In the Headlines

October 16, 2018 -  Sixteen local groups ranging from health organizations to cyclist groups and government recently united to launch a community campaign aimed at reducing the number of crashes among motor vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists. Causewave Community Partners and Common Ground Health spent the last two years teaming up with local organizations to address the challenges. Visit drive2bbetter.com for more information.

September 20, 2018 -  This essay by Jack McIntyre, MD, chair of the Monroe County Medical Society's Quality Collaborative and Chris Booth, chief executive officer for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, notes Common Ground Health's role in analyzing physician data for a medical society effort to advance best practices.

September 19, 2018 -  Parsells Avenue is, at its heart, a neighborhood street. But the street – a former trolley car route – is wide and straight with no stop signs, so drivers feel comfortable going faster than they should. The speeding is an obvious problem. Two different churches along Parsells have been struck in recent years by cars that careened off the road, says Joe Di Fiore, a board member of the Beechwood Neighborhood Coalition.

September 14, 2018 -  Nearly two years after a Beechwood toddler was struck and killed while chasing a ball, residents, neighborhood groups and several organizations teamed up to make Parsells Avenue safer for everyone. Dozens of volunteers came together for Reconnect Rochester’s Complete Streets Makeover at Parsells Avenue and Greeley Street, now a brightly colored junctue designed to slow traffic and make the neighborhood safer and more walkable.

September 12, 2018 -  The intersection at Parsells Avenue and Greeley Street in Rochester recently transformed from a broad straightaway to a pedestrian oasis complete with colorful crosswalks, realigned curbs, a large mural in the center and painted cardboard box sculptures to represent potential permanent art installations. Data collected by Common Ground Health indicates that Beechwood residents are more likely to go to a hospital emergency department for pedestrian

September 10, 2018 -  A section of the Beechwood Neighborhood in Rochester just got a makeover to make it safer. The intersection at Parsells Avenue and Greeley Street was chosen out of 90 submissions around Monroe County. With speeding an issue, volunteers spent their time putting in speed bumps and curb extensions, so cars won't be able to take fast turns. The intersection wasn't just made safer, it was also beautified with artistic elements like paintings and yarn art.

September 9, 2018 - You might notice the vibrant colors and extended curbs added to Parsells Avenue and Greeley Street. It was part of the Complete Streets Makeover Project by Reconnect Rochester. Renee Stetzer is the Vice President of Community Outreach at Reconnect Rochester and hopes that the project inspires other neighborhoods to take back their streets.

September 8, 2018 -  The Complete Streets Makeover project gave the intersection of Greeley Street and Parsells Avenue in Rochester a makeover. The day was filled with food and live music while volunteers worked on the road. Similarly to the Extreme Makeover TV show, the makeover was captured on video and will be shown as part of Reconnect Rochester's Street Films event at the Little Theatre in November.

September 8, 2018 -  The street scape at Parsells Avenue and Greeley Street in Rochester has been transformed. Members of the Beechwood Neighborhood Coalition realigned curbs, made the crosswalks colorful, and painted a large mural in the center of the intersection. Organizers say this is part of making this once intimidating intersection safer for everyone inducing pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.

September 7, 2018 -  Of nine Finger Lakes counties, Monroe already has the highest percentage of adults who get the flu vaccine. But that figure could be higher, if results of a national survey hold true in this area. In Monroe County, 46.1 percent of adults ages 18 and older were immunized in 2016, according to data from Common Ground Health. Ontario (45.7 percent), Livingston (44.6 percent) and Seneca (44.2 percent) also all were better than the Finger Lakes average. Yates County had the lowest (29.3 percent).

September 1, 2018 -  Devon Reynolds Sr. is a barber by trade but he believes he was born to help others. On Sunday afternoon, the salon distributed free food and hair cuts, in addition to backpacks with school supplies for younger and High school students. He teamed up with two of his mentors Jackie Dozier, Minority AIDS Initiative coordinator, and Phyllis Jackson, a registered nurse, Common Ground Health sponsor, and a community health educator. “When he first told me that he wanted to start a food pantry, I said, 'a food pantry in the barbershop?' " said Jackson, "but that’s the kind of man he is and the way he thinks."

August 22, 2018 - More than 1 million people spread across Rochester’s nine