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Online @ ITH ACA .COM

Winter Times 2021

ELECTION UPDATE

FULL

REPORT

Four officials will not seek reelection

Mayor releases info on Protester-police clash

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CHIEF

LOCAL

SLEDDING SPOT

IPD chief will retire this spring

An an artist finds her home in Ithaca

favorite local slopes reviewed

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RETIRING

POTTER

SHOOTOUT

FREE HEART HEALTH ONLINE SEMINAR

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021 5:30 - 6:30 pm

Learn more about heart health and warning signs. Dr. Amit Singh Medical Director Cayuga Heart Institute

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Newsline

VOL.XLI / NO. 23 / January 27, 2021 Serving 47,125 readers week ly

Conference Center �� 8 Construction start grows nearer

Police

Winter TImes �� 11

IPD chief announces retirement

NE W S & OPINION Newsline ��3-7 Sports �� 10

ART S & E N T E RTAINME N T

thaca Police Chief Dennis Nayor has announced his retirement. While the exact date is still to be determined, Nayor said his 25-year career in law enforcement will come to an end early this coming spring. Nayor took over in 2019 after the retirement of Chief Peter Tyler. He's seen the department through some of its most trying times, as activists have repeatedly called for the abolition of IPD. Nayor has also been involved in the Tompkins County Reimagining Public Safety initiative alongside Sheriff Derek Osborne, County Administrator Jason Molino and Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick. Nayor's statement can be seen below: “I am grateful for the opportunity to have led such an amazing Police Department through the most challenging time in modern history. I applaud the incredible work of the members of the Ithaca Police Department for their unparalleled response to the global pandemic and civil unrest; they are truly some of the best police officers and support staff that I have ever had the privilege of working with and being part of the IPD has been a great honor to me. With over a quarter century spent in law enforcement now, and after having been a successful Chief in two busy cities, managing so many critical incidents, I am looking forward to enjoying life away from policing. In my remaining time, I will continue to advance our efforts towards reimagining public safety, managing our responses to the pandemic, and assisting in a smooth transition of leadership for the IPD.” Staff R eports

Film �� 19 Stage �� 20 Art �� 22 Stage �� 24 TimesTable �� 25 Classifieds ��26-28 Cover: Photo: Casey Martin, Design: Marshall Hopkins

ELECTION

Changes afoot in Legislature, Common Council

urrent Tompkins County Legislature Chair Leslyn McBean-Clairborne and Legislator Martha Robertson have announced they will not be running for reelection when their terms expire at the end of the year. McBean-Clairborne has served on the Legislature since 2001, and made history as the first Black woman to serve as its chair. Robertson has also been with the Legislature for two decades and represents District 13. Additionally, Ithaca Alderpeople Seph Murtagh and Deb Mohlenhoff announced their decisions not to run for reelection on the Common Council. Murtagh has represented the second ward for the past decade while Mohlenhoff represents the fifth ward.

Statements from candidates can be found below: Robertson wrote: “In two decades, you cast a lot of votes. One that stands out was our decision not to build a new jail for 135 human beings, 100 more than we are housing tonight. From 2008 through 2014 we fought back on fracking, with speeches, hearings, and rallies all over the state. Housing has always been an issue of equity and justice —– leading, for example, to the Community Housing Development Fund and the Housing Summit in 2016.” McBean-Clairborne wrote that she feels it’s time for her to step aside and allow someone else to step in with new ideas, new energy and new purpose. “This has been a very hard

ON T HE WE B

Deb Mohlenhoff, Leslyn McBeanClairborne, Martha Robertson, and Seph Murtagh have all announced they will not be seeking reelection.

Visit our website at www.ithaca.com for more news, arts, sports and photos. Call us at 607-277-7000 T a n n e r H a r d i n g , M a n a g i n g E d i t o r , x 224 E d i t o r @ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m J a i m e C o n e , E d i t o r , x 232 SouthReporter@flcn.org C a s e y M a r t i n , S ta f f P h o t o g r a p h e r P h o t o g r a p h e r @ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m C h r i s I b e r t , C a l e n d a r E d i t o r , x 217 A r t s @ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m A n d r e w S u l l i v a n , S p o r t s E d i t o r , x 227 Sports@flcn.org Steve L awrence, Spo rts Co lumnist St e v e S p o r t sD u d e @ g m a i l .co m M a r s h a l l H o p k i n s , P r o d u c t i o n D i r ec t o r / D es i g n e r , x 216 P r o d u c t i o n @ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m

decision for me because I feel strongly that I have brought a unique voice and experience to the Legislature. Before my tenure I was a single mom recently off of welfare. I had a job but I still qualified to receive Section 8 housing voucher support, and understood what it was to be living in poverty. I joined the ranks of becoming a homeowner through INHS’s first-time homebuyer program. None of these experiences stopped me from being fully engaged

L i s a B i n g a m a n , A cc o u n t R ep r ese n ta t i v e , x 218 l i s a @ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m T o n i C r o u ch , x 211 A d m i n i s t r a t i o n Sharon Davis, Distribution J i m B i l i n s k i , P u b l i s h e r , x 210 j b i l i n s k i @ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m L a r r y H o ch b e r g e r , A ss o c i a t e P u b l i s h e r , x 214 l a r r y@ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m

continued on page 7

T a k e Vaccines - The Tompkins County Health Department received 600 doses of the COVID vaccine for the week of Jan. 25. The state has instructed all local health departments to prioritize administration of the vaccine to essential workers in phase 1B. In accordance with that, Tompkins County Health Department will offer the 600 doses to first responder agencies,

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corrections staff and workers in P-12 schools. Meanwhile, the state instructed local pharmacies to prioritize those who are ages 65 and over, and for hospitals to prioritize vaccinating healthcare workers in phase 1A. The Health Department will release appointments to the prioritized groups listed above in phases. Each of these groups

will have a pre-determined amount of time to register for appointments before the next group is provided the link. The online registration link will not be public and individuals in these groups should not forward the link to others who are not in these eligible groups. The links will be distributed through employers or association networks in each category.

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F r e e l a n c e r s : Barbara Adams, Rick Blaisell, Steve Burke, Deirdre Cunningham, Jane Dieckmann, Amber Donofrio, Karen Gadiel, Charley Githler, Linda B. Glaser, Warren Greenwood, Ross Haarstad, Peggy Haine, Gay Huddle, Austin Lamb, Steve Lawrence, Marjorie Olds, Lori Sonken, Henry Stark, Dave Sit, Bryan VanCampen, and Arthur Whitman

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All rights reserved. Events are listed free of charge in TimesTable. All copy must be received by Friday at noon. The Ithaca Times is available free of charge from various locations around Ithaca. Additional copies may be purchased from the Ithaca Times offices for $1. SUBSCRIPTIONS: $89 one year. Include check or money order and mail to the Ithaca Times, PO Box 27, Ithaca, NY 14851. ADVERTISING: Deadlines are Monday 5 p.m. for display, Tuesday at noon for classified. Advertisers should check their ad on publication. The Ithaca Times will not be liable for failure to publish an ad, for typographical error, or errors in publication except to the extent of the cost of the space in which the actual error appeared in the first insertion. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable for publication. The Ithaca Times is published weekly Wednesday mornings. Offices are located at 109 N. Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 607-277-7000, FAX 607-277-1012, MAILING ADDRESS is PO Box 27, Ithaca, NY 14851. The Ithaca Times was preceded by the Ithaca New Times (1972-1978) and The Good Times Gazette (1973-1978), combined in 1978. F o u n d e r G o o d T i m e s G a z e tt e : Tom Newton

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INQUIRING

N e w s l i n e

COUNTY

PHOTOGRAPHER County Legislature continues free COVID testing, gets vaccine update By C a se y Mar tin

HAPPY WINTER! WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO COLD-

WEATHER BEVERAGE?

he Tompkins County Legislature received an update from the Health Department about vaccine rollout and FEMA reimbursements as the pandemic rolls through its tenth month. They also participated in a moment

Jason Molino updated the Legislature on the local COVID-19 pandemic response and vaccination rollout. Molino shared that reimbursements from FEMA have started to come in, detailing that other payments are pending and that county

“Chai Latte” -Owen C. & Carly G.

“Whiskey. Neat.”

Cayuga Health Vaccine Distribution Center

-KiRa F.

of remembrance for the lives lost to COVID-19, named a new poet laureate and approved the continuation of free COVID testing for residents. Tompkins County Public Health Director Frank Kruppa and County Administrator “Hot Cider!” -Kate W.

SPORTS

High-risk sports can start Feb. 1 with Health Department approval

“Chai Tea!” -Anna B. & Severin B.

“Coffee. All the Time.” -Saoirse D.G.

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officials are watching plans at the federal level for future stimulus bills and policies related to FEMA reimbursements. Kruppa detailed the local COVID-19 vaccine rollout: “We got the amount of vaccine

ov. Andrew Cuomo announced this past Friday that high-risk high school sports are allowed to begin practice and competition starting on Feb. 1, though permission will be required from local county health departments. Sports impacted by this decision include basketball, wrestling, ice hockey, lacrosse, volleyball and competitive cheerleading. The New York State Department of Health released the following guidance on Jan. 22: “Effective February 1, 2021, participants in higher risk sports and recreation activities may partake in individual /January

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or distanced group training and organized no/low-contact group training and, further, may partake in other types of play, including competitions and tournaments, only as permitted by the respective local health authorities (i.e., county health departments).” “We are extremely thankful to Governor Cuomo and the New York State Department of Health for providing authorization for all sports to begin,” Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director, said in a press release. “I am thrilled our association’s member schools will be able to provide over two hundred thousand students 20 2 1

that we did because we could demonstrate being able to get it out quickly. It is unfortunate we didn’t get vaccines this week — the state has begun standing up their large-scale sites and have given more vaccines to those sites. We do expect to get vaccines next week and are ready to accept those doses.” Kruppa continued, “The reason for one largescale site is the efficiency that it creates for us, the only way to distribute so quickly and get the amount we have received is these efficiencies. When more vaccine supply is available, we’re looking forward to initiating our POD plans to ensure everyone in Tompkins County has access. The limited supply dictates that they operate as efficiently as possible.” Both Kruppa and Molino continued to clarify that the main issue for distribution is the supply of the vaccine, which is severely limited and unpredictable. Legislators also participated in a national moment of unity and remembrance honoring lives lost to COVID-19. Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, chair of the Tompkins County Legislature, stated, “We grieve for those who we have lost during this pandemic. Every single loss is tragic, and we must continue to do all we can to protect one another. Sadly, we have lost 19 of our neighbors here in Tompkins County. This moment of unity is an

opportunity to reflect on the past year and look forward to a brighter future as we get through this pandemic.” The Legislature named Dr. Christine Kitano as the Tompkins County Poet Laureate. “There were wonderful, amazing applicants for this year’s laureate. We really have a talented community,” stated Legislator Amanda Champion (D-Ithaca), who assisted with the search process. Kitano read a poem titled “Ithaca Domestic” to the Legislature to celebrate her being named to the post. A resolution was passed (8-5, Legislators Granison, Klein, Lane, Black, McBeanClairborne dissenting) to amend the hotel room tax for all lodging establishments in Tompkins County. The room tax rate for lodging with 10 or fewer rooms had been set at 3%, while the rate for all larger properties was 5%. The newly amended hotel room occupancy tax law sets the rate at 5% for all lodging establishments in Tompkins County. Continuation of free COVID-19 testing for the community was approved unanimously (13-0). The county will continue to cover the cost of non-medically necessary testing for Tompkins County residents and seek FEMA reimbursement on those costs.

with valuable and beneficial participation experiences.” In a memo issued to NYSPHSAA Section Executive Directors on Jan. 25, Dr. Zayas outlined further details and guidance for sports competition moving forward. Travel for practice or play for all sports – low-, moderate- and high-risk athletics – outside of the region or contiguous counties or New York State COVID-19 regions is not permitted. Interstate travel for practice or play is strongly discouraged. With winter high-risk sports now allowed to compete starting Feb. 1, the remaining fall sports that did not compete during the regularly scheduled fall season can compete starting on March 1. The spring athletic season can begin on April 19. (The individual sections have the authority to determine the

length of a season as well as the end dates for each season.) NYSPHSAA has waived the seven consecutive day rule for the rest of the 2020–2021 academic year which allows teams to practice/compete seven consecutive days. Athletes must participate in six practices before playing in a scrimmage or athletic event. For sports like baseball, football, gymnastics and wrestling, that number of practices is 10. In terms of spring state championships, Dr. Zayas said NYSPHSAA is still examining the feasibility of holding such events at the moment. There will be no state championships for winter sports and sports competing in the second fall season. However, sectional championships for the second fall season are permitted. Neither the Tompkins or

-Staff R eport

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UPS&DOWNS

N e w s l i n e

Paramusification Old Navy will be opening in Ithaca on Feb. 3, while the longawaited Trader Joe’s will open its doors on Feb. 19. Box stores or bust, baby.

Massia Saunders White is confronted by Police on October 22

POLICE

Mayor releases full report on October protester arrests, pepper spraying incident

ayor Svante Myrick released a lengthy report detailing the review and findings of the incident on Oct. 22 that saw three protesters arrested and Ithaca police officers using pepper spray to disperse a crowd of demonstrators. The report used the information captured on officers’ body cameras, as well as footage captured on cameras around and inside IPD headquarters, however those are without sound. Myrick said that the video footage was submitted to the Community Police Board so that they could decide whether Deputy Chief Vincent Monticello “escalated the situation” and if there was “racial bias in the arrest” of Massia White Saunders, a Black protester, on Meadow Street that afternoon. The Community Police Board found that Monticello’s actions were appropriate and that “a situation which could have turned violent did not, partly due to DC Monticello’s presence at the scene.” The board also concluded that there is no evidence of racial bias against Saunders.

The report also addresses the arrest of Genevieve Rand later that same day. Rand was taken into custody after blocking a police vehicle from exiting the IPD parking lot to respond to a shots fired call. According to the report, after the officer asked her to move and she would not, Monticello arrested Rand for “obstructing governmental administration.” Myrick notes in his report that the police vehicle had its emergency lights on and that of note, a shooting homicide had already occurred in the preceding 24 hours. The Community Police Board also investigated claims that Monticello intentionally misgendered Rand, referring to her using male pronouns. The video evidence does support this and show’s Monticello saying “arrest him.” After Rand corrected him, Monticello said “my mistake.” However, he then used male pronouns to refer to her twice more once inside the station. Rand again objected, and Monticello said “my bad, OK?” The board said that it found no malintent on Monticello’s part, but rather “an inadver-

tent violation of professional standards.” They also suggested a reminder about the importance of recognizing someone’s correct pronouns be sent to all IPD personnel. In response to this, Myrick and IPD Chief Dennis Nayor required the retraining of IPD officers and leadership on the subject. One round of training on LBGTQ+ awareness in law enforcement has already since been completed, and more are planned for the future. “Even if inadvertent, I know that misgendering a person can be very demeaning and dehumanizing to the person misgendered and others,” Myrick said. The report lastly addresses the use of pepper spray against demonstrators. After the arrests earlier in the day, a group of protesters converged on the police station. According to the report, “much of the ensuing demonstration was not peaceful, even in its early hours.” Video shows a demonstrator climbing onto the entry roof to the station and jumping up and down while other demonstrators on the ground pounded and kicked the doors and sides of IPD’s entry lobby. In the minutes before the deployment of pepper spray, the report states a group of protesters in the street were verbally and physically resisting efforts by police officers to arrest people, scuffling with officers, pushing officers back, screaming at them and kicking at them. The video shows

officers repeatedly announcing that the crowd was an unlawful assembly and that they must disperse or be subject to arrest. Officers also warned that if they did not disperse, they would be subject to pepper spray. An officer eventually deployed a “one second burst of pepper spray at the feet of the center front line of demonstrators,” after which the crowd broke up. Myrick said the use of pepper spray “like any use of force against a crowd of demonstrators,” was a matter of concern and in need of investigation. The New York Attorney General declined to conduct the investigation due to jurisdictional issues and staffing limitations, so Myrick has asked the Community Police Board for a “full and impartial investigation.” In the request he specifically asks the board to answer the questions: Did IPD act appropriately in accordance with its policies and procedures? Are there other, safer alternatives for crowd dispersal that the board would recommend? After reviewing the material personally, Myrick said he believes the rhetoric and behavior of some of the protestors was “dangerously unproductive and intended to provoke violence from onlookers.” He did, however, also acknowledge that many of the protestors that day did engage in meaningful dialogue with police officers about force abolition, the difficulty of the job reallocation of functions and resources, involvement in the political process, the SWAT van and militarization of police. He ended the report by urging people to engage in the Reimagining Public Safety initiative. “That work is too serious to be deterred by the most disruptive actors, because we must deliver a more just, less biased system of criminal justice in our city,” he said. The full report is available at cityofithaca.org.

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Mask up The Health Department announced an increased spread of COVID this month, with almost 800 cases so far this month. You know the drill — mask up, avoid gatherings and wash your hands.

HEARD&SEEN MLK Concert The Ithaca College School of Music will hold its annual MLK celebration concert for 2021 virtually, on Friday evening Jan. 29, at 7:30 p.m. You can watch at youtube.com/ ithacacollegeschoolofmusic Welcome Students Students are returning to Ithaca for the spring semesters as Ithaca College and Cornelll will both be holding in-person classes this semester. Welcome back!

IF YOU CARE TO RESPOND to something in this column, or suggest your own grievances or praise, write news@ithacatimes.com, with a subject head “U&D.”

-Ta n n e r H a r d i n g

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

If the 2024 election were held today I’d vote for....

N ext Week ’s Q uestion :

Choose your favorite winter activity Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.

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ITHACA NOTES

Caring for properties and people S

SHOPPING

Trader Joe’s grand opening slated for Feb. 19

rader Joe's will open in Ithaca on Friday, Feb. 19. The new 12,500 squarefoot store is located on S. Meadow Street, near the new Old Navy, which will be opening Feb. 3. Doors at Trader Joe's will open at 8 a.m., with a brief ceremonial ribbon cutting immediately preceding it. The celebration will continue with giveaways and more, as store captain Tony Merola and other employees welcome customers to the new location. The store has hired more than 40 people, mostly from Ithaca, and are look-

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ing to add more employees. Like all Trader Joe’s locations, the Ithaca store has implemented a number of social distancing measures to keep both Crew Members and customers safe. The store will offer plenty of parking and will feature artwork by local artists that pay tribute to area landmarks and attractions, such as Cayuga Lake, local waterfalls and iconic buildings in the area. Operating hours will be from 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily, with senior hours reserved for the first hour of business on Sundays and Wednesdays.

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By St e ph e n Bu r k e ome people hate yard work. Some don’t mind it. Some even like it. Bob Asta likes it enough that he does it for a living: for about 15 years now in Ithaca, and before that for some years living in New Mexico. “People outside New Mexico don’t realize there’s grass there,” he says. “There is, it’s just different. It has deeper roots.” Bob’s own roots didn’t involve lush lawns or plush properties. He grew up in working-class Glendale, Queens, in a house with a scant urban yard. The finest feature, maybe, was a fig tree his father tended. “Sicilian,” Bob explains. But Bob came to know and love outdoor work. Maybe his roots show in that most of his work is in downtown Ithaca, not the rolling suburbs, with smaller city properties. It’s similar to where he grew up, and it’s where he lives. The close aggregation of modest parcels means he can take on more clients. This formula is the opposite of many yard care businesses, which tend to want to deal with the largest properties and the fewest people possible: less involved, more profitable. Talking with Bob, one readily realizes that involvement with people is a plus, not a minus, for him. He enjoys contact with customers and strives to create and enhance connections. Bob aims to keep clients through the years: also, throughout the year. The majority of his work, he says, is in the growing season, from April through October. But before the main season there is spring cleaning work. After the season there is leaf clean-up; then snow removal. It’s a year-round enterprise. Bob estimates that about a third of his clients want summer work only. Others, especially the elderly, want year-round services. His work and prices emphasize good value. Of course, he has to make a living. Thus pricing is a collaborative concern, marked by an awareness of shared interests. Bob needs his customers; likewise, they need him. Reliability is a quality that comes to Bob naturally, but requires support in business. The business is his alone. When a customer hires Bob, they get Bob. He does the estimate, the scheduling, the work, the billing, the follow-through. The requirements go beyond technical know-how and physical stamina. They include adeptness with finances and machinery. They include the ability

to plan astutely, and when those plans foul up, as they sometimes will (with foul weather, for one thing), to plan anew, to patiently smooth out issues with customers, and to wave the magic watch that will create more time. They include the wherewithal to do all this oneself. The payoff for Bob, besides the livelihood, is being outside and not in an office (“I love my work,” he says simply). It’s independence. It’s the fundamental simplicity, which he tries dutifully to maintain. His equipment is basic, Bob says: “Hoes and rakes. Clippers and mowers, some manual, some powered. A leafblower. Shovels. A snow-blower.” There’s a truck, and a trailer for a riding mower for larger jobs. “That’s fun to use,” he says, “like driving a go-kart.” Modern technology is essential for records and communication, but Bob says he does a lot of his administrative work “analog. At the beginning of each week I sit down with the calendar, my client list, and pen and paper.” The simplicity and solitude suit him. They are counterbalanced by the underlying complexities of the business and by the relationships with clients, which might be muted, or at a distance, but are nonetheless staunch and dynamic. Lately some of the appeal of the one-man show has diminished with the isolation imposed everywhere by the pandemic. Bob says he has lost some outside outlets that he now realizes supplemented his working life, thus all of it. “I love hockey and I’m in a hockey league that isn’t playing now. I also do stand-up comedy and naturally that isn’t happening either. Those are both important to me and provide real communities, and I miss them. I participate in some virtual comedy workshops, but of course it isn’t the same.” Meanwhile, despite the losses and adjustments, which all of us face in some form, Bob’s work remains much the same, and eminently real: the satisfied customers, the cared-for grounds, the cleared paths, the sweet smell of mown grass. A client’s child once told Bob how much she loves the smell of cut grass, and that it reminds her of him. Recounting it he laughed and said, “I got a kick out of that. The personal nature of my work is something I really value. I never take it for granted.”

THE TALK AT

OPEN SEATS Contin u ed From Page 3

in the community [...] Over the years I feel like I have accomplished a lot. I spent my time in this office fighting for social justice, human rights, diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI), dismantling systemically racist policies and practices, living wage, LGBTQ+ rights, helping to build a robust and enviable alternatives to incarceration program, valuing employees, and fighting for community benefits from developers, among other priorities. [...] I am proud to be the first person of color to assume either of these top leadership positions in the County’s history.” Murtagh also believes it’s time for someone else to step in. “Representing the second ward on the Common Council has been the honor of my life,” said Murtagh. “But I’ve been doing this for almost 10 years now, and I think it’s good for democracy to have a rotation on these seats. Ten years just feels like the right time to move on and make some room for new voices in city government.” Murtagh has chaired the Common Council’s Planning and Economic Development Committee since 2013. He has also served for several years as the City of Ithaca’s Alternate Acting Mayor. Throughout his time on Council, he has successfully pushed for an increase in affordable

housing, improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and found a permanent home for the Ithaca Community Gardens. He has served as the city’s representative on several boards, including the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, the Greater Ithaca Activities Center, TCAT, and the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission. Mohlenhoff said she wanted to announce her intentions now to give anyone interested in the role plenty of time to prepare. “It has been an honor to serve in this role representing the 5th Ward for so many years. Working with City Staff and my Council Colleagues on so many important local issues has been extremely rewarding, especially knowing that I played a small part in much of the progress we have made as a City. The opportunity to grow as a community leader and the interactions I have been able to have with so many local residents has been the most inspiring part of this public service. By announcing now, I am hoping to allow for as much time for all those who might be interested in taking on this role to ask questions and be as prepared as possible to serve as an Alderperson to the City we all love.” -Ta n n e r H a r d i n g

SPORTS RISK Contin u ed From Page 4

Seneca County Health Departments have yet to announce a decision as to whether or not high-risk sport competition will be permitted. According to the Tompkins health department, officials are reviewing the guidance for high-risk sports and a decision should be made in the coming days. Currently, school districts are waiting for their respective county health department to make a decision before announcing what they intend to do. “As always, the District's decision regarding this matter will [be] made with the safety as the highest priority,” Dryden Superintendent Joshua Bacigalupi said in a statement. “The DCSD will make its official decision regarding this matter after conferring with the other member District[s] in the IAC and the Tompkins County Department of Health. Representatives from the District have meetings with both entities in the early part of this week.” If high-risk sport competition is approved, it then comes down to the individual sections and athletic conferences to make a decision on high-risk sport competition. From there, district superintendents can choose whether or not to allow those sports to compete. However, at a Board of Education meeting on Monday Jan. 25, Lansing Superintendent Chris Pettograsso said the hierarchy of decision making is jumbled at the moment.

“It’s like this ping pong game – the state is saying it’s up to your local health department, and then the local health department is saying it’s up to superintendents, and all of us saying we want input from everybody,” Pettograsso said. “We’re all trying to work together with the information we have.” One potential problem that could arise is what if not every single county health department authorizes high-risk sports competition. The IAC, for example, features schools from seven different counties – Tompkins, Tioga, Cortland, Cayuga, Schuyler, Chemung and Broome. Executive Director Bill Bryant said based on the COVID-19 statistics across all seven counties it is going to be difficult to get all of the counties to consent to high-risk sports competition. (More on this in the sports section.) Here are the number of active cases per the seven counties as of Jan. 26: Tompkins County – 248 Tioga County – 285 Cortland County – 205 Cayuga County – 1,624 in mandatory quarantine (have come in contact with someone who tested positive), 339 in mandatory isolation (have tested positive) Schuyler County – 56 Chemung County – 109 Broome County – 1,228

YOUR LETTERS D.C. needs statehood

am writing on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Tompkins County. The League is a nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy and voter information organization. The events that occurred on January 6, 2021 make it clear that Washington D.C. needs to become a state. On January 6, insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol, resulting in the deaths of five people. Because D.C. is not a State, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser did not have the authority vested in that of a governor to call the D.C. National Guard to the scene. Their deployment requires authorization from the Department of Defense. Mayor Bowser’s initial requests to deploy the D.C. National Guard were denied. Mayor Bowser called for the Guard before 2 PM on January 6th. They did not arrive at the Capitol until after 5 PM. If DC were a state, she would have been able to mobilize them immediately. The Guard would have needed permission to move onto federal lands around the Capitol, but there would have been much less delay. The D.C. National Guard was needed as back-up for the U.S. Capitol Police to support and protect democracy--a democracy in which the residents of the district have no vote in the House and no voice in the Senate. It is time to grant statehood to the 700,000+ residents of D.C.! The League of Women Voters supports D.C. Statehood. We believe that ensuring equal rights under the law for ALL citizens is an important step in making our democracy stronger. Catherine Wagner, League of Women Voters of Tompkins County

We need to stop climate change

o far, the New Year has been a mix of bad and good news. The pandemic is raging, but we now have effective vaccines to bring us to herd immunity. The capital has seen an insurrection, but a new president will promote

unity of purpose. The year 2020 was tied for the hottest on record, but Governor Cuomo this month announced initiatives to fight climate change by quickly building out renewable energy, bringing prosperity to the state in the process. Governor Cuomo's proposal to scale up New York's green economy is an important story and one all New Yorkers should support. The new plan emphasizes New Yorkbased renewable manufacturing, bringing good-paying jobs. Of special interest to upstate and Western New York are the expansion of renewable energy storage capacity in the region and a 20-mile transmission line from Niagara Falls to Elma to maximize hydropower output. Major offshore wind and solar projects are also in the works for various parts of the state. As a mother and a member of Mothers Out Front, I encourage our community to applaud these efforts to mitigate climate change. But even more needs to be done. We should be pushing the Governor to amplify plans for electrification of transportation, to develop rigorous building efficiency standards, and to establish transition plans for communities that are dependent on the natural gas industry -Kathy Malcomson, Trumansburg, NY

Re: Worst Films of 2020 “Possibly --- no, UNDOUBTEDLY --the best "end of" movie review I've read in ages. Much thanks!” -frynella via Ithaca.com

Re: Readers’ Writes submission ‘In a Fish Bowl’ “Hi Liliana, What a good article, from a good writer! Thank You. You gave me much to think about today: fish, fishing & the future. I hope you get to see other worlds in your lifetime--even if only via robot explorers, which will still be quite exciting won't it? Fun to think about what is out there. Keep on writing!” -BlueBabbler via Ithaca.com

Write to us! Say something or respond to an article by writing editor@ithacatimes.com. Letters must be signed and include an address and phone number. We do not publish unsigned letters. Letters may be edited for length and readability. To the Editor, Ithaca Times, 109 N Cayuga St., Ithaca, NY 14850 SIGN UP TODAY!

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Community Investment Conference center construction grows nearer as final details are sorted out 8 T

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he Planning and Economic Development Committee (PEDC) had a lengthy discussion before narrowly approving the Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) for the Green Street Garage Urban Renewal Project with a 3-2 vote. The DDA will move on to Common Council for approval. The DDA provides for the disposition and development of the site currently owned by the city and authorized to be transferred to the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) to “implement an urban renewal project in accordance with all applicable laws,” according to the agreement. The developer is then bound by the terms and conditions set forth in the agreement. The Vecino Group will be developing the western and center sections of Green Street Garage, which will see 356 new and refurbished public parking spaces, at least 181 housing units affordable to households earning between 40% and 80% of area median income, a 49,000 square-foot conference center with street-level active use, 2,000 square feet of lease space for the Department of Public Works, retention of the Cinemapolis movie theater, and retention and improvement of the public pedestrian connectors including Home Dairy Alley and the east-west connector between City Hall and Home Dairy Alley. Committee member Donna Fleming was upfront from the beginning that she does not support the conference center. “I can’t support agreements that continue to plan for the conference center, which I’ve always thought was a bad idea but now I think is a worse idea than ever,” she said. And she wasn’t alone in that thinking. Committee member Cynthia Brock agreed, stating she doesn’t think the types of jobs it will bring are the kinds Ithaca needs. “The part of our economy the conference center supports is the hospitality industry, an industry with low wages and that is vulnerable to economic ups and downs,” she said. “It doesn’t build the type of economy and jobs that we need to add stability and diversity for our residents.” Committee member Laura Lewis, however, disagreed, stating that despite its risks, the project would overall be an asset to the city. “I acknowledge there is some risk in this project, especially with the inclusion of the

By Ta n n e r H a r di ng conference center, but I have supported this in the past and I am continuing to support this project because of the benefits to the community in terms of affordable housing, the benefits to Cinemapolis and the large benefit of the parking garage,” she said. “It will take care of the reconstruction of the parking garage which is badly needed […] I don’t at all intend to ignore that there are some risks, but I think there are times to take measured and calculated risks going forward for a long-term benefit.” The meeting also addressed CRM Rental Management, the company that will be managing the housing component of the project. Brock expressed concern that they were only experienced in smaller housing complexes for seniors and people with disabilities. Nels Bohn, the director of IURA, said that though that’s where CRM got its start, it currently manages several of Vecino’s affordable housing projects, including projects in Utica and Elmira. He also assured her that the company was based in Rome, NY, and was very familiar with upstate New York housing. “The state has recognized them as capable housing managers,” Bohn said. “We wanted to make sure we have professional and responsive management.” For his part, PEDC Chair Seph Murtagh strongly supports the project. “I think it’s visionary, I think it’s an incredible project,” he said. “The parking garage alone would be a major achievement on its own for the city.” He said he believes there’s a demand for a conference center of that size, and asked Deputy Director for Economic Development Tom Knipe if there had been any research into what the industry anticipates as the world works to bounce back from the pandemic. Knipe pointed out that the conference center is slated to open mid-2024, and noted that in a survey done last month, 45% of meeting planners think in-person conferences will return to pre-COVID strength by 2023, while 16% thought it would be 2024. “In a lot of ways, meeting facilities are hurting right now, as is the entire hospitality industry, but being able to open at the time when projections indicate meeting numbers will return is a strength for our facility,” he said.

He also added that because of the timing, the conference center will be able to be equipped with the appropriate HVAC systems and proper audio/visual features to facilitate hybrid meetings. The construction and future operation and upkeep of the conference center will be funded through a hotel room tax. Last year, the city reached out to the Assemblyperson Barbara Lifton and Senator Tom O’Mara’s offices to ask the Assembly and Senate to pass a bill in the state legislature that would enable the city to create a new city hotel occupancy tax. Their bid was successful, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law at the end of December. The city can now pass a local law to establish a five percent hotel room occupancy tax. Because of the complex, interwoven nature of a joint public-private venture, the financial details get a bit complicated. The affordable housing part of the project is the private component, while the conference center and garage are the public components. In the DDA, the city sold the property to Vecino for $1 so Vecino can develop it. The city will then lease the conference center back from Vecino, and the terms of the lease will be the cost of repayment toward the bond that Vecino is taking out to pay for the conference center; the room occupancy tax raises the revenue to pay for the lease. Beyond construction costs, the room occupancy tax also covers the projected operating deficit of $200,000. City officials are quick to admit that conference centers are largely not profitable and are more of an investment in the community. When people come to town for conferences, it helps boost the tourism, hospitality and restaurant industries. “There’s always a risk when you’re making an investment in a community based facility,” Bohn said. “But there’s been a lot of analysis […] The consensus is there’s a strong market for meetings in the city.” Vecino’s 30-year lease agreement will be with Downtown Ithaca Local Development Corporation, an independent non-profit that was created for the purpose of operating the conference center. According to Knipe, the city will have a separate agreement with the LDC that the Downtown Ithaca Alliance and Chamber Foundation (on behalf of the four downtown hotels) will also be part of. Ja n ua ry

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Theoretically, the cost of construction and operation of the conference center shouldn’t cost the taxpayers anything. According to the DIA, there are three levels of reserve funds being created in case there’s ever a point where the room occupancy tax doesn’t generate enough funds for some reason. The city will be collecting room occupancy tax during the 36 months of construction when no payments are due, which will allow them to get a healthy amount of reserves before the debt has to be repaid. Taking into account the downturn in tourism due to the pandemic, Bohn said they’re conservatively estimating bringing in $4.3 million over three years. Should the worst happen and the reserves are all emptied and money is still owed, then yes, the burden could fall on the taxpayers to make up the difference. The DDA and hotel tax legislation will come before Common Council at their meeting in February. Murtagh said he’s fairly certain it will pass but does expect some debate. “I think what has people freaked out is obviously the pandemic,” he said. “This is a vote for our future. We’re voting on what Ithaca will look like in 2024, and there’s still some concern about what the world will look like at that point.” He added that while it’s nerve-wracking and there is some risk involved, he believes the conference center will ultimately afford the city an opportunity to meet a demand. “There’s been a lack of meeting space in this community, and that’s also true for local organizations,” he said. “People hear conference center and think convention center and some huge thing, but that’s not what it is.” He added it would be ideal for hosting things like a New York State Teacher’s Union conference, or other regional events. Should the resolutions pass at the Council, the hotel tax would begin sometime in April. Demolition on the site is expected to begin in March, with the parking garage slated for completion by late fall. Construction on the housing and conference center will begin in the fall and is expected to be finished by spring 2024.

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SPORTS

Boondoggle and Brady By Steve Lawrence

S ome time s it fe e l s a s if the abilit y to pe e r into the f uture woul d be a re al g if t . O the r time s , it fe e l s a s if it woul d be a c urse .

ad anyone told us in March of 2020 that we would not only miss spring sports, we would also miss the fall and winter seasons and as 2021 rolled out, we’d still be facing so much uncertainty, some of us might have taken that person’s crystal ball and thrown it off a bridge. While there are many opinions regarding who is to blame for this ongoing

frustration, one thing is for sure: There are enough moving parts involved in this boondoggle to make a person’s head spin. Risking a 50 year friendship, I called Bill Bryant — yet again — and asked the executive director of the Interscholastic Conference to bring me up to speed on whether we will see any high school sports in the near future. Making it clear that his frustration is not directed at media

Study part time online with Cornell University this spring

members (or at the hundreds of parents that have been lighting up his phone and his inbox for 10 months), Bryant told me, “Yes, I am very frustrated, that’s for sure. Unfortunately, the news dropped last Friday at 3:30 p.m. that the state government was putting the decisions in the hands of local Health Departments. It seems they could have done it differently. They could have told us that in November.” Bryant has been in athletic administration in various forms for 30-plus years, so he is accustomed to navigating numerous layers to get things done, but this is new territory for everyone. Using the IAC as an example, he told me, “We have schools in seven different counties, and as you can imagine, getting seven different Health Departments on the same page is unlikely.” To put a finer point on his contention, he added, “Tioga County will likely restrict travel within the five schools in the county, so that will add Owego — a STAC team — to the mix, having them play schools like Newark Valley, Tioga, Candor, Spencer and Waverly.” Frustrated but undaunted in their efforts to get the players back on the fields, the powers-that-be hustled to assemble a committee to move the process forward. The 17-person committee is composed of superintendents, athletic directors, Health Department officials, a principal and an athletic trainer, and Bryant said he “appreciated how proactive this process has been.” I was pleased to hear him chuckle a bit when he added, “I am the least techsavvy guy you will ever meet, and I have been in over a hundred Zoom meetings so far.” ● ● ●

Indeed… old dog, new tricks. I also reached out to the athletic communications contacts at Cornell and Ithaca College, and Jeremy Hartigan and Justin

Lutes said, “Sorry, but we are still waiting for updates.” There is actually some news from TC3, as the Panthers have made the decision to move forward with outdoor spring sports (men's lacrosse, baseball, softball, golf, and men's and women's soccer.) NJCAA (Junior College)-affiliated schools were given three options: Cancel intercollegiate athletics altogether, hold on-campus workouts and training without holding any games, or return to competition. TC3 joined a dozen institutions in Region 3 to vote to get the students back in the games. The Panthers stepped up to hold their cross-country season last fall — with no spectators allowed — and similar modifications will be implemented when the spring sports events get underway. ● ● ●

As I have written many times over the years, given my long tenure as a local sports media guy, I am often asked for my opinion on sports-related stuff. After the Bucs beat the Pack, an acquaintance stopped me and asked me if I was among the legions of “Brady-haters.” I don’t get it… The guy has maintained an incredible level of excellence at the highest level of his craft over the course of 20 years, doing things a handful of people on the planet can do at half his age. He grew weary — for whatever reasons — of playing for the same guy in the same organization in the same city for two decades, so rather than take his six Super Bowl trophies and his truckloads of money and go away, he went to a new team in a new conference in a new city, he elevated the play of the entire organization — as usual — and he’s going to the Super Bowl for the tenth time. I stand in awe.

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Winter Times 2021

Tireside Chat

T I M E S

Sledding in a winter wonderland

You don’t have to be a Roads Scholar to know that Ithaca winters are hard on your car or truck. When you do need help with tires, suspension work, shocks/struts and alignment issues, come see the friendly folks at Diane’s Downtown Automotive.

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ay what you want about the winters in Ithaca, but if you can put aside the frigid temperatures and channel your inner kid, you’re in for a treat. When it comes to sledding, Ithaca has some of the best hills around… just hold on to your hat and enjoy the ride.

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On Ithaca College’s campus, the most popular sledding spot among students is the hill located behind Boothroyd Hall, overlooking the Athletic and Events Center. Interestingly enough, in the ‘60s, this hill acted as a fully operational ski slope at the college, with student workers acting as ski patrollers and lift operators. The slopes closed in the ‘70s after the college found it too difficult to maintain, but the hill remains just as steep as it once was. Boothroyd Hill can be divided into two separate parts: the lower half is a long gradual slope while the upper half has a much steeper incline. Those who venture to the very top will be treated to a beautiful view of Cayuga Lake and Cornell University before hurtling down to campus below. For the true college experience, ditch the sled for a dining hall tray or a dorm room mattress (though we suggest sticking to sleds — much more steerable).

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C O R N E L L B O TA N I C A L GARDENS Not to be outdone, Cornell University has some go-to sledding spots in its Botanical Gardens area, formerly known as the Cornell Plantations. There are two main slopes here, one near the entrance to the Gardens and another near the water tower. Even though this area is a popular spot, Shannon Dortch, Associate Director of Communications and Marketing for the Botanical Gardens, said via email that Cornell Botanical Gardens doesn’t invite or sponsor sledding on the grounds. “Although our grounds are open and accessible and many people enjoy them for recreation, these areas are living museums of plants and trees. Sledding poses a risk to both visitors and to our collections,” she said. For more environmentally-conscious activities, consider a winter walk through the various nature preserves and trails near the Botanical Gardens and around Beebe lake.

M C D A N I E L S PA R K If you’re searching for family-friendly sledding in the heart of Ithaca, look no further than McDaniel’s Park in Ithaca’s West End, continued on page 15

Corrine Stern’s(top left,) Casey Carr’s(bottom Left) and other little free library boxes in Ithaca. (Photos: Casey Martin and Provided)

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Little Free Libraries OF COURSE ITHACA EMBRACES THIS ADORABLE TREND Ma r i n La ngl ieb

hances are if you’ve walked around one of the local Ithaca neighborhoods, you might have spotted something that resembles a large mailbox filled to the brim with books. These Little Free Libraries, which are public book exchanges started by people or organizations, require just a weather-proof container to get started. Yet, the stories from these libraries come just as much from the books that people borrow as the people behind these small spaces. Corinne Stern, owner of FLOOF Collage pARTy!, wanted her Little Free Library (135 Burleigh Dr., Ithaca) to reflect her artwork and her passion for reusing recycled materials. A while back, she found a wooden doll house, abandoned on the side of the road, which she knew would be perfect. Using a bit of engineering and clever crafting, she maneuvered a piece of leftover tin roofing to cover the dollhouse’s roof, acrylic

represent Carr’s view of reading “as a window into the world.” Through her window in her actual home, Carr enjoys getting to see people stopping and peering into her library. She recounted one instance of a dad and his 3-year-old daughter picking out a book. After the daughter found one, her father scooped her up and put her on his shoulders. “She balanced the book on his head and read while they continued walking along,” Carr said, laughing. For Flannery Hysjulien, those small moments generated by the Little Free Library were part of the reason why she wanted to build one. She stated that she “loves things that encourage me to slow down and take a closer look.” Her library (225 Fall Creek Dr., Ithaca) is dedicated to her father, who she describes as a “gentle and generous man, a teacher, poet and book lover,” and who passed away from brain

panes from her photography to waterproof the sides, CDs to make it sparkle, and piano keys to prop open the roof when people want to look inside. The handle to open the library? A highheeled shoe from friends of hers who are shoe reps. “I’m an artist and an individualist — I didn’t want mine to be like anyone else’s,” Stern said, adding that she also wanted her library to be like an extension of her art shop. “With the pandemic, I can’t have art parties, so I was hoping it would attract people to look at my shop and say ‘oooh wonder what this is?’” Casey Carr’s library (403 Highgate Rd., Ithaca) is handcrafted and unique as well, which her friends Vikki and Dave made for her in exchange for one of her handmade quilts. Her Little Free Library, designed to look like her home, is filled with windows that are painted to represent a different room or person in Carr’s family. The windows also unintentionally

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cancer in 2018. “Many summer days of my childhood were spent with my dad in the cool corner of a used bookstore, thrift shop or library,” Hysjulien said. “After his death, creating a Little Free Library felt like an opportunity to honor my dad and nurture community. “ Especially during the pandemic, Stern, Carr and Hysjulien all mentioned the joy of getting to connect with others through the shared language of books. For Stern, it’s the excitement of knowing her books could be anywhere in Ithaca and potentially even passed along around the world. For Carr, she loves the idea of books being owned not by one person, but by the community. Hysjulien describes lending out books as like giving a piece of herself to others. “When we share books with neighbors and strangers, we practice — in a very small way — letting go of things we love, sharing our resources, nurturing curiosity and building community,” Hysjulien stated.

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Beating the winter blues IYB, HAMMOND HILL OFFER OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES TO PLAY THE WINTER AWAY By R h i a n n o n C ole m a n

hile COVID and the winter season may seem to place significant restrictions on being able to go out and participate in your favorite activities, local organizations such as the Ithaca Youth Bureau (IYB) and Cass Park Rink have altered their safety protocols to offer fun youth and adult recreational activities for the winter season. The IYB Recreation Department boasts recreational youth programming year-round for both indoors and the outdoors. Some of their most popular offerings include an outdoor adventure program, Cass Park Rink’s “learn to skate” sessions, and small ball basketball. Each offer has altered their protocols to ensure a safe recreational experience for kids. Outings is a division of the IYB and is currently offering an outdoor adventure program called Into the Woods in which Ithaca children ages 6-9 can register for a five-week basic survival class. “Whether there’s a pandemic or not, I think youth today spend a lot of time indoors and a lot of time on screens,” Kim Olsen, the Outings Program Coordinator, said about the

for kids in first grade through fifth grade in a program called Small Ball Basketball. “Basically they go in there and they work on a lot of their motor skills,” explains Gordon Begent, Recreation Program Coordinator of Athletics. “Right now with COVID we’re not doing passing because we just want to be safe. Instead they move with the basketball, work on their shooting, and their dribbling. Right now

importance of outdoors recreation programs for youth. “People of all ages — youth, kids, adults — use technology to communicate with each other, play video games, etc. which is wonderful, but I think we also lose our connection to the outdoors. So I think our programs in particular really try to foster that relationship with the outdoors for kids and allow kids to have the freedom to play in their own way as well as in a structured way outside. We try to learn about nature and really honor it and talk about how important it is to preserve it.” Kids in this class learn skills such as identifying wild edibles, map reading, fire and shelter building, and others. All equipment is provided, and kids are able to work together at a safe distance and learn about the world around them, starting with their own backyards. After a successful youth soccer program in the fall, the IYB Athletics Department is now offering indoor basketball

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we’re focusing on skill development rather than gameplay.” The program takes COVID protocols very seriously, implementing sanitization periods throughout the sessions, a “Ticket to Play” questionnaire that asks important screening questions before the kids can enter the gym, and a mandatory mask rule. “It’s just been amazing to see how well the kids have done with taking the rules and actually following them,” Gordon continues. “If they see another kid’s mask is down after they did some running or movement they’ll be like ‘Get your mask on!’ The kids are self-policing each other, and it’s just amazing to see. I think that that is a product of how well the schools are doing and how their parents are taking it very seriously.” For anyone interested in more winteroriented sports, the Cass Park Rink will be open for the remainder of winter and into early spring. “Learn to Skate is our lesson program that we do each rink season,” explains Recreation Program Coordinator, Yolanda Richardson. “We typically have had up to about 60 classes

A fresh blanket of powder and sunny skies mean getting out and enjoying the great outdoors. Because for Kendal residents like Joan and Don, spending more time experiencing the changing seasons is important — especially now that they have the time to do it. Living on the 105-acre campus at Kendal not only keeps them involved in the lifestyle they love, but connected to any future care they may need. And, from here, the story just keeps getting better. Come for a visit and tell us your story. Call 800-253-6325 877-891-7709 or go to kai.kendal.org kai.kendal.org/IT to learn more.

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during a season, but this year we had to reduce it a little bit because of COVID. But we were still able to offer 40 classes.” Cass Park Rink will be offering youth ice skating lessons as well as public skating for all ages through March 14. Tickets can be prepurchased and classes registered for online six days in advance. “For this year,” Yolanda continues, “I did it a little differently than I have in the past. We vary between six or seven classes depending on the level. Several years ago I started running adult and child classes so a parent, guardian, or whoever could learn to skate with a child. So for this season, we’ve tried out an adult and tot class which is for 3- to 5-year-olds. So far two of them have filled up immediately, so it’s pretty popular.” Outside of public skating and the Learn to Skate program, Cass Park Rink also works with local hockey organizations to offer a place for youth and adult hockey leagues to meet and play. While the rink has drastically limited its number of allowed sessions and skaters within the building to adhere to COVID safety protocols, their sessions have remained hugely popular. “We knew that whatever we would be able to offer would be pretty quickly absorbed,” explains, Jim D’Alterio, Deputy Director. “We came up with a framework that we felt worked including drastically reducing our public skating attendance size, longer breaks between sessions, installing cleaning protocols, and not opening concessions or offering food. So far that has been a very productive process. The public sessions have been very busy and the other youth organizations have been very pleased to get out on the ice.” Meanwhile, Hammond Hill State Forest offers recreation for families year-round. Currently, trails are open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Their website boasts easy-to-traverse trails with deep snow which allow for some shortcuts that were previously closed off in the warmer seasons. The website lists more than a dozen open trails and while visitors are expected to follow PPE and social distancing rules, the 16-mile trail system gives plenty of opportunities for some much-needed alone time with the wilderness of Tompkins County. All program offerings from the Ithaca Youth Bureau can be registered for on the IYB website. For more information on Hammond Hill trails you can visit their website.

Rice Hill sledding hill near Taucgannock Falls State Park (Photo: Casy Martin) in Trumansburg, is a clear and consistent fan favorite. While it may not be the steepest sledding hill in Ithaca, it might be one of the longest, ensuring riders can build up speed and enjoy the ride down. Though it’s hard to tell exactly when Rice Hill became the premier sledding spot, the slope grew in popularity when a rope tow was installed in the late 70’s or early 80’s. For Tim Drake, an Ithaca local who grew up in Trumansburg, Rice Hill is a multigenerational tradition he has shared with his father and son. Drake recalled his own experiences riding the rope tow as a kid. “Essentially you would just sit down on your sled and the rope would never stop going,

SLEDDING HILLS Contin u ed From Page 14

located off of Hook Place. According to Jeanne Grace, City Forester in the Parks and Forestry Division for the City of Ithaca, this park offers a few small hills and is the probably the best sledding spot out of all of the other relatively flat parks located in the city.

RICE HILL A quick scan of Reddit, sledding forums and old Ithaca Times articles reveals that when it comes to sledding in and around Ithaca, Rice Hill, located near Taughannock State Park

so you’d basically just grab on and it would just take you back up the hill on your sled,” he said. “You could easily burn through a few pairs of gloves if you didn’t kind of do it right ... I don’t think anyone actually ever got hurt but I’m sure it was a bit of a liability issue.” While the tow is long gone, Rice Hill is still a beloved tradition. “You have these moments of adrenaline and fun followed by a lot of physical exertion getting yourself back up the hill,” Drake said. “You’re at times extremely warm or maybe overheated from dressing really well and at other times freezing cold but the extremes aren’t not really that important because of the fun that you’re having.”

Enjoy a Taste of Ithaca Walk-ins welcome for glasses or bottles Reservations recommended for tastings Hours: Sunday–Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. 607-272-WINE (9463) www.SixMileCreek.com 3.5 miles East of The Commons, 1551 Slaterville Road (Rt. 79) The

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518 West State Street, Ithaca

service, a website open for orders Monday – Thursday. Vendors can sell at both the online market and in-person at Triphammer, but they’re not required to sell in-person to sell online, Sauve said. The website operates like other food delivery services, where customers can add items to their bag and check out. On Fridays, the website is closed so vendors can gather their items and on Saturdays deliver them to Seichepin, Perry and Sauve, who pack and organize the bags alphabetically. Some of the paper receipts stapled to the bags had a “Thank you!” with an elongated smiley face written on them.

n Saturdays at 12 p.m. cars start to line up behind the Triphammer Marketplace. Their drivers call for their Ithaca Winter Farmers Market online order, which is then delivered curbside by Annie Seichepin and Marnie Perry. They carry out brown paper bags of vegetables, sometimes making a stop at one of three coolers containing cheese and meat. The Ithaca Farmers Market opened its Winter Market Jan. 9. While the indoor market opens at 10:30 a.m. for vendors, the new curbside online pick-up service starts at noon, allowing customers who do not want to shop inside the Marketplace an option to purchase from their local farms. All the products in these paper bags come from vendors part of the winter market, some of which are stationed in the atrium of the Marketplace, with signs for their business against plastic tables covered in multicolored tablecloths. Stripes of bright orange tape indicate spaces for each vendor, six feet apart from one another, and the same colorful tape marks arrows for foot traffic. Hand sanitizer stations and large signs with the market’s COVID-19 rules are placed intermittently around the atrium and the down-the-hall room for other vendors. Market Manager Kelly Sauve was instrumental in organizing the online curbside The

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Sauve said that getting vendors acquainted with the online service began in December 2020 before launching the first curbside deliveries Jan. 16. In the first round of orders, Sauve said that the market received 19 orders. The second batch, picked up on Jan. 23, had 44. The market uses Local Food Marketplace, an online platform that seeks to increase awareness and services to local farms and food hubs like the market. Sauve said the curbside service will hopefully stem the long lines that occurred at the summer market at Steamboat Landing, an aspect of the market that affected vendors’ sales. “We've been talking about creating some type of online platform for some time, and of /

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course with the pandemic that priority became much higher for us,” Sauve said. “How do we get produce more easily into the hands of our local customers without them potentially having to wait in a line? […] Online business has obviously boomed over the last nine months to a year. And so far the community reception has been really positive so I think we were on the right mark here with where we were going.” Johanna Brown, an Ithaca community member, picked up an order for vegetables, meat and pastries at the market Jan. 23. Though she said she usually goes to the spring and summer market, she avoided the crowds and lines this year because of the pandemic. It was her first order using the online marketplace, and she said the service was easy to use. “I was just really excited to hear that they were doing that because we've been really missing the winter market but just not feeling safe going inside,” Brown said. “[We’re] excited that we can still support some of the local farms and great vendors.” One vendor selling his products on the online marketplace is Bob “Bobcat” Vonagura, co-owner and packshed manager of Main Street Farms and Early Morning Farms. It’s Early Morning Farms’ first year at the winter market, but Bobcat said he’s noticed a smaller group of customers at the winter market compared to the one at Steamboat Landing. He sells beets,

cabbage, carrots and onions among other vegetables through the online service. Bobcat said he sees orders come in as they’re placed, allowing him to remove crops like root vegetables from storage but harvest fresh greens the day before the customer picks up the order. Fridays are for market preparation regardless of online orders, he said, so preparing the items for curbside has been integrated into the farm’s premarket schedule. “The contactless pickup is a huge benefit for the customer, and I think for the farmer, it's a good addition for increased sales,” he said. “As long as people are willing to keep supporting it, then I think that we'll keep doing it.” Customers will also see weekslong Community Supporting Agriculture (CSA) Shares, $30-39 depending on size, online for purchase from Main Street Farms/Early Morning Farms. In November 2020, Bobcat said many of his customers often opted for CSA shares, then available for pick-up at the market and GreenStar Food Co-Op. “It’s just great to see people that are hardcore about buying local and getting to see them all

Local fave Wide Awake Bakery with their winter booth at the Triphammer Marketplace (Photos: Casey Martin)

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year round, and a lot of people don't realize how lucky we are to have so many awesome farmers in our community,” he said. “But the people that show up to market, they know. It's almost like a fun little secret that's not so secret.” However some vendors choose not to sell their products with the online service. Lorena Mendoza of West Haven Farms said she isn’t using the service because the farm has its own online pick-up service, similar to a CSA shares program, that puts together a box of available produce for weekly customers. Mendoza also said that in the winter, the farm has less produce to sell, another reason she has chosen not to partake in the market’s online service. “I think it's a good resource for the situation that is going on,” Mendoza said. “It’s not working for us right now, but I'm really happy it is in place because a lot of people have to use it, and I’m happy that if at some point we need it, it’s there.” To shop online, visit: https://ithacamarket. localfoodmarketplace.com/

T I M E S

Chili Cook-Off Lives! ITHACA’S WINTER FAVORITE FINDS A WAY By Sydn e y Kelle r

thaca’s 23rd Annual Downtown Ithaca Chili Cook-Off will be taking a bit of a different route this year by changing from a one-day event on the Commons to a 17day competition among local restaurants. This year’s cook-off will not be outside on the Commons due to COVID-19 and health regulations, but will take place inside restaurants and be available for take-out. The cook-off will take place from Feb. 12-28. All restaurants participating will offer their own unique chili throughout this period, so you can eat at your favorite local restaurants and participate in the chili cook-off all in one. Before participating in the event, attendees should check restaurant hours and COVID-19 guidelines. Downtown Ithaca Alliance’s Special Events Director Scott Rougeau and Assistant Special Events Director Olivia Pastella are in charge of this year’s chili cook-off. Pastella hopes that this year’s change of plans will have a positive impact on many local restaurants and a good turn out of participants. “I hope to have people visit multiple restaurants,” Pastella said. “We hope that we get a lot of votes.” Rougeau is grateful that the chili cook-off is able to happen this year, even if Downtown Ithaca had to implement a few changes. “We’re excited to be able to offer some sort of event as well,” Rougeau said. “A lot of events have just been canceled completely or postponed, so we are excited that we’re able to work with the restaurant community and provide a safe, and hopefully fun, event for everyone to enjoy and support their local businesses.”

Another twist to this year’s cook-off is that the entire event’s proceeds will go toward the restaurants this year as opposed to being a fundraiser. Many local restaurants have been hit hard since COVID-19, and this is Downtown Ithaca’s way of giving back. “We would like to thank all of the restaurants for participating,” Rougeau said. “Obviously we couldn’t do it without them, and we want to thank the community for supporting the restaurants in this new style of event.” Along with Texas Roadhouse Ithaca, below is a list of all participating restaurants and merchants in this year’s cook-off.

Restaurants: “It’s a little withdrawn from the normal experience that we kind of look forward to giving,” Root said. “It’s fun and interactive and it kind of gets us out there so people don't just look at us like we're a corporate restaurant.” Root works five, if not six, days a week and is interactive with all guests, and said the restaurant will go out of their way to cook according to dietary needs. “I make sure that my team’s always a ‘big howdy, and a friendly goodbye,’ and they’re really interested in the guests,” Root said. “If you want to come out and have a different experience, come in here and just kind of join the fun. Kick back, and relax and let us do all the work.”

One participating restaurant in this year’s cook-off is Texas Roadhouse Ithaca, located on South Meadow Street. Joe Root has owned the restaurant for about four years now, but worked at the restaurant years previous to owning. Root expressed how it is a little upsetting that this year’s cook-off is not on the Commons, but that he is still happy to participate and is hopeful that it will bring new faces into his restaurant. The annual chili cook-off has always acted as a way for Texas Roadhouse Ithaca to make connections with the Ithaca community by setting up in the heart of Downtown Ithaca.

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Ithaca Ale House Bickering Twins Brookton's Market Cafe Dewitt Casablanca Pizza Coltivare Covered Bridge Market & Pizzeria Gorgers Hound and Mare Ithaca Beer Co. Center Cafe by Lou FLX Bakes Luna Inspired Street Food Mahogany Grill

Monks On the Commons Moosewood Northstar House Panera Bread Shortstop Deli Simeon's Texas Roadhouse Ithaca The Bistro At La Tourelle The Seabring Inn/Eat the Foood! Uncle Joe's Waffle Frolic Merchants: Odyssey Books La Bodega

Tompkins Financial Wins 2020

Corporate Philanthropist of the Year

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Tom Noonan’s intimate 1994 dinner for two comes back to Cinemapolis for its 25th anniversary

B y B r y a n Va n C a m p e n

he term “independent film” gets bandied around a lot by people who don’t know what they’re talking about. As actor Bruce Campbell has said, if your movie has a release date, it’s not an “indie.” Character actor Tom Noonan’s filmmaking debut “What Happened Was,” which is getting a 25th anniversary re-release this Friday at Cinemapolis’ virtual screening couldn’t be more indie. This is a movie with one apartment set, two actors — Noonan and the very talented Karen Sillas — and a low budget: less than $200,000 all in. Based on a play he wrote and that he and Sillas starred in, Noonan financed the whole picture himself, largely from his salary playing one of the bad guys in the Arnold Schwarzenegger comedy “Last Action Hero.” Noonan shot the film in 1992, it won two awards at Sundance in ’93 and was released in ‘94. (He’d been invited to a round of earlier Sundance labs. “Quentin Tarantino was in that group with me, a lot of people who were very successful after leaving there.”) Noonan has been standing out in movies for me since he played a government agent in

“F/X” (1986). He was playing the role of Tilden in Robert Woodruff ’s original production of Sam Shepard’s “Buried Child” when Paul Mazursky saw him and put him in his first film, 1980’s “Willie and Phil” “for about 10 seconds.” Since then, he’s worked with some of the most distinctive and talented filmmakers of the last four decades, including Charlie Kaufman (“Synecdoche, New York”, “Anomalisa”), John McTiernan (“Last Action Hero”) and Michael Mann (“Manhunter” and “Heat”). I remember seeing “What Happened Was” back in 1994. That first viewing was a very different experience than seeing it recently to refresh my memory before interviewing Noonan. He and Karen Sillas play Michael and Jackie, co-workers who have decided to have a dinner date at her apartment. ‘Til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry” plays as she prepares for the date. He shows up, they eat, drink wine, and as they talk, their various fears and insecurities come to the surface. The awkward pauses create a great deal of tension. And frankly, because Noonan has played so many creepy and disturbing roles, from Frances Dollarhide in “Manhunter” (1986) and Frankenstein in “The Monster Squad” (1987) to the lead baddie in “Robocop 2” (1990), I was sure that that Noonan’s character was going to turn out to be a serial killer. “My intention originally, to a great degree, was that I was planning more for the movie than the play,” Noonan remembers. “We did the play in a fashion — it was in the round, and there was no stage lighting. The audience sat in the apartment with us. It was very inti-

What Happened Was… (Tom Noonan, 1994)

mate, very film-like, with again, the purpose of being very prepared for the movie.” I asked him what it was like revisiting “What Happened Was” as Oscilloscope was preparing the film for the anniversary release and, eventually, a home video edition coming soon. Noonan says, “When we did it, we didn’t really have any budget for post [production] beyond what I put into it, because I paid for it. There was very little time for doing [color] timing, where you do color correction. So for many years, I never even thought about it, but when we went back to color correct it a couple months ago, it was sort of amazing to see it again.” In what way? “Um…” He laughs. There is a long pause. “A lot of what’s in it is stuff that is sort of not relevant for me now, but other things that weren’t before are. I thought about my kids a lot when I was watching it, and not so much about my personal life, being married.” It must be said that talking to Noonan at times feels like you’re talking to one of his characters. He seems somewhat shy, tends to speak in terse statements and is not given to gushing and gossip. He has a great Terry Gilliam story from his time at Sundance that he will not divulge. He mentions meeting the

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Arts&Entertainment

The return of ‘What Happened Was’

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Stage

She Kills Monsters Virtual Realms by Qui Nguyen; Ithaca College, December 2020 By Ros s Ha ars ta d

n response to the pandemic, playwright Qui Nguyen (“Vietgone”) adapted his popular Dungeons & Dragons-set drama “She Kills Monsters” for virtual performance. The script, both zany and gentle, has a youthful exuberance and huge heart, making it popular on both high school and college campuses. When director Cynthia Henderson picked it last spring for Ithaca College’s Fall 2020 season, she was anticipating a live onstage version, and student scenic designer Madeleine Dieterle created the models and plans for a non-virtual set. Come this past fall, plans had to change quickly, and Henderson had the luck to team up with Chrissy Guest, who was teaching a live event production course over at the Park School of Communications (Guest did much of the video work for the Hangar’s virtual summer season). The thrilling result combined the efforts of a 13-member cast and well over 30 students working directly behind the scenes. Scenic Designer Dieterle and Lighting

Designer Melanie Spiel’s design idea boards were reimagined for the virtual realm by a seven-member design team out of Park, while costume designer Pelle Melio worked with cast members to pull fantasy costumes out of their closets. The DIY aesthetic merged well with the play. Benjamin Stayer added particular relish with his compositions redolent of both video games and LOTR. All Agnes aspires to is being normal, belonging. A high school senior, she is a cheerleader with a boyfriend, Miles, on the football team. She doesn’t get her kid sister, Tilly, who annoys her with her geekiness. Then Tilly dies in an auto accident, and Agnes is set on a journey into a D&D quest when she discovers Tilly’s diary. The

play alternates between this fantasy realm, high school and Agnes’ bedroom. While much fun is had with demons, ogres, elves and “Bulbasaur,” the twin axes of the action are Agnes working through her grief as she unfolds Tilly’s secret life and the empowerment that the girls achieve in projecting themselves into a heroic life-or-death quest. (The use of roleplay is of course also deliciously metatheatrical.) As Agnes, Ronee Goldman brought forward a swirl of yearning, confusion and wry common sense. Jess Brock’s Tilly combined spunk, valor and generosity, spiked with gender fluidity (her D&D character

VISIONS PRESENTS THE TOMPKINS COUNTY DEBIT CARD

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is the male Tillius the Paladin). Joseph d’Amore’s Miles was more endearingly doofish than cocky, and steadfast (Miles also becomes a Gelatinous Cube and a woeful Bard). Isabelle Dickey’s character differed greatly in the fantasy and real-life realms. As Lilith she was a ferocious and stylish Demon Queen, as Lilly she was a shy closeted teenager who turns out to be Tilly’s girlfriend. Goldman and Dickey were poignant in the simplicity and sincerity they brought to their tense, tender high-school encounters. Alaysia Duncan and Lilli Herrick flung attitude and camp pointedly as the mean girls, bullies made into succubi. Kyle Friedman had a sweet turn as a hapless D&D mage; while Rhea Yadav played an assertive Dark Elf as Kelly/Kaliope; accompanied by her brother Ronnie, a rather whimsical demon named Orcus, comicly limned by Achille Ricca; and Sinclair DuMont as a feisty fairy guardian named Farrah. Teresa Gelsomini employed a patrician knowingness as the Narrator, while Elie McCoy scored Agnes’ sarcastic best friend, Vera. Among this truly ensemble cast, Rafael López shone as the Dungeon Master, Chuck. Part stoner geek, part stumbling male nerd, he is also the stage manager of this world and infuses a sense of calm into the perils faced. A laid-back yet sharply timed performance. “She Kills Monsters” provided a dazzling, zany evening, firmly grounded in teenage reality. Above all, it communicated a sense of hope in a dark month.

Just take a photo that you think best captures Tompkins County and send it our way. The person with the best photo submission will win $250 and another $250 will be given to a nonprofit of their choice. The winning image will also become a featured photo on a Visions VISA debit card that all members can order! Entries will only be accepted through January 31, so get them in now at visionsfcu.org/contest

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New York | New Jersey | Pennsylvania *Individual must be at least 18 years of age or older and a resident of Tompkins County, NY. (1) entry per person. Photo must be original work, appropriate for all ages, not include people, be taken in horizontal position, and must be taken in Tompkins County, NY. Entries must be uploaded at visionsfcu.org/contest; no alternate methods of entry apply. (1) winner selected by likes/reacts via Facebook; entry with the most likes/reacts votes will win. Entry period Dec. 7, 2020 to Jan. 31, 2021. Winner will be announced on Feb. 15, 2021 via social media and email. Winner must respond by Feb. 28, 2021 or prize will be forfeit and a new winner will be selected, based on the second highest number of likes/reacts. Winner will receive $250 and Visions will donate $250 to a nonprofit of their choice in Tompkins County, NY. Prize value may be reportable for tax purposes; must have valid US Social Security number to win. Winner must provide consent for their image to be reproduced in a variety of mediums and relinquishes ownership rights to the work. Winner will have a consent and release option for Visions Federal Credit Union to use their name, photo, or likeness in social media posts or future advertising and promotional materials. This contest sponsored solely by Visions Federal Credit Union, 24 McKinley Ave, Endicott, NY 13760, 800-242-2120. Federally insured by NCUA.

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He doesn’t tend to hang out on set with the other actors talking shop, but there are exceptions. He really enjoyed working with director Irvin Kershner on “Robocop 2” and would often share meals with him during production. “I loved Irwin. I felt bad because I don’t feel like they let him do what he wanted to do with the movie. It was sad and frustrating. As a person, he was wonderful. I would hang out and I tried to go out to lunch as many times as I could, which is rare. I don’t go out to lunches at all on sets usually. But I went to his house and had dinner and hung out.” Another fun moment occurred during filming of “F/X.” “There’s a scene where I had to jump into the sailboat pond in Central Park. And [laughs], I said to them, ‘I need to be paid extra for that.’ And they said, ‘Okay.’ And I said, ‘And I want you to pay me in a suit. That suit is now mine. You have to clean it and refurbish it.’ So [laughs], I ended up doing that scene about six or seven times, and I had all these suits that I wore for several years.”

TOM NOONAN Contin u ed From Page 19

legendary cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond on “Heaven’s Gate” (1980), which was “a horrific experience except meeting him a little bit. It was terrible, what went on there.” There doesn’t seem to be much else to say about it. Working on “Manhunter,” he usually retreated to his camper between takes and sat there in the dark. That film made him hot for a time, and he read a lot of horror films scripts, like “Near Dark” (1987), that he actually turned down. He did say yes to “The Monster Squad”: “I got this script of this supposed kid movie…so I just thought it would be fun, and it was. I didn’t see the movie until, like, four or five years ago, maybe a little longer. Because I went on to other stuff, and just never went to screenings, which I don’t do much, anyway. But I was at some convention signing autographs, and the kids were with me. So the first time I saw it was with my kids, [laughs], which is pretty interesting.”

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ART

‘It’s all about clay’

A first-person telling of an artist finding her home in Ithaca By Mar jor ie Z . O l d s

“F

or ten years I was thinking about living in Ithaca from my perch outside of rural Watertown. As a public school art teacher, an artist, and an advocate for community 22 T

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art projects, all the things I was working on up north were already happening in Ithaca. “As kids growing up, and in my current extended family, we are makers — in

stone, textiles, wood, painting. I always loved clay. As a teacher I enjoyed teaching about art and art history, but most of all I loved watching kids of all ages make things. When they create something, you can see how making art nourishes their mind and spirit. With clay, it’s tactile, you get to squish it in your hands, it’s accessible to anyone, not highfalutin. And it’s fun. “Ithaca had that small town feeling, plus great natural settings, and the arts were highlighted so prominently throughout the area. Finally, I decided with retirement, ‘I need to get moving.’ Aging in a creatively vibrant area, in a neighborhood, could be fun, and an opportunity for the growth I continually seek. “Then I found this house. It had so many things ‘right’… a friendly neighborhood, in walking distance to the Commons and to the Clay School, on a quiet dead-end street opening to a nature trail, with a setup for a studio and gallery (with a separate entrance). “I transitioned to a completely new way of life. People on my hill look out for each other. In warmer weather, we sit on porches and visit. Each day we enjoy the dog parade, as people walk past our house to the trail. “And my art has been good so far…I joined the Art Trail before I moved one box into the house. In northern New York, I created the Tri-County Art Trail based on Ithaca’s Art Trail. Robin Schwartz of the Tompkins County Arts Partnership was instrumental, advising and modeling,

even before I met her. When I opened, for my first Art Trail Weekend here, before the pandemic, I was soon hosting 70 people in my gallery. My work is sold in Handwork, right near the Commons, The Potters’ Gallery in Penn Yan, and soon my art will be sold on Etsy, and in-person at my home gallery. “I’m very interested in functional work. I love constructing forms of objects we can use and enjoy for years, a marriage of art and engineering. Throughout the process of making and firing ceramics, the material’s characteristics change many times. The artist’s choices and techniques depend on understanding the impact of the amount of moisture and the application of heat. “Clay has played an elemental and important role in our development as a civilization. We learn about past civilizations by examining their clay pottery and objects. We study Egyptian pots and medieval clay, when sand was added to the clay. We study shelters of clay from Mesopotamia to the Pueblo Indians…It’s all about clay. “Working with clay has endless possibilities. I sometimes get an image in my mind as I am driving. I pull over and make a quick sketch. When I start driving again, I ponder, ‘How will I make that happen?’” For more information on Kari Z Robertson’s clay work see: www.KariZelsonRobertson.com Instagram: Kari_Zelson_Robertson Facebook: Kari Zelson Robertson Art Etsy: KariZRobertsonClay Gallery: 130 Pearsall Place Email: Kari.Zelson.Robertson@gmail.com

Kari Zelson Robertson’s Pottery

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Stage

Kitchen Theatre dedicates season to Percy Edwards Percy Edwards Browning was a longtime supporter and friend of the theatre company Staf f Re por t s

he Kitchen Theatre is dedicating the remainder of its season to Percy Edwards Browning after she passed away on Jan. 13. Percy was a force of nature whose support for and love of the Kitchen — as a performer, a patron, a Board president and as the chair of the Campaign for a Bold New Space — forever changed the organization and the arts in our city. Her children - Liz, Keith, Russell and Peter - said “Percy had a special place in her heart for many organizations in Ithaca, perhaps none more important than the Kitchen Theatre. She worked tirelessly to help build and grow the Theatre, actively involved on the Board as Chair, helping with strategy, fundraising and bringing a bold, intimate, and engaging approach to

24 T

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Ithac a T imes

Theatre in Ithaca. Her leadership led to the Kitchen Theatre being the first Theatre company in Ithaca to own its own building and theatre space. We recognized her great impact and love for the Theatre and helped create the Percy Browning Performance Space to honor and celebrate her love.” Percy first found her way to the Kitchen Theatre in 1995 when Jim Mazza, then board president, invited her to join the board. She was excited by the challenge. The theatre was only five years old and had its struggles, but she could feel the power and the potential for transformation on stage and off. There was magic to what was already able to happen with very limited resources. Over the next 20-plus years, she was a part of so much change at the theatre, from increasing the staff and other

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Parcy Edwards

resources, to being part of the pioneering team that opened the new space in 2010. One of her favorite memories was the first production in the new space, Noel Coward’s “Private Lives,” marking the first time in the theatre’s history that a production showcased a huge set change between acts. The only thing Percy loved talking about more than live theatre and music was her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was amazed by all they have achieved, and particularly,

how many of them have followed her lead into philanthropy. Her tactic for inspiration? Inventive suggestions. Like when Lincoln Hall at Cornell was naming practice rooms, Percy suggested to her son, Peter, “Why don’t you get a little room and dedicate it to Jerry Garcia?” He thought it was the funniest idea he’d ever heard — and he did it. “Giving is a way of creating home, so I encourage my children to give in the place that makes them feel at home.” Perhaps her moment of greatest pride was when her children came up with the idea of naming the theatre’s performance space after her for her 75th Birthday. When they told her, she floated on a cloud for weeks. “They didn’t just do something for me, they did something for the whole community.” She knew the Kitchen is a place that changes lives and inspires people. This includes the audience gathering to see a show, as well as the numerous actors, directors, designers who have discovered something new about themselves in the Percy Browning Performance Space. Percy also had a passion for being on stage, first performing in an old vaudeville house with the Maysville Players in Kentucky from the early 1960’s through the 1980’s. One of her favorite roles there was Miss Adelaide in “Guys and Dolls,” where she could “throw on an accent and no one in Kentucky knew if I was doing it correctly.” She’s also appeared on stage at the Kitchen, performing in “A Delicate Balance” and “True West,” both at the Clinton House, along with several KTC’s Family Fare productions.

science-based repair tools with the personal experiences of hundreds of people who have mended family rifts.

Notices

Music Concerts/Recitals

Virtual Concert in Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. | 7:30 PM, 1/29 Friday | This concert of highlights from past concerts and some new virtual music-making will be presented as a YouTube Premiere at the Ithaca College School of Music Channel.† Symphoria Spark: Cirqovation | 7:00 PM, 1/30 Saturday | Virtual concert, Virtual, Virtual | CirqOvation joins Symphoria for a performance you wonít want to miss! Amazing stunt performers, elegant aerial acrobatic acts, and exciting music†from Symphoria will combine for an evening of imaginative entertainment. Virtual concert. | Family Livestream $35, Individual Livestream $20 Organist Jeffrey Snedeker presents A Bull, a Byrd, Peter and Peterís Son: | 4:00 PM, 1/31 Sunday | online, | Music at St. Luke Find this online recital at the link at†www.musicatstluke. org or the’Music at St. Luke Ithaca’ Youtube Channel.

Art Uncertain Terrain | 12:00 PM, 1/28 Thursday | State of the Art Gallery, 120 W Martin Luther King, Jr./State Street, Ithaca | State of the Art Gallery’s first show of 2021 and seven gallery artists will show paintings, drawings, photographs, digital work and sculpture. Show dates: Jan. 7-31. Hours:† Thurs. & Fri., 12-6pm and Sat. & Sun., 12-5pm.

Film Virtual Cinemapolis: The Reason I Jump | All Day 1/27 Wednesday | Based on the best-

selling book by Naoki Higashida, THE REASON I JUMP is an immersive cinematic exploration of neurodiversity through the experiences of nonspeaking autistic people from around the world. | 3 day rental available for $12

the emerging COVID-19 outbreak.

Virtual Cinemapolis: What Happened Was... | All Day 1/29 Friday | Winner of the Grand Jury Prize and the Screenwriting Award at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival, WHAT HAPPENED WASÖ is Tom Noonanís directorial debut; a darkly humorous take on dating dread.† | 3 day rental available for $7

Special Events

Virtual Cinemapolis: Softie | All Day 1/29 Friday | SOFTIE is the portrait of a committed activist, but itís also about politics, family and what it means to be Kenyan. Director Sam Soko followed Softie for five years, as Softieís activism tests his marriage and his ability to be present for his kids. | 3 day rental available for $12

These personal stories will focus

Virtual Cinemapolis: Atlantis | All Day 1/29 Friday | Eastern Ukraine, 2025. A desert unsuitable for human habitation. A Wall is being build-up on the border. Sergiy, a former soldier, is having trouble adapting to his new reality. He meets Katya while on the Black Tulip mission dedicated to exhuming the past.† | 3 day rental available for $12

compelling-ithaca.†

Set deep inside the frontlines of the crisis in four hospitals, 76 DAYS tells indelible human stories at the center of this pandemic. | 3 day rental available for $12

One Compelling Ithaca Story Take Two: 2020 in Review | 1:00 PM, 1/31 Sunday | Enjoy stories from local community leaders. on the challenges and opportunities of 2020, and the spirit, intelligence, love and courage that has illuminated Tompkins County. This event will be available on United Way of Tompkins Countyís Givebutter website givebutter.com/

Books Virtual True Crime Book Club: In Cold Blood | 6:00 PM, 1/28 Thursday | Join TCPL staff Asia and Woody for a brand-new book club dedicated to true crime. January’s book club meeting will be held via Zoom. To receive updates and the Zoom link for participation, contact Asia at abonacci@tcpl.org. Writing from the Body | 6:30 PM, 1/28 Thursday | Through a series of mindfulness exercises and writing prompts intended to stimulate the senses and shift perspective, this workshop, led by Brenna Fitzgerald, will explore what it means to write from the body. Visit†https:// artspartner.org/content/view/ spring-writes-schedule Chats in the Stacks - Fault Lines: Fractured Families & How to Mend Them | 4:00 PM, 1/29 Friday | Join a live, virtual Chats in the Stacks talk. Fault Lines combines

Virtual ESL Talk Time | 3:45 PM, 2/3 Wednesday | The group is open to English learners hoping to improve their conversation skills. Visit tcpl.org for the Zoom link.

Ithaca Rotary Club Weekly Meeting | 12:15 PM, 1/27 Wednesday | The Rotary Club of Ithaca holds its weekly meetings via Zoom. This week’s speaker is Wells College President Dr. Jonathan Gibralter on ‘Learning to Thrive in the New Normal.’ Visit www.ithacarotary. com†to request a meeting invite and link.

Live in Ithaca: Welcome Home Wednesdays VIRTUAL | 5:00 PM, 2/3 Wednesday | New residents are encouraged to drop in anytime during the event. Learn about services, programs, and volunteer opportunities in the area. Visit Tompkins Chamber website for more info and Zoom login.

Virtual ESL Talk Time | 3:45 PM, 1/27 Wednesday | The group is open to English learners hoping to improve their conversation skills. Visit tcpl.org for the Zoom link.

Virtual Homebuyer Class |

Live Virtual Fire Ceremony: Co-Creating with Spirit | 7:00 PM, 1/27 Wednesday | When we co-create with Spirit, we find we never have to work alone, and the otherwise impossible becomes a New Reality. Join Zoom Meeting. Meeting ID: 810 0778 8881.

happy homeowner.†http://www.

2021 Winter Ithaca Farmers Market | 10:30 AM, 1/30 Saturday | Triphammer Marketplace, 2255 N. Triphammer Road, Ithaca | To comply with COVID-19 rules, vendors will be more spaced out than last year. Market will be in the atrium and in one of the empty storefronts.

repair can relieve your pain and

6:30 PM, 2/3 Wednesday | Join INHS’s homebuyer class to learn how to become a successful and ithacanhs.org/hbe

Health Free Virtual Hernia Seminar | 5:30 PM, 1/28 Thursday | Learn how minimally-invasive robotic hernia physical symptoms. Dr. Ripich will review the latest hernia treatments that can help you get back to doing the things you love. Register online: cayugahealthsystem.org/herniaseminar or call: 607-274-4104.

Giving has a wonderful ROI TOMPKINS FINANCIAL WINS 2O2O

Virtual Cinemapolis: PG: Psycho Goreman | All Day 1/30 Saturday | Siblings Mimi and Luke unwittingly resurrect an ancient alien overlord who was entombed on Earth millions of years ago after a failed attempt to destroy the universe.†Presented in collaboration with†Ithaca Fantastik | 3 day rental for $10

Corporate Philanthropist of the year

Virtual Cinemapolis: 76 Days | All Day 1/30 Saturday | On January 23rd, 2020, China locked down Wuhan, a city of 11 million, to combat Ja n ua ry

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BackPage

277-7000 p h o n e 277-1012 f a x

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