Nov. 12, 2025

EDITOR ’ S NOTE: This piece is sponsored content provided by TeraWulf. It does not necessarily reflect the views, editorial stance or reporting of the Ithaca Times

N ews line

Cornell Reaches Deal with Federal Government to Restore Funding, End Investigations

By Maddy Vogel

Cornell University announced on Nov. 7 an agreement with the federal government to restore over $250 million in research funding withheld since April amid investigations into the university over alleged antisemitic harassment and discrimination on campus. In return, the university will pay the federal government $30 million to close all pending cases and claims.

Cornell has faced numerous legal battles, federal investigations and funding cuts in Trump’s second term, leading the university to implement austerity measures, a complete hiring freeze and layoffs.

Cornell’s statement claims the agreement to these terms is not an admission of wrongdoing and that the university has not been found in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in any federal investigations or compliance reviews. The university underwent program reviews

by the Department of Justice, Department of Education, and Department of Health and Human Services, according to the statement. All reviews, even those

which had not been completed, have been closed as a term of the agreement.

Continued on Page 19

X Waitlist Implemented for Child Care Assistance Program in Tompkins County

By Lorien Tyne

The Tompkins County Department of Social Services (DSS) has implemented a waitlist for new applications and recertifications for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).

The waitlist began Nov. 1 and is a result of limited funding. New applications continue to be accepted but will be put on the wait list until additional funding is available. Those seeking waitlist placement must complete the application and eligibility process and applications and recertifications must meet eligibility requirements.

The announcement from Tompkins County Administration said that when funding is available, DSS will process waitlisted applications and recertifications in accordance with federal and state priority guidelines.

Monika Salvage, communications director for Tompkins County Administration, said the decision to implement a waitlist was not because of county budget cuts. She said CCAP

has historically been funded almost entirely through state and federal money.

“Due to rising market rates and expanded eligibility requirements, expenditures are projected to exceed our current state allocation,” Salvage said. “This creates a heavy burden on local taxpayers, as any additional costs would need to be covered entirely with local funds.”

Families currently receiving CCAP funding will remain eligible if they are experiencing homelessness, have an income below 300% of the State Income Standard, or have children with special needs. Recertification for CCAP is an annual process that applicants go through for the county to determine if the household remains eligible.

“Families should continue to submit their recertifications so the district can redetermine their eligibility and be placed on a waitlist only if they do not fall into one of the three federal priority groups,” Salvage said. “The local

The operators of the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center have filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Asteri building in downtown Ithaca. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times File)

district does not reduce benefits authorized in a 12-month period for a family currently receiving Child Care Assistance. It’s important to note that a household that does not submit a recertification application, along with the requested documentation to the district, cannot have their eligibility redetermined, and their case would be closed.”

In addition to recertification exceptions, foster and protective childcare cases as well as Temporary Assistance cases will continue to receive assistance.

For families that apply, once eligibility is confirmed, the application will be put on the waitlist and notified when funding is available. The Oct. 28 announcement from the county said that applications older than 30 days must be resubmitted.

The DSS Child Care Unit can be reached at dfa3a50.dl.childcare@dfa.state.ny.us and further information is available on the county website.

@ ithacatim E s com s C ott M anson , a ssociat E p ublish E

F r EE lanc E rs : Barbara Adams, G. M Burns, Charley Githler, Stephen Burke, Bill Chaisson, Ross Haarstad, Steve Lawrence, Marjorie Olds, Henry Stark, Peter Rothbart, Austin Lamb, Clement Obropta, Jake Sexton, Kira Walter, and Vasant Alex Laplam THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THE ITHACA TIMES ARE COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY PATHWAYS TO EQUITY, LLC. All rights reserved. Events are listed free of charge in TimesTable. All copy must be received by Friday at noon. The Ithaca Times is available free of charge from various locations around Ithaca. Additional copies may be purchased from the Ithaca Times offices for $1. SUBSCRIPTIONS: $139 one year. Include check or money order and mail to the Ithaca Times, PO Box 27, Ithaca, NY 14851. ADVERTISING: Deadlines are Monday 5 p.m. for display, Tuesday at noon for classified. Advertisers should check their ad on publication. The Ithaca Times will not be liable for failure to publish an ad, for typographical error, or errors in publication except to the extent of the cost of the space in which the actual error appeared in the first insertion. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason and to alter advertising copy or graphics deemed unacceptable for publication. The Ithaca Times is published weekly Wednesday mornings. Offices are located at 109 N. Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 607-277-7000, FAX 607277-1012, MAILING ADDRESS is PO Box 27, Ithaca, NY 14851. The Ithaca Times was preceded by the Ithaca New Times (1972–1978) and The Good

(1973–1978),

in

Cornell administration has struck a deal with the federal government to restore hundreds of millions in federal research funding, but at a $30 million cost to the university.

(Photo: Nathan Ellison/Ithaca Times File)

IN UIRING

PHOTOGR PHER Q A

By Mark Syvertson

QUESTION

OF THE WEEK: “WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST MUSIC CONCERT?”

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

– Danny

– Robin

–

–

–

ICSD and Teachers Reach Tentative Contract Deal After Months of Stalled Talks

By Philip O’Dell

The Ithaca City School District (ICSD) and the Ithaca Teachers Association (ITA) reached a tentative agreement on Oct. 30 for a new collective bargaining contract after months of negotiations.

Both parties’ executive teams restarted contract talks on Oct. 9, picking up discussions after declaring an impasse on June 12.

Bargaining began in January to replace the previous agreement, which later lapsed on June 30. The failure to finalize terms meant more than 500 ITA educators returned to their classrooms without a new contract.

Teachers received the same compensation as the previous year, missing the typical annual contractual pay increase. With rising health insurance costs, many educators experienced a reduction in their takehome pay compared to the prior school year. The union has organized numerous public demonstrations during the last few months of bargaining to rally community support.

The bargaining process for the teacher contract was conducted publicly via livestreamed negotiations for the first time in ICSD history.

“This public collective bargaining process has contributed to an awareness, deeper understanding, and tentative agreement on terms that are mutually beneficial for adults and students in our school district,” ICSD Superintendent Luvelle Brown said in a statement. “I’m pleased that we have an unprecedented and historic opportunity to position our teaching staff as one of the most competitively compensated with robust benefits when compared to any school district in Central New York. At the same time, enhanced professional development to support the extended instructional time for students will be invaluable.”

ITA President Kathryn Cernera said the open process kept members informed and allowed the community to understand the work of schools and teachers.

“Having things open has really given us a great chance to have a huge community conversation about our schools and our needs,” Cernera said in an interview with the Ithaca Times.

The ratification process will involve the ITA finalizing the precise wording to ensure the draft contract accurately incor-

porates all points of agreement reached during negotiations, Cernera said. Once completed, the draft will be distributed to all ITA members for review. The union’s bylaws require all voting materials be provided in writing to its members and allow a two-week voting period. Cernera hopes to submit a draft document to ITA members before the Thanksgiving break— ideally on the Monday or Tuesday—allowing the two-week ratification vote to begin once school resumes in December.

If a majority of ITA members approve the terms, the agreement will proceed to the ICSD Board of Education for final consideration and the new contract’s formal adoption, Cernera said.

Cernera said ITA established key priorities based on a year of discussions with their members about what they needed for support and long-term retention. These priorities included improvements to salary and benefits, stronger support for working families, better general working conditions, an increase in time for professional duties within the workday, and refined processes for collaboration between the union and the district. Cernera said ITA secured gains in all these areas.

“As we got further into negotiations, we really identified that the things we could not leave the table without were a stepand-lane salary schedule, paid parental leave and family leave and maintaining our health insurance for our retirees, all of which we were able to preserve,” Cernera said.

A step-and-lane salary structure is a

compensation model that ensures educators' pay increases align with their years of experience and advancements in education level or professional development. Cernera said ITA had this structure in the late 1960s before it was removed through contract talks at the time, and the union has been seeking its reinstatement ever since.

According to ICSD, the tentative agreement includes a new three-year collective bargaining contract to enhance teacher compensation and benefits while updating working conditions and student learning time. It includes an average annual salary increase for teachers at 7% for the 2025–26 and 2026–27 school years, followed by a 6% average increase in 2027–28. A new step-and-lane compensation schedule guarantees that no teacher will receive less than a 5% annual increase, and the district maintains a funding plan for these increases that is consistent with long-range planning and stays within the tax cap.

Beyond pay, the agreement expands parental and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave to 12 paid weeks and maintains current health care options for teachers in retirement. To ensure competitiveness, the contract incorporates leading elements from neighboring districts and state and national teachers unions and is designed to keep schedule changes consistent with nearby areas.

Cernera said the previous contract

“It was a local band named Zebrahead at El Capitan in Los Angeles. The drummer from Lit bought me a drink.”

“I saw War at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. This would have been around 2000 or so.”

“My first concert was GrassRoots in 2023. I had no idea what to expect but it was great.”

Nate

“I saw Ramstein, Slipknot and System of a Down in Albany in 2001.”

Chris

“My first concert was Rick Springfield at the River Days Festival (Detroit area) in 2008.”

Simon

Ithaca's teachers have been negotiating for a new contract since January, and have just reached a tentative agreement with school district administration. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times File)

State and County Officials Coordinate Local Food Security Efforts Amid SNAP Uncertainty

By Philip O’Dell and Lorien Tyne

Local state and county leadership are coordinating efforts to ensure food access for Tompkins County residents amid a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) freeze caused by the ongoing federal government shutdown.

State Sen. Lea Webb (D-N.Y.-52) and a coalition of local government, agency and nonprofit leaders gathered on Nov. 5 to announce coordinated efforts to support residents facing food insecurity. The Tompkins County Legislature discussed concerns regarding the impact of the government shutdown on financial assistance programs at its Nov. 6 meeting.

Both events called on the federal government to fully restore SNAP funding immediately. The federal government shutdown is expected to delay SNAP benefits for nearly 42 million people in November, including about 7% of Tompkins County residents and 16.9% of county youth.

On Nov. 6, a Rhode Island federal judge’s order required the Trump administration to restore full SNAP funding by Nov. 7. The judge ruled the government failed to consider the harm that funding cuts would inflict on the millions of low-income Americans who rely on the program. The Trump administration appealed the order.

Tompkins County Administrator Korsah Akumfi authorized up to $50,000 in county funds to be spent to assist local SNAP recipients through coordination with food banks and community food programs.

To coordinate on-the-ground support for residents, Webb and Assemblymember Anna Kelles’ offices are working with local partners, including the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, the Community Foundation of Tompkins County, the United Way of Tompkins County (UWTC), and the Tompkins County Department of Social Services (DSS).

“We know in Tompkins County that SNAP is not a luxury. It is not an abstract policy. It is most certainly an essential need,” Webb said.

Webb stressed that state efforts are

only a temporary measure, asserting that federal action is needed to fully address the scale of food insecurity. She pointed out the vast gap that state efforts cannot bridge, noting that for every one meal provided by local food relief organizations, SNAP provides nine.

“We also know that it is imperative for the community to know what resources are available, not just simply during this SNAP crisis, but also all the way throughout the year,” Webb said.

Kelles’ Chief of Staff Mary HollandBavis said the Food Bank of the Southern Tier and local food relief providers are reporting a surge in demand, a trend expected to grow as the need continues. She said the organizations are maximizing efforts but cannot fill the gap left by suspended federal programs.

County resident Barbara Lang, in partnership with Pathways To Equity, put together five variations of food resource guides specific to different areas of the county. She has been strategically distributing them for the past five months but asked the legislature to look for sponsors that could cover the cost of printing more. She said $2,500 could print 10,000 guides — 2,000 for each of the regional guides. The guides are also online at ImpactIthaca.com.

The legislature voted unanimously to allocate $2,500 from the contingent fund to print the food resource pamphlets. The legislature agreed to have Deputy County Administrator Norma Jayne work on finalizing the details to make sure the information in the pamphlets is accurate.

UPS DOWNS&

Ups

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, New York Attorney General Letitia James won a court order temporarily blocking the Trump administration’s attempts to claw back SNAP benefits and punish states that release them. As of Monday, Nov. 9, New Yorkers have begun to see their November SNAP benefits reflected on their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.

Downs

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has backtracked on the decision to deny the Greenidge Generation facility its Title V Air Permit on the grounds that it violates the CLCPA and has issued the cryptocurrency mining fracked gas power plant a five year permit to keep operating. On the same day, she approved the NESE pipeline- a project that has been denied multiple times because of its environmental risks.

HEARD SEEN&

EDITOR’S NOTE: Barbara Lang worked with Roy Allen, founder of Pathways to Equity, to produce the food resource guide pamphlets as part of Impact Ithaca’s work. Pathways to Equity is the nonprofit parent of the Ithaca Times but the pamphlets are not produced by the Times.

Lisa Monroe, the director of Tompkins County Office for the Aging, said her office is collaborating with DSS to secure transportation and provide prepared meals for those who are homebound and unable to cook. Monroe noted that her office is addressing needs compounded by rising costs and struggles with health insurance during the Medicare open enrollment period.

Rebekah Hinton, the UWTC director of community impact, said food security is a top priority for the nonprofit. UWTC’s donation drive is distributing funds to food pantries and distribution sites across Tompkins County and has already raised nearly $7,000.

TCAT Assistant General Manager Tiffany Walker announced that, effective immediately, TCAT is offering free rides to all EBT cardholders until federal SNAP benefits are reinstated. Acknowledging that transportation is a barrier to accessing assistance, this action allows cardholders to show their EBT card to drivers for a free ride to food banks, grocery stores, community meals, and other support services. Warner stated that while the financial impact to TCAT is minimal, the measure

Heard

On November 3rd, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon and U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois submitted a letter to the Federal Trade Commission requesting that it open an investigation into Flock Safety for negligent cybersecurity practices.

Seen

A collaboration between the Ithaca Garden Club, Cayuga Medical Center Foundation, and Cornell University has resulted in the planting of 70,000 daffodil bulbs on the Cayuga Medical Center campus. The effort, part of the citywide Daff-A-Dazzle beautification project, aims to create a vibrant and welcoming landscape for the community.

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.”

Tompkins County assist more with providing ambulance services?

I don’t

Do you plan to donate to local non-profits during the upcoming holiday season? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.

State and County leaders are coordinating efforts to battle food insecurity during the federal government shutdown. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times)

Key Leader at Tompkins Financial Advisors Set to Retire

Tompkins Community Bank Accepting Award Nominations

New Commercial Banking Regional Manager at Tompkins Community Bank

Wegmans and the Food Bank of the Southern Tier Fundraise for Food Security

By Maddy Vogel

Wegmans and the Food Bank of the Southern Tier have launched their 32nd annual Check Out Hunger campaign, which has raised over $2 million for hunger relief since its 1993 inception.

The campaign invites Wegmans shoppers to make small donations at checkout, and runs from now until Saturday, Nov. 29. Shoppers can donate between $2 and $5 to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier at the register. Due to the Food Bank’s purchasing power, every $1 received provides three meals for families in need.

The Food Bank of the Southern Tier works to fight food insecurity in communities across Tompkins, Broome,

Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben and Tioga counties.

The campaign comes at a crucial time for the Food Bank, which has already seen increased demand since the federal government has paused Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for tens of millions nationally, along with tens of thousands in the Southern Tier. The Food Bank said it and a network of other community organizations are seeing record demand for food assistance.

Mark Bordeau, president & CEO of the Food Bank of the Southern Tier,

Continued on Page 19

Ithaca Generator Builds a Creative Community

By Jake Sexton

Self-described as a community of inventors, artisans, crafters, designers, engineers, and inventors, Ithaca Generator’s foundational mission seeks to “bring people together around their passions and interests while promoting the joys and values of making, in all its forms.” It is a community-driven, 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization located at 233 Cherry Street.

Inside the facility, everything from woodshopping, metalworking, authentic printing presses, ceramics, to graphic design and 3D printing can be found. This diverse assortment allows everyone from makers, hobbyists, students to professionals alike to brainstorm ideas, build and collaborate with one another. In a sense, their ethos embodies this inclusivity, prioritizing hands-on and interdisciplin-

ary practice of their crafts. A guiding principle from IG’s website: “Imagination, seeded by knowledge and sown in community, enables our creative nature to bloom.”

Last month, Ithaca Generator held an open house event inviting both crafters and curious members of the community to see demonstrations and engage with the workshops. Attendees were encouraged to drop in and meet the crafting community blossoming at Ithaca Generator.

As a nonprofit, Ithaca Generator is an open-space with a dedication to inclusivity. One member, Caleb Harrington, described their workshop as available and open to all, regardless of age or

Continued on Page 19

Wegmans and the Food Bank of the Southern Tier have raised over $2 million for hunger relief since their annual Check Out Hunger campaign began in 1993. (Photo: Provided/Wegmans)

Ithaca Generator is a community makerspace that welcomes all local creatives. (Photo: Ithaca Generator/Provided)

Business Briefs

TOMPKINS FINANCIAL ADVISORS

ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT OF SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER

ITHACA,

NY (November 5, 2025) —

Following almost seven years of service at Tompkins Financial Advisors, Geoff Blyth has shared that he will retire in early 2026 from his role as senior vice president, chief investment officer.

“Geoff’s outstanding leadership and dedication have left an indelible mark on Tompkins,” said Eric Taylor, president of Tompkins Financial Advisors. “He set a remarkable example through his commitment to our clients, our team and the communities we serve, setting the standard for excellence, integrity and confidence in our strategies that we will continue to uphold as Tompkins grows and evolves. We’re deeply grateful for his years of service and wish him all the best as he embarks on this next chapter.”

As Blyth prepares to step away from his full-time role, he will support the company in their search for a successor in the coming months, ensuring a smooth transition and that Tompkins Financial Advisors continues to serve its clients with the same approach and values.

Blyth is responsible for leading the Tompkins Financial Advisors’ Investment Committee, overseeing the team-oriented and collaborative approach to the firm’s overall investment process and strategy, and working closely with clients on their portfolio needs. With 30 years of portfolio and investment management experience, he previously served as chief investment officer at Genesee Valley Trust Company and senior investment strategist at CNB Wealth Management. A graduate of

Colgate University, Blyth is known for his extensive involvement in his local community. His past appointments include the Heritage Christian Services Golf Committee, the Al Sigl Center Sports Committee, Rochester Rehabilitation Center Board of Directors and the Monroe Golf Club Board of Directors.

“It has been a privilege to spend such a significant portion of my career at Tompkins and to meaningfully contribute to the growth and success of not only the company, but so many colleagues and clients,” said Blyth. “I was incredibly fortunate to work alongside a dedicated team that values the long-term relationships that define our organization. I’ll continue to treasure these relationships in this next chapter, and I have every confidence in the team’s continued ability to deliver exceptional service and uphold the values that make Tompkins a trusted financial partner for generations to come.”

TOMPKINS COMMUNITY BANK ACCEPTING 2025 AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE NOMINATIONS

ITHACA, NY (October 28, 2025) —

Tompkins Community Bank has announced that nominations for its 2025 James J. Byrnes Awards for Excellence are now open through October 31, 2025. This annual program recognizes outstanding unpaid individual volunteer efforts and volunteer-based nonprofit organizations for their contributions to Tompkins County. Nominees can be either local individuals, a group of people representing a key volunteer element of a community organization or a non-profit group.

“Tompkins is proud to support the amazing work volunteers are doing in our community through The James J. Byrnes Awards for Excellence,” said Johanna Anderson, president, Tompkins Community Bank’s Central New York market. “We are grateful to be continuing our partnership with the Legacy Foundation to showcase the incredible work being done in our community and to celebrate the efforts of individuals and groups who make it happen.”

Established in 1985 by Raymond Van Houtte, Tompkins’ Awards for Excellence continue to share the Bank’s success with community members who have made significant contributions towards improving the quality of life within Tompkins County. Honorees will receive a monetary

award to donate to the organization of their choice.

For more information about the awards, or to submit a nomination, visit www.tompkinsbank.com/james-j-byrnesawards-for-excellence

TOMPKINS COMMUNITY BANK WELCOMES COMMERCIAL BANKING REGIONAL MANAGER

ITHACA,

NY (October 7, 2025) — Strengthening its commitment to serving commercial businesses across Central New York, Tompkins Community Bank (Tompkins) has appointed John Huhtala to commercial banking regional manager. Huhtala, a 28-year industry veteran known for his leadership, mentorship and community engagement, will lead operations with the goal of driving growth and value for the bank’s clients.

“John’s impressive career, paired with his client-first mindset, makes him the perfect leader to deliver for our team,” said Johanna Anderson, president, Tompkins Central New York market. “We’re confident he will help us provide thoughtful, personalized solutions, focused on supporting commercial business customers.”

Huhtala joins the Tompkins team after spending over 15 years in various leadership positions at JPMorgan Chase throughout New York City and Syracuse. He most recently served as an executive director and market executive, leading the middle-market banking business in Central New York, Mohawk Valley, North Country and the Southern Tier, where he effectively managed client portfolios, delivered top results in new business for the Upstate region and fostered new client relationships.

Huhtala earned a bachelor’s in business administration from Nazareth College of Rochester and an MBA from Binghamton

University. He has previously served on multiple committees with the CenterState CEO Board and the Syracuse Stage Board. He has also dedicated his time volunteering for Syracuse’s Honor Flight programs, OnPoint for College and as a youth basketball coach.

Huhtala currently resides in Baldwinsville, NY, with his wife and three daughters.

FINGER FOODS FARM EXPANDS TO 87 WEGMANS STORES WITH NEW SINGLE-SERVE SOUPS

BLOOMFIELD,

NY — Finger Foods Farm, the local farm-to-freezer soup company known for transforming New York-grown ingredients into ready-to-heat comfort food, announced that its soups are now available at 87 Wegmans stores across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. The expansion coincides with the launch of the company’s new microwave-friendly, single-serve containers and the debut of its Broccoli Cheddar flavor.

“Every soup we make starts in a field, not a factory,” said Sarah Cookfair, cofounder and CEO of Finger Foods Farm.

“We build flavor from the ground up— using vegetables grown on local farms at their peak—so in five minutes, you can have a hot, delicious meal you can eat right out of the container. It’swholesome, local food made easy.”

Finger Foods Farm is rethinking what “convenience food” means. Each soup starts with vegetables grown on nearby farms and ends up in a freezer-aisle container you can heat and eat in minutes— no additives, no mystery ingredients, just real food that tastes like it came off the stove.

Consumers can now find Finger Foods Farm’s Butternut Squash and Broccoli Cheddar soups in the frozen aisle at Wegmans.

The Talk at

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

In response to Guest Opinion: Lansing Deserves Honest and Lawful Governance

“The TeraWulf Datacenter is a bad investment for the Fingerlakes, with significant environmental and financial costs and no guaranteed benefit. The frenzy around expanding Artificial Intelligence is based on hype, not evidence—a recent study found 64% of CEOs invested in AI based on fear of falling behind without clear understanding of what value AI provides. Now, the public is expected to believe the datacenter “will not emit pollutants, and will not produce disruptive noise.” In reality, a compelling body of evidence shows the material costs of datacenters are high.

Canvassing for NYPIRG this summer, I knocked on thousands of doors in the Fingerlakes. The people I talked to are already complaining about noise from Bitcoin mining in Dresden and are concerned about expansion of datacenters in

the region. Few are convinced by “highquality jobs,” as datacenters aren’t labor intensive and require specialized labor in short supply locally.

We can see the bad return on investment internationally. For a decade, Ireland has been the playground for Big Tech investments. Now, datacenters are projected to use 70% of Ireland’s electricity by 2030, and provide only about 16,000 jobs to a country of 5.28 million. The Town of Lansing should reject the TeraWulf Datacenter.” — Satyavrat KK, NYPIRG Project Coordinator

In Opposition to the TeraWulf Data Center

“I am opposed to the plan for a TeraWulf data center which will increase local electricity costs, make our community more vulnerable, and weaken our democracy.

The increased power demands on the grid caused by data centers like the proposed one on Cayuga Lake lead to skyrocketing utility prices. Across the nation, people who live near data centers are seeing utility price increases. In Ithaca particularly, where families are struggling with increased housing costs and rising prices, this type of utility bill increase would be devastating.

TeraWulf has also been hostile and dishonest to the Town of Lansing and

its people. They have threatened legal action against the town of Lansing and consistently misrepresented the nature of the data center. Assemblymember Anna Kelles published an important piece in this paper exposing many of TeraWulf’s falsehoods surrounding its promise not to take water from Cayuga Lake.

The proposed artificial intelligence data center threatens both the environmental and economic sustainability of the Finger Lakes region and New York State as a whole. The Town of Lansing must impose the moratorium to stop the possible harms of such a data center in our community. The Town of Lansing should reject the TeraWulf data-center!”

— Mark Kiefer, Ithaca

NY

Crypto/ A. I. Data Centers Leave Us Footing the Electric Bills

“Morgan Stanley, investment brokerage, “In Brief” (4th quarter 2025) includes one “Important Notice” for investors: “...historical trading prices for cryptocurrencies have been highly volatile.

“(BOLDED) The prices of cryptocurrencies can decline rapidly & investors can lose their entire investment”.

Anyone tempted by crypto should heed this warning. Crypto has become a haven for criminal activity—its promise of anonymity makes it the perfect tool for fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering. Consider Roger Ver, “Bitcoin Jesus”, charged with failing to pay $48 million in taxes, or Changpeng Zhao, billionaire founder of Binance, who pled guilty to money laundering. This is the face of a criminal system that rewards secrecy and deception. Thanks to Trump, they have been pardoned.

Trump pledged to make the US the “crypto capital of the world” without assessing what that would mean for our electric grid or economy. Now electricity costs have surged. NYSEG, in October, requested another rate increase—$33 more per month for electricity & $18.87 for natural gas, added to last year's hikes. Why? Energy-hungry data centers & cryptomining operations are driving demand. Two data centers are already operating in the Finger Lakes— Greenidge Generation in Dresden and FirstLight in Romulus—another is planned at Cayuga Power Plant, Lansing. Their profits will flow to private shareholders, while we ratepayers foot the bill.

Cryptocurrency may enrich a few, but it impoverishes the majority of ratepayers, financially, environmentally, and morally.

How long will we allow ordinary ratepayers to bear the cost of a speculative A.I. bubble that powers greed and not progress for the ratepayers?” — Dorothy Pomponio, Groton NY

Refuting TeraWulf CEO’s Op-Ed on Cayuga Data Center

“ Correcting some basic, factually incorrect information from Paul Prager’s op-ed, specifically regarding the Lansing email discussion group:

1. The list is not “private, invitationonly.” Any Lansing resident can ask to join and be approved. The list isn’t *open* for anyone to join without approval because this prevents, for example, a bunch of employees from a large corporation like Terawulf (who don’t live in Lansing) from just joining the list.

2. The list is not some closely-guarded secret for Joe Wetmore’s immediate circle of supporters. I found out about it as soon as I moved here in 2018, before I had any idea who Joe Wetmore was, and was approved to join it immediately, without any sort of political litmus test.

3. You don’t get booted off the list for disagreeing with Joe Wetmore. You may get booted for violating basic civility rules (name-calling, profanity, etc) and there may be some overlap between those two groups. Some of Joe’s biggest (and very vocal) detractors remain on the list and engaged in ongoing debate. They have not been kicked off for doing so.

Any Lansing resident is free to request to join the list and engage in the ongoing debate about the data center, development moratorium, and occasional more lighthearded thread asking for recommendations for a good local contractor. Don’t fall for Terawful’s bullying tactics and absurd claims that the board is somehow violating open meeting laws by communicating with residents on an email list that any resident can join.” — Benjamin Finio, Locke NY

Clarifying Budget Facts About The Town of Lansing

“Recent misinformation surrounding Lansing’s upcoming budget has caused unnecessary concern. Contrary to the claims circulating, the town budget is not increasing by 20%, only the tax levy is reflecting that increase. The actual budget increase is just under 12%, which is necessary due to rising costs in health insurance, utilities, and essential

Working Class Hero

By Charley Githler

NEWS ITEM: Following renewed questions about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the King of England’s brother, once known as Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, has been stripped of all his titles and evicted from his free residence at Royal Lodge. Now a commoner, his name is Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, and his future plans and prospects are uncertain.

Scene: February 4, 2026, an office at Catholic Charities of Tompkins on West Buffalo Street in Ithaca. Immigration Services Program caseworker CARA CORNSTARCH is working with recent immigrant ANDREW MOUNTBATTEN WINDSOR, who has had considerable difficulty with a number of employment opportunities since his arrival in Ithaca three weeks earlier.

CORNSTARCH: Well, Andy, it seems like we’re back at the drawing board. You lasted a whole 25 minutes at Fastrac? That has to be a new record. What happened?

WINDSOR: That manager had an exceedingly distasteful demeanor.

CORNSTARCH: (checking notes) It says here you refused to work.

WINDSOR: She handed me a broom in a manner most unpleasant, and demanded that I sweep the floor! Where was the chamber groom? Or a footman? You see my point, of course. I withdrew forthwith.

CORNSTARCH: Andy. We can’t keep doing this. Dunkin’, Byrne Dairy, Wendy’s, now Fastrac. Four jobs in three weeks!

You insulted customers at three of them, and it would have been four, if you’d had time. It’s hard enough to find employers with your…um… ‘backstory’, especially in this economic climate.

WINDSOR: Ah, yes, speaking of climate, is it always this cold? My other option was Abu Dhabi, after all.

CORNSTARCH: It kind of is, this time of year. People don’t generally move here for the winters. Actually, why did you choose Ithaca?

WINDSOR: It was my valet. He looked on something he called “google” for cities that provide sanctuary to immigrants fleeing persecution and this place popped up. Something about a “City of Asylum”.

CORNSTARCH: I…I’m not sure…

WINDSOR: I need to generate my own funds, Miss Cornbread. My brother was quite clear on the subject.

CORNSTARCH: Fine. I have one last chance for you, and if this doesn’t work out, I can’t do any more. With this job, there’s no dealing with actual customers, and you’ll be out of sight. (handing WINDSOR a slip of paper) It’s washing dishes at the Lincoln Street Diner. Report for training at eight tomorrow. I wouldn’t wear a suit to this one.

WINDSOR: Eight? As in eight in the forenoon? This will wreak havoc with my morning ablutions, but I suppose it must be so. I suppose I could wear a tweed hunting jacket and an ascot.

We’ll have to wait until February to see how it turns out…

A NATION SPEAKS: A CELEBRATION OF GREAT AMERICAN VOICES

The Enduring Voice of Sojourner Truth

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

On July 4, 1776, fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence — a document that changed the world. But many more voices have contributed to this nation we call America. The voice we spotlight this week is that of Sojourner Truth from her famous “Ain’t I a Woman” speech delivered in 1851 at the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio.

In a time of great partisanship, listening to voices of the past might help us prepare for more unity in the future. These speeches were not delivered in silence — they were shouted across divides, whispered in courage, and sung in hope. They remind us that freedom is not a solo act — it is a chorus.

Ain’t I a Woman? — 1863 version published by by Frances Dana Gage

Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what’s all this here talking about?

“We’re developing a new citizenry. One that will be very selective about cereals and automobiles, but won ’t be able to think.”

— Rod Serling, Author of Stories from The Twilight Zone

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me!

And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man — when I could get it — and bear the lash as well!

And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me!

And ain’t I a woman?

Then they talk about this thing in the head; what’s this they call it? [Member of audience whispers, “intellect.”] That’s it, honey. What's that got to do with women’s rights or negroes’ rights? If my

cup won’t hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn’t you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?

Then that little man in black there, he says women can’t have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn’t a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.

If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain’t got nothing more to say.t

Next week, we will print Frederick Douglas 1852 speech “What to the Slave is the 4th of July” ?

Voices Through the Gorges

Sojourner Truth was a former enslaved woman who became a leading 19th-century abolitionist and women’s rights activist. (Photo: National Park Service)

Navigating the Storm: Surviving Unexpected Disruptions in Life

By Roy Allen, Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Ithaca Times and Finger Lakes Community Newspapers

In an era defined by fragility, unexpected events remind us that stability is an illusion. Whether it’s a federal government shutdown grinding essential services to a halt or a sudden illness upending personal health, these shocks expose the thin veil between order and chaos. Both scenarios—macroeconomic paralysis and intimate bodily betrayal—erode the foundations of security, particularly food access, which Maslow’s hierarchy deems fundamental to survival. Yet resilience isn’t innate; it’s cultivated through preparation, adaptability and community.

The ongoing 2025 U.S. federal government shutdown, now the longest in American history, epitomizes how systemic breakdowns reverberate into everyday lives. Beginning on Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass a funding bill, the stalemate has furloughed nearly 900,000 federal employees and forced another 700,000 to work without pay. The standoff, driven by partisan disputes over extending Affordable Care Act tax credits, has frozen essential services and deepened food insecurity nationwide. Agencies like the USDA and FDA have suspended or reduced operations, delaying food inspections and SNAP benefit renewals. Non-profits such as Feeding America report that pantry demand has surged as federal workers and low-income families line up for groceries. The shutdown has become more than a fiscal impasse—it’s a humanitarian crisis that exposes the fragility of America’s food chain.

Food security often falters first when national systems stall. Federal programs like SNAP and school meals depend on appropriations cycles, leaving millions vulnerable when politics fails. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the economic losses at up to $14 billion if the deadlock persists through November, but the real toll is measured in empty cupboards and unpaid grocery bills. Yet,

Agreeing to Disagree

By Hon. Thomas V. Manahan, J.A.D. (Ret.)

Tas in 2018–19, communities again mobilize. Churches reopen food banks, farms discount produce and volunteers distribute meals to furloughed workers. Crisis, paradoxically, rekindles cooperation.

This institutional paralysis mirrors the chaos of an unexpected illness—a personal shutdown where the body, like government machinery, ceases to function smoothly. A diagnosis of cancer, or a lingering case of long COVID, can halt one’s “operations” overnight. Energy dips, appetite vanishes and finances buckle. Medical bills climb while wages stall, echoing the furloughed federal worker’s dilemma. Studies by the American Cancer Society show that nearly 30 percent of cancer patients face food insecurity due to treatment costs exceeding $10,000 per month. Hospital stays interrupt grocery routines, while side effects like nausea or fatigue render meals unappealing. Both the political shutdown and the biological one strip agency, turning abundance into scarcity—whether government paychecks stop or bodies betray their hunger.

Survival, in either sphere, demands a triad: preparation, pivoting and perseverance. Preparation builds buffers before a crisis hits. For households, this means diversifying income, maintaining an emergency fund, and keeping a two-week reserve of non-perishables to cushion supply disruptions. Joining communitysupported agriculture (CSA) programs or local food cooperatives can insulate families from federal bottlenecks. Financial apps help stretch SNAP or WIC dollars efficiently.

Preparation for illness follows the same logic but internalized. Stocking frozen meals, electrolyte mixes and essential medicines can sustain the sick when energy or mobility falters. Routine checkups, vaccinations and symptom journals are the health-equivalent of balanced budgets—they avert crises before they escalate. Both fiscal and physical resilience hinge on anticipation rather than reaction.

When the inevitable strikes, pivoting determines endurance. During the 2025 shutdown, grassroots networks have pro-

here was a time when disagreement was not synonymous with a declaration of war. To disagree was to participate in a shared experiment of reason—an acknowledgment that reaching an agreement, even a partial one, could emerge from the tension of competing views. It was a skill.

In the present tribalistic atmosphere of discourse, fed in large part by a polarizing electronic and social media, that once-commonplace skill seems unattainable. Our public discourse has become less about persuasion and more about performance. We “win” arguments by silencing rather than understanding, by scoring rhetorical points rather than seeking truth.

I have spent my professional life in the company of conflict. On the bench, disagreement was a daily companion. As a trial court judge, I presided over numerous disputes. The disputes were not solely about law; they were also about identity— being heard, validated, and respected.

In my post-retirement mediation practice, I have witnessed parties bridge the gulf between them by choosing to listen to each other’s positions. Behind most disagreements lie shared concerns. When we locate that shared ground, compromise no longer is surrender; it is wisdom.

liferated. Similarly, those facing chronic illness adapt through creative nourishment—smoothies for nausea, telehealth nutrition counseling, or grocery delivery services that replace strenuous store trips. Online support communities, from Reddit’s r/ChronicIllness to local food-security forums, exchange advice and empathy. Both crises reveal that adaptability—reallocating effort, resources or mindset—can transform paralysis into progress. Perseverance, finally, sustains life beyond the emergency. Shutdowns end, but debts and distrust linger; recovery means auditing vulnerabilities and advocating reforms, such as automatic extensions for essential programs like SNAP and WIC. Illness recovery, too, requires ongoing mental and nutritional rehabilitation. Mindfulness, therapy, and peer mentorship can reframe hardship as temporary furlough, not failure. Both experiences reaffirm interdependence: volunteering at

Agreeing to disagree is not about indifference. It is a gesture of confidence: confidence that one’s ideas can withstand scrutiny, that persuasion might still work, that respect is not weakness. Agreeing to disagree is not a call to soften our beliefs, but to temper them with intellectual curiosity. It means being resolute not only in our position but in a willingness to keep talking and listening.

Reaching an accord requires that we acknowledge our own partiality—that what we see may not be all there is to see, that we tone down the rhetoric and slow down the rhythm, and resist the impulse to respond before we have reflected.

Perhaps the skill has not been lost, only misplaced. Maybe we can recover it through small acts: a pause before we respond, a question instead of a judgment, an argument without rancor.

Civility in the resolution of disputes is built plank by plank by those who are willing to agree to disagree.

Thomas V. Manahan is a former New Jersey trial and appellate judge and current mediator, arbitrator, and Adjunct Professor of Law at Cornell. He teaches constitutional law courses, including the value of dissent, and writes about civility, leadership, and the human side of justice.

food pantries or mentoring other patients transforms suffering into solidarity. Research by the World Health Organization shows that communities with strong social ties report up to 40 percent lower food insecurity during crises—a testament to collective endurance.

In weaving these narratives, a singular truth emerges: unexpected events, whether congressional or corporeal, test the scaffolding of our humanity. The government shutdown starves systems; illness starves the self. Yet survival is never solitary—it is a symphony of stockpiles, swift pivots, and steadfast support. By preparing our pantries and our bodies, pivoting with creativity, and persevering through connection, we do more than endure; we evolve. In a world of whiplash, this resilience ensures that when the lights flicker—federal or familial—we rise not broken, but battle-hardened, plates full and spirits tested but unbroken.

Understanding a Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Next Steps

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, a time to shine some light on one of the biggest cancer killers in the world. Local healthcare professionals say they see dozens of lung cancer patients every year.

“Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in our community. Arguably, more prevalent than colon and breast cancer, but that varies,” says Cyndi Davis, Nurse Practitioner at Cayuga Health, a member of Centralus Health.

The CDC recommends patients between the ages of 50 and 80 who have a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke, or have within the past 15 years, get screened. A 20 pack-year smoking history means smoking an average of one pack of cigarettes per day over 20 years.

“If you are a smoker, had asbestos exposure, or think you might need lung cancer screening, you should talk to your doctor about a referral,” says Hannah Potts, Nurse Practitioner at Cayuga Health, a member of Centralus Health.

The risk of developing lung cancer increases the more you smoke and the longer you smoke. Doctors encourage people to stop as soon as they can. Though the health benefits of quitting start immediately, long term effects can last up to 15 years.

“Once you stop smoking, you still have that built-up risk of lung cancer from all the accumulated exposure over the years. This makes annual screenings necessary to reduce risk. You don’t just get screened once. This isn’t like a colonoscopy where you get screened once and then wait 10 years. This risk is ongoing,” says Dr. Aleksandr Kalininskiy, pulmonologist at Arnot Health, a member of Centralus Health.

If providers see any unusual activity in a lung screening, they can diagnose and treat lung cancer early.

Once a year, patients get a low dose CT scan to look for spots or nodules. Your provider will show you the images of what your lungs look like. If there is a spot, Dr. Kalininskiy says most patients ask what will happen next.

categorize a lung cancer patient with the type and stage of cancer they have, then our conversation with the patient is very truthful,” Dr. Khan says.

The best approach to treatment varies based on the results of the biopsy. Options may include curative resection or a formulated plan to help patients live with the diagnosis. If a patient is eligible for surgery, doctors must consider the patient’s individual health risks and factors. Before moving forward with surgery, providers will order pulmonary testing to better understand lung function.

“The testing gives us their baseline lung capacity, which helps us understand how much we can take out.”

“Depending on how big it is, what it looks like and where it is, there are different ways to deal with it. If we’re not too concerned, sometimes watching and waiting is the way to go.”

Lung cancer is slow growing. If the nodule reaches a point where it becomes concerning, providers will order a biopsy, discuss results, plan surgery and start treatment if necessary.

A lung cancer diagnosis can be scary. When patients get the news, Dr. Ahmed Khan, thoracic surgeon, says people ask the same serious, daunting question: How long do I have to live? Surgeons like Dr. Khan help people move forward by helping them understand the scope of their disease. He spends the first visit with patients explaining what’s happening with their disease, approaching each situation based on the form of lung cancer and its stage.

“That explanation is difficult in lung surgery because there are a lot of big words. There are different types of cancer: small cell, non-small cell. If we can

Arnot Health and Cayuga Health, members of Centralus Health, offer lowdose lung cancer screenings to eligible patients.

Patients who get treatment early, are open about their health habits, and follow their plan of care have a higher chance of successful treatment. The goal is to address lung cancer before it has the chance to spread.

“Knowing the patient from head to toe is what makes us good at what we do,” Dr. Khan says.

Arnot Health offers a wide range of pulmonary diagnostic services at Arnot Ogden Medical Center, 600 Roe Avenue, Elmira and Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital, 7571 NY-54, Bath.

Cayuga Health Pulmonology and Sleep Services are offered at Cayuga Medical Center, 201 Dates Drive, Suite 301, Ithaca; Schuyler Hospital, 220 Steuben Street, Montour Falls; 260 Tompkins Street, Cortland.

(Photo credit: Adobe Stock)

Ithaca Conference Center Management Brings Lawsuit Against Asteri Owners

By Lorien Tyne

The Downtown Ithaca Development Corporation (LDC) and the Ithaca Asteri Condominium of Board Managers are suing the owners of the Asteri Ithaca building, alleging breaches of contract and mismanagement of the residential complex.

The 12-story building at 116-118 E. Green Street is owned by two of the Missouri-based Vecino Group’s subsidiary companies. The Ithaca Downtown Conference Center on the first three floors is owned by Asteri Conference LLC and is leased out for a 30-year period to the LCD, an independent nonprofit that operates the center. The residential apartments on

the floors above are owned by Asteri Ithaca LLC and overseen by the Ithaca Asteri Condominium Board of Managers.

The board of managers has three positions: LDC Executive Director Suzanne Smith Jablonski, Vecino Group Chairman Richard Manzardo and Fred Schoeps, board member of the Downtown Ithaca Alliance and president of the Social Services League. The lawsuit states that in October, the condominium managers voted 2-1 in favor of bringing the instant lawsuit on behalf of the condominium. Manzardo was the opposing vote.

Between 2016 and 2024, Green Street underwent significant redevelopment, in-

cluding the Vecino Group’s construction of Asteri Ithaca and work on the Green Street Parking Garage. Asteri Ithaca is a 181-unit affordable housing complex and adjoining conference center, which both opened in August 2024.

The conference center was built to attract visitors to the city by hosting events, but the plaintiffs claim that, between Vecino’s poor management and tenants’ actions, the conference center has not met projected revenue goals, incurred out-of-pocket expenses and suffered “incalculable reputational costs.”

While the LCD entered the lease in June 2021, the lawsuit states it was not until Jan-

uary 2024 that Vecino announced 40 of the units would be for people exiting homelessness, requiring extensive support services that the lawsuit claims were never provided. Even before the apartments were opened, the LDC alleges it communicated concerns with Vecino regarding safety, security and building conditions more than once and has continued to as more have arisen.

While the affordable housing complex was first met with significant support, the building’s reputation in the local community was quickly transformed by consistent crime and complaints of the living conditions. Nine tenants have filed a joint lawsuit

Asteri Ithaca faces scrutiny as conference center management files a lawsuit against the building’s owners. (Photo: Nathan Ellison/Ithaca Times File)

Green Street has undergone significant redevelopment in the past ten years, including the Vecino Group’s construction of Asteri Ithaca and work on the Green Street Parking Garage. (Photo: Downtown Ithaca Alliance)

against the Vecino Group, according to the Ithaca Voice, and Vecino said it has worked to address issues as they arise.

The lawsuit states that because of building and security concerns, the LCD has lost potential clients, and prospective guests have refused to attend events.

In an Oct. 30 press release, Smith Jablonski said legal action is necessary to protect the public investments made in developing and operating Asteri Ithaca, which cost at least $96 million. In addition to investments, such as $52 million in state funding, the building complex maintains a local property tax break and financial support from the city’s lodging tax revenue.

“We have been persistent in our demands to Vecino Group, the developer and property manager of the entire Asteri project, that they implement appropriate and responsible remedies to the issues that have plagued the residential complex over the past year, but to no avail,” Jablonski said. “The threats to the well-being and public safety of other residents and broader downtown community, along with insufficient maintenance and upkeep of the property as specifically required in Vecino’s lease agreement necessitates escalating their consistent breach of contract to State Supreme Court. We cannot allow this major commitment of federal, state, and local resources to be undermined by poor stewardship and delayed response.”

Greg Tucker, founder of The Tucker Group LLC, is communications counsel for the LDC and said neither the condominium board or the LDC could comment further.

“What is detailed in that [press release], as well as in the complaint, is pretty much all we’re able to say at the moment,” Tucker told the Ithaca Times in response to an interview request.

The Vecino Group did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication. Ithaca City Mayor Rob Cantelmo also de-

clined to comment on the ongoing litigation and complaints regarding Asteri Ithaca.

LAWSUIT DETAILS

The 34-page lawsuit details examples of the building’s deteriorating conditions, criminal activity, health and safety concerns, and repeated damage and disruption to the conference center. The LCD repeatedly alleges that the complaints have not been addressed by Vecino despite requests from staff and tenants. The full lawsuit, lease and other related documents are publicly available online.

Tenants and their guests have allegedly caused damage to the conference center through fire damage, broken doors, damaged windows and sidewalks, and graffiti. The lawsuit alleges a previous outbreak of Canine Parvovirus, a current infestation of cockroaches, a poorly functioning HVAC system, flooding, foul odors and other concerns.

Almost daily, the LCD alleges staff must pick up trash, animal and human feces, hypodermic needles and other drug paraphernalia left by tenants. The lawsuit alleges at least 37 instances of flooding in the residential portion of the building have flowed into the conference center, causing damage.

The lawsuit alleges 12 fire alarms have been set off during events at the conference center, and at least two fires have been set in residential common areas that have caused significant damage. In June, a man was arrested in Asteri as a suspect for two arson fires set in the building, one of which displaced residents and sent several people to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

The LDC alleges that a lack of staffing has led to the building’s deterioration. There have been six different community managers since April 2024, and “some of them left the employ of Vecino/Asteri due to the conditions of the Property and inability to manage,” according to the lawsuit.

One manager, also a resident, was allegedly fired for stealing money from residents and was arrested while the LCD was holding an event.

In addition to lack of staff for building management and support services, the law-

suit alleges that the building does not have the security needed to ensure safety for the staff and patrons in the conference center. The LDC states it has hired its own security because of consistent criminal activity.

The lawsuit alleges Asteri has hired at least four businesses to perform security and most recently has used residents as security. Jared Bentley, former head of security at Asteri Ithaca, went on Ithaca’s Morning News in September and said security was not a primary concern for Vecino.

The Ithaca Police Department has said that Asteri requires more policing than other parts of the city and is a drain on resources. So far in 2025, about 6.3% of the IPD’s responses — 1,084 calls — have involved Asteri. In 2024, the IPD responded to Asteri 731 times.

In addition to the arson cases, incidents involving Asteri this year have included a hammer assault, domestic incident and assault of an IPD officer, narcotics and weapon possession, burglary arrests and various other arrests and reports of criminal activity.

Asteri Ithaca’ s conference center space, opened in 2024, is leased and managed by the Downtown Ithaca Development Corporation. (Photo: Mark Syvertson/Ithaca Times File)

"Kendal is a wonderfu where people are kind The stimulation of such go and the many acti as involved (or not in is a hugely important f retirement communit

t :;,\ Phone Number: � (607) 266-5300 f Facebook Kendal at lthaca

t1"\ Website: � www.kai.kendal.org

“An Iliad” Comes to the Hangar Stage

By Ross Haarstad

2,750 years or more have passed.

And The Poet keeps re-appearing. A vigil, a curse? He will recite the poem about an ancient war, about all wars until there is no war in the world.

“Every time I sing this song, I hope it’s the last time,” The Poet says.

This is the conceit of Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare’s “An Iliad”. An adaptation of the Robert Fagles translation of Homer’s epic war poem, it deals not only with the last weeks of Greece’s ten-year siege of Troy (Ilion), but wars over the centuries since.

Sparked by the 2003 Iraq war (“shock and awe”) Peterson, the director, saw a play in the Iliad.

“I first met Denis [a Tony winner in 2003 for Take Me Out] in Chicago in 1998, when I cast him to play the role of the Author in Richard Greenberg’s The Author’s Voice at Remains Theater,” Peterson said in a written statement to the Ithaca Times. “We’ve been friends ever since, and I went to him with the idea of trying to create a solo Iliad because I knew he was a great actor with opinions about the world.

They quickly realized their version would rely on the epic’s oral tradition. As they write in their Authors’ Note: “Since our desire was to give an audience the sensation of being present at the very invention of this epic story, we found ourselves hearkening back to the bards of old, recalling vampire mesmerists, ghost-story purveyors, even con men. Our narrator is one of a long line of vagabonds…” Hangar Theatre’s new program, In Flight Entertainment, has teamed up with Rhinoleap Productions to bring Rhinoleap’s version of “An Iliad”, performed by Patrick Osteen (War Horse national tour) to Ithaca audiences.

Hangar’s Artistic Director Shirley Serotsky explains that In Flight is “our first go at curated programming during the months outside of our typical season, since the pandemic.

“We’re selecting and producing the In Flight shows ourselves,” Serotsky said. “On a flight, you can jump from a movie, to a podcast, to a tv series, to a video game all in one sitting. I like the idea that we can stretch our definition of theater with this series.”

Peterson adds, “It’s thrilling to see “An Iliad” have all sorts of new lives, both here in the States and around the world. It’s very fulfilling to know that people respond to our play and want to do their own productions.”

Ithacans likely know the Homer poet more for another epic, The Odyssey, detailing warrior Odysseus’s ten year struggle to return home to Ithaka. So it’s especially telling that, in words and thought at least, this is Obie award winning director Lisa Peterson’s return home to the Hangar.

Peterson was one of the first young directors that Robert Moss (Hangar Artistic Director, 1982–1996) mentored and championed. Over seven years, Peterson brought her sharp theatrical instincts to the mainstage, with strong takes on the classics (including a phenomenally hilarious updating of Moliere’s Tartuffe), as well as adaptations—including Dracula, and with composer David Bucknam,

“An Iliad”

By Lisa Peterson & Denis O’Hare

Hangar Theatre Friday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 15 at 2:30 p.m. www.hangartheatre.org

both Jekyll and Hyde, and a wondrous version of The Waves by Virginia Woolf (which went on to a run at the fabled New York Theatre Workshop).

As Peterson writes: “I always say that working at the Hangar in the Bob Moss years was my grad school. It really was. Bob is a fantastic teacher, and he taught me on the job. The fact that he let me direct classics like Misalliance and Major Barbara as well as some of my own adaptation/writing projects (The Waves, Dracula and Jekyll and Hide) really encouraged me to dream big, and pursue a career as a writer/director.”

Serotsky originally saw “An Iliad” in at Studio Theatre in DC, her old hunting grounds. Friends at North Carolina’s Rhinoleap where she has also directed, mentioned their own version of it, and she snapped up the chance to bring it here.

“The story is very clear,” Serotsky continues, “the language is extremely accessible and contemporary. It’s a war story, one of the first war stories we still tell, though of course--hardly the last. Audiences can expect a very intimate experience, with the storyteller moving through the space freely. It’s meant to be done without artifice, it’s very direct and honest. There are funny parts, irreverence, and it's very relatable. It’s about love and hate, loss and friendship, grief and family.”

Tickets are available through hangartheatre.org. Saturday’s matinee will also feature a panel discussion afterwards.

& Entertainment

The Hangar Theatre presents “An Iliad”, a contemporary adaptation of Homer’s classic war epic. (Photo: Provided/Hangar Theatre)

Patrick Osteen performs “An Iliad” at Hangar Theatre, bringing Homer’s epic to life for modern audiences. (Photo: Provided/Hangar Theatre)

“Waking The Witch”: On Why We Believe The Unbelievable

By Kira Walter

Authority figures convince the public to believe in unbelievable realities. The witch trials, McCarthyism, Brett Kavanaugh and the Jan. 6 insurrection, all are linked by power imbalances and proliferation of propaganda. “Waking The Witch” by composer and librettist Ashi Day is an opera inspired by this phenomenon. From a witch finder’s perspective, it explores how baseline logic is dismissed when biased parties take control of a community narrative.

The one act production premieres at Kitchen Theater this Wednesday, featuring countertenor and Ithaca College alum Nicholas Kelliher, with guidance from director Jenna Stewart. The immersive performance casts the audience as a

(Photo: Lauren A. Little/Provided)

ICSD AND TEACHERS

continued from page 4

granted six weeks of paid parental leave for birth-giving parents and 15 days for nonbirth-giving parents. Leave under FMLA was not clearly detailed in the contract, relying solely on federal statute. The tentative terms double the amount of paid leave available to all parents welcoming children. The agreement now clearly defines paid leave for FMLA-qualifying events that are

woman accused of witchcraft: in 13 distinct movements, Kelliher delivers a series of accusations.

Day explained the seed for “Waking The Witch” was planted originally by a close friend and fellow countertenor, Min Sang Kim, who was working on his doctorate at Johns Hopkins when they crossed paths in church. Kim speculated about playing the “bad guy” in an opera, so the writer ran with it and arrived at the trials of East Anglia.

She recounted Matthew Hopkins, a self-appointed witchfinder general who allegedly killed 300 women during the English Civil War. He leveraged chaos at a time of unrest to torture suspects with sleep deprivation, hence the opera’s title. During interrogation, the lack of rest provoked confessions that led to punishment.

An impressive range of historical research went into the creation process for this opera, spanning trials in Scotland, Germany and Salem. The librettist examined testimonies, hearings, presidential edicts and twitter feeds that confirmed the repetition of this pattern: political turbulence offered the chance to warp the truth.

In creating a musical score to accompany the libretto, Day also wanted to convey

“Waking the Witch”

By Ashi Day

Wednesday, November 12, 2025 (Preview) – 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 14–7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 15–7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 16–2 p.m. Kitchen Theatre Company, Ithaca, NY www.operaithaca.org/wakingthewitch2025

not related to the birth of a child, such as caring for a sick family member. Although federal law ensures time off for these situations, it does not guarantee pay. The new contract would solidify employees’ rights to this leave while also receiving compensation during that period.

The agreement proposes to expand the teacher workday to 7 hours and 20 minutes on four days a week, including Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, beginning in the 2026-27 school

the consistency of this trend by employing different styles. Movements draw on baroque dances, puritan hymnity, and Americana hoedown: the opera transitions through time.

Although “Waking The Witch” is her Ithaca debut, the creator’s work has been performed across the nation, frequently focused on who can move freely through the world and who has less autonomy. Day places equal emphasis on the performer and audience experience, so she wrote this chamber opera with flexibility. The singer is free to change octaves, speak instead of sing at certain moments, and improvise sections.

A fervent obsession, this production is available for the first time on Wednes-

year. ICSD will maintain the discretion to extend the instructional day by up to 30 minutes at the elementary level and 15 minutes at the secondary level, also starting in 2026-27.

Cernera said elementary and secondary educators currently operate under different schedules, with workdays of about 6 hours and 20 minutes and 6 hours and 40 minutes, respectively. The new agreement standardizes and extends the teacher workday across all grade

day, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. Showings run throughout the weekend on Friday, Nov. 14 and Saturday, 15 at the same time. A matinee for Sunday, Nov. 16 occurs at 2 p.m.

Day introduces an extraordinary perspective into how morality is compromised by manipulation and incisive storytelling. By having the singer directly address the crowd, she creates an opera both engaging and timeless, confronting an issue that will always be relevant.

There is little clarity in the political world currently, and the idealized construct of political clarity seems unachieved in any other period. Here is an opportunity to engage directly why the public historically falls for lies.

levels. Cernera said the work hour adjustment aims to accommodate a probable future increase in the student instructional day, ensuring sufficient time to meet state-mandated learning requirements. The extended workday would provide more flexibility within the students’ day, creating “breathing room” to potentially include a longer recess period for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, thereby avoiding a constant “sprint from bell to bell.”

Min Sang Kim as the Witchfinder during a developmental workshop of “Waking the Witch.” (Photo: Provided)

“Waking the Witch” is a one-act immersive chamber opera exploring power and persecution by Composer Ashi Day.

The agreement terms restored terminated federal grants, released all withheld funds for active grants and made Cornell eligible for any new grants “without disadvantage or preference.” The agreement confirms that Cornell has the right to set its own policies, decide whom to hire and admit, and determine what is taught without government interference.

“The months of stop-work orders, grant terminations, and funding freezes have stalled cutting-edge research, upended lives and careers, and threatened the future of academic programs at Cornell,” Cornell President Michael I. Kotlikoff wrote in the statement. “I am grateful for the dedication and resilience of the faculty, staff, and students who have found ways to continue moving critical work forward throughout these unprecedented events.”

As a condition to restoring and continuing its federal research funding, Cornell must also invest $30 million over three years in research to strengthen U.S. agriculture.

Until last week, the university never confirmed the total amount of funding that had been withheld by the government, although the New York Times reported in April that the number was at least $1 billion. In July, there were reports that the university was in talks to reach a multimillion dollar settlement agreement with the administration to restore its funding.

In February, the university and 11 other research institutions joined a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s directive to slash indirect cost reimburse-

FOOD SECURITY

continued from page 6

said that the rapidly rising cost of living has also increased the demand for food resources at regional food banks.

“With the cost of living rising, more families are turning to food pantries for

ITHACA GENERATOR BUILDS

continued from page 6

background. For any members of the community who enjoy the blend of arts, fabrication, design or technology, Ithaca Generators exists as a perfect entry point. The organization is always looking for new members to share their works.

ments for federally funded research. Later that month, anticipating federal cuts to research funding and shifts in tax legislation, the university implemented a complete hiring freeze that has yet to be lifted.

In March, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced investigations into Cornell University and dozens of other institutions across the nation over alleged antisemitic harassment and discrimination on campus. Education Secretary Linda McMahon warned of “potential enforcement actions” and made a direct threat to funding, stating that taxpayer-funded public investments are “a privilege” that is “contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal antidiscrimination laws.”

Less than one month later, amid reports of over $1 billion in funding being frozen, university officials received over 75 stop-work orders from the Department of Defense (DOD) in relation to research “profoundly significant to American national defense, cybersecurity, and health.”

Kotlikoff said the agreement announced last week “revives” the research partnership between the university and the federal government.

“The decades-long research partnership between Cornell and the federal government is critical to advancing the university’s core mission and to our continuing contributions to the nation’s health, welfare, and economic and military strength,” Kotlikoff said. “With this resolution, Cornell looks forward to resuming the long and fruitful partnership with the federal government that has yielded, for so many years, so much progress and well-being for our nation and our world.”

help,” Bordeau said. “Check Out Hunger is a simple, powerful way to make sure our neighbors have the food they need. Every dollar truly makes a difference.”

Food insecurity is on the rise in the Southern Tier. According to a press release from Wegmans and the Food Bank, the percent of individuals at risk of hunger is

The event highlighted what makes Ithaca Generator special — its ability to connect with the community through a shared love of creativity. Visitors of all ages wandered between workshops and interacted with crafters, getting a front-row seat to ideas being brought to life. Not merely a showcase of skills, the afternoon was a reminder that innovation doesn’t only happen at heavily-funded labs and studios, but in local shared

at the highest rate since 2014, with 1 in 7 individuals and 1 in 5 children now at risk.

“Every dollar counts in the fight against hunger, and we can’t thank our customers and employees enough for helping fight food insecurity right in our own neighborhoods,” said Linda Lovejoy, Wegmans community relations manager. “This

spaces where creativity and collaboration collide.

From seasoned crafters to curious newcomers, all are welcome at Ithaca Generator, as imagination is invigorated when shared. From artists to engineers, Ithaca Generator welcomes all creatives. To connect with the club and visit the workshop, join its public Discord server, or connect via social media on Facebook or Instagram.

campaign not only provides our local food bank partners with funding as we head into the busy holiday season, but it also supports their programs throughout the year.”

Visit FoodBankST.org/CheckOutHunger to learn more or make an online donation.

This month, they host events every Tuesday through Thursday. On Tuesdays, the weekly “Share What You Made” events at 7 p.m., with Wednesday’s hosting “Geek Night” at the same time. Then, Thursday mornings offer “Print Club” — hosted by Caleb — at 11 a.m. Their full monthly schedule can be found at their website, ithacagenerator.org.

A timeline of key events outlines the frozen federal research funding, investigations and final agreement restoring over $250 million to Cornell University. (Photo: Maddy Vogel/Ithaca Times)

Local Athletes Go the Distance in Swim and Softball

By Steve Lawrence

This week, I will split space between two sports that some might call “out-of-season.” I am of the belief that these particular stories — involving outdoor swimming and softball — are newsworthy no matter what the calendar says,

First, my longtime friend Liz Woodard Klohmann checked off a big-time bucket list item over the weekend, and she had to do some traveling to do so. Liz competed in the St. Croix Coral Reef Open Water Swim Races, and she told me, “The race offers 1 mile, 2.5 and 5 mile options,” so, of course, Liz signed up for the 5-mile event. After the race, Liz added, “Another woman from Ithaca, her name is Heidi, won her 1-mile race, and my husband Neil was in a support kayak.” I asked her what compelled her to take part, and Liz said, “Shane from Island Health & Fitness was telling me about it, and it sounded amazing. I didn't hesitate to sign up. I needed a focus, as I had been swimming through grief for 2 years.” (Liz lost her son in 2022). She added, “This seemed exciting. I set two swim goals for this year. 5k at Lake George and 5 mile here.” Check, and check. Two successful races and a healthy coping regimen. That’s one more check.

Liz stated that another swimmer with Ithaca roots, Alex Meyer, was the overall winner, and that his dad, Steve, competed as well.

After the race, Liz posted on social media, “I finished in 2 hours, 37 minutes, which was first in my age group. It was an amazing experience! Big thanks to Neil, who kayaked the course and then kept

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

from page 8

services. Over the past several years, budget increases have ranged from 2% to 20%. Given that this is the first year we are paying debt service on the bond for the new highway facility, an increase of less than 12% is both reasonable and consistent with historical trends.

While the 20% increase in the tax levy is accurate, it is important to note that the tax levy only applies to the General

all swimmers on track at the last turn. The big swells, waves and current made it a workout!”

NOTE: Alex Meyer — a 4-time All American while swimming for Ithaca High School — is a former world-class competitor in Open Water Swimming. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 2012, and won a World Championship in 2010.

By most measures, the Ithaca College vs. SUNY Cortland match-up I attended on Saturday wasn’t quite the hyped-up Cortaca Jug, but by other measures, it was just as exciting.

The triple-header — held on a blustery November day that felt a lot more like football weather — saw the Ithaca Bombers’ club softball team host the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons' club team, and although many would whisper that club softball does not hold a candle to the varsity game, I would say they were only partially correct. True... if a club team were to play against a varsity team, the smart money would be on the latter to win most of the games. On the other hand, there are many reasons why some athletes choose to play for a club team — this holds true across many different sports — and some of the players would definitely make a varsity roster if circumstances were different.

For example, some of the majors at Ithaca College require schedules that are just too conflicting for an athlete to commit to the time required by a varsity sport, and at Cortland, many of the play-

and Highway funds, only a portion of the overall budget. The majority of the town’s revenue comes from other sources, including sales taxes, service fees, state funding, and grants. In fact, the town’s portion of the total tax bill is less than 8%, with the other 92% going to the school district, county, and fire department.

The previous administration’s failure to manage fund balances left us in a precarious financial position, leaving the town vulnerable, and jeopardizing our credit rating. That is why I am commit-

(Photo: Provided)

ers are education majors whose studentteaching responsibilities prohibit them from committing to a varsity team.

Some of the play was a little sloppy, and some of the players were clearly just playing because they love the game and will play as long as they can, chilly weather be damned. Other times, I saw outfielders track down shots into the gap, or hitters drive an outside pitch to the opposite field, displaying a skill level that would pique he interest of any varsity coach.

ted to rebuilding our fund balances in a methodical and deliberate fashion and creating a sustainable financial future, all while maintaining one of the lowest tax rates in the county.” — Ruth Groff, Lansing Town Supervisor

In Appreciation of Susan Currie

“We all owe Susan Currie our appreciation for stepping back into the leadership of the Tompkins County Public Library to calm the very ruffled waters and disruption that had occurred. She returned the

A decade ago, I brought my youngest daughter to watch Tim Tebow play for the Binghamton Mets (a Minor League baseball team). As we were driving home, she (who had watched her sister play 4 years of NCAA softball) said, “Dad, I appreciate you bringing me, and it was fun, but I have to be honest and say that watching college softball is a lot more fun.” Given the pace of the game, and the amazing team spirit that rocks the dugout, I could not bring myself to disagree.

Check-Out desk, hosted the very effective and well- attended series of lectures on Our Constitution, made significant connections with the County Legislature and the Finger Lakes Library System. I write as a friend of Susan’s but mostly as a lover of our library that I believe to be a very special place in our community, welcoming all, presenting various viewpoints in multiple forms, and as a respite in a world that seems to be spinning too fast.

Thank you Susan Currie.” — Carol Kammen, Tompkins County Historian

Cold weather does not dampen the love of the game.

When Ithaca Questioned the Meaning of Mindfulness

By Jake Sexton

Fifty years ago, Ithaca’s debate over Transcendental Meditation raised questions that are still relevant to how we think about mindfulness and authenticity today. In the second issue of November 1975, reporter David Morrissey tackles how the community — and the nation — found itself standing at a crossroads between the spiritual experimentation of the 1950s and 60s marred with the pragmatic skepticism blighting postWatergate America. At the center of this crossroad was Transcendental Meditation (TM), covered in Morrissey’s article, “The TM Controversy: Relaxation of Religion?”

For those unfamiliar, TM as a practice and philosophy was first brought to the attention of Western audiences thanks to the Beatles and their notoriously serene guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Per their website, TM is not a direct practice or religion; rather, it’s a frame of mind and state of being — a relaxation technique implemented twice per day in 20-minute increments.

When Yogi first left India to travel the world and spread the philosophies of TM in 1958, it enjoyed years of noncontroversial growth in the U.S. But when a Time cover story from early 1975 claimed that 600,000 Americans engaged in and with TM, concerns and suspicions soon followed. Morrissey’s article highlighted local reactions to the movement’s growing popularity, particularly in response to TM slowly becoming more prevalent in public institutions like schools and rehabilitation programs. Much like in Berkeley and Boston, some of Ithaca’s residents embraced meditation as a modern science emphasizing self-improvement. Many others questioned whether it was really a science at all. In fact, many worried that TM itself was a covertly-imported religion veiled under the guise of wellness and self-help.

The national debate around TM and its place as a component of public institutions was framed as a constitutional question 50 years ago. Today, TM and its presence almost feel quaint in comparison to the ways in which mindfulness is constantly marketed through smartphone notifications, monthly subscriptions and corporate retreats. Half a century later, Ithaca’s atmosphere hasn’t changed as much as one might think. Our community continues to thrive as an intersection for creativity and

curiosity. With both academia and culture existing as core tenants of our community, mindfulness and self-improvement are no strangers to most Ithacans. Whether it's the study and research of cognitive quieting in the labs of Cornell and Ithaca College, or local studios offering guided meditation, what was once framed as a controversial and exotic import has quietly become a normalized part of daily life.

And still, Morrissey’s 1975 article offers an eerie mirror that we must reckon with today. In his article, the primary concerns of TM detesters wasn’t about mantras, spirituality, or the metaphysical — it was merely authenticity — were the practices that TM preached genuine? Were Americans finally taking a step back to look inward, or were

they simply buying a branded path to tranquility and peace-of-mind, no different than the paid indulgences detested by Martin Luther in 1517? When replacing “TM centers” with “wellness apps” today, the question remains equally poignant. One may be tempted to smile or get a kick out of the thought of meditation and mindfulness being controversial in Ithaca, a city that so wholly embraces its openness to alternative thinking. But we must not forget how this debate served as a pivotal moment in the ways small communities negotiated and expressed their beliefs, whether that be sciences, cultures or religions. Fifty years ago, the fact that this conversation took place here — between professors, parents, preachers

and everything in between — ultimately underscores something about Ithaca itself: a place always willing to test ideas from the broader world, and even more capable of making them its own.

In rereading the dusted yellow, halfcentury old pages of the Ithaca Times (then the Ithaca New Times), a secret root of national transformation can be observed. What began as a daily breathing exercise in rented-out studios and classrooms has ultimately evolved into a multi billion-dollar wellness industry. And, despite the drastic technological advancement of the last five decades, the impulse behind one’s participation remains the same: sometimes, you need to take a moment and make sense of the noise.

Music

Bars/Bands/Clubs

11/13 Thursday

Cap & Sam Play Old-time | 6 p.m. | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Road

11/15 Saturday

Sarah Noell & Friends | 6 p.m. | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Road | Free Wear Vibrant Colors: Papa Muse Video Shoot with friends. 5 bands! | 6:30 p.m. | The Nocturnal Cafe, 103 S Geneva St. | $10.00 - $20.00

11/18 Tuesday

Kabaka Pyramid | 8 p.m. | Deep Dive Ithaca, 415 Old Taughannock Blvd.

Concerts/Recitals

11/13 Thursday

“Music to My Eyes” (CU Music) | 12:30 p.m. | Lincoln Hall, Cornell, 256 Feeney Way | Free Senior Recital: Liam Kearney, clarinet | 7 p.m. | Hockett Family Recital Hall, Ithaca College

Cornell Glee Club Fall Concert (CU Music) | 7:30 p.m. | Sage Chapel, Cornell University, Ho Plaza | Free Blackberry Smoke | 8 p.m. | State Theatre Ithaca, 107 West State Street | $51.73

Jazz Vocal Ensemble feat. the New York Voices | 8:15 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College

THIS WEEK

11/14 Friday

Compositions by Louise Farrenc: Johnson Museum Piano Series | 12:30 p.m. | Johnson Museum of Art, 114 Central Avenue | Free

Louise Farrenc at 150: Salon (CU Music) | 5 p.m. | A. D. White House, Cornell University, 27 East Ave. | Free Hank Roberts | 6:00 p.m. | South Hill Cider

New York Voices | 7 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College, 953 Danby Rd. | Free Pitch Please Block II Showcase | 8 p.m. | Emerson Suites

Sister Hazel | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St. Homer NY

11/15 Saturday

Louise Farrenc at 150: Marathon Concert (CU Music) | 3 p.m. | Barnes Hall, 129 Ho Plaza | Free

“O Cara Mia” Parlor Music Concert | 4 p.m. | Seward House Museum, 33 South Street, Auburn NY

Student Chamber Recital: Piano and Strings I | 6 p.m. | Hockett

Family Recital Hall, Ithaca College

Student Ensemble: Choral Collage | 7 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College

Nick Shoulders — Universe of Battle Tour | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St.

11/16 Sunday

Cornell Chamber Orchestra Concert (CU Music) | 3 p.m. | Barnes Hall, Cornell University, 129 Ho Plaza | Free

Trombone Shorty & Orleans

Avenue | 7:30 p.m. | State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 West State St.

11/17 Monday

Finger Lakes Fiddle Orchestra

Concert | 7 p.m. | First Baptist Church 309 North Cayuga St. | Free

Student Ensemble: Contemporary Chamber Ensemble | 8:15 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College

11/18 Tuesday

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

11/19 Wednesday

Student Chamber Recital: Piano and Strings II | 7 p.m. | Hockett

Family Recital Hall, Ithaca College

Stucky Ensemble-in-Residence

Splinter Reeds Performance (CU Music) | 7:15 p.m. | Hans Bethe House, 314 West Ave. | Free

Student Ensemble: Jazz Repertory Ensemble and Jazz Lab Band | 8:15 p.m. | Ford Hall, Ithaca College

Stage

Opera Ithaca Presents “Waking the Witch” by Ashi Day | 7:30 p.m., 11/12 Wednesday | Kitchen Theatre Company, 417 W. State / W. MLK, Jr. Street | A one-act immersive chamber opera that explores human vulnerability to absurd beliefs as well as the danger of mixing authority and

r eligion with black-and-white thinking, fear of those with less power, and conspiracy theories. | $40.00 - $50.00

Cap & Sam play Old-time | 6 p.m., 11/13 Thursday | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Road | Join us for Cider, Food, and live music! $5-10 suggested donation for the band.

Newfield MS Presents: Disney’s The Lion King Jr. | 7 p.m., 11/14 Friday | Newfield Central School, 247 Main St. | $5 for students and seniors.  $10 for adults. |

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | 7:30 p.m., 11/14

Friday | Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, Cornell University, 430 College Ave. | Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd in the Kiplinger Theater on Cornell’s campus! | $3.00

An Iliad | 7:30 p.m., 11/14 Friday | Hangar Theatre, 801 Taughannock Blvd. | In this retelling of Homer’s epic Iliad, a charismatic storyteller unspools a wrenching, timeless tale of the Trojan War, of bravery, bloodshed, and the heat of battle in a captivating theatrical experience brought to life by a single actor. | $10.00 - $25.00

Irish Dance Day Free Dance Workshop | 2 p.m., 11/15 Saturday | Trumansburg Elementary School Auditorium, 100 Whig Street, Trumansburg NY | Free Irish Ceili Dance Workshop 2-3:30, Beginner Irish Dance 3:45-4:30. | Free MAGA and ANTIFA take MDMA together | 5 p.m., 11/15 Saturday | The Downstairs, 121 E M.L.K. Jr. St. |

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14 AT 7:30 PM AND

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 AT 2:30 PM

Hangar Theater 801 Taughannock Blvd. | A wandering poet walks into a bar…to tell a wondrous story of war. In this retelling of Homer’s epic Iliad, a charismatic storyteller unspools a wrenching, timeless tale of the Trojan War, of bravery, bloodshed, and the heat of battle in a captivating theatrical experience shared by a single actor. (Photo: Provided)

This unique cabaret-style musical, featuring Brian Shapiro and Steve Davit, explores a rogue researcher’s groundbreaking experiment where political opposites are given MDMA in a Lake Ontario cabin, leading to a surprisingly vulnerable, empathy-driven dismantling of extreme political walls. | $10.00

Homebrewed Comedy at The Corner Brew | 7 p.m., 11/15 Saturday | The Corner Brew, 1 West Main Street | The laughter is coming to Dryden when Homebrewed Comedy hits the stage.

Kinky Boots | 7:30 p.m., 11/19 Wednesday | Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway

Student Ensemble: Jazz Repertory Ensemble and Jazz Lab Band | 8:15 p.m., 11/19 Wednesday | Ford Hall, Ithaca College |

Art

Our People, Our Stories: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Chosen Family | 9 a.m., 11/12 Wednesday | Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, 1250 Gallery, 116 Reservoir Ave. | An exhibit featuring artwork by LGBTQ+ youth and young adults from New York City and Syracuse, hosted by Cornell Human Ecology, in partnership with the Ali Forney Center, The Q Center, the Einhorn Center, and The Pride Lab at Cornell. | Free Novemberists | 12 p.m., 11/13 Thursday | State of the Art Gallery, 120 West State Street | State of the Art Gallery — Novemberists — Three Artists The show will run from November 6-30, 2025.| Free

TCPL Tours: Johnson Museum | 2 p.m., 11/13 Thursday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Join us for a tour of the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art !

Daniel Rothenberg’s “The Alchemist’s Press” | 12 p.m., 11/15 Saturday | The Gallery at South Hill, 950 Danby Rd., South Hill Business Campus | Rochester NY based artist Rothenberg is focused on pushing the boundaries of what printmaking and photography can become when they intersect. | Free

The Saltonstall Exhibition | 1 p.m., 11/15 Saturday | The Cherry Gallery, 130 Cherry St. | Our second annual show of works from the artists selected for a residency at the Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts in Ithaca | Free Present Conversations III — Group BIPoC exhibit & Artist Talks | 6:30 p.m., 11/19 Wednesday | Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, Center Ithaca, 171 East State St. | A pop-up exhibition by @orozco_gallery

Film

Earth’s Greatest Enemy by journalist and filmmaker, Abby Martin | 4 p.m., 11/12 Wednesday | Park Auditorium, Ithaca College | Earth’s Greatest Enemy, a groundbreaking documentary by Abby Martin exposing the environmental toll exacted by America’s military machine. Documentary screening, followed by Q&A with Abby Martin.

Sports

Ithaca Women’s Wrestling Ithaca College Invite | 5:15 p.m., 11/12 Wednesday | Ben Light Gymnasium

Cornell Men’s Polo vs Central New York Polo Club | 7 p.m., 11/14 Friday | Oxley Equestrian Center

Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey vs Brown University | 7 p.m., 11/14 Friday | Lynah Rink

MAGA AND ANTIFA TAKE MDMA TOGETHER

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 AT 5PM

The Downstairs, 121 W State St. | At an undisclosed location on the shores of Lake Ontario, a group of researchers assembled a dozen people from the far reaches of the left and right, each of whom have a severed relationship with a friend, family member, or loved one with a diametrically opposed viewpoint. They were given a generous dose of MDMA (a.k.a. ecstasy) and over the course of several hours, discovered unexpected connections across a seemingly impossible divide. (Photo: Stock)

Ithaca Football vs Cortland |

12 p.m., 11/15 Saturday | Butterfield Stadium

Cornell Women’s Ice Hockey vs Colgate University | 3 p.m., 11/15

Saturday | Lynah Rink

Cornell Men’s Polo vs University of Maryland | 6 p.m., 11/15 Saturday | Oxley Equestrian Center

Cornell Women’s Polo vs University of Maryland | 6 p.m., 11/15

Saturday | Oxley Equestrian Center

Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey vs Yale University | 7 p.m., 11/15 Saturday | Lynah Rink

Cornell Women’s Basketball vs Colgate University | 6 p.m., 11/18 Tuesday | Newman Arena at Bartels Hall

Cornell Men’s Basketball vs Army West Point | 8 p.m., 11/18 Tuesday | Newman Arena at Bartels Hall

Cornell Men’s Squash vs Trinity College (Conn.) | 3 p.m., 11/19

Wednesday | Belkin Squash Courts

Cornell Women’s Squash vs Trinity College (Conn.) | 3 p.m., 11/19

Wednesday | Belkin Squash Courts

Special Events

Winter Craft Series: Cross-Stitched Snowflake | 6:30 p.m., 11/12 | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue

Books

Reading by Katie Kitamura | 5 p.m., 11/13 Thursday | Buffalo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Katie Kitamura is the bestselling author of  A Separation and Intimacies, one of  The New York Times’ “10 Best Books of 2021.” Her most recent novel Audition has been shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize. Book signing and reception to follow the reading.

Book Discussion: The Preventorium: A Memoir by Susan Annah Currie | 5:30 p.m., 11/13 Thursday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Please join author and Library Director Susan Currie for a discussion of her memoir.

“Mindful by Nature” Book Launch with Tim Drake and Jason Hamilton | 2 p.m., 11/15 Saturday | Buffalo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Join us for the official book launch of Mindful by Nature: The Inner Work of Being Outdoors and a conversation and book signing with authors Tim Drake and Jason Hamilton.

Panel by Panel Graphic Novel Book Club | 6:30 p.m., 11/17 Monday |Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Join us to discuss This Beautiful, Ridiculous City: A Graphic Memoir by Kay Sohini: A vibrant graphic memoir of a womanan immigrant, a survivor, a writer, a foodie, and, ultimately, an optimist Comic Book Club: A Comic Convention Look-See! | 7 p.m., 11/18

Tuesday | TCPL, Schwarz Jacobson Meeting Room | No time to attend the Garden State Comic Fest? Well, not to worry!  Intrepid Comic Book Club member Elijah is headed to the Comic Fest, and will bring us up to date on this pop-culture festival. In addition to Elijah’s travelogue, the meeting will also feature “swag bags” of comic book goodies.

Let’s Read & Talk About Climate | 4:30 p.m., 11/19 Wednesday | Buffalo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Community-led conversations about climate change, as we discuss We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People and The Hunger and The Hunger The Writers’ Room | 6 p.m., 11/19 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Work on your writing project in the company of other writers. | Free

Kids

Honey Heist! A Family Friendly

RPG | 4 p.m., 11/14 Friday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Join us for Honey Heist, where you get to play bears working together to pull off the greatest heist in bear history- stealing all the honey from the annual NYS Honey Convention.

Math Fun with MathHappens! | 10 a.m., 11/15 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.

Girls Who Code: Workshop for Tweens and Teens | 1 p.m., 11/15 Saturday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Women in Computing Cornell presents a Girls Who Code beginning coding workshop. Best for grades 5-12 (or homeschool equivalent) but younger welcome if math skills are strong.

Science Connections: Naturalist Outreach | 2 p.m., 11/16 Sunday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St. | Join us for a special Science Connections series in partnership with Cornell’s Naturalist Outreach Program featuring insects, reptiles, and birds!

Tessellation Creations! | 3:30 p.m., 11/18 Tuesday | Lansing Community Library, 27 Auburn Rd. | Tessellation Creations! After-School Art for 3rd & 4th Graders Explore M.C. Escher’s patterns and create your own tessellation masterpiece! All supplies provided. Register online! https://lansinglibrary.org | Free

Notices

LGBTQ+ Youth Group | 5:45 p.m., 11/12 Wednesday | Tompkins County

MINDFU L BY NATURE BOOK LAUNCH

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 15 AT 2PM Buffalo Street Books, 215 N. Cayuga Street, Dewitt Mall, Ithaca | Step into a story you’ll never forget — where music meets laughter between the bookshelves. Join awardwinning comedian Sir Kenneth McLaurin and international singer SingTrece for one night only as they bring their signature blend of comedy, soul, and storytelling to Ithaca’s beloved independent bookstore. (Photo: Provided)

Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Join us at LGBTQ+ Youth Group to do crafts, play games, and socialize. Whether your lesbian, gay, bi, trans, questioning, or just trying to figure things out - we’re here for you!

DJ Trivia with Dave Ashton | 6:30 p.m., 11/12 Wednesday | Hopshire Farm and Brewery, 1771 Dryden Road | Free

Trivia! | 7 p.m., 11/12 Wednesday | Liquid State Brewery, 620 West Green Street | Grow your brain or just show it off to a loveable bunch of Trivia-lovers. Hosted by Ithaca’s Trivia legend, Bob Proehl. Get there early as seats fill up fast! | Free

Wednesday Open Mic Night at The Nocturnal Café! | 7 p.m., 11/12

Wednesday | The Nocturnal Café, 103 S Geneva St. | Free weekly Wednesday Open Mic night at The Nocturnal Café, Ithaca’s nightlife alternative, featuring music, poetry, dance and more! | Free

Latin Wednesday | 9 p.m., 11/12

Wednesday | The Upstairs, 106 S. Cayuga St. | Meet new dancers, learn new moves, and have fun!

Citizen Preparedness Class | 4 p.m., 11/13 Thursday | Library Place, 105 W Court Street | Citizen Preparedness Class | Free

Ithaca Food Resource Fair | 5 p.m., 11/13 Thursday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | TCPL will be hosting community organizations providing food resources to the Downtown Ithaca area and beyond. | Free

In COVID’s Wake: How Our Politics Failed Us | 5:30 p.m., 11/13 Thursday | Hollis E. Cornell Auditorium, Room 132, Goldwin Smith Hall, 232 Feeney Way | Featuring reflections on the political and social context and consequences of the COVID epidemic from Frances Lee, who co-authored the

best-selling book “In COVID’s Wake: How Our Politics Failed Us.” | Free Mind Over Body Movement Class

| 6 p.m., 11/13 Thursday | Newfield Public Library, 198 Main Street | Learn how to improve through movement and techniques aimed at strengthening connection between mind and body from Mitch Raymond, MSPT, CEEAA. | $10.00

Community Conversations: Caroline | 9 a.m., 11/14 Friday | Brooktondale Community Center, 524 Valley Rd. | Join your neighbors in Caroline for hyper-local networking, conversation, and advocacy at the Brooktondale Community Center.

Ghost’s Open Mic | 6:45 p.m., 11/17 Monday | Nocturnal Cafe, 103 S Geneva St. | This is a fun Spoken Word Poetry and Stand Up comedy Open Mic. | Free Senator Lea Webb’s Tompkins County Veterans Resource Fair | 2 p.m., 11/14 Friday | Shops at Ithaca, 40 Catherwood Rd. | Tompkins County Veterans Resource Expo | Free

The Art of Flow: Accessing Guidance w/ Dowsing and the Infinity Wave | 7:30 p.m., 11/14 Friday | Foundation of Light, 391 Turkey Hill Rd. | Fast-changing times can lead to disconnection, overwhelm, and uncertainty about what the future holds. Author Hope Fitzgerald comes to Ithaca to teach us how we can stay grounded, whole, and connected to our purpose using the Infinity Wave and Dowsing. Friday evening intro and Saturday workshop. | $20.00$150.00

Rummage Sale Fundraiser for Newfield Class of 2026 All-Night Party | 9 a.m., 11/15 Saturday | Newfield Fire Hall, 77 Main Street |

Rummage sale fundraiser includes clothes, toys, books, home decor, kitchen items, and treasures for

everyone! Food available. All items $5 or less unless otherwise marked. | Free Bokashi Composting Class | 10 a.m., 11/15 Saturday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | This Japanese composting technique involves natural fermentation and offers a way for people to manage food scraps. | $15.00

Irish Dance Day Free Dance Workshop | 2 p.m., 11/15 Saturday | Trumansburg Elementary School Auditorium, 100 Whig Street | Free Irish Ceili Dance Workshop 2-3:30, Beginner Irish Dance 3:45-4:30. | Free Yoga en Espanol | 4 p.m., 11/16 Sunday | Yoga Farm Ithaca, 509 N Meadow St. | * ¡Practiquemos y aprendamos yoga y español mientras apoyamos una buena causa! Practice and learn Yoga and Spanish while supporting a good cause! | $10.00 - $30.00

Musical Memories Café | 12 p.m., 11/18 Tuesday | Library Place, 105 West Court St. | Musical Memories Café is a free live music experience and light lunch to enrich the lives of care-givers and care-receivers, as well as isolated adults. | Free Seymour Lecture in Sports History — “More and More is Less and Less” | 5 p.m., 11/19 Wednesday | Goldwin Smith Hall — Room 132, 232 East Ave. | “More and More is Less and Less”: American sports are bigger, flashier— and more exclusive than ever. This talk asks how we got here, and how we can take the games back. | Free Beloved Artistic Community Meet Up — Dance in Joy | 6:30 p.m., 11/19 Wednesday | Ithaca Community School of Music and Arts, 330 East State Street | Dance in Joy — Join movement artist Megan Omohundro in exploring how movement helps us shape our understanding of ourselves, others, and the world, all while having fun. | Free

TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 16 AT 7:30 PM State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 W State St. | Trombone Shorty’s 2025 album Second Line Sunday was recently nominated for a Grammy. Shorty and his band have made appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, TODAY and Good Morning America, and CBS Mornings. (Photo: Provided)

120/Autos Wanted

CARS WANTED!

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

245/Garage Sales

MOVING SALE

Moving Sale Saturday Nov. 15 10 AM to Noon; Rain date Sunday Nov. 16. Farm, field, office, and horse equipment, leather couch, treadmill, TVs, AC units, furniture, kitchen stuff, etc. 305 Piper Rd. Newfield

250/Merchandise

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES TODAY!

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

800/Services

ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS!

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

HEARING AIDS!!!

High-quality rechargeable, powerful Audien hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Tiny and NEARLY INVISIBLE! 45-Day money back guarantee! 855-819-7060. (NYSCAN)

INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT?

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

830/Home

DIRECTV-

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

GET A BREAK ON YOUR TAXES

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

GET DISH SATELLITE TV + INTERNET!

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

AFFORDABLE TV & INTERNET

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

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE?

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

BEAUTIFUL BATH

UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY!

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

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

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

FREE WATER TESTING

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

Call 1-866-247-5728. (NYSCAN)

PEST CONTROL:

PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-833-549-0598. Have zip code of property ready when calling! (NYSCAN)

WE BUY HOUSES FOR CASH AS IS

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

PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES!

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

SAFE

STEP – NORTH AMERICA’S #1 WALK-IN TUB

Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 OFF for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step 1-855-916-5473. (NYSCAN)

855/Misc.

CONSUMER CELLULAR

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

875/Travel

SAVE ON YOUR TRAVEL PLANS!

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

is expected to have a profound effect on community members’ access to essential resources.

The federal government shutdown has delayed federal funding for HEAP, which assists about six million households nationwide. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is delaying applications until at least Nov. 17. The legislature unanimously voted in favor of a resolution to urge New York state to take immediate action to reopen HEAP and protect vulnerable New Yorkers from utility shutoffs.

Webb, along with organizations like AARP and the Public Utility Law Project, issued a letter to Gov. Hochul urging for additional state funding for HEAP to counter the shortfall during the ongoing SNAP crisis. If increased funding is not immediately possible, she argued, the state should implement a statewide moratorium on utility service terminations for NYSEG and all essential utility companies until home heating can be guaranteed for those in need.

Legislator Deborah Dawson said that both SNAP and HEAP funding delays

have been a major concern for residents and county officials.

“While we were focused primarily on the food insecurity that’s being created by the holdup on SNAP, there’s also concern as we head into what may be an extremely cold winter that there is also no federal funding coming forward on a timely basis for HEAP,” Dawson said.” So, we’re asking that the state come forward and fund that in the interim and also that there be a moratorium on utility shut offs until the SNAP suspension is over. [...] People are otherwise going to be in the position of choosing between staying warm and staying fed.”

To learn about food resources in Tompkins County, visit the Human Services Coalition website at https://hsctc. org/211food/ for a detailed list of food distribution sites. Tompkins County DSS is accessible at (607) 274-5680. Residents can dial 2-1-1 or text their ZIP code to 898-211 for 24/7 connection to food assistance. The Food Bank of the Southern Tier has launched a new Food Finder tool to search for nearby pantries, mobile food pantries or meal sites at foodbankst.org/ findfood. For further assistance, individuals can contact Kelles’ office at 607-2778030 or Webb’s offices at 518-455-2170 or 607-773-8771.