Issuu

If Connection Had a Sound, Would You Hear it?

Protecting Your Ears This July: Understanding Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Hearing Conservation

When families gather, whether for holidays, birthdays, or simple everyday moments we share stories, laughter, and traditions. But during these times, many people notice small changes in a loved one’s hearing. Maybe Grandma turns the TV up louder than usual, or Dad often asks, “What did you say?” These signs may seem small, but they can be the first hints that someone is starting to miss out on important moments.

Protecting Your Ears This July: Understanding Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Hearing Conservation

As summer hits its stride in July, so does the excitement –parades, outdoor concerts, sports games, backyard parties, and of course, reworks lighting up the night sky. These events are a big part of the season’s fun. However, all that noise can come with a hidden cost: your hearing.

What Is Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

Hearing well is about more than sound. It helps us stay confident, involved, and connected to the people around us. When hearing becomes harder, conversations take more effort. Loved ones may start to pull back without meaning to, simply because following every word becomes tiring or stressful.

Most of us don’t think twice about how loud our surroundings are during these celebrations. But noise-induced hearing loss is a real and permanent condition that a ects millions of people. It happens when the delicate hair cells inside the inner ear get damaged from exposure to loud sounds. These cells don’t grow back, which means once your hearing is a ected, it’s gone for good.

The Silent Threat: Gradual or Sudden Hearing Loss

Many people wait years before getting help. In fact, 75% of people with hearing loss say they wish they would have acted sooner. Once they finally address their hearing, they often realize how much they had been missing—little jokes, soft-spoken comments, shared memories, and the details that make family moments meaningful.

What makes this kind of hearing loss tricky is that it doesn’t always show up right away. Sometimes it creeps in gradually after months or years of being around loud environments –think concerts, power tools, or even lawnmowers. But it can also happen in an instant if you’re exposed to an especially loud noise, like reworks going o nearby.

How Loud is Too Loud?

communication improves, frustration decreases, and gatherings become more joyful.

Caring for hearing is part of caring for overall well-being. It strengthens independence, reduces mental strain, and helps people stay connected to the world around them.

the sound. Stay back from speakers, engines, or reworks –500 feet is a good rule of thumb when it comes to rework displays.

Don’t forget to talk about this with your family. A lot of people, especially kids and teens, have no idea that hearing loss from noise is permanent. Making ear protection a normal part of outings – like bringing sunscreen or water – can go a long way in building healthy habits.

Stay on Top of Your Hearing Health

At Timeless Hearing, we believe every person deserves to feel fully included in every conversation. Our team combines professional knowledge with genuine compassion. We guide families through the process, helping them understand their options in a way that feels comfortable and encouraging, not overwhelming or pressured.

It’s also a good idea to schedule regular hearing checkups, just like you would for your eyes or teeth. This is especially important if you're around loud environments regularly, either for work or fun.

We know that better hearing leads to better moments. When someone can hear clearly, they can laugh freely, join conversations without worry, and enjoy the simple, beautiful moments that make family life meaningful. Addressing hearing loss early protects these moments and keeps relationships strong.

Hearing loss might be invisible, but the impact on your life can be huge. It a ects how you connect with others, how you enjoy music or conversations, and even your mental well-being. So, this summer, as you soak up the season and all the exciting events it brings, take a few extra steps to protect your ears.

Choosing to care for your hearing is choosing to stay connected, stay confident, and stay involved. It ensures that every “I love you,” every shared laugh, and every treasured story is heard and remembered.

Celebrating Smart This Summer

And reworks? They’re no joke. If you’re close, they can hit between 150 and 175 decibels – way above what’s considered safe. To put that into perspective, sounds over 85 decibels can start to cause damage if you're exposed for a while. Once you're over 120, even a short burst of sound can hurt your ears.

The effects of untreated hearing loss go deeper than many realize. Research shows that older adults with untreated hearing loss have a 30–40% higher risk of cognitive decline. They also experience more loneliness, frustration, and anxiety. Every time someone struggles to hear, they lose a small piece of connection. It might be a story told across the dinner table, a quiet “thank you,” or a grandchild’s excitement. Over time, these missed moments add up.

But it’s not just reworks that put your hearing at risk. Summer is full of noisy activities such as music festivals, crowded sports stadiums, buzzing lawn tools, and roaring jet skis or speedboats on the lake. All of these can take a toll, especially if you’re not taking precautions.

Healthy aging isn’t just about extending life—it’s about improving it. Hearing plays a major role in helping people stay active, engaged, and emotionally strong. When hearing is supported, conversations feel easier. Relationships feel closer. Family time feels warm and relaxed. Loved ones can enjoy the present moment without the stress of trying to keep up.

Tips to Protect Your Hearing

The good news is this kind of hearing loss is totally preventable. With a few simple habits, you can enjoy all the summer fun without putting your hearing on the line. Start by carrying earplugs or earmu s to loud events, there are even stylish and comfortable options for these days, including custom- tted plugs for concert lovers. Kids need protection too, and their ears are even more sensitive than ours.

This summer, as you soak up the season and all the exciting events it brings, take a few extra steps to protect your ears.

Protect your hearing today, so you can keep enjoying the sounds of tomorrow. Call one of our o ces today to schedule your appointment!

If you or someone you love has been showing signs of hearing loss, now is the time to take the next step. Schedule a hearing screening with Timeless Hearing today and let us help you reconnect with the moments that matter most.

Timeless Hearing (Ithaca, NY): (607) 327-4711

Cortland Hearing Aids (Cortland, NY): (607) 327-4712

Timeless Hearing (Ithaca, NY): (607) 327-4711

Cortland Hearing Aids (Cortland, NY): (607) 327-4712

Timeless Hearing (Skaneateles, NY): (315) 800-0616

Cortland Hearing Aids (Cortland, NY): (607) 327-4712

Timeless Hearing (Skaneateles, NY): (315) 800-0616

Southern Tier Audiology (Elmira, NY): (607) 327-4714

Timeless Hearing (Skaneateles, NY): (315) 800-0616

Southern Tier Audiology (Elmira, NY): (607) 327-4714

Tri-City Hearing (Vestal, NY): (607) 327-4713

Timeless Hearing (Elmira, NY): (607) 327-4714

Tri-City Hearing (Vestal, NY): (607) 327-4713

Another smart move is to keep your distance from the source of the noise. The farther away you are, the less intense

Getting help for hearing loss can change daily life in meaningful ways. Today’s hearing solutions do more than increase volume—they bring clarity, comfort, and confidence. People who hear well are more likely to stay socially active, think clearly, and feel like themselves. Families notice the difference right away:

Ashley Hardy grew up in Cortland in a family with hearing loss and knows the impact communication can have on quality of life. She received her Bachelor’s in Human Development from Binghamton University in 2004 and has over 20 years of experience as a hearing aid dispenser.

N ews line

Ithaca City Planning Board Delays Vote on The Citizen Apartments,

Citing Design and Safety Concerns

VBy Philip O’Dell

isum Development Group’s proposal for The Citizen building faced scrutiny from the Ithaca City Planning Board over accessibility, safety, and design aesthetics during a public review on Nov. 24.

Visum submitted plans for the proposed building at 602 W. Buffalo St. The four-story, 75,250-square foot-apartment complex would feature 59 residential units, a community room, support spaces, bike storage, 2,307 square feet of retail space, and ground floor parking with 27 spaces. The development is situated within the

city’s WEDZ-1a zoning district and is not expected to require any variances.

Project architect L. Bear Smith attended the meeting via Zoom and detailed the building’s proposed designs. The project was originally approved in 2023 but requires revisions after being included in FEMA’s updated floodplain map. The building’s design, constrained by its infill nature, dictates the structural shape and limits the interior floor plan options. The elevations face Buffalo Street from the side and Meadow Street from the east, and the design incorporates solar sunscreens wrapped around the facades to enhance visual interest.

T ake n ote

The building’s design required a modification to comply with safety regulations. The structure had to be raised by about four feet due to its location in a floodplain. To avoid requiring a zoning variance that would have been triggered by raising the original height, the developers removed the planned top story, reducing the design from five stories to four. This change resulted in a shorter overall building profile. The building’s design will use durable masonry on the ground floor for flood resilience and feature an assortment of fiber cement siding on the upper levels.

Continued on Page 20

X Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) Applications Re-Open Following Government Shutdown

As of December 1, applications for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefit have reopened and are available online at mybenefits.ny.gov. Benefits are also available at your local County Department of Social Services (DSS) or Human Resources Administration (HRA).

The reopening of HEAP follows the recent federal government shutdown, which delayed New York’s ability to open the program, which is federally funded and provides financial assistance to lowincome people to help them pay the cost of heating their homes.

The program helps low-income New Yorkers pay their heating bills and prevents utility terminations for nonpayment. HEAP provides assistance regardless of the type of heating source a household uses, including electric, gas, fuel oil, propane, and other sources. The amount of financial assistance an individual or family will receive varies based on the household’s gross monthly income and family size.

In addition to administering HEAP, New York has a separate state-

funded utility Energy Affordability Program (EAP) that can provide up to $500 in annual savings per household, and every household that receives a HEAP benefit automatically qualifies for the EAP discount.

Households can also qualify if they receive any of the following benefits: Lifeline Telephone Service, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), Medicaid, Veterans Disability or Survivors Pension, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Federal Public Housing Assistance, Utility Guarantee/Direct Vendor programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or Safety Net Assistance.

Once enrolled in the EAP, households receive monthly discounts on their electric and gas bills for one year. Utility reports show that while one million New Yorkers are already enrolled in EAP, there are approximately 1.5 million eligible households across the state that have not yet enrolled to receive bill discounts.

For more information about the Home Energy Assistance Program (“HEAP”), visit: https://otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/

Elected officials are sounding the alarm after Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent decisions to greenlight construction of a pipeline and allow the continued operation of a crypto mine on Seneca Lake. (Design: Kaiden Chandler/Ithaca Times Intern. Photo: Marc A. Hermann/Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.)

@ ithacatim E s com

s C ott M anson , a ssociat E p ublish E r F r EE lanc E rs : Barbara Adams, G. M Burns, Charley Githler, Stephen Burke, Bill Chaisson, Ross Haarstad, Steve Lawrence, Marjorie Olds, Henry Stark, Peter Rothbart, Austin Lamb, Clement Obropta, Jake Sexton, Kira Walter, and Vasant Alex Laplam THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THE ITHACA TIMES ARE COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY PATHWAYS TO EQUITY, LLC. 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: $139 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 607277-1012, 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. FoundEr good t MEs gazEttE:

Pictured is a design for The Citizen building at 602 W. Buffalo St. in Ithaca. The four-story building would feature 59 residential units, retail space and a community room. (Photo: Provided)

Visum Development Group’s proposal for The Citizen building at 602 W. Buffalo St. faced scrutiny from the Ithaca City Planning Board over accessibility on Nov. 24. (Photo: Provided)

IN UIRING

PHOTOGR PHER Q A

By Mark Syvertson

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: “NOW THAT WE’VE HAD OUR FIRST SNOWFALL, WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WINTER ACTIVITY?”

NOTE: If readers wish to participate in the Ithaca Times’ Inquiring Photographer column, contact Mark Syvertson at marksyvertsonphotography@gmail.com

Local Nonprofit Appeals Second Dismissed Lawsuit Involving Cornell Turf Fields

State Court Upholds Approval of Turf Field in the Town of Ithaca, but Zero Waste Ithaca Cites Lab Reports Contradicting Cornell’s “PFAS-Free” Claim

By Lorien Tyne

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Cornell University declined a request for comment and the Ithaca Town Planning Board did not respond prior to publication.

Since Cornell University announced the Meinig Fieldhouse Project in October 2023, local environmental advocacy nonprofit Zero Waste Ithaca (ZWI) has fought the installation of multiple artificial turf fields included in the project due to environmental and health concerns.

Although ZWI has not been successful in two lawsuits regarding the turf fields, the organization continues to push back by appealing the court decisions and by collecting lab evidence showing there is perand polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the artificial turf material.

PFAS are manufactured chemicals used to make products resistant to heat, oil, stains, grease and water. Studies have linked certain levels of PFAS exposure to serious health impacts, such as increased risk of cancer as well as immune, developmental and reproductive effects, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The concern around PFAS — although studies are ongoing — come from many organizations like the EPA, the National Institute of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, among others.

The Meinig Fieldhouse Project is a 90,000-square-foot indoor sports and recreation center to be built on Robison Alumni Fields in the city of Ithaca. The project involves the removal of the outdoor field hockey artificial turf field, which has been replaced by another artificial turf field on Game Farm Road in the town of Ithaca.

Construction projects like these require the associated municipality to assess potential environmental impacts of the proposal as per the New York State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Act prior to approving the final site plan.

ZWI has brought two lawsuits to the New York Supreme Court: one against Cornell and the Ithaca City Planning and Development Board regarding the Meinig

Fieldhouse and another against Cornell and the town of Ithaca’s planning board regarding the Game Farm Road turf field. Presiding Justice Mark G. Masler ruled against ZWI in both cases, dismissing the lawsuits in April and November 2025, respectively.

While details and respondents vary, both of ZWI’s lawsuits allege that the municipal planning boards did not properly conduct the SEQRs and demand that declarations of no significant environmental impact be rescinded.

Game Farm Road Artificial Turf Field & Lawsuit

The Game Farm Road project includes turning an existing grass practice field into an outdoor synthetic turf field and construction of two facilities: a clubhouse with an indoor synthetic turf training space and infrastructure for vehicles and pedestrians. The town of Ithaca’s planning board determined in March that there was no significant environmental impact of the project and approved Cornell’s site plan. Cornell completed the turf field installation in September.

The turf material used for the Game Farm Road artificial turf field is GreenFields TX Pro Plus manufactured by TenCate. The turf is advertised as “PFAS-free” synthetic turf and incorporates recycled content. ZWI, skeptical of this claim, urged the town planning board to conduct independent third-party testing of the material during its SEQR. The manufacturer for the

“Ice skating at Cass Park.”

Brit

“Sledding with my kid down Rice Hill.”

Keir

“Sitting in front of the fireplace snuggling with my kids and dog.”

Gina

“Ice skating.”

Ellina

“Eating snow and building in the snow.”

Wyeth

The Meinig Fieldhouse Project is a 90,000-square-foot indoor sports and recreation center to be built on Robison Alumni Fields in the city of Ithaca. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times)

The Game Farm Road project includes turning an existing grass practice field into an outdoor synthetic turf field and construction of two facilities in the town of ithaca. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times)

Lansing Drops Moratorium Plans That Would Have Halted Data Center Project

By David Durrett and Lorien Tyne

The Lansing Town Board voted to withdraw a proposed one-year moratorium on development during its Wednesday, Nov. 19 meeting, which had previously had a public hearing scheduled for that moratorium.

In previous meetings, the board discussed a one-year moratorium freezing development in the town of Lansing, which the board said would allow the town time to revise the zoning code and determine which development best fit the town’s comprehensive plan. This spurred regional controversy, as the proposed moratorium would have halted TeraWulf’s development of a data center in the former Milliken Station power plant on Cayuga Lake.

At an Oct. 23 emergency special meeting, the town board selected Secrest & Emery LLP as special counsel to assist with any legal matters related to the moratorium and prepared for a public hearing to take place Nov. 19. On Nov. 19, the board unanimously withdrew the resolution and public hearing regarding the moratorium without discussion and with no explanation.

The Ithaca Times asked town board member Joe Wetmore to explain the reasoning behind the decision but Wetmore said he could not provide more detail.

“I continue to believe a moratorium is an important tool for the town to consider as we move through the zoning rewrite process,” Wetmore said. “A temporary pause on certain types of development would give us the time needed to fully evaluate potential impacts and ensure that our updated zoning is comprehensive and effective. It’s disappointing that, despite the clear need, the town is not currently in a position to move forward with a moratorium.”

At the Nov. 19 meeting, the town hall was once again full of people wishing to speak, so the board imposed a 20-minute limit on the public comment session and asked individuals to leave the room once they finished speaking to let in people waiting outside, although some speakers refused to leave.

Philip Gillemot, a property owner in Schuyler County, said he was saddened to hear that the board had stopped pursuing the moratorium and hoped it was only a temporary setback. He said data centers consume massive amounts of energy and contribute to climate change.

UPS DOWNS&

Ups

Last week Senator Lea Webb (SD-52) announced $68,000 in state funding for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County in Ithaca. The funding was awarded through the New York Senate’s Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology Program (CREST) and will assist in the purchase and installation of a new security system.

Downs

In response to overwhelming legal pressure from TeraWulf, the company developing the data center at the old Cayuga Power Plant in Lansing, the Lansing Town Board voted to withdraw a proposed one-year moratorium on development that would have paused development of the data center during its meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

HEARD SEEN&

Heard

“Unfortunately, greenhouse gas emissions do cause global warming,” Gillemot said, “which, in turn, provokes severe heat, fires, droughts, crop losses, hurricanes, floods, loss of glaciers and polar ice, rising sea levels with loss of coastlines and islands, loss of wildlife, severe economic losses, and mass migration.”

Ruth Groff, supervisor of the town of Lansing, initially stepped in to say that Gillemot’s comment violated public comment rules, since the first public comment period is only for agenda items and the moratorium had been removed from the agenda. After some discussion, in which board members Joe Wetmore and Judy Drake proposed that comments on the moratorium be allowed, the board permitted speakers to address the topic.

Adam Milqua, a representative of TeraWulf, thanked the town board for its decision to withdraw the moratorium and said he looked forward to working with them.

Doug Boles, co-owner of D-Squared Construction LLC in Lansing, said he was glad the board had decided to withdraw the moratorium but called the process a waste of time. He accused the board members in support of the moratorium of not being transparent or respecting the existing review process for projects.

“Leadership is about trying to draw people together,” Boles said, “and honestly, Mr. Wetmore, Ms. Groff, I don’t think you’re about trying to bring our community together. I think you’re about driving us apart.”

Joe Lovejoy, who ran as a write-in candidate for the town board in the November election but lost to Wetmore and Drake, also spoke at the meeting. He criticized the board for allowing residents to spread what he considered misinformation about the data center in favor of their “agenda” against it.

“If it’s right for our town, then let’s push it forward, but if it’s not, then that’s fine,” Lovejoy said. “But we don’t even know because you guys won’t let it come in front of the board.”

Sam Heimbecker, who works for the New York Parks Trail Crew, said the project, if approved, would potentially impact property values in Lansing and discourage people who might wish to move to Lansing.

“The investment opportunity over the next maybe 15 years from this project, as opposed to the property taxes and rising value of homes on a lake that is undisturbed by something like this is really something to think about,” Heimbecker said.

Selena Tirado said she is a lifelong resident of Ithaca, rather than Lansing, but that she shares an ecosystem with Lansing, which is why she asked the board to oppose the TeraWulf data center. She said that while TeraWulf had said it would use a closed loop cooling system, the power plant’s infrastructure is still there, and nothing legally prevents thermal discharge or water withdrawal.

“If lake water is pulled in and released

Tompkins County announced it will be hosting a free Winter SKYWARN spotter training course on Dec. 11 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at 72 Brown Road to teach residents how to report snow, ice, rain and flooding to the National Weather Service.

Seen

Visit Ithaca is launching a Resident Sentiment Tourism Survey to provide Tompkins County residents with an opportunity to share feedback on the impact of tourism in Tompkins County. Residents can participate by following this link to the survey: https://bit.ly/ residentsentiment

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

OF THE WEEK

Do you agree with the Lansing Town Board’s decision to withdraw the moratorium on development that would have delayed the data center? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.

The Lansing Town Board has decided to not move forward with its plans to implement a land-use moratorium, which would have temporarily prevented the development of a data center along Cayuga Lake. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times File)

The Watershed and The Downstairs Set to Close Their Doors by Year’s End

By Maddy Vogel

Joint bar and music venues the Watershed and the Downstairs are set to close at the end of December, Owner Ashley Cake announced in a recent statement. The establishments have served as a stronghold in Ithaca’s nightlife, having been open since 2016 and 2020, respectively.

Facing a shifting nightlife culture and a multitude of social and economic challenges, Cake said Tuesday, Dec. 23 will be their last night of business.

When the Watershed was first opened by Cake, she sought the establishment of a conversational atmosphere as one of the businesses core operating principles. She said she believes this is what makes the Watershed hold such a special place in the heart of Ithacans and other guests.

and be a part of a community.”

Another core principle was creating stable, well-paying service industry jobs in Ithaca. The Watershed was the first bar to be a living wage employer in Tompkins County, offering $15 an hour in 2016 (then the living wage).

“Being responsible to our workforce has always meant understanding and compensating as much as possible for the ups and downs of the hospitality industry in Ithaca’s highly seasonal service economy,” Cake said.

rooms, no-to-low-barrier hospitality and using alternatives to police intervention downtown.

Cake said that misconceptions and the spread of disinformation about drug use and panhandling on the commons has impacted people's perception of downtown safety.

“After nine years in business I can no longer afford this community’s decades-long divestment from affordability.”

“Our central pedestrian mall has been renovated into an inhospitable surveillance zone where folks without money to spend in the shops are not welcome,” Cake said. “The focus on attracting monied consumers has exacerbated the systemic inequity which reduces people’s circumstances to availing themselves of nominally “public” infrastructure that is hostile to them.”

— Ashley Cake, Owner and Operator of The Watershed, The Downstairs

“I have been serving Ithacans as a cashier, barista, and bartender since 1994, and the whole truth is that the Watershed arose out of the millions of conversations I’ve had over the years with my coworkers, customers, bosses, organizers, and everyday people,” Cake said. “Over and over again what I heard was that folks wanted to connect with each other

Since then, Cake has struggled to maintain the businesses status as a living wage employer, implementing a 20% bartender commission on sales in 2021 to maintain the certification. In 2025, Tompkins County’s living wage jumped to $24.82 an hour. She said that in 2025, the business is unable to be a living wage employer as the new living wage is more than $4 what the business can afford to pay for untipped work.

When the COVID-19 pandemic crippled the hospitality industry globally, downtown Ithaca felt a number of ripple effects. A cultural shift from alcohol consumption and late nights out, an affordability crisis straining people’s ability to spend on leisure, and a housing crisis pushing Ithacans outside city and even county lines have all impacted business. Cake said that people, including herself, cannot afford their old routines.

“The alcohol-based night life and live entertainment industries are collapsing all around us,” she said.

She said that despite multiple initiatives and studies urging the implementation of public restrooms, accessible spaces and police intervention alternatives, the city continues to prioritize the wealthy and disregard the workers who sustain it.

“As the cost of living skyrockets and wages stagnate or decline along with revenue, the service of luxury commodities exacerbates a two-tier system with laborers below the line supporting the consumers up top,” Cake said. “These three recommendations among others have been put forward again and again by different agencies and individuals in the city and the county, [...] and yet in 2025 the preponderance of completed development has been for the very wealthy.”

and communities that I am accountable to are under siege. While this city, this county, this state, and this country continues to fail the people so utterly, I can no longer justify tying up my skills, resources, and connections in a single building, hustling commodities for the luxury class.”

It’s not about the dollars that the business needs to be saved, Cake said, but instead about people’s ability to come through the door.

“Thank you for loving the Watershed and the Downstairs with me all these years. I’m so glad we got to do this beautiful thing together.”

— Ashley Cake, Owner and Operator of The Watershed, The Downstairs

During her time as a downtown business owner, Cake has served as a board member, secretary and chair of the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, where she created a 30-member Night Economy Committee composed of bartenders, servers, social workers, venue owners and residents. She has been a longtime proponent of establishing public rest-

Cake added that Cornell University’s recent financial troubles, union-busting tactics and yields to the federal government’s demands, have damaged the economic relationships the community relies upon.

“After 9 years in business I can no longer afford this community’s decades-long divestment from affordability,” Cake said. “The people I serve are being abandoned

“A lot of people ask me what the number is, how much money would it take to keep the spaces open,” she said. “One of my bartenders said it perfectly: It’s not about the money, we need customers.”

Cake concluded her statement by thanking those who have loved the Watershed and the Downstairs with her throughout the years.

“I’m so glad we got to do this beautiful thing together,” she said.

A full version of Cake’s statement is available on the Watershed’s website and social media.

Ashley Cake is the owner and operator of the Watershed and the Downstairs, joint music and bar venues in downtown Ithaca.

(Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times File)

The Watershed and the Downstairs are set to close on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

(Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times)

Preventing the Spread of Respiratory Illness this Winter

By Maddy Vogel

‘

Tis the season for sickness, and Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) is sharing reminders on how to limit and prevent the spread of respiratory illness like influenza (flu), COVID-19 and RSV as winter arrives.

In a recent statement, whole health warned that head and chest infections become much more prevalent in winter months, and urged the community to practice preventative measures to keep the community safe and healthy.

Respiratory viruses like those previously mentioned can cause both upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms. Common symptoms include fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny or stuffy nose, lack of appetite, sore throat, vomiting, new loss of taste or smell, headache, muscle or body aches, diarrhea, weakness, and more.

“Respiratory viruses affect the nose, throat and lungs, and can lead to serious lung infections such as pneumonia, or worse,” TCWH’s Medical Director Dr. William Klepack said. “In the more vulnerable members of our population, such as infants, those with pre-existing chronic health conditions, persons who are pregnant, or older adults, hospitalization and even death can occur. Last year

LANSING DROPS MORATORIUM PLANS

continued from page 5

warmer, it can worsen harmful algae blooms, disrupt fish populations and affect the temperature layers that keep the lake stable,“ Tirado said. “Cayuga Lake is already fragile, and once it’s damaged, we can’t reverse it.”

Tirado said she was also skeptical of TeraWulf’s promises to pay for infrastructure upgrades to the town’s electrical system. She added that she was concerned about the constant noise of the data centers disrupting residents’ sleep.

“There is no enforceable guarantee of the things the company is promising,” Tirado said, “not for water protection, not for noise limits, not for grid impacts, and not for transparency as the project scales. Promises are not protections. The town should not be asked to shoulder irreversible risk on trust alone.”

was one of our worst seasons for children with influenza.”

Once symptoms develop, treatment options can include antiviral prescriptions like Tamiflu or Paxlovid, often helping reduce severity and length of illness. Healthcare providers can test you to determine which virus an individual contracts and provide further assistance with recovery.

Free COVID-19 self-test kits are available, while supplies last, at TCWH’s offices at 55 Brown Road in northeast Ithaca and 201 E. Green St. in downtown Ithaca.

According to Whole Health, vaccinations are the most effective prevention measure against illness. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently approved a new COVID-19 vaccine standard allowing everyone ages 6 months and older to receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines can be taken at the same time as a flu shot and RSV. The flu vaccine is widely available at pharmacies and healthcare provider offices. Whole Health encourages everyone ages 6 months and older to receive a flu vaccine each fall. The RSV vaccine is recommended for infants up to 11 months, those who are pregnant, adults ages 75+, and for adults ages 65+ who have pre-existing health conditions. Call a local pharmacy or talk to a healthcare provider about vaccine availability.

Beyond vaccinations, there are other preventative measures individuals can take. Wearing masks can prevent the

spread of many respiratory illnesses, not just COVID-19. Well-fitting face masks, such as KN95 or fitted N95 masks can prevent the contraction of and spread of respiratory virus particles.

“Many infections are picked up in airports, bus or train terminals, and at large gatherings,” Klepack said. “A mask can prevent you from getting sick and spreading illness.”

Free KN95 and N95 masks are available at TCWH’s office at 55 Brown Road in northeast Ithaca upon request.

If someone does experience symptoms or come down with an illness, staying home and minimizing contact with others is essential. Klepack advises avoiding contact with vulnerable individuals, such as older adults and children.

“If you know you have been exposed, avoid being around highly vulnerable people until you know if you are infected or not,” Klepack said. “If you know you were exposed to COVID-19, use a test kit 2–4 days after exposure. When it is not possible to avoid vulnerable people, use a well-fitting mask and practice good hand hygiene.”

TCWH maintains an updated webpage with county-wide lab-confirmed cases reported to the New York State Department of Health. Its site shows weekly cases of flu, COVID-19, and monthly RSV cases.

Due to some cases only being selfreported and some going untested, TCWH

Tompkins County Whole Health is advising residents to stay up to date with current vaccinations and practice safety measures to prevent the spread of respiratory illness during the winter months.

(Photo: Provided/Tompkins County Whole Health)

warns that case numbers are likely higher than what is recorded.

To learn more about the respiratory illness season, visit TCWH’s resource page at https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/AllDepartments/Whole-Health/CommunityHealth-Services/Respiratory-Viruses

The Talk at

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Tompkins County Whole Health Recognizes World AIDS Day

“World AIDS Day is December 1st, Monday. The Tompkins County Whole Health Department will be recognizing it. Sadly (for the first time since 1988) our US Government will not be acknowledging the day.

Despite the federal government's decision not to recognize World AIDS Day we all should commemorate it because doing so reminds us of the importance of combating this disease. We still have people being infected in our region despite PrEP (the highly effective, preventive medication) being available. We still need a vaccine against HIV, and we need to rededicate our efforts to control this dangerous virus periodically. While we have made advances in saving lives, more needs to be done.

Join us at the health department in recognizing the day. Should you or someone you know need help with preventing or treating HIV infection / AIDS please

Anonymous Donor Pledges $50K Match to Support Ithaca Youth Bureau

“The FIYB Board has incredible news that we hope will inspire you as it has us. A longtime friend of our community’s youth has anonymously committed $50,000!

In fact, this supporter has agreed that their gift can be used to challenge you — matching donations you make before December 31, 2025, doubling your impact.

Board Chair Jeff Love expressed his excitement about this gift that will support the work that the Ithaca Youth Bureau does since it confirms that we’re being effective. ‘As we face a challenging time when vital youth development programming is in jeopardy of being defunded, we must look within ourselves to meet the moment, and I see our donors and community doing just that.’

Allen Green believes the timing is great because ‘our young people and their families have lots of challenges to deal with and this funding enables us to provide important support to the IYB.’

New board member Peter Tsung realizes that the ‘increased financial pressures families face make our work even more essential, and it is motivation to con-

tribute time and resources to keep IYB programs thriving.’

Eric Nichols feels that our regular meetings and communication with IYB Director Gregg Houck helps the FIYB board to understand how our allocations assist the IYB people, programs and facilities.

‘Gifts from community members and organizations can be designated to particular areas or for ‘areas of greatest need’. Economic conditions are putting more pressure on municipal budgets, nonprofit partners, and on individuals,” according to Mary Grainger.

Please consider participating in the Friends Fund Challenge by contributing to the FIYB by mailed check or online before December 31, 2025 so your support can be matched. We will announce the results on our website and social media as donors like you are inspired to respond.”

— Friends of the Ithaca Youth Bureau Board: Jeff Love, Mary Grainger, Allen Green, Eric Nichols, Peter Tsung

New York Can Protect Horses By Passing The PAST Act

“The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act (H.R. 1684), introduced earlier this year, would finally close the loopholes that have allowed the cruel practice of “horse soring” to continue. Soring involves deliberately injuring a horse’s legs and hooves to force an exaggerated, high-stepping gait for competitions. Trainers have long used caustic chemicals, chains, and other pain-inducing devices to achieve this effect.

The PAST Act would prohibit the tools used in soring, strengthen penalties, and end the industry’s failed system of selfpolicing.

The bill already has strong bipartisan support, with more than 200 members of Congress signed on as cosponsors. Yet Representative Josh Riley, who represents Ithaca, has not yet joined. New York has a long history of leadership in animal protection, dating back to 1828 when it became the first state to adopt an anti-cruelty law. I urge Representative Riley to uphold the legacy of our state and add his name to the PAST Act.” — Hannah Weir, Cornell University Student, Ithaca NY

League of Women Voters Seeks Student Nominees

“Nominations of Tompkins County high school juniors and seniors are sought for the 26th annual Students Inside Albany conference, which is scheduled to be held May 17-20, 2026, in Albany. The conference, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of New York State Education Foundation, Inc., is designed to increase students’ awareness of their responsibility in a representative government and provide the tools necessary for meeting that responsibility.

This interactive conference will bring together high school students from across the state to learn about New York State government and the process by which citizens can participate in the policy making arena. As part of this program, students will also tour the Capitol and observe both the Senate and Assembly in action by spending an afternoon shadowing their legislators.

Students are sponsored by one of the 60 local League of Women Voters throughout

“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”

Voices Through the Gorges

NOTE

Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night

A Celebration of Great Americans

Curated by Roy Allen

“A Nation Speaks”

This week we continue a 35-week journey through 250 years of American oratory — one speech, one voice, one Wednesday at a time — culminating on the last Wednesday before America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. In a time of great partisanship, listening to voices of the past might help us prepare for more unity in the future. These speeches were not delivered in silence — they were shouted across divides, whispered in courage, and sung in hope. They remind us that freedom is not a solo act — it is a chorus. Today, we pay tribute to an icon — women’s suffragette, social reformer and abolitionist — Susan B. Anthony of Rochester, New York.

Susan B� Anthony:

“On Women’s Right to Vote” — 1873

“Friends and fellow citizens: I stand before you tonight under indictment for the alleged crime of having voted at the last presidential election, without having a lawful right to vote. It shall be my work this evening to prove to you that in thus voting, I not only committed no crime, but, instead, simply exercised my citizen’s rights, guaranteed to me and all United States citizens by the national Constitution, beyond the power of any state to deny.

The Preamble of the federal Constitution says:

“We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

It was “We the people,” not “We the white male citizens,” nor yet “We the male citizens,”

but “We the [whole] people,” who formed the Union. And we formed it, not to give the Blessings of Liberty, but to secure them, not to the half of ourselves and the half of our Posterity, but to the whole people—women as well as men. And it is a downright mockery to talk to women of their enjoyment of the Blessings of Liberty while they are denied the use of the only means of securing them provided by this democraticrepublican government—the ballot.

For any state to make sex a qualification that must ever result in the disfranchisement of one entire half of the people, is to pass a bill of attainder, or, an ex post facto law, and is therefore a violation of the supreme law of the land. By it the Blessings of Liberty are forever withheld from women and their female posterity.

To them this government has no just powers derived from the consent of the governed. To them this government is not a democracy. It is not a republic. It is an odious aristocracy—a hateful oligarchy of sex. The most hateful aristocracy ever established on the face of the globe—an oligarchy of wealth, where the rich govern the poor.

An oligarchy of learning, where the educated govern the ignorant, or even an oligarchy of race, where the Saxon rules the African, might be endured. But this oligarchy of sex, which makes father, brothers, husband, sons, the oligarchs over the mother and sisters, the wife and daughters, of every household—which ordains all men sovereigns, all women subjects, carries dissension, discord, and rebellion into every home of the nation. Webster, Worcester, and Bouvier all define a citizen to be a person in the United States, entitled to vote and hold office.

The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons? And I hardly believe any of our opponents will have the hardihood to say they are not. Being persons, then, women are citizens. And no state has a right to make any law, or to enforce any old law, that shall abridge their privileges or immunities. Hence, every discrimination against women in the constitutions and laws of the several states is today null and void, precisely as is every one against Negroes.”

Next Week: Chief Joseph (1877)

“I Will Fight No More”.

Don’t Let Ithaca Lose Its Storytellers

Imagine the sharpest, most passionate young journalists you’ve ever met (the ones who stay late chasing a story because they believe in this town) slowly packing their bags. Not because they want to leave… but because local rents force them out.

That’s the quiet heartbreak happening right now. Our best new writers, the ones who grew up here or fell in love with Ithaca in college, are being pushed toward cheaper cities just to survive.

The Rising Star Fund rewrites their story into a happy ending by sponsoring a simple monthly housing stipend (a hand up, never a handout) so they can keep living here, keep writing here, keep falling deeper in love with Ithaca… and keep telling the stories that make this city our home.

When a young journalist can afford to stay in Ithaca, you get:

● Fresh, fearless voices loyal to your local paper

● Someone at every city council meeting who believes local news matters

● The next great Ithaca story written by someone who actually lives here

● Your $25, $50, or $100 a month doesn’t just pay their rent.

● It keeps storytellers in our community and stops local brain drain.

● When our younger generation thrives, Ithaca’s future stays bright.

Keep local talent in Ithaca by donating today to the Rising Star Fund (an initiative of Pathways to Equity, Inc a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization)

For more info: roy@ithacatimes.com

A Call for National Service: Service to Self Might Lead to a Brighter Future

By Roy Allen, Director of Strategic Partnerships — Ithaca Times, Finger Lakes Community Newspapers, www.ithaca.com

In communities throughout the nation, young people face a decision that will shape the rest of their lives, often before they’ve truly lived one. Every year, roughly 2.1 million Americans graduate from four-year colleges, yet within a year, up to half find themselves working jobs that never required a degree. That’s not failure. That’s a system asking kids to gamble their futures blindfolded.

And this isn’t just an economic problem. It’s a democratic one. A society built on participation can’t thrive when the next generation enters adulthood confused, isolated, and disconnected from the communities they’re supposed to help steward. Democracy begins with belonging; with believing you have a stake in your neighbors’ well-being. But that sense of belonging rarely comes from a lecture hall. It comes from experience.

That’s where national civilian service enters the story. It offers one simple, powerful change: one or two voluntary years of service before young adults lock themselves into costly, high-stakes decisions about college or career. Not mandatory. Not punitive. Not government overreach. Just opportunity. Just clarity. Just a chance to participate in the nation you’re about to inherit.

Serve for a year in AmeriCorps; in urban tutoring corps in New York, Detroit, or Phoenix; on conservation teams in Colorado or Maine; in disaster-response units in California and Louisiana; in coastal restoration along the Gulf; in public-health outreach in tribal communities; or in elder-care and hospital-support programs from Minneapolis to Miami—and you earn $7,395 in tuition credit. Serve two years and walk away with $15,000, references, real-world skills, and a clearer sense of direction. Those years even count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness if you pursue higher education.

But the greatest value of national service isn’t the money. It’s the democracy it restores. And the self-knowledge it unlocks. In twelve to twenty-four months, young adults learn:

• Whether they thrive on wildfire crews or prefer community health work, teaching, caregiving, or logistics.

• Whether mentoring children in Chicago or supporting disaster recovery in Texas feels meaningful, or whether hands-on trades or environmental work are a better fit.

• Whether they love structured teamwork or independent problem-solving in rural or urban settings.

• What kinds of work and community give their days purpose.

This is where one of the deepest truths of adulthood emerges: service to others is often the fastest path to understanding yourself.

And that discovery is profoundly democratic. When young people serve, they learn that they are part of the great American “we.” They experience citizenship not as a slogan or a civics requirement but as something lived, earned and shared.

From that experience, something extraordinary happens. They start seeing the nation as theirs to care for, not just to critique.They see themselves as contributors, not customers. They realize democracy is not something that happens every four years—it’s something they practice every day when they show up for one another.

After a year or two of service, college isn’t a default move; it’s an intentional choice. Students return with confidence, perspective, and purpose. Some pursue degrees with clarity. Others choose apprenticeships or trades that pay $70,000 to start with zero debt. Others stay in public service. But whatever they choose, they do so with open eyes.

National service won’t solve every problem facing higher education or the workforce. But it prevents young adults from being pushed into debt and uncertainty before they understand themselves,

Continued on Page 12

No Place I’d Rather Be

By Alexandra Dufresne

Imoved to Ithaca about three years ago from Zurich, Switzerland. The culture shock was extreme. On the day our family arrived at our rental in Fall Creek, our neighbors kept walking into our house to chat. The next day, our neighbors brought over cucumbers. Fruits, pies, casseroles followed, along with lots of questions about our kids, jobs, hobbies. I went to the gym and people started chatting me up while I was changing clothes. Did I know these people? In Zurich, it is appropriate to watch your neighbors for several years before speaking to them. At that point, it is appropriate only to lodge a formal, passively worded request that they keep the noise down.

In Ithaca some women appeared, unironically, to consider themselves witches. (Switzerland, the last country in the West to execute a woman for alleged witchcraft is not known to be particularly witch- friendly). Women talked openly about menopause, which made me wince in embarrassment. A lot of conversations involved plants, which people referred to by name, like old friends.

So, for my first few years, I rolled my eyes at New Age shops and advertisements for alternative healing. I colored my hair so I would not look old at work. I did not give into long flowy skirts. I wore suits to the office! I showed up to events on time. I wanted it to be known: you could take me places.

I liked Ithaca — don’t get me wrong — but I viewed it with a bemused detachment.

And then I got sick. Breast cancer first treated in Zurich came back, spreading to my bones and uterus. Within less than a month, I went from rowing on the lake (er — in the bushes) and playing at Grassroots to not being able to drive myself to work. Overwhelmed in the best of times with family and work, I was suddenly — flatly — drowning.

I needed help and stat. Luckily, almost

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

continued from page 8

New York State; all their expenses are covered, including travel and three nights at a hotel in downtown Albany. The participants will receive a student membership in the League of Women Voters of Tompkins County which includes invitations to

everyone I spoke to affirmatively offered help. This was a relief, as I did not feel like after only three years in town, I had earned the right to ask for support. Three friends took turns driving me to work. One drove me to Rochester for an oncology surgery appointment and wrote down every word the nurses said when I was in an oxy-induced brain fog. Each week we receive either a food offering or flowers on our doorstep. New friends help take care of our exuberant labrador retriever puppy (a pre-cancer gift). People I barely know offer to pray for me, and I have all the (major and minor) religious traditions covered.

Everyone I know is just one degree of separation from everyone else, so soon everyone knows about the cancer. People I barely know check in; I get a lot of hugs. My doctors are beyond lovely. Their nurses and my local pharmacist know me by name. When I call to make an appointment, people call me “honey” and “dear”. This is in contrast to the cancer center staff in New York City, who often sound annoyed that I caught cancer and had the nerve to bother them while they were at work.

I develop expertise in asking for what I want. “Can I drive you anywhere?” a friend asks. “No”I say, but could I join your husband’s band?” That is quite an ask for a 52 year old with exactly zero band experience, but you see, I really want to play at Porchfest one day. There is nothing special about breast cancer. One in eight women in the U.S. will get it. But there is something special about Ithaca. I will be cared for in this wonderfully weird, quirky place, surrounded by too many CSA root vegetables in the winter, just enough berries in the summer and wrapped up in a scarf someone knit by hand. It is an amazing thing to be cared for by a community, especially when one is new. It is amazing to feel like you belong.

Alexandra Dufresne moved to Ithaca in 2022.

participate in activities and meetings on government related topics. For more information and application forms, contact Students Inside Albany Coordinator at LWVtompkins.info@ gmail.com or 607-351-9722. Don’t wait — the submission deadline is January 27, 2026.” — Megan Nettleton, League of Women Voters

McClintic Rides to a Third-Place Finish at Regional Championships

By Steve Lawrence

Ayear ago, I wrote a story about two Ithaca High School students — Connor Logue and Nathan McClintic — who were members of a mountain biking club known as the Finger Lakes Crank Spinners, and who were competing on the national level. While Connor has gone on to college — where he still races — Nathan just repeated as the NYS champion, and headed to Maryland for the Regionals. Nathan faced off against other 10th-graders from 11 states, and when the race concluded, Nathan stood on the podium, finishing third in a field of 119 riders.

Asked about the challenges on the course, Nathan said, “It was two laps on a course that was shorter than I thought it would be, and the race took about a half hour.” He added, “It rained a little, and that made for some muddy spots, and there was a tricky rocky section, but nothing too challenging.” (The Finger Lakes Crank Spinners train at Shindagin Hollow and Hammond Hill, and most riders that train on those demanding trails are not often overtaxed on other courses.)

While there is not a national competition, Nathan has found another way to set the bar higher for himself. He said, “Next year, I plan to ride above my age group, in what is known as the Varsity classification.”

No sponsorships, no glory, no prize money. These young athletes do it for the love of the ride.

While I do like to attend a good football game on a crisp fall day, by the time the season comes to an end in late November, I am ready to watch indoor sports. Like Cornell basketball.

While the Cornell men’s recent home game felt somewhat out of kilter, it was fun to get a look at the team early in the 202526 season. I say that it felt out of kilter because the game was held the day before Thanksgiving, meaning that the vast majority of students were off campus, and the crowd was — while enthusiastic — sparse. It was also slightly off-kilter because the opponent was Misericordia University — a Division III school in Dallas, Pennsylvania — and it was a mismatch. That said, these inter-division match ups are good for both schools, given the D-1 school gets a look at all the players on the team, and the D-3 guys get the experience of playing against very tough competition. Plus, if a team is to lose by a large margin, it’s better to do it in someone else’s gym.

Third-year head coach Jon Jaques did in fact get a look at his entire roster, and if the Big Red were to put up 114 points in every game, it would be epic. That won’t happen, but if Cornell is to shoot the

3-pointers like they did against Misericordia, good things await. Big Red sharpshooters buried 24 shots from beyond the arc, far surpassing the previous school record. In winning its fourth straight contest, the home team saw twelve different Big Red players make at least one 3-pointer, as Cornell shot 53 percent from the floor overall and 91 percent at the free-throw line. Spreading the wealth was the order of the day, as all 16 players saw their name in the scoring column.

These early season nonconference games are good tune-ups, but it’s really tough to see players get injured in such contests. Logic would dictate that players be extra careful in “meaningless” games, but in reality, these guys did not become Division 1 athletes by taking it easy. One player — a promising freshman — went hard after a loose ball, collided awkwardly with an opponent and went down clutching his knee in excruciating pain. I have yet to see an update on his status, and I understand that the risk of injury looms for every player that

steps onto the court, but I hate to see a player’s season be threatened by an injury sustained in a game his team is leading by 40 points.

Cornell’s schedule can be seen at www. cornellbig.com.

and it deepens their connection to the communities they serve. It strengthens local ties, civic pride and mutual responsibility—all of which democracy depends on.

Two years of perspective before wagering the next forty isn’t radical. It’s democratic. It’s patriotic. It’s practical. We require training before someone can

drive a truck, run a school bus route, or operate machinery—but we let teenagers gamble their futures blindfolded. Same kids. Same communities. Same future on the line. A stronger democracy within reach. The only difference is one

rule: nobody bets blindfolded anymore. Take a two year break. Serve. Learn. Contribute. Because when you help your country, you discover yourself—and when young people discover themselves, We the People grow stronger.

Nathan McClintic (right) finished third at a regional cycling competition against 119 other riders. (Photo: Provided)

Is New York Abandoning its Climate Commitments?

After recent decisions, critics say Hochul’s administration is backtracking on state climate goals and caving to political and corporate pressure

By Matt Dougherty

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) have made a series of controversial decisions in recent weeks. Some claim these decisions undermine and backtrack on the state’s environmental laws mandated by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

On Nov. 7, the DEC issued a permit allowing the construction of the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline, which will carry fracked natural gas through Pennsylvania and New Jersey to downstate New York. It was previously denied twice by state regulators over environmental concerns, but has now been approved following federal pressure from the Trump administration.

Reports from earlier this year exposed that President Trump had a series of conversations with Hochul in which he threatened to withhold federal funding from New York and cancel congestion pricing for New York City if the pipeline was not approved.

The same day Hochul and the DEC issued the permit for the NESE pipeline, they also announced a settlement agreement with the Greenidge Generation cryptocurrency mining facility, allowing the facility — which is powered by fracked natural gas — to continue operating for the next five years.

The settlement effectively puts an end to a three-year legal battle launched by Greenidge after Hochul and the DEC denied an air quality permit for the facility in June 2022.

On Nov. 7, state officials approved a settlement allowing the Greenidge Generation cryptocurrency mining facility in Dresden, N.Y to keep operating despite previous air-permit denials. The decision followed a years-long legal battle over the facility’s reliance on fracked natural gas and its projected greenhouse gas emissions, which regulators have said would violate New York’s climate laws. (Photo: EarthJustice)

Environmental advocates are accusing New York Gov. Kathy Hochul of backtracking on the state’s climate laws by approving the NESE gas pipeline and allowing the continued operation of the Greenidge cryptocurrency plant. Both projects operate on fracked natural gas and were previously denied over environmental concerns. (Photo: AP Images)

When the DEC originally denied the air permit in 2022, the agency stated that the facility’s current operations, if maintained, would “be inconsistent with or interfere with” the emission limits established in the CLCPA. Those emission limits require “New York to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and no less than 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels.” In its permit denial, it said that Greenidge had no “serious plan” to transition from its current reliance on natural gas for mining operations.

The settlement agreement reached in November stated that Greenidge, permitted to continue operations, is required to create a plan to reduce GHG emissions by 44% and make efforts to transition away

from relying solely on fracked natural gas to power its crypto-mining operations.

However, New York State Assemblymember Anna Kelles raised concerns during a Nov. 12 press conference where she explained that Greenidge has failed to provide a plan for transitioning away from natural gas in the past, and she believes the company will engage in “green washing” by claiming they’re reducing emissions through purchasing carbon offset credits rather than building on-site renewable energy infrastructure, which would reduce emissions.

“My greatest concern is that [Greenidge] will engage in green washing,” Kelles said. “They will say they’re reducing their greenhouse gas emissions but they will reduce them by buying environmental credits

Assemblymember Anna Kelles says that state leaders are failing to uphold New York’s climate law by allowing projects like the Greenidge gas-fired crypto plant to continue operating. Kelles said the decisions contradict the mandates of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and reflect growing influence from fossil-fuel industry lobbying. (Photo: Provided)

from the state and NYPA allowance so they can say that they’re paying for the electrons going on the grid, but if they’re increasing base demand on the grid they’re not reducing their emissions.” She added, “They would have to build renewable energy infrastructure on site if they’re actually going to reduce emissions.”

Kelles continued saying that allowing the facility to continue operations violates New York State's constitutional guarantee that its residents have a right to clean air and water.

Throughout the legal battle the DEC’s decision to deny the air quality permit was upheld three times by state courts, but Greenidge was able to continue operating by appealing each denial and claiming that the DEC lacked legal authority to deny air permits based on the CLCPA. In the case's latest ruling prior to the settlement, state courts decided that the DEC does have the authority to deny air permits based on the CLCPA guidelines, but that more justification was needed before doing so. The decision required the DEC and Greenidge to present their cases at additional evidentiary hearings before a final ruling was made, but those hearings were delayed at the request of Greenidge. The settlement was announced just over a week before evidentiary hearings were set to restart on Nov. 18.

New York State regulators’ approval of these projects after their previous denials has raised concerns among residents and elected officials that state leadership is being influenced by corporate interests and federal pressure to undermine New York’s ambitious environmental laws.

has announced that New York will be shifting to an “all-of-the-above approach,” regarding energy policy which relies on both fossil fuels and nuclear energy.

This shift is yet another signal that New York State leadership is abandoning the climate goals that were set by the CLCPA. While the climate act mandates that the state should be decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, the state has increased its reliance on fossil fuels despite making historic investments in renewable energy since the passage of the act.

Kelles said that the state’s failure to live up to the goals set by the CLCPA are a direct result of state leadership choosing not to implement the Scoping Plan that laid out a plan to meet the act’s mandates. Kelles said that the scoping plan called for implementing policies like Cap-and-Invest and the Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA), but that neither of these policies have been fully implemented. She added that lobbying from the fossil fuel industry has played a significant role in influencing the governor to backtrack on state climate law.

During a press conference held in response to the approval of the projects, New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado — who is running against Hochul in the 2026 Democratic primary for Governor — said, “This decision is not just wrong, it’s “a betrayal of New York’s values.”

Delgado continued saying, “By allowing Greenidge to keep burning fracked gas, the Governor is rewarding a corporate polluter that has violated our climate law and stuck working families with the bill. Leadership means having the courage to stand up to powerful interests, not cave to them. New Yorkers deserve clean air, clean water, and a future built on renewable energy, not broken promises and fossil fuels.”

Responding to the approval of the NESE pipeline Delgado said the project remains “toxic, unnecessary, and a handout to fossil fuel billionaires.”

When asked if Hochul and the DEC provided any rationale for not enforcing state climate law, Delgado said, “I don’t know why they’re [not following the law]. What I do know is the law, and the law is one that has been previously followed by the DEC in the terms of applying the standards of the CLCPA.” Delgado added, “This begs the question, what has changed such that we are now in a position where the law doesn’t seem to carry as much weight, or the science doesn’t seem to carry as much weight?”

After approving the pipeline, Hochul said that the decision was made in response to what she called a “war against clean energy” being waged by Republicans in Washington and New York. However, instead of pushing stronger for clean energy, Hochul

According to a study from the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, natural gas contributed to 39% of the state’s electricity generation in 2017, but four years after the CLCPA was passed, the percentage of natural gas used for electricity generation increased to over 50% in 2023. The study claims that this increase in the state’s reliance on natural gas stems from former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision to shut down the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. While reliance on natural gas has decreased back to 39% as of this year, an estimated three-quarters of the state’s energy still comes from fossil fuels.

“There’s tremendous pushback from the industry because they don't want to pay for it,” Kelles said.

A report by the LittleSis Public Accountability Initiative published on Nov. 18 backs up Kelles’ claims. The report found that 17 different “polluting corporations” spent a total of $15.9 million on lobbying to delay the implementation of the CLCPA from 2021 to 2025. The top three corporations included the American Chemistry Council, National Fuel Gas and the American Petroleum Institute. Ithaca’s regional

Environmental advocates say fossil-fuel industry lobbying has helped steer state leaders away from fully enforcing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. A recent report found that polluting corporations and utility interests spent nearly $16 million to delay the law’s implementation and shape Gov. Kathy Hochul’s energy agenda. (Photo: LittleSis Public Accountability Initiative)

Cécile McLorin Salvant is Reinventing Jazz, One Show at a Time

By Vasant Alex Laplam

Don’t worry, Cécile McLorin Salvant is weird in all the right ways. Case in point: on her latest album “Oh Snap” there’s a 27-second interlude where she riffs on the chorus of “Brick House” by the Commodores. Just over two minutes later, she drops an s-bomb on the record’s title track.

Salvant, who will perform at Cornell University’s Bailey Hall on Friday, is indeed a three-peat Jazz Vocal Album Grammy winner. She once put out a record sung mostly in French and can sing in languages like Haitian Kreyòl, Japanese and Occitan. No one less than jazz giant Wynton Marsalis called her a “once in a generation” kind of singer. But surprisingly, refreshingly, Salvant is the kind of genius who makes music people will actually want to listen to.

Perhaps a food analogy will help. Think of Salvant as the relative who always turns up with the best dish in the Thanksgiving buffet. Yes, she’ll put together unexpected flavors and textures, but she won’t serve people anything less than a masterpiece that they can’t get anywhere else. So when, in a series of YouTube interviews for her new album, she says that “nothing really was planned or calculated in a way that was in consideration of the listener” there’s no need to panic.

In online interviews for “Oh Snap,” tSalvant explains that the tracks for the album came out of a need for her to rebuild her connection to music. “I thought, ‘what would I build if I could just build it alone, based on who I am?’” And she did. The tracks for the album were recorded in secret and squirreled away on her computer.

Luckily, Salvant is a genius who loves company. So even though she started off on her own, she brought in world-class musicians to collaborate on “Oh Snap,” including Grammyaward-winning pianist Sullivan Fortner, who

Cécile McLorin Salvant,

Friday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Bailey Hall

Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Tickets available at https://vivenu.com/event/dallas-morsecoors-concert-series-cecile-mclorin-e6oa9t

will be performing as part of the band on Friday.

There's courage and playfulness in the variety of the album’s tracks. Bubbly synthesizer beats on “I am a volcano” somehow melt into a jazzy piano in “Anything but now” without clashing with the drum-driven “Oh Snap.” Salvant then aggressively auto-tunes her vocals in “A little bit more,” before ending the album with a Japanese Haiku. Somehow, it all works.

The playfulness of the album bleeds over into Salvant’s approach to concerts. When asked what to expect at a recent show in Boston, she said there was no set list planned as of the night before. Rather, she said she tries to “keep it pretty loose and open.” What this means for Friday’s concert is simple: expect to be pleasantly surprised.

“Any given venue that she performs at hears a different selection of songs,” Cornell Professor Andrew Hicks said in an interview with the Ithaca Times. Hicks, who also serves as Interim Chair of the university’s Department of Music, added that Salvant will announce what songs will be performed on Friday night, from the stage. “She's not just touring with a set playlist.”

Salvant’s performance on Friday is part of the Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series at Cornell, but attendees needn’t worry about doing any homework, assures Hicks. The concert series itself is a Cornell endeavor that dates back to 1903 and is managed in conjunction with the Music Department.

“Come with an open mind,” Hicks says, promising that even though Bailey Hall dates back to 1913, first-time visitors can be assured that it is ADA accessible and that its 1300 seats, which are arranged in a horseshoe around the stage, make it feel less like a lecture hall for academics and more like a community venue.

So while it is possible to listen to Salvant on a streaming platform and watch videos of her past performances online, the combination of a unique setlist and the communal experience are what makes Friday’s concert so valuable to Hicks.

“I simply don't think there's anything that replaces the experience,” he said. “To sit together with people you know and people you don't and experience the energy of music live on the stage, there's just something irreplaceable about that.”

Beyond surprise and community, there’s another reason Ithacans might want to brave the early December cold. Both Hicks and Salvant hinted that “Oh Snap” and the everchanging set list for the tour mean something quite exciting: that the canon isn’t finished. Salvant isn’t just evolving from someone who riffs on the Great American Songbook (a collection of jazz standards, pop songs and show tunes) into a singer who is confident enough to share the music that plays in her own head. She is rebuilding jazz, reinventing it, one show at a time. One album at a time. One song at a time. Who doesn’t want to see that happen live?

& Entertainment

Cécile McLorin Salvant will perform at Bailey Hall at Cornell University in Ithaca on Friday, December 5, 2025. (Photo: Ebru Yildiz)

A Christmas Musical Adventure: Béla Fleck, Flecktones, and Tuvan Throat Singers

By Peter Rothbart

Very few artists can be called revolutionary; trumpeter Miles Davis, composers Claude Debussy and Igor Stravinsky, and painter Pablo Picasso come to mind. But few musicians in history have redefined an instrument’s sound, repertoire, and possibilities more than Béla Fleck. And he did it on…the banjo. Béla Fleck and the Flecktones are bringing their reunion tour, called “Jingle

“Jingle All the Way”

Béla Fleck and the Flecktones State Theatre, Ithaca, NY

December 5, 2025, 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: stateofithaca.org

All the Way,“ to Ithaca’s State Theatre on Friday, Dec. 5. It’s an homage to the upcoming holiday season and they are expected to reprise and re-release their 2008 Christmas album by the same name. Fleck has recalled all the original musicians who played on the album from their other musical endeavors to recreate the music that won the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Performance.

But this is not your schoolchildren’s holiday concert, nor is Fleck picking your grandpappy’s banjo. Eclectic does not even begin to describe the music of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, especially when you add the Alash Ensemble, a trio of Tuvan throat singers and their indigenous instruments from Tuva. Drawing from a vast array of genres–classical, jazz, Bluegrass, African electric blues, and Eastern Euro-

pean folk–their performances disregard the definition of World music.

If the upcoming concert’s setlist is anything like the original recording (and it is expected to be), Ithacans can anticipate hearing classic holiday tunes such as the “Twelve Days of Christmas” played in all twelve keys, Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio, “Ich Will Nur Zu Ehren Leben,” with a pronounced drumbeat, “Silent Night” featured with a grooving bass and percussion bed overlayed with an ethereal soprano sax melody that oozes Miles Davis in his later years. Their rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies” from Nutcracker fame will keep you on your toes…and everyone else’s given the rapid fire tempo and style changes that permeate the arrangement. It’s a mischievous, unpredictable, and entertaining piece that surpris-

ingly ends with a klezmer flourish. Hang on as Fleck and the Flecktones take the reins for a ridiculously fast “Sleigh Ride” Bluegrass style. The band careens over the river and through the woods trading jaw dropping, rollicking solos from banjo to bass to drums. Bluegrass licks morph into bebop lines with plenty of soloing from Jeff Coffin’s saxophone. And what would a Christmas concert be without a throat singing rendition of “Jingle Bells…in Tuvan?”

The 5-string banjo is not the most gentle of instruments. Everything sounds short and snappy; it’s a plucky affair. Fleck, who was named after his father’s three favorite classical composers–Hungarian Béla Bartók, Austrian Anton Webern, and Czech Leoš Janáček–was nurtured on the music

Continued on Page 19

Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers: A Festive Feast for All

By Peter Rothbart

The Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers’ annual “Feast of Carols” brings the holiday season’s festivities to the Ithaca College’s Ford Hall stage on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 4 p.m. Curated by Founding Director Baruch Whitehead, the free concert eclectically alternates between Negro Spirituals, European classical cantatas and arias, traditional Christmas carols, and Kwanzaa-infused celebratory verses. In addition to the chorus, the concert will feature a full orchestra, highlight national and local singers, and a concert-ending sing-along to spread the message. The act of singing Negro Spirituals is inherently a spiritual-socio-political

“Feast of Carols”

Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers

Sunday, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m.

Ford Hall, Ithaca College

Admission is free

statement of hope, peace, equality, and therefore prosperity. It is aspirational music that comes from, and touches, the soul and is ultimately optimistic. The legacy left by civil-rights activist Dorothy Cotton–who lived in Ithaca for many years and was Education Director for Martin Luther King’s Southern Christian Leadership Council–may be the inspirational touchstone for the ensemble named after her, the Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers, but Founding Director Baruch Whitehead is its guiding light and driving force.

Whitehead’s musical activism is more in the social-awareness than politicalaction arena. He believes that his commitment to concertizing the Negro Spiritual, “…carries the power to promote social justice and racial healing.”

He is not the first to bring Negro Spirituals from the church into the concert hall, but his willingness to incorporate other idioms from European classical music and other World music into a program brings an eclectic and refreshingly honest perspective to the mainstream concert experience.

Listen as multiple excerpts from Handel’s Messiah nestle next to composer Lena McLin’s newly minted multi-movement Christmas Cantata. The cantata is an amalgam of Negro Spirituals, spoken text and instrumental interludes. Whitehead commented that, “I consider this setting of the Christmas story on par with Handel’s Messiah.”

“O Come All Ye Faithful” gets a brass choir treatment as an opening processional, while a movement from Daniel Pinkham’s own Christmas Cantata follows. Glenn Burleigh’s moving “Ujima,” based on the third-day Kwanzaa principle of ”collective work and responsibility,” promises an emotionally powerful delivery from guest soloist tenor Limmie Pulliam.

Pulliam is an operatic force to be reckoned with. His 2023 Metropolitan Opera debut was in the role of Radamès in Verdi’s Aida, and he recently sang the iconic and much beloved aria “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini’s opera Turandot in his debut with the Minnesota Orchestra.

Relatively new to the world of opera, his is a big voice; unleashed it is overwhelming,

especially with his imposing stage presence. Anticipate a new approach to his rendition of excerpts from the Messiah and the carol “O Holy Night.” Listen for his opera house projection and intimate soul bearing passion as he reprises “Nessun Dorma.”

Peter Rothbart is a Professor Emeritus of Music at the Ithaca College School of Music, Theatre and Dance where he taught electroacoustic and media music for 40 years. He remains active as a classical, jazz, and pop musician.

Music

(Photo: Provided)

Review: “Zootopia 2” Bounds Ahead of the Original

By Clement Obropta

Nine years after the original “Zootopia” premiered, Disney’s sequel slithers into theaters. The series, titled “Zootropolis” here in Scotland and throughout much of Europe, stars bunny cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), who allies with roguish fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) to solve cases in a city where predators and prey live together in harmony.

The Academy Award-winning first film is, copaganda aside, a gorgeous world brought to life with infectious zeal and lots of heart. It’s also a masterclass in efficient story structure — we studied it in Nick Sagan’s screenwriting class at Ithaca College. In comparison, “Zootopia 2” is a charming but bumpy follow-up. It broadens the lore and setting and chases loftier themes, though its effete story loses some of the original’s wonder and tight plotting.

The sequel begins a mere week after the first film. Hopps and Wilde are, to the surprise of no one, radically irresponsible rookie cops who regularly endanger Zootopian lives in pursuit of minor suspects. One particularly bad smash-up relegates them to partners’ therapy and possible suspension, and Judy’s attempts to fix things only burrow them deeper into dan-

“Zootopia 2”

Rated PG

Directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard Currently playing at Regal Ithaca Mall

40 Catherwood Road, Ithaca

A CHRISTMAS MUSICAL ADVENTURE

continued from page 18

and facile three-finger picking style of banjoist and Bluegrass pioneer Earl Scruggs. After a stint playing in the style, he went his own way with a clean, blindingly fast, and facile technique. Who knew there were so many varieties of snappiness?

His musical inquisitiveness pushed him to transcend the instrument’s accepted limitations, with genre-bending musical explorations including classical, jazz, and pop. He spent years studying and combining

ger. Soon, both fox and bunny are framed for theft and attempted murder and are forced to go on the run if they want to clear their names.

While the original film is a police mystery through and through, the sequel is much more of a biome-trotting adventure film. Hopps and Wilde traverse the frigid streets of Tundratown, the swampy environs of Marsh Market, and the desert festival of Burning Mammal as they claw their way to the heart of yet another Zootopia-wide conspiracy. At the center of it all is a skittish snake named Gary (Ke Huy Quan), who knows a secret about why there are no reptiles in Zootopia. Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin again lead a skillful voice cast — Bateman’s perpetual smirk is the perfect register for the street fox, while Goodwin aptly balances her bunny cop’s boundless energy with her dyed-in-the-wool determination. Together, their banter is the film’s most consistently entertaining aspect.

The rest of the voice cast is disappointingly star-studded. I’m not the kind of person who gets giddy at the thought of Dwayne Johnson voicing a dik-dik or Josh Gad (my eternal nemesis for reasons I cannot divulge here) voicing a mole. The big-name celebrities are wasted on one-off roles that could have gone to actual voice actors. Of the new cast members, Patrick Warburton, David Strathairn, Ke Huy Quan, and Michelle Gomez put their whole tails, hooves, and horns into full-bodied, lived-in performances. Other additions like Andy Samberg and Fortune Feimster

indigenous African and Asian music with American jazz, folk and, yes, Bluegrass.

Bassist Victor Wooten’s authoritative electric bass work reflects his collaborations with other bass masters such as Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller, while synthesizer/percussionist “Future Man” Wooten (yes, they related) is involved with the Black Mozart project and new musical instrument development. Jeff Coffin, who left the Flecktones to join the Dave Matthews Band has returned, adding his color and texture-based soloing to the mix. In addition to playing keys, Howard Levy is a virtuoso diatonic harmonica player who

— who plays a beaver who does conspiracy podcasts on EweTube — range from miscast to moderately annoying, depending on your tolerance for snarky jokes.

The story at the heart of “Zootopia 2” takes the characters and formula into uncharted territory, even while the morals remain the same. A particularly fun chase through the semiaquatic Marsh Market and a snowy acrophobic climax are highlights this time around. Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard easily could have sleepwalked through this sequel, which would have been a hit regardless of its quality, but instead they’ve inventively staged half a dozen action set pieces and stuffed the film with jokes, both clever and eyeroll-inducing. The narrative gets muddled scene-to-scene, though, and there are a bit too many conveniences that serve to keep the story moving. Nevertheless, it’s impressive that “Zootopia 2” takes a bite out of heavy themes like gentrifica-

has worked with Dolly Parton, Paul Simon, Paquito D’Rivera, and Donald Fagen among others in the folk and pop fields.

Tuvan throat singers come from Tuva, a Russian Federation Republic in Siberia that is just north of Mongolia. Tuvan throat singing is unique in that one singer produces multiple tones simultaneously, essentially a vocal duet with himself. No recording tricks, just one highly trained singer uttering two notes at a time, forming a harmonized melody that sounds both earthy and out of this world. Put multiple Tuvan throat singers together and you’ve got a dense and gut piercing vibra-

tion and ethnic cleansing, particularly in a Disney film aimed at kids.

Adults and teens will likely find the belated sequel diverting and amusing, but parents might want to wait for it to hit Disney+ before showing their little ones. The plot gets more tangled than a Gary in a washing machine, and the very small children in my theater were pretty lost — many choruses of “what happened?” echoed throughout.

At the end of the day, “Zootopia 2” is a story about a fox and a rabbit who have a troubling amount of romantic chemistry as they set out once again to prove that we should celebrate our differences rather than demonize them. It also teaches kids to believe conspiracy podcasters and how to cure venomous snakebites, for whatever that’s worth.

tion unlike anything in Western music. Tuvan throat singing is a folk music, but the Alash Ensemble, a trio on tour with Fleck, has gently assimilated western chords and scales into their performance while remaining true to the style’s indigenous roots. Their rendition of “Silent Night “is both haunting and spiritual.

Clement Obropta is a film columnist for the Ithaca Times.

Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) follows Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) through Marsh Market. (Photo: IMDb/DISNEY/Disney Enterprises)

The design addresses accessibility and flood concerns, particularly on the ground floor. Due to the floodplain location, the retail space will be dry flood-proofed, requiring it to act like a watertight “bathtub” with specialized protective measures to prevent water infiltration below the required elevation. A key requirement for this is that one means of egress must be elevated to allow exit above the flood height.

Smith said the design team opted to combine what was previously two retail sections into one large space to avoid the need for two separate elevated exits, which would have consumed significant floor area. The two doors along Meadow Street will serve as the primary entrances and exits for the retail area, with the stair leading to the front vestibule reserved for emergencies only. Accessible parking is also included in the plan.

The building follows a typical mixeduse layout, with commercial space on the

continued from page 4

artificial turf at the Meinig Fieldhouse was never revealed during the city’s approval process.

In the planning board’s environmental impact statement (EIS) it said Cornell’s proposed action included measures that were “adequate to ensure protection of the environment and human health” including, among other measures, that the material used would be PFAS-free and that the turf would be tested for the presence of PFAS by an independent laboratory prior to installation.

By making the SEQR decision before obtaining chemical test results, ZWI argues that the planning board did not have the information it needed to make a negative declaration of environmental impact.

“Because the Board issued the Negative Declaration before any PFAS testing existed, both Cornell’s test and our three accredited lab tests were automatically excluded,” Zero Waste Ithaca said in a statement. “That timing is exactly why we argue the Board failed to take a required hard look — the environmental review was completed without critical information. […] Our concern is that this high level of deference allows incomplete records to stand, even when later evidence shows the original assumptions were wrong — including PFAS contamination.” The court ultimately dismissed all of

ground floor and residential units on the upper levels. For accessing the upper residential floors, an elevator is necessary for all occupants, regardless of the floodplain issue.

The design includes a lower lobby with an elevator featuring front and back doors, which provides the quickest and easiest access to the upper floors for tenants. This layout allows for a natural flow, enabling residents to enter the building, proceed directly to the elevator, and easily access the first floor of residential units or continue upwards. The placement of access points was determined to limit distances and provide the best flexibility and equitability for residents using the upper floors.

Board member Jennie Sutcliffe expressed concern over the project’s current accessibility design, particularly the reliance on an elevator for access given that 18 units are designated for supportive housing funded through HCR. She urged developers to consult the Finger Lakes Independent Center (FLIC) for expert guidance, emphasizing the need for a private, more secure elevator for future tenants. Sutcliffe also criticized the

the lawsuit’s claims and upheld the town’s SEQR declaration.

“[The] petitioner’s contentions boil down to a disagreement over which professional and scientific opinions the planning board should have found more persuasive,” the court decision states. “This crucial step in the SEQRA review process — the choice of which evidence in the record to credit and the relative weight to be given thereto — is vested solely in the Planning Board; this court may not substitute its judgement for that of the Planning Board.”

What are PFAS?

PFAS are called “forever chemicals” because their chemical structure (a strong bond of carbon and fluorine) breaks down very slowly, causing them to accumulate in the environment and in the blood of people and animals, according to the EPA.

Research on PFAS is relatively new and ongoing studies seek to discover more effective ways to test and measure PFAS, how harmful PFAS are and how to manage and dispose of PFAS, among other questions.

With current information, state and federal agencies are increasingly regulating PFAS. In 2016, New York began regulating types of PFAS, and in December 2024, a new law went into effect that includes phasing out PFAS chemicals in the production of new carpet like artificial turf.

parking plan, stating that the proposed screening — likely a fence — is inadequate for the highly visible and heavily trafficked downtown intersection and called for more creative, tasteful solutions.

Regarding the safety and aesthetics of the rear parking area, board member Max Pfeffer was concerned about the space being a dark area and requested it be made welcoming and well-lit. Multiple board members were concerned about possible safety issues, such as speeding vehicles, poor visibility for drivers exiting the lot, and the general security of the area, asking for an expert review.

While Smith noted that the rear elevator vestibule is restricted to residents and staff, board members argued that the design — which features a two-way entry and exit over the sidewalk and a main entrance in the back — is unclear for visitors, feels unsafe, and gives the impression of “hiding people” in a highly visible, highfoot-traffic area, especially on weekends.

Smith said the stairway on Buffalo Street leads to a shared vestibule primarily for residents, which also serves as the

In Cornell’s town-approved Game Farm Road project, it committed to comply with the law by using “PFAS-free” artificial turf, although the law does not officially go into effect until July 2026.

Results of ZWI & Cornell Lab Testing

ZWI commissioned three independent laboratory analyses of a sample of GreenFields TX Pro Plus under full chain of custody from accredited labs Galbraith, Bigelow and RTI. The results were reviewed by Jeff Gearhart, research director at the Ecology Center, an independent nonprofit based in Michigan that conducts materials research.

In a professional affirmation submitted to the court, Gearhart stated that the TF analysis and SEM/EDS surface testing results showed the presence of fluorine consistent with PFAS.

“With fluorine, for a plastic product, there's not any other kind of known chemistry that would be used in them, other than PFAs,” Gearhart told the Ithaca Times. “That’s pretty widely accepted both amongst industry and other researchers, that if we’re measuring fluorine and it’s in a plastic then there’s no other reason that fluorine is there other than some form of PFAS.”

Since the planning board did not have Cornell or ZWI’s test results during its SEQR and site plan determinations, the court did not consider the evidence in

required elevated emergency exit for the retail space. The team secured an easement agreement with TC Action to utilize a portion of their parking lot on Meadow Street to ensure adequate emergency vehicle access. Smith said the supportive staff will be onsite for the 18 dedicated supportive housing units.

Urban design critiques centered on the safety and functionality of the parking area. Board member Andy Rollman said the garage should be enclosed and screened, suggesting entry and exit controls to limit access to residents only. Regarding accessibility, Rollman voiced concerns that the front access being stair-only negatively impacts elderly residents, those using wheelchairs, and the logistics of move-ins and deliveries. He suggested exploring the dry flood-proofing of part of the lobby to integrate a ramp inside the building, rather than outside, to improve access equity.

The board needs to review the project’s impact on land use, flooding, aesthetics, and transportation. The board will conduct a further review of the project at its next meeting on Dec. 23.

its review. However, the court decision emphasized that ZWI’s lab results showed the “presence of fluorinated material which could be consistent with the presence of PFAS.”

Before installing the turf field, Cornell contracted Sports Labs to do PFAS testing using EPA Method 1633, which did not detect any of the 40 PFAS compounds the test targets. ZWI contracted Bigelow Laboratory of Ocean Sciences to test the turf also using Method 1633. Bigelow’s lab report flagged two PFAS compounds detected above reporting limits, but noted that the presence of PFAS was uncertain.

Gearhart said that using Method 1633 alone is insufficient to rule out PFAS in products like synthetic turf because it only tests for a limited number of PFAS chemicals.

“PFAs chemistry is so much bigger than what’s regulated,” Gearhart said. “People said, ‘Well, I’d prefer if we are going to put [turf] in, can we get stuff that doesn’t have PFAs?’ And then, the manufacturers come in with a targeted test for 40 compounds and says, ‘We don’t have any PFAs.’ Scientifically, we can go around the table and agree that’s not the whole picture and there’s these other methods we can use to really look at what’s going on here.”

All case documents can be found on New York State Civil Supreme Court’s online case search system.

CORNELL TURF FIELDS

Ink of Ithaca

By Jake Sexton

On any given night out in downtown Ithaca, it’s hard to walk a full block without seeing another person with ink. Sometimes it’s full sleeves tucked under thick flannel, delicate linework escaping to the nape of one’s neck or even simply tiny memorials adorning wrists and fingers and ankles. Inspired by my time getting to know the helm of our ship, our stunning receptionist, Sharon, and learning the history of all of her artwork, I decided to dive deep into the Ithaca Times’ archives to learn more about the history of Ithaca’s tattoo culture and scene.

Although this isn’t a traditional installment of Through the Times, the history of tattoos and tattoo culture in Ithaca have reverberated throughout the archives. Tattoos received their first cultural renaissance in Ithaca in March of 1997 when New York City finally lifted its 36-year ban on tattoos amidst hepatitis concerns. The first tattoo shop welcomed to Ithaca’s tattoo renaissance was Stiehl’s Body Modification, opened in 1997 by Dawn Stiehl. Stiehl stepped away from the business now known as Ithaca Piercing and Tattoo, after over 23 years of ownership, ,, but it remains a staple in Ithaca’s tattoo scene. The tattoo scene in Ithaca truly began to explode in the early 2000s. Nationally, tattoos have historically carried a mix of both stigma and fascination. Historically, tattoos weren’t culturally associated with professionals or students; rather, they were closely tied with many marginal groups. For not only a small upstate city, but one home to two notable universities and a reputation for progressive politics, the tension between “rebellion” and “respectable” was always going to be palpable.

CLIMATE COMMITMENTS

continued from page 15

utility monopoly New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) ranked 12th place, having spent $395,476 on lobbying. The report stated that the spending represents “a concerted effort by industry to frustrate the implementation of the [CLCPA] and to shape Gov. Hochul's energy and environmental agenda in the early years of her administration.”

By the early to mid-2000s, the local coverage surrounding tattoo culture was already becoming less centered upon the pure shock value peddled by national media. Instead, they became intertwined with an emerging and evolving youth culture. College-age students from across the country assimilate to our community every year, finally freed of hometown expectations and amplified by a rapid normalization of inking culture.

National numbers acquired from an August 2013 Pew Research Center poll found approximately 32% of all working adults had at least one tattoo, with 22% having multiple. The study also found that the percentage of adults with tattoos becomes dramatically polarized in adults above and under 50, where numbers begin varying drastically. For instance, adults under 30 have tattoos on average 41% of the time, compared to less than 13% of adults over the age of 65. Notably, the study found there is no discernable correlation between political party and the likelihood of having a tattoo.

In the mid-2010s, Ithaca’s tattoo culture began to blossom. It had developed beyond merely establishing a presence — it was a thriving and quickly diversifying industry. New shops opened, older ones expanded or changed management, and established studios like Medusa Tattoo and Stiehl’s continued shaping the vibe of Ithaca’s body-art identity. In a 2013 interview with the Ithacan, Medusa Tattoo co-owner, Carol Oddy said that her typical clientele was “50-50 students to locals.”

The clientele continued to grow as well. Teachers, nurses, municipal workers, business owners, and even retirees increasingly joined the mix of those receiving

Shortly after Hochul became governor in August 2021 following the resignation of Andrew Cuomo, New York’s top lobbying firms helped the new governor raise a record-breaking $22 million for her 2022 re-election campaign. According to the report, “Polluter lobbyists Brown & Weinraub, Bolton-St. Johns, Hinman Straub, Ostroff Associates and Greenberg Traurig all held high-dollar fundraisers for Hochul in the first few months she served as governor, some charging as much as $25,000 per plate, with access re -

their first ink. The growth not only drew the spotlight to the tattoo community but heightened awareness around craftsmanship, safety and hygiene, and professional standards — topics which would become integrally important to understand what came next in 2017.

In the fall of 2015, Josh Brokaw reported on “New Tattoo Regulations Make No Sense to Ithaca Artists” for the Ithaca Times . In his article, Brokaw reported on a new bill recently passed by Governor Cuomo, S.B. 1421, which required artists to use ink and needles that came in single-use packages. The bill was immediately met with staunch opposition from artists across New York State, one such artist being Oddy. She told the Times in 2017 about a change. org petition that had already garnered nearly 50,000 signatures, as well as public letters petitioned to state Senate leaders expressing grievances and concerns from artists regarding the bill.

Ms. Oddy was not the only outspoken Ithacan artist in regards to the 2017 bill. Nate Waterman and Ron Wilson of Artistic Point Tattoo Company on W. State Street expressed to Brokaw that the state’s regulations “smell of ignorance.” Waterman goes on to emphasize that a majority of the “horror stories” recounted by politicians are those of artists with no education or training working out of the back of their house without formal training and artistry acquired from spending time in a shop.

“Instead of trying to change the things we use, why don’t we change the education level?” said Waterman.

But what came of this initial reaction to S.B. 1421? Ultimately, this 2017 moment marked a stark turning point for tattoo artists not only in Ithaca, but across the state and country. No longer was this a fringe, stigmatized artform; it was a valued local craft worthy of the public’s defense.

In the years since, Ithaca’s tattoo culture has continued to evolve. Custom and

stricted to firm lobbyists and their corporate clients.”

Lobbying firms Greenberg Traurig and Brown & Weinraub were hired by several fossil fuel and utility companies to lobby against Cap-and-Invest, which has now been delayed for several years. Greenberg Traurig held a fundraiser for Hochul in the early days of her administration that raised more than $600,000, while founder and managing partner at Brown & Weinraub, David Weinraub, has personally donated $79,469 to Hochul since 2021.

unique work dominates the scene, reflecting the city’s broader culture of individuality and self-expression. If the late 1990s and early 2000s were about normalization, then the 2010s can be defined by expansion, and the modern era can be embodied with integration.

From Stiehl’s 1997 opening to the array of shops popping up by the mid-2010s, to the regulatory battles first posited in 2017 and into the present, tattoos have moved from the margins into the heart of Ithaca’s identity. The pushback expressed in 2017 highlighted how strongly this community values autonomy, artistry, and local control — all of which can be considered core tenants of the city’s politics, art and culture.

The report also notes that Hochul’s top aide, Karen Keogh, is married to BoltonSt. Johns partner Michael Keogh, who was paid between $350,000 to $450,000 by the lobbying firm in 2024. The firm also has a history of hiring former employees from Hochul’s administration, and its managing partner Emily Giske is the vice chair of the New York State Democratic Party. The report added, “Giske has personally given $41,250 to Hochul, according to Hochul’s filings with the state Board of Elections.”

Located on South Cayuga St., Ithaca Tattoo and Piercing is one of Ithaca’s longest operating tattoo shops.

(Photo: Jake Sexton/Ithaca Times)

Theatre Company, 417 W. State / W. MLK, Jr. Street | Meet Blitzen: a hard drinking, belligerent reindeer ready to blow the roof off the Kringle-industrial complex. A hilariously unhinged new holiday classic. WednesaySaturday: party 6:15 p.m., curtain

7 p.m. Sunday: party 1:15 p.m., curtain

2 p.m. | $40.00 - $60.00

Music

Bars/Bands/Clubs

12/4 Thursday

Pierce Walsh & Friends at Ithaca Beer Company Celebrates 27 Years

| 5:30 p.m. | Ithaca Beer Co., 122 Ithaca Beer Drive | $27.00

Hidden Treasure Benefit Concert with Elisa S. Keeler & Friends | 7:00 p.m. | First Unitarian Society of Ithaca| Free and donations are welcome

12/5 Friday

River Lynch Trio | 5 p.m. | Two Goats Brewing | 5027 State Rte 414, Burdett

The Notorious Stringbusters |

6 p.m. | Hopshire Farm & Brewery, 1771 Dryden Road

12/6 Saturday

Adam Parker | 6 p.m. | Brewer’s Kitchen and Taproom, 1384 Dryden Rd.

Pluck & Open Swim | 6 p.m. | Stone Bend Farm, 196 Porter Hill Rd, Newfield NY | Free

Evan Horne (Tenzin Chopak) |

6 p.m. | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Rd.

Holiday Brass Bash w/ Fall Creek Brass Band | 8 p.m. | Deep Dive Ithaca, 415 Old Taughannock Blvd.

12/7 Sunday

Rev Ezra | 6 p.m. | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Rd.

Concerts/Recitals

12/3 Wednesday

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis | 7:30 p.m. | Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway| Elmira NY

Percussion Studio Recital | 8:15 p.m. | Nabenhauer Recital Room, Ithaca College

12/4 Thursday

Christmas Live in ‘25 | 6:30 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St., Homer NY

Student Ensemble: Chamber Orchestra | 7 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College

Senior Recital: Joe Kaffen, voice | 8:15 p.m. | Hockett Family Recital Hall, Ithaca College

12/5 Friday

Student Compositions: Johnson Museum Piano Series (CU Music) | 12:30 p.m. | Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University | Free

Student Recital: First Year Composition Recital | 5 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College

Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series presents: Cécile McLorin Salvant |

7:30 p.m. | Bailey Hall, Cornell University | $17.00 - $44.00

Béla Fleck & The Flecktones: Jingle all the Way | 8 p.m. | State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 West State St.

Junior Recital: Bria Petrella, soprano | 8:15 p.m. | Hockett Family Recital Hall, Ithaca College

12/6 Saturday

Senior Recital: William Rock, composition | 12 p.m. | Hockett

Family Recital Hall, Ithaca College

VOICES Multicultural Chorus Fall

Concert – “Imagine” | 3 p.m. |

First Baptist Church of Ithaca, 309 N. Cayuga St.

Noor Rouhana, violin | 3 p.m.| Hockett Family Recital Hall, Ithaca College

Cayuga Chamber Orchestra

Presents Handel’s Messiah | 7:30 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College | $15.00 - $45.00

Dailey & Vincent — Candy Canes & Coal Christmas Tour | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St., Homer NY

12/7 Sunday

Senior Recital: Jaya Badhe, voice | 12 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College

Senior Recital: Parker Thibodeau, jazz voice | 1 p.m. | Nabenhauer Recital Room, Ithaca College

Cornell Symphony Orchestra & Jazz Ensemble: The Nutcracker

REINDEER SESSIONS

Suite (CU Music) | 3 p.m. | Bailey Hall, 230 Garden Ave. | Free

Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers

Presents: Feast of Carols | 4 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College | Free

Jessica Lynn’s A Very Classic Christmas | 6 p.m. | State Theatre, 107 West State St. | $41.00 - $55.00

Cornell Chorus & Glee Club: Lessons & Carols (CU Music) | 7 p.m. | Repeats on 12/8 | Sage Chapel, Cornell University | Free

A Very Slambovian Christmas — Slambovian Circus of Dreams! | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St., Homer NY

12/8 Monday

Student Ensemble: Campus Band and Sinfonietta | 7 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College

12/9 Tuesday

Student Ensemble: Opera Workshop | 7 p.m. | Hockett Family Recital Hall, Ithaca College

Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble | 8:15 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College | Free

12/10 Wednesday

Ithaca College: Symphony Orchestra | 8:15 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College

Stage

Reindeer Sessions play & party | 7 p.m., 12/3 Wednesday | Kitchen

Finger Lakes Follies | 7:30 p.m., 12/5 Friday | Cherry Artspace, 102 Cherry Street | A dazzling lineup of burlesque, cabaret, and variety performers for a night of glitz, glamour, and wintertime mischief. Presented by Bees Knees Burlesque Academy, this sparkling seasonal spectacular celebrates the joy of self-expression, sensuality, and community — with a dash of old-school vaudeville flair. 12/5 and 12/6, 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. | $15.00 - $70.00

Rafael Grigorian Ballet Theater: The Nutcracker | 2 p.m., 12/6 Saturday | Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway | Bring the magic of the holidays to life this season with Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score and delightful story of the young princess Masha and her enchanted Prince | $5.00 - $45.00

ComedyHOF Presents: The $100 Laugh-Off | 7 p.m., 12/6 Saturday | Envious Handbags, 123 S. Cayuga St. | Eight comics. Five minutes each. One hundred bucks on the line. You laugh. You vote. They win. BYOB & all laughs. | $12.50 - $25.00

Lifelong Holiday Open House | 2 p.m., 12/8 Monday | Library Place, 105 W Court Street | Join us for holiday refreshments and the anticipated annual year-end production of Lifelong’s Play It Again Theater. | Free

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas

Carol: A Solo Performance by Neil McGarry | 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., 12/10 Wednesday | Auburn Public Theater, 8 Exchange St., Auburn NY | $29.40

Contemporary Mapping:

One Foot Forward | 11 a.m., 12/3 Wednesday | Corners Gallery, 903 Hanshaw Rd. Suite 101A | Works by 34 artists! Wednesdays through Saturdays 11a.m. – 4p.m. | Free

Art Opening: “We Found The Time” with TC3 Art Department | 5 p.m., 12/5 Friday | Grayhaven Motel Gallery Lounge, 657 Elmira Rd. | Or stop by to view the show throughout December. Please call first to check our winter office hours. | Free Ithaca Gallery Night | 5 p.m., 12/5 Friday | Ithaca Gallery Night, 171 The Commons | A first Friday event where galleries and venues present new exhibits every first Friday of the month from 5-8pm. Ithaca Gallery Night openings are located in downtown Ithaca and Tompkins County. Please go to www.ithacagallerynight. com for details. | Free Gallery Night in the Tasting Room | 6 p.m., 12/5 Friday | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Road | Join us for art, tunes, & cider! “I seek to explore how ‘function’ and ‘meaning’ are moveable and permeable concepts.” Artist Esmé Saccuccimorano integrates material approaches in painting, ceramics, print, & glass. DiJon returns to the tasting room to spin records. Enjoy boogie, disco, and funk! | Free

Film

Sunday Cinema | 11:30 a.m., 12/7 Sunday | Newfield United Methodist Church, 227 Main Street | Enjoy a lunch of assorted soups and bread at 11:30 and the movie “Christmas Angel” at noon followed by a brief discussion about the movie. | Free

(Photo: Facebook)

Cinemapolis

120 E. Green St., Ithaca Movies opening the week of December 3-10. Contact Cinemapolis for showtimes and continuing films.

National Theatre Live: The Fifth Step (Dec 4 & 6) | After years in the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, James becomes a sponsor to newcomer Luka. The pair bond over black coffee, trade stories and build a fragile friendship out of their shared experiences. But as Luka approaches step five — the moment of confession — dangerous truths emerge, threatening the trust on which both of their recoveries depend. | 110mins Hamnet | The powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Hamlet. Based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell. | PG-13 125 mins

Remaining Native and talkback with filmmaker Paige Bethmann (Dec 7 only) | A coming-of-age story of a 17-year-old Native American runner struggling to navigate his dream of becoming a collegiate athlete as the memory of his great grandfather’s escape from an Indian boarding school begins to connect past, present, and future. | 87 mins | Documentary | Free But I’m a Cheerleader (Dec 9 only) | Megan is an all-American girl. A cheerleader. She has a boyfriend. But Megan doesn’t like kissing her boyfriend very much. And she’s pretty touchy with her cheerleader friends. Her conservative parents worry that she must be a lesbian and send her off to “sexual redirection” school, where she must, with other lesbians and gays learn how to be straight. | R 85 mins

Sports

Ithaca College Women’s and Men’s Swimming & Diving: Bomber Invitational | 9 a.m., 12/4 Thursday | Bird Natatorium

Cornell Women’s Ice Hockey vs Quinnipiac University | 6 p.m., 12/5 Friday | Lynah Rink

Cornell Women’s and Men’s Track & Field: Greg Page Relays | 12/5 Friday | Cornell Women’s Track & Field: Greg Page Relays. All day Friday and Saturday.

Cornell Women’s Basketball vs Quinnipiac University | 1 p.m., 12/6 Saturday | Newman Arena, Bartels Hall

Cornell Women’s Ice Hockey vs Princeton University | 3 p.m., 12/6 Saturday | Lynah Rink

Cornell Women’s Basketball vs Army West Point | 7 p.m., 12/9 Tuesday | Newman Arena at Bartels Hall

Special Events

The Downtown Ithaca Winter Holiday Bash | 11 a.m., 12/6 Saturday | Center Ithaca, The Commons | The Commons transforms into a full-day winter celebration! From Santa’s grand arrival to the Elf Hop Kids Silent Disco and the Silent Disco finale, enjoy games, music, cocoa, and holiday lights throughout the day. | Free Happy Huladays Performance | 2:30 p.m., 12/6 Saturday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | A variety of live, festive holiday music by the Ithaca Ukes accompanied by hula dancing by Hula Hut.

Trumansburg WinterFest | 3 p.m., 12/6 Saturday | Main Street, Trumansburg, NY | The beloved village tradition promises free, festive, family fun for all ages. This year’s merriments include a performance by Hilby the Skinny German Juggle Boy, free horse and carriage rides, community caroling, and lively music from the Winter WonderBand. | Free Newfield’s 8th Annual Tree Lighting | 5 p.m., 12/6 Saturday | Newfield

Masonic Temple, Main Street, Newfield NY| Food and fun for all ages! Tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. | Free

Books

Voices of Freedom | 5:45 p.m., 12/4 Thursday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Pedro X. Molina’s presents his new graphic novel, “Milestone’s of Democracy in Latin America” | Free

Queer Horror Book Club: You Weren’t Meant to be Human | 6 p.m., 12/4 Thursday | Buffalo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Join us for a book club discussion of You Weren’t Meant to Be Human, led by BSB staff member Anamarie.

Gather: Poetry and Music |

3 p.m., 12/7 Sunday | Lansing Area Performance Hall, 1004 Auburn Rd. | The Verb Takes a Walk to a gathering of voices. Join us as we paint reflections of the world in language and music. The Verb is a Savage Club series, occurring on the first Sunday of just about every month, except for January. | Free

Kids

Cosmic Colors | 6 p.m., 12/5 Friday | Newfield Public Library, 198 Main Street | Join Zoe from the Spacecraft Planetary Image Facility for some fun hands-on activities about how scientists use rainbows and “invisible” light to understand the universe. | Free Preschool Projects Take & Make | 12/5 Friday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St. | Supplies available on a first come first serve basis on the First Friday of the month for ages 3-5 years old.

Holiday Open Farm Days | 11 a.m., 12/6 Saturday | Shepherds Creek Alpacas, 5797 Stilwell Rd., Trumansburg, NY 14886 | The Alpacas at Shepherds

DALLAS MORSE COORS CONCERT SERIES PRESENTS: CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5TH AT 7:30 PM Bailey Hall, Cornell University, 230 Garden Ave. | This composer, singer, and visual artist has received Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album for three consecutive albums. Salvant has developed a passion for storytelling and finding the connections between vaudeville, blues, theater, jazz, baroque, and folkloric music. (Photo: Provided)

Creek Alpacas will be welcoming holiday visitors to the Farm and Alpaca Shop from 11 ‘til 4 on November 29th, December 6th and 20th to take photos, feed the alpacas & shop for unique alpaca items! | Free

Family Movies at TCPL: Abominable | 2 p.m., 12/6 Saturday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Join us for an afternoon movie on our “Big Screen” in the Thaler/ Howell Programming Room. This Saturday we will be screening the animated fantasy adventure Abominable.

Circus Culture Winter Showcase | 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., 12/6 Saturday | Circus Culture, 116 W Green St. | Circus Culture Winter Showcase features acts devised and performed by our very own students! This family-friendly show is a fundraiser for our scholarship fund. | $15.00 - $25.00

Family Open Play | 9:30 a.m., 12/8 Monday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | Free space for families to come with their children — ages 0 to 4 years old — to play and socialize with other families.

Preschool Art Studio | 10:30 a.m., 12/9 Tuesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Toddlers and preschoolers will have the opportunity to have open exploration and discovery with a variety of arts & crafts materials!

How To Talk With Your Child About Sexuality | 6:30 p.m., 12/11 Thursday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Presented by Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. Learn strategies for talking with your child about important issues. Drop-ins welcome; register to get an email reminder about the event.

Notices

day | Local Fiber Holiday Pop-Up Shop, 115 S. Cayuga Street | Also 11-6 Friday –Sunday and 11-8 Thursdays through 12/28 for amazing yarns, accessories and more from local fiber farmers.

TCPL Director Candidate

Presentation | 5 p.m., 12/3 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | The TCPL Board of Trustees invites the community to hear from a finalist candidate for Library Director. Following the presentation, those in attendance will be invited to take part in a Questionand-Answer session. | Free

Friends of Lansing Community Library’s 17th Annual Artisan Fair | 3-6 p.m., 12/5 Friday & 10 a.m. –4 p.m. 12/6 Saturday | Lansing Community Library, 27 Auburn Rd., Lansing NY | Celebrate local creativity and support the Friends of the Library. Find one-of-a-kind, handmade treasures perfect for the holidays. | Free

CAP-A-Palooza Vintage Art Sale

Extraordinaire! | 5-8 p.m., 12/5 Friday | Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County (CAP), Tompkins Center for History and Culture, on the Ithaca Commons. | Awesome annual fundraising sale of pre-owned art. Also 12/6 & 12/8-13 12-6 p.m. | Free Wreath Making Workshop | 6 p.m., 12/5 Friday or 10 a.m. 12/6 Saturday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | Create a beautiful evergreen wreath to decorate your home for the holidays! A variety of fresh-cut greens, wreath ring, wire, and ribbons will be supplied.| $20.00 - $40.00 “Queeraoke” | 8 p.m., 12/5 Friday | The Rhine House, 632 West Seneca Street | Ithaca’s original “Queeraoke” night is back! Come hang, sing and make new friends...cheers, queers! Longview Holiday Bazaar | 10 a.m., 12/6 Saturday | Longview, 1 Bella Vista

CIRCUS CULTURE WINTER SHOWCASE

Drive | Browse the many vendors selling their homemade and handmade crafts and specialties. This is a free event with food, music, and includes a bake sale and a plant sale. | Free Felted Woodland Creatures — Wool Ornament Making | 2 p.m., 12/6 Saturday | Buffalo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Make some felted woodland creatures with Sheepy Hollow and Buffalo Street Books! Learn how to craft two woodland creature ornaments of your choosing: an owl, fox, badger, deer, and/or bear. All materials will be provided. $15-$25 sliding scale Primitive Pursuits Wild Clay Processing Workshop | 1 p.m., 12/7 Sunday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | Take earth and make it art! Learn the processes of taking clay from the ground and transforming it into pottery you and your loved ones can enjoy. | $45.00 Queer Craft Club | 6:30 p.m., 12/8 Monday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Join other LGBTQIAP+ adults to do arts and crafts, hang out, and have fun. | Free Knives & Knots Primitive Pursuits Workshop | 5:30 p.m., 12/9 Tuesday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | Learn 3 solid and highly functional knots that will come in handy in your daily life; the bowline knot, the truckers hitch, and the clove hitch. Then learn to sharpen a knife, and take home a sharpening stone. | $40.00

Tompkins Connect Holiday Party & GIAC Toy Drive | 6:30 p.m., 12/10 Wednesday | Bike Bar Ithaca, 314 East State Street suite 100 | Celebrate the end of the year and holiday cheer with Tompkins Connect! Meet this fun group of young professionals for drinks and hangs at Bike Bar Ithaca! Anyone can join!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6TH AT 2:00 PM Circus Culture, 116 W Green St., Ithaca | Bring the kids, their grandparents, and your neighbors to Circus Culture's Winter Showcase and cheer on acts devised and performed by their very own students. This is a fundraising event, and all proceeds will go towards Circus Culture’s scholarship fund. (Photo: Facebook)

Town & Country

Classifieds

830/Home

AFFORDABLE TV & INTERNET.

If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote and see how much you can save! 1-833-323-0160. (NYSCAN)

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE?

FREE WATER TESTING

Do you know what’s in your water? Leaf Home Water Solutions offers FREE water testing and whole home water treatment systems that can be installed in as little as one day. 15% off your entire purchase. Plus 10% senior and military discounts. Restrictions apply. Schedule your FREE test today. Call 1-866-247-5728. (NYSCAN)

PEST CONTROL:

120/Autos Wanted

CARS WANTED!

We buy 8,000 cars a week. Sell your old, busted or junk car with no hoops, haggles, or headaches. Sell your car to Peddle. Easy three-step process. Instant offer. Free pickup. Fast payment. Call 1-855-403-3374. (NYSCAN)

250/Merchandise

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES TODAY!

...with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-877-516-1160 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move. (NYSCAN)

300/Community

STORAGE AUCTION

APALACHIN, NY

Contents of 10 Units

belonging to Kevin McCarthy will be sold on December 13th at StorageTreasures.com at 10 AMFacility: Reliable Storage 6575 Route 434 Apalachin, NY 13732.

610/Apartments

APARTMENT FOR RENT

Cayuga Heights, One and Two bedroom, $1,100, $1,200 plus electric, through July 2026. (607) 220-8128 / (607) 257-0313.

800/Services

DIRECTV-

All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Direct and get your first free months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918 (NYSCAN)

GET A BREAK ON YOUR TAXES

Donate your car, truck, or SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Arrange a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a generous tax credit for 2025. Call Heritage for the Blind Today at 1-855-484-3467. (NYSCAN)

INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT?

Don’t Accept the insurance company’s first offer. Many injured parties are entitled to major cash settlements. Get a free evaluation to see what your case is really worth. 100% Free Evaluation. Call Now: 1-833-323-0318. Be ready with your zip code to connect with the closest provider. (NYSCAN)

GET DISH SATELLITE TV + INTERNET!

Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-782-4069. (NYSCAN)

ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS!

Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 1-833-661-4172. (NYSCAN)

INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT?

You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-833-880-7679. (NYSCAN)

BEAUTIFUL BATH UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY!

Superior quality bath and shower systems at AFFORDABLE PRICES! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call Now! 1-833-807-0159. (NYSCAN)

DO YOU NEED A ROOF OR ENERGY EFFICIENT WINDOWS & HELP PAYING FOR IT?

YOU MAY QUALIFY THROUGH NEW RELIEF PROGRAMS (800) 944-9393 or visit NYProgramFunding.org to qualify. Approved applications will have the work completed by a repair crew provided by: HOMEOWNER FUNDING. Not affiliated with State or Gov Programs. (NYSCAN)

WE BUY HOUSES FOR CASH AS IS No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: call, get cash offer and get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-888-704-5670 (NYSCAN)

855/Misc.

PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-833549-0598. Have zip code of property ready when calling! (NYSCAN)

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES!

With Briggs & Stratton PowerProtect (TM) standby generators – the most powerful home standby generators available. Industry-leading comprehensive warranty – 7 years ($849 value). Proudly made in the USA! Call Briggs & Stratton 1-888-605-1496. (NYSCAN)

SAFE STEP – NORTH AMERICA’S #1 WALK-IN TUB

Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 OFF for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-855-9165473. (NYSCAN)

CONSUMER CELLULAR

The same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-844-919-1682. (NYSCAN)

GET BOOST INFINITE! Unlimited Talk, Text and Data For Just $25/mo! The Power Of 3 5G Networks, One Low Price! Call Today and Get The Latest iPhone Every Year On Us! 844-329-9391. (NYSCAN)

875/Travel

SAVE ON YOUR TRAVEL PLANS! Up to 75% More than 500 AIRLINES and 300,000 HOTELS across the world. Let us do the research for you for FREE! Call: 877-988-7277. (NYSCAN)