June 25, 2025

Cornell University Anticipates Layoffs as it Faces ‘Profound Financial Challenges’

By Maddy Vogel

After a spring semester “unlike anything ever seen in higher education,” Cornell University will likely begin layoffs as it seeks reductions in personnel, operations, research and other expenditures, the university announced in a statement on Wednesday.

In its statement, university leaders said that federal funding freezes, coupled with an unsustainable increase in university costs and expenses, have led to “significant financial shortfalls.” To combat these challenges, leadership said the university will review and cut costs, along with making permanent changes to its operational model.

The university referenced several funding challenges it has faced in recent months, including over $1 billion in federal funds frozen by the Trump administration, threats to future research funding and federal financial aid, “rapidly escalating” legal expenses and an anticipated increased tax on endowment.

“Cornell’s funding model, developed over 160 years, is strong and diversified, and has carried us successfully through many past crises,” Cornell leadership wrote in the statement. “We are now experiencing simultaneous attacks or threats on every element of that model.”

Beyond threats to its revenue, the university said it is experiencing a “marked and unsustainable increase in expenses” due to inflation, a 15% growth in staff over the past four years, and other cost pressures.

In the short-term, the university has been utilizing “institutional resources” to bridge its funding gaps but said these measures are unsustainable.

In the statement, signed by President Michael I. Kotlikoff, Provost Kavita Bala, Provost for Medical Affairs Robert A. Harrington, and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Chris Cowen, university leaders said that they will take several actions to reduce Cornell’s workforce.

Continued on Page 19

X Legislature Passes Resolution to Expand County Employee Parking Downtown

By Lorien Tyne

The legislature discussed and passed the allocation of contingent funds for up to $50,000 this year to expand parking access, including a paid parking plan for staff located in downtown Ithaca.

“Some staff in some departments are not provided parking at all, even though they’re also in downtown Ithaca,” Akumfi said. “[This is] not individual parking spots for everyone, but we are increasing access so that people can be treated a bit more fairly.”

County Administrator Korsah Akumfi said the county has about 500 employees in downtown Ithaca and under 300 available parking spaces. This funding would help expand parking access to about 400 spots. The resolution passed 10-2, with Legislators Randy Brown and Mike Sigler voting against it.

In Other News

The legislature unanimously passed the resolution to award Finger Lakes ReUse with a contract for providing reuse services for a local circular economy.

The contract is for a three-year term with two optional one-year extensions at a cost that cannot exceed $190,000 per year. Legislator Anne Koreman said two bids were received, and the Reuse was the lowest bid.

“In a circular economy, systems are developed to ensure that materials are used for their highest value for as long as possible, with end products becoming inputs for new systems,” Koreman said. “This will support enhanced reuse infrastructure in the community.”

Toward the start of the session, legislators read out a 2SLGBTQI+ Pride Month Proclamation and a Juneteenth Proclamation. Andrew Scheldorf, chair of the Ithaca Pride Alliance, and children from the Southside Community Center received the proclamations, respectively.

The legislature voted unanimously to appoint Jennie Sutcliffe as the new Tompkins County Whole Health commissioner. The legislature also voted unanimously to appoint Darrel Tuttle as the new director of finance for the county.

The legislature was in executive session for almost an hour. The next public session will be July 15.

ON THE COVER:

Local law enforcement conduct an Olympic torch run during the New York Special Olympics opening ceremony at Ithaca College's Athletics & Events Center on June 20, 2025. (Photo: Nathan Ellison/Sun Fellow at the Ithaca Times)

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s C ott M anson , a sso C iat E p ublish E r F r EE lan CE rs : Barbara Adams, G. M Burns, Charley Githler, Ross Haarstad, Steve Lawrence, Marjorie Olds, Henry Stark, and Peter Rothbart

THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THE ITHACA TIMES ARE COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY PATHWAYS TO EQUITY, LLC. All rights reserved. Events are listed free of charge in TimesTable. All copy must be received by Friday at noon. The Ithaca Times is available free of charge from various locations around Ithaca. Additional copies may be purchased from the Ithaca Times offices for $1. SUBSCRIPTIONS: $139 one year. Include check or money order and mail to the Ithaca Times, PO Box 27, Ithaca, NY 14851. ADVERTISING: Deadlines are Monday 5 p.m. for display, Tuesday at noon for classified. Advertisers should check their ad on publication. The Ithaca Times will not be liable for failure to publish an ad, for typographical error, or errors in publication except to the extent of the cost of the space in which the actual error appeared in the first insertion. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable for publication. The Ithaca Times is published weekly Wednesday mornings. Offices are located at 109 N. Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 607-277-7000, FAX 607277-1012, MAILING ADDRESS is PO Box 27, Ithaca, NY 14851. The Ithaca Times was preceded by the Ithaca New Times (1972–1978) and The

Cornell University is likely to see layoffs in the coming months as the university faces multiple budgetary challenges associated with federal funding cuts. (Photo: Nathan Ellison/Sun Summer Fellow)

IN UIRING PHOTOGR PHER Q A

By Mark Syvertson

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:

“EVERYBODY KNOWS THE BEST WAY TO BEAT THE HEAT IS ICE CREAM. WHAT ’ S YOUR FAVORITE FLAVOR?”

Village Grove Apartments Seeks to Address Climate, Housing and Childcare Crises

By Lorien Tyne

Leaders and members of the community gathered in Trumansburg on June 17 for a ribbon cutting of Village Grove Apartments.

The $27 million affordable housing development features 46 homes, including seven with social support services for residents transitioning out of homelessness. It will also be the new home for the Trumansburg Community Nursery School.

Kate de la Garza, executive director of Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, said the idea for Village Grove came from Claudia Brenner, a local architect and landowner, in 2016. That idea became a reality when construction was completed in December 2024. The project is also in collaboration with local firm HOLT Architects.

“Almost 10 years later, we’re here to recognize that this community is far more than just a collection of buildings,” de la Garza said. “It’s a model for what is possible when you prioritize people, the planet and the power of partnership in all that we do.”

De la Garza said Village Grove is INHS’s greenest development to date, holding Passive House and Enterprise Green Community certifications. She said this means the homes are highly insulated and airtight, designed with balanced ventilation systems, natural light, high-performance windows and climate-specific moisture control. The development is also connected to offsite solar and has several electric vehicle charging stations. De la Garza said there is geothermal heating and cooling — one of the first passive houses to do so — in the main building and air source heat pumps in the town homes and nursery school.

“This isn’t just about green buildings,” de la Garza said. “It’s about creating a healthy, resilient and cost-effective place to live, a place where families at all income levels can thrive, a place that respects the environment and strengthens the fabric of our community here in Trumansburg.”

Three of the homes are fully adapted for individuals with mobility impairments, and one is tailored for someone with a hearing or vision impairment. All units are visible, meaning the main living area and at least one bathroom are wheelchair accessible. Several homes are reserved for

community members transitioning out of homelessness.

Chloe Moore, constituent services representative for state Sen. Lea Webb, highlighted that the New York state budget includes a record $75 million for public housing authorities outside New York City.

“[Housing is] an upstate crisis as well that deserves money, attention and care,” Moore said. “It is so exciting to be here as a young person who looks out into, what is often a very scary housing market. It’s groups like INHS that give me a lot of hope for the future, especially in our Tompkins County community, which, as everybody knows, is experiencing some of the worst housing and child care crises that we see.”

According to Tompkins County’s most recent Housing Snapshot, the number of people registered in the Continuum of Care Homelessness Management Information System increased from 426 in 2016 to 699 in 2022. The report also states that more than half of renters in the county are housing cost-burdened, and the number of cost-burdened renters was relatively consistent from 2011 to 2021. However, over that time, the percentage of severely burdened renters — renters who spend half or more of their income on housing — increased from 32.7% to 37.9%.

Affordable housing means residents pay no more than 30% of the median household income of an area. A household that spends over 30% of its income on housing is considered “housing cost-burdened" and may have difficulty affording necessities. Trumansburg’s Comprehensive

Plan 2021 identified the need for affordable housing in the county, including the village, based on local and regional data highlighting an increasingly expensive housing market and cost-burdened homeowners and renters.

There are 10 affordable homes still under construction, which de la Garza said will be sold later this year into the INHS Community Housing Trust, a shared equity program that enables first-time home buyers with a moderate income to purchase a home while the trust owns the land to reduce the long-term cost for a homebuyer.

“Lock someone in their home for a few months [during the COVID-19 pandemic], and suddenly it becomes very important that you like where you live,” Trumansburg Mayor Rordan Hart said. “We are fortunate to live in an area that is ‘somewhere,’ that is a community that people want to be a part of, but we have an issue with being able to afford it.”

De la Garza said the collaboration has allowed the nursery to increase the number of children they serve, as well as the staff they can hire. The children at the nursery school created a card for each speaker at the ceremony in thanks for their work in bringing Village Grove to life.

“Thank you so much for making our dreams come true,” the cards read. “We love our new school. We love the colorful rooms and all the fun things to do. We especially enjoy playing on the playground, drawing, baking, doing science experiments and making friends. Please visit us anytime.”

“Mango.”

“Chocolate.”

Community leaders gathered as one of Village Grove’s first residents marked the opening with a ribbon cutting. (Photo: Lorien Tyne)

Coalition of Community Organizations Discuss Efforts to Increase the Local and County Minimum Wage

By Leah Badawi

On Sunday, June 22, a coalition of organizations, including the Ithaca Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Tompkins County Working Families Party and the Ithaca Tenants Union, held a town hall to discuss the need for an increased minimum wage in the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County.

e panel speakers were Kayla Matos and Ti any Kumar, Ithaca Common Council members; Tompkins County Legislator Veronica Pillar; Ian Greer, director for the Cornell Industrial and Labor Relations School’s Co-Lab; and Pete Meyers, founder and director of the Tompkins County Workers’ Center. Local workers were also incorporated on the panel of eight, including Michael Demo, one of the event’s organizers. Workers shared their experiences struggling with the rising cost of living.

e meeting began with a speech from Demo about the history of minimum wage in Ithaca and across the country, and how the cost of living has increased over the past few years. en the panelists discussed the need to organize on city and county levels to push for an increase in the current minimum wage to make Ithaca and surrounding cities more a ordable and easier to live in.

“We believe that it makes sense to have more local control over what the minimum wage is, especially because what a living wage is, is di erent in di erent areas,” said Pillar, citing that Tompkins’

living wage is especially higher than surrounding counties.

In 2015, the Ithaca Common Council voted unanimously in favor of a countywide minimum wage increase.

On July 8, 2024, the Tompkins County Legislature’s Housing and Economic Development Committee voted unanimously in favor of a resolution that would investigate increasing the county’s minimum wage.

“We lobbied among all of the towns and the cities to support this legislation ten years ago,” said Meyers. “I’m saying this because we need to do it again.”

e current New York state minimum wage is $15.50 an hour, but the latest living wage calculation in Tompkins County was $24.82 an hour, which translates to $52,000 a year. is number, which was a 34.5% increase from the 2023 gure of $18.45, was calculated by the ILR School’s

Ups

Bike Walk Tompkins and Ithaca Bikeshare are hosting a free, familyfriendly Open Streets event on Saturday, June 28 from 4–7 p.m. on Washington Street alongside the No Más Lágrimas Community Celebration. The car-free event will feature bike share test rides, learn-to-ride sessions for all ages, and on-site bike repairs.

Downs

President Donald Trump illegally bombed Iranian nuclear facilities without approval from Congress on June 21. Trump said the strikes were necessary to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, even though there is no proof that Iran was working to build a nuclear weapon. U.S. assets in the Middle East are not at risk of Iranian retaliation.

Co-Lab based on expenditure data.

“It’s a basic needs budget, so we’re adjusting it down. It’s an underestimate, really.” said Ian Greer. “It lags; it’s based on last year's data. It’s lower than other living wage calculations that you could use. […] It’s also for a single person with no kids. If it included childcare, it would be much higher.”

According to the ILR data, nearly 48% of workers in the county, about 23,000 people, currently earn less than a living wage. Demo said those statistics reveal the root cause of Ithaca’s poverty rate of nearly 30%.

For workers, Demo said that earning less than a living wage means compromises. He told the story of a friend who struggled to stop crying so she could clock in one morning. Because her car exhaust had broken in on her way to work, the amusement park trip she’d been planning for her kids, the clothes and supplies she was going to buy for them for the next school year were both suddenly o the table.

“Just making the repairs and being able to pay rent was the greatest concern,” Demo said.

About 50 community members attended the town hall and were given the opportunity to share their thoughts and ask the panel questions during a Q&A session.

One of the attendees recalled struggling to make ends meet while working two jobs, barely scraping by rent for a small apartment, with no secure future in sight in spite of being forty years old and an Ithaca resident for more than a decade.

One audience member pointed out the lack of people of color speaking on the panel. She asked how the Ithaca community

HEARD

Heard

Please join Senator Lea Webb as she hosts a virtual budget Town Hall for FY 2025–2026 on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. The webinar will include updates on what is included in the FY 2026 New York State Budget and how it will impact the Southern Tier.

Seen

The Tompkins County Department of Recycling and Materials Management has released its updated 2025–2026 Curbside Recycling Guidelines, removing two commonly used items from the list of accepted materials: cartons and black plastic.

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

OF THE WEEK

Do you think the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency grants tax breaks to too many projects?

:

Do you think Ithaca should increase the minimum wage to the latest living wage calculation of $24.82 per hour for workers within city limits? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.

Local worker Michael Demo speaks as a panelist during a living wage town hall at the Southside Community Center. (Photo: Nathan Ellison/Sun Fellow at the Ithaca Times)

Members of the public prepare to speak during the town hall at the Southside Community Center. (Photo: Nathan Ellison/Sun Fellow at the Ithaca Times)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Thanks To All Who Participated In No Kings Protests

“I am part of a small group of friends who gather every few weeks to discuss our current political situation and try to figure out how to be most effective. We were so moved and inspired by the No Kings demonstration, and want to thank the organizers for the splendid job they did. The publicity was excellent, and the organizers were clear in their non-violent messaging. Even the weather cooperated, no small feat in Ithaca!” — Nina Miller for the Committee for Effective Citizenship

Remember The Importance of Roe v.

Wade

“ Some anniversaries are happy occasions. June 24th is not one of them. That is the day, in 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court killed Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs decision and shattered the ability of women to make decisions about their own lives.

Not everyone needs an abortion, many people believe that they should not be allowed, but for many womenyour mother, sisters, aunt - taking away their individual right to decide how to go forward in difficult circumstances denies them the right to be mature and smart about their own capabilities, their resources, their circumstances. To deny women choice, is to trap women into a reality determined by others who do not know them, who seek to rule their personhood, who seek control of the future of women and the people who love them.

June 24, 2022, was a step on the current path to deny women the right to live their own lives, and that path is getting more and more restrictive leading to fear and pain and death.

This is an anniversary to mourn. The decision three years ago is not charitable, fair, equitable, constitutional or even Christian.

Pause today to think about what this sort of control of women means to the women of the country. Think about your niece or sister-in-law or your daughter, trapped into such circumstances.

Mourn their loss of choice.” — Carol Kammen and other End Abortion Stigma Members Caroline Cox, Myra Kovary, Sue Perlgut, Mickey Belosi, Joan Adler, Leigh Keely, Linda Hoffmann, Stacey Murphy, Emme Edmunds, Janet Schwenke, Nancy L. Miller, Taf Squires

RE: Cornell University Anticipates Layoffs as it Faces ‘Profound Financial Challenges’

“Given the consequences, not only to CU itself, but to the Ithaca and Tompkins communities" economies, CU should give up fighting the immense power of the federal government, turn over the records the government wants, negotiate based on real data the actual overhead costs of grants, and enact policies to protect its Jewish students to go about their education the same as other students. Litigation against the federal government is not a good idea. Hiring freezes, layoffs, and spending reductions locally by CU will have a large impact. The County Legislature should take that into account when considering its next budget. Demand for houses will fall, lowering property values. An economic slowdown will keep local wages from rising and CU's own employees will likely have a pay freeze. CU may be forced to renegotiate its labor contracts with their fixed increases.”

— Henry Kramer

“That would require CU to give up its liberal pride. Knowing that Trump isn't going to be in power forever their approach is ridiculous. Like you said, just give up the records, cut DEI nonsense (base admission on merit), and stop using their revenue from the endowment to make tuition "free" so they can brag about how diverse their students are. Again instead of adjusting for the short term they are digging their heels in. When they hired Michael Kotlikoff as the President they proved how lost they are. The policies of Kotlioff and their past President were the reason they are in this mess to begin with.” — Ragnar LodBlox

RE: Trump’s Cruel Attempts To Defund One Of America’s Largest Job Training Programs

“Across Upstate NY the Trump administration’s cruel order to shut down Job Corps centers has caused students and teachers to scramble, and if this goes through, it will be our small businesses and local economies paying the price. Job Corps is one of the best bang for your buck programs we have, one of America’s largest workforce training programs with thousands upon thousands of success stories putting young people into goodpaying careers and helping employers grow with new, skilled workers. Job Corps is where New Yorkers go to get the skills they need to start their career in healthcare, construction, and other in demand fields, but right now, Trump wants to close

the doors and kick all these young workers out on the street…It’s cruel, it’s outrageous, and potentially illegal to stop the flow of funding under existing contracts from a program that is authorized and funded by Congress. We must save Job Corps across Upstate NY. We want to help young people get jobs, to get the training they need for successful careers, and eliminating these centers will hurt those students as well as local employers like small businesses and hospitals in getting the skilled workers they need. The courts have already put a pause on Trump’s initial attempts to kill Job Corps, and I will vehemently oppose his attempts to defund this program in the Senate because the people are on our side in saving Job Corps.” — U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

RE: Trump Unconstitutionally Bombs Iran

“Putting America first means protecting American lives-not getting involved in another endless war. We owe it to those who serve to demand accurate information, a defined mission, and a path to peace before committing to military action. A nuclear Iran would pose a serious threat to American security and global stability. We should exhaust every diplomatic, economic, and strategic tool to prevent that outcome. Striking that balance is exactly why the Constitution gives Congressnot the President-the power to declare war. Upstate New Yorkers have a proud and deep tradition of military service. Families here have sent generations to fight for this country-often without hesitation, always with courage. They deserve to know what the President has done, why he has done it, and what the plan is to establish peace. Any further military engagement requires answers to those questions-and authorization from Congress.” — U.S. Rep. Josh Riley (D-NY-19)

RE: Maddy Vogel Becomes Youngest Managing Editor in Ithaca Times History

“I appreciate that the Ithaca Times is taking steps to preserve genuine, local news, which is becoming increasingly rare in a world of AI and corporate consolidation. Huge congratulations to Maddy Vogel for making history as the newest managing editor! She's doing an amazing job reporting and I look forward to seeing what she accomplishes as managing editor. Much gratitude to the long-term retiring publisher, Jim Bilinski and to the continuing dedication of Larry Hochberger and the rest of the team.” — Alexis Dengel

GUEST OPINION

Downtown Ithaca–Then and Now

IN RESPONSE TO NAN ROHRER’S PIECE, CLAIMING DOWNTOWN’S POTENTIAL

By Kathryn Mapes, Ithaca Resident

As a child growing up in Ithaca, I looked forward to going downtown with my mother. On the way into the city, we would stop at a small bakery in a backyard where she would buy molasses cookies dispensed by a woman I called the Icing Lady. Once we arrived near the center of town, Mom would park and put change in a parking meter. We would often shop at Rothschild’s, the biggest department store in Ithaca, and the focal point of downtown. I liked to run my hands along the buttons in the Notions department on the first floor, and, as a teenager learning to sew, I bought patterns and material on the fourth floor. The store had an extensive inventory and elevator operators with white gloves. Sadly, Rothschild’s went the way of most American department stores due to a national change in shopping habits and, in addition in their case, an employee theft ring. It was replaced briefly by Iszards, which had a much smaller inventory. Ithaca had four other clothing stores: J.C. Penney, Holley’s that sold clothes for women, and the two men’s clothing stores, one run by Irv Lewis and the other run by Morris Lewis. Irv Lewis’s store morphed into the store that is now called Benjamin Peters.

Part of what we’re missing in downtown Ithaca are large stores that attract a lot of people. The Home Dairy, with its cafeteria and array of baked goods, was like Rothschild’s in that it brought in quite a few customers. All of the baked goods were high in quality and there were many of them. This is not to say that there aren’t good bakeries in today’s downtown. Two of the bakeries I frequent include Paris Baguette and Rashida Sawyer.

One benefit to shopping downtown is that we were often able to park right in front of the Home Dairy. That experience obviously belongs to the past because of the Commons. However, an ideal shopping situation would involve free parking. The big box stores have free parking. I can pick up groceries at Wegmans and then pick up a book at Barnes & Noble, easily moving from one free parking lot to the other. When I have time, I walk from my brother’s house on Cascadilla Street. But I

have to be honest, there are times when I avoid downtown because I don’t want to use a credit card for parking, or I don’t feel like walking. Recently, I walked downtown from Cascadilla St. to Ithaca-Cayuga Optical to buy new glasses because I heard positive comments regarding their customer service on Nextdoor.

Another disadvantage to shopping downtown is the lack of unlocked restrooms. I can’t be the only one who has bought something at GreenStar Oasis in the Dewitt Mall so I can use their bathroom key. The one exception I know of is the library. As a teenager, my girlfriend and I would walk from the Northeast section of Ithaca downtown, and after shopping would wait for our parents to pick us up at the Women’s Community Building. We were welcome to use their bathroom. The churches lock their doors now for fear of theft, and most shops don’t allow customers to use their bathrooms. Bigger businesses like Rothschild’s and the Home Dairy provided bathroom accommodations–they were simply too large not to and large restaurants have been required to have bathrooms for many years. Westport, Ontario, a small town in Canada, has public restrooms. Maybe that’s an idea for the City of Ithaca.

Downtown Ithaca has many positive aspects, the most positive of which is that it’s a great place to buy gifts–from the jewelry store, Schooley’s, that has been passed down through one family, to the used books store, Autumn Leaves, to American Crafts by Robbie Dean (He is retiring but the store will carry on.) In fact, there are too many good gift stores to name all of them. We used to have three movie theaters, including the one on Green St., but Cinemapolis has done well and the managers of the State Theater, a nonprofit, have been able to reimagine it as an auditorium. My third niece even had her rehearsal dinner on the stage. I do miss the Strand Theater and the candy store, Andrews Confectionery, where we went next door before the movies, operated by a father-daughter duo, Anthony and Ruby Andrews, who made their own rock candy, hash (mallow), and many other treats.

However, the city definitely does

Ithaca Celebrates Seventh Annual Reggae Fest

Photos by Nathan Ellison/Sun Fellow at the Ithaca Times

Grassroots Self-Empowerment: An Essential Strategy for Community Development

By Alex Counts

EDITOR’S NOTE:

This is the first of a series of essays written by community members with a vested interest in the improvement of the Ithaca community.

Like many Cornell students, I came of age in Ithaca. In my case, it was in the 1980s. Beyond the equally atrocious hairstyles and clothes of that era, I was influenced by the dynamic tension between the celebration of capitalism and a focus on international solidarity and social justice. As the co-founder of the Ithaca chapter of the grassroots citizen's movement RESULTS started by Sam Daley-Harris, I lobbied then Representative Matthew McHugh and Senator Alfonse D'Amato for more U.S. government funding for primary health care programs overseas.

RESULTS won some important victories and participating in that gave me a sense of what was possible through coordinated citizen action. Our chapter had several letters to the editor published in the Ithaca Times. Beyond my own activist work, I observed fellow students pressure Cornell to divest from companies that did business with apartheid-era South Africa. I concluded that change was hard, but it was possible.

Sensing the zeitgeist of that decade, starting in 1986 RESULTS focused on promoting the economic self-empowerment strategy that became known as microcredit. The model he educated activists like me, and later members of Congress, was the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh. This was many years before the bank and its founder, Professor Muhammad Yunus, would share the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. I was fascinated by this business-like approach to social change— so much so that I successfully applied for a Fulbright Scholarship to study and support Grameen Bank in Bangladesh after graduating in 1988.

In this essay,

As I would learn over the course of six years living in Bangladesh, to truly reduce and reverse poverty at the grassroots level, poor people themselves need to be able to generate more income so that they can take care of their own needs rather than be dependent on charity or government. Grameen provided loans and other services to poor and destitute women so that they could start or expand tiny businesses. I wrote a book about Grameen’s work, now in its third edition. (An excerpt was published by the Stanford Social Innovation Review.)

I went on to establish the Grameen Foundation in 1997 and lead it for 18 years. One of the things I tried to do in that role was to figure out how to adapt Grameen's microlending model to address poverty and injustice in the United States (even though our main focus was overseas). We weren’t that successful, but perhaps the learnings from our struggles laid

NYSEG Shows Up When it Matters Most

By Patrick Fox, Senior Director, Energy Services, NYSEG and RG&E

We understand that comprehending the structure of a company like ours can be difficult. As an investor-owned utility, a concept that came about during a period of massive deregulation in the U.S., we operate a vast infrastructure within a framework of strict state regulation, designed to deliver safe and reliable electric and natural gas service to customers. For the most part, we do not generate electricity or natural gas — we stick to owning and maintaining the systems that deliver them to every household and business in about 40 percent of Upstate New York.

Customer billing concerns are a priority year-round, but they become especially pronounced during periods of higher usage—typically in the coldest winter and hottest summer months. During the most recent winter, several factors contributed to higher-than-usual bills. Supply prices, which are unregulated and not controlled by NYSEG, RG&E, or any other utility, were high due to prolonged colder weather and increased demand. We do not profit from supply costs — but we are required to pass these costs through to customers. Additionally, temperatures across New York State were consistently colder than the seasonal average from December through February. When temperatures are low, it causes customers to use more energy and results in higher bills. This when our commitment to our customers matters most.

Showing up during bill spikes means standing with our customers and stepping in to help. We provided a range of support options to ease the impact, including monthly bill credits through the Energy Assistance Program, Budget Billing to spread costs across the year, and deferred payment plans for customers having financial difficulties. Incomeeligible households also received federal support through the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), which offers seasonal and emergency grants to help cover energy expenses.

Showing up means keeping you informed. We encourage customers to keep a close eye on their bills year-round — and this is even more important during extreme weather and when energy supply costs increase. In response to last

winter, we developed a new bill explainer designed to help clarify what part your bill goes to NYSEG to maintain the system and serve you, what portion goes to supply costs, and part that collects the costs driven by government policy, programs and market conditions. We are not stopping with just explaining the charges, we know that a well-informed customer can better understand their bill. Any customers with questions on their bill should contact us directly. Assistance programs are available, and our team is ready to guide you through your options.

Showing up also means preparing you for what’s ahead. While the current mild weather offers a brief reprieve, another seasonal uptick is approaching. The Public Service Commission (PSC) has issued its summer forecast, projecting that supply costs from June through September will average approximately 6.5% higher than last summer. Hot and humid conditions increase energy use as air conditioners, dehumidifiers, and pool equipment all run more frequently. At NYSEG, we are committed to helping you manage both short-and-longterm energy needs. We offer a variety of energy efficiency programs and financial incentives designed to help you reduce usage and lower costs, saving you money. Additionally, our Energy Manager tool, available online and at no cost, empowers you to track and better understand

Cornell Alum Alex Counts reflects on how his time in Ithaca sparked a lifelong journey in citizen action and global social change. (Photo: Provided)

Amid rising energy costs, utilities like New York State Energy and Gas (NYSEG) face growing pressure to explain billing structures and support customers during high-demand seasons. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times File)

the foundation in some small way for the incredible success of Grameen America, which was founded in 2008 and now makes around $1 billion in microloans in cities around the United States.

Grameen America is hardly the only model of community empowerment through innovative finance. Ithaca-based Alternatives Federal Credit Union has been doing terrific work for decades as a Community Development Financial Institution (a designation that was itself created by the Clinton Administration under the influence of Professor Yunus). Other CDFIs such as Texas-based LiftFund have made major contributions to economic self-empowerment of low-income people in the United States. In Ithaca, New York, Pathways to Equity, the nonprofit that recently acquired the Ithaca Times, addresses this issue powerfully by involving the community in keeping value-added legacy companies in business after their founders retire. There is much that the government can do to improve people’s lives, but unless those directly impacted by scourges such as poverty are provided with the

resources they need to take matters into their own hands, progress is likely to be limited and fleeting.

I am now at a stage in my career when it is time to reflect on what I have learned and share it with the next generation of changemakers. My midlife memoir Changing the World Without Losing Your Mind: Leadership Lessons from Three Decades of Social Entrepreneurship was an effort to do just that. When I reflected on my journey spanning nearly sixty years, my time in Ithaca taught me so much about what was right and what was wrong with our society, and what could be done to improve it. Those lessons seem more relevant today than ever.

Alex Counts is a consultant, author, and educator; the executive director of the India Philanthropy Alliance; the author of four books (including his acclaimed midlife memoir Changing the World Without Losing Your Mind); a 1988 graduate of Cornell University; and an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. He is also the founder of the Grameen Foundation and AMC Consulting.

your personal energy usage. Our Smart Meters can provide monthly bills based on actual (not estimated) energy use, and are now combined with new Usage Alerts to provide text and email notifications about your energy consumption, allowing you to further manage your bills.

Showing up means investing in the future. Since 2023, NYSEG and RG&E have invested $582 million to complete 256 major projects across New York State. By 2030, we will invest up to $7 billion to strengthen and modernize the power grid, to meet growing demands and withstand increasingly frequent severe weather events.

Showing up means always striving to do better. At NYSEG and RG&E, we are consistently working to enhance the customer experience, and recent progress reports submitted to the PSC reflect that effort. In the most recent reporting period, both companies exceeded the PSC’s benchmark of answering at least 70 percent of customer calls within 30 seconds. This marks a significant improvement from the 40–50 percent range observed in the months following

the COVID-19 pandemic. Collectively, NYSEG and RG&E have issued 4.4 million bills through the first quarter of 2025 with less than one percent requiring adjustments, a strong indicator of billing accuracy and operation efficiency. Perhaps most importantly, our customers are recognizing these improvements. Both NYSEG and RG&E achieved customer satisfaction scores exceeding 84 percent, representing a notable improvement over previous reporting periods. To maintain and build on this progress, our call centers continue to invest in training for both new and existing representatives to ensure they are equipped to deliver the highest level of service. At NYSEG and RG&E, we know that trust must be earned — and we never take yours for granted. From investing in infrastructure, to providing assistance for those who need it most, to continuously improving our service, our commitment is clear — we work every day to serve you with reliability, transparency, and care. You may not have chosen us — but we choose, every day, to serve you with excellence.

Patrick Fox is the senior director of Energy Services for NYSEG and RG&E.

Athletes Show Out at Special Olympics NY’s State Summer Games

By Varsha Bhargava

Sweat, smiles and passion filled Ithaca this weekend as New York athletes with intellectual disabilities reconnected with old friends, savored the roar of the crowds at Ithaca College and Cornell University and competed in Special Olympics NY’s State Summer Games.

From Ithaca College’s athletics center to Cornell’s indoor track, the athletes took to the courts to compete in basketball, bowling, powerlifting, swimming, track & field, tennis and volleyball — showing off the skills they had been honing for months.

Some athletes shared their stories with the Ithaca Times.

RYAN RUVOLA, POWERLIFTING

With “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift as his go-to powerlifting tune, Ryan Ruvola trains hard. This year, he took on the State Summer Games for the fourth time, bringing with him unbridled positivity and passion from Vestal, New York.

Powerlifting has fueled Ruvola for the past three and a half years, and he said that he has grown a “powerlifting family” through the sport. Speaking about his found family brought a wide smile to Ruvola’s face, and he jumped at the chance to list off his teammates’ names and share more about his friends.

Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and Paul "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio, two fitness influencers, are Ruvola’s role models, and he said he wants to be just like them. However, at the end of the day, Ruvola said he “does it all for Taylor Swift.”

As a passionate Swiftie and dedicated powerlifter, Ruvola jams out and lifts heavy. This weekend, he said he lifted 408 pounds “without any struggle” and won four medals.

“I feel really good,” Ruvola said after his competition. “I thought I did the best I ever did.”

WALLY GEE, BASKETBALL

Over four decades have passed since veteran athlete Wally Gee started his journey in the Special Olympics at eight years old. This year, he competed in basketball on the Genesee Rockets team and traveled from Perry, New York.

Team building and family mark Gee’s favorite parts of playing basketball. His happiness centers around the community that is built through the sport, especially through the connection he shares with his coach, Ben Hathaway.

Hathaway and Gee have known each other for 30 years. The duo met when a young Hathaway volunteered as a Special Olympics coach, and Gee played on his team. Over the years, they formed

Wally Gee stands beside his coach, Ben Hathaway. The duo has known each other since Hathaway was young. (Photo: Varsha Bhargava)

Athletes and coaches cheer at the opening ceremony for the New York Special Olympics at Ithaca College ’ s Athletics & Events Center on June 20, 2025.

(Photo: Nathan Ellison/Sun Fellow at the Ithaca Times)

Ryan Ruvola flexes with his medals after lifting over 400 pounds in the powerlifting competition. (Photo: Varsha Bhargava)

a friendship, and Gee became a central part of the basketball scene at the Special Olympics.

“He’s our leader, captain and pumps everyone up,” Hathaway said. “He is one of the friendliest guys you’ll ever meet.”

This weekend, Gee could not stop smiling. He said the competition was “fun” and the “good sportsmanship” shown on the courts was important to him.

Shaking everyone’s hands at the end of a game is always Gee’s favorite moment on the court. He said he returns to the games every year to “make new friends,” “go for the gold” and to simply “play basketball.”

PENNY RIGDON, SWIMMING

A banana split — Penny Rigdon’s favorite treat — awaited her as she stepped out of the pool in Ithaca College’s athletics center this weekend.

This was Rigdon’s third year participating in the Special Olympics, and she took home first place in the 4×25 m freestyle relay. She said that although the medals give her a boost, her friends and her love for the sport are really what make her happy at the games.

“Swimming is really great, and I compete with my best friends,” Rigdon said with a smile.

Only a junior at Lansing High School, Rigdon is among the younger crowd at the age-inclusive State Summer Games. That did not stop her from showing out and giving it her all. She said swimming at the games this weekend made her feel empowered.

“I feel confident and brave, and I just swim and go for it,” Rigdon said.

JOEY COLLINS AND DANIEL FLETCHER, POWERLIFTING

Buddies, roommates and powerlifting peers Joey “The Beast” Collins and Daniel

“Mr. USA” Fletcher met at their Long Island training gym eight years ago. Now they say they love each other like brothers.

Fletcher has been competing at the Special Olympics for 27 years, while Collins has competed for eight years. The pair train “a whole lot,” Fletcher said, and they are full of ambition.

“I want to be Athlete of the Year and I want to be a World Games champion,” Fletcher said.

“I work hard, I grind, I’m going to be a wrestler,” Collins said.

Crowd support is what makes the games

ing compared to his journey to Italy for the last leg of the Special Olympics World Games Turin earlier this year.

In Italy, Babcock participated in the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR), a fundraiser led by law enforcement for the Special Olympics, which he said was “such an amazing journey.” Through the LETR program, he met Officer Shaun Cuddeback, who quickly became his friend.

Cuddeback said \Jacob is a prime example of what the games can do for people with intellectual disabilities. The athletes, coaches and audiences in the Special Olympics support each other more than any other communities Cuddeback has ever seen. He said the environment leaves the athletes changed for the better.

for Collins and Fletcher. They said that the booming applause and cheers from the audience create a fun and enthusiastic atmosphere for them to be a part of.

“The energy here is palpable,” Collins said. “This is the greatest moments I’ve had in my life.”

“The Special Olympics is a dream come true,” Fletcher added.

Together after accepting their medals, Collins and Fletcher confidently recited the Special Olympics motto to each other.

"Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt," they said together.

JACOB BABCOCK, BASKETBALL

John Babcock’s two-hour journey from Rochester to Ithaca this weekend was noth-

“When Jacob started about eight or nine years ago, he was really quiet,” Cuddeback said. “He was not a guy who came out and did stuff like this. … Now, you can’t shut Jacob up.”

This year, as a basketball player in the State Summer Games, Babcock said he appreciated the spirit of friendship and passion among the athletes on the court.

Growing up, Babcock faced adversity in the sports world, but now, as a part of the Special Olympics, he said the games have allowed him to be a part of the sports community.

“When I was in high school, I just sat there and watched people play,” Babcock said. “The Special Olympics gave me the opportunity to not just watch, but to actually play the game.”

Varsha Bhargava is a reporter at the Ithaca Times and a news editor at The Cornell Daily Sun working on The Sun’s summer fellowship.

Joey Collins (left) and Daniel Fletcher (right) hug after receiving their medals for powerlifting. (Photo: Varsha Bhargava)

Jacob Babcock smiles beside Officer Shaun Cuddeback. Babcock’s coach photobombs the duo from the back. (Photo: Varsha Bhargava)

Penny Rigdon stands proudly in front of the pool she competed in earlier in the day.

(Photo: Varsha Bhargava)

The Ultimate Away Game

IHS, IC Ballplayer Takes His Talents to Ireland This Summer

By Steve Lawrence

Amonth after graduating from Ithaca High School, and a month before suiting up for the Ithaca College Bombers, Isaiah Smith will be expanding his baseball horizons considerably. Smith will be on the roster of the Irish 18U National Team, which will take part in a Qualifying European Tournament.

“I'll be flying into Ireland at the end of this month,” Isaiah reported, “and after three days of intra-squad scrimmages, the team flies into Bulgaria for the tourna-

ment.” He added, “The other teams will be Croatia, Turkey, Bulgaria and Slovakia, and we're guaranteed five games. It’s a round-robin tournament, so hopefully we’ll get to the final round and play more games.”

I asked the pitcher/outfielder how the seemingly odd Irish connection unfolded — given he has lived in Ithaca his entire life — and he offered, “When I was 14, I realized I had an Irish passport (his great-grandparents on his mother’s

side were both Irish), so I sent them one of my recruiting videos. They got back to me and said, ‘We’d love to have you on the U18 team,’ and I thought, this could be fun.”

Ever-diligent in his homework, Smith found some videos to give him some insight into the level of competition he will be facing, and he said “The pitchers are throwing 87, 88 mph.” He said those speeds are not intimidating, but, he added, “You never know. I am looking forward to learning more about the baseball culture in Europe. You don’t really hear much about it, and I’m super excited.”

Between Ithaca High School and Ithaca College, pitcher/outfielder Isaiah Smith will represent Ireland in an international tournament in Bulgaria. (Photo: Dan Smalls)

Settle in With a Warm Welcome

Enjoy beautiful surroundings at Brookdale Ithaca. With friends and neighbors by your side, enjoy lively experiences as you express your creativity, pursue your interests and live life to the fullest. Join our gardening club, enjoy painting classes, participate in evening socials and more. Here, everyone feels at home.

Our amenities include:

• Pet-friendly spaces, welcoming your four-legged friend

• A variety of ways to connect, from art and fitness classes to book clubs and happy hours

• Personal care plans tailored to your individual needs

• Several floor plan options to meet your personal style and budget

Isaiah is a true Ithaca baseball product, having come up through Coach-Pitch, Cal Ripken, two years as a player for the Little Red, and some travel ball, like the Arsenal and the Ithaca Lakers. Of his time with the Lakers, Isaiah said, “I have played two summers and a fall season with the Lakers, and I was going through the regular recruiting process, but given my connection to Coach Val (Ithaca College’s David Valesente), and the fact that I.C. is such a great baseball school, it all came together.”

I spoke to Isaiah’s dad, Michael (a professor at Ithaca College), who said he and Isaiah’s mom — Kristen Brennan (a local contractor and carpenter) are “really excited for him. He has been a player and student of the game since he was eight years old, and now he’ll have a chance to play internationally and be an ambassador for baseball. As thrilled as we are about the experience itself, we were so impressed that he initiated the whole thing himself.”

Michael added, “Kristen’s work prevents her from going to Bulgaria, but I brie y considered it. It would be

quite something to see him playing in that context. e cost would have strained the family budget, but the main reason neither of us is going is that he really wants to do this by himself. You try to give your kids both roots and wings and when they want to y solo, let them soar!”

Congratulations to two local track athletes on some big achievements. Cornell’s Damian Hackett capped o a brilliant collegiate career by nishing eighth in the 1500 at the NCAA championships in Eugene, Oregon. at made Hackett a Division 1 First Team All American, and he graduates as the Big Red's school record holder in the 1500, having run a 3:26:78 this season.

Congrats also to Ithaca High’s Noah Hilker, who went into the state meet seeded #2 in the 3000-meter steeplechase, but dug deep with a record-setting 9:15;78 to stand atop the podium as the New York State Class A champion. Hilker’s time broke his own school record by a full 7 seconds, and was a memorable way to close out a solid high school career.

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Cornell’s Damian Hackett finished eighth in the 1500 at the NCAA championships in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo: Nate Barrett Photography)

New York State Ornithological Association Conference Flocks to Ithaca this September

By Varsha Bhargava

Birders can participate in birding field trips during the conference to observe local birds.

Birders in Ithaca can expect flocks of fellow bird enthusiasts to swarm alongside the Cayuga Bird Club for the New York State Ornithological Association conference this September. Early Bird registration for the conference ends on Monday, June 30.

Taking place from September 19-21 at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center, the conference will host birders from across the state and beyond. Attendees can participate in birding field trips, vendor auctions, trivia, speeches and more. The full schedule can be found online.

What to Expect

On the first two days, attendees can choose to participate in field trips, vendor auctions or extra activities hosted by the conference throughout the day.

The Welcome Reception will be held on Sept. 19, where attendees can enjoy appetizers and paid refreshments. Adriaan Dokter, a research associate at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Center for Avian Population Studies, will discuss bird migration to kick off the conference.

On Sept. 20, Julie Hart, the Atlas project coordinator, will host the New York Breeding Bird Atlas Celebration and Lunch. Hart will discuss breeding birds and hand out awards.

Continued on Page 17

(Photo: New York State Ornithological Association)

Olé Olé Delivers Korean Comforts in a Takeout-Friendly Spot

By Henry Stark

When I heard that a new Mexican restaurant, Olẻ Olẻ, was opening in a mall on Triphammer Road on the Ithaca-Lansing town line, I was surprised because Zocalo, a longtime popular, quality Mexican restaurant, was in an adjacent mall in the same area. However, when I went to review Olẻ Olẻ I quickly learned that I was mistaken: It turned out to be a Korean restaurant serving “Korean Street Food”. In reply to my confusion, a sta member told me Olẻ Olẻ meant “Are

TID BITS:

• Nothing on the menu is more expensive than $16.95.

• If you need support for your back, and you, like I, are uncomfortable in one of their chairs, there’s a long, walllength bench on one side of the restaurant, backed by a wall I lean on. (Take out

an excellent

to eating on the premises.)

• There’s a sign on the front window, “No Public Restrooms” which can be o putting. It’s for the general public, not restaurant customers.

• There is one unisex restroom.

• Parking on site at the mall.

you coming?” or “Trail” in Korean. I must admit: that in my several trips to Seoul I had never heard, and had never been asked, “Olẻ Olẻ?”.

Here’s my bottom line rst in this review: I think the food is excellent and the atmosphere is a bit on the austere, functional and uncomfortable side.

It’s a long and narrow restaurant with room for only about three dozen diners. However, that doesn’t seem to matter because on each visit, I couldn’t help noticing that a huge percentage of the business seems to come from takeout. Even at lunchtime, for the hour and half I’m there a er the 11:30 opening, I o en ate alone in the restaurant or with perhaps two or four other diners. However, a steady stream of customers kept coming through the door, and quickly exiting, with plastic bags of food. ey, like me, might feel uncomfortable eating in the restaurant. e interior feature I least understand and don’t like, is the chairs. ey have very short backs and look, and feel, like they’re for children. e walls feature an eclectic mix with shelves holding Africantype gures, some pottery, books, a few paintings, and various other objects. Music, with vocals that can get a bit intrusive, is piped in and changes quickly.

Arts & Entertainment

Olẻ Olẻ blends bold Korean flavors with a Mexican-inspired twist in a takeout-friendly setting. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times)

Diners enjoy a variety of Korean street food at Olẻ Olẻ, a new restaurant on Triphammer Road. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times)

is

option

What if….

e Greatest Rock Stars of the 50’s Played Together. ey Did and the Result is at the Hangar eatre

By Ross Haarstad

It’s one of those mythical rock meetups that’s actually true. In the nascent days of rock ’n roll—December 4, 1956 to be exact—four of the early greats of rock, rockabilly and country gospel, by the names of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, got together for an impromptu jam at Sun Records Studio. It had started as a

Million Dollar Quartet

Directed by Jason Cohen

Starring Jason Cohen, Adam Fields, Caleb Graham, Kevin Lausche and Corey McKinney

Wednesday-Friday June 26-27 at 7:30

Saturday June 29 at 2:30 and 7:30 Hangar Theatre

801 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca

session for Perkins to record Matchbox with Lewis on piano, when Presley just happened to drop in.

e Hangar eatre opens its 51st season with a high-energy rendering of this Million Dollar Quartet in Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott’s sizzling juke-box musical based on that moment. Driven by a blazing ensemble, the evening is pure dance in the seats fun with a dollop of story.

Run by promoter and producer Sam Phillips, Sun Records is o en cited as the birthplace of rock and roll. He gave all four artists their rst breaks; Elvis' contract had been bought out by RCA/Victor for the then record amount of $40,000 a year back. But he visited Sam at Sun regularly.

With co-writer Colin Escott, Mutrux moved some of the actual dates certain

On December 4, 1956, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, got together for an impromptu jam at Sun Records Studio. A fictionalized version of that session is commemorated in the Million Dollar Quartet currently playing at the Hangar Theatre.

(Photo: Rachel Phillipson)

things happened around, and invented some interpersonal con icts to heighten the drama to generally paint a picture of a ‘father’ (Sam Phillips) who launches rock and roll but has to say goodbye to each of his ‘boys.’

Four songs are taken from the actual session, 18 more ll in period pieces each were known for.

Jason Cohen both directs and music directs the show, fast paced and adroit, while playing the Phillips role. As Phillips he basically plays narrator/ host for the audience—a little bit about how each of the four started at Sun—matched by each performing an early hit.

Cohen is a both wry and driven as Phillips, his accent feels a little heavy while his

attitude feels a little East coast.

As Elvis, Corey McKinney has the moves down, and gives a decent impression, if not quite the early sultry boy. He does a goddam good Hound Dog however.

Adam Fields gives Cash a sly, laidback humor in his portrayal. He gets lead mostly on the gospel and spoken ballad songs, with a strong Folsom Prison Blues and I Walk the Line.

Laying in the rhythm section are Luke Surretsky as Brother Jay (Perkins) on upright bass and John Oliver on percussion as Fluke. Neither misses a step driving the show, and Surretsky humorously nds every possible physical position to play that tall bass.

To leaven the testosterone a little, Mutrux changes Elvis’ girlfriend to a singer; Jo Garcia-Reger as Dyanne performs an especially smoldering rendition of Fever (Peggy Lee’s signature song.) e two performances that stand out just a bit more throughout the evening are Caleb Graham as Perkins and Kevin Lausche as Lewis. Strikingly from opposite directions.

Graham is all lanky, no-nonsense as a back-country musician who penned and performed Blue Suede Shoes (beautifully

performed), the rst rock song to hit a million sold, but anxious for a new hit.

He provides a natural anchor to the production.

Lausche is all kinds of hip swivels, bopping, jumping, striding the piano with all of the legendary Jerry Lee tricks. A combo of sin, puppy dog horniness, and holy roller, he keeps sparking the others. And Great Balls of Fire is just that.

Scenic designer Deb Svigny provides a convincing studio with tiling commencing from the audience entry-way, set dressing of period posters and singles ephemera all about, and a great stain-glassed Sun Records sign.

Iris Estelle gets the period costumes spot on, with late 50s textures (wool pants on Lewis, capri for Dyanne, a pink shirt on Elvis…) She, Svigny, and lighting designer Conor Mulligan (who provides a swi moving plot) get to provide some spangles and glitter with a mini-concert that tops o the show. e sound design (Carisa Sanburg) and engineering (Matt Minelli) captures all the lyrics, not always easy on this stage.

Perfect vibes for a summer kick-off. So kick back and enjoy through this Saturday.

lthacaCollection.com

could encourage more Black individuals to join these conversations, bringing up the fact that they are most a ected by poverty and unequal workplace treatment.

Another attendee, Je Cole, said he was laid o from his job a er deciding to take a week o , and losing his house shortly after, which le him homeless for two years.

“What we need is a general strike,” Cole said. “I’ve seen it. And I’ve gone hungry, and I’ve gone insane, and I’ve shivered on the f—--g streets, man. God bless the community organizations in this town, the people on the streets doing this work and keeping us alive.”

e members of the panel acknowledged the attendees’ concerns and shared their feelings of urgency for a minimum wage increase to be put in place.

“Ithaca likes to talk a lot about being a progressive city, but values don’t mean anything if they’re not backed by law,” said Kumar. “You can't pay your bills with a resolution. You can’t feed your kids with symbolic words. So if we’re really serious about being a city that respects labor, that respects worker dignity, that builds equity and supports working families, I think we need to pass a living wage ordinance as soon as possible.”

from page 14

Peter Kaestner, the rst person to see a lifetime count of 10,000 bird species, will end the day with a lecture titled “In Search of the Orange-tu ed Spiderhunter” as keynote speaker. In his speech, Kaestner will detail his yearslong birding journey, touching on his time in the Peace Corps where he was an honorary eld a liate of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, his travels around the world and how he began birding.

Registration

Early Bird registration o ers reduced costs per person from April 1 to Monday. An adult can register for $70 per person. Regular registration begins on Monday until Aug. 31. An adult can register for $85 per person.

Youth can register at any time until Aug. 31 for $5 per person.

e Welcome Reception, NY Breeding Bird Atlas Celebration and Lunch and ТКТК are add-on events, which means they require additional payment to attend. Registration can be completed online.

International Mud Day Celebration Expected to Be a Splash Hit

By Leah Badawi

This Saturday, June 28th, the Ithaca Children’s Garden will be hosting its annual celebration of International Mud Day. Made possible in part by the Tompkins County Tourism Program, the event will feature mud pits, mud slides, mud art and muddy science experiments, all in the garden’s famous Hands-on-Nature Anarchy Zone. Kids and families are encouraged to attend in clothing suitable for such muddling activities and bring a change of attire for afterward.

The celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the ICG permits free admission, with donations gratefully accepted to support the garden’s communityfocused initiatives. Beyond International Mud Day, the ICG holds events across

the year like the Daffodil Dash, a 1-mile and 5k race event where the course was completely paved in 180,000 daffodils, and an annual Festival of Fire and Ice, in which the garden hosts dazzling fire performances, interactive snow activities, and an arctic animal parade to celebrate the beauty of the winter season. The ICG also runs a summer camp, pre-school, and afterschool programs for children.

The garden’s mission is to champion environmental stewardship and childhood exploration by encouraging people to connect with nature. First organized in 1997 by a group of three women inspired by the words of Jane Taylor from the Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden, Ithaca’s Children’s Garden earned nonprofit status in 1999,

Volunteer Coordinator – Nonprofit Newspaper

We are seeking a dedicated Volunteer Coordinator to support our nonprofit newspaper team. This role involves recruiting, training, and managing volunteers to support our mission of delivering impactful, community-focused journalism. Responsibilities include scheduling volunteer shifts, organizing training sessions, maintaining volunteer records, and fostering a positive, inclusive environment. The ideal candidate is highly organized, communicative, and passionate about community engagement. Prior experience in volunteer management or nonprofit work is a plus. Flexible hours, approximately 10-15 hours per week. Retirees are welcome as are stay-at-home parents. Join us in amplifying local voices!

To apply, please log on to our website at: www.pathwaystoequity.com. Fill out the short form including why you are interested in this opportunity and we will contact you to schedule an interview. Thank you: Program Director - Pathways to Equity, Inc.

taking a lease for 3 acres in Cass Park in 2004, and has since grown exponentially thanks to the help of volunteers and staff.

True to its name, more than 500 youth offered ideas for the garden’s conceptual design, and even more have contributed to and been involved in shaping the garden into the award-winning center of community it is today. The International Mud Day celebration hopes to foster this connection by demonstrating that children can merge creativity, collaboration, and fun in learning about the natural world.

International Mud Day is a globally recognized event dating back to 2009. It has its roots in teamwork, between two members in the Nature Action Collaborative for Children: Bishnu Bhatta from the orphanages of Nepal, and Gillian McAulife from a classroom in Western Australia.

Bhatta realized that the children in the orphanages he worked in didn’t have enough clothes to allow them to get dirty. McAulife shared this story with her class of young students, and they worked together to raise enough money to provide the children in Nepal with extra clothes.

On June 29, the children in Nepal and Australia celebrated with a day of playing in the mud, which created this international celebration of mud.

The Ithaca Children’s Garden hosted the first International Mud Day event in the year 2012. The following year, the ICG planted rice as a gesture of unity, as Mud Day marks the start of the ricegrowing season in Nepal. The particular grain planted was one that used to grow along the banks of the Great Lakes, gathered by the ancestors of the Seneca Tribe.

The International Mud Day celebration at the Ithaca Children’s Garden will take place on Saturday, June 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Photo: File/Ithaca Children’s Garden)

International Mud Day at the Ithaca Children’s Garden will provide messy fun throughout their mud pits, mud slides, mud art and muddy science experiments. (Photo: Ithaca Children’s Garden)

CORNELL UNIVERSITY ANTICIPATES LAYOFFS

continued from page 3

Cornell University is the largest employer in Tompkins County, with a workforce of over 11,000, according to the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce. It is unclear how many positions the reductions will a ect.

e university announced that it would conduct a comprehensive review of programs and sta , engaging personnel from every department for streamlined processes and e ciencies.

“ ese e orts will reduce Cornell’s workforce — a necessity to ensure Cornell’s long-term nancial viability,” the

DOWNTOW N ITHACA

continued from page 7

not have the crowds that it used to, and it would be wonderful if some of the spaces could be reimagined the way the State Theater organization has reimagined their space. What would not work is the kind of renovation that took place in East Hill on East State Street, where developers took down many Victorian houses and replaced them with apart-

university statement said. “While we will make every e ort to downsize by attrition, we anticipate involuntary reductions in headcount across the university.”

In February, the university announced a four-month university-wide hiring freeze, referencing the proposed endowment tax and research funding cuts. The hiring freeze, along with restrictions on discretionary expenses like food and travel, has been extended to remain effective throughout the 2025-26 academic year, according to the statement.

e university added that it will unify information systems across campuses and “deploy technology where appropriate” to consolidate operations.

ments. The reimagining needs to be more thoughtful.

Kathryn Mapes arrived in Ithaca when she was six weeks old. She lived here as a university brat until she was 18, graduating from Ithaca High in 1971. A er attending college in Ohio she moved to Minneapolis for thirty years, where she received her M.A. and PhD in English at the University of Minn. She came back in 2009 and retired to a house in Cayuga Heights.

OLÉ OLÉ DELIVERS KOREAN COMFORTS

continued from page 15

Here’s the modus operandi: When you enter the restaurant, proceed to the front. ere’s a large overhead menu. When you make your choice, tell the cashier what you have selected. You can pay then or later. ere’s also a paper menu which I take to my table to study quietly. Meals are delivered to your table on a small tray which management asks you to return when you’re nished. Each major menu category, e.g. Bibimbap, has a brief explanation in English. ere are also some Mexican categories such as Tacos, Nachos, and Burrito Bowls. is means that Olẻ Olẻ is really o ering a fusion cuisine. Other major sections include Rice Bowls and Poke Bowls. Surprisingly water is not o ered. You have a choice of buying a bottle ($2) or helping yourself with a plastic cup from a large glass dispenser near the front counter.

FOOD: Recently I’ve enjoyed a Hot Pot selection: Veggie Tofu Hot Pot ($14.95). It was delivered hot in a twohandled small cast iron pan. ere were four large tofu squares, some thick and chewy shiitake mushroom pieces, cabbage, shaved carrots, green onions and some avorless sweet potato noodles,

(glass noodles), which were so long, thin, and slick, I had trouble getting them from the pan to my mouth. All the vegetables were in a avorful vegetable broth. ere was a plate on the side with some raw kale, sliced lettuce and carrots and a bowl of white rice.

Another dish I’ve enjoyed is from the Udon section: Shiitake Mushroom Miso Udon ($10.95). It had a few edamame beans, shaved carrots, and green onions topped with a half hardboiled egg. e broth was robust and tasty. e dish was served in a bowl with three slices of pickled radishes on the side.

On one occasion, I went in order to check out their Mexican idea, I ordered a chicken burrito ($10.95). It came with lettuce, American cheese, black beans, corn kernels, and Pico de Gallo, with some sweet chili sauce on the side. I liked it as much as any burrito I’ve ever had even though I don’t understand what a restaurant, serving “Korean Street Food”, is hoping to achieve by o ering burritos and tacos.

BEVERAGES: No alcoholic beverages are served. ere is a selection of 12-ounce sodas. ($2). Hot tea and co ee are not listed but are available. (When the menu was created, the writer forgot to mention them.)

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Ithaca Times Classified Dept PO Box 27 Ithaca NY 14850

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Music

Bars/Bands/Clubs

6/25 Wednesday

Technology Basics One-on-One

| 10:30 a.m. | Need help with basic technology topics, such as using email, searching the internet, or borrowing eBooks? Make an appointment for one-on-one help from a TCPL librarian or partnering technology tutor. Please visit the reference desk at the time of your appointment to check in. | Tompkins County Public Library

101 East Green Street, Ithaca Pearls of Wisdom Senior Support Group | 11:00 a.m. | Pearls of Wisdom Senior Support Group | 171 E. State Street, Ithaca | Free Makerspace Open Hours | 11:00

a.m. & 5:30 p.m. | Drop-in open hours, no registration required. Come for a short tour, or stay and work on a project — we have lots of art supplies and ideas to get you making! Visit the Makerspace to use the laser cutter, 3-D printer, Cricut, or sewing/embroidery machines. All equipment will be available on a rst come rst served basis and machine use will be limited to 30 minutes if others are waiting. | Tompkins County Public Library

101 East Green Street, Ithaca Lindsey Poto | Reaching into the Lake | 1:00 p.m. | Reaching into the Lake is a series of etchings by Lindsey Poto , a printmaker from Michigan who received her BFA from Cornell in 2022 and is currently attending the University of Connecticut for her MFA. | Ink Shop Studio Gallery 330 E.State / MLK Street, Ithaca | Free Good Grief Circle | 2:00 p.m. | The Age Well Center 165 Main St., Cortland

Board Game Night! | 5:00 p.m. | All ages board game night in our game room here on the Commons! | Riverwood 116 E State St., Ithaca | Free 1948: Creation & Catastrophe | 5:00 p.m. | Join us for a viewing and discussion of 1948: Creation & Catastrophe, a lm that tells the story of the establishment of Israel as seen through the eyes of the people who lived it. | Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca | Free Astrology Meeting | 6:00 p.m. | A meeting every Wednesday (6:00-7:30 p.m.) at the Tompkins Public Library where people talk about astrology. | |Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca What’s Cookin’ Jazz Trio | 6:00 p.m. | An evening of classic jazz. | |Brookton’s Market 491 Brooktondale Rd., Brooktondale | Free Trivia Night! | 6:30 p.m. | Join us, and the entertaining Dave Ashton, for our weekly Trivia Night — where fun meets knowledge! Bring your friends and family for an evening of brainteasing questions, delicious craft beer, and a vibrant atmosphere. Test your trivia skills across various categories, including history, pop culture, science, and more. | Hopshire Farm & Brewery 1771 Dryden Rd., Freeville Jazz Night at Deep Dive: Fire y Trio | 6:30 p.m. | Jazz Night at Deep Dive: Fire y Trio (6:30-8:30 p.m.), Big Band (8:30-10:30 p.m.), The People’s Jam! (10:30-12:30 p.m.). | Deep Dive Ithaca 415 Old Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca | Free Trivia! | 7:00 p.m. | Trivia Night with Bob Proehl at Liquid State! | Liquid State Brewery 620 West Green Street, Ithaca | Free

Million Dollar Quartet | 7:30 p.m. | Million Dollar Quartet brings that night to life in a toe-tapping, musical re-telling lled with broken promises,

betrayals, celebrations, and an incredible score of rock ‘n’ roll, gospel, R&B and country hits. Showing through June 28th. Check website for additional dates and times. | Hangar Theatre 801 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca

6/26 Thursday

36th Annual Juried Photo Show | 12:00 p.m. | This year’s show accepted photographs from 63 artists from all over New York state. Ends 6/28. | State of the Art Gallery 120 West State Street, Ithaca | Free

GO ITHACA Open Hours | 2:00 p.m. |

GO ITHACA is proud to help transform transportation in Tompkins County! Our program makes sustainable commuting accessible and a ordable for everyone. |Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca

Natural Queeriosity | 4:00 p.m. |

An event for all ages and identities that will include a Pride scavenger hunt throughout the museum with prizes, button making, and coloring activities. | Museum of the Earth 1259 Trumansburg Road (Route 96), Ithaca | $0.00 - $5.00

CFCU Summer Concert Series: Freight and Iron Horse, with opener Louiston | 5:00 p.m. | Bernie Milton Pavilion Center Commons, Ithaca | Free

King Alcohol Ends Reign — Ithaca’s Prohibition History

Walking Tour | 5:30 p.m. | A 10-block walking tour through downtown Ithaca that traces the city’s spirited (and often surprising) history with Prohibition. Led by trained docents from The History Center, this 60-min experience takes you to the actual sites of speakeasies, dry raids, church protests, saloons, & reform rallies | The History Center in Tompkins County 110 N Tioga Street, Ithaca | $15.00

Summer Poetry Writing Group: Writing Through the Senses II

with Jada Simone | 5:30 p.m. | Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca

Ithaca Concert Band | 5:30 p.m. |

South Hill Cider 550 Sandbank Road, Ithaca

History's a drag! | 6:00 p.m. | Ithaca has a long history of queer art and performance, and its drag scene has been regarded as one of the most creative and resilient scenes in upstate New York. While lacking an o cial “Gay Bar” in town Ithaca’s drag artists have remained booked and busy by working in unconventional locations, creating unique and creative events where queer folk have been able to nd a home. | Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca

Public Sunset Cruise Discover Cayuga Lake | 7:30 p.m. | Enjoy a beautiful once in a lifetime sunset on Cayuga Lake! | Allan H. Treman Marina 805 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca, NY 14850, Ithaca

Ageless Jazz Band | 7:45 p.m. |

South Hill Cider 550 Sandbank Road, Ithaca | Free

Date Night: Bossa Nova Jazz | 8:00 p.m. | The Downstairs 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St., Ithaca

6/27 Friday

Co ee Talk at the Chamber: Health & Wellness | 9:30 a.m. | Join the Chamber Team and peers in your industry for fresh co ee & conversation. This month, we invite professionals from the health & wellness industries to connect with friends & colleagues and expand your network in this casual environment. | Tompkins Chamber 124 Brindley Street, Ithaca

Friday Night Magic: Commander | 5:00 p.m. | Come down to Riverwood for a recurrent night of Commanderstyle Magic play! | Riverwood 116 E State St , Ithaca | $5.00

Community Arts Partnership

Networking Night | 5:30 p.m. | Network with other artists and creatives of Ithaca! | Greater Ithaca Activities

Center 301 W Court St , Ithaca | Free

Heavy Bone Zydeco | 5:30 p.m. |

Join us for the South Hill Cider Golden Hour Music Series! | South Hill Cider 550 Sandbank Road, Ithaca

Live Music — Go Gone | 6:00 p.m. |

Hopshire Farm & Brewery 1771 Dryden Rd., Freeville

Figure Drawing Fridays at CSMA | 6:00 p.m. | If you’re an intermediate or advanced-level artist interested in drawing from the nude model, come join our non-instructed, open gure drawing sessions at CSMA. | Ithaca Community School of Music and Arts 330 East State Street, Ithaca | $15.00 - $20.00

Queeraoke | 8:00 p.m. | The Rhine House 632 West Seneca Street, Ithaca | Free The Reckoning w/ Cozmic Theo & PA Line (8 p.m.) | 12:00 a.m. | The Downstairs 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St., Ithaca

6/28 Saturday

HARFORD FAIR | 9:00 a.m. | From 9-3 p m will have lots of fun, games, a car/truck CRUISE IN, Tractor Show, shopping at our vendors, face painting, cotton candy, FIRE TRUCKS, Balloon Twister, Prizes, Food & Bake Sale. | HARMONY UMC AND HARFORD TOWN FIELD 726 ROUTE 221, Harford | Free

International Mud Day | 10:00 a.m. | International Mud Day at Ithaca Children’s Garden is the perfect opportunity for kids and families to immerse themselves in the joy of connecting with nature through mud. | Ithaca Children’s Garden, 121 Turtle Lane, Ithaca | Free Food Pantry | 12:00 p.m. | GYM-Southside Community Center 305 S Plain St , Ithaca

Carla Stetson exhibit “Meanders” | 12:00 p.m. | Many of the pieces in this exhibit are in uenced by uid dynamics, the study of the winding and spiraling movement of uids and follow a cartographic impulse. | The Gallery at South Hill 950 Danby Rd. South Hill Business Campus South Hill Business Campus, Ithaca | Free SPLAT! Sumthin’ Paint Party | 2:00 p.m. | As part of the 2025 Color

Our World Summer Reading Program, SPLAT! Sumthin’ Paint Room is thrilled to bring the joy of Spin Art to your local library! Spin Art is a fast, fun painting activity where guests pour or drip paint onto a spinning canvas or disc. As it spins, the paint spreads out into vibrant, unpredictable patternsno two designs are ever the same! | Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca Rest in Pages Book Club | 3:00 p.m. | This month we ’ll be discussing The Martian by Andy Weir | The Whimsy Mercantile 2075 East Shore Drive, Lansing | Free

A READING AND CONVERSATION WITH ELLEN STONE AND JESSICA FEMIANI | 4:00 p.m. | Join us at Buffalo Street Books for an author reading and conversation on The American Gun & Everybody Wants to Keep the Moon Inside Them with authors Jessica Femiani and Ellen Stone! | Bu alo Street Books 215 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca | Free

MtG: Final Fantasy Draft | 5:00 p.m. | Come check out some of our rst Final Fantasy Booster Drafts! Booster Draft is a limited format in Magic: The Gathering in which players take turns opening booster packs to create a 40-card deck. | Riverwood 116 E State St , Ithaca | $20.00

Dancing on the Patio! | 6:00 p.m. | Join us for Salsa, Cuban, and Latin music with Alejandro Baldoquin and Gaby Reyes from 6-8 p m , followed by DiJon and DJ Mateo spinning vinyl from 8-10 p.m. | South Hill Cider 550 Sandbank Rd., Ithaca

Ithaca Welcomes Refugees | 7:30 p.m. | Join us for a bene t concert in support of Ithaca Welcomes Refugees. The concert features Burns & Kristy with Sommers & Manning and Carlos Gutierrez. Tickets for the concert will be available only at the door at a cost ranging from $10 - $20 and can be paid with cash, check or Venmo. | First Baptist Church 309 N Cayuga Street, Ithaca | $10.00 - $20.00

Hanks Roberts Quartet | 8:00 p.m. | The Downstairs 121 W. M.L.K. Jr. St., Ithaca

Drag Me To The Discothèque | 9:00 p.m. | Pride dance party & catwalk with MC and performer Tilia Cordata and DJ Dutchess. | Argos Warehouse 416 E State St , Ithaca | $15.00

CFCU SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: FREIGHT AND IRON HORSE, WITH OPENER LOUISTON

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 AT 5:00 PM Bernie Milton Pavilion, Ithaca | Founded by midwest transplant JP Payton in early 2020, Freight has risen to the fore of the region's growing Americana landscape. They will be part of a triple-bill for this week’s iteration of the summer concert series in Bank Alley. (Photo: Facebook)

PACKRAT 2

FRIDAY, JUNE

Performing their current album, Shines Like Gold, as well as classic songs of e Band, e Weight Band is led by Jim Weider, a 15-year former member of e Band and the Levon Helm Band. e Weight Band will perform Saturday, June 28th at 8 p.m. at Center for the Arts of Homer.

6/29 Sunday

Tortoise & Hare Trail Race | 9:00

a.m. | Join the Finger Lakes Runners Club at the Tortoise & Hare Trail Race at Buttermilk Falls State Park. The roughly 6.5-mile course is a great introduction to trail running (and to local trails), and the falls are a spectacular natural attraction. All are welcome! | Buttermilk Falls State Park 106 E Buttermilk Falls Road, Ithaca | $20.00

Outdoor Qi Gong Class — Sundays | 10:00 a.m. | Outdoor Qi Gong for Wellness and Nervous System Regulation. | |Allan H. Treman State Marine Park 805 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca, NY 14850, Ithaca | $12.50 - $15.00

The Wedding Show — Boozy Bachelorette Party | 1:00 p.m. |

The Wedding Show is an immersive and interactive theatre show. Join the cast of The Wedding Show for a prewedding engagement. | Liquid State

Brewing Co. 620 W. Green St., Ithaca | $10.00 - $20.00

NORTH ROSE 1940 by ALEXANDER SKUTT | 1:30 p.m. | Join Bu alo Street Books for this book release. An unusually thorough history of the nearly 190 households in North Rose at the time of the 1940 Federal Census. The story of each family is told in complete and entertaining detail. | Bu alo Street Books 215 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca | Free Science Connections: Little Bunny Foo Foos | 2:00 p.m. | Come to learn all about domestic rabbits from the Tompkins County 4-H Little Bunny Foo Foos club. They will bring rabbits to pet, answer questions, and put on a rabbit hopping demonstration. | Sciencenter 601 1st St., Ithaca

All Ages Concert with I am Fool | 3:00 p.m. | Indie rock band I am Fool has kept live audiences in Central New York interested and engaged for 20 years with an eclectic catalogue of covers and an ever-evolving body of

original work. See them in a unique and intimate setting, a few miles north of Ithaca in King Ferry, NY, in a renovated church. | Northville Arts Center 999 NY-34B, King Ferry | Free Jazz Jam | 6:00 p.m. | The Downstairs 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St., Ithaca What's Next, Ithaca? | 6:00 p.m. | Join South Hill Cider, the Diversity Consortium of Tompkins County, and WRFI for a discussion panel about how we can support ourselves and each other over the next four years. | South Hill Cider 550 Sandbank Rd., Ithaca | Free Psychic Party | 6:00 p.m. | Group readings with Rev. Josey (Psychic, Shaman, Reiki Master, Master Flower Essence Practitioner). Tickets available on Eventbrite for $33.85. | The Trees Estate 1822 NY-96, Trumansburg | $33.85

6/30 Monday

Riverwood Art Club | 4:00 p.m. | Riverwood is hosting an art club

INTERNATIONAL MUD DAY

SATURDAY, JUNE 28TH,

FROM 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Ithaca Children’s Garden, 121 Turtle Lane, Ithaca | This globally recognized event is a perfect opportunity for kids and families to immerse themselves in the joy of connecting with nature through mud. Our Hands-onNature Anarchy Zone will be transformed into a muddy wonderland, featuring mud pits, mud slides, and mud art for endless entertainment. (Photo: Facebook)

Commons 171 E. State St./Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Ithaca

Dryden Intergenerational Band & Chorus Auditions | 7:00 p.m. | Make some beautiful music this summer! The Dryden Area Intergenerational Band and Chorus is holding auditions for both the band and the chorus and EVERYONE is welcome, whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro! There are NO fees, NO auditions and NO preregistration...and you can be part of both! Chorus rehearsals go for six weeks starting June 30th from 7-9 p.m. | First Presbyterian Church of Dryden 6 North Street, Dryden | Free

7/1 Tuesday

Ithaca Physics Bus visits LCL! | 10:30 a.m. | The Ithaca Physics Bus is coming to LCL on Thursday, July 1 at 10:30 AM! Explore 20+ hands-on science exhibits on board and enjoy live physics demos outside. Fun, engaging, and perfect for curious minds of all ages—don’t miss this exciting, family-friendly event! | Lansing Community Library 27 Auburn Road, Lansing | Free

Family Playgroup — Summer’25 | 3:00 p.m. | Free 6 weeks series, July 1 – August 5 | CCE-Tompkins

Education Center 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca

every Monday! Bring your tablet, yarn, collage materials, clay, paints, or anything else. All ages and supplies provided. | Riverwood 116 E State St., Ithaca | Free

Djug Django | 5:30 p.m. | Djug Django plays South Hill Cider for Jazz Monday | South Hill Cider 550 Sandbank Road, Ithaca | Free Feast on Words: Queer Expression | 6:00 p.m. | Be curious about yourself and others this Pride month through creative expression. Join others at Asempe Kitchen on any Monday in June to create your work in whatever form it takes — poetry, journaling, an essay, prose, a letter, or a list. | |Asempe Kitchen 114 W Green St., Ithaca | Free

Jacob Merrill & Friends | 7:00 p.m.

| The Downstairs 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St., Ithaca

Participatory Contra, Square, and Circle Dancing | 7:00 p.m. | Ithaca

Taughannock Live Music Series: The Loons | 5:00 p.m. | Inn at Taughannock Falls 2030 Gorge Rd., Trumansburg

Meditation and Mindfulness | 5:00 p.m. | Join Anna Salamone of FireFly Farm Retreat for a monthly meditation and mindfulness practice. Anna is a Certi ed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher and has experience facilitating a variety of mindfulness, meditation, and stress-reduction classes. Supplies such as yoga mats and blankets will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own if desired. | Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca

Science Heroes | 6:00 p.m. | Join us to kick o our Summer Reading Program with Science Heroes and their mission to turn science into an adventure. Their family-friendly “Adventure of the Missing Color” program features hands-on experiments and fun, interactive stories to get kids

excited about the science that is all around us! | New eld Public Library

198 Main Street, New eld | Free Standard Time Jazz Ensemble | 6:00 p.m. | An evening of classic jazz. | Firelight Camps at La Tourelle 1150 Danby Road, Ithaca | Free Comic Book Club Meeting — “Captain America, Liberty Belle, and More!” | 7:00 p.m. | Captain America has become an easily recognizable character, but he was not the only comic-book hero to wear the red, white, and blue ... or even the rst! This week CBCI will host an early celebration of the 4th by taking a look at more characters such as The Shield, Liberty Belle, & Miss America. | Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca | Free Stand Up Comedy Open Mic | 7:00 p.m. | The Downstairs 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St., Ithaca

7/2 Wednesday

Greensprings Garden Club | 10:00 a.m. | From May to October, volunteer with us as we divide perennials, mulch plantings, plant shrubs, pull weeds, pot up perennials, rake leaves, spread gravel and more. Drop-in and lend a hand at our nursery and demo gardens, Remembrance Grove or Re ection Pond. Volunteers led by sta . Work varies and can be tailored to abilities and experience. Bring your sunhat and water bottle. | Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve 293 Irish Hill Rd , New eld | Free

Read to Dogs at New eld Public Library | 3:30 p.m. | Children are invited to the New eld Library to practice their reading skills by reading to one of Cornell Companion’s volunteer therapy dogs! | New eld Public Library 198 Main Street, New eld | Free NARCAN Training with REACH | 4:00 p.m. | Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca The Wedding Singer | 7:30 p.m. | Based upon the New Line Cinema lm written by Tim Herlihy. This musical’s sparkling score does for the ’80s what Hairspray did for the ’60s! Note: contains big hair, popped collars, and brief adult language. Runs July 2-11. | Cortland Repertory Theater 24 Port Watson Street, Cortland

BENEFIT CONCERT FOR ITHACA WELCOMES REFUGEES

SATURDAY, JUNE 28TH AT 7:30 PM

First Baptist Church, 309 N Cayuga Street, Ithaca | This concert will raise funds for their programs supporting refugees and immigrants in Tompkins County. Featuring Burns & Kristy (pictured) with Sommers & Manning and Carlos Gutierrez. Tickets for the concert will be available only at the door $10 - $20. (Photo: Facebook)

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Everyone is welcome to shop at the Co-Op!

Full Service Grocery Store

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We are thrilled to announce that Longview has fully renovated 1 and 2 bedroom apartments, a freshly renovated dining room overlooking Cayuga Lake, and a state-of-the-art kitchen. Residents and guests will also enjoy a spacious auditorium that boasts new paint, ooring, and eye-friendly lighting, as well as revitalized common areas that create a warm and comfortable living environment.

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REAL LIFE CEREMONIES

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