Author: George Payne

When Jacqueline Tiermini, Ed.D., was in high school, she knew how to succeed. What she didn't know was what she wanted to do with her life. "I knew what I didn't want to … more: How FLCC’s MOSAIC program helps students find their place

Blues music isn't supposed to survive on nostalgia. It's supposed to live, in neighborhood clubs, festival stages, late-night jam sessions, and in the hands of musicians willing to spend decades learning where … more: Lima native keeps blues tradition alive for more than four decades

The first time I heard the name Blanche Calloway, I was deep in research on the overlooked musical history of Rochester's Swillburg neighborhood, tracing the legacy of two extraordinary siblings who emerged … more: ROOTED IN FIRE: How metal sculptor Stacey Mrva is forging art and opportunity in the Finger Lakes

The interstate is good at one thing. It carries us past places we were never planning to notice. Heading south on I-390, the Finger Lakes can become a blur of exits and … more: A last apothecary in the Finger Lakes

I was recently invited to present on Trauma-Informed Care at the West Bloomfield Day of Curiosity 2026. As I drove from Irondequoit toward West Bloomfield, I found myself rehearsing my opening … more: West Bloomfield and the trauma carried by the land

What happens when a seminary with more than two centuries of history decides that its next chapter should unfold not in quiet seclusion, but in the bustle of a city rediscovering itself? For … more: Serving Penn Yan, Geneva, Naples and beyond, CRCDS returns to downtown Rochester

When people trace hip hop's origin story, they usually go straight to the Bronx: those fabled block parties, the breakbeats and scratch, and the revolutionary flair of Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika … more: How Rochester’s Blanche and Cab Calloway helped invent the DNA of hip hop

Driving down South Winton Road, it's easy to miss it. The First Unitarian Church of Rochester doesn't announce itself with a steeple or stained glass. There are no ornate carvings, no … more: CONCRETE FAITH: The brutalist vision of Rochester’s First Unitarian Church

Longer life is one of humanity's greatest achievements, but it also brings new challenges for older adults and their caregivers. Few understand that landscape better than Ann Marie Cook, who has guided … more: Ann Marie Cook: Leading with heart in the new era of aging

It started with a breath. Trapped in an elevator, a young student from Brighton slowly inhaled and exhaled, using a simple exercise she had learned at school. Panic gave way to calm. … more: Lighting the way: Luminology and the future of well-being in schools

On a crisp morning in Rochester, NY, the doors of the annual Native Made Market swing open, and I hear stories, laughter, singing, guests speaking, drums and rattles. For Angelina Marie Hilton, … more: Angelina Marie Hilton and the art of indigenous community-building

It's early morning at Saint Alphonsus Food Pantry in Auburn or the FLCC Food Cupboard in Canandaigua and the room buzzes with quiet determination. Families line up at a community center, children clutching reusable bags, parents scanning … more: From Auburn to Canandaigua, advocacy drives food justice movement

On a warm July morning, I reached Becky Wehle by phone. Even across the line, her voice carried the kind of ease and purpose that makes you want to lean closer. Thoughtful … more: Bringing history to life: Becky Wehle and the living legacy of the Genesee Country Village & Museum

I first reached out to Lindsay Cray for insights on Rochester's Lower Falls Gorge while working on an article for The Conservationist. What began as a conversation about geology and ecology quickly deepened … more: Wild Woman Retreat at Light on the Hill: A conversation with Lindsay Cray

From the fog-laced shores of Canadice Lake to the moss-covered ridgelines of the Bristol Hills, something stirs. It lives not in confirmed sightings or trail cam photos, but in the imagination, the … more: Echoes of Bigfoot in the Finger Lakes

In the Finger Lakes, history doesn't just live in museums; it grows underfoot. From the wooded corridors of Watkins Glen to the quiet meadows around Hemlock Lake, the trails of Western and … more: Where the trails still speak: Walking native paths in the Finger Lakes

Philosopher. Biologist. Deadhead. Reggae lover. Winemaker. Defender of free speech. Soul Rebel. Builder. Concert promoter. Green energy guru. Institutional fundraiser. Community organizer. Keeper of First Nations history. Champion of all things Finger … more: SACRAMENTAL SOIL: Will Ouweleen and the spirit of the Finger Lakes

Tucked quietly among the folds of New York’s rolling hills lies a secret the state has long kept to itself. The Little Finger Lakes—Honeoye, Canadice, Hemlock, and Conesus—are four shimmering pearls set … more: Reimagining the Little Finger Lakes: A hidden gem’s bold new identity

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936, and died on April 21, 2025. He entered the world at a time when fascism was rising, dictators were consolidating power, sovereign nations were … more: A shepherd of wholeness in a fractured world