Gino Fanelli
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ginofanelli.bsky.social
Gino Fanelli
@ginofanelli.bsky.social
660 followers 6 following 140 posts
Investigative journalist at WXXI News. Got news tips? Send them to [email protected]
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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
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Two months ago, Black Button Distilling was selling off its furniture to make rent. Now, a nascent liquor group has helped save it from the grave. What comes next for Rochester's first distillery since Prohibition? www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Black Button Distilling has been saved from the brink. What comes next?
Rochester's first distillery since Prohibition was on the edge of folding. A new partnership with a nascent liquor firm has given it a second chance.
www.wxxinews.org
September 29, 2025 at 5:41 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
For the first time in over 30 years, the city of Rochester plans to name a new historic preservation district. Cobbs Hill and Washington Grove will also be the first to be made up entirely of parkland. www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Cobb’s Hill and Washington Grove slated to become preservation district, shielding it from change
The designation as a historic preservation district is the first new one in over 30 years, with Cobb's Hill joining the likes of East Avenue and the Susan B. Anthony Neighborhood.
www.wxxinews.org
September 22, 2025 at 5:24 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Eight people face federal charges over schemes to scam the elderly, using everything from romance to posing as government agents. All told, they're believed to have attempted to steal more than $11 million from 139 victims.
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Feds arrest eight in senior scamming operations
The eight are accused of using everything from romance scams to posing as government agents to attempt to defraud 139 victims of over $11 million.
www.wxxinews.org
September 16, 2025 at 9:02 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
With dwindling enrollment, five city schools were shuttered last year, with two buildings returned to city ownership. Now, the city is seeking a developer to turn them into something. What that something is is still up for debate. www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
City seeks developer for two former schools. What they could become is up in the air
The city is seeking developers for two former city schools, with the options open for what they can become.
www.wxxinews.org
September 16, 2025 at 4:47 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
My first headline in The Gothamist, a publication I've always had a really deep respect for and am now proud to work in the same news network as.

gothamist.com/news/federal...
Federal agents in NY retreat in SUV with slashed tires as protesters shout 'Gestapo'
The confrontation in Rochester came the same day the top federal prosecutor in Albany said New Yorkers can “expect to see” more immigration enforcement.
gothamist.com
September 11, 2025 at 1:45 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
A protest against ICE in the Park Avenue neighborhood appeared to provoke the federal agents to leave a roofing job site.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
ICE agents in the Park Ave neighborhood spark large-scale protest
The group shouted “shame” and "Gestapo,” and applauded as agents in the ICE-led action drove a Border Patrol SUV away on four flat tires, which had been slashed.
www.wxxinews.org
September 9, 2025 at 7:38 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
Once one of Rochester's most pivotal artist hubs, the Hungerford Building has fallen into decay. Now, the lender to its owner, Peter Hungerford, is seeking to have the building foreclosed on, after he defaulted on payments.
www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Lender seeks to foreclose on the troubled Hungerford Building
Once an artist's hub in Rochester, the building has since fallen into a state of decay. And its owner has defaulted on payments to his lender.
www.wxxinews.org
September 8, 2025 at 5:37 PM
ginofanelli.bsky.social
A menace has popped up on the quiet strip of Avery Street renegade chickens roaming the yards, chasing kids, and leaving a trail of eggs and poop in their wake.

The situation has gotten so bad, it's hatched an unusual legal action from the city.

www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2...
Rogue chickens on Avery Street prompt rare city action
For months now, a “filthy, roaming” band of roosters, hens and chicks have plagued the neighborhood, residents say. Now the city is suing, seeking a court order to seize the roost.
www.wxxinews.org
September 4, 2025 at 1:11 PM