Max Schulte

The decision by a grand jury not to indict Rochester Police officers involved in the incident last March that eventually led to the death of Daniel Prude brought hundreds of protesters to different parts of the city on Tuesday night.

It started with speeches by activists and a gathering on Jefferson Avenue, where so many other protests started out last year. Jefferson Avenue is where Prude was pinned to the pavement by police after they responded to the reports of a man acting erratically. Prude suffocated after being held down by officers, and he died a week later.

Hundreds of people lined up Wednesday at the Dome Arena in Henrietta, one of the state-run sites where COVID-19 vaccinations are being given.

Marianne Gustafson was among those waiting to get her shot, and when it was done, she said she was very glad she had signed up.

“It was great, everything went smoothly," Gustafson said. "I had absolutely no trouble, they’re very organized, lots and lots of volunteers, and I’m thrilled to be here on day 1 getting my vaccination for the first time.”  

Several hundred people will be heading over to one of  the new rapid testing sites for COVID-19 in Monroe County on Tuesday and Wednesday evening this week.

It’s taking place at the Irondequoit Department of Public Works, and the slots set aside for testing have all been filled, but officials are hoping to be able to do more testing in the coming weeks.

Bob Kiley is Commissioner of Public Works in Irondequoit. He said that  setting up for this week’s testing has been a challenge, but it’s gratifying that they can provide that service.

A rally was held at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park in downtown Rochester Wednesday afternoon, part of a nationwide effort called Protect the Results.

Similar events are happening in dozens of cities this week, organized by a coalition of grassroots organizations, advocacy groups and labor unions, who say they are concerned President Donald Trump is trying to undermine the results of the election.

Dan Maloney, president of the Rochester Labor Council and Rochester and Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, spoke at the rally.

Voter turnout in Monroe County was just shy of 74% as of 8 p.m., according to the county Board of Elections, a figure that would put the county on pace to eclipse the highest general election turnout in many years but fall short of the record.

County elections officials issued the following numbers:

Early voting has been consistently busy in Livingston County, with wait times of about 30 minutes, said Democratic Elections Commissioner Dave DiPasquale. 

He said just over 1,000 people voted early last year. This year, the county surpassed that total in less than three days. He said the busiest day so far was Wednesday, when nearly 800 people voted.

Early voting began in New York state on Saturday, and continues through Nov. 1,  two days before Election Day.

There were long lines when polls opened at 9 a.m.

Dozens of protesters calling for justice in the death of Daniel Prude marched from the Public Safety Building to Rochester City Hall on Tuesday morning.

Family, friends and constituents lined up to pay respect to one of the state’s longest-serving officials, Assemblyman David Gantt. 

Outside the Church of Love and Faith Center on Exchange Street on Friday, Thomas Gantt took a few minutes to remember his brother and their mother, Lena, who was active in antipoverty efforts in Rochester for decades through organizations like Action for a Better Community. Thomas Gantt said his brother picked up where Lena left off. 

Amid all the coronavirus concerns, a friendship grows stronger.

Once Hamilton College told students not to return to the campus in Clinton, New York, about 45 minutes east of Syracuse, Billy Geach had a dilemma.

He's from Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe in Africa. Currently, COVID-19 has not been detected in Zimbabwe -- one of the reasons he's decided not to return to his home country.

So his classmate Ben Coffey and his family opened their Fairport home to Geach until he could join relatives in Texas.