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Online @ ITH ACA .COM

Essential Workers PAGE 8

RENTAL RELIEF

County wants to repurpose grant funding PAGE 3

DEMOCRACY NOT

HANDLING THE LOAD

No presidential primary for New York State

Enfield food pantry steps up as others close

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KITSCHY SCOFFLAW

A pandemic with an Ithaca drag king PAGE 13

OFF TO BALTIMORE

Dynamic Cornell lax coach heads to Johns Hopkins PAGE 10

ORDER BY PHONE ORDER ONLINE

Alley Cat Cafe DELIVERY CURBSIDE PICKUP

Curbside pickup and delivery W, F, & Sa 12 E Seneca St, Ithaca 607-319-5006 alleycatcafe.square.site

Bet the Farm Winery FREE Friday Delivery. Order by noon. 4204 Krum’s Corners Road, Trumansburg 607-387-6548 betthefarmny.com

The Falls WINE ROOM

Cayuga Ski & Cyclery

Ithaca’s only full service cycling & skiing store. 624 West State St 607-277-6821 • CayugaSkiandCyclery.com

Kirksway Farm

Topsoils, Mixes, Compost, Mulches, Stone, Septic Systems, Driveways, Drainage 400 Auburn Rd, Lansing 607-533-7866 kirkswayfarm.com

Edible Arrangements Open for deliveries. 2300 N Triphammer Rd, Ithaca 607-391-2227 EdibleArrangements.com

Sea Change Chiropractic We’re OPEN! Safely restoring health & hope during this challenging time. 821 Cliff Street • 607-256-9355 SeaChangeIthaca.com

The Falls Wine Room FREE Delivery or Curbside Pickup! 726 W Green St 607-256-7145 theFallsWineRoom.com

Sumo Hibachi•Sushi Delivery and pickup. 2309 N Triphammer Rd, Ithaca 607-257-7777 • 607-257-555 IthacaSumo.com

A dditions? Corrections? Online and print! Contact larry@ithacatimes.com or 607-277-7000 x 214 2 T

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Hector Wine Company Full Market open. Curbside pickup avail. 5610 State Route 414, Hector 607-387-1045 • Mon-fri 3-6pm Sat-sun 2-6 www.HectorWineCompany.com

Many of Ithaca’s businesses are open for curbside pick-up or home delivery. Save this page for an up-to-date guide to our city’s listings during this health crisis.

Newsline

VOL.XL / NO. 36 / April 29, 2020 Serving 47,125 readers week ly

Essential Workers �� 8

Dairy Done

Some time with the people still working behind the scenes.

Dryden Dairy Day 2020 Cancelled

The Show Goes On �� 13 Kitschy Scofflaw isn’t stopping for a pandemic

NE W S & OPINION

he Dryden Dairy Day Committee announced on April 23 that the 2020 Dairy Day celebration scheduled for June 13 is cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but will hopefully be held as planned in 2021. “As the coronavirus pandemic continues to upend life, decisions about large-scale public events must prioritize public health and safety above all else,” the committee said in a press release. Even though there will be no physical celebration at Montgomery Park this summer, the committee said it plans on honoring local dairy farmers, and residents can help honor them as well through milk donations for the Dryden Central School District (more information at drydendairyday.org or mail a check to Pat Brennan at 50 Lake Road, Dryden, NY 13053). There will also be a “small touring parade” through the village on Saturday, June 13, with attendees socially distancing from porches or driveways along the route. The route and times will be announced at the end of May. Cows will be shown in Times Square in Dryden too, to celebrate essential farmers. Drop off cows May 26 and 27 behind the Times Square benches. There’s also a $300 scholarship available to a graduating senior in the Dryden School District who is going to a two- or four-year college to study an area of agriculture. You can apply for the award at drydendairyday.org. The announcement comes one day after Grassroots Festival was postponed until next year, as reported by the Ithaca Voice. Other events have also been called off or postponed, such as Ithaca Festival, the annual Ithaca Rotary Club July 4 Fireworks show, and more are sure to follow as concerns about social distancing and stopping the spread of the coronavirus continue.

Newsline ��3-9 Sports �� 10

ART S & E N T E RTAINME N T R ent R elief

Tompkins County seeking to provide rent relief with shifted grant funds

ounty Administrator Jason Molino will seek permission from New York State to utilize almost $600,000 in grant funding to provide relief to local renters impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The relief would come in the form of reassigned state grant funding from the Community Development Block Grant program (Healthy Homes Rehabilitation Program III) “to a new temporary rental subsidy program for renters in Tompkins County whose incomes and ability to pay rent have been reduced by COVID-19 impacts.” The move is sure to placate, at least partially, the vocal movement in favor of a local suspension of rent, although there is one large caveat: rental units in the City of Ithaca will not be eligible for the program, although it appears that may soon change via Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services. The

city and county have different CDBG funding streams, which explains why the two wouldn’t be eligible jointly. When the COVID-19 outbreak began and social distancing guidelines began in mid-March, a wide swath of local residents lost their jobs and, in some cases, their ability to pay rent. New York State has enacted an eviction moratorium for the time being, but there have been plenty of calls for local governments to go further. According to a memo discussed by the county’s Housing and Economic Development Committee, the state’s Office of Community Renewal has announced that they are making CDBG funds available for municipalities to start short-term rental relief programs. West said that the funding could likely help between 150-160 households for three months. The total funding would be $589,066, at least that would be the amount formally re-

Film ��14 Stage �� 15 Stage ��16 TimesTable ��17 Classifieds ��18-20

Lawmakers have heard the calls of local renters who face depressing financial outlooks. (Photo by Casey Martin)

Cover: Photo: Casey Martin, Design: Marshall Hopkins

quested to be reprogrammed. The money, supplied through the state’s Office of Community Renewal, is not being utilized currently because it was meant to be dedicated to home renovations and repairs for substandard housing. All that work has been halted as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. “The Department of Planning and Sustainability plans to work with the County Administrator to formally request reprogramming of up to $589,066 of the CDBG award towards rent subsidies of up to three months for incomequalified households who have been economically impacted by COVID-19,” the memo, written by Tompkins County Senior Planner David West, stated. “The details of that program are still in development, but we believe acting quickly in this case is of the [utmost] pricontinued on page 7

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▶ How to Help - When the Dos Amigos food truck truck opened on Wednesday, April 15, they started the promotion ‘Burritos for Heroes.’ Dos Amigos matched the first 50 orders above $10 with a burrito to donate to essential workers around Ithaca. Dos

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Amigos donated the first batch of burritos to Cayuga Medical Center, and this week will be the same. “We’d like to donate to various organizations throughout the duration of the promotion,” the company wrote in an email. “The team at Dos

Amigos will deliver the burritos once a week to raise support in the community and keep our essential workers fed.” The current location of the truck is at 536 Thurston Avenue. The hours are 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Wednesday – Sunday.

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ON T HE WE B Visit our website at www.ithaca.com for more news, arts, sports and photos. Call us at 607-277-7000 M a t t B u t l e r , 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 A u s t i n L a mb , C o p y E d i t o r E me r i t u s AL a m b @ i t h a c a t i m e s . c o m E r i n S t e w a r t , A cc o u n t R ep r ese n ta t i v e , x 220 E r i n @ I t h a c aTi m e s . c o m 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 I r e n e B r a d l e y , x 211 A d m i n i s t r a t i o n Chris Eaton, 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 c h 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 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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INQUIRING PHOTOGRAPHER By C a se y Mar tin

WHAT GAME SHOW (PAST OR PRESENT) DO YOUINQTHINK YOU COULD ACTUALLY WIN THE GRAND PRIZE?

N e w s l i n e

Cornell’s Future

Pollack: Cornell’s future “almost certainly” includes furloughs, layoffs

“I was an expert at The Price is Right when I was younger. Especially when Diane was on…” -Uncle Dave

Cornell President Martha Pollack gives a public address last summer. (Photo by Casey Martin)

“Match Game... but only when Gene Rayburn was the host” -Aunt Barb

“PYRAMID was my jam!” -Aunt Peggy

n a lengthy email to the campus community, Cornell University President Martha Pollack laid out the unfortunate realities the school is facing in the short term future as a result of the widespread impacts of the coronavirus outbreak. Pollack’s announcement came in an email to the school community Wednesday afternoon and included the school’s most direct language about how they plan to handle the economic difficulties the school will face, which will reach hundreds of millions of dollars as currently predicted. She further revealed that due to the outbreak, there would be “no feasible path” to in-person

academic activities during the summer, meaning all scheduled courses for the summer will either be canceled or converted to online offerings. “We learned a lot from the Great Recession of 2008, and we are better prepared financially now than we were then,” she wrote. “Even so, our financial modeling shows an estimated potential loss for the Ithaca and Cornell Tech campuses of between $160 million and $210 million by the end of the next fiscal year, with a potential longer-term impact of approximately $40 million per year for at least two more years.” Ominously, those projections are assuming that the

COVID Cuts

“Naked and Afraid. I would be the most afraid. Or Wheel of Fortune.” -Nick Reynolds

“Pyramid or Global Guts! Take home a piece of the crag!” -Chris & Allison

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City of Ithaca will seek employee furloughs amid millions of dollars in losses

/ April

he City of Ithaca announced to city employees that it would begin seeking 87 employee furloughs Thursday morning, via an email from Mayor Svante Myrick, who called the decision “regrettable” but the best solution for the city’s longterm future. The email was sent to all city employees, announcing 29– May

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that Myrick would be proposing to Common Council that the city “act quickly to minimize the deficit that we face by furloughing city employees,” a result of the ongoing economic flat-lining that is being felt countrywide from COVID-19 shutdowns. The number of employees, or the percentage of the workforce that will be impacted, was not specified but

campus will be able to be open and fully operational for the fall semester, something that is not at all a certainty. The school’s campus has been closed since March 13, when they sent students home early for spring break. After spring break, in late March, classes were converted to online instruction. Pollack said the bulk of the money lost will come from students requiring higher amounts of financial aid to attend the school. The school is projecting an additional $145 million in financial aid needed by students. At the Weill Cornell Medicine school in New York City, Pollack said the school has already incurred $200 million in losses from clinical revenue because of service stoppage outside of COVID-19. “These will almost certainly include painful steps such as furloughs or layoffs, but we are considering programs to protect the salary and benefits of our staff for as long as possible,” Pollack said. She continued that more information on the “details of our financial situation” would be made available later this week. Pollack also announced the formation of a set of committees that would help orchestrate the proper way to handle a wide range of reactivations, including classes, online teaching, research, etc. Work from those committees is expected to be completed by May 15. Perhaps the most significant of the decisions by those committees will be the big ques-

tion: when will students return, and in what capacity will that be? Pollack mentioned three specific plans: bringing back all students in late August; reopen the campus in phases over a period of weeks; having only a subset of students return, etc. They will also tackle how to address and tweak online teaching if that is how classes must return in the fall, as well as how to re-initiate research activities. “Underlying all of these and many more questions is the reality that any emergence from complete shutdown carries risk,” Pollack said. “Until there is an effective treatment or a vaccine for COVID-19, every decision we make regarding in-person campus activity will require us to accept and tolerate some degree of that risk.” The announcement came on the same day the Ithaca Voice reported that Cornell was set to receive $12.8 million from the recently approved federal CARES Act. “The decisions we make now will have an impact that will extend past our own community and beyond our own time at Cornell,” Pollack concluded. “None of them will be easy, many will necessarily evolve as the pandemic and its economic impact continue to unfold. But I am confident that, together, we will find a way forward—and a way to be together again.”

Myrick said in a follow-up that the percentage would likely be 25 percent. He emphasized that he believes this will be a temporary furlough instead of a permanent layoff, and that the city will seek to contribute to health insurance during the furlough period (though this will be negotiated with the various unions that represent employees) and provide Employee Assistance Program access. The mayor also said the city intends to maintain workers’ sick and leave days so they are not lost once the workers return. “My hope is that when and if federal aid does arrive, and the local economy starts to

function, and the stay at home orders are lifted, we will be in a healthy enough fiscal situation that we can recall most, if not all, furloughed employees and can pick up where we left off,” Myrick wrote. Myrick has long talked about drastic economic implications that would result from the COVID-19 outbreak, starting when Cornell University announced that it was sending its students home on March 13. The need for furloughs seemed solidified earlier this week when the new federal stimulus package neglected to contribute money to local municipalities. Myrick had previously told the Washington Post’s Jeff

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UPS&DOWNS

N e w s l i n e

Coronavirus Round-Up - Here’s some other stories we covered this week that you can read more about online. You can see all of our coverage of the coronavirus outbreak at our special page ithaca.com/news/ coronavirus. 200 employees take voluntary furloughs from Cayuga Medical Center - Around 200 full-time employees have taken a voluntary furlough offer from Cayuga Medical Center, the hospital confirmed on Tuesday. The hospital’s administration sounded optimistic that the move would only be temporary. Tompkins County hospitals will be allowed to restart elective surgeries on April 28, which should help revenues.

Enfield Pantry

As others close, Enfield food pantry doubles its output

he scene at Enfield’s food pantry on Sunday and Monday is pretty similar each time the pantry’s doors open. Lines of varying lengths of cars stretch out in front of the pantry as families around the county encounter a need for food arguably never experienced on such a mass scale in recent American history. The economic downturn that’s resulted from the COVID-19 outbreak has put millions of people nationwide out of work, and Tompkins County has been no different. Without money for meals, more and more households are turning to pantries to put food on their plates each week as their paychecks either decrease or evaporate. Exacerbating the problem is that some other local food pantries have closed as well, despite the increased need for food, to combat the spread of the illness. Through it all, though, the Enfield food pantry (located at 182 Enfield Main Road) has remained open, the only pantry in the county that is open twice per week, each Sunday and

Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. That has made them one of the premier resources for families who are struggling to make ends meet, and the numbers reflect that: In normal times, the food pantry would be serving 200 families consistently per week, but since the public health crisis began that number has doubled (with some families coming each week and some not). Pastor Jean Owens, who leads the food pantry, now says the total number of unique households the pantry serves each month is between 600 and 700. “Life has got lots of challenges,” Owens said. “Fear induces panic, and panic induces making choices that are not well thought out. So I’m happy to say we are not in panic mode, and we are not fearful [...] We have the community support to make sure we have the resources, it’s a really good experience. Of course, the virus is not something any of us want to see anyone get, but we’re taking as much action as possible to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Adjustments have been

(Left) Volunteers assemble food packages for customers at the Enfield Food Pantry. (Right) The pantry provides curbside pickup to cut down on personal contact in enclosed spaces. (Photo by Casey Martin)

made in recognition of the dire needs of an increasing portion of the population, and the difficulty they may have had accessing food in recent weeks; most notably, the food pantry waived its requirement that those accessing the pantry must live in Enfield. “We waived the residency requirement so that we can be open to all those who can’t access pantries closer to their home for one reason or another,” Owens said. “Sometimes pantries are only open once a month, depending on what their resources are.” Protections have been implemented to maintain social distancing as well. The pantry is now no-contact, with people remaining in their cars and pre-placing orders by the preceding Friday at 5 p.m. (orders can be made at http:// thefirstbaptistchurchofenfield. com/index.php/enfield-foodpantry/).The food is then prepared by volunteers in the days leading up to their scheduled pick-up time, at which point the food is then brought out to awaiting cars for curbside pick-up. Those who miss the pre-order deadline can stop by during open hours to pick up a generic meal box. Plus, area businesses have volunteered their employees and equipment, creating opportunities for the food pantry to deliver food to houses of people who don’t feel it’s safe to venture outside to the pantry. Owens said another beneficial reaction to the crisis is the Food Bank of the Southern

Details on COVID-19 victims in Tioga County released after fifth death - After COVID-19 claimed another individual in Tioga County, Tioga County Legislative Chairwoman Martha Sauerbrey shared details on the victims. Sauerbrey said all five individuals were residents of the Elderwood nursing facility in Waverly. “My heart goes out to all of the family members who have lost loved ones to this virus, as well as to the staff at Elderwood that have endured the loss of the residents who they cared for deeply,” she said.

Tier doubling the amount of food the pantry is able to purchase. Crucially, this has prevented the pantry from exhausting its food supply during the last several weeks even in the face of the increased patronage. Donations from area residents have also risen, allowing the pantry to easily access the food bank’s supply without interruption. “We’ve also been getting a lot of very helpful monetary donations from people in the community to help us access that food that’s available to us,” Owens said. “It’s been an entire community effort.” Beyond that, some people who find themselves without jobs, and thus with more free time, have begun volunteering at the food pantry to help Owens and the rest of the team out. The pantry is up to 40 volunteers now. “The whole virus thing has made us aware on different levels that there are times when we need to be a little more careful,” Owens said. “In those terms, and the terms of the entire community, they have come together to make sure none of our neighbors go hungry, that has given us a real positive opportunity of being able to work together and take care of each other. I have been thrilled to be able to have the product that’s needed to supply food to all individuals that have needed food.”

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.”

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

What is the most Ithaca mask design? 55.0% “Ithaca is Gorges” 19.3% A marijuana leaf 5.5% The Cornell bear mascot 1.8% Wegmans branding 18.3% Other

N ext Week ’s Q uestion :

M att Butler

What annual event will you miss the most this summer? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.

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ITHACA NOTES

GUEST OPINION

What’s the matter with Mitch McConnell? Alcohol Maintenance (And why it should matter to you.)

By D e bor a h Daws on, Tom pk i n s C ou n t y L e gisl at or evaluated,” that “we’re not ready to just fter presiding over 3.5 iterations of send a blank check down to states and federal economic stimulus legislalocal governments to spend any way they tions, collectively referred to as the choose to,” and that “[t]here’s not going Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic to be any desire on the Republican side Security (CARES) Act, pursuant to which to bail out state pensions by borrowing Congress gave away a total of $2.7 trillion money from future generations.” He also in federal funds, primarily to the business suggested that he would prefer to allow states to file for bankruptcy, rather than and health sectors, Senate Majority Leader provide them with additional federal Mitch McConnell has suffered a sudden financial assistance. What on earth is the attack of concern over the impact of the Senator thinking? economic stimulus on the federal deficit. As I write this, we are 56 days into Senator McConnell’s pearl-clutching deficit coronavirus pandemic management, and, epiphany arrived just as many members of aside from emergency health providers Congress urged him to address the financial and grocery, drug and liquor stores, New York and many other states are pretty impact of our economic freefall on state much closed for business. Nationwide, and local governments (particularly small unemployment benefit claims have ones) across the country. topped 22 million, and our consumerIn interviews on April 22, Senabased economy is in freefall. People have tor McConnell stated that “we haven’t nowhere to spend money, even assuming had much discussion about adding they had money to spend. The sales tax, $2.7 trillion to the national debt,” that casino revenues, mortgage recording tax, “we’re going to hit the pause button here, and other miscellaneous taxes and fees because I think this whole business of additional assistance for state and local continued on page 7 governments needs to be thoroughly

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ne morning last month I turned off the faucet and stopped making coffee to hear better what I thought they were saying on NPR news: that New York, because of the pandemic, was ordering the closure of all businesses in the state except those deemed essential, most notably pharmacies, gas stations, groceries, and liquor stores. Liquor stores? That was the part I thought I hadn’t heard right; but I had. I was surprised. The contrast between liquor stores a nd t he ot he r s s e e me d pretty stark. T here is no que st ion that people need medicine, transportation, and food. But booze? Isn’t that more in the category of enjoyable rather than essential? Maybe. But as I returned to making coffee, I suddenly (in this context) realized it is a liquid psychoactive drug that can foster mild dependency; then thought about alcohol, which has similar properties, although much more extreme, of a type and potency that can entirely overtake lives, and end them. As such (as I drank my coffee), I considered the nature of need. Later, to broaden my understanding about individuals, society, and alcohol in this time of pandemic, I spoke with some friends who are in recovery from alcohol. Their responses were alike, in favor of New York’s policy, for similar reasons. “Look,” one said, ”the last thing I want is for someone to hurt themselves with alcohol. But the reality is that most people drink with no medical problems. For them alcohol can be a soothing part of life. No doubt people are going to want it now more than ever. “It works, you know? It chills out the central nervous system. It relaxes you. It’s enjoyable. It tastes good. It can even be good for your health. “But for people who can’t drink, but do drink? That’s a horrible problem, but it’s gradual. I mean, I know of what I speak, but if that sounds too cold-blooded anyway, then let’s say it’s progressive. But if the state takes away access to alcohol, now you’ve got a horrible problem that’s immediate.” I spoke with a hospital worker who emphasized that point. “E mergenc y ro om s a re f i l le d up already,” she said. “If you now have hundreds or thousands of people suddenly in

alcohol withdrawal, those are people with medical needs we can’t begin to address. “I would hate to see an uptick in that. Mo s t d r u g w it hd r aw a l doesn’t kill you. Alcohol withdrawal can.” New York ’s pol ic y is maybe t he pat h of least re si s t a nc e . O u r l a rge s t neighboring state, Pennsylvania, has gone in the other direction, not just limiting activity at its liquor stores, but closing them. There is perhaps a particular political factor in that, as described by a friend of mine who once lived in Ithaca, but now lives near Philadelphia. Liquor stores in Pennsylvania are owned and operated by the state. “I t h i n k ,” my f r iend writes, “that because liquor stores here are staffed by state employees, the gover nor felt he cou ld not expose the state to liability if the stores stayed open and workers got sick.” The rest of the state’s government, of course, is not currently open to the public, at least not for walk-in business. I wondered about the possibility (or likelihood) of Pennsylvanians near us, in that state’s northern tier, driving to New York’s southern tier for alcohol. Possibly (or likely) there is a boom of business among liquor stores in this area of New York, in cities and towns such as Binghamton and Owego, only 20 minutes from the Pennsylvania border. My friend cites such activity near him, with levels of desperation among people, or at least frustration and chagrin. He says he has a friend who “was planning to drive to Delaware, about 20 minutes away from his home, to buy liquor. But there was an announcement that the Delaware police were stopping cars with Pennsylvania plates to compel intruders to go into two-week quarantine. So that plan got scotched, as it were.” I spoke with a business in Ithaca that sells alcohol. The worker there reported no desperation or binge-buying among customers, or not much, although he said there has been a distinct change in the nature of sales. “People are buying the cheap stuff,” he said. “Maybe because they’re not working, or they’re budgeting. “We’re not selling much Champagne,” he noted. “Maybe we will when there’s something to celebrate.”

Illustration By Marshall Hopkins

By St e ph e n P. Bu r k e

Contin u ed From Page 6

that fund local government have declined drastically, as has the flow of state aid as states find themselves fiscally challenged by the pandemic. State and local governments are experiencing catastrophic revenue losses and the expenses of meeting drastically increased local needs as a result of coronavirus, and not because of poor fiscal management. This is not about bailing out public employee’s pensions; it’s about keeping employees to provide necessary public services. As our national economy struggles to recover, it makes sense to fund businesses, large and small. But businesses exist within and depend upon a complex system of infrastructures, both visible and invisible. Streets, roads, utilities, public transit, a public health system, police and firefighters, our court systems, the enforcement of rules and regulations that protect property rights, businesses, employees – all of these, and more, are maintained or regulated, staffed and paid for by state and local government. The business sector simply cannot function efficiently in the absence of these systems. In other words, there can be no stable economic recovery in the absence of fully functioning and funded state and local governments. Senator McConnell’s apparent refusal to acknowledge state and local governments’ role in our national recovery is, at best, short-sighted. Why should this matter to you? CARES 3.5 was delayed because Democratic Congressional leaders proposed to add funding for state and local governments, funding that would have meant billions of badly needed dollars for New York State and its counties and municipalities. The proposed funding would have included $9 million for Tompkins County, almost $7 million for the City of Ithaca, another million for the Town of

Ithaca, and around $2.8 million for the other towns and villages in our county. Think about the difference almost $20 million in funding would make to our county’s economic recovery under the current fiscal circumstances. The County is struggling to adjust its 2020 budget and plan its 2021 budget to meet dramatically increased needs even as the State budget allows the Governor to cut aid and reimbursement programs “as needed” on April 31, June 30 and Dec. 31. The City of Ithaca is contemplating a furlough of up to 25% of its staff. Towns and Villages around the county are trying to determine which employees to furlough and which public works projects to put on hold. That $20 million would go a long way towards keeping our public employees working for all of us, providing a healthy and stable environment in which local businesses could recover. (On the other hand, think about the impact of state and/or municipal bankruptcies on consumer confidence in an economy already on life support!) We can expect that CARES 4—another proposed funding bill for state and local governments—will be the subject of much debate when Congress returns to Washington on May 5. This time, however, Senator McConnell and company seem poised to be all “prudent” and hawkish about the Federal deficit they effectively ignored the first 3.5 times around. We here in Tompkins County are fortunate to have Congressional and Senate representatives that have taken a firm public position on the need for support of state and local governments, but it wouldn’t hurt if we all took the opportunity to let Senator Schumer and Representative Reed know that we appreciate their support on this issue. And, while we’re at it, we might also want to contact Senator McConnell and ask him what on earth he’s thinking.

RENT RELIEF ority, and plan to work with our existing CDBG subrecipient, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS), to implement a streamlined program for rolling out this subsidy.” - Eligible households would likely include: - Household income no more than 80 percent of the Area Median Income for Tompkins County - Households must reside in Tompkins County, but not in the City of Ithaca - Households must be economically impacted by COVID-19, such as via furloughs, hours reductions, lay-offs, etc. - Rent can only be subsidized for a maximum of three months - Landlord must self-certify that the unit meets code requirements and must al-

party choice, but not voting on that line but on all others. The under count on that line would reflect displeasure!” Kris Merschrod, via Ithaca.com

THE TALK AT

GUEST OPINION

low inspection when/if that is possible - There must be an agreement that the rent will stay the same and the tenant will be housed for the three months the subsidy is in place “In partnership with INHS and the City of Ithaca, additional sources of funds and partners are being pursued to grow the scope and reach of this program beyond the limitations of our CDBG funds,” the memo noted. “This program would be managed by Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services.” M att Butler

“Anything that lowers the turnout will make the NYS-125 primary a total crapshoot given how many candidates there are.” Simon Wheeler, via Facebook

Earth Day 2020 and COVID

t is apparent that during this extreme health crisis, the people are suffering - but the Earth may be healing. We are seeing examples of this everywhere, as pollution levels decrease and wildlife return to quiet streets. The Himalayas can be seen for the first time in years in areas of India. The air over China is cleaner than it’s been in decades. While this is happening at the expense of many, it may offer unprecedented opportunities to begin to rebuild our economies based on green technologies. To quote Inger Andersen, head of the UN Environment Programme, ‘we need to see how prudent management of nature can be part of this different economy that must emerge, one where finance and actions fuel green jobs, green growth and a different way of life…’ I sincerely hope that one good thing that may come out of this devastating human crisis is a respect for Mother Earth that benefits all of us, and the generations to come.” Lisa Hoeschele, candidate for NYS Assembly 125th District

In response to “New York State cancels Democratic primary” “Well, considering that NY is safely democratic, Bernie supporters can express their displeasure with this move by, obviously DINO party elites, but not voting for the presidential candidate of

In response to “City of Ithaca will seek employee furloughs amid millions of dollars in losses” “Obviously the furloughed city workers will suffer soonest, but homeowners will see a large increase in their property taxes. Landlords may be forced to raise rents a lot in order to pay their taxes. Retired people on fixed incomes, and folks who are just barely getting by may not be able to afford the tax increases.” Tim Nolan, via Facebook

In response to “Ithaca’s Buffalo Wild Wings location permanently closes” “They have closed many locations- it’s def too bad. I had a favorite waitress that had been serving us for years. We were pregnant at the same time!” Jessie Wright, via Facebook

In response to “‘Overwhelming response’ to city’s newly established Small Business Resilience Fund” “Tell cornell university the 12.8 million they just got to give it to the Business Resilience Fund” Fred Isengard, via Facebook

CITY CUTS Contin u ed From Page 7

Stein (formerly of the Ithaca Voice) that excluding state aid from the bill would be disastrous for city workers. The city is facing revenue losses mixed with expense increases that could result in a gap ranging from $4 million to as high as $13 million for the rest of 2020, which would represent between 6 and 21 percent of the city’s total budget, according to Myrick’s email. Employee salaries make up the bulk of that money, and thus represent the most obvious area for cuts. “Currently, we spend $560,000 per week on payroll, each and every week,” Myrick wrote. “The sooner we act to reduce that number, the less of a hole we will be in at the end of the year, the sooner we can bring back employees who must be furloughed, and the more employees we will be able to return to work. To this end, I have voluntarily decided to reduce my own salary by donating 10 percent of it back to the city until this crisis is over.” A p ri l

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The employees who are furloughed will be able to receive state unemployment benefits, and Myrick pointed out that with the extra funding from the recently passed federal CARES Act, furloughed employees will be able to earn an additional $600 per week. Ending the letter, Myrick made it clear that bringing back furloughed employees would likely be dependent on if federal stimulus money is given to local governments. “When and if federal stimulus money does arrive and our budget situation is clear, we can bring employees back and again provide the service to the public that we are all dedicated to providing,” Myrick concluded. “I know that this plan is likely to create a lot of uncertainty among our workforce. We will do everything we can to help smooth the transition and reduce people’s anxiety.” M att Butler 20 2 0

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Just the Essentials I

By M att Bu tler

n a matter unrelated to the coronavirus outbreak, a man collapsed Monday morning at Collegetown Bagels on East State Street, briefly closing the restaurant while restaurant workers waited for emergency personnel to respond and help the prone individual. The scene, while minor, highlighted that while most storefronts sit idle, essential workers have still been going into work every day, even while governments issue stronger and stronger edicts to the public to remain indoors as much as possible. Their professions range from repairing infrastructure to trying to keep the peace in frazzled times to maintaining waste collection to delivering food to making sure shelves are stocked at grocery stores and more. Those essential workers have served as the engines of the economy such as it exists now, providing some semblance of stability as the rest of the country grapples with an unprecedented economic shutdown. A large group of workers that might exist out of the focus of the majority of the city’s population is garbage collectors, who ride around area neighborhoods each weekday from 4 a.m. to 12 p.m. There are a few companies that operate in Tompkins County, though Casella is the most prominent as they service the majority of the county as well as Cornell University. Most of Casella’s trucks are single driver, explained Dustin Carnes, Casella’s local operations manager, so changes in shifts were unnecessary. Even still, the process of simply throwing out recycling has changed, albeit in a somewhat subtle way. The Tompkins County Recycling and Materials Management Department published a notification asking residents to, instead of placing cardboard materials to the side of their recycling bins, make room to put it in the bins themselves so as to hopefully cut down on any direct contact workers would

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J e f f r e y K a n e l e a n s o n h i s wa s t e c o l l e c t i o n t ru c k l a s t F r i d ay. ( P h o t o b y C a s e y M a r t i n) 29– May

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make with cardboard, which has a slight chance of transferring COVID-19. Debbie Brazo, who’s been driving for over a decade, said one of the larger changes is that customers along her route are less likely to greet her as she works. The job itself is the same, but without the occasional cheery greeting or conversation during her route. “Nothing’s really changed, except for I don’t see my customers,” she said. “There’s a lot of people who normally come out to talk, they don’t come out.[...] That’s the only difference I’ve noticed is that they don’t come out and speak because they’re afraid. [...] But recycle, on my route, is usually like one to two more tons per day because people are stuck home.” Brazo is skeptical of the impact of certain changes, like the new cardboard instructions, but she hasn’t felt unsafe going to work, even as the outbreak has evolved to include more stringent restrictions. Outside of personal interactions, the physical toll of more waste coming out of a household is certainly the largest change for waste collection. Brazo said while commercial businesses are putting out far less trash and recycling, it has been equaled or surpassed by the amount of waste that residences are creating. With everyone stuck home, more people are ordering food, buying things online or just generally spending more time in the house that makes for a much heavier load each day. Regardless, Brazo prefers this, and being able to consistently collect her paycheck, as opposed to being home as a safety precaution. “No, I’m thankful that I have a job that I can work at,” she said. “Sitting at home would not be an option. I’m not one to sit at home, and I feel bad for a lot of people, but I’m glad that I have a job that I can come to.” Fellow driver Jeffrey Kane agreed with Brazo that other than increased loads and lifting, the job hasn’t changed outside of Casella outfitting him with sanitizer and a

face mask. There’s some additional anxiety when he sees materials like personal protective equipment tossed in the recycling— a momentary flash of hesitation, maybe— but so far he also hasn’t felt like he’s more at risk because of his work. “The one thing I don’t like seeing is when people throw their gloves, their masks, their tissues in their recycling,” said fellow driver Jeffrey Kane. “I don’t see that many people out here. Just the radio, mostly [...] If I was down in New York City, I might’ve been nervous. Not up here in upstate New York.” Over the last week, announcements from the Tompkins County Health Department and New York State have both provided relief in different forms for essential workers. First, the health department announced an initiative that allows businesses with essential workers to order masks for their employees through a form provided by the health department. That was in reaction to an executive order from Governor Andrew Cuomo that required companies to provide at least those protective materials to workers deemed essential. Then, over the weekend, the state announced that it would be changing the criteria for who qualifies to receive a coronavirus test, expanding it to include any essential worker. Previously, in order to get tested, someone would have had to come into close contact with a person who had been tested positive for coronavirus, or would have to be presenting symptoms. For essential workers, those conditions are now relaxed, and they will be able to get tested at their convenience if they wish. While it has been deemed necessary for those people to remain working, it’s been equally necessary for their employers to navigate the dangers their workers face during each shift. Ithaca Police Department announced sweeping changes to their operations, closing their normally staffed front desk and discouraging members of the public from visiting the police headquarters barring an emergency situation. Further, they announced an intention to limit face-to-face interaction with the public while still trying to engage in the community policing they so often tout as integral to their services. “You may be asked to step outside of your home or business to speak with an officer while complying with social distancing efforts as recommended by public health officials,” the department wrote in a statement at the time. “In most cases, our officers will call you by phone for nonemergency calls for service.”

Those who have driven around town know there are still several construction projects where work is continuing. Those projects, according to Dave Marsh, secretary and treasurer of the Tompkins-Cortland Building Trades Council, have been deemed essential. That includes work on roads and bridges, affordable housing, medical facilities, public school construction or renovation and energy projects (for instance, these rules are what allows the construction work on Hector Street to continue unabated). Much of the workers in the building trades are still at work, though with modified conditions, while others have been driven home for safety reasons. “About 70 percent of the Local 785 laborers are working,” Marsh said. “Some of the other trades are not doing as well.” Marsh continued that while on the site, construction crews have attempted to make changes in routine to observe any preventative measures they can, although that can be fairly difficult considering the work they are doing. “Social distance when possible on job site, hand wash stations, N95 masks or respirators if unable to social distance, and set up break and lunch areas with enough room to social distance including rotating the time groups that workers take break and lunch,” Marsh said. “Some large projects are considering two shifts to reduce the number of workers at the job site. Two shifts has not started yet, that I know of, and is often challenging due to noise concerns.” For those construction workers, having to work in such close proximity has to evoke some feelings of nervousness that they will unknowingly contract something regardless of the protections in place. Still, other workers are cautiously optimistic that the precautions they are taking will effectively protect their loved ones at home from coming into contact with anything threatening. As for any anxiety about transferring something to his family, Kane smiled and portrayed confidence in his post-work routine as he displayed his thick rubber gloves. “I take a shower when I get home,” he said, smiling.

D e b b i e B r a z o h a s b e e n a C a s e l l a d r i v e r f o r ov e r a d e c a d e . S h e wa s m o m e n ta r i ly a b i t n e rv o u s a b o u t c o n t i n u i n g h e r r o u t e d u r i n g t h e pa n d e m i c , b u t a s t i m e h a s pa s s e d n o t m u c h h a s c h a n g e d f o r h e r r o u t i n e . S h e’s j u s t h a p p y t o s t i l l h av e a j o b , d e s p i t e s i g n i f i c a n t ly m o r e w o r k d u e t o h o m e wa s t e i n c r e a s e s . ( P h o t o s b y C a s e y M a r t i n) A p ri l

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Change in the Waters

Milliman departs as Cornell lacross coach By Ste ve L aw re nc e

Former Cornell head coach Peter Milliman patrols the sidelines earlier this year. (Photo provided)

hen I took over this column in 1992, I knew that I would be wise to establish good rapport with the local lacrosse coaches. Ithaca loves its lax, and the demand would be high for any sports journalist to cover it often and with some degree of familiarity. At that time, Jeff Long was five years into a 33-year coaching tenure at Ithaca College, and he was always an engaged and energetic advocate for his program. I

connected with Jeff dozens of times over the years, and he was always ready to share what he knew and how he felt. Frank Welch was 15 years into his 44 year stint at Ithaca High, and he too was always eager to get the word out about his program and his athletes. Richie Moran had been the head coach at Cornell for 23 years at that point, he would be at the helm for 6 more, and to this day the three-time national title

Election 2020

New York cancels Democratic presidential primary

The state’s Board of Elections announced that they were taking the unprecedented move of removing Bernie Sanders from the ballot in New York, canceling the primary. (Photo online)

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n a bold move nominally made to further stem the spread of the coronavirus, the New York State Board of Elections decided on Monday to cancel the state’s Democratic presidential primary, which was to be held in June. Several states have postponed their primaries or created strategies to discourage in-person voting by pushing mail-in ballots, but New York is the first to outright cancel its primary. While the plan

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winning coach carries on as perhaps the sport’s preeminent ambassador. Since Moran’s departure, Cornell has seen numerous coaches come and go, and when it was announced this week that Peter Milliman took the job at Johns Hopkins, I could feel the collective sigh emitted by Big Red Nation. A month ago, the team was riding high at 5-0, ranked #2 and looking forward to making a run at a national title. As I wrote in this column, I felt so bad for those connected to the program, as their lives were turned upside down not only by the loss of their season of promise due to the public health crisis, but by the passing of their friend and trainer, Jim Case. Now this… No reasonable person will fault Milliman for moving on to a position he feels is best for himself and his family, but that does not mean there is not a sense of loss. In an interview with the Baltimore Sun, Milliman was quoted as saying, “Cornell’s a great place, and I’m always going to have a love for what we did there. It’s just that sometimes an opportunity presents itself for your family, and it just feels like the right move, and to me, this is one that I couldn’t pass up. The opportunity to be the head coach at Johns Hopkins is a special opportunity, and it’s one that I feel very strongly about that was the right fit for me.” A lot of the current players chose Cornell so they could play for this dynamic and up and coming coach, because his system matched up with their preferred style of play, and now they are left to wonder what’s next. Change is tough. Uncertainty is tough. Milliman will replace Dave Pietramala as JHU’s head coach, 19 years after Pietramala, ironically, left Cornell for that position. That move didn’t really surprise

anyone, given Pietramala was an AllAmerican defenseman for the Blue Jays in the 1980s. Under his leadership, Hopkins won two national titles (he also won one there as a player, in 1987), but the program stumbled to a 2-4 record this season before Covid-19 shut it down. I caught up with Richie Moran, and I reminded him that his status as the Elder Statesman of Cornell lacrosse, maybe all of lacrosse, earned him a great deal of credibility, and I would like to hear what he might say to the team. The Hall of Fame coach replied, “My philosophy is that while the players are losing an outstanding coach—and it will no doubt sting for a while—they are a mature group and they will adjust.” Richie added, “In a time of transition like this, when there are familiar faces still there, the adjustment isn’t as tough as it would be if there was a clean slate.” Elaborating on his comment about “familiar faces,” Moran offered, “I hope Cornell will give serious consideration to Connor Buczek and Jordan Stevens (Milliman’s assistant coaches who have been with the program for several years). Buczek (class of ’15) played at Cornell and has been around the program as a volunteer assistant and as a paid assistant since he graduated, and has been an All-Star Major League Lacrosse player for the past several years. Stevens (also class of ’15) joined the Cornell men’s lacrosse staff as assistant coach and defensive coordinator in July 2016, and after the 2017 season, he moved up to the first assistant coach position and took the reins as the program’s recruiting coordinator. Moran has been around the game as a player, coach and mentor for well over 60 years, and he summed up his feelings about the change with these words: “Cornell lacrosse will still be Cornell lacrosse.”

was under discussion, former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’ campaign had come out against it, hoping to stay on the ballot to accumulate more delegates (likely quite a bit in New York) for a more powerful position at the Democratic National Convention later this year. But the state’s Board of Elections decided to remove Sanders from the ballot, in effect canceling the primary. Former Vice President Joe Biden, already the presumptive Democratic nominee after Sanders endorsed him earlier this month, is now the only candidate on the ballot, making him the de facto winner. According to the New York Times, 20 of New York’s 62 counties have no other contests slated for voting on June 23, rendering the date effectively meaningless now for those counties. However, Tompkins County is not one of them, and the date is actually fairly significant in the local political landscape. Democratic primaries are being held for Tompkins County District Attorney, Ithaca City Judge and the seven-way contest for the Democratic nomination to replace Barbara Lifton as the New York State Assembly’s representative of the 125th district. “The Democratic Primary Election for

Tompkins County District Attorney and City of Ithaca City Court Judge will go on as planned on June 23,” said Tompkins County Board of Elections Democratic Election Commissioner Stephen DeWitt. That leaves the State Assembly race as the most prominent local election still in question, though it seems likely that election will continue. According to an official quoted in the aforementioned New York Times story, the goal is to have other primary elections still held on that date, although without the opportunity to choose a presidential candidate it is easily surmised that turnout will be significantly lower than it would have been if that was an option. Traditionally, turnout in Tompkins County is much lower in off-year primary elections than it is in years with presidential elections, so the impact of removing a presidential candidate choice could have implications for the other races held that day. Some candidates, like Ithaca Common Council member Seph Murtagh, have already called for mail-in ballots to be introduced as the premier manner of voting to avoid public contact. M att Butler

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Ithaca drag king remains headstrong despite COVID-19 outbreak

By Adam Messinger

y day, Sarah Chaneles is the marketing director of The Cherry Artspace. She wears glasses and flannels and speaks with the jubilant voice of a former alto. But by night, Chaneles takes on another role as the glitterbearded, illustrious and masculine Kitschy Scofflaw, the latest member of the Ithaca drag scene to take over the town. Chaneles has been enjoying success in the nightlife community, but due to new provisions to combat COVID-19, she has been facing some setbacks. “I think that not knowing is the hardest part,” Chaneles said. “The main thing about events and performing and such is that you need to set a date and plan for that date. And that’s something that no one’s really able to do right now. So, I’m just trying to wrap my head around the unknown and get comfortable with that.” Kitschy and fellow Ithaca drag performer, Tilia Cordata, will be hosting a virtual drag and burlesque show called Flame Night Fever on May 7 at 8 p.m., part of their strategy to Kitschy Scoff law enjoys a hot dog. (Photo provided)

provide content despite the current social gathering limitations. For more information on the event and Kitschy, visit their Instagram page @kitschy.scofflaw. In the past year, Kitschy has become one of the top billings in the Ithaca community, often performing at bars and clubs in the Commons, while also taking time to participate in daytime activities like Drag Brunch and Drag Story Hour, a new endeavor where drag performers read children’s books to local kids. But before Chaneles rose to the top of the scene, she got her start performing at Ithaca College with her participation in shadow casts of Rocky Horror, and from there, Kitschy was slowly born into the world. “It felt like a fun, natural fit,” Chaneles said. “It was a way of being creative and performing but also making a very tiny amount of money and just having fun in this amazing community.” Chaneles, who uses she/they pronouns out of drag, describes Kitschy, her they/them counterpart, as an amalgamation of celebrities and personas like Fran Drescher, Liza Minelli, Elton John and Elvis Presley, but where she gets most of her inspiration is from queerness itself. “I just love the campy gay culture that exists that isn’t about taking one’s self too seriously,” Chaneles said. “It’s all just about surviving and having fun.” While drag has been popularized on shows like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “Dragula” as men dressing as women, drag goes beyond that to Chaneles. “It’s the action of playing with gender and

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ZOOM DRAG

performing whether you’re in front of a crowd or by yourself,” Chaneles said. “It’s all a big performance.” Chaneles as Kitschy is a “drag king,” someone who dresses with a masculine persona, which is different from a “drag queen,” who sports a feminine look. Ithaca is home to a large underground world of drag performers who have “come out” from the underground to run the whole gamut of activities, like Kitschy, from being performers and entertainers, to educators often participating in “drag workshops” for young people and anyone interested in the culture and practice of the art. In her work with The Cherry Artspace, Chaneles has helped facilitate the growth of the Ithaca nightlife scene with the recurring event “POP’d at The Cherry,” an inclusive pop-up dance club experience hosted by local performers that usually features drag, burlesque and other talents. Chaneles is not only the treasurer and the aesthetic director, but she also performs as Kitschy. “It’s a place where everyone comes and feels accepted and free to dance all night,” Chaneles said. “And that’s the spirit of the Ithaca drag scene that I love so much. That’s why it’s been so hard to not have that in my life lately due to the outbreak. It’s heartbreaking.” In the wake of COVID-19, the upcoming POP’d had to be cancelled as well as any appearances scheduled in the future for Kitschy and other local drag performers. But in the midst of this absence, Chaneles has been using this time to brush up on her craft. She spends her days juggling between projects for work and creating new costumes and props. “I don’t make everything from scratch, but most of what I wear has been found and then revamped in some way,” she said. “I’m never just buying something and wearing it off the rack.” Chaneles spends most of her quarantine days and nights “stoning and sewing” her outfits while listening to podcasts and trying to muster up some sense of community within her drag family. “In an ideal world, we would immediately see this as a challenge that we would overcome together, but in reality, we are all humans,” Chaneles said. “It’s been quite the shock that no one really expected. I think when we prepare for disaster, we’re all prepared for someone homophobic to show up with a gun or something, and it’s crazy that that scenario feels like a more grounded and realistic one than what we’re living in right now.” For Kitschy and the rest of the drag community, they will prevail, she said. “I think right now, everyone is taking this moment to breathe and think about what’s next,” Chaneles said. Performers like Kistchy have been creating viral content and doing social media performances in which they encourage cash donations like they would normally be receiving during a live performance. “It’s an important time to think about what $5 means to you. Could you lose it and not think about it at all? If so, then there are people out there who $5 means quite a bit to them,” Chaneles said. “There are quite a lot of people who have lost their main source of income, and unfortunately, many of those people are artists.”

I t h a c a T i m e s 13

film

Ithaca Celebrity Quarantine Film Festival: John Simon

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Don Knotts, Katherine Hepburn and the Wonders By Br yan VanC ampe n

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To our traveling public The Ithaca Tompkins International Airport’s leadership team is closely monitoring the developments related to COVID-19 regionally and globally. Our team is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of our passengers and employees. At this time, Ithaca Tompkins International Airport (ITH) is operating under normal conditions. If you choose to fly, please know that we are working hard to keep the terminal clean, safe and disinfected. We will continue to provide updates as they become available. We thank you for all you are doing to stay safe during this time. —Mike Hall, Airport Director

This is a rapidly evolving situation, for the latest updates please go to flyithaca.com

Ithaca Tompkins International Airport delta.com

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ith the world on lockdown, what are we all watching? I posed that question to John Simon of “Radio London” and one of the rotating DJ hosts of WVBR’s long-running oldies show “Rockin’ Remnants.” IT: So how are you holding up? JS: Well, good. I’m hunkered in with two people who I like a lot, so that’s good. We’re sort of under house arrest with my daughter, who’s living with us. We’re eating well and we’re getting along with each other. IT: What have you been watching at home? JS: We’ve been trying to not watch much news, other than the Governor’s press conferences, you know, his press briefings. And I listen to a lot of NPR, so we’ve been looking for mindless fluff, for the most part. We watch stuff in the evenings. We’ve done a bunch of 90’s romcoms, we have a bunch of DVDs from when the kids were here. We saw “Enchanted” (2007), we saw “While You Were Sleeping” (1995). We saw “That Thing You Do!” (1996), that was a big hit around here. There’s a director’s cut, have you seen the director’s cut? IT: I have. JS: It’s like a whole other movie, man. IT: It has that revelation that the band’s manager, played by Tom Hanks, is gay. I wish he had left that in. If someone who’s homophobic sees that movie and can accept Tom Hanks, America’s national treasure, as a gay man, that softens it a little bit. I also like the way you see real bands in the “climbing the charts” sequence, but the period songs are all

original. JS: It was amazing. The music is so good. IT: And Adam Schlesinger, who wrote the title song, recently died from COVID-19. JS: I know, I know. That just killed me. I noticed when the “Billboard” [came on screen] that the Rolling Stones were right next to – IT: The Wonders. JS: The One-ders. [Both laugh] JS: And [my wife] Lynne [Jackier] has been wanting to go into the Wayback Machine. So we saw “Keeper of the Flame” (1943) a couple of nights ago. IT: Wow, I’ve never heard of that one. JS: Oh, yeah, yeah. It’s a Spencer TracyKatherine Hepburn film, and they were young. It’s got a political twist that kind of snuck up on us. IT: I have a lot of movies in the house that I’ve never seen ‘cause I just grab em. I’m alternating between watching the whole run of “The Big Bang Theory” and then watching movies I own that I’ve never watched. Like, I picked up all five movies that Don Knotts made for Universal after he left “The Andy Griffith Show.” So I just saw “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” (1966), which was very “Scooby Doo.” JS: Yeah, “The Incredible Mr. Limpet” (1964). IT: I haven’t seen that one all the way through, just bits and pieces on Turner Classic Movies. JS: Yeah, I saw that one in a movie theater, back in the day. Oh, and we revisited “Pleasantville” [1998]. IT: Speaking of Don Knotts… [Don Knotts played the cable guy in “Pleasantville”] JS: Oh, that’s right! Oh my word. IT: I really only knew him from “The Apple Dumpling Gang” and I thought he and Tim Conway were a great comedy team, and when he showed up in Pleasantville” I had this real swell of emotion and affection for the guy, and it’s only now that I’m starting to see what he was all about. Back to “Enchanted,” was that with Amy Adams? JS: Yeah, it was the first thing I ever saw her in.

stage

Hangar Theatre classes move online By Gl e nn Epps

or theatres and performance arenas, which depend almost entirely on large gatherings for profit, the impact of COVID-19 on summer plans is

A scene from last year’s Miss Poppins at the Hangar Theatre. (Photo by Rachel Philipson)

proving to be especially devastating now that any gathering of 10 or more is prohibited and chances of organizing a live-performance before summer seems less likely with each passing day. Still, the Hangar Theatre hasn’t given up looking for ways to entertain and connect the community. Starting May 4 through June 25, the Hangar Theatre will offer its second round of virtual classes exploring storytelling methods through a variety of mediums. Students will have the opportunity to learn techniques for voice acting, workshop their own plays with other students, and/ or learn to make films from home in a course titled “Advanced Filmmaking.” Classes are available Grade 2-Adult. Adult classes include a contemporary scene study and a course titled “Directing for the Stage.” One-on-one coaching is also available to any student. “Creating connections is what theatre has always done best,” said Hangar Theatre Associate Artistic Director/Education Director Shirley Serotsky. “We need that sense of connection now more than ever.” Tuition for the courses are $75 for the children’s classes and $125 for the adult’s classes. per session, with one-onone coaching priced at $50 per 45-minute session. All classes offer financial aid and scholarship opportunities that can cover up to the full cost of the course. “The second round was created based on the success of the (somewhat experimental) first round and offers even more

options for a wider variety of ages,” said Hangar Theatre Marketing Director Thena Gitlin. “The advanced film class was created after the Intro to Filmmaking class received such positive praise. We wanted an option for more experienced children, or for the first group to continue learning more.” In April, the Hangar Theatre began offering its first round of classes open to “students around the country experiencing at home learning.” The classes offered students virtual lectures on techniques for auditioning, play discussion and an Introduction to Filmmaking course. In the first session, students ranged from as young as 7 to 70 and joined the class from as far away as Denmark, inspiring the theatre to expand its vision into the summer. Jill Loop, whose daughter was enrolled in the Introduction to Filmmaking course, said that the virtual classes have been an appreciated break from the traditional homeschooling her daughter’s received this year. “Now that homeschooling really means being at home, the quarantine classes offered by the Hangar have been a muchwelcomed option,” Loop said. For more information about the Hangar Theatre’s “Virtual Classes” and their scholarship/financial aid opportunities visit https://hangartheatre.org/education/ school-age/virtual/

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treets Like This” recounts the real-life stories of people caught up in the criminal justice system, re-entering outside (‘regular’ society) after being on the inside (jail, rehab). This remarkable theatrical experience, created by the ReEntry Theatre Program of Civic Ensemble in 2018 and revived this March, had just two performances before the pandemic forced it to shutter. Fortunately, the cast reassembled to create a professional video record, available to the public between Thursday, April 30 and Sunday, May 17. Pay What You Can Tickets are available via donation at givegab. com/nonprofits/civic-ensemble. Also, a live online facilitated discussion will take place on Zoom on Saturday, May 9 from 8–10 p.m. More information available at civicensemble.org. This review is based on the final live performance, which was electric, filled with passion, smarts, humor, heartbreak, and hard truths. Not to forget generosity and love. How do they (we) break the cycle? How do probation, the courts, social services and the larger community put stumbling blocks in the way? Who helps us up when we fall? As Narcan Man, the recurring ‘superhero’ who administers the drug that can resuscitate someone who has overdosed, says: “With so many dying, I don’t feel like much of a hero. All I can do is keep people above ground and try to give them the best quality of life possible. I mean we all deserve at least that much, right?” Devised from the stories of over a hundred local individuals who have experienced incarceration, including theatre exercises and story-telling at Day Reporting, “Streets” final script was written by Thom Dunn and A.C. Sidle “in collaboration with the members of the ReEntry Theatre Program.” “The Laramie Project” about the local community’s reactions to the beating

Two members of the Re-Entry Theatre Progra during a recent reheasrsal. (Photo by Casey Martin)

death of Matthew Shepard is one of the best-known devised theatre works. The difference with Civic’s approach is that for the most part the people acting the stories have lived some version of it—10 of the13 strong ensemble have been incarcerated. There is a rich texture to the playing that comes out of the strong bonds between the ensemble members and the ownership of their text. The play’s stories: Abby, an addict who is fighting not only for recovery but to regain custody of her son, Johnny, who is currently being cared for by her sister Annabelle; Brian, another addict (who got hooked when prescribed opiates for a back problem), a young Black man whose lifelines are friends on the street and a determined mother; And Crystal, a sex-worker who struggles to find legal employment and to feed her two kids, facing a blizzard of red tape and Catch-22s that keep tossing her back to square one. These stories are framed by the stories of Dion, a sort of street sage on the stoop, and his friend Dennis, an alcoholic. Dion, who can see the audience (Dennis, hilariously, does not) is our guide; he frames the play’s central question: how to break a cycle “like a snake that eats its own damn tail.” Leroy Barrett makes a compelling Dion, a rough, savvy, caring man, at ease in the story-telling rhythms of the show’s griot. Co-author A.C. Sidle’s crafts a rascally Dennis: a taunting know-it-all who learns a lesson in being less judgmental with touching humbleness. Casandra Ponton’s Abby combines softness with a steely focus on rejoining her kid (a sweet, well-observed performance by Brian Briggs, who doubles as Narcan Man). Suzanne Burnham as her sister Annabelle is her natural opposite—bristly on the outside, a marshmallow within. As Brian, Jo-Louis Hallback layers a bemused, slightly fuddled comprehension of events atop an urgent desire to stay clean. Sherron Brown plays his immigrant mother with force and anguish. Their scenes ache with love. Director Sarah K. Chalmers (stepping in for Elizabeth Seldin) shines as Crystal— sassy, frustrated, prone to shoot off her mouth. Completing the ensemble, all tremendously adept, varied and moving, are Melissa Cady, Terrell M. Dickson, Heather Duke, Edwin Santiago, and Dan Zanella. Adroit design—lighting by Lea Davis, sound by Rudy Gerson, and costumes by Elizabeth Kitney—along with Chalmers’ fluid direction and the vibrant ensemble acting, come through strongly in the video, recorded the weekend of March 14 in the Cherry ArtSpace.

Music Bars/Bands/Clubs

4/29 Wednesday The Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents Live From The Playroom - Virtual Event | 3:00 PM, | The Rock and Roll Playhouse, Ithaca

4/30 Thursday The Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents Live From The Playroom - Virtual Event | 3:00 PM, | The Rock and Roll Playhouse, Ithaca

5/1 Friday The Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents Live From The Playroom - Virtual Event | 3:00 PM, | The Rock and Roll Playhouse, Ithaca

5/2 Saturday The Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents Live From The Playroom - Virtual Event | 1:00 PM, | The Rock and Roll Playhouse, Ithaca

5/3 Sunday The Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents Live From The Playroom - Virtual Event | 11:00 AM, | The Rock and Roll Playhouse, Ithaca

Stage The Kitchen Script Club:A Virtual Play Discussion Series. | 5:30 PM, 4/23 Thursday | THE WHO & THE WHAT by Ayad Akhtar. Visit††https:// www.kitchentheatre.org/ ktcvirtualscriptclub†to sign up. Backstage Pass - The Clemens Center (Virtual) Gala | 6:00 PM, 4/25 Saturday | We are unable to have our annual Gala at the venue right now, but we can still enjoy a virtual red carpet, great local entertainment, gather new food and beverage recipes to enjoy at home, and participate in an online auction of items generously donated from local businesses. 24-hour Online Auction: Beginning April 25 @ 6pm ClemensCenter.org Hopeful Reading Sessions | 3:30 PM, 4/28 Tuesday | A chance to get inside the head of Hangar Theatre’s Artistic Director, Michael Barakiva. Each one will be devoted to one of the plays that the Hangar has selected for the 2020 Mainstage Summer Season. He will share the texts so you can read each play ahead, then read notable excerpts from it together and discuss what makes it exceptional, timely, and most of all, “Hangar.” There will also be many exciting guests who can share unique insights into the material. Recommended for ages 10th grade to adult. Scholarships available.† | $75

5/4 Monday

Art

The Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents Live From The Playroom - Virtual Event | 3:00 PM, | The Rock and Roll Playhouse, Ithaca

West End Gallery Spotlight Exhibit | 10:00 AM, 4/24 Friday | Four artists represented by West End Gallery in Corning. Bibi S. Brion of Liberty, PA, Cynthia Cratsley of Odessa, NY, Amy Hutto of Bath, NY, & Judy Soprano of Livonia, NY-† working in a variety of mediums: oil, watercolor and linocut printmaking. Online - www.WestEndGallery.net

5/5 Tuesday The Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents Live From The Playroom - Virtual Event | 3:00 PM, | The Rock and Roll Playhouse, Ithaca

5/6 Wednesday The Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents Live From The Playroom - Virtual Event | 3:00 PM, | The Rock and Roll Playhouse, Ithaca

Special Events Earth Day 50th Anniversary Celebration | All Day 4/22 Wednesday | Each day at 8 am will feature a Facebook post that is environmentally/natural resource related as well as a post at 4 pm Virtual Cinemapolis | 5:00 PM, 4/24 Friday | These films will be available to stream beginning 4/24: A White, White Day; Other Music; The Wild Goose Lake. Visit†https://cinemapolis.org/virtual-cinema/†for details.

Books TCPL’s Break for Books Facebook Interactive Group Chat | 12:00 PM, 4/22 Wednesday | All found on the TCPLís Facebook page. Break for Books is moderated by TCPL staff. Participants are asked to share their recent reading experiences and to engage with one another around the love of reading.

Storytelling w/ Jay Leeming | 4:00 PM, 4/22 Wednesday | Weíll be focusing on Norwegian fairy tales to start, but may move on to other realms as the week progresses.† To take part, follow the link below at 4 PM each day. https://zoom.us/j/97796561762 Teen Break for Books Facebook Interactive w/ TCPL | 2:00 PM, 4/28 Tuesday | All found on the TCPLís Facebook page. Teen Break for Books will additionally be available on TCPLís Instagram: https://www. instagram.com/tcplny/ Teen Break for Books will follow the same format, in that participants will share what theyíve been reading and ask for suggestions for further exploration. Video will be included in the feed.

Online Poetry Discussion in Celebration of National Poetry Month | 6:00 PM, 4/29 Wednesday | Participants are asked to bring favorite book of poetry. Discussion of the appeal of the selected poems will follow, along with sharing of new personal discoveries in poetry and plans for reading poetry in the coming year. This book discussion will be offered via Zoom. Seats are limited for this free program. Registration takes place at TCPLís online events calendar: www.tcpl.org/events/ virtual-poetry-book-discussion. Registered participants will receive an email with details on how to access the workshop.

Kids Sciencenter Earth Week Virtual Activities | 10:30 AM, 4/22 Wednesday | Sciencenter educators will host live Zoom activities all focused on sustainability and Earth science content. More details about our Zoom activities, as well as links to those activities, can be found on their website. EarthCreative Play/Playful Creation! | 1:59 PM, 4/22 Wednesday Cortland Repertory Theatre Youth Program presents: Classic Childrenís Stories, IN SPACE!Living in Crazytown! | 1:00 PM, 4/25 Saturday | For 7th-12th Grade: Break for Books Jr. - TCPL Interactive Book Club for Pre-K-5th | 11:00 AM, 4/27 Monday

What if YOUR BANK

Bees! Diversity, Evolution, Conservation | All Day 4/28 Tuesday | †https://www.museumoftheearth. org/bees/ Newfield Public Library Family Storytime | 10:30 AM, 4/28 Tuesday

Notices Loaves & Fishes Serving MealsTo-Go | 12:00 PM, M, W, F 5:30 PM T, TH TCPL Facebook Interactive: Break for Movies | 12:00 PM, 4/24 Friday | Break for Movies will† focus on movies participants have watched and wish to share.† All found on the TCPLís Red Cross Blood Drive | 9:00 AM, 4/28 Tuesday

Health Mighty Yoga | 8:00 AM, 4/27 Monday | Free 15-minute yoga sessions each morning on Mighty Yogaís Facebook Page†https://www. facebook.com/mightyyoga/.Plus, regular yoga classes! Live Virtual 30-Minute Meditation Sessions w/ IC Faculty and Staff | 12:00 PM, 4/27 Monday | Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at noon. These live, 30-minute guided online sessions serve to replenish and restore during this difficult time and are open to all (beginners welcome). Zoom Meeting ID: 325 253 863† Password: 1976

We know. It sounds unlikely. But here’s the truth: Tompkins Trust Company has been giving back to the community for decades. Social responsibility has always been at the core of who we are.

was changing the community for the better?

The money you deposit with us works hard for you, and does good in your community. Your support enables us to support local nonprofits and to make loans to local businesses. Not to mention, our employees volunteer thousands of hours of their time each year.

We hope that makes you proud to work with us. But most of all, we hope it makes our community a little better.

Visit the Johnson Art Museum | All Day 4/26 Sunday | http://www. emuseum.cornell.edu/ The entire collection is available to view and learn about online.†Select any of the thematic groups to browse the Museum’s permanent collection of more than 35,000 works.†

TompkinsTrust.com 08/19

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the landscapes we are nestled in

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Many of Ithaca’s businesses are open for curbside pick-up or home delivery. Save this page for an up-to-date guide to our city’s listings during this health crisis.