Sept. 9, 2026 by Ithaca Times

F R E E / S e p t e m b er 9 , 2 0 2 6 / V o l u m e L I V , N u m b er 5 2 / O u r 5 4 t h Y e a r

Online @ Ithaca.com

YOUR NEXT GREAT AMERICAN ADVENTURE BEGINS AT

ITHACA AIRPORT Experience United—Ithaca to Washington Dulles—Discover Where We Can Take You There are places you visit and there are places that make you think differently about where you are—what you believe in, where you come from and where you might go. Washington, D.C., is one of those places. This is not just another city or destination. It is the capital of our Republic—built around the ideas, aspirations and history of the American experiment. And this fall, getting there can begin right here in the Finger Lakes. With United service from Ithaca Tompkins International Airport (ITH) through Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), the nation's capital is remarkably close. Instead of beginning your trip with a long drive to a distant airport, you can begin your journey close to home. Leave Ithaca. Connect at Dulles. And let Washington unfold before you. But there is something else worth knowing. Washington is not the only place ITH can take you. Through connections at Washington Dulles and New York's JFK, travelers departing from Ithaca can connect to more than 150 destinations domestically and around the world. So whether your next adventure is Washington, a city across the country or somewhere on the other side of the globe, the journey can begin at your local airport. And on select days through November, United offers three daily flights, giving travelers even more flexibility to make ITH the starting point. A Capital Built for Wandering Washington is an unusually generous city to explore. • It is a city of monumental buildings and intimate neighborhoods, grand boulevards and quiet gardens, world-class museums and neighborhood cafés.

• It is a place where history is not confined to a textbook or a display case. • It is all around you and much of it is free. The Smithsonian museums invite you to spend an afternoon—or several days—following your curiosity. The National Air and Space Museum can transport you from the Wright brothers to the edge of the universe. The National Museum of American History puts objects from the American experience within reach. The National Museum of African American History and Culture offers a powerful journey through the history, resilience and creativity of African Americans and the nation they helped shape. A visit to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a powerful reminder of where hatred can lead—and why remembering matters. Then there are the memorials. • The Lincoln Memorial • The Jefferson Memorial • The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial • The World War II Memorial • The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Each tells part of the American story. Together, they create something more difficult to describe: a place where generations of Americans have come to remember, reflect and ask what kind of country we want to become. You don't have to be a history buff to feel it. Sometimes, you simply have to stand there. A City of Public Spaces Washington also has another distinction that makes it particularly appealing to visitors from the Finger Lakes: it is a city designed to be experienced outdoors. Its monumental core is remarkably walkable, surrounded by parks, gardens, plazas and public spaces. The National Mall stretches for miles, connecting some of the country's most recognizable landmarks. And beyond the monuments is another Washington. Explore Georgetown's historic streets. Walk along the waterfront. Visit Eastern Market. Discover Dupont

Circle or Logan Circle. Spend an afternoon in Rock Creek Park. Take in the changing colors of autumn along the Potomac. Or do what Washington residents do: find a favorite neighborhood, order something good, sit outside and watch the city go by. The capital can be grand. It can also be wonderfully human. The American Story—Still Being Written Perhaps that is what makes Washington such a compelling destination. America's story is not finished. It is being written every day—in the halls of government, in classrooms and museums, in neighborhoods and restaurants, on sidewalks and in public parks. • The arguments continue. • The aspirations continue. • The contradictions continue. So does the experiment. For those of us living in the Finger Lakes, there is something especially fitting about making the journey from Ithaca to Washington. Ithaca is a place where ideas matter. It is home to institutions devoted to learning, inquiry, creativity and public engagement. Washington is, in its own way, another great crossroads of American ideas. The journey between them is more than geographic. It is a connection between two places that invite us to ask questions. Start Closer. Go Farther. And there is an increasingly simple way to make that journey. Rather than thinking of an airport as something you have to drive to, think of Ithaca Tompkins International Airport as the beginning of your adventure.

With United service through Washington Dulles, you can start here in the Finger Lakes, experience Washington—or travel far beyond it. ITH is not simply an airport for getting to another airport. It is a gateway - to Washington, D.C. and, through connections at IAD and JFK, a gateway to more than 150 destinations around the world. That changes the way we think about ﬂying from Ithaca. Your adventure doesn't begin when you reach some distant airport. It begins when you leave home. So, this fall, consider starting with the capital. • Walk the Mall at sunrise. • Stand before Lincoln. • Lose an afternoon in a museum. • Wander through a neighborhood you've never seen. • Have dinner somewhere new. • Look up at the monuments after dark. And somewhere along the way, take a moment to remember what this city represents. • Not perfection. • Not a ﬁnished story. But an ongoing American experiment—one that belongs to all of us. And when you're ready for the next adventure, remember that Washington doesn't have to be the end of the journey. It can be the connection. Begin in Ithaca. Fly United. Connect through Washington Dulles. And discover where more than 150 destinations can take you. Your next great American adventure may be closer than you think, right outside your door.

Sponsored Content / Independent Media Production: This content was produced by The Ithaca Times as part of a sponsored media partnership with Ithaca Tompkins International Airport. It is paid promotional content and is separate from the newspaper's independent editorial coverage.

2 the Ithaca tImeS / September 9 – 15, 2026

Newsline Harlem’s Patsy’s Pizzeria Comes to Ithaca

By K i r a Wa lt e r

ith its constant reshuffling and ever-changing dining options, Ithaca’s Restaurant Row is undergoing yet another change. The jam-packed strip of eateries on North Aurora Street has included Monks On The Commons at the Ithaca Marriott since 2016, but now a new neighbor is moving into Monks’ space. In a Facebook post, the Ithaca Marriott announced Monks’ departure in August of 2026 and welcomed Patsy’s Pizzeria into its restaurant space. The popular Harlemfounded restaurant welcomed an upstate location on Aug. 27, with a ribbon cutting and the first of many coal-oven pizza dinners. The original Patsy’s Pizzeria was opened in 1933 by Pasquale “Patsy” Lancieri and his wife Carmella, a family venture in East Harlem. After the business garnered significant attention, it celebrated an iconic history, with frequent visits from Frank Sinatra himself. Patsy’s gained a significant reputation hosting the cast and crew of “The Godfather” for table readings, later expanding to over a dozen locations in Manhattan, the outer boroughs and now, Ithaca. After 58 years of ownership, the Lancieri family passed their beloved enterprise to coworker and long-time friend Frank Brija, who began managing the Patsy’s chain with his son, Adem in 1991. The father-son duo soon partnered with Promise Hospitality Group to expand the pizzeria across the nation. Now, Ithaca marks the second partner location in a national expansion strategy that Promise Hospitality CEO and Founder Prem-

tim Gjonbalic plans to continue into 2027. “During a visit last year, I completely fell in love with Ithaca, not just for its famous waterfalls, but for its vibrant, tight-knit community,” Gjonbalic said. “One thing we noticed, however, was that despite Ithaca’s status as a premier New York destination, authentic, New York-style pizza was hard to find. We knew right away that we could fill that gap for local residents, Cornell students, and guests staying right above us.” For years, Thompson and Bleecker has featured fine-dining pizza while post-bar slices are served up at Casa Blanca and Adelina’s At Argos makes its summer cameo. But neapolitan and roman-style sourdough pies don’t provide the city experience that Patsy’s is versed in. Gjonbalic describes the restaurant as “a preservationist of authentic thin-crust, coal-oven pizza culture” with a century of undoubted success to justify it. Founder Pasquale Lancieri was in fact a pizzaiolo at Lombardi’s, the first coal-oven pizzeria in the United States. While many pizzerias emphasize new recipes, doughs unheard of or unconventional toppings, Gjonbalic explained that Patsy’s keeps it classic by offering a slice from the past. As Patsy’s Ithaca is the franchise’s new upstate flagship, the team took extra measures to ensure that the culinary experience is as close to that in Harlem as possible. A brick by brick custom built oven by master artisan Nobile Attie was installed in the kitchen at the Ithaca Marriott, replicating tradition four hours away. “Our goal is to serve an experience that gets as close as humanly possible to the original 1933 slice you would have been

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VOL. LIV / NO. 52 / September 9, 2026 Serving 47,125 readers week ly

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handed in East Harlem,” Gjonbalic said. Besides pizza, Chef Pietro Aletto and his team also offer an exciting Antipasti menu with tuna crudo, meatballs and mozzarella stuffed suppli. Salads and classic mains in milanese and parmigiana round out the menu, with a whole branzino and steak pizzaiola: a 14 oz ribeye seared in pizza ingredients including tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and olive oil. Orecchiette, cacciatore, tortellini and a full pasta menu demonstrate how Aletto balances Patsy’s classics with reimagined signatures. Many things are kept in Marriott fashion, as the new dining establishment also offers a full cocktail menu with martinis, negronis, and wines galore. As Monks On The Commons served three meals a day, Patsy’s keeps up the same extensive hours with a breakfast menu, all day menu, and of course, dessert options. Early Italian pastries, whipped ricotta toast or a calzone to start the day are morning specialties while zeppoles, tortonis and affogatos are sweet treats on standby. As Patsy’s assimilates to Ithaca’s community and client base, Gjonbalic also looks forward to collaborations with Cornell’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration. He hopes that students will be able to use the restaurant as a resource, acting as a realworld launch pad for budding talent in the food and service industry. While the Marriott lets its star eatery depart for new horizons, the pizza scene’s future on restaurant row is looking a little different. With dark green interior decor and Harlem style right in town, Patsy’s pizzeria promises a trip to Harlem with every meal and no bus ticket necessary. Gjonbalic and his colleagues anticipate the spread of a tradition that never gets too old. “The fires in these ovens rarely, if ever, go out,” he said.

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X Hochul Announces Community Partners for Statewide Mural Program By Lorien Tyne

ew York state Gov. Kathy Hochul announced 12 statewide community partners that will be facilitating the creation of public murals for the second year of the Cultivating Havens for the Arts through Regional Murals (CHARM) program. The CHARM program was established by Hochul and brought forth by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). The 2026 CHARM program will fund 40 murals in more than 30 counties. Last year, the program funded 57 murals in 21 counties. The murals are set to be completed in October. “CHARM murals are transforming blank public spaces into vibrant cultural landmarks, sparking neighborhood engagement and energizing neighborhoods,” Hochul said in a media release. “Our regional CHARM partners will work within their localities on this dynamic initiative, creating more public art that will support local economies and revitalize

communities all across New York State.” The community partner selected for the Finger Lakes is Synthesis Collaborative — Roc Paint Division and WALL\THERAPY. The community partner selected for the Southern Tier is The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes. The ARTS Council was also a community partner last year and facilitated the creation of several murals in Elmira. Other partners include Albany Center Gallery in the Capital Region, CNY Arts in Central New York, Patchogue Center for the Arts in Long Island, ArtsWestchester in Mid-Hudson, Saratoga Arts Council in Mohawk Valley, ArtBridge in New York City, Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts and Strand Center for the Arts in North Country, and Niagara Falls National Heritage Area and Springville Center for the Arts in Western New York. All CHARM mural locations are publicly accessible, including sites like libraries, schools, small businesses, public parks and parking lots.

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INQUIRING Ithaca Student-Led Program Secures $10,000 Grant for Youth Passion Projects PHOTOGRAPHER N e w s l i n e

By Mark Sy ve r t son

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: “A READER MENTIONED SOUTH WORKS AS HAVING SOME OF THE BEST MURALS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN ITHACA. HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITES. ARE THERE ANY OTHER MURALS OFF THE BEATEN PATH YOU REALLY LOVE?”

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

Students from TEEN DAY Ithaca’s On-Purpose Teen Initiative display a $10,000 Lead4Change grant at the Quaker Meetinghouse at 120 Third St. in August. The students will utilize the funds for self-directed projects. (Photo provided: TEEN DAY Ithaca)

@ericbussart

@artlab13creations

@georgiaviolett

By P h i l i p O’ D e l l

rom hand-built playhouses to establishing compost sites, local youth are turning passion projects into reality thanks to a student team securing a $10,000 grant from a national educational program. Eleven students from TEEN DAY Ithaca’s On-Purpose Teen Initiative (OPT In) wrote, submitted and obtained a $10,000 grant from Lead4Change, a national educational program, during the 2025-2026 academic year, according to Gina Varrichio, TEEN DAY Ithaca’s administrator and director. Varrichio said TEEN DAY Ithaca offers in-person classes two days a week at the Quaker Meetinghouse at 120 Third St. to homeschooled youth ages 12 to 18. Traditional high school subjects are offered on Tuesdays, while customizable options — including Model UN, language studies,

@theartoflajon

@wing.chow

OPT In co-founder and incoming senior Juliet Asperschlager created her prom dress funded by a Lead4Change grant that she and 10 other TEEN DAY Ithaca students wrote and secured during the 2025-2026 academic year. The $10,000 grant funds the program’s $100 microgrants for each of its students. (Photo provided: TEEN DAY Ithaca)

4 The Ithaca Times / September 9 – 15, 2026

Pictured are students from TEEN DAY Ithaca’s On-Purpose Teen Initiative (OPT In). They wrote, submitted and acquired a $10,000 grant from Lead4Change during the 2025-2026 academic year. (Photo provided: TEEN DAY Ithaca)

and computer classes — are on Thursdays. updates — photos illustrating each project’s evolution — allowing participants to encourVarrichio said OPT In is completely student-run and was the creation of recent age one another and celebrate milestones. “It was just so exciting and inspiring graduate Amaya Michaelides. Its student to work with this team,” Michaelides said. team authored and submitted the grant “We had a real sense of shared ownership proposals independently, keeping TEEN of the project and that was very exciting DAY’s board of directors informed as for me to just watch what was possible.” a courtesy. Varrichio served as faculty Asperschlager said receiving a microadvisor during the first year before board grant during her junior year allowed her member Audrey McDougall assumed the to design and sew a prom dress for both a role for the recent cycle. personal project and a TEEN DAY Ithaca According to OPT In co-founder and fiber arts assignment. incoming senior Juliet Asperschlager, the Having sketched out a vision for a dream program's six-week sessions and $100 dress years earlier that would have cost microgrants for self-directed projects $200 to $300 to purchase, Asperschlager are available to students ages 12 to 18 in Tompkins County or neighboring counties, used the grant money to source raw materials, conduct budget planning, and purchase regardless of school affiliation. The group white fabric. She then dyed the fabric green learned of the grant’s acquisition around before thrifting and modifying a top to May and formally accepted it at a check complete the base. Working alongside her presentation ceremony in August. grandmother, who brought experience sewFor the upcoming cycle, Asperschlager ing wedding dresses, Asperschlager crafted said applications will open in autumn or winter on TEEN DAY Ithaca’s website, along the dress entirely from scratch despite havwith social media outreach. With the second ing minimal prior experience using a sewing machine. She noted that peer feedback $10,000 grant, the group plans to expand during weekly OPT In meetings gave her the program from six to eight weeks and fresh ideas for design details, such as how double the individual award limit to $200 to construct fabric flowers. per student to support larger projects. “I guess it was a little ambitious, but Michaelides said the $10,000 grant is I'm really happy with how it turned out,” the second one from Lead4Change reAsperschlager said. ceived by TEEN DAY Ithaca, but the first As financial manager and tech team lead, dedicated to OPT In. She wrote the initial grant application and co-wrote the second. Asperschlager managed OPT In’s finances, Michaelides said the recent grant helped technical logistics, recruitment, promotion, and applicant proposal reviews. She led the fund 14 projects, including a hand-built production of a five-minute video proposal playhouse for siblings, compost site for a submitted to Lead4Change for funding residential area, website connecting youth with volunteer opportunities, and a 30-page consideration. She said the 11-member team original story for peers to provide feedback. She said participants submitted weekly visual Contin u ed on Page 19

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Common Council Approves Seneca Street Garage Property Transfer, Clearing Path for Redevelopment

The annual Ithaca is Books festival is taking place Sept. 10-13 and will feature authors including Bethany C. Morrow, Kalynn Bayron, Nina McConigley and Patricia Lockwood. All events are free and open to the public.

By P h i l i p O’ D e l l

structural safety concerns, following a temporary closure on April uring its Sept. 2 meeting, the Ithaca 10. The initial shutdown occurred after reports of concrete debris Common Council moved forward falling from the third floor to the with the redevelopment of the sidewalk. A subsequent inspecformer Seneca Street parking garage site tion by city personnel revealed by passing a series of 8-1 votes regarding severe deterioration and a high environmental and land-transfer matters. risk of failure across several The council first designated itself as areas of the facility, prompting a the lead agency overseeing the project’s The city announced on May 7 that the garage’s permanent closure was due to structural third-party engineering review. environmental review before approving a safety concerns, following a temporary closure At a May 6 Common Council negative declaration under state environon April 10. (Photo: Mark Syverston) meeting, City Manager Domimental quality review standards, formally nick Recckio said the structure determining that transferring the parcel suffered from concrete spalling, a condition and aesthetic impacts warrant a complete would cause no significant adverse envicaused when water freeze-thaw cycles break evaluation. Fabrizio requested postponing ronmental impacts. the vote to give the city time to refine its apart the material as temperatures rise. Alderpersons then approved transfervision and better understand the site's poAlderperson Margaret Fabrizio cast the ring authority and ownership of the 202 tential before soliciting market proposals. sole dissenting vote on the approvals, urgE. Seneca St. property to the Ithaca Urban “I think we should better decide what ing council members to table the measure Renewal Agency to manage its ultimate we want to ask the market before we ask to allow for greater transparency, broader disposition and development. the market to respond to us,” Fabrizio said. The resolution says the council requests public input, and more comprehensive Cantelmo recommended the city should IURA to solicit developers and draft a pro- planning before moving forward with a avoid building a new municipal-owned posed disposition and development agree- request for proposals. Fabrizio criticized parking structure, calling it financially the initial decision to permanently close ment (DDA) that facilitates an urban renewal unfeasible. He said the South Cayuga Street project at site. The council urges the DDA to the garage, stating it lacked data, public garage cost about $30 million to construct discussion, and stakeholder involvement. align with its redevelopment objectives. in 2007. Cantelmo said adjusting for She said the process used to reach that “Deliver a financially feasible, highinflation would push a new garage’s price conclusion was not inclusive or transparquality, taxable residential development tag to nearly $59 million, an amount that ent. Fabrizio said the proposed redevelopfeaturing market-rate or mixed-income would go past the city’s debt limit. Instead, ment objectives were crafted by a small housing. Inclusion of owner-occupied he said the city should recruit a private mayoral working group rather than a housing, such as residential condominideveloper capable of incorporating many wider network of experts, downtown ums, is encouraged but not required,” the businesses, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, community needs into the site. resolution says. “A purely affordable “I do not think a municipal garage is an aphousing project is discouraged for this site. and city staff. She said questions on public propriate utilization of taxpayer funding just parking requirements remain unanswered While not anticipated priority uses for the given our fiscal constraints,” Cantelmo said. due to a lack of thorough analysis. site, the city will consider a non-residenResponding to Fabrizio’s concerns, Fabrizio questioned whether the tial project that attracts a major employer Cantelmo said the Seneca Street Garage city should bear the financial burden of and/or major retailer to the downtown.” costs the city money every day it remains preparing the site for development. She Alderperson Ducson Nguyen said the standing and poses potential liability risks said while the redevelopment objectives transfer directs the IURA to seek a develrequire the city to pay for demolishing and as the structure deteriorates. Addressing oper under an agreement that aligns with the city’s climate action plan and reinstates clearing the structure prior to conveyance, site preparation, Cantelmo said alderperofficials have not yet provided the estimat- sons serving as committee members cona TCAT bus shelter along Seneca Street. cluded that demolishing the garage would ed costs for demolition or for maintaining In a press release, city officials said the help facilitate a future sale. He said the city the space while work is underway. redevelopment could generate long-term Fabrizio raised concerns about the proj- could pursue potential outside funding property and sales tax revenues. The to offset demolition costs. Cantelmo said ect's environmental review, arguing that process will feature public hearings and clearing the lot would allow the site to classifying the property transfer as having further council review before any final possibly serve as temporary surface park“no physical change” overlooks the signifiagreement is approved. The next phase ing until development begins. cant downtown impacts of demolishing a calls for the IURA to solicit development Cantelmo said that he met with DIA massive concrete facility and potentially proposals and negotiate redevelopment President Nan Rohrer on July 22 and erecting a 100-foot building near the Determs, which will then be presented to the several downtown restaurateurs on Aug. 4 Witt Historic District. Fabrizio questioned council for consideration. whether the review was being improperly The city announced on May 7 that the segmented, emphasizing that noise, traffic, garage’s permanent closure was due to Contin u ed on Page 10

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By Kaeleigh Banda

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Downs Ithaca College is cutting its theatre administration program, according to student newspaper The Ithacan. The program will not be available to future students but students currently enrolled will be able to finish their degree.

HEARD&SEEN Heard

The Ithaca Rotary Club and City of Ithaca are seeking nominations for the annual Susan Blumenthal Pride of Ownership Awards program, which recognizes property owners in Ithaca who have positively impacted the appearance of city neighborhoods and commercial areas. Nomination forms can be found at IthacaRotary. com and are due on Oct. 5.

Seen Town of Ithaca Supervisor Rod Howe announced he is stepping down after holding positions in local government for more than 25 years. He first became supervisor in 2019 and is stepping down about 15 months before his term expires. Deputy Supervisor Eric Levine will succeed Howe until the term ends on Dec. 11, 2027.

IF YOU CARE TO RESPOND to something in this column, or suggest your own praise or blame, write editor@ithacatimes. com, with a subject head “U&D.”

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Do you support the Elm Street Development Project?

14.6% Yes. 81.3% No. 4.2% I don’t care. N EXT WEEK ’S Q UESTION :

Are you attending the Ithaca is Books Festival? Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.

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The Talk at

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR By Ithaca Times Readers

Letters to the Editor: Human Rights Violations Toward People of Israel

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As a Jewish American with family in Israel, I have a different view of the Israel-Palestine conflict from Marcia Zax, and I’m disappointed by Rep. Josh Riley’s actions regarding this issue. Like Ms. Zax, I was horrified and disgusted by the brutal Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. And I would agree with her that Hamas’s intent was genocidal. Where we differ is that Ms. Zax apparently doesn’t see anything wrong with how Israel conducted its war. Within days of Oct. 7, Israel had cut off electricity, water and fuel to Gaza, and severely limited food shipments. These actions, which disproportionately affected the civilian population, are arguably war crimes. Later, during the second year of the war, Israel completely blocked all food aid for a three-month period, resulting in famine. Then, when Israel allowed

‘humanitarian’ food distribution sites at limited locations in ‘active military zones,’ units of the Israeli army (IDF) routinely shot Gazans trying to access those sites. Reporting from the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz revealed that IDF commanders had ordered their soldiers to shoot any Palestinians who crossed an invisible line that brought them ‘too close’ to the Israeli forces—not that the soldiers were in danger from starving Gazans who were simply trying bring food back to their families. Ms. Zax repeats Israeli propaganda that Hamas used civilians as human shields. But the Fourth Geneva Convention articulates the principle of proportionality, which prohibits ‘incidental loss of civilian life [and] damage to civilian objects…which would be excessive in relation to the… military advantage anticipated.’ Ha’aretz reported that the IDF used AI programs to approve bombing targets, with little oversight by military officers. Israel ‘leaned into’ indiscriminate targeting, bombing entire apartment buildings in order to kill a single Hamas ‘commander.’” — Joel Rabinowitz, Groton NY

Commentary on Cost of Living in Ithaca

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When government gets too involved with influencing the force of natural selection, things are often created that don’t really make sense and run counter to benefitting mankind.

able include some evenings and weekends, Industrial ag is an example that most early voting doesn’t prevent people from people can understand. These monstrosivoting because of their employment. ties would never exist without subsidies. If transportation or child care is needed, This plantation model would have real a friend, member of a faith community or competition from owner/operator, father/ other organization can help. Drive the voter daughter/son operations without governto the polls and watch the children in the ment handouts. Our food would cost a little more (not being paid for up front by tax car. Books and songs can make it fun. Why not do it?” — Susan Multer, Ithaca NY payer’s subsidies) but the more spread-out food supply would produce better quality food, be more resilient, and provide more RE: Elm Street Apartments Development jobs for Americans. Advances to Public Session Amid Ithaca’s quest for ‘low income housing’ is Residents’ Concerns Over Pedestrian another boondoggle that benefits big busiSafety, Traffic, Environment ness, in this case developers/investors, at the expense of the people who live and work here. At the August 19th meeting TCAT Ithaca is an expensive town. Period. representatives reported that that area Low-income people shouldn’t live there. of West Hill was well supported by the I live in Danby, which is bad enough, since transit system. I live on West Hill not too far we pay ICSD taxes. We live on an income from the proposed development, and while pretty much in line with Ithaca’s median I appreciate my access to the bus, and to the wage but still could not afford to live in the new e-ride system, I think having the numcity; so we don’t. ber 14 come around twice an hour and runThe taxpayers are not only subsidizing ning until at least 10 p.m., instead of once an the building and operation of these ‘low hour and running only until 8 p.m., would income’ apartments, but we will be subsiqualify this area as “well-supported”. I’m dizing the rent for most of the occupants especially thinking of the people who would as well. What sense does that make? be residing in those buildings (75 units...how None. But it makes dollars for the invesmany people is that?) who we are expecttors. Income redistribution, seemingly going ing will use the bus as their primary transit. downward, is actually feeding Wall Street. The developers and the city council are Stop bailing out investors and let Ithaca expressing an intention for these prospective right-size through natural selection, in residents that would be extremely challengan unbastardized market place.” — ing for those residents to, at least currently, Joe Lonsky, Danby NY realize.” — Elizabeth Braymen, Ithaca.com

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Consider Early Voting

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Given the possibility of mailed ballots not being received in time to be counted, people might consider another option. Vote early. Because hours avail-

6 The Ithaca Times / September 9 – 15, 2026

Why did Josh Riley Vote for the Genius Act?

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Cryptocurrency was introduced by Donald Trump after he was elected Contin u ed on Page A15

COMMUNITY NOTES

Lynn and Carl Leopold, Gently Greening Our Lives By M a rjor i e O l d s

ynn and partner Carl Leopold, with their delightful quiet charm, and expansive vision have taught us how we can cherish and protect our relationship to our land and our water--our invaluable treasures. Living in the rustic home they built in Lansing, overlooking Lake Cayuga, Lynn and Carl have with no fanfare supported and created many key programs to protect our environment, and the living creatures who dwell around us. Type in husband Carl Leopold’s name in Google, and prepare to be enchanted by his story of growing up in Wisconsin, one of five children of Aldo and Estella Leopold, early leaders in American environmentalism.

Lynn and Carl both grew up fascinated by birds, plants and seasonal change. Growing up, Lynn, like Carl, loved to be outdoors and their youthful and adult scientific explorations enhanced that love. Lynn: “Growing up in Colorado, field botany and biology opened my eyes. I had hiked, camped, skied and kayaked, but to understand the underpinnings of nature was essential.” As a teenager, with his parents and siblings, Carl planted trees to restore barren prairie land near Baraboo, Wisconsin. Carl’s father, Aldo was the first professor of Wildlife Conservation at the University of Wisconsin and is still revered as a founding father of the fields of Game Management and Ecology. As an adult, Lynn discovered and read

Aldo Leopold’s writings, specifically his seminal work, A Sand County Almanac. And by chance, Carl and Lynn’s families were connected by marriage prior to Lynn and Carl marrying. Carl came in 1978 to Cornell to join the research staff at the Boyce Thompson Institute, where he continued his work in plant physiology as a distinguished chair. And in 1981, the couple built their home in Lansing with “Leopold logs,” white and red pines planted and tended by Aldo and his children decades earlier. In this home, constructed with the trees Carl had planted, their lifelong partnership became the foundation for their joyous lives, with family, music, fellowship, and shared commitment to protect our natural environment. Thinking how to address local environmental issues over the years Lynn has represented the Village of Lansing on the Tompkins County Environmental Man-

Lynn and Carl Leopold dancing together. (Photo: Provided)

agement Council, the Tompkins County Water Resources Council, and the Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization, to broaden the protection of our precious water resources. Contin u ed on Page 14

Sports

Honoring David Kornreich By Ste ve L aw re nc e

hey say unfortunate things happen in threes, and I hope this is the last of three columns saying goodbye to people who have been a part of the Ithaca sports scene. Two weeks ago, I wrote about the passing of former Cornell Fencing coach Susan Jennings, last week I honored Finger Lakes Runners Club member John Hylas, and this week I am sad to say that David Kornreich — known in the Roller Derby world as “General Hellativity” — lost his life in a plane crash last week. David wore many hats — a Physics and Astronomy professor, a husband, a friend, a Roller Derby referee, a pilot, a flight instructor, and his passing affected so many. The regional Roller Derby community is a tightly-knit tribe, and several clubs posted tributes to David. The Rochester Area Junior Roller Derby group posted, “We are heartbroken over the passing of General Hellativity. He was a safe, fun, and fair roller derby official who made everyone feel welcome on and off the track.” The Black Diamond Rollers shared, “We join the rest of the derby community

in mourning the sudden loss of General Hellativity. We are grateful for the time, energy, and heart he brought to our track.” The Ithaca League of Women’s Rollers wrote, “General Hellativity, known in ‘real life’ as David Kornreich, started with our league just learning to skate upright and in the ref lane. He spent more than a decade teaching countless referees, NSOs and skaters the intricate rules of roller derby, often with a GoPro mounted on his helmet. Dave could be counted on as a voice of reason, and a reliable and committed volunteer. We are devastated by his loss, and our thoughts are with his wife and family. Thank you for helping make derby happen, Dave.” My friend Mark Anbinder was very close with The General for many years, and he had this to say: “One of the reasons Dave got into roller derby was certainly how much fun he could have with the physics of rollerskating. He liked that there were clear rules that he could learn and ultimately enforce, even if the rules aren’t always so clear to a newcomer to the sport. But the physics of it, including how people on skates can and can’t can’t move, and can and can’t interact, has to have fascinated him.

I remember he brought roller derby skaters to class a couple of times to illustrate things like rotational energy. Once he saw one of my photos from a hockey game of a puck near the net that referees had ruled was not a goal, and Dave calculated based on the known size of the puck and the size of the net that it absolutely had to have been a goal. But of course that one used calculations that were devised to determine the relative distance of celestial objects, like stars and planets.” On a much happier note... I had a flashback moment of sorts... I was in a coffee shop, and I saw Mike Welch, wearing a Canandaigua Academy Football polo shirt, a pair of shorts, looking like he was ready to hang a whistle around his neck and pick up a clipboard. Mike has been on my radar in one capacity or another over the course of 50-plus Septembers, as he was a standout 2-sport athlete (football and lacrosse) at Ithaca College (class of ’72, before my Ithaca Times tenure) then became an assistant under the legendary Jim Butterfield, then took over as the Bombers’ ninth head coach in 1994. Now a decade into retirement, Mike was happy to take a walk down memory lane, and we had a great conversation about all three of his incarnations at I.C. While the trip down memory lane was fun for the 2015 Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, he really lit up when I asked him about what his life looks S e p te m b e r

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The Roller Derby referee’s helmet was but one of the many hats worn by David Kornreich. (Photo: Mark H Anbinder)

like a decade into retirement. “I’m heading up to Canandaigua Academy tonight,” he said, “and as you know, my son Jeff is the head coach there.” I asked Mike if he roamed the sidelines as an assistant, or as an adviser, and he grinned and said, “No, I have six grand kids now, and they keep me really busy. I’m usually at one of their sporting events.” It was great to see Mike, and as we said adios, I had a whole series of flashbacks. I remember Mike Welch as a player, as an assistant, as the head coach, and now we’re both grandpas. While we might have slowed down a bit, the River of Time sure hasn’t. 2 0 2 6

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Women of Cacao Summit Brings Global Chocolate Event to Tompkins County and Online Sept. 17-20 By Philip O’Dell

Pictured is Ava Holmes, organizer of the upcoming Women of Cacao Summit, as she pours chocolate during a demonstration. (Photo: Provided)

8 The Ithaca Times / September 9 – 15, 2026

hocolate enthusiasts can join thousands of farmers, scientists, and industry leaders in Tompkins County or online for an upcoming global celebration exploring sustainability, innovation, wellness, and culture. The third annual Women of Cacao Summit will offer in-person and virtual programming Sept. 17-20, bringing participants together for guided activities and to explore industry topics through sensory chocolate experiences. According to organizer Ava Holmes, interested participants can register online at womenofcacao.com. There is no deadline to sign up, and the event is free to attend online, though attendees can purchase session recordings. Organizers will conduct the summit in both English and Spanish. On Sept. 17, the event opens with a focus on health and wellness, featuring lectures on the biochemistry of chocolate and its molecular effects on the human body. The in-person portion of the summit will take place at Hillview Wedding Venue at 92 Hillview Road in the Town of Danby. Holmes said only the first day of the summit features an in-person component, while the remaining three days will be held virtually. To supplement the online programming, hosts around the world are organizing local watch parties and satellite gatherings on the opening day. The second day examines sustainability and regenerative systems, using chocolate to analyze broader issues like food supply networks and global warming. On the third day, discussions pivot to innovation, craft chocolate, and culinary arts, balancing business profitability with creative industry growth. The summit concludes with an exploration of art, culture, and storytelling,

ref lecting on chocolate’s historic role as currency, medicine, and a staple of global celebrations. Holmes noted that cacao occupies a unique place in human history, serving as a bridge between an ancient plant-based medicine, a modern superfood, and a cultural phenomenon. According to Holmes, the summit experienced rapid growth since its inception, expanding from 200 participants in its first year to 2,000 in its second. Current registration for this year’s gathering stands at over 10,000 attendees worldwide. Holmes co-founded the summit alongside Fiorella Richter, a Peruvian cultural ambassador and professional chocolate sommelier. Holmes said the summit’s goal is to invite people to explore what chocolate means to them and consider how it can be used to tell personal stories. “It’s an opportunity to learn through chocolate,” Holmes said. “I always say that there’s no better way to learn than through engaging the senses.” According to Santa Barbara Chocolate, cacao originates from the fruit seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree — derived from the Mayan language, the word for cacao is “kakaw” — and refers to the raw or minimally processed form of the bean before high-heat roasting. The core distinction between cacao and cocoa lies in processing, as both come from the exact same agricultural source. In modern U.S. labeling, “cacao” denotes unroasted or minimally processed raw seeds that retain slightly more fat (cocoa butter) and natural antioxidants, whereas “cocoa” refers to beans that have been roasted and processed to develop a smoother, less bitter chocolate f lavor. Holmes said the summit will feature a lineup of female experts worldwide guiding discussions on each day’s theme. Specifically, 10 to 20 speakers will

deliver lectures and lead workshops at each daily session. Holmes will introduce the individual presenters before participants transition into the main programming. For the opening day’s local gathering, she plans to lead a handson activity for attendees before the group joins the worldwide livestream. Satellite host sites across the globe will follow a similar hybrid structure, pairing an in-person workshop with the live virtual broadcast. To participate fully in the interactive elements, attendees are encouraged to supply their own chocolate. Holmes recommended local shoppers to explore craft chocolate selections at retailers, such as GreenStar Food Co-op and Wegmans. Holmes said the Ithaca area’s chocolate scene expanded over the past decade from a few national organic brands to dozens of local craft varieties, including Oracle Chocolates and her own brand, Ithaca Chocolates. Proceeds from those sales go toward a social fund that provides training and resources directly to cacao farmers. Holmes said hearing directly from cacao growers offers broader insight into agricultural supply chains, pointing out that the challenges faced by cocoa farmers mirror those of workers in the sugar, coffee, and banana sectors. Through the digital platform, local attendees can interact with international growers from countries such as Ghana, Peru, and Thailand. Holmes founded the Women of Cacao network to bridge gaps and connect key supply chain partners, including agricultural producers, processors, buyers, manufacturers, marketers, and consumers. She said the global chocolate industry rarely brings together stakeholders from different stages of production. “I had a big realization, which was like many industries, the chocolate industry is very segmented,” Holmes said. “I’ve been to festivals around the world and you very rarely see the farmer, processor, buyer, maker and seller all in the same room.” Holmes said both the global network and its annual summit aim to build and expand those relationships. She plans to transform the network into a dual-based nonprofit with official locations in Ithaca and Peru. Holmes founded Ithaca Chocolates three years ago when she returned to Ithaca after cultivating cacao in Peru’s Amazon jungle for eight years. She developed the business after being asked during a local class how she would represent the community through the con-

fection. In response, she partnered with vendors at the farmers market to develop distinct regional f lavors. Her lineup includes Ithaca area maple creams with maple syrup and a Mayan spice variety made with chilis from West Haven Farm. Holmes described herself as a “treeto-bar” chocolate maker who grows her own cacao, transports the beans from Peru to Ithaca, and completes the roasting, peeling, and stone-grinding processes by hand. Unlike traditional chocolatiers who craft confections using premade chocolate, she creates her products from scratch, incorporating local f lavors from the Ithaca Farmers Market to ref lect the area’s story. “When I came back, I wasn’t really quite ready to leave my world of chocolate behind,” Holmes said. “(The summit) was born from not wanting to leave my friends, my humble cacao farmers, the wise old shamans and the wild expats over there in the jungle. I wanted to still have them in my community, so I created this online community of chocolate lovers and of professionals.” According to Holmes, the summit aims to address gender disparity in the global chocolate industry by empowering female voices and leadership in the field. She said the summit’s programming will be inclusive and open to participants of all ages and experience levels. Holmes said despite representing a significant portion of the agricultural labor force today, women are underpaid in the global chocolate industry and hold few executive leadership positions. According to the International Cocoa Initiative, women perform up to 68% of the labor in key cocoa-producing regions like Côte d’Ivoire but earn 21% of the income generated. Overall, female cocoa farmers in West Africa earn between $0.32 to $0.35 per day largely because fewer than 25% of women own the land they cultivate. Holmes said the summit is rooted in the deep historical role women played in processing and preserving cacao for over 5,000 years. During periods of ancient history when cacao beans served as currency, women effectively acted as bankers by managing and storing the supply in their homes, controlling trade and local economies. Holmes said promoting conservation through the chocolate industry relies on balancing equity for growers with environmental sustainability. To achieve equity, Holmes said complete supply chain traceability — ensuring consumers can identify the specif-

Pictured is Ava Holmes and Fiorella Richter, co-founders of the upcoming Women of Cacao Summit. (Photo: Provided)

ic family or community that cultivated the cacao. She said true equity means growers earn a sufficient income to feed their families and support their children’s education. Upcoming sessions at the summit will explore how emerging technology can improve supply chain transparency to support a “triple bottom line” focused on people, planet, and profit. Regarding the environment, Holmes advocates for agroforestry and permaculture over traditional monoculture farming to prevent deforestation in S e p te m b e r

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sensitive ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest. She said sustainable agricultural practices are essential to protecting cacao from extinction, as changing weather patterns and unprecedented plant diseases linked to climate change continue to destabilize global supply and demand. In addition to plant diseases, global warming threatens cacao crops through changing weather patterns, including unseasonable cold winds in the Amazon basin that arrive earlier and destroy young cacao buds before they mature.

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BEYOND THE CAMPUS

competition, and strict discipline often at the expense of creativity and self-expression. As someone who had grown up fascinated by American films, rock music, and the idea of individualism, I found myself wanting something different. I applied for the scholarship with equal parts confidence and anxiety. The testing and interview process felt completely unfamiliar. To my surprise, I was awarded one of the program’s scholarships and ultimately enrolled at Ithaca College, drawn by the Roy H. Park School of Communications and its reputation for producing some of North America’s most accomplished media professionals including David Muir, David Boreanaz, and Kevin Connor. My years at Ithaca College were rewarding, challenging, and transformative. Like many international students, I experienced culture shock. One of the biggest surprises was discovering that people often seemed friendlier on the surface than I was accustomed to, while being much harder to read beneath it. In India, people tend to be more direct. Learning to understand the subtleties of communication in a predominantly white American college environment became its own education. At Ithaca College, I joined the campus radio station, first as a news reporter and later as news director. Growing up, I had always been told that news was the only thing worth listening to on the radio. Looking back, I probably should have spent more time behind a DJ microphone. Yet my upbringing and journalism training convinced me that news was where

the serious work happened. By the time I graduated in 2023, I had begun questioning that assumption. Constantly following the 24-hour news cycle can create the illusion that headlines are the whole story. More often than not, they are only the surface. Over the next two years, I worked first with the New York Birth Control Access Project and later with Beginnings Credit Union. While those positions helped me develop professional skills in writing, communications, and personal finance, the most valuable lessons came from the people I met. Every day brought encounters with individuals facing challenges, pursuing opportunities, overcoming setbacks, or simply trying to make sense of complicated lives. Their stories stayed with me. When I returned to India to visit my family, I found myself reflecting on what I had seen both at home and in the United States. The more attention I paid to the news, the more I noticed that many conflicts seemed rooted in misunderstanding between people who were different on the surface but often shared the same hopes, fears, and aspirations. That realization became the seed for Beyond My Hometown and later Beyond the Campus. During a lengthy email dialogue with Roy Allen — the Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Ithaca Times, we discovered that many students coming to Ithaca — and those leaving Ithaca for other places — had similar experiences, fears and anticipations of what might be next in their lives. Today, through a collaboration with the Ithaca Times, Beyond the Campus seeks to tell stories that extend beyond classrooms, campuses, headlines, and stereotypes. The goal is simple: to explore the lives of people whose experiences

deserve to be heard and to create opportunities for connection across cultures, generations, professions, and perspectives. My hope is that these stories help people feel seen not for who others assume they are, but for who they actually are. And if a few readers choose to grab a cup of coffee, settle into a comfortable chair, and spend a few minutes exploring a story that broadens their understanding of someone else’s world, then this project will have accomplished exactly what it set out to do — Beyond the Campus and into the future. Himadri Seth returned to India in December 2025, and has since worked as an intern at NITI Aayog, a premier public policy think tank in New Delhi, India, and as an intern at Invest India, an organization that aims to provide access to investable opportunities in India. Through these experiences, she made practical applications of the skills gained through her degree in economics, but now aims to continue writing, as is her second passion aside from a love of economics and development studies. She has been invited to collaborate with the Ithaca Times as an Assistant Curator of Beyond the Campus.

will be available once the city finalizes a contract with an estimator. He said work on the contract is currently underway and that he expects taking down the structure will cost several million dollars. “It’s not inexpensive, but we’re trying to make the most cost-effective garage takedown as possible,” Recckio said. Two reasons that Recckio cited for recommending demolition were public safety and property value. While short-term safety measures like blue netting over concrete panels currently mitigate falling debris, he said demolishing the vacant garage would ensure long-term pedestrian safety. Recckio said clearing the parcel would make it more attractive to prospective developers. He

said preparing the lot beforehand would maximize the sale price and yield greater financial returns for the city. State-mandated engineering assessments obtained by the Ithaca Times through Freedom of Information Law requests reveal a history of structural deterioration and rising repair costs at the 425-space Seneca Street parking garage leading up to its closure. Inspections conducted in 2019, 2022, and 2025 by WGI Engineering and Elwyn & Palmer Consulting Engineers documented widespread concrete spalling, severe moisture damage, and compromised post-tensioned support tendons throughout the 10-level facility built in 1974.

The most recent evaluation in 2025 labeled the downtown garage in “poor-tofair” condition, estimating required and optional repairs at $3.39 million to keep it operational long-term. Engineers identified an immediate unsafe condition in an elevator basement room that required temporary shoring due to extensive wall and ceiling concrete failure. That followed a 2022 inspection that budgeted over $3.66 million in needed overhauls — including fixing sagging vehicle barrier cables and exposed structural tendons — and a 2019 report that flagged bowed basement walls, severe deck membrane tears, and structural capacity concerns on compromised support beams.

Beyond the Campus Began Far From Ithaca By H i m a dr i S et h — It h ac a C ol l e ge ‘2 5 — Roy H . Pa r k S cho ol of C om m u n ic at ion s

n 2019, I was sitting in my room in a large concrete building originally constructed in the 1980s to house foreign athletes during the Asian Games when a text message from my mother changed the course of my life. At the time, she was a schoolteacher and had forwarded information about the Next Genius Scholarship Program. My immediate reaction was simple: What am I supposed to do with this? I'm definitely not a genius. As I read further, however, I discovered that the program was not really about genius at all. It was a scholarship opportunity for high-achieving students with financial need to study at leading colleges across the United States. For the first time, attending college abroad felt like something that might actually be possible. The idea was not entirely foreign to me. Two years earlier, my family had hosted an American exchange student from Vermont. We were both sixteen years old, sharing the same home for nearly ten months. Watching her navigate life in India while hearing stories about her own community gave me a glimpse into another way of living. More importantly, it made me curious about experiencing that kind of cultural exchange myself. By the time I graduated from high school, I was increasingly frustrated with an educational system that emphasized rote memorization, relentless academic STREET GARAGE PROPERTY TRANSFER contin u ed from page 5

to discuss the site’s redevelopment. He said outreach happened even if every alderperson was not present for those discussions. Cantelmo said the city should avoid the mistake of other municipalities that acquire properties only to leave them undeveloped. “I think that divesting of a property that we have no intention of redeveloping ourselves and no intention of holding permanently, the appropriate thing to do here is to move that process as responsibly quickly as possible,” Cantelmo said. Recckio said a demolition cost estimate

10 T h e I t h a c a T i m e s / S e p t e m b e r 9 – 1 5 , 2 0 2 6

Himadri Seth. (Photo: Provided)

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Guillaume Pirard

In his third year as Music Director, Guillaume Pirard continues his captivating musical vision with the Orchestral Series and Holiday concert, held in Ford Hall at Ithaca College. Each performance offers beloved masterworks and new gems:

• Giant-Proof (September 19) Intimate voices and modest forms reveal how the smallest gestures can grow into music of extraordinary depth and power.

Have you been to a Cayuga Chamber Orchestra concert lately? Audience members who join us for the first time often tell us they are hooked. In this momentous 50th Anniversary Season, we have special surprises in store for our concertgoers. The CCO was founded in 1976 and is officially designated “Ithaca’s Orchestra.” Musicians are selected by audition and come from as near as Ithaca and as far as New York City and beyond. Each season includes an Orchestral Series, a Chamber Music Series, a Holiday concert, free Family Concerts, and the long-standing Willard Daetsch Youth Outreach Program, which earned the 2015 Yale Distinguished Music Educator award. In 2017, the CCO added

• Fantasies (October 10) Fair warnings, romps, and dazzling invention invite us into a world of imagination, wit, and musical transformation • Holiday Side by Side with Youth Orchestra (December 19) A joyful afternoon celebrating our community and its vibrant future • ¡Bailemos! (February 13) Rhythms from Peru, via America, Argentina, and Spain, invite us to dance with passion, wit, and fury. With David Hayes, guest conductor. • Grand Finale (March 20) New creation (a world premiere by Loren Loiacono) and Beethoven’s inexhaustible genius bring our fiftieth season to a fitting close. Among the acclaimed guest artists appearing later this season are familiar faces, CCO concertmaster, Christina Bouey, and pianist and Ithaca resident, Miri Yampolsky. In our first two concerts, we will feature singer-songwriter and classically trained violinist, Christina Courtin, and mandolinist Jacob Jolliff. On September 19, Christina Courtin performs her own composition, rhapsody on being giant-proof, and an imaginative pairing of Bach’s Brandenberg Concerto No. 3 with Paul Simon’s American Tune. Christina Courtin Says Courtin of rhapsody, “I kept coming back to the theme of finding solace in the small, tangible joys of life—the moments that

a Youth Orchestra program for

On October 10, Jacob Jolliff will perform Jesse Jones’ Tunebook, a folk-infused concerto for mandolin written expressly for him. Jolliff has known Jones since he was a young boy and Jones was college-aged, when Jacob Jolliff they played summer bluegrass festivals together. Jones trained as a classical pianist and turned to bluegrass when he was in college He describes Jones as “a much-lauded classical composer who is one of the few who can write something really relevant, from the perspective of both the bluegrass and the classical genres. He knows the world of the likes of Bela Fleck, Chris Thile and David Grisman, and knows the classical canon, so he is not a dilettante.” He characterizes Tunebook as “nothing that's kind of complex for its own sake.” Sure, he says, “there are virtuosic moments, and there are certainly lots of moments of dense harmony, but then there's lots of basically fiddle tune, and bluegrass type of instrumental music. That is what makes it fit me naturally, because that's the language I grew up playing.” From Orchestral programs like Giant-Proof and Fantasies to our Grand Finale, and two concerts by our beloved Youth Orchestra (January 9 and June 12), the CCO offers something for everyone this season. You can also experience the more intimate Chamber Series given by our own talented CCO musicians. While all our concerts are family friendly, we offer the Family Concert and Storytime Series in a library setting suited well for young ones (and popular with all ages) – free thanks to our generous sponsors.

ALSO FEATURED THIS SEASON

advanced students.

Tickets, subscriptions and more information: CCOithaca.org

were right in front of me. In a way this music was my own personal reminder that my capacity for finding beauty in the minute details was my greatest strength.” On pairing the Brandenburg with the Simon: “My dear friend and artistic director of The Knights, Colin Jacobsen, came to me with the idea and the arrangement for the song. At first I was a little intimidated by the prospect of having to carry that in the middle of such an iconic piece of music, but the more I did it the more it really made sense to me. It was very natural in a way to insert that song in between those two movements. He was brilliant to think of it, and I am always so happy to be able to sing it.”

Christina Bouey

12 t h e I t h a c a t I m e S / S e p t e m b e r 9 – 1 5 , 2 0 2 6

David Hayes

Miri Yampolsky

Loren Loiacono

Arts&Entertainment Arts& &Entertainment Ithaca Roots Run Deep in Soft Rock’s Iconic Band Orleans

By Peter Rothbart

hat musicians routinely leave and join bands is not news. The fact that some musicians stay with one band for over fifty years is noteworthy. Orleans, an original soft-rock multi-hit band from the classic era of rock music—the 1970s—has deep roots in Ithaca. They will return close to home when they play to an already sold-out crowd in the acoustically precious Homer Center for Arts on September 10, 2026. This concert is part of their final tour. Orleans was founded in 1972 in Woodstock, NY, by guitarist John Hall, guitarist and keyboardist, Ithaca resident Larry Hoppen, and Ithaca-born drummer Wells Kelly. Hoppen’s brother, Lance, joined the band a year later. Another brother, Lane, came onboard in 1980. Larry Hoppens died in 2012 and Kelly in 1984, but not before Orleans’ series of hits, including Dance With Me (#6 on the 1975 Billboard Hot 100 list), Still the One (#5 in 1976), and Love Takes Time (#11 in 1979), consecrated them as authentic soft rock stars. Over the course of 50 years and 17 albums, the band has sold well over 7 million records. The current lineup includes Lance Hoppen, Lane Hoppen, Brady Spencer, Tom Lane, and Tony Hooper. Larry Hoppen’s first visit to Ithaca was to attend the Summer Band Camp at Ithaca College. In an online article written before he died, Larry explained that “Being up on that hill, seeing Lake Cayuga and the town from above, was a spectacular, riveting image—and indelible, as it turned out.” He

Orleans Final Tour Thursday, September 10, 2026 8 p.m. Homer Center for the Arts 72 S. Main Street Homer, NY 13077 Tickets: https://www.tixr.com/groups/center4art

From left to right: Tom Lane, Brady Spencer, Lance Hoppen, Tony Hooper, Lane Hoppen. (Photo: Ash Newell/Provided)

enrolled in the Ithaca College’s School of Music as a music education major and teamed up with Wells Kelly and his brother Sherman (who wrote Dancin’ in the Moonlight) to form a band called Boffalongo. They moved to New York, ultimately returning home to Ithaca, where they played local venues such as the Salty Dog, the North 40, the Haunt, and Trumansburg’s Rongovian Embassy. Kelly received a call from John Hall, an established New York session player who had just moved to Woodstock (an activist by nature and deed; he later served two terms as the U.S. Congressman for New York’s 19th District). Eventually Larry got a similar call, left Ithaca College, and the core of Orleans, John Hall, Wells Kelly, and Larry Hoppen, was established. Lane Hoppen joined them when he finished high school. In the past, band members retained relationships with people they knew from

the Ithaca community, notably Steve Brown, Jamo, Charlie Shew, and several of the Burns Sisters, among others. Lance describes his recollections of growing up in Ithaca as childhood-like memories and acknowledges his gratitude to the community where he laid important groundwork for the future. In an online interview, Lance credits Ithaca’s physical and progressive environment for much of his success. “Fortytwo years after I was first introduced to Ithaca…it has (thankfully) better retained what has always made it not only a gorgeous place physically, but a vibrant oasis of education, art, and both rural and progressive values.” He added that “we became ourselves in Ithaca.” The band still occasionally passes through the area of Ithaca, even headlining the Grassroots Festival in 2008. Baby boomers remain the band’s strongest supporters. According to Lance, the boomers come for “...the soundtrack of their lives.” But longevity is finite; it Se p te m b e r

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doesn’t last forever. When asked why this is the final tour, Lance explained, “I’m 73. I’m not retiring from music, just the road. It’s too difficult to get anywhere between airlines and weather.” After 55 years together, the tour will end in March. Asked about the future, Hoppen looks forward to working with a consortium of players to create what he describes as “a multi-act private show” called Rock Unlimited. An idea first envisioned by his brother Larry, world-class players and singers capable of backing any style of music will gather for a short period of time to rehearse and perform about five shows per year. 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 and directs the Ageless Jazz Band.

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Film

“Late Fame”: Willem Dafoe Is Something of a Poet Himself By Cl e me nt O b ropta

he poet Langston Hughes once asked, “What happens to a dream deferred?” For postal worker Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) in Kent Jones’ new film “Late Fame,” that dream got pushed down deep inside, where it lay dormant like a virus in the bloodstream. Ed Saxberger is not a poet. Not anymore. He published a volume of work in the 1970s titled “Way Past Go,” but his career never took off. Now, Ed seems to have repressed that part of himself, telling himself that he’s made peace with his failure and found joy, contentment, stability, and friendship in the 30-plus years he’s worked as a mailman for New York City. But one fateful meeting throws all of that into disarray. Meyers (Edmund Donovan), a pretentious young NYU grad and poet who lives in a luxury apartment bought on mommy and daddy’s dime, has rediscovered Ed’s work and wants him to meet the other members of his writers’ collective, dubbed “The Enthusiasm Society.” “You wrote a masterpiece,” they tell him, “whether people know about it or not.” Ed’s new fan club is mostly white, babyfaced, nihilistic, and pre-eminently lazy,

“Late Fame” Not rated Directed by Kent Jones Currently playing at Cinemapolis 120 East Green St. LYNN & CARL LEOPOLD contin u ed from page 7

When someone mentions Lynn Leopold, people in the know describe how Lynn played a key role in the City of Ithaca’s program, Ithaca Recycles, which predated Tompkins County’s marvelous curbside recycling program we all depend on. It wasn’t long after Lynn and Carl were settled into their home that Carl became a moving force behind the creation and later expansion of the Finger Lakes Land Trust. Carl was one of the founders and served on the board for many years. One of the bestknown local FLLT projects is the Emerald Necklace, a greenbelt of protected lands around the south end of Cayuga Lake.

Filmed with elegant simplicity on the content to sit around expensive lofts using streets of New York City, “Late Fame” their parents’ credit cards and debating poreminds me of Andrew Haigh’s “45 Years,” etry while deliberately steering clear of the another film about people in the winters political action that defined their Beatnik of their lives forced to confront their heroes. These are the sort of people who treasure Allan Ginsberg for his poetry rather youth. In “45 Years,” a couple’s wedding anniversary is thrown into discordance than his activism and who conveniently when the long-missing corpse of the husforget the man’s outspoken pedophilia and band’s old flame is discovered in a meltproblematic relationships with teenage boys. ing glacier. Both films, character-focused Adding another vehicle to the film’s nine-car stories about broken people reckoning pileup of gender, race, class, and privilege, with repressed pasts, know that every Greta Lee plays the up-and-coming actress person is a collection of scars from forwho’s sleeping around with the Enthusiasm gotten dreams and shattered possibilities, Society one member at a time. Postal worker Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) on the job. (Photo: IMDb/ and they use their small-scale dramas to “We don’t care what schools people went Atsushi Nishijima/Magnolia Pictures) surgically reopen wounds in their proto or who their father is,” Meyers tells Ed, tagonists’ hearts. the sort of nonsense people say when they Recent films like Jim Jarmusch’s all went to expensive private schools and drugs during a sanitation strike in “Light “Paterson” and Wim Wenders’ “Perfect their fathers are all rich. “Reverence for Sleeper,” and gotten locked within a luxDays” similarly portray men working in art is what binds us together. The rest is ury penthouse in “Inside,” Dafoe is now humble blue-collar jobs — Adam Driver just… background noise. The delusional back in the big city, getting early awards as a bus driver and Kōji Yakusho as a trimmings of late-stage capitalism.” Such buzz for his gentle but quietly tormented toilet cleaner, respectively — who seem to dialogue, dripping with contemptible prerole as Ed Saxberger. It’s hardly his most have found the perfect balance of art, life, tension and an abundance of ego, should exciting part, but Dafoe finds the poetry tell you everything you need to know about and work and have consequently attained in Ed with his wide, God-searching eyes enlightenment. Though they’re entertainthese kids. And though they claim to adore and his rugged, craggy looks. ing and even soulful, those films have a Ed’s work, one feels like this can only end Dafoe’s performances are like the tide cloying, fantastical idealism that “Late poorly for the postal worker. — intense, moody, and melodic, equally Fame” thankfully eschews in favor of a Though these kids are annoying and ravenous and gentle, just as capable of more complex, rewarding reality. Ed loves obviously full of it, they have connections. lulling you to sleep as grabbing you and his life, but he hates it, too. He loves his Despite knowing this all feels too good to pulling you out to sea. In “Late Fame,” he friends, but he knows they don’t underbe true, Ed soon finds himself standing must play both the postal worker and stand his love of poetry. He’s still mournon the bow of a ship he thought sank 30 the latent artist, the wounded realist and ing his lost life. years ago, preparing to face his second the incurable dreamer. Of course, he’s Willem Dafoe, our most unlikely A-list wind. And we see that this dream deferred, excellent. star, is the driving force of “Late Fame.” which he claims to have put behind him, Having terrorized New York as the Green is still there, deep within him, yearning to Clement Obropta is a film columnist for Goblin in the “Spider-Man” films, dealt break out again. the Ithaca Times. Local hero, Andrew Zepp’s master’s degree project at Cornell University focused on land trusts. And the rest is history. “The Finger Lakes Land Trust, incorporated in 1989, spurred on by Andy’s research and advocacy is now one of New York’s largest land trusts, protecting over 35,000 acres across a 12-county region. And the amazing array of trails are an enduring part of our landscape.” (https://www.fllt.org/) Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve in Newfield, NY (https://www.naturalburial.org) rests between Cornell’s Arnot Forest and the Newfield State Forest. Carl embraced the idea of “a green burial in natural, serene grasslands habitat surrounded by protected forests”, and was one of the founders of the cemetery. An

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energetic advocate, Lynn, notes that in addition to burials, Greensprings’ 300 acres offer an extensive trail system for quiet walks in that lush and serene setting. Many bereaved families find solace in this peaceful spot, appreciating that natural burials have a much smaller environmental impact than conventional burial methods. In the early 90’s, Lynn, Carl, with friends and colleagues from Ithaca and Binghamton, created the Tropical Forestry Initiative, a reforestation project in Costa Rica. With generous support from local foundations, other donors and the U.S. Forest Service, they planted trees on steep barren hillsides in rough terrain. Lynn: “Within 14 years, the planted trees closed the canopy, turning what was ruined cow

pasture into a young forest. The forest now provides habitat for many species of plants and animals, as well as helping retain rainfall on the land during the wet season.” When someone mentions Lynn Leopold, people reminisce how she assisted Diane Cohen, founder and director of Finger Lakes ReUse. Diane’s visionary program has protected us from living near a huge solid waste hazard, like nearby Seneca Meadows Landfill, provided affordable shopping, and taught us how to reuse and recycle. (See Diane Cohen, ReUse, Ithaca Times, May 27, 2026). Lynn quietly stepped up to serve in many different capacities, serving five nine years as president of the Contin u ed on Page A15

Arts

Cornell Professor Woods Explores History and Architecture of Single-Screen Cinemas By Robe r t Riege r

hile most of us today view the majority of films via the multiplex or streaming, just a few decades ago the single-screen cinema offered the typical experience for viewers around the world. Exploring the architecture and sociocultural history of these theaters, most notably in India, has been the focus of Dr. Mary N. Woods, a Cornell Professor Emerita in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning. Woods recently co-researched and produced a documentary, “Cinema Pe Cinema: The Theatres. The Movies. And Us.” Through interviews and archival photography, the film explores small cinemas and grand picture palaces in India’s major cities. The historic and beautiful theaters offer a place where Indians of all castes, classes, faiths and gender could once gather to experience movies. A free showing of the documentary, including post-screening conversations with Dr. Woods and New Delhi-based Director and Screenwriter Vani Subramanian, will take place on Wednesday, September 30, 6 p.m., at Cornell Cinema in Willard Straight Hall. “Cinema theatres are more than just sites of nostalgia and personal memory,” said Woods. “They were and still are spaces of conflict and community.” In the 1990s, there were an estimated 25,000 Indian LETTERS TO THE EDITOR contin u ed from page 6

for his second term, with his son vowing his dad would be the “most Pro-crypto president ever.” In fact Trump’s family company, World Liberty Financial, is the medium for crypto’s sales, bringing great LYNN & CARL LEOPOLD contin u ed from page 14

ReUse board, among other contributions. Some folks who are not yet regular ReUse shoppers, nor yet aware of the

single screens. Today only 1,000 to 5,000 are functioning as theaters. She said that an organization, Art Deco Trust Mumbai, advocates for cinema preservation, but that the film industry, government, museums and foundations have done little to preserve what remains of the grand history. Woods said that, as a friend and colleague, Subramanian knew she was writing and lecturing on India’s struggling single screens, part of a larger project on Art Deco as the “other” global modern architecture. “Vani invited me to collaborate on a documentary about more than nostalgia for these vanishing theatres,” she said. Woods and Subramanian describe the documentary as “one act of resistance” against forgetting the single screens and their still critical role in fostering community. Woods is the first woman to be tenured at Cornell’s Department of Architecture. She taught and still conducts research on urban, architectural and media histories of the U.S. and India. Along with many articles, she authored several seminal books, including Women Architects in India: Histories of Practice in Mumbai and Delhi (2016); Beyond the Architect’s Eye: Photographs of the American Built Environment (2009); and From Craft to Profession: Practice of Architecture in 19th-Century America (1999). Woods’ scholarship focuses on gender and architectural design, and single-screen

cinemas and how they build community. She’s currently working with several photographers, historians, architects and preservationists to publish works focused on Mumbai’s “architecture of the night” and studies of post-industrial cities, notably Buffalo, Bhopal, New York and Mumbai. A longtime cinephile, Woods taught the first courses on film and architecture in her Cornell college in the early 1990s. “If I didn’t get tenure, I wanted to have fun with my last classes,” she said jokingly. Her dean at the time, Porus Olpadwala, introduced her to his brother-in-law who owned some of Mumbai’s classic picture palaces. “This gave me and Vani incredible entrée to cinemas there and across India,” she said. Woods has informally compared single-screens in Ithaca, such as The State and The Strand (demolished in 1993). “Ithaca has a rich history of single-screen cinemas with some adaptive reuse of earlier buildings,” she said. “That’s a common thread between Ithaca and early Indian cinemas.” In the 1940s, Ithaca had seven movie theaters and The State was an “atmospheric cinema.” Designed as picture palaces in the 1920s, atmospheric theaters allowed filmgoers to feel they were outdoors in distant locales through murals, architecture, and projections of clouds and constellations on ceilings. “They were the immersive or IMAX theaters of their day,” she said.

She has not discovered any Indian atmospheric theaters like The State, likely because there were real courtyard spaces with trees, seating, shrines, and even gardens reserved for women and children. “Many Indian theaters also had changing, dramatic light shows inside before the films began,” says Woods. “Cinema Pe Cinema” has been accepted at many Indian and international film festivals, including a special jury mention at Film Southasia, Kathmandu, Nepal. The free screening is sponsored by Cornell’s South Asia Program and the Migrations Program at the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies.

riches to his family. This, despite the fact that the disadvantages of this financial vehicle include: Price volatility, high energy consumption for crypto mining, and it is used for criminal activities — ie North Korea & Putin use it for money laundering. Also, little or no regulation was written into Trump’s “Genius Act” making it hard on our banking system.

Why did Josh Riley vote for the Genius Act? He has never explained his vote. This is against everything that Elizabeth Warren and other honest politicians have been trying to stem in order to block corruption. I am aware that the crypto industry, at the time that Sam Bankman-Fried was riding high in the industry, used to focus on giving

large donations to politicians to get what they wanted. They deliberately bribed the politicians and bragged about their successful strategy. Weak, lukewarm politicians of both parties love campaign donations. I hope this was not behind Riley’s vote on the Genius Act.” — Dorothy Pomponio, Groton NY

Finger Lakes Land Trust protected green space, with diverse trails and waterfalls, paths and hollows, instead comment that they love singing with Lynn. A music major at Colorado College, music has wafted through Lynn’s life as far back as

she can remember. Since moving here and obtaining a Master’s in Science at Cornell, Lynn has been a joyous part of the Ithaca Community Chorus, Luscinia, the Cornell Chorale, the Cayuga Vocal Ensemble, the Syracuse Schola Cantorum, and the St.

Luke’s Compline Choir. Over the years Lynn has continued her support of all the legacy projects she and Carl have fostered, created, and nurtured; and she has shared her lifelong love of music for all to enjoy for time immemorial.

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Dr. Mary N. Woods, Grand Staircase, New Empire Theater, Kolkata, India, 2017. (Photo: Animesh Nayak)

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A15

ORCHESTRAL SERIES

OPENING NIGHT

Christina Courtin Violin and Voice

Guillaume Pirard Conductor A fiery and funny peek into the halls of power that asks what it means to lead, and what it takes to save a country.

GIANT-PROOF September 19, 2026 at 7:30 pm FORD HALL, ITHACA COLLEGE SINGLE TICKETS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS STILL AVAILABLE AT: CCOithaca.org

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Phone: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Fax: 277-1012 (24 Hrs Daily)

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Music Bars/Bands/Clubs

9/9 Wednesday Schuyler Power Hour | Captain Bill&’s | 5 p.m.

9/12 Saturday JOHN SIMON AND CAL WALKER with Sing Me a Story! Read Me a Song! | 1 p.m. | Tompkins County Public Library Thaler/Howell Room, 101 East Green Street | Free Rachel Beverly Live | 6 p.m., 10 Pinckney Rd., Ithaca

Concerts/Recitals

9/9 Wednesday The Jersey Tenors | 2 p.m. | Cortland Repertory Theatre, 6795 Little York Lake Rd.

9/10 Thursday

Close to You: The Music of The Carpenters | 2 p.m. | Cortland Repertory Theatre, 6795 Little York Lake Rd.

Stage Dom Martyr | 5:30 p.m., 9/11 Friday | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Road | Come to South Hill Cider and enjoy local live music with a view!

Orleans — Final Tour | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St.

Lifelong Fall Fling 2026 | 6 p.m., 9/11 Friday | Lifelong, Library Place (enter from Cayuga St.), 105 W Court St. | $12.00

9/11 Friday Live Music — Unreal City | 6 p.m. | Hopshire Farms & Brewery, 1771 Dryden Rd.

Comedy Improv Show starring the Puzzled Players | 8 p.m., 9/11 Friday | $15.00

9/12 Saturday

9th Annual Oktoberfest Celebration | 2 p.m., 9/12 Saturday | Liquid State Brewing Company, 620 W Green St. | It’s for all ages! | $0.00 - $31.00

9/13 Sunday

Bryan Jacobson Live | 6 p.m. | Brewers Taproom, 10 Pinckney Rd.

CONCERT: John Craigie | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St.

9/13 Sunday

9/15 Tuesday

German and Taiwanese (CU Music) | 3 p.m. | Barnes Hall at Cornell University, 129 Ho Plaza | Free

Music in the Glen Tuesday and Saturday concerts | 6 p.m. | Glendale Park, 400 Glendale Drive

THISWEEK

9/16 Wednesday

Film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with Dominique Thorne ‘19 at Willard Straight Theatre | 6 p.m.,

LIFELONG FALL FLING 2026 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 FROM 6:00 P.M. TO 8:00 P.M.

Lifelong Library Place, enter from Cayuga St. | Celebrate the fall season at Lifelong Lifelong’s annual gathering featuring an exclusive live concert and dance party with the incredible Radio London! Enjoy a selection of tasty bites, wines, and craft beers. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with the community and dance the night away. Some tickets may be available at the door, but don’t take any chances, reserve your ticket in advance! (Photo: Provided) https://www.ithaca.com/calendar/#!/details/ lifelong-fall-fling-2026/19786680/2026-09-11T18

18 t h e I t h a c a t I m e S / S e p t e m b e r 9 – 1 5 , 2 0 2 6

9/9 Wednesday | Cornell University, 144 East Ave. |

into a tragedy of cosmic proportions. | NA 157 mins

PMA Presents: An Evening with Dominique Thorne ‘19 | 7 p.m., 9/10 Thursday | Kiplinger Theatre, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, 430 College Ave. | Free

Misery | After a serious car crash, novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who claims to be his biggest fan. As Sheldon devises plans for escape, Annie grows increasingly controlling, even violent, as she forces the author to shape his writing to suit her twisted fantasies. | NA 107 mins

Fall World Cinema: 12 Masterpieces from Around the World | 1:30 p.m., 9/15 Tuesday | Lifelong, 119 W. Court St. | $10.00 - $50.00 Special Screening of POWER ALLEY (Levante) | 7 p.m., 9/15 Tuesday | Cornell University, 144 East Ave. | The Department of Performing and Media Arts (PMA) and Cornell Cinema will present a special screening of Power Alley (Levante), the acclaimed feature film directed by Brazilian filmmaker. Reproductive Rights Film Festival | 7 p.m., 9/15 Tuesday | Cinemapolis, 120 E. Green Street. | The Reproductive Rights Film Festival, New York State’s only film festival dedicated to reproductive rights, returns to Ithaca this September with four free screenings at Cinemapolis (120 E.) | Free Film Screening: “Bombshell” (2026) at Cornell Cinema, Auditorium | 6 p.m., 9/16 Wednesday | Cornell University, 144 East Ave. | Cinemapolis 120 E Green St., Ithaca New movies opening the week of September 09. Contact Cinemapolis for showtimes and continuing films.

Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger | Experience the meteoric rise of Oasis through rare footage and untold stories as the band reunites for Oasis Live ’25, chronicling their journey from Manchester streets to global rock stardom. | NA 122 mins The Uprising | Andrew Garfield stars as the legendary leader of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II. As war burns across England, he forms an army of the people to face the King’s might in a fight for justice and survival. | NA 127 mins The Samurai and The Prisoner | When Lord Murashige rises up against the tyrannical Oda, he finds himself besieged within the walls of his own castle. With Oda’s army closing in and a traitor hiding among his ranks, Murashige is forced into an uneasy alliance with Kanbei, a brilliant and dangerous strategist held prisoner in the dungeon, as he must outwit his enemies and uncover the truth before time runs out. | NA 147 mins

Sludge War | Exclusive screening of The Sludge War, a five-year investigative documentary. There will be a post-screening Q&A with director Galassia Grassetto, Murray McBride, Professor Emeritus at Cornell University, and other special guests. | NA 80 mins

The Eyes of Ghana | GLOBAL LENS — Back in the 1950s and 1960s, Chris Hesse was the personal cameraman to Ghana’s revolutionary leader Kwame Nkrumah. Nkrumah was deposed in a coup and his rivals sought to destroy all his filmed records. But Hesse found a way to preserve over 1,300 reels. As Hesse nears the end of his life, we watch him share his legacy with the young Ghanaian filmmaker Anita Afonu. | NA 90 mins.

Hope | In the remote South Korea village of Hope Harbor, police chief Bumseok (Hwang Jung- min) and officer Sung-ae (Hoyeon) are called to find a mysterious creature that has wreaked havoc on the village. What begins as ignorance plants the seed of disaster, escalating through human conflict

Cinema Nomad: Nepal | Free Screening and talkback with director Stephanie Gardner and director of photography / producer Duprelon Tizdale, moderated by Natasha Raheja, Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Performing & Media Arts at Cornell University. This screening will

JOHN GORKA AT THE NIGHT EAGLE CAFE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 FROM 6:00 P.M. TO 8:00 P.M.

Lansing Area Performance Hall, 1004 Auburn Road | John Gorka is perhaps the quintessential iconic singer-songwriter of the 80s and 90s folk scene. Hailing from New Jersey, but forged in the Greenwich Village Fast Folk scene, he honed his craft and persona into an unmistakable image. (Photo: Provided) https://www.nighteaglecafe.org

feature an episode on Nepal: From road trips to the jungles and flatlands of Nepal, to walking the streets of old royal cities, to a 14-day trek in the Himalayas, we discover Nepal’s diversity in terms of ethnicities, languages, and landscapes. | NA 90 mins. The Lobster | In a dystopian near future, single people, according to the laws of The City, are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in 45 days or are transformed into animals and sent oﬀ into The Woods. | NA 118 mins.

Special Events Ithaca is Books Festival | 10 a.m., 9/12 Saturday | Ithaca Commons, 102 East State Street | Migration Celebration | 10 a.m., 9/12 Saturday | Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd. | Join the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for a full day of free walks, workshops, presentations, live birds of prey, and fun exhibits. | Free BLACK ROSE PSYCHIC FAIR | 10 a.m., 9/12 Saturday | Elks Lodge, 223 FRONT ST | September 12th ... Alonnie & Anvile with Black Rose Productions will be holding the BLACK ROSE PSYCHIC FAIR. | Free Future Firefighters Fun Fest | 12 p.m., 9/12 Saturday | Eldridge Park, Eldridge Park Road | Ellis Hollow Fair | 12 p.m., 9/12 Saturday | Ellis Hollow Community Center, 111 Genung Rd. | The Ellis Hollow Fair Sept. 12 from noon to 5 p.m. has food, games, sales, and tons of fun for all ages. | Free Ithaca Fall Vintage Festival | 11 a.m., 9/13 Sunday | Ithaca Commons, 102 East State Street |

Books History Buffs’ Book Club | 6:30 p.m., 9/10 Thursday | Cortland Free Library, 32 Church St. |

Notices Volunteer Day at Groundswell Center | 5 p.m., 9/9 Wednesday | Groundswell Incubator Farm, 100 Rachel Carlson Way | Free First Dirty Soda Club Meeting at Campus Center | 6 p.m., 9/9

ITHACA STUDENT-LED PROGRAM SECURES contin u ed from page 4

divided responsibilities according to their strengths and interests. The group had two main divisions — a grant-writing team and a technology team — alongside individual roles involving financial management and meeting documentation. Students initially met weekly to assign tasks, track progress, and coordinate updates. Once participants were selected, the team shifted to hosting weekly sessions at the Quaker Meetinghouse. Asperschlager said the six-week program sessions began with group icebreakers and planning exercises designed to help participants structure their project goals. Students then broke into small peer groups to share progress updates, troubleshoot challenges, and offer feedback, fulfilling the initiative’s mission of structured peer support. OPT In outreach coordinator Abby Coakley contributed to the application by submitting a student reflection — a 300-word piece detailing the Lead4Change leadership curriculum’s impact and explaining why the team deserved funding. Coakley facilitated weekly meetings that opened with a team-building exercise and “visual timelines,” where participants displayed photos illustrating their project progress. Students then joined small groups of four to troubleshoot challenges and participated in interactive feedback exercises, including “reciprocity rings,” where participants posted questions on a wall for peers to write suggestions and offer assistance. Coakley said the grant provides long-term stability for OPT IN with guaranteed funding for at least two annual cycles, ensuring continuation after senior leadership graduates. She noted the expanded budget will allow OPT In to increase resources toward marketing, venue spaces, and event supplies. Michaelides said her interest in psychology sparked OPT In’s creation. While researching local teen loneliness and mental health for a journalism class at TEEN DAY Ithaca, Michaelides began studying the concept of intrinsic motivation and its impact on adolescent well-being. This led her to consider how a supportive, peer-led

TREE BODY SOUND

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 FROM 10:00 A.M. TO 11:30 A.M.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13 AT 2:00 P.M.

Jackson Grove at Cornell FR Newman Arboretum | A free outdoor dance and music performance celebrating our interconnection with trees that travels between three sites at the F.R. Newman Arboretum on September 11 at 6:45 p.m.: September 12 at 2:00 p.m. and September 13 at 2:00 p.m. (Photo: Provided) https://www.purplepass.com/events/381253-jazzensemble-children-s-concert-sep-5th-2026

Ithaca Children’s Garden, 121 Turtle Lane | Join The History Center in Tompkins County for a charming hunt through the Ithaca Children’s Children Garden. Pick up your treasure hunt activity sheet from the outdoor kitchen pagoda, and then plan to spend an hour traversing the gardens, finding clues, and unscrambling words. (Photo: Provided) https://www.thehistorycenter.net/events/ the-childrens-treasure-hunt

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THISWEEK

CHILDREN’S TREASURE HUNT CHILDREN

community could help local youth pursue self-directed passion projects. “What can we do or what might be interesting to do as a community of teens in the Ithaca area to really promote that intrinsic motivation and to work on these self-directed projects together as a community,” Michaelides said. “That was where the idea originally came from.” Michaelides said groundwork for OPT In began during her junior year through the Lead4Change leadership program. Michaelides later used that leadership curriculum to help launch OPT In, drafting the initial grant applications in the fall of her senior year. The rest of the 11-member student team joined over the winter and spring to finalize the framework and secure funding. Varrichio recalled Michaelides asked her to serve as a faculty advisor during the 2024–25 academic year. Once Varrichio agreed, Michaelides recruited a small student team and took full control of running the program. Varrichio said the Lead4Change curriculum required students to design a community project, build an operational plan, and draft a grant proposal. The TEEN DAY team focused on two goals: funding scholarships and laptop loans for its Model United Nations team and creating a microgrant program, which became OPT In. The team succeeded in securing an initial $10,000 grant for both initiatives. Varrichio said the students were inspirational and managed the entire process with minimal oversight, operating with a level of structure and efficiency that rivaled most adult-run organizations. “I’ve actually used their grant application from last year as a model to apply for a totally separate grant this year,” Varrichio said. Michaelides is entering her freshman year at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, where she plans to explore studies in psychology. She expressed excitement for OPT IN’s future. “It’s definitely so exciting to see the people that I was working with last year really stepping up and taking on these leadership roles and continuing the program,” Michaelides said. “I know that it’s in such good hands and I’m really excited to see what they do with it.”

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