July 8, 2020

F R E E J u ly 8 , 2 0 2 0 / Vo lume X L , N umb e r 4 6 / O u r 47 t h Ye a r

Online @ ITH ACA .COM

Digital Religion UNBROKEN

PREPARING FOR ELECTION 2020

A movement begins to help the West End

As evictions loom, Cornell starts hotline to help

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PROMISES

THE WAVE

KELLES, VAN HOUTEN, Peacock win primaries PAGE 3

COMEDY

A TRIP DOWN

FLOPS

AURORA STREET

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Benefit held for Southside

Reviewing the Streatery

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VOL.XL / NO. 46 / July 8, 2020 Serving 47,125 readers week ly

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Anna Kelles, Matt Van Houten and Seth Peacock all won their respective primaries. (Photos provided)

Election 2020

Van Houten, Kelles, Peacock win Dem primaries

A

fter an unusually prolonged election count cycle, the Tompkins County Board of Elections announced the results of the June 23 election after making its way through the thousands of absentee ballots that were submitted in reaction to absentee ballot expansion implemented due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The largest race of the three decided in Tompkins County was for the 125th District seat in the New York State Assembly, which will be vacated

by Barbara Lifton at the end of this year as she retires.

Tompkins County Legislator Anna Kelles won the seat handily, leading on election day and gaining a larger lead after absentee ballots were counted. Adding up all of the publicly available numbers between Tompkins County and Cortland County shows that Kelles won with 35.99 percent of the vote, registering 5,500 votes. Ithaca Common Council member Seph Murtagh received 3,337 votes, equaling 21.84 percent, followed by former Lifton general counsel Jordan Lesser at 14.67 percent.

Finishing behind them were Ithaca attorney Sujata Gibson with 11.49 percent, Dryden Town Supervisor Jason Leifer with 6.19 percent, Cortland County Legislator Beau Harbin with 5.00 percent and Famil-

lies and Children’s Services CEO Lisa Hoeschele with 4.80 percent.

“Now that every vote has been counted, from absentee to early voting to Election Day, I am humbled and honored to accept the nomination of the Democratic Party for the New York Assembly District 125,” Kelles said. “I wish to recognize the other candidates who ran strong campaigns, and I thank them for their service to our community.”

The statement further pledged that she would be working to help Democratic candidates in neighboring districts and in nearby races to get elected during the lead-up to the general election.

As for the Tompkins County District Attorney’s race, incumbent Matt Van Houten claimed victory over challenger Ithaca attorney Ed Kopko, edging him out by just 345 votes.

Van Houten's victory comes as something of a surprise, considering he was down by a significant amount heading out of election day. In fact, the absentee ballot outcome was

basically the direct opposite of the election day votes: Kopko won about 58 percent of the 4,749 votes on June 23, but Van Houten won about 56 percent of the 9,108 that were cast via mail or drop-off.

“This result represents a victory for truth,” Van Houten said, emphasizing that he would be working against systemic racism in the criminal justice system, a frequent topic during the primary. “Words cannot adequately express how much the support and encouragement from the community has meant to me during this campaign. I have listened carefully and paid close attention during the campaign and I will continue to do so. I embrace the opportunity to participate in the meaningful and significant change that is happening in our public safety system here in Tompkins County.”

Both candidates had pledged to support the victor in the general election, and Kopko stuck to that in a statement after the results were released. In 2016, Kopko had filed a lawsuit after Van Houten was selected by the Tompkins County Democratic Committee during the primary process.

"I pledged to accept the voice of the people," Kopko said. "I won in the sense of promoting the public discourse

T a k e ▶ Take Note - The Friends of Stewart Park are hosting their third mask giveaway on Wednesday, July 8, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., weather permitting, to distribute masks and help

A walk down Aurora Street ���� 11 Check out the Streatery while it lasts

NE W S & OPINION

about crucial issues in the criminal justice system. I am immeasurably grateful for the enthusiastic support of thousands of voters who embraced the cause."

Questions remain about the strangely high number of "undervotes," which are classified as votes that are not counted, usually because a choice is not made. There were 2,447 such ballots in the DA race, compared to just 364 in the similarly competitive NYS125 race above. Tompkins County Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Steve DeWitt noted that the number of undervotes was higher than normal, but that he did not believe it was symptomatic of a poor ballot design, as some had said in the wake of the election.

"The ballot design is consistent with ballots used in previous primary elections," DeWitt said. "17.6 percent undervote is unusually high. It is not uncommon for the undervote to be greater than 10 percent (witness some of the Democratic Primary Elections in 2018) in Primary Elections for state and local offices."

As for the City Court Judge race, Seth Peacock was elected in the easiest race. Peacock, who had been named to the city judge seat on an interim basis late last year, won easily, beating Tompkins County Assistant District Attorney Daniel Johnson by a final tally of 2,965 to 626, good for a 83 percent to 17 percent difference, only considering ballots counted for the race. Peacock was boosted late in the race by an endorsement from Mayor Svante Myrick, who was also in charge of selecting Peacock for the interim gig.

Newsline ��������������������������������������������������3-9 Sports �������������������������������������������������������� 10

ART S & E N T E RTAINME N T Stage ���������������������������������������������������������� 13 Music �����������������������������������������������������������14 Film ��������������������������������������������������������������16 TimesTable ������������������������������������������ 16-17 Classifieds ������������������������������������������18-20 Cover: Photo: Casey Martin, Design: Marshall Hopkins

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The adjustments under COVID could last

Picnic Pavilion on the Waterfront Trail in Stewart Park. Masks are still a crucial element of keeping the coronavirus at bay locally, please keep wearing them.

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It h ac a T im e s 3

INQUIRING

N e w s l i n e

R ent Hotline

PHOTOGRAPHER Cornell, Tenants Union combining for hotline to assist renters

By C a se y Mar tin

SUMMER 2020 WILL BE A WEIRD ONE. WHAT’S ON YOUR BUCKET LIST THIS SUMMER?

“Just get out of the house as much as possible!”

-Mike & Emily A.

Though it’s unclear how long legal protections against evictions will last, local housing advocates are warning of a wave when they expire. (Photo by Casey Martin)

W “We made it to the Finger Lakes….This is it!”

-Carol & Carl F.

“Chicken and Waffles.”

ith calls for rent relief growing locally since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, renters’ rights have seldom before seen such widespread interest and fervor, especially on the heels of the Ithaca Tenants Union’s debut. That union’s efforts, with the help of Cornell University, have now resulted in the foundation of a hotline that will serve to connect renters facing eviction to legal resources necessary to defend themselves.

Since starting three weeks

Coming Back

-Jim C.

Ithaca College and TC3 both reveal further reopening plans

H

“Get to the ocean at least once!”

-Maddy C.

“Go camping in the Adirondacks.

(Believe it or not we are smiling!)”

-Ben M. & Abby N.

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ago, the hotline has seen a steady flow of cases coming to them and seeking legal advice, keeping the intake staff of 15 undergraduate volunteers busy.

The program is intended to provide help for low-income populations that are more likely to be evicted and less likely to be equipped to handle the eviction process in court.

“If they knew their rights, if they had even just some basic information about what they’re entitled to under the law, there’s a chance that they would be able to be empow-

/July

ow and when the college students would return to Ithaca has been on the minds of just about everyone locally, and thankfully last week it became quite a bit clearer as plans from Ithaca College, Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) and Cornell University were all released.

Ithaca College had previously announced that they would have all students back on campus by Oct. 5, but more details came last week, while TC3 made its first official comments—their students would be back for in-classroom learning on Aug. 31. Both schools 8–14,

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made their announcements in the wake of Cornell University’s reactivation plan release, which stated the Ivy League school would host a “hybrid” semester with options for online and in-person classes.

Ithaca College Ithaca College will start its academic year on Sept. 8, after which it will hold dual instruction while staggering move-in days over the next month. By Oct. 5, all students will have moved in and in-person classes will begin. In-person instruction will continue until Nov. 24, when students will be sent home for Thanksgiving break.

Classes will then pivot online,

ered to advocate for themselves and at least buy some additional time, or in some cases have a right to stay there,” said Michaela Rossettie Azemi, Cornell University’s Director of Pro Bono Services and Externships for the law school.

Those looking to access the hotline can go online to ithacatu.org/hotline, send an email to ITUHousingHotline.com or call (607) 301-1560. “True emergencies,” or people who need more intensive representation in court, will be referred to Legal Assistance of Western New York (LAWNY), Azemi said. Undergraduate students staffing the hotline will consult with Cornell law students and pro bono attorneys when presented with questions. The hope is to have the process— from initial call to referral or advice returned—take under one week.

The timing of the announcement isn’t random. The future of the eviction moratorium that Gov. Andrew Cuomo instituted is murky, though local housing advocates believe that it has been extended until August 22. Further action at the state level may be in the works. Even if it is extended, local renter advocates are warning that a wave of evictions are sure to follow when it does expire, and that tenants who find themselves being booted from housing will desperately need resources to

navigate the situation through the legal system. Azemi said several of the 19 law students who had responded that they’d be interested in helping with the hotline added that they wanted to do something to help the Black Lives Matter movement on a local level, and Cornell’s research shows that those most at risk for eviction are disproportionately part of the local Black and Brown populations.

“All of the law students who reached out really had a desire to make a difference, and this is a way that they could use their legal skills and actually help people who are facing, sometimes, emergencies and a loss of housing,” Azemi said.

“It’s thinking about homelessness prevention too.”

Liel Sterling, one of the leaders of the Ithaca Tenants Union, pointed out the high amount of Ithaca’s population that rents housing, many of whom are vulnerable, and the disadvantages they face when fighting evictions initiated by landlords with more money and connections.

“I am hopeful that the hotline will help even the playing field and provide tenants with access to support when they are mistreated and the law is used as a tool against them,” she said. “The hotline is one of many avenues the Ithaca

and the school will finish the fall semester and exams remotely.

"By design, this phased approach will prevent a large, sudden influx of our students into the Ithaca area. We’ve been in close communication with Cornell University and Tompkins Cortland Community College to ensure that the arrival of all of our students back to Tompkins County— an estimated 28,000 people from around the globe—will be done responsibly and in a way that affirms our ongoing commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of our students, their families, our faculty and staff, and our Ithaca-area neighbors," according to the note from Ithaca College administration.

The largest change to the spring 2021 semester is that no spring break will be scheduled; the school will instead be try-

ing to integrate "soft breaks" throughout the semester to give students some allowance for well-being and rest. The school's testing and quarantine protocols are unclear, though IC promised those would be available in the near future.

Housing information was also not provided.

"Within the next few weeks, the advisory group and the task force co-chairs will reach out to our IC community with a high-level framework and parameters around our health and safety guidelines for the coming academic year."

Tompkins County officials supported the plan.

“Ithaca College is making careful considerations in planning to reopen their campus, including moving in students over a four-week period ending on Oct 5. We

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N e w s l i n e

Black Lives Matter

A West End Pledge

Jordan Clemons, founder of the Unbroken Promise Initative, addresses the crowd at a recent rally. (Photo by Casey Martin)

T

he grassroots initiative Unbroken Promise is Jordan Clemons’ response to the question of the year: what do you intend to do about the injustices that you see?

Born out of a desire for new leadership at the helm of Ithaca civil protest; and a fervent demand to effect substantive change in Ithaca’s own forgotten communities, Unbroken Promise is a pledge to Ithaca’s West End, and one that is most vocal on Sunday afternoons, blending chants for an end to racist policing to fiery speeches advocating for the lifting up of the local Black community and the West End specifically.

“The name ‘Unbroken Promise’ came from remembering everything I had to go through as far as breaking the cycle and being a model for my family, I made a promise to myself that part of the reason that it would be so significant was because I would be able to create change for anyone who comes up behind me,” Clemons said.

The Promise’s mission is to bring opportunities to the neglected neighborhoods in the West End. Clemons and his team—Matt Stupak, Maro Kariya and Kate Leboff—said that they hope to eventually establish a localized economy within the West End that will give residents the resources and opportunities they’ve long felt denied: better access to youth, childcare, vocational, educational and mental and physical health services; as well as better nutritional health

opportunities.

The initiative would effectively make the West End a small, co-op owned hub within Ithaca city limits. Currently, the team is speaking with architects and developers to assess five-acres of land they want dedicated as a land trust and base for potential health and youth rec facilities, common cantina, co-op facility, and farming ground, etc.

“Ithaca has all of these great features and they offer them— just not to our community,” Clemons said. “Whether it’s unconventional or inconvenient at times, it has to get done because we can’t move forward until these people are taken care of.”

The West End hasn’t seen the economic nor the architectural development downtown Ithaca has seen over the last 10 years, despite showing a greater need for improvement.

“If you live on West Hill, you have to come down that hill, which is an obstacle on its own,” Stupak said. “If you talk to Svante [Myrick] or Seph [Murtagh], they’ll say the first thing they’ve done for West Hill is build a sidewalk so that people can access resources; walking a mile or more just so they can get to downtown. Putting these things right up on the hill removes a huge barrier.”

The team is also actively surveying with community members in West End to learn what they think they need in their neighborhoods. In March, the IDA and the City of Ithaca released a survey to measure the

potential budget and priorities for the 2030 Strategic Plan to revitalize the West End. The survey asked questions about cleanliness, accessibility and safety and was released online for public input. The Unbroken Promise team said the survey embodied the very action of their initiative model since they felt that neither the IDA nor the City of Ithaca actively pursued the input of West Enders who will be most impacted by their decisions.

“A lot of times they say they have a plan, they want to revitalize a part of the community, but it just means that someone else is benefitting from this revitalization,” Clemons said, reflecting the frustration he and others feel. “All the while you’re coming into the space you forced us into and now you’re doing whatever the hell you want.”

Gentrification plays a role in stoking Clemons’ skepticism of the city’s intentions. After all, city development gradually led many former Southside residents into the overcrowded, neglected, but affordable housing on the other side of the inlet, including Clemons’ family. As a result, the demographic that once relied heavily on popular downtown cultural hubs for community and identity have suffered because of its distance, according to Clemons. A reformation of ties and support from the community will be essential to sustaining Unbroken Promise, but he’s asking that they meet the community where the community is—in the West End. “In the Black community, there’s always been the saying ‘It takes a village,’” said Clemons.

“When you say what does a village need? What are we looking to put on that West End? All the things that are essential to us as people in the struggle.”

Clemons said he never saw himself becoming the MC [a term he prefers over organizer and leader] before the COVID-19 outbreak began, but he took the mic because he felt a need for direction and an opportunity for the movement.

To Jordan, revisiting the West End isn’t just about revitalizing a struggling part of town, it’s about bringing back the due dignity to his home and to his people— his community. His intensity is rooted in a clear-sighted, no nonsense response to addressing the injustices reaped over the West End: fix it.

Residents, who’ve been attending the protests at the

Bernie Milton Pavilion every Sunday, said they’re excited to see the gatherings, which started in mid-May, take a specific direction. For a while, the community would gather and listen to a random arrangement of speakers assembled by Occupy Ithaca, but no one seemed to know how to direct the community’s energy—save suggesting investing in Black-owned businesses and donating to bail funds. But Clemons’ initiative sheds light on local injustices and resolvable inequity that many students and year-rounders may not know exists. Recent protests have shown a growing support for the Initiative’s goals, highlighted by strong attendance at the weekly Sunday rallies. Protestors, organized by Cornell students, also marched on the Hall of Justice in June to protest IPD’s budget.

On June 21, the Unbroken Promise Initiative’s GoFundMe was unveiled. The goal is $20 million, which the team says is only a start. Stupak explained that ultimately the project is an investment in a community that is eager to build itself into something greater, so it’s worth it.

UPS&DOWNS

Thumbs Up - We didn’t get a chance to highlight this in our “Thumbs Up” last week, but a huge thanks to Purity Ice Cream, the Legacy Foundation, Jean McPheeters, anonymous donors and everyone else who has contributed to the United Way of Tompkins County over the last few weeks to support local youth services. You can continue to do so at https://www.uwtc.org/ GiveUnited.

Thumbs Down - Perhaps it’s time to stop swimming recklessly in the gorges for a week or two. There’s been seemingly constant press releases about people having to be rescued by firefighters after taking a jump too far or a swim too deep. We know it’s hot, so if you want to cool off more safely while inconveniencing the fire department, just try to open up a fire hydrant like they do in big cities. Compromise!

Seen - All indications seem to be that Cornell football, and the rest of the Ivy League, will postpone their fall sport seasons until spring due to residual fears over the coronavirus. They could serve as the first domino among several to fall, as other conferences reportedly are also nervous about fall sports but don’t want to be the first to postpone.

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

Meeting with attorneys, developers and architects will also come from that amount. The team emphasized their need for Ithaca partnerships, volunteers and support. The team said that getting people into the West End is how they’ll reframe preconceived notions of the West End many people have accepted based on discriminatory others indiscriminatory narratives that are perpetuated by those elsewhere in the Ithaca community.

“Specific things that money gets spent on: acquiring land, building structures to house these services, having staff to provide these services, getting supplies like providing meals,” Stupak said. “Maybe schools have breakfast and lunch covered, we’ve got to get the third meal of the day. So, 10 to 15 million goes specifically to building and development and outfitting these facilities with whatever they may need like kitchens. In the short term, funds are going toward community events that uplift the West End community.”

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Do you think you could beat Mayor Svante Myrick in a roller blading race down the Commons?

49.3% Yes 50.7% No

N ext Week ’s Q uestion :

Do you support canceling rent for those who have accumulated rent debt from April-June?

Glenn Epps Ju ly

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Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.

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It h ac a T im e s 5

ITHACA NOTES

Nicholas Desystemizer Go to RIBs! (Recycle Ithaca’s Bicycles) N

Reading in Response R

By M a rjor i e Z . O l d s icholas Desystemizer has always been a “Bike Person,” no matter where he lived. He describes his journey before life in Ithaca: “From the tangled hills of the Missouri Ozarks, the vast deserts of southern Arizona, and the aging urban canyons of 1980s Saint Louis, a terminus of the rust belt.”

After finishing school Nicholas wandered across the country by bicycle for about four years: “Connected to and disconnected from everything: I was out in the open. I was kind of a ghost haunting the world, observing everything, but from outside. I just kind of went in whatever direction it seemed I should go.” Missing the company of an old friend who studied at Cornell, he paused in Ithaca in 2000.

“I found a job, met a girlfriend, and made more friends…But then, a fateful event. Not long after I arrived in Ithaca, my bike was stolen. I now know this is a sort of tragic initiation ritual for newcomers to Ithaca,” he laughs. “Several people urged me to ‘Go to RIBs!” Since first opening the door to Recycle

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Ithaca’s Bicycles, Nicholas has been a participant, a volunteer and a staff member there.

“There’s something about a place you can go, where money isn’t the price of belonging, only interest, and where there’s not really a limit to the knowledge or the exploration,” Desystemizer said. “As long as bikes are what you’re interested in, this is a college, a dojo, a library, a museum, where everyone is welcome and invited and there’s always something to do.”

When asked what else he does these days, his pause was long. “I spend time with friends, and DJ a night each month or so at Sacred Root Kava (post-punk, new-wave). But most of my energy goes into RIBs.” Like many innovative programs operating on a shoestring budget, RIBs, incorporated independently, has had ups and downs. Twenty years ago, the Southside Community Center adopted RIBs. Four years ago, when RIBs had been dormant continued on page 7

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By St e ph e n P. Bu r k e od Serling taught at Ithaca College and is enduringly famous as the creator of “The Twilight Zone,” a classic television program that blended reality and fantasy for dramas with rare social and psychological strength.

Among its best-known episodes is “Time Enough At Last,” the story of Henry Bemis, an obsessively bookish man whose passion for reading interferes with his job as a bank clerk.

Unthinkable disaster comes one day when he is hidden away reading in the bank’s basement vault and a Cold War bomb hits his city, destroying it. He alone survives.

At first despairing, contemplating suicide, he suddenly thinks of the library, and all the books to read, and all the time to do it. He gathers food and goes there.

Our situation today is less melodramatic, but not unrelated. No one would wish for a pandemic virus any more than a bomb, but suddenly, for those of us living and healthy, along with whatever threats of suffering and deprivation there is also a surplus of time.

Henry Bemis’s story does not turn out well, with an ironic twist at the end that brings ruin, but of course his was not real. Ours are, and we can hope and trust that in our authentic lives we’ll find such solace as evaded his in fiction.

Like Henry Bemis, we have time. He had the library. We haven’t, since March, but do now, in limited fashion. In June the Tompkins County Public Library reopened for online ordering of books available for pickup.

Local bookstores are also reopening.

Buffalo Street Books and Autumn Leaves Books both announced limited hours and access beginning early July.

In an act of laudable optimism (though unknowing at the outset) a new bookstore, Odyssey Books, has opened in Ithaca. It also has restrictions to start.

In a true bonanza for the bookish, and one uniquely Ithacan, the Friends of the Library are offering a special summer version of their mammoth semi-annual book sale which benefits the library. Generally one sale is held in spring and one in fall. This spring’s was cancelled, but its replacement is on now.

The event, in a warehouse a few blocks

from downtown, has a quarter-million items for sale at bargain prices. The sales typically attract crowds in the thousands from a wide area, not just local.

There are always long lines (even overnight campers), which this time will be longer yet, with new rules on distancing and access. But enthusiasm, patience, and contentment were in force when I attended the summer sale’s first day.

I didn’t mention Henry Bemis, but canvassed some bibliophiles there about whether their reading habits have amplified during the pandemic.

Mine have, for example. In March I decided this would be a good juncture for tackling some longer classics I never found time for before. Since then I’ve read “Don Quixote” and “Crime and Punishment” and have started “War and Peace.”

I didn’t find anyone with this same reaction. One respondent said, “I can’t say I’m reading more. I always read a lot, and I don’t really care how long a book is.”

Apparently he is a stalwart through thick and thin, even books that are quantitatively the former and qualitatively the latter. He said he just finished “Ahab’s Wife,” which he described as “900 pages of awful.” But, he said, “I rarely stop reading books before I’m done.”

Perhaps to shine a brighter reading light, he mentioned “Infinite Jest”

by David Foster Wallace, “a really long book I first read over 20 years ago” and is considering reading again, maybe (at least coincidentally) because of the pandemic and the time it allots, or maybe simply because, as he said, “it is my favorite book.”

My friend Dante has been plentifully and purposefully reading books by writers of color. ‘“The books that have struck me most are ‘Heavy’ by Kiese Laymon and ‘Salvage the Bones’ by Jesmyn Ward,” Dante said.

“Notable mention goes to ‘What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker’ by Damon Young and ‘Meaty’ by Samantha Irby.”

Beyond the value of the books themselves, this seems an apt, affirmative response, no less significant for being personal, to two crises at once. No doubt we are the agents and now is the time for both contemplation and action.

Illustration by Marshall Hopkins

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

through exercise. With the expansion of an integrated network of trails from Contin u ed From Page 6 Trumansburg to Stewart Park and from South Hill toward Caroline, we can get for some time, SCC approached Nicholas our kids on bikes and explore, stopping and a friend, Greg Rothman, to revive at Farmers’ Market or Cass Park, when RIBs. Nicholas, who had been on sabbatisocial isolation is safe. cal from the program for a while, became Fans of RIBs are impressed that Nichoits director. And revive the program he las knows everything about bikes, and has. It’s been open and thriving consishe’s happy to teach others what they need tently since 2016, when he and Greg took to know to fix them. Once social isolation over. (Greg stepped back in 2018 to pursue can be modified, RIBs’ “Open Shop,” will farming full-time at Indian Creek.) resume, and people can bring their bikes, RIBs is one of the oldest community put them up in a workstand, and tinker as needed.

“It always seemed straightforward, how ideal bikes were as a device,” Desystemizer said. “Of all the machines I was introduced to early on, the bicycle stood out. It’s like a compact between modern humans and the planet.”

Even during the time of COVID-19 you can still see available bikes for sale, consult and request a repair with Nicholas, buy parts, and savor the quirky, orderly cache of RIBs, our Nicholas Desystemizer among the bikes (Photo provided) Community Bike Shop. Check out bike shops in the U.S, and now, more than RIBs at 530 West Buffalo St. in Ithaca. ever, having a bike shop which is accesThis week RIBs is open on Saturday and sible to all community members is essenSundays 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., and on tial. With COVID-19 related restrictions Tuesday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to limiting our activities, people are look8 p.m. Check the website to stay up on ing for ways to take a break and exercise safely at a distance from others. Concerns enhanced offerings and more open hours.

Strict social distancing is required and about riding in cars and taxis lead some bring a mask while you peruse one of the people to begin biking to shop or work. oldest community-run bike shops in our With programs like Way2Go, more and country. more people are considering alternatives COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

to cars to protect the environment, and for the enhancement of healthy bodies RENT HOTLINE Contin u ed From Page 7

Tenants Union is taking to fight for tenants rights, complementing our focus on grassroots organizing to empower tenants in Ithaca.”

Because the program is remote, Azemi said she is optimistic that it could grow not only in the number of people that it can effectively serve, but also the area, as attorneys from other regions of the state could volunteer bbto help residents outside of Ithaca. Since the program’s launch, Azemi said they have been receiving normally about one case per day, and up to five on their busiest. Depending on funding, Azemi said she’d be happy if the

law students who are interested in helping would be able to expand their involvement and represent the tenants through court proceedings, but that currently they are only able to provide “brief advice.” They will, however, be advising residents who may have reason to report their living conditions to the Department of Health, Code Enforcement or other relevant agencies.

“That’s the biggest limitation,” Azemi said. “It’s better than nothing of course, to arm someone with knowledge of their rights, it is really a first step. But they need more than that, for sure."

M att Butler

THE TALK AT

In support of Christine Barksdale As we seek to change the deadly ugliness of racism and ongoing racial inequality in this country, I want to publicly acknowledge the decades of work undertaken by Christine Barksdale towards that end.

I teach Participation in Government at Ithaca High School and have worked with Christine for years. Many educators in Ithaca would testify to Christine’s outsized positive impact on our students and families. She has mentored numerous students and been a powerful ambassador for the field of law enforcement. As the only African American female in the Ithaca Police Department, she brought a unique perspective to conversations about race, gender, power, policing and community relations, and was committed to helping the department work more effectively with all members of our community.

Recognizing that there has historically been a lack of trust between young people, especially young people of color, and the police, she designed and implemented two programs to improve those relationships.

For several years Christine organized special citizen police academies exclusively for seniors in our Government classes.

Our students learned about various aspects of policing and gained a deeper understanding of the complexities of the job. Conversely, the police force members involved, gained a better understanding of some of the youth in their community.

Christine then developed an innovative youth/police discussion group that tackled even more directly, the misunderstanding and mistrust that exists between many young people and police. Each semester, she invited some of our students to join with a group of police officers to work towards mutual understanding. She facilitated the 8 week group during which participants built enough trust to discuss exactly the kind of issues our nation is grappling with today. A common comment from our students after participating in this program was that they initially did not like or trust the police, but that their opinions had shifted as they got to know some officers personally. I have to believe that it had a similar impact on officers to develop relationships with diverse young people and hear about their lived experiences. Essentially, she helped participants see beyond the stereotypes they had of each other.

Christine’s determination to confront issues of racism and discrimination wherever she encountered them, did not always make her popular. Speaking truth to power rarely does. During her tenure at IPD, Christine poured her heart into building bridges between the police and Ju ly

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the community, especially communities of color and young people. Her work with our students was but one of many collaborations she engaged in with groups and agencies working to make Ithaca a community where everyone is heard, valued and respected.

I strongly disagree with the decision to fire Christine and want to offer a different narrative about her work from the one most people saw in the news. Especially at this time of outrage and raw emotions, I wish that we still had the benefit of Christine's strong voice and advocacy within the IPD. Sarah Shenk City of Ithaca resident

In response to “Pollack continues press run pushing Cornell reopening plans” I think it is a terrible mistake for the local universities to open in the Fall. If the remainder of the country did not have monumentally escalating amounts of new cases, the situation would be different. But just the thought of so many students from AZ, AL, CA, TX, FL and other hard-hit states to be returning to this region is terrifying, especially to the high-risk population. Tompkins County and its residents have worked hard to keep the number of Covid cases down by social distancing, proper tracing of known cases, use of masks and good hygiene practices. Why risk a pandemic in our own backyard when we haven't had new cases since the beginning of June? How do I know this is a possibility? Over the weekend, I drove past the sailing area along the waterfront - it was overrun with hundreds of young people congregating very close to each other - no masks, no social distancing.

I saw a similar situation in Aurora, near Wells College, scores of young people on the lake on one raft - no social distancing, no masks. I would urge faculty members of local schools to refuse to teach this semester. I urge parents of university students to please encourage their children to take a year off from study. This might make Cornell and the other schools wake up to the fact that the risk is not worth the possible future deaths of Tompkins County residents. This area only has a few small hospitals. Being overrun with cases by the irresponsible behavior of people could cause a major catastrophe which would, in any event, result in Cornell being forced to close again, but this time after a great amount of the damage is done.

Elisabeth Hegarty, via Ithaca.com

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Ministry Online

The digital revolution for religious institutions could be here to stay

S

By M att Bu tler

lowly but surely, the ringing of church bells at various times on Sunday mornings has begun to signify the traditional gathering for weekly religious ceremonies after state guidelines have relaxed, allowing religious services to restart in-person as long as social distance is maintained.

Like others, local religious institutions have had to find ways to encourage their communities while encountering potential financial pitfalls. Unlike other organizations that count on in-person events, religious entities are expected to provide spiritual guidance and support to their adherents—it’s arguably their most significant and unique contribution to their community.

Having that taken away has meant a period of quick, crucial adjustment for local religious organizations, some that were more prepared than others. Surprisingly, for organizations normally so steeped in tradition that change comes only gradually, some of the changes seem to have staying power beyond the coronavirus outbreak.

Some communities, like at the Al-Huda Islamic Center, have observed strict adherence to social distancing, conducting all of their gatherings via video conference.

Granted, the Al-Hud was only renting a space, so their move online was a bit more natural and came with less financial ramifications, but quarantine also ran through the entire month of Ramadan, one of the holiest times on the Islamic calendar. Usually, the month-long period is marked by fasting during the day followed by community dinners at night and ceremonial Quran readings, a highlight of the Islamic year.

“During Ramadan, there are certain things that we do as a community together that we don’t do at any other time,” Al-Huda President Mahmud Burton said. “Had we not been under the constraints of the 8 T

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pandemic, there would have been between 20 and 30 people every night gathering at Cornell, and 80 or 90 on weekends. [...]

That whole component, which for many people is a very, very important part of Ramadan, we weren’t able to do that.”

Instead, Burton and the community made accommodations so that people could carry out, at least partially, the traditions at home with their families—though Burton laments missing out on the month of the “best food in town.” Even after missing out on that, and other aspects, of Ramadan, Burton said his people have been able 8–14,

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Fat h e r Au g u s t i n e C h u m o o f I m m ac u l at e Conception Chu rch. ( P h o t o b y C a s e y M a r t i n) to healthily maintain their sense of togetherness despite the requirements in place.

“Almost uniformly, in our community, people are respecting the science,” Burton said. “People in our community are taking it very seriously. Everyone is, of course, missing the social engagement which is an important part of our fellowship [...] We share a lot of the things that other communities are feeling at this time.”

Burton explained that “the preservation of life” takes precedence over their religious obligations, such as gathering as a community each Friday for prayer, where Burton said the group would normally be shoulder to shoulder in prayer. Daily prayers are able to be conducted individually, allowing people to at least fulfill their obligations even if they’re missing out on the community aspect.

Others have only recently begun to congregate again, like the Trinity Lutheran Church, which held its first in-person gathering on the morning of July 5 on the lawn outside of their church.

Fortunately for them, the St. Paul’s United Methodist Church already had an established livestream presence in place, so instead of starting from scratch, Pastor Teressa Sivers said they were focused on “beefing up” their livestream infrastructure to include Facebook live and add additional features. That’s now expanded to multiple events per week, including “story time” events hosted by Sivers as well as traditional worship services on Sunday, which Sivers hosts from the worship space at the church on North Aurora Street with a small team working the cameras and tech.

“We could begin to use videos so that we could record singers, and musicians and readers from home and then be able to incorporate that into a livestream,” Sivers said. “I’m live, and then recordings are brought in, and it actually went very smoothly.”

Sivers said the church had previously built the ability to livestream their services to facilitate for people who may not be able to physically attend services on Sunday mornings, either due to geographic location, medical need or otherwise. Even before the pandemic, Sivers said, the church’s online following was “decent,” and called the online attendance “astonishing” over the last few months, despite the pandemic.

“We’re glad we can offer comfort and caring and connection during this time,” Sivers said, and she plans for it to be that way for an extended period. “Until there’s a vaccine, we know that the majority of our worship will happen online [...] We’re going to continue putting a lot of emphasis online as we slowly begin looking at in-person [gatherings].”

When St. Paul’s does start back with inperson gatherings, Sivers said they would be instituting a reservation policy, due to their large congregation, and would be examining how to separate crowds entering and exiting the building. But that won’t be until fall at the earliest, she said.

Immaculate Conception Church has proceeded with caution as well. The ceremony for First Communion, normally given when children are seven or eight years old, was canceled and will be held when it’s safe.

“Once we catch up with our health, then we catch up with everything else,” said Father Augustin Chumo, the pastor of Immaculate Conception Church. Now that religious gatherings are allowed, Chumo said there are normally an average of a few dozen people for weekend masses, shrinking to 40 for daily week-day masses, when Chumo said he thinks some of the older congregation members feel safer coming to the large space. After every mass, Immaculate Conception parishioners help sanitize each pew, drawer and bathroom. Chumo also said he has made an effort to speed up the liturgy, capping it around 40 minutes.

“Less time together, the better, but just for the time being,” Chumo said.

Beyond finding ways to keep the community together, religious institutions also faced the potential for a steep decline in revenue. Collections at services are a common practice, and the disappearance of inperson ceremonies could have signaled a dramatic reduction in money flowing into the organizations. While it seems as if community members have rallied to the call, challenges have still arisen: Chumo said that even with the generosity of their Immaculate Conception members, staff members still had to be laid off.

“We have been very, very grateful for our parishioners, they have been sending in their donations,” Chumo said, adding that some of the money has been used to support families in the parish who were hit particularly hard by the outbreak. “We didn’t go down the wrong way in terms of donations, people have been very, very kind, sending their donations online and sending by mail.”

It’s been an especially difficult time to be out of the sanctuary for the St. James AME Zion Church, which has a majority-Black membership. King said “simple human touch” is important to his community, especially in such a painful time, but that he’s drawn strength from the size of the protests and that he thinks part of the reason the demonstrations have been so widespread is because so many people have otherwise been locked inside.

As time has gone on, King said momentum has grown to implementing a permanent online component for the services throughout the week and even on Sunday, which would help people in a variety of ways who have issues accessing services normally. King mentioned that elderly members already have difficulty navigating the building because of a large set of stairs they have to climb to the sanctuary. While acknowledging the awfulness of COVID-19 in general, King said being able to expand the ministry to those who are vulnerable could be a silver lining.

“They’re really considering implementing e-congregation,” King said. “Now it’s been revealed that some people prefer to be able to stay home, log-in to their own church’s service, without the hassle of figuring out how they’re getting there or the physical boundaries that they may need to get there. So this has been a blessing and a curse in the same breath.”

Sivers echoed those thoughts, explaining that St. Paul’s had their online ministry prepared to serve people facing much of the same challenges King mentioned, and is ready to continue to do so as long as the outbreak continues. As they’ve expanded their Zoom services, it’s opened new avenues to bring people together even when they aren’t allowed to be in the same room.

“We know that we have a lot of people who want to join us that aren’t in the vi-

Pa s t o r Te r e s s a S i v e r s’ t e c h team helps her conduct s e rv i c e s o n S u n d ay s f r o m t h e w o r s h i p s pac e at S t. Pau l’s . ( P h o t o b y C a s e y M a r t i n) Newly-appointed pastor Rev. Terrance King, of St. James AME Zion Church, arrived in Ithaca recently from Syracuse, but said his congregation of 15-20 people have mostly been able to stay in contact throughout the quarantine—though that was all under the previous pastor, who was running bible studies and prayer calls vir-

tually throughout the week and services on Sundays.

“Everybody is doing as well as they can,” he said. “Month one it was more being shell-shocked, but now that we’re in month four or five, we’re starting to be accustomed to this new way of life, for the time being, until we are fortunate enough to get back into the sanctuary.”

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cinity, and also that we have quite a few members who are required to be home for reasons, some are older members who have limited mobility but did have access to internet,” Sivers said. “Sometimes when you’re not feeling well in the morning, you want to go to church but you don’t want to get dressed.”

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It h ac a T im e s 9

of the challenges.

“Of course,” Bryant stated, “transportation is one of the biggest issues.”

He explained that social distancing regulations dictate that buses can have one student in every other seat, it takes a bus’s capacity from about 66 down to 11. This would translate to unmanageable schedules if a driver were to return from his or her third or fourth bus run to take kids home after school, and the time has passed when a sports team would need to be on the road for a game.

Anyone who travels regionally sees signs in just about every community pleading for residents to apply to become bus drivers, and the shortage of drivers is, of course, just one of the shortages.

“The schools were not getting the state aid they needed anyway,” Bryant offered, “and this just makes matters worse.”

According to Bryant, the task force has thus far laid out six potential scenarios. It is a bit premature to go into each one in detail until after the next task force meeting happens some time within the next couple of weeks, but a rudimentary overview of a couple of them seems doable.

One possibility is for Governor Andrew Cuomo and NY State Health Department to proclaim that “All systems are go,” so to speak, and kids are back in the classrooms, things unfold as usual. That seems an unlikely scenario, and another idea being tossed around involves 10-week seasons, starting with “winter sports” in January.

That season would run into March, and “fall sports” might run from March until

Sports

Waiting Game

By Ste ve L aw re nc e

G

iven my closer-than-many connection with coaches, athletes and administrators, I am asked about 10 times per week for updates on whether the high school fall sports season will proceed as usual. Given my propensity for resourcefulness, I picked up the phone and called a guy who fields such questions not 10 times per week, but 10 times per day.

Bill Bryant—who has helped me out with at least a hundred columns over the past 27 years, as the Athletic Director for the Ithaca City School District and in his current position as Executive Director of the Interscholastic Athletic Conference— was happy to help me sort out some of the challenges facing public school districts.

He explained that the NYSPHSAA has assembled a task force to address these challenges, and that several scenarios have emerged as possibilities. While I admit that it can put an administrator on the spot to try to piece together a puzzle with so many moving parts, and that more answers are forthcoming, but I still believe it’s important that people understand some

the end of April, and “spring sports” like baseball, softball and lacrosse might operate from the end of April to the second week of June. Such a scenario would skip state championship tournaments and such, but a compressed time frame would naturally create a number of changes.

Again, these are just some possibilities, and Bryant’s frustration is apparent as he attends his ongoing Zoom meetings to help navigate the process. Discussing yet another possibility, he said “Pushing fall sports back a few weeks would take them into late November and December, and while some football and soccer teams play that late in the playoffs, most have never faced such weather challenges.”

Another one of the aforementioned moving parts is one that Bryant takes very seriously. “Some of the athletes have been working out regularly during this time, but many have not and coming back to intensely and too soon creates some highrisk scenarios,” he said. “That’s a big factor to consider. We don’t need any athletes getting injured by us not doing this the right way.”

Bryant also understands how important a role sports play in the overall lives of young people, and he said, “I’m old school in that regard. We gotta get these kids back with their coaches, back with their friends. They need that connection, that socialization.” For now, he added, “It’s a waiting game, and it’s unfortunate and it’s frustrating.”

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By Henry Star k

hen Governor Cuomo shut down restaurants in the state, as a long time restaurant reviewer for the Ithaca Times, I found myself with little to write about.

Though, during that period, I did write a few feature articles and kept in touch with several restaurateurs. This turned out to be a discouraging activity. I heard all too often about the terribly frustrating experiences of restaurant owners and managers trying—often without success—to get funds for their laid-off employees, loans to keep their businesses viable for an unknown period of time and grappling with their inability to reach a human voice to get guidance.

Now we’ve progressed to Phase 4 and restaurants have been allowed to open: both outdoors and indoors. I thought it would be helpful to Times readers to do an informal survey of what dining looks like in the greater Ithaca area. Frankly, a good portion of my personal friends have expressed concerns about eating inside where the circulation of air is limited and the medical experts have said the spreading of the coronavirus is more likely. Eating outside, where there is unlimited air that circulates freely, is safer. I myself am concerned about eating inside, so my first venture downtown was to visit two restaurants on the 100 block of Aurora Street, recently closed to vehicular traffic. I naively thought that if I ate outside at one restaurant, health issues would be the same as eating at another. I quickly learned that this is not a homogeneous experience. Although several restaurants have added tables for outdoor dining on the newly available pavement, some haven’t opened at all (see Matt Butler’s cover story in the July 1 issue), and they all reflect their management’s interpretation of Governor Cuomo’s news con-

ferences and executive orders. Based on what I have learned, I urge you to choose dining spots based on your own level of risk tolerance. On two consecutive days I had lunch at two restaurants and had two very different experiences.

I had lunch at Simeon’s, an iconic establishment that has been at the same location since September 1977. Located on the corner of the Commons and Aurora Street, they have the advantage of wraparound outdoor table placement. The current owners told me that during the shutdown for the coronavirus, they operated “day by day” and that “although there are many unknowns, and things are frequently changing, we’re doing OK.” At another establishment, let’s call it Restaurant A, my experience was very different.

Both had well-spaced tables outside and both had a host to seat me. At A, the servers were masked but weren’t wearing gloves; however, at Simeon’s the servers wore masks and gloves. Simeon’s prints about 200 disposable menus per day and recycles them after each use. At Restaurant A, I was offered a laminated menu that was passed from diner to diner.

When I ordered mustard at Simeon’s, it was delivered in an individual container. When I ordered mustard at A, a jar of normal sized manufacturer’s mustard was deposited on my table. And each table at Restaurant A had a normal size bottle of salt and pepper. At Simeon’s, when the hostess wasn’t busy, she wiped down the spots on the door where patrons had pushed it to gain indoor access, and there was a hand sanitizer at the front entrance. I didn’t see any similar effort at A. The owners of Simeon’s are grateful for the tremendous cooperation they received from local entities. The Ithaca Downtown Alliance, Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor’s office were all proactive in trying to encourage the flourishing of downtown commercial establishments. It was their idea to close “restaurant row” on Aurora Street to traffic to make more space available for outdoor dining.

The Aurora Streatery has opened one block downtown for outside eating, but not all restaurants are participating yet. (Photo by Casey Martin)

And in Simeon’s case, their outdoor dining capacity now equals their indoor. But wait, there’s more: the restaurateurs themselves got together to facilitate the dining experience for Ithacans who want to eat out. They agreed to stagger their closing dates so that some quality restaurants would always be open: Simeon’s is closed Mondays, the Ithaca Ale House on Tuesdays and Red’s Place and Mahogany Grill on Wednesdays.

Menus at most restaurants have been reduced in offerings. In some cases, the listing of wines, beers and cocktails can be extensive, so it’s not practical to print everything on offer at this point.

There was a problem getting normal food distribution during the shutdown. Now, deliveries are returning to normal and, as they increase, the number of menu offerings increase commensurately. At both Simeon’s and A, I had no difficulty in finding something to order that I liked. There’s still a plethora of variety available and the quantity and quality of the portions served was excellent, as always.

The number of employees, on the other hand, has changed. At Simeon’s, not everyone feels comfortable returning, so they are hiring for both the kitchen and dining rooms.

After this admittedly small and unofficial survey of well-known restaurants in downtown Ithaca, I have concluded that we can’t assume anything or take anything for granted.

Each establishment management seems free to interpret guidelines however they want. And in this quickly evolving environment, it seems a good idea for each diner to check out any establishment for themselves. Let the buyer beware based on his/her tolerance for risk.

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Arts&Entertainment

Dining After the Shutdown

I t h a c a T i m e s 11

COLLEGE REOPENING Contin u ed From Page 4

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Ithaca College plans to stagger on campus students until October 5 (Photo: Casey Martin)

who can work remotely are required to do so "through the fall," and the number of students in on-campus housing units will be capped at two, down from four, in order to reduce density.

The school's childcare center will reopen on July 6, with capacity reduced.

The school's sports teams are planning on playing.

“While the College and our surrounding community continue to face challenges from COVID-19, it is critical that we work together to identify ways for our campus to return to the vibrant hub it was before the pandemic,” said President Orinthia Montague. “Our community college will be a key to local economic recovery and is

poised to continue to provide educational opportunities to those who may have been displaced or whose academic path has been disrupted.”

"The commitment to offer a robust schedule of classes to give students maximum flexibility comes as the College has worked with Cayuga Health System on a plan to provide surveillance testing of students and staff," the announcement stated. "In preparing for the reopening, the College has also worked closely with the Tompkins County Health Department, the SUNY Administration, and other higher education institutions in the region."

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have been in active communication with members of their reopening task force and they are committed to the health of their campus community and the wider public in Tompkins County," said Frank Kruppa, Tompkins County Public Health Director and EOC Operations Chief.

Tompkins Cortland Community College Tompkins Cortland Community College joined the wave of area higher education institutions announcing their campus reactivation plans Wednesday, revealing that they want to bring students back to campus on Aug. 31 for the fall semester. If that schedule holds, they will be the first school to reopen.

Classes begin on Aug. 31, with instruction being offered in-person, online and in a hybrid format that will incorporate both.

Students can attain entire degrees through online options offered by TC3, and the school said they will provide support for students with barriers to technology access. The school is pairing with Cayuga Health Systems to offer testing for each student on campus as well as providing daily symptom checks and surveillance testing.

The school will also be providing masks for students, and the masks will be required in all buildings and classrooms (the only place they will not be is in "personal living quarters"). Staff members

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Screen shot from Thursday's virtual show in support of the Southside Community Center, where the group is playing Slo-Mo Commentary. Top Row: Ann BybeeFinley (Dry Run), Lauren Gabuzzi (Goat Yoga), Sarah Naiman (Officer Peggy),

Stage

Zoomprov

ComedyFLOPs drops in with some virtual laughs to support Southside

By Ad am Me s s inge r

L

ocal improv and comedy group ComedyFLOPs had another successful virtual show on Thursday, June 2 to support the Southside Community Center.

The group is made up of performers from in and around the Ithaca area who are drawn to the comedy world, regardless of experience. Thursday’s performance featured cast members: Ann Bybee-Finley, Tess Flanagan, John Fracchia, Lauren Gabuzzi, Mike Hawke, Jessamine Manchester, Sarah Naiman, Tara Sanford, Cody Webber and Dave Williams. The most important thing to the group is humor and a willingness to believe the absurd, according to longstanding member John Fracchia, who goes by “Crème Fraiche” when performing.

“A lot of what improv is about is the willingness to let it all go and accept the situation, regardless of how bizarre,” said Fracchia. “If you can do that, then you can be funny. And I think anybody can be funny in that way.”

In a time where believing the absurd is commonplace, the ComedyFLOPs’ system lends itself perfectly to 2020.

What separates ComedyFLOPs from other groups is their connection to philanthropy. From their initial inception in 2011, the creators felt a desire to give back to the community by using their talents

for making people laugh. Since then, they have donated the proceeds from their shows to local organizations like Running to Places Theatre Company, Community School of Music and Arts, Planned Parenthood and Tompkins County Library.

Since their founding, they have raised over $7,000 for local charitable organizations. By the end of Thursday night, ComedyFLOPs collected over $200 to send to the Southside Community Center and they are already planning their next show.

In addition to their community-minded approach, the group has also proved to have a positive effect on the performers as well, especially during these hard times.

“Generally being a part of the ComedyFLOPs has provided me with an outlet to help relieve stress,” says performer Sarah Naiman whose “flopname” is Officer Peggy. “Being able to do improv through the quarantine has provided me with the laughter and social support I needed during these tough times.”

The group has risen to the challenge of taking a medium that feeds off of audience feedback and energy by altering some of their games and routines for a virtual performance space like Zoom.

The night began with all ten members joining together to introduce themselves.

Their nicknames were displayed as their username on the video-chatting plat-

form. Fracchia says that the origins of the nicknames come from rehearsal games and comedic moments that defined the performer and shaped their identity as a member of the group.

Some of the nicknames that stood out included “PantsPal,” “Goat Yoga,” and “Hand Rations.”

The performance began with a warmup game of “Categories” where the audience members could submit suggestions through a chat box on YouTube where the event was being streamed from Zoom.

This allowed the performers to get into it by listing movies, soap brands, cereal and types of weather as they began to tune out the outside world and allow their improv persona to take over.

As the night continued on, new versions of games and old favorites appeared with some hilarious situations created by the cast including: a patient dispute with a therapist, the national Dungeons & Dragons tournament, and a lively interview with Danny Devito.

Fracchia says that the group has adapted to fit the new constraints of COVID-19 and is stronger than ever.

“We realized that even though we weren’t physically together, it didn’t stop the funny because it didn’t stop the sense of connection,” he said. “In some ways it actually strengthened us because we have to challenge ourselves to figure out how to make this work.”

While making the best of a bad situation, the group has started rehearsing more frequently than normal and generating new game ideas. It has allowed them to bond as a cast and come closer as a team built on trust—a necessary aspect of any improv group.

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Throughout the performance, guest appearances by spouses and pets created an air of excitement for the evening, but also highlighted the casual, free-flowing nature of the group.

“Rather than people being annoyed by the Zoom issues and the pets,” Fracchia said, “I think it’s giving us a little glimpse into each other’s humanity and that sense of whatever our identities or circumstance is, this is hitting all of us. People are connecting a little more beyond the surface, and while I wouldn’t wish a pandemic to make that happen, we can embrace these little positives.”

Whenever the quarantine ends, the group has high hopes for the future.

Talk of publishing a book based on their “Flopronomicon” collection of improv games has been discussed, as well as a 10th anniversary benefit show featuring old cast mates.

According to Fracchia, they also plan to continue a mix of live and virtual shows as a way to connect with former cast members who aren’t in the area anymore.

“While it won’t replace live shows because it’s a very different thing, there may be an opportunity there to really do both,” he said.

Despite the change of formatting, the night was a successful and jovial attempt at bringing humor back into the lives of Ithacans and anyone else in the world who may have connections to the group.

“If the Elizabethans could come back several times from the actual plague, surely live theatre will eventually return and probably be appreciated by performers and audiences alike more than ever,” said cast member Dave Williams, who performs under the name “Joe Lobb.”

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kick off the festival on the Infield; Grassroots Online Grassroots Online Grassroots will stream four days of Mac Benford will start the Dance festival archives online Tent; the GRF Orchestra will be in its place, as will the band contest,

By Matt Butler morning yoga, etc. The entire Your The cancellation of the annual Roots At Home festival will be cuGrassRoots Festival due to the coronavirus outbreak was a signifi- rated from the archive of recorded cant blow to the local music scene, GrassRoots Festival music."

The event will be streamed on the as the yearly celebration of music and art was a staple of the summer Twitch platform, seemingly from

By Mat t Butl e r Twitch.tv/funkyside, although festival schedule and would draw the event's announcement said that thousands of people to Trumanshe cancellation of the annual each stage will have its own stream burg for the weekend.

GrassRoots Festival due to the coronavirus outbreak was a sig(making it four streams total), and But luckily, fans of the festival nificant blow to the local music scene, as won't have to go the full year that the streams can be joined at the yearly celebration of music and art was any time by people online. without a taste of GrassRoots, as a staple of the summer festival schedule and would draw thousands of people to The schedule of which bands will organizers have announced that Trumansburg for the weekend. be featured on which streams they will be starting four separate But luckily, fans of the festival won't have to go the full year without a taste of livestreams of archived GrassRoots and when isn't clear yet, though Georgia@ithacatimes.com 607-277-7000 x220 GrassRoots, as organizers have announced festival music which will be avail- organizers are asking for footage that they will be starting four separate Client: Newspaper: able from July 16-19, with streams submissions to submityourmedia@ livestreams of archived GrassRoots festival music which will be available from July running from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. News funkyside.com.Kendal More information Ithaca Times/Fingerlakes at Ithaca 16-19, with streams running from 10 a.m. can be found at YourRootsAtHeach day. to 3 a.m. each day.

"We will keep the basic, familiar ome.com. The schedule is expect"We will keep the basic, familiar structure and schedule of a typical GrassRoots ed to be announced on July 6. structure and schedule of a typical Festival, including four 'stages,'" the GrassRoots Festival, including four announcement stated. "Bubba George 'stages,'" the announcement stated.

Stringband will kick off the festival on the Infield; Mac Benford will start the Dance "Bubba George Stringband will

Grassroots will stream festival archives online T

Vital for Life

U-Pick Raspberriess U-Pick Blueberrie Starting July 11th

by Betsy Schermerhorn Director, Marketing and Admissions

PRACTICE SAFETY There are some simple steps that can make taking a shower a safer and more enjoyable experience. Most importantly, use a non-slip bathmat to avoid skidding across the tile floor. Also, installing grab bars in the shower offers a place to hold on to while bathing or when entering or exiting. Sitting in a shower chair or a professionally installed, permanent bench is relaxing, as well as making it easier to soap up. Be sure that toiletries, soaps, washcloths, and other necessary items are easy to reach. You don’t want to be looking around for items, dropping things that you may have to bend over to

retrieve, or having things spill and make the shower floor a slippery mess.

A walk-in tub is a great option for seniors who do not want to take the risk of falling while getting into or out of the bathtub. These tubs have doors that allow users to walk in and sit down without having to worry about climbing over a traditional tub ledge. Call the marketing team at (607) 266-5300 to schedule a tour to see our facilities and learn more about lifecare at Kendal at Ithaca. Find us on the web at http://kai.kendal.org/ P.S. Hinged doors are easier to open than a sliding door and are also simpler to clean.

2230 N. Triphammer Road Ithaca, NY 14850-6513

Website: www.kai.kendal.org Email: admissions@kai.kendal.org

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Tent; the GRF Orchestra will be in its place, as will the band contest, morning yoga, etc. The entire Your Roots At Home festival will be curated from the archive of recorded GrassRoots Festival music."

The event will be streamed on the Twitch platform, seemingly from Twitch. tv/funkyside, although the event's announcement said that each stage will have its own stream (making it four streams total), and that the streams can be joined at any time by people online.

The schedule of which bands will be featured on which streams and when isn't clear yet, though organizers are asking for footage submissions to submityourmedia@funkyside.com. More information can be found at YourRootsAtHome.com.

The schedule is expected to be announced on July 6.

(607) 266-5300 Toll Free: (800) 253-6325

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Goose Street, Locke

315-497-1347 Take Rt. 34 . 12 miles look for our sign M-F 8-6• Sat 8-5 • Sun 10-5 www.grisamorefarms.com

Local At the Farm Store: oney &H Cheese Local Syrup bs & ru canning Supplies Sh ia Pots, Zinn Perennials, Herbs & ulents. c House Plants & Suc

Longview, a senior living community overlooking Cayuga Lake, is running a special promo!

New Independent Tenants Get 2020 Promotional Pricing!* There’s a LoT To Love aT Longview!

(607) 375-6320 *Must sign lease, some restrictions may apply.

Longview

an Ithacare Community 1 Bella Vista Dr. Ithaca, NY 14850

The Falls

ORDER BY PHONE

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The Falls Wine Room

Bishops Carpet One UP TO $1,000 OFF *

DELIVERY CURBSIDE PICKUP

Now Open New Location! on select 363 Elmira Road floors 607-273-8807 www.bishopscarpetone.com

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726 W Green St 607-256-7145 theFallsWineRoom.com

New Location!

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363 Elmira Road, Ithaca, NY | 607.273.8807 | www.bishopscarpetone.com

Edible Arrangements Open for deliveries.

2300 N Triphammer Rd, Ithaca 607-391-2227 EdibleArrangements.com

Sumo Hibachi•Sushi Delivery and pickup.

2309 N Triphammer Rd, Ithaca 607-257-7777 • 607-257-555 IthacaSumo.com

Allechant | 903 Hanshaw Road #13 | (607) 288-3472 | F-Sa 5:30-8 Asian Cuisine | 126 N Aurora St | (607) 256-8818 Burger King | 1010 Ellis Hollow Rd, | 607 277-6662 Capital Corner | 140 W State Street | (607) 272-7350 Casablanca 111 E State St (607) 272-7777 |11 am- 8.

Ciao | 2 Hickory Hollow Ln, | (607) 257-2233 | 12-8 p.m. daily Collegetown Bagels | East Hill Plaza, Ithaca Bakery: 7am-6pm | CTB College Ave: 7am-10pm | Triphammer Marketplace, City Centre: 7am-5pm Coltivare | 235 S. Cayuga St. | (607) 882-2333 | Tu-Su 4-9 p.m. Call 607-882-2333.

Crossroads Bar & Grille | 3120 N. Triphammer Rd. | Lansing | W-Su 4-8; Sa-Su 11-2 Dominos | 311 E. Green St. | S-TH 11-1 AM, F, S 11-2 am Edible Arrangements | 2300 N Triphammer Rd, 607-3912227, edible.com M-F 9-5, S 10-3

Bet the Farm Winery FREE Friday Delivery. Order by noon.

4204 Krum’s Corners Road, Trumansburg 607-387-6548 betthefarmny.com

Finger Lakes Beverage 605 W State St (607) 277-2337 M-W 9-9, Th-S 9-10, Su noon-7 Firehouse Subs | 740 S Meadow St Ste 1100 (607) 2563473 M-S 10:30-8m Su 11-6 Gateway Mediterranean Grill | 401 E. State St. | 607-2731018 | 2-8, M-Th 11-9, F-Sa 11-10, Su noon-9 Gimme! Coffee | 506 W State St (607) 272-8564 8-11:30, noon-3 Gorgers Subs: | 116 W State St | (607) 319-5046 | M-S 11-8 Greenstar Oasis: | Closed until further notice Hawi Ethiopian Cuisine: | 113 S Cayuga St | (607) 2774294 | Tu-S 4-8:30 Hector Wine Company & Market | 5610 NY 414 | Hector | 607 387-1045 | hectorwinecompany.com | M-F 3-6; Sa-Su 2-6 online ordering for wine; phone ordering for market products | open for pickup Heights | 903 Hanshaw Road | 607 257-4144 | Curbside and delivery | M-Sa 2:30-8 p.m. | Theheightsithaca.com Ithaca Ale House: | 111 N Aurora St | (607) 256-7977 | Noon-7pm.

Ithaca Bakery | 400 N Meadow St | (607) 273-7110 | 7-5.

7-6 and Meadow. | 2255 N Triphammer Rd | (607) 257-2255 Ithaca Coffee Company: | 311 E Green St | (607) 257-2626 | GATEWAY LOCATION CLOSED | 2255 N Triphammer Rd | (607) 257-2626 | 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Seven days Ithaca Coffee/Flying Rooster Kitchen At Ithaca Airport | (607) 220-8046 | M-S 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Jimmy John’s | 122 N Aurora St | (607) 645-0075 | 10:45 a.m.-9 p.m.

Just A Taste: | 116 N Aurora St | (607) 277-9463 | Th-Su.4-8 Kilpatrick’s Publick House | 130 E Seneca St, | (607) 273-2632 | – Take-out and curbside pick-up available. Call ahead.

Kirksway Farm

Sea Change Chiropractic

Topsoils, Mixes, Compost, Mulches, Stone, Septic Systems, Driveways, Drainage 400 Auburn Rd, Lansing 607-533-7866 kirkswayfarm.com

We’re OPEN! Safely restoring health & hope during this challenging time.

821 Cliff Street • 607-256-9355 SeaChangeIthaca.com

Liberty Liquor Store | 15 Ridge Rd. | Lansing | (607) 5330185 | 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Liquid State Brewing Company | 620 W. Green St. | liquidstatebeer.com | M-F 3-5; Sa-Sun 2-4 p.m.

Lucky Hare Brewing | 118 W Green St Unit 6, | (607) 5462036 | Th,F,Sa,Su,M 3-7 Sa noon-7 Luna Inspired Street Food: | 310 Stewart Ave | (607) 256-5862 | Only take out and delivery Mahogany Grill | 114 N. Aurora Street | 607 272-1438 M, W-Su 11-10 Mama Said Hand Pies: | 118 W Green St | Online ordering frozen pies and cold soup Maxies | 635 W State St | 607 272-4136 | Th-Sa 4-8 pm | Mia | 130 East State Street | (607) 273-9292 | Su-Th 5-9:30; F-Sa 5-10 Moe’s Southwest Grill | 324 Elmira Rd | 607 277-6637 | 11-8 Monks on the Commons: | 120 S Aurora St | (607) 2722222 | daily 11am-9pm Moosewood Restaurant | 215 N Cayuga St, | (607) 2739610 Ned’s Pizza | 840 Hanshaw Rd #3 | 607. 266-3300 | M-F 10-9; Sa 11-9 New Delhi Diamonds | 106 W Green St | (607) 272-4508 | Lunch noon-3 p.m. | Dinner 4:30-9 Northside Wine and Spirits | 222 Elmira Rd | (607) 273-7500 Nowhere Special Libations Parlor | 114 W State St, | (314) 669-4373 | 4:30 pm – 12:30 am.

One Ring Donut: | 114 W Green St | Donut Club PU by appt.

Papa John’s Pizza | 435 Franklin Street | (607) 273-7272 | Daily 9 a.m.-12:45 a.m.

Pasta Vitto | 607 882-9672 | 215 E. State Street | Take out | W-Th 5-9 , F 5-10 Sa 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-10 p.m.

A dditions? Corrections? Online and print!

Contact larry@ithacatimes.com or 607-277-7000 x 214

Pats Pizzeria | 222 Elmira Road Ithaca | (607)277-2727 | M-TH 10:30-9:30; S 10:30-1; Su11-9 Pizza Aroma | 128 S Cayuga S | (607) 273-6165 | M-Sa 11-8 p.m.

Press Cafe: | 118 W Green St | Daily 8 am-2 pm.

Red Feet Wine Market | 435 Franklin St, | (607) 330-1056 | M-Th 11 am – 8 pm, F-Sa: 10 am-8 pm, Su noon-6 Rook | 404 W. State Street | 607 387-9111 | Tu-Sa 3-9 p.m.

Sacred Root Kava Lounge & Tea Bar | 103 S Geneva St | (607) 272-5282 | 3pm-5, 8-10p Short Stop | 200 W. Seneca St. | (607) 273-1030 | 6 a.m.-1:30 a.m. | open for carryout food and grocery items (milk,eggs,juice) | also delivery Simeons Ithaca | 224 E State St | (607) 272-2212 | T-Su noon-9.

Strand Cafe | 115 Seneca Way | (607) 277-0230 Tamarind Restaurant | 503 N Meadow St #3228 (607) 277-2220 M-F 11:30-3, 5-10; Sa-Su 11:30-10 Taste of Thai | 216 E State St (607) 256-5487 M-F 11:302:30-5-10; Sa-Su 11:30-10 Thai Basil: | 118 W State St | (607) 319-4722 | M-Th 11 .m.3; 5-9:30; F-Sa 11 a.m.-10; Su 11 a.m.-9 Thompson & Bleecker Pizzeria and Wine Tavern | 220 E State St | (607) 319-0851 | 4:30-9 pm Triphammer Wines and Spirits | 2255 N. Triphammer Rd. | (607) 257-2626 | triphammerwines.com UTEA | 205 Dryden Rd | (607) 319-4298 | 12 pm to 8 pm.

Waffle Frolic | 146 E State St, | (607) 319-0999 | M-Th 7 a.m.-until 2 p.m, F 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Sa-Su 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Wagner Vineyards | 9322 NY-414 | Lodi | (607) 582-6039 | Noon-4 p.m. | Online store open wagnervineyards.com Wings Over Ithaca | 121 Dryden Rd, | 607 319-4664 Daily 11 a.m.-midnight

Many of Ithaca’s businesses are open for curbside pick-up or home delivery. Save this page for an up-to-date guide to our city’s listings during this health crisis.

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Film

Ithaca Celebrity Quarantine Film Festival #4 Gay Huddle

Virtual Music Bars/Bands/Clubs

By Br yan VanC ampe n

7/9 Thursday CFCU (Virtual) Summer Concert Series: Luke G & the Candyhearts | 18:00:00,

7/10 Friday Hot Dogs & Gin | 19:00:00, | Boathouse Beer Garden, Romulus

7/11 Saturday The Great British Bake Off (Provided)

W

ith the world on lockdown, what are we all watching?

This week, I spoke to Gay Huddle, whose column “Southern Tier Town Talk” appears in the Ithaca Journal every other Thursday.

IT: How are you holding up?

GH: Well, we both are homebodies, we like our home, we like being home, and I love to read. So that part of it was okay.

But the idea that you could not go out to dinner or out to the movies, visit friends and family, it seemed like a bad “Twilight Zone” episode. Everybody walking around with masks, windows going up. It just seems weird to me. I’m at an age where it’s like, “Wow, what the heck is goin’ on?”

IT: I think it’s gonna be a marathon, not a sprint, Gay. I think we’re in this for a while.

GH: I do too.

IT: There are still huge spikes in other states.

GH: And then they’re opening beaches.

Big crowds is bad news right now. Tompkins County numbers are very low, and I’m grateful for that. Thank heavens for Netflix. We haven’t really watched a lot of movies, but Netflix has been a lifesaver.

They have had so many good shows on there. I finally got into “The Crown,” and I watched every bit of it and I loved it. And people said, “You haven’t watched ‘Better Call Saul?’ So we got into that and watched every bit of it.

IT: I’m more familiar with the star of that show, Bob Odenkirk, as more of a comedian and comedy writer, but he’s been in Steven Spielberg’s “The Post” and Greta Gerwig’s remake of “Little Women.” He’s getting a lot of dramatic roles these days.

GH: I can see the comedy in him. I mean, in “Better Call Saul,” he had an answer for everything. And some of the stuff he said was really funny. I mean, people got killed, but he was still kinda funny.

I love “The Great British Baking Show,” because it was just fun, easy watching.

I watched all of “Househunters International” because I can be an armchair traveler, you know? And we found just the best show, called “Death in Paradise.” And the locale is beautiful, and it’s on Brit Box. And it’s kinda like “Columbo:” “Gather everybody in the living room, I know who done it.” Netflix has been a saving grace for me, because everything’s on hiatus. I’m looking forward to “Yellowstone” tonight, which is on the Paramount channel, but it’s been gone so long, it’s hard to remember. [laughs] Kevin Costner is terrific on that show, it’s kind of like “The Big Valley” [TV series] back in the olden days.

IT: I always think of Kevin Costner when I think about getting started as a film critic in 1987, because he was just breaking out as a movie star with “The Untouchables” and “No Way Out” and “Bull Durham”, which was one of my mother’s favorite movies. And of course, he was the dead friend in “The Big Chill,” so you only see his wrists and his feet; the rest of his performance was edited out of the film.

GH: I tell you, he looks great. He doesn’t look any older than he did back then. I mean, the TVs on at our house from morning to night, and my husband watches all the judge shows, ‘cause he’s a judge. I don’t watch much during the day, but I watch at night, and I love “Celebrity Family Feud” and “To Tell The Truth,” kind of a throwback to the old shows. So

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Meg and Ray | 13:30:00, | Buttonwood Grove Winery, Romulus (604)

7/16 Thursday CFCU (Virtual) Summer Concert Series: Luke G & the Candyhearts | 18:00:00,

7/18 Saturday Spudz-N-Taggit | 13:30:00, | Buttonwood Grove Winery, Romulus (604)

Stage Queens Girl in the World - A Hangar Theater Virtual Streaming Event. | 19:30:00, 7/11 Saturday | Hangar Theatre, 801 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca | The Motown-infused story of Jacqueline Marie Butler, a Black teenager coming of age in the 1960s. Her joys, challenges and heart-break act as a unique lens to the civil rights movement as she journeys from her neighborhood in Queens to an exclusive private school in Greenwich Village.† | $20/$10 Ithaca Shakespeare Company- Virtual Romeo and Juliet | 19:00:00, 7/16 Thursday | Tickets will be available at www. ithacashakespeare.org.†Along with ISCís actors, the performances will feature shadow puppet sequences created by Linda Wingerter of Stringpullers Puppet Company.

Ithaca Shakespeare Company Virtual Season - The Comedy of Errors | 19:00:00, 7/17 Friday | Tickets will be available at www. ithacashakespeare.org. The story of two sets of identical twins in one of Shakespeareís most slapstick comedies. Confusion, arrests, mistaken identities, an exorcism, and a family separated and reunited will fill the screen as the hilarity unfolds in the streets of ancient Ephesus.

Ithaca Shakespeare CompanyVirtual Romeo and Juliet | 19:00:00, 7/18 Saturday | Tickets will be available at www.ithacashakespeare.org.†Along with ISCís actors, the performances will feature shadow puppet sequences created

by Linda Wingerter of Stringpullers Puppet Company.

Art Online and Through the Window | 0:00:00, 7/8 Wednesday | State of the Art Gallery, 120 W Martin Luther King, Jr./State Street, Ithaca | ìOnline and Through the Window,î an exhibition of photographs by Jan Kather and David Watkins, Jr. This show is virtual/online. On exhibit is work derived from their studies of the botanical world and natural landscape. View at www.soagithaca.org. July 1-August 2, 2020. Additional contact info: † www.jankatherphotography.com and http://www.davidwatkinsjrphotography.com Collective Consciousness | 0:00:00, 7/9 Thursday | Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts, Congress at McLallen St, Trumansburg | The first virtual art show experience produced by the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts and the Cayuga Arts Collective. The show runs through August 6. Curated

by Marina Delaney and Domenica Brockman.

Painting Beauty - Plein Air Workshop - Brian Keeler | 0:00:00, 7/11 Saturday | North Star Art Gallery, 743 Snyder Hill Road, Ithaca | Brian Keeler will be offering a one day landscape painting class

for all levels of artists. Contact the North Star today to register and get supply list etc. info@NorthStarArtGallery.com†or( 607) 323-7684 | 125 Online and Through the Window | 0:00:00, 7/15 Wednesday | State of the Art Gallery, 120 W Martin Luther King, Jr./State Street, Ithaca | ìOnline and Through the Window,î an exhibition of photographs by Jan Kather and David Watkins, Jr. This show is virtual/online. On exhibit is work derived from their studies of the botanical world and natural landscape. View at www.soagithaca.org. July 1-August 2, 2020. Additional contact info: † www.jankatherphotography.com and http://www.davidwatkinsjrphotography.com

Movies Virtual Cinemapolis - Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets | 0:00:00, 7/8 Wednesday | Cinemapolis, 120 E Green St, Ithaca | A look at the final moments of a Las Vegas dive bar called ëThe Roaring 20sí. (98 mins NR) | 72 hour rental available for $12

Virtual Cinemapolis: Guest of Honour | 0:00:00, 7/10 Friday | Cinemapolis, 120 E Green St, Ithaca | Veronica wants to remain in jail for a sexual assault she knows sheís been wrongfully indicted for. She and her father, Jim, find themselves acting out of the bounds of good behavior as the past haunts them.

(105 mins NR) | 5 day rental available for $12 Virtual Cinemapolis: The Tobacconist | 0:00:00, 7/10 Friday | Cinemapolis, 120 E Green St, Ithaca | Seventeen-year-old Franz journeys to Vienna to apprentice at a tobacco shop. There he meets Sigmund Freud (Bruno Ganz), a regular customer, and over time the two very different men form a singular friendship.†As political and social conditions in Austria dramatically worsen with the Nazisí arrival in Vienna, each has a big decision to make: to stay or to flee? (108 mins NR) | 72 hour rental available for $12

Virtual Cinemapolis: Creating A Character: The Moni Yakim Legacy | 0:00:00, 7/17 Friday | Cinemapolis, 120 E Green St, Ithaca | What do Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Patti LuPone and Alex Sharp have in common? They are but a few of the extraordinary actors who have studied under Moni Yakim at Juilliard, Americaís greatest performing arts school. A compelling portrait of the master teacher, the sole remaining founder of the schoolís legendary Drama Division.

(76 mins NR) | 72 hour rental available for $10 Outdoor Movie Night | 21:00:00, 7/17 Friday | Seneca Falls Community Center, 35 Water Street, Seneca Falls | Join us for an extra-special Drive-In style movie night at the Seneca Falls Recreation Center, 35 Water Street. Popcorn will be served and restrooms available.

Special Events Sixth Annual Lavender Harvest Festival | 13:00:00, 7/11 Saturday | Rue Claire Lavender Farm, 9403 Rte 414, Lodi | Come and pick the fragrant lavender and enjoy the sunny weather. Pick by the bundle with varieties of† Hidcote, Grosso and Provence . The featured band this year is Moon Rabbit, performing acoustic tunes live. Additional information may be found at www. rueclaire.com Womenís Rights National Historical Park Virtual Convention Days 2020 | 11:00:00, 7/17 Friday | Women’s Rights National Historic Park, 136 Fall St, Seneca Falls | This annual event allows visitors to engage with womenís history, focusing on the revolutionary 1848 Seneca Falls Womenís Rights Convention through art, storytelling, speakers, and special programming.A schedule of events, including full details of the weekendís programs, is available on the park Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/womensrightsnps/

Books Katharyn Howd Machan | 19:00:00, 7/8 Wednesday | Buffalo Street Books, 215 N Cayuga St, Ithaca | Join Tompkins Countyís first poet laureate for the launch reading of her new collection of poems, A Slow Bottle of Wine. Spanning

more than 20 years, the collection chronicles her beloved daughterís life and survival from heroin addiction. After reading a selection of the poems, Katharyn will be available for questions. A Zoom event, register online.

Kids Once Upon a Craft | 10:30:00, 7/10 Friday | Seneca Falls Library, Online virtual program, Seneca Falls | For kids entering grades K-5: Create a fun, fairy tale-themed craft on Zoom! You must register ahead by emailing tmontoney@senecafallslibrary.org Science Tellers | 18:30:00, 7/10 Friday | Seneca Falls Library, Online virtual program, Seneca Falls | Science meets storytelling! Kids in grades K-5 will love this 45 minute show on Zoom. You must register by e-mailing tmontoney@senecafallslibrary.org Gloop, Glop, Slime and Dough! | 10:00:00, 7/11 Saturday | Seneca Falls Library, Online virtual program, Seneca Falls | Do your kids love playing with anything gloopy and slimy? We’ve got the perfect summer program for you!

Join Seth Kennedy and Miss Tara on Zoom for a fun morning of making homemade gloop, glop, slime and dough. Supplies and recipes will be provided by the library but must be picked up curbside before the program. Space is limited. You must email tmontoney@senecafallslibrary.org to register.

Fairytale Book Squad | 10:00:00, 7/13 Monday | Seneca Falls Library, Online virtual program, Seneca Falls | Here’s a book club for kids entering grades 3-5! Choose how the story ends through the You Choose book, “Hansel and Gretel: An Interactive Fairy Tale Adventure” by Matt Doeden. The club will meet online using Zoom on Mondays from July 6 - July 27 from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Books are provided, but must be picked up curbside from the Seneca Falls Library. Register at tmontoney@senecafallslibrary.org Legendary Legos | 11:00:00, 7/16 Thursday | Seneca Falls Library, Online virtual program, Seneca Falls | Get ready to make some legendary Lego creations this summer on Zoom! Kids entering grades 1 and up will hear a story and then build a unique Lego creation based on that

story. Space is limited. Registration by emailing tmontoney@senecafallslibrary.org Once Upon a Craft | 10:30:00, 7/17 Friday | Seneca Falls Library, Online virtual program, Seneca Falls | For kids entering grades K-5: Create a fun, fairy tale-themed craft on Zoom! You must register ahead by emailing tmontoney@senecafallslibrary.org Hangar Theatre Virtual KIDDSTUFF: The Magic Paintbrush | 10:30:00, 7/18 Saturday | Hangar Theatre, 801 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca | A Chinese Folk Tale. Watch live at www.youtube.com/hangartheatre

Notices Candor Farmers Market | 15:30:00, 7/9 Thursday | Candor Town Hall, 101 Owego Rd, Candor | Candor Farmers Market runs from June 25- Sept 3. Every Thursday at the Candor Community† Pavilion on the grounds of the Candor Town Hall. Over 15 local vendors with fresh produce, soaps,† maple products,† jams, honey,† tool sharpening, hand sanitizer and so much more! Free admission.

Dryden Town Historical Society Annual OP Sale | 8:00:00, 7/10 Friday | Southworth Homestead, 14 North Street, Dryden | Always interesting items, we have a barn full of merchandise, so expect surprises.

Please follow NYS safety regulations regarding face masks and social distancing.

Check It Out Shoppe | 9:00:00, 7/10 Friday | Check It Out Thrift Shop, 6609 Turnpike Roaf, Mecklenburg | Fridays and Saturdays from 9-2PM. High quality used items at reasonable prices. Sponsored by the Mecklenburg United Methodist Church

Check It Out Shoppe | 9:00:00, 7/17 Friday | Check It Out Thrift Shop, 6609 Turnpike Roaf, Mecklenburg | Fridays and Saturdays from 9-2PM. High quality used items at reasonable prices. Sponsored by the Mecklenburg United Methodist Church

for reducing stress, improving

Ovid Farmers Market | 15:00:00, 7/10 Friday | Papa Bear Building (Ovid Courthouse), 7175 Main St., Ovid | Come and find local, fresh produce of all kinds! Fresh picked right down the road. Also, there will be farm fresh eggs, local maple syrup, local honey, fresh baked goods including pies, breads, cookies, and sweet rolls and cut flowers and flower arrangements.

Ovid Farmers Market | 15:00:00, 7/17 Friday | Papa Bear Building (Ovid Courthouse), 7175 Main St., Ovid | Come and find local, fresh produce of all kinds! Fresh picked right down the road. Also, there will be farm fresh eggs, local maple syrup, local honey, fresh baked goods including pies, breads, cookies, and sweet rolls and cut flowers and flower arrangements.

Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings

Dryden Town Historical Society Annual OP Sale | 8:00:00, 7/11 Saturday | Southworth Homestead, 14 North Street, Dryden | Always interesting items, we have a barn full of merchandise, so expect surprises. Please follow NYS safety regulations regarding face masks and social distancing.

Candor Farmers Market | 15:30:00, 7/16 Thursday | Candor Town Hall, 101 Owego Rd, Candor | Candor Farmers Market runs from June 25- Sept 3. Every Thursday at the Candor Community† Pavilion on the grounds of the Candor Town Hall. Over 15 local vendors with fresh produce, soaps,† maple products,† jams, honey,† tool sharpening, hand sanitizer and so much more! Free admission.

Shred Days are back! | 10:00:00, 7/18 Saturday | Tops Plaza, 3932 NY-281, Cortland | Shred your sensitive documents and electronics!To maintain health and safety during the shred days, all attendees must wear a cloth face covering and keep 6 or more feet of distance from others. Limit two boxes of papers and two electronics per household.

Health

attention, boosting the immune system, reducing emotional reactivity, and promoting a general sense of health and well-being.

| 9:00:00, 7/13 Monday | Every day, 9:00am, Daily Ithaca Group, Zoom ID 567 306 773, Dial in: 929-205-6099.

Contact dailyithacagroup@gmail. com for the password.

TCPL to Offer Virtual Mid-Day Mindfulness Meditation Sessions | 12:15:00, 7/15 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St, Ithaca | These sessions will encourage participants to shift out of “automatic pilot” mode and observe the workings of the mind,

TCPL to Offer Virtual Mid-Day Mindfulness Meditation Sessions | 12:15:00, 7/8 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 E Green St, Ithaca | These sessions will encourage participants to shift out of “automatic pilot” mode and observe the workings of the mind, body, and emotions. Mindfulness practice has been touted as a means

body, and emotions. Mindfulness practice has been touted as a means for reducing stress, improving attention, boosting the immune system, reducing emotional reactivity, and promoting a general sense of health and well-being.

“Tompkins Trust Company understands our needs and how we run our business.”

After 48 years as a family-owned, leading manufacturer of case packing and robotic palletizing solutions, Schneider’s senior management wanted to acquire the company.

TURNING POSSIBILITIES into REALITIES.

“We looked at a lot of banks, and Tompkins Trust Company really stood out,” says Bob Brotzki.

SCHNEIDER PACKAGING EQUIPMENT CO., INC. Bob Brotzki President

TompkinsTrust.com 03/19

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Town & Country

Classifieds In Print

|

On Line |

10 Newspapers

277-7000 Phone: Mon.-Fri. 9am-5pm Fax: 277-1012 (24 Hrs Daily)

AUTOMOTIVE

| 59,200 Readers

Internet: www.ithaca.com Mail: Ithaca Times Classified Dept

PO Box 27 Ithaca NY 14850 In Person: Mon.-Fri. 9am-5pm

109 North Cayuga Street

AUTOMOTIVE

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

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JOB OPPORTUNITY:

BOY SCOUT COMPENSATION FUND

Recently Diagnosed w/ Lung Cancer

$18.50 P/H NYC $16 P/H LI Up to $13.50 P/H UPSTATE NY CDPAP Caregiver Hourly Pay Rate! Under NYS CDPAP Medicaid program you can hire your family or friends for your care.

Phone: 347-713-3553 (NYSCAN)

COMPUTER ISSUES?

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Best selection of full/partial week rentals.

Call for FREE color Brochure. Holiday Real Estate, Inc.: 1-800-638-2102 Online reservations: www.holidayoc. com. $50 discount - new rentals. Code: “WelcomeBack” (Expires 2020-09-01) (NYSCAN)

Freon Wanted:

We pay CA$H for cylinders and cans.

R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient.

Certified Professionals. Call 312-3610601 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com (NYSCAN)

400/Employment

100/Automotive

OCM BOCES - Cortland

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We buy all cars! Junk, high-end, totaled – it doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash! NEWER MODELS too!

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with an American Standard Walk-in Bathtub. Receive up to $1,500 off, including a free toilet, and a lifetime warranty on the tub and installation! Call us at 1-844286-6771 or visit www.walkintubquote. com/newyork (NYSCAN)

Call for your fee rate comparison to see how much you can save! Call: 855-5691909. (AAN CAN)

Ithaca’s only

Alternative School located in Cortland has the need for a full time Typist II. Successful candidate will perform direct secretarial support for the Cortland Alternative School. Successful candidate will perform secretarial tasks that include answering telephones, interfacing with students, parents and district personnel as they enter the building, typing correspondence and forms utilizing Microsoft Office suite; processing paperwork and recordkeeping (enrollment /change forms, requisitions, classroom inventories, purchase orders, etc.); staff and student data entry and management to include attendance, personnel and payroll records; other duties as assigned by supervisor. Two years of full-time clerical experience is required. This is a Civil Service class position and continued employment is contingent on successfully passing the required exam. Send letter of interest and resume to: OCM BOCES, Recruitment Department, PO Box 4754, Syracuse, NY 13221 EOE.

hometown electrical distributor

430/General

Your one Stop Shop

Since 1984 802 W. Seneca St. Ithaca 607-272-1711 fax: 607-272-3102 www.fingerlakeselectric.com

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18 T

h e

866-585-6050

2 0 2 0

DISH TV

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820/Computer

DELIVERY Part-Time Route Driver needed for delivery of newspapers every Wednesday.

Must be available 9am-1pm, have reliable transportation, and a good driving record.

Call 277-7000

Can’t Afford a $5000 Retainer? Low Cost Legal Services- Pay As You Go. As low as $750-$1500- Get Legal Help Now! Call 1-844-821-8249 Mon-Fri 7am to 4pm PCT (AAN CAN) https://www.familycourtdirect. com/?network=1

BANKRUPTCY:

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or Mesothelioma? Exposed to Abestos Pre-1980 at Work or Navy? You May Be Entitled to a Significant Cash Award!

Smoking History Okay! 888-912-3150 (NYSCAN)

805/Business Services

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Anyone that was inappropriately touched by a Scout leader deserves justice and financial compensation! Victims may be eligible for a significant cash settlement.

Time to file is limited. Call now! 844587-2494 (NYSCAN)

PIANOS

• Rebuilt • Reconditioned • Bought• Sold • Moved • Tuned • Rented

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No job too big or too small.

Call us.

Ithaca Piano Rebuilders (607) 272-6547 950 Danby Rd., Suite 26

South Hill Business Campus, Ithaca, NY

SERVICES

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SERVICES

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM!

Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Now offering grants & scholarships for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! (844) 947-0192 (M-F 8AM-6PM ET) (NYSCAN)

TYPIST II

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855/Misc.

OCM BOCES Cortland Alternative School located in Cortland has the need for a full time Typist II. Successful candidate will perform direct secretarial support for the Cortland Alternative School. Successful candidate will perform secretarial tasks that include answering telephones, interfacing with students, parents and district personnel as they enter the building, typing correspondence and forms utilizing Microsoft Office suite; processing paperwork and recordkeeping (enrollment/change forms, requisitions, classroom inventories, purchase orders, etc.); staff and student data entry and management to include attendance, personnel and payroll records; other duties as assigned by supervisor. Two years of full-time clerical experience is required. This is a Civil Service class position and continued employment is contingent on successfully passing the required exam.

Send letter of interest and resume to: OCM BOCES, Recruitment Department, PO Box 4754, Syracuse, NY 13221 EOE

DENTAL Insurance Physicians Mutual Insurance Company

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Insurance Policy P150NY 6129

Tax Foreclosed Real Estate Auction Chemung County • Online Only 75+ parcels available: Lots, Acreage, Homes, Commercial Properties Due to COVID-19 mandates and regulations, this auction will be conducted 100% online.

Online Auction Start: July 10TH, 12PM Online Auction Closing Begins: July 23RD, 10AM

LAND AUCTION:

16 1-3 acre lots Gated Communities, Haywood County, NC. 151-acre mountain tract, springs, lake sites, 3/2 Home.

ERA Sunburst Realty www.sunburstauctions.net. NCA lic#10376. Randy Flanigan, NCAL6421; NCRE274318.

(706) 207-9436. (NYSCAN)

**Action Required**

To participate in this online only auction, please visit our website and complete the “Online Bidder Registration Packet”.

Originals must be received at our office no later than 7/21

For complete information, visit www.auctionsinternational.com/liveauctions or call 800-536-1401, Ext. 110 “Selling Surplus Assets 7 Days a Week Online”

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alone I’m never

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*Terms & Conditions Apply

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BackPage

For rates and information contact Cyndi Brong at cbrong@ithactimes.com

on select floors

Kirksway Farm Topsoils, Mixes, Compost, Mulches, Stone, Septic Systems, Driveways, Drainage

277-7000 p h o n e 277-1012 f a x

400 Auburn Rd. Lansing, NY 6075337866

FURNITURE & DECOR

50% Off

kirkswayfarm.com

MIMI’S ATTIC

State Safety Inspection with

Order by Phone or Online

430 W. State St. (607)882-9038 Open Every Day!

Community Cash Coupon Monro

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

Ithaca 273-8600

JANITORIAL* FLOOR * CARPET

Lansing 266-6443

INDEPENDENCE CLEANERS CORP

Cortland 756-4918

607-227-3025 / 607-697-3294

AAM

DONATE TO:

ALL ABOUT MACS

FOODBANK

Fur & Leather repair, zipper repair.

Same Day Service Available

John’s Tailor Shop

2309 N.Triphammer Rd.

2300 N. Triphammer Rd. 607 391-2227

Bet The Farm Winery Free Friday Delivery

Curbside Pickup available

Trumansburg, NY

5610 State Rte. 414

Phone, Delivery, & Curbside Pickup

Hector, NY

607 387-6548

607 387-1045

betthefarmny.com

M-F 3-6pm

Buy, Sell & Consign Previously-enjoyed

h e

Ithac a T imes

/July

ithacasumo.com

$19.99

Ten Percent Off

Includes oil & filter

Any Repair

Cash Coupon Ithaca Auto Service

Diane’s Downtown Automotive 607-272-AUTO (2886)

607-220-9183

Peaceful Spirit Acupuncture Anthony R. Fazio, L.Ac., D.A.O.M.(c) www.peacefulspiritacupuncture.com admin@peacefulspiritacupuncture.com 607-272-0114

www.hectorwinecompany.com

Up to $1000 off

2 0 2 0

Ithaca, NY 14850

(607) 257-5555

Save Big, Shop Small

8–14,

2309 N. Triphammer Rd

102 The Commons

Sat-Sun 2-6pm

Check out our Yes! We’re Open guide on PAGE 2 and online @ ithaca.com /M arketplace /YesW ereO pen 20 T

Delivery & Pickup

(607) 257-7777

4 tire rotation & brake check with Community

Full Market Open

4204 Krums Corners Rd

Hibachi * Sushi

Oil Change

Hector Wine Company

Order by noon

607 256-9355

John Serferlis - Tailor 273-3192

Open and Delivering!

213 Fulton St. or

821 Cliff Street

for over 20 years

EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS

Save $1.00 to $5.00

Check out Cayuga Dog Rescue!

Men’s and Women’s Alterations

www.foodbankst.org

Community CashCoupon

SEA CHANGE

Sumo Japanese Steakhouse

Elmira, NY 14903

Agway True Value

(Across from McDonalds)

www.facebook.com/CayugaDogRescue

388 Upper Oakwood Ave

(607) 280-4729

363 Elmira Rd

Sanitizing and Social Distancing

www.cayugadogrescue.org

607-796-6061

http://www.allaboutmacs.com

New Location

Love dogs?

Adopt! Foster! Volunteer! Donate for vet care!

of the Southern Tier

Macintosh Consulting

Now open at our

FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC

CLEANING SERVICES

Auto Service and Tire Center

Bishops Carpet One

“The Best Sub You’ve ever had!” $5.00 off any purchase at

DiBella’s Subs with Community Cash Coupon 222 Elmira Rd. Ithaca

Many of Ithaca’s businesses are open for curbside pick-up or home delivery. Save this page for an up-to-date guide to our city’s listings during this health crisis.