Closing arguments have been postponed until tomorrow in the murder trial of Johnny Blackshell, Jr. — the first of three young men charged in the drive-by shootings on Genesee Street to go on trial.
Blackshell’s lawyer, Joseph Damelio, sought the adjournment while he tries to find a 17-year-old defense witness he says is reluctant to come forward and has made himself scarce. Damelio told the court he subpoenaed the 17-year-old Friday, but the teenager has disappeared. He said his investigator is working with the teen’s family to get him to come forward. Damelio says that teen would testify to seeing another of the accused defendants, Jalen Everett, as the person who had the rifle and placed it in the trunk of a car.
Other witnesses have testified to seeing Johnny Blackshell with a rifle prior to the shootings…but one witness yesterday couldn’t be sure the AK47 allegedly used in the shootings was the same rifle.
Blackshell is charged with three counts of first-degree murder plus numerous lesser charged for the shooting that killed three other young men and injured four outside the Boys and Girls Club last August.
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Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren says sometimes when you look towards the future you have to look at more than what’s just safe and normal.
That was one of her reactions when asked about her announcement yesterday evening that the city has received two different proposals to develop a Performing Arts Center on the remaining Midtown Plaza land.
One comes from the Seneca Nation of Indians, which wants to develop a theater together with a gaming facility; the other is from what the city describes as “a consortium of casino operators and other possible investors.” The city acknowledges that means developer Tom Wilmot and his partners. They would partially fund a stand-alone performing arts center.
The mayor says the Senecas would fund their entire project, but that part of Midtown would become tribal land. The Wilmorite plan would require some tax funding as well as the developers’ share.
The mayor says she looks forward to considering both.
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A public meeting tonight will give residents of the neighborhoods around Cobbs Hill Park a chance to learn more about a proposed four-story apartment project for senior citizens that’s raising concerns in the Upper Monroe area.
Rochester Management, the owners of the Cobbs Hill Village, want to build the project on land they own that’s surrounded by the park. It’s phase one of a plan to replace the 50s-era single-story apartments on Norris Drive with modern buildings. They’ve owned the land for 60 years.
But some residents worry about the size of the building and how it will change the look of the surrounding park.
Rochester Management will be at the Upper Monroe Neighborhood Association meeting this evening at 7:00 at the New Life Presbyterian Church to show what they’re planning. The project can also be seen at cityofrochester.gov/siteplanprojects DEOS
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A 22-year-old Rochester woman flagged down police officers early this morning at 25 Joseph Place to tell them she’d been shot while driving her car.
Police were on the way there after the city’s shot spotter system picked up gunfire. They say Felicia Atkins suffered non-life threatening injuries and was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital.
They’re investigating the circumstances and have no suspect or arrest yet.
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Police say the Seven-11 store at 884 Emerson Street in Rochester was held up early this morning.
Two men reportedly entered the store and demanded money from the clerk, taking cash and cigarettes before fleeing. Nobody was hurt.
The investigation is continuing.
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A Wyoming County couple has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child for repeatedly chaining a 16-year-old to a bed.
State Police say Shirley Sherwood and George Colton, both in their 50s, are the child’s grandparents. They say they were called to the couple’s home in Warsaw for
a report of an uncontrollable teenager. During their investigation they learned that they used a 15-foot dog chain and three padlocks to secure the teen at night and at other times.
Both are being held in the Wyoming County Jail in lieu of bail, and will answer the charge in Middlebury Town Court.
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State Police report arresting a pair of scofflaws in unrelated incidents in Rochester…each driving with a license that had been suspended 30 or more times.
Troopers stopped 25-year-old Vincent Jones of Rochester for speeding on I-590 in Brighton. They found his license had been revoked and had 31 suspensions.
Thirty-two-year-old Shaun Pope of Rochester was stopped on University Avenue when troopers noticed his registration was suspended. He turned out to have 30 suspensions on his license plus no insurance.
Both men are charged with aggravated unlicensed operation and other offenses.
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The one-year anniversary of the new Golisano Children’s Hospital is approaching…and Strong Health officials today showed off progress on Phase II of the project with a tour of construction on the 4th and 6th floors of the new building.
Hospital officials say they’re building a new pediatric surgical suite and an upgraded pediatric intensive care unit.