SPORTS

There Are Always Compelling Stories When Women Are Swimmin’

By Steve Lawrence

Given high school and collegiate athletics are not in action in the summer, there are times when July and August can make a sports writer have to dig a little deeper to nd stories. Not so when Women Swimmin’ takes place. e challenge the event—an annual fundraiser for Hospicare & Palliative Care Services—presents stems from the fact that there are hundreds of compelling individual story lines, and in the 19 years the event has been held, I have tried to capture a few of them. is year, I picked two.

First, I was grateful when Brenna Fitzgerald—Hospicare’s Communications Coordinator—told me about Ashley Mungiello and her family. Ashley has taken part in Women Swimmin’ for 14 years, serving as a support boater with her father, while her mother, her sister and some friends made the 1.2-mile swim across the lake. I learned this year’s swim gave Ashley a di erent perspective on the fundraiser, as an email from Brenna informed me that “Ashley’s dad died peacefully last summer with the support of Hospicare’s team of caregivers.”

19 years, 290 swimmers, 160 boaters, over a half a million dollars raised. An amazing local story. (Photo: Paul Fairbanks)

Continued on Page 7

Out Of The Car

By Stephen Burke

Aer an all-time high of around $5 a gallon in June, gasoline has dropped to its lowest price since March, now that few people are planning any more long vacation trips.

Don’t think the oil companies don’t care about socio-economic conditions. e price of gas has decreased from the extortionate to merely exorbitant because people are buying less of it: a textbook case of supply and demand. A recent poll by the American Automobile Association showed that, due to high gas prices, a majority of Americans are taking steps (so to speak) to reduce their car use, either by walking, biking, consolidating trips, ridesharing, or using public transportation.

Saving money is good. Of course, there are other excellent reasons to shun car use, such as saving the planet and saving lives.

Gasoline use is a major source of climate change. It produces over 20 pounds of carbon dioxide and other climatewarming gases per gallon in its extraction, production and combustion.

Each year in the U.S. over 35,000 people die in car accidents. Almost 10 percent are teenagers. Car crashes are the leading cause of death worldwide among people ages een to twenty-nine.

Less grimly, but signi cantly, keeping out of cars can help one’s general physical, mental and emotional health. e physical bene ts of walking and biking are clear. Less obvious, but also real, are the psychological travails one avoids by not driving.

You know: road rage. If you think this is a limited or easily avoidable problem, try this simple test today, or any day: Get on Route 13 in downtown Ithaca. Try to change lanes. Prepare for trauma or death. Every driver in every lane is tailgating the car in front of them to prevent lane changes from happening in front of them, which is seen as a personal insult severe enough to warrant immediate destruction.

Something about car travel is so isolating and alienating that somehow your fellow travelers will sooner commit vehicular manslaughter than, for instance, let you take a le into Ithaca Bakery; or comfortably get where you’re going in general.

In his new book, “Two Wheels Good: e History and Mystery of the Bicycle,” journalist Jody Rosen supplies a pithy quote from writer Iris Murdoch in a novel from 1965: “ e bicycle is the most civilized transport known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure at heart.” e bike is cheap, clean and simple to use. In providing mobility along with independence and anonymity—no licenses or registration required—the bicycle is singularly liberating. (Rosen quotes Susan B. Anthony from 1896: “Bicycling…has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.”) e bicycle has long been construed as a political instrument. Rosen notes that one of Adolf Hitler’s rst political targets was a German cycling union “which was associated with anti-Nazi political parties and was capable of assembling tens of thousands of cyclists in the streets.” e bicycle was crucial to the assemblies in China’s Tiananmen Square, where countless thousands of riders gathered, ultimately eeing soldiers and tanks. It has been central in the U.S. recently to Occupation and autonomous zone protests and to Black Lives Matter demonstrations, providing means of mass array and avoiding arrest.

Ithaca is a politically progressive place and a good biking town. Topographically, it has its ups and downs, with a nice at downtown, but hills all around. But the town shows invention and innovation in having buses with bike racks to help negotiate those inclines for those so inclined. Every bus has one, the rst bus system in New York to incorporate them eet-wide.

In various locations around town you can nd a free Ithaca and Tompkins County Bicycle Map, a handy and valuable resource. e map shows city streets color-coded for biking suitability. It denotes marked bike lanes, paths restricted to non-motorized use, and o -road links (described as “paths and sidewalks used as shortcuts by bicyclists and pedestrians, not approved as formal trails”). It maps Ride Suggestions, such as a Two Gorges Route linking Taughannock Falls and Treman State Parks (28 miles round trip, “moderate” level). It lists local biking resources, such as Recycle Ithaca’s Bicycles and Bike Walk Tompkins.

The Talk at

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Endorsing Leslie Danks Burke

Iam supporting Leslie Danks Burke to represent me in the New York State Senate, and I am asking you to vote for her, too. Years ago, I met Leslie through her organization, Trailblazers PAC, which sought to teach inspired candidates to reach out locally and build their campaigns from the people who they hope to represent. Holding political o ce should not be just about raising money for campaigns. We need people who recognize what needs to be done and work to do just that. In Leslie, I found a candidate who listened to voters, who sought to nd out what they expected and needed from their representatives, who recognized the need to hear all sides of an argument and who knew how to nd solutions. We need a person who is honest, intelligent, and experienced. We need integrity. Leslie Danks Burke has proven to me over the years that she is the Senator we need now. Shelley M. Blackler, Ithaca Endorsing Leslie Danks Burke

Iserve as Minority Leader of the Broome County Legislature, where I have represented District 13 in Binghamton since 2016. I also represented the same area on Binghamton’s City Council for eight years. I love my city and county and want nothing but the best for them. at is why I support Leslie Danks Burke in the Democratic primary for the 52nd State Senate seat.

Leslie shows up, puts in the work, gets the job done! When a crippling April snowstorm cut electric power to Binghamton and the surrounding area, Leslie met as soon as possible with a ected neighbors, constantly posting updates and texting about our plight and nding the help for those who needed it most. She has been a consistent presence throughout our new district advocating for universal healthcare, economic development, a ordable housing and sustainability. Because she knows she will need good partners, she also came to support candidates for town and county o ces. She already has taken on Richard David, former Binghamton mayor, in opeds, texts and posts, and is the candidate he fears. Leslie also has a deep appreciation and knowledge of the economic engines that drive our district: agriculture, medicine and higher education. She would be a fantastic member of the Agricultural or Education Senate Committees. I write this because I believe in her. She is the partner I will need in the Senate.

I look forward to Leslie Danks Burke representing Broome, as well as Cortland and Tompkins County in Albany. Join me and my husband in voting for her on (or before) August 23rd. Bob Weslar, Binghamton Minority Leader, Broome County Legislature

Endorsing Lea Webb

The New York Working Families Party wholeheartedly endorses Lea Webb for NYS Senate. Lea has done more than talk a good game: she has solid accomplishments that demonstrate her commitment to issues a ecting workers and families. She strengthened Binghamton property laws to protect tenants from absentee landlord abuses and property neglect and worked on programs to remove lead from people’s homes. She led the ght to create quality a ordable housing, helping to secure funding to restore 40 run-down properties and build 40 new a ordable housing units. She has fought for years for a ordable healthcare for all, worked with stakeholders to stop the privatization of Broome County nursing homes, and helped bring a pediatric health clinic to underserved residents.

Lea is from a union family, is a proud union member, and she stands with workers. She fought for equal pay legislation and for labor agreements on city contracts. She helped transit workers stop cuts to vital bus routes and has walked many picket lines. Ithaca is the rst city in the country to have all of its corporate Starbucks stores unionized—something we should all be proud of—and Lea is the only candidate in the race who’s shown up for the workers as they fought to unionize and subsequently faced an illegal store closure, the ring of an outspoken union leader, and other anti-union tactics. NYWFP believes that talk is cheap. We support Lea Webb because her record shows she walks the walk for working families. Stephanie Heslop, Ithaca

Chair, Tompkins Working Families Party CU Pouring Money Down A Bore Hole

Iread with interest regarding Cornell’s initiative to proceed with drilling a super deep bore hole on the Ithaca campus. e subject article alluded to the possibility of using geo thermal heat harvested from the bore hole to heat campus buildings. Cornell needs only to look at a [New York State Energy Research & Development Authority] NYSERDA sponsored deep bore hole geo thermal project constructed in the early ‘90’s at Cayuga Community college in Auburn NY, which was a total failure having never yielded anywhere near the anticipated design temperature water required to direct heat campus buildings, despite the expense of installing specially engineered heating equipment. e NYSERDA project involved drilling a mile deep bore hole and recirculating water directly from the well. Intended to be a green system; it ironically only yielded natural gas. e NYSERDA system was abandoned and demolished within a year of its commissioning. Cornell anticipates gleaning data from their deep bore project, but a similar bore hole of over a 40,000-foot depth on the Kona peninsula of Russia has been abandoned as presentday equipment cannot function at conditions found there. [Cornell’s project is] the proverbial money down a rat hole. Bruce Hall, King Ferry Thanks To A Moosewood Pickpocket

Thanks to the thoughtful Moosewood Restaurant pickpocket. Last Sunday night [August 7] when I was eating at the Moosewood Restaurant, you took my wallet out of my bag, carefully just took the credit, debit cards and cash and replaced the wallet back in my bag. Much as I was shaken up and disappointed that such a thing could happen to a 70-year-old lady [visiting] such a wonderful place, I was grateful that you le me my driver’s license and insurance cards and the wallet itself. I admire the fact that I never noticed a thing. I am not sure who all was in on it; surely your companion, possibly the other man with the cute kids, maybe even your dogs? I hope you were not able to actually use any of the cards at the Walmart Supercenter. One small favor, if you do this again, leave $20 for gas. Danci Mock, Roseland, NJ Condemning GIAC Racist Vandalism

On ursday, August 4th an individual, or individuals broke into the Greater Ithaca Activity Center (GIAC) Alex Haley pool, threw everything they could nd not nailed to the ground into the pool, and most troubling, le a racist, threatening handwritten note. We cannot ever get used to these incidents. We cannot simply shake our heads and move on. Actions and words like this create an endless feeling of not being safe for people of color in our community. What GIAC does, they do for the community with great care, and love, and dedication, and this hateful act cannot re ect the community we live in and how we repay their service. In the strongest terms, I condemn these ignorant, sel sh, self-satisfying, and vicious actions, and I recognize these words are nowhere near enough. Dr. Anna R. Kelles, Ithaca Assemblymember, District 125

SPORTS

continued from page 6

Ashley was kind enough to speak with me a few minutes a er Saturday’s event, and she told me, “ is year was particularly impactful, and to have such a personal, wonderful and magical experience with Hospicare really brought its importance into focus.”

Bringing some lightness to our conversation, Ashley said, “I am never up this early!” She added, “It was wonderful to have my mom take part, and our friend, Joey, who we rst met many years ago through the Fresh Air Fund.” (A program that gives kids from NYC an opportunity to experience a few weeks in the summer with host families in more rural areas.) In Ashley’s words, “My dad participated in Women Swimmin’ for 12 years, and I am so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful event, and so grateful for everything Hospicare does.” She added, “I could feel my dad with us on the water.”

I also want to share a story from Saturday’s event that circles back to 2005, when I featured Amy and Nancy Fuhr in this column. e sisters had just taken part in their second Women Swimmin’ in memory of their mother, Annette, who had passed the year before the event began, and in the ensuing years, one or both of them had been in the water for every Women Swimmin’. e Fuhr sisters have been fund raising powerhouses, and the event and the agency mean a lot to them. is year, Amy contracted COVID19 a month ago, and while she feels “a million times better,” it was decided that she should sit this one out. Enter