school years.

In order for that to happen there needs to be a joint powers agreement between the county, city and school district. Mcfadden expects to present his ideas to the mayor and city council later this week.
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WDKX celebrates 32nd anniversary
4/30/2006

A local radio station marked a milestone Sunday. WDKX celebrated its 32nd anniversary of being on the air in Rochester. DKX is one of the only locally-owned radios stations in Rochester. To celebrate, the station hosted a huge concert at the Eastman Theatre Sunday Night. Fantasia from American Idol fame, Ne-Yo and Ketshia Cole all performed at the celebration concert.
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Fire destroys home in Victor
4/30/2006

Seven fire companies were called to the scene of a house fire in Victor Sunday evening. When crews arrives the home was already engulfed in flames. Luckily no one was home at the time and no one was hurt. County and State Police Investigators are looking into what may have caused the blaze. The house is a total loss.
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Police investigating city's 11th homicide
4/30/2006

Rochester Police are investigating the city's latest homicide. Police say the shooting happened just after 9pm Saturday night near the 300 block of Lexington Avenue. When they arrived on scene, police found a man shot to death on the street in from a home there. Authorities are releasing very few details in this investigation, including the man's name. "We're all concerned about the level of violence in our city and the community and it's important that we be out these things and helping with the investigation. " Police say they are investigating the case as a murder. Police are asking anyone with information in this case to please call 911.