From Athletes to the Aging, Orthopedic Surgeons Help Walk You Through Life
If you want to live a long, active lifestyle, keeping your joints, bones, and muscles healthy and free of pain is crucial. Orthopedic doctors play a major role in helping people recover from sports-related, work-related, or accidentrelated injuries. Orthopedic surgical care is constantly improving, driven by advancements in robotic-assisted technology and minimally invasive techniques.
“As an orthopedic surgeon, I think it’s important that we’re constantly trying to evolve our practice. What I mean by that is advancing our treatment, our assessment of patients both surgically and nonoperatively,” says Dr. Garrett Garofolo-Gonzalez, Sports Medicine Surgeon at Cayuga Health, a Member of Centralus Health.
Dr. Garofolo-Gonzalez has special interests in shoulder, knee, and ankle injuries, but says he doesn’t limit himself to the joints or injuries patients have, offering a first appointment and referral to another specialist when necessary.
or failed conservative treatments like medication and physical therapy, requiring surgery.
“I like to travel to leading experts in the field, sometimes regionally, nationally or internationally to get a better idea of how they’re tackling these problems and how I can better understand them, so I can provide a higher level of care to the patients and community I’m taking care of.”
Having experienced a sports related injury himself, Dr. Garofolo-Gonzalez knows how important orthopedic care is for highly active people, acting as a crucial resource for injury prevention, specialized rehabilitation, and performance optimization.
“Like most young patients who find themselves in my office, I was a competitive athlete and had a career-ending injury. I found myself at a crossroads. My identity was wrapped up in my sport, and I had to figure out what I would do moving forward.”
The goal is to help patients get back to doing all the things they enjoy in their everyday lives. While orthopedic surgeons don’t have to be former athletes, having experience on the field helps Dr. Garofolo-Gonzalez relate to patients in-clinic.
“It’s really evolved into such a natural field for me. I can stay connected to sports. I can stay connected and involved with patients who are interested, whatever level they are at, in participating in activities. It’s important to provide patients the highest level of care so they can do whatever their sport is.”
People turn to orthopedic specialists for treatment involving conditions affecting bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Key reasons include chronic joint pain, mobility issues, sports injuries like sprains and tears, broken bones,
“When a patient comes in to see me, they always come in with a variety of experiences, exposures to medicine, different diagnoses. I view my job as a fresh start, a way to rediagnose, reexamine, and make sure we understand what brought them to my office.”
During initial appointments, doctors assess functional movements, walking, standing, and bending, and utilize imaging, x-rays and MRIs to identify fractures, arthritis, or soft tissue injuries.
“We can then work towards having a good understanding, both biologically and mechanically, of what’s going on so we can get them back to doing the things they like to be doing.”
By breaking down complex medical jargon into simple, everyday language, healthcare providers empower individuals to actively manage their health, adhere to treatments, and make informed decisions.
“If you understand what’s going on, it makes it so much easier for you to move forward in the treatment plan. Patients can say to themselves, ‘I know this is going to work because I can wrap my head around it.’”
Knowing that medical terminology can be complex and confusing, Dr. GarofoloGonzalez breaks down diagnosis and treatment plans in a way that helps patients understand the full scope of their ailment.
“We can do whatever you need that allows you to leave that visit having a good understanding of why you’re feeling what you’re feeling, that what you’re feeling is real, and what we need to do to help you get better.”
Orthopedic care, from the time of the first consultation to the end of rehabilitation, can take months. Reaching end goals, like full recovery, regaining independence, and attaining maximum strength, is a long process, but Dr. Garofolo-Gonzalez says the outcome is well worth the journey.
“When we accomplish our goals and patients come in and ask me if they need to see me again, and I say no, they get a big smile on their face. They come and give me a big hug and say they’re going to miss me. I tell them they know where to find me if they need me, but hopefully they won’t. Those moments are very rewarding because they remind me why I got into this field—to take care of patients.”
Cayuga Health provides comprehensive orthopedic care, including surgical and urgent injury services at 16 Brentwood Drive, Suite A, Ithaca; 1122 Commons Avenue, Cortland; and 220 Steuben Street, Montour Falls. Arnot Health provides orthopedic services with specialized offices at 100 John Roemmelt Drive, Horseheads; 300 Hoffman Street, Elmira; 200 Madison Avenue, Elmira; 7571 State Road 54, Bath; and 123 Conhocton Street, Corning.
Dr. Garofolo-Gonzalez is a dual fellowshiptrained orthopedic surgeon.
N ews line
County Announces America250 Grant Funding, Supports Community Events
By Mikayla Rovenolt
Tompkins County announced its recipients of America250 grant funding to support community events, historical programming, and countywide promotion efforts commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The funding is part of a $15,000 grant awarded to Tompkins County through New York State’s 250th Commemoration Commission through the NYS Department of Education.
According to a press release, New York State’s commemoration will highlight the role New Yorkers played during the Revolutionary War, and the continuing work over the last 250 years to advance the ideals reflected in the nation’s founding principles.
The county legislature approved the funding allocations following recommendations from a stakeholder group convened by county administration. The group included representatives from the Tompkins County Historian’s Office, the Tompkins County Tourism Program, The History Center, Visit Ithaca, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, the Community Arts Partnership, Tompkins County Public Library, Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins County Veterans Services.
“The America250 commemoration
provides an opportunity for communities across Tompkins County to reflect on the nation’s shared history while celebrating the people, cultures, and stories that continue to shape our community today,” said Korsah Akumfi, Tompkins County administrator, in a press statement. “These projects represent a wide range of perspectives and experiences and will help ensure residents throughout the county can participate in meaningful local celebrations.”
According to the release, the stakeholder group reviewed applications submitted through the Tompkins County Tourism Program, considered a proposal from the Tompkins County Historical Commission, and discussed the importance of ensuring all events and activities are promoted through a centralized platform accessible to residents and visitors.
Three rural community celebrations received $3,990 in funding, in addition to Tourism Program funds. The recipients and event organizers are the Freeville Fire Department, the Lansing Historical Association (in collaboration with the Town of Lansing and the Lansing Events Committee), and the Brooktondale Community Center (in collaboration with the Town of Caroline Historian and the Caroline History Association).
“We’re grateful to receive the funds for the celebration,” said Jason Cuykendall, a volunteer with the Freeville Fire De-
X Town of Ithaca Acquires 137 Acres on South Hill
By Mikayla Rovenolt
The Town of Ithaca announced the acquisition of 137 acres of land on South Hill, creating a new protected open space called Sage Preserve. The conservation purchase safeguards a natural area.
The acquisition was made through a funding partnership of the Park Foundation, the Tompkins County Natural Infrastructure Capital Program, and the Town of Ithaca.
“This South Hill preserve is a great addition to the Town’s network of preserves and is timely given anticipated housing development in that area,” Town Supervisor Rod Howe said. “The acquisition meets multiple Town goals and will benefit current and future residents.”
Sage Preserve encompasses a diverse
landscape of natural features, including streams, wetlands, successional growth, and forested areas, which play a role in supporting biodiversity, protecting water resources, and maintaining ecosystem health. Members of the public may enjoy the existing trails on the property for walking and other passive recreational uses.
“Sage Preserve has road frontage on King Road East, Chase Lane, Ridgecrest Road, and Schickel Road,” Michael Smith, senior planner for the Town of Ithaca said. “Residents could access it from any of those roads, but there aren't any designated parking areas available or formal entrances at this point.”
Sage Preserve adds to the Town of Ithaca’s growing network of protected open spaces and
partment. “It’s meant to be a community centered event for family, visitors and neighbors for the anniversary of our country. The goal is to use it for music or games and advertising for the event, which will offset some of the costs for this free event for the community.”
Cuykendall said some details are still in the works, but that a save the date is available on the fire department Facebook page.
In addition to the local communities grant funding, the Tompkins County Historical Commission received $3,010 for the “White Pine of Peace” project, which includes the planting of an eastern white pine tree in Stewart Park in Ithaca. The project will also include an interpretive plaque and an honorarium for the Gayogohó:nǫˀ People to participate in the dedication ceremony. Tompkins County Historian Charley Githler will administer and distribute funding for the project.
“The Eastern White Pine is the sacred ‘tree of peace’ for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, symbolizing the unification of the original five nations, the burial of weapons to end conflict, and the Great Law of Peace,” Githler said. “It features five needles per cluster, representing the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca nations. The tree, donated by the City of Ithaca, has actually already been
Continued on Page C15
will be managed to preserve its ecological value while supporting appropriate public access. Smith added that this is the town’s first preserve located on South Hill.
“The addition of this preserve to the town's extensive system of parks, preserves and trails, will provide additional passive recreational opportunities for residents, while preserving this open space,” Smith said.
More information about the Town’s parks, trails and preserves is available on its website.
THE COVER:
Developers presented initial plans for Southworks’ Gateway development at a recent meeting. (Photo: Nathan Ellison/Ithaca Times File)
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(1972–1978) and The Good
By Mark Syvertson
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: “WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONCERT?”
NOTE: If readers wish to participate in the Ithaca Times’ Inquiring Photographer column, contact Mark Syvertson at marksyvertsonphotography@gmail.com
City Planning Board Gets First Look at SouthWorks’ Gateway Development
By Lorien Tyne
At the City of Ithaca Planning and Development Board’s May 26 meeting, developers presented plans for The Gateway, the first residential site plan for SouthWorks, a major project to redevelop the former Emerson Power Transmission site.
The SouthWorks project, which straddles the town and city of Ithaca, is a 95-acre mixed-use community development composed of four neighborhoods: The Gateway, The Hills, The Woods and The Chainway. The full project includes new structures and redevelops existing ones for residential, office, commercial, retail and other spaces. FOUND Ithaca, a vintage and second-hand shop, is already open at the SouthWorks site and is the site’s first commercial tenant.
The information presented at the meeting was specific to one phase of The Gateway development on 1.64 acres located in the city off South Aurora Street. The developers proposed constructing two new, five-story buildings with 50 mixed-income rental units. Site amenities include a courtyard, playground, lighting, pedestrian walkways and 40 parking spaces behind and beneath the buildings. The project also includes creating a new street going through the site with bike lanes and street parking.
The development’s partners are Shift Capital in Philadelphia, L Enterprises in Elmira, USC Builds in Rochester, Xylem Projects in New York City, and Beacon Communities, an affordable housing developer based in Boston.
Dan Bellgraph, senior development director with Beacon Communities, said
timeline goals include financial closing in October, issuing the notice to proceed to the contractor in November, constructing 10 buildings over a two-year period and having the first apartments ready for residents toward early 2028.
Rob Lewis, development project manager for Southworks, said the development team has had multiple open houses that garnered positive community feedback.
“The Gateway is really important because it’s the front door to the project,” Lewis said. “It’s really important we get the feel for that right so that the rest of it can be right.”
Developers clarified that this won’t be the main entrance into the neighborhood once it is complete, but board member Mitch Glass shared concerns about the view from Aurora Street being a private back entrance.
“I wasn’t too thrilled with the underparking view,” Glass said. “Seeing that under-parking as a first view into this thing is not perhaps great.”
Board member Andy Rollman said it is difficult to look at this proposal without a
design concept for the entire site and how each piece will be phased in.
Concurrently, developers are working on another piece of phase one, located in the town of Ithaca. Developers said The Woods at SouthWorks includes 130 mixedincome apartments on 7.4 acres of undeveloped land uphill from the former factory.
Rollman also asked developers if the affordable housing units will be accompanied by additional support.
“The elephant in the room for us is the Asteri project and we’re really going to want to hear you know what affordable housing at this level means,” Rollman said.
Jen Steinberg, senior vice president of development at Beacon Communities, said that at some of the organization’s properties they have live-in supers with quarters on site and maintenance staff. She mentioned that anything they add to the proposal comes with a cost and because it is affordable housing they can’t increase rent to fund additional elements. She did not specify if there would be support staff or resources onsite for affordable housing residents.
“I’m listening to you guys talk, and it’s such a wonderful community to be a part of that you’re so focused on all these elements,” Steinberg said. “We are very budget-constrained. [...] So, we need to be really smart.”
Other board members also mentioned the need for a master concept plan. Chair Max Pfeffer said that having a bigger picture would be helpful to understand how the current phase will fit.
“How can we both meet you where you’re at, having to bring these individual projects, but also give us a sense of what’s to come so that we can know that this small play structure isn’t the only play structure that’s going to be available for 95 units?” Pfeffer said.
The City of Ithaca Planning Board was recently presented with the plans for phase one of The Gateway, one of four neighborhoods in SouthWork’s massive development project. (Photo: Provided)
“I saw The Allman Brothers and Hootie and the Blowfish on back-to-back nights.”
Joe
“98 Degrees.”
Kaitlin
“Van Halen.”
Kevin
“Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention at Hamilton College.”
Susan
“I saw Prince on the ‘Purple Rain’ tour.”
Christina
Ithaca Police Releases 2025 Annual Report Showing Decline in Violent Crime
By Lorien Tyne
The City of Ithaca Police Department (IPD) released its 2025 Annual Report, which attributes reductions in violent crime and property crime to targeted and prevention-focused policing strategies.
In 2025, the IPD reported a 25% decrease in violent crime and a 12% decrease in property crime, compared with 2024.
“We have four years of data to show that proactive work a ects our overall incidents that are occurring,” IPD Chief Tom Kelly said. “Violent crime is decreasing, property crimes are decreasing, but that’s because we’re identifying di erent focuses based on community feedback.”
ere were 50 violent crimes reported in 2025, including two murders or attempted murders, a 0% change from 2024; ve reports of rape, down from seven in 2024; seven robberies, down from 16 in 2024; and 36 aggravated assaults, down from 42 in 2024.
ere were 983 property crimes reported in 2025. at includes seven arson incidents, up from ve in 2024; 75 burglaries, down from 140 in 2024; 15 vehicle the s, a 0% change; and 886 larcenies, down from 956 in 2024.
Property-damage motor vehicle accidents decreased by 1%, and personal injury accidents decreased by 11%, which the report says re ects e orts to improve roadway safety. To support roadway safety initiatives, the IPD secured funding through the Governor’s Tra c Safety Committee, including $6,000 for general tra c enforcement patrols, $2,000 for seatbelt mobilization enforcement and $4,000 for tra c safety education and equipment.
e IPD conducted 3,149 tra c stops and responded to 1,207 property-damage motor vehicle accidents and 80 personal injury accidents. O cers issued 1,799 tra c citations.
IPD data is accessible to the public throughout the year on the Community Dashboard managed by the crime analyst, a position created just before 2025. e analyst has worked to upgrade the Community Dashboard and plans to continue improving the site in 2026, according to the report.
O cers responded to 22,491 calls for service in 2025, which the report says remains consistent with service demand in previous years. Of all calls last year, 4% resulted in an arrest.
“While overall call volume remains steady, the nature of police work continues to evolve,” the report says. “O cers are o en called to respond to complex situations that bene t from coordinated responses with programs.”
UPS DOWNS&
Ups
The Finger Lakes Land Trust announced that it is working to acquire 127 acres on Irish Hill in the Town of New eld. The organization is launching a $500,000 fundraising campaign to purchase and preserve the land. If the funding goal is met and the acquisition is successful, the land trust says it will create a public nature preserve with hiking trails.
Downs
On May 26, there was a re incident at the Rodeway Inn in one room. Two other rooms were a ected by sprinkler activation. The Tompkins County Department of Social Services utilizes the inn as an emergency shelter placement facility and one shelter client was transported to the hospital for treatment, according to a notice from the county. County sta and Rodeway ownership are working to restore impacted rooms to minimize disruption to emergency housing availability.
e report highlights initiatives that address complex situations, such as the Community Alternative Response & Engagement (CARE) Team, which pairs o cers with mental health clinicians, and the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program, which o ers alternatives to arrest for individuals with behavioral health and socioeconomic challenges.
A new program that launched in July 2025 is the Violence Interrupter initiative. While the IPD allocates funding from the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) grant to this program, the “interrupter,” Anesti Isufaj, is employed and supervised by Second Wind Cottages. e report says residents can call Isufaj for help de-escalating a situation or connecting to other resources. e City of Ithaca has also committed $50,000 to help continue the initiative in 2026, according the report.
Beyond policing and violence prevention initiatives, the report said the IPD increased its e orts to build trust with the community through non-enforcement engagements, such as neighborhood meetings, youth outreach, school visits, business partnerships and participation in community events. O cers attended 54 community engagements in 2025 and 55 in 2024, which is more than double the numbers for 2023 and 2022, according to IPD Chief Tom Kelly.
“Wherever we can make a positive connection when there’s not a crisis, that helps build that trust, and people call us sooner, before something escalates, or even before
HEARD SEEN&
Heard
Triphammer Marketplace ownership announced that a new restaurant, NouNou’s Authentic Lao-Thai, will be opening soon in the former Rose restaurant space.
Seen
Ithaca Police responded to a report of a dispute on the afternoon of May 27 and found a victim who had been physically assaulted and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. O cers discovered that unknown subjects had thrown items at the victim while he was walking on the Commons, the victim confronted the subjects and the subjects then physically attacked him. The two suspects in custody are 22-year old Isaish M. Standish and 30-year-old Marcus Collins.
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 attend Ithaca Festival every year?
I don’t care.
N EXT W EEK ’S Q UESTION : Should school capacity at South Hill Elementary be a concern as plans for SouthWorks take shape? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.
The City of Ithaca Police Department released its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting its crime prevention initiatives, community efforts and an analysis of crime data. (Photo: Ithaca Times File)
The IPD 2025 Annual Report’s crime data shows a 25% decrease in violent crime and a 12% decrease in property crime, compared with 2024. (Graphic source: IPD 2025 Report)
Gallery: Community Celebrates Ithaca Festival’s 49th Year
Ithacans packed the streets for the annual Ithaca Festival parade, kicking off a weekend of Downtown Disco-themed community celebrations.
Photos by Mark Syvertson for the Ithaca Times
Dear Readers:
As part of our expanded commitment to thoughtful, community-centered journalism, the Personal Health section of the Ithaca Times will transition into Health and Sensibility—a monthly series exploring how personal choices, scienti c research, and public policy intersect to shape health and well-being.
e series will feature two distinct formats. Community Voices will provide a forum for engaged citizens and contributors to share personal perspectives, experiences, and opinions on health-related topics. ese essays will include the following disclaimer: “Community Voices essays are contributed by outside authors. Views expressed are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily re ect those of the Ithaca Times.”
In addition, Perspectives from the Times will feature interpretive and analytical pieces produced by the Ithaca Times, continuing the longstanding journalistic tradition of informed commentary, reporting, and editorial insight.
Together, these features aim to foster informed dialogue, critical thinking, and deeper community engagement around the issues that in uence our collective wellbeing. is week, we are featuring Health and Sensibility: Community Voices—O ered by Dr. Julie Wegener, NYS Assemblymember Anna Kelles and NYS Senator Lea Webb regarding e New York Health Act.
CommunityVoices
The NY Health Act Would End Corporate Greed in Healthcare
By Julie Wegener, MD
As a physician, I have witnessed up close the cruelty and racism inherent in our pro t driven healthcare system. Today, we are facing a major healthcare crisis, with looming devastating cuts to Medicaid and ACA (A ordable Care Act) subsidies. On July 1st, nearly a half million New Yorkers will lose coverage under the Essential Plan. To prevent inevitable tragic consequences, we need major reform: e New York Health Act. e New York Health Act would guarantee comprehensive universal a ordable publicly nanced healthcare for every New Yorker. It would cover medical, surgical, hospital, dental, vision, hearing, mental health, reproductive health, prescription drugs, diagnostic tests and even long term care. ere are no premiums, deductibles, copays, networks, prior authorizations or medical bills. Everyone, including our elected o cials, will be on the same plan as the rest of us. New York Health Act bene ts will be guaranteed by law. New Yorkers will automatically have their healthcare covered by a public fund, nanced by a progressively graduated tax based on ability to pay and replacing private insurance. e rst $25,000 of a person’s income, or the rst $50,000 of those on Medicare, will be exempt. Our children are automatically covered. Insurance companies currently charge the same premiums and deductibles whether you are a CEO or a low wage employee, resulting in millions of insured New Yorkers forgoing care. Under the New York Health Act, all care will be free at the point of service, just as we have free public schools, public libraries, and public re departments.
Numerous economic analyses by academic researchers and the Rand Corporation demonstrate that we would save money with the NY Health Act. Almost all
New Yorkers will spend less in NY Health taxes than we do currently on premiums, deductibles and copays, and the care will be far more comprehensive. We will save about $60 billion per year that is currently spent on insurance company pro ts, including executive salaries and advertising.
Also gone will be the huge administrative costs spent by doctors and hospitals ghting with insurance companies. Having the entire state on the same plan will give us power to negotiate much lower prescription drug costs. ese savings will cover the cost of caring for the uninsured, paying providers more and covering long term care services. Doctors, hospitals and other providers will be better treated under the New York
Health Act. With no insurance companies to ght with, you and your provider will make decisions without interference. e New York Health Act requires by law that healthcare providers be paid substantially more than Medicare and Medicaid. Providers will be paid in full by New York Health. Physicians recognize the cost in time and money of ghting with insurance companies to allow appropriate care. Unions won’t have to bargain for health plans, sacri cing wages and other bene ts. Artists and other freelancers won’t have to work at additional jobs in order to a ord healthcare.
Julie Wegener, MD. (Photo: Provided)
Wegener: Continued on next page
Why I am a Co-Sponsor of the New York Health Act
By Anna Kelles New York State Assemblymember
As a scientist and public health researcher, I view healthcare and environmental health as deeply interconnected. Our health is shaped by the conditions in which we live just as much as what happens in a doctor's office. The quality of our air and water, access to nutritious food, stable housing, transportation, preventative care, and freedom from chronic financial stress all play a significant role in determining long-term health outcomes. That is why I support the New York Health Act.
New Yorkers are spending enormous amounts of money on healthcare, yet too much of it is diverted into administrative overhead, corporate profits, and a fragmented insurance system that leaves both families and municipalities financially strained. Within municipalities, local governments and school districts are struggling under the rising cost of employee health insurance, forcing difficult decisions about whether to raise taxes or cut staffing and public services.
According to a white paper authored by health economist, Dr. Cheryl Cashin and League of Women Voters healthcare specialist, Dr. Judith Esterquest, the New York Health Act would replace this inefficient and economically wasteful private insurance structure with a universal system focused on care, prevention, and long-term public health outcomes. The New York Health Act would free up substantial resources for individuals and families, as well as schools, counties, and municipalities, allowing them to redirect investments toward infrastructure, education, public safety, housing, and other community
Wegener: Continued from previous page
In my entire career, I have never identified any reason health insurance companies should even exist. They are corporate entities motivated to generate profit. Sadly for our collective health, they fulfill that mission remarkably well. Americans are so accustomed to this model that it feels normal, at least until we become ill or incur debt. We are the only nation with medical bankruptcies, most of which occur in patients who have insurance. Senator Gustavo Rivera, Chair of
CommunityVoices Why I Believe that Health Care is a Human Right
By Lea Webb New York State Senator
The year surrounding childbirth holds some of life’s most profound moments: a baby’s first cry, a first smile, a first step. But for too many mothers in New York, that time is also marked by fear, trauma, and systemic failure. This is a maternal health crisis that demands urgent action.
priorities, while guaranteeing comprehensive healthcare coverage for every New Yorker and helping avoid tax increases.
The New York Health Act would guarantee comprehensive healthcare coverage for all New Yorkers while reducing administrative waste and lowering overall healthcare costs for most households. It recognizes healthcare as essential public infrastructure, not a privilege tied to employment or income. At a time when communities are facing growing environmental, economic, and public health challenges, we need systems that prioritize prevention, stability, and human wellbeing. The NYHA is one step toward building a healthier and more equitable New York.
Dr. Anna Kelles is a member of the New York State Assembly (Democrat) representing the 125th District, including Tompkins County and the southwest of Cortland County. She earned a PhD in Nutritional Epidemiology at The University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. Contact her at: www.nyassembly.gov/member/ Anna-R-Kelles.
the NYS Senate Health Committee and bill sponsor of the NY Health Act, said, “The obscenity of someone going broke because they got sick is a daily reality.”
We have free public education, parks and libraries. School districts don’t ask for a credit card to enroll your child. Fire departments don’t send a bill for extinguishing a fire. Why is healthcare different? Why is healthcare treated as a profit making commodity rather than a public good? Why must people stay in job—or marriages—just for the health
Studies consistently show that Black mothers are more likely to experience postpartum depression or anxiety; yet, few are ever diagnosed or connected to mental health services. Black women are 60% more likely to develop preeclampsia. In New York State, Black women are up to five times more likely to die during childbirth than their white counterparts. Women in healthcare deserts and rural communities face their own crisis: maternity wards closing without notice, OB-GYNs in short supply, and prenatal care that is hours away.
New York should be a place where every person, regardless of race, zip code, or income, can access the care they deserve. That means confronting the systemic barriers that have long pushed BIPOC communities aside and corporate profit ahead of people’s health.
Insurance companies make billions while denying care and increasing premiums. BIPOC communities, rural families, and lowincome New Yorkers suffer the most under our current system. The New York Health Act is a critical step toward changing that, cutting out middlemen and ensuring that care is available based on need, not wealth. Health care is a human right, and we must ensure that the policy we pass in this space uplifts historically marginalized
insurance? Why do we need Go Fund Me to finance healthcare? Why do we allow people to die from preventable diseases? This cruelty is unique to our current system.
Our state legislators, Senator Lea Webb and Assemblymember Anna Kelles are cosponsors and strong advocates for the New York Health Act. It is heartening to know they support this lifesaving, humane and cost saving bill. Contact them with questions, a healthcare story you would like to share, or to get involved in spreading the
groups who have faced years of medical discrimination. The New York Health Act moves us toward a system where every resident can access comprehensive care and I am proud to support this important legislation. Equitable health systems are a moral obligation, we can and must do better for our mothers and their children.
Lea Webb is a member of the New York State Senate (Democrat), representing the 52nd District which includes all of Tompkins and Cortland counties and a portion of Broome County. She has a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience from SUNY Binghamton and has long been a staunch advocate for workers rights, reproductive care and community based economic development. Contact her at: www.nysenate.gov/senators/lea-webb
Editor’s Note: Health & Sensibility–Community Voices essays are contributed by outside authors. Views expressed are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the Ithaca Times
word about the New York Health Act.
Julie Wegener, MD is a retired physician and a board member of the NY chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program. Board certified in both Family Medicine and Psychiatry, she practiced both specialties and taught psychiatric aspects of medical illness in three Family Medicine residency programs. She is a long time advocate for health justice. Also a classically trained pianist, she lives in Ithaca, where she teaches piano.
Anna Kelles, New York State Assemblymember (Photo: Provided)
Lea Webb, New York State Senator. (Photo: Provided)
Abortion Pill Telehealth Access Preserved, Tompkins County Health Officials Keep Public Informed
By Lorien Tyne
On May 22, Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) issued a statement clarifying that Mifepristone, commonly known as the abortion pill, remains accessible to the public via telehealth and mail.
e Federal Drug Administration (FDA) expanded access to Mifepristone in 2021, li ing previous in-person dispensing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to BBC. In 2023, the FDA permanently li ed the in-person requirement, meaning doctors could send the drug to patients without seeing them in person.
In early May 2026, the Fi h Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily reinstated the in-person requirement to access the drug. Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro, the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture Mifepristone, asked the Supreme Court to intervene and allow continued access while the case continues. As of now, the U.S. Supreme Court has preserved mail access to the drug.
Mifepristone continues to be accessible
in person, through telehealth and mail order. Mifepristone is a synthetic steroid that blocks the hormone progesterone, which is needed for a pregnancy to continue, according to TCWH. e pill is safe and e ective for use to terminate a pregnancy of up to 10 weeks of gestation. e court cases at hand only discuss Mifepristone and do not a ect access to other abortion pills or “Plan-B,” which is an emergency contraceptive and does not induce abortion.
Jennie Sutcli e, commissioner of Tompkins County Whole Health, said in a statement to the Ithaca Times that there is some confusion about current court cases and status of access to Mifepristone.
“We took the opportunity to address that head on and let the public know about local access to important reproductive health services,” Sutcli e said.
“As the county’s public health department, we see our role as providing accurate information and providing clarity around situations that may lead to misinformation on important health topics,” Sutcli e added.
In New York, abortion is legal up to 24 weeks of pregnancy and a er 24 weeks if
Personal Health Briefs
Upcoming Blood Drive in Tompkins County
Tompkins County, the American Red Cross and Lifelong are collaborating to host a blood drive on June 9. Individuals can donate blood from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m at the Library Place Community Room at 105 West Court Street in Ithaca. County o cials ask that attendees use the North Cayuga Street entrance across from Dewitt Park.
“Tompkins County, as an organization, is committed to strengthening our community and helping meet hospital and patient needs through blood donations,” said Geo Dunn, blood program leader and community preparedness coordinator for the Department of Emergency Response. Individuals who would like to donate can schedule an appointment by calling 1-800-733-2767 or by signing up at RedCrossBlood.org using the sponsor code “ithacacares” and selecting the June 9 drive in Ithaca. Everyone giving blood in June will receive a $15 e-gi card.
Donors with all blood types are needed, especially O negative, A negative and B negative, according to the county’s drive announcement.
“We urge community members to donate blood and help ensure that patients in local hospitals have a supply of blood ready and waiting before an emergency
an individual’s health or pregnancy is at risk. Minors do not need parental permission to get an abortion, birth control, prenatal care, or other reproductive healthcare services.
For more information about local and state abortion access, individuals can visit TCWH’s webpage on the topic or go to the New York State Abortion Hub.
TCWH advised the public to contact a healthcare provider for up to date information about Mifepristone. Planned Parenthood of Greater New York’s Ithaca Health Clinic can be contacted at 607-273-1513 and the NYS Statewide Abortion Hotline can be contacted at 212-899-5567 for information about abortion resources and access.
Individuals should be cautious of fake abortion clinics or “crisis pregnancy centers,” which are places that try to prevent people from having abortions or using contraception. ese facilities are generally not healthcare providers and therefore are not subject to the same laws, such as HIPPA. TCWH’s website has information about how to identify a crisis pregnancy center.
arises,” Samantha Kodey, account manager for the American Red Cross said. “ e short amount of time it takes to donate can mean a lifetime to a patient with a serious medical condition.”
TCWH Alerts Community of Tick Bites, Lyme Disease
Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) released a notice to the community for Lyme Disease Awareness Month, warning about the dangers of contracting Lyme Disease and other illnesses from tick bites. TCWH reported that in 2025, the county saw a large spike in tick-borne illnesses in the summer and so far in spring 2026 there have been above average tick-related illnesses.
Ticks can transmit over seven types of illnesses and can vary in symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, headaches and rashes, according to the notice. Only the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, called deer ticks, can
Tompkins County Health officials recently issued a statement clarifying local access to Mifepristone, commonly known as the abortion pill. (Photo: Getty Images)
“ ere are crisis pregnancy centers in Ithaca and neighboring areas,” Sutcli e said. “We keep the community informed about where they can go to access the supportive, inclusive care they seek and provide information on our website of where to go to access accurate information on abortion services in NYS.”
To nd a real abortion provider, individuals can access resources listed on the O ce of the New York State Attorney General’s website.
For 24/7 mental health and emotional support, dial or text 988 (1-800-273-8255).
spread Lyme disease to humans. e notice said that Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in New York and there is no vaccine for the disease for human use.
TCWH says to take caution and prevent tick bites by following the “ABCD” method: Avoid, Bug spray, Check for ticks and Dress for prevention.
TCWH Director of Community Health Services Rachel Buckwalter said in the notice that people are more likely to encounter ticks in warmer weather because they live in lawns, parks and forests.
“Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases are very serious and debilitating illnesses that can be easily prevented by taking proper steps,” Buckwalter said. “ e common rule is that if a tick has been attached to you and is engorged (body of tick is larger, lled with blood), you should consult your healthcare provider about their recommended next steps.”
New Book Chronicles Big Red Championship Season
By Steve Lawrence
I’d like to inform Cornell lacrosse fans that while the 2026 season is in the rear-view mirror, a new book has been released by ree Hills — an imprint of Cornell Press — that will reignite the thrill that swept across Big Red Nation a year ago.
I want to share some details about “ e Long Red Line” — written by noted lacrosse authority Christian Swezey — but I would rst like to circle back to his book from 2022. In “We Showed Baltimore” (also published by ree Hills), Swezey went into great detail about the college lacrosse revolution of the 1970s. at revolution was sparked in large part by a bold move executed by the athletic administration, one seen as risky by many. at sentiment faded quickly.
In the late 1960s, the legendary Ned Harkness coached both lacrosse and hockey for the Big Red, and the hockey team had recently completed what is
still the only undefeated season in Division 1 hockey history. e lacrosse team was — as was virtually every other team in the Northeast — an a erthought, as the Baltimore area was, and always had been, the Center of the Lacrosse Universe. Maryland, Virginia, John Hopkins.., all were head and shoulders above the rest of collegiate lacrosse, and had stacked up virtually all the national titles.
One of the ery players from Maryland’s 1959 national championship team was a young man who had grown up on Long Island and had been a part of some powerhouse programs. Richie Moran knew how to win, he thrived on winning, and while he was tough, a stint in the Marine Corps took that toughness up a few notches and added a layer of discipline. A er his military service, Moran went back to Long Island, became a high school coach, and fanned the ames to build the area into a legitimate lacrosse hotbed. Cornell took a chance, hiring the 32-year old ball of re, and most know how that turned out: Moran’s master-
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ful use of the Long Island lacrosse pipeline produced three national titles, a (stillstanding record) 42-game win streak, and a complete makeover of the NCAA lacrosse landscape, as many other coaches followed his formula for success.
“We Showed Baltimore” o ers a great look into the scope of that transformation, and “ e Long Red Line” looks at the process that brought the Big Red back to the top of the mountain. It looks back at the numerous near misses, as Cornell made it to the title game a few times, but could not pull it o . e book details that magical 2025 season — and the convergence of personalities and events leading up to it — and I want to provide a few teaser quotes to encourage lacrosse fans to give this a read.
“Cornell lacrosse entered the 2025 season with one objective: To end a 48 year championship drought. What followed was a season of grit, heartbreak and redemption — a relentless march through
Top lacrosse authority releases a new book offering an inside look at Cornell’s thrilling 2025 national championship season. (Photo: Provided)
Arts&Entertainment
“Hijas” Traces Four Generations of Argentine Women
By Barbara Adams
June is a great month for festivals in Ithaca, and the next one kicks o ursday, June 4 at the Kitchen eatre Company — this year’s Finger Lakes New Works Festival, co-produced with Walking on Water Productions. e inspiration of Courtney Young Socher, the month-long event debuted last year with ve shows, including workshop versions of two musicals being fully produced here this month.
Executive artistic director Socher is an associate professor of theater and dance at Ithaca College; festival co-founder and producing artistic director Gavin Mayer is her IC colleague and department chair. For the past four years they have been collaborating on the idea of a festival that presents new work by performing artists.
“New theatrical works are expensive to develop and take time,” Socher says, “and producers are wary of investing too much. Having a festival here, away from New York City — a sandbox for artists to create in — allows the work to develop as it deserves. It’s a much more sustainable model. We have a great infrastructure in this area — resources, talent, space to create, and a delightful place for others to come to and collaborate.”
In 2016, in her rst weeks at Ithaca College, Socher met playwright and professor Saviana Stanescu, who’s now writing the book for their upcoming musical,
“Daughters (Hijas).” eir alliance on this work began that same year.
As a grad student at Penn State, Socher had been stunned by an exhibit she saw in Venice while on a summer class excursion.
e work, “Identidad Desaparecida” (“Recovered Identity”), by celebrated Argentinian glass artist Silvia Levenson, honored Las Abuelas (grandmothers) of the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires and the thousands of children taken from their biological families during the devastating Argentinian military regime of 1976 to 1983.
“ is was right before moving to Ithaca,” Socher says. “I was shocked and embarrassed that this had happened during my lifetime and I had so little awareness of South American history.” at fall, she proposed to Stanescu that they collaborate on a musical about the children of the disappeared, dispersed and unaware of their parentage, and the e orts made to reconnect families through DNA testing.
Stanescu soon brought her longtime friend Julián Mesri, an Argentinian-born American composer and musician, into the project. All three collaborators agreed that they didn’t want to dwell on the trauma of historical events but rather prove enlightening and upli ing. By focusing on the relationship and bonds among four generations of women, Mesri says, they hoped to give them back agency that had been taken away.
Much like Socher, Mesri, whose parents lived under the dictatorship, was inspired
The 2nd Finger Lakes New Works Festival Events:
“Daughters (Hijas).” Co-created by Julian Mesri, Saviana Stanescu & Courtney Young Socher. June 4-14. Thurs.Sat. 7:00 p.m.; Sun. 2:00 p.m. Kitchen Theatre, 417 W. MLK/State St. After-show talkback open to the public on Sat. June 13 with Ithaca College professors Jonathan Ablard (history, emphasis Latin America) and Annette Levine (world languages, emphasis Latin American and LatinX literature and theatre).
“Stepping Into Her Shoes,” a free staged reading by Kathleen Mulligan, excerpts from her new work on Roosevelt’s Labor Secretary Frances Perkins. Tues. June 9, 7-8:30 p.m. Dillingham Center, Ithaca College.
“In My Own Little Corner: The Film.” With Chryssie Whitehead. June 10, 7-9:00 p.m. Park Auditorium, Roy H. Park School of Communications, Ithaca College.
“Flourish,” by Lauren Taslitz Kahane & Danny Ursetti, a free family-friendly work in progress. Sat. June 13, 3-5:00 p.m. Clark Theatre, Dillingham Center, Ithaca College.
“Framing Ménerbes.” By Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company. Film screening, conversation, & reception. Wed. June 17, 7-8:30 p.m. Park Auditorium, Roy H. Park School of Communications, Ithaca College.
“Lilies, the Musical.” By Gavin Mayer & Eric Leigh; based on the revolutionary prison drama by Michel Marc Bouchard. Thurs.-Sat. June 18-27, 7:30 p.m. Matinees 2:00 p.m. June 20, 21 & 28. Kitchen Theatre. Aftershow talkback on Fri. June 26, open to the public.
All tickets may be purchased at https://www. ngerlakesnewworksfestival.com/2026-season-1.
by a political art exhibit; this one on the abuelas at New York’s Museo del Barrio. Each photo of a disappeared woman or man was hung next to a mirror in which the observer could compare faces, and the show helped a number of people who saw similarities to recover family members.
“It’s important to still tell this story for lots of reasons,” Mesri says, “especially as many people in the U.S. only know a few elements or just saw ‘Evita.’ ese were real people, not just symbols — protestors and students actively being part of change. eir story will suggest some of those in the U.S. protesting today, getting detained and disappeared.”
Romanian-born Stanescu’s connection to the historical events is also close: she was a college student activist in the streets in 1989 during the successful revolution against the totalitarian Ceaușescu. “I approached writing the script through personal relationships,” she says, “creating the characters rst. Mariana is the name of my own mother; actually, many names are similar in Romania and Argentina. I made the father a formerly persecuted Romanian to suggest the connection of dictatorships and rebellions across geographies.”
Stancescu admits, “I haven’t been able to write about my own political experience, relieve those moments. Like Mari-
ana, I don’t want to think about the past.” As a result, she says, “this work represents me more than most of my other plays.” e play’s narrative features ve women: Mariana, her adoptive mother Beatriz (whom she believes is her birth mother), who was actually Clara, a revolutionary student who died in prison. Now in the U.S., Mariana wants little to do with her Argentinian past, while her daughter Andrea is determined to seek it out, right up to connecting with her mother’s grandmother, Claudia, an abuela of the Plaza de Mayo. Andrea is assisted by her divorced gay Romanian father, Bogdan. e action shi s between Buenos Aires in the 1970s and New York and Argentina in 2018. Beyond the six key actors, a ve-person ensemble or chorus — all Ithaca College performance majors — lyrically represents the protestors and disappeared. In two key dance numbers, choreographer and co-producer Priscilla Hummel moves them metaphorically, once as molecules in a DNA strand. She also incorporates several Latin dance styles that re ect what was popular in Argentina in the late ’70s — tango and salsa, but also bachata, merengue, and cumbia. Mesri mixes in the sounds of Argentinian
Isis Jarnicki de Carvalho (Claudia, Beatriz), Erica Reyes (Clara), Francisca Mũnoz (Mariana) and Sabina Lueres (Andrea) star in “Daughters (Hijas)”.
Juda Bennett Releases “Qtopia: A Memoir of Love, Land, and Liberation”
By Mikayla Rovenolt
Juda Bennett, a professor emeritus of English at the College of New Jersey and member of the Lavender Hill and e Cabin communes in Ithaca, recently released his novel “Qtopia: A Memoir of Love, Land, and Liberation,” published by University of Wisconsin Press. Bu alo Street Books will host an author reading with Bennett on June 4 at 6 p.m.
Qtopia is a memoir that follows Bennett’s escape from a military family in suburbia into the back-to-the-land movement, which began in the late 1960s and focused on rural living and self-su ciency. According to the book’s description, “chronicles the e orts it took for him to ‘drop back in’ to mainstream society and the ways in which he and his compatriots continued to honor their communal vision.”
According to Bennett, he found what he didn’t know he was looking for at Lavender Hill, a rural queer commune on the outskirts of Ithaca. As Bennett puts it, “they built something messy, luminous, and de antly alive.”
“ e book was a long time in the making, and my last book gave me a taste of writing a memoir,” Bennett told the Ithaca Times. “I wrote that with friends, and we all sort of helped each other think about how to tell our stories. Even though that last book was
PERSONAL
BRIEFS
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For more information about ticks, proper tick removal and tick identi cation, individuals can visit the TCWH website. Individuals and organizations can contact the county’s Community Health Services at 607-274-6604 for more education on ticks and preventing tick-borne diseases.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Shares
Information About Extreme Heat Resources
Cornell Cooperative Extension is warning the community of expected high temperatures this summer and spreading
called ‘ e Tony Morrison Book Club,’ it really is a memoir, more than anything. With that kind of training experience, I thought it was time. ‘I know I have a lot of stories. How do I frame those stories?’”
Bennett framed those stories through the lens of a chosen family, one that he says has lasted over 50 years. He added that the story is about his time living on three communes, two in Ithaca and one in Virginia.
“I wanted to really convey is how exciting that time was for being able to reinvent yourself,” Bennett said, “for being able to abandon the old ways of how people had to live, especially in relation to sexuality, gender, class, all the expectations were thrown out the window. And we really supported each other in reinventing everything, and so it was an extraordinary time.”
According to the book’s description, “when the commune began to unravel, they didn’t vanish. ey evolved. Qtopia is a story of chosen family and radical transformation. It is a reminder that queer utopia isn’t behind us—it’s still out there on the horizon, singing its song of joy, de ance, and fabulousness.”
“One of the questions I get asked over and over again is, ‘When did it end?’”
Bennett said, “And I've never been able to convince people that the more interest-
awareness about what resources are available locally.
In a May press release, CCE Communications Manager David Foote said that during Heat Safety Awareness Week from May 18-22, the region experienced its rst days over 90 degrees this year, motivating the organization to share resources with the public.
Foote said that while Ithacans enjoy outdoor activities, extreme heat can be dangerous and has a higher mortality rate than any other weather-related hazard. He highlighted a few resources for Ithacans to know about this summer season.
Applications are open for the New York Essential Plan Cooling Program, which provides a free air conditioner or fan for
ing question is ‘What did it become?’ or ‘What are the new versions of that utopic experience?’ [...]Utopia is still possible, it just looks di erent.”
When thinking about why he wanted to write this book, Bennett said it was in his conversations with young people that he was inspired.
“I get asked ‘How did you do it?’ And there’s so much excitement in the voice of young people,” Bennett said. “ ere are a lot of people who will say it’s not possible. It was a di erent time, money constraints, time constraints. e world is di erent, and I want to say it wasn’t possible back then either. But we did it anyway. ere
those who qualify. Eligible applicants include those who are enrolled in NY State of Health’s Essential Plan, experience a health condition made worse by heat or request installation at an address on le with NY State of Health.
Foote said the CCE Smart Energy Choices team can share information about the state program, help individuals determine if they are eligible and assist in the application process.
e New York Department of Health o ers a tool to nd local cooling centers, which are facilities where people can cool o during extreme heat, at health.ny.gov/ environmental/weather/cooling.
e city of Ithaca is conducting an indoor air quality survey to ask local rent-
were so many people saying you can’t do that back in the 70s, and we did it anyway.”
Bennett is also the author of four academic books and numerous essays, short stories, and poems. He is a coauthor of the group memoir “ e Toni Morrison Book Club,” also published by University of Wisconsin Press.
For more information visit https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/Q/Qtopia
ers “What are summer temperatures like in rental housing?” Renters can submit their experiences to help the city determine maximum temperature standards for apartments. e survey can be found at communityfeedback.opengov.com/portals/ithacacityny/Issue_14959.
e City of Ithaca is conducting an indoor air quality survey in order to collect responses to the question “What are summer temperatures like in rental housing?” Local renters are welcome to share their experiences in order to help the city understand local needs and determine maximum temperature standards for apartments. Submit responses at communityfeedback.opengov.com/portals/ ithacacityny/Issue_14959.
Buffalo Street Books will host an author reading on June 4 featuring Juda Bennett for his newly released novel. (Photo: Provided)
Juda Bennett is the author of “Qtopia: A Memoir of Love, Land, and Liberation.” (Photo: Provided)
“Backrooms”: Lose Yourself in This Modern Creepypasta Masterpiece
By Clement Obropta
Furniture stacked floor to ceiling. Utility poles sunken into the carpet. Sofas disappearing into solid walls. This is the “backrooms,” a liminal labyrinth of sickly yellow wallpaper and fluorescent lighting that seems to go on forever, which forms the backdrop of A24’s latest theatrical horror experience.
Directed by Kane Parsons, “Backrooms” unfolds in the 1990s, in the basement of Cap’n Clark’s Ottoman Empire, a floundering furniture store run by failed architect Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor). It turns out, the “More Downstairs” sign that hangs in the back of the store is more right than Clark knows — there’s a lot more downstairs, as the store contains a hidden portal to an architecturally impossible series of rooms, hallways, and dead ends. Sort of like those New York apartments where tenants find a whole room behind their bathroom mirror, except this one comes with roving monsters.
Clark’s therapist, Dr. Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve), can’t quite believe it, but he rapidly becomes obsessed with mapping this otherworldly dimension. And then he disappears altogether, and the good doctor goes looking for him.
Casual audiences might be caught off-guard by the legions of 20-somethings
“Backrooms”
Rated R
Directed by Kane Parsons
Currently playing at Cinemapolis and Regal Ithaca Mall
120 E Green St., Ithaca and 40 Catherwood Road, Ithaca
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planted and the unveiling of the plaque is planned to take place in October 2026, and in conjunction with Indigenous Peoples Day.”
For their countywide promotion and
showing up for this psychological horror film as though it’s another “Minecraft Movie.” Indeed, the appeal of “Backrooms” is difficult to summarize for the uninitiated. 4chan users first developed the concept of the backrooms in 2019, and soon thousands of users across the internet were adding to its horror and lore with images, stories, and short films. Parsons, then a high school student learning how to use the 3D animation software Blender, adapted the concept into a YouTube series in 2022, garnering millions of views. A24 began courting him three years ago for a big-budget adaptation. Today, at 20 years old, Parsons is the youngest filmmaker to helm a movie that hit number one at the box office.
“Backrooms” is the latest and greatest example of a YouTuber crossing over into Hollywood, hot on the heels of the Philippou brothers’ “Talk to Me,” Markiplier’s “Iron Lung,” and Curry Barker’s “Obsession.” It might have the A24 branding on it and boast producer credits for Osgood Perkins (“Keeper”), Shawn Levy (“Stranger Things”), and James Wan (the “Conjuring” franchise), but the film retains the unmistakable analog horror roots of Parsons’ original vision. For a film industry that’s so desperate for hits that it’s producing unnecessary legacy sequels, uninspired IP grabs, and reheated “Star Wars” TV episodes for the big screen at dizzying rates, “Backrooms” represents a fresh opportunity to tap into an existing fanbase of millions online and bring a unique artist’s voice to a mainstream audience.
Parsons might not have invented the backrooms concept, but he understands how to wrangle this massive multimedia creepypasta into a fun, scary, and immensely entertaining 110-minute feature.
tourism outreach, Visit Ithaca received $8,000 to coordinate and promote America250 activities across Tompkins County. The initiative will include creating a dedicated America250 website landing page, expanding event promotion through social media and local media outreach, and producing video assets to highlight celebrations and heritage tourism oppor-
Newcomers needn’t worry — “Backrooms” spends its first half introducing and testing its central concept before breathlessly sprinting through it in its second half.
The score, which Parsons composed alongside Edo Van Breemen, perfectly captures that backrooms vibe of half-remembered empty corridors and unsettling vacant lots, often sounding like musical instruments being dropped at random. The practical and digital sets, from Oz Perkins collaborators Danny Vermette, Alan Derksen, and Trevor Johnston, successfully capture the eeriness of Parsons’ original Blender creations.
As the lost-at-sea manager Cap’n Clark, Chiwetel Ejiofor is brilliant. He effortlessly shifts between pitiable furniture store salesman, manic conspiracy theorist, and the middle-distance stare of Colonel Kurtz from “Apocalypse Now.” You completely buy him as a miserable man whose whole life becomes quickly consumed by the backrooms. He’s living in his own store at night after his wife has kicked him out of his house. He has no friends, nowhere to go, and nothing left to lose.
“Sentimental Value” star Renate Reinsve co-stars as his therapist. Only her second
tunities throughout the county.
As the official tourism promotion agency for Tompkins County, Visit Ithaca will launch its dedicated America250 webpage visitithaca.com/america250 on June 1. Community organizations, municipalities, nonprofits, businesses, and event organizers are encouraged to submit public events to be included in the centralized calendar.
role in an American production (after “A Different Man”), “Backrooms” probably gives Reinsve far less to chew on than your average Joachim Trier script. But she rocks some incredible ’90s fashion and takes center stage in the film’s terrifying climax, when she’s running through mazes of perverted rational architecture in a sequence that recalls the original “Texas Chain Saw Massacre” in its giddy terror. Kids of the ’90s and 2000s likely understand implicitly the disquieting nowhereland of the backrooms. We’ve spent our lives in the ruins of the homogenous office buildings, expansive malls, and outlet stores of another age. “Backrooms” is merely a mirror of the dead malls of our lives, a perfect Lovecraftian concept for the retail apocalypse era. Parsons’ film uses that indelible setting to explore the crippling loneliness and isolation of the modern capitalist world. “Backrooms” is unnerving, but like Clark, it’s easy to see the hideous, haunting beauty of the maze. The more we see, the less we seem to understand.
Clement Obropta is a film columnist for the Ithaca Times.
Visit Ithaca partners directly with I Love NY to promote eligible local events and activities on the statewide America250 and Path Through History platforms.
Additional details about America250 activities and promotional opportunities in Tompkins County will be announced throughout 2026.
Dr. Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve) enters the backrooms. (Photo: IMDb/A24)
The Talk at LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
By Ithaca Times Readers
Moving Day Brings Finger Lakes Community Together
“Positivity and a sense of unity radiated among those present in the Ithaca region earlier this month, as the Parkinson Foundation hosted its third annual Moving Day Finger Lakes event on May 2nd at Stewart Park. Focused on movement as a key strategy for managing Parkinson’s disease, the event brought together the PD community—including patients, care partners, and medical professionals—to support one another, share experiences, and celebrate the power of togetherness. The camaraderie on display reinforced the importance of hope, movement, and community for those navigating the challenges of PD.
Local professionals, including Sean Murray, a physical therapist of Geneva, and Dr. Lara Shigo of SUNY Cortland, demonstrated exercises attendees can do at home to help their PD. We engaged as many community support groups as pos-
sible, including Parkinson’s Pals at Cornell University and Parkinson’s People in Ithaca. All our volunteers came from groups at Ithaca College, Cornell University, and SUNY Cortland. Their efforts were supported by a generous donation of bagels and coffee from Ithaca Bakery, which fueled our team and demonstrated their commitment to the local community. This tremendous support reflected the region’s care and concern.
This event is vital for progressing the Parkinson’s Foundation’s mission and highlights the resilience of the Ithaca and Central New York communities, emphasizing the importance of unity. Despite the sunny yet frigid day, the region united in strong support for the growing number of individuals affected by PD. The Parkinson’s Foundation expresses gratitude to all participants, organizers, and service providers who contributed to the event’s success and support of the PD community.” — Analyse Adams, event coordinator for Parkinson’s Foundation
Support New York Health Act
“With much health care tied to employment now threatened by AI, we desperately need the incredible advantages of the New York Health Act. If you are just learning about the New York Health Act it might sound too good to be true: It would provide ALL necessary
medical care to ALL New York residents funded by a fair graduated tax, state and federal funds. How is this possible? The New York Health Act would redirect the current enormous flow of tax dollars away from insurance companies and their executives’ salaries and toward the health care needs of all New Yorkers. It would eliminate the present huge expenditure of time and energy on bureaucracy that maximizes insurance company profits and would free up time and energy for quality, guaranteed health care. Please let your representatives in Albany know your strong support for S3425/A1466!” — Ruth Yarrow, Ithaca NY
Supporting Concern Regarding Fireworks
“In response to Gertrude Noden's Letter to the Editor dated May 27, 2026… I am in full support of your concerns regarding the use of fireworks in our community! Fireworks are outdated, harmful to wildlife, and our human health. God blessed us with our beautiful community where nature abounds. Let’s all work together to keep it healthy and vibrant!!!”
— Linda Weaver, Ithaca NY
Disappointment For ICSD BOE Election Results
“As I reflect on the results of the recent Board of Education election in the Ithaca City School District, I want to thank Dr. Sean Eversley-Bradwell for his outstanding 14 years of service and leadership. I was privileged to serve on the Board with him and to learn from him from 2015 to 2024. Dr. Eversley-Bradwell is the epitome of not just grace under pressure but of intelligence, wisdom, and empathy.
I certainly understand Dr. EversleyBradwell’s decision not to seek another term, but his withdrawal highlights the precipitous decline in diversity on the ICSD Board. What used to be a remarkably diverse body is now a shadow of its former self. As a former teacher as well as Board member, I am deeply disappointed in the results of the May 19th BOE election. As a proud member of the Ithaca Teachers Association for many years, I was dismayed at the ITA Action Committee’s failure to endorse Madeline Cardona.
Ms. Cardona spent the past year diligently tackling the steep learning curve that faces all new Board members. She brings a different and very much needed background and perspective to the work. As a single Latina mother, she knows what it is to struggle financially in Ithaca and she knows what it means to worry about her children being marginalized and discriminated against in our schools. She has worked to advocate for her own children and for others like them.
For the second year in a row, Ms. Cardona had the courage to run for the Board, which involves submitting written statements and speaking publicly in forums, all of this in a language which is not her first.
I would have thought those involved in deciding the ITA’s endorsements would understand the need for diverse voices on the Board, not just for the students but for the staff. These endorsements have a large impact on the outcome, and it shows in Ms. Cardona’s defeat.
As they work to serve all the students in the ICSD, I urge the continuing and new Board members to remember the examples
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The Enduring Voice of Steve Jobs — 2005
Curated by Roy Allen: Director of Strategic Partnerships — Ithaca Times, Finger Lakes Community Newspapers, www.ithaca.com
Many voices have helped to shape the nation we call America. This week we feature Steve Jobs: Inventor, business wonderkind, co-founder of Apple Computer and early pioneer in the personal computer and cell phone industries. Jobs was also a keen investor (Pixar) and a generous — though thoughtfully quiet — philanthropist. He died tragically at the age of 56 from a rare form of cancer known as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. Jobs was a big fan of focusing on your dreams and doing what it takes to make them happen.
Steve Jobs: Stanford Commencement Speech — Palo Alto, California 2005
I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.
The first story is about connecting the dots. I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out? It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: “We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?” They said: “Of course.” My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a
few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college. And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.
It wasn’t all romantic. I didn’t have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends’ rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on.
Let me give you one example: Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the
The Declaration of Independence: A Promissory Note
By Charley Githler
Last month we looked at the connection between the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of Sentiments generated at the Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls in 1848. While the Declaration of Sentiments invoked and mimicked the Declaration of Independence as a strategic choice, using the logic of the original document to make the point that women are endowed with the same unalienable rights as men, interpreting the Declaration of Independence as a moral standard for the United States has a long and continuing history.
On August 28, 1963, more than a quarter million people gathered near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., spread along the sides of the thenunpainted reflecting pool, to participate in the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. During Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech — one of the most celebrated speeches of the 20th century — he declared that his dream was based on the American dream:
“In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our Republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and th e Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men — yes, black men as well as white men — would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…”
By invoking the Declaration, Dr. King was making clear that he wasn’t looking to upend the American political order, but urging instead that the United States live up to its founding creed. The image of those founding ideals being a promissory note that had yet to be redeemed is one that has long been a theme in our political life.
Abraham Lincoln famously revered the Declaration of Independence, and its
principle of equality anchored his political philosophy. As early as his Peoria, Illinois speech in 1854, he referred to its language: “If the negro is a man, why then my ancient faith teaches me that ‘all men are created equal’ ”. Better known are the echoes of the Declaration in the Gettysburg Address, in which he calls ours a nation “conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” His description of the United States government as being “of the people, by the people, and for the people” may be as concise a description of the Declaration’s principles as is possible. I grew up outside of Rochester, and graduated from a public high school in 1974, and yet I had no exposure until after high school to what was probably the most important speech ever given in Rochester. On July 5, 1852, Douglass gave his “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July” speech.
“What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license…
It’s the same theme of the promissory note being unredeemed. The nation is being held to its original ideals and coming up short.
American politicians of every stripe have used the Declaration to evoke a shared national identity. It’s an appeal to the enduring ideas of equality, shared freedom, and a democratic destiny. It’s used by figures as disparate as Calvin Coolidge (“If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are created with unalienable rights, that is final…no progress can be made beyond these propositions.”) and Franklin Roosevelt (“We hold this truth to be self-evident — that government in a modern civilization has certain inescapable obligations to its citizens.”).
(Photo Source: Biography)
Only In Tompkins
By Charley Githler
N EWS ITEM: According to census data released in January that covers the five-year period from 2020-2024, Tompkins County, New York ranks as the third-highest nationwide for educational attainment, with 34.8% of residents age 25 or older holding a graduate or professional degree. The rankings include the 613 U.S. counties with a population of 100,000 or more. Let’s eavesdrop in a local eatery and see what the third-smartest might look and sound like…
Scene: The counter at a popular downtown diner in Ithaca, New York. It’s breakfast time on a Wednesday, and the stools are occupied by the regulars — a cross section of Tompkins County’s working stiffs. Arnold Schoenberg’s opera Moses und Aron is crackling over the speakers. Humming along is Dr. Avery Colden, a post-doctoral scholar specializing in the lyric poetry of Heinrich Heine. She’s working the counter and waiting on several booths besides, and her waitress uniform bears evidence of a busy shift. She’s just slid an order of home fries in front of Shane Cornstarch, a customer wearing a Mr. Tire Auto Service jumpsuit.
2025 ANNUAL REPORT
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an incident or crime happens,” Kelly said. “We put a big emphasis on building trust.”
Kelly said the department’s goals for 2026 are to expand the Violence Interrupter and CARE programs, put more attention toward community engagement and work to reduce theft through a new larceny prevention program in collaboration with local businesses.
“HIJAS”
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folklore and rock nacional as well. “Most of the songs were written during workshops,” he says, grateful for these sessions that allowed a fuller development. “In New York, you have to scrounge to get actors for a day, much less a week. Here, it was a game-changer to work with Ithaca College students, who are so open and have such
CORNSTARCH: Ah! Solanum tuberosum! And à la Provençale, too! Thanks, Doc.
COLDEN: Not a problem, hon! Where’s your little co-worker buddy?
CORNSTARCH: Didn’t you hear? He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to continue his ground-breaking work in petroleum replacement techniques at the Mr. Tire in … get this … Arlington County Virginia! The smartest county in America!
An appreciative murmur ripples down the counter at the mention of Arlington County.
COLDEN: I guess that paper you two presented at the Royal Society did the trick, huh?
CORNSTARCH: (Holding up a skewered home fry.) Indubitably.
COLDEN: Did I hear something about a certain committee in Stockholm?
CORNSTARCH: Bah! Those fools wouldn’t recognize a significant breakthrough if it bit them in the gluteus maximus.
KYLE BRISKET: (Another customer, wearing a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches, half moon reading glasses and a rayon baseball hat with a ‘Dandy Mini Mart’ logo on it. He raises a single
CHRONICLES BIG RED
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adversity that tested every ounce of resolve.” I particularly love the quote from team captain CJ Kirst, who established himself as one of the greatest players ever to play the game: “Well done is better than well said.”
Having co-authored “It’s Great To Be Here,” Richie Moran’s autobiography, I know a thing or two about Cornell lacrosse. Swezey’s knowledge and insight
great ability to sing, dance, and act.”
The collaboration — Stanescu’s book, Mesri’s music and lyrics, and Socher’s directing — as a three-way venture from the very start was a first for Mesri. The entire team was propelled by their commitment to the musical’s themes: seeking identity, integration and assimilation, generational conflict, mother/daughter bonds — above all, Socher says, “the bloodlines that speak and the lifelines that connect.”
eyebrow.) You talking about “Postmodern Materialism: Inductive Relativism and the Deconstruction of Synthetic 10W-30 in the Toyota Rav4”? I read that piece of tripe. Your basic assumptions were fundamentally flawed.
CORNSTARCH: (Standing up and dumping his home fries in the process) This is an outrage! You…you Lotto-ticketpeddling miscreant, I oughta …
BRISKET: (Also standing up) Bring it on, tire-jockey.
CORNSTARCH: That’s ‘Doctor’ TireJockey to you, Mr. Still-Can’t-Finish-HisThesis-After-Nine-Years! “A Study of the Chemical and Physical Properties of the Weeks-Old Hot Dog”. Ha!
There’s a chorus of “tsk, tsk”s as all heads are turned to watch the unfolding drama when, suddenly, the diner door swings open and a stranger walks in. Everybody freezes. It’s a middle-aged man wearing a ‘Syracuse Rocks!’ T-shirt. It’s unspoken but well-known that Onondaga County didn’t even crack the top 250 smartest counties. For a moment, there is absolute silence, and the regular customers shoot each other side glances. Finally, Dr. Colden collects her wits and picks up a special menu … one with simple words written in bold type and pictures of all the menu items. Cornstarch and Brisket ease back into their chairs, sheepishly.
COLDEN: (approaching the newcomer and steering him toward a cushioned booth) Good morning … me waitress …
dwarf my own, and his books are so well done on so many levels. I look forward to what’s coming next.
Thanks to Ithaca High’s athletic department for the timely and thorough updates they have been providing. The season is over for most athletes, but three Little Red tennis players have advanced to the State Quarterfinals. That includes two studentathletes who will compete at the state championship tournament at the iconic USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis
WE THE PEOPLE
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Thomas Jefferson himself saw the Declaration of Independence as more than a document addressing the needs of the political moment of the summer of 1776. He instructed that “Author of the Declaration of independence” be engraved on his tombstone, without any mention of his having been the third president of the
you sit down?
The new customer nods nervously and hands Dr. Colden a wrinkled piece of paper on which is written “My name is Cletus. One cheese omelet, pre-cut, with wheat toast and coffee in a sippy cup. No sharp implements, please!”
COLDEN: (nodding and maintaining eye contact) I’ll be right back with your order and a nice bib. Now don’t you go anywhere.
Back at the counter, there is a minor sensation. One of the customers, in a Wegmans uniform, has managed to prove the Hodge Conjecture on the back of a napkin. He is shrugging modestly as if to say “no big deal” when the front door bangs open and a breathless young woman bursts in.
BREATHLESS YOUNG WOMAN: Quick, everyone! There’s not a moment to lose! They’re giving away grant money on the Commons!
Pandemonium ensues. Chess pieces fly everywhere. Pages of manuscripts flutter to the ground. The door proves to be a bottleneck but after a mad scramble the only person left, blinking, confused, and waiting for his omelet, is the poor visitor from Onondaga County, at best the 279th brainiest county in the land …
FADE OUT.
Center in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens.
From IHS: “Seniors Jonah Jacobstein and Orion Patie captured the doubles title at the State Quarterfinals, securing their place at the Boys Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing on Friday, June 5. Ninth grader Henry Bopp also delivered an impressive performance, finishing fourth overall in singles competition at the State Quarterfinals.”
United States. To him, the preamble was a statement of the basic ideals that ought to guide a democratic society.
The rhetorical legacy of the Declaration shows that we have come to revere its language as a foundational statement of our political faith. It’s been an important part of our political dialogue since our independence from Great Britain, and continues to be so as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of its signing.
of those who no longer sit at the table with them.” —
Moira Lang, Ithaca
NY
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normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture, and I found it fascinating.
None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it’s likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do.
Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later. Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. My second story is about love and loss. I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling
Ulysses Sole Municipality With Contested Primary
“There will be a Councilperson Candidates’ Forum moderated by the League of Women Voters from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at the Trumansburg Fire Department, 74 West Main Street.
out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him.
So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating. I really didn’t know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down — that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over. I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the world's first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it.
Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and
Rich Goldman and Keith Hannon will appear on the June 23 primary ballot as Democratic candidates for Town of Ulysses Councilperson. The winner will advance to the general election in the fall. Questions to both candidates may be submitted to lwvtompkins.info@gmail. com until 6 p.m. on June 6.” — Cynthia Mannino, Trumansburg NY
better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle. My third story is about death. When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right”. It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn’t even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor’s code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you’d have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.
I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I’m fine now. This was the closest I’ve been to facing death, and I hope it’s the closest I get for a few more decades.
Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept: No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else’s life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960’s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions. Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. Thank you all very much. SJ Next week, we will celebrate Denzel Washington — actor, producer and director — by reading his “Fall Forward” speech at Dillard University in 2015.
artist Andi Pisacano on June 20th and 27th from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. | Free
Film
Bars/Bands/Clubs
6/12 Friday
Sunset Music Series Presents
Doug & Eamonn Hubert | 3 p.m. | Wagner Vineyards, 9322 State Route 414
Sunset Music Series Presents Evan
Dillon | 5 p.m. | Wagner Vineyards, 9322 State Route 414
Live Music - The Time Riders |
6 p.m. | Hopshire Farm and Brewery, 1771 Dryden Road
6/13 Saturday
Cruel Summer | 3:30 p.m. | Treleaven Wines, 658 Lake Road
Harry Nichols Live | 4 p.m. | Brewers Taproom, 10 Pinckney Rd
Cruel Summer — Forever Starts
Tonight | 5:30 p.m., 658 Lake Rd, King Ferry
Harry Nichols Live — 6/13 | 6 p.m., 10 Pinckney Rd., Ithaca
Concers/Recitals
6/10 Wednesday
Short Films Screening and Conversation with Sarah Hennies | 6 p.m. | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street
THIS WEEK Music
Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St
6/11 Thursday
Beginnings Summer Concert Series | 5 p.m. | Bernie Milton Pavilion, Center Commons | Free
Ithaca Concert Band | 7 p.m. | Stewart Park, 1 James L Gibbs Drive
6/12 Friday
Dark Star Orchestra | 6:30 p.m. |
Beak & Ski Apple Orchards, 2708 Lords Hill Road
An Evening with CAKE at Beak & Ski (Lafayette, NY) | 6:30 p.m. | Beak & Ski Apple Orchards, 2708 Lords Hill Rd., Lafayette
My Road to Auburn | 7 p.m. | Auburn Public Theater, 8 Exchange St. | $15.00 Tres Cordes | 7:30 p.m. | Arnot Art Museum, 235 Lake Street | $40.00
6/14 Sunday
Science Connections: Tune Together | 2 p.m. | Sciencenter, 601 1st St.
The Inner Crazy | Sunday Afternoon Live in King Ferry, NY | 3 p.m. | Northville Arts Center, 999 State Route 34B | Free
The Voice of the Lute at Lansing Area Performance Hall | 4 p.m. | The Savage Club Performing Arts Center, 1004 Auburn Road | Free
6/16 Tuesday
An Evening with Wilco | 5 p.m. | Beak & Ski Apple Orchards, 2708 Lords Hill Road
Stage
Meredith Willson’s THE MUSIC MAN | 7:30 p.m., 6/10 Wednesday | Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway | The M&T Bank 2025-26 Broadway Season presents Meredith Willson’s THE MUSIC MAN Wednesday – Thursday, June 10–11, 2026 @ 7:30 p.m. Tickets starting at $48.
Daughters (Hijas): A New Musical | 7 p.m., 6/11 Thursday | Kitchen Theatre Company, 417 W. State / W. MLK, Jr. Street | A New Musical at Kitchen Theatre Company | $15.00 - $30.00
The Shark Is Broken (Live Theatre) | 7:30 p.m., 6/12 Friday | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St |
One Slight Hitch | 7:30 p.m., 6/12 Friday | Cider Mill Stage, 2 Nanticoke Ave | One Slight Hitch by Lewis Black It’s Courtney’s wedding day, and her mom, Delia, is making sure that everything is perfect.
Comedy Improv Show starring the Puzzled Players | 8 p.m., 6/12 Friday | Puzzled Players Comedy Improv Theater and Training Center of Greater Binghamton, 19 Madison Avenue | Zany, interactive and fun! | $15.00
Ithaca Pride All Ages Dance Party | 7 p.m., 6/13 Saturday | Bernie Milton Pavilion, Center Commons | Ithaca Pride All Ages Dance Party | Free
DISCLOSURE DAY
FRIDAY, JUNE 12 AT 7:30 P.M. AND
SATURDAY, JUNE 06 AT 7:30 P.M.
Cinemapolis, 120 E Green St. | If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? This summer, the truth belongs to seven billion people. We are coming close to Disclosure Day. (Photo: Provided)
One Slight Hitch | 7:30 p.m., 6/13 Saturday | Cider Mill Stage Cider Mill Stage, 2 Nanticoke Ave. | One Slight Hitch by Lewis Black It’s Courtney’s wedding day, and her mom, Delia, is making sure that everything is perfect.
Science Connections: Tune
Together | 2 p.m., 6/14 Sunday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St. | Join Tune Together for an engaging and interactive musical concert! Tune Together is a youth-led organization dedicated to inspiring and empowering younger generations through the power of music.
Participatory Contra, Square, and Circle Dancing | 7 p.m., 6/15 Monday | Ithaca Commons |
Art
Lin Price: How To Get From Here To There Exhibit | 12 p.m., 6/11 Thursday | The Gallery at South Hill, 950 Danby Rd., Ithaca, NY at the South Hill Business Campus | Free
Nature Journaling with Joel Popp | 10:30 a.m., 6/13 Saturday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Connect with the natural world around you, using art to focus on your own questions, thoughts, and observations.
Three Bears Still-Life Flower Painting Class | 6 p.m., 6/15 Monday | Three Bears Ovid, 7175 Main Street | Two free 1.5 hour watercolor painting classes in Papa Bear taught by local
Short Films Screening and Conversation with Sarah Hennies | 6 p.m., 6/10 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Join composer, percussionist and scholar Sarah Hennies as she shows two of her works, “Falsetto” (30min, 2019) and “Passing” (8min) and leads a Question and Answer session.
History Bu s’ Book Club | 6:30 p.m., 6/11 Thursday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St. | Do you enjoy history?
Join us at the library to discuss Humorous History. We choose the topic, You choose the book! Contact the library with any questions!
The Shark Is Broken (Live Theatre) | 7:30 p.m., 6/12 Friday | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St.
World Cinema at Lifelong — Spring 2026 Film Series | 1:30 p.m., 6/16 Tuesday | Lifelong, 119 W. Court St. | World Cinema Spring 2026 –12-Session Film Series: April 7 – June 23, 2026 - 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Framing Ménerbes: FILM
SCREENING, CONVERSATION, and RECEPTION | 7 p.m., 6/17 Wednesday | Ithaca College, 201 Muller Center | Back in Ithaca by Popular Demand! Filmed in France by NYC dance artist/ lmmaker Daniel Gwirtzman. WATCH
THE TRAILER! Read More to VIEW | $12.51
Cinemapolis
120 E Green St, Ithaca
New movies opening the week of June 10. Contact Cinemapolis for showtimes and continuing lms.
National Theatre Live: The Playboy of the Western World| Pegeen Flaherty’s life is turned upside down when, on a normal
day, a young man walks into her pub claiming that he’s killed his father. Instead of being shunned, the killer Christy Mahon becomes a local hero. The welcome murderer wins hearts and races as he beds himself into village life. That is until a second man unexpectedly arrives on the scene.
Caitríona McLaughlin (Artistic Director of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin) directs Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton), Éanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) and Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls) in John Millington Synge’s riveting story of youth and self-discovery. | NA 147 mins
Disclosure Day | If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you? This summer, the truth belongs to seven billion people.We are coming close to … Disclosure Day. | NA 162 mins
The Little Sister | One Show Only-GLOBAL LENS — Fatima, 17, the youngest of three daughters, treads carefully as she searches for her own path, grappling with emerging desires, her attraction to women, and her loyalty to her caring FrenchAlgerian family. Starting university in Paris, she dates, makes friends, and explores a whole new world, all while confronting a timeless and heartrending dilemma: How can one stay true to oneself when reconciling di erent parts of one’s identity feels impossible?| NA 106 mins
A Room With A View|June 16 Only!A ROOM WITH A VIEW is one of the greatest—and most romantic—romantic comedies ever made. A young, independent-minded Edwardian woman (Helena Bonham Carter) is torn between her feelings for a free-spirited romantic (Julian Sands) she meets on vacation in Florence and the priggish intellectual (Daniel DayLewis) to whom she becomes locked into an engagement with back home. An Academy Award-winning adapta-
(Photo: Provided)
tion of the novel by E. M. Forster, A ROOM WITH A VIEW was written by James Ivory (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME). It was a massive box o ce hit that helped to propel more traditionally arthouse fare to the mainstream. Newly restored by Shout! Studios, the movie has never felt more stunning. | NA 117 mins
Special Events
GO ITHACA Open Hours | 2 p.m., 6/11 Thursday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Our program makes sustainable commuting accessible and a ordable for everyone.
Beak & Ski | 6:30 p.m., 6/12 Friday | Beak & Ski Apple Orchards, 2708 Lords Hill Road | DSP Shows Presents: Dark Star Orchestra June 12, 2026 Beak & Ski | Lafayette, NY darkstarorchestra.net Performing to critical acclaim for over 20 years and over 3000 shows, Dark Star Orchestra
An Evening with CAKE at Beak & Ski (Lafayette, NY) | 6:30 p.m., 6/12 Friday | Beak & Ski Apple Orchards, 2708 Lords Hill Rd, Lafayette | DSP Shows Presents: Dark Star Orchestra June 12, 2026 Beak & Ski | CrossFit Cortland Co ee Run and Tasting Tour With Local Roasters | 8 a.m., 6/13 Saturday | CrossFit Cortland and CFC Nutrition, 165 Main Street | Join us for a ca eine-fueled jog around town, sampling the best brews from local roasters — a workout for your taste buds! | $33.85
Ithaca Pride Festival Opening Events | 3 p.m., 6/13 Saturday | Bernie Milton Pavilion, Center Commons | Ithaca Pride Festival — Opening Events | Free
Barnyard Bonanza: Cows | 4 p.m., 6/16 Tuesday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St | Join our special guest, 2025 Cortland County Fair Queen
Court, as they share stories, craft, and activities all about COWS. This program is geared towards ages 4–8. Registration is required.
Books
History Bu s’ Book Club | 6:30 p.m., 6/11 Thursday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St | Do you enjoy history? Join us at the library to discuss Humorous History. We choose the topic, You choose the book! Contact the library with any questions!
Claire Drucker Poetry Reading | 6 p.m., 6/12 Friday | Protagonist Books and Co ee, 8 West Main Street | Claire Drucker will read from her book The Life you Gave Me and share from her new work written in response to erased words under the current administration. | Free SVHC Poetry Slam | 7 p.m., 6/12 Friday | Ake Gallery, 165 Main Street, #Suite 14L | The vibe of an open mic + your poetry performed + community = Poetry Slam. Proceeds bene t the programs of Seven Valleys Health Coalition | $12.51 Trans Center Book Club | 1 p.m., 6/13 Saturday | Bu alo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Join us to discuss Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg! A book club hosted by the Ithaca Trans Center. | Free Poetry Reading with Claire Drucker | 4 p.m., 6/13 Saturday | Buffalo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Join us for a poetry reading with Claire Drucker! | Free Comic Book Club of Ithaca | 6:30 p.m., 6/16 Tuesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | The Comic Book Club of Ithaca — the oldest continuously running comic book club in the country — is a registered non-pro t organization. LET’S READ + TALK ABOUT CLIMATE — CLIMATE LIT DISCUSSION GROUP | 4 p.m., 6/17 Wednesday | Bu alo
Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Join our community-led conversation about climate change, as we discuss Theory of Water: Nishnaabe Maps to the Times Ahead by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson! | Free
Kids
Helping Teens Thrive: A Parent Discussion Series | 6 p.m., 6/10
Wednesday | The series, Helping Teens Thrive: A Parent Discussion Series, is part of the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) and o ers practical, strengths-based strategies for navigating common challenges that arise during adolescence | Free Story + Craft | 4 p.m., 6/11 Thursday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Story + Craft is our weekly reading + creating event for children! Join us for a read-aloud, followed by art-making or a guided craft.
Spanish Storytime | 4 p.m., 6/12 Friday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St | Children of all ages and their caregivers are welcome to join us for Spanish storytime — songs, rhymes, stories, and crafts - completely in Spanish!
ICG Drop-In Discovery Days | 10 a.m., 6/13 Saturday | Ithaca Children’s Garden, 121 Turtle Lane | A free Saturday Summer series designed for nature explorers of all ages. Materials and sta will be available to support your exploration as you enjoy handson, themed activities at your own pace. | Free
Second Saturday Family Fun: Dinosaurs | 10:30 a.m., 6/13 Saturday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St | Get ready for Summer Reading with DINOSAUR stories, songs, snacks, craft and activities! Program geared to ages 3-7 yrs. but all families are welcome. Registration is required.
Father’s Day nature, laser tag | 1 p.m., 6/14 Sunday | Fantasy Forest LLC,
99 Smith Rd. | Join us for a spectacular Father’s Day!Admission — $40 for 1 adult, & 2 children you’ll get to do 2 rounds of laser tag. You may purchase an extra round for $20, and it is $10 per any additional person. | $40.00
Science Connections: Tune Together | 2 p.m., 6/14 Sunday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St | Join Tune Together for an engaging and interactive musical concert! Tune Together is a youth-led organization dedicated to inspiring and empowering younger generations through the power of music.
Journey of Water — Free Summer Science Programming for Kids and Families | 2 p.m., 6/14 Sunday | Various, various | Explore the ways that water moves through our lives with the Community Science Institute. Free summer programming for kids and families. Go to communityscience. org/journeyofwater/ for schedule and to register. Kids get a passport to stamp at each program and can get a free t-shirt. | Free Sit! Stay! Read! | 3 p.m., 6/15 Monday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St | Children are invited to practice their reading skills by sharing a story with a truly non-judgmental listener — a dog! Reading sessions will be held Mondays from 3-4 p.m.
Tanglewood Nature Center | 3:30 p.m., 6/15 Monday | New eld Public Library, 198 Main St | Tanglewood Nature Center will visit the New eld Public Library for an interactive presentation with animal ambassadors. | Free
Free Family Bingo Every Tuesday Night | 6/16 Tuesday | Ice Cream Bar, 207 E. Main St. (Rt 96 |
Notices
The Midweek Session | 4 p.m., 6/10 Wednesday | NRE Space, 402 W. State St | The Finger Lakes CannaMarket is
adding Wednesdays. Starting April 29, join us from 4–9 PM for a free midweek 420 market where growers, enthusiasts, and the community connect. | Free Kitchen OPEN | 4:30 p.m., 6/10
Wednesday | We’re excited to share that Hopshire is now o ering a limited menu!
Pet Clinic | 6 p.m., 6/10 Wednesday | Southside Community Center Gym, 305 S Plain St | Pet Clinic
Succulent Wreath Workshop at Brewers | 6 p.m., 6/10 Wednesday | Brewer’s Kitchen & Taproom, 1384 Dryden Rd | You’re going to want in on this amazing succulent wreath project!
Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency Neighborhood Investment Committee Mtg | 9 a.m., 6/11 Thursday | Common Council Chambers, 3rd Floor City Hall 108 E Green St |
Master Gardener Volunteers’ Montour Falls Plant Sale | 4 p.m., 6/11 Thursday | Montour Falls Fireman’s Field, 301 Clawson Blvd | Join CCE Schuyler’s Master Gardeners for an afternoon full of Plants, Garden Decor, Plant Merch and Food at at new location: The Montour Falls Farmer’s Market at Fireman’s Field! | Free
Travel Talks | 6:30 p.m., 6/11 Thursday | New eld Public Library, 198 Main St | Join us at the Library to hear about other peoples’ travel experiences and share your own! From river cruises to camping to time shares, get inspired for your next vacation or reminisce about your favorite trip with a group of travel lovers. | Free
Karaoke with Elephant Sound | 8 p.m., 6/11 Thursday | 23 North Restaurant and Bar, 23 Cinema Dr | Show o your singing chops every Thursday night during “Karaoke Night” at 23 North in Ithaca! Great food, great drinks, great FUN! | Free
SVHC Poetry Slam | 7 p.m., 6/12 Friday | Ake Gallery, 165 Main Street,
#Suite 14L | The vibe of an open mic + your poetry performed + community = Poetry Slam. Proceeds bene t the programs of Seven Valleys Health Coalition | $12.51
Saturday Market | 9 a.m., 6/13
Saturday | Steamboat Landing, 545 3rd St. | Our Saturday Markets are now outside at the pavilion. Find us each week at Steamboat Landing.
Summer Tree ID Walk | 10 a.m., 6/13 Saturday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | Learn to distinguish one tree from the next and about forest ecology. This tour will teach how to identify tree species using leaves, bark, and seeds. | $20.00 Pride in the Park 2026 | 10 a.m., 6/14 Sunday | Ithaca Dewitt Park, Ithaca Dewitt Park, Ithaca Dewitt Park, Ithaca Causes, Dewitt Park, N Cayuga St | Join us for local vendors, food, community resources, and a full day of stage performances.
Poses With Purpose-Yoga bene tting Lodi Whittier Library | 10 a.m., 6/14 Sunday | Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, 9224 New York 414 | Enjoy a morning of yoga in the vineyard at Lamoreaux Landing while supporting Lodi Whittier Library! Tickets $20 cash/Venmo at the door. | Free
Growing Well Together | 5:30 p.m., 6/16 Tuesday | Ithaca Community Gardens, Cayuga Park Lane | Meet at the Ithaca Community Gardens pavilion to enjoy a free yoga class, learn how to grow your own vegetables, or join a walking group! | Free Community Line Dance | 7 p.m., 6/16 Tuesday | Foundation of Light, 391 Turkey Hill Rd | Community Line Dance lessons
Show Tunes Singalong! | 8 a.m., 6/17 Wednesday | St. Luke Lutheran Church, 109 Oak Street | In conjunction with and supporting Ithaca Pride Alliance — an evening of music, laughter, and community in celebration of Pride Month.
THE LITTLE SISTER
SUNDAY, JUNE 14 AT 2:30 P.M.
Cinemapolis, 120 E Green St. | GLOBAL LENS — Fatima, 17, the youngest of three daughters, treads carefully as she searches for her own path, grappling with emerging desires, her attraction to women, and her loyalty to her caring French-Algerian family. Starting university in Paris, she dates, makes friends, and explores a whole new world, all while confronting a timeless and heartrending dilemma: How can one stay true to oneself when reconciling di erent parts of one’s identity feels impossible? (Photo: Provided)
THE VOICE OF THE LUTE AT LANSING AREA PERFORMANCE HALL
SUNDAY, JUNE 14 FROM 4 P.M. TO 5 P.M.
The Savage Club Performing Arts Center Groton, NY | Join NYS Baroque’s Young Artist, Pedro Sperb, for an engaging and accessible concert that brings the earliest music for plucked strings to life. Through captivating performance and storytelling, discover how these instruments shaped the music we love today no prior knowledge needed.Free and open to the public just come and enjoy! (Photo: Eventbrite)
800/Services
HYPNOTHERAPY & SHAMANIC HEALING IN ITHACA
End old habits. Heal the mind and spirit. Create positive change in your life! Devin Ryback is a healer and certified clinical hypnotherapist with 14+ years experience. Book your free consultation today. Call or Text: (845) 238-8673 Book Online: devinryback.com
ITHACA LOCAL ECONOMY LAB PODCAS
End stage capitalism got you down?
Learn how Ithaca’s radical experiments in community and economics are making a real difference today!
IthacaLocalEconomyLab.com on iTunes and Spotify
DO YOU NEED A ROOF OR ENERGY EFFICIENT WINDOWS & HELP PAYING FOR IT?
YOU MAY QUALIFY THROUGH NEW RELIEF PROGRAMS (800) 944-9393 or visit NYProgramFunding.org to qualify. Approved applications will have the work completed by a repair crew provided by: HOMEOWNER FUNDING. Not affiliated with State or Gov Programs. (NYSCAN)
in Touch - Stay in Touch 125 N. Fulton Street Ithaca, NY 14850
(607)273-4611 • (877) 273-2328 www.alternatives.org
Mortgage Solutions Essay Sponsored Content
For Too Long, Mortgage Rules Have Left Too Many Behind — and Alternatives Federal Credit Union Is Helping Change That
In Tompkins County — like many communities across the country — housing affordability has become an urgent challenge, especially for low-income renters and families seeking stability and a pathway to build wealth. Nearly half of all housing units in the county are renter-occupied, reflecting both a strong rental market and the barriers many residents face in moving from renting to owning.
For many renters, the challenge isn’t just finding housing — it’s keeping up with the cost. A majority of renters in Tompkins County are considered cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. When so much of a paycheck goes toward rent, saving for a down payment, building emergency reserves, or improving credit becomes difficult. Over time, homeownership can feel permanently out of reach.
Traditional mortgage rules — with rigid credit score requirements, steep down payments, and profit-driven underwriting — have historically excluded many first-time buyers, working families, and communities of color from homeownership. These standards often fail to account for historic inequities that have shaped access to credit and wealth, contributing to a persistent racial homeownership gap and fewer opportunities to build generational wealth.
The consequences extend beyond individual households. When large portions of a community are locked out of ownership, neighborhoods lose stability, long-term investment, and civic engagement. Families who could otherwise build equity remain vulnerable to rising rents and displacement.
A Different Model of Lending
Founded with a mission of economic inclusion and community empowerment, Alternatives Federal Credit Union approaches lending differently. As a community development credit union rooted in Ithaca, Alternatives was created to expand access to fair financial services for people historically underserved by mainstream banking.
Instead of relying solely on narrow credit metrics, Alternatives looks at the full financial story of each member, including rental payment history, alternative forms of credit, employment stability, and the broader context of a borrower’s life. This approach recognizes that many financially responsible people do not fit neatly into traditional underwriting boxes.
At the center of this work is Alternatives’ FAIR Mortgage, a product designed specifically to expand responsible access to homeownership.
The FAIR Mortgage: Reimagining Access to Homeownership
FAIR — short for Finance Addressing Inequality and Racism — was designed to address structural barriers embedded in conventional mortgage lending and create a more practical pathway toward ownership.
Key features of the FAIR Mortgage include:
• No minimum credit score requirement
• Eligibility for borrowers earning under 80% of Area Median Income (AMI), or up to 120% AMI for first-generation homebuyers
• Up to 100% loan-to-value financing with no private mortgage insurance (PMI)
• No down payment required, though closing costs still apply; grant funds may help offset some expenses
• Flexible consideration of self-employment income
• Loan terms ranging from 15 to 40 years
Each feature directly addresses barriers that often keep renters from becoming owners. For cost-burdened renters, eliminating PMI can significantly reduce monthly housing costs, while flexible underwriting can recognize years of consistent rent payments that traditional models may overlook.
This innovation matters in a community where many families already spend a large share of income on housing. By lowering upfront and ongoing costs, the FAIR Mortgage creates a realistic bridge from renting to owning while maintaining responsible lending standards.
Building Wealth, Strengthening Communities
Homeownership is more than a milestone; it is a foundation for stability, security, and long-term financial growth. For households historically excluded from mortgage markets, access to ownership can reshape financial futures.
By pioneering products like the FAIR Mortgage and centering human-first lending practices, Alternatives Federal Credit Union is helping rewrite the story of who gets to own a home. Its approach demonstrates that financial institutions can expand access while maintaining responsible standards.
For families who have been told ʼno” — or simply never given a chance — Alternatives offers a path forward, transforming homeownership from a distant aspiration into an achievable goal.
HIGHLIGHTING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENTS IN SCIENTIFIC FIELDS, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIAL SCIENCES
Conservation Paleobiology – Reading the Fossil Record to Guide Tomorrow’s Ecosystems
By Mikayla Rovenolt
Not far from Downtown Ithaca, New York, at the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI), an internationally recognized scientist digs for answers to some of today’s most pressing environmental crises. Dr. Gregory P. Dietl, Curator of Cenozoic Invertebrates and Director of Collections at PRI, and an adjunct associate professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Cornell University, is a leading voice in conservation paleobiology.
is emerging eld uses the fossil record and other geohistorical archives—shells, bones, pollen, sediment cores—to provide the long-term context that modern ecology o en lacks. By studying what ecosystems looked like before and during past environ-
mental upheavals, Dietl and his colleagues help conservationists set realistic restoration goals, assess true human impacts, and plan for an uncertain future.
At PRI, Dietl oversees vast collections of Cenozoic—the past 66 million years of Earth’s history—marine invertebrates while leading research that bridges paleontology and conservation biology. rough exhibits at the Museum of the Earth and collaborations with students and colleagues, Dietl shows how Ithaca-based science is shaping worldwide e orts to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services like clean water, coastal protection, and food security.
“Long-term data help us make more informed decisions,” Dietl said in an interview with the Ithaca Times. “ ink about the stock market: Nobody wants to invest
based only on what happened today. You want to understand the bigger trends over time. In ecology, we o en lack that historical perspective, and conservation paleobiology helps us reconstruct it.”
Conservation paleobiology lls a critical gap. Traditional ecological monitoring covers only decades—too short to capture the full scope of human-driven change. Many ecosystems were already altered by overhunting, deforestation, or pollution long before scientists began systematic surveys.
Fossils and death assemblages (accumulations of recent dead shells or bones) act as natural archives, o ering baselines that stretch back centuries or millennia. As Dietl and co-author Karl W. Flessa wrote in a 2011 review in Trends in Ecology & Evolution, this approach lets scientists “put the dead to work” for conservation policy and practice. eir 2017 book Conservation Paleobiology: Science and Practice (University of Chicago Press), which Dietl co-edited, further solidied the eld’s framework.
Gregory Dietl, Curator of Cenozoic Invertebrates at the Paleontological Research Institute, Ithaca, New York. (Photo: Mark Syvertson)
Dietl)
One of Dietl’s signature projects— the Historical Oyster Body Size (HOBS) project—illustrates the power of conservation paleobiology. HOBS is a collaboration between PRI and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FLDEP) that uses buried shells of oysters to reconstruct the historical condition of Florida’s oyster reefs in protected areas managed by the state. In many places, long-term monitoring data either do not exist or have only recently begun, making it difficult to know how much reefs have changed over time.
The project takes advantage of the fact that dead oyster shells buried beneath living reefs retain a kind of ecological “memory” of past environmental conditions. By sampling these shell deposits, Dietl and his FLDEP colleagues can compare modern oyster populations with reefs that existed decades earlier, with some records extending back to the 1950s. That historical perspective showed that some reefs declined in oyster body size over time, while others remained stable or even increased—patterns that would have remained hidden without the geohistorical record preserved beneath the reefs.
The findings are helping environmental managers better understand long-term reef change and set more informed conservation and restoration goals for the oysters and the ecosystems they support. The HOBS project also highlights a common challenge in conservation biology: the gap between scientific research and its use in management decisions.
“There was a need for historical information on oyster body size to be integrated with existing monitoring data, and we provided that,” Dietl said. “Without it, there simply wasn’t enough information for size— a key indicator of oyster condition—to be
included in the FLDEP’s trend analyses.”
Closer to home, in the Long Island Sound, Dietl is leading an ongoing New York Sea Grant-funded project examining how marine life has responded to decades of efforts to reduce nitrogen pollution in the Sound. Excess nitrogen has long fueled summertime “dead zones” with low oxygen levels, harming bottom-dwelling organisms and degrading habitat conditions. Although water quality improved after major nitrogen reductions were implemented in the early 2000s, little long-term biological monitoring was conducted to determine whether marine life actually responded to those improvements.
To address that gap, Dietl, Cornell Ph.D. student Matthew Pruden, and John Handley from the University of Rochester are analyzing dead mollusk shells collected from seafloor sediments across the Sound. Much like the oyster-shell work in Florida, these shell accumulations preserve an ecological “memory” of past environmental conditions, allowing environmental managers to compare modern habitat conditions with those that existed before restoration efforts began.
Results to date show signs of ecological recovery in parts of eastern Long Island Sound, where low-oxygen events have declined, while some western areas closer to New York City show little improvement despite cleaner water, likely because polluted sediments continue to affect bottom habitats. The project demonstrates how preserved shell records can provide a cost-effective way to evaluate long-term restora-
tion outcomes when historical monitoring data are limited or unavailable.
Dietl added that the Florida oyster and Long Island Sound examples illustrate how he, and other researchers are trying to bridge the gap between research and implementation by tailoring research to the needs of environmental managers.
Dietl’s conservation paleobiology program extends beyond research to include public outreach. His HOBS Project is featured in a Museum of the Earth exhibit.
The exhibit, developed with Jaleigh Goben, a Ph.D. student in Dietl’s lab, and others, shows visitors how paleontological methods inform oyster restoration. Parallel stories are also told: pollen records revealing pre-settlement fire regimes in the western U.S., ancient bird bones predicting extinction risk on Pacific islands, and Adirondack lake sediments reclassifying yellow perch as native rather than invasive.
“This experience led me to pursue a Ph.D. combining conservation paleobiology and science communication, which has since evolved into an interest in the power of conservation storytelling to spark conservation action,” Goben said.
These examples, drawn from Dietl’s broader program at PRI, make abstract science tangible for Ithaca visitors and underscore local relevance. New York’s own lakes and forests benefit from the same toolkit.
Dietl is also passionate about training the next generation of conservation
paleobiologists. He has mentored students at Cornell while helping shape broader conversations about how students should be trained. Working with Tricia Kelley, from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Dietl helped establish the Pathways Working Group, which focuses on identifying the skills needed for careers in conservation paleobiology.
The effort goes beyond traditional scientific training to include skills such as knowledge pluralism—the ability to bring together scientific, local, and other forms of knowledge to improve conservation decisions.
“The hope is for conservation paleobiology to become part of the standard conservation toolkit,” Dietl said. “That will happen as more students bring these approaches into conservation careers and demonstrate their value in practice.”
His work has earned fellowships from Yale’s Gaylord Donnelley Environmental Program and Cornell’s Atkinson Center for Sustainability. Through PRI’s collections Dietl ensures that Ithaca’s scientific resources serve both researchers and the public. As climate change accelerates and habitat loss and biodiversity decline, conservation paleobiology offers hope grounded in evidence. Dietl’s research proves that the past is not just a prologue, it is a practical guide. By listening to the stories preserved in shells and sediments, scientists like him help us restore what we have damaged and protect what remains.
For readers in Ithaca and beyond, his work at PRI reminds us that groundbreaking innovation can happen right here in our backyard, with implications that ripple across the planet. The dead, it turns out, have a lot to teach the living—if we are willing to listen.
Trillions of seashells have accumulated on the cheniers in the northern Gulf of California, in Baja California (Mexico). (Source: www.priweb.org)
One of Greg Dietl’s collections. (Photo: Mark Syvertson)
BackPage
Don’t Let Ithaca Lose Its Storytellers
Imagine the sharpest, most passionate young journalists you’ve ever met (the ones who stay late chasing a story because they believe in this town) slowly packing their bags. Not because they want to leave… but because local rents force them out.
That’s the quiet heartbreak happening right now. Our best new writers, the ones who grew up here or fell in love with Ithaca in college, are being pushed toward cheaper cities just to survive.
The Rising Star Fund rewrites their story into a happy ending by sponsoring a simple monthly housing stipend (a hand up, never a handout) so they can keep living here, keep writing here, keep falling deeper in love with Ithaca… and keep telling the stories that make this city our home.
When a young journalist can afford to stay in Ithaca, you get:
● Fresh, fearless voices loyal to your local paper
● Someone at every city council meeting who believes local news matters
● The next great Ithaca story written by someone who actually lives here
● Your $25, $50, or $100 a month doesn’t just pay their rent.
● It keeps storytellers in our community and stops local brain drain.
● When our younger generation thrives, Ithaca’s future stays bright.
Keep local talent in Ithaca by donating today to the Rising Star Fund (an initiative of Pathways to Equity, Inc a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization) For more info: roy@ithacatimes.com