Ithaca Moves to Support BikeShare, Eyes Multi-Entity Funding Model
By Matt Dougherty
To support the growing demand for alternative transportation options in the city, the Ithaca Common Council approved a $50,000 funding allocation for Ithaca BikeShare, marking the fourth time the city has approved funding for the micro-mobility program.
BikeShare has been widely successful throughout the city and has seen ridership increase year over year, but the program has had to seek alternative funding sources to continue operating as NYSEG pulled its support for the program after its one-year contract expired in April 2024.
In response to the loss of support from NYSEG, the Common Council approved allocating a one-time payment of $75,000 to help cover the program’s roughly $150,000 annual operating costs. This funding followed a one-time $50,000 allocation approved by the council in 2022 to help cover the costs associated with the initial purchasing of the bikes. Another one-time allocation of $15,000 is included in the city’s 2025 budget.
As a result of these repeated one-time payments, some council members advocated for setting up a more sustainable funding model for the program and the need to acquire financial support from Cornell University.
The program is operated by the Center for Community Transportation (CCT), which is also responsible for operating Ithaca CarShare. According to CCT Director of Micromobility Jeff Goodmark, its total operating budget is around $600,000.
BikeShare offers year-round, 24/7 ac-
Beginning on November 2, the Ithaca Farmers Market switched to its November hours. Saturday and Sunday markets in November are held from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Steamboat Landing on Cayuga Lake. Tuesday Markets in Dewitt Park and Wednesday Markets on East Hill have ended for the season and will return in the Spring of 2025.
cess to shared e-bikes and is managed by a small team, including three full-time and two part-time employees. The program has become vital to the city’s transportation landscape, facilitating short-distance trips across Ithaca’s hilly terrain. Goodmark has described the service as “ubiquitous” across Ithaca, with bikes available in “every ward represented by the council.”
The program has been largely self-sustaining through user fees and grants but has struggled to cover ongoing operating expenses for 2024. The costs include maintenance, customer support, and operations, for which there has been no regular public funding stream.
Goodmark highlighted the challenge of securing operational funding despite Ithaca BikeShare’s high ridership and impact on the community. “We can get money from organizations for expansion, for capital improvements,” he explained. “But what we can’t get money for is funding for operations.”
Ithaca BikeShare’s usage statistics underscore its demand: the service has recently reached over 150,000 rides since its inception, with September 2024 marking its highest monthly ridership. Goodmark reported that ridership has grown 30% yearover-year while revenue has increased 15%.
“The most common feedback we still get from the community is that people would ride more often if more bikes were available,” Goodmark said.
Community members currently pay an average of $4-$5 per ride, with a base unlocking fee of $1.50, followed by a 25-centper-minute charge. Despite these rates, the
The Tompkins County temporary Code Blue homeless shelter for the 2024-25 season is located at the old KeyBank building on Tioga Street in downtown Ithaca.
Residents and visitors can find still locally-grown produce, meat, eggs, artisan goods, prepared food and beverages, and more on weekend days in November from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Farmers Market pavilion.
And keep an eye open for updates on the 2024 International Rutabaga Curling Championship!
X West End Diorama Display at Chemung Canal Trust Co. Ending
The West End diorama, a scale-model recreation of Ithaca’s pre-flood-control West End neighborhood, has been on display for the past year at the Ithaca Station branch of Chemung Canal Trust Company, located at 806 West Buffalo Street. The exhibit will end on November 15th, when the branch will be closed permanently. Banking hours are 9:00–4:30 M-F; the bank will close at noon on the 15th.
program operates at a loss, subsidizing every ride to make it affordable for users. “We don’t want to price people out,” Goodmark said, adding that Ithaca BikeShare is already “a little bit more on the expensive side” compared to similar services in other cities, where municipalities cover operating costs.
While users affiliated with Cornell University represent a significant portion of Ithaca BikeShare’s ridership — an estimated 50% — the university has yet to make any financial contributions to the program. In contrast, Ithaca College has provided a modest $6,000, with plans for continued support in 2025.
Councilmember Margaret Fabrizio expressed frustration with Cornell’s lack
Continued on Page 14
This one-of-a-kind Ithaca tradition will be held on December 21 at the Ithaca Farmers Market Pavilion.
More information on hours for the Ithaca Farmers Market, and to see which vendors are at each market, visit ithacamarket.com.
You can also find the Ithaca Farmers Market on Facebook and Instagram.
Diorama creator David Fogel has said that he is looking into possible alternative display places for the model, but that there is a good chance that it will have to be moved back into storage for the foreseeable future.
F r EE lan CE rs : Barbara Adams, G. M Burns, Jane Dieckmann, Charley Githler, Ross Haarstad, Steve Lawrence, Marjorie Olds, Henry Stark, and Arthur Whitman
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By Mark Syvertson
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
“IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT BOOK WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU?”
Ithaca Mayor Calls for Removal of Amendment to Increase His Salary after Council Approved It
By Matt Dougherty
After a heated debate during a fivehour-long budget meeting last Thursday, the Ithaca Common Council approved an amendment to increase the mayor’s salary by 50%. However, Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo has since called on the council members who introduced the amendment to remove it from consideration.
The amendment addressed a pay cut for the Mayor that the council approved last year during Ithaca’s transition to a City Manager form of government.
The change in government structure was approved by 73% of the public in a referendum held during the 2022 midterm elections. It came in response to former Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick’s concerns that the Mayor’s salary was not in line with the job responsibilities as the effective CEO of the City.
The change in government structure, which officially took effect in January 2024, transferred 75% of the Mayor’s responsibilities to the City Manager, who receives an annual salary of $170,000. The City Manager also replaced the old Chief of Staff position, which was paid a yearly salary of $120,000. As part of the transition, the Mayor also saw a salary reduction of more than 50%.
Despite this change, which was intended to decrease mayoral responsibilities, several council members have said that Mayor Cantelmo continues to work a fulltime schedule and should be compensated for his work. Other council members thought that increasing the mayor’s salary after the public approved changing the government’s structure, which included decreasing the mayor’s responsibilities, contradicted what the public approved.
The amendment would raise the Mayor’s annual salary from $30,000 to $62,500 — nearly restoring the position’s compensation to its pre-transition level of approximately $67,000.
The amendment was initially voted down by a margin of 5-4, with Fourth Ward Alderperson Patrick Kuehl reluctantly casting the deciding vote against it. However, Kuehl moved to reconsider the proposal later in the meeting, saying he wanted to involve the public in future discussions about changes to the mayor’s salary.
“I haven’t had the chance to speak with my constituents about this,” Kuehl said. “It’s not just about whether I think this is right or wrong; it’s about leaving the door open for the community to weigh in.”
Kuehl said that while he was uncertain about how he would vote on a local law, which would be necessary for the council to pass before approving the salary change, he believed it was important to create an opportunity for additional dialogue. “If people in the community feel strongly about this, they can petition for a referendum, and we’ll still have a vote on the local law.”
Supporting the Salary Increase
Supporters of the salary increase, including Alderpersons Ducson Nguyen, Clyde Lederman, and Tiffany Kumar, argued that increasing the mayor’s compensation was necessary since the Mayor has continued to work a full-time schedule despite the change in government structure.
Nguyen, who introduced the amendment, highlighted that the mayor’s responsibilities have not diminished as expected under the new City Manager structure, leading to Mayor Cantelmo still working full-time.
“While we initially intended for the mayor to work part-time under this new structure, the reality is that the Mayor's responsibilities still demand a full-time commitment,” Nguyen said. “Mayor Cantelmo is regularly putting in 40 hours or more each week, far beyond what was envisioned for this role.”
Lederman added that fair compensation is about allowing anyone from the community to step into the role. “We don’t want the position of mayor to be
something that only wealthy retirees or independently wealthy people can afford to take on,” Lederman said.
Kumar agreed, expressing concerns about retaining a part-time salary for what she characterized as a full-time role. “We need to make sure that our elected officials reflect the community, and compensation is part of that equation,” she said.
The Mayor’s current salary of $30,000 translates to just $14.50 per hour based on his full-time commitment to the role. This hourly rate falls below the living wage in Tompkins County, which is $18.45 per hour. It also falls well below New York’s minimum wage, which will increase to $15.50 per hour in January 2025.
Opposed To The Salary Increase
Opponents, including Alderpersons David Shapiro, Margaret Fabrizio, and Phoebe Brown, raised concerns about the timing of the amendment’s introduction and the fairness of increasing the mayor’s salary after voters approved reducing it as part of the transition to a City Manager form of government.
“There’s a reason we put these changes in place through a public referendum,” Shapiro said. “We risk undermining the credibility of this transition by revisiting the Mayor’s salary right now.”
Shapiro expressed strong concerns about the process and potential ethical implications surrounding the amendment, suggesting that the timing of the salary increase could be seen as inappropriate. During the meeting, he indicated his intention to file an ethics complaint about how the amendment was brought forward.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
RE: SPCA Complaints
“I am simply stunned that this conversation is coming up again. Jim has always had an open door policy for concerns of any kind from both staff and volunteers. It is deeply upsetting to suggest otherwise let alone in a public forum. I’m so disappointed in these people. As the grant writer for the SPCA who provides the stats for applications, I can assure anyone reading this that our statistics are stellar and well above national standards. It’s time the naysayers start appreciating the jewel that we have here in Ithaca and stop tearing it apart. In my 10+ years at the shelter and in a 37 year career all I will say is there are far better ways of handling issues than what I see in those videos.
“I was there for five years. I put my blood, sweat, and tears into working there and going above and beyond for the dogs I was working with. I opened up my home to several dogs, and fostered two of the ones that would have been euthanized. The things people are saying are not a lie. My concerns were never heard and always brushed off. I started speaking up and being done taken advantage of and wanted to go to the labor department, and Jim fired me for that. He just happened to forget I had a foster puppy at home when he fired me. Does that sound like a man that knows whats going on with the dogs in the shelter? No offense Lynn but I have barely seen you in that shelter since covid, if you’d like to see how the director talked to me over email I’ll be happy to share how much I was ignored.” — Mckayla Jordyn
Kyle’s young, fairly large, had a long stay at the shelter, and was stressed out, which led to occasional bouncy, nippy behavior. That’s shelter stress, and as great as this shelter is, it’s not a home and every animal there is operating on some level of stressed out.
He was never aggressive (which is the generally accepted baseline for behaviorbased euthanasia in no-kill shelters), but the nipping (in his case, jumping with an open mouth, which can break skin and counts as a bite) led to him being viewed as a “potential liability,” which is not ideal for a dog in this shelter, under this Executive Director.
So, in this case (and a few others recently and historically), the shelter’s assessment was wrong and they almost killed a perfectly fine dog.
Lynn Conway’s correct — the shelter is a jewel!
whistleblower policy.” — Elizabeth Grant
Lynne Conway
I have known Jim for decades. I have found him to be accurate in his assessments of situations, the nuances of the problems, and most importantly, the implementation of solutions. I would not have stayed an employee for 10+ years if I found his management to be lacking.” —
“More oversight and community outreach to adopt could help, in my opinion. However for me they are the best! I received my survey via email, and completed it. However it does come almost 2 months after adoption. If it comes sooner it will more likely be filled out and returned.” — Arianne Scuteri
“Big, important thing to note, re: Kyle, the dog mentioned in the article — he’s currently alive. He was adopted before the shelter’s deadline for whacking him, and he’s doing great in his new home.
And, as Patricia Keen noted, the staff and volunteers are almost uniformly excellent. McKayla was an example of that, before Jim canned her.
But if you’re a dog (especially a larger dog) whose behavior doesn’t rise to aggressive but raises “concerns” among some staff and upper management?
Eh...it’s not so great for them. Generally doesn’t end well or it’s touch-and-go to keep them out of trouble and off management's radar.
Euthanasia is an unfortunate but necessary reality, even in a no-kill shelter (illness/aggression).
But the shelter has not, in my experience, earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to non-aggressive bites/nips, the marginal or edge cases. They err on the side of “potential liability” and you end up with some perfectly good, yet dead, dogs.
And as to the Director’s claims about firings of staff and volunteers? I can only speak to the latter, but he’s just plain lying. Just straight-up lying.” — GOB Bluth
“I was a volunteer at TCSPCA for a year. Director Beaudreau fired me because I objected to the euthanization of a sweet black lab, named Austin. In addition, I had suggested that the volunteers be consulted for their experience with the dogs and for their thoughts about what might be done if behavior seemed problematic. This was out of the question for Director Beaudereau. And it still is....
Recently, TCSPCA volunteers were given a new volunteer handbook and required to sign what amounts to a nondisclosure agreement (NDA), banning them from talking about the animals they work with at the SPCA or their treatment. Transparency? And there is no (required)
“I have volunteered at the SPCA as a “purple” dog walker on and off since around 2012. I was also a dog walker volunteer in the intake building many years ago. I did so two days a week for approximately one year. During that time I went to Director Jim Bouderau to share concerns, one of which was the number of dogs euthanized in the intake building before ever making it to the adoption floor. The euthanasia stats and what I saw didn’t seem to add up. Soon after voicing my concerns, the rescue building volunteer dog walker position was eliminated by Jim making an already stressful situation for the dogs even worse and removing any volunteer presence which existed prior. When I first began volunteering at the SPCA the socialization and play time available for the dogs was 10:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. Jim had recently been hired and proceeded to slowly, over many years, gradually decrease the opportunity for exercise and socialization to 12:00 p.m. –4:30 p.m. Keep in mind, the amount of actual time that dogs spend out of their rooms is a fraction of this available time. This leads to more stress for the dogs, more behavioral issues, and more behavioral euthanasia. It also reduces the exposure of volunteer community members to Jim’s practices.
He stated in the public record of the Tompkins County Legislature that he undergoes an annual review including staff and volunteers. During my years there I have never been asked to fill out a review. Jim also stated in the public record of the Tompkins County Legislature that he had only fired one volunteer in 13 years. I can think of at least 3 right off the bat who were fired. There have been staff that have been fired or bullied into leaving for questioning his policies. Mckayla, a dedicated and loved staff member who was the main lifeline for the dogs, was his latest victim who was fired after questioning Jim’s policies. A huge loss to the dogs and to the other staff and volunteers trying to help alleviate some of the stress on the dogs.
And yet, the Board’s so-called “investigation” found all allegations coming from staff and volunteers, both past and present, as well as community members, “meritless.” The Board President stated in an email to a whistle blower well before the “investigation” was over, “We have 100 percent confidence in Jim.” That is not a real investigation. It is time for a change in leadership at the SPCA.” — Andrea Holmes
UPS DOWNS&
Ups
On what would have been astronomer and planetary scientist Carl Sagan’s 90th birthday, Cornell’s Carl Sagan Institute will celebrate his legacy on Nov. 9 from 2 to 6:15 p.m. in Call Auditorium in Kennedy Hall.
Downs
Daylight savings time ended this past Sunday, November 3 at 1:00 a.m. Now, we will “fall back” and set their clocks back one hour to standard time and allow the darkness to engulf our lives until spring. An utterly stupid, uniquely American tradition.
HEARD SEEN&
Heard
The Downtown Ithaca Alliance is gathering community feedback to help shape the lineup for next year’s CFCU Summer Concert Series. Who would you like to see perform in 2025? Share your ideas and let your voice be part of the planning process. Send your suggestions to performer@ downtownithaca.com
Seen
The City of Ithaca Engineering division and its consultant team from Barton & Loguidice will host a public meeting for the Black Diamond Trail Connector project on Thursday, November 7th, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The meeting will be held on-line through Zoom.
IF YOU CARE TO RESPOND to something in this column, or suggest your own praise or blame, write editor@ithacatimes. com, with a subject head “U&D.”
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Should the City of Ithaca increase the Mayor's salary from $30K to $60K?
23 3 % Yes.
70.0% No.
6.7 % I don’t care.
N EXT W EEK ’S Q UESTION : Should Cornell University contribute funding to Ithaca BikeShare?
Visit ithaca.com to submit your response.
Buffalo Street Books Faces Financial Challenges and Potential Closure, Nonprofit Model on the Horizon
By Maddy Vogel
Bu alo Street Books is once again facing nancial losses, putting the store’s iconic location in the Dewitt Mall in downtown Ithaca at risk of closure. e co-op bookstore with nearly 1,000 owners aims to sustain its long-term future by transitioning to a nonpro t model. e store announced to its network on ursday, Oct. 13 that it needed to raise $100,000 a er struggling with a considerably low number of sales in the beginning of this year.
Financial challenges are not new to Bu alo Street Books. In fact, the bookstore’s initial shi to a cooperativelyowned model in 2011 was ignited by the announcement that the bookstore would be closing its doors due to nancial losses.
Bu alo Street Books made the bold switch from private to cooperative ownership at a time when independent bookstores were declining nationally and became one of the few consumer-owned cooperative bookstores in the country.
en-owner Gary Weissbrot, along with outreach coordinator Bob Proehl, made the decision to let the community buy out the bookstore in shares of $250. In total, they accumulated over $200,000, allowing the store to remain open. But these one-time purchases were only able to provide short-term stability.
Since then, the bookstore has fundraised to stay open in multiple times of crisis. It saw a signi cant threat of closure in 2017 and again in 2020 following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A er facing years of hardship, Lisa Swayze, who has been the general manager of Bu alo Street Books since the 2017 crisis, said that the bookstore must seek community assistance once again but recognizes the need for a long-term solution.
“It has always been a point of pride that we’re one of the few cooperative bookstores in the country, and it felt hugely revolutionary when they did it in 2011, and it was, and it worked,” Swayze said. “But it just didn’t function for the structure of the store to keep it alive, it functioned to save the store back then.”
Annually, the bookstore typically operates at a loss of about $60,000 due to a multitude of factors, including the rise of online
competitors, tight margins and the ght to pay their employees a living wage. But an unexpected circumstance has helped the bookstore stay open for the past few years — the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although many independent bookstores su ered from signi cant losses during the pandemic, government aid for small businesses has lled the funding de cit that Bu alo Street Books had long operated on.
“During the pandemic, at rst, it was really hard,” Swayze said. “Ironically, this horrible thing that happened, that nobody wanted to happen and that wasn’t really good for business in general, did generate government support that helped ll that gap that has always existed for the bookstore.”
Now that the aid has dwindled, the gap has grown, pushing them to the breaking point. Swayze and the board of directors see the shi to a nonpro t model as “the only option.”
“As a cooperative, we’ve never had a goal of making money, we just want to stay alive,” Swayze said.
Swayze said that this year’s de cit, although slightly larger than normal due to the low spring sales, is somewhat typical for the store. Bookstores operate on extremely slim margins, but especially independent bookstores, which can only buy books in small quantities and can’t markup prices.
“We’ve talked about this over and over for years,” Swayze said. “I cannot tell you how many di erent things we have done to try to make more of a pro t selling books, and the fact is you just can’t.”
Amy Reading, chair of Bu alo Street Books’ board of directors, said the current threat of closure is “drastic,” and if they aren’t able to meet their $100,000 fundraising goal by the end of this year, they may not be able to open their doors in January. As of the publication of this article, the bookstore has raised just over $35,000 of their goal.
Although the idea of becoming a nonpro t has been on the table for years, the bookstore’s board of directors made the decision to begin the process of shi ing to a nonpro t model earlier this year, a er the spring's low sales. In order to shi from being a co-op to a nonpro t, the board’s owners must hold a vote.
Swayze and Reading said that the transition to a nonpro t will not have a signi -
cant impact on how the store operates, as they believe the store already serves as a nonpro t in many ways.
Bu alo Street Books has long worked to be a safe space for underrepresented communities. Beyond selling books that represent the diverse range of people who walk through their doors, they also hold over 150 events annually. is spring, the bookstore received an anonymous bomb threat aimed at their e orts to embrace and support the LGBTQ+ community, specically targeting their Drag Story Hour.
Becoming a nonpro t will open up more funding and support opportunities, which Swayze and Reading believe will sustain the bookstore in the long-term. e store will shi from the previous one-time payment to become an owner to a new membership model, in which individuals can pay $100 annually to receive perks, discounts and become involved in decision-making and board elections at the bookstore.
Reading says these memberships will give the community a structure of regular support, instead of relying on the community to support them during times of crisis, when they o en need to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to stay a oat. She added that the nonpro t model will help smooth out the seasonal variation in sales
An Open Letter to My Ithaca Common Council Colleagues
By Margaret Fabrizio, 5th Ward Alderperson
Iknow of at least one topic we all agree on: Ithaca has an affordability crisis.
While not a new problem nor unique to Ithaca, it has grown to a whole new level that is unsustainable for renters and property owners here, and it is up to us to begin to reverse the trend.
It’s more than ironic that for about 15 years our city has received the same paltry $2.6M in unrestricted state aid from the state with the largest number of billionaires in the world. And it’s maddening that our largest landowner is exempted from property taxes based on a nearly 200-yearold provision in NYS law that fails to recognize higher education institutions as the multi-billion dollar corporations they have become. It’s utterly unconscionable that Ithaca’s children don’t get their fair share of school aid.
While all these factors affecting our tax burden are out of our control, we do have one card to play. We determine how much the city spends, and thus one piece of the tax bill, and this is one hugely significant way we impact people’s lives here. What we do in this budget season will affect countless rental rates and whether or not homeowners long invested in this community can afford to remain here.
The proposed 2025 budget while termed a “zero % budget” by the City Manager, comes with a projected average tax increase of 13%. Hundreds of property owners are looking at an 18.9%
BUFFALO STREET BOOKS
continued from page 6
Election Results Don’t Happen Overnight
By The Tompkins County League of Women’s Voters
Dincrease, hundreds more at a 25.4% increase, and over 100 owners at a 36.3% increase. This is in addition to a 9% increase in water rates and a 9% increase in sewer rates, which already minimally tally nearly $1000 annually. In total, property owners here pay nearly $13,000 in local property taxes on a median house of $350K. Many pay more like $15,000, $20,000 and more even before this increase and next year’s school and county increases hit. By comparison, the New York State median property tax bill is about $6100.
When ICSD proposed a tax levy increase of 8.6% in May of this year, it was resoundingly voted down. This city proposal requires an 8.1% levy increase. Since property owners don’t get a vote, it is up to us to be responsible stewards of the purse strings. This budget is unacceptable and should have been sent back to department heads for re-working weeks ago. There is still time to do this, however, and I implore you to join me in demanding a new plan that better balances our needs with our capacity to fund them. We have an obligation to consider across the board cuts and the elimination of non-essential expenditures and unfilled positions.
I know we can do better, and I know our constituents are counting on us to ensure we do. Let’s listen to our residents and find a better way forward.
emocracy is worth waiting for. As we wait for votes to be counted, we know that this waiting period is exactly what should be happening. Election officials are working around the clock to count ALL ballots, and it’s essential that they take the time to make sure every vote is counted. Remember: a complete and accurate ballot count is more important than a fast ballot count.
We may not get a complete count on election night, and that's OK — it means our trusted election administrators are counting every ballot. Thank you! So many people helped make the election a success. While we wait for results, we want to thank voters for
ITHACA MAYOR CALLS
continued from page 4
“This entire situation feels highly unethical,” Shapiro said. He disapproved of the procedural approach, saying, “The way this was brought forward screams of outside influences, and I intend to file an ethics complaint.”
Shapiro also suggested that Ithaca doesn’t need a Mayor and should consider adopting a model similar to that of the Tompkins County Legislature, where a chairperson is appointed annually.
turning out to make sure their voices were heard. We owe huge gratitude to the people who made our elections run: the poll workers, election officials, election observers, postal workers, and volunteers. Thank you for all your dedicated work to power our elections this year.
What we saw. We saw voters take advantage of early voting in high numbers, and voters engage around this election with a lot of energy.
Celebrate democracy! Every election, we get the chance to shape our democracy with our vote. The League encourages you to take a moment to celebrate our democracy. What a beautiful thing it is!
we need to honor that commitment to a part-time mayoral role.”
will band together to support the bookstore in what is hopefully one last era of financial upheaval.
“My experience, having been here for these past seven years, is that we are very beloved,” Swayze said. “I know how much it means to people, I know that what we are offering makes people really happy, fills a niche, provides incredible comfort, brings the community together, so many things. I can’t imagine that the community is going to be willing to let that go.”
NOTE: A public hearing on the 2025 budget is being held this Wednesday, November 6, at 6 p.m. inside the Common Council chambers on the third floor of City Hall.” and bring in grants for the events and partnerships that the store already holds. “I’m mightily confident that shifting to a not-for-profit is the answer to our persistent financial troubles,” Reading wrote in a statement to The Ithaca Times. “It will open us up to new sources of funding for the literary programming that our peerless staff have so far funded with their pure passion.”
Swayze said that although the situation is dire, she has hope that the community
To donate to Buffalo Street Books, visit https://givebutter.com/bsb-membership
“I think we should be considering a structure similar to the county legislature, where they vote amongst themselves on who will chair the meetings for a given year,” Shapiro said. “There isn’t a need for a political figure to represent the body, and this would align with the city’s goal of providing oversight to the City Manager.”
Like Shapiro, Brown argued that the increase undermines the purpose of the city’s recent government transition. “We can’t just backtrack on what the public voted for. The transition was meant to professionalize city operations, and we need to stay committed to that vision.”
While Brown expressed her personal support for the Mayor, she emphasized the need to respect the public’s decision to transition to a City Manager structure. “I like Rob, and I would support increasing his salary by $10,000, but this amendment isn’t fair to the voters who approved the transition to a City Manager government,” Brown said. “They voted for a change, and
Fabrizio expressed fiscal concerns, stating, “We haven’t sufficiently addressed the new roles within this structure, and raising the salary now feels premature and fiscally irresponsible.” She questioned why the council recently allocated funding to hire a Deputy City Manager if an increase in the Mayor’s budget was under consideration. Fabrizio continued saying that the city is “looking at extraordinarily high tax increases” and doesn’t clearly understand this amendment's financial impact. “It’s irresponsible to push forward without real-time information on how this affects the budget,” she said.
After the initial vote failed, the council passed Kuehl’s motion to reconsider the amendment by a vote of 6-3, with Mayor Cantelmo recused. Following the vote to reconsider, Alderpersons Shapiro, Fabrizio, and Brown left the meeting in protest, attempting to leave the council without the quorum necessary to approve the amendment.
“We cannot allow three council members to hold the entire council hostage by walking out to stop a vote they don’t agree with,” Kumar said. “I think that is entirely wrong, and I think it sets a terrible precedent.” She added, “What if all of us did that?”
The remaining council members then voted 7-0 to draw the funds from the fund balance instead of the tax levy and 6-1 to add $32,500 to the Mayor’s salary line, setting the council up for a vote on a local law
Continued on Page 14
Tompkins County to House Homeless in Motels as Only Year-Round Shelter Closes, Prepares for Code Blue
By Matt Dougherty
Tompkins County officials have said they are working on contracting with local hotels and motels to house homeless residents that will be displaced by the impending closure of the county’s only year-round homeless shelter on November 16.
The loss of the shelter operated by Saint John’s Community Services (SJCS) will leave a significant gap in the support system for homeless individuals in Tompkins County, putting increased pressure on the county to find alternative shelter options as winter approaches.
At the same time, the county is working to finalize renovations to the old KeyBank building on Tioga Street in time for it to be used as a temporary Code Blue shelter for the 2024-25 season. However, the populations served by SJCS and Code Blue are different, and the county doesn’t expect there to be much overlap between them.
In response to questions about if residents housed at the SJCS shelter will be
able to access housing at the Code Blue shelter, Tompkins County Legislature Chair Dan Klein told the Ithaca Times, “yes, but that’s not where we’re hoping to send them.”
Klein continued by explaining the differences between Code Blue and the county’s permanent shelter program. “There are two separate branches of the sheltering system that we do,” Tompkins County Legislature Chair Dan Klein told the Ithaca Times. “Code Blue is the New York state mandated one and It’s just for the winter, so there’s no real requirements to get a bed for the night.”
“We’re going to find other locations for those who need permanent shelter for some amount of time. It’ll likely be a hotel or motel setting.”
The situation highlights the need for the county to make progress on opening its own permanent shelter facility, which officials have been discussing for some time. However, Klein has said that a county-run shelter is still years away from opening. According to Klein the county is conducting soil tests on the planned site and engaging a consultant to oversee real estate, architecture, and construction aspects of the project.
— Dan Klein, Tompkins County Legislature Chair
Alternatively, the shelter provided by SJCS fell under the Temporary Housing Assistance (THA) program, which Klein said has more strict requirements to get access to shelter for a longer period of time.
“We’ve been planning this new shelter for a while, and we’ll be ready to share more details soon,” Klein said.
Once built the new shelter is projected to offer up to 100 beds, significantly more than the 26 offered by the SJCS facility. Klein said that this expansion would help address current needs, as the county is sheltering a total of 93 people in alternate locations.
modifications for privacy, the addition of portable restrooms, and an enclosed walkway to access them. Once complete, the shelter will be able to accommodate up to 80 people.
Plans to utilize the building as the temporary Code Blue shelter were criticized by some members of the public who voiced concerns about plans for the facility to be a congregate shelter with bathroom and shower facilities in outdoor trailers. However, county officials have said that the plan was the best one the county could come up with on the short notice SJCS gave them.
The county received $2 million from New York State this year to cover operating costs of the Code Blue program. According to Klein, this is the highest Code Blue allocation for any county outside of New York City, and it reflects the county’s commitment to providing higher-level services than the minimum requirements set by the state.
“We’re offering beds and a safe place to sleep, not just a warming room with chairs,” Klein said. “That’s why we consistently get
the largest allocation. Our homeless population isn’t the largest, but we’re providing more comprehensive services.”
County leaders acknowledged the challenges of adapting the local shelter system during this transition. Holmes emphasized the importance of collaboration with community partners and local agencies. “There has been an outpouring of community support to further assist people in need,” she said. “As we develop a better understanding of what’s required from the community, we will communicate that broadly.”
Despite these efforts, Klein admitted that the loss of SJCS remains a setback. “It’s complicated, and there are no easy answers,” he said. “We’re working daily to mobilize resources and provide regular updates as the situation evolves.”
For now, Tompkins County is urging individuals in need of shelter or emergency services to contact the Department of Social Services at 320 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Street or call (607) 274-5348 during business hours.
In the meantime, Klein has said that the county is working on contracting with local hotel and motel providers to house individuals impacted by the closure of SJCS. “We’re going to find other locations for those who need permanent shelter for some amount of time,” Klein said. “It’ll likely be a hotel or motel setting.”
Klein added that the exact names and locations of hotels and motels that work with the county to provide alternate shelter options aren’t publicized by the county to provide privacy for clients.
The closure of SJCS, located at 618 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, was announced after the organization decided not to renew its contract with the county. According to Klein, the decision came down to “complications with managing and operating the facility,” which had served as a critical lifeline for individuals requiring long-term shelter. “When they told us a few months ago that they were pulling out, we had to act fast,” Klein said.
bility requirements through the Department of Social Services (DSS).
Tompkins County Administrator Lisa Holmes has said, “We are grateful to have motel rooms available for THA shelter beds [and] we are confident that we will be able to move forward on the aggressive timeline of making beds available by midNovember.” Holmes added, “THA is an important program because it provides people with shelter and other social support to get back on their feet.”
“We are grateful to have motel rooms available for THA shelter beds [and] we are confident that we will be able to move forward on the aggressive timeline of making beds available by mid-November.”
— Lisa Holmes, Tompkins County Administrator
Officials are now in the process of actively negotiating contracts with local motels to expand the capacity of the THA program, which provides temporary housing to individuals who meet specific eligi-
To respond to the increased demand for emergency shelter during the winter season, the county has renovated the old KeyBank building on North Tioga Street to serve as this season’s temporary Code Blue shelter.
Code Blue operations are a state-mandated service to provide emergency overnight shelter during winter for individuals who may not qualify for longer-term housing assistance. The facility is expected to open in early November, with services offered from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. A warming center will also operate from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with expanded hours on weekends and holidays.
Renovations at the KeyBank site include enhanced security features, window
Ithaca Free Clinic Provides Accessible Healthcare to the Uninsured
By Matt Dougherty
With healthcare costs in New York continuing to rank among the highest in the nation, people are struggling to a ord the expenses associated with staying healthy.
More than one million New Yorkers are uninsured or underinsured, and that number is expected to rise as health insurance premiums in the state have seen their largest one-year increase since 2018.
Operated by the Ithaca Health Alliance (IHA) and located at 521 West Seneca Street, the clinic o ers a variety of healthcare services to ensure people receive the care they need.
According to IHA Executive Director Norbert McCloskey, the clinic was founded on the belief that “healthcare is
a human right” and follows an integrative healthcare model that combines conventional medical practices with alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, and herbal medicine.
“Our mission is to provide access to healthcare for our community members who can’t get it because of their ability to pay,” said McCloskey. “We want to make sure these folks, most of whom are employed [but don’t receive insurance through their employer], can see a doctor when they need to.”
e clinic’s primary medical services are provided on Mondays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and ursdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Complementary therapies, which include chiropractic care, acupuncture, and Western herbal medicine, are available on select weekdays.
In addition to general medical care, the clinic o ers specialized services, including an optometry program in partnership with the Lions Club and Essilor Vision Foundation. is program provides free eye exams and prescription eyewear to individuals who need it. “We see everybody
from age ve on up in that program,” McCloskey said, noting that patients receive “top-quality stylish eyeglasses” at no cost. e clinic also launched a chronic care program in 2018 to support individuals
Continued on Page 13
Danish String Quartet Brings Adventure to Bailey Hall
By Peter Rothbart
The Danish String Quartet is not your stereotypical stodgy string quartet, an image that happily is fading from the classical scene. ey sport beards. ey jokingly deny that they are Vikings while they proudly acknowledge their Scandinavian heritage. eir concerts typically end with a rousing series of self-arranged Nordic folk tunes.
eir upcoming performance at Cornell’s Bailey Hall on ursday, November 14, promises to be a lively performance of personal musicmaking with a touch of irreverence. ey have shared the concert stage for over 20 years. eir ensemble work is seamless, their programming innovative and progressive, and their commitment to established as well as new literature is refreshingly balanced. ey commission new composers, o en pairing their new endeavors with more established compositions.
Such is the case with Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw’s composition, Entr’acte. e youngest winner ever of the musical prize, Shaw is a composer, producer and singer who has earned four Grammys, toured with Kanye West, written or produced for Yo-Yo Ma, Renee‘ Fleming, the New York, and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestras, lm, and television. She also maintains an active schedule as a vocalist with the a cappella vocal group, Roomful of Tears. Shaw reimagines classical music as an in uence, not a boundary in a thoroughly 21st century way.
Having been inspired by the third movement Andante of Franz Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 77:2, Entr’acte sounds as if she was hearing Haydn through an aural, psychedelic-in uenced prism. She has referred to experiencing Haydn as if, “…seen through Alice’s looking glass.”
It is, at any one time, a vocal-inspired breathing exercise for string instruments and a whispering ant-like crawly sound cluster that evolves into a dance that eventually gets a bit out of control…but in a good way. Stravinskylike time signature changes stress unpredict-
The
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 7:30 p.m. Bailey Hall, Cornell University
Tickets: https://www.cornellconcertseries.com/tickets
able rhythmic accents, though an underlying rhythmic pulse remains constant, driving the piece throughout. Her tightly voiced harmonic clusters reference Haydn’s own close harmonies in the Andante. e relationship between the two pieces is reinforced by similar bowings and articulations. Since the Danish Quartet will play the Haydn Andante before the Entr’acte, connecting the two without pause, the relationship between the two works should be apparent.
Twentieth century composer Dmitri Shostakovich wrote een string quartets despite living through di cult times. A Russian patriot and musical hero who survived the World War II siege of Leningrad, his music was alternately denounced and banned, then later lauded and reinstated, then denounced and reinstated yet again by the Russia’s Communist cultural establishment. He lost his teaching positions at the Moscow and Leningrad Conservatories. His String Quartet no. 4 in D Major, Op 83 was completed in 1949, performed once, then shelved out of fear that it would further jeopardize his o cial status (and possibly his life). A few months a er Stalin’s death, Shostakovich worked his way back into o cial acceptance and the work emerged again.
Shostakovich had always displayed an afnity for working with altered musical modes
rather than traditional tonality. Modes allowed him to create folk-like melodies and harmonies that could couple with his concept of dissonance. He could extend phrases, creating highly emotional elegiac lines that when woven together, created a ponderous and densely intricate counterpoint, dissonant, yet remotely tonal sounding.
Shostakovich especially loved Jewish music, explaining that because of the Jews’ tortured experience through the ages, their music reects two sets of emotions. His String Quartet no. 4 echoes this notion of dual, simultaneous emotions, especially during the fourth and nal movement.
Expect the Danish Quartet to complete their Ithaca concert with a series of self-written compositions and folk melodies based on Danish and Scandinavian stories and musical themes. ey are unannounced at this time but should reveal the quartet’s fondness for their Nordic heritage.
Peter Rothbart is a Professor Emeritus of Music at the Ithaca College School of Music, eatre and Dance where he taught electroacoustic and media music for 40 years. He remains active as a classical, jazz and pop musician.
Arts & Entertainment
An Upcoming Feast of Americana Music Headliners
By Peter Rothbart
Ithaca may be centrally isolated, but thanks to Dan Smalls Productions we are a major concert destination for Americana music. In the next week, he’s bringing us two shows that embody two divergent streams of American folk music. Singer/songwriter Jakob Dylan’s Wall owers arrive on Saturday, November 9 at the State eatre, while Leo Kottke will display his virtuosic ngerpicking skills on Wednesday, November 13 at the Hangar eatre.
As the founding member of e Wallowers, Dylan is a skilled songsmith, writing lyrics that tell simple and compelling stories, lacing them with clever wordplay and inner rhyme. He freely employs metaphors and allegorical references that entice the listener to engage on multiple levels. His lyrics re ect an introspective approach to writing, focusing on themes of honesty, times past, the search for purpose and opportunities lost and found.
e Wall owers’ style is a lean and unadorned folk-rock; thought-provoking lyrics, a catchy chorus or hook, a screaming organ note that holds above the harmony, and hard rocking guitars, all mixed with a touch of airy reverb to evoke an aura of reminiscing.
NOTE:
The Wall owers
Saturday, November 9, 2024 State Theatre, Ithaca, NY Show at 8 p.m.
Tickets: https://dspshows.com/venues/state-theatre/ Leo Kottke
Wednesday, November 13, 2024 Hangar Theatre, Ithaca, NY Show at 8 p.m.
Tickets: https://dspshows.com/venues/the-hangartheatre/“
e simplicity and clarity of the sound; unpretentious drums keeping time, strategic organ lls and an aggressive but not overpowering guitar is all about leaving space and deferring to the lyrics. According to Dylan, “You’ve got to have a good song. You can chase all kinds of things when you’re making a record, but none of it matters if you don’t have a good song.” e band’s choice of instruments leans towards the vintage, lots of Fender Telecaster, Gibson, and Martin guitars along with a Hammond B-3 organ, all of which creates an open and airy space that enables Dylan’s gru but clearly articulated voice to expound his lyrics. e result is a sound that acknowledges the in uence of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, both of whom have worked closely with Dylan, not to mention the patina of rhythmic patter that hints at the poetic in uence of another of Dylan’s family. If e Wall owers are all about the lyrics, Leo Kottke is all about his guitar picking. He is a master cra sman, an encyclopedia
Continued on Page 14
Maru Ramen Delivers Bold Flavors with Simple Menu
By Henry Stark
The first thing I noticed when revisiting Maru Ramen is that the menu is more limited than when I last reviewed it on October 5, 2022. A Japanese-Korean restaurant, it’s located near the west end of State Street, and specializes in Ramen noodle and a few Pho noodle dishes all between $10 and $14.
The menu may have changed but the atmosphere hasn’t. It’s still relatively small, with room for about three dozen diners and is light and cheery with bright orange chairs. There are large Asian-type wall hangings, and wainscoting-type wall panels and although the piped in music includes vocal selections, it’s kept to a low, unintrusive level.
The quality of the food is still top notch with generous portions all of which are attractively presented.
Among the ten appetizers, I often select a Hirata Bun, ($5). They’re large, steamed, and soft and come with lettuce and onions. There’s a choice of fillings including pork, chicken, kimchi, and shitake mushrooms. Since I know I’m going to have beef as an entrée, I usually choose pork because it blends well with the lettuce and onion. The thick dough, wrapped around the pork, offers a pleasant texture, however it’s a bit
ITHACA FREE CLINIC
with chronic conditions. Patients with diabetes, hypertension, and other longterm health issues can see a chronic care specialist regularly and learn how to manage their health better and reduce the frequency of acute episodes.
Additionally, the clinic runs a “food pharmacy” program to address food insecurity among its patients, who face challenges accessing nutritious food. The clinic also provides resources for those facing medical debt and assists patients in enrolling in insurance plans to expand their access to other healthcare services beyond what the clinic can offer. According to McCloskey, the clinic saw a temporary decrease in patients during
dry and I would welcome some kind of a dipping sauce.
I’m personally familiar with three different types of noodles: Ramen, Udon, and Soba. Of these, I prefer the longer, thinner Ramen noodles. Udon noodles are made from wheat and are often thick and slippery and hard for me to grasp with chopsticks. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat and can be a bit too nutty and strong and sometimes tend to overwhelm a dish.
Ramen dishes can be offered with an unlimited variety of combinations. Here, there are a dozen choices, all of which are served with a house-made hearty broth cooked over very high heat.
All the Ramen dishes have a few ingredients in common: a soft-cooked, half hard hard-boiled egg, toasted sesame seeds, ginger, and scallions. These are all used as toppings and are served over the noodles. I believe these dishes are all assembled before we arrive because they’re delivered to the table amazingly fast after we order them. The portions are served in a bowl and are invariably too much to consume at one sitting, so I know I’m either ordering to share with a companion or I’ll be taking a large portion home.
the pandemic because of expanded Medicaid eligibility made possible by federal relief programs. “The federal government provided funding to expand Medicaid coverage for the population…So individuals who didn’t qualify for Medicaid suddenly found that they did,” McCloskey said.
However, this decrease was short-lived.
Once federal pandemic-era funding was scaled back in 2022, Medicaid eligibility requirements became more strict, leading to a significant increase in patients seeking services at the clinic.
“From 2022 to the end of 2023, our numbers went up 30%,” McCloskey said.
“We were seeing folks that had insurance through that expanded Medicaid program suddenly not have insurance.” He continued saying that by the end of the year the
I like the Shitake Mushroom bowl. It happens to be one of the two vegetarian Ramen offerings, (Vegetable Miso is the other). I don’t select it because it’s one of two vegetarian entrées — I’m a cardcarrying omnivore — I like it because I enjoy the generous offering of about a dozen large, braised, mushroom slices in a vegetable broth. These slices are often too large to call “bite size”. (see Tid Bits).
If you don’t care for noodles, there are only a few rice based alternatives. You might enjoy one of the BiBimBop “Savory Dishes”. Steamed rice is topped with lettuce, sliced cucumber, shredded carrots, green onions and a slice of a soy-cured hard-boiled egg. There’s a choice of a half dozen BiBimBop add-ons including chicken, (spicy), tofu (spicy), beef, pork, avocado, and shitake mushroom. There is only one dessert on offer: Green Tea Ice Cream, ($5).
BEVERAGES: I wouldn’t recommend Maru Ramen for beverages. They don’t serve wine. The beer menu is limited to three selections, and the only “coffee” is
clinic will have served an estimated 675 to 700 patients.
The clinic operates with the support of dedicated healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, occupational therapists, and complementary therapy specialists who volunteer their time.
“All of our services are provided by community volunteers who graciously share their time and talents with us to provide health care services to the folks knocking on our door,” McCloskey said.
He added that the clinic does not receive state or federal funding and relies solely on community donations and local foundation support to keep its doors open. “We rely on donations and local foundations to support our efforts,” McCloskey
Korean Iced Coffee, ($3). There is no traditional American hot coffee however there is a small selection of Sake, served hot or cold.
Regular readers of these reviews know that I have high expectations for restaurants that serve limited menus. The cooks can concentrate on ordering, seasoning, and cooking the food they specialize in. Maru Ramen, specializing in single bowl Ramen meals, easily meets those expectations.
TID BITS:
You’ll be offered a pair of plastic chop sticks and a large plastic spoon as utensils. Feel free to ask for a fork. I do because I use it to twirl the long noodles in the spoon and sometimes, I find I need the firm metal fork to slice into the larger- than-bite-size mushroom pieces. When I’m there, I notice only one server and she won’t bring you a check at the end of the meal. The system is, when you’re finished, get up and go to the register to pay.
There is no take-out menu, however you can order online.
There’s only one restroom and I’ve often had to wait. Metered parking on State Street.
said, highlighting that the clinic does not bill for any services.
With no budget for advertising, McCloskey emphasized the importance of word-of-mouth in promoting the clinic’s services. “Let people know that we’re here,” he said. “We’re available to anyone who needs us, and many people don’t realize they have access to these resources.”
Community members can support the clinic by spreading awareness and making donations. McCloskey added medical professionals can donate a few hours of the time each month to help residents seeking service at the clinic.
To learn more about the Ithaca Free Clinic, make a donation, or volunteer, call (607) 330-1254 or email clinic@ithacahealth.org.
continued from page 3
of involvement. “I think it’s appalling that Cornell hasn’t been an active player in this extraordinary effort,” she said. “I challenge them to step up with matching funds.”
In light of the challenges, several council members suggested exploring a more sustainable funding model similar to the one used for TCAT, the county’s public bus system. TCAT’s operating expenses
ITHACA MAYOR CALLS
continued from page 7
to approve the increase at a future meeting.
Until the Mayor responded.
The Mayor Responds
In response to the amendment’s passage, Mayor Cantelmo — who had recused himself from the Council’s initial discussions — released a statement expressing appreciation for the amendment’s intentions but called for a more public and transparent process for setting the salaries of elected officials.
“I appreciate the intention of the sponsors in advancing a recent budgetary amendment on the mayor’s salary,” Cantelmo said. He added that while he agreed in principle that workers compensation should reflect the amount of work they do, “I would prefer recommendations pertaining to elected official pay be moderated by a public and participatory process beyond the legislature alone.”
AMERICANA MUSIC HEADLINERS
continued from page 12
are divided between three primary entities: the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, and Cornell University. Some council members expressed interest in a similar multi-entity funding approach for Ithaca BikeShare, ideally incorporating regular financial commitments from the three entities and Ithaca College.
Council members said that a model like this would ensure a stable source of funding, allowing the program to maintain affordable rates and expand services.
Cantelmo mentioned his long-standing support for establishing a citizen-led commission to periodically review and set compensation levels, similar to the model used by the Tompkins County Legislature.
“For several years, I have made the case that the compensation of elected officials should be left in the hands of the public,” Cantelmo said. He also emphasized the importance of fixing salaries at the beginning of each term so adjustments are not made mid-election cycle.
Ultimately, the Mayor requested that the amendment’s sponsors withdraw the proposal and return the allocated funds to the city’s budget. “I do not believe that goal is best served at this time by a move to increase the mayor’s salary,” Cantelmo stated. Now, without support from the Mayor himself, the amendment to increase the Mayor’s salary is almost certainly dead. Given the mayor’s response, the public could be given the opportunity to vote on the matter for themselves sometime in the future.
of fingerpicking styles, sophisticated and smoothly executed. His melodies are inextricably woven into the harmony, a tapestry rather than an embroidery. The resulting counterpoint flows, regardless of whether he is using 2, 3, or 4 fingers (thumb included). He plays his 12-string guitar as if it was a 6-string and his knowledge of alternate tunings helps to define the uniqueness of his sound. He marries a large and enveloping acoustic sound with a fluid, yet precise technique. Listen as the modal or tonal quality of a song changes every time he switches guitars or retunes. Kottke’s technique acknowledges a classical guitar influence in his hand position and body posturing at times, and he willfully winks at the sonic debt he owes to John Fahey and his own distinctive sound. But if you listen closely, you can hear strains of Reverend Gary Davis in his two-
finger work, bluegrass runs reminiscent of Doc Watson and a compositional obtuseness (in the best sense of the word), of Ry Cooder. His occasional detours into slide guitar reference Southern acoustic blues.
Kottke’s compositions and arrangements draw upon both old and new material, but he is untethered to traditions. His newer compositions flow like a river, from the past through the present and into the future, more so than any other Americana artist who comes to mind.
So, bring a pair of binoculars and watch his fingers, especially his picking hand. His fingers don’t fly across the strings, they caress them. The result is a flowing, liquid, joyous sound underscored by a perky rhythmic pluck (sic).
Peter Rothbart is a Professor Emeritus of Music at the Ithaca College School of Music, Theatre and Dance where he taught electroacoustic and media music for 40 years. He remains active as a classical, jazz and pop musician.
Change of Seasons
Cornell Hockey Sweeps to Start Schafer’s Last Season, IC CU Football Win
By Steve Lawrence
While driving through Jacksonville, New York last week, there were bicyclists cruising down Rt. 96 in shorts and t-shirts, and homeowners raking leaves in tank tops. Had I somehow ended up in Jacksonville, Florida?
Despite the weather, it was indeed Ithaca in November — Lynah Rink was packed to the banner-laden ra ers once again as the Cornell men’s ice hockey team took the ice. e Big Red apparently did not like the fact that they were ranked three spots lower that the visitors from North Dakota (#9 as opposed to #6), because the hosts put it on the visitors two nights in a row. One can safely assume that the rankings will not stay as they were prior to the weekend.
e Lynah Faithful savor every moment of every game, but this season will evoke even more emotion. Many of those fans watched Mike Schafer lace up his skates as a defenseman for the Big Red (graduating in 1986), and the Faithful are watching with gratitude and respect as the coach is spending his 30th — and last — season as the program’s head coach. In that period, Schafer — whose record is 542-289-111 — has coached 10 rst-team All Americans, had 50 players dra ed, 25 of whom have made it to the NHL. His 30 years will make him the longest-tenured coach in program history, and his trophy case is sagging with awards. Standing next to Schafer behind the bench is Associate Head Coach Casey
Jones, who will assume the top position next season. Jones’ Cornell pedigree is legit as well, as he played for the Big Red (class of ’90), spent a brief time as an assistant coach under (Schafer’s predecessor) Brian McCutcheon, came back as an assistant under Schafer from 20082011, and is now settled in and ready to take the reins next year. Jones — who also coached at Ohio State and Clarkson — is widely regarded as a savvy recruiter, and program insiders are, by and large, convinced that the right choice was made.
Once again this season, Cornell’s vaunted defense will be anchored by goaltender Ian Shane, now a senior. A er the Big Red’s sweep of North Dakota, Shane’s recoed against teams ranked #6 or higher stands at 12-3-0 over the last 15 games, and he became the seventh goalie in Cornell history to win 50 games.
Cornell will stay at Lynah next weekend, and open ECAC play against Yale on Friday and Brown on Saturday.
● ● ●
Back to fall sports for a moment... Both Cornell and Ithaca College football teams won crucial games. Cornell put up an impressive 49 points to Princeton’s 35, and in doing so evened its Ivy League record at 2-2. Senior Jameson Wang was sharp once again, completing 23 of 30 passes for 262 yards and three touchdowns.
e Bombers of Ithaca College, having stumbled early in the season, rolled to their fourth consecutive win with a 24-0
Senior Goaltender Ian Shane became the seventh Cornell goaltender in history to win 50 games as the Big Red swept sixth-ranked North Dakota last weekend to open their season. (Photo by Caroline Sherman/Cornell Athletics)
thumping of Union. e Bombers are now 5-3 on the season, and 4-1 in the Liberty League with one conference game le to play. ●
ree months a er Al Gantert lost his life in a motorcycle accident, there will be a gathering to celebrate the life of the retired Cornell Athletics administrator.
Many people from Al’s life — former colleagues, friends, students, motorcycle pals, triathlon co-competitors and all manner of philosophers — will gather on Sunday, November 10th, from 3–5 p.m. at the Merrill Sailing Center on East Shore Drive. Al was 80 years old, but as Cornell Athletic Hall of Famer Sue Cosentini said, “ e way he worked out and with an attitude like his, Al was in the prime of his life.”
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Bars/Bands/Clubs
11/7 Thursday
Jazz Thursday with MAQ | 6 p.m. | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Rd. The Magenta Lounge | 9:00pm| The Downstairs, 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St.
11/8 Friday
Happy Hour with GoGone | 5:30 p.m. | Deep Dive Ithaca, 415 Old Taughannock Blvd
Cuban Music with Alejandro Ruiz | 6 p.m. | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Rd. | Free
Kash’d Out with Dale and the ZDubs and 28 Days Later | 7 p.m. | Deep Dive, 415 Old Taughannock Blvd | $15.00 - $18.00
Common Railers | 8:00pm| The Downstairs, 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St.
11/9 Saturday
Calya | 5:30 p.m. | South Hill Cider, 550 Sandbank Rd.
After Six w/ Beyanca Guilme | 8 p.m. | Deep Dive Ithaca, 415 Old Taughannock Blvd
Venissa Santí w/ Michael Stark & Olive Mitra |8:00pm | The Downstairs, 121 W. M.L.K. Jr. St.
11/10 Sunday
Jazz Guitar Brunch with Dennis Winge | 10:30 a.m. | Antlers Restaurant, 1159 Dryden Rd. | Free
Alyssa Rodriguez – Nordic Music Scholar & Performer | 3 p.m. | The
Canaan Institute, 223 Canaan Road | $25.00
Chez Lounge w/ Nina Widger, Dave Davies, Brian Earle & Jim Sherpa | |7:00pm The Downstairs, 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St.
11/12 Tuesday
Five on 4 | 7:00pm | The Downstairs, 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St.
11/13 Wednesday
Fire y Trio | 6 p.m. | Deep Dive Ithaca, 415 Old Taughannock Blvd | Free
Cielle & Levi | 7:00pm | The Downstairs, 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St.
Concerts/Recitals
11/6 Wednesday
“Linda Catlin Smith: Nocturnes and Chorales” presented by Jack Yarbrough | 7:30 p.m. | Barnes Hall, 129 Ho Plaza | Free
11/7 Thursday
“Linda Catlin Smith: Chamber Works” | 7:30 p.m. | Sage Chapel, Ho Plaza | Free LaMP | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St
11/8 Friday
Ben Folds: Paper Airplane Request Tour | 8 p.m. | State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 West State St | $40.00
Billy Prine & The Prine Time Band: The Songs of John Prine | 8 p.m. | Hangar Theatre, 801 Taughannock Blvd.
Slambovian Circus of Dreams | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St
11/9 Saturday
A Tribute to King Elvis featuring Terry Buchwald | 7 p.m. | Hangar Theatre, 801 Taughannock Blvd. | $0.00 - $20.00
The Wall owers | 8 p.m. | State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 West State St | $35.00 - $55.00
The Machine performs acoustic Pink Floyd | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St
11/10 Sunday
The Ultimate Tribute to the Bee Gees and ABBA | 7:00 p.m. | State Theatre of Ithaca, 107 West State St
11/12 Tuesday
ALL THE WRONG NOTES: Charles Ives at 150, fourth concert | 7:30 p.m. | Barnes Hall, 129 Ho Plaza | Free Jesse Cook | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St
11/13 Wednesday
Stefania Neonato presents “The Romantic French Prelude as Reverie” | 7:30 p.m. | Barnes Hall, 129 Ho Plaza | Free
Leo Kottke | 8 p.m. | Hangar Theatre, 801 Taughannock Blvd. | $45.00
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes | 8 p.m. | Center for the Arts of Homer, 72 S Main St
Stage
The Epic of Finn MacCool | 7 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Three Bears, 7175 North Main Street | Free two part storytelling experience at the Three Bears in Ovid on November 8th and 15th from 7:00 to 8:30pm, free admission. | Free SIX | 7:30 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway | The M&T Bank 2024-25 Broadway Season presents SIX Friday–Saturday, November 8-9, 2024 @ 7:30pm.Ticket prices start at $66.
Rosa and Blanca | 7:30 p.m., 11/8 Friday | The Cherry Arts, 102 Cherry St | A pair of brilliant sisters leave civilization for the deep dark woods. A fairy tale very much not for children. | $15.00 - $65.00
Orlando’s Gift | 7:30 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Flex Theatre, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, 430 College Ave | Orlando’s Gift is a new play inspired by the novel, Orlando, by Virginia Woolf. It tells the love story of writer, Virginia Woolf, and her hero/heroine Orlando, a character who has too many selves to count. | Free
Combatting Antisemitism through the Arts, on Campus and Beyond | 7 p.m., 11/11 Monday | Bailey Hall, 230 Garden Ave | John Ondrasik and Patricia Heaton will use the power of the arts to combat antisemitism on campus and beyond. | Free
A Case for the Existence of God | 7 p.m., 11/13 Wednesday | Kitchen Theatre Company, 417 W. State St./ Martin Luther King Jr. St., | | $10.00 - $52.00
Art
Present Conversations II - Group
BIPOC Exhibition & Artist Talks
| 5:30 p.m., 11/6 Wednesday | Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, 110 N TIOGA St | Enjoy art and artists talks at Present Conversations II during the month of November @ Community Arts Partnership, 110 N TIOGA ST. | Free
Seeing Ithaca: through the eyes of artists | 12 p.m., 11/7 Thursday | State of the Art Gallery, 120 West State Street | Member artists at SOAG organized Seeing Ithaca through the Eyes of Artists to promote the area and invite nonmember artists to participate. | Free
Why is Reality? | 12 p.m., 11/7
Thursday | State of the Art Gallery, 120 West State Street | Diana Ozolins, Margy Nelson and MarryAnn Bowman are showing new works at SOAG created through their own individual perception, imagination and humor. | Free
Paint Night with The Party Brush
| 6 p.m., 11/7 Thursday | The Whimsy Mercantile, 2075 East Shore Drive | Join The Party Brush at The Whimsy Mercantile in Lansing on Thursday, November 7th from 6-8pm, as we paint this beautiful wintery scene painted on a wood!
Professional Headshot Sessions w/Manifesto Designs Photography | 10 a.m., 11/8 Friday | Tompkins Chamber, 124 Brindley St | Update your professional image with quick and a ordable headshot sessions provided by Chamber member photographers. Details: Appointment slots are 10 minutes long. | $75.00
Figure Drawing Fridays at CSMA | 6 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Community School of Music and Arts, 330 E State St. | Drop in for gure drawing sessions at CSMA, generally held on the 2nd and 4th Friday evenings of each month.
Every Stone Tells a Story Exhibit | 10 a.m., 11/9 Saturday | New eld History and Activity Center, 192 Main Street | Come and learn about New eld’s cemeteries at the New eld Historical Society’s new exhibit: Every Stone Tells a Story! | Free
Hours - Research Library | 10 a.m., 11/9 Saturday | The History Center in Tompkins County, 401 East State Street | Beginning on February 17th 2024, the Research Library will be
open to walk-in visitors on Saturdays from 10:00-3:00 for limited research access.
Corn Husk Dolls with Penny Miner | 2 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | The History Center in Tompkins County, 110 N Tioga St | Join us to learn a piece of Haudenosaunee culture from Penny Miner - at this event she’ll tell the story of a corn husk doll and lead the group in creating their own dolls to bring home. | $0.00 - $10.00
DRAWING INVITATIONAL | 4 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | Corners Gallery, 903 Hanshaw Rd. Suite 101A Suite 101A | The Corners Gallery Drawing Invitational will feature work by Helen Cass, Tina Mullen, Diane Newton, Je Quinn, Carla Stetson and Ellen Weider. | Free
The Gallery at South Hill exhibit Transient Cycles | 12 p.m., 11/10 Sunday | The Gallery at South Hill, 950 Danby Rd. | The Gallery at South Hill presents “Transient Cycles”. A two person exhibit featuring the multi media works of Mara Alper and Adriana Groeneveld. | Free
Film
Short Film Night | 7 p.m., 11/7
Thursday | Liquid State Brewing, 620 W Green St | An evening of short lm screenings and conversation on the release of the new book “Short Film Screenwriting,” by lmmaker and Cornell Professor Austin Bunn. | Free Black Barbie: A Documentary | 7 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Auburn Public Theater, 8 Exchange St. | More than just a doll. Black Barbie celebrates the momentous impact three Black women at Mattel had on the evolution of the Barbie brand as we know it. 4th Annual Cayuga Film Festival | 12 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | Auburn Public Theater, 8 Exchange St. | Welcome to The 4th Annual Cayuga Film Festival! Join us for an afternoon lled with exciting lms and talented lmmakers. The event will take place on Sat.
Special Events
FLAG Con 2024 | 11 a.m., 11/8 Friday | Ithaca Downtown Conference Center, 116 E. Green St. | FLAG Con 2024 is a tabletop gaming event where you
AND BLANCA
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH AT 7:30 PM. SHOW RUNS NOV. 8-17.
JAMES BALDWIN: A CELEBRATION & COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH AT 2:00 PM Bu alo Street Books, 215 N. Cayuga Street (Dewitt Mall), Ithaca | Spend the afternoon discussing James Baldwin’s work and in uence. To celebrate the centennial of his birth, attendees will receive a copy of a James Baldwin centennial essay collection, courtesy of Beacon Press. (Photo: Provided)
can enjoy your favorite games and discover new ones, featuring board games, MtG, and RPGs. | $22.00$48.00
Sports
Cornell Men’s Basketball vs Samford University | 6 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Newman Arena at Bartels Hall |
Cornell Big Red Hockey vs. Yale Bulldogs Hockey | 7 p.m., 11/8 Friday | James Lynah Rink, Campus Rd |
Cornell Sprint Football vs Manseld University | 7 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Schoellkopf Field |
Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey vs Yale University | 7 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Lynah Rink |
Ithaca Volleyball vs Cortland | 12 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | Ben Light Gymnasium |
Ithaca Football vs St. Lawrence University | 1 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | Butter eld Stadium |
Cornell Football vs University of Pennsylvania - Trustees’ Cup | 1 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | Schoellkopf Field |
Ithaca Volleyball vs Cortland vs. Nazareth | 2:30 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | Ben Light Gymnasium |
Cornell Men’s Soccer vs Columbia University | 4 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | Berman Field |
Ithaca Volleyball vs Nazareth University | 5 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | Ben Light Gymnasium |
Cornell Men’s Ice Hockey vs Brown University | 7 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | Lynah Rink |
Books
Imagining the Method: A Book Talk by Justin Owen Rawlins | 5 p.m., 11/7 Thursday | Film Forum, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, 430 College Ave | Only one performance style has dominated the lexicon of the casual moviegoer: “Method acting.” Imagining the Method investigates how popular understandings of the so-called Method created an exclusive brand for white, male actors while associating such actors with rebellion and marginalization. | Free
November Poetry Open Mic | 6:30 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Ithaca Community School of Music and Arts, 330 East State Street | Read your own poetry or a poem from a favorite artist, or come to listen and stay updated on literary events and happenings at our monthly open mic. We feature poets on occasion. | Free On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America | 7:30 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Call Auditorium, Kennedy Hall, Cornell University | Abrahm Lustgarten, Award-winning Investigative Reporter, Author, Filmmaker, and Public Speaker, will discuss his most recent book, On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America. | Free Writing Workshop: Get Inside Your Character’s Head | 2:30 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | The Community School of Music and Arts, 330 E State St. | In this ction writing workshop learn how to develop a character using a ‘character tree,’ psychology, personality typing, and putting them in situations of stress and novelty. | $15.00 - $20.00 Peace and War | 3 p.m., 11/10 Sunday | Lansing Performance Hall, 1004 Auburn Rd | Poetry and Music: Peace and WarNow in its third year, a Savage Club series The Verb Takes a Walk, presents Peace and War on Sunday, November 10 from 3 to 5 pm.. | Free Mythic Mondays | 11/11 Monday | The Downstairs, 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St. | Storyteller open mic with Jay Leeming. 2nd Monday of the month.
Teen Book Club | 4 p.m., 11/12 Tuesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Teens ages 13 to 18 are invited to join the Teen Book Club. For November we will be reading Michael L.Printz award winning novel Gather by Kenneth Cadow.
Kids
Story + Craft | 3:30 p.m., 11/7
ThursRainbow Family Fridays | 3 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Rainbow Family Fridays are social events for parents, children, and families who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Science Connections: Naturalist Outreach | 2 p.m., 11/10 Sunday | Sciencenter, 601 1st St | Join us for a special Science Connections series in
partnership with Cornell’s Naturalist Outreach Program featuring insects, reptiles, and birds!
Notices
Common Council Meeting | 6 p.m., 11/6 Wednesday | Council Chambers, 3rd Floor City Hall | Trivia! | 7 p.m., 11/6 Wednesday | Liquid State Brewery, 620 West Green Street. | Trivia Night with Bob Proehl at Liquid State! | Free Public Works | 11/6 Wednesday |
The Downstairs, 121 W M.L.K. Jr. St. | Public Works is free event in the style of Nerd Nite but designed just for Ithaca!
Coltivare Community Wine Course: Merlot | 5:30 p.m., 11/7 Thursday | Coltivare, 235 S. Cayuga St | Coltivare Community Wine Course: Merlot featuring Right Bank Bordeaux, California, Washington State, Finger Lakes This course has been designed for members of our extended community.
2024 CCE Schuyler Pie Palooza & Annual Meeting | 5:30 p.m., 11/7 Thursday | Grist Iron Brewing Company, 4880 NY-414 | Pie and interesting conversation will be served up Thursday, November 7th during
the 2024 CCE Schuyler Pie Palooza and Annual Meeting! Join us for a night of free food, activities, and awards. | Free Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency
Neighborhood Investment Committee Mtg. (IN-PERSON) | 8:30 a.m., 11/8 Friday | Common Council Chambers, 3rd Floor City Hall 108 E Green St |
Fall Artisan Craft Sale | 12 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Library Place Community Room , 105 West Court St. | Get a head start on your holiday shopping at Lifelong’s Fall Artisan Craft Sale! Over 20 local vendors and FREE admission. | Free
Dementia Conversations | 1:30 p.m., 11/8 Friday | Longview, 1 Bella Vista Drive | Dementia Conversations presented by the Alzheimer’s Association before one is in crisis is the best time for the conversation. | Free Quarter Auction Fundraiser | 6 p.m., 11/8 Friday | New eld Fire Department, 77 Main Street | Grab your quarters and come out to support and encourage our youth at the Quarter Auction Fundraiser! Funds will be donated to help a local Girl Scout troop trying to plan several trips this coming year. Doors open at 6:00 pm, the fun begins at 6:30 pm. | $1.00 - $10.00
An Enchanted Evening with Peter Fortunato, Poet, Shaman,
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Hyponotist | 7 p.m., 11/8 Friday |
The Foundation of Light, 391 Turkey Hill Rd | A bene t Performance for the Foundation of Light, November 8, 2024, 7 PM. Peter’s performances are ceremonies of imagination, spontaneous interactions with his audience, and presentations of his poetry. | $10.00 - $20.00
James Baldwin: A Celebration & Community Conversation | 2 p.m., 11/9 Saturday | Bu alo Street Books, 215 North Cayuga Street | Spend the afternoon with Bu alo Street Books discussing James Baldwin’s work and in uence. To celebrate the centennial of his birth, attendees will receive a copy of a James Baldwin centennial essay collection, courtesy of Beacon Press. | $10.00
Sewcial Stitching Sundays at SewGreen! | 3 p.m., 11/10 Sunday | SewGreen, Press Bay Court 112 W Green Street, #5 | Join our little group as we knit, crochet, weave, handstitch, mend, and drink complimentary tea! If you have questions about your project, chances are someone here will know! Everyone is welcome! Every Sunday from 3 pm to 5 pm. Crafts are provided for children for $5 per child | Free
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous | 4 p.m., 11/10 Sunday, 518 W. Seneca | Are you having trouble
controlling the way you eat? Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) is a free Twelve Step recovery program for anyone su ering from food obsession, overeating, under-eating or bulimia. No dues. No fees. Everyone is welcome. Sundays 4pm. Contact 607351-9504 foodaddicts.org | Free Finding a Balance: Healthy Eating for People with Diabetes | 4 p.m., 11/12 Tuesday | CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue | The Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and Building Healthy Habits present a series of local FREE workshops for people with diabetes who are looking to nd a healthy, nutritious
American Red Cross Blood Drive | 10 a.m., 11/13 Wednesday | Tompkins County Public Library, 101 East Green Street | Warfare and Violence in the Late Pre-Hispanic Andes | 6:30 p.m., 11/13 Wednesday | Center for Natural Sciences Ithaca College, Textor Circle | We discuss patterns of violence, forti cation, and alliance-making in the region and the southern Andes more broadly. Hosted by the Finger Lakes Chapter of the New York State Archaeological Association, this event is free and open to the public. | Free
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