INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 136, No. 73
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020
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Arrests Follow Stabbing
Three charged with attempted robbery By SEAN O’CONNELL Sun News Editor
Three suspects were arrested on Monday in relation to a stabbing on the intersection of West Avenue and South Avenue on Sunday evening, according to the Ithaca Police Department.
Three of the four suspects, Tahajjuddin Abdur-Rashid, Thomas Payton-Harp and an unnamed 16 year old, were charged with attempted robbery in the first degree and gang assault in the second degree. The four suspects approached the student on the
intersection at approximately 7:42 p.m. One of the suspects demanded that the student give up his phone and wallet. The victim fled and was chased by one of the suspects, who then stabbed him in the See STABBING page 3
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ITHACA, NEW YORK
Message to Our Readers Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, this unfortunately will be our last issue printed of the spring semester. We will resume our regular printing schedule when classes resume in August. In the meantime, readers can continue to stay informed of Ithaca and Cornell news at cornellsun.com, where The Sun will continue its commitment online. We hope all stay well during this difficult time, and encourage readers with questions or concerns to reach out at editor@cornellsun.com.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATES
FROM VACCINE DEVELOPMENT TO MASK DONATIONS, C.U. DEPARTMENTS HELP WAGE CORONAVIRUS FIGHT By ALEK MEHTA Sun Staff Writer
With the spread of COVID-19 affecting communities across the nation –– and recently even Cornell’s campus itself –– a wide range of academic departments are doing what they can to help during the pandemic. Labs in the College of Veterinary Medicine — run by Profs. Brian VanderVen and David Russell, microbiology and immunology — have donated over 600 respirator
masks to Cayuga Medical Center amid a national shortage of protective medical gear. Va n d e r Ven explained that they had started stockpiling
masks earlier in the year, fearing that a future supply-chain problem could result in a lack of necessary protection for those in the lab. However, the lab ultimately found alternate ways of protecting themselves and donated the masks to physicians on the front lines. “We certainly could still use them,” VanderVen said. ”But the clinicians are going to need them more than
Rebate Promise On Room, Board Fees Is Unresolved By TAL DOTAN and OLIVIA WEINBERG Sun Staff Writer & Sun Assistant News Editor
With in-person classes canceled, the on-campus student population dwindling and dorm rooms vacated, Cornell families have been left wondering how the administration
us.” The lab is still exploring ways of helping Cayuga Medical beyond its initial donation, according to VanderVen. For instance, longer-term, faculty across Cornell’s immunology department are looking at “new ways to diagnose and treat coronavirus,” he said. Other University labs have been asked to donate supplies in the fight against COVID-19, including one run by Prof. Maureen Hanson, molecular biology, whose lab donated 3,000 pairs of nitrile gloves to be distributed as necessary by the Tompkins County Health Department. After hearing about the nationwide mask shortage, Prof. C.C. Chu, fiber science and apparel design, emailed colleagues with an idea. “I thought, ‘we have a design component to the department, maybe they See DEPARTMENTS page 3
will handle promised rebates on room and board fees. With thousands of on-campus students moving out months earlier than anticipated, Ryan Lombardi,
BORIS TSANG / SUN PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
You can’t touch this! | The Touchdown statue by Teagle Hall sports an N95 respirator on March 17. A shortage of masks and other supplies to fight the pandemic has spurred Cornell labs to donate to the cause.
See FEES page 3
House N.Y.-23 Candidates Adapt to Coronavirus Pandemic By AMANDA H. CRONIN and ALEC GIUFURTA Sun Senior Editors
As COVID-19 has
people retreating indoors and vacating public spaces, political operations have been forced to rethink their blueprints.
The Sun checked in with the two candidates for New York’s 23rd Congressional district — Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) and Tracy
Mitrano J.D. ’95 — to see how they are continuing their strides both on Capitol Hill and the virtual campaign trail. BORIS TSANG / SUN PHOTO EDITOR & CAMERON POLLACK SUN FILE PHOTO
Rematch | Rep. Tom Reed and Tracy Mitrano J.D. ’95 are conducting a rematch campaign for the 23rd N.Y. House seat.
The Incumbent: Rep. Tom Reed
Amid an international pandemic, the news of two United States House Representatives contracting COVID-19 brought the crisis a little closer to ‘home’ — Capitol Hill — for Reed. Now back in the 23rd district, Reed explained how legislating during the course of the COVID-19
pandemic has struck, in a time otherwise marked by polarization, a radically different tone — a bipartisan one. Reed, a rank-and-file House Republican, is the co-chair of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan working group of around 50 representatives looking for See HOUSE page 3