F R E E / O c t O b E R 14 , 2 0 2 6 / V O l u m E l I V, N u m b E R 5 6 / O u r 5 4 t h Ye a r
OOnnl il ni nee@ Ithaca.com @ Ithaca.com
FREE / OCTOBER 14, 2026 / VOLUME LV, NUMBER 07 / O u r 5 5 t h Ye a r
Cornell Students
Respond to Cornell's Handling of the Jane Doe Case Student organizations host rallies, town halls and sit-in demonstrations on campus
PAGE 10 ITHACA DEMONSTRATORS DEMAND ENFORCEMENT OF HALT ACT
CITY OFFICIALS UNVEIL 2027 BUDGET
"INTOXICATION IS NOT CONSENT" LEGISLATION PROPOSED
2015'S "THE HUNTING GROUND" HOLDS RELEVANCY
A PREVIEW OF THE ITHACA COLLEGE THEATRE SEASON
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NEWSLINE Ithaca Demonstrators Rally Against Solitary Confinement, Join Statewide Protests Demanding Enforcement of HALT Act By Philip O’ D ell
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emonstrators gathered for a statewide rally against solitary confinement and prison abuse on Sept. 24 in front of the Tompkins County Public Library. The Ithaca rally was held in solidarity with similar demonstrations in Albany, Buffalo and New York City, according to Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP). The advocacy organization promoted the event as part of its mission to “end mass incarceration and promote racial justice through the release of aging people in prison and those serving long sentences.” In March 2021, the New York State Legislature passed the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term (HALT) Solitary Confinement Act and thenGov. Andrew Cuomo signed it into law. According to the New York State Senate’s website, the HALT Solitary Confinement Act caps a prisoner’s time in isolated confinement at 15 consecutive days, or 20 total days within a 60-day window. Under the legislation, vulnerable populations face even tighter limits, with placement in segregated units restricted to a maximum of 48 hours. The bill also establishes alternative rehabilitation units, improves living conditions, restricts the use of physical restraints and requires staff training and public reporting. Despite the law’s passage, demonstrators said the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision is failing to enforce it. Ithaca event organizer Josephine Cardamone, a member of the Ithaca Prisoner Justice Network, said she opposed solitary confinement, mass incarceration and the detention of elderly individuals. She said advocates have fought against solitary confinement for years. “It’s a lot of work for slow progress,” Cardamone said. “Unfortunately, in the country right now, we’re putting more people in prison because now we have ICE detention, so we’re not going in the right direction.” Wayles Amnesty 2
Browne, a member of International, said the
Demonstrators hold signs protesting solitary confinement and prison abuse outside the Tompkins County Public Library on Sept. 24 in Ithaca. The local rally was held in solidarity with concurrent statewide demonstrations in Albany, Buffalo, and New York City calling for the enforcement of prison reform laws. Photo: Philip O’Dell/Ithaca Times
organization was one of several that advocated for HALT’s passage. He said members demonstrated in front of the county library from 2013 to 2021 to urge the law’s passage. Browne said lasting change requires continued advocacy even after the legislation’s enactment. “It wasn’t enough to pass the law. We still have to call for it to be obeyed, and that partly depends on the governor,” Browne said. “She’s duty-bound to enforce it.” Browne said his participation in the protest stems from a broader concern for human rights, specifically referencing the 30 principles outlined in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He said Amnesty International works globally to hold governments, movements and corporations accountable to these standards, which include laws regarding imprisonment and the conditions of incarcerated individuals. Phoebe Brown, a member of Central New York Communities for Justice and former City of Ithaca alderperson, also joined the demonstration. Brown said she attended the rally to support the HALT Act and help end prison violence. She said central New York
THE ITHACA TIMES / OCTOBER 14-20, 2026
residents have a unique responsibility to act because the region is home to multiple state correctional facilities. “We don’t talk much about it, but we have many families move up this way to be closer to their loved ones,” Brown said. “We have to really be educated about it and really use our voice for those who can’t use their voice their way.” Brown said she spoke the day before the event with Mary Brooks, whose son, Robert Brooks, died in December 2024 after being fatally beaten by corrections officers while restrained at Marcy Correctional Facility in Utica. According to the Associated Press, the 43-year-old inmate’s death, captured on body camera footage, led to criminal charges against multiple guards, widespread suspensions of facility staff, and renewed calls from advocates for systemic prison reform across New York state. “There are a lot of people incarcerated, men and women, that we never hear their names,” Brown said. “My purpose is to continue informing my community, my beloved community, of the injustices that are happening in our neighborhoods.”
Phoebe Brown said the issue is personal to her as a Black woman who lost family and friends to a legal system that she called unfair. She also said many people lack funds for legal representation. “We have to embrace our community who are formally incarcerated, who are coming home, and families,” Brown said. “This is an issue that should be talked about more in our communities.” Brown said Central New York Communities for Justice will host a free public event, “It’s Time To Stop The School To Prison Pipeline,” on Oct. 17 in Ithaca. According to Visit Ithaca’s website, the event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at 402 N. MLK St. The website says Brown will lead a community forum, interviews, open discussion and spoken word performances, while attendees can RSVP by emailing cnycfj@gmail.com. Brown said Central New York Communities for Justice supports formerly incarcerated individuals and their families by providing gift bags, bus passes, organization referrals, and rides to jail and prison visits. Brown said individuals can access these services by visiting 516 MLK St. or calling 646-476-1752.
NEWSLINE
Ithaca City Officials Unveil Proposed 2027 Budget, Close $8M Deficit Under State Tax Cap
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ON THE COVER: Cornell Students Respond to Cornell’s Handling of the Jane Doe Case Cover designed by the Ithaca Times team.
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By Philip O’ D ell uring the Ithaca Common Council’s Oct. 7 meeting, city officials unveiled their proposed budget for fiscal year 2027, closing a $8 million deficit while keeping property tax increases below the state tax cap limit. City Controller Carissa Ralbovsky said the total 2027 general fund proposed budget is $94,200,649. Ralbovsky outlined a budget development process that began with Common Council guidance to stay under the state tax cap, starting with a May kickoff forecast that estimated a $5 million to $6 million gap. According to the New York State Comptroller’s Office, “the 2027 property tax levy growth will be capped at 2% for local governments that operate on a calendar-based fiscal year.” Ralbovsky said that over subsequent months following the May meeting, the projected deficit widened to an $8 million gap that officials fully closed. She said the gap was primarily driven by updated forecast estimates for health insurance expenses alongside ongoing efforts to clean up the city’s financial data. To eliminate the $8 million shortfall, the finance department directed city departments to submit reduction options—asking them to scale back spending, propose revenue enhancement ideas, or combine both approaches. “Municipal cost drivers are complex and we have a lot of limits as to what we can control on an annual basis in the operating budget process,” Ralbovsky said. Ralbovsky outlined the timeline for the city’s budget review process, which begins with departmental presentations over the next two weeks on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Capital Improvement Plan will be presented on Oct. 20, followed by a public hearing and council discussion on Oct. 28. An additional day for deliberation is set for Nov. 3, if needed, with the final budget scheduled for passage on Nov. 4. During the meeting, the Common Council unanimously approved the appointment of Acting Manager Dominick Recckio as city manager through Dec. 31, 2029. He served as acting city manager following Deb Mohlenhoff ’s resignation on Dec. 3, 2025. Recckio was reappointed to a six-month acting term on June 10. His appointment as city manager took effect the following day at an annual salary of $171,340, with pay increases scheduled for 2028 and 2029. Recckio presented the proposed city budget that includes his recommended total appropriation of $97,100,131. Recckio said the property tax levy should be a main focus for alderpersons during the budget process. “That is in my opinion the single
VOL. LV / NO. 07 / October 14, 2026 Serving 47,125 readers weekly
most consequential decision that Common Council will make as a part of this budget process,” Recckio said. Regarding the property tax levy, Mayor Robert Cantelmo said that while the city can make midyear budget adjustments and amendments, it cannot alter the property tax levy midstream. He said any midyear spending changes must instead be funded through fund balances, grant revenues, fines, fees, or sales tax, as the city cannot raise property taxes on residents in the middle of a calendar year. Recckio said the proposed budget calls for a $35.36 million tax levy—a 1.7% increase over last year’s $34 million collection. He said the property tax levy serves as the city’s primary revenue driver, backed by Ithaca’s total taxable assessed property value. Recckio said the proposed 1.7% property tax levy increase translates into a 0.3% tax increase for the median single-family homeowner in Ithaca, adding $13.89 to their 2027 bill. Hitting the full state tax cap limit would instead result in a 2% tax increase, or $84 more per homeowner, with every $100,000 added above the cap adding approximately $12. Recckio said the lower percentage increase for homeowners stems from growth in Ithaca’s overall taxable assessed value, which rose by $40 million from 2025 to reach $2.88 billion in 2026. He said commercial properties make up most of the tax base and are appreciating faster than residential properties, shifting a larger share of the total tax levy onto new commercial developments. According to Recckio, the proposed budget includes operational cuts — guided by three-year spending trends and Common Council directives — to keep the recommended property tax levy under the state tax cap. He said the largest single reduction saves $580,000 by eliminating 14 full-time vacant positions, alongside targeted line-item cuts across city departments. Ralbovsky said that calculations from the New York State Comptroller’s Office set the city’s maximum tax levy growth limit at 3.08% for the upcoming fiscal year. She said the recommended $35.36 million levy leaves the city $576,870 below its maximum allowable threshold of $35.9 million, eliminating the need for a tax cap override. Ralbovsky said sales and use taxes are projected to grow by 3.5% in 2027 following an estimated 5.5% expansion in 2026. Non-tax revenue sources include $2.2 million from multiyear municipal property sales and $3 million in interfund transfers, which features $1.6 million in capital project reimbursements to reduce general fund debt service obligations. Ralbovsky said the finance department outlined $771,000 in
health insurance savings, led by $700,000 from correcting accounting errors in retiree benefits and $71,000 from eliminating the management and confidential wellness incentive. Departmental turnover savings were tailored to specific positions while excluding health insurance from those estimates. Ralbovsky warned that despite these short-term adjustments, revenue growth is not keeping pace with spending, requiring ongoing operational shifts to avoid severe fiscal gaps by 2029 and 2030. Ralbovsky said her department plans to submit a five-year capital plan to align with best practices for long-range municipal planning and prioritize the city’s long-term financial stability. Recckio said long-term municipal sustainability requires tight cost controls. He said wages and salaries are the city’s single largest general fund expense, followed closely by fringe benefits, departmental operations, debt service, and administrative costs. Audit backlog Recckio announced the city is fasttracking its backlogged financial reviews, remaining on schedule to finish its 2022 fiscal audit this year and complete the 2023, 2024, and 2025 audits in 2027. With auditors arriving on-site within the week, Recckio said finalizing the overdue audits will provide a crucial financial springboard for Ithaca’s long-term planning. Discussions on overriding tax cap The Common Council discussed and ultimately tabled a resolution to override the tax cap. The 9-1 vote postpones the discussion until no later than the Oct. 21 meeting, with First Ward Alderperson Kayla Matos casting the sole dissenting vote. Alderperson Pat Sewell said he was reluctant to support an early tax cap override. He said acting too soon would preempt meaningful budget discussions and deprive the public of an adequate opportunity to offer feedback during scheduled public hearings. Cantelmo agreed with delaying the measure. He said there was no immediate necessity to force an override vote because the proposed budget currently sits below the property tax cap. Matos opposed delaying the vote, saying she wishes to avoid legislation that “ties the administration’s hands.” Matos said she wants to avoid a lastminute situation similar to last year’s budget season that included a $2 million shortfall discovered late in the process. “I think tabling it or waiting further to vote would just complicate things and I would rather vote on this now,” Matos said. “But regardless, if we did table it, I would still vote in favor of overriding the tax cap.”
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OCTOBER 14-20, 2026 / THE ITHACA TIMES
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NEWSLINE
Pictured is TechSpaces founder Robert Kong, 17, assisting students during a workshop. The Ithaca native turned his passion for self-taught coding into a volunteer-led nonprofit dedicated to expanding science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education worldwide. (Photo provided)
17-Year-Old Ithaca Native Builds Global STEM Nonprofit By Philip O’ D ell
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t 17 years old, Ithaca native Robert Kong turned his passion for self-taught coding into TechSpaces, a volunteerled nonprofit dedicated to expanding science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education worldwide. Kong said TechSpaces offers coding education, particularly to individuals who previously believed it was out of reach, through resources on the 501c3 nonprofit’s website. According to Kong, TechSpaces includes about 200 volunteers across international chapters in Nigeria, Ghana and Pakistan, where they organize coding workshops and classes. He said 400 additional volunteers develop educational coding materials for the website and other digital platforms, with many teaching online classes. Kong said the nonprofit includes a dedicated media branch, TechSpaces Media, which produces video content about coding as well as materials focused on the right to repair. Kong said TechSpaces relies primarily on online platforms for 4
its global outreach, connecting with international collaborators through sites like LinkedIn. He said the nonprofit coordinates with volunteers using online programs, such as Slack and Zoom. Kong said TechSpaces partnered with Zoom and Goodstack to host online classes. “Everyone who’s with us really supports our mission and views it as their own,” Kong said. Inspired by his programmer father, Kong developed an early passion for technology and taught himself computer programming when he was in first and second grade. Kong attended Northeast Elementary School and Ithaca Montessori School before spending ninth grade at Ithaca High School. He transferred to Phillips Academy Andover in Massachusetts for his 10th-grade year to attend boarding school. Alongside his growing love for coding, Kong discovered an interest in teaching by sharing math concepts he learned in school with his siblings. “During the pandemic, I decided
THE ITHACA TIMES / OCTOBER 14-20, 2026
it would be interesting if I combined those two passions of mine, especially since all the schools were closed down and everyone was stuck at home,” Kong said. Kong organized free virtual coding sessions with roughly 20 to 30 students per course in 2020. Seeking to expand his reach, he contacted the Tompkins County Public Library, which offered him a teaching spot to host virtual workshops. Conducted over Zoom because of pandemic restrictions on in-person gatherings, these library sessions also drew about 20 to 30 participants, leading to the official launch of TechSpaces. His parents, Kevin and Kathy, both Cornell University graduates, have lived in the Ithaca area for about 25 years, where their three children were born. Kathy said they operate Global Phoenix Computer Technologies Solutions, a business where Kevin works in computer design and systems engineering while she manages office operations. “We feel the kids nowadays have so
many great opportunities,” Kathy said. “I think from the parents’ side we want to provide the best support.” Kong praised the Ithaca area as an ideal environment for community initiatives and intellectual growth. He said Ithaca serves as a great place to launch and foster educational endeavors like his nonprofit. “Ithaca is a great place. It’s an intimate community, especially with this very prominent education background,” Kong said. “Ithaca is full of brilliant minds, and I think it’s a great place to do something like this.” Kong described programming as a set of instructions given to a computer to make it perform specific tasks. He said everyday software like the Google Chrome web browser is created this way. Kong said many students begin by using programming languages like Scratch or Python to build apps, games or other programs on websites, following a list of instructions that directs the computer on what to do. “Anyone can do programming. It’s not as difficult as people make it out
to be,” Kong said. “There are so many different ways these days.” Kong said aspiring programmers can also access numerous free tools online, ranging from YouTube tutorials to artificial intelligence platforms like ChatGPT, to learn how to code. Kong said that understanding how technology works and how to interact with it is crucial in the modern digital world. Pointing to the prevalence of artificial intelligence, social media algorithms, and algorithmic pricing, Kong stressed the importance of recognizing how these technologies influence everyday life. “Instead of just having technology being blindly handed to you and using it without understanding how it works, I feel it’s important to understand how it works,” Kong said. Beyond coding education, Kong said TechSpaces advocates for the right-torepair movement, an initiative focused on helping users fully own their electronic devices, including access to hardware components and software. According to Kong, hardware often ends up in landfills when manufacturers restrict device repairs, instead of being repurposed for children who lack access to computers. To address this, the nonprofit operates a Chromebook repair initiative that assists schools with fixing laptops, further advancing its mission of expanding technology
access. The nonprofit collaborates with Tech Soup, which provides Chromebooks to communities lacking laptop access. To secure support for TechSpaces, Kong reached out to Google for Nonprofits and Microsoft for Nonprofits, submitting documentation to gain acceptance into their programs and receive funding to expand the organization’s mission. Kong said TechSpaces collaborates with Code.org through its Hour of AI program—a global network of chapters dedicated to expanding awareness of artificial intelligence and proper AI usage. The nonprofit also works with the National STEM Festival, a large U.S. event where TechSpaces offers workshops during its STEM Week. Heading into his senior year of high school, Kong is preparing his college applications while maintaining his academic studies. Expressing a mix of emotions about his upcoming graduation, Kong said he will miss his teachers and classmates, but is eager to continue leading TechSpaces as he transitions into college and the next chapter of his life. Kong said prospective students and volunteers interested in joining TechSpaces can reach out to the organization by visiting its website at thetechspaces.org or emailing contact@ thetechspaces.org.
Seventeen-year-old Ithaca resident Robert Kong channeled his self-acquired programming skills into founding TechSpaces, a volunteer-driven non-profit enterprise aimed at advancing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning across the globe. (Photo provided)
TechSpaces founder Robert Kong presents a programming lesson written on a chalkboard. Kong founded TechSpaces, a volunteer-led nonprofit to expand science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education to students worldwide. (Photo provided) OCTOBER 14-20, 2026 / THE ITHACA TIMES
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NEWSLINE
‘Intoxication is not consent’: N.Y. lawmakers propose sexual assault reform bills in wake of Cornell gang rape allegations By Philip O’ D ell
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New York legislators are calling for updates to the state’s sexual consent laws in the wake of gang rape allegations at Cornell University. New York State Sen. Lea Webb led a virtual press conference Oct. 1 on two state Senate bills that would redefine “physically helpless” and prevent suspects from using a victim’s voluntary intoxication as a defense in sex crime cases. Legislators said the proposed laws are in response to the Cornell sexual assault case. According to a civil lawsuit filed Sept. 16, the then-20year-old victim — referred to as Jane Doe — alleges seven members of the Xi Chapter of Chi Phi Fraternity gang raped her inside a fraternity house in October 2024. In the lawsuit, Doe’s lawyers said she was legally incapable of consenting to sexual activity due to severe intoxication. The lawsuit says defendants pressured Doe to consume marijuana, alcohol and ketamine prior to the assault. “We all agree that the events that took place at Cornell University, that happened to Jane Doe, are reprehensible, deeply disturbing, and it is also a call to action,” Webb said. “I want to commend Jane Doe for stepping up and exhibiting the willingness to fight.” New York Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz said the state must close a loophole in its sexual assault laws that limits justice for victims who voluntarily consume alcohol or drugs. “They’re pretty much left out in the cold,” Dinowitz said. “People who assault them are given what amounts to a get out of jail free card.” Dinowitz and state Sen. Nathalia Fernandez are co-sponsoring a bill - Assembly bill A101 and Senate bill S10632, respectively - that “prohibits the use of intoxication of the victim as a defense in sex crimes,” according to New York State Senate’s website. Dinowitz said current state law creates an unjust distinction between survivors who were involuntarily intoxicated — such as having a drug slipped into a drink — and those who became voluntarily intoxicated, effectively denying justice to those in the latter group. Dinowitz voiced hope that both legislative houses and the governor will support the bills in the upcoming legislative session. He said New York must align with the majority of states that already addressed the issue. Fernandez said the current legal framework denies victims recourse if they were voluntarily intoxicated to the point of incapacitation. Fernandez said closing this legal gap is essential to ensuring equal access to justice for all survivors. 6
“No person should be blamed for what has happened to them because of self-intoxication,” Fernandez said. “We need to make it clear that intoxication is not consent and there must be better protections in the law for victims.” State Sen. Jamaal Bailey is sponsoring Senate Bill S866, redefining physical helplessness “to mean an individual who is physically unable to communicate affirmative consent through words or clear actions that offer permission and a willingness to engage in sexual activity,” according to the Senate’s website. Bailey said that while the legal principle of “no means no” remains fundamental, state statute should also explicitly require clear, positive agreement to affirm that “yes must mean yes.” He said the bill protects personal boundaries and formalizes affirmative consent. Jennifer Brownell, executive director of the Advocacy Center of Tompkins County, commended state lawmakers for supporting survivors and pushing the reform measures forward, expressing mixed feelings that public outrage and media coverage were necessary to spur legislative action. Brownell emphasized that survivors of sexual violence deserve statutory protections that accurately reflect the realities of assault rather than forcing victims to prove they fought back, verbally refused or remained sober enough to protect themselves. “These bills send an important message,” Brownell said. “A person’s intoxication or inability to communicate consent does not diminish their right to bodily autonomy or to seek justice.” Lawmakers clarify legislative intent Lawmakers addressed potential unintended consequences for mutually intoxicated, consenting adults. Bailey said his bill focuses strictly on establishing clear standards for affirmative consent to protect survivors of sexual violence, rather than penalizing mutually consenting adults. Fernandez said her bill does not penalize mutually consensual sex involving alcohol. Instead, she said the bill focuses on situations where an individual is so severely intoxicated that they are incapable of controlling their conduct or expressing a lack of consent. Fernandez said individuals must be coherent enough to understand what is occurring for sex to be consensual. Campus sexual assault reporting Addressing whether campus police should handle sexual assault cases, Webb said initial response protocols vary widely across New York universities. Webb said New York lawmakers are working to establish statewide standards for Title IX enforcement. She said new guardrails would address
THE ITHACA TIMES / OCTOBER 14-20, 2026
NY State Sen. Lea Webb (Photo: Ithaca Times File)
inconsistencies in how university campuses handle sexual assault reports. Webb said institutional protocols and the administrative role of Title IX officers currently vary from campus to campus. Fernandez said she supports routing all sexual assault cases directly to municipal police departments rather than keeping them solely within campus authority. She said local police should handle every report of sexual assault regardless of where it occurs. Bailey raised specific questions regarding whether private university police forces have officers trained in securing rape kits, handling evidence, and interacting with survivors of sexual assault and violence. Bailey called for greater transparency regarding the extent to which campus police forces are trained and equipped to manage these cases. Further legislative actions Webb said the Senate Committee on Women’s Issues is actively exploring additional legislative actions on sexual assault reform and to protect survivors of sexual assault. She said the Senate committee is acting after the Trump administration rescinded a Biden-era rule extending Title IX protections to LGBTQ students Sept. 28. According to the New York Times, Education Secretary
Linda McMahon said the Title IX change aligns federal enforcement with the administration’s interpretation of the law, though advocates for sexual assault survivors warned against the change. Advocates for sexual assault survivors said the decision rolls back Biden-era rules that required schools to investigate a broader range of sexual misconduct, including offcampus incidents at school events and activities. The move also reinstates a narrower Trump-era definition of sexbased harassment. Webb said the Senate looks forward to collaborating with a new Assembly task force created by Speaker Carl Heastie to address sexual assault laws. Webb also pointed to U.S. Department of Justice statistics showing 1 in 5 Black women are survivors of rape, highlighting the disproportionate impact of sexual violence on marginalized communities. She urged increased transparency in higher education Title IX investigations and pressed for equitable funding for trauma-informed victim services. Webb said state support for prevention and peer-support programs like “Enough is Enough” remains stagnant for over 11 years.
TAK E NOT E
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month By L or ien Ty ne
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ompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) reminded the community in a recent press release that October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, specifically highlighting the issue of sexual violence. TCWH Commissioner Jennie Sutcliffe said in the press release that domestic violence and sexual assault are a public health crisis. The Tompkins County Department of Emergency Response 911 Dispatch reported 1,563 domestic disturbance calls in 2025 and so far in 2026 has reported 1,012 calls, according to the Community Justice Center data dashboard. “Preventing domestic and sexual violence requires us as a community to
take a public health approach, looking at strategies and actions to take across individual, relational, community, and societal levels,” Sutcliffe said. “Sexual violence is preventable, and meaningful prevention requires a community response: clear consent, active bystanders, survivor-centered support, and accountability for those who cause harm.” The Advocacy Center provides domestic and sexual violence services, serving 592 adult survivors of domestic violence and responding to 1,738 calls to its hotline in 2025. Claire Hansen, community educator at the Advocacy Center, said in the press release that if someone is in need of support or has questions about how to support
someone else, they can call the center’s 24-hour hotline at 607-277-5000. “We are here to support survivors of domestic violence, wherever they may be in their journey,” Hansen said. “It is essential that the Advocacy Center, as an agency, and Tompkins County, as a community, demonstrate complete support for those who are experiencing violence and harm. The power of community cannot be understated. Everyone deserves safe, healthy relationships.” In addition to its hotline, the Advocacy Center offers other no-cost services such as connecting individuals with ongoing individual support, support groups and confidential shelter. The center also helps file orders of protection and reports to law
enforcement, assistance filing for NYS Office of Victim Services compensation for expenses related to victimization and training and education programs for local educational institutions and organizations. “It is just as important to think about the self-care that exists one month, one year, or several years down the road as it is to think about the healing that takes place immediately after a crisis,” Hansen said. TCWH invites community members to wear purple for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Individuals can get a free purple ribbon at a TCWH office (55 Brown Road, Ithaca or 201 E. Green Street, Ithaca) or contact the Advocacy Center at info@actompkins.org.
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OCTOBER 14-20, 2026 / THE ITHACA TIMES
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Ithaca Notes
In Concert for Immigrants By Stephen Burke
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afe Dewitt is an eatery popular with Ithacans for its first-class meals in a friendly setting in the Dewitt Mall, in the heart of downtown. The fare flirts with fancy, but the cafe effectively functions as a business hours place: breakfast and lunch only, 9:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. Odd hours for a restaurant, and also an odd space: The cafe is not confined by walls and isn’t really a room. Much of the square footage is a corridor set with tables and chairs. Throughout the day, visitors pass through the space from the southern side of the building, anchored by Moosewood Restaurant, and the northern, with a branch of GreenStar Market. After the cafe’s afternoon closing, the tables and chairs are secured to each other (there are no doors to lock). But since September and until December, the tables and chairs are untied on the first Friday evening of the month for a benefit concert series, Busking For Justice, sponsored by the Immigrant Solidarity group: “Bringing music and community together to support immigrants and their families
facing the impacts of detention and deportation,” the group says. The need for support has never been greater. After multiple fatal shootings of citizens, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has sought a lower public profile by operating with cover from law enforcement agencies, generally in Republican-led states. But arrests and detentions continue to escalate heavily throughout the U.S., even in Democratic-led states such as New York. The number of ICE arrests in the U.S. rose from 43,000 in June to 49,000 in July. The numbers in New York mirror this, with 1193 in June and 1567 in July. Most of those arrested have not been charged with any crime beyond violating immigration laws such as overstaying a visa. Despite its desire to operate in secrecy, ICE continues a pattern of highvisibility violence. In the late afternoon of October 8, as this column was being written, a 28-year-old Dominican immigrant driving in a residential neighborhood in upper Manhattan was shot by ICE agents firing seven rounds into his car.
The man’s 5-year-old son was in the car. The agents said they did not see the child. When a neighborhood woman attempted to reach and help the child, she was ordered away by an ICE agent with a rifle. The New York Police Department arrived and found the man bleeding from a gunshot wound to the neck. ICE had handcuffed him after shooting him. NYPD took him to a hospital. At the Busking For Justice benefit this month, a member of Immigrant Solidarity gave a brief speech. She said the concert series and other recent efforts have raised almost $20,000. The money “goes where it’s most needed,” she said, to aid detainees and their families directly. In upstate New York, the largest ICE detainee center is in Batavia, near Buffalo. In 48 counties across upstate New York, ICE took 785 detainees in 2024, and 1455 in 2025. The detainee center has space for 650. There is hope for change. The Trump administration has based its mass detentions on an interpretation of law that allows for non-citizens living
in the U.S. to be denied hearings and held without bond after arrest. The Supreme Court has agreed to evaluate this interpretation, after 500 district court judges and 9 of 11 appeals courts have rejected it. Normally a defendant is considered a defendant rather than a prisoner, and released on bond pending additional court proceedings if not deemed a threat or flight risk. The hope is shored up in Ithaca by the once-a-month Busking For Justice series, and by what an organizer calls “the big fall event for the Immigrant Solidarity group,” a three-hour show called the Musicians For Justice Concert. The show is at the Community School of Music and Arts on Friday, October 16 from 7 - 10 p.m. Performers are Mad Daddy, with Maddy and Ted Walsh; Travis Knapp and Annie Sumi; Colleen Kattau and Rich DePaolo; and John Simon and Friends. Suggested donation is “$25, or what you can.” The sponsors urge everyone to “join friends and neighbors for live music, shared purpose and collective care” in support of “solidarity, compassion and due process.”
Arts
More Than a Museum: The Free Arts Programming Hiding in Plain Sight
S
tanding tall in a corner of Cornell’s campus, the Johnson Museum spans eight floors and, according to its website, houses more than 40,000 works. But the Museum does more than immortalize past eras, as its mission statement highlights: “We aim to connect people, art, and ideas in creative ways.” One way the Museum brings that mission to life is through the programming efforts led by Gemma Rodrigues, Curator of the Global Arts of Africa and Director of Education. Rodrigues notes that some of their most successful programming has been: “Our outreach to local and regional pre-K–12 schools has built generations of museumgoers … partnering with teachers in our surrounding school districts to incorporate learning with original artworks into their classrooms is a major component of our public programming.” That success is just one piece of a broader effort – this month alone, the Museum is offering free programming for teens, families, educators, and adults. 8
Teen Studio Cornell undergraduate fine arts majors will be available to help middle and high school students to experiment with different artistic mediums on Friday, October 16th from 4-6 p.m. in the Cox Studio (floor 2L). Registration isn’t necessary. Museum Family Tour: Behind the Mask and Museum Highlights Tour Guests of all ages are encouraged to meet in the Appel Lobby on October 17th from 1-2 p.m. to join the Museum’s student educators and explore the selected galleries – no registration required. Also on October 17th, from 2:30-3:30 p.m., guests can drop into the Appel Lobby to join a one-hour guided tour led by a Museum Public Engagement Intern. No registration is required, but the tour can accommodate only 16 participants. Professional Development for Teachers The Museum will host two events, designed with educators in mind,
THE ITHACA TIMES / OCTOBER 14-20, 2026
on October 17th and October 23rd. Guests can join the Museum to explore Literacy and Art on October 17th from 1-3 p.m. and The American Revolution in a Global Context on October 23rd from 9 am – 3:30 p.m. To register for either event, email cih2@cornell.edu. Wellness Workshops: Needle Felting October 24th will feature two Wellness Workshops, focusing on needle felting: one open only to Cornell students and the other open to the broader community. Haydee Borrero of Sheepy Hollow Farm will host the workshop, teach attendees about wool’s artistic properties, and guide them in making their own creations. The Community Wellness Workshop is from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.; although registration is currently full, community members can join the waitlist by emailing eas8@cornell.edu. The Student Wellness Workshop is from 2-3:30 p.m.; to register, students can email eas8@cornell.edu. Artist’s Talk: Anastasia Samoylova To round out the month, guests can
tune in to a dialogue with Anastasia Samoylova in the Robinson Lecture Hall (floor 2L) or online on October 29th from 5:15-7:30 p.m.; Samoylova will discuss her new exhibition, Atlantic Coast: a collection of photographs that follow the complexities of American identity from Florida to Maine. Before the talk, guests may visit her exhibition in the Bartels Gallery (floor 1L). Registration isn’t necessary. Rodrigues also knows not all community members can make it to the Johnson. As she explains, that’s why Museum staff coordinate programming with several regional libraries, bringing “the Museum’s collections, educators, and student interns directly into those local communities.” No matter where you are in the community, the Museum is actively working to reach you. For the most up-to-date information on all upcoming programming, visit: https://museum.cor nell.edu/events/ upcoming/
O
n Oct. 9, Fall Creek Elementary School unveiled a new playground designed through a collaborative process that brought together Fall Creek students, Cornell University students, educators, and design professionals, according to a Sept. 23 press release. “At Fall Creek, we work to make sure kids know that their ideas matter and that they have a real voice in their school, community, and lives,” Tara Caiza, Fall Creek Principal, said. “It has been incredibly powerful to watch kids play in a space they helped imagine and create. So many experts came together to listen to our students and make their ideas come to life. Our new playground gives children a place to explore, take risks, be creative, connect with one another, and feel like they belong.” Fall Creek fifth graders also shared their ideas about what they wanted in a new playground and helped inform the design, creating a space that supports active play, creativity, connection, and time in nature. According to a press release,the project is part of the ICSD’s 2019 capital project, a districtwide investment in school facilities that was approved by voters on May 21, 2019.
OCTOBER 14-20, 2026 / THE ITHACA TIMES
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News
Cornell Students Respond to Cornell’s Handling of the Jane Doe Case By B enjamin As cher
I
n response to Cornell University’s handling of the alleged gang rape of Jane Doe in 2024, student organizations have organized a series of events on Cornell’s campus. The events included a rally at Ho Plaza on Monday, Oct. 5; a town hall at Willard Straight Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 6, to speak with students; and an economic blackout combined with a sit-in at Toni Morrison Dining Hall on Oct. 7.
• a return to independent hearings and minimum sanctions for sexual assault;
Cornell senior Athena Holloway, President of the Cornell chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, was an organizer for all three events. She spoke at the rally and served as a panelist/presenter at the town hall, informing students about the facts of the case and providing available resources.
Professor Julia Chang, professor of romance studies and affiliated with gender and sexuality studies, also spoke at the rally. Chang has been a “longtime activist” speaking at a few rallies but usually “behind the scenes”; however, she chose to speak at the Oct. 5 rally because of her first-year students.
“I’m in strong support of coalition work,” Holloway said in an interview with the Ithaca Times. “I’m in strong support of holding universities accountable when it comes to their policies.” Holloway also called for the university to respond to the students’ demands. “Why not call this coalition in to have that conversation, to have that worker meeting?” Holloway said. “With us sacrificing all this time, all this work, all this energy, and all this stress, I at least want students to get something concrete out of it other than a whole bunch of statements that come out, but not an actual commitment to change.” The Student Coalition’s five demands are: • the expulsion and revocation of degrees for perpetrators complicit in the alleged gang rape of Jane Doe;
• an external investigation of the Cornell administration; • required sexual assault prevention training for Cornell police; • and the university’s full compliance with NY State’s Enough Is Enough law.
“Us who have been at Cornell for a long time, unfortunately, we have just gotten used to one scandal after another here. And we are so disappointed, so fed up with Cornell,” Chang said in an interview with the Ithaca Times. “I felt a need to step forward to show, especially those of the student body that are new to Cornell, that they have support and that this shouldn’t be normal.” Chang said she heard that “some students were under the impression that faculty don’t care about this, which is false.” She has also heard “faculty are upset and they’re saying, am I supposed to talk about this? Am I trained to talk about this?” As a tenured professor, she suggested to the untenured or non-labor-protected, or to those who don’t know what to say in the class, “just acknowledge this is a difficult time, here are resources, and I’m also available privately in office hours. And it’s also important to disclose whether or not
you’re a mandatory reporter.” Mandatory reporters must report cases of sexual assault to the Title IX office, but Chang has found the campus to lack knowledge of who possesses this role. In the last two weeks, she has had faculty asking if they are mandatory reporters. For example, Chang said a student revealed that she was sexually assaulted without knowing Chang was a mandatory reporter. The student had told her residential advisor (RA), who didn’t report it because they were unaware of their role as a mandatory reporter. The RA said, “There’s nothing we can do about this because we don’t know who it was,” as the student didn’t know the identity of the person. “It was a traumatizing response. And then for me to tell her I was a mandatory reporter to put her in a great deal of distress,” Chang said. “[The student] said, ‘What does this mean? I just want this to go away.’ And Chang responded, ‘I’m very sorry. I have to file a report with Title IX, and these are the next steps…’” Chang reported the case to Title IX, but said she struggled to hear back from them, and when she did, they didn’t have her report on record and would not interview her. Chang said that situations such as this show how Cornell is “fundamentally unprepared,” and is why “the students have been demanding that CUPD have trauma-informed training in terms of interviewing survivors of sexual assault.” She finds American universities handling crimes internally to be “problematic” just like if “a gang rape happened in any other kind of private organization without any external body reviewing. This system is not unique to Cornell and needs to change.” For these reasons, she finds it “really important for the students to see the faculty as leaders, as people who care about their well-being and their safety, because this is what it comes down to: students don’t feel safe. Students haven’t been safe. And safety is the baseline for everything else that we do.”
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THE ITHACA TIMES / OCTOBER 14-20, 2026
Students like Kaori Quan and Andrea Cicirello from Cornell Grad Students United (CGSUUE) took part in the rally and required this support, as their organization, along with Students Not Bombs, have made demands exceeding the original five. They have called for Cornell President Michael Kotilkof to resign along with other administrators, as well as the banning of IFCs or infra-fraternity council frats, and the “we would like the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards [OSCCS] demolished and replaced with a democratic system,” says Quan. Cicirello says IFCs are “like social frats” or “ the ones where this sort of misogynistic culture of rape gets perpetuated.” These differ from academic frats or multicultural ones (like the one Holloway is in), with Cicirello stating, “We [CGSUUE] don’t have a problem with those, and specifically the social frats are the problem.” “Cornell has calculated what settling lawsuits or making deals will cost them over doing something like shutting down the frats,” Cicirello said. “They have chosen to side with rapists.” Cicirello made sure to mention this in her speech at the rally, being a trans woman and survivor of sexual assault. She stated, “It’s important to me that I want to speak up for the people who can’t and I want to speak up to hopefully also show people that, especially show trans women that we can speak up about these things. We can make change.”47% of trans people report being sexually assaulted. Cicirello commented on how the crowd at the Oct. 5 rally was “chanting, calling for Kotlikoff to resign, calling for frats to be banned.” “The people on this campus want that,” Cicirello said. “The people of the Ithaca community want that...I think it is the most powerful thing I have ever done in my entire life. I think it is one of the most powerful things that the greater Cornell and Ithaca communities have done. And I think Cornell sees that power, and Cornell will move because of that power.”
The Decisions You Don’t See
The hundreds of choices behind a finished space—and how bringing the right people together can make the process more rewarding.
Partner Owners: Chris Willett, Gideon Stone & Mike Barnoski These are not simply technical questions. They are choices about how we want to live, work and use our resources. Making them well requires more than an eye for design. It requires different kinds of expertise working together, with a shared understanding of what matters most to the client. Walk into a thoughtfully designed room and you may notice the light first. Perhaps it’s the way an old window frames the landscape, the warmth of natural wood, the texture of a handmade tile, or the way a kitchen seems to invite people to gather. What you may not notice is everything that went into making the space feel so natural. Behind every finished room are hundreds of decisions. Some are visible: the color of a wall, the shape of a countertop, the placement of a window. Others are almost invisible: how materials meet at a corner, where electrical outlets are placed, how lighting changes throughout the day, or whether a cabinet will still function beautifully years from now. The best spaces often have one thing in common: someone has thought carefully about the details, how they relate to one another, and how the people who use the space will experience them. Good design isn’t just about what you see. It’s about the thoughtfulness behind what you don’t.
A Space is More Than the Sum of Its Parts Creating a home, workplace or gathering space is an exercise in balancing competing priorities. There is the vision: what a space should look like and how it should feel. There is the practical reality: what the building allows, what materials are available, and what the budget can support. And there is the future: how needs may change, how materials will age, and whether today’s decisions will continue to make sense years from now. A beautiful material may require more maintenance than expected. A dramatic design feature may compromise everyday functionality. A seemingly small adjustment to a floor plan might improve the flow of an entire home.
The Value of Bringing People Together Early A building project often involves architects, builders, craftspeople, electricians, plumbers, suppliers and, most importantly, the people who will ultimately inhabit the space. Each sees the project through a different lens. An architect may recognize an opportunity to bring more natural light into a room. A builder may know how to achieve that vision within the constraints of an existing structure. A craftsperson may suggest a detail that adds character while improving durability. A client may recognize that a proposed solution looks beautiful but doesn’t quite fit the rhythms of daily life. When these perspectives come together early, the conversation becomes richer. Instead of discovering conflicts after decisions have been made, the team can explore alternatives while there is still time to choose. Instead of treating design and construction as separate stages, they can inform one another. This is the value of an integrated approach to design and building. It creates opportunities to ask better questions before committing time, materials, and money. Sometimes the outcome is a more ambitious solution. Sometimes it’s a simpler one. Often, it’s a thoughtful compromise that preserves what matters most without adding unnecessary complexity.
Making Informed Choices Without Becoming the Project Manager Most people don’t undertake a renovation or building project because they want a second career in construction. They have other things to do. They want a home that works for their family,
a kitchen that makes gathering easier, a workplace that supports creativity, or a space that reflects their values and priorities. Yet the process can quickly become overwhelming. Which materials are worth the investment? What should be decided first? Where might spending more now save money later? How can an attractive design be reconciled with practical needs? Clients deserve clear answers, not an endless stream of technical questions they are expected to resolve on their own. A well-coordinated team helps translate complexity into meaningful choices. It explains the options, identifies trade-offs, and connects individual decisions to the larger goals of the project. Consider a material selection. The initial price is only one part of the equation. Durability, maintenance, availability, environmental impact, and the ability to repair or replace a component may all matter. A slightly different choice could deliver better long-term value without compromising the design. The point isn’t to make every decision for the client. It’s to give clients the information and guidance they need to make decisions confidently.
Thoughtfulness is a Form of Sustainability Sustainability is often discussed in terms of energy efficiency, renewable materials, or the environmental footprint of construction. Those considerations are important, but there is another dimension: making choices that help a space last. A durable material that can be maintained and repaired may serve a building better than one that looks impressive initially but needs frequent replacement. Reusing an existing feature may preserve character while reducing waste. Improving natural light or planning for changing needs may make a space more useful over time. In renovation especially, the smartest solution isn’t always to start over. Existing buildings contain resources, craftsmanship, and history. Working thoughtfully with what is already there can produce spaces that feel distinctive rather than generic.
These decisions benefit from collaboration because no single person necessarily sees every possibility. The more effectively design intent, practical knowledge, and client priorities are brought together, the greater the opportunity to make choices that serve both the present and the future.
The Confidence That Comes from Collaboration Of course, no project is entirely predictable. Older buildings reveal surprises. Materials become unavailable. Priorities change. Budgets require difficult conversations. A good process doesn’t promise that nothing will go wrong. It creates a way to address challenges openly and constructively. That means communicating before small problems become large ones, making responsibilities clear, and treating questions as opportunities to find solutions rather than assign blame. It also means recognizing that the client’s experience matters as much as the finished photograph. A project should not only produce a beautiful result; it should give the people investing their time, money and hopes in that result a reasonable degree of clarity and confidence along the way. At Trade Design Build, we believe that begins with bringing the right people into the conversation early and keeping them connected throughout the process. Because the quality of a space is shaped by far more than the materials selected or the lines drawn on a plan. It emerges from hundreds of decisions, informed by experience, guided by purpose and connected through collaboration. When those decisions are made thoughtfully, the result feels less like a collection of individual choices and more like a coherent whole. You may never notice every decision that made the difference. You will, however, feel the result. The best spaces don’t happen by accident. They’re the product of good questions, shared knowledge and decisions made with the future in mind.
OCTOBER 14-20, 2026 / THE ITHACA TIMES
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Film
A college campus in “The Hunting Ground.” Most American colleges report at least two sexual assaults per year, though this crime is believed to be significantly underreported. (Photo: IMDb/Sundance Institute)
“The Hunting Ground”: This 2015 Documentary Provides Harrowing, Essential Insight into Campus Sexual Assault By Clement Obropta As all eyes are on Cornell University, both in the U.S. and around the world, I’m reminded of a film from 11 years ago called “The Hunting Ground.” Perhaps the most comprehensive film ever made about the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses, “The Hunting Ground” is unfortunately just as relevant now as it was when it premiered in 2015. The film opens with a montage of delirious elation as young American women receive university acceptance letters. The introductory scenes, though, carry an unmistakably sinister undertone — these young women are taking an exciting next step in their lives, but they’re also wandering right into the wolves’ den, totally unprepared for a partying culture that encourages and rewards abuse and administrative systems that don’t punish sexual violence. The documentary soon focuses on Annie E. Clark and Andrea Pino, former University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students who filed Title IX complaints after being sexually assaulted. Their case became the blueprint for similar complaints at dozens of universities across the country, and the women traveled from school to school, helping fellow survivors fight for institutional accountability. Yale, Harvard, the University of North Carolina, University of California Davis, Berkeley, Arizona State, Dartmouth, Swarthmore, Florida State, and the 12
University of Notre Dame are just a few of the many universities spotlighted over the film’s 103 minutes. But sexual assault happens on every college campus. Ithaca, Cornell. It happens everywhere. “The Hunting Ground” is a perfect documentary, excelling at presenting campus rape as a problem that’s less about individual offenders and more about the systems that keep those offenders from facing punishment. Filmmaker Kirby Dick has carved a niche in dissecting institutional sexual violence, whether it’s in the military (“The Invisible War”), the music industry (“On the Record”), the Catholic Church (“Twist of Faith”), or Hollywood (“Allen v. Farrow”). In “The Hunting Ground,” Dick presents a diligently researched top-down argument, asserting that college finances, college sports, and campus police all serve to protect the establishment at all costs and keep money flowing into the school. “The Hunting Ground” also looks at the data surrounding sexual violence on campus. More than 16 percent of college women are sexually assaulted while in college, yet 88 percent of victims don’t report. And if they do, administrators insist that the schools solve the problem internally rather than involving police, as in the Cornell rape case. When talking to survivors, administrators also constantly use victim-blaming language. “What were you wearing? Why didn’t you fight him?”
THE ITHACA TIMES / OCTOBER 14-20, 2026
Different universities punish perpetrators of sexual violence differently. Some might suspend them for one semester, suspend them over summer vacation, suspend them for one day, give them a $75 fine, give them a $25 fine, or give them a warning. Cornell University made the seven alleged rapists write essays. The University of Colorado does that, too. Suspension, it seems, is rare. From 2001 to 2013, the University of North Carolina had 136 reported assaults and no suspensions. From 1998 to 2013, the University of Virginia had 205 reported assaults and no suspensions, either. From 1996 to 2013, Stanford had 259 reported assaults and only one suspension. At those schools, rape has essentially been decriminalized. In its final 30 minutes, “The Hunting Ground” shifts gears to covering studentathletes, who reportedly commit 19% of sexual assaults on college campuses. But since universities rely so much on successful athletics programs, college sports players found guilty of assault are often allowed to stay enrolled until they’ve played important games for the school or finish out the season. “The Hunting Ground” profiles Jameis Winston, who was accused of rape at Florida State. His case was dropped after he refused to speak to the college. He went on to win the Heisman Trophy and now plays for the New York Giants.
“The Hunting Ground” is a brave, poignant film, one that gives a platform to survivors of sexual violence to speak about their experiences, and the documentary validates them as a result. It’s an edifying work of art whose only misstep is perhaps its short-sighted optimism that things could only improve from here. I hope that, as more details come to light with Jane Doe’s case against Cornell University and the Chi Phi fraternity, “The Hunting Ground” continues to be illuminating. What is happening at Cornell is not new, and it is not going away anytime soon. Cornell University is following a playbook that, according to “The Hunting Ground,” has worked for every major university for the past 30 years: Deny, blame the victim, cover up, and ignore the problem until it goes away. Let’s hope the playbook doesn’t work this time. Clement Obropta is a film columnist for the Ithaca Times.
“The Hunting Ground” Rated PG-13 Directed by: Kirby Dick Currently streaming on Tubi Available to rent on Amazon Prime Video
Arts
Ithaca College’s “Three Sisters” and Season Preview By Barbara Adams
UPS&DOWNS
By Kaeleigh Banda
Ups Cirque Us, featuring circus artists from around the country, is hosting its benefits show at the Cherry Arts Center on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. The show is 18+ and will raise funds to help sustain the group’s operations.
Downs On Oct. 6 at about 2:50 a.m., the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office responded to Lake Road in the Town of Dryden for a reported dispute. A repossession worker had attempted to repossess a vehicle, which escalated into the homeowner placing the worker in a chokehold and causing facial injuries to the worker through elbow strikes. Jeffrey B. Myers, age 44 of Dryden, was arrested and charged with 3rd Degree Assault and Criminal Obstruction of Breathing.
HEARD&SEEN Heard
T
he work of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov is seldom seen on Ithaca stages, perhaps partly because conveying his ironic mix of comedy and everyday tragedy is a challenge for any actor. But Ithaca College’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, which offers its majors experience in a range of genres, has opened its season with his complex 1901 classic, “Three Sisters.” It’s an ambitious undertaking, made easier by using the fresh translation (2011) of Sarah Ruhl (author of “Eurydice,” “In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play),” and “Dead Man’s Cell Phone”). Director Marc Gomes has set the action not in Chekhov’s pre-revolutionary Russia but in the Soviet era, from 1979-89 –– from Brezhnev to Gorbachev. This should seem more relevant to us, but nothing in the action specifically connects to this time. The small provincial town where the three sisters and their brother live, nostalgic for their Moscow childhood, isn’t presented through a Soviet lens. And their “toska,” or dull despair, “a sadness multiplied by lack of hope” (as a Russian friend tells me), is identical to that Chekhov evoked decades earlier. And textual anachronisms remain –– references to “servants,” titles like “your excellency.” Though these are easy to pass over, the schoolmaster Kulygin having a long ponytail is less so, short or neatly trimmed hair being the Soviet professional standard. (And as it turns out, Russians wear a wedding ring on their right hand, not the left.) But the general ambience captures the mood and tone effectively. Devon Worthy (set) and Ian Donahue (lighting) provide a generous living/dining space with comfortable furniture, but the windows are bare and there’s little décor. A fitting aura of weary drabness, a brown study, somehow pervades even in in moments of communal cheer. Ringing the Clark Theatre are tall cigarette-like posts painted as birches (a requisite symbolic presence), but their unnaturalness
On Monday, Oct. 12, City of Ithaca offices will be closed in observance of the Indigenous People’s Day Holiday. Trash collection scheduled for Monday will occur on Tuesday, with the remainder of the week’s scheduled pick-up being delayed by one day.
undercuts the play’s realism. The costumes, by Elyssa Lee, narrate the evolution of the characters. Irina (Issey Yourman), the youngest, most idealistic sister, begins in a white frock on her birthday, but as the years pass and a meaningless job wears her down, her clothes become frumpier, echoing her defeat. Masha (Charlie Jurta), the middle sister discontent in her marriage to the absurdly positive Kulygin (Violet Clark Schultz), is always svelte in black, mourning her own life. The oldest, Olga (Miralhi Taylor-Martin), a schoolteacher destined for headmistress, wears bolder colors, signaling that she’s the one who persists, pushing the family onward. And of course, the khaki uniforms of the soldiers, nicely detailed (if overly formal), because the only life in this cultural backwater seems to happen when the military is stationed here. (Shades of Jane Austen…) And Natasha (Adamantia Hopko), the shrewd wife of the sisters’ inert and indecisive brother, Andrei (Jeremiah Jobe), whose outfits go from tacky and tasteless to upwardly mobile. Hopko herself manages that social transition quite efficiently, from simpering blandishments to the sisters to instantaneous fury when she’s contradicted. Chekov’s narrative is compelling and all too recognizable in any era: three unhappy marriages, a genuine but impossibly doomed romance, a wedding thwarted by fate, a flagrant infidelity –– and nearly everyone stuck in their diminished circumstances, mourning the loss of their youthful hopes. The undergraduate troupe of 14 is completely committed and connected, but overall, the performances are uneven. Too often speeches are declaimed rather than felt, especially the long philosophizing ones; maybe a mere six performances can’t afford enough time for growth. It’s distracting that the three elderly characters don’t really move or sound like their age; theirs are the loudest,
most robust voices onstage. Andrei complains about his weight gain, but he’s the leanest of men. And Captain Solyony (Kai-Sincere Owen) is so frighteningly sinister from his first appearance that we can’t discern the sense in his antisocial cynicism. Still, each character has some scenes where the awareness of performing drops away and we feel authentically in the moment. The conviviality at the dinner table; the tender exchange between Irina and the devoted Baron Tuzenbach (Story Korkis); the drunken confessions (“Nothing exists...”) of the inept old doctor, Chebutykin (Jack KalishDemaris); the constant supplication evoking revulsion between Kulygin and Masha. Above all, most of the scenes between Masha and Lt. Col. Vershinin (Isaac Stratford) are persuasive and heartfelt, played with subtle responses and clear longing. And two small performances ring as absolutely Chekhovian –– the upbeat, youthful banter of the two sublieutenants, Fedotik (Aaron Trigg) and Rode (Gage Williams), affectionate with their friends and just happy to be in the moment. From discontent to delight, “Three Sisters” gives us the whole human comedy. More to come at Ithaca College this fall: On Nov. 6-9, Wendy Dann will direct “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”; then Dec. 3-6 features “The Heart of It All,” the biannual dance concert, which also marks the launching of the first dance major at Ithaca College. And spring starts off sprightly with Mozart’s opera buffa “Così fan tutte,” Feb. 26-28. The golden age of musicals is spoofed in “The Drowsy Chaperone,” April 2-5; and the year rounds out with another Russian play, an adaptation of Gogol’s comedy, “The Government Inspector,” April 29May 2. Barbara Adams is a regional theatre and arts journalist and retired professor of writing, Ithaca College.
Seen The City of Ithaca is encouraging community members to apply to serve on the city’s boards and commissions that address topics such as zoning, planning development, sustainability and climate justice, landmark preservation and community police relations. Applications and more information can be found on the city’s website. Applications are due by Nov. 1.
IF YOU CARE TO RESPOND to something in this column, or suggest your own praise or blame, write editor@ithacatimes. com, with a subject head “U&D.”
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Is Ithaca providing enough workforce housing?
50.0% Yes 33.3% No 16.7% I don’t care NEXT WEEK’S QUESTION:
Does New York properly enforce the HALT Act? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.
OCTOBER 14-20, 2026 / THE ITHACA TIMES
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Guest Editorial
Two Heads of the Same Beast: Greek Gang Rape and Sexual Hazing in Secondary Education
An Open Letter to
Kathy Hochul, Letitia James, NYSED Board of Regents, Senators, and Representatives The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York State The Honorable Letitia James, Attorney General of New York State New York State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224 October 8, 2026 Dear Governor Hochul, Attorney General James, and All Protectors of Youth:
I
am a NYS certified teacher writing to urge you to consider the relationship between sexual hazing in secondary sports and fraternity gang rape. Evidence suggests that these are two heads of the same Beast. In November 2023, I reported an alleged sexual assault (sodomy with a broomstick) of a boy by his teammates. In May 2026, I interrupted an attempted sexual assault by a gang of athletes against a teammate. Both incidents involved sham investigations, minimization, and severe redactions and/or lost reports. Upon escalation, the Board refused to provide an impartial investigator, refused to consider a zero-tolerance hazing policy, and have since removed sexual assault from the District-Wide Safety Plan. According to an ESPN 2016 report, “sodomy with a broomstick” is a national epidemic in secondary sports. Without knowledge of this report, “sex acts” involving large mobs of students, ages 13-18, is incomprehensible. It took months of analysis of 90+ local and 130+ national sexual hazing incidents to comprehend what I overheard in 2023 and encountered in 2026. I am convinced that sexual hazing and gang rape are both Greek rituals, military in origin, because both require: a.) a brotherhood based on extreme violence, b.) legal loopholes to fuel a sense of impunity and entitlement, c.) a code of silence to avoid detection, and d.) a secular vacuum. In this vacuum, Greek rituals open the door to Depravity and Entitlement which endanger the welfare of their peers and debauche the morals of all involved. For maximum student 14
safety, these doors must be shut, locked, and guarded vigilantly to keep their destructive philosophies and Trojan horses out of educational institutions.
ignorant and willfully indifferent
gang rape)
Published Data Show:
- that local education leaders have demonstrated complacency with the status quo and have done absolutely nothing for prevention since 2009
- that NYS anti-hazing bill proposals for grades 7-12 have been stalled in committees for years, while college antihazing laws were passed
- that sodomy with foreign objects in secondary sports, grades 7-12, is a national epidemic (1983-2020) (ESPN, 2016)
- that local education leaders have partnered the school district with Greek, Masonic, and Jesuit run operations which jeopardize student safety
- that NYSED and DASA enable staff ignorance, minimization, and the code of silence by conflating sexual offense and hazing with harassment
- that there were over 17,000 sex offenses, grades K-12 between 20102016 (Associated Press, 2017)
- that local education leaders are compromised due to their affiliations with the Noahide cult whose “sacred texts” condone sex with minors
- that hazing is completely preventable with a zero-tolerance policy, prompt athletic expulsions/game cancellations, no hazing pledges
- that local education leaders have been paving the way for a Noahide “love” cult philosophy which cannot support student safety or free speech
In conclusion, I urge you to pause all sports grades 7-12 until remedies are found and safeguards maximized. I also urge you to affirm and protect the separation of church and state, repeal all pro-Noahide resolutions (20092026) in the NYS senate and assembly, cease all Noahide-cult prayers and special treatment by government, and prohibit Greek/Masonic/Jesuit/Noahide influence in education policy-making. Please let me know the best way to share my research report. Thank you for your time and consideration.
- that over 92% of students will not report hazing (Alfred University, 2000) - that over 43% of students have experienced some kind of humiliating hazing in high school (Alfred University, 2000)
- that sexual hazing has a modus operandi with trends (e.g. “No Gay Thursdays” and “Freshman Fridays”) and patterns of ambush
- that NYS K-12 SSEC reporting systems do not allow entry of more than one act of violence: administrators “must choose” only one of “the worse” crimes: sex act, sex offense, or hazing, with no place to identify gang violence, physical restraint, sexual hazing, or racial targeting
- that victims suffer from severe PTSD and some become suicidal with at least one documented suicide happened one year after the attack
- that NYS K-12 SSEC reporting system wink at sexual hazing by adding “not reportable” stipulations that complement “age gap” laws
- that a local coach was allowed to bias the 2023 and 2026 sexual hazing incidents despite complaints made by the mandated reporter
- that NYS K-12 SSEC reporting systems allow a “persistently dangerous school” to fly under the radar and give a false sense of security
- that local education leaders have ignored multiple written and spoken alerts on this matter and are willfully
- that NYS penal “age gap” laws wink and enable student-on-student sex offenses (e.g. age 13-16 on age 12-17
New Research Findings Show:
THE ITHACA TIMES / OCTOBER 14-20, 2026
Sincerely,
Sandra Wold, Ithaca, NY M.S. Science Education NYS certified Math Science, Chemistry The opinion expressed is that of the author and not that of the Ithaca Times. Letters can be submitted to editor@ ithacatimes.com. Submission does not guarantee publication.
INQUIRING PHOTOGRAPHER
Sports
A Big Little Red Rally
By Mark Syvertson
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: “WHO’S A GOOD DOG?”
By Steve Lawrence
NOTE: If readers wish to participate in the Ithaca Times’ Inquiring Photographer column, contact Mark Syvertson at marksyvertsonphotography@gmail.com
Arnie
Frank
Jadis
Extra Point the mascot entertains the Sea of Humanity at Ithaca High’s raucous rally. (Photo provided)
I
started going to high school pep rallies in the 1970s and let me tell you...the one I attended at Ithaca High on Friday was a whole lot peppier than any I have ever witnessed. The school had made scheduling adjustments to maximize attendance, the sparkling facility – complete with gorgeous turf and a state-of-theart scoreboard – was packed, there was a Joe Scaglione-piloted drone capturing the spectacle, and it all unfolded on a spectacularly sunny October afternoon. As the students were streaming in, I spoke with Caren Arnold, the high school principal, and she laughed when I asked her if she was there because her job description demanded it. She replied, “Absolutely not! We made the decision to bring pep rallies back last year, and it’s a great opportunity to bring our school together as a community.” She added, “And it’s a big community...we have about 1,400 students! We make it a student-led event, we ask, ‘what do they want,’ and we let them run it.” And what a turnout it was. As the students streamed into Moresco Stadium, I briefly caught up with Athletic Director Kari Burke. She had very little time to chat, as she was keeping an eye on what she called “a sea of humanity!” I approached another woman, wearing a lanyard with a name tag,
Pretzel
and I asked her if she was another administrator. A principal, perhaps? A teacher? She laughed and said, “No, I’m a senior, and I am the Student Ambassador President.” Well, Madeline Tindall, ya could fool me. You looked – and acted – in a very authoritative manner. The P.A. Announcer’s voice boomed out from the press box, and the crowd cheered when the teams lined up in the end zone, waiting their turn to be introduced. First up was the cheerleading squad, bursting with energy, a delightful cast of characters. Some appeared to have some dance training, others were just full of... you guessed it...pep, and one young lady did the cheers and waved the pom poms from her wheelchair. It was a great way to get the introductions started. The cheer squad was followed by the cross-country teams – the boys and girls combined – and they were followed onto the turf by the Varsity football team, which got an extra dose of loud support when a reminder was given that they would host Elmira later that evening. Next came the golf team, followed by the boys’ soccer team, which got a big reception when it was announced that there are having a great season thus far, riding an 11-1 record. The girls’ soccer team followed, then the
undefeated girl’s swimming and diving team. They were followed by the girls’ Varsity tennis team – which elicited a roar when the announcer conveyed that they had just won the STAC championship. The Unified team was shown a lot of love when they ran out, then came the JV football team, and finally, the JV and Varsity volleyball teams. Seeing all the fall athletes together was nice, and given that some teams labor in relative obscurity, the athletes soaked up the applause. The event then featured the unveiling of two new banners, then introduced the two mascots. Everyone was familiar with Extra Point, the bear, but many were surprised to see Pepper, a skunk. He paid homage to the IHS Class of 1955, which adopted a de-scented skunk, named it Pepper, and hailed it as a mascot. It was then time to let the games begin, and a big Musical Chairs contest entertained the crowd. 28 participants, 27 chairs. I had never seen Musical Chairs as a contact sport, but a student named Logan sat alone at the contest’s conclusion. Next came a Tug-O-War, then a field goal kicking challenge. One guy actually bounced one off the crossbar and over – would have been good for 3 points in a game – but the most impressive moment came when
Walter
someone threw a ball back in from the end zone and Athletic Director Burke, already holding one football, snagged the long pass with one hand. It was an NFL-worthy catch. One more reminder: The Friends of the Ithaca Youth Bureau will host USA 2026 Olympic Gold Medalist (and former Big Red player) Rory Guilday on Saturday, October 17 at 11:00 am at the Ithaca High School Wellness Center Gym. The “meet and greet” event is free and open to the public. Guilday will speak about her experiences playing at the highest level of women’s ice hockey, and about her four years in Ithaca. Remarks welcoming her will begin at 11:15 am. There will be an opportunity for photographs with Guilday and her gold medal, and for autographs.
I have been invited to be the Interviewer/Moderator for this event, and I can’t wait. OCTOBER 14-20, 2026 / THE ITHACA TIMES 15
The Talk at By Ithaca Times Readers
Teaching About Gang Rape
“
The alleged gang rape at Cornell has kept me up for a few brooding nights. I read the disclosures about the hideous activity in a fraternity house near me, I cringed, felt enormous anger, and wondered what I would say to women students if I were teaching now? It’s time to be honest about where we are in terms of sexuality and violence against women’s bodies. The details of the event described by Cornell’s Jane Doe (the victim) suggests that sexual relations in today’s student culture can be harsh and brutal. The frat boys at Cornell used a group message to announce their human catch and then they invited their brothers to come and get some. Their acts of assault were modeled on Internet pornography, and they apparently thought it amusing to drug their victim with ketamine which they had her lick off their genitals. This kind of sex is not erotic or satisfying to most. In fact, this horrific activity threatens any notion of loving, mutual heterosexuality. And it disturbs the idea of gender equality. In the wake of this tragedy in Ithaca, I would tell my students: patriarchy has devolved into a violent disease. These days, those of us who enjoy sex with men must be a bit careful, even cautious with our intimacy because the sexual education of young men is now neither reliable nor kind. The internet is not a loving father or even a bragging older brother or friend. We need a national conversation about why the old saying ‘boys will be boys’ is particularly dangerous when it exists hand-in-hand with a Greek system that needs to be both monitored and rethought. Boys need not enter the manosphere– that is, become the sort of misogynistic and violent men that contemporary culture models for them. We need to reject the manosphere of online rhetoric that portrays women as objects to be controlled. And we can object to the normalization of brutish sexual behavior as pictured in internet pornography. Our young men and women deserve better.” - Joan Jacobs, Brumberg, Ithaca, NY
Respectfully Requesting that Male Cornell Alumni Take the Lead in Specific Anti-Rape Training “People online are asking how men can take a stand against rape culture. Male Cornell students and alumni could create a consciousness-raising training group. This should be ongoing, public and specific, uniting older and younger men via online podcasts, videocasts, in-person events nationwide, financial funding, and publishing. Most of all, this should include training -specific 40 hour training, yes, 5 days of workshops, to specifically address how men in a group can stand up against 16
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
gang rape in the moment. Very specific training steps that Cornell, ironically, is known for! Ironically, and tragically, Cornell has (or had) a long-standing and well-respected non-violent training program for social workers and teachers. De-escalation techniques and non-violent restraint techniques. I was required to attend this 5 day/40-hour workshop training every single year as a teacher who worked with emotionally disturbed adolescents. Cornell gave us a certificate of this training. What does it take for men in a group to lead in the moment to save a woman facing gang rape? Surely, the men of Cornell could help all the men, young and old in society learn specific techniques in order to be prepared in case male individuals suddenly find themselves in a group surging in this rape violence. Teach individual men, very specifically, how to stand up and LEAD during these tragic and hideous group-think episodes of violence.” Monique Avakian, Yonkers, NY
The Stakes are too High
“
I have recently read a couple of letters to the editor that suggested that the writers would not vote for Josh Riley because of one position or another. Politics is a complicated field. No candidate will ever represent all ` of our views as they represent many constituents. At this moment in the United States, with democracy being so blatantly abused by the Trump administration, every concerned citizen, progressive, left, liberal, independent, conservative and even Republican should vote for Democrats to take back control of Congress. The stakes are too high; reservations or not, vote for Josh Riley.” - Karin Suskin, Ithaca, NY
Hands Off OUR Public Lands
“
175 million acres of U.S. land are at risk of sale or destruction. 5calls.org notes the Trump Administration: 1. is considering selling land, that is part of Yosemite National Park, to a private real estate developer. This enables a private access road to be built in the park. CEO of Kingsbarn Realty Capital Jeff Pori, contributed to the Trump campaign and other Republican groups. 2. cut the Roadless Area Conservation Rule opening 59 million acres of national forestry to increased logging. 3. used the Budget Bill of July 2025 to grab 1.3 million acres of Alaska Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that will be auctioned to allow oil and gas drilling. 4. targeted lands such as New Mexico’s Greater Chaco region and Upper Pecos River, and Nevada’s Ruby Mountains to allow mining and drilling. Using our public lands as GOP property to advance the fossil
THE ITHACA TIMES / OCTOBER 14-20, 2026
fuel industry is wrong! However, Congressman Nicholas Langworthy supports this. He has never deviated from Trump policies. Langworthy voted for the July 2025 Budget Bill; he has raised over $ 2 million since 2025 much of it from Corporate PACs and wealthy donors (FundVoter 2026 cycle). Can you say kickback?” - Mary Schwarz
“
Please Vote Early
You may have heard that Donald Trump and the Republicans have been pushing various schemes to suppress millions of votes. Voting early is one of the best ways to counter efforts by those who want to suppress the vote. Here is why you should vote early. 1. Early voting locks in your vote. You will avoid long lines on election day. And you will avoid the possibility of a last-minute emergency preventing you from voting. 2. Early voting will ensure your vote gets counted, no matter what sort of chaos the Trump Administration tries to stir up on election day. It is especially important to return your ballot as early as possible if you vote by mail. Returning your ballot early will ensure delayed mail does not prevent your vote from arriving too late to be counted. Early Voting in New York State will run from October 24 – November 1. Early voting in Tompkins County will take place at: The Tompkins County Veterans Services, 111 N Albany Street Tompkins County Crash Fire Rescue, 72 Brown Road Polls will be open from 9:00 am – 8:00 pm on October 27 and 29 and from 9:00 am – 5 pm on all other days.” - Robin Messing, Ithaca, NY
A Property-Tax Cliff for Ithaca Seniors
“
Last year, my Ithaca City School District property-tax bill was $1,722.57. This year, it is $4,748.29. My house did not suddenly become a luxury property; its assessment is still $380,000. My wife and I did not suddenly become wealthy. What changed is that our household income crossed the limit for Ithaca’s senior property-tax exemption. That single change increased our school-tax bill by more than $3,000—and the school bill is only part of it. The same income calculation eliminated our Tompkins County senior exemption. While the City of Ithaca still grants us a partial exemption due to a higher income scale, our combined school, City, and County property taxes will now approach an estimated $10,500 a year. Our projected property-tax burden is about 2.8 percent of our home’s
assessed value. That is more than three times the national average and roughly 35 percent higher than the published full-value-equivalent rate in affluent Chappaqua, NY. I live on North Plain Street in Ithaca, yet my projected property-tax burden is substantially higher than in one of Westchester County’s wealthiest communities. The core issue is a glaring contradiction in local policy. The Ithaca City School District gives a full 50 percent senior exemption at a household income of $35,000, phasing it out entirely above $43,400. Tompkins County uses a $36,500 threshold. Yet the City of Ithaca gives a full exemption up to $50,000 and offers partial relief up to $58,400. Consequently, the exact same Ithaca homeowner can be deemed low-income enough for City relief, but too affluent for school and County relief. In 2025, Ithaca’s Common Council raised its senior limits after noting they had not been updated since 2013. New York State allows each county, city, town, village, and school district to choose whether to offer the senior exemption and to set its own income limit. In 2026, the state expanded that local option, allowing income limits as high as $75,000. The school district’s continued use of a $35,000 threshold is a local policy choice. Residents who think their local threshold is too low can ask their school board or local governing body to revisit it. State and County policy encourages older residents to age in place, yet the tax system can make remaining in the same home thousands of dollars more expensive after a relatively modest change in income. This isn’t about making seniors a privileged class; it’s about structural flaws. A spouse taking a part-time job, a cost-of-living increase in Social Security, or a required retirement distribution can trigger the loss of thousands of dollars in tax relief. At some points in the exemption schedule, a relatively small income increase can produce a disproportionately large tax increase. The Ithaca City School District and Tompkins County should examine this publicly. Why is the school district still using a $35,000 threshold when the City moved to $50,000? Exemptions do redistribute the tax levy, and changes should be debated openly. But the present system deserves immediate scrutiny. If your local senior-exemption threshold has not kept pace with current incomes and housing costs, ask your school board, county legislature, city council, or town board when it was last reviewed. If you are an Ithaca-area homeowner whose senior property-tax exemption was reduced or eliminated after an income change, I want to hear from you. Email: ranger@earthstage.pw.” Neil Zusman, Ithaca, NY
OCTOBER 14-20, 2026 / THE ITHACA TIMES
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Music Bars/Bands/ Clubs
10/16 Friday Cornell Chorus and Glee Club Homecoming Concert | 7 p.m. | Bailey Hall, 230 Garden Ave.
10/17 Saturday
Melvin Seals & JGB | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St.
10/20 Tuesday Music in the Glen Tuesday and Saturday concerts | 6 p.m. | Glendale Park, 400 Glendale Dr.
10/21 Wednesday
Liam Lawson Live | 4 p.m. | Brewers Taproom, 10 Pinckney Rd.
Coco Montoya | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S. Main St.
10/18 Sunday
Stage
Coffee House at St. Luke | 4 p.m. | St. Luke Lutheran Church, 109 Oak Ave. | Free Comfy, Pluck, and Tenor Caso at Stone Bend Farm | 7 p.m. | Stone Bend Farm, 196 Porter Hill Rd. | $10.00 - $15.00
Concerts/ Recitals
10/15 Thursday Tractor Family Judy Hyman at the South Hill Cider Community Concert Series | 5:30 p.m. | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Rd.
10/16 Friday Crow Greenspun at the South Hill Cider Community Concert Series | 5:30 p.m. | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Road Tab Benoit | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St.
10/17 Saturday Ignite Music Festival | 12 p.m. | Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 731 Hooper Rd. | Free
10/18 Sunday SUNDAY BLUES SERIES: The Jake Lozo Band | 3 p.m. | ONCO Fermentations, 397 NY RT 281, Suite O
Something About Money | 7 p.m., 10/14 Wednesday | Kitchen Theatre Company, 417 W. State / W. MLK, Jr. St. First Tastes: The Cardiff Giant, A Problem Comedy, by Russel Fox | 5:30 p.m., 10/15 Thursday Live and Let Die: The Music of Paul McCartney | 7 p.m., 10/15 Thursday | Auburn Public Theater, 8 Exchange St. | Aziz Ansari: Hypothetical Tour | 6 p.m., 10/16 Friday | State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 West State St. Ithaca Ballet Presents: Fall Dance Revelry for All Ages | 6:30 p.m., 10/17 Saturday | State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 West State St. The Bodyguard | 7:30 p.m., 10/20 Tuesday | Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway | The M&T Bank 2025-26 Broadway Season presents The Bodyguard TuesdayWednesday, October 20-21, 2026, @ 7:30pm
Art TRACES | 11 a.m., 10/14 Wednesday | Corners Gallery, 903 Hanshaw Rd. Suite 101A | TRACES features work by Masha Ryskin and Jennie Wilde | Free
Lisa Mackie | The Forest for the Trees - and the Sea | 1 p.m., 10/14 Wednesday | The Ink Shop Printmaking Center, 330 E. State/ MLK Street | Free Ozolins and Nelson: On Canvas and Paper | 12 p.m., 10/15 Thursday | SOAG, 120 West State/ MLK St. | Free What is Your Red Line? In the Salon | 12 p.m., 10/15 Thursday | State of the Art Gallery, 120 W. State St. Art Cafe | 6 p.m., 10/16 Friday | The Clay School’s Art Room, 950 Danby Rd. | Free Try-It: Wheel workshop | 6 p.m., 10/16 Friday | The Clay School, 950 Danby Rd. Fossil ID Day | 10 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Museum of the Earth, 1259 Trumansburg Rd. (Route 96) | $0.00 - $12.50 Surrealist and Cozy Food Landscape Paintings | 10:30 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Lansing Community Library, 27 Auburn Rd. | Free Opening reception for Michael Sampson at The Gallery at South Hill | 4 p.m., 10/17 Saturday | The Gallery at South Hill, 950 Danby Rd. South Hill Business Campus | Free Puff and Paint | 7 p.m., 10/17 Saturday | 330 West, 330 W. State St. | $51.25 Puff and Paint | 7 p.m., 10/18 Sunday | NRE Space , 402 W. State St. | $50.00 - $80.00
Film Fall World Cinema: 12 Masterpieces from Around the World | 1:30 p.m., 10/20 Tuesday | Lifelong, 119 W. Court St. | A 12 film global cinematic journey that spans an array of storytelling traditions and cultural landscapes, led by film afficionado Ron Krieg and open to the public. | $10.00 - $50.00
THIS WEEK
The Annual Trumansburg Senior Citizens Bazaar SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17 FROM 9:00 A.M.TO 2:00 P.M. Trumansburg American Legion, corner of Rte. 96 & Seneca Rd. | Soup & Sandwich (including pulled pork) Luncheon (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.), homemade baked goods, crafts, recycled jewelry and Vendors! https://www.facebook.com/100064695428411/ posts/please-help-us-spread-the-word-thetrumansburg-senior-citizens-bazaar-is-thissa/964063692426803/
Ithaca Ballet Presents: Fall Dance Revelry for All Ages SATURDAY OCTOBER 17 AT 6:30 P.M. State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 West State St| Fall Dance Revelry for All Ages opens the 2026-2027 Ithaca Ballet season at the State Theatre. Mother Goose Suite is a ballet choreographed by Lavinia Reid in 1977 to Ravel’s evocative score. It was a staple of the Ithaca Ballet repertoire in the company’s early days but has not been seen since 1999. https://stateofithaca.org/events/
18
THE ITHACA TIMES / OCTOBER 14-20, 2026
Cinemapolis 120 E. Green St., Ithaca New movies opening the week of Oct 14. Contact Cinemapolis for showtimes and continuing films. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari | One brilliant movie jolted the postwar masses and catapulted the German Expressionist film movement into history. | NA 75 mins Ken Russell’s The Devils | Ken Russell’s 1971 The Devils remains one of cinema’s most transgressive and incendiary provocations, a feverish account of the Loudun possessions witchcraft trial in 17thcentury France. | NA 144 mins The Illusion | Susana tries to remember her father’s face. After 26 years imagining it, she has traveled from Cuba to England looking for her dad and has seen him for the first time. | NA 90 mins You Can See Everything | Thirtyfour days before she’s sent to prison, notorious Silicon Valley founder Elizabeth Holmes invites a skeptical film crew to document her every move. | NA 174 mins Sense And Sensibility | Sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood must leave their Sussex estate and move in with a distant relative, facing romance and money troubles. A new adaptation of Jane Austen’s debut novel. | NA 131 mins The Ghost and Mr. Chicken | Luther Heggs, a typesetter for the town newspaper, pitches an idea for a story about a local haunted house where a famous murder/suicide occurred 20 years earlier. | NA 150 mins Where Is Juan Moctezuma? | The Roy H. Park School of Communications presents the first installment of its Faculty
Screening Series featuring Professor Alaric S. Rocha’s comedic horror mockumentary, “WHERE IS JUAN MONTEZUMA?” that delves into every level of the Mexican exploitation industry as it unfolds its obsessive tale. | NA 120 mins Audition | One of the most infamous, impactful, and gutwrenching Japanese horror films ever made returns to the big screen! Recent widower (and movie producer) Shigeharu is looking for a new wife. But instead of going the usual route, he decides to hold “auditions” for a movie that doesn’t exist. | NA 115 mins
Sports Field Hockey vs #10 Princeton University| 5 p.m. 10/16 Friday | Lynah Rink Women’s Ice Hockey vs University of Vermont| 6 p.m. 10/16 Friday | Lynah Rink Women’s Soccer vs Princeton University | 1 p.m. Saturday 10/17 | Schoellkopf Memorial Stadium Football vs #5/5 Lehigh University | 2 p.m. Saturday 10/17 | Schoellkopf Memorial Stadium Women’s Ice Hockey vs University of Vermont | 3 p.m. Saturday 10/17 | Lynah Rink Men’s Ice Hockey vs University of Waterloo | 7 p.m. Saturday 10/17 | Lynah Rink Field Hockey vs #4 University of Connecticut | 2:00 p.m Sunday 10/18 | Lynah Rink
Special Events GO ITHACA Open Hours | 2 p.m., 10/15 Thursday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green St.
Route 13 Ithaca Rotary Litter Cleanup | 8:45 a.m., 10/17 Saturday |Free OctoberFast 5k - Endicott, NY | 9 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Argonne Park, 3205 Argonne Ave. New Hope Mills Fall Festival | 10 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | New Hope Mills FIYB Celebrates USA 2026 Olympic Gold Medalist Rory Guilday on Sat Oct 17 | 11 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Ithaca High School Wellness Center Gym, 1401 N. Cayuga St. | Free Ignite Music Festival | 12 p.m., 10/17 Saturday | Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 731 Hooper Rd. | Free Scarecrow Jubilee | 1 p.m., 10/17 Saturday | Ithaca Children’s Garden, 121 Turtle Ln. Circles Autumn Fest - Faculty & Staff at Circles Community Center | 3 p.m., 10/17 Saturday CMCF26 - HANGOVER BRUNCH SHOW WITH ROB CHRISTENSEN | 10:30 a.m., 10/18 Sunday | crooked mouth brewing, Vestal Ave. | $17.85
Books Theory of Dreams - Roald Hoffmann | 5:30 p.m., 10/15 Thursday | Buffalo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga St. | Free Reading & Signing: Child Boss | 5 p.m., 10/16 Friday | Buffalo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga St. | Free Fall Book Sale | 10 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Newfield Public Library, 198 Main St. | $1.00 - $20.00 Friends of the Library BOOK SALE | 10 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Regina Lennox Book Sale Bldg, 509 Esty St. | Free Counterparts - Peter Fortunato | 4 p.m., 10/17 Saturday | Buffalo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga St. | Free Reading and Writing Poetry | 1 p.m., 10/20 Tuesday | Lifelong, 119 W. Court St. | $40.00
Finger Lakes Crossword Competition SATURDAY OCTOBER 17 FROM 1:00 TO 4:00 P.M. Boynton Middle School Cafeteria, 1601 N Cayuga St. | The Finger Lakes Crossword Competition, in support of Tompkins Learning Partners, will be held from 1-4 PM, on Saturday, October 17th, in the Boynton Middle School Cafeteria. There are three levels of difficulty, with individual and team competitions. http://crosswordcompetition.com/
A Conversation About Filmmaking SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18 FROM 5:00 TO 8:00 P.M. Trumansburg Conservatory, 5 McLallen St| All are welcome students, creatives, and curious minds of all ages. Award-winning filmmaker and Trumansburg HS graduate Michael Kehoe, returns to his hometown of Trumansburg to share stories, insights, and information on how to work in many different aspects of the film industry. The presentation will be moderated by Gretchen Van Valen, and a Q&A session will follow. https://www.tburgarts.org/event-calendar/lecturea-conversation-about-filmmaking
Comic Book Club of Ithaca | 6:30 p.m., 10/20 Tuesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green St. | Open Mic Night! | 7 p.m., 10/20 Tuesday | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S. Main St. | Seniors & Students Day at the BOOK SALE | 10 a.m., 10/21 Wednesday | Regina Lennox Book Sale Bldg., 509 Esty St. | Free
Kids Family Open Play - Fall ‘26 & Winter ‘27 | 3 p.m., 10/14 Wednesday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Ave. Animal Sleepover Storytime | 6 p.m., 10/14 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green St. Tractor Family Judy Hyman at the South Hill Cider Community Concert Series | 5:30 p.m., 10/15 Thursday | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Rd. Early Fall Baby & Toddler Storytime | 10:30 a.m., 10/16 Friday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green St. Friends of the Library BOOK SALE | 10 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Regina Lennox Book Sale Bldg, 509 Esty St. | Free Scarecrow Jubilee | 1 p.m., 10/17 Saturday | Ithaca Children’s Garden, 121 Turtle Ln. | Circles Autumn Fest - Faculty & Staff at Circles Community Center | 3 p.m., 10/17 Saturday | ! Tidepool Touch Tank | 10:30 a.m., 10/18 Sunday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St. | Groundswell Fall Farm Fest | 1 p.m., 10/18 Sunday | Groundswell Incubator Farm, 100 Rachel Carlson Way | $20.00 - $100.00 Meet a Reptile | 2 p.m., 10/18 Sunday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St. | Ithaca Ballet Presents: Fall Dance Revelry for All Ages (Sun. 3:00pm) | 2 p.m., 10/18 Sunday | State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 West State St.
Notices Lunch & Learn - Turning Stress into Insight: How Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Strengthen Systems | 12 p.m., 10/14 Wednesday | Hummel’s/BME Conference Room, at The Chamber Suites The Midweek Session | 4 p.m., 10/14 Wednesday | 330 WEST, 330 W. State St. | Free LGBTQ+ Youth Group | 4:30 p.m., 10/14 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E. Green St. Common Council Committee of the Whole- Session A | 6 p.m., 10/14 Wednesday | Common Council Chambers, 3rd Floor City Hall 108 E. Green St. 2027 Budget Meeting 2 - Public Hearing 1 and Department Presentations | 6 p.m., 10/14 Wednesday | Common Council Chambers, 3rd Floor City Hall 108 E. Green St. | 2026 Women’s Fund Annual Luncheon & Celebration | 11:30 a.m., 10/15 Thursday | Ithaca College, 201 Muller Ctr. | $45.00 Mental Health Association Open House | 12 p.m., 10/15 Thursday | Mental Health Association, 511 W Seneca St. | Free Sleep Hygiene (Leading Self) at Taughannock Falls Room, Campus Center | 1 p.m., 10/15 Thursday | The Ego & You | 1:30 p.m., 10/15 Thursday | Lifelong, 119 W. Court St. |$40.00 City Charter Revision Commission | 6 p.m., 10/15 Thursday | Council Chambers, 3rd Floor City Hall | Tanenbaum Speaker Series, sponsored by Sigma Phi and Cornell Univ. | 7 p.m., 10/15 Thursday | Cornell University Willard Straight Hall - Browsing Library, 136 Ho Plaza | Free Food as Medicine: Eating for Longevity | 10 a.m., 10/16 Friday | Lifelong, 119 W. Court St. | $30.00
Route 13 Ithaca Rotary Litter Cleanup | 8:45 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Meet in Lansing Tops Parking Lot, 2300 N Triphammer Rd | Free Chemung County Senior Games Intergenerational 5k Horseheads, NY | 9 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Town of Horseheads Sports Complex, 190 Wygant Road | Church Fall Festival | 9 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Newfield United Methodist Church, 227 Main Street | Saturday Market | 9 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Steamboat Landing, 545 3rd St. | Farmer’s Market Cruises | 11 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Ithaca Farmer’s Market Dock, 545 3rd Street | $10.00 - $28.00 FIYB Celebrates USA 2026 Olympic Gold Medalist Rory Guilday on Sat Oct 17 | 11 a.m., 10/17 Saturday | Free Green Saturday | 12 p.m., 10/17 Saturday | NRE Space , 402 W. State St | Free Sunday Market | 10 a.m., 10/18 Sunday | Steamboat Landing, 545 3rd St. | Freeville Farmers Market | 11:30 a.m., 10/18 Sunday | Freeville Elementary School, 43 Main Street | Free Euchre at The Grayhaven Fall 2026 | 2 p.m., 10/18 Sunday | Grayhaven Motel, 657 Elmira Rd | Free Native Landscapes: Management and Planting Strategies at NYS Parks | 5:30 p.m., 10/20 Tuesday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | $20.00 2027 Budget Meeting 3 Department Presentations | 6 p.m., 10/20 Tuesday | Common Council Chambers, 3rd Floor City Hall 108 E Green St | Ithaca Lions Club Doug’s Fish Fry Fundraiser | 11 a.m., 10/21 Wednesday | Walgreens, 330 Pine Tree Rd |
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KAI Print #2NEW Run: Oct 14, Jan 20 [2 runs]
Community This is what
T R U S T he’ll find something he really digs
feels like
Thank you for staff who seem to know all our names and names of our dogs, for 100year olds who are still able to stay in their cottages, and for giving me a sense of being in another chapter of my life rather than of being at the end.
Maybe Archeology? Whatever it might be, the college choice that seems so far away will actually be here before you know it. While he explores, you can be sure that Tompkins Bank & Trust will be with you to save for the future and enjoy every minute of getting there. Perhaps Landscape Design. In the meantime, trust us, we’ve got your back. | tompkinsbank.com
with Trust, amazing things happen
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