Chick-fil-A, Atlanta, Ga

INBOX

WANNA SAY SOMETHING?

CITY wants to hear you rant and rave. Your feedback must . . . . . . be no more than 250 words . . . respond to CITY content . . . be engaging CITY reserves the right to edit for accuracy, length, and readability.

Send your rants and raves to: feedback@rochester-citynews.com CITY, 280 State St., Rochester, NY 14614 (ATTN: Feedback)

REIMAGINING OUT ALLIANCE

I was very interested to read David Andreatta’s article in the July edition about the state of the Out Alliance (“Reclaiming Pride”). I also would recommend listening to the June 30 “Connections” program on WXXI News, hosted by Evan Dawson. Its panel included current Out Alliance Board President Luis Burgos, former Out Alliance Executive Director Scott Fearing, and former Out Alliance senior staff member Tamara Leigh.

I think Tamara had a good suggestion to reimagine the Out Alliance as a coordinating agency to foster the growth of nascent organizations like Rainbow Seniors ROC and others that have sprung up to fill the void left by the collapse of the Out Alliance.

I myself imagine the Out Alliance modeling itself on organizations like the United Way or Lifespan. Those organizations act as coordinating agencies whose function is to put people and organizations in touch with one another based on expressed need and to facilitate their funding efforts.

In the past, the Out Alliance tried to be all things to all LGBTQ+ people. It was stretched too thin and did not have the financial resources or in-house experience to conduct all the programs that were on its plate. It wanted to be the LGBTQ+ organization, never mind that the African-American LGBTQ+ community never felt very welcome there. It started as a white gay man and white lesbian organization, and only very late in the game started acknowledging that racism, sexism, and transphobia had existed within the organization and the community at-large for decades. Once again, it was too little, too late.

Hopefully, a reimagined Out Alliance will acknowledge and communicate the mistakes of the past, and take concrete and transparent steps to avoid them in the future. Phil Darrow, Henrietta

DON’T FORGET ROCKY’S

I enjoyed Gino Fanelli’s article “Lyell avenue, a very ‘Little Italy,’ and a neighborhood at a crossroads” in the July edition of CITY. He was wrong about one thing, though. The nowclosed Roncone’s was not the last Italian restaurant in the area. Rocky’s on Jay Street is still open. Patricia Patterson, Rochester

CHICK-FIL-A AND THE CORPORATE CASH-IN

As referenced in CITY’s July 12 online article “LGBTQ lawmakers say no way to thruway Chick-fil-A,” the NYS Thruway Authority has announced that it will be demolishing and replacing all 27 rest areas to “bring them to the modern age.” These robust wooden buildings were built a mere 30 years ago, yet the state plan to squander $115,000,000 of our money to demolish and rebuild these perfectly good buildings.

Forget about a flavor of New York, farm to table, healthy choices, or giving local area restauranteurs the opportunity to profit.

Here is the list of only corporate vendors they chose, and the locations of their headquarters.

1. Applegreen, Dublin, Ireland (to which the bulk of profits will flow). 2. Chick-fil-A, Atlanta, Ga. 3. Popeyes, Miami, Fla. 4. Shake Shack, New York, N.Y. 5. Dunkin, Canton, Mass. 6. Panda Express, Rosemead, Calif. 7. Burger King, Miami, Fla. 8. Starbucks, Seattle, Wash. 9. Panera Bread, St. Louis, Mo.

So, from the NYS Thruway Authority: in your face NYS farmers, local restaurants, managers, taxpayers, etc.! We cater to fast food corporate interests.

This must be opposed. Allen Grieco, Henrietta

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

I appreciate David Andreatta’s commentary in the July issue of CITY regarding the Rochester mayoral primary (“Order and decency return to City Hall”).

I feel he erred, however, in mentioning the nicknames of the Mayor Lovely Warren’s accused husband’s associates. The reference struck me as derogatory and racist to imply that these nicknames indicate poor character and criminality. People need to be judged on their actions and not their names. Kathleen FitzPatrick, Pittsford

CONTEMPT FOR TEMPEH?

It’s odd when a reviewer feels obliged to slam something good in order to praise something else. David Raymond doesn’t feel obliged to criticize Bruce Springsteen before he praises a Bartók concerto.

Yet in “Desperately seeking salad — and six spots that do it right” Rebecca Rafferty must put down a perfectly fine food like tempeh in order to exalt vegetables. Why? How is her dislike of tempeh in any way relevant to this piece, or serve its purpose? William Pruitt, Irondequoit

NEWS. ARTS. LIFE.

AUGUST, 2021 Vol 49 No 12

On the cover:

Photograph by Jason Milton

280 State Street Rochester, New York 14614 feedback@rochester-citynews.com phone (585) 244-3329 roccitynews.org

PUBLISHER

Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, Norm Silverstein, chairman

FOUNDERS

Bill and Mary Anna Towler

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Editor: David Andreatta News editor: Jeremy Moule Staff writer: Gino Fanelli Arts editor: Daniel J. Kushner Life editor: Rebecca Rafferty Calendar editor: Katherine Stathis

Contributing writers:

Roman Divezur, Marc Gabriel, Geary Ann Lewin, J. Nevadomski, Emmarae Stein

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OPERATIONS/CIRCULATION

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CITY (ISSN 1551-3262) is published monthly 12 times per year by Rochester Area Media Partners, a subsidiary of WXXI Public Broadcasting. Periodical postage paid at Rochester, NY (USPS 022-138). Address changes: CITY, 280 State Street, Rochester, NY 14614. Member of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and the New York Press Association. Copyright by Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, 2021 - all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system without permission of the copyright owner.

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