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RailRiders fall two games behind in loss to Red Wings
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK (WBRE/WYOU) — The RailRiders lose Sunday’s game against the Red Wings 6-4, falling two games behind Rochester entering the final week of the regular season. Early on, Oswaldo Cabrera was a majority of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s offense. Early in the second inning, Cabrera hit his 18th homerun to take a 2-1 lead. During his […]
Buffalo opens season with a thrilling victory over Houston
The Buffalo Bills opened their 2026-27 NFL season with a trip down to Houston to take on the Texans. Buffalo got the opening kickoff with new addition Greg Dortch, who returned it to the Buffalo 34-yard line. The Bills’ opening drive was ground-focused, six run plays with just one pass play. James Cook was the […]
Washington Nationals Send Struggling Pitcher to Minor League
The Washington Nationals have sent reliever Clayton Beeter to Triple A Rochester after struggling through 2026
Business creating unique crochet figures
LEWIS CENTER — Take a quick walk over to The Market at Evans Farm on any Saturday between 9 a.m. and noon, and you’re bound to see a shop which will have you hooked-literally. HooksandChains35, a small business based out of Upper Arlington, is one occupant of the cheery neighborhood market, and it puts a unique spin on cozy crochet items.
Friday Football Fever (9/11/26)
CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) – Four weeks into the high school football season, early playoff bids were officially on the line for a handful of teams. Monticello 39, St. Teresa 20 St. Joseph-Ogden 38, Unity 23 Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 54, Cumberland 14 Rochester 50, MacArthur 20 Fisher 48, Villa Grove-Heritage 27 Tuscola 52, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley 0 Bloom 35, […]
US Department of Labor investigating Rochester businesses
The Minnesota Department of Labor confirmed the U.S. Department of Labor is investigating numerous Rochester businesses.
‘It’s hard to know why’: Local health officials on CDC rabies exposure statement
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)— The CDC says rabies exposures with animals and post-exposure vaccinations have seen a surge this year, and local health officials are seeing that trend too. Director of publ…
Mayo Clinic and National Institute of Health
Mayo Clinic celebrates the research accomplished in Rochester during the NIH's 100-year anniversary.
Roux expands Rochester presence amid brownfield cleanup demand
Environmental firm Roux expands in Rochester as demand grows for brownfield remediation, including cleanup of the former Vacuum Oil site.
Midwest Talks Women's Foot Health Ep. 28
Midwest Talks Women's Foot Health with Dr. Jengyu Lai from Rochester Clinic Ep. 28
18 Sports Plays of the Week
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – It’s time for the next edition of the 18 Sports Plays of the Week. (Video Courtesy: Rochester Aquinas and Wellsboro Hornets Hudl, Chris Wilcox) The 18 Sports team showcases the top plays from the past week in the Twin Tiers. Top honors this week include 5 major moments on the high school […]
AZ's R&D chief Barr touts internal 'science success story' after IL-33 antibody's stellar showing in COPD
With a detailed data drop that AstraZeneca’s R&D chief described as an internal “science success story,” the British Big Pharma has secured an FDA priority review for what it believes could become a flagship biologic in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In detailed results from the late-stage Oberon and Titania trials—first teased in March and detailed in full at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Barcelona this week—the drugmaker laid out the extent of its IL-33 inhibitor’s potential to reduce moderate and severe exacerbations in a wide range of COPD patients still struggling with those “lung attacks,” as AstraZeneca’s Sharon Barr, Ph.D., called them, despite using standard-care inhaled therapy. In the headline results, a 300 mg dose of tozorakimab given once every four weeks curbed those moderate and severe exacerbations in the studies’ primary population of former smokers by 29% in the Oberon study and 34% in Titania. In the overall population of both current and former smokers, these reductions were 30% and 29%, respectively, versus placebo and inhaled standard of care. The benefits also extended to clinically meaningful exacerbation reductions in all prespecified patient subgroups and specifically turned up promising signals in patients across a range of blood eosinophil counts, with Barr telling Fierce that “it’s the details that make this even more exciting than the high-level results that we’ve already shared.” In fact, during AZ’s tozorakimab poster presentation at the ERS 2026 Congress this past weekend, attendees were so enamored by the data that event organizers had to encourage people to clear the room and look at the other presentations on offer, Barr said in an interview. “I think it really speaks to the fact that there is a lot of buzz around these data because the entire respiratory community has been so desperate for new therapies for these patients,” she explained. The respiratory disease continues to represent a “staggering unmet medical need,” Barr said, highlighting the COPD exacerbations that the Oberon and Titania studies homed in on, which she added carry a greater mortality risk than a heart attack. “When a patient has a severe exacerbation, only about half of them are still alive within three and a half years,” she pointed out. As for tozorakimab specifically, Barr christened the molecule “an AstraZeneca science success story,” harkening several years back to the point at which researchers began to explore IL-33 as a driver of respiratory disease, and COPD in particular. At the same time, “there was still so much that wasn’t understood,” she admitted, highlighting the insight that IL-33 signals through both ST2 and EGFR through the RAGE pathway, a discovery Barr attributed to AstraZeneca's own scientists. Understanding the need to tackle both pathways in COPD—and aware of competitor candidates in the hopper, including one that bound ST2—the company ultimately had to make some “courageous decisions,” Barr said. These included taking a prior COPD molecule offline and going back to the drawing board to reinvent its potential IL-33 label “to make sure that we had a molecule that could block signaling through both arms of the pathway, through both the reduced form and the oxidized form, knowing that we wouldn’t be first, but striving to be best.” “When we put [tozorakimab] into the clinic, we firmly believed that we had a differentiated molecule, and we saw the other molecules blocking just ST2 or partially blocking IL-33, unable to deliver two positive pivotal studies in COPD,” Barr explained. “We kept marching forward because we believed our molecule was differentiated, and now I think we have the clinical validation that supports that.” Ultimately, AstraZeneca finds itself on much better footing these days when it comes to potential biologic rivals to tozorakimab in COPD. Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent, for instance, is approved to treat COPD exacerbations in patients with high eosinophil counts, but not low ones. Meanwhile, the future has become cloudier for other next-gen IL-33 candidates from Sanofi and Regeneron, as well as Roche, which have suffered trial flops in recent years. One other potential ingredient for AstraZeneca’s success in its duo of studies was that the company was “ambitious in the trial design, willing to look at an all-comers population,” Barr said, “and willing to enroll the most severe patients.” Prior studies for would-be biologics rivals in COPD “avoided enrolling” those patients, she pointed out. She also highlighted the Big Pharma’s painstaking design of exacerbations in its trial, which “gave us a very rigorous readout,” and pointed to “the extra effort and investment” the company put in to understand the effect of mucus plugs in patients. Barr described mucus production as a “key feature in disease diversity,” noting that mucus plugs—obstructing clumps of mucus that block patients’ airways—are associated with worse outcomes in COPD. In its data announcement, AstraZeneca noted that an integrated analysis of Oberon and Titania found tozorakimab “demonstrated a reduction in patients’ mucus plug score,” with the pharma claiming its biologic is the first to deliver such results in a broad COPD population. “So being able to reduce those mucus plugs, we expect, is an important part of driving benefit for patients who are living with COPD,” Barr said. Again touching on the breadth of the study populations, Barr added that tozorakimab “worked across all eosinophil levels in both current and former smokers across all levels of lung function,” which she suggested “really simplifies decision-making for clinicians, and it allows them to offer therapy to the broadest possible patient population.” In the highest patient eosinophil count group, tozorakimab helped chart a 43% reduction in exacerbation risk, which Barr stressed were “unprecedented data.” In the mid-level group, AZ’s drug delivered a 23% reduction and, in the lowest group, a 34% reduction in eosinophils, which Barr said suggests efficacy “in all patient subgroups.” As for AZ’s recent guidance upgrade on the medicine’s sales opportunity, the lift from a $3 billion to $5 billion range to $5 billion plus was informed by multiple factors, Barr said, including the fact that “in 2024, there were multiple competitors, and there aren’t anymore.” Additionally, “we know that this is a massive unmet medical need, and this is a really incredible set of data that we think will be very convincing to the clinical community,” Barr said. Looking ahead to a potential evolution of the COPD treatment landscape, Barr noted that most patients start treatment in the community with an option like a triple therapy, and for them, having an option like AstraZeneca’s inhaler Breztri will remain a “really important part” of that journey. But of the patients uncontrolled on triple therapy, which Barr described as “about half of them today,” just a “small fraction” are currently eligible for biologic therapy, which she emphasized AstraZeneca is working to change. Understanding that COPD is not a “one-size-fits-all” disease, AstraZeneca is also looking at its antibody drug Tezspire for patients with T2-driven disease, and the company continues to think about new mechanisms for tackling COPD through both systemic and inhaled drugs, Barr said.
Red Wings’ 2027 schedule: Earliest home opener in team’s history
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Rochester Red Wings have released their 2027 schedule — and they have set the earliest home opener in their history. The team announced on Tuesday that their home opener at ESL Ballpark will be on Friday, March 26. They are set to begin playing against the Syracuse Mets. This start […]
Julio Sáenz, the 2026 Rochester Hispanic Business Person of the Year
During "Connections with Evan Dawson" on 9/8/26, Hispanic Business Person of the Year Julio Sáenz. Then, a special rebroadcast of our conversation with the man behind the "Connections" theme song.
The war on Iran’s energy infrastructure creates rising political risk
When Israel targeted Tehran’s oil storage facilities in the initial days of the war launched on Feb. 28, black smoke blanketed the capital and plunged parts of the city into darkness. Roughly ten days later, strikes hit natural gas facilities at the giant South Pars field, key oil refineries, major steel plants, and petrochemical complexes, impacting thousands of workers. These attacks on vital energy and industrial assets revealed a critical dimension of the conflict: compounding an already acute domestic energy...
Rochester man shot inside Lake Avenue business
A 29-year-old Rochester man was shot at Porto Roc Soxial Lounge, formerly Taste of the Bahamas, police said.
This Week On FloRugby: Sep 7
See what's streaming on FloRugby from Sept. 7-13, including Racing 92 vs. Lyon, Toulon vs. La Rochelle and Toulouse vs. Bordeaux-Begles.
Ross Fire survivors reopen canoe rental business under family’s historic tree
Rochelle’s Canoe Rental has reopened from a donated RV under its original historic tree less than two weeks after being destroyed by the Ross Fire.
Ross Fire survivors reopen canoe rental business
Rochelle’s Canoe Rental has reopened from a donated RV under its original historic tree less than two weeks after being destroyed by the Ross Fire.
Bucs HC Bowles Outlines Veteran DT's Added Value
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive front has a lot of new pieces, with A'Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nuñez-Roches bringing veteran presence to a young front seven.
Allworth Financial acquires Rochester wealth management firm
Allworth Financial acquires Rochester's High Falls Advisors, adding $665 million in assets and 21 professionals to expand its wealth management services.
Genesee Brewing parent company sold to private equity firm
Saothair Capital Partners acquires Genesee Brewing's parent company, renaming it North American Breweries and investing in Rochester operations.
Rare photos from decades of Section V football history
As a new Section V football season begins, take a look back at the teams, players and moments that helped shape the sport across the Rochester region.
Team Science: AI Helps Dentists Practice the Conversations that Matter
A University of Rochester collaboration is using an AI-powered virtual patient to help dentists strengthen communication, build trust and better respond to patients’ fears and concerns.
Jake Johnson hopes hustle, political conditions add up to upset over Republican Brad Finstad
Rochester math teacher Jake Johnson is waging a stiff challenge to Republican incumbent Rep. Brad Finstad. Johnson has gained national Democratic attention but still has an uphill climb to reach a seat in Congress.
Measles concerns rise as Rochester-area students head back to school
As students return to classrooms across the Rochester and Finger Lakes region, health experts are urging families to be aware of measles amid a recent rise in cases.
Court dismisses Trump administration's sanctuary city lawsuit against Rochester
This is the second time a DOJ lawsuit against Rochester's sanctuary city policies has been thrown out.
11 new URochester academic programs to know about
All corners of the University of Rochester have created new and forthcoming programs for students to learn, discover, heal, and create.
Newly gated parking lot leaves popular Rochester businesses baffled, fearing customer loss
EJ Brake opened Rosebud Retro on Charlotte Street in Rochester just a few months ago. Her customers used to enjoy access to the parking lot right next to the store.
Big Knob Grange Fair celebrates 84th season on Sept. 1-5
Livestock events, exhibits, food, live music and more are planned at the 84th Big Knob Grange Fair on Sept. 1-5 in Rochester.
Healthcare workers call for new labor agreement prior to deadline
13WHAM ABC Rochester provides local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, health reports, notices of events and items of interest in the community, local sports and entertainment programming for Rochester and nearby towns and communities including Greece, Victor, Pittsford, Penfield, Henrietta, Webster, Irondequoit, Fairport, Chili, Gates, Rush, Wheatland, Canandaigua, Farmington, Spencerport and Hilton.
Rochester to inspect 14,500 homes and business properties
Rochester is launching a five-year property review program. Here is what owners need to know about upcoming inspections.
Game Night on the Riverway draws crowds with tabletop games, food and entertainment
Rochester’s Gamenight on the Riverway finally happened after two postponements for bad air and rain, turning the Genesee Riverway into a lively hub of tabletop games, food vendors, and entertainment. Next: Sept. 17.
$160K in designer merchandise stolen from Rochester business, owner says
13WHAM ABC Rochester provides local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, health reports, notices of events and items of interest in the community, local sports and entertainment programming for Rochester and nearby towns and communities including Greece, Victor, Pittsford, Penfield, Henrietta, Webster, Irondequoit, Fairport, Chili, Gates, Rush, Wheatland, Canandaigua, Farmington, Spencerport and Hilton.
Ross Fire: Family loses century-old land, canoe business in blaze
Land owned by a North Texas family for nearly a century, along with a canoe rental business that's nearly 60-years-old, was completely devastated by the Ross Fire that continues to burn throughout Palo Pinto County.
Can scientists predict—and control—turbulence?
URochester joins a new NSF–funded Science and Technology center to find the answers by combining experiments, theory, simulations, and AI.
Florida Chamber CEO: Companies eye Sunshine State 'from all over the country' after viral Mamdani billboard
A Rochester tech firm is among companies contacting the Florida Chamber of Commerce after its viral Times Square ad crowned Zohran Mamdani a top recruiter.
RIT Sports Network Content Team lands multiple citations in 2025-26 CSC Creative & Digital Design contest
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT Sports Network Content Team was recognized in multiple categories during the 2025-26 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Creative Digital & Design contest.
Eastlake science students make district history
Three Eastlake High School students made Sweetwater Union High School District history this year when they became the first students from the district to qualify for the International Science and Engineering Fair, an international competition that brings together some of the top high school researchers from around the world. Ronald Wyatt, Giles Del Priore and Ihan Sung advanced to the competition after successful runs at regional and state science fairs. Sung went a step further, placing fourth in the chemistry category at ISEF. The students were recognized on Aug. 10 during a Sweetwater Union High School District board meeting at the district office in Chula Vista.For Wyatt and Del Priore, recent Eastlake graduates, the journey began with a shared concern about dementia and the challenges faced by families caring for loved ones with memory impairment. Their engineering project, “Design and Evaluation of a Behaviorally Grounded Caregiver-Governed AI Companion for Individuals with Memory Impairment,” earned the Sweepstakes Award at the Sweetwater District STEM Fair and first place in its division at the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair. The project explored whether Artificial Intelligence could provide companionship and support while helping reduce stress for people with dementia and their caregivers. “Our inspiration came from personal experience. Both of us have seen family members and loved ones affected by dementia, and we’ve witnessed how overwhelming the caregiving process can be,” Wyatt said. Del Priore said the students also wanted to address the high cost of third-party health care services while creating something that could potentially help their own families as well as people elsewhere. The students developed an AI system designed with safeguards intended to prevent misinformation reinforcement, emotional escalation and unsafe responses. In 240 controlled trials involving memory, identity, agitation and neutral scenarios, they said the system consistently prevented harmful incorrect reinforcement while using context-aware silence, de-escalation and caregiver verification. The project required the students to combine Artificial Intelligence, psychology, neuroscience and human-computer interaction. For Del Priore, one of the biggest technical challenges was getting the AI companion to communicate verbally with a patient. Hardware limitations required the students to collaborate with multiple Python libraries for speech-to-text and text-to-speech functions while keeping the cost of the companion low. “For us, the biggest challenge was translating complex behavioral and cognitive care principles into a functioning AI system,” Wyatt said.Qualifying for ISEF was a milestone that student expected. The international competition proved to be another milestone. “Competing at ISEF was an incredible experience and unlike anything we’ve ever done before,” Del Priore said. “Being surrounded by some of the most talented young researchers from around the world was both inspiring and motivating.” He said the experience stood out because of the emphasis on collaboration, innovation and scientific discovery. “The most memorable part was seeing how people from completely different backgrounds and disciplines approached solving real-world problems with creativity and passion,” he said. The students also credited teachers and mentors who supported their work. Del Priore said his sophomore-year AP Physics teacher, Dr. Price, was particularly influential. “Through all of my personal and academic struggles, Dr. Price always believed in me,” Del Priore said. “All of his faith in me really molded me into the person I am today and helped create my love for science even through tough times.” Wyatt is continuing his education at UC Santa Cruz, where he plans to study biomolecular engineering and bioinformatics, with an interest in research involving Artificial Intelligence, biology and health care. Del Priore plans to double major in chemistry and accounting. Sung, a rising Eastlake senior, qualified for ISEF after winning first place in the Engineering: Energy, Materials & Transport category at the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair and first place in chemistry at the California Science and Engineering Fair. His project, “Renewable Ammonia Electrochemical Synthesis by Glow Discharge with an Iron-Based Catalyst,” involved a device he designed and engineered to produce renewable ammonia, with potential applications in fertilizer production and energy storage. Sung became interested in the project after considering the relationship between food insecurity and fertilizer costs. His system uses plasma to break apart nitrogen molecules so they can interact with hydrogen and form ammonia. At ISEF, Sung competed against more than 1,700 students from 65 countries and earned fourth place in chemistry. “I am proud to become one of te first students in the district to qualify for ISEF because this milestone can inspire others in the district to attain similar goals,” Sung said.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits Rochester to announce new autism initiative
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made autism a priority in his agency, but he consistently spreads false information about the condition, including claims that Tylenol causes it. He visited Rochester Friday to share his near autism initiative in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Electrochemist Liu Jiawei moves from Singapore to Hong Kong to start her own lab
Liu says Singapore and Hong Kong share a high-standard research setting defined by diversity and connectivity to the West and mainland China.
It’s time to measure what matters in higher education
Commentary: Dr. Ian Mortimer of Golisano Institute highlights the importance of measuring graduate employment and financial independence immediately after college in Rochester.
Rochester firm expands space systems business with new contract
Eoptic expands its space systems division with a new contract to supply DeepScan imaging payloads for national security missions.
New York’s physician shortage is creating a health care crisis
Congress must act to stabilize Medicare payments to help encourage more physicians to establish practices in high-need communities.
Profit or purpose? Wrong question
David Mammano explores how Rochester businesses combine profit and purpose to create community impact and sustainable growth.
Bill Clinton visits Rochester to give commencement speech at Golisano Business Institute
The former president told the graduating class that "life's like any other game played.”
Judge orders businesses out of Rochester warehouse over fire safety concerns
A Monroe County Supreme Court judge has ordered businesses inside a massive warehouse on Buffalo Road to temporarily stop operations after the city raised concerns about a serious fire safety risk.
Kids to learn business skills running their own booths at Arlington County Fair
Booths run by some of Arlington's youngest entrepreneurs will be setting up at the Arlington County Fair this weekend, selling crafts, food and more. Kids Markets will be hosting two kid-run markets on Saturday and Sunday at the fair, setting up booths in the upper field with goods such as jewelry, arts and crafts, crocheted
Main Street Armory owner applies for new entertainment license
The Armory had the renewal of its entertainment license denied after three people died there in March 2023.
Sen. Carla Nelson Earns Perfect Score on Small Business Voting Record
State Senator Carla Nelson (Rochester) received a 100% rating from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), a national organization representing small business owners, according to a scorecard the group released this month. Sen. Nelson was one of 26 Minnesota senators who voted to support local business priorities on every bill NFIB tracked during the...
OneGroup taps veteran Rochester team to grow surety business
OneGroup expands its surety practice by adding Kelly and Chris Shea in Rochester to enhance bonding and risk management services.
‘Reef Point’ examines changing world in 1955
The Bar Harbor Historical Society will present a special performance of “Reef Point,” a poignant one-hour play by award-winning playwright Carolyn Gage, at La Rochelle on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at
Bills heading back to Orchard Park to open new stadium
The Bills closed out this part of training camp at St. John Fisher University outside Rochester and packed up for home base back in Buffalo.
Rochester's Davis-Fetch Building Corp. seeks tax exemptions for LeRoy expansion
The contractor wants to build a new $1.2 million 16,500-square-foot space on Lent Avenue in the village.
New Golisano Children’s Mobile Health Clinic to Serve Communities Throughout Rochester
University of Rochester Medicine Golisano Children's launched its Pediatric Mobile Clinic Initiative with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by community leaders, healthcare providers, donors, and Rochester leaders.
NY Small Business Development Center to honor founder of Rochester skin care brand
Danielle King, founder of Skinmuvaa, receives veteran entrepreneur award from New York Small Business Development Center for business leadership and community impact.
Early Mental Health Support Before Birth May Help Prevent Postpartum Depression
New research from University of Rochester Medicine finds that offering pregnant patients evidence-based mental health support during their hospital stay can help prevent postpartum depression.
Rochester-area executive education adapts to AI and leadership demands
Rochester-area executive education programs evolve to emphasize ai, critical thinking, and leadership skills for a rapidly changing business environment.
U.S. Small Business Employment Landscape Remains Steady
Workers experience notable increases in weekly earnings and hours worked growth in JulyROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the Paychex Small Business Employment Watch, the pace of U.S. small business job growth (99.23) in July remained steady and was slightly above average jobs index (99.20) for the first half of the year, signaling a steady employment environment among businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Although hourly earnings growth for small business workers
Former public health director helps launch new healthcare model in Rochester
During "Connections with Evan Dawson" on 8/4/26, Dr. Michael Mendoza explains a new healthcare model available to local seniors. Then, in "Connections Summer Sessions," teens on curbing gun violence.
Research links industrial pollution to health risks in Louisiana
By analyzing Louisiana Medicaid data, a recent study co-led by researcher Barbara Allen found elevated health risks among residents living near petrochemical plants and refineries.
Debt Digest | Federal Debt is a Health Care Problem
Welcome David Ditch to the Debt Dispatch! We are pleased to announce a new regular contributor: David Ditch will be joining the Cato Institute as a Policy Analyst for Budget and Entitlement Policy later this week. David has more than a decade of experience in fiscal policy issues, with a particular focus on federal spending. He previously worked at the Senate Budget Committee, the Heritage Foundation, and the Economic Policy Innovation Center. David’s areas of expertise include appropriations, transportation, agriculture, federalism, grantmaking, and policy options for deficit reduction. Originally from the Rochester, N.Y. area, David has a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Rochester and a MA in Political Management from George Washington University. David currently lives in Arlington, VA. You may have enjoyed his earlier guest posts: CBO: New Highway Bill Has More Spending, Taxes, and Deficits Trump Administration’s Proposed Changes to Federal Grants Highlight Problems of Big Government Here are this week’s reading links and fiscal facts: The federal debt is largely a health care problem. In a new report, the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation find that “In 2026, federal subsidies for health insurance, net of related payments to the government, are projected to equal $2.4 trillion, or 7.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). In CBO and JCT’s projections, those subsidies grow by 65 percent, reaching $3.9 trillion, or 8.4 percent of GDP, in 2036. Subsidies for Medicare contribute most to that overall growth, increasing by $900 billion. Over the entire 2026–2036 period, federal subsidies for health insurance total $33.6 trillion.” Cato’s Michael Cannon emphasizes, “The long-term federal debt problem is a health care problem. […] Only two categories of federal outlays will grow faster than gross domestic product (GDP): health care subsidies and interest payments on the debt. The former is, therefore, the primary driver of the latter.” The bond market fears deficits, not the loss of tariff revenue. Responding to a New York Times essay claiming tariff revenue has grown too important for a future administration to unwind, Cato’s Kyle Handley argues: “Bond investors are not attached to customs duties as a line item revenue source. They care about the government’s overall fiscal position.” He continues, “tariff revenue is a side hustle. And the Trump administration has already promised to dole out the funds through schemes like tariff dividend rebates, farm subsidies, and pay-fors on tax cuts or other spending.” Furthermore, “tariff revenue is simply not large enough to transform the government’s fiscal trajectory.” Take net interest for example: it “reached $970 billion in fiscal year 2025, absorbing 18.5 percent of federal receipts. Customs duties accounted for only 3.7 percent of receipts—and that was before refunds (see Figure 2).” Handley concludes, “The real bond-market concern is a large and growing interest bill, persistent budget deficits, and a political system unwilling to bring spending and revenue into alignment.” Medicare’s spending growth is driven by more volume and utilization. A Congressional Research Service report finds that Medicare spending “grew at an average annual rate of 7.3%” from 1985 through 2025, and the trustees project health care expenditures will keep rising “faster than gross domestic product (GDP) in most future years.” Citing CBO, the report attributes Medicare’s projected 2026–2036 spending growth to “23% from higher enrollment, 31% from inflation, and 47% from the growth of inflation-adjusted spending per beneficiary. In other words**, the largest single driver of Medicare spending growth during the next decade is expected to be higher volume and intensity of health care services.”** Boccia and Thakur explain: “as the economy grows, Medicare spending tends to grow at least as fast—and often faster—because the program automatically pays the bill for more and more healthcare consumption by seniors, even as prices rise.” The Fed has little control over market interest rates. Cato’s Jai Kedia documents that the Fed has held its rate target steady since December, yet “nearly every rate Americans actually borrow at has climbed over the same stretch.” Kedia continues, “The Fed did nothing, and the cost of credit went up anyway. […] Markets spent these months repricing macroeconomic events such as sticky core inflation, a volatile energy market driven by the conflict in the Middle East, and global trade disrupted by tariffs, among others. None of that required a policy change to show up in borrowing costs because markets, not the FOMC, set prices.” He concludes, “Accurately priced borrowing rates will come from credible disinflation and disciplined budgets and from a Fed content to follow the economy rather than pretend it leads it.” Nearly half of US farm income comes from taxpayers. Former Reagan OMB director David Stockman notes that “in the most recently completed full year (FY 2025) farmer incomes in the US totaled $97.8 billion, but fully 42.7% or $41.8 billion of that amount came from taxpayers, not the marketplace. Nor is this some kind of one-year aberration. If we look at the most recent decade as a whole, total farm income posted at nearly $708 billion, but, as indicated, fully $322 billion or 45% of this came compliments of US taxpayers.” Cato’s Chris Edwards explains why so little of that income is market-earned: “Farmers are businesspeople, but the government shields them from just about every type of weather and market risk. Furthermore, just about every part of the agricultural industry is subsidized, including insurance, loans, marketing, research, export sales, and land improvements.” The Debt Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Rochester panel highlights early planning for successful business transitions
Rochester experts emphasize starting succession planning three to five years ahead with clear owner goals and strategic preparation for business transitions.
Buffalo Bills executive follows his father into Rochester sports history
Pete Guelli helped bring Buffalo Bills training camp to Rochester. Now the hometown executive shares a special honor with his dad.
Local golf tournament raises funds for mental health challenges
Webster golfers teed off in the 4th Hermano Cup in Rochester, raising funds for Compeer Rochester and promoting mental health and suicide prevention in honor of mentor Jason Drago.
Downtown Rochester business owner calls on city to step up and fix sidewalk
A Third Street shop owner is calling on the city to repair uneven pavement near Mayo Clinic after repeated attempts to get a response from local officials were unsuccessful.
You Said It: ‘Be Fearless When It Comes to Business’
Don Matre is CEO of Pallet Services, a family-owned pallet supplier with locations in Buffalo and Rochester, New York. It
Former gym to be renovated into wellness focused business center
Rochester Realtor and developer Jay Christenson plans to soon give the former J.E.T.S. Gymnastics building a $3 million upgrade to transform it into a sporty business center combining office spaces with pickleball and basketball courts.
2026 Elevating Women honorees announced
The Rochester Business Journal announced that 24 organizations have been selected as 2026 Elevating Women honorees.
Is Your Young Athlete Eating Enough? The Hidden Risks of Under-Fueling
Learn the signs of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), why young athletes are at risk, and when to seek care from URochester Medicine experts.
Siemens Healthineers’ head of Americas steps down, GE CFO switch, new ASTRO prez, plus more leadership moves
In other news, Vanderbilt has appointed a radiologist to a key leadership position, the University of Rochester has picked a director of diagnostic imaging, and Pueblo Radiology Associates hired 7 new docs.
Local advocates mark Medicare, Medicaid anniversary, push for affordable health care
13WHAM ABC Rochester provides local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, health reports, notices of events and items of interest in the community, local sports and entertainment programming for Rochester and nearby towns and communities including Greece, Victor, Pittsford, Penfield, Henrietta, Webster, Irondequoit, Fairport, Chili, Gates, Rush, Wheatland, Canandaigua, Farmington, Spencerport and Hilton.
Rochester businesses say sales have plummeted during monthslong road closure
Amtrak business class vs. coach: I liked the cheaper train ride
I rode business class and coach on an Amtrak train between New York City and Rochester. The perks in business class weren't worth the extra money.
Rochester aims to lead as a national innovation economy
Greater Rochester aims to build on its innovation legacy to become a leading national innovation economy, attracting investment and creating jobs.
Greater Rochester business leaders honored for growth and community impact
Greater Rochester business leaders Glenn Jackling and Anthony Valerio honored for growth, workforce investment and community leadership at annual awards.
Reps. Jeffries, Morelle lead voter protection hearing in Rochester
Several experts spoke, including former White House counsel, the deputy commissioner of the Monroe County Board of Election, and a policy and litigation expert.
Greater Rochester Chamber's Small Business Council Affiliate Honors Jackling, Valerio with 2026 Business Person of the Year Awards
Greater Rochester Chamber News JULY 29, 2026 (ROCHESTER, NY) – The Small Business Council, a Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce affiliate, announced Glenn Jackling, President & CEO of Applied Image, Inc., and Anthony Valerio, Owner and Founder of Four Winds Chimney, as the recipients of the 43rd annual Business Person of the Year Awards. The…
CTSI gets more than $29 million in new funding
The Clinical & Translational Science Institute at URochester received the research dollars from the National Institutes of Health.
Student entrepreneurs learn business by starting one
University of Rochester student entrepreneurs have built and launched companies as part of their campus learning experiences.
Clinical and Translational Science Institute Celebrates $29 Million Award and 20 Years of Impact
The University of Rochester Medicine Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) received grants totaling more than $29 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support translational science and research that improves human health outcomes.
Small Business: Planning for the Future, Your Way
Voice of Business Blog Guest post from Greater Rochester Chamber member Bank of America As entrepreneurs and small businesses here in Rochester prepare for Q3 and Q4, many are navigating uncertainty. These small businesses – from new ventures to established family-run enterprises – are essential to Rochester’s success. According to a 2025 U.S. Small Business Administration report, Rochester…
Town Square looks to bring new health care model to Rochester
The primary care practice catering to seniors expects to begin accepting patients this month, and to open in September.
Is North Star-Rochester Regional deal still on after dueling news releases?
Conflicting news releases have raised questions about the status of a potential partnership between North Star Health Alliance and Rochester Regional Health.
Inside Duke’s growing student pop-up business scene
From banana bread and matcha to handmade crochet, student-run pop-up businesses have become an increasingly visible part of Duke’s campus life.
Garrett Crochet makes tough admission amid Red Sox turnaround
The Boston Red Sox have been without star pitcher Garrett Crochet since April 25th due to a lingering injury issue.
6 teens arrested after employee attacked inside Rochester business
Six people, including five juveniles, were arrested after a fight inside a business on East Main Street on Tuesday morning, according to the Rochester Police Department.
Top 5 Reasons to Participate in the 2026 Health Benefits Survey This Year
Member News It’s hard to believe but this year is the 28th year that Greater Rochester Chamber has conducted our annual Health Benefits Survey! Like all of our HR benchmarking surveys, this survey is only open to Corporate and Partner members for participation once a year. We know how important it is for members to…
Abbott's Frozen Custard celebrates 100 years of business in Rochester
Abbott’s frozen custard has been serving up sweet treats from their original location to generations of customers.
How Erica Fee keeps Rochester Fringe reinventing itself
Erica Fee reflects on launching Rochester Fringe, navigating COVID and helping grow the festival into a regional arts destination.
Rudolph Marcus, Who Illuminated Electrochemical Processes, Dies at 102
He received a 1992 Nobel Prize for developing a theory that explained fundamental processes behind photosynthesis, respiration, oxidation and even how fireflies produce light.
Oscar winner Octavia Spencer receiving George Eastman Award in Rochester
Spencer made sure to praise George Eastman and the impact he had on her during an event on Friday.
Genesee Co-op FCU joins statewide small business lending initiative
Genesee Co-op Federal Credit Union joins Inclusiv Business Forward to expand affordable small business loans in Rochester and across New York.
Nevada Engineering professor named a 2026 fellow of The Electrochemical Society
Chidambaram is one of 11 scientists from around the world selected for the honor this year.
China's Sinopec establishes four business units in major overhaul, officials say
Sinopec is launching a major internal restructuring, setting up new business units and relocating hundreds of staff, as the world's biggest refiner seeks to lift profits amid flagging Chinese oil and petrochemicals demand, company officials said.
Rochester sports complex indoor phase potentially on hold
Plans to bring covered sports facilities to the city may be stopped.
Pete Davidson, 715 shows headline Rochester Fringe Festival lineup
Pete Davidson will headline the 2026 Rochester Fringe Festival's 715 performances, free events, family programming and the return of the Spiegeltent.
Pete Davidson, 715 shows headline Rochester Fringe Festival lineup
Pete Davidson will headline the 2026 Rochester Fringe Festival's 715 performances, free events, family programming and the return of the Spiegeltent.