The Rochester Beacon explores the complex challenges facing Rochester, New York, through narrative journalism, analysis and opinion grounded in facts.

“Jingle Bells” is one of the most performed and well-known secular holiday songs ever written, not only in the United States, but around the world. It’s the first song to have been broadcast from ...

After the Great Recession began in December 2007, the number of Rochester-area jobs plummeted. Though the recession—the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression—officially ended in summer ...

City Council President Meléndez last week heard a number of perspectives on homelessness—from community associations and advocacy organizations to service and shelter providers. The day of testimony ...

In an effort to prevent the onset of psychotic episodes and improve patient outcomes, the University of Rochester Medical Center has launched a new early intervention mental health clinic. Established ...

Annual homicides in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and other big U.S. cities far outnumber those recorded here. But in 2021, Rochester had more murders per capita than any of them. A new ...