13WHAM Your Stories

Your Stories Investigation: A Dozen Couples Still Waiting For Wedding Photos

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:32:38 -0400

Rochester, N.Y.— About a year ago, 13WHAM News told you about a local Rochester-area wedding photographer named Jennifer MacPherson.

At the time, MacPherson lived in Holley and two newlywed couples who were married in the Rochester area were desperately trying to get a hold of her because she wouldn’t return calls or e-mails. The couples had been waiting months for their wedding photos.

After our story aired last year, about a dozen other couples reached out to 13WHAM saying they, too, were waiting for their wedding pictures. Some had been waiting for almost three years.

Among those couples were William and Christine Rothrock of Fairport. They got married in July 2011 at the Robach Center at Charlotte Beach.

In hindsight, they are grateful they gave each of their guests disposal cameras to take candid shots of their wedding day. That’s because almost two years later—they have yet to receive their professional wedding pictures from MacPherson. They paid her $1,146.

The Rothrocks explained that when they were planning their wedding around January 2011, they found MacPherson on Craigslist. They did an interview with her and were thoroughly impressed with her work.

When they did an online search for her name, there were only rave reviews so they went ahead and hired her. The wedding day went off without a hitch.

“She was there the whole day,” Christine Rothrock explained. “She took pictures. She was blending in. She was showing us the prints as she was going along. It wasn’t like we were thinking that there was anything was wrong.”

At the end of the night, MacPherson told the couple that they could expect their raw and edited photos in about 12 weeks. Then 16 weeks went by and they still hadn’t heard from MacPherson. E-mails and phone calls weren’t returned.

That’s when Christine searched MacPherson’s name online, she saw that she there were several other couples who also could not get a hold of her and were still waiting for their wedding pictures.

“I was like, ‘How could someone do this?’” William Rothrock asked angrily. “It’s the one day that you can’t recreate. You can’t do it again. I kind of feel we would have been better off if she didn’t show up that day. I would have known that we wouldn’t have gotten these pictures.”

Over the past three years, MacPherson has taken wedding photos for at least a dozen couples between New York state and Michigan. Some of the couples just received their raw photos. Others have received nothing at all. In total, the couples paid MacPherson nearly $15,000.

13WHAM attempted to find MacPherson several times at her last known address in Brockport. Messages to four different e-mail addresses and six different phone numbers MacPherson had given her clients all went unreturned. Some of the numbers have been disconnected.

A year ago when 13WHAM News found MacPherson at her Holley home, she explained that she was going through personal issues and said she would get the photos to her clients soon. One of the couples featured in 13WHAM’s story got their photos two days after our story ran. The rest of the couples are still left waiting.

Kevin and Corey Tremaine of Elmira may be the last couple MacPherson took wedding photos of. They got married in July 2012.

Corey explained that she also found MacPherson on Craigslist and she felt very comfortable with her.

Like the Rothrocks, the Tremaines say the actual wedding day went smoothly. They were even lucky enough to get a five edited photos as a “sneak peek” because they wanted to use their professional wedding pictures on their thank you cards.

As time passed with no contact from MacPherson, the Tremaines became concerned and like the couples before them, they soon found out that MacPherson had a history of disappearing.

“It’s heartbreaking because none of the guests took pictures at our wedding,” Corey said. “She made the trip and worked all day. [I thought] she was good! Hopefully, we are the last. Hopefully she isn’t doing this to anyone else.”

However, 13WHAM News has learned that Jennifer MacPherson may still be taking pictures, this time under a different name.

On the wedding site ThePros.com, a photographer with the name “Jennifer J.” is listed as one of the wedding photographers who are available on future dates to take pictures in the Rochester area.

Jennifer MacPherson’s former employer, who also runs a wedding photography business, confirmed that the pictures listed on this site under “Jennifer J.” are photos Jennifer MacPherson took while she was employed with her in Michigan two years ago. MacPherson’s maiden name is Jaworskyj.

Mark Monaghan, the Economic Crime Bureau Chief for the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, explained that people or businesses often change their names after their online reputation is tainted.

There are several scathing reviews of MacPherson on wedding sites like TheKnot.com and WeddingWire.com and the Better Business Bureau has given her an “F” rating.

“[They change names] because it would obviously make it difficult to track down whether you are dealing with the same person who’ve you looked up under a different name,” Monaghan explained.

He also said that cases like MacPherson’s can be difficult to prosecute because the burden weighs heavily on the prosecution.

They must prove, that from the very beginning, MacPherson never intended to fulfill her promise, but since she actually makes the trip to the wedding and takes pictures, this is hard to prove.

“The threshold in the state of New York is considerable to prosecute someone by larceny by false promise,” he explained. “It's elevated to standards that are beyond, beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Monaghan explained that this is to make sure that people aren't resorting to the criminal justice system to resolve things that are civil in nature and may have been a result of bad business practices.

Monaghan adds that legally, “bad business person” is not a crime.

Some of the couples have sued MacPherson in small claims court but she never showed up on her court dates. There are judgments against her, but she has no property or bank accounts the judgments can be attached to.

“There is no way of really going after someone like this,” William Rothrock lamented. “There is no way to stop her. There is just no way to stop her from doing this to other people. That doesn’t make sense to me.”

Also, judgments would only help the couples who wanted to just get their money back. Many of the couples don’t want their money—they just want their pictures.

The Rothrocks have had a baby girl since their wedding and the Tremaines are expecting a child in a few months.

“We’re not asking for any money to be returned,” said Kevin Tremaine. “We are just asking for our pictures. We have a daughter on the way and we don’t have anything to show her.”

Their wedding photos are priceless memories both couples want to pass on to their daughters.

Some couples said that in instances where they were able to get in contact with MacPherson, she has pointed out that in the contract, there was no due date and this is true. Two different versions of MacPherson’s contracts show that there is no definite due date. She uses words like “approximately” when talking about how many weeks it would take to for the couples to get their photos.

Monaghan said that if you’re signing a contract for service, make sure there is a definite and clear due date. If there isn’t one, ask for one.

“There should be clear terms all around,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Tremaines, the Rothrocks and the several other couples who were victimized by MacPherson are hopeful that she will have a change of heart and decide to eventually send them their photos.

“Please send them,” Corey Tremaine pled. “I don’t want to be mean. I don’t want to be angry. Just please from the bottom of my heart-- I just want my pictures. That’s all we want.”

As of April 2013, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office has been investigating the allegations against MacPherson.

Your Stories Update: Flashing Chili Light

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:32:47 -0400

Chili, N.Y. - Many viewers have been asking for an update on one of Your Stories about a traffic light at a busy Chili intersection.

The signal at Archer and Beaver roads in Chili has been down since the pole was damaged in an accident back in November.

It is now a flashing red light on one side, and yellow on the other. Drivers say people don't stop or yield as they are supposed to, which has lead to several accidents.

The state D.O.T says the new light should be up by the end of May. They blame the delay on weather and other issues. They hope to get the drivers insurance to cover the repair which will cost between $13,000 and $16,000.

Your Stories: Some Concerned Over Possible Special Ed Changes In Webster

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 17:14:00 -0400

Webster, N.Y. -- Six-year-old Reese Marzano struggles to communicate, but her mother said that changed this year after Reese was placed into a specialized program offered by the Webster Central Schools. Reese takes part in a small class at at Webster Kindergarten tailored to meet the needs of autistic children.

"She is communicating with me, she's also signing, she's also able to put words together," explained Marzano.

Thursday, Marzano said she got a call from the school district to inform her that 6:1:1, which means there are six students, one teacher and a teaching aide -- would not be available next year.

This comes several weeks after Marzano said the district finalized a contract between her and the school detailing which services Reese will receive between this school year and next.

A school spokesman said 6:1:1 was not being cut and that no cuts to special education will be made for the upcoming academic year. However, the district said it is planning to move the class, but did not give a location. When asked if it would be in the same school building, the spokesperson did not have an answer.

13WHAM News spoke with several other area districts including Brockport, BOCES 1 and Boces 2, as well as the Monroe County School Boards Association.

BOCES spokesman said they could not immediately recall any districts planning to move 6:1:1 programs to BOCES sites in the next academic year.

Brockport has no plans to change its 6:1:1 program.

"It comes up when people realize they have several students whose needs can be generally met in that specialized environment," said Jody Siegle, Executive Director of the Monroe County School Boards Association.

Siegle said there are usually a handful of reasons districts have for changing special education programs.

The concern for Marzano is that her child had made great strides and is a creature of habit. She fears that any changes to the routine Reese has become accustomed to may result in regression.

In a statement to 13WHAM News, Webster Central Schools said the following:

"The district continues to work closely with parents on a case by case basis to provide special education programming that meets the needs of every student."

Your Stories: Driver Says Car Splashed With Concrete

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 17:24:00 -0400

Avon, N.Y. - It's one thing to encounter construction related traffic; it's another for the road work to wind up in your lane.

Richard Farrell was driving north on intestate 390 when he claims to have seen road crews power-washing cement in the direction of oncoming traffic.

The passenger's side of his Chevrolet Impala and entire windshield were covered with a thick white liquid.

"It just scared the daylights out of me," said Farrell. "I was just flabbergasted that such a thing happened.

By Wednesday morning, his car was still covered in what believes was cement dust and some type of liquid.

Farrell contacted the Department of Transportation.

He said he was told Ramsey Constructors was the contractor working on I-390 near Avon when this happened. He said that the DOT told him his claim would be paid.

It's unclear just how much damage or if any permanent damage was done to Farrell's vehicle.

The DOT did not directly address Farrell's situation, but a spokesperson told 13WHAM News that it is important for drivers to give detailed accounts and provide documentation in cases like Farrell's.

"We need as much proof as possible of when it happened, where it happened and really to prove it happened in that work zone," said Lori Maher, spokesperson for the DOT.

Ramsey Constructors told 13WHAM News that the company is aware of Farrell's claim, but have not directly spoken with him.

With construction season getting underway locally, Maher said drivers need to reduce speed in work zones and try to avoid any type of incident.

Your Stories: Meet Siren, Livingston County's New Fire Dog

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:39:51 -0400

Avon, Livingston County - When you meet 15 week old Siren, he will steal your heart.

He is loveable, cute and smart.

Siren is Livingston County's new fire dog.

He is being trained to teach children and seniors important lessons in fire safety.

Firefighter Brian Shannon, who works at the Ridge Road Fire District in Greece and volunteers at the Avon Fire Department, started the fire safety program.

Shannon is volunteering his time to bring Siren into schools and nursing homes.

Trainer Tom Doehler, who is a former marine, has also volunteered his services to train Siren all the moves he needs to know.

That includes how to "stop, drop and roll" and "lay low and go."

Since heat and smoke rise during a fire, it's important Shannon said to teach young children to stay close to the ground and try to find their way out.

That way the air is cleaner, they can see better and have a greater chance of getting out safely.

Shannon said Siren has already taught important lessons to his own six children.

It will take six weeks to train Siren before he begins his fire safety job in area schools.

When Brian Shannon pitched the idea to the Livingston County Emergency Management Office, Deputy Director Tom McGory was sold.

McGory said not only does he love dogs, but he said you can never teach children too many lessons when it comes to fire safety.

McGory said over the years, the number of deaths and injuries to children in fires in Livingston County has gone down, but added, "You can never do enough."

Shannon and his fiancee Jennifer Wonsey have already been teaching Siren some lessons at home.

He rings a bell at the door when he needs to go outside and can sit and respond to other commands.

Siren will even be taught how to dial 911 with his nose.

Shannon said he will build a special wooden case around the phone to teach Siren how to make an emergency call.

He is also good around Shannon and Wonsey's children and has a laid-back temperment.

Siren also has his own Facebook Page and already has hundreds of friends.

Your Stories Update: Flashing Light In Chili

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:35:32 -0400

Chili, N.Y. – The State Department of Transportation said a flashing traffic light in Chili that neighbors have been complaining about will be replaced, starting next week.

It’s located at the intersection of Rt. 252 and Archer Road.

The traffic light was changed to flash after an accident in December. The State DOT said a truck took out the pole that controlled the mechanism for the traffic signal, so it was switched to flash until repairs could be made.

Some neighbors in that area complained that have a flashing light at such a busy intersection was dangerous and since it was switched, there were at least three accidents.

Lori Maher from the State D.O.T. said Thursday that within the next week, crews will begin installing the new light. They will need to pour a new concrete foundation, let it cure, install the pole, wiring and electronics and then activate it.

Maher said they hope to have the new light operational by the end of April.

The State D.O.T. said 7,000 cars travel through that intersection every day.

Your Stories: Webster Man Wants Online Reputation Restored

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:03:36 -0400

Rochester, N.Y. – Adam J. Main deejays and plans local events, including weddings, bar mitzvahs and fundraisers.

He got a phone call last week with a California area code. A company called Upfront Reputations left a message saying there’s a bad review of Main’s business on RipoffReport.com that comes up in Google searches.

Main was not aware of the complaints on the website. Two complaints posted last month say he made off with thousands of dollars of client money without providing services. Main said the reports are false.

“(Upfront Reputations) said, ‘Well, we can’t delete it from the Internet. Once it’s out there it’s out there. But if we can make it so it doesn’t appear in search engines,’” Main said.

Main said the company offered the service for $2,000. Main suspected the company planted the bad reviews.

“I was just like, this is a scam,” Main said.

A person who answered the phone number for Upfront Reputations said, “We’re not interested in any reporting, but I appreciate the phone call.”

A few hours later, a representative from Upfront Reputations called back.

“Our company helps to suppress information and clear up online problems… We contacted him to help him,” said a person who identified himself as the operations manager of Upfront Reputations. He said the company did not create the negative postings and solicits business by combing through RipoffReport.com postings. “We didn’t create this problem.”

RipoffReport.com will probably not be of any help to Main. The company’s website said it does not censor posts or verify their accuracy. It encourages businesses to post rebuttals to complaints. Businesses can also present their case to an arbitrator – for $2,000. The website has not responded to an email request for comment.

Hannah Morgan, a career consultant, said Main should hold onto his money. She said there are ways for people to bolster their online reputations without paying anyone. For starters, websites such as BrandYourself.com offer reputation management services for free. She said businesses and individuals should also secure their domain names, consider launching their own websites and signing up for Facebook and Twitter. The goal is to get positive content posted online that will show up in search engines.

“What we’re finding now is your search engine results are almost as important as your credit result,” Morgan said, adding it may take a couple months to improve search results. “The thing to know is it’s not going to happen overnight.”

“It’s a term now. You Google someone,” Main said. “So yeah, it’s not good.”

Your Stories: Greece Woman Needs Wheelchair

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 19:26:00 -0400

Greece, N.Y. - Kathy Chappell said twice she has crashed her wheelchair into a wall and injured her foot.

She said the motorized wheelchair jerks around and she has trouble controlling where she is going. She no longer leaves her apartment because she said, she is worried she will get hurt.

She cried when she told us that she just wants a working wheelchair to get around.

Ron Nettnin of Westside Medical Supply said he tried to fix the chair by modifying the seat and working on the speed and controls.

But Kathy said, it isn't working right and is dangerous. She wants a new chair, but because it isn't 5 years old, Medicare won't pay for it.

Nettnin said many people find themselves in this situation when their medical condition changes or worsens and they need new equipment.

He said changes in the healthcare laws and Medicare, and said even fewer things will be covered, which is hard for people to deal with.

Kathy said she feels like she is getting the runaround. She also filed a complaint with Medicare.

Nettnin said he offered to go back and try to make the wheelchair "safe and comfortable" but Kathy said she will keep fighting to get a new chair.

Your Stories: Geneseo Barber Shop Will Close After 70 Years In Business

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 18:27:22 -0400

Geneseo, NY - Richard Peraino doesn't want to hang up his clippers just yet, but says he just cannot afford to stay in business.

Peraino said the building that houses his "Family Barber Shop" on Main Street in Geneseo is being renovated, and if he were to stay, his rent would triple in cost.

His landlord told 13WHAM News, he doesn't want to see Peraino close up shop. But, the landlord said the rent hasn't been increased in more than ten years. He also said even with the increase, the rent is about 300-dollars less than other tenants are paying.

Peraino wonders why federal grant money being used to renovate part of the building cannot be used to help save his business.

We asked the landlord and he said the grant only covers the tin roof and windows for the project. He said he can not afford to rent the space unless he raises the monthly rate to cover his costs.

The landlord said he offered Peraino a larger space for the extra rent, but Peraino said he doesn't need more room, he just wants to keep his business.

Customers and family members are nostalgic when talking about this family business. They have been coming in for haircuts and good conversation for decades.

Amy Thomas said she remembers as a child getting her haircut in her uncle's shop.

Newt Peraino opened the shop in 1938, along with his friend, Samuel Gerace.

It is now run by Peraino's son Richard. He still keeps prices down, charging only 9-dollars for a haircut.

Peraino said he doesn't want to stop cutting hair and would love for village officials to help him stay in business.

If this isn't resolved, Peraino said he will go through with plans to close his shop for good after his final haircut at noon on Saturday.

Your Stories: Post Office Will Finally Bear Name Of Fallen Marine

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:40:56 -0400

Hornell, N.Y. --- The name of Marine Lance Cpl. Zach Smith finally appears on the outside of the U.S. Post Office building in his hometown of Hornell, N.Y.

"Something like this is definitely a celebration,” said Zach’s mother Kim Smith. “This will be up forever; this should've been up awhile ago.”

Smith, 19, was killed in Afghanistan three years ago last Thursday. In typical fashion the post office in his hometown was named after him following an act of Congress and the President’s signature.

A dedication ceremony in September 2010 marked that moment and the hanging of a small plaque inside the building. A second dedication in May 2011 included the presentation of a large stone gifted to the Smith family and commemorating the post office’s new name. But the stone wasn’t allowed to stay on the grounds; Smith’s name was not allowed on the outside of the building.

"That's still in my backyard it's still sitting there,” Zach’s father Chris Smith said of the stone. “They said no you can't put that back there. It's embarrassing, we've done it twice and his name's still isn't on there.

"Anybody that came and knew Zach they always wanted to see two things; they want to see the cemetery and the stone to pay their respects and they wanted to see the Post Office that was named after him and when they pulled up they'd always ask well where's his name? I said well we have to go inside and see a plaque.”

The Smith family was informed that the United States Postal Service had rules and regulations that prohibited Zach’s name, or anyone’s name, from appear on the building’s grounds. Regulations only allowed a small plaque to be displayed inside the building.

This was true everywhere in the United States…until the Smith’s were encouraged by friends and family to take up the fight.

"Other people kept pushing and saying we can probably change this and so Kim and I jumped on board,” Chris Smith explained. “They said you're either all in or not all in and so that's when we started being interviewed and being on radio stations and TV and became friends with you (Sean) and so it was worth it. Everything was worth it.”

An online petition gathered more than 5,600 signatures of support. Leaders in Washington D.C. joined the fight. Congressional Rep. Tom Reed (R - Corning) partnered with U.S Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D – New York) and they pressed the United States Postal Service to change its stance.

The Smith’s won. A third dedication ceremony was scheduled for Monday, January 28th, 2013. Three years after Smith’s remains returned to his hometown of Hornell.

"We brought him home on the 30th back in 2010," Chris Smith recalled. "We opened the door now we're not going to be on a crusade, but we opened the door so I'm hoping a lot of other communities jump on board. I would love to see over in Scio, because that's part of my patrol area as a trooper, I would love to see Jason Dunham's name on the post office over there because they've named it after him and he's got the same plaque on the inside that Zach does.”

“If it took three years to the day from when that bill was signed it was time well spent,” Kim Smith said. “When I do something like this and stand up for the military it's not just for Zach it's for all of them.”