Latest news with #WXXI
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rochester mayoral debate showcases diverse views on sanctuary city, living costs
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Wednesday was the Democratic Mayoral Primary Candidate Debate where the three candidates: Incumbent Malik Evans, Mary Lupien, and Shashi Sinha, gave insight into how they would address hot-button issues should they hold office. Many of the questions asked at the debate revolved around centric issues in the City of Rochester: immigration enforcement, cost of living, and the future of downtown, and there were varying perspectives among the candidates on how to approach each concern. The debate hosted by WXXI began with opening statements from each of the democrats running for Rochester mayor in the upcoming primary. Shashi Sinha: 'Rochester is broken, and people in charge either don't see it, or don't know how to fix it.' Mary Lupien: 'I'm running for mayor because I know these are problems in our power to solve. Rochester is in crisis and Mayor Evans may be keeping the lights on, but that's not enough.' Mayor Malik Evans: 'My mother always said 'Malik, we are not where we want to be, but thank God we're not where we were. So, we have seen progress, and I want to help to continue that progress.' One of the biggest questions the candidates focused on was the future of Rochester's sanctuary city status. This, following a lawsuit filed by the federal officials against city leaders. Shina was the first to answer. Shashi Sinha: 'Its a complicated issue. Do we stay a sanctuary city? Yes, I'm fully committed to saving our community, our immigrant community, but there are many different aspects to it.' Mayor Malik Evans: 'We absolutely are committed to our policy. It has stood the test of time since 1986.' Mary Lupien: 'We are going to protect our people. We are not going to turn our back on our immigrant population. It is incredibly important that we stand together.' Among other questions involving each candidate's stance on the future of the Police Accountability Board and revitalizing downtown, was a focus on the cost of living in Rochester. Building affordable housing and creating jobs were a couple different solutions proposed by these candidates. Each candidate also addressed their perspective on homeless encampment sweeps. Mary Lupien: 'As Mayor, I would end homeless encampment sweeps. Day one.' Mayor Malik Evans: 'No one should be on the streets in the City of Rochester. It is not a way to live.' Shashi Sinha: 'You can't just take the tent away and leave the person to die in cold or heat.' These are only a few highlights of Wednesday's debate. We'll hear from the candidates two weeks prior to the June 24 primary election. They'll be participating in a town hall here at News 8. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Veteran Rochester newsman and familiar public radio voice announces retirement
A longtime Rochester newsman and a familiar voice on public radio is retiring. WXXI News director Randy Gorbman announced Feb. 27 that he will retire March 28 after 12 years at the NPR member station and 47 years in the news business. Gorbman joined WXXI in 2013, overseeing daily news operations on the radio and online, as well as filing local reports on a wide range of topics. Before that, he worked as news director at WHAM1180 for 19 years. Earlier in his career, he worked in newsrooms across New York and Connecticut and was an editor at the NBC Radio Network. His type A personality meshed well with his chosen profession, he said. In the news business, 'Everything is kind of all-consuming. That's one reason why I sort of thought I want to have a little bit of time to smell the roses,' he said. He has discussed freelancing for WXXI at some point, 'but that's something I can do more or less on my own time on the side.' Among the things he's most proud of is his work — and his news team's work — during the coronavirus pandemic and the social justice protests sparked by the deaths of George Floyd and Daniel Prude. 'I was in the office pretty much every working day and many 'non-working' days during that period, and I was very proud of the hundreds of stories our reporters were able to put out, even when they had to file remotely due to the pandemic,' he said. A New York City native, Gorbman was drawn to journalism as a teenager. While attending Brooklyn Tech High School, he enrolled in an 'over-the-air' English class that was tied to the school's educational radio station. 'That class gave me a 'taste' for radio,' he said. 'Around that same time, the Watergate scandal broke, and the news coverage of that really got me interested in journalism as a potential career.' Gorbman went on to earn a bachelor's degree in communications from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and a master's in liberal arts from SUNY Empire State College. 'I have strived for our newsroom to be accurate, transparent about our processes and provide context especially when stories are complex. I hope that our reports have been useful to those in our community,' he said. 'I really can't imagine having pursued any other career with the same passion.' He said what he'll miss the most are his colleagues, present and past, whom he counts as friends. 'I know it's almost cliché to say that,' he said. 'But I've been very fortunate to work with some very wonderful people. Not just great journalists, but wonderful people.' At times, he'll miss the work, too. 'I'll probably miss it when a breaking story happens and I'm not a part of it,' he said. 'On the other hand, when it's 10 degrees and there's a blizzard, I won't miss having to come in early or stand on a street corner reporting on it.' During his time at WXXI, Gorbman has received several awards, including the Impact Award from Rochester Media Association and the New York State Broadcasters Association's Excellence in Broadcasting Award. At the same time, his news team garnered more than 70 awards, including the Edward R. Murrow National and Regional Awards, Public Media Journalists Association Awards and New York State Associated Press Association Awards. Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments and has an interest in retail news. Send story tips to mgreenwo@ Follow her on X @MarciaGreenwood. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Randy Gorbman announces retirement from WXXI News in Rochester NY
