A U.S. District Court Judge, the Hon. Charles Siragusa, has ordered the town of Irondequoit to approve Verizon’s application for a special-use permit to allow construction of a proposed 120-foot monopole behind the St. Paul Boulevard firehouse at 233 Cooper Road.

In a 22-page decision dated Jan. 31, which the Post obtained today, Siragusa also indicates that the court will retain jurisdiction over the matter “to enforce the injunction” that the cellular tower be built.
Attorney Robert Koegel of the Remington, Gifford, Williams and Colicchio law firm in Rochester represented the town in the matter.

He said late this morning that the town has until early March to appeal Siragusa’s decision to the Court of Appeals, but has not yet made a decision.

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A 26-year-old Irondequoit father is facing charges after his car was stolen with his six-year-old child in the backseat.

Phillip Owens of Irondequoit is charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

Owens told police he parked his car in front of a corner store on West Main Street and went inside for something to drink. Police say Owens left his vehicle running with his young child asleep in the backseat.

According to police, an unknown man got into the vehicle and took off. Investigators were able to track the car with Owens’ cell phone because it was left inside the vehicle. The car and the child were safely located on Garson Avenue.

Owens is due in court on February 28 to answer to the charge.

Police do not have a suspect in custody for stealing the car with the boy inside.
 

From our news partners at the Rochester Business Journal

First Niagara Financial Group Inc. expects to complete its acquisition of HSBC Bank USA N.A. on May 18, after which nine First Niagara Bank N.A. or HSBC branches in the Rochester market will be closed, it announced Friday.

First Niagara will consolidate 34 branches with HSBC branches statewide, and one in Connecticut, after acquiring 195 HSBC retail branches in Upstate New York and southern Connecticut.

In the Rochester market, bank officials said, the following consolidations will occur:

- The HSBC branch at 3740 W. Henrietta Road will close and consolidate with the First Niagara branch at 1000 Hylan Drive,
- HSBC branch at 762 Joseph Ave. will consolidate into the HSBC branch at 70 Lyell Ave.,
- HSBC branch at 1940 Monroe Ave. will consolidate into the First Niagara branch at 1655 Monroe Ave.,