COMMUNITY LEADER, FORMER CITY ALDERPERSON
HONORED BY SEN. WEBB.
PAGE 3
HEALTHCARE UNION
WAVE CONTINUES AT FAMILY & CHILDREN'S SERVICE
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RESIDENTS RETURN TO ASTERI FOLLOWING MANDATORY EVACUATION
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FEDS INVESTIGATE
CORNELL, SEND EMPLOYEES BIAS SURVEY
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LOCAL RESCUES PREPARE FOR KITTEN SEASON
PAGES 13–15
O
There’s a moment, tucked somewhere between the familiar Ithaca Time headlines and the turning of the page, when a new voice can enter your week. Not a distant, syndicated byline—but someone from here Someone who walks the same streets, shops in the same grocery stores, watches the same seasons change over Cayuga Lake, and carries stories that feel both personal and shared. With that in mind, we’re proud to introduce a new feature: Author of the Week. If you’ve followed our annual Readers' Writes, you already know the depth of talent that lives quietly in this community Each year, those pages arrive like a chorus many voices at once, each offering a glimpse into the creative life of Ithaca But what happens after that moment passes? What becomes of those voices once the issue is archived? Author of the Week is our answer It’s a way of slowing down, of making space—not for many voices all at once, but for one voice at a time Each week, we’ll feature a local writer who previously submitted their writing to Readers' Writes and invite you to spend a few minutes inside their work. Sometimes that will mean a poem—brief, precise, and lingering. Sometimes a short essay or story you can read in a single sitting. And sometimes, it will mean returning the following week for the next installment of something larger - a serial of sortsbeginning one week and ending in a future issue, Because stories don’t all arrive the same way Some are complete in a single breath. A poem that captures the hush of the first snowfall. A memory that flickers and resolves in a page or two These pieces ask only for your attention in the moment—and often stay with you far longer
find yourself wondering what happens next, that’s by design. Together, these forms—poetry, prose, short works, and serialized n a r ra t i ve s c re a t e s o m e t h i n g we h o p e f e e l s b o t h va r i e d a n d continuous. One week may offer a complete experience; the next may leave a thread intentionally unspooled. Over time, you’ll come to recognize certain voices, to anticipate their return, to follow their work as it grows.
That sense of return is at the heart of this feature Author of the Week isn’t just about discovery—it’s about connection. It’s about giving w r i t e r s a p l a c e n o t o n l y t o b e p u b l i s h e d , b u t t o b e r e a
a s t h ey g o.
And then there are the stories that need time Fiction told in chapters. Memoirs that can’t be contained in a single column. Narratives that invite you back—not just for a new voice, but for the next turn in a familiar one These will appear here, too, in weekly installments. If you
You may even notice familiar names—writers whose work first appeared in Readers' Writes, now returning with new pieces, new directions, or longer projects. That’s no accident. This feature is meant to extend that annual moment into a year-round conversation, one writer at a time
For readers, we hope this becomes a small, welcome ritual. A reason to pause. A reason to read something you might not have sought out, but are glad to have found. Some weeks will offer closure; others will invite you back. All of them, we hope, will remind you that the stories worth telling are often closer than we think.
For writers, the invitation is simple: send us your work. Whether it’s a single poem, a short essay, or the beginning of something that unfolds over time, we want to hear from you. This is a space for experienced voices and new ones alike—for anyone with a story to tell and the willingness to share it.
In the weeks ahead, you’ll meet your neighbors in a new way—not across a counter or a sidewalk, but through the cadence of their sentences, the images they choose, the stories they carry Some will make you pause. Some will surprise you. Some may stay with you longer than expected.
That ’s the idea.
A new voice, each week (most weeks)
A familiar place, seen differently.
FOOTNOTE: We will begin with Readers' Writes contributors and grow as resources become available. seen continuing—waiting for to
A story—sometimes complete, sometimes continuing—waiting for you to turn the page. Over the next couple of weeks, we will reach out to former contributors to Readers' Writes; inviting them to submit more of their work for possible publication as an Author of the Week. We look forward to enjoying more creative writing from the region and hope you will too.
Unsolicited submissions will not be accepted. Please be patient as we launch Author of the Week.
By Mikayla Rovenolt
On Wednesday March 18, Senator Lea Webb honored Phoebe Brown during the 2026 New York State Legislative Women’s Caucus Women’s History Month celebration in Albany. Brown is a former City of Ithaca Alderwoman, advocate, and community leader who was recognized for her decades of work uplifting marginalized communities and strengthening local institutions.
Brown joined Senator Webb in Albany for a ceremony hosted by the Legislative Women’s Caucus, an organization of women elected to both houses of the New York State Legislature. Later in the day, Senator Webb introduced a resolution on the Senate floor celebrating women’s history month and honoring all of the women in the chamber for the occasion.
“When I think of unstoppable, I think of Ms. Phoebe Brown,” Senator Webb said in a press statement. “As an alderperson on the Ithaca Common Council, coordinator for the Alliance of Families for Justice, and a lifelong advocate from Harlem to Ithaca, Ms. Phoebe has never stopped fighting for people who are too often unheard. Her leadership is rooted in service and love for her community.
She not only shows up but creates opportunities for others.”
Brown’s career has been centered on community engagement and mentorship, Webb said. She served as Alderperson on the Ithaca City Council from 2022 through 2025 and serves as the central regional coordinator for the Alliance of Families for Justice, a nonprofit supporting families and individuals impacted by the criminal justice system. Previously, Brown served as a Coordinator for the Ultimate ReEntry Opportunity (URO) Mentor Program from 2015 to 2016, helping formerly incarcerated individuals reconnect with their communities and build paths toward stability.
Prior to that, Brown spent more than a decade at Cayuga Medical Center (2001–2015) as a Community Outreach Liaison, where she connected residents with health resources and worked to strengthen relationships between the medical system and local neighborhoods.
Brown has assisted several community boards and local initiatives such as Alternatives Credit Union, GreenStar Community Projects, and Rainbow Healing. She also worked as a community advocate and liaison with Tompkins County Showing Up for Racial Justice and
By Maddy Vogel
T
he Department of Assessment has relocated from its longtime location on East Buffalo Street in downtown Ithaca to 31 Dutch Mill Road in Lansing. The temporary move will improve accessibility, Tompkins County said in a recent statement.
After 56 years at its East Buffalo Street location, the department relocated on Monday, March 16. Tompkins County Director of Assessment Jay Franklin said services were not interrupted by the move.
Tompkins County acquired the department’s new space in August, planning several office relocations in an ongoing effort to build a Center of Government in downtown Ithaca.
Franklin supported the county’s $1.2 million purchase of the Dutch Mill Road property. The county described the location as a “swing space” for county departments during Center of Government construction in a recent statement.
“The relocation of the Department of Assessment is an important step as we continue moving forward with the Center of Government project,” County Administrator Korsah Akumfi said. “We appreciate the community’s patience during this transition and remain committed to ensuring residents have uninterrupted access to the services they rely on.”
Since acquiring the property, Tompkins County’s Facilities and Information Technology
Tompkins County Mutual Aid. Brown is the recipient of the Social Justice Leader Award from Business Leaders of Color, the Cornell Civic Fellowship, the Laura Holmberg Award from the Community Foundation, and the Rere Hassett Award from the Multicultural Resource Center. Brown described her educational journey as “Streetology,” a lifelong study of community, resilience, and lived experience that began in Harlem and continues in Ithaca. She studied substance abuse counseling at Tompkins Cortland Com-
Continued on Page 21
teams have completed improvements to ensure the space supports operations and can adequately serve staff and the public. Tompkins County said the new location offers ample free on-site parking, single-story accessibility, and ease of access for residents to visit in person.
“While we are closing the chapter on our longtime home on East Buffalo Street, we are excited to welcome residents to our new location,” Franklin said. “Our team is committed to ensuring a smooth transition and continuing to provide accurate, responsive assessment services to the community.”
Tompkins County Office for the Aging will also move to Dutch Mill Road in May. Residents with questions about the Department of Assessment relocation can contact the department at 607-274-5517.
THE
Tensions are rising in a decades-long leadership dispute within the Cayuga Nation as Gayog
report being being evicted, harassed and harmed under the current administration, let by federal representative Clint Halftown.
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By Mark Syvertson
“THE INQUIRING PHOTOGRAPHER WANTS TO KNOW: WHO’S A GOOD DOG?”
NOTE: If readers wish to participate in the Ithaca Times’ Inquiring Photographer column, contact Mark Syvertson at marksyvertsonphotography@gmail.com
By Lorien Tyne
Ithaca Common Council advanced a resolution on March 18 to accept a $75,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security for city police.
A resolution accepting the grant will be on the council’s April 8 consent agenda. If the council passes the consent agenda as a whole, it will formally accept the grant, which funds tactical equipment, training, and planning projects that sustain New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services SWAT team standards. Funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) State Homeland Security Grant Program and administered by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES).
Equipment purchases included in the grant description are three helmet mounted night vision binoculars at $22,500; 16 ballistic helmets with communications at $27,500; two ballistic shields at
$6,000; and two small unmanned aerial systems for deescalating high risk encounters at $9,000. The remainder of the grant is allocated to backfill overtime and pay for SWAT operator training.
Assistant city attorney Isaac Gaylord said that because DHS issued the grant in fiscal year 2023, the terms and conditions apply as they were written in 2023 as well.
The council voted 6-3 in favor of moving the resolution forward into April 8’s consent agenda. Alderpersons Patrick Kuehl, Hannah Shvets and Kayla Matos
By Lorien Tyne
Clinicians and support staff at Family and Children’s Service of Ithaca, a mental health and social services provider, launched their union campaign on March 18.
A “supermajority of eligible staff” have signed union cards authorizing the Communications Workers of America (CWA) to represent them in collective bargaining, according to a CWA press release. The union campaign represents workers such as clinicians, nurses, intake clinicians, behavioral health care coordinators, facilities workers, outreach workers and clinic administrative coordinators.
These workers at the Family and Children’s Service of Ithaca are seeking voluntary recognition from the Family and Children’s Board of Directors. If management recognizes the union based on evidence of majority support through authorization cards, there would not need to
be a formal election held by the National Labor Relations Board.
This union campaign is another in a “growing movement” of healthcare workers in Tompkins County, according to the press release. In January, 82% of Cayuga Medical Center nurses voted in favor of joining Cayuga United-CWA. Nurses at Cayuga Health Surgicare clinic and Cayuga Cancer Center also won union recognition in January.
Family and Children’s clinician Calyx Steiner stated in the press release that sustainable working conditions will support staff in building long-term careers while serving the community.
“Workers across healthcare industries are facing increasing pressure to meet the demands of insurance companies at the expense of client care,” Steiner stated. “Our choice to unionize reflects our belief that a new model for providing community based mental health care is possible, without sacrificing the dignity and wellbeing of workers.”
Family and Children’s clinician Kate
voted in opposition.
Matos said she is still concerned about the implications of accepting the grant. She said that the 2023 terms and conditions state that recipients must comply with special reporting, data collection and evaluation requirements.
“What does that mean and what data we may have to turn over to the Department of Homeland Security?” Matos said. “Regardless if this is coming through the state
Cardona stated that the staff working to provide mental health care for the community need to be able to protect their own health and wellbeing.
“For us to offer our clients a sense of hope, agency, self-efficacy, and the possibility of change, we must also experience these ourselves in our workplace,” Cardona stated.
Family and Children’s Service of Ithaca and CWA did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication.
By Philip O’Dell
Following the completion of safety testing, the City of Ithaca li ed its emergency vacate order for Asteri Ithaca on March 20 to allow a phased return for residents.
In a statement, the city said the Vecino Group, the owner of the 118 E. Green St. property, will communicate directly with hotel-housed residents to coordinate a phased return to the downtown housing development. City Public Information Ofcer Alan Karasin said the building’s pressurization system functioned as designed during the March 20 testing.
Ithaca Fire Chief Michael Moody said testing shows the building’s life-safety systems are functioning as designed.
“In addition to the ‘Immediate Life Safety Issue,’ multiple re code violations have been corrected for compliance,” Moody said. “ e Fire Department will continue to monitor the building through inspections.”
On March 4, the city issued an o cial vacate order for oors four through 11 of the building. Fire ghters responding to a routine alarm discovered broken and missing glass in the stairwells and hallways of Asteri Ithaca, a 12-story downtown affordable housing development. e damage compromised the high-rise’s smoke evacuation system and rendered standard re prevention measures unreliable.
Citing state laws that mandate municipalities enforce building safety codes, City of Ithaca o cials determined the structural aws posed an immediate threat to life and safety.
Following the directive, local police o cers went door-to-door to notify residents across all 181 units. e apartment complex, which opened in 2024 and is owned by subsidiaries of the Vecino Group, includes 40 units dedicated to housing formerly homeless individuals.
e city said Vecino’s repairs to the building will include window replacements, unit-speci c upgrades and resolving nonlife-threatening re code violations.
e Vecino Group said the phased return will support an orderly transition and reduce disruption for residents. Following the li ing, reentry started for residents staying at the Quality Inn, while TCAT buses are transporting them from the hotel to the building from 2 to 6 p.m. “Vecino sta will be present onsite throughout the re-entry period to support
residents, facilitate the transition, and address immediate needs,” according to the Vecino Group. “ is phased approach re ects a continued focus on resident health and safety while working to restore normal operations at the community.”
Displaced residents staying at the remaining partner hotels started returning on a site-by-site basis on March 23. Vecino and community partners are notifying residents directly about move-in times and transportation.
According to the city, Vecino will continue daily re watches approved by the Ithaca Fire Department until all remaining code violations are resolved. e department's Fire Prevention Bureau will conduct regular inspections, transitioning to standard periodic inspections once the building is fully compliant.
e city has requested volunteer re police on East Green Street to support safety during the coordinated return process. A police o cer and a patrol vehicle will be stationed nearby for any necessary responses.
Acting City Manager Dominick Recckio said collaboration between the city, service providers, and Vecino was crucial during the process.
Applications for Sustainable Finger Lakes’ spring round of Neighborhood Mini-Grants in Tompkins County are due by April 1. The program provides funding between $150-$750 for initiatives working to make the community more resilient, inclusive or environmentally sustainable. To request an application form, or get more information, email sasha@ sustainablefingerlakes.org.
Gas prices have increased nationwide, with some experts crediting the in ation to tensions in Iran. Ithaca’s average price for regular gas at the start of this week was $3.78, compared to last month’s average price of $3.09.
The Tompkins County Legislature is seeking community members interested in serving on the Tompkins County Ethics Advisory Board. The board has one vacancy for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2029. More information, including downloadable applications, can be found on the county’s website. Applications must be submitted by April 15.
“Ensuring the life safety of the building has been the City’s top priority and the repairs completed have given our team the con dence to li the order to vacate,” Recckio said.
Recckio thanked the Vecino Group, local supportive service providers, and city, county, and state sta and o cials for their assistance over the past several weeks.
e downtown development has been the subject of ongoing community safety and crime reports, culminating in an October 2025 civil lawsuit led by the Downtown Ithaca Development Corporation and the Ithaca Asteri Condominium Board of Managers. e complaint alleges breach of contract and property mismanagement by the building’s owners. According to the lawsuit, residential tenants caused physical damage to the adjoining conference center through res, broken doors, damaged windows, and gra ti. e ling also claims sanitation and health issues, including a Canine Parvovirus outbreak, cockroach infestations, and the daily accumulation of trash, needles, and feces. Furthermore, the suit cites at least 37 separate instances where residential ooding leaked into the conference center.
Through March 27, the Ithaca Tompkins International Airport is holding a donation drive to support TSA employees and their families during the ongoing federal government shutdown. The drive is accepting non-perishable food, household items and gift cards. More information can be found at yithaca. com.
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.”
Does Tompkins County need more solar projects?
74.5% Yes. 21.6% No.
3.9% I don’t care. N EXT W EEK ’S Q UESTION :
Should the Ithaca Common Council vote to accept a $75,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security for city police? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.
By Maddy Vogel
TThe U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) emailed current and former Cornell University employees an optional survey regarding antisemitism and anti-Israeli sentiment on campus as part of a federal investigation into employment discrimination at the university.
In a March 19 email obtained by the Ithaca Times, the EEOC said the survey’s purpose is to evaluate the university’s compliance with federal equal employment opportunity laws, which the EEOC is charged with overseeing.
In a statement sent to faculty and staff later that day, university leadership confirmed that it provided employee information, including email addresses, to the EEOC as a part of “an ongoing bias inquiry.” It didn’t say when the information was requested, but said that the university complied with the mandatory request by providing information it had on file as of August 2025.
Cornell University has faced heightened scrutiny in the second Trump administration. In July 2025, the Department of Education withheld millions in federal funding due to an investigation
into alleged antisemitism on campus. In November, Cornell agreed to a $30 million settlement agreement to restore funding, on the condition that the federal government drop all ongoing investigations and claims against the university.
The survey, which gathered basic employment information, asked employees questions related to antisemitism and religious discrimination, asking participants if they had been subject to any conduct or comments that could be perceived as antisemitic. It asked if employees' working environment was disrupted by antisemitic or anti-Israeli protests, gatherings, or demonstrations, and graffiti or signs depicting anti-Semitic messages or images, such as swastikas.
Cornell students have organized proPalestinian demonstrations on campus, including weeks-long encampments, since 2024. Protests have called for a ceasefire and called on Cornell to divest from U.S. weapons manufacturers providing military aid to Israel. United Nations experts have called Israel’s attacks on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip a genocide. Campus police arrested pro-Palestinian student protesters, and the university suspended four students in an encampment protest.
In 2019, The Cornell Daily Sun report-
By Lorien Tyne
The City of Ithaca Department of Public Works (DPW) will begin its annual spring street cleaning on Monday, March 30 and continue through April.
The city conducts street cleaning each year to prevent debris, leaves and trash from entering storm sewers, which reduces the risk of flooding and protects local waterways. The Environmental Protection Agency also recognizes street cleaning as a practice that keeps pollutants out of lakes, rivers and oceans.
Anyone parking on city streets should look out for “No Parking” signs, which will be posted 24-hours in advance of scheduled work. Signs apply to the full
ed three swastikas found on campus over nine days. In August 2024, the phrases “Israel bombs, Cornell pays” and “Blood is on your hands” were spray-painted on the entrance of Cornell’s primary administrative building on the first day of classes. In January 2025, a statue of Andrew Dickson White on Cornell University campus was spray painted with the phrases “divest from death” and “occupation=death.”
The EEOC survey also asked if employees who had been a part of hiring committees were aware of a rubric or other system used for hiring and promotion decisions, and if they participated in anti-bias training that addressed antisemitism or
religious discrimination while employed by the university.
The survey advised individuals not to complete it during work hours and not to use any equipment provided by Cornell or another employer.
It said that information acquired from the survey may be disclosed to Cornell University if EEOC finds the university violated employment law. The survey required participants to provide first and last names, personal phone numbers and email addresses.
In response to a request for comment on the ongoing investigation, a Cornell spokesperson referred the Ithaca Times to the university’s March 19 statement.
length of the marked block, meaning cars cannot park between signs. The date of work will be written on the signs and all vehicles must be removed from the street by 7 a.m. on that day.
If vehicles are found parked after 7 a.m. on a street scheduled for cleaning, the vehicle will be ticketed and towed at the owners expense so that the DPW crew can complete its work.
The city will use Tompkins SIREN system to notify residents which streets will be cleaned each day if they are subscribed to the “Street Cleaning” notification list. Residents can sign up for Tompkins SIREN on the city’s website.
The first week of street cleaning is relegated to the Collegetown area, coincid-
ing with Cornell University’s spring break when there are fewer vehicles parked in the neighborhood.
More information about street cleaning, SIREN alerts and towed vehicles can be found on the city website, including a full
schedule of which streets will be cleaned each day and unavailable for parking. Questions and concerns related to street cleaning can be addressed by contacting the Streets and Facilities Office at (607) 272-1718.
By Ithaca Times Readers
Re: Clearing out for Spring
“The article lists 5 local non-profits where unwanted items can be donated to support good causes. Also included is Plato’s Closet, a private for-profit store where clothing can be sold, not donated. An additional great place to donate items is the Saoirse Pastures Thrift Shop, 1201 North Tioga Street. Saoirse Pastures is a local farm animal rescue sanctuary. The shop is open Fridays and Saturdays, 10:00 AM until 4:00 p.m., and all proceeds are used to give the rescued animals a happy, healthy life. For more information, visit SaoirsePastures.com.” — Anne Posel, Ithaca NY
“Affordability is the hottest political topic of the day. Our sky-high utilities bill is due to increasing demand from AI, from data centers, and the rising cost of natural gas. Governor Kathy Hochul addresses this affordability issue by claiming that the New York climate law, the Climate Leadership & Community Protect Act, if implemented in its current form will increase homeowners’ annual costs. Yet solar
power with batteries is currently the least expensive, quickest-to-deploy, and fastest growing form of energy. The New York Independent System Operator reports that the rising price of our utilities bills is due to the fluctuating cost of natural gas and from exporting liquified natural gas (LNG). It is a false choice between affordability and continuing to move forward with clean renewable energy. Instead of paying for new gas pipelines like Trump wants and replacing the aging gas infrastructure, Governor Hochul should stop listening to big oil and gas lobbyists and begin to implement the climate law.” —
Richard Buttny, Virgil
NY
“5) Trump has alienated our traditional allies by trying to bully Canada to become our 51st state, threatening to bomb Mexican cartels against the will of the Mexican government, and most alarmingly, threatening to invade Greenland, a protectorate of our NATO ally, Denmark. No wonder they are reluctant to help us in our war with Iran.
4) The destruction of the East Wing of the White House to build a $300 million + ballroom.
3) Trump’s cover up of the Epstein files. Marjorie Taylor Greene said that Trump told her he is doing this to protect his friends.
2) Trump’s defiance of court orders. (Read “The Workaround Presidency: Constitutional Arbitrage” by Rebecca Rowan on Substack for more details.)
1) Trump’s militarized enforcement of deportation laws that have led to the murders of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good and the deaths of at least 32 others in Trump’s concentration camps.
0) The fact that I have another top 5 reasons which I can’t list for lack of space.
The rally will start at 1 pm on Saturday, March 28 on the Ithaca Commons. Bring your anger. Bring your frustration. But most of all, PLEASE KEEP IT PEACEFUL!” — Robin Messing, Ithaca NY
to Attend
“A Third NO KINGS RALLY will be held in many locations throughout the United States on March 28, 2026. In Tioga County residents will participate in a rally in the Tioga County Courthouse Square in Owego at 1pm and those wanting to march can meet in Ahwaga Park at 12:30 to march up Front Street to the Court Street Bridge.
The reasons to attend a rally are many — every day brings a new one. The latest one: the Federal Communications Commission threatening a free press due to photos of DOD head Hegseth that he didn't like and how the war with Iran is covered.
Exercising your right to free speech and assembly is one reason. Objecting to creeping authoritarianism is another. Locally, a reason to attend is to see your neighbors and friends who share your
concerns and to meet new ones.
There will be inspiring speakers and songs of Jesse Welles, Bob Dylan, John Prine and Bruce Springsteen. This is a peaceful, community-centered rally affirming that power belongs to the people — not to kings, strongmen, or unchecked authoritarians.” — Kevin Millar
“Are you concerned about the amount of plastic that we throw away? If so, get the new book “The Problem with Plastic” by Judith Enck. I hope the Finger Lakes Libraries have copies of this succinct and engaging book.
Why are we inundated with plastic cutlery, bottles, cups, ‘compostable’ containers, straws, ‘soft’ plastic bags, and more? It’s more complex than we think.
Judith points out that we can’t just recycle our way out of throwaway plastic. We also have to take other action. She explains how you can successfully work with legislators and corporations to make change. She asks consumers to use less, reuse plastic and other recyclable packaging and, then, appropriately recycle the rest. Consumers who do this make a difference. That ‘difference’ is between building more landfills and incinerators, in our backyards, to dispose of the recyclable
Continued on Page 25
Curated by Roy Allen: Director of Strategic Partnerships — Ithaca Times, Finger Lakes Community Newspapers, www.ithaca.com
Eugene Debs ran for President of the United States in 2020 from a jail cell in Atlanta, Georgia — two years after delivering a speech best known as An Appeal to Reason. Though serving a ten year prison sentence, Deb’s received almost a million votes from loyal supporters. Though his opponent — Woodrow Wilson refused to release him, President Harding did on Christmas Day, 1921 — an act of mercy towards an American dedicated to free speech and his fellow citizens.
Many voices have shaped the nation we call America. This week we feature an American socialist and labor/trade unionist — Eugene V. Debs — who was sentenced to prison for opposing World War 1 — after being convicted of espionage. The original speech is over 7,000 words long, a bit too many to publish in it entirely. The full transcript is here: www.speeches-usa.com.
Excerpts of An Appeal for Reason Speech Delivered in Canton, Ohio on June 16, 1918 by Eugene V. Debs (Public Domain)
Your Honor, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, and you who have so kindly come to listen to what I have to say—I cannot, as you see, make a very neat or finished speech, and I ask your indulgence while I speak to you just exactly as I might to a group of friends in my workshop or at home. I want to say first, however, that I appreciate very highly the privilege of being heard by you and of having this opportunity to express my views.* It is neither treason nor disloyalty nor sedition to oppose a war, to protest against militarism, to check the spread of militarism, or to do what you can to stop it. It is merely carrying into effect the spirit of the Constitution which makes it the duty of every citizen to oppose a war when in his judgment it is wrong. I stand here with the clear conscience of a man who has spent his life trying to do his duty in his little
corner of life, who has never betrayed a trust, who has never surrendered his manhood to any power on earth.*
The war has progressed as all wars have progressed—by blind force, by recklessness, by brutality, by violence, by cruelty, by outrages unparalleled in history. I do not question that many of our young men have rendered bravely and gloriously a patriotic service in this war. I know it is so. I do not question our belief in the justice of those who fought on the side of the Allies. Perhaps in a war for freedom, for the emancipation of an oppressed race, I too might be the first to respond to the call of my country. But this war was for conquest and for plunder—this war was for forcing civilization upon a world that was not prepared for it— this war was fomented by those who sought to profit by it, not by those who sought to benefit mankind by it.*
Therefore, I say to you that I am opposed to this war, because, as a matter of fact, it is a war that could have been avoided had there been no imperialism, had there been no injustices between nations, had there been no blunders of diplomats and tyrannies of kings—had there been no greed and the lust for power.*
I refuse to recognize any country as my own so long as it struggles to maintain a special place among the nations of the earth. A country that will not live in love, peace, and fraternity with all other countries is no country for me.*
While there is a lower class, I am in it; while there is a criminal element, I am of it; while there is a soul in prison, I am not free. And while there is a place for the state to march forward with the instruments of death, the coffins of its sons, and the graves of its heroes, I am not ashamed of the stand I have taken.*
I have no fear of imprisonment, and
By Marjorie Olds
In the fall of 2019 Dave Christie had the idea of starting a local Fiddle Orchestra, modeled after fiddle orchestras in New England. Dave was still fairly new to the fiddle, and although there were numerous fiddle jam sessions in and around Ithaca, he found it difficult to play up to speed and was not familiar with most of the tunes. He had heard about the Vermont Fiddle Orchestra and thought perhaps one could be started here in the Finger Lakes.
Fiddle orchestras differ from typical string orchestras in that they play traditional tunes, often learned by ear. While fiddles and violins are essentially the same instrument, fiddle music is considered a folk genre with many styles, often based on geographic location. Irish, Scottish, Quebecois, New England, Southern Old Time, Finnish, Eastern European, Texas swing, and Contra dance are a few of the different styles, but anywhere one travels across the globe fiddle music has a local flavor.
Dave got in touch with Tim Ball, a local performer and teacher, and Tim agreed to be the musical director. After many informal meetings and several phone calls with other fiddle orchestras, the Finger Lakes Fiddle Orchestra kicked off its inaugural session with about 22 members.
In late November 2019, the first free FLFO concert was performed at the Community School of Music and Arts performance space. The spring 2020 session was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the orchestra went dormant until the winter of 2024, when Dave sent out an email to the former members asking if there was any interest in re-starting the group. To his surprise, the response was a resounding yes.
Tim Ball suggested that the orches-
tra would benefit from having another musical co-director, and brought Rick Manning (another local musical legend) on board for the spring 2024 session. Hope Grietzer, another renowned local fiddler, joined as co-director in the fall of 2024. Along the way other musicians have assisted, including Tim’s sister Margaret Ball-Lumumba, Jon Avery, Max Buckholtz, and Dave Davies. In total, the Finger Lakes Fiddle Orchestra has had five seasons, each consisting of ten weekly rehearsals followed by a free concert. Tim Ball has been a consistent musical director for the entire life of the orchestra. His dedication is unwavering.
In addition to the musical directors, the Finger Lakes Fiddle Orchestra would not exist without the input of a lot of its members. A small steering committee works to make sure the nuts and bolts of the orchestra are fastened. And, really, the members themselves deserve the most credit for making the FLFO a welcoming place for musicians of all ability levels, from beginners to advanced players. And it’s not just for fiddlers — almost any traditional instrument is welcome. Dave commented that, “The orchestra has evolved into a community of folks interested in playing music together, but it has become much more than that. A lot of friendships have developed as well. When everyone arrives for rehearsal, the room is buzzing with chit-chat.”
The orchestra began its sixth season on March 2 at the Third Street Meeting House, located at 120 Third Street in Ithaca. The cost for the season is $125, and no money is due at the first rehearsal — so musicians can come find out if the orchestra is a good fit.
For more information, visit the orchestra website at https://fingerlakesfiddle.org/.
By Roy Allen: Director of Strategic Partnerships — Ithaca Times, Finger Lakes Community Newspapers, www.ithaca.com
Awell functioning society depends not only on laws and institutions, but on the quality of relationships that bind people together. Democracy, at its best, is not merely a system of governance; it is a lived experience shaped by how individuals see themselves, how they relate to one another, and whether they believe their voices matter. In this light, launching a Friends of the Times local news preservation group takes on a deeper civic meaning. It is not simply an invitation to sustain a legacy newspaper, but a living embodiment of a democratic ethos—captured in the tagline: Experiencing the First Amendment Through Friendship and Community.
Friendship is the foundation of this ethos. It teaches the habits that democracy requires: listening without dismissal, speaking without fear, and remaining present even in disagreement. These are not abstract virtues; they are daily practices. In a time when public discourse often feels fragmented or performative, friendship offers a model of trust and mutual recognition. When embedded in a community, these bonds ripple outward, creating networks that support dialogue, collective problem-solving, and civic engagement. A Friends of the Times local news preservation group can nurture both friendship and civic responsibility, transforming personal connections into a shared democratic practice.
Community, the second element of the tagline, expands this dynamic beyond individual relationships. Democracy thrives not merely through personal action, but through collective participation. A Friends of the Times group can create spaces where neighbors gather, perspectives converge, and shared understanding develops. By engaging in discussions, contributing stories, and partici-
pating in initiatives, members experience firsthand how the First Amendment functions in daily life—not as a static legal guarantee, but as a lived practice that depends on interaction, trust, and mutual care. Friendship gives these interactions depth; community gives them scale and impact.
Identity is another critical component. Participatory democracy depends on individuals who understand themselves as both unique and interconnected. A legacy newspaper serves as a mirror, reflecting the community back to itself, affirming values, challenging assumptions, and shaping self-understanding. When supported by an engaged Friends of the Times local news preservation group, this process becomes interactive. Readers are not passive recipients; they are contributors, collaborators, and witnesses to the stories that define their shared experience. Through this engagement, personal identity and collective identity intersect, strengthening both the individual and the community.
The freedom to be heard—the core of the First Amendment—is given meaning only when friendship and community are present. Rights exist, but they are realized in practice. A newspaper alone cannot guarantee expression; it requires a network of participants who value and sustain it. By fostering friendship within a community, the group ensures that voices are amplified, differences are respected, and dialogue remains productive. It provides a platform where diverse perspectives are not only allowed but encouraged, translating constitutional guarantees into tangible experiences.
The interplay of friendship, identity, and community creates a virtuous cycle essential to participatory democracy. Relationships nurture confidence, which enables people to speak openly. As voices are shared and recognized, identity is affirmed and expanded. Community structures allow these expressions to
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
By Lorien Tyne
For over two decades, a traditionalist faction of the Gayogo hó:nǫ’ (Cayuga) Nation has rejected the federally recognized Cayuga Nation Council led by Clint Halftown, viewing him as an illegitimate leader. Halftown’s administration has been marked by accounts of Nation residents being evicted, harassed and harmed under his leadership.
Now, the traditionalist faction is raising money to file a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court claiming that the federal government violated the Nation's sov-
ereignty when the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) recognized Clint Halftown as the federal representative for the Cayuga Nation. He first came into power after the death of a former chief in 2003, but there have been previous moves to strip Halftown of his power, including an attempted impeachment by his clan mother in 2004.
The Cayuga Nation’s governing body is the Cayuga Nation Council, of which Halftown is the federal representative, CEO and the only member authorized to accept federal funding on behalf of the Nation. Council members are appointed by their clan
mothers based on clan consensus, council representatives said. Clan mothers regularly meet with their clans and provide input to council members. A Nation spokesperson told the Ithaca Times that there are no longer condoled clan chiefs, and anyone claiming to be one is falsely claiming a title.
Before the BIA recognized Halftown, the Gayogo hó:nǫ’ lived under the longstanding matrilineal leadership structure of the Council of Chiefs and Clan Mothers. Clan mothers and chiefs have never recognized Halftown’s government and have condemned its actions against citi-
zens, including lawsuits, evictions, home raids and housing demolitions.
In 2020, protests broke out after Halftown’s government demolished close to a dozen structures, including a daycare center, convenience store and schoolhouse. A Nation spokesperson told the Ithaca Times that Nation-owned buildings have been demolished when conditions warranted it.
“Any demolitions over the past several years took place only after code officer inspections following evictions confirmed the properties were uninhabitable due to unrepairable damage or neglect by the
evicted tenants,” a Nation spokesperson said.
Sachem (Chief) Sam George, of Bear Clan, said the Halftown-led council has abandoned important cultural ways of life and leadership. George and other traditionalists say that clan mothers and chiefs, not Halftown’s council, should make decisions for the Gayog o h ó :n ǫ ’.
“They were no longer traditional people,” George said. “They were money people now.”
Many traditionalists believe that paying rent to Halftown’s administration would be submitting to illegitimate leadership.
Halftown formed the Cayuga Nation Court system and a federally recognized police department in 2019, after which he began evicting non-paying residents. While the land is subject to state laws, the tenant-landlord disputes have been treated by federal law as internal tribal matters that only the Tribal Court has jurisdiction over.
“There are no condoled chiefs of the Cayuga Nation in modern day and anyone claiming to be a ‘chief’ is falsely claiming a title.”
Since the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua, the U.S. federal government has recognized the Cayuga Nation as a sovereign entity with the right to govern itself. In the 19th century, New York state forced Gayogo hó:nǫ’ people from their ancestral home. Today, the Nation maintains that 64,000 acres of land in Seneca and Cayuga counties is rightfully theirs.
— Cayuga Nation Spokesperson
The federally-recognized Cayuga Nation Council and the traditionalist faction has consistently had clashing perspectives on eviction proceedings.
On Feb. 25, Cayuga Nation police forced Amber Parker and her five children, of Turtle Clan, from their home.
Members of the Cayuga Nation gather in March 2020 at a news conference after the Clint Halftown-led faction, alongside the Cayuga Nation Police Department, demolished 12 buildings on Nation-owned land.
(Photo: Gabriel Pietrorazio/Ithaca Times File)
In 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the Cayuga Nation’s claim to ownership of the land. Since then, the Nation has gradually purchased more than 1,494 acres in Seneca and Cayuga counties on the open market.
The Nation operates businesses on its land and owns 50 units with income-adjusted rent for Nation citizens and noncitizens.
In a January press release, Halftown’s council said that in 2011, residents of 14 Nation-owned houses stopped paying rent and have accrued debt over the years.
According to Halftown Must Go, a campaign upholding the authority of clan mothers and chiefs, police later used chemical spray and tasers on supporters gathered at Parker’s home. In a press release, the Cayuga Nation said the supporters were trying to “provoke a confrontation and incite violence.”
in the head with a club, and Nation police were compelled to use nonlethal defensive measures to diffuse the situation,” the press release said.
“They were no longer traditional people. They were money people now.”
— Sachem (Chief) Sam George, of Bear Clan
“Despite deliberate efforts by the Nation police to deescalate the situation, a hostile actor struck three police officers
A Nation spokesperson told the Ithaca Times that although its “Use of Force” policy is not public, there are established internal procedures similar to U.S. law enforcement agencies.
Parker and other Gayogo hó:nǫ’ citizens met in Ithaca on March 6 to discuss the state of the Cayuga Nation with Halftown Must Go supporters.
Leanna Young, of Heron Clan, said the Cayuga Nation has evicted her and her family members from nation houses in the past few years.
“It’s been really hard having to watch my brothers, my son and then myself and my children be evicted from the houses that we had turned into our homes,” Young said. “I had lived at the house I was in for three years, but because we had tied ourselves to the land, having to leave was like uprooting a tree.”
“There has to be an end to this,” Young said. “We need to keep talking about this, keep bringing it up, because it’s still going to keep happening. There’s still another family left on territory, and I’m sure they’re just wondering, is this the night? Is this the morning? Is this the day?”
“I had lived at the house I was in for three years, but because we had tied ourselves to the land, having to leave was like uprooting a tree.”
— Leanna Young, of Heron Clan, on her recent eviction by Cayuga Nation leadership
Speakers at the meeting expressed concern for continued evictions and how Halftown’s council may affect more Gayogo hó:nǫ’ citizens.
Even after a decade of Halftown’s government, the traditionalist faction is still practicing their way of life and working to restore the former leadership structure. But, Halftown’s council denies there is a leadership dispute within the Nation, claiming that 60% of adult citizens supported the Halftown Council in a 2016 survey. The Cayuga Nation has not made public any details of the survey, such as how it was conducted or evidence of responses. When the survey, also called a Statement of Support, was conducted, then BIA Eastern Regional Director Bruce Maytubby said it was sufficient evidence that Halftown’s appointment was supported by the majority of the Gayogohó:nǫ’. The council’s website states that the “self-identified traditionalists” are a small vocal group opposing the Nation’s current government.
“While consensus gathering remains a legitimate tool for understanding the will of Cayuga Nation citizens, the Nation has no immediate plans for another statement of support process,” a Nation spokesperson said.
By Steve Lawrence
When Buck Briggs — Union-Endicott class of 1972 and Cornell class of ’76 — stepped onto campus as a student-athlete (baseball) in the fall of his freshman year, he could be forgiven for being a bit awestruck. In his words, “The lacrosse team had recently won the first NCAA tournament, and the football team had won the Ivy League title” (Ed Marinaro finished in second in the Heisman Trophy voting and was on the cover of Sports Illustrated.) Buck continued, “Plus, the hockey team had recently won the national championship. We were in the national news, and it really was The Golden Age of Cornell Athletics.”
One of the guys that came to Cornell in the fall of ’72 was Wayne Stokes, whose unexpected passing earlier this month was sad news for many in the community. Wayne was a bruiser of a hockey player who came to town — as did many hockey players — from north of the border. In Briggs’ words,
“A lot of these guys were larger than life,” and he spoke of the wide pendulum swing that Stokes represented. Buck said, “Wayne — who was known as ‘Captain Crunch’ (because of his... shall we say... aggressive play) seemed to be able to flip a switch..” Asked to elaborate, Buck recalled that as fierce and feared as Wayne was in Lynah Rink, “he was a wonderful, gracious and thoughtful guy off the ice.” Of that Golden Age of iconic Cornell athletes, Briggs said, “Wayne embodied that, and he was universally respected.”
I got to know Wayne after his playing career, as he stayed in Ithaca and became a Social Worker and a therapist. He also combined his artistic and entrepreneurial parts of himself, running a business making beautiful sand-carved signs. I was unaware of his deep Buddhist faith, but I find it refreshing when one’s demeanor and actions align with their faith, whatever it is.
One of the things I really appreciated was the fact that despite the fact that his son, Connor, was climbing up through the ranks of Youth Hockey on his way
to playing in the elite Ontario Hockey League, Wayne never brought it up unless I asked. Whenever we would see one another at a Cornell event, or around town, Wayne would ask how I was, offer praise or feedback on a column, and I always felt like he was a sincere and genuinely nice guy. If I asked him about Connor’s hockey journey, he had plenty to say. He was very proud, and he knew how much focus and discipline his son needed to play at that elite level, but I always felt that Wayne perceived me first as a friend, and my role as a sports columnist was secondary in importance. I appreciated that. Briggs laughed when he recalled the rumor that swirled around the college hockey world when Wayne was playing. Buck said, “They said that Cornell loosened the boards in Lynah Rink so that when Captain Crunch put one of those vicious hip checks on an opponent, it would reverberate throughout the rink.” In closing, Buck said, “Wayne said, ‘Always play like there’s a scout in the stands.”
On the topic of hockey, congratulations to Ithaca High players Aidan Swarthout, Liam Whitaker and Mason Gabriel, who picked up
Continued on Page 25
Together, transforming the experience of aging�
By Mikayla Rovenolt
Wild by Nuture, an Ithaca-based wildlife rescue and rehabilitator, recently secured a new location for its operations in Brooktondale on Coddington Road. This achievement comes after years of operating out of owner and rehabilitator Claire Peter’s home in Ithaca.
The purchase of the property became possible thanks to donations from social media followers, one large donation was especially made to help with purchasing property for the center. Peters’ brother, who runs a construction company, has been helping with renovations. The hope is to open the Wild by Nuture Wildlife Center on May 1.
Peters is a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and has years of experience in the field. She says her love of animals has always been present, from taking care of feral cats as a child, to
rescuing bugs.
“When I first started driving, I think that very first week, I was driving behind this car, and I saw this frog,” Peters said. “It was nighttime and he was hopping across the road. [The driver] was gonna hit the frog, and the car did end up just getting his back leg as he was jumping, and so I picked him up off the road, and this was when I was 16. So, I went home and looked in the Yellow Pages to try to find a wildlife rehabilitator and I did. It was late at night, so I called them the next day and brought [the frog] there, and he did survive. I wanted to do that, but I didn't know how.”
Peters said she started by looking for animals while driving and taking them to wildlife centers and eventually began volunteering at rehabilitation centers. She said she quickly realized animal care was her calling and worked to get her rehabilitation license. It was not until the COVID-19 pandemic started that Peters started her nonprofit business.
“We couldn't go anywhere and I started taking a lot of animals. It grew very quickly then, and that's when wildlife rehabilitation took off,” Peters said. “More people started using Instagram, more people started realizing that you could get animals help, they were home finding animals more. So, the need for wildlife rehabilitation has just grown so much, in the last five years especially, and people realize there's somewhere to take injured animals.”
Wild by Nuture’s mission is to “rescue, rehabilitate, and release injured and/or orphaned local wildlife and to provide education that fosters a respect and preservation of the
environment through our non-releasable permanent residents known as ‘educational ambassadors.’”
Peters described running the rehabilitation center out of her home as both exhausting and the most rewarding experience, stating that her goal is to make the work more sustainable. She said she currently works seven days a week and long, sometimes 16 hour, days.
“My goal is opening this wildlife center,” Peters said. “We need it desperately in this area, and because this is somewhere where people really care about wildlife, when they find animals and they want to bring them somewhere, we're lucky to have Cornell wildlife hospital here but they only do emergency care. Then, as soon as the animal is stable enough, they send them to a wildlife rehabilitator for continued care. I get a lot of animals from them.”
During the busy season, which for Peters is April through November, she said she gets
around 50 calls a day from all over New York State with people looking for somewhere to bring injured or orphaned animals. Peters arranges transport for these animals in addition to their regular care and rehabilitation.
Many of the animals Peters receives at her home are injured or orphaned due to human activity. She cited dogs, tree trimming, cars, and general misunderstandings about wildlife as reasons for why animals are harmed and need extra care.
“It's so rare that we get an animal in because of natural causes,” Peters added. “So I feel like we need to give back. It's our responsibility to help them. I just really enjoy helping to make them feel better.”
With renovations for the new center underway and nonstop animal rehabilitation simultaneously happening in her home, Peters said volunteers are more than needed right now. Interested individuals can reach out to Peters via phone (607) 391-1093.
Whiskey is on the lookout for a quiet and casual home for herself, where she can really embrace the balance between brisk walks with her people, and lazy time in the home. She'd do best in a home with older kids who can read her cues, and also play calmly around her, as too much noisy activity can be a little overwhelming for her. She can be found at the Tompkins County SPCA.
Lila is 11 months old and a very sweet girl who was born at the rescue and was supposed to get adopted as a 10 week old kitten. After 2 months of the rescue waiting for them to pick her up, she was put back up for adoption and is still waiting for her forever home. She is a bit shy, but will love you forever if you give her a chance to adjust to her new surroundings. Lila is available at Stay Wild Tburg.
Dr. Aly Cohen, DVM Clinical Instructor Cornell Maddie’s
Shelter Medicine Program Extension
Veterinarian
Richard P. Riney Cornell Canine Health Center
By Anna Lee
Q:Who should be thinking about spaying and neutering their pets? Are there any exceptions?
A:Everyone should be thinking about it, especially in the United States where pet overpopulation is such a problem. In particular around here, we have a huge feral cat population. Seasonally every year when we look at our intake numbers at the shelter, we see a huge spike in the spring and summer. That can cause a lot of issues for us because then we’re dealing with huge numbers of animals coming in. It is a huge burden on the whole system as far as taking care of those animals and meeting the needs to get them healthy and get them out. You can certainly come into situations where certain dog breeds, like Dobermans, are more prone to hereditary bleeding disorders. That doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be spayed or neutered, it may just mean there may be other precautions that they take before having surgery, like screening with a specific blood panel. If there’s ever a situation where you’re questioning something about your pet’s health, you should be working with your veterinarian to work those conditions up and create a safe plan if they choose not to spay and neuter.
health benefits do cats and dogs gain from being spayed or neutered?
A:One of the very known benefits for females is we’re going to, of course, avoid unwanted pregnancies. For female dogs, it significantly decreases their risk of developing mammary cancer later on in life. It’s going to eliminate the risk of ever getting a life threatening infection in her uterus, called a pyometra, later on in life. For male dogs, you have a decreased risk in testicular cancers, and they are less prone to urinary issues as they get older. Cats often have a higher desire to get into fights if they are still intact, so we’ll more commonly see infectious diseases being spread– FIV is referred to as the fighting disease. Typically once they’re neutered, that drive to fight is virtually
eliminated. In male cats, spraying is the big one, and having them neutered is the quickest way to eliminate that. For female cats, they go into heat very frequently and caterwaul at routine frequencies that might attract other feral cats to come to your house.
Q:When should dogs and cats typically be spayed or neutered? How young can puppies and kittens be safely spayed/neutered?
A:Thetruth is that we still, as a scientific field, don’t have the 100% accurate answer to that. In shelter medicine, it’s very common to spay them at eight weeks old, and that’s called a pediatric spay neuter. They’re anesthetically safe at that age; it’s a very quick procedure at that age and far less painful because things are not so developed at that point. But for the typical pet owner, some of that’s going to depend on the breed and size of the dog. The general recommendations have historically always been around six months of age. Ideally, you want to have it done before a first heat cycle, because after a heat cycle it increases their risk for mammary tumors. If you have a Great Dane who is going to keep growing until they’re 18 months of age, you could postpone until like eight to ten months. A Chihuahua, however, goes into heat quicker than a Great Dane, so, six months. For the males, you have a little bit more flexibility. If you decide to wait because you want them to mature and develop more, you have to be aware of how to safely keep them from having accidental litters. It’s not a clear cut answer, it depends on the breed, the size of the dog and your current situation.
1. True or False: Red-tailed Hawks mate for life.
2. True or False: Bald Eagles can only eat fish.
3. True or False: Black Vultures are solitary creatures.
4. Which of the following is correct about Turkey Vultures?
a) They can digest diseases like rabies, salmonella, and cholera
b) They hunt and eat livestock
c) They are unsanitary and spread disease
d) They fight with other birds, like Bald Eagles, over food
5. Which of the following is the smallest falcon in North America?
a) Merlin
b) American Kestrel
c) Peregrine Falcon
d) Pygmy Falcon
6. How do hawks show that they are comfortable and happy?
a) Flying slowly
b) Fluffing up their feathers and shaking them out
c) Flexing their talons
d) Opening their beak and panting with their tongue out
7. Imagine you are taking a walk in a natural area on a trail. What should you do if you find an injured bird of prey on the ground?
a) Try to catch it and take it home
b) Try to feed it and give it water
c) Call the nearest wildlife hospital
d) Take a photo and share it online
Trivia Answers on next page
Participate in World Stray Animal Day on April 4th by taking actionable steps to help homeless pets. Adopting or fostering an animal would be the ultimate way to help, but there are many other ways to partcipate: donating food and supplies to local shelters, volunteering time, and supporting spay/neuter programs to control populations. Raising awareness on social media or safely feeding local strays are others options. Other notable days this month: April 2: National Ferret Day
April 10: National Hug Your Dog Day
April 12: World Hamster Day
April 19: National Cat Lady Day
April 25: World Veterinary Day
By Mikayla Rovenolt and Anna Lee
Springtime is the primary season for cats to mate and have kittens. During this time, many stray cats are at risk of pregnancy meaning more cats in the neighborhood that might go uncared for.
At the Alley Cat Cafe and Browncoat Rescue, as for many local rescues and shelters, spring is a busy time of year and is sometimes known as “Kitten Season.” Litters and their stray moms are brought to the rescue for food and shelter, and a chance at finding a new home.
“In our area, the only month we are not having kittens being born is January,” Owner of Browncoat Rescue and the Alley Cat Cafe, Kristin O. said. “I would say kitten season really gears up and starts mid to late March and continues on through August.”
Kittens can go into heat as young as four months old, Kristin added. The gestational period for cats is 63 to 65 days so within one year, kittens can have multiple litters if they are not fixed. Female cats can also have kittens to multiple male cats within one litter because of how their reproductive system is structured. Kristin said this is why litter sizes may differ from cat to cat.
“If you had a cat that was outside [and you brought her in] she's probably pregnant,” Kristin said. “That is just outdoor cats, the nature of the beast, right now.”
Kristin said the best thing people can do to avoid an overflow of stray cats is to get the outdoor cats fixed, males and females. She also encouraged people who have indoor to outdoor cats to get them fixed as well. She said it is the responsible thing to do.
“You can have multiple litters per year, and if you have one cat, and you can provide a home for that cat and her mate and her four kittens, cool, but you go from one kitten to six,
1. True! Red-tailed Hawks are loyal and mate for life. They will only take a new mate if their current one dies.
2. False! Bald Eagles are well-known for their fishing capabilities, but they can also eat anything from rabbits to reptiles to crabs. They may also scavenge and eat the carcasses of animals that have already died! Bald Eagles are opportunistic and have a zero-waste policy.
3. False! Black Vultures are highly social and roost together at night. They maintain strong family bonds throughout their lives and put their blood ties first, often demonstrating
you know, one cat to six cats… is that a responsible choice?” Kristin added. “People rarely take responsibility for the kittens that they are creating, because they can just get them away for free.”
During the spring and summer months, Kristin said Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are awash with free kitten posts. She has also seen people post signs on the road as well as bring kittens to farmers markets and gas stations to give them away, which she said shows there is little interest in the well-being of the cats long term.
While there are more cats and kittens to care for during this time of year, Kristin said that intake slows down at a certain point because there is only so much room at the cafe and in foster homes for the kittens and their mothers.
Browncoat Rescue is run through a series of foster homes, not as one location, so for the rescue to take in new cats or kittens, there needs to be a place for them to go. Some can stay at the cafe in the cat play and care areas, but space is limited.
“If we have a mama who has three nursing kittens, they're two weeks old, that is the bare minimum, you're looking at eight to ten weeks that this foster home is gonna be raising these kittens because they're too young to do anything else,” Kristin said. “Ideally, we only take in cats that are fixed and old and vaccinated
aggression towards unrelated vultures who try to follow them to food sources or roost with them.
4. a) Turkey Vultures can digest diseases like rabies, salmonella, and cholera! Their stomach acids and immune systems are incredibly strong, so by scavenging and consuming animals that have already died in the wild, they remove these diseases from the landscape and prevent them from contaminating water and soil. Turkey Vultures do not hunt, they remove disease rather than spreading it, and they are often submissive to other bird species at carcasses and would rather stand back than fight.
and then everybody can get adopted, but that’s not always the case.”
Browncoat Cat Rescue and the Alley Cat Cafe are closely connected parts of the same rescue organization, but play different roles. Browncoat Cat Rescue acts as the boots-onthe-ground rescue initiative, handling intake, medical care, spaying/neutering, vaccines, deworming, testing and foster placement. The Alley Cat Cafe was created as a community space and adoption hub for BCR’s cats, providing a physical place to meet multiple adoptable cats at once.
Those interested in fostering cats, adopting them, or volunteering can reach out to Kristin at the Alley Cat Café or Browncoat Rescue on their website at https://www.browncoatcatrescue.org/ contact.
5. b) American Kestrels are the smallest falcon in North America! Merlins and Peregrine Falcons are also found in North America. The Pygmy Falcon is the smallest falcon in the world but found only in Africa.
6. b) Fluffing up their feathers and shaking them out is a sign of comfort in raptors! This is called rousing. It helps reset all of the feathers and remove any dust or debris from them.
7. c) Call the nearest wildlife hospital! Once you call, you will be given instructions on how to try and catch the bird if you are comfortable, or a professional will arrive on the scene to take care of it. When in doubt, leave it to
From the rescue:
“Michelle is such a gift to our rescue. She is incredibly dedicated, hardworking, and compassionate, and we are so grateful for everything she brings to our team. Her attentiveness to even the smallest changes in our patients, and her ability to truly understand their needs, makes her an exceptional caregiver. Over the past two years, Michelle has cleaned thousands of enclosures, prepared countless patient meals, assisted with rescues, provided hands-on care, and helped with releases. We truly don’t know what we’d do without her.”
trained wildlife veterinarians! Don’t take the animal home nor try to feed it. To find a rehabber near you: SCAN THIS CODE OR VISIT
https://appfactory.dec.ny.gov/
By Clement Obropta
“ ey should have sent a poet,” says Jodie Foster, in an immortal line from “Contact” when her character meets extraterrestrials for the rst time. In “Project Hail Mary,” we nd out that, when all of humanity is at stake, they actually just need to send a cowardly science teacher and a rock alien.
“Project Hail Mary” is adapted by “Cabin in the Woods” screenwriter Drew Goddard from the space adventure bestseller by Andy Weir. e pair previously sent Matt Damon to space in “ e Martian,” and they’re back again to terrorize poor Ryan Gosling.
Gosling plays Dr. Ryland Grace, a former microbiologist who burned all his bridges in academia and retreated to the comparatively humble life of a middle school science teacher. When government agent Eva Stratt, played with icy humorlessness by “Anatomy of a Fall” star Sandra Hüller, comes knocking, Grace quickly becomes the only man capable of saving Earth — and the universe — from a species of sun-consuming cells called astrophage.
Of course, the story is far more complicated than that — at the beginning of the lm, Grace wakes up on a spaceship from an induced coma with a “Forrest Gump” beard, selective amnesia, and two dead crewmates. Most of the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the plot is delivered via ashbacks. By the time he pieces together exactly what’s going on and why he’s 12 light-years from Earth orbiting a foreign sun, Ryland gets a visit from an extraterrestrial on the same mission as him.
Refreshingly for a big-budget Hollywood production, the alien lifeform is not just a tall humanoid with blue skin and massive eyes. Its name is Rocky, so named because it looks like a sentient stack of stones, sans face, eyes, and mouth. It’s like a miniature version of the rock monster from “Galaxy Quest.” Except this time, Rocky (a talented engineer) is the one making rudimentary lathes.
e majority of the rst act comprises Grace’s rst contact with Rocky, followed by their struggles to bridge the language gap so they can begin working together. Imag-
“Project Hail Mary”
Rated PG-13
Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Currently playing at Cinemapolis and Regal Ithaca Mall
120 E Green St., Ithaca and 40 Catherwood Road, Ithaca
ine “Arrival” but with jokes. Unsurprisingly, this passage is one of the most engaging in the lm — as with “ e Martian,” the fun comes from watching Grace identify and solve problems in his own scrappy way, his wholesome interactions with Rocky also supplying the lm’s heart. Cliché though it may seem, “Project Hail Mary” is a story, at its core, about friendship. And yes, you probably will bawl your eyes out at that little rock astronaut.
Weir and Goddard have concocted a wonderful script and story, one that goes places I’ve never seen in another science- ction lm. Sure, there’s a little DNA from “ e Martian,” “Silent Running,” and “Interstellar” in there, but “Project Hail Mary” moves through its underdog story with con dence, poise, and sincerity. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the pair who wrote the “Spider-Verse” lms, the picture rockets along with an uncommon degree of assuredness in its own premise.
“Project Hail Mary” understands that the scienti c process can be funny. Running laboratory tests while the fate of the universe hangs in the balance and a room full of suits is looking at you is funny. Failure is funny. Rather than shy away from the harder sci- ideas of the novel, Goddard tackles them head-on — “Project Hail Mary” might have a populist Hollywood sense of humor, but its plotting and scripting are far more sophisticated than the trailers might lead you to believe.
Gosling, who balanced comedic roles with dramatic, brooding ones for most of his career, plays the full range of emotions as Grace. It’s impressive enough that he acts mostly alone for over half the lm talking to a rock. Beneath that sometimes stoic demeanor, though, it’s easy to forget that Gosling is also one of modern Hollywood’s great patsies.
And what more is there to say about his costar, Rocky? Brought to life by some incredible puppetry, James Ortiz’s voice, and probably a little CGI, Rocky is a triumph of clever writing and design. Lord and Miller nd myriad ways to evoke emotion with just Rocky’s body posture and voice, proving that with a great enough screenplay, you don’t need to make an alien humanoid to get the audience to care about them.
“Project Hail Mary” ultimately gets to the heart of what we love about space stories — the chance to dance with the cosmic, to stare into the ever-expanding void of space and perhaps even come to terms with our own smallness, with the universe’s indi erence to our struggles. Like many sci- lms that came before it, “Project Hail Mary” is about a man adri in the great astronomical mystery of the cosmos trying to understand his place among the stars. So far, it’s one of the year’s best lms.
Clement Obropta is a lm columnist for the Ithaca Times.
By Mikayla Rovenolt
Lex Enrico Santi, a Trumansburgbased writer and psychotherapist recently released his debut novel, “The Song of the Midnight Rider,” published by A Key Publications. Santi describes the novel as “a literary noir road novel exploring loyalty, masculinity, found family, and the tension between obligation and escape.” The novel is inspired by road movies like “Days of Thunder” and urban legends of fast drivers with secrets from Santi’s childhood. In a statement, he described the novel as “exploring masculinity, devotion, and the cost of allegiance in contemporary America.”
Santi’s journey with creative writing started in college, where he studied creative writing at Hobart and William Smith College. He said that after college, he was unsure of what he wanted to do, so he joined the Peace Corps.
Being part of the Peace Corps allowed Santi to travel to various countries, such as Romania, Spain and South Korea. Eventually, Santi landed back in the United States, where he continued to travel to different cities.
“My big bump into creative writing probably happened after I finished the Peace Corps,” Santi said. “I applied to the poetry program at George Mason University near Washington, DC, and was there for a couple years. I started in the poetry program, and I loved it, but I felt a really strong pull to also work in fiction, so I ended up switching to be a fiction writer.”
At first, Santi said he did not know how to make a living as a writer. As such, he worked in writing administration, running a literary journal titled “Our Stories,” which focuses on fiction works, short stories, and interviews. After a few years of doing this, Santi decided to get a degree in social work to help pay the bills.
“I went to Washington University in St Louis and did a degree in social work there,” Santi said. I did kind of like the Midwestern life for a little while, and went to a great program and started to be a therapist and a community activist. Somewhere in there, I started writing this novel. I started writing this novel after I did my MFA, and before I started my master's in social work.”
It was a 20-year process for the novel to come to fruition. There was school, working and still running the literary journal. Santi shared that when he moved back to the Ithaca area to work at Cornell, he had too much going on and wanted to focus on helping people.
Santi left the literary journal and became a licensed New York therapist and began working at Family and Children’s Services in Ithaca and focused on becoming a full time therapist.
But what about the novel? Throughout all the years of schooling, Santi accrued debt, as many students do. However, it wasn’t until after many years working in public service roles as a therapist that Santi’s loans were forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program that he really began to turn his focus back to writing.
“I worked in public service for 12 years, and I'm very thankful for it, for what I've been able to do,” Santi said. “Over the course of the past couple of years, where I knew that it's on the horizon that this debt is going to
get paid off, I was like, it's time to start turning back to creative writing. All the things that I did, all the books that I've written previously, and just start publishing them, start letting that part of my life come out.”
Copies of the novel can be purchased on Amazon or by reaching out directly to Santi for signed copies on his website. A 50-page introduction to the novel is also available online at https://www.lexenricosanti.com/published-books/the-song-ofthe-midnight-rider-
By Mikayla Rovenolt
Starting April 3, Orozco Gallery will open its doors for its second year as a pop-up art space “dedicated to creativity, connection, and cultural celebration” at 115 S. Cayuga St. in Downtown Ithaca next to Hawi Ethiopian Cuisine. This month-long series is organized and founded by local artist Yen Ospina in collaboration with the Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County, with support from GreenStar Food Co+op and opening day catering from JoJo Cook. There is additional support from the Latina/o Studies Program at Cornell University, Ithaca Pride Alliance, and historian Steven Hernandez.
Orozco Gallery activates underutilized storefronts, transforming spaces into temporary hubs for arts, culture, and community. Throughout the month, the gallery will feature artist talks, live music, dance performances, workshops, film screenings, and family-friendly gatherings, inviting community members of all ages to participate in a welcoming, sober environment. Ospina said she wants this space to be more than a gallery; a space for community connection, learning, and enjoyment.
“I didn't want it to just be a gallery, I wanted it to be a community hub,” Ospina added, ”a space where people could just go and actually hang out and also learn different types of art styles, and learn about the artists.
And so I started brainstorming workshops. And then I just started brainstorming other things like ‘I think it would have been great to have live music in the space.’”
This year’s pop-up is presented in memory of Debra Castillo, who passed away in October 2025 and championed Ospina’s
work as a community maker, activist, and artist. Ospina and Castillo envisioned building this initiative into an annual gathering. In honor of Castillo’s legacy, Ospina is committed to continuing the pop-up each year.
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munity College from 2004 to 2006. In addition, Brown is a graduate of Louis D. Brandeis High School in New York City.
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Department of Homeland Security, funds are still coming from the federal Depart ment of Homeland Security. So I continue to not support this.”
Gaylord said that legally, the language of the terms and conditions “doesn’t mean a ton because it is so vague.” Gaylord also briefly mentioned there is current litigation that is affecting the topic at hand. He did not specify what the litigation is about or what it would affect, but did say he would
continued from page 8
here, on the threshold of another term of confinement, I am happy in the thought that every word I have spoken has been for the purpose of justice, of humanity, of universal brotherhood. But do not think that I regret a single word that I have spoken, or that I would change a single line of that which has been my message to the world for these thirty‑five years. I want the record to show that I have never spoken a word against this government. I have never spoken a word against any
Above all, Brown considers her great est accomplishment to be her family. She is the proud mother of Abdul, Rasheedah and Lester and grandmother of Armus, Destiny, Eugene, LaeJean, Jurney, Abdul, Jr., Sami and Mekhai.
rather not discuss it in a public meeting.
The grant award letter states that “all capabilities developed through federal FY2022 SHSP funding are required to be deployable regionally and nationally per the federal guidelines.” Mayor Robert Can telmo clarified that legally, the city cannot be compelled to deploy personnel.
The council also unanimously passed a resolution establishing city policy priori ties for executive administration in 2026. Cantelmo commended the council and said that the council’s priorities, histori
administration. I have always supported the administration in every way I could consistently with my sense of duty.*
Yet, I will tell you that I oppose this war, and I will continue to oppose every war that ever was, that is now, or that ever shall be until the last dollar of profit has been stripped from militarism and until the last greedy‑mad millionaire has fled from the field. That day will dawn, and I will live to see it.*
I do not want to die. I have no wish for death, but I would rather take death in a righteous cause than live in a wicked world. In saying these words, I am neither seeking
“I am honored to receive this recogni tion from Senator Webb,” said Phoebe Brown in a statement. “I’ve been a lifelong champion of policies focused on equity and public safety reform. Being named Senator Webb’s Honoree for this year is a testament to my advocacy, and the steadfast commitment to serving my community.”
cally, have not been detailed and formal ized this way. He said the city is working to make this a semi annual process where priorities will be outlined to coincide with the budget.
The priority categories are housing; economic and community development; public works and operations; finance and administration; sustainability, adaptability and resilience; human services and quality of life; public safety; and intergovern mental relations. Each priority has a set working group of council members and strategic goals that support each priority’s vision statement.
sympathy nor asking for pity. I have peace in my heart, serenity in my soul, and faith in the future. And if to be in prison is the sacri fice demanded by my conscience for speak ing the truth, then I am happy to make it.* I shall not plead for mercy—I will ask for no compromise. I shall ask no favor. I have spoken the truth and I will remain true to that truth at whatever cost. I am not ashamed of the record of my life. If there is anything in that record that might be construed to my discredit, I am ready to meet it and answer for it. But, so far as I know, I have never, in the whole of my life, spoken the word that was untruthful,
Previous honorees include Dr. Leslyn McBean Clairborne (2025), and Dr. Carol A. Ross Scott Ed.D (2024).
For example, the priorities for eco nomic and community development are revitalization of the West MLK Street Cor ridor, code modernization and reducing barriers to business formation, and creat ing a plan for an economic data dashboard to track local conditions and trends.
“In a lot of places it says ‘prepare and submit for the consideration of’ and that is a direct acknowledgement that while we are tasking staff to work on certain things we of course are upholding and enshrining council’s prerogative to amend and then adopt any of that work product as it were to move forward,” Cantelmo said.
unkind, uncharitable, or unworthy.*
And now I come to the close of what I have to say to you tonight. I want to thank you for your patience. I want to thank you for your courtesy. I want to thank you for your attention. I want to thank you for your generous reception. I want to thank you for coming here in such numbers to listen to what I have to say. And may God in His infinite mercy bless you and keep you and make you—and all men—free.*
Next week, we will celebrate Wilma Mankiller — Native American activist and first woman elected as the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
State / W. MLK, Jr. Street | America in the mid-1980s. In the midst of the AIDS crisis and a conservative Reagan administration, six New Yorkers with interconnected lives grapple with life and death, love and sex, heaven and hell. | $15.00 - $30.00
New movies opening the week of March 25. Contact Cinemapolis for showtimes and continuing lms.
The Pelotones Swing Dance |
7 p.m., 3/25 Wednesday | TreeHouse Studio & Lounge, 119 S Cayuga St. | Swing dance with the Pelotones! Large wood oor. Bar will be open! $15 cover. | $15.00
Noun, Alibhe Reddy, and Open Swim at Angry Mom Records | 7 p.m., 3/25 Wednesday | 115 E. State St | Free
The Brewhouse Blues Jam | 6 p.m. | Hopshire Farm and Brewery, 1771 Dryden Rd., Freeville, NY 13068
London McDaniel and Lava play Jazz & Blues Night at the 5 & Dime | 7 p.m. | 616 W State St, Suite B Karaoke with Elephant Sound | 8 p.m., 3/26 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
Liquid State Brewing | 7 p.m., 3/27 Friday | Liquid State Brewing Company, 620 W Green St. | Neighbor is a dynamic quartet that blends ambi-
tious compositions, soulful balladry, and fearless improvisations to create a unique musical experience.
“Queeraoke” | 8 p.m., 3/27 Friday | The Rhine House, 632 W Seneca St. | Ithaca’s original “Queeraoke” night is back! Come hang, sing and make new friends...cheers, queers!
Noon Fifteen play the Beatles’ “Rubber Soul” | 3/28 Saturday |
7 p.m., 3/28 Saturday | Liquid State Brewing Company, 620 W Green St |
Afro-Cuban Traditional & Folkloric Dance Class | 7:30 p.m., 3/31 Tuesday | Treehouse Studio, 119 S Cayuga St. | Taught by Adolfo Castillo and Lisbet Lopez, accomplished professional dancers from Guantanamo, Cuba. Class is for all levels. Live percussion accompaniment. | $20.00
Community Line Dance | 7 p.m., 3/31 Tuesday | Foundation of Light, 391 Turkey Hill Rd. | Community Line Dance lessons
Concerts/Recitals
3/25 Wednesday
Senior Recital: Andrew Woodru , jazz piano at Ford Hall | 7 p.m.
Mark Edwards, harpsichord and organ (CU Music) | 7:30 p.m. | Anabel Taylor Chapel, 548 College Ave. | Free
3/26 Thursday
Zvi Plesser, cello and Miri Yampolsky, piano (CU Music) | 7:30 p.m. | Barnes Hall, 129 Ho Plaza | Free
3/27 Friday
Guest Lecture: Ithaca Music Forum: Clinton Boyd at Nabenhauer Recital Room | 5 p.m.
Faculty Recital: Patrice Pastore, soprano at Hockett Family Recital Hall | 7 p.m.
Senior Recital: Will Vetter, composition at Ford Hall | 8:15 p.m.
3/28 Saturday
Junior Recital: Laura ZhouHackett, piano at Hockett Family Recital Hall | 12 p.m.
Senior Recital: Jayna Simeon, mezzo soprano at Hockett Family Recital Hall | 3 p.m.
Senior Recital: Madeline Andrus, ute at Ford Hall | 5 p.m.
Junior Recital: Colin Leary, saxophone at Hockett Family Recital Hall | 7 p.m.
Senior Recital: Brayden Reed, percussion at Ford Hall | 7 p.m.
Elective Recital: Rachel Somers at Ford Hall | 8:15 p.m.
3/29 Sunday
Special Event: Frühling Psaunen at Ford Hall | 4 p.m.
Senior Recital: Tom Bowstead, cello at Hockett Family Recital Hall | 5 p.m.
Senior Recital: Michael Mezzo, horn at Ford Hall | 7 p.m.
Elective Recital: Nicole Sutera, mezzo-soprano at Hockett Family Recital Hall | 8:15 p.m.
3/30 Monday
Student Recital: Composition Premieres | 7 p.m.
Tuba and Euphonium Studio Recital at Ford Hall | 8:15 p.m.
3/31 Tuesday
Ithaca College Concert Band | 8:15 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College
Lost at Sea — Ithaca College Concert Band | 8:15 p.m. | Ithaca College School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, 953 Danby Rd | Free
Easter Ham Ra e | 6 p.m., 3/27 Friday | American Legion, 1231 Danby Rd. | Join us for a delightful Easter Ham Ra e, our rst fundraiser in over two years! This exciting event will bene t the Sampson Theatre Revitalization and support the general operations of PYTCo.
ANGELS IN AMERICA. PT 1: MILLENNIUM APPROACHES by Tony Kushner | 7 p.m., 3/27 Friday | Kitchen Theatre Company, 417 W.
Stories of Fionn Mac Cumhaill | 7:30 p.m., 3/27 Friday | The Cherry Artspace, 102 Cherry Street | Stories of the Irish druid, warrior and poet Finn MacCool performed by Jay leeming. | Free
John Mulaney | 7 p.m. | State Theater of Ithaca, 107 W State St | Prices may vary
r Everything Earrings: Intro to Jewelry Fabrication | 1 p.m., 3/28
Saturday | SewGreen, 112 W Green St. | Join jeweler Draya Koschmann to learn basic metalsmithing and jewelry fabrication techniques while creating custom earrings or pendants. | $55.00
Teen Film Fridays | 4 p.m., 3/27 Friday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St | Join us in the Digital Lab on the last Friday of every month and enjoy a free movie screening! For teen patrons ages 13-18 only. Snacks will be provided. Curious about what we’re watching?
Teen Film Fridays | 4 p.m., 3/27 Friday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St | Join us in the Digital Lab on the last Friday of every month and enjoy a free movie screening! For teen patrons ages 13-18 only. Snacks will be provided. Curious about what we’re watching?
120 E Green St, Ithaca
Sirat | A father (Sergi López) and his son arrive at a rave deep in the mountains of southern Morocco. They are searching for Mar — daughter and sister — who vanished months ago at one of these endless, sleepless parties. Surrounded by electronic music and a raw, unfamiliar sense of freedom, they hand out her photo again and again. Hope is fading, but they push through and follow a group of ravers heading to one last party in the desert. As they venture deeper into the burning wilderness, the journey forces them to confront their own limits. | NA 114mins
Slanted | Joan Huang idolizes the popular girls and dreams of being prom queen, but fears the only way to win is to look like all the past queens whose portraits line her high school halls. Enter Ethnos: a shady cosmetic surgery clinic that turns people of color white. Joan undergoes the procedure and wakes up a beautiful blonde destined for the crown, but at what cost? | R 102 mins
Undertone | The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way. | R 94 mins
Pillion | A timid man is swept o his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive. | NA 107 mins
Silent Friend | In the heart of a botanical garden in a medieval university town in Germany stands a majestic ginkgo tree. This silent witness has observed over a century the quiet rhythms of transformation across three human lives. We follow their clumsy, awkward attempts to connect – each one of them deeply rooted
THE KAPLAN COUSINS IMPROVISE AGAIN
SATURDAY, MARCH 28 FROM 7:30 P.M. TO 9:30 P.M.
Hangar Theatre, 801 Taughannock Blvd. | Ilan and Gavin Kaplan have been improvising together for eight years. The cousins will bring the chemistry they’ve been building since childhood to a hilarious improv performance that creates an entire show on the spot out of a single word suggestion. Opening for the Kaplan Cousins are members of Ithaca’s Third Place Theater, a local improv comedy theater that hosts shows, jams and other events almost every week. (Photo: ngerlakes.com)
PYSANKY OPEN HOUSE: DECORATE UKRAINIAN EASTER EGGS
MARCH
and intricate designs. All materials are provided, and no experience is necessary. Suitable for ages 13 and up. (Photo: Provided)
in their own present — as they are transformed by the quiet, enduring, and mysterious power of nature. The ancient ginkgo tree brings us closer to what it means to be human — to our longing to belong.| NA 147 mins Alpha | Alpha, a troubled 13-year-old lives with her single mom. Their world collapses the day she returns from school with a tattoo on her arm.| R 128 mins
The AI Doc: Or How I Became An Apocaloptimist | From the Academy Award®- winning lmmakers behind Everything Everywhere All at Once and Navalny; a father-to-be tries to gure out what is happening with all this AI insanity. The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist is a hand-made, eye-opening documentary about the most powerful technology humanity has ever created... and what’s at stake if we get it wrong.| NA 104 mins
The Falling Sky | In collaboration with Brazil’s indigenous Yanomami people, The Falling Sky follows the Yanomami leader and shaman Davi Kopenawa as he ghts to return the world to balance in closely observed rituals and trenchant comments on the ruthless logic of a materialistic outside culture. Illegal logging, gold mining, and the deadly mix of epidemics these intrusions spread threaten the existence of the Yanomami. Based on an acute understanding of geopolitical forces, Davi Kopenawa holds up a mirror to capitalist societies of “the merchandise people” and the unsustainable lifestyle of the so-called “developed countries” that threatens the survival of humanity as a whole. | NA 110 mins
Men’s Baseball vs St. John Fisher University | 3 p.m., 3/25 Wednesday | Freeman Field, Ithaca College
Women’s Tennis vs Le Moyne College | 5 p.m., 3/25 Wednesday | Reis Tennis Center, Cornell University
Men’s Baseball vs Clarkson University | 3 p.m., 3/27 Friday & 3/28 Saturday | Freeman Field, Ithaca College
Women’s Rowing vs Boston University & George Washington University | 8 a.m., 3/28 Saturday | Cayuga Inlet, Cornell Rowing Facility
Ithaca College Men & Women Rowing vs Cayuga Duals | 10 a.m 3/28 Saturday | Robert B. Tallman Rowing Center, Cayuga Inlet
Men’s Baseball Double-Header vs Harvard University | 11 a.m & 2:30 p.m., 3/28 Saturday | Booth Field, Cornell University
Women’s Lacrosse vs Dartmouth University | 12 p.m., 3/28 Saturday | Schoellkopf Field, Cornell University
Men’s Lacrosse vs St. Lawrence University | 12 p.m., 3/28 Saturday | Higgins Stadium, Ithaca College
Women’s Softball vs Onetona Double-Header | 12 p.m. & 3 p.m. 3/28 Saturday | Kostrinsky Field, Ithaca College
Women’s Lacrosse vs. Union College | 3 p.m., 3/28 Saturday | Higgins Stadium, Ithaca College
Men’s Lacrosse vs Yale University | 3:30 p.m. 3/28 Saturday | Schoellkopf Field, Cornell University
Men’s Tennis vs Vassar College | 10 a.m., 3/29 Sunday | Wheeler Tennis Courts, Ithaca College
Women’s Tennis vs Vassar College | 3 p.m., 3/29 Sunday | Wheeler Tennis Courts, Ithaca College
Men’s Baseball vs Harvard University | 12 p.m., 3/29 Sunday | Booth Field, Cornell University
Women’s Softball vs Syracuse University | 7 p.m., 3/31 Tuesday | Niemand-Robinson Softball Field, Cornell University
No Kings Interfaith Vigil | 7 p.m., 3/25 Wednesday | First Baptist Church, DeWitt Park, Ithaca | Gather with us for a vigil featuring prayers and readings from di erent faith traditions that support peace and human rights along with spirited communal singing, as we prepare to participate in the March 28 No Kings action.
No Más Lágrimas Easter Block Party | p.m., 3/26 Thursday | 301 S. Geneva St. | Come join us for our Easter Block Party! Food distribution, toys, ham, music, and more! | Free Seed to Supper | 6 p.m., 3/26 Thursday | Odessa Community Room, CO-Rte 15 | Join us March 26th for “Seed to Supper,” a 5-session gardening class focused on practical, lowcost techniques for beginners. | Free An Evening of Music & Community on the Eve of the No Kings March | 7 p.m., 3/27 Friday | First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, 305 N. Aurora St. | Join Host Annie Burns with Joe Crookston, Doug Robinson, Harry Aceto, Mark Zabel, and many other musical guests as we lift our voices together in songs of solidarity and hope.
Ithaca Spring Quest | 8 a.m., 3/28 Saturday | Located Throughout Ithaca, 20 Nelson Rd | This spring, all of Ithaca is the playground | $45.00
Honk & Wave on Triphammer Road | 4 p.m., 3/28 Saturday | Want to join in the protests on No Kings day, but not sure how to manage a
MULANEY:
SUNDAY, MARCH 29 AT 4 P.M. AND 7:30 P.M.
State Theater of Ithaca, 107 W. State St. | John Mulaney is a four-time Emmy Award, Critics Choice award and WGA award-winning writer, comedian and actor. Most recently, Mulaney can be seen as the host, writer and executive producer of his Net ix talk show EVERYBODY'S LIVE WITH JOHN MULANEY and starred in the Broadway play “All In: Comedy About Love,” alongside a cast including Fred Armisen, Richard Kind and Renee Elise Goldsberry. Mulaney is currently on the rst leg of his newest stand-up tour, JOHN MULANEY: MISTER WHATEVER, performing across North America. All ages welcome. Limited tickets available at https://stateo thaca.org/ (Photo: Provided)
march? Come join us on Triphammer Rd, just south of the Malls. We will be doing a giant Honk & Wave that those folks with mobility issues can join. We welcome everyone who wants to come up and join us!
BIPOC Voices In Romance & Fantasy: “Cinderella is Dead” by Kalynn Bayron | 5 p.m., 3/25 Wednesday | Bu alo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Join us to discuss Cinderella is Dead joined by local author Kalynn Bayron | Free Silent Cellar Silent Book Club | 5 p.m., 3/25 Wednesday | Atwater Vineyards, 5055 State Route 414, Burdett, NY 14818 | Free
Spring Teen Creative Writing Workshop | 5:30 p.m., 3/31 Tuesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Love to write your own stories? Have ideas for your own characters and worlds, or an interest in writing fan ction? Join Adrienne Raw for a Teen Creative Writing Workshop! | Free
Breaking the Banyard Barrier | 6 p.m., 3/31 Tuesday | Bu alo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Author Reading with Linda Rhodes in conversation with Dr. Paul Coen | Free!
Family Playgroup — Winter’26 Round #2 | 9:30 a.m., 3/26 Thursday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | Free 6 weeks series, March 5 – April 16 (no class on April 2) Story + Craft | 4 p.m., 3/26 Thursday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St. | Story + Craft is our weekly reading + creating event for children! Join us for a read-aloud, followed by art-making or a guided craft.
Baby & Toddler Storytime | 10:30 a.m., 3/27 Friday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St. | Caregivers and their children are invited to join Cassie for music, rhymes, movement and books. Storytime will be followed by a playtime from 11-12.
Spanish Storytime | 4 p.m., 3/27 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!
Science Connections: Glider | 10 a.m., 3/28 Saturday | Sciencecenter, 601 1st Street | How does an airplane without an engine climb thousands of feet and y hundreds of miles? Join Harris Hill Soaring and the Sciencenter to discover how to y like a bird!
Math Fun with MathHappens! | 10 a.m., 3/28 Saturday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St. | Join us for playful, informal math learning with the MathHappens Foundation! Families and kids can explore hands-on activities that make math fun, creative, and connected to everyday life.
Children International Fundraiser | 10:30 a.m., 3/30 Monday | Ithaca Commons, 171 E State Street |
Sit! Stay! Read! | 3 p.m., 3/30 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.
Kid and Tween Edition: Mario Kart Tournament | 2 p.m., 4/1 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Start your engines! We’ll set up Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on our biggest projector and play together. Snacks will be provided!
LGBTQ+ Youth Group | 4:30 p.m., 3/25 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St. | Join us at LGBTQ+ Youth Group to do crafts, play games, and socialize. Whether you’re lesbian, gay, bi, trans, questioning, or just trying to gure things out - we’re here for you!
Special Committee on Wrongful Discharge and Labor Protections | 6 p.m., 3/25 Wednesday | Council Chambers, 3rd Floor City Hall | Peer Leader Coordinator Information Sessions at Friends 110C | 10 a.m., 3/26 Thursday | Are you interested in serving as a Peer Leader Coordinator for the 2026 Academic Year?
Stitch Club | 1 p.m., 3/27 Friday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St. | Stitch Club is an opportunity for knitters, crocheters, needle-pointers, and other stitchers to come together and work. 2026 Fruit Tree and Berry Growing Workshop | 9 a.m., 3/28 Saturday | Apples and Moore, 2750 Apple Ln | Join experts Alec Moore and Rick Reisinger to learn about caring for fruit trees and berries! | $35.00 - $60.00
Ithaca Fishing & Conservation Day | 10 a.m., 3/28 Saturday | Boynton Middle School, 1601 N. Cayuga St. | This is a unique event that invites the community to come and experience a day of shing and environmental education. | Free Grant Cycle Information Session and Q&A | 12 p.m., 3/30 Monday | Virtual
Metamorphosi | 4 p.m., 3/31 Tuesday | Metamorphosis is a celebration of trans and gender-expansive creativity, growth, and self-expression.
Pet Clinic | 6 p.m., 4/1 Wednesday | Southside Community Center Gym, 305 S Plain St. | Pet Clinic
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containers we throw in the trash. Or reducing the need to build more landfills and incinerators by using and recycling containers thoughtfully.
If you choose fewer landfills and incinerators, please get the book so you can find out how to do your part now.” — Carol Strassburg Doolittle, Trumansburg NY
Renewable Electricity is Civil Defense and Common Sense
“The disastrous FUBAR (Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition) that is the recent war/not war with Iran has led to the entirely predictable blockade of the Straits of Hormuz by Iran (those vessels with Iranian govt. permission, such as those transporting Iranian oil to India and China get a pass..). The stoppage of
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influence public life, shaping the policies, narratives, and culture of the broader society. A Friends of the Times local news preservation group brings this cycle to life, turning a weekly newspaper into a living hub where democracy is practiced, stories are co-created, and civic responsibility is strengthened.
Preservation of legacy institutions is part of this dynamic. A weekly newspaper is more than a business; it is a repository of communal memory, a forum for dialogue, and a vehicle for shared understanding. Sustaining it is therefore not merely an act of nostal-
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some post-season recognition. Swarthout was named to the New York State Division 1 First Team, and Whitaker and Gabriel
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“Before she passed, we were talking about doing this every year,” Ospina said. “We thought that it was a priority to try to create a bridge of connecting the community to the faculty, staff and also the students that are on Cornell’s campus. That is the thing that I struggle with the most, is I want them to participate with
any other freight from the Persian Gulf (oil, LNG, nitrogen based fertilizers, other chemicals, aluminum) is a major shock to the so-called integrated world economy, because insurers of those ships/ their cargo don’t want the huge money losses associated with damaging/sinking any of those ships.
This is a severe economic supply shock from halting ~ 20% of the world’s LNG/ crude oil production rates. This will drive prices for these goods much higher as demand destruction takes it’s toll. Those without the ability to pay these resultant higher prices will have to do without, while those that can pay will pass those much higher costs to their customers. This will initiate a serious bout of inflation and economic contraction. Who’d have thought such things would happen, other than just about anyone with some basic economic understanding? And yes, Trump & Co. were warned, but then isn’t
gia, but a commitment to the ongoing health of civic life. Yet preservation cannot mean stagnation. The newspaper must adapt to changing technologies, new modes of communication, and evolving community needs. Here, the creativity of the Friends of the Times local news preservation group becomes crucial. By envisioning new forms and definitions of civic infrastructure, engagement, mentoring citizen contributors, and hosting inclusive forums, the group can ensure that the institution remains relevant while honoring its foundational mission.
Challenges inevitably arise. Friendship can become insular, community can become exclusionary, and identity can be
received Honorable Mention accolades.
More updates from Ithaca High Athletics: The Ithaca Boys Club Volleyball won the Gold at the Section IV event. This was a great way to start off a new program. Also, Ithaca High School hosted three NCAA basketball practice sessions last week,
what's going on within the community, but I never really had anyone that helped with that bridge. So Deborah was the one that started to introduce me to people and students as well that were interested in participating.”
Ospina has placed a focus on both emerging and established BIPOC artists for this gallery series. The title of the exhibition is called “We Are The Voice,” and it's also about resilience through art.
Operation Epic Fury just another name for Operation Epstein Diversion?
This FUBAR demonstrates the folly of continued addiction to ever-depleting liquid and gaseous fossil fuels, especially with regards to electricity production. Those countries that have invested in significant shifts to renewable electricity (such as Europe) will be much better off than those stuck with paying for significantly spiking oil and methane prices. The Strait of Hormuz blockage also shows that those who are efficient with their energy usage, and who are shifting from oil based transport to electrical based transport will be much better off. The same goes for residential and commercial heating. The price spike is also going to result in another massive shift of money from the many to a relatively small “few”. Just what the world and especially the USDA needs — even more wealth for the already obscenely wealthy. And while the US is presently isolated from
contested. The freedom to be heard is not automatically realized for all. The group must navigate these tensions consciously, cultivating openness, inviting diverse participation, and amplifying voices that might otherwise go unheard. In doing so, it lives out the principles it seeks to uphold, modeling the relational and participatory practices upon which democracy itself depends.
Ultimately, Experiencing the First Amendment Through Friendship and Community is more than a tagline—it is a framework for understanding why civic institutions and the communities that sustain them are indispensable to a functioning society. Democracy is not sustained by rights alone; it is nurtured
when Cornell hosted the Ivy League tournament. The Crimson of Harvard University and the Quakers of the University of Pennsylvania were invited to utilize the Ithaca High’s gymnasium, giving Little Red athletes an opportunity to observe two Division 1 programs in action.
“By having a space like that, it just shows that I feel like, with all the stuff that’s happening out there, I can at least make a space here for everyone to come and feel safe and comfortable and also inspired to have art as like, therapeutic for them in some way as well,” Ospina said. There will be a variety of events throughout the month of April, from LilyPad Puppet Theatre Workshops, artists talks, and zine workshops, to drag
the methane price spikes, the rapid buildout of LNG facilities in the USA will have the effect of coupling USA methane prices ( now ~$3/MBtu) to world methane prices ($17.18/MBtu on 3-16-26 — Dutch TTF). How would those heating with methane like their prices jump by a factor of 5 and more? Fun, wow!
Renewable electricity and efficiency — that’s a viable and an affordable future. Continued addiction to methane and petroleum is just whistling past the proverbial graveyard, an invitation to ever greater impoverishment, along with the fact that this addiction is trashing our planet’s climate control system. The Big Question is whether we get wise and change some our more evil ways, or if we stay unwise and make our country/our world a much worse place to live in? As is often said in gambling circles, ‘Gentlemen, place your bets!’” — Dave Bradley, Dryden NY
by relationships, shared identity, and collective commitment to listen, speak, and act.
A Friends of the Times local news preservation group makes this framework tangible. It demonstrates that when people come together not just as citizens, but as neighbors, collaborators, and friends, they create the conditions under which democracy thrives. In this sense, supporting a newspaper becomes more than patronage—it becomes the practice of democracy itself, ensuring that everyone has a place, a voice, and the freedom to be heard. For more information on how to be a member of Friends of the Times, please contact Roy@ithacatimes.com.
So... the winter sports season is behind us, spring is officially here, and there are so many athletic events to attend between Cornell, Ithaca College and Ithaca High. Don’t forget your sunscreen... And your parka... And your umbrella.
night and various music evenings. There are daily events from April 3 to May 2. Community members interested in supporting or getting involved are encouraged to reach out at contact@ yenospina.com. Many events are free or offered on a sliding scale to ensure accessibility. Select programs require RSVP. Full details and the complete events schedule are available at orozcogallery.com.
