Prime Times

SEPTEMBER 2025

Protecting Your Ears This July: Understanding Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Hearing Conservation

As summer hits its stride in July, so does the excitement –parades, outdoor concerts, sports games, backyard parties, and of course, reworks lighting up the night sky. These events are a big part of the season’s fun. However, all that noise can come with a hidden cost: your hearing.

What Is Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

Most of us don’t think twice about how loud our surroundings are during these celebrations. But noise-induced hearing loss is a real and permanent condition that a ects millions of people. It happens when the delicate hair cells inside the inner ear get damaged from exposure to loud sounds. These cells don’t grow back, which means once your hearing is a ected, it’s gone for good.

The Silent Threat: Gradual or Sudden Hearing Loss

What makes this kind of hearing loss tricky is that it doesn’t always show up right away. Sometimes it creeps in gradually after months or years of being around loud environments –think concerts, power tools, or even lawnmowers. But it can also happen in an instant if you’re exposed to an especially loud noise, like reworks going o nearby.

How Loud is Too Loud?

And reworks? They’re no joke. If you’re close, they can hit between 150 and 175 decibels – way above what’s considered safe. To put that into perspective, sounds over 85 decibels can start to cause damage if you're exposed for a while. Once you're over 120, even a short burst of sound can hurt your ears.

But it’s not just reworks that put your hearing at risk. Summer is full of noisy activities such as music festivals, crowded sports stadiums, buzzing lawn tools, and roaring jet skis or speedboats on the lake. All of these can take a toll, especially if you’re not taking precautions.

Tips to Protect Your Hearing

The good news is this kind of hearing loss is totally preventable. With a few simple habits, you can enjoy all the summer fun without putting your hearing on the line. Start by carrying earplugs or earmu s to loud events, there are even stylish and comfortable options for these days, including custom- tted plugs for concert lovers. Kids need protection too, and their ears are even more sensitive than ours.

Another smart move is to keep your distance from the source of the noise. The farther away you are, the less intense

the sound. Stay back from speakers, engines, or reworks –500 feet is a good rule of thumb when it comes to rework displays.

Don’t forget to talk about this with your family. A lot of people, especially kids and teens, have no idea that hearing loss from noise is permanent. Making ear protection a normal part of outings – like bringing sunscreen or water – can go a long way in building healthy habits.

Stay on Top of Your Hearing Health

It’s also a good idea to schedule regular hearing checkups, just like you would for your eyes or teeth. This is especially important if you're around loud environments regularly, either for work or fun.

Hearing loss might be invisible, but the impact on your life can be huge. It a ects how you connect with others, how you enjoy music or conversations, and even your mental well-being. So, this summer, as you soak up the season and all the exciting events it brings, take a few extra steps to protect your ears.

Celebrating Smart This Summer

This summer, as you soak up the season and all the exciting events it brings, take a few extra steps to protect your ears.

Protect your hearing today, so you can keep enjoying the sounds of tomorrow. Call one of our o ces today to schedule your appointment!

Timeless Hearing (Ithaca, NY): (607) 327-4711

Cortland Hearing Aids (Cortland, NY): (607) 327-4712

Timeless Hearing (Skaneateles, NY): (315) 800-0616

Southern Tier Audiology (Elmira, NY): (607) 327-4714

Tri-City Hearing (Vestal, NY): (607) 327-4713

Ashley Hardy grew up in Cortland in a family with hearing loss and knows the impact communication can have on quality of life. She received her Bachelor’s in Human Development from Binghamton University in 2004 and has over 20 years of experience as a hearing aid dispenser.

Cover Photo:

Pictured left to right are Tom LiVigne, chair of the Cayuga Health Board of Directors; Lisa LiVigne, co-chair of the Transforming Care Campaign and Cancer Care Campaign; and Dr. Martin Stallone. (Photo: Provided/Caitlin Murphy)

From the Archives: The Ithaca Gun Scrapbook

By Charley Githler

The artifact in this installment of From the Archives is one of my favorites: a 6-inchthick, tattered, fragile, packed scrapbook from the Ithaca Gun Company from the years 1944-45. Inside are letters, photographs, issues of the company newsletter, clippings, Army-Navy production awards, and a miscellany of other documents from that moment in time.

By the 1940s, Ithaca Gun was one of Ithaca’s oldest commercial enterprises, having located on the south side of Fall Creek in the 1880s, and expanding to the edge of Lake Street in the early years of the twentieth century. The company had taken a big hit in the Depression, but had also begun in the same decade production of what was probably its best-known and most popular shotgun, the Ithaca Model 37.

Of course, with the advent of World War II, the entire plant capacity was devoted to the war

effort, and all the civilian gun manufacturing equipment was put in storage. By the end of 1942, the first full year of America’s involvement in the war, Ithaca Gun employed 900 men and women, in night and day shifts, working around the clock.

That number peaked at around 1100 at the end of January 1945, before tapering off as the war wound down. The company made, among other things, Colt .45 automatic pistols, producing 382,000 of them during the course of the war. The scrapbook was

the work of Mrs. Frieda Hammond, Fall Creek resident, single mother of two young girls, and the registered nurse at Ithaca Gun. Most intriguing to me are the scores of letters to Mrs. Hammond from the Ithaca Gun workers who were in the armed services.

Frieda Hammond’s Ithaca Gun scrapbook features handwritten letters from Ithaca Gun workers stationed overseas. (Photo: Provided)

The Ithaca Gun scrapbook offers a glimpse into the lives of workers during a time when the entire plant capacity was devoted to the war effort.

(Photo: Provided)

Handwritten in cursive, most of them in their original envelopes, and from all theaters of the war, they tell of missing home and their friends at the company. More than a few describe the devastation in German cities at the end of the war. Some of the letters are in the form of V-Mail (Victory Mail), which was a postal system used to more efficiently send letters to save space and weight. Letters were written on standardized stationery, then photographed onto microfilm and reprinted at 60% of the original size at the destination.

It’s evident that Mrs. Hammond took pains to correspond with the overseas Ithaca Gun family. In 194445, there were approx-

imately 100 company workers in the military (the 1944 employee handbook, in the scrapbook, promised they’d have their jobs back at war’s end), and their letters routinely thank her and their fellow workers at home for birthday cards, issues of the wartime company

newsletter (The Scatter Gun), and a $10 per person gift at Christmas 1944 from funds raised by workers on the floor. The letters are poignant to read today, and drive home the fact that the vast majority of the men

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How Libraries Impact America

By SuSan Currie

The 2018 movie

The Public calls the public library “the last bastion of democracy in this country.” In 2025, it seems more important than ever to remind people of the critical role libraries provide to connect communities with their past, protect their present, and improve their future through equitable access to information and resources.

Some of my fondest memories of public libraries are from when I was in middle school. Every day after school, I walked to a nearby branch of the public library and waited for my mother to pick me up on her way home from work. She was a widow, who counted on the safety of the library for me after school.

I loved browsing through the cards in the card catalog, reading the titles, and looking at the interesting information neatly typed on each card. I loved going to the shelves to

search for books. I frequently requested to check out more books than allowed and was often granted permission if I brought the books back promptly. Over time, I would find books left on tables that caught my attention, and

I quickly snapped them up and checked them out before they could be shelved. Years later, I learned that the librarians who worked there left books on tables they thought I would like, after they had spoken with my mother.

Libraries have changed dramatically since my time at the Richard Wright Branch of the Jackson Public Library system: automation, ebooks, databases, self-checkout, digital materials, makerspaces, computers, programming, and so much more! But the one thing that has not changed is the dedication that libraries and library staff have to making reading and information available and accessible to everyone. A public library requires nothing from visitors. There are no membership fees, no time limits and it is a place where all are welcome. You don’t need money to access numerous on-site resources that include books, e-books and magazines, tax information, job-hunting assistance, computer stations and free Wi-Fi. Public libraries are an efficient cooperative purchasing system, leveraging public funding to ensure

Susan Currie is the Interim Director of the Tompkins County Public Library. (Photo: Provided)

equal access to information in all formats for all ages. As just one example, this year Tompkins County Public Library teamed up with Cornell University and Tompkins Area VITA to provide tax preparation services for those with low or moderate income. The result was help for more than 650 families and an estimated $1.16 million community impact. Libraries are a haven for the community, offering shelter in extreme weather, a social opportunity for those who have none, and an educational resource for those

who don’t own smart phones or computers. For the latter group, library computers also provide access to many resources that are now available only online, including job applications and tax forms. Many libraries facilitate telehealth appointments and provide access to educational materials used by the home school community. Reference and Information staff are ready to research and provide information about any question a community member may have. There are

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Katherine Wouters Director of Nursing

Wolf Advises US Senate on Aging Population of American Farmers

EDITOR’S NOTE:

This story first appeared in the Cornell Chronicle.

Conventional wisdom is that U.S. farmers are aging. One-third are over the age of 65, they have a median age of 58 years old, and they constitute the nation’s old -

est workforce, which threatens long-term viability of food and fiber in the country. However, a number of nuances explain why active farmers are older, said Chris Wolf, the E.V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics in the Charles H. Dyson School of

Applied Economics and Management, part of Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. Wolf testified at a U.S. Special Senate Committee on Aging hearing on June 4 on the topic of “The Aging Farm Workforce: America’s Vanishing Family Farms.”

The committee is led

by U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL). U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who invited Wolf to testify, serves as the committee’s ranking member.

Wolf, who is director of Land Grant Affairs at Cornell, was among several experts who shared insights and best practices for

By KriShna r amanujan, Cornell ChroniCle

Chris Wolf, the E.V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, testifies June 4 at a Senate committee hearing.

(Photo: Provided/American Farm Bureau Federation)

addressing the aging demographics of U.S. farmers, strengthening farmers’ ability to transfer their businesses to younger generations, and bolstering the long-term sustainability and security of the American food supply.

During his testimony, Wolf pointed out that some commercial farms are multigenerational, with kids and grandkids becoming owners and taking on management roles, while statistics on the average and median age of farmers only consider the primary farm operator.

There are also finan -

cial considerations that contribute to the aging workforce, he said.

“Modern agriculture tends to be quite capital intensive, and that accumulation occurs over the manager’s lifetime, the result being that the average farm age is getting older,” he said. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines a “farm” as producing and selling $1,000 or more annually, so statistics include many hobby and part-time farms that in some instances serve as a retirement pastime.

However, Wolf said, “This is not meant to imply that there are

no issues with farm viability related to increasing farmer age.”

One issue includes barriers to entry for potential younger farmers. For example, transferring farm assets to the next generation can be tricky in family-owned farms, which account for 96% of U.S. farms. “While these farmers hope to pass the business on to the next generation, they also need to recover the equity value to fund their retirement,” he said.

In order to attract the next generation of farm business own -

Thank you to our funders!

ers and managers, the profession needs to offer income and rural amenities, he said. And younger generations often have information gaps about how to run the farm, which can be addressed by partnerships with land grant extension programs, like Cornell Cooperative Extension, Wolf said.

For example, NY FarmNet, a free, confidential Cornell program, provides farmers with two consultants, one specializing in agricultural finances, the

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INHS Minor Repair Program

INHS provides free home repair work to incomeeligible homeowners in Tompkins, Tioga, Schuyler Counties who are disabled, aged 60 and older, or are single head of household with dependents.

Types of repairs (health and safety repairs are a priority):

• Fixing or replacing deteriorated steps,

• Improving lighting

• Alleviating trip hazards,

• Adding handrails and grab bars,

• Fixing leaky faucets,

• Replacing broken windows

To learn more and apply: ithacanhs.org/smallrepairs or call (607) 288-3229.

Ithaca CDBG, Tioga Downs Regional Community Foundation, Tompkins County Community Foundation, Schuyler County Fund

From the Archives

continued from page 5

and women in uniform in World War II were regular citizens and not professional soldiers.

At this distance, it’s easy to think of wartime

America as being characterized by solidarity and patriotism, but of course there were fundamental political differences. Ithaca and Tompkins County were reliably and solidly Republican in the 1940s. The presidential election of 1944 was Franklin Roosevelt’s

weakest performance in his four elections, with Republican Thomas E. Dewey winning 45.9% of the popular vote. My own paternal grandparents hated FDR so thoroughly that they had a party when he died, which I used to think was in bad taste.

Still, it’s undeniable that the main issue of that time was the war, and there was in fact a great unity of purpose across the political spectrum in working together and seeing it to a successful conclusion. That idea comes across pretty clearly in the contents of the scrapbook, and it’s tempting to get a little wistful for a time when we weren’t so deeply divided.

Libraries Impact

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few, if any, places that anyone can come to ask any question and receive the information they require or need. Libraries are also one of the last remaining places where someone can simply sit down or meet friends with no expectation to spend money.

One could argue that the collections and services libraries offer are a form of social resistance. Libraries foster an informed and engaged community which is essential for a healthy democracy. Libraries are places where communities come together to share ideas and participate in educational

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From EMT to CEO

How Marty Stallone paved the way for community care in Tompkins County

By marjorie oldS

Marty Stallone grew up in Cornwall, NY in the Hudson Valley and attended a Catholic high school where he developed special interests in the humanities. “I really enjoyed Model UN, Mock Trial, International Relations…But I also loved Biology.”

During high school Marty served as an EMT and rode with a volunteer ambulance crew on Friday nights from 6 PM-6 AM…“I slept in the ambulance station, got to help with rescues, and had lots of ER observation time in high school. This job inspired my secondary educational goals and, no doubt, kept me out of trouble as a teenager.”

Marty arrived as a freshman at Cornell University in 1994 where he met Ami Walter who would eventually become his wife. As good fortune for this region would have it, Ami’s family resided in Tompkins County, which was a big factor in draw-

ing the couple back to Ithaca to settle in 2009.

In college, Marty was a pre-med biology major as well as an Air Force ROTC cadet. He graduated with his BS from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and was commissioned as a USAF Officer in 1998.

After undergrad,

Marty took a gap year to work for a communications firm in NYC before starting medical school at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He returned to Ithaca in 2000 to marry Ami at Cornell’s Sage Chapel.

Marty also joined the Air National Guard after college and con -

tinues his part-time military service to this day. He is currently an Air Force Colonel and the NYS Air Surgeon for the National Guard.

In 2004 Marty graduated with, not only his MD, but also an MBA from UPenn’s Wharton School, where he focused on healthcare management and administration.

Following his Internal Medicine Residency, also at UPenn, Ami and Marty and their (then) three children moved to Newport, Rhode Island in 2007. He worked as a hospitalist at the Newport Hospital while attending the U.S. Naval War College, where he studied national security policy and enterprise strategic planning, thereby receiving another MA in 2009. In his second year, Marty was the Chief of the Naval Operation’s Strategic Study Group (CNO-SSG). “We studied the concept of cyber

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Dr. Marty Stallone is the President and CEO of Centralus Health. (Photo: Casey Martin/Ithaca Times File)

continued from page 11

operations, developing a computer design to create a cyber network defense system…This translates into questions like, ‘How does a country win a war by turning off the lights in the opponent’s country?...How does one country become victorious in taking over the infrastructure of their adversary? Can this be done without causing harm to people?’”

(The Admiral for the Naval War College also serves as a member of the Jt. Chiefs of Staff, and is a senior military advisor to the President of the U.S.)

Hired by Cayuga Medical Center in 2009, Marty and Ami moved back to Ithaca. By this time, they had four sons and a foster child whom they adopted. Living near family support had become imperative, and the CMC’s Hospitalist Medical Director job offer was a perfect fit.

Marty’s leadership was recognized, and he was promoted to VP of Physician Operations and then to President and CEO of Cayuga Health System in 2019. When asked what motivated a person to marshal the resources (while raising a growing young family) to continuously study and complete such a demanding regimen while working full-time, Marty modestly stated: “I had a vision of comprehensive integrated delivery of services to the

community, based on its available resources… Organizations must strike a balance between serving the needs of all residents, while utilizing available resources. This challenge led me to seek more information to fulfill that goal.”

The COVID years were a huge challenge for our new, young Cayuga Health System CEO. “It was like a military operation. We changed our normal risk calculations; constraints were disregarded… I talked with Cornell. The health of this community depended on Cornell remaining in session. If Cornell closed, hundreds of jobs would be at stake. People would no longer be able to pay their rent or mortgage and support their families. The potential loss of this major employer would be catastrophic to our community. Our well-being depended upon keeping the campus open.”

Cornell’s president from 2017-2024, Martha Pollack, and Provost Michael Kotlikoff (Cornell’s current president since March 21, 2025 and former Dean for the Veterinary College), among other luminaries joined Marty to address this COVID crisis.

Marty and Ami Stallone have six sons together. (Photo: Provided/Ami Stallone)

Cornell’s team also understood this situation was critical to their bottom line, and therefore to the local economy.

“I suggested Cornell and CMC work with the Vet School to develop COVID testing. The movers and shakers at Cornell affiliated the Vet School with CMC and things happened in warp speed. They basically signed over the Vet School lab to become a lab under the direction of CMC. Regulations and requirements were adjusted, and the CMC Lab personnel adhered to the essential Department of Health medical regulations. Due to the crisis of this previously unknown disease, we quickly collaborated— our key personnel and their key equipment… Neither Cayuga Health nor Cornell could have done it alone. We worked non-stop and we worked together.”

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Plan Ahead & Save Money For Peace of Mind

When it is time to choose a final resting place, we’re here to help. Pre-planning offers peace of mind and can save you money. Open year-round with many options to meet you and your family’s needs. For more information, visit our website or contact Mike at the Cemetery Office. https://www.immconch.org/cemeteries/

A Swim for Sophie Spans Cayuga Lake

By Steve l awrenCe

As I drove north on Route 89 at 8 am on Saturday, I remarked to myself that Cayuga is one long lake. As I passed two bicyclists — heads down and cranking along — I thought that they must agree with that assessment. A bit later, I passed through Romulus — about two-thirds of the way to the north end — and I thought about Claire de Boer and Bridgette Hobart, who had been swimming for 12 hours, and had 7 more hours to go. They, I thought, must REALLY think it’s a long lake. The swim — which was previewed in an earlier column — was much more than just an athletic achievement. Claire and Bridgette had both done the swim solo (38 miles in 21 hours) — Claire in 1984 and Bridgette in 2015 — and both women have extensive endurance sports resumes, but this endeavor came wrapped in a deep sense of purpose for

both swimmers and their families. The swim doubled as a fundraiser for The Sophie Fund,

established by Scott and Susan McLeod, in honor of their daughter, Sophie, who is described on the

organization’s website as “bursting with talent and plans for the future until she succumbed to her battle with depression at the age of 23 on Easter Weekend in 2016.”

The pain Sophie’s family is living with is familiar to both Claire and Bridgette, as both women lost a nephew to suicide, and that bond between all three families led to their decision to undertake The Cayuga Swim for Mental Health.

I have known Claire for 44 years, I have written about her family’s extensive athletic undertakings, and I had a great connection with Scott McLeod through our collaboration on the preview article. When I arrived in Union Springs to get on one of the spectator boats, I also got to meet Susan –Scott’s wife and Sophie’s mom, and I loved learning more about their daughter’s passions, her achievements and her

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Claire de Boer and Bridgette Hobart at the conclusion of their 38-mile, 19-hour swim. (Photo: provided)

Libraries Impact

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Libraries provide all this while passionately protecting patron confidentiality. Libraries never share or sell your personal data. It was librarians who ensured privacy of patron records during the years when law enforcement and intelligence agencies tried to use Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act to try to access private patron library records and personal reading choices. Through the advocacy of librarians and library organizations, this section was effectively shut down in 2005.

In times when personal liberty and intellectual freedom are threatened, we all need to show up and support our libraries as critical organizations that do so much to support so many.

Susan Currie is the

Interim Library Director for the Tompkins County Public Library. She previously served in that position from 2009 until 2017 and again as Interim Director in 2021. Susan was elected to the Tompkins County Legislature in 2023, but agreed to return to her “dream job” of leading the library until a permanent replacement can be found.

Wolf Advises US Senate

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other in the social and emotional dynamics of running a family farm. Cornell is the only landgrant university in the U.S. to offer the service. This program is important, as farmers face major stressors due to finances, a high incidence of accidents, health issues, child and elder care, and substance abuse, said Wolf, who serves as faculty director of NY FarmNet. Many of these strains can be amplified when farms are transferred to younger generations.

“Land grant programs like FarmNet can provide valuable assistance to help ensure successful farm busi -

ness transitions in a healthy U.S. agriculture sector,” Wolf said. Other witnesses who testified included Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation; Jim Alderman of Alderman Farms and 2025 Florida Farmer of the Year; and Aaron Locker, managing director at agricultural executive search firm Kincannon & Reed.

From EMT to CEO

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“Cayuga Health’s IT team built a COVID App, and the CMC Medical Records logged in 3 million COVID Tests. The results were stored confidentially. We engaged in ‘MacGyvering’ to create special COVID Surgery Masks and other equipment we needed that was not immediately available. The community rallied. We were in unprecedented times, encountering unfamiliar challenges and many lives were on the line. I had to make many huge decisions quickly, despite many unknowns.”

“Cayuga Health was unique among health systems to take such innovative strategies to address the risks to our

community and beyond… One day I received a call that New York Presbyterian Hospital needed 50 CMC staff. This was when the pandemic was rampant in NYC, but had not yet hit Upstate New York… I shut down elective surgeries and sent brave, willing doctors, nurses, and essential health care professionals to assist NYPH. I instantly commissioned two Cornell Campus-to-Campus buses to transport our 50-person team to NYC… It reminded me of a military deployment.”

“For testing, I calculated the ‘Patient Flow’… Where could we test 1,000 people a day? We needed a place where we could set up multiple lanes for cars, where people could stop and register, be tested or treated, and leave, all while remaining in their vehicles… We needed an industrial site… We had an almost empty mall on Triphammer… I called the landlord, ‘Can we use your facility?’… With some key local partnerships, we tested well over 1,000 people a day at the mall site. Insurance covered most of the testing, and we had performed 2.5 million tests by early 2022.”

continued on page 17 programs. They are a place where technology that is increasingly needed for more and more daily activities is available for everyone. Libraries are a safe space for all, where anyone can feel welcomed and a sense of belonging.

Lose the Drummer, Enjoy Dark Wine

By Peter rothBart

If you’re going out for the evening and you’d like to try going drummer-less, go listen to Darkwine, a quartet that keeps its own beat and plays folk-rock and folkpop songs drawn from the 1960s to the 1990s. You won’t miss the drums; the quartet of vocalist Kelly Serbonich, rhythm guitarist and vocalist Kevin

Moss, solo guitarist, violin and mandolinist Jay Skezas, and electric bassist Brian Fontana create the perfect soiree-like ambience with their collective sense of rhythm; each musician contributing their own unerring pulse to create the cooperative sound. With no drums to dominate them, Darkwine is free to focus on per-

fecting intricate 3 and 4 voice harmonies as their signature sound. It is warm and wonderfully intimate, and you won’t miss the beat.

What makes Darkwine different than other folk and pop rock cover bands is their choice of repertoire, which deliberately shies away from the usual cover band fare. According to

Moss, “We like to do deep cuts, familiar tunes not covered by a lot of bands. We play music people aren’t expecting.” They convincingly tackle an acoustic version of Toto’s seminal song “Africa.” They relish acoustic renditions of the Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields,” “Dear Prudence,” and “Nowhere Man,”

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Without drums, Darkwine keeps rhythm through their collective sound. (Photo: Provided)

From EMT to CEO

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The next step was turning this location into a mass vaccination center, and that’s exactly what Marty and his team did. “I am beyond proud of this work and all of the people in our community who came together in our time of need. It was hard, but also an honor to lead such a charge.”

“Through COVID, I was empowered and stretched to ‘think outside the box.’ Now that the pandemic is over, I look to the future of medical care in this community. As healthcare faces new challenges, we may opt to consolidate and/or affiliate with other essential healthcare providers. Through these affiliations, we can cover temporary staffing shortages and purchase routine supplies and equipment for each other. Sharing common resources could provide an economy of scale… When paper towels or facial masks are bought by the truckloads, they will likely cost less than when purchased in small quantities. The pandemic taught us that, rather than competing, we can prob -

lem-solve and expand our outreach together.”

Ami and Marty have six sons, now ranging in age from 14 to 22. “We play zone defense with each other, being ‘neck deep’ in kids. We support each other and love being parents and partners.”

This year on Earth Day, Marty Stallone, a visionary community leader, turned 49. Such imaginative, life-sustaining contributions in such a young life, with so many great ideas and projects in the works to uplift all of us.

Swim

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love for Ithaca, “her adopted hometown.” I was also pleased to reconnect with Maarten and Venetia de Boer –Claire’s brother and

continued on page 18

Swim

continued from page 17

places. The consistency of their pace and the accuracy of their predictions as to where they would be and when were impressive, and it was very moving to see Susan, then Maarten, then Rachael slip into the water to swim behind Bridgette and Claire. They shared that big lake, and that big sense of purpose.

Lose the Drummer

continued from page 16 sister-in-law and the parents of her late nephew, Rowan. I was invited onto the pontoon boat they had rented for the occasion, along with Rachael Dewitt, a young woman who had swum the 16-mile length of Skaneateles Lake two weeks earlier to raise awareness and funds for lake preservation. The weather could not have been more perfect, and after a great send-off gathering at Treman Marina on Friday, Claire and Bridgette’s plan to complete the earliest part of the swim under a full moon presented some stunning imagery. The online updates kept assuring followers that they were “off to a great start,” and “maintaining a solid pace,” and a GPS tracker conveyed their precise location at any given moment.

People watched from boats and from the shore all along the way, and when the pontoon boat I was on trailed the swimmers, we – and the two pilots of the accompanying kayaks – cheered them on as they did their high-fives and switched

Bridgette did the last mile or so with Claire trailing her, and they swam into Harris Park around 3:30 pm on Saturday. Dozens of supporters were there, including many of Claire’s classmates, her high school coach, Roy Staley, and several of Bridgett’s family and friends were there for her, and to remember her nephew, Corey. It was a 19-hour odyssey. filled with compelling moments, but the tearful embrace shared by Claire and Maarten at the end of the swim will be, for me, a peak memory. What a great gift to be a part of it. Thanks to all involved. Please visit www. thesophiefund.org to learn more about the important work being done. There are many ways to get involved and make a difference.

all without drums or effects. Yes, they harmonize on Crosby, Still and Nash tunes, but who would expect them to pull off an acoustic and percussion-less version of Yes’s “You’re Move,” the opening movement to their progressive rock classic, “I’ve Seen All Good People.”

Their rendition of The Who’s “Pinball Wizard” is not as musically overwrought as Pete Townsend’s original version. But without drums, Darkwine’s versions draws your ears closer to the lyrics, making the song poignantly sweeter than the original.

Kelly Serbonic transforms Carly Simon’s commentary on male musician egos, “You’re So Vain,” while sounding less produced and glossy than the original.

Serbonic cleverly brings out the innate rhythmic articulation in The Romantics’, “Talking in Your Sleep,” an example of Darkwine’s ability to adapt lesser-known pop songs–this one from 1980–to their own style.

Many of Darkwine’s

song selections lean heavily on the innate weightiness of Bob Dylan’s lyrics. The translation to the folk-rock idiom is easier here; their instrumentation echoes Dylan’s early folk music sound… but with four-part harmony and cleaner-sounding voices.

Where to Find Darkwine:

Thursday, Sept. 4

6-8 p.m.

Six Mile Creek Winery

Thursday, Sept. 25

6-8 p.m. (tentative)

Six Mile Creek Winery

Friday, Sept. 26

6-8 p.m.

Hopshire Farm and Brewery

Sunday, Sept. 28

1-4 p.m.

Hosmer Winery

Friday, Oct. 31

6-9 p.m.

Homer Hops

Peter Rothbart is a Professor Emeritus of Music at the Ithaca College School of Music, Theatre and Dance where he taught electroacoustic and media music for 40 years. He remains active as a classical, jazz and pop musician.

CALENDAR

Monday, September 1

Breathe and Flow Gentle Yoga | 12:00 p.m. |$5 drop-in or $40 unlimited health & wellness per month. In this class, we will move intentionally | Lifelong 119 W. Court St., Ithaca

Conversational German | 9:30 a.m. |Practice speaking German in a relaxed setting. Some understanding of the German language is useful. | Lifelong 119 W. Court St., Ithaca

Enhance Your Fitness Trumansburg | 10:00 a.m. |Trumansburg Fire Hall – $5 drop in, membership not required but members eligible to pay $35/month. | Trumansburg Fire Hall 74 W Main Street, Trumansburg

Strength Training- Varna | 9:30 a.m.

|Varna Community Center| $5 drop-in; Lifelong membership not required, yet members eligible for reduced rate. | Lifelong 119 W. Court St., Ithaca

Tuesday, September 2

Chair Yoga- Jacksonville | 11:30 a.m.

|Jacksonville Methodist| Lifelong membership not required; $5 drop-in or members eligible to pay $40 | Lifelong 119 W. Court St., Ithaca

Clay Studio 2 | 10:00 a.m. |At Lifelong, $5 drop in fee. Membership required, with membership

$40/month unlimited Creative Arts | Lifelong 119 W. Court St., Ithaca

Meditation and Mindfulness | 5:00 p.m. |Join Anna Salamone of FireFly Farm Retreat for a monthly meditation and mindfulness practice. | Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca

Wednesday, September 3

Book Club | 5:00 p.m. |Join us to discuss In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson. New members are always welcome! Please con | Cortland Free Library 32 Church St, Cortland

Enhance Your Fitness | 10:30 a.m. |$5 drop in, membership required but with membership $40/month unlimited Health and Wellness Activities. | Lifelong 119 W. Court St., Ithaca Good Grief Circle | 2:00

p.m. | The Age Well Center 165 Main St., Cortland

Know Money, Less Problems w/ Tompkins Connect | 5:30 p.m. | Learn to improve your financial well-being with Tompkins Connect! | The Strebel Planning Group 944 Dryden Rd, Ithaca

Medicare Counseling by Appointment | 9:00 a.m. |Lifelong’s Health Insurance Information Counseling & Assistance Program (HIICAP) offers free assistance. | Lifelong 119 W. Court St., Ithaca

Thursday, September 4

Beginnings Summer Concert Series: Fall Creek Brass Band | 5:00 p.m. | Bernie Milton

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Pavilion Center Commons, Ithaca | Free

Enhance Your Fitness- Groton Public Library | 1:30 p.m. |Groton Public Library – $5 drop in, Lifelong membership not required but members eligible to pay $40 | Lifelong 119 W. Court St., Ithaca

Kajuneju at South Hill Cider/Community Concert Series | 5:30 p.m. |Cider, food and live music every Thursday! Meet the band: Kajuneji is a seven-piece band. | South Hill Cider 550 Sandbank Road, Ithaca Summer Flower Workshop | 5:30 p.m. |Spend a relaxing evening on a flower farm, wandering through gorgeous dahlia rows and using tips to arrange your own bouquet. | Jenny Creek Flowers 7048 Durling Road, Trumansburg

Friday, September 5

Aaron Lipp at South Hill Cider/Community Concert Series | 5:30 p.m. |Come enjoy cider, delicious food, beautiful views, and live music at South Hill Cider!| South Hill Cider 550 Sandbank Road, Ithaca Chamber Music at New Park - 9th Season | 7:30 p.m. |CHAMBER MUSIC AT NEW PARK ANNOUNCES ITS NINTH SEASON: A WEEKEND OF WORLD-CLASS MUSIC IN THE FINGER LAKES | New Park Event Venue & Suites 1500 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca | $10.00 - $35.00

CONCERT: The Rollin’ Rust - Album Release Show | 8:00 p.m. |Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer Conversational French Social Group | 11:00 a.m. |If you love language, have a yearning for learning, and a penchant to speak French at some point, join us! | Lifelong 119 W. Court St., Ithaca

Dead Sea Swirls at South Hill Cider/ Golden Hour Music Series | 5:30 p.m. |Join us for the South Hill Cider Golden Hour Music Series! | South Hill Cider 550 Sandbank Road, Ithaca

First Friday Gallery Night | 5:00 p.m. |First Friday Gallery Nights in Downtown Ithaca. Gallery Night occurs the first Friday evening of each month. | The History Center

in Tompkins County 401 East State Street, Ithaca | Free

Ithaca Gallery Night | 5:00 p.m. |A first Friday event where galleries and venues present new exhibits every first Friday of the month from 5-8pm. Ithaca Gallery Night openings are located in downtown Ithaca and Tompkins County. Free and open to the public. Please go to www.ithacagallerynight.com for details. | Ithaca Gallery Night 171 The Commons, Ithaca | Free Square, Round, & Line Dance | 2:00 p.m. |$5 drop in, members eligible to pay $35/month for unlimited H&W activities. A fun & social way to | Lifelong 119 W. Court St., Ithaca

Tai Chi Lansing | 10:30 a.m. |Lansing Community Center- $5 drop in, membership not required but members eligible to pay $35/month | Lifelong 119 W. Court St., Ithaca

Saturday, September 6

Chess Quest | 1:00 p.m. |Chess can help improve a child’s development, so why not make it fun? Chess Wizard James Stone.| Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca

Ithaca Dances of Universal PeaceSeptember Circle | 7:15 p.m. |The Dances of Universal Peace are an interfaith spiritual practice using music and movement. | Foundation of Light 391 Turkey Hill Road, Ithaca | Free

KALEO - Mixed Emotions Tour | 6:30 p.m. | State Theatre of Ithaca 107 West State St, Ithaca

Sunday, September 7

Hilliard U.S. Vintage Grand Prix | 8:00 a.m. | Watkins Glen International 2790 Co Rte 16,, Watkins Glen | $20.00 - $100.00

Monday, September 8

Balancing Personal & Political Grief With the Pursuit of Joy - A Poetry Workshop | 6:00 p.m. |In this workshop open to poets of any level of experience, we’ll study a few published poems. | Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca

Mythic Mondays | 7:30 p.m. |Mythic Mondays: World Myth Open Mic Join storyteller and host Jay Leeming for an open mic event. | The Downstairs 121 E M.L.K. Jr. St., Ithaca

Tuesday, September 9

Thursday, September 11

CONCERT: Devendra Banhart (Solo) | 8:00 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer

Sarah Noell at South Hill Cider/Community Concert Series | 5:30 p.m. |Come enjoy cider, delicious food, beautiful views and live music! $5 suggested donation for the band | South Hill Cider 550 Sandbank Road, Ithaca

Friday, September 12

Donna the Buffalo at South Hill Cider/ Golden Hour Music Series | 5:30 p.m. |Join us for the South Hill Cider Golden Hour Music Series! Meet the artists: Donna The Buffalo is no | South Hill Cider 550 Sandbank Road, Ithaca

Saturday, September 13

2nd Annual Health and Wellness FairThe Grange | 9:00 a.m. |Description 2nd Annual Health and Wellness Fair Saturday, September 13, 2025 NYS Grange Headquarters | NYS Grange Headquarters NYS Grange Headquarters 100 Grange Place, Cortland Aging & Possibility: Find Peace at Any Age & Under Any Circumstances! | 1:00 p.m. |Join us for this ten-session seminar led by presenters experienced in personal transformation, maintaining a spiritual life, and medicine. Participants can expect

to gain the ability to transform their lives and discover new ways of being. | The Foundation of Light 399 Turkey Hill Rd, Ithaca | $17.50 - $175.00

Bob Mould Solo Electric: Here We Go Crazy | 8:00 p.m. |DSP Shows Presents:Bob Mould Solo Electric: Here We Go Crazy w/ J. Robbins (solo). | Hangar Theatre 801 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca

Ithaca is Books: Kalynn Bayron and Laila Sabreen Author Visit | 2:00 p.m. |A Conversation on Craft and Process: Join authors Kalynn Bayron and Laila Sabreen as they dive into | Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca

On Edge : a Collage Invitational | 4:00 p.m. |Join us Sat. Sept 13, 4-6 pm for the artist’s reception for ON EDGE / a Collage Invitational | Corners Gallery 903 Hanshaw Rd. Suite 101A Suite 101A, Ithaca | Free

Sunday, September 14

Wild mushroom identification class | 1:00 p.m. |In-depth, in-person wild mushroom identification classes | Enfield Community Center, 162 Enfield Main St., Ithaca | $95.00

Tuesday, September 16

Musical Memories Café | 12:00 p.m.

|Musical Memories Café is a free live music experience and light lunch to enrich the lives of care-givers and care-receivers, as well as isolated adults. | Library Place 105 West Court St., Ithaca | Free

Wednesday, September 17

An Evening with Cowboy Junkies - Celebrating 40 Years | 7:30 p.m. | | Hangar Theatre 801 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca

Loudon Wainwright III / Chris Smither

- In Concert | 8:00 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer

Thursday,

September 18

Zalaznick Reading Series: Reading by Kevin Young | 5:00 p.m. | Rhodes-Rawling Auditorium, Klarman Hall KG70 232 East Ave, Ithaca | Free

Friday, September 19

15th Annual Tagore Lecture--Mixed

Metaphors: Adventures in Translationland | 4:30 p.m.

|Booker Prize-winning author, translator & artist Daisy Rockwell shares some of her own handcrafted metaphors for translation and explores the many dimensions of the

art. | A. D. White House 29 East Avenue, Ithaca | Free

Chuck Prophet & His Cumbia Shoes | 8:00 p.m. |The songs are intoxicatingly rhythmic, all but demanding you move your body, with arrangements that | Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer New York State Ornithological Association 2025 Conference | 12:00 a.m. |Join us in Ithaca for a weekend celebrating the birds and birders of New York State! The 2025 New Y | Ithaca Downtown Conference Center 116 East Green Street, Ithaca X Ambassadors | 8:00 p.m. | State Theatre Ithaca 107 West State Street, Ithaca | $51.87

Saturday, September 20

CNY Living History Center Music Fest | 1:00 p.m. |After a lengthy hiatus, The Cafferty Band will be headlining their final show benefiting the CNY Living History Center - 74 Clinton Ave, Cortland Latino Multicultural Festival | 5:30 p.m. | Ithaca Commons 171 E. State St./ Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Ithaca

Rock the Nursing Home! — A Workshop for Solo Musicians | 1:30 p.m. |Rock the Nursing Home

-- this free workshop shows you how to do it in a win-win way. | Savage Club’s Lansing Area Performance Hall 1004 Auburn Road, North Lansing | Free

United Way of Tompkins County’s “Day of Caring” | 9:00 a.m. |Get ready to give back at United Way of Tompkins County’s “Day of Caring”.| YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County 50 Graham Road W, Ithaca | Free

Sunday, September 21

CONCERT: Rosanne Cash | 8:00 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer

Tuesday, September 23

Buena Vista Orchestra | 8:00 p.m. |Led by legendary Cuban trombonist Jesús “Aguaje” Ramos, the original orchestra leader of the iconic | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St, Homer

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Celtic Thunder | 7:30 p.m. | State Theatre Ithaca 107 West State Street, Ithaca | $56.46

Wednesday, September 24

“Early Hunter / Gatherer Adaptations Along the Southern Coast of Peru” | 5:30 p.m. |A free, public presentation on the archaeology of Peruvian coastal campsites 13 to 7 thousand years old.

| The History Center in Tompkins County 110 North Tioga Street, Ithaca | Free

Thursday, September 25

CONCERT: Lucero - Celebrating 20 Years of ‘Nobody’s Darlings | 8:00 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer Fraud Prevention and Identity Theft Prevention | 2:00 p.m. |Workshop on Fraud Prevention and Identity Theft Prevention. Our workshops are free and take about an | The Dundee Library 32 Water St, Dundee

Friday, September 26

Community Health Fair at Appleridge | 1:00 p.m. |You’re Invited! Join us for the 4th Annual Community Health Fair at Appleridge Senior Living.| Appleridge Senior Living 168 Miller Street, Horseheads | Free

Saturday, September 27

Come On Out! An LGBTQ+ Fiction Writing Workshop | 2:00 p.m. |Join screenwriter/novelist Elisabeth Nonas for a 3-part workshop at the Library this Fall.| Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca

The Front Bottoms | 8:00 p.m. | State Theatre Ithaca 107 West State Street, Ithaca | $61.06

Wednesday, October 1

CONCERT: Iris DeMent | 8:00 p.m. |Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer

Thursday, October 2

Zalaznick Reading Series: Alumni Freund Reading | 5:00 p.m. |The Department of Literatures in English celebrates the winners of the 2025 Philip Freund Prize for Creative Writing in recognition of excellence in publication: Liza Flum (MFA ‘16), Jon Hickey (MFA ‘07), Meredith Talusan (MFA ‘15), and Esther Kondo Heller (MFA ‘23) | Rhodes-Rawling Auditorium, Klarman Hall KG70 232 East Ave, Ithaca | Free

Friday, October 3

CONCERT: Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez | 8:00 p.m. |FREE FOR MEMBERS! Must reserve tickets in advance.| Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer Latino Civic Association Exhibit Showcasing Talent of Latine Artists | 5:00 p.m. |Join us for a vibrant group exhibition showcasing talented Latine artists from within 100 miles of Ithaca. | Community School of Music and Arts 330 East State Street, Ithaca

Saturday, October 4

Cancer Resource Center Walkathon & 5k — Ithaca, NY | 9:00 a.m. |Over 500 people gather to support the mission of the Cancer Resource Center. | Kiwanis PavilionCass Park 701 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca

CONCERT: Blue Avenue featuring Mark Doyle & Joanna Nix | 8:00 p.m. |Blue Wave’s 40th Anniversary Concert.| Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer

Steve Hackett | 8:00 p.m. | State Theatre Ithaca 107 West State Street, Ithaca | $67.89

Sunday, October 5

4th Annual Heritage Fiesta | 11:00 a.m. |Get ready for a vibrant celebration at the 4th Annual Heritage Fiesta, happening in the Press Bay Parking Lot. | Press Bay Alley & Court 110-118 W. Green St, Ithaca

CONCERT: Judith Hill | 8:00 p.m. |Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer

Monday, October 6

An Evening with David Sedaris | 8:00 p.m. | | Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer

Tuesday, October 7

Tompkins County Annual Benefits/ Wellness Fair | 7:30 a.m. | Tompkins County Public Library 101 East Green Street, Ithaca

Saturday, October 11

Senior Recital: Faith Tomasula, soprano | 3:00 p.m. || Hockett Family Recital Hall, Ithaca College

Thursday, October 16

2025 Zalaznick Reading Series welcomes Garth Greenwell | Rhodes-Rawling Auditorium, Klarman Hall KG70 232 East Ave, Ithaca | Free

Thursday, October 23

CONCERT: Craig Finn & His Band of Forgiveness | 8:00 p.m. |Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer

Friday, October 24

Los Straitjackets | 8:00 p.m. |Los Straitjackets are masters of the ‘combo sound-’ the two guitar, bass and drums lineup.| Center for the Arts of Homer 72 S Main St, Homer

Sunday, October 26

CVM Canine Crawl | 8:30 a.m. | Stewart Park 1 James L Gibbs Dr, Ithaca

Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series presents: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra | 4:00 p.m. |Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is a radical experiment in musical democracy, proving for over fifty years what happens when exceptional artists gather with total trust in each other and faith in the creative process. | Bailey Hall 230 Garden Ave, Ithaca | $17.00 - $49.00

Monday, October 27

Death Cafe | 3:00 p.m. |Death Cafe | Longview 1 Bella Vista Drive, Ithaca | Free