Jan. 14, 2026 by Ithaca Times

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GALLERY: ITHACA JOINS NATIONAL ‘ICE OUT FOR GOOD’ PROTESTS

BOCES SUBMITS REGIONALIZATION PLAN FOR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS

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TOWN GREENLIGHTS 137-ACRE SOUTH HILL NATURE PRESERVE PAGE 5

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LEGISLATURE AND CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT CAYUGA NURSES UNION PAGE 6-7

OLD BLIND DOGS: NON-TRADITIONAL CELTIC TRAD MUSIC PAGE 17

WANTE D: COMMUNIT Y RE ADE RS

Your Voice Matters—Now More Than Ever The Ithaca Times and Finger Lakes Community Newspapers invite local students, residents and visitors of all ages to become volunteer readers for Sounds of Democracy, a new, community-driven media literacy and civic engagement initiative that turns local journalism into shared listening. As our nation approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026—and continues through September 2037, the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution—Sounds of Democracy will create a living audio archive of essays, letters to the editor, and news stories originally published in our local papers. Participants volunteer a small amount of time to read selected pieces aloud. These recordings will be shared online, allowing listeners to hear local news and ideas in the voices of their neighbors—young and old, longtime residents and newcomers alike.

The project fosters media literacy by helping participants engage more deeply with journalism, strengthens civic connection by bridging readers, listeners, and reporters, and revives an oral tradition that echoes the town criers and pamphleteers whose words helped shape American democracy. In an era of social and political dis-ease, Sounds of Democracy offers a simple but powerful act: listening to one another. No professional experience is required—just a willingness to lend your voice. Participants will be credited online as storytellers in the Sounds of Democracy archive. (Minors may participate with parental permission.) If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact Roy Allen, Director of Strategic Partnerships, at Roy@ithacatimes.com. Use “Sounds of Democracy” in the subject line so we can keep everything organized. We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for listening.

— The Ithaca Times, Trumansburg Free Press, Ovid Gazette, Interlaken Review, News Chronicle, Tompkins Independent and Prime Times.

Finger Lakes Community Newspapers 2 The Ithaca Times / January 14 – 20, 2026

Newsline

VOL. LIV / NO. 18 / January 14, 2026 Serving 47,125 readers week ly

ON THE COVER:

Gallery: Ithaca Joins National ‘ICE Out For Good’ Protests

The city’s rising parking costs have stirred concern among downtown Ithaca’s business community. Design by Kaiden Chandler for the Ithaca Times.

NEWSLINE �� 3-7

P hot o s by Joa n na Up t on a n d I n di v isi bl e Tom pk i n s

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR �� 8 OPINION �� 9-10

n Saturday, Jan. 10, hundreds of community members gathered in downtown Ithaca for an “ICE Out For Good” honk and wave. The event, organized by Indivisible Tompkins, was one of many protests across the country during a weekend of action spearheaded by the national Indivisible organization. Protests follow the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman, Renee Nicole Good, by a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on Jan. 7.

SPORTS �� 11 NEWS �� 14-15 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT �� 17-19 TIMES TABLE �� 22-23 CLASSIFIED �� 24

Contin u ed on Page 20

ON T HE WE B Visit our website at www.ithaca.com for more news, arts, sports and photos. Call us at 607-277-7000

T a k e

Ma d dy Vo g el , Managi n g Ed ito r & Asso ciate Pu b l ish er e d i to r @ i t h ac at i m e s .co m Scot t Ma n so n, Asso ciate Pu b l ish er J i m B i l i n s k i , P u b l i s h e r E me r i t u s j b i l i n s k i @ i t h ac at i m e s .co m R o y A l l e n , D i r e c t o r o f St r at e g i c Pa r t n e r s h i p s r oy@ i t h ac at i m e s .co m L o r i e n T y n e , A s s i s ta n t E d i t o r l o r i e n @ i t h ac at i m e s .co m A u s t i n L a mb , C o p y E d i t o r a l a m b @ i t h ac at i m e s .co m K a i d en Cha n d ler , Ed ito r ial D esi gn & Pr o d u c t Asso ciate kaiden.l.chandler@gmail.com P h i l C a rs t e n s , G r a p h i c D e s i g n A s s o c i a t e C h r i s I b e r t , M e l i ss a B l a k e , C a l e n d a r E d i t o r s a r t s @ i t h ac at i m e s .co m P h i l i p O ’ D e l l , R ep o r t e r p h i l i p @ i t h ac at i m e s .co m M a c k R o v e n o l t , R ep o r t e r m ac k @ i t h ac at i m e s .co m Ja k e Se x to n , Ad m i n istr ative Co o r d i nato r ja k e @ i t h ac at i m e s .co m Mark Sy vertson, Photographer m ar k s y v er t s o nph oto gr aph y@ gm a il .co m Ste ve L awr ence, Spo rts Co lumn ist stevesportsdude@gmail.com

N o t e

X City Council Appoints Michael Moody as Permanent Fire Chief By Lorien Tyne

t its Jan. 7 meeting, the city of Ithaca Common Council unanimously appointed Michael Moody as the permanent f ire chief of the Ithaca Fire Depar tment (IFD). Moody, who has been serving as the acting fire chief since October, assumed the permanent role immediately. “I am excited to step into the role as Fire Chief of the City of Ithaca,” Moody stated in a recent press release. “Our firefighters are a highly skilled and dedicated team of professionals, and my role is to support their mission of protecting life and property. Together, we will continue building a progressive department that serves our community with the highest level of professionalism and care.”

Moody became acting chief after former chief Rob Covert left the IFD to take a position with the New York State Division of Homeland Securit y and Emergency Ser vices as the deputy state fire administrator. Moody’s firefighting career started off in 2006 in Little Falls, NY. Then, in 2007 he started at the Herkimer Fire Department where he became fire chief in 2021. Moody made his way to Ithaca in 2023 and joined the IFD as the deputy chief of operations. “Chief Moody has the experience and dedication to lead the Ithaca Fire Department,” Acting City Manager Dominick Recckio stated in the press release. “IFD has a history of stable leadership, and I am grateful that Chief Moody is stepping into this role. I

F r ee l a n c e r s : Barbara Adams, Charley Githler, Stephen Burke, Bill Chaisson, Ross Haarstad, Steve Lawrence, Marjorie Olds, Peter Rothbart, Austin Lamb, Clement Obropta, Jake Sexton, Kira Walter, Vasant Alex Laplam, and Ceili Ayoung

thank him for his service as Acting Chief over the past several months. In this role, I know he will continue his commitment to our firefighters and provide the best service to the community.”

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THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THE ITHACA TIMES ARE C O P Y R I G H T © 2 026 B Y PAT H W AY S T O E Q U I T Y, L L C . 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 Times Gazette: Tom Newton

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INQUIRING Board of Cooperative Educational Services Submits Regionalization Plan for PHOTOGRAPHER N e w s l i n e

By Mark Sy ve r t son

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: “I’VE ASKED ABOUT OUTDOOR WINTER ACTIVITIES BUT WHAT'S A GOOD INDOOR WINTER ACTIVITY?” NOTE: If readers wish to participate in the Ithaca Times’ Inquiring Photographer column, contact Mark Syvertson at marksyvertsonphotography@gmail.com

“Mists Over Carcassonne is a great cooperative board game.” – Siedra

“Tock.” – Tim

“Egyptian Rat Screw is my go-to card game.” – Zoe

Local School Districts

By L or i e n Ty n e

he Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services (TST BOCES) has completed a regionalization plan for school districts that promotes inter-district collaboration and ongoing initiatives to expand student opportunities. Lily Talcott, district superintendent for TST BOCES, is in the process of presenting the plan to each district in the region and spoke to the Trumansburg Central School District’s Board of Education in December. Regionalization is a statewide initiative led by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) that focuses on how neighboring school districts can collaborate with one another to streamline operations, share resources, and improve student access and opportunities. TST BOCES is one of 37 BOCES in the state, which are regional organizations that provide cooperative educational programs for two or more school districts. While each BOCES superintendent is responsible for facilitating the regionalization conversations and planning, the final plans and recommendations come from local school districts. Districts are required to participate in regional conversations and planning, but once a regional plan is complete, school districts only need to implement local programming that they have agreed to. School districts were able to choose not to participate in the development of the regionalization plan if they opted out in January 2025. The first regional plans were due Octo-

ber 2025 with implementation starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The process is meant to repeat every 10 years, but a current plan can be amended at any time. Talcott said that last spring, BOCES held three public sessions to talk about regionalization, which was well attended by many groups, including students, teachers, union leaders, administrators, board members, community members, representatives from institutions of higher education and local politicians. She said that as a result of regional conversations, the plan focuses on career pathways, operations and inclusive special education. A major piece of the regionalization plan is identifying unique programming and resources that districts provide and opening them up to students in any of the nine area school districts. Talcott spoke about how this strategy pulls together existing resources from different schools to create new opportunities. Talcott said the New Vision’s Life Sciences Program at TCSD is a “prime example” of regionalization. There are 10 students currently enrolled from different areas such as Trumansburg, Lansing, Ithaca and Newfield, as well as Cayuga and Tioga counties. Each student designs their experience based on personal career interests and works on a project with faculty and staff at Cornell University. “It would be really difficult for one school district to create a program that's just like that,” Talcott said. Talcott also said BOCES just opened the first Career and Technical Education

“Ticket to Ride.” – Caleb

“I’m not really into board games but I love a good 1,000-piece puzzle.” – John

TST BOCES is coordinating district-led collaboration across nine area school districts to share existing programs and resources in its regionalization plan. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times)

4 The Ithaca Times / January 14 – 20, 2026

Lily Talcott is the district superintendent for the Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services. (Photo: Provided/TST-BOCES)

program at Candor High School, which is open to any students in the TST region and is led by a BOCES instructor. “Candor had just a wild amount of fabulous technology, these enormous machines that can do precision machining, but no instructor,” Talcott said. “We weren’t trying to create a ton of new positions or anything. We were basically taking everything that was already existing and repurposing it to create more opportunity for young people.” Many of the examples Talcott gave of regionalization revolve around career development and launching programs in high schools that align with workforce needs and student interests. However, Talcott said many schools also saw gaps in programming for young students with special needs. In October, BOCES opened a classroom at the Lansing Elementary School for any children in the region, also run by BOCES staff. The classroom experience is grounded in the TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children) principle, which emphasizes structure, predictable routines and visual learning. “As we find needs that we’re not able to meet within our districts, then anything that we’re opening up is within districts and open to the region,” Talcott said. To support students taking advantage of cross-district programs, BOCES launched a regional transportation advisory council this fall. Talcott said some districts are now sharing a transportation supervisor and have intermunicipal agreements that allow students to travel among districts to access opportunities. Contin u ed on Page 18

UPS&DOWNS

N e w s l i n e

Ithaca Town Board Approves 137-Acre Nature Preserve on South Hill

Ups

The Tompkins County Tourism Program has opened applications for the Spring 2026 funding round of three established grant programs. The grants are meant to enhance the county’s tourism sector, build outdoor recreation opportunities and support community celebrations. The three grant opportunities total $164,000 in available funding.

By P h i l i p O’ D e l l

he Ithaca Town Planning Board granted preliminary and final approval on Dec. 16 for a subdivision at 155 Compton Road that clears the way for a 137-acre public nature preserve. The board also approved a negative declaration under the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process for the subdivision. The approval under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act is a formal finding that the project will not have a significant adverse environmental impact. According to Senior Planner Mike Smith, the town is collaborating with landowner Tessa Flores on an acquisition project that has been several years in the making. The initiative began when Flores approached the town with a proposal to sell a significant portion of her South Hill property to be preserved as public land. Smith said the project involves subdividing an 82-acre parcel to separate a 34-acre residential lot at the end of Comfort Road from a 48-acre section meant for municipal ownership. This 48-acre acquisition will be combined with other land to form a sprawling 137-acre town preserve, transitioning a portion of South Hill into a public space. Smith said once the acquisition is complete, the land will be dedicated to passive recreation, ensuring it will remain in its natural state without the development of playgrounds or athletic fields. The town plans to maintain the existing network of walking trails—which the landowner has shared with neighbors for years—by continuing regular mowing while exploring opportunities to eventually expand the

Downs

The Gamestop and Spencer’s stores are reported to be closing the doors at their Ithaca locations. Spencer’s is located at Ithaca Mall and Gamestop is located at South Meadow Square on Elmira Road.

HEARD&SEEN Heard

The Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca College (PCIM) will celebrate the 18th year of the annual Izzy Awards this spring. PCIM is accepting nominations until Friday, Jan. 16, which can be for an independent media outlet, individual journalist, or producer who publishes their work on an independent, non-corporate outlet, or an individual platform.

A newly-approved subdivision has cleared the way for a 137-acre public nature preserve on South Hill. (Photo: Provided/Town of Ithaca)

trail system for broader public access. The planning board highlighted that the new acquisition sits adjacent to existing town-owned land at Compton Park, enhancing the area’s connectivity. While the retained residential lot will maintain its primary access via Compton Road, the town’s new portion will be accessible through different points that include Ridgecrest Road, Chase Lane, and East King Road. Although there is currently no formal forest management plan in place for the site, the project will benefit from a comprehensive ecological assessment previously conducted for the town’s parks and preserves through a recent grant.

An image of an existing trail on the property which will become Sage Preserve. (Photo: Provided/Town of Ithaca)

During public comment, Darcy Bedore, a resident of Chase Lane, raised safety concerns on the potential use of the street as a primary access point for the new preserve. She said Chase Lane is a narrow, curvy dead-end road that is not designed for increased traffic and is frequently used by small children. She urged the board to carefully consider the neighborhood impact. Bedore worries public visitors could create hazardous conditions on the residential side street if they drive too fast. Smith said the Chase Lane entrance will be maintained for pedestrian access to the existing trail system. Smith said the town intends to direct any future parking to East King Road, utilizing the property's four distinct entry points to manage traffic flow. Board Chair Caitlin Cameron said the approval is for the subdivision rather than a specific site plan. She said the town may hold future public hearings to address parking concerns once those development details are formalized. Director of Planning C.J. Randall said the 137-acre preserve is a cornerstone of the town’s long-term vision for the South Hill Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) area. She said by preserving the land in perpetuity, the town aims to curb suburban sprawl and provide a walkable natural retreat for future residents of the South Hill TND, who will be able to access the trails across East King Road. Ja n ua ry

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Seen

A vehicle reported stolen out of Broome County was found in the City of Ithaca on Dec. 31 by a Tompkins County Sheriff’s deputy. The deputy had received a Flock Safety alert indicating a stolen vehicle near Green Street and Cayuga Street. Michael A. Smythe, a 33-year-old Binghamton resident, was identified as the driver and taken into custody.

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.”

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Do you think the new parking rates the city has implemented will affect downtown business? 88.1% 10.4% 1.5%

Yes. No. I don’t care.

N ext Week ’s Q uestion :

Is winter your favorite season in the Finger Lakes? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.

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N e w s l i n e

County Legislature Unanimously Passes Resolution Supporting CMC Nurses Union

By L or i e n Ty n e

t the Tompkins County Legislature meeting on Jan. 6 the chambers were packed with members and allies of the Cayuga Medical Center (CMC) nurses union who advocated for county support in unionizing and negotiation efforts. Following discussion, legislators unanimously passed a resolution expressing support for Cayuga United-CWA and Cayuga Medical Center Nurses in their efforts to unionize for fair wages, benefits and safe working conditions. CMC surgical nurse Heather Bretts said during public comment that the hospital is under-resourced and the

and well cared for,” Bretts said. “The worst part is I feel like when I go home depressed, demoralized, depleted, and defeated, I’m giving this situation to another set of nurses.” John Tavares, president of UAW Local 2300, spoke as a union leader and the son of a nurse. He said his mother has worked at CMC for 27 years and has experienced pay cuts and poor treatment. “They waited and watched — Legislator Mike Sigler and looked for a way to push her out. Not because she couldn’t do the job, but because she was given shift, which can be detrimental if experienced, older, and cost more,” Tathe number is too high. vares said. “When the nurses are isolated, “It’s really easy to understand that the they can be pressured, intimidated and more patients you have, the less chance forced out one by one. [...] Unionizing is you have to make sure that they’re safe not about conflict. It’s about fairness. It’s about safety. And it's about respect.” All legislators who spoke prior to voting expressed their strong support for the nurses. Some said they are disappointed in CMC and Centralus Health’s leadership teams for their anti-union sentiment. “Unionization gives workers the tools to advocate not just for themselves, but for their patients,” Legislator Christy Bianconi said. “This resolution affirms our county’s commitment to both our healthcare workforce and the quality of care our residents deserve.” Since CMC is not voluntarily recognizing the union, there will be an election on Jan. 14 to file a petition with the National Labor Relations Board. On Dec. 20 nurses and allies rallied outside Ithaca Town Hall to garner public support in anticipation of the election. “What I heard tonight was a request for a fair shot at a vote, free from intimidation,” Legislator Mike Sigler said. “Our rural hospitals are struggling, but that burden should not be placed on the backs of nurses or staff.” nurses had to ration bedsheets during a recent shift. Bretts also touched on understaffing and said management decides how many patients she sees on a

“What I heard tonight was a request for a fair shot at a vote, free from intimidation. Our rural hospitals are struggling, but that burden should not be placed on the backs of nurses or staff.”

In Other News

The Tompkins County legislature unanimously passed a resolution in support of the unionization effort among nurses at Cayuga Medical Center.

6 The Ithaca Times / January 14 – 20, 2026

Before proceeding with scheduled agenda items, the county clerk Maureen Reynolds administered the oath of office to all legislators for the current three-year term. Then, voting took place to appoint a chair and vice chair of the legislature. Legislators nominated Shawna Black and Sigler as candidates for chair. Black was elected to the position in a 13-3 vote

At the Tompkins County Legislature’s first meeting of 2026, new and returning legislators elected Shawna Black as chair and Deborah Dawson as vice chair.

collected through ballots. Sigler, Randy Brown and Lee Shurtleff voted for Sigler as chair. “To my colleagues, as we begin this new legislative year, I want to first express my sincere gratitude to each of you for your trust, partnership, and the support you have extended to me,” Black said. Black said her focus as chair in 2026 will be centered on county staff, community well-being and responding to federal policy changes. “We are navigating a moment in which the federal government is pulling back on essential public benefits, cutting programs that support families, senior children and working people.” Black said. “While we cannot control decisions made in Washington, we can control how we respond here at home with steadiness, clarity, creativity and resolve. Colleagues, we have important work ahead.” The legislature unanimously appointed Deborah Dawson as vice chair. Dawson said she views her job as vice chair as helping to integrate and shepherd the eight new legislators. “I’m very excited to work with each and every one of you,” Dawson said. “I have rarely worked in a group that brought such a wealth and diversity of generational perspectives, education, and life experience and I’m sure that our legislature and our county will be much richer for all of that.”

N e w s l i n e

Ithaca Common Council Seats New Members, Supports Nursing Union, and Condemns U.S. Incursion in Venezuela

By P h i l i p O’ D e l l

he Ithaca Common Council kicked off 2026 with resolutions supporting local nurses attempting to unionize and condemning the United States’ use of military force in Latin America. The council’s Jan. 7 meeting started with five new members stand and took oath as new alderpersons: Jorge DeFendini (1st Ward), Joseph Kirby (2nd Ward), Pat Sewell (3rd Ward), Robin Trumble (4th Ward), and Hannah Shvets (5th Ward).

Nurses resolution

The Common Council approved a resolution supporting Cayuga United CWA and Cayuga Medical Center nurses. Alderperson Patrick Kuehl proposed adding the resolution to the agenda. The resolution carried 9 to 0. Alderperson David Shapiro recused himself from the vote because of his employment at Cayuga Medical Center. Following the formation of Cayuga United-CWA to represent 350 nurses at Cayuga Medical Center (CMC), the Communications Workers of America filed federal labor charges on Dec. 9 and 18, 2025, alleging that hospital manage-

ment used illegal interrogation and coercive tactics. CMC nurses rallied outside Ithaca Town Hall on Dec. 20, 2025, to build public support ahead of the Jan. 14 union authorization election formally overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Kuehl said the resolution “affirms (the Common Council’s) strong support for the fundamental rights of all workers, including healthcare workers to unionize and engage in collective bargaining.” It also “encourages Cayuga Medical Center to adhere to all labor laws and remain neutral in advance of the upcoming union election.” Kuehl said the resolution also encourages “all parties to engage in respectful, transparent, and good faith negotiations that recognize the essential role nurses play in delivering quality healthcare to City of Ithaca residents.” The resolution was passed a day after the Tompkins County Legislature unanimously approved its own resolution affirming the right of workers to unionize, supporting Cayuga United-CWA and Cayuga Medical Center nurses. A copy of the resolution will be delivered to Cayuga United CWA and Cayuga Medical Center leadership.

Venezuela

Alderperson Kayla Matos added the resolution regarding Venezuela to the Common Council’s agenda. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times File)

During the meeting, Alderperson Kayla Matos added a resolution of the Common Council opposing unauthorized United States military action in Venezuela and urging congressional action. Matos said the resolution resolves that the “Common Council of the City of Ithaca formally opposes the unauthorized use of United States military force against Venezuela and any efforts to occupy, administer, or run a foreign nation absent lawful authorization.” The resolution “urges U.S. Congress to immediately exercise its authority under Article 1 of the Constitution in the War Powers Resolution to require the cease of hostilities and withdrawal of U.S. Armed Forces from Venezuela.” It also calls on Congress not to use federal money for “military occupation, governance or administration of Venezuela or other Latin American countries, such as Cuba, not explicitly authorized by Congress.”

During a recent meeting, Ithaca’s Common Council passed a resolution opposing unauthorized United States military action in Venezuela and urging congressional action. (Photo: Nathan Ellison/Ithaca Times File)

The resolution follows the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife by U.S. forces from their home on Jan. 3, transporting them to the U.S. to face narco-terrorism conspiracy charges. Following the ouster, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would temporarily govern Venezuela and tap its vast oil reserves for global sale. According to the AP, legal authority for the incursion remains unclear as it was conducted without congressional approval. Matos said the council’s resolution also urges Congress to start oversight hearings into the “legality, authorization, and decision-making processes underlining the military action.” The resolution passed by a 9 to 1 vote. Alderperson David Shapiro said he would abstain from the vote because he lacked sufficient knowledge of international politics to vote yes or no. Under the current city government rules, his decision to not vote will be recorded as a "no." Alderperson Pat Sewell voted in favor of the resolution but said he disliked using council time for matters out of its jurisdiction or control. Sewell said he would prefer the council focuses on matters related to the City of Ithaca. With the resolution’s passage, Mayor Robert Cantelmo is directed to transmit the document to the speaker and minority Ja n ua ry

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leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, the majority and minority leaders of the U.S. Senate and the city’s federal legislative delegation.

Acting manager

Council held an executive session for personnel matters and returned to unanimously approve a temporary salary adjustment for Acting City Manager Dominick Recckio, retroactive to Jan. 1. Recckio will now be compensated at an annual rate of $167,000 and one week of sick leave will be credited to his accrual balance. Recckio will resume his duties as deputy city manager if a new city manager is hired. Following a turbulent budget season, the Ithaca Common Council accepted City Manager Deb Mohlenhoff ’s resignation on Dec. 3, 2025, appointing Deputy City Manager Dominick Recckio as acting manager effective Jan. 1. A city staff error in October created a $2.1 million shortfall in the proposed 2026 budget. To bridge the gap, Mohlenhoff led an emergency task force and a comprehensive audit, resulting in a series of stopgap measures and amendments. On Nov. 12, the Council ultimately passed a final $111.5 million budget, which included a 4.11% tax levy increase to ensure fiscal stability moving forward. 2 0 26

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The Talk at

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR By Ithaca Times Readers

RE: Donations Save Museum of the Earth From Foreclosure

“

I volunteered at PRI for a while and helped label and sort seashells from every corner of the world. They are a great organization with great people. So glad they are OK for now.” — David Regenspan, ithaca.com

“ “ “

Fantastic news. Let’s all visit. We can defeat the current attack on science and intelligence.” — Michael FoorPessin, Facebook.com

I am so glad! Now it is time to secure the longterm future so there aren't any more close calls.” — Charlene Martin, Facebook.com I have been in the rather challenging position of trying to save a venerable local nonprofit on more than one occasion and I’ve learned two things: the te-

nacity and resilience of the staff and board leadership makes all the difference, and man, do we live in an AMAZING community that supports the organizations that make this such a great place to live. Warren, you and your staff, volunteers and board have earned all the accolades for saving such an important institution! Congratulations (be sure to take a break now!!!” — Joe Sammons, Facebook.com

“

I'm glad to hear that. I hope there is a continuing , successful development effort and that it includes the nature center as well.” — Esther Herkowitz, Facebook.com

Concern About Flock Cameras

“

I am deeply concerned about the installation of FLOCK surveillance cameras in our communities and think it’s important to understand why dozens of cities across the nation, including Austin, Berkeley, Denver, Flagstaff, Cambridge, Syracuse and many others, have recently moved to terminate these systems. While marketed as a tool for safety, these cameras are anything but and pose severe risks and grave concerns to privacy and civil liberties. Some examples of why FLOCK cameras should be a concern to all: Pervasive Mass Surveillance: FLOCK creates a “digital dossier” of your daily

life by recording every time you leave or return home. Investigations revealed that this network allows a single search to access over 83,000 cameras nationwide, tracking individuals without a warrant or specific suspicion of a crime. Targeting and Abuse: Data from these cameras has been weaponized against citizens. In 2025, reports surfaced of the system being used to track individuals for seeking reproductive healthcare and by federal agencies like ICE to monitor residents in “sanctuary” cities, often without the knowledge of local officials. Dangerous Technical Failures: Misidentifications by the system have led to innocent people being wrongfully detained at gunpoint. Additionally, security researchers in late 2025 demonstrated that these cameras are highly vulnerable to hacking, with compromised officer credentials being found for sale on the dark web. Discriminatory Policing: Audit logs from 2024 to late 2025 showed that over 80 law enforcement agencies used racial slurs and biased language when searching the FLOCK network, frequently without any suspected crime being mentioned. Personal Misuse: There are documented cases of officers using their access to the system for personal reasons, including stalking and harassing former partners. Because we have no way of truly understanding the broad reaching capabilities of this system, we should not be placing our full trust in it the way that we are. As mentioned, many communities have joined but then later opted out due to numerous concerns. I truly feel that we do not know enough about this

nationwide surveillance system to allow it to infiltrate our communities in the way that we have. I feel this system holds more dangers than it does safeties.” — Jennifer McGuire, Trumansburg NY

Oil Profits Over People and Planet

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Political activist Noam Chomsky was once asked if the United States acts in the national interest. He replied that no nation acts in its national interest. That’s a term of propaganda. He added that nations act in the interests of powerful internal groups that control policy. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Trump administration’s mantra of “Drill, baby, drill!,” its efforts to take control over Venezuelan oil, and President Trump’s recent meeting with major oil executives at the White House. When fossil fuel profits define both foreign and domestic policy, it’s ordinary people—and the planet—who pay the price.” — Terry Hansen, Grafton WI

RE: Time to Turn Newman Golf Course into a Cash Machine for the City

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I’m someone who was born and raised in Ithaca, living there for almost 50 years, and returning to Ithaca to work and to be with my family several times every year. I visit historic and beautifully maintained Stewart Park regularly whenever possible. Upon reading Mr. Rieger's letter to the editor regarding Newman Golf Course, just south of this beloved and hallowed space, I think it is prudent to ask Mr. Rieger a Contin u ed on Page 20

Vo i c e s T h r o u g h t h e G o r g e s

“The people are what matter to government, and a government should aim to give all the people under its jurisdiction the best possible life.”

—

Frances Perkins

NOTE: Frances Perkins was FDR’s S ecretary of L abor and the first woman to serve as a cabinet secretary. S he taught at Cornell' s ILR school from 1957-65 and I thaca has a statue of her on G eneva Street.

8 The Ithaca Times / January 14 – 20, 2026

A NATION SPEAKS: A CELEBRATION OF GREAT AMERICAN VOICES

ITHACA NOTES

Friends of Stewart Park, and Birds

The Enduring Voice of Mary McLeod Bethune — 1939

By St e ph e n Bu r k e

C u r at e d by Roy A l l e n: D i r ect or of St r at e gic Pa rt n e r sh i ps — It h ac a Ti m e s , Fi nge r L a k e s C om m u n i t y Newspa pe r s , w w w.i t h ac a .c om

any more voices have contributed to this nation we call America. The voice we spotlight this week is that of Mary McLeod Bethune — aka — the First Lady of the Struggle — from her famous “What Does American Democracy Mean to Me” speech delivered on November 23, 1939 via the radio on America’s Town Meeting of the Air, New York City. She was one of 17 children born to former slaves in 1875. Her courage to make a difference impacted the early days of the civil rights movement during the Roosevelt era of the New Deal. In a time of great national division, 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, a symphony, a collection of hope — action — and, yes — sacrifice. What Does American Democracy Mean to Me? — 1939 — Mary McLeod Bethune “Democracy is for me, and for 12 million black Americans, a goal towards which our nation is marching. It is a dream and an ideal in whose ultimate realization we have a deep and abiding faith. For me, it is based on Christianity, in which we confidently entrust our destiny as a people. Under God's guidance in this great democracy, we are rising out of the darkness of slavery into the light of freedom. Here my race has been afforded [the] opportunity to advance from a people 80 percent illiterate to a people 80 percent literate; from abject poverty to the ownership and operation of a million farms and 750,000 homes; from total disfranchisement to participation in government; from the status of chattels to recognized contributors to the American culture.

(Photo from the Archives of the National Museum of African American History and Culture)

As we have been extended a measure of democracy, we have brought to the nation rich gifts. We have helped to build America with our labor, strengthened it with our faith and enriched it with our song. We have given you Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Booker T. Washington, Marian Anderson and George Washington Carver. But even these are only the first fruits of a rich harvest, which will be reaped when new and wider fields are opened to us. The democratic doors of equal opportunity have not been opened wide to Negroes. In the Deep South, Negro youth is offered only one-fifteenth of the educational opportunity of the average American child. The great masses of Negro workers are depressed and unprotected in the lowest levels of agriculture and domestic service, while the black workers in industry are barred from certain unions and generally assigned to the more laborious and poorly paid work. Their housing and living conditions are sordid and unhealthy. They live too often in terror of the lynch mob; are deprived too often of the Constitutional right of suffrage; and are humiliated too often Contin u ed on Page 20

eirdre Cunningham has written freelance articles for the Ithaca Times for a number of years. A few times she has interviewed Rick Manning, a leader of the Cayuga Waterfront Trail project, and the Executive Director (recently retired) of Friends of Stewart Park. Rick must have liked Deirdre’s work, as in 2017 he asked her to write copy for an "interpretive panel,” as they are called, about collegiate competitive rowing, to be displayed on the Waterfront Trail near the boathouse on Cayuga Lake, and lately, to contribute to the writing of a new panel recently unveiled at the Fuertes Bird Sanctuary and Overlook at Stewart Park. “I played a tiny part,” Deirdre said, in the Fuertes panel project. She said that most of the research and writing was done by Jane Graves, historian of the Cayuga Bird Club. A lot goes into the creation of an interpretive panel. First of all, it has to be attractive and arresting, to gain a visitor’s attention. It needs strong images and graphics and catchy titles. It should be informational but informal. Its purpose is to tell a significant story of natural, cultural or social history, but briefly. Its aim is not to lecture but to educate in an entertaining way, helping create a good experience. The new panel in Stewart Park “interprets,” in the vernacular, the history and restoration of the Fuertes sanctuary. The site is named for Louis Fuertes (18741927), an ornithologist and illustrator whose bird paintings are considered on a par with John James Audubon's. Fuertes was a native Ithacan and the founding president of the Cayuga Bird Club. He helped establish a bird sanctuary in the city in 1914, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in 1915. After his untimely death in 1927, an augmented bird sanctuary was built in the park and named for him. A major feature was an excavated pond. The reconditioned area proved popular with birds, and also with bird watchers, but ornithological observation was difficult in the wooded, wet grounds around the pond. A stone construction overlookJa n ua ry

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ing the pond from its edge was conceived of and funded by the Cayuga Bird Club, and completed in 1933. The new panel heralds the recent restoration of the Overlook. BrainStone masonry contractors of Ithaca replaced and reset stones and reinstated the walkway. New interpretive sign mounts were installed by Accufab of Ithaca. Handrails were refurbished. Reilly Masonry repaired an underwater section of the exterior wall. Funding for all this work was provided by the Triad Foundation, the Cayuga Bird Club, the Estate of Tapan Mitra, and other individual donors, with aid provided by Historic Ithaca, the Community Foundation of Tompkins County, and many volunteers. Another interpretive panel in the park notes that the first iteration of a bird sanctuary in Ithaca, known as Renwick Wildwood Sanctuary, was an independent city park from 1914 until merging with Stewart Park in an incorporation in 1923. In 1915 the Board of Public Works had made improvements to the Wildwood, including construction of “a rustic bridge.” The total cost of this work was $100. The panel says that the Cayuga Bird Club of the time “prepared, paid for and posted” signs “forbidding shooting in or toward” the sanctuary, “as well as building fires.” Today’s signs don’t mention these issues. So there are differences, but there’s also continuity in the park’s history. On a warm day this month at the Overlook, a woman was doing some maintenance on the grounds: literally, to the ground. She said she was “replacing the stone dust between pavers” as a part-time worker for the Friends of Stewart Park. Her name is Gretchen Kirchgessner. She said of the interpretive panel, “See the picture of the mom holding the little girl, looking at the swan?” The picture was taken there at the pond. It was a black and white photo with the look of some years ago. “The little girl is me,” Gretchen said. “We used to be at this place all the time.” 2 0 26

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WE THE PEOPLE: A CELEBRATION OF PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY

GUEST OPINION

It’s Too Expensive to Live in New York, 2026 Must Be the Year We Do Something About It

The Importance of Supporting a Free and Independent Press By Roy A l l e n: D i r ect or of St r at e gic Pa rt n e r sh i ps — It h ac a Ti m e s , Fi nge r L a k e s C om m u n i t y Newspa pe r s , w w w.i t h ac a .c om

e the People of the United States of America — and of Ithaca, NY — are bound together not only by streets, schools and storefronts, but by stories. Long before we agree or disagree, buy or sell, vote or volunteer, we listen. We learn who we are by hearing who our parents and neighbors are. A free and independent local newspaper is where that listening is recorded. The Ithaca Times has long served as a common meeting place—one that asks nothing at the door and welcomes everyone inside. It reports on local issues, highlights local creativity, and gives space to voices that might otherwise go unheard. In doing so, it helps us understand one another not as headlines, but as human beings. That understanding is the quiet strength of a healthy community and a healthy nation. It’s easy, especially in busy times, to take this work for granted. Local businesses, nonprofits, and organizations are focused on meeting payroll, serving customers, delivering services, and staying resilient in an everchanging world. These efforts deserve respect. They are the backbone of our local economy and civic life. What is sometimes overlooked, however, is how closely their success is tied directly to storytelling and indirectly to a free press. Stories create familiarity, and familiarity builds trust. When people read about a new café, a nonprofit’s mission, a community debate, or a local artist’s work, they feel connected. That connection turns curiosity into participation and participation into participatory democracy. Local journalism doesn’t just reflect community life—it actively helps sustain it. A free and independent press is uniquely positioned to do this well. Because it is not owned by distant interests or shaped by outside agendas, it can focus on what truly matters here. Independence

allows journalists to ask thoughtful questions, celebrate progress, and examine challenges with fairness and care. Freedom allows readers from all walks of life to engage without barriers. Together, these qualities create credibility, which is something money alone cannot buy. Supporting local journalism is not about obligation; it is about partnership. There are many simple, meaningful ways the community can participate. Individuals can start by reading the paper regularly, sharing stories with friends, and talking about what they’ve learned. A conversation that begins with “Did you see this in the Ithaca Times?” keeps local knowledge circulating. Writing letters to the editor, submitting op-eds, or suggesting story ideas reminds us that this paper belongs to the people it serves. Even small voluntary contributions help keep access free for everyone. Local businesses play a vital role as well. Advertising consistently—not just occasionally—builds familiarity and helps fund reporting that benefits the entire community. Sharing authentic stories about milestones, challenges, and values fosters trust far more effectively than generic marketing. Encouraging employees to read the paper or engage with its content strengthens civic awareness and local pride. When businesses support the paper, and residents support those businesses in return, the entire local economy grows stronger. Nonprofits and community organizations also benefit from and contribute to a thriving local press. Supporting the paper as a platform to promote programs, events and volunteer opportunities helps connect people with causes that matter. Sharing impact stories allows readers to see how local efforts make a difference. Partnering around issue-based coverage helps inform the public while advancing understanding of complex topics. Publicly acknowledging the value of independent media reinforces its importance to civic life. Contin u ed on Page 20

10 T h e I t h a c a T i m e s / J a n u a r y 1 4 – 2 0 , 2 0 2 6

By A s se m bly M i nor i t y L e a de r Wi l l Ba rc l ay

s a concept, “affordability” has become a popular buzzword for policymakers. Everyone says they want to deliver it for their constituents— especially now as the 2026 Legislative Session has officially begun—which is unsurprising, as it would seem silly to indicate anything else. The reality for New Yorkers isn’t matching the rhetoric. Life here remains, quite simply, unaffordable, and there is little evidence meaningful steps are being taken to do anything about it. The Assembly Minority Conference stands ready to make this fight a priority. The facts surrounding New York’s dismal economic outlook are undeniable, nonpartisan and deeply unsettling. New York state ranks 45th nationally for affordability, and overall costs have increased by 18% since Gov. Kathy Hochul took office. In the last five years, state government spending has increased by $81 billion. Residential electricity costs, which show no signs of returning to normal under the state’s unworkable energy plan, are 49% higher than the national average. The figures help contextualize the issue, but everyday New Yorkers are already too familiar with the financial pressures unique to the Empire State. Our Conference recently launched a new website full of information, legislative proposals and reports to address the cost of living in New York, along with other policy deficiencies. Among the legislation I have sponsored to address affordability in New York are: • Eliminate sales tax on dozens of everyday items for two years, including gasoline, personal care products, housekeeping supplies and prepared foods (A.7417); • Cap state spending to the average rate of inflation of the three previous calendar years and increase the maximum capacity of the rainy day fund (A.7530); • Establish a division to review and make binding recommendations for the

elimination of burdensome regulations and implement a requirement mandating agencies identify two existing rules for elimination when proposing a new rule (A.5582); • Expand the value of the Earned Income Tax Credit from 30% to 45% of the federal amount (A.5661); and • Eliminate the state sales, compensating use and excise taxes on mobile telecommunications services. Also, authorize local governments to eliminate their sales and compensating use taxes on mobile telecommunications (A.9204). In a few days, the governor will give her State of the State address. While I am certain there will be a lot of talk about reversing these trends, it will be her actions I am concerned with. This is hardly the first chance she has had to do something about the cost of living in New York. I sincerely hope this time she does. If you have any questions or comments on this or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office. My office can be reached by mail at 19 Canalview Mall, Fulton, NY 13069 and by email at barclayw@nyassembly.gov. You may also find me, Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, on Facebook or X at @WillABarclay. Will Barclay is the Assembly Minority Leader in the New York State Assembly, representing the 120th District since 2003 and elected by his colleagues to lead the Republican conference in 2020.

Sports

Cornell’s Rory Guilday Reaches the Olympic Stage By Ste ve L aw re nc e

have talked to many collegiate coaches over the years, and whatever their sport, there are a few words that describe the type of athlete they are looking for. Speed, strength, maturity, character... And of course, vision. That final word takes on a deeper meaning in the case of Rory Guilday, Cornell class of ’25. Rory — a native of Minnesota — was a highly sought-after recruit coming out of high school, and Big Red coach Doug Derraugh (class of '91) was the one to secure her commitment. Over the course of her career, Guilday played in 106 games, and tallied 52 points (19 goals and 33 assists). She was named All-Ivy three times, Al-ECAC Hockey last year, and as a 2-year captain, she helped lead the Cornell to the Frozen Four last spring. She also spent plenty of time in International competition, and won three medals as a part of Team USA in the Women’s World Championships. Rory's hockey life stayed on an upward arc when she was selected in the first round of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, and signed to a 3-year contract by the Ottawa Charge. How much better could things get? Well... when the 2026 Winter Olympics get underway in Italy next month. Guilday will be the first Cornellian ever to skate for Team USA. That was no surprise to her college coach, who was quoted as saying, “I’d say she’s one of the best defensemen in the world. I’ve never seen a player with a shot like hers, that’s physically as strong as her.” It takes an elite athlete by any measure to be a first-round draft pick and an Olympian, but Rory’s journey brings us back to that word: Vision. While growing up in Minnesota, growing more passionate about hockey every time she laced up her skates, Guilday went for a routine eye test that revealed something very concerning. A tumor was growing in her right eye. Rory told a Rochester television station, “On my very last day of 7th grade they’re like, ‘you need to start chemotherapy because we don’t want it to affect your other eye.’ Because I was so young and probably naïve, I didn’t even think much of it. I just loved the game. I just wanted to be with my friends and I just loved sports so much and I had incredible coaches that allowed me to take a break if I needed to.”

Pushing ahead even after losing the sight in that eye, she said, “The body is so cool... it kind of takes over. I don’t even notice it unless I close my left eye.” In the same interview, Derraugh offered, “If I had a young daughter, I’d want her to aspire to be like Rory. Not just a hockey player, but for everything she does.” While Guilday is the first Big Red player to skate for Team USA, Cornell has been well represented on Team Canada’s roster. Brianne Jenner — class of ’15 and a 2025 Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame inductee — has been among the world’s elite players for well over a decade. The 2026 games will be her fourth Olympics, and her trophy case boasts a Silver medal (Peyong Chang in 2018) and two Golds (Sochi in 2014 and Beijing in 2022). Also making Team Canada’s roster (for the first time) is Kristin O’Neill, Cornell ’20. O’Neill -a three-time world champion and two-time silver-medalist at the World Championships — had a great career at Cornell, helping to lead the team to 28-2-3 record during her senior season before the pandemic melted everything. The 2026 women’s ice hockey Olympic Games are scheduled to begin on Friday, February 6th, and conclude on Sunday, Feb. 22. The top-seeded United States women’s ice hockey team is slated to begin its slate on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 10:40 a.m. E.T. in Preliminary action against Czechia

It was a good year for Rory Guilday… Frozen Four, first-round draft pick and U.S. Olympic team. (Photo: Provided/Cornell Athletics)

at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena. The U.S. is slotted in Group A, joining Canada, Czechia, Finland, and Switzerland. The Canadian women’s ice hockey team is slated to begin its slate on Thursday,

February 5** at 3:10 p.m. E.T. in Preliminary action against Finland at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena. The Canadians are slotted in Group A, joining USA, Czechia, Finland and Switzerland.

Love to Read? Students, seniors, and neighbors of all ages are invited to lend their voices to Sounds of Democracy, a new audio project turning local journalism into shared listening. Volunteer readers record short essays and news stories from our papers. No experience required. Email Roy@ithacatimes.com — Subject: Sounds of Democracy

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‘One More Awful Obstacle’

Ithaca Businesses Seek Validation to Offset Parking Rate Hikes, End of Free Saturday Parking

ollowing the City of Ithaca’s recent parking rate hikes and elimination of free Saturday parking, the downtown business community voiced concerns to the Ithaca Times and proposed solutions. The City of Ithaca implemented the new parking rates on Jan. 5, raising on-street parking in electronic pay zones from $1.50 to $2.50 per hour. Rates at outlying coinonly meters will hold steady at $1.50. The Ithaca Common Council passed the 2026 city budget on Nov. 12, 2025 after a tumultuous budget season that included a staff error, resulting in an unexpected $2.1 million shortfall. As part of its plan to address the tentative budget’s shortfall, the council eliminated free street parking on Saturdays to raise $85,000 and enacted Saturday garage parking to generate $110,000. Mayor Robert Cantelmo said hourly parking rates have not changed since 2015 and parking rate funds go to the general fund. “It is important to note that we effectively "subsidize" parking as a City,” Cantelmo said. “According to an internal analysis, after inclusion of increased parking fees, the City budget projects a $2.2 million parking subsidy in 2026. Our adjustments shift the burden away from just city taxpayers toward all users.” All city garages — including those on Green Street, Dryden Road, Seneca Street, and Cayuga Street — will transition to a standard hourly rate of $2.25. Daily maximums are set at $12 for most garages, though the Dryden Road facility will carry a higher daily cap of $18. The previous hourly rate for the Green Street, Seneca Street, and Dryden Road garages was $1 per hour with a $10 daily maximum, while the Cayuga Street Garage was $2 per hour. Many downtown business owners called for a parking validation program that allows local businesses to offer customers or employees free or discounted parking in garages or lots. Home Green Home owner Megan Vidler said the store’s seven employees mostly walk, but many downtown workers who drive avoid garages in favor of unme-

By Philip O’Dell

Th e C i t y o f It h ac a e l i m i n at e d f r e e S at u r d ay s t r e e t pa r k i n g d u r i n g i t s m o s t r e c e n t b u d g e t s e a s o n . ( P h o t o : C a s e y M a r t i n / It h ac a Ti m e s F i l e) tered neighborhood streets. She said the increased rates are less expensive than most other cities of similar size. She said the city’s rollout was sudden and there could have been better communication from city officials. She said while tourists are accustomed to higher parking rates and remain unfazed by the costs, residents often see the fees as barriers to visiting downtown. Vidler said subsidized parking validations for customers would allow retailers to provide them with an hour or two of free parking as an incentive, especially during the holiday season when local shopping is the primary driver of business. She said extending these subsidies to employee parking would alleviate the financial burden on the downtown workforce. She also proposed implementing free weekend parking throughout the month of December. “I think being able to offer them parking on the weekends for holiday shopping would be meaningful,” Vidler said. Home Green Home employee Candice Flathmann drives to work from Trumansburg and would prefer to use the public parking garages for her shifts. Rising garage rates have forced her to seek unme-

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tered street parking farther away. Because the city lacks accessible 24-hour parking options near her workplace, Flathmann said she now parks on distant side streets and leaves home 45 minutes early. An anonymous downtown employee on the Commons spoke to the Ithaca Times and shared her concerns with the increased parking rates. “Personally, I feel like I could have handled either the rate increase or the end to free parking on Saturday, but both put a large burden on me financially,” she said. The employee said she doesn’t live within walking distance of her jobs, and her bus route was reduced from hourly routes to two times a day. While she uses free parking on some streets within a four- to five-block walk to the Commons, she worries about harsh weather conditions. She also worries about walking alone to her car after dark and is concerned about the lack of police presence. “In general, I don't think the city thought too much about the effects of this raise to the parking rate on employees, but we all will be feeling the repercussions,” she said. “I used to consider Ithaca a progressive town that was a champion for its peo-

ple. In this time of rising costs in every aspect of our daily lives, this just really hurts the average Ithacan who is struggling day to day just to get by.” At the American Crafts by Robbie Dein gift shop, manager Mason Bennett said he doesn’t mind the recent rate hikes because local parking is more affordable than most cities. Bennett finds the current fee structure so imbalanced that he hasn’t paid for parking in a year. He estimates that receiving a $15 ticket roughly once every three days is cheaper than paying daily rates. On other days, he opts for a longer walk by parking for free on Titus Avenue. Despite finding his own workarounds, Bennett hopes the city will revise parking regulations to support other downtown workers. He supports implementation of a parking validation program. “They need to do something to make it right to the employees,” Bennett said. “Those 18-year-old kids who got their first car and just graduated high school that are working retail aren’t going to be able to afford $80 per week in parking.” Bennett said most downtown employees earn less than $20 per hour, which is below Tompkins County’s current living wage of $24.82 per hour. He said parking has become a large weekly expense that is “draining the pockets” of those who work 40 hours per week. He warned that unless owners begin including parking passes in salary packages, the new rates will likely discourage people from seeking employment downtown. The store’s peak season has six employees, two of whom drive. “The downtown community was in a better place when we as storefronts could validate customer parking and validate employee parking,” Bennett said. “It made working down here easier. Now it’s just such a mess. You either walk five city blocks or pay $15 a day to park. That’s an hour’s worth your wage.” 15 Steps owner Scott Dolphin said the increased parking fees cut into the take-home pay of employees working six-hour shifts. “It’s an added expense working on the Commons,” Dolphin said. Dolphin said the city didn’t notify his business about the rate hikes. He discovered

S o m e d ow n t ow n b u s i n e s s ow n e r s , l i k e S u n n y Day s o f It h ac a ow n e r D e i r d r e Ku r z w e i l , b e l i e v e t h e c i t y ’s i n c r e a s e d pa r k i n g r at e s m ay d e t e r v i s i t o r s f r o m t h e It h ac a C o m m o n s . ( P h o t o : M a r k S y v e r t s o n / It h ac a Ti m e s F i l e) the change when his usual $8 garage fee jumped to $12 at the gate. He is calling for better communication from the city and a stronger interface with the Business Improvement District (BID) to keep owners informed. Dolphin urged the city to revive the pre-COVID employee parking program, pointing out that there is currently no dedicated parking for downtown workers beyond a few scattered private spots. Dolphin manages two full-time and two part-time staff, but his workforce nearly doubles during the busy months of July, August, and December. To avoid high parking fees, some staff members resort to parking in distant free areas and walking to work through harsh winter storms. Gorgers Subs employee Lilliana Muldoon said the city provided no prior notice and employees lacked time to comment. Since the restaurant lacks private parking, both staff and most customers rely on street parking. Muldoon said that while paid parking during the week is understandable, the loss of free weekend parking is a blow to Gorgers’ six employees who drive to work. She called for better representation for downtown restaurants. “Maybe make the (city) aware that a lot of their success has to do with the businesses and restaurants are a big part of our community,” Muldoon said. “They should have representation in the future.” Sunny Days of Ithaca owner Deirdre Kurzweil said she was unaware of the changes to parking and garage rates until she happened upon a Facebook post. She found the city’s sudden discovery of the budget shortfall "most disturbing," criticizing officials for taking a hurried, reactive approach to it. While her employees typically walk to work, she noted that the new parking re-

strictions have made her weekend supply runs more difficult. Kurzweil feels that perimeter parking options around the Ithaca Commons are limited, forcing drivers into garages — a transition some find frustrating. She said lack of maintenance and dirty stairwells in garages have created a negative public perception of the city’s infrastructure. Kurzweil believes rising parking rates are another deterrent for visitors to the Ithaca Commons, compounding a 50-yearold struggle with parking accessibility. She said perceptions need to change, noting the walk from the Green Street garage to the Commons is comparable to crossing a typical mall parking lot. Kurzweil is concerned that these costs, combined with the rise of online shopping, ongoing construction projects, and lingering safety concerns, create a series of obstacles. Sunny Days’ workforce has dwindled from 10 to 5 employees in the last two years due to post-pandemic economic shifts. The shop has faced repeated security issues, including attempted break-ins in which intruders tried to remove window moldings, forcing the owners to board up alleyway entrances with plywood to secure the premises. “The (parking rate) increase and nonfree Saturdays are just one more awful obstacle on top of all these existing ones,” Kurzweil said. Sunny Days co-owner Todd Kurzweil said downtown small businesses need independent representation to ensure their interests are heard. He argued DIA manages conflicting priorities between landowners, hotels and residents, often leaving small business owners without a dedicated voice. He cited parking equity as a concern, claiming hotel patrons are subsidized and

given preferential treatment in city garages at the expense of local merchants. To support downtown, he proposed clearer wayfinding signage for businesses at Commons entrances, adding public restrooms and a parking validation program. He also called for updates to county economic development applications to ensure new projects do not negatively impact existing tenants. Deidre proposed offering free parking throughout December to encourage holiday shopping. Both called for greater transparency from the city and DIA. DIA CEO Nan Rohrer said the city did not provide advance notice of the parking fee increases during the budget process. While acknowledging the city’s need to fund essential infrastructure — including garage maintenance, meter repairs, and staffing — Rohrer said the DIA needs to work closely with the mayor and city manager. Moving forward, Rohrer said the Alliance aims to ensure parking fees don’t become a deterrent for visitors and pledges to work with city officials to mitigate impacts on downtown businesses, patrons and employees. Rohrer said the city and DIA should have conversations regarding a parking validation program. She believes the program could be a great way to advertise downtown and encourage residents to visit the Commons. “Workers are a very important part of our downtown dynamic,” Rohrer said. “We want to ensure that their specific situations are considered when we talk about the validation program and when we talk about any other type of impacts to the parking.” Rohrer said the city should take a closer look at how street spaces are being used for businesses and visitors. She also suggested

looking at loading zones to see if they really need to be blocked off all day, or if they could be used as paid parking spots during times when trucks aren't using them. The Ithaca Common Council approved an ordinance Jan. 7 extending metered parking to Saturdays and updating civil penalties for overtime violations to encourage space turnover and better offset the costs of managing city parking. Cantelmo explained the parking rates were adopted as part of the 2026 budget, while the ordinance deals with Saturday parking and the fines for exceeding the parking limits. The council approved the ordinance in a 9-1 vote, with Alderperson David Shapiro casting the sole no vote and Alderperson Margaret Fabrizio absent. Shapiro said the council moved too quickly with raising hourly rates and introducing new Saturday parking fees. Alderperson Patrick Kuehl supported the measure but said some constituents expressed concerns about the increased rates. Kuehl said the higher rates might help clear up traffic by stopping people from leaving cars on the street for days, blocking customers from parking in Collegetown. However, he also noted business owners are worried about their staff. He explained that for workers, paying more to park feels like a cut in their take-home pay. Kuehl said he is developing ideas for programs to balance these concerns. Cantelmo announced he and Acting City Manager Dominick Recckio are in conversation with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) on a possible downtown parking validation program. Further developments are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

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16 T h e I t h a c a T i m e s / J a n u a r y 1 4 – 2 0 , 2 0 2 6

Scottish folk ensemble Old Blind Dogs bring their contemporary take on Celtic traditional music to the Lansing Area Performance Hall on Monday, Jan. 19. (Photo: Provided)

By Peter Rothbart

write their own songs such as the rowdy jig Lyrics and singing are the basis of most folk “Knucklehead Circus,” which is the title of their music and Celtic music is no exception. Lyrics most recent album. tell a story; they can memorialize past experihe term “trad music,” short It’s the drums that gives this band their ences, evoke tender memories of love lost, or for traditional music, usually distinctive sound. More traditional Celtic rage about political and social injustices past and describes a type of folk music, drummers rely on the bodhrán, a stickpresent. The Old Blind Dog’s vocalizing often though it can apply to other beaten hand-held drum descended from early breaks out into a three- or four-part harmony musical genres, trad jazz, for that emphasizes lyrical clarity with a minimum example. It implies that the mu- European farming implements and requires some seriously agile wrist action. But drumof ornamentation or ostentatiousness. sic has an historical and cultural history that mer Donald Hay eschews the traditional Their “pub” for the night is the Lansing has been passed down through generations instrument, choosing to deploy a drum kit Area Performance Hall, an acoustically warm of music making, retaining elements that are of cymbals tastefully underplayed, a snare and intimate setting. The 100-seat repurposed indicative of the culture the music came from. drum played with brushes, a bass and floor Faith Bible Church, built in the 1850s, was Call them music cultural artifacts. tom along with a pair of bongos. Listen as he bought five years ago by the Savage Club of Coming to the Lansing Area Performance Ithaca, a club established in 1895 and dedicatCenter on Monday, Jan. 19, the Old Blind Dogs takes bodhrán-based licks and re-orchestrates them on his drum kit. The result is the subtle ed to all sorts of music making. Savage Club will bring Celtic trad music from the northnon-traditional trad sound mentioned earlier, Treasurer Bill Heffner explained that the club, east and Highland areas of Scotland as well never overwhelming, somewhat updated, that “welcomes anyone who finds music an imporas from Ireland, Brittany, and Wales. Formed still drives the band. tant part of their life.” The club’s president, Jack in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1992, they have 14 It’s impossible to understate the stage and Roscoe, added that it usually offers the hall albums under their belt and were inducted into sonic presence of Ali Hutton’s Great Highland free of charge to any musical group that wants the Scottish Trad Music Hall of Fame in 2020. Bagpipe, which provides much of the melodic the opportunity to perform. It’s a folksy and While they are firmly rooted in the tradition, it and harmonic content. The sheer physicality of friendly space for those who want to mount may be helpful to consider them as non-tradiplaying the pipes is impressive and the visual the stage but are a bit shy about performing in tional trad players or perhaps contemporary element suggests a male peacock in heat. But the downtown clubs. trad musicians. They cover the standard trad put your bagpipe jokes and clichés aside. Watch Veteran concert producers Ken Millett and repertoire such as “John Barleycorn,” “Farewell Susan Murphy saw an opportunity to revive Tae The Haven,” and “Highland Lassie” but also Hutton’s dexterous fingering technique and listen to the clarity and intensity of his sound. their Night Eagle Café, a well-known regional Notice how fluidly he plays a wind instrument folk venue that closed in 2008, and bring it to that does not synchronize breathing with finthe Lansing Hall site. The result is a new, onegering or even the phrasing of the song. This is year old folk music oriented concert series in a Monday, Jan. 19 how the pipes are to be played and displayed. new venue that is a timely addition to the vanNight Eagle Café Aaron Jones plays the guitar and the cittern, ishing performance spaces in the Ithaca area. a 10 string instrument that is louder than Lansing Area Performance Hall a lute but not as richly resonant as a guitar. Peter Rothbart is a Professor Emeritus of Music 1004 Auburn Rd. (NY Route 34) Jonnie Hardie’s fiddling is lyrical and flowing at the Ithaca College School of Music, Theatre 7:30 p.m. when given the melody, and he interposes and Dance, where he taught electroacoustic (9 miles north of the Shops at Ithaca Mall, across from the North Lansing Cemetery), Lansing, NY strident rhythmic gesticulations and careful and media music for 40 years. He remains harmonic cushioning underneath the vocals. active as a classical, jazz, and pop musician. Tickets: https://www.savageclubofithaca.com/

Old Blind Dogs

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Old Blind Dogs: Non-Traditional Celtic Trad Music

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Film

“Hamnet” Will Break Your Heart A Dozen Different Ways By Cl e me nt O b ropta

ost stories are ghost stories. Characters haunted by their past, haunted by people they’ve lost, haunted by their actions. The ghost in “Hamnet,” a new costume drama film by director Chloé Zhao, is there in the title. The farmer’s daughter and healer Agnes (Jessie Buckley) and her husband, the young playwright and glovemaker William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), are devastated by the loss of their son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe), to the plague. Adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s novel, “Hamnet” unfolds more like an avant-garde tale of a haunting than any costume drama I’ve seen. The camera floats spectrally over the faithfully recreated Tudor village, many scenes end with an abrupt cut to black, and the film’s assembly often veers into dream logic. Sometimes, we cut to Agnes in nature, collecting herbs, unaware of how much time has passed, or to young Hamnet standing alone on his father’s stage in London, which is this film’s way of showing that the boy has crossed over to the other side. The music, from the brilliant Max Richter, is mournful and elegiac, as though the composer knows poor Hamnet’s fate from the beginning of the story and it’s tearing him apart that the characters don’t yet know it for themselves. Cinematographer Łukasz Żal (who shot the commandant’s house in “The Zone of

“Hamnet” Rated PG-13 Directed by Chloé Zhao Currently playing at Cinemapolis 120 East Green St., Ithaca REGIONALIZATION PLAN contin u ed from page 4

Talcott said regional transportation is complicated because of varying structures, such as different school start times and contract requirements for bus drivers. “We are finding so many details that just have to be discussed and figured out,” she said. As more regional programming develops, BOCES is working on comprehensive resources that students and families can

Interest” with similar ghoulish remove) brings so much texture and spirituality to “Hamnet.” He captures the wind in the trees, the stillness of the soil, and the gliding of a hawk overhead with the same grace that he does Agnes preparing an herbal remedy or Shakespeare writing a play, quill in hand, by candlelight while his family sleeps. Zhao’s other movies have the same transcendent interaction between people and the natural world, whether it’s Frances McDormand gazing into a campfire in “Nomadland” or Brady Blackburn trying to tame the horse Apollo in “The Rider.” But Żal taps into something deeper here. The film, which begins with the arresting image of Jessie Buckley curled into a fetal position among the roots of an old tree, treats the magic of nature and motherhood as inseparable forces. Buckley, who always seems to play a woman possessed, gamely embraces the tricky and metaphysical soul of Agnes. “Hamnet” is very much her story — the story of a wild spirit of the forest that makes a pact to settle with a mortal man. They build a home and a life together and have three beautiful children — then, when the man is gone, their son dies of the plague. The rest of the story examines how the man and the forest spirit cope with his death. The glovemaker, mourning his son, writes the play “Hamlet,” but Agnes is totally lost. She has nothing to spin her grief into, so she wanders the forest like a nymph, as though wishing it would just swallow her up so that she can be there again, a decade younger, before she ever met the mortal man and gave birth to their children. The film revels in the poetic dimensions of O’Farrell’s story. At one point,

Will tells Agnes the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, setting up the film’s focus on the relationship between life and death and how we try to process the loss of our loved ones. One of Zhao’s great gifts is that she understands the beauty of nature. She debuted with “Songs My Brothers Taught Me” and “The Rider,” showing off a gorgeous Terrence Malick style, but “Hamnet” is her first project since then that fully realizes her potential as both a storyteller and an aesthete. There are few directors living today who seem as interested in the expression on an actor’s face as with the rain gently falling on a stream or stormclouds rolling over a field. “Hamnet” is not a perfect film. Sometimes, the characterizations feel thin — “He’s got more inside him than any man I’ve ever met,” Agnes says of Will, but we

mostly have to take her at her word. It’s a bit cheap that the film’s climax leans so heavily on Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” for its emotional catharsis. And sometimes the actors, good though they are, cannot help but get in the way of the ephemeral, incorporeal thing Zhao is reaching for here. One still gets the sense that she would much rather drop the actors entirely and shoot a documentary instead. But the more I write about the film, the more I like it. There are some beautiful shots in here, images that I think will be talked about and studied for years to come. “Hamnet” is a difficult film to hold in your hands and understand, but that’s also what makes it a work of such uncommon beauty.

use to see what is available. One of these resources is an inventory of all programming provided by each district. The presentation noted that collecting the information will also help with future regionalization efforts to reduce duplication and expand options. “You have a really robust seal of civic readiness and some fabulous courses that are aligned with that, for example, that might be something in there,” Talcott said to the TCSD BOE. “Not necessarily opening it up to everybody, but allowing folks

to see what other districts currently offer really as a conversation starter.” Specifically for high school students, BOCES is in the process of creating a regional catalog of dual enrollment courses in which high school students can obtain college credits. This catalogue will represent educational offerings from districts that sign up to make their dual enrollment courses available to any student in the region. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in South Seneca or you’re in Newfield or you’re in Bratton or you’re in Trumansburg,” Talcott

said, “kids would have more access to those higher level courses.” One way BOCES hopes to improve ongoing communication and collaboration on an administrative level is through annual joint board of education sessions for all regional governance teams. “[This is to] talk about what’s going on regionally, how boards are supporting the work, what our kids need, what our educators need, what our communities need and what you all need as board members as we engage in this work,” Talcott said.

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Agnes (Jessie Buckley) stands amid the crowd at the Globe Theatre. (Photo: IMDb/Focus Features/Agata Grzybowska)

Clement Obropta is a film columnist for the Ithaca Times.

Books

Silo Saga: A Voice From The Not So Distant Past By C h arl e y Githl e r

n a clear, sunny day in late April 1943, Florence Henry boarded a bus in New Rochelle and left her life behind. She was joining her husband Alton at their new home, an 1848 farmhouse with no electricity, indoor plumbing, or telephone in the Town of Caroline, here in Tompkins County. They had abandoned careers in Manhattan and were starting over as dairy farmers, and Florence’s account of the ensuing 24 years has been published by the Tompkins County Historical Commission in a book titled Silo Saga. It’s a most remarkable tale. With a wartime speed limit of 35 mph, and on roads that predate the highways of today, Florence likely had a good seven hours to contemplate her situation on that April day. Alton had worn her down over the course of the previous five years. She was leaving an advertising job in the Rockefeller Center, a world with “beauty salons and Fifth Avenue shops”, and a house in Westchester County. The musical “Oklahoma” opened on Broadway the week she left. Though she had spent her childhood on a farm, having left at the earliest opportunity, her husband had zero farming experience. Yet it was his dream that had led them to a 138-acre piece of land with a house and barn and a 15-cow dairy operation in Tompkins County. If you’re of a certain age, you’d be forgiven for calling the 1960s sitcom Green Acres to mind. The ensuing quarter century would see the transformation of the farm, of Florence and of the community. Silo Saga isn’t a diary of the period, but a reminiscence written shortly after they sold the farm in 1965, with the events and people still fresh in her mind. The Odyssey of how Florence’s manuscript came to be published, long after her death in 1997, is noteworthy, and reminds us that there are hidden gems out there. Her nephew Chan, who was a regular visitor to the farm throughout his childhood, had a chance encounter with a Cornell Food Science professor at Ithaca’s Chanticleer bar. The subject of the book somehow came up, and Chan mailed the document to the professor. Over the course of another couple of chance encounters (at least one other of which occurred at the Chanticleer), the book changed hands several times and wound with local his-

tory aficionado Tim Larkin, who turned it over to the Tompkins County Historical Commission for publication, with the help of County Historian Carol Kammen. The hamlet of Slaterville Springs in the Town of Caroline seemed at first like a remote outpost to Florence. The condition of the house didn’t help. We often forget, though, that the presence of Cornell in Ithaca ripples out into the surrounding communities. The 1920s and 1930s had seen a boom in local dairies, partly driven by research at Cornell which influenced processing techniques such as pasteurization. The Henrys made use of the university. Neighboring farmers called them “book farmers” because they consulted Cooperative Extension literature, consulted Ag School professors and took advantage of new techniques of artificial insemination and quantitative analysis of milk quality. It paid off, though. By the time they left, the farm, which resembled a 19th century operation when they moved in, was modernized. The team of horses was replaced by mechanized equipment. The house had plumbing, electricity, and heating. The two post-World War II decades saw significant changes in Caroline. Like all the outlying towns in Tompkins County, it was transitioning from being primarily an agricultural community. In 1950, two thirds of the county (200,000 acres) was being farmed. It’s less than half that now. The economics of dairy farming was shifting, too. Running a small family dairy operation is barely sustainable today when up against the economies of scale of corporate dairies. The Henrys’ dairy farm was one of dozens in the county. Today, there are eight. There’s a saying, which would certainly resonate with every farmer dating back to the Agricultural Revolution, that “farming is a series of emergencies”. The Henrys had them all: weather, accidents, disease outbreaks, market volatility, equipment failure. One thing that comes through in Florence’s narrative is her roll-up-your-sleeves attitude. The other thing is the willingness of the Henrys’ neighbors to help. Time and again, the community pitched in and in some cases saved each other’s enterprises from catastrophe, and Florence’s amazement and deep gratitude is a recurring theme in her story. These relatively small family farms could not and did not operate in isolation from one another.

Tim Larkin will give a talk about the book “Silo Saga” on Saturday, Jan. 24 at noon at the Tompkins County History Center.

That’s not to say that the Henrys were immediately welcomed with open arms. In a process surely familiar to anyone plunked down in an established rural community, acceptance came slowly. Florence and Henry encountered initial skepticism and a little light hazing, but over time their perseverance and openness won out and they were able to count themselves as accepted. They belonged to the Grange, and served on town and county boards. Alton was elected Justice of the Peace in 1955. My own grandmother was born a year before Florence Henry (1908), and also Ja n ua ry

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grew up on a farm before going off to college and leaving agriculture behind. I don’t know if it’s her turn of phrase or her cando outlook, but Silo Saga felt like it was in my grandmother’s voice. That’s one of the charming things about the book. Florence, for all her background in advertising, is not a professional writer. That’s not to say she’s a bad writer — she’s not. She’s witty, and has a good eye for the telling detail, but her writing also has a certain genuineness that would be difficult to counterfeit. She

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ITHACA JOINS NATIONAL ‘ICE OUT FOR GOOD’ PROTESTS contin u ed from page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR contin u ed from page 8

question. How many times in the past year have you, sir, visited Stewart Park? Do you love it and visit it often, as thousands of Ithacans do? To develop the adjacent Newman Golf Course into housing and other development, as proposed by Mr. Rieger, would A NATION SPEAKS contin u ed from page 9

by the denial of civil liberties. We do not believe that justice and common decency will allow these conditions to continue. Our faith envisions a fundamental change as mutual respect and understanding between our races come in the path of spiritual awakening. Certainly there have been times when we may have delayed this mutual understanding by being slow to assume a fuller share of our national responsibility because of the denial of full equality. And yet, we have always been loyal when the ideals of American democracy have been attacked. We have given our blood in its defense-from Crispus Attucks on Boston Commons to the battlefields of France. We have fought for the democratic principles of equality under the law, equality of opportunity, equality at the ballot

drastically change the character of the park forever. The view south and west from the park would be obliterated into an urban landscape. Once this open, quiet, serene green space is gone it will be lost forever. I hope the destructive and shocking idea of developing Newman Golf Course into a “Cash Cow” will not even be given consideration by the local government. — G. Lavinia Reid, Chambersburg PA

SILO SAGA contin u ed from page 19

came to wholeheartedly embrace being in nature, and some of her most lyrical passages are about the rhythm of the seasons and her connection to the land. It’s a good read. Florence was 35 when she left the city life, and her observations are sharp. She’s writing of a time, though, when the expectations of a farm

WE THE PEOPLE box, for the guarantees of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We have fought contin u ed from page 10 to preserve one nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all Community leaders and institutions can men are created equal. Yes, we have fought lead by example. Citing local reporting in for America with all her imperfections, not meetings, newsletters and public forums so much for what she is, but for what we signals respect for journalism’s role. Providknow she can be. ing access and transparency to reporters Perhaps the greatest battle is before strengthens trust. Encouraging the use of us, the fight for a new America: fearless, local news as a teaching and discussion tool free, united, morally re-armed, in which in schools and community groups helps 12 million Negroes, shoulder to shoulder build civic literacy for future generations. with their fellow Americans, will strive Dale Carnegie reminded us that people that this nation under God will have a are most willing to cooperate when they new birth of freedom, and that governfeel valued and understood. Local jourment of the people, for the people and by nalism does exactly that. It says to readers, the people shall not perish from the earth. “You matter.” It says to businesses and This dream, this idea, this aspiration, this organizations, “Your work is worth knowis what American democracy means to ing.” And it says to the community at me.” Next week, we will publish Eleanor large, “This is your story—let’s tell it well.” Roosevelt’s 1948 speech on the Adoption Rather than viewing support for the of the Declaration of Human Rights. Ithaca Times as a burden, we can see it as an

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wife include working in the dairy operation and total responsibility for running the household. It was also a time when a husband’s decision to chuck it all and become a farmer meant that’s what was going to happen. Silo Saga is available at the History Center/Visitors’ Center on the Commons, and from Historic Ithaca. On Saturday, Jan. 24, at noon, the Tompkins County History Center will host Tim Larkin, who will give a talk about the book. opportunity. An opportunity to invest in clarity in a noisy world. An opportunity to strengthen dialogue instead of division. An opportunity to ensure that Ithaca remains not just a place to live, but a place that knows itself and shares that self through storytelling in print as well as online. When we support a free and independent press, we are not endorsing a single viewpoint. We are endorsing the process of listening, learning and engaging. We are choosing connection over isolation and understanding over assumption. We the People have always shaped Ithaca’s character through cooperation and care. Supporting the Ithaca Times is one of the simplest, most effective ways to continue that tradition—together. Take action today. Contact Roy@ithacatimes.com to support our community by supporting the newspaper who has been telling its stories for more than 50 years. Thank you for listening.

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Cinemapolis 120 E. Green St., Ithaca New movies opening the week of January 14. Contact Cinemapolis for showtimes and continuing films.

Music Bars/Bands/Clubs

1/14 Wednesday Jazz Lab ft. Doug Robinson, Marcie Beaton, Jorge T. Cuevas, Ted Caldwell, and Greg Ezra | 6-8 p.m. | Brookton’s Market, 491 Brooktondale Rd., Brooktondale NY

1/16 Friday The Tarps | 6 p.m. | Hopshire Farm and Brewery, 1771 Dryden Road, Freeville NY The Karlee Crow Band | 6-8 p.m. | Brookton’s Market, 491 Brooktondale Rd., Brooktondale NY Adam Parker | 6 p.m. | Brewer’s Taproom and Kitchen, 1384 Dryden Rd. Silver Rein Album Release Show | 7 p.m. | Nocturnal Cafe, 103 S Geneva St. The Small Kings | 7 p.m. | Garrett’s Brewing Co., 1 W Main St., Trumansburg NY

1/18 Sunday Sundays with Cisco | 5 p.m. | Garrett’s Brewing Co., 1 W Main St., Trumansburg NY

1/21 Wednesday

THISWEEK

Firefly Trio | 6:30 p.m. | Deep Dive Ithaca, 415 Old Taughannock Blvd. | Free

Concerts/Recitals

Running to Places: Matilda the Musical | 7 p.m. 1/16 Friday and 1/17 Saturday; 2 p.m. 1/17 Saturday and 1/18 Sunday | Hangar Theatre, 801 Taughannock Blvd. | Matilda the Musical follows an extraordinary little girl with a sharp mind and big imagination as she dares to stand up to bullies, outwit the terrifying Miss Trunchbull, and discover the true power of friendship and courage. | Free; donations accepted

1/15 Thursday Thursday Morning Musicales Presents the Janus Brass Trio | 10:15 a.m. | North Presbyterian Church, 921 College Avenue | Free

1/16 Friday Ithaca Community Chorus | 7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. | St. Paul’s Methodist Church, 402 N Aurora St.

1/17 Saturday Zoe Mulford | 7 p.m. | La La Land Listening Room, The Friends’ Meetinghouse, 120 Third St. | $25.00 $30.00

Rabbit Hole | 7:30 p.m., 1/16 Friday | Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway, Elmira NY | Elmira Little Theatre’s production of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize winning play Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire takes us into a universe of parallel worlds. | $18.00 - $25.00

Art

1/18 Sunday Cayuga Chamber Orchestra Presents Martinů and Mozart | 3 p.m. | First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, 306 N Aurora St. | $15.00 - $45.00

1/19 Monday Old Blind Dogs | 7:30 p.m. | Lansing Area Performance Hall, 1004 Auburn Rd., North Lansing NY

Contemporary Mapping : One Foot Forward | 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 1/14 Wednesday – 1/17 Saturday | Corners Gallery, 903 Hanshaw Rd. Suite 101A | Contemporary Mapping: One Foot Forward features work by 34 artists! | Free New Year/New Work | 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., 1/15 Thursday – 1/18 Sunday| State of the Art Gallery, 120 West State St. | The show features paintings, photos, sculpture, collage, and fiber arts representing a broad spectrum of styles. Group show of 14 artists running through February 2. | Free Small Works Invitational | 12 p.m., 1/17 Saturday | The Gallery at South Hill, 950 Danby Rd., South Hill Business Campus | Featuring artworks

14 inches or less in image size, with over 20 artists, this exhibit gives the viewer an inside look at the artistic practice. | Free

Film How to Train Your Dragon | 12 p.m., 1/17 Saturday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St., Cortland NY | Join us to watctarring Mason Thames, Nico Parker and Gerard Butler. An ancient threat endangers both Vikings and dragons alike on the isle of Berk. | Free The Palestine Exception: Film and Discussion | 1 p.m., 1/17 Saturday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green St. | Join Ithaca Committee for Justice inPalestine for a viewing and discussion of The Palestine Exception, a documentary that charts the unique threats to free speech on college campuses when it comes to criticism of Israel and support of Palestine. | Free Sugarcane: Film and Discussion | 7 p.m., 1/21 Wednesday | First Congregational Church of ithaca, 309 Hughland Rd. | In 2021, evidence of unmarked graves near an Indian residential school run by the Catholic Church in Canada sparked a national outcry about forced separation, assimilation, and abuse many children experienced at this network of schools designed to destroy the culture and social fabric of Indigenous communities. Film at 7 p.m., discussion around 8:45 p.m. You are also invited to come early, at 6 p.m., for a simple supper of soup and bread. | Free

MEMORY | MOTION | MOMENT THURSDAY, JAN. 15TH THROUGH SATURDAY, JAN. 17TH AT 7:00 PM; SUNDAY, JAN 18TH AT 2:00 PM

Kitchen Theatre Company, 417 West State St., Ithaca | A dance theater performance, with works by Aimee Rials, Rachel Lampert, Kathy Lucas, and Megan Omohundro. (Photo: Provided)

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No Other Choice | From director Park Chan-wook and based on Donald E. Westlake’s novel The Ax, the story follows Man-su on his desperate hunt for a new job after his abrupt layoff from the paper company he served for 25 years. | R 139 mins The Bone Temple | In a continuation of the epic story, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) finds himself in a shocking new relationship — with consequences that could change the world as they know it — and Spike’s (Alfie Williams) encounter with Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) becomes a nightmare he can’t escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival — the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying. | R 110 mins What’s Up, Doc? | Sunday, January 18 at 2:30 p.m. | The accidental mix-up of four identical plaid overnight bags leads to a series of increasingly wild and wacky situations. | All ages. 94 mins

Sports Ithaca Women’s Basketball vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 5:30 p.m., 1/16 Friday | Ben Light Gymnasium, Ithaca College Cornell Wrestling vs Army West Point | 6:30 p.m., 1/16 Friday | Friedman Wrestling Center, Cornell University Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey vs Princeton University | 7 p.m., 1/16 Friday | Lynah Rink, Cornell University Ithaca Men’s Basketball vs Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |

7:30 p.m., 1/16 Friday | Ben Light Gymnasium, Ithaca College Cornell Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Upstate Challenge | 10 a.m., 1/17 Saturday | Barton Hall, Cornell University Ithaca Men’s and Women’s Track & Field: Ithaca College Quad | 11 a.m., 1/17 Saturday | Glazer Arena, Ithaca College Ithaca Women’s and Men’s Swimming & Diving vs Hamilton College| 1 p.m., 1/17 Saturday | Bird Natatorium, Ithaca College Cornell Women’s Basketball vs Brown University | 1 p.m., 1/17 Saturday | Newman Arena at Bartels Hall, Cornell University Ithaca Women’s Basketball vs Bard College | 2 p.m., 1/17 Saturday | Ben Light Gymnasium, Ithaca College Ithaca Men’s Basketball vs Bard College | 4 p.m., 1/17 Saturday | Ben Light Gymnasium, Ithaca College Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey vs Quinnipiac University | 7 p.m., 1/17 Saturday | Lynah Rink, Cornell University Ithaca Women’s Wrestling vs Utica University | 12 p.m., 1/18 Sunday | Athletics and Events Center, Ithaca College Ithaca Women’s Wrestling vs Onondaga Community College | 12 p.m., 1/18 Sunday | Athletics and Events Center, Ithaca College Ithaca Gymnastics vs Ursinus College | 1 p.m., 1/18 Sunday | Ben Light Gymnasium, Ithaca College Cornell Women’s Basketball vs Yale University | 2 p.m., 1/19 Monday | Newman Arena at Bartels Hall, Cornell University Cornell Women’s Ice Hockey vs Penn State University | 6 p.m., 1/20 Tuesday | Lynah Rink | Cornell University

ZOE MULFORD

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17TH AT 7:00 PM

The Meetinghouse, 120 Third Street (corner of Third & Madison Streets), Ithaca | A clever wordsmith, raconteur, and banjo maven. Zoe Mulford is American-born, but now lives in the North of England and tours on both sides of the Atlantic. Perhaps in recent years, she is best-known as the writer of "The President Sang Amazing Grace.” She will make you smile right down to your toes. (Photo: Provided)

Play Water Polo! Adult and Youth Opportunities | 7 p.m., 1/20 Tuesday | Ithaca High School Pool, 1401 North Cayuga St. | Adult Co-Ed Water Polo Program! Beginner players welcome. Get more information on adult and youth programs by visiting www. ithacawaterpolo.com and getting on the email list. | Free

Special Events 3rd Annual Women’s Wellness Extravaganza | 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. ,1/18 Sunday | Mama Said Cafe, 1710 Trumansburg Rd. (Rt 96), Trumansburg NY | Featuring female vendors, artists, makers, healers, practitioners, activists, musicians. | Free

Books Comic Book Club Meeting—Cool Ads and Doo Dads! | 7 p.m., 1/20 Tuesday | Tompkins County Public Library, Schwarz Jacobson Meeting Room, 101 East Green St. | For the second meeting in the new year, the Comic Book Club of Ithaca will continue our survey of the weird and wonderful “lost world” of comic book ads of the 1950’s-70’s! Join us for another look at the days when “Sea Monkeys” ruled the waves! | Free

Kids SingSong Music Class Series | 10 a.m., 1/14 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green Street | SingSong is a fun-filled class for little ones and parents/caregivers to enjoy music together in a circle setting. Science Together: Sink or Float | 10:15 a.m., 1/14 Wednesday | Sciencecenter, 601 1st St. | Test and sort items with a water play, sink or float experi-

ment! Science Together activities are designed for ages 0-4. Family Playgroup — Winter ’26 Round #1 | 3 p.m., 1/14 Wednesday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Ave | Free 6 weeks series, January 7 – February 11 Animal Feeding | 4 p.m., 1/14 Wednesday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St. | Join an Animal Keeper to observe snakes, lizards, frogs, and fish snacking on their preferred prey. Story + Craft | 4 p.m., 1/15 Thursday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St. | Story + Craft is our weekly reading + creating event for children! Join us for a read-aloud, followed by art-making or a guided craft. Baby & Toddler Storytime | 10:30 a.m., 1/16 Friday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St. | Caregivers and their children are invited to join Cassie for music, rhymes, movement and books. Storytime will be followed by a playtime from 11-12.

High school student volunteers will be matched up with younger students for homework help and general tutoring. If | 2 p.m., 1/17 Saturday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St. | Join us for an afternoon movie on our “Big Screen” in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room. This Saturday we will be screening the family film IF. Science Connections: BeeBots Workshop | 2 p.m., 1/18 Sunday | Sciencecenter, 601 1st St. | Join us to help our BeeBots find their way back to the hive! Together, we’ll learn to code these awesome robots and practice the skills it takes to be a computer scientist. Baby & Toddler Playtime | 10 a.m., 1/19 Monday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St. | Baby & Toddler Playtime is an unstructured play and social time for children and caregivers offering a warm, child-friendly space with books and age-appropriate toys.

Movie Night- Frozen II | 6:30 p.m., 1/16 Friday | Newfield Public Library, 198 Main St., Newfield NY | Join us at the Library for a wintery movie and free popcorn as we watch Frozen II. Elsa the Snow Queen and her sister Anna embark on an adventure far away from the kingdom of Arendelle. They are joined by friends Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven. Rated PG. | Free

Homeschool Get Ready To Read | 1 p.m., 1/19 Monday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St., Cortland NY | Mondays at 1 p.m. A program for emergent readers ages 4-7 yrs.

Math Fun with MathHappens! | 10 a.m., 1/17 Saturday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St. | Join us for playful, informal math learning with the MathHappens Foundation! Families and kids can explore hands-on activities that make math fun, creative, and connected to everyday life.

Billy Goats Gruff and Other Tales | 10 a.m., 1/21 Wednesday | Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway, Elmira NY | Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia presents a fresh and engaging reimagining of three cherished children’s stories — Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Recommended for grades prek-2. | $7

Study Buddies | 10:30 a.m., 1/17 Saturday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St. | The study buddies program is brought to you for Ithaca students, by Ithaca students.

Ready, Set, Read! | 6 p.m., 1/19 Monday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St., Cortland NY | Mondays at 6 p.m. A program for emergent readers ages 4-7 yrs.

Science Together: Ice Melting | 10:15 a.m., 1/21 Wednesday | Sciencecenter, 601 1st St. | Test out different

methods to melt ice with tools like warm water and salt. See if you can rescue an animal trapped in ice! Science Together activities are designed for ages 0-4.

Notices Writing Group | 6:30 p.m., 1/14 Wednesday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St., Cortland NY | We are all writers! At least we are as soon as we start writing! Trivia Night! | 6:30 p.m., 1/14 Wednesday | Hopshire Farm and Brewery, 1771 Dryden Rd., Freeville NY | Join us, and the entertaining Dave Ashton, for our weekly Trivia Night — where fun meets knowledge! Trivia! | 7 p.m., 1/14 Wednesday | Liquid State Brewery, 620 W Green St. | Grow your brain or just show it off to a loveable bunch of Trivia-lovers. Hosted by Ithaca’s Trivia legend, Bob Proehl. Get there early as seats fill up fast! | Free Canaan Session: Fiddle Tunes for Dancing | 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. 1/14 Wednesday | 223 Canaan Rd., Brooktondale NY | Jam every Wednesday. The focus is Celtic, American and world fiddle tunes suitable for contra dance. Newcomers always welcome. Instrumental Jam: Fiddles, Guitars, Mandolins, Banjos, Woodwinds, etc are welcome (in non-masking times). https://www.facebook.com/groups/ canaan.music.jam Latin Wednesday | 9 p.m., 1/14 Wednesday | The Upstairs, 106 S Cayuga St. | Ithaca’s longest running weekly dance party. Meet new dancers, learn new moves, and have fun! Karaoke with Elephant Sound | 8 p.m., 1/15 Thursday | 23 North Restaurant and Bar, 23 Cinema Dr. | Show off your singing chops every Thursday night during “Karaoke Night” at 23 North in Ithaca! Great food, great drinks, great FUN! | Free

American Red Cross Blood Drive | 10 a.m., 1/16 Friday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St. Magic the Gathering & Pokemon TCG night! | 5 p.m., 1/16 Friday | Riverwood Gifts, 116 E State St. | Free Art Cafe | 6 p.m., 1/16 Friday | The Clay School’s Art Room, 950 Danby Road | The Clay School’s ART Room features an Art Cafe! Like a restaurant, only you order an art project from our menu, thensitand enjoy with friends and family. Every Friday night. An all ages, family-friendly creative experience (ages 15 and under rquire adult supervision). | Free, but projects cost $10-38. Old Time Square Dance with The JuneBugs | 6:30 p.m., 1/16 Friday | Enfield Grange, 178 Enfield Main Rd. | No experience or partner needed. Beginners welcome.Come to dance, or just to party to great tunes. Bring your friends!! | $5-15 suggested donation, cash only, no one turned away for inability to pay. “Queeraoke” | 8 p.m., 1/16 Friday | The Rhine House, 632 W Seneca St. | Ithaca’s original “Queeraoke” night is back! Come hang, sing and make new friends...cheers, queers! Pancake Breakfast to benefit Danby Volunteer Fire Company | 8 a.m., 1/18 Sunday | Danby Fire Station, 1780 Danby Rd., Danby NY | $12.00 Ghost’s Open Mic | 6:45 p.m., 1/19 Monday | Nocturnal Cafe, 103 S Geneva St. | This is a fun Spoken Word Poetry and Stand Up comedy Open Mic. | Free DJ Trivia | 7 p.m., 1/19 Monday | 23 North Restaurant and Bar, 23 Cinema Dr. | Join Kurt for DJ Trivia every Monday night at 23 North Restaurant and Bar in Ithaca! Bring your friends and family for an evening of amazing food, drink and (of course) trivia! | Free

Tompkins County Community Organizations Active in Disasters | 1 p.m., 1/21 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St. Writing Group | 6:30 p.m., 1/21 Wednesday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St., Cortland NY | We are all writers! At least we are as soon as we start writing! Trivia Night! | 6:30 p.m., 1/21 Wednesday | Hopshire Farm and Brewery, 1771 Dryden Rd., Freeville NY | Join us, and the entertaining Dave Ashton, for our weekly Trivia Night — where fun meets knowledge! Trivia! | 7 p.m., 1/21 Wednesday | Liquid State Brewery, 620 W Green St. | Grow your brain or just show it off to a loveable bunch of Trivia-lovers. Hosted by Ithaca’s Trivia legend, Bob Proehl. Get there early as seats fill up fast! | Free Canaan Session: Fiddle Tunes for Dancing | 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. 1/21 Wednesday | 223 Canaan Rd., Brooktondale NY | Jam every Wednesday. The focus is Celtic, American and world fiddle tunes suitable for contra dance. Newcomers always welcome. Instrumental Jam: Fiddles, Guitars, Mandolins, Banjos, Woodwinds, etc are welcome (in non-masking times). Facebook group for this session https://www.facebook.com/groups/ canaan.music.jam Latin Wednesday | 9 p.m., 1/21 Wednesday | The Upstairs, 106 Cayuga St. | Ithaca’s longest running weekly dance party. Meet new dancers, learn new moves, and have fun!

CAYUGA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA — MARTINŮ AND MOZART

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18TH AT 2:00 PM

Buffalo Street books, 215 N. Cayuga St (DeWitt Mall), Ithaca | Join the Gayogohó:nǫˀ Learning Project Book Club for a discussion of Kent Nerburn’s book. Part history, part mystery, part spiritual journey and teaching story, the book is filled with the profound insight into humanity and Native American culture readers have come to expect from Nerburn's journeys. (Photo: Provided)

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18TH AT 3:00 PM

First Unitarian Society of Ithaca | Join CCO in a powerful journey through four distinct sound worlds. This program showcases a brilliant dialogue between tradition and innovation. (Photo: Provided)

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DISCUSSION OF "THE GIRL WHO SANG TO THE BUFFALO"

Trivia | 6 p.m., 1/20 Tuesday | Brewer’s Taproom and Kitchen, 1384 Dryden Rd. | Put your knowledge to the test at Trivia Night every Tuesday in January! Grab some food, enjoy a drink, and bring your team for a fun night of friendly competition and great vibes. | Free

It h ac a T im e s

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Who’s Your Neighbor? A Local Directory of Faith Communities, Faith-Related Service and Interfaith Activities Many Ithacans are seeking connections that might accurately be called faith. Some return to their roots while others seek roots they may never have experienced. We hope our directory will provide a resource residents, students and visitors find useful in their journey.

FAITH COM MUN IT Y

Baha’i Community of Ithaca www.ithacabahais.org

Living Hope Fellowship https://www.lhﬁthaca.org

Congregation Tikkun v’Or (Ithaca Reform Temple) www.tikkunvor.org

Agape Bible Church https://agapeithaca.org

New Life Presbyterian Church newlifeithaca.org

Danby Community Church danbychurch.org

Braided Root Waters Healing Sanctuary and Sacral Transformations https://sacraltransformations.com

First Congregational Church of Ithaca www.fccithaca.org

St. James AME Zion Church https://www.facebook.com Stja mesamezionithaca

Bread of Life Anglican Church breadoﬂifeithaca.org

First Unitarian Society of Ithaca https://unitarian.ithaca.ny.us

St. John’s Episcopal Church www.stjohnsithaca.org

Cedar Cabin Sangha (Buddhist, Plum Village practice) cedarcabinsangha.blogspot.com

First United Methodist Church of Forest Home, Ithaca, N.Y. Forest Home Chapel https://www.foresthomechapelumc.org

St. Luke Lutheran Church and Lutheran Campus Ministry stlukeithaca.org

Christ Chapel https://www.christchapelithaca.org Christian Community Church Ithaca cccithaca.org Christ the King Fellowship Presbyterian Church ctkspencer.org

Temple Beth-El https://www.tbeithaca.org

Hillside Alliance Church hillsideithaca.org

Trinity Lutheran Church www.trinityithaca.org

Ithaca Monthly Meeting Religious Society of Friends https://ithacamonthlymeeting.org

Vineyard Church of Ithaca ithacavineyard.org

Lansing United Methodist Church LansingUnited.org

FAITH - R E L ATE D SE RVICE 518 Yoga Gathering suzannejanene@gmail.com All Eyes and Ears on Racism AEER aeerforjustice@gmail.com Catholic Charities Tompkins/Tioga www.catholiccharitiestt.org

Pure Essence Vibrations www.pureessencevibrations.com

Finger Lakes Anam Cara: A Center for Spiritual Direction www.ﬁngerlakesanamcara.com

Second Wind Cottages https://www.secondwindcottages.org

Forest Hermitage – Solo, Outdoor Retreats for Women https://staceysmithhypnosis.com

Wisdom’s Goldenrod Center for Philosophic Studies wisdomsgoldenrod.info

Integrative Mental Wellness https://www.psychologytoday.com/ proﬁle/1449445

INTE R FAITH AC TIVIT Y Area Congregations Together breedlovejami@gmail.com

Greater Lansing-Ithaca Interfaith Community LansingUnited.org/events

Ithaca Kitchen Cupboard IthacaKitchenCupboard.org

Ithaca Sunday Squares VisitIthaca.com

Shared Journeys sharedjourneys.net

For more information, visit www.whoisyourneighbor.org and www.madeofclay.org Ja n ua ry

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It h ac a T im e s

Marvelous Mollusks: Now on Exhibit at the Museum of the Earth 1259 Trumansburg Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 273-6623 www.museumoftheearth.org