Letters

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level, for example helping to implement the $32 million Green Facilities and Fleet Capital Program passed last year. The goal of the program is to decarbonize the County’s facilities and fleet by 2026.

The Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) also created powerful tools to fight climate change, starting with its “Density Policy” (now called the Community Incentive Investment Tax Abatement Program, or CIITAP), combating sprawl and creating a more sustainable — and economically viable — city center.

We incentivized solar development, enabling more than a dozen major projects to be built, providing solar to thousands of Tompkins County residents. The Enhanced Energy Incentive Policy gave builders just the boost they needed to invest in state-of-the-art green buildings. In at least six projects, totaling more than 800 apartments, builders proved that heat pumps can work in multi-story buildings.

Tompkins County has had enthusiastic municipal partners along the way! Counties in New York don’t have the power to enforce building codes or land use regulations, so it’s been critical that the Town of Dryden and the City and Town of Ithaca have been forging new ground with their codes, to make sure new buildings will be nearly fossil-free.

What’s next? What are today’s high school students calling on us to do now? It’s safe to say that young people, speaking up at a critical moment, inspired the City of Ithaca to take bolder action than it had before. The Ithaca Green New Deal can be traced directly to those voices. [Former] Mayor Svante Myrick should count among his many accomplishments hiring the city’s first-ever Director of Sustainability. Luis Aguirre Torres has been setting in motion the City’s ambitious building electrification project, with the additional goals of promoting equity through green job development, and upgrading housing for low-and moderateincome residents.

Local governments, businesses, and non-profits in Tompkins County have been leaders throughout the state for more than two decades now, finding innovative and practical solutions to address the climate challenges we face. We can be proud of what we’ve done so far, even as we recognize there’s so much more to be done.

Martha Robertson was a Tompkins County Legislator from 2002 – 2022 representing the Town of Dryden and a member of the Industrial Development Agency from 2006 – 2022.

THE TALK AT

YOUR LETTERS

Re: Real Crime Data in the Wake of Disinformation

In her opinion piece published in last week’s Ithaca Times, Alana Byrd forgot to mention who she works for. Ms. Byrd moved to Ithaca last fall to take up a lobbying and organizing position funded by People For the American Way (PFAW), a national not for profit “progressive advocacy” organization. Our own former mayor, Svante Myrick (whom I consider a friend), has worked part time for PFAW for the past 4 or 5 years. He has now taken a full time position as PFAW’s Executive Director. Ms. Byrd has landed in Ithaca as a “hired pen,” tasked with helping Svante promote his vision of what police reimagining should be. PFAW’s website is already boasting about what they call “the Ithaca Model.” In fact, this model is far from being fully built. Common Council and the citizens of Ithaca won’t even see the initial recommendations of the Reimagining Task Force until this week. Ms. Byrd’s opinions may express the positions of herself and her employer, but they demonstrate a lack of familiarity with IPD and do not shed new light.

Ms. Byrd clearly doesn’t care much for the Ithaca City Police Officers’ union, the Ithaca Police Benevolent Association, or PBA. This is not surprising because the PBA and former mayor Myrick have been at loggerheads off and on for years. Some of the PBA’s statements about Mayor Myrick have been over-personal and inaccurate, in my opinion. Some of their Facebook posts have been less than helpful in bringing our community together. That said, it is understandable that PBA union membership, who went without a contract for the past 10 years of the Myrick administration, might be concerned about losing their jobs going forward. Cops are career professionals. They have families, too… For Ms. Byrd to claim that the PBA is attempting to scare the public and use disinformation as their “primary ammunition” is an exaggeration, and demonstrates a lack of understanding and empathy for both our IPD officers and for the residents of Ithaca.

In a letter to a West Hill newsletter written last December (in which she also failed to mention who she works for), Ms. Byrd argued that “IPD officers aren’t doing their jobs,” and that “their workforce could be cut.” I strongly disagree with this statement. If you have only lived in Ithaca for a short time, you wouldn’t know that IPD used to have enough staffing for neighborhood bike patrols and walking beats. IPD had more investigators with broader training, a traffic law enforcement detail, more cultural sensitivity training and more time for real community policing. These are the very services that Ithacans are asking for in the reimagining outreach sessions. Currently, some IPD shifts are so understaffed that when more than one or two major incidents happen in the City at the same time there are not enough officers on duty to respond to each call.

Ms. Byrd writes that our concerns about recent rolling gun battles in Ithaca are overblown. She explains that they were caused by individuals engaged in personal conflicts; that these shootings don’t represent a structural change in the violence level here. Ithacans, regardless of their skin color, ethnicity or socioeconomic standing, don’t care if the people driving through their neighborhood shooting at each other know each other or not. They want the violence to stop. People want to feel secure letting their children play outside. They don’t like bullet holes in their houses. It doesn’t matter if these crimes happen more or less than a couple years ago, or ten years ago. There is too much gun fire and violence in our neighborhoods now.

I wonder if Ms. Byrd has had any interactions with IPD since her arrival in Ithaca. Has she actually spoken with any of our officers? That might better inform her. It’s easy to put political spin on a complex issue, especially when you are trained and hired to do so. We don’t need spin. We need racial healing. We need for IPD officers to spend more time out of their cars, interacting with and helping all of our residents. We need honest open communication, and respect for everyone.

One thing Ms. Byrd says in her op-ed sounds pretty good, and that is, “To ensure safety, both real and felt, we have to ensure a positive, trusting relationship between every officer and every member of our community, regardless of their background.” Well yes, that is what we want. And I believe that is what IPD officers want also.

-George McGonigal City of Ithaca Common Council First Ward

Contrary to your claim, as someone who has lived in the Ithaca area for over 15 years it is clear that crime is on the rise here. And not just thefts as you mention but violent crime, stabbings, shootings and murder. I believe that the IPD does a good job of being culturally diverse in its hiring and culturally sensitive in its practices. They deserve support for the job they are doing. The idea that one police office costs $150,000 is ludicrous and makes all of your other arguments that much less believable. A quick visit to the city website shows that police officers make $44,891 starting salary and a top salary of $70,222. Which is 7-10% below industry average. As a social worker I saw the need for a different response to the mental health crisis that befalls our community and country in general and I am sure that the IPD would welcome more help in that regard. Adding non-armed peace officers to deal with nonemergency mental health crises is a great idea and this can be accomplished while keeping the police force intact. -Brion Scimae, via Ithaca.com

Oh please, bank robberies every few months and regular armed robbery on the Commons [are] not “personal disputes.” -Jon Lucente, via Ithaca.com

Thanks so much, Alana Byrd, for this thoughtful article. We can’t remind one another enough, especially in the wake of the dishonest efforts of the PBA to manipulate crime statistics, that the overwhelming majority of the crimes that are so easy to sensationalize are being committed by a handful of seriously mentally ill individuals who need the intensive support that is not being provided here or nationally. This is the real crime of unconscionable levels of wealth inequality and it can be addressed only by fair taxation of the 1% and guaranteed living wages or guaranteed income. Such policies may sound radical to a public drowning in misinformation, but plenty of mainstream economists have come to the same conclusions as Marx, while rejecting violent revolution in favor of sane social policy. Increasing numbers of CEO’s are facing the fact that current levels of wealth inequality are destroying the entire system, in addition to the dignity of all. -Barbara Regenspan, via Ithaca.com Write to us!

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To the Editor, Ithaca Times, 109 N Cayuga St., Ithaca, NY 14850

Goodbye Marshall :(

Marshall Hopkins, who has been the production director and designer at this newspaper since the summer of 2015, is moving on to a job as a book designer for the Cornell University Press this month. During his six years at the Times, he spearheaded workflow efficiencies, created a new template, and designed over 280 covers. In the process, he helped the newspaper win numerous prestigious design awards, including the NY Press Association’s award for Overall Design Excellence, twice, once in 2017 and once in 2020.

SPOTLIGHT 9 black-owned businesses to watch for

By Lyndsey Honor

Ithaca’s a prime location for growing businesses. There’s always heavy traffic of prospective students, natives, and tourists alike trying to navigate the space.

The balance between rural and urban culture that exists allows for a greater diversity in the services that businesses can provide. The natural gorges and the abundance of land create opportunities that are unique to the city setting.

The demographic of people also contributes to Ithaca’s strong business diversity. There are hundreds of small businesses built from the ground up here, all standing on strong moral values. Many of these businesses are Black-owned and have had success despite the effects of the pandemic shutdown and systematic oppression.

Sharing and advertising Black-owned businesses helps them reach larger audiences. Starting up and maintaining a business for anyone is difficult, but minority business owners are disadvantaged.

Business Leaders of Colors is a resource for business owners of all identities and consumers in the Ithaca area. This network serves as an inclusive space for business owners to share their expertise, promote their services and learn from other professionals. Their efforts are devoted to collecting resources and building the space for underserved, minority business owners to succeed.

There are more than 50 Black-owned businesses in Ithaca that residents can support in Ithaca. Below, we get to know nine Black business owners.

AUSTIN ANGEL FASHIONS AUSTIN ANGEL Since 1983, Austin Angel has traveled the world as a fashion designer. He started off as a model for Barbizon Modeling but decided that his interests lied more in the design process.

In May 2021, Angel decided it was time to settle, and after much research, he landed in Ithaca.

“I draw much inspiration from nature,” Angel said. “I needed to find someplace that had four seasons because there’s nothing more beautiful than the colors of transformation.”

Angel specializes in elegant evening wear but has found that his sportswear options are most popular here. However, there’s still a market for his elegant dresses.

“One of my favorite things about being a fashion designer is the strength of creative impulses,” Angel said. “I can look at a piece of fabric and go, ‘There it is. That’s the dress.’ Sometimes a sketch will sit in my book for years, but one day a pretty bird will fly by, and I’ll suddenly feel inspired to create.”

Angel currently has a window display at 113 W. State St. He’s always open to collaborations and would love to work on film or theatre projects in the Ithaca area.

You can find him on Instagram, @austin.angel.31337194, or email him at john.angel1959@yahoo.com for business inquiries.

He’s also on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Austin-Austin-Angel-Fashions-316443712258986/

BAD HOMBRE TATTOO MUHAMMAD JONES Muhammad Jones has been tattooing for two years. He started out as an apprentice at a shop that he felt wasn’t honoring his expertise, so he decided to open Bad Hombre Tattoo as a means to focus on his craft.

Jones considers himself to be a black and gray fine line artist. He’s willing to experiment with other styles, but he’s best known for his line work. “I have a passion for the power of tattoo art,” Jones said. “Many of my own tattoos have great meaning to me and I love providing my clients with artwork that helps them define themselves and feel more confident in their bodies.” Jones values his work in the tattoo world because he has the opportunity to work against stigmatism.

“For a long time, people with tattoos were labeled as criminals, drug addicts and people less worthy of respect,” Jones said. “Fortunately, tattoos are becoming much more accepted and embraced for the art.”

Bad Hombre Tattoo is located at 950 Danby Rd. and Jones’ studio is suite 38-F.

His website is: https://www.badhombretattoo.com/#

“We’re business owners like any other trying to advertise what we offer. Don’t support us just because we’re Black. Support us because our missions align with your values and, more importantly, because our services satisfy your needs.” -KC Sawyer from Rashida Sawyer Bakery

Austin Angel Wendy Rizzo

BLUE OYSTER CULTIVATION & MUSHROOM SPIRITS WENDY RIZZO Joe and Wendy Rizzo have operated Blue Oyster Cultivation since 2009. Their business started as an extension to Joe Rizzo’s botany work but really kicked off when they started experimenting with mushrooms. These can be found at the Ithaca Farmers’ Market and at Union Square Greenmarket in New York City.

In 2020, the Rizzos launched their new business, Mushroom Spirits, as a means to experiment with mushroom-infused liquor, a new and unique technology.

“We just tried different infusions until we perfected the taste,” Wendy Rizzo said.

Mushroom Spirits is located at 4055 Route 89 in Seneca Falls, New York. Their spirit tasting room is currently reservation only, but in mid-March, it will be open full-time. When they open, Mushroom Spirits will be premiering cocktails and a few new products.

DALE COOPER, LMT Dale Cooper was the first Black man to be licensed in massage therapy in the Ithaca area after graduating from the now-defunct Finger Lakes School of Massage in 2001.

Cooper first learned about the art of body massage while he was incarcerated. He’s open about his history with drug addiction and owes a lot of his recovery to the healing process of body work.

“I’m a native Ithacan,” Cooper said. “I practice here as a means to make amends for the trouble I caused in my past. And I’m grateful for the second chance I’ve been given.”

Equity is a huge part of the work Cooper does. Money is not the determining factor when it comes to providing his services. He knows that he’s a facilitator of healing in an area where resources aren’t always accessible. He’s willing to work with clients, often exchanging massage sessions for home-cooked dinners.

Star Utter Rashida Sawyer Amanda David Christa Nuñez

“I try to meet people where they’re at,” Cooper said. “Everyone’s deserving of a second chance at life and the healing properties of massage can do just that.”

Cooper’s practice is located at 108 S. Albany St. View his website: https://dalecooperlmt.com/

DOG GROOMING BY STAR STAR UTTER Star Utter opened Dog Grooming by Star four years ago after noticing a lack of noncorporate grooming options in the greater Ithaca area.

Utter currently performs house calls and takes all of their equipment with them. They’re able to set up indoors or outdoors, whichever is more convenient space-wise. Clients are only expected to provide the towels necessary for drying off their dogs.

“I really do enjoy house calls,” Utter said. “While it would be nice to have a facility in the future, grooming a dog in their own home helps to ease their anxieties. It certainly makes my job easier because they’re relaxed and tend to trust me more.”

Utter’s services are fully inclusive. When you book with them, you book a complete grooming package, which includes a bath, 15 minutes of brushing, your desired haircut and more. https://doggroomingbystar.webs.com/

RASHIDA SAWYER BAKERY SAWYER FAMILY From the 1980s through the 1990s, Loraine Rashida Sawyer ran a small bakery, catering to the Ithaca Farmers’ Market before stopping to raise her family.

Meanwhile, KC Sawyer, her son, has traveled all over the country trying hundreds of delectable desserts, but nothing could compare to the taste of her recipes. So in 2018, Sawyer gathered his family together as a means to share his mother’s recipes with the world. They started with a small virtual bakery business, which was a huge benefit during the pandemic.

In August 2021, with the assistance of his family, Sawyer opened up Rashida Sawyer Bakery at 110 W. Green St.

“We have the makeness of a strong team,” Sawyer said. “We’re close and connected, each with a different skill set, so it gives us a greater degree to work through things.”

Sawyer wants the Ithaca area to know that Rashida Sawyer Bakery is “Sawyer-style.”

“We make what the Sawyers like, which is southern and soul, deeply rooted in our culture,” Sawyer said. “We hope that customers will learn to appreciate our taste. We’re welcoming you into our kitchen. That’s what you can expect.”

View their website at: https://rashidasawyer.com/

ROOTWORK HERBALS AMANDA DAVID Amanda David first discovered herbalism years ago. She found that most plants have medicinal properties and yearned to find out more.

“Plant medicine goes beyond the physical realm,” David said. “There are plants that can relieve symptoms, but there are also ones that can help to heal spiritual and mental health.”

David started People’s Medicine School at Rootwork Herbals as an initiative to make plant medicine more accessible. In her lessons, she aims to teach students that people can form relationships with plants.

“More than anything else, I want people to reclaim herbal medicine,” David said. “Ithaca has an abundance of plant life and everyone has the right to explore it.”

David also facilitates the Jane Minor BIPOC Community Medicine Garden, which is located in Brooktondale, New York, at 40 Burns Rd. This garden brings people of color together in a communal space that offers healing. The garden features a free herbal medicine cabinet, as well as other goodies for visitors.

Rootwork Herbals is located at 118 W. Green St. You can view her website at: https:// www.rootworkherbals.com/

THE LEARNING FARM CHRISTA NUÑEZ Christa Nuñez started the Learning Farm to enrich her children’s growth. She knew that she wanted to raise her family with healthy eating habits and learned along the way that other people were similarly interested.

At the Learning Farm, Nuñez teaches that everyone has a home in nature and that they belong in green spaces.

“I try to remind students that their relationships with plants and the earth will help to protect the planet,” Nuñez said. “My students study nature in order to inspire art, but their interactions with plants also help them strengthen their skills in math and science. We foster intellectual growth here.”

Nuñez also runs Khuba International, a non-profit organization that provides land access for families with disadvantaged backgrounds. With their allotted land, families can learn to grow their own food and businesses in an equitable way.

Nuñez encourages all landowners interested in the Khuba initiative to email khuba@ gmail.com.

The Learning Farm is located at 272 Enfield Falls Rd. Learn more at https://thelearningfarmjuicery.org/ and https://khubainternational.org/

VIA’S COOKIES OLIVIA CARPENTER Olivia Carpenter has been baking cookies since her freshman year of high school. Now in her final semester at Ithaca College, Carpenter finds pride in that she still uses her original recipe.

Carpenter opened Via’s Cookies in January 2021 and has seen exponential growth in her first year of business. She draws great inspiration from Emmy’s Organics, a company founded by Samantha Abrams in 2008. Carpenter admires what Abrams has accomplished and wants to follow in their footsteps when it comes to planning the future of Via’s Cookies. She’s already started by incorporating traditional, vegan, and gluten-free options.

Carpenter ultimately opened Via’s Cookies so that she could play a role in helping minority groups escape what she calls the “shackles of capitalism.”

“I want to use my business to help others from where I am,” Carpenter said. “I know first-hand of the financial struggles that minorities face. I learned early on that you can choose to make a difference at any point in your life. Here I am, hoping that one day I can use Via’s Cookies to supply grants to underprivileged students.”

Carpenter has already started this initiative, as 5% of all orders are donated to struggling minority students.

Via’s Cookies can be ordered in bulk online, or found locally at Ithaca Bakery, GreenStar, and the Trumansburg Farmers’ Market.

Learn more at https://viascookies.com/ pages/home

For a more comprehensive list of Blackowned businesses in the Ithaca area, refer to the Business Leaders of Colors website. https://www.businessleadersofcolors. com/black-business-owners-1

In the wake of COVID-19, there has been a strong initiative to support Black-owned businesses. Black business owners were disproportionately affected by the financial burdens of the pandemic and were forced to shut down more often than white business owners.