1. The summer of 2011 was marked by several mass casualty incidents, including two tour bus crashes and an alleged drunk driver who plowed into a van full of Amish farmers. 10
2. 9 The resignation of Republican Rep. Chris Lee over craigslist solicitations paved the way for the election of Democrat Kathy Hochul.
3. 8 Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks was elected to an unprecedented third term in 2011, a year also marked by scandals in county government.
4. 7 December 2011 saw unprecedented incidents of family violence in the Rochester area. A 15-year-old was charged with murdering his father and two brothers by setting fire to the family home. A Perinton woman shot and killed her daughter, father and herself.
5. 6 The arrest of Emily Good set off a community-wide debate about citizen rights and police conduct.
6. 5 Monroe Community College’s decision to vacate the Sibley Building will have ramifications for Main Street and the redevelopment of the property.
7. 4 The merger of PAETEC and Windstream created weeks of uncertainty for the Midtown Plaza site. Windstream ultimately agreed to locate at Midtown, but will have a much smaller presence.
9. 2 Rochester had three mayors in three weeks. The city was sued over the process for choosing the next mayor. Finally, citizens elected a mayor.
10. 1 Kodak’s fortunes slid in 2011 and there are very real fears the company will go bankrupt in early 2012. While not the employer it once was, Kodak still dominates our history and our psyche.
